Crisis PR in the New Media Era: the Impact on the Reputation of Chinese New Energy Businesses

Abstract

The self-transformation of new media presents unprecedented challenges for crisis PR. In recent years, the rapid development of new energy vehicles in China has often led to widespread criticism when facing crisis Public Relations (PR) issues. This study takes Tesla, NIO, and Li Auto, three companies developing new energy vehicles in China. It compares their crisis PR strategies in the new media era, exploring their impact on corporate reputation. By collecting the quantity of cognitive and emotional assessments of positive, neutral, and negative nature, and calculating the conversion between evaluations of different natures, this research finds that incorrect response strategies lead to a decrease in both emotional and cognitive reputations, while successful response strategies primarily enhance cognitive reputation. Successful strategies may involve subjective proactive measures, characterized by swift or preemptive PR, positive emotional attitudes, and sustained responsiveness. This study provides empirical insights into understanding and addressing the challenges of crisis PR in the new media era, offering references for companies to formulate crisis management strategies.