Coping with the media in a crisis: succeeding where BP and Toyota have failed

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address some of the media‐handling implications when a company is hit by a crisis that could affect its corporate reputation. Design/methodology/approach – The author categorises some of the types of crisis that can affect an organisation and looks at possible media messages. Findings – The author shows the importance of preparing appropriate messages in advance for relevant groups of stakeholders. Originality/value – The paper gives cogent reasons as to why effective crisis media training is vital for organizations.