Armstrong Williams

As PR professionals we are taught to abide by the standard codes and ethics of the PRSA. However, when those lines are crossed and the codes are broken taking the right steps are crucial to the face of the organization.

Saving one's face can be handled in more ways then one, the cut throat way in which you call some one else out and eliminate their face or you claim responsibility for your actions and fix the problem. Williams and Ketchum decided that in order to save their faces they needed to own up to their mistakes and find a way to make it right. I think both Williams and Ketchum handled the problem with the No Child Left Behind Campaign with class and expertise. Both admitted to their wrong actions, after all no one is perfect and realizing this is the first step to making things right. I think that the heart felt apologies was the right thing to do. In doing so both Williams and Ketchum were able to show the public we screwed up and we are sorry and to ensure that this will not happen again here is what we plan to do in order to fix our mistakes.

This is a good PR move and more than likely saved the face of both Williams and Ketchum. I don't think this crisis could have been handled any other way that would have been as beneficial to the individuals involved.