Last week, @Jeopardy shared a video from host Alex Trebek announcing he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer — and it is an excellent example of how brands, in the right situation, should stay ahead of potential crisis situations.
First let me say that I don’t want to sound insensitive for treating Trebek’s obviously serious cancer diagnosis as a communications crisis. But from a PR standpoint, it is. At its core, a crisis is some unpredictable event that threatens to damage or change the public perception of a brand, company, or individual. Let’s be real: Trebek has hosted Jeopardy! since 1984. NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR. He is the face of Jeopardy!. Any news about the face of Jeopardy! is sure to make headlines, and it was in the show’s best interest to stay ahead of it.
That said, as a fan of Trebek and a crisis communications professional, I adored this video. Here’s why:
- By being the first to announce, Trebek controlled the message. Trebek had an opportunity to nip it in the bud, so to say, before any misinformation had the chance to spread. In the video, he states he wanted to prevent people from hearing “overblown or inaccurate reports” of his health.
- It was on-brand. Trebek, clad in his signature suit, addressed viewers to explain that the purpose of the video was to share some news in keeping with his “long-time policy of being open and transparent with our Jeopardy! fan base.”
- He made us smile. Saying he had to stick around to fulfill the remaining three years of his Jeopardry! contract, Trebek once again did what he’s been doing all these years — made us smile. There’s no doubt when the news hit, fans’ hearts sank. But he quickly lifted them up again with a lighthearted nod to how he’s been the host of Jeopardy! for this long, so he’s not going down easily.
Watch the full video below:
