6 takeaways from the crises of 2020

The usual roundup of crisis stories from the past year—something of a tradition at PR Daily—feels a bit superfluous this year. The COVID-19 crisis, the social justice movement in the wake of the George Floyd murder and the presidential election pretty much sum up the year.

Instead, let’s take a look at the lessons to be drawn from the events of 2020. After all, everything has changed and crisis communicators must adapt—or else.

Here are the lessons industry leaders say we should take from the never-ending crisis cycle we now find ourselves in, and what that means for the future of the industry.

1. Disinformation is a long-term problem.

As evidenced by the actions of rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the problem of disinformation and fake news might become an existential threat—and experts warn that the problem won’t go away just because the election is over.