Crisis Communications 101: “Mistakes were made.” Don’t ever say that.

Crisis communications 101: “Mistakes were made”. Don’t apologize like that. Passive voice defies the cardinal rule in crisis communications — own the mistake you made when you apologize.

And yet, well established brands are saying just that.

Callaway and Good Good Golf Ad

The most recent controversy arose when Good Good Golf created an ad for Callaway that was released online and has since been pulled. The ad shows a male golfer shoving a female golfer to the ground when she attempts to use his driver. The internet blew up.

Callaway’s Apology

Callaway’s statement on the controversy — a near-complete fail. While CEO Chip Brewer did apologize (“We sincerely apologize”) (good job), Callaway didn’t OWN the mistake. Instead, they stated: “Mistakes were made.” This use of passive voice INTENTIONALLY attributes the action to no one. If no one is responsible, then no one is taking responsibility. If no one is taking responsibility, then what does Callaway’s sincere apology actually mean?

Crisis Communications and How to Apologize

In this situation, the company gains nothing by using passive voice and avoiding ownership (and the mistake is so obviously theirs). On the other hand, it gains everything by saying “Yep, that was us, we did that, we made a mistake.”

The better way: “We made mistakes. We are sorry. We will do better. Here’s how.” Simple. Clear. And effective.

If your organization needs help apologizing for a mistake (we all make them!), contact Stacy today. She’ll help you find the best way to say “I’m sorry.”