10 Key Public Relations Lessons from 10 Social Media Memes after the #umbrage SPH CEO Saga

If you do not wish to answer any questions, just issue a press release.
Big News is an inspiration to User-generated Content.
A Crisis creates a new Hashtag for your personal branding
Others come to your rescue only by hijacking your trending hashtag.
If you raise your voice, you’ll lose the audience.
The weight of your words is amplified by the height of your position.
Don’t always use the word “Always”. Never use the word “Never”.
Finger-pointing is bad. Doing it with a finger is worse.
Even if you are not a gentleman, there is no need to tell the whole world.
Apologize quickly to avoid more backlash

1. Crisis Management
A Case Study of Umbrage in SPH Press Conference
(What happened on social media 24-48 hours
after the CEO’s outburst)

2. When it all
began
•This would enable the media business to focus on quality content and invest in talent and technology
•SPH's media business will be acquired and held by a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPH called the SPH Media Holdings Pte Ltd.
•The subsidiary will own all media-related businesses including employees, the News Centre and Print Centre, and related leaseholds, and information technology assets.

3. SPHCEO

4. Then a reporter
from Channel
News Asia said:

5. Immediately, then the CEO gets a little emotional
•Responding to a question
from a reporter asking
about whether
SPH'smedia business can
maintain editorial
independence following
the restructuring, Ng began
by saying: "Honestly, I
takeumbrageat your first
question."

6. Background of SPH
CEO Ng Yat Chung
•SAF Scholar
•Singapore 5thChief of DefenceForce
•Has3Mastersdegrees
•BecameaseniorexecutiveinTemasek
Holdings after 2007
•CEO of Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) in
2011
•CEOofSPHin2017
•SPH cut 230 jobs under his leadership

7. People search for you
and eventually influence
Google Algorithm
•First 6 Hours after the Press Conference

8. UMBRAGE
•People learn a
new word or
add meaning
to something
we know so
well for so
long

9. Your Wikipedia will be updated

10. Your business gets more publicity

11. User-generated
social media
content
a.k.a
Meme

12. New Facebook
Group may be
formed
•Screenshot from Umbrage
Singapore Facebook group
First 12 Hours after the Press Conference

13. Brands will hijack
your trending #•From Travel to Lubricant

14. New Products
will be
created on
E-commerce
First 24 Hours after the Press Conference

15. You become an inspiration
to marketers
•You may be part of a business slogan or
tagline
•You may also become a new dish on the
menu (if it escalates)
•You may inspire a new logo

16. You become
a Tik Tok
sensation
though you
may not have
an account

17. You may invite
some expert
opinion or
commentary
First 36 Hours after the Press Conference

18. Even the Law Minister
was asked about the
incident:
•Shanmugam said that both the
reporter and Mediacorpeditor-in-chief
Walter Fernandez knew that taking
money from advertisers did not
automatically compromise an outlet's
independence.
•"If that were so, most newspapers in
the world would not be considered
independent because most
newspapers do, in fact, completely rely
on advertisements," he continued.
•However, he noted that the question
was a fair one, since the journalists
should naturally be concerned with
editorial independence.
•"Mr Ng's reaction, and the way he
answered the question, I think was
very unfortunate," the minister said.

19. SPH CEO Ng Yat
Chung apologizes 48
hours after the
“umbrage” incident
"I had stood up for SPH Media's
long-cherished editorial integrity
and will continue to do so," said Ng
according toTheStraitsTimes.
"Being a direct and blunt-speaking
person, I apologise for any offence I
might have caused and regret any
distraction from the merits of the
proposed restructuring."

20. 10 Key
Lessons from
the Saga
1.If you do not wish to answer any questions, just issue a press release.
2.Big News is an inspiration to User-generated Content.
3.A Crisis creates a new Hashtag for your personal branding
4.Others come to your rescue only by hijacking your trending hashtag.
5.If you raise your voice, you’ll lose the audience.
6.The weight of your words is amplified by the height of your position.
7.Don’t always use the word “Always”. Never use the word “Never”.
8.Finger-pointing is bad. Doing it with a finger is worse.
9.Even if you are not a gentleman, there is no need to tell the whole world.
10.Apologize quickly to avoid more backlash

21. Compiled by: