Creative Use of Digital Tools for PR

Creative Use of Digital Tools for PR
Southwest Airlines is a company that has effectively used digital tools for PR purposes. Specifically, the company successfully responded to a PR crisis following an accident involving one of its planes. Instead of keeping people in the dark about the accident, the company immediately went on Twitter and Facebook and engaged its customers in honest and open communication. This digital PR was effective because it allowed the company to control the information and direction of the story and gave them a great footing with its customers. Customers were pleased with its honesty and quick response, as seen in some of the Facebook and Twitter posts shared by Fisher (2016). The company provided interactive information about the accident. According to Xu (2020), consumers prefer interactive communication during a PR crisis, and social media offers high interactivity.
Impact of Digital Tools on PR
Social media and the internet avail new opportunities for PR practice by enhancing communication and brand image. According to Ebrahim and Seo (2019), social media has allowed PR practitioners to engage and interact directly with audiences through social media platforms. The engagement and interaction are prompt and real-time, which traditional media lacks. Huang and Wang (2019) reveal that the internet and social media platforms such as Twitter also facilitate the creation of friendly relations and positive im...