Spoiler alert: If you’re not up-to-date yet, maybe bookmark this and come back after you’ve binged.
Season 3 of HBO’s hit series The White Lotus has landed — this time set in the gorgeous mountains of Koh Samui in Thailand — and it’s taking the internet by storm with its dry comedy and tension-filled plot. If you haven’t seen the show before, it’s a drama satire series predominantly focused on wealth, privilege, and power all colliding under the premise of a luxury holiday.
Each season, a new group of “elites” arrive at a luxury White Lotus resort in a different, exotic location across the world. Tensions heighten throughout the holiday, always ending with a character losing their life. Mike White, the writer of the series, has created a blueprint that allows for new characters and wild stories each season, a marker of the show’s success.
But what can we learn from this year’s cohort to apply to B2B comms? Here are three lessons I’ve taken from The White Lotus this year.
Number 1: Don’t say one thing and mean another
In B2B comms, clear and credible messaging is important. Authenticity has never been more critical than now; with the rise of fake news, consumer relationships with brands have never been closer. If your messages aren’t honest or consistent, you’ll get caught out — plain and simple.
Take Jaclyn, Kate, and Laurie. Three childhood friends who can’t seem to get enough of gossiping about each other when the subject isn’t in earshot. Their hidden resentments are quickly bubbling to the surface as the season continues with difficult discussions about religion and politics pushing their friendship to the breaking point.
What I mean to say is: saying one thing to someone’s face and something else behind their back doesn’t build trust — it burns bridges. In B2B comms, journalists and the public will remember if your messaging takes a U-turn without explanation, and they will call you out for it. So, mean what you say every time, and make sure it’s consistent across all audiences.
Number 2: Have a good crisis strategy, for goodness’ sake
It’s easy to think a crisis won’t hit your business – until suddenly it does. A media crisis can happen to anyone, and you need to be prepared with the right messaging and strategy for all eventualities.
Just look at Timothy Ratcliff from this season. While at The White Lotus, he hears word from home that The New York Times and the FBI are after him for fraud and money laundering. Timothy struggles to stop this onslaught waiting for him at home, especially since his team doesn’t seem to know how to keep the reporters at bay or help him.
His story is a clear-cut example of why having a crisis strategy in place is key. Now, I’m not suggesting a good strategy will allow you to get away with fraud. To avoid having a crisis, don’t do bad things. But, arming your team with the right crisis communications strategy when trouble comes knocking is essential. Clear messaging, coordinated communication, and confident spokespeople are critical to reassure customers and manage internal questions too.
Number 3: Journos always remember a face (and a name).
Back in the old days (sorry, I was born in 2000, so this is older to me), journalists had traditional little black books. These held all their contacts, sources and PRs they could call upon when they needed comments or wanted to interview someone in their network.
Nowadays, we have the email inbox, but it’s used just the same. Journalists remember the PRs that give them great stories and scoops. That familiarity and network building are key parts of a PR’s job. On the flip side, if you let down a journalist by not following through on a promise, they’ll also remember you for all the wrong reasons.
In this season of The White Lotus, Belinda from the previous series is visiting Thailand to learn more about their spa practices to take back with her to Maui. When she spots Gary (or Greg, you know, the suspicious guy involved with Tanya in the previous series!?), she grows anxious of his presence, knowing he was involved in shady dealings at a previous hotel.
Lack of support from the hotel team has left her in a stressful situation. Belinda’s story reminds us that while we remember those who have helped and assisted us, we also never forget those who have wronged us or others.
For journalists, it’s just the same. Don’t promise commentary or an interview if it’s not possible, and always have an alternative offering in your back pocket if things don’t go to plan. Belinda remembers Gary for his wrongdoings in the same way that journalists will remember you if you fail to deliver the content promised by the deadline. Remember journalists will remember you, for the good and the bad.
The White Lotus is reaching its penultimate episodes, and many theories are continuing to fly around about how it will end. But we can say that this season’s characters are certainly in for a bucket load of trouble soon.
For a five-star PR strategy with none of the drama, then get in touch.
Written by Annabelle Kiff, Senior Communications Executive at Definition