A crisis by any other name? Examining the effects of journalistic “crisis labeling” on corporate perceptions

Abstract

In a between-subjects experiment (N = 88), participants who read about the “FreshVeg, Inc. tomato crisis” were more likely to say they lost confidence in the product than were participants who read about the “tomato crisis.” Interestingly, similar results were not seen regarding confidence in the company or other corporate perceptions. Overall, this study suggests limited effects of journalistic micro-frames during a public relations crisis. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.