Have you heard about the Quiet Period? It is a phase when companies halt all kinds of PR and publicity campaigns for some time. Many communication professionals (comms pros) witness this event at some point in their profession. During a quiet period, brands avoid media attention and try to maintain a low-key as much as possible. Now the question is why do companies observe a quiet period? Companies usually refrain from media engagement and publicity when they gear up for major transitions like business restructuring or an Initial Public Offer (IPO). During arbitrations, legal teams advise spokespersons to refrain from making industry positioning statements/comments that might create legal complications. Several factors like the criticality of business reforms, guidelines set by legal/compliance teams, market sentiments and its impact on the business can influence the duration companies avoid media engagement.
The quiet period is challenging for PR and comms teams. They face a lot of limitations in running the show, and budget cuts impact their publicity campaigns. Companies are bound to exercise utmost care while sharing business information in the public domain. The legal team scrutinise every message in line with the publicity guidelines. Quiet period, if stretched too long can become frustrating for comms pros and put them in a tricky situation. Media relations is a critical aspect of public relations, and they cannot afford to remain invisible with journalists. Avoiding media queries can further hamper their relations and may result in negative coverage. Striking a balance between media visibility and legal framework can be tough for PR pros. However, patience and creativity can help them navigate the pressure during such critical times. Leveraging unconventional ways of communication can help them push brand narratives subtly without irking key stakeholders.
