WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM SHARAPOVA'S PR APPROACH?
As a communications concept – PR is critical and it comes in many forms.
To give you a very current example let’s talk about Maria Sharapova. The world-famous tennis player has just this week landed herself in big trouble when a drug test during the Australian Open has returned positive to a banned substance. Maria’s world is changing every day with sponsorship contracts stripped & reputation tarnished. Regardless of whether you think Maria is in the right or wrong, she has handled the situation as well as that famed tennis racquet. Though the outcome is far from ideal, she has responded with speed and professionalism, approaching the press before they approached her.
You may be thinking, how does this apply to you and your business?
Sometimes situations arise where you find yourself in a position where you need to make a comment –it could require a comprehensive crisis communication strategy like Sharapova, or it may not be as controversial but it is a situation that has happened, that involves your business or yourself personally and requires attention.
Here are 3 steps to ensure you can handle potential PR disasters before they explode:
PREPARE YOUR THOUGHTS: develop your key messages and positioning statements with regard to the situation. Consult all those who need to be consulted (e.g., CEO, key shareholders etc) to ensure you’re crafting the correct messages and get professional communication help if needed.
START FROM WITHIN:
it’s critical if a situation does arise that everyone within your organisation is across your message. There is no point in talking to the media or other external stakeholders if you haven’t discussed the situation with your team, so they are completely across what is happening and what your stance on the situation is.
TALK TO THE MEDIA BEFORE THEY TALK TO YOU:
you may not see it entirely necessary that you talk to the media but if it’s a slow news day and depending on your location, the media may come to you. In a lot of cases it’s best you talk to the media and be proactive. Again, this may be an area where you need some extra support from trained professionals.
In a nutshell – it’s important that you can tell your story, exactly how you want it be told, potentially before the news hits the desk of the journalist through another medium. If handled swiftly and with the best approach, difficult situations can sometimes create opportunity to build rapport, support and reputation for your brand. There’s got to be a silver lining, right?!
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When Dr Claire Schmidt from Allora Medical came to us, she was ready for change. Under her leadership, the practice had evolved — embracing a more personal, community-driven approach to healthcare. But the existing brand and online presence wasn’t telling that story. The website and socials felt dated and didn’t reflect the warmth, professionalism and genuine care that the team delivers every day. It was time for their digital presence to catch up with who they truly are. The Challenge Allora Medical needed a brand and website to reflect their real point of difference — the human connection at the heart of their practice. This isn’t a place for “six-minute medicine.” It’s a place where people matter, where care takes time, and where patients felt known. Yet visually and strategically, that message wasn’t coming through. The practice faced an additional challenge: attracting and retaining health professionals in a rural location. The brand needed to communicate trust and expertise to patients, as well as genuine opportunity for potential team members. Our Approach At dms CREATiVE, we began by realigning the brand to better reflect the spirit of Allora Medical. We refreshed the logo and visual identity to convey warmth, care, and community pride - an elegant evolution to retain recognition while elevating the overall presentation. From there, we developed a website balancing compliance with genuine connection — a modern, mobile-responsive platform that’s easy to navigate and effortless for the team to update. Authentic photography of the team and surrounding Allora landscapes played a vital role in grounding the brand in its local context. The result is a website that doesn’t just inform — it feels like Allora. To support long-term goals, the site works hand-in-hand with their social media strategy, helping to humanise the practice and position Allora as an attractive destination for health professionals seeking a rural lifestyle with city convenience. The Outcome The new Allora Medical website now mirrors the experience patients receive the moment they walk through the door — personal, professional, and proudly local. It gives patients confidence in their care and helps prospective staff see Allora as a place where careers and community thrive together.
A bold, purpose-built new website that positions Joe Wagner Group for its next phase of growth — and confirms dms CREATiVE as the go-to partner for strategic, conversion-focused brand and website development.
Working closely with the Wickham team, dms CREATiVE led the development of the Handcut Harvest launch materials.
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