Kudos to Subway for handling the Jared Fogle crisis the way it should be. Because of their clear-headed and sensible approach to the circus around Fogle’s guilty plea, they are laying the groundwork to move past the crisis.
Get Instant Access to This Article
Subscribe to Hartford Business Journal and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
- Critical Hartford and Connecticut business news updated daily.
- Immediate access to all subscriber-only content on our website.
- Bi-weekly print or digital editions of our award-winning publication.
- Special bonus issues like the Hartford Book of Lists.
- Exclusive ticket prize draws for our in-person events.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
Kudos to Subway for handling the Jared Fogle crisis the way it should be. Because of their clear-headed and sensible approach to the circus around Fogle's guilty plea, they are laying the groundwork to move past the crisis.
Here are the lessons from that crisis that apply to all businesses going through a similar tough situation:
1. Develop and stick to a simple statement that separates your path from that of the offender and indicates that you are going back to business. Subway did exactly that. Here's how I would have written it: “Subway has ended its relationship with Fogle and is focusing its energies on delivering quality, healthy fast food.”
By the way, I purposely added his last name to this statement to make the relationship seem more formal. One name — Beyonce, Sting, Oprah — gives a sense of intimacy we'd rather avoid here.
2. Stay away from long, heart-felt comments on the charges, no matter how disturbing they are. Once you jump into “We are shocked and saddened by … ” you put yourself in the middle of the story. Save your outrage for meetings with colleges and friends.
Subway's Facebook post on the day Fogle appeared in court nicely straddles the line between concern and moving on: “Jared Fogle's actions are inexcusable and do not represent our brand's values.
We had already ended our relationship with Jared.”
3. Help franchisees get back to business. Subway's 21,000 franchisees are the face of the company to its customers. Give them one, simple phrase that gets them to and through the crisis.
Make sure they understand that it's counterproductive to talk about the shocking nature of the charges, even if customers bring them up.
No outrage. No details. Back to making sandwiches. The phrase can go something like this: “Subway has ended its relationship with Jared Fogle. What kind of veggies would you like on your foot-long?”
4. Continue putting news out on your site and in social media that reminds people of what you do.
Subway's site has news about them breaking a Guinness World Record for the most people making sandwiches simultaneously; a piece on the company receiving an “A” from the “Eat This, Not That” report; and Entrepreneur naming them as one of the top franchisers for veterans. Perfect!
While the circus surrounding Fogle's guilty plea was fast and furious, with wall-to-wall media coverage of his fateful trip down the court house steps, I expect the sound and light show to end as quickly as it began.
Subway will be back to doing what they do best without a hitch: asking us if we'd like guacamole with that.
Andrea Obston is president of Andrea Obston Marketing Communications in Bloomfield.
Read more
7 marketing New Year's resolutions to boost your bottom line
