Hearts & Minds: The ice cream didn’t help: what comms pros can learn from the Venice wedding blowback

Jeff Bezos made donations to Venice research centres and conservation groups. Staff handed out ice creams and water to those watching. It made little difference: demonstrations at the wedding celebrations for Bezos and Lauren Sánchez continued unabated. There was, though, a sense they were not as fierce as they might have been. Partly, that was because the event was scaled back; it was also because security was heightened; and it was because Italy’s government and the city authorities said how fed up they were with the critics and how delighted they were with the revenue it was generating and that Bezos had chosen Venice above other places.

For those in comms it was a familiar row. The management does something others will find excessive; the media will glory over every last detail and your task is to handle it. The board meetings held abroad, the ‘away day’ management sessions in a luxury resort – they provide easy fodder. Similarly, the anniversary banquets and bashes.

There are steps to mitigate what has the potential for a PR disaster. First, at the planning stage, look at the timing and the venue, examine them not from the point of view of those attending but the outside world – how will it look? Does it have to be now at this location, does it jar with what is occurring elsewhere, with who you are, what you do, what message are you sending?

Be discreet. The Bezos extravaganza attracted anger because it was so public. The party, or parties, took over a section of a location famously dealing with issues of over-tourism and climate change. Many of the guests were celebrities and the rich coming in on private jets and superyachts. You don’t have to hide, but neither do you have to be so overt.

Have an explanation ready. Don’t make it heavy on justification – that sounds like you’re protesting too much. Ignore some of the sniping, so don’t get dragged into the detail surrounding the transport, hotel, food, wine, entertainment. You’re doing this for the following reasons. Make them short and factual. Do what Bezos did and if appropriate, donate. It will draw the sting.

Don’t expect a lot. You’re going to get criticised whatever you say – the press, social media, they love slavering over what they see as big spending. But you will get some of your argument out and that is important for the stakeholders.

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.