Branding is about creating a positive image for your company. However, it is equally important to know what to do if things go wrong.

A strong brand is essential for every company. It must be a combination of several elements. Each element is vital, but it is the combination that makes your brand powerful.

• Your brand position – This is what you do for whom and what it means.

• Brand elements, such as the slogan and logo

• Your brand essence is what sets you apart from your competitors and highlights your unique selling points

• This is your brand promise. It outlines the most important thing that you can promise to them.

What could go wrong?

This combination will give your company a significant advantage over competitors who can’t do it. However, sometimes life can throw off your path to building a strong brand and image.

• Poor customer service

• Products with a lack of features

• This could lead to controversy for the company, as it could be accused of tax avoidance or being a multinational.

• A marketing campaign that isn’t directed correctly and causes offense or insults could cause brand damage

Even reckless statements made by senior employees can cause problems. Example: remarks made by Gerald Ratner, a jewelry mogul, in a 1991 speech degrading some products of his company. Recent comments by Michael O’Leary about terrorist acts by Ryanair boss.

These are just a few of the many controversies and calamities that can damage a brand. What can brands do to avoid these calamities?

Virgin: What happened?

Virgin is a brand that has seen more than its fair share mishaps. Virgin was co-founded in 1970 by Richard Branson. It is a classic tale of a man from humble beginnings who built a business empire. The firm began as a record shop in the 1970s. It grew to include a wide range of other fields.

The positive and energetic image of Branson, which revolved around his positive, adventurous personality, attracted consumers. His daring hot-air balloon stunts in 1980, which included the first successful crossing the Atlantic, were a perfect example of this.

This expansion has allowed people to fly with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Rail, listen on Virgin Radio, bank with Virgin Money, phone people on Virgin Mobile, and go online with Virgin Broadband.

The brand has been successful in many aspects, but it has also suffered a lot of failures and mishaps.

• Virgin Cola – Virgin Cola was launched in 1994 by Branson. He claimed it was the most delicious cola on the marketplace and that anyone who disagreed could get their money back. It is unknown how many people asked for a refund. However, it did not live up to its brand promise and lost a small market share.

• Virgin Group Holdings is based in the British Virgin Islands. This is not a positive thing for Virgin Group Holdings. The islands are a tax haven.

• After failing to secure a PS82 million commissioning contract for children’s services in Surrey, Virgin Care was criticized.

Although each of these could have been devastating for a brand’s image, Virgin managed to stay strong and continue to thrive.

How does Virgin deal with problems?

Two questions arise: How did it do this? How can other companies replicate this resilience?

There are many good reasons to believe these things:

• Separation: Although Virgin Group uses the same logo as Mr Branson and has the same association with him, there is enough separation to prevent harm from being repeated elsewhere. Virgin Mobile would not be able to help someone who is plagued by late trains.

• Goodwill: The brand’s strong, positive reputation that it has built over the years. If Virgin Records had been hit by a disaster in the 1970s, it might have turned out differently.

• Strong PR: Virgin, a large brand and group, is able to devote considerable resources to marketing and PR. This allows Virgin to ensure that it has enough positive news to share to drown out negative publicity.

• Support for charitable causes: Examples of Virgin Startup are charities that aim to help entrepreneurs follow the dream of Branson.

What can your company do?

Is it possible for a smaller company to copy these practices?

The answer to this question is likely to be no, except for the charity component (albeit on a smaller scale). A company that specializes in one type of service or product will have a negative impact on the entire business.

If a company is just starting out and does not have a solid reputation, it could also be subject to irreparable harm. Another problem is the absence of a PR or marketing team in-house to provide media coverage.

Outsourced services are available to help your company improve its reputation.

• Organic content News and blogs that increase awareness of your brand can be more than just marketing tools. They can also help you build a strong brand reputation over time, which will give you the strength to resist any negative effects.

• Social media management A well-managed social network can help you keep tabs on what people say about your company, respond quickly to negative press and increase coverage for your positive news stories.

• Online reputation monitoring – This service can prove to be invaluable in times when a company’s reputation is under threat. It involves not only monitoring and responding to the news, but also creating a proactive strategy for generating a positive reputation.

• Search engine reputation management – This is an element of online reputation management. It aims to get a lot more coverage for your company online, so that you rank on page one in search engine results. This is done to promote anything negative on the first page as few people search beyond that page.