Can a PR Firm Stop Me Being Cancelled?
If you’re Googling this, something’s probably gone wrong. Maybe it’s a sudden wave of backlash. Maybe your name’s come up in connection to something you weren’t prepared for. Maybe you’ve already posted a defensive reply and now you’re wondering if that made it worse.
So, can a PR firm stop you from being cancelled?
The honest answer: not exactly. But someone like me can help you manage it properly.
First, what most PR firms actually offer
A lot of PR agencies list “crisis management” on their site, but it’s usually a subsection of broader services like brand launches, events or influencer outreach. When an actual crisis hits, they tend to offer reactive statements, media fire-fighting and generic damage control.
Some do it well. But others lean into an old-fashioned model, overly polished, risk-averse, and a bit tone-deaf to how fast and messy online culture moves.
What you often get is a group of people crafting something vague and watered down, based more on internal approvals than genuine public understanding. That might work for a corporate press release. It usually doesn’t work for you.
So what do I do differently?
This is personal. I work one-on-one with people in crisis, and I don’t just write a statement and leave. I help you make sense of the situation emotionally, practically and reputationally, and figure out your next steps.
There won’t be eight people on the call. You won’t be handed off to a junior. And if what you’re dealing with is embarrassing, distressing or private, you can talk to me directly, not through a chain of account managers.
Yes, I’ll help with strategy, narrative, media handling and next moves. But I also go deeper than most. Often people in these situations don’t just need PR advice. They need discretion. Insight. Someone who understands how messy real life is and doesn’t flinch.
Can I stop you being cancelled?
Not always. No one can reverse time. But what I can do is help stop the bleeding, rebuild your credibility, and prevent things from escalating further.
Sometimes that means reshaping the narrative. Sometimes it means doing absolutely nothing for 72 hours while everything settles. Sometimes it means pulling a story. Sometimes it means letting it run and knowing what to do after.
If you're looking for a crisis PR firm that will make it all disappear, that’s not how it works. But if you're looking for someone who can help you deal with the fallout, fix what’s fixable, and move forward without destroying everything, that’s what I do.
What really matters in a cancellation
Whether or not someone can help you recover comes down to a few things:
What happened: Is it a mistake, a pattern, or a false accusation?
What’s public vs private: Is it just social media noise, or are journalists, employers or clients involved?
How you’ve responded so far: Often I’m brought in after the second or third misstep, not ideal, but still salvageable.
Where you want to go next: Some people want to restore public trust. Others want to stay quiet and protect relationships behind the scenes. Either is valid.
If you’re in the middle of a backlash and wondering if a PR firm can fix it, the reality is, you probably don’t need a whole firm. You need someone strategic, discreet and honest. That’s the difference.
This work is about people, not templates. And if you're dealing with something serious, you deserve to handle it with someone who sees the full picture, not just the headlines.