Dark PR
Covert public relations tactics designed to damage competitors or manipulate public perception through hidden means.
Definition
Dark PR encompasses hidden tactics to harm competitors or manipulate perception: planting negative stories, astroturfing, review manipulation, or amplifying scandals. Unlike transparent PR, the source and intent remain concealed.
Tactics range from creating fake grassroots movements (astroturfing) to feeding journalists negative competitor information anonymously. While sometimes effective short-term, dark PR carries significant ethical and reputational risks.
Why It Matters
Understanding dark PR helps companies recognize when they're being targeted. Sudden negative coverage spikes, coordinated social attacks, or suspicious reviews may indicate competitive manipulation.
Ethical boundaries matter increasingly. Companies caught engaging in dark PR face severe backlash. The risks—exposure, lawsuits, regulatory action—typically outweigh short-term competitive gains.
Examples in Practice
An investigation reveals that negative reviews flooding a company's listings originated from accounts linked to a competitor's marketing agency, triggering legal action.
A startup notices coordinated Twitter attacks using similar language. Analysis reveals bot networks—they document evidence and expose the campaign publicly, turning the attack into positive coverage.