The businesses that dominate the headlines aren’t always the best, the most innovative, or even the most deserving. They’re simply the ones that understand how credibility is built, controlled, and – when mismanaged – destroyed. Two Comma PR’s Sabrina Stocker explains.
At Two Comma PR we’ve worked with over 1,500 clients across the globe, ensuring they navigate the media landscape with precision. Because in PR, your reputation isn’t just about who’s talking about you- it’s also about who isn’t.
For the brands that find themselves locked out, the exile is rarely loud or obvious. No public statement is made. No controversy erupts. They simply fade from the conversation; their names absent from the headlines they once craved. And when that happens, it’s almost impossible to recover.
Because the truth is this: credibility isn’t lost overnight. It dies slowly, one PR mistake at a time.
Why some brands disappear (and it’s no accident)
The media doesn’t just report stories – it curates who gets to be part of the narrative. Certain names are repeated, their quotes pulled, their opinions sought. Others? Ignored. Forgotten. Deliberately left out.
This isn’t randomness; it isn’t luck
The brands that thrive understand that PR isn’t about getting seen. It’s about being positioned where it matters – without making it look like they tried. The ones who fail? They fall into the same credibility-destroying traps, over and over again. And once you make these mistakes, no amount of scrambling will undo the damage.
So, without further ado, here are five ways to kill your brand’s credibility
Desperation: the ultimate credibility killer
There’s nothing less attractive to the media than a brand that begs for attention.
The business owners who spam journalists with cold pitches, who tag reporters in every LinkedIn post, who push out “press releases” that are nothing more than thinly disguised advertisements – these are the names that quickly land on the “ignore” list.
Journalists don’t exist to promote your business. They curate stories that matter. The moment you look like you’re chasing visibility instead of offering something valuable, you’ve lost.
The brands that command influence don’t ask to be featured. They build so much demand that they become impossible to ignore.
Overexposure: the trap of being everywhere (and nowhere) at the same time
There’s a reason you won’t see Chanel advertising on discount banners. There’s a reason high-profile CEOs don’t accept every media invitation. Scarcity creates demand.
Many business owners make the mistake of thinking that more media means more credibility. They’ll jump at any podcast, any blog, any press opportunity, without considering what these appearances actually do for their brand.
The result? Their name is everywhere, but their impact is diluted.
A well-placed feature in The Financial Times is infinitely more powerful than twenty low-quality mentions in obscure publications. When your PR strategy is based on volume rather than precision, you don’t build authority; you become forgettable.
Leveraging media the right way: how to use PR to build influence
Media exposure isn’t just about getting featured, it’s about getting featured strategically. The right press coverage doesn’t just add credibility; it shapes how the world perceives your brand.
Many businesses think that PR is about waiting to be “discovered,” but the reality is that the most successful names engineer their visibility. They don’t rely on luck. They don’t hope for journalists to notice them. They take control of their narrative and ensure that their presence in the media is intentional, authoritative, and aligned with their brand positioning.
Whether through traditional earned media or strategic press placements, visibility is a tool and, like any tool, it’s about how you use it. The brands that succeed in PR don’t just appear in the press; they curate their media presence with precision, ensuring that every feature adds value to their reputation.
The Google problem: if your digital presence is a mess, you are too
A journalist is considering quoting you in a piece. A potential client is thinking of working with you. An investor is about to do due diligence.
The first thing they do? They Google you.
And if the first page of search results is a chaotic mix of low-value press, outdated content, and random links, your credibility plummets before they even click.
Your digital reputation is your first impression. If what appears when someone searches your name doesn’t position you as a leader, nothing else matters.
Misaligned messaging: the inconsistency that kills trust
A brand is only as strong as the message it owns.
One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is trying to appeal to everyone, shifting their positioning depending on the audience, chasing whatever topic is trending that week, changing their narrative based on what they think will get them featured.
The result? They stand for nothing.
Journalists don’t trust them. Their audience is confused. Their PR efforts feel scattered rather than strategic. And in a world where credibility is built on consistency, this is the mistake that makes a brand disappear from the conversation entirely.
The strongest brands? They own their story. Their messaging is sharp, unwavering, and immediately recognisable. They don’t try to fit into every narrative; they create their own.
The brands that stay at the top aren’t there by accident
The media world isn’t a level playing field. The same names get quoted, the same businesses get featured, the same leaders dominate conversations.
It’s not because they’re better. It’s because they know how to play the game. They don’t chase press – they create demand.
They don’t beg journalists for attention – they make themselves impossible to ignore. They don’t flood every platform – they own the right ones.
