Crisis communications in the event of an emergency involving the death of people is one of the most difficult tasks of public response for business, and for the state too. In such cases, local authorities in Kazakhstan usually intercept the initiative: official statements are made, an operational headquarters is formed, the message "Biz birgemiz" is broadcast, and the business in which the emergency occurred is limited to brief condolences and a promise to help.
Shifting roles
In the case of the tragic deaths of nine people (as of 3/3/26) as a result of the explosion at the Pilaf Center in Shchuchinsk, the business leadership took a central place on the public agenda, in fact, trying on the role that society used to expect from the state. And it could have been commendable if not for the chosen tone and format of the address.
So, the representatives of the institution spoke independently and publicly with a detailed video message - an unnamed speaker in the center, the staff in the background. Formally, the appeal contained the expected elements: condolences, a promise to organize a funeral, a willingness to help the victims, and an indication of a hotline. However, the theatrical intonation, the raised index finger, the music, the rhetoric resembling a sermon — all this created the effect of an emotional performance.
Why is this a bad idea?
In an emergency situation, the state usually acts as a coordinator, a guarantor of stability, respect for the rule of law, and a symbolic center of consolidation. It can afford to call for solidarity and unity, but business, in this case, has a completely different role. In a situation where people have died, the audience expects first of all specific information — what happened, whether safety standards were followed, how the company interacts with the investigation. Business in such a context is perceived primarily as a party whose activities will be subject to review by the competent authorities and serious proceedings. The emphasis on emotions is read as manipulation, which is fraught with serious consequences for reputation.
The appeal was published only in Russian. In the context of the tragedy that has affected society as a whole, public communication inevitably goes beyond a narrow client audience and becomes part of the national information field. The absence of the Kazakh version at such a moment looked like a signal of inattention to the cultural and social context of the event.
Publicity in the context of private grief
Later, the names of the victims in the hospital, their photos, as well as an appeal for prayer on behalf of the brand were published on the social networks of the Center. Personalization through images and religious rhetoric have once again reinforced the emotional component of communication.
In international practice, personal data of victims is disclosed very carefully and, as a rule, only with the confirmed consent of the families. Excessive publicity in the context of private grief is not the best way to support victims and their loved ones. In such situations, the priority usually becomes sensitivity, protecting privacy and minimizing additional emotional burden on families, rather than expanding the public presence of the tragedy in the information field.
The lesson of the case
The video message from the company's representative was not a mistake in itself. In an emergency situation, the leadership's exit demonstrates a willingness to speak openly and take responsibility for communication. However, the rhetoric had to be structured as restrainedly as possible, with an emphasis on facts, but without figurative interpretation, musical accompaniment, or appeals to religious motives. Of course, empathy should be an integral element of communication. But ethics, facts, transparency, and responsibility within its zone remain key.
Shifting roles
In the case of the tragic deaths of nine people (as of 3/3/26) as a result of the explosion at the Pilaf Center in Shchuchinsk, the business leadership took a central place on the public agenda, in fact, trying on the role that society used to expect from the state. And it could have been commendable if not for the chosen tone and format of the address.
So, the representatives of the institution spoke independently and publicly with a detailed video message - an unnamed speaker in the center, the staff in the background. Formally, the appeal contained the expected elements: condolences, a promise to organize a funeral, a willingness to help the victims, and an indication of a hotline. However, the theatrical intonation, the raised index finger, the music, the rhetoric resembling a sermon — all this created the effect of an emotional performance.
Why is this a bad idea?
In an emergency situation, the state usually acts as a coordinator, a guarantor of stability, respect for the rule of law, and a symbolic center of consolidation. It can afford to call for solidarity and unity, but business, in this case, has a completely different role. In a situation where people have died, the audience expects first of all specific information — what happened, whether safety standards were followed, how the company interacts with the investigation. Business in such a context is perceived primarily as a party whose activities will be subject to review by the competent authorities and serious proceedings. The emphasis on emotions is read as manipulation, which is fraught with serious consequences for reputation.
The appeal was published only in Russian. In the context of the tragedy that has affected society as a whole, public communication inevitably goes beyond a narrow client audience and becomes part of the national information field. The absence of the Kazakh version at such a moment looked like a signal of inattention to the cultural and social context of the event.
Publicity in the context of private grief
Later, the names of the victims in the hospital, their photos, as well as an appeal for prayer on behalf of the brand were published on the social networks of the Center. Personalization through images and religious rhetoric have once again reinforced the emotional component of communication.
In international practice, personal data of victims is disclosed very carefully and, as a rule, only with the confirmed consent of the families. Excessive publicity in the context of private grief is not the best way to support victims and their loved ones. In such situations, the priority usually becomes sensitivity, protecting privacy and minimizing additional emotional burden on families, rather than expanding the public presence of the tragedy in the information field.
The lesson of the case
The video message from the company's representative was not a mistake in itself. In an emergency situation, the leadership's exit demonstrates a willingness to speak openly and take responsibility for communication. However, the rhetoric had to be structured as restrainedly as possible, with an emphasis on facts, but without figurative interpretation, musical accompaniment, or appeals to religious motives. Of course, empathy should be an integral element of communication. But ethics, facts, transparency, and responsibility within its zone remain key.