Storytelling and Proactive PR to Combat Perception Issues and Manage a Company’s Reputation  

A national education for-profit hired Rosica Communications when it faced a handful of skeptics online who spearheaded an escalating smear campaign. Despite having more than one million satisfied members, a few individuals took to social media channels and review sites, raising questions about the company’s credibility and legitimacy. The organization’s leadership recognized that these doubters, though few in number, threatened the trust the company had worked decades to build among students, caregivers, educators, and institutional partners in an era when online reviews were rarely questioned.

As one of the nation’s leading education PR firms, with deep expertise in crisis communications and developing crisis communication plans, we stabilized the situation by creating an internal and external messaging framework to convey the entire story of the good the organization has done over the years and continues doing every day. We then launched a proactive PR and storytelling program that secures hundreds of millions of positive earned media placements annually, providing powerful AI citations and search results that reflect the great work the company performs on behalf of its student members. The thought leadership strategy includes promoting timely surveys and positioning the company’s CEO as an expert on education issues, including ways to make higher ed more affordable through scholarships and the jobs/careers today’s youth prefer (and why). These efforts resulted in widespread coverage, featuring the CEO’s insights, expert tips, and student stories across print, broadcast, streaming, and digital outlets, including education trades, mainstream news, parenting media, and business publications.   

Rosica developed a multi-tiered communications and media relations program to influence both perception and search visibility. We generate consistent, high-authority media placements that reinforce the organization’s mission, leadership, and measurable impact on students nationwide. Rosica also secures ongoing regional and national media coverage for every scholarship winner and promotes the nonprofits that young people start in their high school and college years.   

Each month, we share new media placements with our client’s digital agency, which syndicates our good news stories to communicate the narrative. This has improved the company’s online reputation and boosted AI and Google search results. These articles are further amplified through social media sharing and education-focused blogs, further expanding reach. 

As positive stories gained visibility and overshadowed earlier skepticism, the organization’s online presence significantly improved. The combined impact of ongoing PR, strategic reputation management, thought leadership, and student storytelling strengthened trust among students, families, and educators. Ultimately, the company’s narrative shifted from doubt and uncertainty to positive recognition of its mission, impact, and leadership in supporting young people on their educational and career journeys.