"Go Ugly Early": Why Radical Transparency Builds Brand Trust
Most brands react to bad news the same way: they stall. They schedule meetings. They wordsmith press releases until every edge is smoothed over.
Meanwhile, the story writes itself without them.
Jeff Rogers, founder of Buzz Marketing and former Gulf Power communications leader, spent decades managing crises—hurricanes, blackouts, angry customers. Through it all, he built one unshakable rule:
"Go ugly early."
The idea is simple. When something goes wrong, tell the truth immediately. Even if it's uncomfortable. Especially if it's uncomfortable.
Because the brand that speaks first owns the narrative. The brand that waits becomes the villain.
The Problem With Waiting
Every silent hour is a gift to your critics.
While you're crafting the perfect statement, someone else is filling the void. Speculation becomes fact. Frustration becomes outrage. By the time you finally speak up, you're not controlling the story—you're defending against it.
Jeff saw this play out during Hurricane Michael. Gulf Power's infrastructure was decimated. Thousands without power. Homes destroyed. Instead of hiding behind corporate statements, his team put real people in front of cameras and told customers exactly what they were facing.
No jargon. No deflection. Just honesty.
The result? Reporters stopped hunting for someone to blame and started covering the restoration effort. Customers saw humans, not a faceless utility. Trust grew even as the lights stayed off.
Transparency doesn't make bad news good. But it does make you credible.
What "Go Ugly Early" Actually Looks Like
Prepare before the crisis hits.
Bad news doesn't wait for convenient timing. Build your crisis communication plan now—before you need it. Get leadership buy-in so your team can move fast when seconds count.
Skip the spin. Say what happened.
Polished corporate language signals that you're hiding something. People want the truth, even if it stings. Price increase? Own it. Service outage? Explain it. Customers respect honesty, even when they don't like the news.
Put real people in the story.
Logos don't build trust. People do. Show the team working behind the scenes—the technicians fixing the problem, the customer service reps fielding calls. When audiences see the humans behind the brand, frustration turns into empathy.
As Jeff put it: "It's hard to hate a company when you love the people."
Why Vulnerability Wins
Admitting fault feels weak. It goes against every instinct that tells us to protect the brand image at all costs.
But vulnerability isn't weakness—it's credibility.
When brands acknowledge mistakes, audiences respond with grace. When they deflect or delay, audiences respond with anger. Psychologically, it's straightforward: we trust people who admit imperfection more than those who pretend to be flawless.
Radical transparency doesn't erase problems. It transforms how people experience them.
How to Apply This to Your Brand
You don't need a natural disaster to test this principle. Every brand faces moments where "go ugly early" matters—customer complaints, product defects, internal controversies.
Here's how to get ready:
Build your plan before you need it.
Don't wait until you're in crisis mode to figure out who speaks and what they say. Map out scenarios. Write templates. Make decisions now so you can execute fast later.
Give your communicators authority.
If every message needs ten approvals, you've already lost the speed advantage. Empower your team to act.
Sound like a human.
People forgive mistakes. They don't forgive robotic corporate-speak. Write like you're talking to a friend who deserves the truth.
Update quickly, even without all the answers.
"We're still gathering information, but here's what we know" beats silence every time. Acknowledging the situation buys you credibility while you figure out the details.
Five Steps to Go Ugly Early
Audit your vulnerabilities. Identify the top five things that could go wrong in your business.
Pre-write honest responses. Script sincerity, not spin.
Control the narrative. If you don't tell your story first, someone else will—and they won't be as kind.
Lead with empathy. Acknowledge how people feel before you explain what happened.
Show the path forward. Transparency without action is just confession. Tell people what you're doing to fix it.
The Faster Path to Trust
Jeff's advice? "If you run from bad news, it chases you. But if you face it head-on, it hurts for a day—then you start rebuilding."
That's the power of radical transparency. It doesn't make problems disappear. It converts them into opportunities to prove your character.
Your customers already know you're not perfect. They don't expect you to be. They just expect you to be honest.
So when something goes wrong—and it will—don't delay. Don't polish. Don't hide.
Rip the band-aid off. Go ugly early.
Your brand will be stronger for it.
