Executive Summary
This study examines the Marriott data breach crisis of 2018, analyzing Marriott's crisis communication through the lens of Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). It explores how Marriott framed and responded to the crisis and assesses public perception of these actions. Marriott's official statements were analyzed to determine if there was a match between the company's crisis response strategies and public comments from online news articles were analyzed to explore how the public actually perceived the crisis. The findings indicate that while Marriott employed rebuilding and diminishing strategies to position the crisis in a victim cluster, the public largely saw the crisis fit in a preventable cluster. This discrepancy highlights the critical role of aligning crisis response strategies with public expectations to manage reputation and mitigate negative impacts. The findings contribute to the literature on data breach crises applying SCCT and provide practical insights for organizations and stakeholders facing data breaches about what the public demands.
Recommended Citation
Park, Jae Eun; Reed, Alyssa Lynn; and Fan, Alei
(2025)
"Who’s the Real Victim? Marriott’s Victimization and Customers’ Perception of It - Marriott Data Breach Crisis in 2018,"
ICHRIE Research Reports: Vol. 10:
Iss.
3, Article 6.
DOI: www.doi.org/10.61701/546007.654
Available at:
https://via.library.depaul.edu/ichrie_rr/vol10/iss3/6
Included in
Business and Corporate Communications Commons, Hospitality Administration and Management Commons
