Shell Indonesia's Digital Crisis Communication Strategy in Maintaining Reputation Amid Fuel Shortages

Abstract

The digital era has positioned social media as a strategic arena for shaping public opinion and managing organizational reputation crises. This study aims to analyze Shell Indonesia’s digital crisis communication strategy in responding to the 2025 fuel shortage through its official Instagram account @shell_indonesia. The study is grounded in the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) by Coombs, which emphasizes the alignment between crisis type and communication strategy, and is conceptually supported by reputation management and digital communication perspectives. This research employs a qualitative approach with an interpretive paradigm, using qualitative content analysis. The data consist of primary data (Instagram posts, captions, visuals, and audience responses) and secondary data (previous studies and policy documents). Data were collected through digital observation and documentation techniques, and analyzed through three stages: crisis type identification, classification of SCCT strategies (deny, diminish, rebuild, bolstering), and interpretive meaning analysis. The findings indicate that the crisis faced by Shell Indonesia falls into a low responsibility (accidental) crisis, driven by external regulatory factors. Shell predominantly applied bolstering and diminish strategies, where bolstering was used to strengthen positive brand image through non-fuel services, and diminish was applied through transparent and empathetic communication to reduce negative perceptions. This study shows that crisis communication functions not only as clarification but also as an integrated instrument of reputation management and digital marketing, contributing to the expansion of SCCT in non-communicative crisis contexts.