7th April, Zoë Bread parked her car on Collier Street in Manchester. A street that a few months ago very few of us never had heard of, but which is now very well known to millions on Tiktok.
Zoë Bread is the face behind a loaf of bread, famous on Tiktok and Instagram for her satirical videos documenting her daily life and travels across the UK. Often silly, not that serious, and mainly made to give us all a laugh.
However, on Collier Street, Zoë’s turned her satirical videos into a one-woman campaign and is now being called in comments on her work “the best investigative journalist in the UK”. Tracking how this happened is a lesson to all of us in how a social media crisis develops.
The parking spot Zoë used is managed by Manchester City Council. It features a sign saying “Pay at machine” with an arrow pointing right. In that direction, there’s indeed a parking machine marked “Pay here”. However, this machine belongs to a private parking operator and services their spaces only. The council’s parking machine is around the corner, hidden from view from Collier Street.
Like many before her, Zoë paid at the wrong machine. Consequently, without a valid ticket from the council’s hidden machine, she received a £50 fine.
This incident sparked a series of TikTok videos which have accumulated millions of views and transformed Zoë into something of a fighter for social justice.
Speaking to BBC News, Zoë said: “Usually I do joke investigations, I don’t take things seriously, but I would never joke about these five parking spaces and misleading signage on Collier Street now.”
Her first video maintains Zoë’s quirky style, showing her daily life and including a call to Manchester City Council, during which the operator dismisses her attempt to appeal.
By 8th July, Zoë had created another 43 videos documenting her investigation in her trademark quirky manner. Her videos include conversations with parking wardens, other misled motorists, council telephone operators, and many others. Many people were probably not aware they were being recorded and showcased for millions on TikTok. Faces were never shown, but voices were included.
Zoë consistently contacts the council through their regular parking enquiry line, not the press office, and records these calls. In response the council at the outset states that “it is the council’s belief that the signage is sufficient to direct drivers to the correct machine” and deny there is a broader issue. A stance contradicted by Zoë’s evidence and thousands of supportive viewer comments. The council’s position was similarly reported in traditional media, which Zoë of course also covers in her videos.
Zoë further analysed data revealing a 318% increase in parking fines issued due to incorrect tickets since the misleading machine was installed. She put up her own signs to guide motorists, which were promptly removed. She spoke with BBC News, Radio 4, and other outlets, drawing wider attention. She placed a red plastic children’s car with an incorrect ticket in the parking spot to see if it would attract a fine. She managed to secure a meeting with the council leader. And a lot of other initiatives to create her 44 videos.
On 19th May, 42 days after her first video, the council conceded that signage “could be clearer” and cancelled all fines issued on the street over the past year. However, they maintained that fines were still legally issued. Three days later, additional signage was installed to clarify where to pay. Would this have developed into such an issue if the council had acted sooner? Did the council fail to anticipate just how big this issue could get? Social media gives one ordinary person the chance to talk to millions if they can devise content that engages.
Yet Zoë’s investigation doesn’t stop there. Her efforts have now uncovered broader issues, including difficulties contacting the council, questionable planning permissions for the private car park, struggles with freedom of information requests, and ongoing frustrations with the council’s complaints department.
For us as crisis communication practitioners, Zoë’s investigation raises important questions: How do we prepare when an issue becomes entertainment on social media? How do you identify and monitor when content creators are discussing your organisation, and how can you act swiftly to manage the situation before it escalates? How do you craft responses suitable for platforms like TikTok, where traditional corporate jargon often fails?
Social media does in no way do away with the basic principles of good crisis communication.
This all starts with a solid crisis communication plan, where social media is included throughout. Social media does in no way do away with the basic principles of good crisis communication. Putting the victims at the heart of everything we do and everything we say, whilst exhibiting ‘the five Cs’ (Concern, Clarity, Control, Confidence and Competence) in our messaging, whatever the channels we use to get those messages out, remains key.
There are also more complex considerations: How can you protect employee privacy and integrity when their interactions are recorded and shared publicly, while remaining open and responsive as an organisation?
This highlights the importance of having a very close collaboration with your human resource team in your crisis management team, to ensure their valuable knowledge is part of your crisis response.
This highlights the importance of having a very close collaboration with your human resource team in your crisis management team, to ensure their valuable knowledge is part of your crisis response. In today’s world, everything that any representative of your organisation says, especially co-workers with external facing roles, might become public. Clear guidelines and escalation processes can support ensure co-workers to feel supported in situations like this.
And lastly, how do you ensure your team has the necessary competence to understand these platforms and how communication happens there? Building a diverse communications team where perspective from all is valued, including perspectives of (often younger) people who understand these kinds of platforms, can help.
To learn more, head to our Crisis Communication and Social Media Guide to find more guidance on how to prepare your communication on social media when an issue arise.
Author: Felix Östman, Crisis Communication Network Committee Member and Corporate PR Leader, Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer
Image: ChrisClarke88 Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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