Public Apology Corporate Companies Make Mistakes Apologize Hear

Companies often make mistakes and have to "apologize" (say they are sorry) for their mistakes. These "corporate" (related to a company) public apologies can be a source of "admiration" (feelings that something is good and should be respected) or, more often, "ridicule" (laughing at someone or something in a mean way). Companies struggle to make an "adequate" (sufficient) apology to "restore" (bring back) public confidence without accepting too much "liability" (the potential to be held legally and financially responsible for something).

In 2013, JCPenny, a "department store" (a large store that sells clothing, shoes, jewelry, and household goods) "issued" (made; released) a corporate apology in a TV ad to apologize for some unpopular changes in its stores. In the ad, a voice says, "It's no secret, recently JCPenney changed. Some changes you liked and some you didn't, but what 'matters' (what's important) from mistakes is what we learn. We learned a very simple thing, to listen to you." That was a good, "straightforward" (direct) apology that people "generally" (mostly) responded well to.

The worst public apologies usually come from individuals, since corporations' statements are "vetted" (reviewed and approved) by public relations professionals. For example, consider how Paula Deen, a star on the Food Network channel, apologized for using a "derogatory term" (an insulting word) for African-Americans: "I have heard on more than one 'occasion' (instance)... that I've never apologized. So if anybody did not hear me apologize, I would like to apologize to those who did not hear me. Her apology was so "vague" (not specific) that it seemed as if she weren't really apologizing for what she had said.