A Pragmatic Analysis of Corporate Public Relations Apology Strategies on Weibo

Jinmei Ke; Qing Yang

doi:10.26689/ssr.v7i10.12749

Jinmei Ke Faculty of Foreign Language Studies, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524000, China
Qing Yang Faculty of Foreign Language Studies, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524000, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26689/ssr.v7i10.12749

Keywords: Corporate PR apologies, Pragmatic strategies, Speech act theory, Politeness principle, New media context

Abstract

This study explores the pragmatic strategies of corporate public relations (PR) apologies on Weibo and their effectiveness, adopting an integrated framework of Speech Act Theory and the Politeness Principle. Through qualitative analysis of 20 official apology statements (2024–2025) and in-depth study of 4 representative cases, two core findings are derived: First, corporations employ five integrated pragmatic strategy patterns, which form a progressive system from emotional repair to identity reshaping. Second, strategy effectiveness relies on adaptation to Weibo’s features such as short-text constraints, real-time interactivity, and information fragmentation. This study supplements Western-centric pragmatic theories with Chinese new media context insights and provides guidance for corporations to design context-appropriate Weibo apology strategies, enhancing crisis management and trust restoration.

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