Crisis Communications: Myths, Exceptions, Realities

Crisis Communications Myths, Exceptions, Realities Bob Conrad, MA, APR Orange County PRSA | Nov. 18, 2010

Assumptions
Crises can be managed (well)
Negative publicity is always bad (Berger, 2010)
Communicate
Quickly
With affected publics
Avoid saying “no comment”
Never battle with the media (Reid, AP, 2006)
Maintain positive stance

Caveat: What we know
In many – most – instances the “rules” of crisis communications hold true
Preparedness
Pre-emption
Responsiveness
Openness
Empathy
BUT

Every crisis is different

Today
Crises explode
Media
Democratized
Changing roles
Complex orgs (Roux-Dufort, 2009)
Omnipresent
Vulnerable
Less control
Unpredictable publics
Misinformation
Travels quickly (Wikileaks “release,” 700 hits)
Becomes fact (Toyota, “89 killed”)

Media
Press realities
Reputation at an all time low (Pew, 2008)
Polarized, competitive
Facts (what’s not being said?)
Corrections dubious ( Wash. Post )
Context can’t, and won’t, be corrected
Public is not always top of mind
Link

Examples
“ Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel.”
(What if you have 10,000 Twitter followers?)
Archives versus SEO
Fire departments complain, link
Antelope Valley, link
News Review , link

Apologize
“ BP could apologize every day,” says Keith Michael Hearit, a communications professor at Western Michigan University. “They could have a situation where the C.E.O. goes on an environmental pilgrimage and falls on his knees going up a mountain, and it wouldn’t do them any good.”
New York Times , Aug. 22, 2010

Price of positive intentions
Google Street View (under invest. by FCC)
Duke Univ. (lawsuits / settlements)
Virginia Tech. ($11M)
Domino’s (24 hours); Tylenol (8 days)
HP ($9B)

Take away
Crises are context dependent, context changes
Uncertainty reigns
Leaders take heat (Framing Theory, An & Gower, 2008)
Apologize strategically
Respond quickly – with known information
Avoid commenting on what’s not known (say why)
Media can’t be trusted (Audi, CBS, fraud)
Own your media ( thisisreno.com )
Expect criticism (Domino’s)
Expect to pay (HP, $9B in market capitalization)

Conclusion
This too shall pass.
Questions?
@BobConrad
Thegoodthebadthespin.com
775.636.7959
[email_address]

http://thegoodthebadthespin.com	34
http://conradcommunications.com	19
http://www.doktorspinn.se	14
http://bettertogetherco.blogspot.com	2
http://www.doktorspinn.com	2
http://feeds2.feedburner.com	2
http://jujo00obo2o234ungd3t8qjfcjrs3o6k-a-sites-opensocial.googleusercontent.com	1
http://translate.googleusercontent.com	1
http://doktorspinn.com	1

Crisis Communications: Myths, Exceptions, Realities

by Conrad Communications on Nov 18, 2010

Accessibility

Categories

Tags

Upload Details

Usage Rights

9 Embeds 76

Statistics

Crisis Communications: Myths, Exceptions, Realities — Presentation Transcript