1. Defining Moments
Developing media plans and strategies
for crises and emergencies
Susan Eileen Day
Action Global Communications
29 May 2013

2. Defining the team
Who’s who?
• Big boss
▫ Probably not the BIG BOSS
▫ Best able; not highest title
• Inner circle
▫ Who needs to be involved
immediately?
▫ Who will help decide if the
problem is a crisis?
• Spokesperson(s)
• Primary participants
▫ Involved in all crisis comm plans
• Secondary participants
▫ Involved in some crisis comm
plans “The Scream” Edvard Munch

3. Defining crisis vis-à-vis a crisis
communications plan
“The Thinker” Auguste Rodin
When is a crisis YOUR crisis?
• A specific, unexpected, and
nonroutine event or series of
events that create high levels of
uncertainty and simultaneously
present an organisation threats to
its high-priority goals
• Chinese: dangerous opportunity
• Define the triggers that will shift
the organisation from “challenge
management” to “crisis
management”

4. Defining ALL potential crises
No potential crisis is too small
“Christ in limbo” Hieronymus Bosch
• This effort takes the broadest
group – a rep from every
sector should be involved in
brainstorming
• Also be sure to include OPC –
other people’s crises
(Bangladesh garment factories
closed down for 4 days for
protests)
• In this process can you shift
any from potential crisis to
predictable? (Greek air traffic
controllers strikes)

5. Defining ALL potential stakeholders
No stakeholder is too minor
• Again, you need reps from
every division/department
brainstorming on this
• You got employees; did you
think about pensioners?
former employees, particularly
those closely associate with the
company?
• In banking, you probably
thought regulators; did you
think rating agencies?
• Did you think about peer
companies? “Ship of Fools”
Hieronymus Bosch

6. Defining specific crisis categories
Making big lists manageable
“The nine circles of Hell”
Arnaldo Pomodoro Foundation
• Natural disaster (tsunami)
• Technology-driven disaster (not
just IT; think BP in Gulf)
• Malevolence (Tylenol)
• Organisational Misdeeds
(insider trading)
• Confrontation (Arab boycott)
• Work-based violence (Postal)
• Rumours (Coca-Cola)
• Man-made disasters (terrorist
attacks)
• Company/Industry appropriate
(financial, maritime, labour,
distribution, supply chain)

7. Defining how the crisis communications plan
integrates with the crisis management plan
Two have to be one . . .
“Picasso drawing” Pirouline
• Double check personnel
allocation
• Space (including loos and
sightlines)
• Resources
▫ Fax machine, other
equipment
▫ Internet access, phone lines
▫ Security
▫ Support staff

8. Defining initiation process
When is it time to launch?
“Clocks” Salvadore Dali
• “If you’re not quick, you’re not
relevant!”
• Who pushes the first domino?
• Who does he/she tell and
how?
• Is the lawyer moving fast
enough?
• What happens if a stakeholder
gets ahead of the story?

9. Defining progression of implementation
Crisis Comms is launched . . .
“Noah’s Ark” Edward Hicks
• All the dominos falling as
planned?
• Who’s supervising/managing?
• What’s the back-up plan if a
component isn’t working?
• How’s the flow of information?
• Is the multi-spokesperson
coordination working?

10. Defining follow-up strategy and
implementation
Crisis is over; the work isn’t
“The Cat in a Hat” Dr. Seuss
• In the aftermath, what do you
do?
• Did you leave any questions
unanswered?
• Have interviews been
promised?
• Do you need to have a debrief
with other groups?
• Can you build on/grow from
the crisis?

11. Defining preparation for next crisis
What can be done better?
WWF
• Were you perceived as the
victim, the villian or neither?
• Was your holding statement
enough?
• Did you anticipate the bulk of
the questions? Should any new
ones be added to the prep list?
• Were all the numbers up to
date?
• Were all the jobs done and
done well?