Media Relations proposal pitched to South Stream Transport

1. Offshore Pipeline – Media
Relations Proposal
Francis Stevens – 19 December 2013

2. Coverage Analysis - Scorecard
Trade Media
 Event & fact-based coverage
 Little opinion or comment
 Neutral to positive tone
Business Media
 Some attention to political drivers and
environmental issues
 Good explanation of benefits for host
countries and EU
Score
8.5
Score
7.5
 Generally positive and supportive
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3. Situation Analysis – Project Reputation
General Project Perception - Now
 Project is moving forward with purpose
 Project committed to due diligence and compliance
 Project will benefit host countries & EU
 Project has strong support in host countries

4. Media Relations – Project Implementation Phase
Where To From Here? – The Next Phase
 Shift focus - from informing to building trust, support & fans
 How do we do that? What’s the formula?
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5. The Formula
Exercise Transparency
+
Leverage Technology
+
Build Engagement
=
Trust, Support & Fans

6. Media Strategy
Exercise Transparency: Provide an open forum for interaction
with media e.g. website and social media
Leverage Technology: Give media up-close access to our
technology e.g. site visits, hardware demonstrations (let them
touch it!)
Build Engagement: Give media access to our senior executives
and technical experts e.g relationship briefings
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7. Key Messages
Exercise Transparency: We Are Co-operative, Consultative &
Compliant
Leverage Technology: We Invest in Superior Technology for
Safety and Efficiency
Build Engagement: We Respect Our Communities & Are
Committed to Success

8. Media Relations Activity – Exercise Transparency
Dynamic & Service-Oriented Media Centre (Website)
69% of journalists use corporate websites to assist reporting (SNCR*)
Create a highly interactive media centre on the website. Fresh content key
Gazprom example – “We are open to the media and to everyone interested
in our company.” SST news published here first
Forbes quality content - CEO blog, whitepapers, industry comment, opinion
pieces, fact sheets, specialist articles, speeches, videos, photos
Social Newsroom – Integrated Social Media Presence
70% of journalists use social media to assist with reporting (SNCR*)
Integrate Media Centre – Facebook – Twitter – YouTube - Flickr
Leverage action photos to build social media fanbase (Maersk example)
Enable “Chief Tweeters” to share good news across social media
Social media releases to pitch and engage media - encourage them to follow
SNCR – Society for New Communications Research
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9. Media Relations Activity – Leverage Technology
Site Visit Program
 “Put technology in media’s hands. Create WOW factor”. Invite journalists to
see major technology stories first hand e.g. Pacha Dere bore unveiling
Good News Program
 Produce consistent flow of good news stories detailing innovative technology
solutions to project challenges
 Target major titles (i.e. Economist, FT) with at least one technology good
news story per month
 Place technology-focused feature articles in key publications i.e. week in the
life of a pipe laying vessel captain
 Negotiate documentaries. International (i.e. National Geographic) & local TV
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10. Media Relations Activity – Build Engagement
Executive Relationship Program
External Media Tour: Twice yearly “desk-side” briefings – CEO
meets key business/trade editors
Internal Media Tour: Twice yearly project de-briefings at corporate
headquarters – Technical Director and key project personnel meet
key journalists
Milestone Press Conferences: Key journalists invited by CEO to
cover/witness/celebrate major project milestones
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