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Red Bull Crisis Communication Response to Equipment Failure on Red Bull Stratos Created November 8, 2014 Ahmad Almoshiqeh, Ryan Pereira, Mason Ramsey 1 Table of Contents Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………… p.3 Purpose and Objectives .…………………………………………………………………………. p.4 Key Publics…………………….…………………………………………………………………… p.5 Crisis Communication Team……………………………………………………………………… p.6 Media Spokesperson……………………………………………………………………………… p.7 Key Messages to Media…………………………………………………………………………... p.8 Emergency Contacts………………………………………………………………………………. p. 9 Key Media…………………………………………………………………………………………... p.10 ­ 11 Problem Questions and Answers………………………………………………………………… p.12 Questions Likely to be Asked …………………………………………………………………… p.13 Sample Press Briefing …………………………………………………………………………… p. 14 Equipment and Supplies ………………………………………………………………………… Preventative Actions ……………………………………………………………………………… p. 15 ­ 16 p. 17 2 Introduction: Dear Employees on the Red Bull Stratos Project, First off, let me take this opportunity to say how proud I am of all of you for helping make this project a reality. As you are aware, this project will be a historic moment in history. With the aide of all of you, our jump man Felix Baumgartner will be making a space dive from over 128,000 feet above the earth. However, more importantly the jump will push Baumgartner’s body to the absolute limit when he descends to the earth at a speed beyond the speed of sound. This historic event will be televised on Discovery Channel and will be watched in millions of homes across the globe. With all the publicity and public views Red Bull Stratos will gather, it is imperative that we all equip ourselves with knowledge on how we will conduct ourselves should the space dive not go according to plan. That is precisely why we had our public relations team construct this Crisis Management Plan to assure we have plans in action should the worst happen. They have put much time and effort into making this plan, and it is expected that you time to familiarize yourself with the content. We thank you for the time and effort you have instilled into Red Bull Stratos. Sincerely, Dietrich Mateschitz CEO ­ Red Bull Energy Drink Company 3 Purpose and Objectives: Purpose: ● To Continue Red Bull’s Reputation as a dependable and trustworthy company ● To be honest with the public and inform them what exactly happened ● To ensure the public that safety was always a major concern for Red Bull Objectives ● Let the public know how saddened we are with what happened (not apologize) ● Express our sympathy to the family of Baumgartner ● Inform the public what exactly went wrong during the jump 4 Key Publics: Red Bull Investors Red Bull Vendors Extreme Sports sponsored by Red Bull Red Bull Sponsored Athletes Discovery Channel Viewers of Red Bull Stratos Friends/Family of Felix Baumgartner Media 5 Crisis Communication Team Dietrich Mateschitz Red Bull Energy Drink Company CEO Jay McFayden Red Bull Energy Drink Company General Counsel Art Thompson Red Bull Stratos Project Director Mike Todd Red Bull Stratos Life Support Engineer Marle Hewett Red Bull Stratos Program Manager and Senior Flight Test Engineer Luke Aikins Red Bull Stratos Skydiving Consultant 6 Media Spokesperson In the event of a crisis CEO Dietrich Mateschitz will be the person of contact for the media. Not only is he the best informed individual on the Red Bull Stratos p roject, but he his presence will also give viewers the impression that Red Bull i s very sincere in our projection to the media. In addition, Dietrich has a very genuine personality that allows people to more easily empathize with him, allowing him the best chance of representing Red Bull in the best light possible. If Dietrich Mateschitz is unable to act as the Red Bull spokesperson, Art Thomson will then take over those duties. As the Technical Project Director, Art had the most direct influence on the Red Bull Stratos project, giving him the most information on the project. As a bonus, Art Thomson is not a full­time employee of Red Bull, which could possibly deter blame away from our company and more towards the technical team we sponsored. 7 Key Messages to Media To portray Red Bull in the best way possible, several key messages have been constructed for our spokesperson(s) to use to promote our organization and assure the public: ­ Innovation: “ Red Bull Stratos was the first project of it’s kind. No jump from the scale has ever been done before, and the technical team knew coming in that this project was like none other they have been a part of.” ­ Informative: “We have an ongoing investigation to analyze what exactly happened during the space dive. Initial findings seem to indicate a mechanical error in the parachute system. We will continue to inform the public about our findings into the exact cause.” ­ Bolstering: “ Red Bull has always strongly valued safety in all sporting events we sponsor. The equipment showed no indications of mechanical failure in the two test jumps conducted prior. Before the actual jump there were thorough inspections done that also indicated that the equipment was ready for the event.” ­ Mortification: “ Red Bull would first like to express how deeply saddened we are at the loss of Felix. In life, Felix was an extraordinary man who served Austria’s military before doing extreme skydiving. He will forever be known a true modern day pioneer. The family has been reached out to personally to assure them that he will be genuinely missed by us as well.” ­ Responsible: “Red Bull takes all precautions to reduce risk for every stunt, including buying the best kind of equipment, hiring the best advisers and most professional stuntmen. Stunts are planned, simulated and tested several months in advance. Please, do not try any Red Bull stunts at home.” 8 Emergency Contacts: The following contacts are people to be notified should this sort of crisis emerge. It is imperative that 911 is called before anyone else. Pete Kassetas Police Chief ­ New Mexico State Police Phone: (505) 827­9002 Address: 4491 Cerrilos Road Santa Fe, NM 87507 University of Mexico Hospital Lifeguard Air Emergency Services: Phone: (505) 272­2798 Address: 2211 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87106 Margaret Gilligan Associate Administrator of Aviation Safety Federal Aviation Administration Phone: 202­267­7804 Address: 800 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC Discovery Channel Investor Relations Department Phone: (212) 548­5882 Email: investor_relations@discovery.com Eva Baumgartner Mother of Felix ­ closest direct family Phone (555) 555­5555 Address: 123 Baumgartner place, Austria Mission Partner of Red Bull Stratos Riedel Communications Phone: + 49 (0) 202 292 ­ 90 Address:Uellendahler Straße 353 42109 Wuppertal, Germany 9 Key Media It is important that should a crisis occur that we gather key media personnel to best spread our message to stakeholders and viewers of Red Bull Stratos. The following organizations should be contacted for any press conference or statement. Bert Ulrich NASA News contact Email: bert.ulrich@nasa.gov Phone: (555) 555­ 5550 Kenneth Chang Science Reporter­New York Times Email: kenneth.chang@nytimes.com Phone: (555) 555­5551 Gina Sunseri Technology Reporter­ABC News Email: gina.sunseri@abc.com Phone: (555) 555­5552 Jonathan Amos Science Correspondent­BBC news Email: jonathan.amos@bbc.com Phone: (555) 555­5553 Matt McFarland Innovations Editor­Washington Post Email: matthew.mcfarland@dcpost.com In addition to these media stakeholders, Red Bull must integrate its marketing, advertising and PR communication strategies while the crisis is still on­going. It should avoid promoting itself or an “extreme lifestyle” while stakeholders are still sensitive about Baumgartner. If it does show the extreme lifestyle, Red Bull should also show how it mitigates risks. Advertisements, marketing and publicity Contact: Red Bull Media House North America 1740 Stewart Street Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA Phone: (310) 393 ­ 4647 10 Fax: (310) ­ 230 ­ 2361 Key Media (cont.) In addition to controlling the message on traditional media, Red Bull must also make sure that social media is a part of the crisis communication strategy. It must maintain the extreme sports lifestyle brand it has built with online stakeholders, without conflicting with messages that show it is a responsible company. Social Media ● Red Bull Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redbull ● Red Bull Twitter: https://twitter.com/redbull ● Red Bull Stratos Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redbullstratos ● Red Bull Stratos Twitter: https://twitter.com/RedBullStratos ● Red Bull YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/redbull Contact: Red Bull Media House North America 1740 Stewart Street Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA Phone: (310) ­ 393 ­ 4647 Fax: (310) ­ 230 ­ 2361 11 Problem Questions: Our spokesmen and media contacts must answer the following questions in a way that avoids losing reputation by appearing uncaring, irresponsible, or unprofessional. Red Bull must protect its reputation of safety and responsibility without conflicting with its brand image – extreme sports, pushing yourself to the limit, and being the best. Q1. How can Red Bull say it is committed to safety when seven other people have died doing Red Bull publicity stunts? A1. Red Bull has always done its best to mitigate the risks when it chooses to do stunts. In addition to this, all stuntmen know the risks when they agree to take part in our events. Q2. What was Red Bull Stratos supposed to accomplish? A2. Red Bull Stratos was supposed to test human limits in the extreme weather conditions of the upper atmosphere. The results should improve future air and space travel. Q3. Will Red Bull release the video of the mission? A3. Red Bull will not release the video to the public out of concern for the privacy of Baumgartner’s family and friends. It will release the footage to scientists in order to help them improve equipment and predict weather conditions in future missions. Q4. What does the family feel about this incident? A4. Red Bull respects the privacy of the family and will not reveal the details of their personal lives. Q5. What did the Red Bull­Baumgartner contract say about accidents and family compensation? A5. That contract between Red Bull and Baumgartner is private, and closed to the public. Red Bull cannot disclose the details. However, Red Bull takes responsibility for the accident and will support Baumgartner’s family and friends during these difficult times. 12 The following questions are likely to be asked. All Red Bull spokespersons and representatives must know the answers in order to inform stakeholders about the event. Q1. Did they test the equipment to see that it would work? A1: Red Bull and outside experts did test the equipment before the jump. We were told that the equipment worked and would be ready for the extreme conditions of Red Bull Stratos . Q2: Was there an equipment check before the jump? A2: We require that all Red Bull­sponsored stuntmen go through a safety checklist before every stunt. Included in this checklist is an equipment check. All stunts are canceled if there are any signs of bad equipment. Q3: Were they monitoring weather conditions? A3: Yes. Though the weather at the Red Bull Stratos jump area is always extreme, we wanted to reduce risk by choosing a time with calmer weather conditions in order to reduce Baumgartner’s risk and increase his chance of success. ● Is Red Bulll going to attempt this jump again? ● Did Red Bull look into the suit manufacturer’s competitors? Did Red Bull search the market or did they go for the quickest solution? ● Was Red Bull the only sponsor for the equipment? ● Did Baumgartner get paid for the jump? 13 Sample Press Briefing: Thank you ladies and gentlemen of the press for being here today. My name is Dietrich Mateschitz. I am the co­founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Red Bull Energy Drink Corporation. I am here today to address the unfortunate accident that occurred during the Red Bull Stratos event on October 14th. At approximately 11:35 MST, Felix Baumgartner’s parachute system did not execute its proper function. This failure to release properly prevented Felix from coming to a safe speed before touching down to the earth. As soon as we realized that this occurred, Red Bull immediately called emergency medical personnel as well as disconnected the feed on Discover Channel and Youtube. New mexico paramedics were on the scene when Felix landed and were able to get to him within seconds of the landing. However, the impact proved to be immediately fatal to Felix Baumgartner, who was pronounced dead on the scene. We at Red Bull would first like to say how devastated we are with the event that caused the death of our friend and extreme sports pioneer Felix Baumgartner. Red Bull has put an investigative team together to piece together what exactly went wrong during the dive. Although that investigation is still in place, preliminary findings indicate that a mechanical failure took place at approximately 20,000 feet above the earth which caused a failure in the parachute system. Safety is always the number one concern in any Red Bull sponsored event. The equipment showed no indications of mechanical failure in the two test jumps conducted prior. Before the actual jump there were thorough inspections done that also indicated that the equipment was ready for the event. The team was also very careful in analyzing the weather conditions to make sure that there would be no chance of inclement weather playing a role in the dive. Red Bull Stratos was the first project of its kind. No jump from the scale has ever been done before, and the technical team knew coming in that this project was like none other they have been a part of. Although Felix is no longer with us, his courageous sacrifice has given the world much data and information about the human body and extreme conditions. This information will be used in generations to come to help mankind eventually achieve true space exploration. Felix gave his life to this milestone. To best honor Felix’s legacy,we would like to plan a similar jump in the future with a team of individuals from around the world who will make sure the new jump is successful...For these reasons, the new Project Baumgartner will be completing the jump and seal his place in history, creating the icon that professional athlete Felix Baumgartner will forever be remembered as: A true Space Pioneer. 14 Equipment and Supplies In the instance of a crisis, it is important that sufficient supplies be available to our Crisis Management Team. The following supplies are essential items that our Crisis Management team would need. These items are to be made available at the Red Bull USA headquarters in Santa Monica, CA: Supplies on site: ­ Internet Connection and Media Feeds ­ Intranet Connection ­ Computers ­ Printers ­ Fax Machine ­ Projector ­ Landline Telephones ­ Tables, chairs, desks ­ Pens, pencils and highlighters Information Materials on Site: ­ Backgrounders on Red Bull stunts and policies ­ Backgrounder on Red Bull Stratos ­ Copies of liability laws ­ Copy of Crisis Communication Plan ­ Fact sheets about Red Bull and past Red Bull stunts Necessities: ­ Food ­ Water ­ Bathroom Supplies ­ First Aid Kit Materials Brought by Crisis Team: ­ Identification ­ Laptops ­ Cell Phones ­ Press Kits ­ Copy of Crisis Plan ­ Contact list 15 Equipment and Supplies (cont.) In addition to these materials and resources, HR should also supply personnel to help the crisis team implement the plan. These personnel will support the crisis team through ­ research, ­ scanning news and social media coverage, ­ monitoring stakeholders’ attitudes, ­ creating and tailoring messages for target audiences and media, and ­ contacting organization personnel, influencers and the news media. 16 Preventative Actions ● What can be done to make sure the event doesn’t occur in the future. ○ Repeated testing of the equipment in simulations that would best reflect actual conditions of the jump ○ Bigger staff of experts different from the previous team ○ only conducting the jump during ideal weather conditions ○ Thorough training for the jumper ○ inspection of equipment prior to jump: more thorough to look for wear and tear ○ Carefully consider where to get equipment from (manufacturer) ○ Select an accomplished jumper for the jump (preferably with the air/space qualifications) ○ Partner with NASA to ensure success 17
