News Flash:
Dealing with Intense Media Scrutiny
During a Business Crisis
Gordon Adams, Senior Vice President, Risk Management and Human
Resources, Tri Marine International
Ron Gray, Director of Risk Management, AccentCare
Joan Gladstone, President and CEO, Gladstone International
Case Analysis
Ron Gray
Director of Risk Management
AccentCare
Crisis communications plan –
One year before the incident
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Formed a crisis communications team
Set internal media policy
Conducted media training for spokespersons
Identified key audiences
– Who to contact in the first critical hours
• Evaluated communications vulnerabilities
– Recommendations to enhance existing procedures
On Easter Sunday, a customer told one of our
restaurant managers that he found a “foreign
object” in his French onion soup
Immediate Response
• Apologize for customer’s experience
• Request object for testing
• Retain independent investigator to interview
employees
• Discard all but small batch of soup
April 12 – May 31
Customer
• Does not respond to numerous requests to test
object
• Hires an attorney, threatens media
• Holds object for six weeks, then sends it to lab
• Asks that all female employees be tested for DNA
June 1 – July 20
• Object finally sent to second lab
• All female employees agree to DNA test
– No match to DNA on object
• The customer and family agree to DNA test
• The customer fails to appear for test
• The following day…
Plaintiff’s attorney emails complaint to all
Southern California media
“(Customer) has had many sleepless nights…he may
have contracted any number of life threatening
diseases or illnesses…”
“His wife claims damages for
LOSS OF CONSORTIUM…”
July 21
• Implement crisis communications plan
– Media statement to Orange County Register
• Post on corporate website
– Media log
– Media policy reminder
• Provide statement to restaurant managers
– Reminder to refer all media inquiries to corporate
Stand-by Media Statement - Partial Text
We have found no evidence to support any of the allegations in
a 'foreign object in the food' allegation filed by (customer)
against (company) on (date)
….describe company actions to date…
After a thorough investigation, there was no evidence of any
employee involvement or wrongdoing. We believe the lawsuit
has no merit and that we will be vindicated in court.
July 21 - 22
• Story published in the Orange County Register
– Sets off social media frenzy
– Conan O’Brien
• Two L.A. TV stations seek interviews with
company spokesperson
– Provide written statement instead of interviews
• Avoid lending credibility to the customer’s claim
KTLA-TV
• Posts company statement, Register story,
complaint on website
– Airs customer interview, restaurant statement
“Dirty Dish – truth or a way to make money?”
KABC-TV
• Cancels segment after reading corporate
statement
“The statement validated why we
should not run the story”
- KABC producer
July 24
• OC Register does second, longer feature story
on family
– Adds research that the customers owe $300K in
back taxes to the IRS
– Requested that we provide an updated statement
based upon the newer story
Outcome
• Blog and reader attention diminishes to zero
mentions one week later
• Little impact on restaurant sales
One Year Later
• The customers seek their day in court
• National media coverage, again
– Reader support for the restaurant higher than
before
• Case settles
Takeaways
• Having a pre-prepared statement alleviated
undue stress and arguments
• Having a media policy stopped employees
from discussing the incident.
• Media events are stressful, being prepared
for one is job security
Managing Media Scrutiny
in a Crisis
Joan Gladstone
Gladstone International, Inc.
www.gladstonepr.com
The Good News
Business crises usually provide warning signs, giving
you time to plan
With good planning, you may avert or
mitigate media coverage of the crisis
Three elements of crisis
communications planning*
The Media
The Message
The Messenger
*you’ll practice in this session
You vs. the Media in a Crisis
The Media
• Since you can influence, but not control
– Traditional journalists: print and broadcast
– Citizen journalists: bloggers, social media posts
• Add YOUR media to the mix
YOUR Media
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Website
Social media
Email
Phone calls
Internal media
Product Recall Case
• Website
• “Dark” crisis page
• Consumer/dealer letter
• CPSC news release review
• Social media
– YouTube “how to” video
Tell it once, tell it fast
The Message
Messages =
Persuasive “Quotes”
Emphasize
1.Factual information
2.Authoritative opinions
3.Concise explanations
4.Empathy statements (as needed)
Anticipate Media Questions in a Crisis
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WHAT happened?
WHEN did you find out?
WHO was responsible?
WHERE did it happen?
WHY did you choose this course of action?
HOW will you resolve the situation?
The Messenger
Choose the Right Spokesperson(s)
Former BP CEO Tony Hayward
“I’d like my life back”
In a crisis, good spokespeople
- Provide reassurance
- Offer critical facts/clear instructions
- Exhibit confidence
Tip: Offer media training before a crisis hits
Crisis PR professionals can help
you balance many priorities
and meet difficult communications
challenges
Next:
Press Conference
Role-Play
Objectives
• Learn how to prepare for challenging media
encounters
• Experience the power of teamwork in managing a
realistic press conference
• Learn how to quickly develop media questions,
messages, statements and brief spokespeople
• Assess crisis communications strategies to apply to
your organization
Process
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Team assignments
Team deliberation
Hold press conference
Debrief