Today’s post is a compendium of news about Fortune 100 crises. If you’ve watched this space, you’ll recognize these names – Nestle, BP, and Proctor & Gamble. Don’t know the crisis each is managing? Then perhaps you’ve not been consuming social and traditional media, for these corporations are in the news several times a day of late due to rain forests, oil and diapers.
To bring you up to speed, here’s the Soulati-‘TUDE! Nestle post. This week, my “Got a What If Plan?” oriented to the oil debacle paved the way for the next day’s post on diapers, rash and Procter & Gamble.
So great to see a sequential flow, and the only reason I re-introduced this content here is as a foreword to this article in Advertising Age “Inside P&G’s PR playbook: How Pampers Battled Diaper Debacle” about a behind-the-scenes look at the public relations machine for Proctor & Gamble. The internal team and its agency kicked into high gear at the onset of mommy complaints that the new Pampers Dry Max caused diaper rash and “chemical burns” on babies’ behinds.
For anyone in corporate or agency public relations, I strongly encourage you read this piece. It is a fascinating unfolding of a public relations machine in synch with product marketing, corporate strategy, and internal response to a brewing external crisis.
The story was written by Jack Neff after Advertising Age was granted an insider view of the marketing public relations team in action. He followed them for half a day to watch strategy and execution. I’ve not seen a story of this nature delivered smack in the middle of a crisis. If I were a stakeholder, you can bet my concerns would be alleviated after reading this piece.
In companies the world over, there is crisis. Social media has elevated these issues beyond comprehension and presented them to the consuming public on a silver platter. This trifecta is a textbook case for students, and I hope academicians and volunteer public relations professors are watching these three situations closely. There’s no better way to teach than by real-world example, and none of us are too old to keep learning.
Only one word of counsel for today:
It’s more critical than ever to shore up external messaging. When social media comes calling, one word gone awry can upset the entire apple cart.
First off, I can’t wait to hear all about the tradeshow!
On topic: great post today! I was reading a blog post from HBR (following them on twitter no less!) “Brands and the Dark Side of Social Media”. You are spot on re: the importance of the message. Social media can obviously be a great tool for marketers/companies, but when something goes wrong it’s the equivalent of a traffic accident from which you just can’t take your eyes. Transmission of the bad news moves at light speed and permeates every corner of the internet, among other mediums. Sadly, most of us are attracted to the bad news and/or shortcomings of companies (especially big brands). Those companies that manage the message, create transparency and demonstrate authenticity will be fine. Is this difficult for many companies to do? Absolutely. I’m learning though that if you put yourself out there, you’re out. The job becomes proactive communication, not avoidance. The good news is that most of all us are also suckers for a come-back story; so long as we feel like the new behavior, policy, practice is deserving.
Hey, thanks! The tradeshow was absolutely amazing…read all about that in yesterday’s post, friends.
As per your comments re today’s post, YOU are spot on, Lady! Thanks, Michelle, for these valuable adds to the conversation. What is HBR, please?
As for transparency, P&G gets the gold for inviting an influential outlet inside for what could’ve been a negative outcome. A bold media relations move, and you can bet the relationship P&G public relations has with Jack Neff at Advertising Age was long term. Proactive communication — there’s nothing else these big brands can do, eh, BP?
Thanks, Michelle!
For sure! Harvard Business Review.
Danke.
I had missed this article! What a great example of crisis communications – so well-thought-out and tough. I can’t wait to read your follow-up on how effective it turned out to be (hint).
You too funny. I am going to keep watching the fireworks (more the oil oriented ones) and then perhaps we ought to do a survey on which of the big 3 have managed their respective crises best, eh? Now, that’s an idea for a future blog post!
Thanks for always lending some conversation, Jenn.