Crisis communications in the Digital Age

@larsv

Crisis Communications in the Digital Age
Getting prepared to deal with the unexpected

Lars Voedisch
Communications Strategist
lars@preciouscomms.com

© 2012 by Precious Communications 1

Who We Are

• Communications Strategy
Our • Traditional & Social Media
experience, Relations
Your • Crisis Preparedness
success!
• Internal Communications
• Media Training
• Analysis, Measurement,
Research
Lars Voedisch
Principal Consultant
© 2012 by Precious Communications

Source: What happens on the Internet every 60 seconds - Rosa Golijan

Caught in a Dilemma

• Be (Seen) Innovative –
But Please Don’t Take Any Risk, Use Only Proven Methods


How well are YOU prepared?

CCOs rank
social media
as their top
challenge in
the year
ahead

Source: The Rising CCO IV – Spencer Stuart / Webber Shandwick © 2012 by Precious Communications 5

1. unexpected (i.e., a surprise)
2. creates uncertainty
3. is seen as a threat to important goals


Crisis Fundamentals
Establishment:
Full crisis

Erosion:
Spreading: Relevance
Growing declines
interest

Emergence:
Issue gets
public
Potential:
Known areas

YOU?

Crisis Fundamentals
Establishment:
Time is crucial for managing risk Full crisis
as it allows you to stay in the
‘driver seat’ Erosion:
Spreading: Relevance
Growing declines
interest

Emergence:
Issue gets
public
Potential:
Known areas When a crisis happens:
Get it fast,
Get it right,
Get it out, and
YOU? Get it over!
Your problem won’t improve with age.
N. Augustine, CEO Lockhead 2012 by Precious Communications
© Martin

Know your trigger points!

How bad (or good) is
it? Where does a
CRISIS happen vs.
How does the story where does it start?
play out in traditional
and social media?

Nestlé's social media crisis

Nestlé
unwillingly
put public
attention to
Greenpeace's
video
campaign


Activists
change their
Facebook
profile photos
to anti-Nestlé
slogans and
start posting
to the Nestlé
fan page
Nestlé
unwillingly
put public
attention to
Greenpeace's
video
campaign


Activists Nestlé: “To repeat: we
change their welcome your
Facebook comments, but please
profile photos don't post using an
to anti-Nestlé altered version of any of
slogans and our logos as your profile
start posting pic--they will be
to the Nestlé deleted”
fan page
Nestlé
unwillingly
put public
attention to
Greenpeace's
video
campaign


Now it even went worse with all
kinds of criticism, allegations
and simple insults being posted
(e.g. bottled water dispute in the
to the Nestlé deleted”
US, “killing babies”…)
fan page
Nestlé
unwillingly
put public
attention to
Greenpeace's
video
campaign


Key learnings:
Control? Don't use
(e.g. bottled water dispute in the take
to the Nestlé deleted”lawyers to
US, “killing babies”…) off the
things
fan page
Nestlé Internet

unwillingly it, and
Admit it, stop
put apologize. FAST!
public
attention to
Customers
Greenpeace's are
criticizing you
telling you
video
something very
campaign valuable


Key learnings:
Control? Don't use
(e.g. bottled water dispute in the take
to the Nestlé deleted”lawyers to
US, “killing babies”…) off the
things
fan page
Nestlé Internet
What are your unwillingly it, and
Admit it, stop
Rules of Engagement? put apologize. FAST!
public
A crisis response protocol?
attention to
Customers
How fast can you react?Greenpeace's are
criticizing you
telling you
Who decides? video
something very
campaign
valuable


Who and
where are
your
stakeholders?


How to Deal
with Comments –
YOUR Response Plan

• Comment / Blog Post
Validity
• Level of Responsibility
• Level of Respect
• The Commenter is a
Troll / Rager
• The Commenter is a
Spammer by Nature

Source: PR 2.0 Comment Response Chart © 2012 by Precious Communications 17

The BIGGER picture:
What’s your engagement plan?

What can/should your staff say – or not?
Do you have a proper escalation path?
How do you get ready for ‘beta’ mode?


Pressing the delete button for comments?
Some reasons that might be acceptable…

• Racism
• Sexism
• Verbal abuse
• Inappropriate language
• Pornographic content
• (Blatant hostile behaviour toward other community
members)

However: It is imperative that you have a policy on your
Facebook page if you choose to delete content!

Source: 5 ways to handle negative Facebook comments - PR Daily © 2012 by Precious Communications 19

The Social Dimension of Social Media

[Brands] have to surprise me, not only meet
my needs, but anticipate my needs.
By using social media exclusively, I think the
company has to
answer me whenever I have a question,
enlighten me whenever I complain,
and thank me whenever I compliment
them.

Source: The Language of Love in Social Media - Firefly Millward Brown © 2012 by Precious Communications 20

Key Learnings

1) Speed is critical
2) Honesty is a virtue
3) Make your CEO visible
4) Brands have to be on alert in order to
correct any false assumptions before
they reach critical mass
5) Track it
Source: Not So SMRT: A Case Study of Communications Failure - Skribe © 2012 by Precious Communications 21

Social Media - Key Mistakes
• Lack of Social Media Guidelines
• No Senior Management Support
• Undefined Mission and Roadmap
• Focus on Technologies and Techniques
rather then the Social Dimension of Social
Media
• Lack of Initiative (Procrastination)
• Thinking 9-to-5

Social Media is…
Instant
Global
Uncensored
Source: Social Media and Crisis Management – Disaster Resource Guide © 2012 by Precious Communications 22

Crisis Situations
Rules of Communication:
• The first hours matter!
• Tell people what to expect through
regular updates
• Reach your stakeholders where they look
for you (“online crisis room”)
• Confirm facts but don’t speculate - Do
acknowledge uncertainty
• Don’t lie and don’t tell half-truths
• Communicate clearly and with empathy
• Stay Alert!


The world we live in…


Social Media Disaster “Highlights”

Know your audience, know what’s important for them… and
know when you’re logged in with your company account!


‘News jacking’ is a nice idea – but be sensitive!



Timing is everything… and knowing what’s actually
happening in your company

Public Relations in beta mode:
Do you have time for real-time?

• Real-time web, events and communication are going to happen
much faster
• There is not enough time to get corporate content or responses
100% ready, checked and double-checked
• Learn from Technology companies?
• Launch in beta mode
• Tweak it along the way
• Decentralize where possible

Source: Marketing in real time, Oh Yong Hwee, Media © 2012 by Precious Communications 28

Time to start or review

Review your current policies for engagement
Do scenario / crisis planning
White-board your process
Stress-test your plans
Draw and distribute


What happens in Huili county / Sichuan…


Are we too proud?
Sorry seems to be the hardest word…

• Don't RE-act right away
• Acknowledge - Don't be angry
• Admit the mistake and apologize
• Take ownership
• Ask for forgiveness and make the needed changes – use
the magic words: “I’m sorry” and “thank you”

Source: When You're Wrong, Say You're Sorry - SOLUTIONS: Social Media © 2012 by Precious Communications 37

Crisis Survival Lessons for the
Social Media Age

In a crisis, consumers need honest answers and
they need them fast – and no messaging vehicle is
better suited to meet this demand than those fueling
the crisis in the first place.

Transparent engagements in the online
communities, where your customers already live,
provide a credible and direct channel for the
answers they need.


Case Study: Barclays UK

Dan’s a HR manager and spends £5 a day on lunch. That’s about £100 a
month; enough to buy a ticket to the vintage car festival he really
wants to go to in August. Bringing food from home for a couple of
months would mean a more memorable end to the summer. So come
on Dan, get making those sandwiches and book those festival tickets.
Source: Social Media Influence © 2012 by Precious Communications 39


Dan’s a HR manager and spends £5 a day on lunch. That’s about £100 a
month; enough to buy a ticket to the vintage car festival he really
wants to go to in August. Bringing food from home for a couple of
months would mean a more memorable end to the summer. So come
on Dan, get making those sandwiches and book those festival tickets.


Bob’s a CEO and spends £5,000 a day on Bollinger. That’s about
£155,000 a month; enough to buy a classic Ferrari at the
vintage car festival he really wants to go to in August. Rigging
LIBOR for a couple of months would mean a more memorable
end to the summer.


Source: Social Media Influence

Crisis Rules of Engagement:
Is it so different from what we know?


Where to start?

• Social media policy
• Engagement objectives
• Rebut false claims and accusations
• Continuously monitor on- and offline content
• Peer-to-peer conversations
• Identify and connect with key online influencers
• Crisis response kit - include social media

Rules of Engagement – Things to Consider
Get prepared
• Risk Assessment
• Simulations
• Training

What you need:
People
• A PLAN & Resources!
• Scenario planning & Reaction Plans
• Guidelines
Processes
• Listening / monitoring strategy
Policies
There is no one-size-fits-all
• Better start small than not at all
• Form a team
• Don’t panic and have fun!


‘Classic’ Case Study: Domino’s YouTube Experience

• Domino’s Pizza Chain discovered the power of viral marketing last month:
two employees in the US filmed "prank" videos of themselves stuffing
cheese up their noses and then putting it into sandwiches.
• The video went popular on YouTube (over 1 million views), and Twitter lit
up with disgusted customer complaints.
• Domino’s apologized and put its own President on YouTube, started a
Twitter response site;
• Still: In just a few days, Domino’s reputation was damaged.


‘Classic’ Case Study: Domino’s YouTube Experience

• Domino’s Pizza Chain discovered the power of viral marketing last month:
Who in YOUR organization
two employees in the US filmed "prank" videos of themselves stuffing
cheese up their noses and then putting it into sandwiches.
• The video went popular on go on Youtube? Twitter lit
would YouTube (over 1 million views), and
up with disgusted customer complaints.
• Domino’s apologized and put its own President on YouTube, started a
Twitter response site;
What to wear?
• Still: In just a few days, Domino’s reputation was damaged.
What to say?
Who to talk to?
Are you ready?
Nobody will wait for you…!


@larsv

Lars Voedisch
Communications Strategist


About us…
• Independent, boutique communications consultancy
• Based out of Singapore, at home in Asia and Europe
• Globally connected via affiliation with

+65 - 9170 2470 lars@preciouscomms.com

larsvoed Facebook.com/PReciousComms

229 Mountbatten Road Twitter.com/PReciousComms
#02-41 Mountbatten Square
Singapore 398007


Crisis communications in the Digital Age

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