When public relations meets politics. In politics, our role is even more relevant, as voters are more than just consumers; they are, in essence, stakeholders. Their opinions and decisions can help shape the laws, legislation and operation of our government, resulting in an even heavier responsibility on PR’s part to avoid any hint of mistruth or misconduct. What is bad PR? Bad PR is a waste of money. Bad PR has no underlying plan, no strategy, no real purpose. It doesn’t build a cohesive image of a company and its products/services. Bad PR is random. It’s sending out a press release because there hasn’t been one in over a month. Or writing an article merely to justify the monthly retainer.
While it is still early in 2016, there have already been some major PR crises in the news. Here’s a few we can expect to stick around for a while, and how each brand's response is affecting our perception of the issues:Apple Versus the Government
You should look forward (or not) to hearing a lot about the Apple/FBI fight in the coming weeks and months. Donald Trump jumped into the fray as well, admonishing Apple to help and calling for a boycott of Apple products until they do. Americans want to keep terrorists in check, but they also have always valued their privacy. The possibility of boycotting Apple is small, and at least right now, it seemed more of a way to emphasize Trump’s campaign position than a genuine reality. Apple and its products have stood strong for a long time now simply because their fans really love the products, and maybe one of the things they love is Apple's loyalty to its customers.
Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a big charity in the U.S., and it affiliates with other charities throughout the world – yet this kind of PR crisis in which a charity is accused of misspending happens more often than you'd think.
In response to claims about the use of funds, Steve Nardizzi, CEO of WWP, said, “I look at companies like Starbucks — that’s the model… You’re looking at companies that are getting it right, treating their employees right, delivering great services and great products, then are growing the brand to support all of that.”
It's not that simple, though. Starbucks is a publicly traded, for-profit venture. WWP is a nonprofit organization and it follows a different set of rules. What WWP should do, and what a good crisis communications manager might suggest to them, is to help show the giving public who their employees are, what they do and the value that they bring. If he explains that by offering conferences in exotic locales for their employees to receive training and maybe relax a little, it helps them be better prepared and able to do the work WWP does each day, the public can appreciate that. We all understand that a company's people -- the staff -- are the backbone of almost all ventures. Nardizzi should be making that more clear.
WWP recently made a pledge to raise $500 million to support a trust used for lifetime supplemental health care of those veterans who have been severely wounded. They’ve also started programs to assist those suffering from traumatic brain injuries and PTSD.
If the CEO received an exorbitant salary, and no one else saw any benefit, it would be deplorable. But if he wants to use some of the funds to make sure all those hard-working people are able to continue working and loving their job so they can be better fund-raisers and representatives, that may not really be a bad thing at all. In fact, it may simply come with the territory of running a nonprofit business. Just communicate it better.
Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
2016 Oscars
This year’s Oscars saw a few controversies and crises, primarily around its lack of diversity. This year’s problem would not quite have been so bad if last year had not been the same. Promises have been made, and ruffled feathers have been smoothed at least partway. But it should be interesting to watch the announcement for the 2017 Oscars and look out for any noticeable differences.
What's more, the Academy had to sue Distinct Assets for infringing on their name, as DA offers gift bags to the nominees. The media was quick to report some of the questionable items in this year’s bag. Since those gift bags have been linked to the Oscars name and logos, the Academy wants DA to stop this practice.
The Academy seems to be handling these fires well. However, the Academy could be helping people understand how the voting and vetting process is actually handled so the anger is not focused on the Academy as the culprit. The changes they aim to bring could bring in an influx of new voting members from more diverse backgrounds into the group before the next voting opportunity early in 2017. At the same time, a deeper understanding by the public of how the films are chosen and awards are granted could go a long way toward skirting any future issues like these.
Johnson & Johnson
Recently, a jury decided that Johnson & Johnson should pay $72M for a consumer death linked to its talcum powder, and there are 1,200 cases still pending. Already social media is lit up with condemnation for the company, and what we still have yet to see is any sort of comment from J&J. The company that owns Tylenol, that once knew how to handle a crisis with skill, will now be watched closely to see how it deals with this one. While lawyers will advise the against discussing the case openly, there is a middle ground and they should be trying to the alleviate fears of consumers and stakeholders immediately through both talk and action.
While nothing is guaranteed, it is a guarantee that there will be more crises this year. In today’s media world, a critical key to dealing with crises is getting a hold of it before the social media commentators and news creators make their story – the story.
'>While it is still early in 2016, there have already been some major PR crises in the news. Here’s a few we can expect to stick around for a while, and how each brand's response is affecting our perception of the issues:
Apple Versus the Government
You should look forward (or not) to hearing a lot about the Apple/FBI fight in the coming weeks and months. Donald Trump jumped into the fray as well, admonishing Apple to help and calling for a boycott of Apple products until they do. Americans want to keep terrorists in check, but they also have always valued their privacy. The possibility of boycotting Apple is small, and at least right now, it seemed more of a way to emphasize Trump’s campaign position than a genuine reality. Apple and its products have stood strong for a long time now simply because their fans really love the products, and maybe one of the things they love is Apple's loyalty to its customers.
Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a big charity in the U.S., and it affiliates with other charities throughout the world – yet this kind of PR crisis in which a charity is accused of misspending happens more often than you'd think.
In response to claims about the use of funds, Steve Nardizzi, CEO of WWP, said, “I look at companies like Starbucks — that’s the model… You’re looking at companies that are getting it right, treating their employees right, delivering great services and great products, then are growing the brand to support all of that.”
It's not that simple, though. Starbucks is a publicly traded, for-profit venture. WWP is a nonprofit organization and it follows a different set of rules. What WWP should do, and what a good crisis communications manager might suggest to them, is to help show the giving public who their employees are, what they do and the value that they bring. If he explains that by offering conferences in exotic locales for their employees to receive training and maybe relax a little, it helps them be better prepared and able to do the work WWP does each day, the public can appreciate that. We all understand that a company's people -- the staff -- are the backbone of almost all ventures. Nardizzi should be making that more clear.
WWP recently made a pledge to raise $500 million to support a trust used for lifetime supplemental health care of those veterans who have been severely wounded. They’ve also started programs to assist those suffering from traumatic brain injuries and PTSD.
If the CEO received an exorbitant salary, and no one else saw any benefit, it would be deplorable. But if he wants to use some of the funds to make sure all those hard-working people are able to continue working and loving their job so they can be better fund-raisers and representatives, that may not really be a bad thing at all. In fact, it may simply come with the territory of running a nonprofit business. Just communicate it better.
Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
2016 Oscars
This year’s Oscars saw a few controversies and crises, primarily around its lack of diversity. This year’s problem would not quite have been so bad if last year had not been the same. Promises have been made, and ruffled feathers have been smoothed at least partway. But it should be interesting to watch the announcement for the 2017 Oscars and look out for any noticeable differences.
What's more, the Academy had to sue Distinct Assets for infringing on their name, as DA offers gift bags to the nominees. The media was quick to report some of the questionable items in this year’s bag. Since those gift bags have been linked to the Oscars name and logos, the Academy wants DA to stop this practice.
Aaron yan kidnap love mp3 download youtube. The Academy seems to be handling these fires well. However, the Academy could be helping people understand how the voting and vetting process is actually handled so the anger is not focused on the Academy as the culprit. The changes they aim to bring could bring in an influx of new voting members from more diverse backgrounds into the group before the next voting opportunity early in 2017. At the same time, a deeper understanding by the public of how the films are chosen and awards are granted could go a long way toward skirting any future issues like these.
Johnson & Johnson
Recently, a jury decided that Johnson & Johnson should pay $72M for a consumer death linked to its talcum powder, and there are 1,200 cases still pending. Already social media is lit up with condemnation for the company, and what we still have yet to see is any sort of comment from J&J. The company that owns Tylenol, that once knew how to handle a crisis with skill, will now be watched closely to see how it deals with this one. While lawyers will advise the against discussing the case openly, there is a middle ground and they should be trying to the alleviate fears of consumers and stakeholders immediately through both talk and action.
While nothing is guaranteed, it is a guarantee that there will be more crises this year. In today’s media world, a critical key to dealing with crises is getting a hold of it before the social media commentators and news creators make their story – the story.
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Even a small business needs to effectively communicate its mission to its target demographic. Large corporations spend millions on public relations campaigns that are designed to build the brand, coordinating the campaign with current events or with specific goals. Small business leaders can learn a lot from major industry campaigns. Look at examples via a lens of who makes up the market, what the message is and which media platform the campaign is built upon.
BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York
BlueCross BlueShield serves an industry to see exactly how its target market is adversely affected by painkiller addiction. Recognizing the exorbitant number of people who are dying each year from prescription painkillers, BlueCross Blue Shield of Western New York created a public relations campaign in coordination with Eric Mower + Associates. The campaign was named 'Painkillers Kill,' and it became more than just a campaign e advocating for awareness. It developed partnerships not only with the medical community, but also with parent groups, charities as well as other corporations that were looking to find a solution.
Google's Fight Against Ebola
As Western countries saw an increasing number of Ebola cases, the illness became world news, as the Western incidents became more prominent and brought a global focus on the epidemic that previously had been seen primarily only in underdeveloped African communities. Google created a website to collect donations to fight the disease.
In addition to creating a platform for donations, Google pledged to donate two dollars for every dollar donated, ensuring that a huge number of financial resources could be raised to fight Ebola and to help provide the necessary medical attention to some of the poorest regions of the world. The timing was perfect for Google to maximize this positive branding, because international governments were failing.
Coca Cola: Share a Coke
Coca Cola is one of the most recognized brands in the world, yet it continues to look for ways to bring people together in an inclusive, accepting fashion. The 'Share a Coke' campaign customized bottles and cans of Coke with 250 of the most common Millennial names and terms such as 'friend' or 'family.' Consumers could go to the store and find a Coke for themselves and one for a friend.
This clever campaign promoted not only inclusion, but also created a desire in people to not exclude themselves, making sure that they got a bottle with their own name. This went viral with social media posts proudly displaying people who were drinking the personalized Coke with friends or family.
Burger King's Proud Whopper
Gender issues have been given an increased amount of attention in the media and in public awareness of gender issues. Burger King took a controversial stance when it started the Proud Whopper campaign. It took the Whopper, Burger King's main product, and changed the wrapping to a rainbow, in support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning/Queer (LGBTQ) community. As customers unwrapped the burger, the inside of the wrapper simply stated, 'We are all the same on the inside.'
Although controversial, this campaign became the number one trending topic on several social media platforms, and it got not only attention but also support.
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About the Author
With more than 15 years of small business ownership including owning a State Farm agency in Southern California, Kimberlee understands the needs of business owners first hand. When not writing, Kimberlee enjoys chasing waterfalls with her son in Hawaii.
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Leonard, Kimberlee. 'Examples of Public Relations Campaigns.' Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-public-relations-campaigns-10110.html. 05 February 2019.
Leonard, Kimberlee. (2019, February 05). Examples of Public Relations Campaigns. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-public-relations-campaigns-10110.html
Leonard, Kimberlee. 'Examples of Public Relations Campaigns' last modified February 05, 2019. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-public-relations-campaigns-10110.html
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