Bob Conrad's presentation on crisis communications to the Orange County chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. November 17, 2010.

1. Crisis Communications
Myths, Exceptions, Realities
Bob Conrad, MA, APR
Orange County PRSA | Nov. 18, 2010

2. Assumptions
• Crises can be managed (well)
• Negative publicity is always bad (Berger, 2010)
• Communicate
– Quickly
– With affected publics
– Avoid saying “no comment”
• Never battle with the media (Reid, AP, 2006)
• Maintain positive stance

3. Caveat: What we know
In many – most – instances the “rules” of crisis
communications hold true
• Preparedness
• Pre-emption
• Responsiveness
• Openness
• Empathy
BUT

4. Every crisis is different

5. Today
• Crises explode
• Media
– Democratized
– Changing roles
• Complex orgs (Roux-Dufort, 2009)
– Omnipresent
– Vulnerable
– Less control
– Unpredictable publics
• Misinformation
– Travels quickly (Wikileaks “release,” 700 hits)
– Becomes fact (Toyota, “89 killed”)

6. Media
• Press realities
– Reputation at an all time low (Pew, 2008)
– Polarized, competitive
– Facts (what’s not being said?)
– Corrections dubious (Wash. Post)
– Context can’t, and won’t, be corrected
– Public is not always top of mind
• Link

7. Examples
“Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by
the barrel.”
(What if you have 10,000 Twitter followers?)
Archives versus SEO
• Fire departments complain, link
• Antelope Valley, link
• News Review, link

8. Apologize
“BP could apologize every day,” says Keith
Michael Hearit, a communications professor
at Western Michigan University. “They could
have a situation where the C.E.O. goes on an
environmental pilgrimage and falls on his
knees going up a mountain, and it wouldn’t do
them any good.”
New York Times, Aug. 22, 2010

9. Price of positive intentions
• Google Street View (under invest. by FCC)
• Duke Univ. (lawsuits / settlements)
• Virginia Tech. ($11M)
• Domino’s (24 hours); Tylenol (8 days)
• HP ($9B)

10. Take away
• Crises are context dependent, context changes
• Uncertainty reigns
• Leaders take heat (Framing Theory, An & Gower, 2008)
• Apologize strategically
• Respond quickly – with known information
• Avoid commenting on what’s not known (say why)
• Media can’t be trusted (Audi, CBS, fraud)
• Own your media (thisisreno.com)
• Expect criticism (Domino’s)
• Expect to pay (HP, $9B in market capitalization)

11. Conclusion
This too shall pass.
Questions?
@BobConrad
Thegoodthebadthespin.com
775.636.7959
bob@conradcommunications.com