Keep Calm and Communicate

During an emergency or crisis situation a strategic communication plan should already be in place for any organization. Without a plan, a crisis could go from bad to worse. Our environment changes faster than we can keep up with and it is important to continuously revisit a communication strategy plan in order to ensure that it is in line with the pace of change. The growing presence of social media has created challenges for public relations (PR) professionals. The speed that consumers produce information goes beyond the speed by which PR professionals can respond to the incident. The audience is global and the information can spread rapidly. Client demand for advance preparation has increased dramatically. How do brands protect themselves and their reputations in the social media era?

We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto. Communication has changed and will continue to change. Crisis anticipation can assist with the development process of strategic communication planning. If an organization is not prepared in advance when crisis strikes, communication professionals are left organizing statements at the same time consumers are posting comments, videos, blogs and pictures related to the event. Being prepared to address a challenge quickly in a crisis is the key to maintaining a good reputation.

Crisis situations are often covered by the media but the internet has created ways to communicate with audiences directly and timely. The longer you wait, the more damage can occur.

On April 15, 2009, two Domino’s pizza employees in Conover, NC posted a video on YouTube that was filmed in the restaurants kitchen as a hoax.  The video was of a male stuffing cheese up his nose before he put it on a sandwich, farting on a piece of salami, and sneezing on cheese sticks, and then disguising the boogers underneath the cheese and boxing it up. His female co-worker filmed and narrated then posted the video to YouTube.  The video went viral with over a million views in three days. In just a few days the pizza chain’s reputation was damage by the careless acts of these employees.

Anti-Domino's comments began to spread on Twitter and other social media sources. The videos were reposted on other sites, including Good-AsYou.org. The site's founder, Jeremy Hooper, sent an e-mail to Tim McIntyre, vice president of communications for Domino’s Pizza. The Domino’s corporate team was also alerted within 45 minutes of the incident from a consumer affairs blog, The Consumerist.

At this point Domino’s officials had to determine how they were going to deal with the damage to the company’s reputation. Domino’s was criticized for remaining silent for the first 24 hours. Domino’s executives feared that an official press release issuing an apology may make more people view the video. Patrick Doyle, President of Domino’s U.S.A., responded to the video hoax by creating a Twitter account for the corporation and creating a YouTube video of his own to respond to the incident.

Other organizations may find themselves in similar situations and learn about crisis management and social media from this experience. The Domino’s crisis changed the way other corporations should deal with a hoax crisis. It brought attention to the importance of incorporating social media into a crisis communication plan. Domino’s remained silent when answers were needed. Domino’s did not respond quicker because they did not anticipate the pass-along value of the video. Domino’s was missing a strategy for digital crisis. There was no online surveillance or social media presence. What Domino’s did right was respond to the incident through traditional and social media. The video response from the CEO of the pizza chain on YouTube targeted to the core audience.

No organization is immune to crisis. The effects of social media are enormous. Harmful situations can arise from external or internal members. The benefits of using social media as a crisis communication tool can outweigh the risks. It creates a way of delivering time sensitive information quickly to the citizens. The ability to effectively communicate during a crisis can save a brands reputation.  Effective communication involves taking responsibility, stating the facts, timely communication and staying positive.

After the situation has settled down, post crisis evaluation is necessary to learn what went right and what went wrong. Implementing what was learned to the communication plan and continuously making changes to keep up with the constant changes in technology. Organizations today should monitor all content on social media sites. Make use of the programs that allow you to filter words that could possibly harm a reputation on the internet.

Creating a social presence prior to the crisis situation can also assist with a brand’s reputation. Consumers expect to be able to communicate directly with an organization via social media. The dialogue is also available for everyone to see. The organization should allow both positive and negative posts. They should address even the smallest complaints in a professional manner. Organizations should be sensitive to the power of social media and take action to protect their brand.

What examples do you have of a good or bad crisis communication response via social media? I appreciate you taking the time to read my post and look forward to your responses.