Blog
Category: Media Training
Courting
Public Opinion
After a Disaster
Posted
June 16,
2010
How do you remake a
company's public image after a disaster takes place? Is it possible
to carry on with business as usual? That's the challenge British
Petroleum has faced since the Deepwater Horizon exploded in
April. Unfortunately, BP's public response has done little to
mitigate the damage done to its corporate image.
From the beginning, BP
seemed to underplay the full scope of the problem. According to the
press, the company admitted to a certain number of gallons being
spilled and no more, even though independent scientists eventually
pegged the
oil flow at much higher levels. As the environmental disaster has
continued, the magnitude of the spill has become evident. The numbers
are staggering. Shouldn't BP have admitted that their initial
estimates weren't accurate?
While it's logical to
assume that lawyers on both sides of the Atlantic cautioned counsel,
the enormity of the problem spreading through the Gulf demanded the
company come clean with the public as quickly as possible.
Ultimately, it's the court of public opinion which will judge BP
(even jurors in future lawsuits will be swayed by the impressions
they form of the company as it responds to the disaster). Going
forward, anything less than full disclosure risks making BP's public
persona even more troublesome than it currently is.
If BP is
to regain public
support, senior executives must also be seen expressing genuine
remorse for the incident. BP CEO Tony Hayward's comments in Britain's Guardian
newspaper did little to assuage public
anger, noting
that "the Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of
volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in
relation to the total water volume." Comments of this caliber
fuel the perception that BP is indifferent to the damage
it has caused and tarnish the company's corporate image.
Category: Media
Training
Tags: corporate image, crisis management, facing the press, handling questions, interview, IPO, journalist, media, media relations, press, press conference, press releases, product launch, public relations, reporter, statement, staying on message
See the media training page for more information about Trimount’s MediaSmart
Training Program.
Spinmeisters
Posted
January 6, 2010
The new year is only six days old
and the 2010 election cycle has begun in earnest. Members of Congress
as well as politicians across the country are already jockeying for
position. Spinmeisters representing both Democrats and Republicans are
working overtime to present their candidates in the best possible
light.
Unfortunately, candidates and
their acolytes will undoubtedly spin stories which distort the facts in
order to gain votes. While such distortions may be common, they weaken
the credibility of the candidates and the entire political
process.
Of course, spinning stories isn’t
limited to politicians. Corporations do the same thing, often with
disastrous results to themselves and to the public. Remember the claims
made by Enron? Or the tobacco industry?
The best way to “spin” a story is
to tell the truth. It may not be easy to do, but the resulting damage
will be far less than spinning a story and having it unmasked in the
press as a lie, which is usually what happens.
Category:
Media Training
Tags: corporate image, crisis management, facing the press, handling questions, interview, IPO, journalist, media, media relations, press, press conference, press releases, product launch, public relations, reporter, statement, staying on message
See the media training page for more information about Trimount’s MediaSmart
Training Program.
2009
Your
First Press Conference
Posted April 20, 2009
Have you ever conducted a press conference? The first time
can be similar to a “baptism by fire” with aggressive reporters firing
questions at you, one after the other. It can be unnerving.
The best way to handle the press is to be prepared, which
means participating in mock interviews prior to the big day. Assemble
your communications staff and tell them to pepper you with questions
about the company, its finances, successes and failures. Tell them to
anticipate any and all questions you may be asked including questions
about topics you may not want to discuss. The harder the questions, the
more prepared you’ll be.
And make sure your staff knows it’s okay to ask “the boss”
tough questions. Otherwise, you may as well not bother with a mock
interview (consider hiring an outside firm to prepare you for the press
conference and avoid interoffice conflicts).
Remember to keep your answers honest as you prepare. The
press hate being lied to—and who can blame them? It’s better to avoid
answering questions than to be dishonest, because a lie will
undoubtedly come back to haunt you.
Category: Media Training
Tags: corporate image, crisis management, facing the press, handling questions, interview, IPO,
journalist, media, media relations, press, press conference, press releases, product launch, public relations, reporter, statement, staying on message
See the media training page for more information about Trimount’s MediaSmart
Training Program.
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