|
Monthly Luncheon Report
(Thursday, Sept. 14 PCC Monthly Luncheon)
Tales of Survival:
Rebounding from Negative
Press
Kelly McGrath (from left), Pat
Kremer and Jonni Hegenderfer, along with Melissa
Forman at podium.
(Photo by Ted Lacey)
MODERATOR
Melissa Forman
Former WLIT Air
Personality
PANELISTS
Jonni Hegenderfer
President, JSH&A Public
Relations
Kelly McGrath
Director of Public
Affairs, Lincoln Park Zoo
Pat Kremer (Former
PCC President)
Director, PR & Advertising,
Field Museum
PROGRAM SUMMARY
By Ann Pinkney, Public Relations Director
Metropolitan Family Services
What’s the worst case media scenario you’ve faced as a PR professional, and
how did you and your organization bounce back from the crisis? Those questions
took center stage at PCC’s first program of the year, as three PR pros, each
sharing very different but compelling crises, discussed "Tales of Survival:
Rebounding From Negative Press" at PCC’s September 2006 luncheon. Moderator
Melissa Forman led the discussion, which contained frank and detailed insights
and advice.
Forman has extensive radio experience. Most recently she was host of WLIT-FM
93.9’s morning show for five-and-a-half years. Prior to that she was with
Chicago’s WKIE-FM 92.7/5, Cincinnati’s "THE MIX 94.1," and started her career at
THE MIX 94.5 in Champaign, Ill. Forman has interviewed a variety of subjects,
including Brad Pitt, Billy Joel and the Brady Bunch cast. She also has
participated in numerous stunts – from "dog fighting in fighter planes" to
hanging from a crane for two days – raising more than $500,000 for charity in
the process.
The PR professionals who shared their stories with Forman and the audience
included Jonni Hegenderfer, president and founder of JSH&A Public Relations;
Patricia Kremer, director of public relations and advertising, The Field Museum;
and Kelly McGrath, director of public affairs, Lincoln Park Zoo.
Jonni Hegenderfer
Jonni Hegenderfer founded JSH&A Public Relations in 1989 after 10 years at
Golin/Harris Communications where she was a senior vice president. She leads
strategic planning, brand building, creative review, issues management and
tactical evaluation for the firm.
"Everyone has issues," says Jonni Hegenderfer. "There’s opportunity for
everyone to have a disaster."
Hegenderfer started the discussion by talking about McDonalds, and a recent
situation that emerged as JSH&A moved forward to promote a Happy Meal that
included a Hummer toy.
Though initial thoughts were that the toy would be successful – that kids
would think it’s cool – environmentalists slammed McDonald’s on various blogs,
saying the corporation was promoting gas guzzlers. PR counsel counteracted by
putting matters in perspective, emphasizing that the cars were only toys, and
didn’t consume real gas.
While the situation was diffused, Hegenderfer said it emphasized the fact
that McDonald’s has to be very careful about the kinds of promotions they
execute, since the company is in the forefront of the childhood obesity and
marketing-to-kids debates. "We know that Happy Meals can be a lightening rod,"
she comments.
That sensitivity also influences the types of media JSH&A counsels McDonalds
to target. Children’s media are off-limits. "We don’t send materials to kids’
media," Hegenderfer notes. "We want mom to make the decision – mom is the
screen."
Patricia Kremer
Kremer has served as director of public relations and advertising for The
Field Museum since 1995. She leads a team of professionals who are "passionate
about what they do everyday." Major successes include securing global media
coverage for the Field’s Sue dinosaur in 2000, for which Pat and her team won a
PCC Golden Trumpet Award and Creativity Award. They also secured a Golden
Trumpet for "9/11: A Museum’s Response" in 2002. Other honors include receiving
nine national Telly awards for television ads and several MUSE awards from the
American Association of Museums.
Pat’s "tale of survival" focused on the 2006 King Tut exhibit opening at the
Field. During the media preview several officials gave remarks, including an
Exelon Corp. executive representing John Rowe, Exelon’s chairman and chief
executive officer. Exelon was one of the Tut’s exhibit’s main sponsors. The
speaker’s comments favorably noted that Rowe owned a sarcophagus, an ancient
Egyptian artifact, and displayed it in his office.
Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiques, also
was on hand to speak. Hawass declared that antiquities should be in museums, not
in people’s homes. As the official who controls access to Egypt’s artifacts,
Hawass gave Rowe an ultimatum – either donate the sarcophagus to the Field or
Hawass would prevent the organizations who organized the Tut Tour from dealing
with Egypt’s antiquities authorities in the future.
Though everyone didn’t note Hawass’ comments, the Chicago Tribune did.
"The Tribune wanted to pursue the story," Kremer says. Result? The Field
made the Tribune’s front page.
Meanwhile, the clock was ticking. AP International and FOX national news were
calling. Hawass also was calling media! Yet Kremer was able to turn what could
have been a public relations disaster into a situation that generated positive
coverage for the Field Museum and Exelon. She did so by maximizing relationships
with Exelon and the media, holding conference calls with both and creating a
foundation of trust.
Kremer says, "The relationship with your counterpart at the sponsor is
crucial. They need to be able to reach their executives and make decisions."
Regarding media, she adds, "You need to develop relationships with media – each
one." She did that by creating an ongoing dialogue with reporters to address
their questions and concerns.
Those intense efforts – which played out over 30 hours – paid off. "We got
very positive national and international news," Kremer says. She adds the
exhibit received much more publicity with the controversy than they would have
secured otherwise.
Kelly McGrath
Kelly McGrath, director of public affairs for the Lincoln Park Zoo,
experienced an extreme crisis over many months starting in October 2004, when
one of the Zoo’s elephants died of a rare bacterial disease.
McGrath says that prior to this, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA) had started targeting zoos across the country, arguing they are not good
environments for elephants. PETA’s efforts benefit from being well-funded and
organized.
The issue compounded in January 2005 when another elephant, the Zoo’s oldest,
died of old age. McGrath says "the crisis began in earnest" when a third
elephant died in May 2005, from the same bacterial disease as the first elephant
and while en route to a Utah zoo.
Media pressure was intense by this time. "It was international news – on any
given day there were crews throughout the Zoo," McGrath remembers.
As some time passed and just when McGrath and the Zoo thought they were
turning a corner, three more deaths occurred. Several monkeys had been
transferred outside and ate leaves from a tree located next to their area. The
tree’s leaves – which had not been tested due to acknowledged staff error – were
toxic to small primates. Three monkeys ate the leaves and died.
The situation brought the situation to its lowest point, causing Zoo
President Kevin Bell to offer his resignation. But it also turned out to be
rallying point for staff, which supported Bell. That backing stirred up public
support for the Zoo and its leadership.
McGrath says the emotional argument seemed simple – three elephants dying in
a matter of months. The additional monkey deaths added fuel to the fire. In
contrast, the explanation was harder to state. Yet McGrath responded by having
Zoo experts present the facts, especially about the reality of death and
animals.
"They were rational and unemotional in talking about mortality, disease and
animal care," McGrath comments. McGrath and staff focused on presenting the
facts and doing so in a way people could understand. She adds, "We had hundreds
of media calls a day. But we had scientific facts on our side – we needed to
boil them down for media and the public."
The panel discussion ended with each panelist providing summary tips on
turning around negative media situations. Each noted the importance of building
trust with media.
Jonni Hegenderfer
- Assume responsibility, take action to make corrections.
- Develop positive, proactive campaigns that are meaningful to
constituents.
- Build trust – people want to work with people they believe in and trust.
- Have a good group of people around you to help sort things through.
Kelly McGrath
- Build capital (of trust) year-round.
- Internal communications is key.
- Have a communications plan ready – with contact information.
Patricia Kremer
- No matter who is replacing who (in a speaking situation) – review the
remarks in advance.
- You have to get to the people who make the decisions ASAP.
- Be aware of everyone’s deadlines – get back to them, keep them in the
loop.
- Work hard to help reporters. Give them outside sources they don’t
expect. Develop trust.
[Return to top.]
(Index to
articles about monthly luncheons) |
