How to survive a brand in crisis

If your brand is in crisis, complacency will kill you, according to Samantha Allen, New York-based managing director of Ogilvy Public Relations Global Consumer Marketing Practice.

Speaking at the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA)’s Women in PR Forum on March 1, Allen drew case studies from BP, Toyota and Charlie Sheen as examples of ‘Brands that kick the hornet’s nest…and thrived, survived or nearly died in 2010’.

Last year, brands, clients and the general global environment has been crisis rich with BP’s gulf oil spill, the Toyota Prius recall, the European economic crisis the Haiti earthquake, floods, snow and volcanoes.

Worldwide economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters added up to $222bn last year and the number of deaths due to catastrophe – man-made or natural – reached over 250,000 in 2010, the highest figure for the past 30 years.

Two thirds of the 25 most expensive disasters in the past 40 years have taken place in the past decade, but Allen believes as PR practitioners, we can learn from such terrible journeys that brands and countries have been on to ensure our clients don’t suffer the same traumas.

She enthuses: “We see newspapers, bloggers and a variety of commentators talk about the way many of these crisis struck brands handled their communications. All brands receive criticism when they handle a crisis – it’s the nature of our world.”

As part of crisis management, she says, there is no perfect path and every crisis needs to be handled differently.

Toyota suffered a constant a barrage of criticism in 2010 as its PR was not seen to respond quickly enough or openly enough.

But Allen warns: “If a brand responds too quickly it can risk jumping the gun and not having all the facts. On the other hand, if it responds too slowly, it’ll be attacked for not having all the facts fast enough.”

Furthermore, in today’s media environment, there’s also the role of parody to contend with.

Allen explains: “Parody plays an enormous role in taking the most extreme elements of a crisis and taking it to absurd lengths. It’s these images that are remembered so as communications advisors, we need to be ready to see extremes and approach that by asking how the media and commentators are going to see our brands before they actually do.”

And there is some good news. Companies that take responsibility in a crisis can outperform those that blame someone else when it comes to trust.

Allen explains: “In a crisis, a client’s worse enemy is self absorption. The best way to deal with a crisis is to continue to communicate how the customer will come first.”

Consumer perception can become stronger after a crisis as it can show consumers the real you and transparency is a great place to start when building trust.

Allen concludes: “When it comes to bad news, the more indirect it is, the more likely it is it could have a positive effect.

“We may not remember the context in which we heard something, we just know it is familiar and we feel close to that brand.”

Writing strategies that sell

The word ‘strategic’ seems to be one of the most over-used, cliché words in the comms industry. I’ve read endless website copy and countless CVs all plagued with the word.

However, when asked to define what it means to be ‘strategic’ – most people will stumble over their words, clutching at straws as they try to come up with an intelligent sounding definition.

Perhaps we should stop claiming to be strategic until we can define the word.

One person who can legitimately say they are strategic is Samantha Allen, former MD of Pulse Communications. Before departing the Pulse office, Samantha imparted a few pearls of wisdom on what it means to be strategic.

So according to Samantha Allen, strategy – what is it?

Strategy is a framework. In no more than one or two paragraphs, it provides the direction for the activities/tactics/solution which follows. It maps out the way in which the stated objectives will be achieved. It sets the scene.

So before I unpack that further, what do we have to do before launching into the drafting this all important few paragraphs?

1.       Unpack the brief

Often a rather convoluted brief will land on your desk, requiring a deep breath, a cup of tea and a clear head to digest the rambling information. Take the time to unpack it. Circle key points and challenges. Then start researching!

2.       Research

Research is crucial. Make sure you understand the space your client or potential client is working within or wants to enter. Look into the competitor landscape, consumer perceptions around the brand or product, the target audiences and so on.

Tick – done. Now what to do with the mountain of information you’ve accumulated? There is no point printing all of this off or copying and pasting this into your document (referenced of course!) to simply appear as though your strategy is well researched and sound. The weight of a document will not win an account or sell an idea. It’s what you do with that research that will make the difference.

3.       Insights – Look for patterns

So what should we do with it? Get out your highlighter and prepare to pull it apart! Start looking for patterns. What insights are continually recurring? Pull those insights out and use these to write up your research. Make sure these insights are written in a concise, easy to read and engaging manner. If you don’t enjoy reading it, there is a good chance the client won’t either.

And the key – always remember you’re pre selling your ideas. Your research should be painting a picture, outlining a challenge which your strategy and tactics will follow on to address. Your document should take the reader on a journey. Consider this research as the introduction.

4.       Objectives

Once you have an understanding of the space in which your client wants to be positioned and the challenges they face, go back to the brief. With research and understanding under your belt, look again at their objectives and resist the urge to copy and paste them into your document.

Their objectives don’t necessarily have to be yours. You are being hired as a consultant to give advice. If you simply repeat their objectives back to them in your strategy, you instantly put the label ‘executor’ on your head. From the get go, be the ‘thinker’.

Having conducted the research, their stated challenge might not be right on the mark. Are their target audiences in fact the right people to be communicated to? Perhaps they are, but are there others you should be reaching out to? Perhaps their objectives aren’t actually objectives at all. For example, to gain media coverage is not an objective.

Decipher what your campaign objectives need to be to ensure the identified challenge is addressed. Be a consultant and consult from the beginning – your professional advice will be respected from the outset.

Ok, now you have research behind you and your objectives down pact, you’re ready to start that strategy. Here are some helpful tips -

• Don’t start writing the strategy in a PowerPoint document – this can stifle creativity. The deck should be the last activity.
• Try to avoid templates where possible. Each strategy is different and a template can again hinder creativity.
• Map it out on a big piece of paper. Put all your ideas down, draw links between research and insights and sweat it down until you come to that one golden idea upon which your campaign will centre.
• Run the idea by as many colleagues or friends as possible. You should be able to tell them the essence of your idea in a sentence and they should get it. If not, go back and rework it. The best strategies are brilliant but simple.
• Start writing, but be aware of cliché jargon and overused terms. Make the strategy as effective and succinct as possible. Review the use of every word. Why did you choose that one? Is there a better word?
• Make sure it remains on a macro level – above the line. Keep your thoughts on the bigger picture.
• Read over it again. Do you enjoy reading it? Are you excited by the strategy? If not, there’s a good chance your client won’t be either. Go back and rework it.

Writing a brilliant strategy can be time consuming. However the more time your pour into this stage of the document, the easier it will be to write all that is to follow and the more likely you are to wow your client – and ultimately sell your idea.

Samantha Allen appointed MD of Global Consumer Marketing

Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide (Ogilvy PR), an integrated global communications firm, announced today that Samantha Allen has been appointed Managing Director of the agency’s Global Consumer Marketing practice, effective July 1.  With nearly 20 years of experience, Allen brings strong expertise in building effective and award-winning consumer marketing campaigns for her clients and leading multi-national teams.

“One of the most  powerful things a large agency network can do is rejuvenate and refresh its thinking by moving great talent around the planet,” said Christopher Graves, chief executive officer, Ogilvy PR. “Samantha has the guts and resiliency of an entrepreneur, the professionalism of a world class practice leader, and the creative leaps of imagination of an inventor. She has won some of the top awards in the world for her creative work connecting people and ideas in ways no one else could.”

Allen will relocate to New York and report directly to Graves. She joined Australian consumer PR agency, Pulse Communications which is part of the Ogilvy PR network, as managing director in 2003. It’s one of Asia Pacific’s most awarded and successful consumer PR agencies with a client base that includes LG Electronics, Tourism Australia, Fosters CUB, Rolls Royce, Ford, Unilever and more. Pulse was awarded the Best New Consultancy in 2004 (Asia Pacific PR Awards), Campaign of the Year (2008 Asia Pacific PR Awards), and has gone on to win over 50 Australian and global awards including the top honour for all WPP-owned PR agencies worldwide.

In congratulating Allen on her appointment, Ogilvy PR Australia’s Managing Director, John Studdert said:  “This appointment formally recognizes the outstanding leadership that Australia has shown in the field of consumer public relations. Samantha knows how to build brands through creative programs and is a talented thinker who delivers strong results for clients.  We’re proud and excited to have her move to this role, and look forward to working with her in the future as she takes up global responsibilities.”

Allen said she was both honored and excited to be appointed to the global position, which she said would be “an undoubtedly challenging, but rewarding role.”

“Since joining Pulse, I have had the chance to work with this country’s most outstanding PR practitioners on some of the most interesting and exciting client projects available, and achieved my wildest PR goals.  As a result it feels bittersweet to be leaving this behind, but it’s time for my next challenge.  I’m looking forward to making the global consumer marketing practice a living, breathing community, full of the most talented consumer PR people in our industry,” she added.

Prior to joining Pulse, Allen worked in various agency roles in London and San Francisco.  She also founded Chocolate Communications, a full-service consultancy offering consumer, corporate and business-to-business public relations, attracting companies such as Ben & Jerry’s and Diageo. While in the UK, Allen led campaigns for a variety of consumer brands including Nokia, Packard Bell, Dualit Homewares and Nescafe.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in business from RMIT (Melbourne) and a post-graduate diploma in accounting and finance from Guildhall University (London).

Ogilvy PR Australia is a joint venture between Ogilvy PR Worldwide and STW Group, Australia’s leading marketing content and communications services group.