Communications as Ikor

꽝~우루루르, 지난 오클라호마의 위기관리  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

저는 개인적으로 클라이언트 쪽에 공공부분이 하나있기때문에, 가끔씩 그쪽분야의 사례를 발견하면 더 관심을 가지게 됩니다. 오늘은 미국 역사상 가장큰 비극중 하나였던 96년 오클라호마 폭탄 테러 사건 직후의 위기관리 사례입니다. 보통 미국내에서는 대규모 사건이 발생하면 직후의 현장지휘를 소방청(Fire Department)이 맡는것 같습니다. 물론 조사나 취조등은 경찰/FBI등이 담당하지만, 현장의 자질 구레한 치닥거리는 모두 그들 차지이지요. 오클라호마 사건에서도 우리의 소방관 아저씨 – Hansen씨가 PIO(Public Infomration Officer)의 장(Chief)을 맡으셨습니다. 대규모 정부관련 사건이 벌어지면 통합적인 위기관리 팀이 생겨 홍보 조율 및 협조 업무를 하는데, 그 것을 PIO 들이 담당하지요.

 

Hansen씨가 지난 98년 정부 관련 공보 담당자들의 연합인 NAGC (National Association of Government Communicators)에서 연설한 내용을 한 필자가 정리한 것입니다.

 

이러한 생생하고 경험에서 우러나온 자산이 우리모두에게 나누어 질수 있다는 게 얼마나 소중한지 모릅니다. 우리나라 PR인들도 자신들의 경험을 한자리에 모여 이야기 하고, 후학이나 동료들에게 벤치마킹 당하는(?) 자리가 필요하다고 생각합니다. 그러기 위해서는 우리들의 전문적 모임이 필요할 것 같습니다.

 

이번 사례는 작고 큰 위기에 대한 경험이 많은 소방청 소속 Hansen씨가 얘기하는 생생한 현장 이야기 입니다. 준비된 경력자랄까요..

 

홍보!!

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Communicating the Unthinkable

by Cindy Matthews

 

Images of the bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City in 1996 will forever be etched in the minds of Americans, but none more so than those who experienced it firsthand.

 

NAGC members were treated to an outstanding presentation by Chief Jon Hansen of the Oklahoma City Fire Department during the 1998 NAGC Communications School keynote address. Chief Hansen served as the primary public information officer in the bombing’s aftermath. During his address, he described the event in detail and how the rescuers dealt with the communication issues facing them while they responded to the explosion and looked for survivors.

 

Hansen opened his address by posing a question to the audience: “Who would have thought the largest crime, mass casualty, terrorism event in the history of this country would happen in Oklahoma City?” He told the audience that if it can happen in this city, it can happen in yours, and it is going to happen again as long as domestic and foreign terrorism is alive.

 

Hansen then shared lessons learned throughout the 17 days of rescue and recovery of the Murrah Building. He said he hoped that his experiences would be helpful should any NAGC member be faced with a similar disaster.

 

If it’s a terrorist act, you can expect the media attention to be more widespread than just the site of the incident. Because of the scale of this event, media attention went far beyond the remains of the Murrah Building. Anticipate media interest nationwide, not only from the networks, but, for example, from the local weekly newspaper in Virginia wanting to follow the efforts of a search and rescue team deployed to the incident.

 

Dogs and Kids – sidebar stories. Never underestimate the power of a sidebar story. To help detract some of the media attention from the death and destruction, sidebar stories were developed to help reporters refocus on things other than body count. Rescue dogs and stories about children were two big hits.

 

One thing Hansen did he referred to as “The Bucket Brigade.” He would have rescuers, in cooperation, of course, with the investigators on scene, bring out buckets of debris for the reporters to hold and talk about on TV. Hansen encourages PIOs to get creative and identify story ideas for reporters that will take some of the pressure off the first responders and the devastation.

 

Keep track of media and agencies involved. Hansen encourages PIOs to coordinate a system of managing information, particularly a who’s who at the incident. He said there was a lot of media interest on who was responding from where and how could the local reporters catch up with their respective local agencies on scene.

 

Communicating the unthinkable. Hansen said the most difficult part of the public information process of this event was communicating the unthinkable. Showing a slide of a pile of rubble 25 feet high, with dozens of bodies buried beneath, he asked the audience, “How do you tell the media what this looks like, keeping in mind that family members are watching? How do you communicate something to the world when you can barely comprehend it yourself?”

 

Hansen said his fire department made the decision early on that when they talked to the camera, they would talk as though they were talking directly to the family of a victim, one on one. He described his approach as a “closed circuit television feed” to the family and saw the media as his link to the American people and the victims’ families.

 

Media Pools. Hansen used media pools throughout the event to allow pictures inside the building. Never choose the pool yourself. Let the media decide for themselves who will be the pool reporters and photographers,. Make sure you include both print and broadcast. Make sure you have protective equipment and clothing for all pool members.

 

One interesting thing Hansen did while escorting the pool to the building was to get them involved. “I had them drop their cameras and put them to work in a rock line so they could experience what the rescuers were experiencing, so they could feel what we were feeling.” This empathy went a long way in not only providing story ideas, but in providing real experiences and helping reporters accurately convey what the rescuers were going through.

 

Body Count. Hansen underscored the need for accurate information. He told of how interested the media was on body counts for the injured and dead and how careful they were in releasing information. He said the only person releasing the number of people dead was the coroner. While this took time, the numbers were always fairly accurate.

 

Critical Incident Debriefing. During any traumatic event where there are mass casualties, it is important to make sure people have help dealing with their emotions. Hansen said they not only provided crisis counselors for the rescue workers, but also for the media who responded.

 

Media Briefings. Hansen met early on with reporters to determine the best times for them to receive media briefings. He felt it was important for the media to dictate the times according to their deadlines. This was particularly critical for the dozens of national and international reporters covering the event.

 

Hansen also said they tried many different setups for the briefings. Having the PIO circled by reporters did not work. What worked best for him was having the media area (in this case a large parking lot) taped off and a sign posted for indicating media area. He then would hold all press briefings on the OTHER side of the tape while reporters and cameras lined up in the media bullpen area in a straight line.

 

He warned of the media’s ability to rent rooftops, parking lots, and buildings adjacent to the explosion site where they set up shop for live broadcasts and satellite truck parking. Hansen also reminded PIOs that when you agree to do a briefing and answer questions, reporters have a right to ASK you ANYTHING whether you like it or not.

 

Local Media. Hansen reminded PIOs to never lose focus of your local media relationships when the nationals and internationals come to town. Once the dust has settled and the press corps have left, you’ll still be left with your local representatives. It is critical that you treat them as importantly if not more important than the national folks.

준비된 기업 – National Semiconductor Corp.  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

위기관리를 계속 다루다 보니 꼭 세기말에 종말론을 논하는 것 같은 느낌이 들지도 모르겠습니다. 그러나 세기말이라는 시기성과는 상관없이 우리의 Job으로서 위기관리에 대한 관심은 계속 고조되어야 한다고 생각합니다.

 

참으로 미국이라는 나라는 사업하기 골치 아픈 나라입니다. 집앞에 눈이 왔을때 집주인이 잽싸게 나가 몽땅 쓸어버리지 않으면, 그 눈위에서 미끄러져 넘어진 노파나 어린이의 치료비를 전액 물어주어야 하는 일이 생깁니다. 맥도널드에서 뜨거운 커피를 손에다 쏟아 손을 데인 노파의 소송건은 유명합니다. 커피가 지나치게 뜨겁고, 그것에 대한 경고표시가 없었다!- 당연히 회사는 모든 걸 변상해야 합니다. 업소안의 미끄러운 바닥, 길가에 열려져 있는 지하실 통로, 언제 떨어질찌 모르는 간판, 환경단체들은 사사건건 감시를 하지요, 엄마들은 엄마들 데로 광고가 어떻다, 제품이 어떻다, 서비스가 어떻다… 우리나라 사람들의 성격 (제 성격)으로는 성질이 나서 사업 못한다는 소리가 나올수도 있습니다.

 

그러나 반대로 생각해보면 그러한 소비자/시민들의 투쟁의 결과로 오늘의 미국 기업들이 Customer Satisfaction을 가장 중요한 덕목으로 추앙하는 지도 모르겠습니다. 우리나라의 소비자/시민들도 점점 목소리를 높여가고 있는 만큼 한국 기업환경의 서구화는 곧 이룩되리라는 게 일반적인 시각이라고 알고있습니다.

 

거기에 비하면 우리나라 기업들의 위기에 대한 의식은 일단 막고보면 사그라드는 “냄비”근성을 적절히 이용하는 스타일이 많습니다. 몇몇 경영주분들은 “뭐~ 시간이 약이지..”하시는 분들도 계시고요. 폐수를 흘려 내보내는 기업의 제품을 사지말자는 전국민적인 소비자 운동이 일어난적이 몇번이나 있었습니까. 폐수를 흘려보내고 몇백만원 벌금물면, 조금 쉬었다가 몰래 다시 내보내고.. 뭐 이런 계산으로 주판을 튕기시는 기업주들께서는 비싼 폐수처리 시설 운영 비용을 들이는 것 보다, 지금의 불법적인 방식이 더 Cost Effective하다고 생각하시는게 당연한거지요. 만약 폐수 사건이 벌어졌다해서 전국적인 불매 운동으로 한 분기 장사정도를 망쳐버린다면 그거야 계산이 안맞는 장사라고 생각하는게 또 당연하겠지요.

 

Cost Effective라는 말이 나왔으니 기억이 나는데, 한 기업의 위기관리 방식(?)을 사례로 들어봅니다. 그 기업은 농업관련 제품을 취급했습니다. 근데 이게 매년 문제가 종종 나는겁니다. 문제가 발생하면 각 농촌의 마을 주민들이 솥단지를 걸어 놓고 회사 앞에서 시위를 벌이곤 한다 더군요. 깊이 있는 방식을 밝히지는 않았지만, 얼핏하는 얘기를 들으니 윗분들이 농민 대표들과 담판- 모종의 정치적(?) 결판-을 짐으로서 그 위기아닌 위기를 넘긴다고 하더군요. 또 관련된 미디어에는 또 다른 모종의 결판(?)을 치루고 굳히기에 들어간답니다. Cost Effective하고 Prodctive하며, Efficient한 멋진 경영방식이지요??

 

제가 보기에는 이러한 종류의 프로세스를 전적으로 행하는 회사가 있는 반면에 또 기존의 홍보 인력들과 적절하게 반반씩 유사 업무분담을 하며, 안팍으로 시너지 효과를 누리는 기업도 있다고 봅니다.

 

어쨌든 좋습니다. 그것이 기업에 도움이 된다면 한국적 홍보의 변형으로 볼수도 있습니다. 그러나 이러한 면피용 대책은 앞으로 몇년안에 그 면역성이나 효과성을 기대하지 못할 것이 틀림없습니다. 만약 그때까지 그런 종류의 방식이 통하는 기업환경이나 미디어/사회 환경이라면 암담하기 그지없는 국가운명이지요…

 

담대하고, 튼튼하며, 남성스러운 한국의 기업상에 비해, 위기에 불안해하고, 약해보이며, 꼼꼼해서 여자같은 미국의 한 기업 – National Semiconductor Corp.의 사례를 구경해 보십시요. 일어날찌 어떨찌도 모르는 내일의 위기에 불안해 하며 그에 대비하는 쪼잔한 기업의 전형입니다. 간이 작은…

 

비교해보시지요.. 홍보!!

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COMMUNICATING DURING A CRISIS 

 

Organization: National Semiconductor Corp.

Agency: Ogilvy Adams & Rinehart

 

In 1994, National Semiconductor Corporation (NSC) a major semiconductor manufacturer with nine fabrication and test/assembly facilities worldwide (U.S., Europe and Asia), realized that the company was vulnerable because it did not have a method for communicating with internal or external stakeholders during crisis situations. Communications during a crisis were being handled ad-hoc, if at all, by company representatives that had little or no communications expertise. Company management had first-hand experience with the ramifications to both local and corporate reputation should misinformation or misperceptions be circulated during or after a crisis, and wanted to minimize the potential for reoccurrence.

 

Objectives

 

The company needed standard worldwide crisis communications procedures to ensure quick and effective communications with internal and external stakeholders during a crisis situation. The program had to meet corporate’s need for involvement and oversight while considering each facility’s desire for independence. It also had to address and overcome the concern of facility management that corporate participation meant a slower response and information sharing would result in criticism.

 

The procedures also had to work in different cultural settings and overcome the additional challenge that most sites did not employ communications professionals. Each local crisis communications team would consist of the plant manager, human resources and the environmental, health and safety departments, as well as the site communicator, where available.

 

Execution

 

Research: Initially, we reviewed the company’s emergency response procedures to understand how the company physically responded to crisis situations. We then conducted an in-depth vulnerabilities assessment to discover the range of potential crisis situations the company could face. The assessment included interviews with managers, environmental, health and safety professionals, security staff and human resources personnel on both the corporate and facility levels. We also performed a thorough review of internal environmental, health and safety audits as well as an extensive analysis of external perceptions held by activist groups, community groups, the media and legislative/regulatory representatives .

 

Program Development: Over the next nine months, we developed and tested crisis communications procedures that could be enacted within 10-minutes of crisis discovery.

 

The procedures ensure corporate or public relations agency participation during emergencies and situations that could develop into a crisis. A worldwide network of local public relations contacts has been established and is prepared to assist with strategy, message development, employee communications and external audience outreach, if necessary. The program is managed by the OA&R worldwide crisis communications coordinator, who is reachable 24 a day via a voice-mail beeper system, and is responsible for coordinating activities, providing strategic guidance and ensuring that both National and the local public relations contact are kept informed.

 

Materials: The crisis communications materials, which were designed in accordance with NSC’s style guidelines, include both an in-depth reference manual and a “carry kit” to be used during a crisis. Most of the materials, including the actual binders, are made from recycled stock and use soy-based inks to reflect NSC’s sensitivity to the environment (many of the company’s potential emergencies are environmental in nature).

 

The manual describes the need for and benefits of the program, outlines different types of crisis situations, lists steps that should be taken to prepare for a crisis, details each team member’s responsibilities, gives specific instructions for communicating with employees and the media, describes how to use the logs and checklists and includes corporate, OA&R and local public relations contacts for each facility.

 

The carry kit is a smaller version of the manual that includes only essential materials such as the communications contact flow chart, the interim statement and press release format, crisis communications team names and phone numbers, responsibilities for the individual team member as well as all team members (in the event one team member must take over the responsibilities of someone who is not available), a summary of communications instructions, multiple copies of each log and checklist, and a pad and pen for making notes.

 

Implementation: Once the procedures were finalized, team members for each site were chosen and crisis communications training sessions were held at each site. The sessions included both a tutorial portion, where the materials were presented and explained, and a crisis scenario drill, where the procedures and communications techniques were practiced.

 

The procedures are now reinforced bi-annually through crisis drills via telephone, in conjunction with emergency response drills.

 

Results

 

More than one hundred team members have been trained and are prepared to communicate effectively during a crisis at a NSC facility. Since implementation of the program, four crisis situations have arisen at NSC facilities worldwide. Two received press coverage, all favorable, with quotes from designated spokespeople and reference to the company’s trained and efficient emergency response personnel. The other two were addressed internally, requiring only employee communications.

핏자집에 술취한 트럭이 들어왔다.(Pizza Hut 케이스)  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Crsis Management Plan은 일반적인 PR기획의 프로세스나 모델과 많은 차이가 있습니다. 일단 가장 다른 제약은 “시간”이 겠지요. 남자분들은 아시겠지만, 전방에는 최전방에서 적의 동태를 살피는 GP지역이 있습니다. 그다음이 GOP이지요. GP는 항상 적진쪽을 바라만 보고 있습니다. GOP군인들은 그 다음 라인을 책임지며 철책으로 막고있지요. 그후방에는 또 그다음 라인을 지키는 군인들이 있고, 그 뒤에는 또 그런 군인들이.. 계속 이런 층이 계속 됩니다.

 

기업의 위기관리도 똑 같이 “위기”발생을 최초 발견/인지하여 초기 응급처치를 해야하는 사람들이 있어야 합니다. 그후에는 약간 전열을 가다듬으면서 일단 방어를 하는 진이 있어야 하고, 그후에는 조금더 조직적이고 안정적으로 방어를 해내는 진이 있어야 하고, 최후의 한방을 갈겨서 “위기” 호기로 만드는 진이 있어야 합니다. “위기관리”가 전쟁과 다른점은 군인들은 죽어 사라지면서 밀리지만, 우리 PR인들은 처음부터 최후반격까지를 살아서 운영한다는 것 뿐일겁니다.

(모르지요, 위기수습 이후에 책임을 물어 회사로 부터 사망선고(?)를 받을수도 있겠습니다만..)

 

최초 위기발생 직후에 초기대응이 중요하다는 말은 언제나 들어왔습니다.

만약 간밤의 자기 회사의 위기를 새벽 뉴스에서 보거나, 새벽 배달 신문에서 읽는다면 이미 그 위기는 우리 회사의 사장실을 점령한것과 같습니다. 패배이지요.

 

얼마나 우리 기업의 위기관리 시스템은 완벽하게 조직되어 있습니까. 최소한 비상연락망이라도..얼마전에 부산의 모 백화점 이벤트 실시중 폭파한 개스통에 맞아 이벤트 출연 모델과 이벤트 업체 직원이 심하게 다친 장면이 TV뉴스시간에 방영되었습니다. 그때 그장소에는 어김없이 TV카메라가 있었습니다. 그러나 홍보관계자는 없었습니다. 아닙니다, 있었을찌도 모릅니다. 그러나 아무것도 하지 않은것은 확실합니다. 지금 생각해보면 “충정”에 찬 모습으로 무지막지하게 TV카메라를 낚아 채는 사람들중에 섞여 있었을 수도 있겠습니다.

 

기업마다 많은 홍보인력들이 있지만, 위기에 관심을 가지고 그에 대비하려는 인력들은 별로 없습니다. 항상 좋은 소식을 밖으로 전하는 데만 바쁘지요. 그런 일상 생활에서 부정적인 소식들은 괜히 낯설고, 거북스러울 수도 있을겁니다.

 

그리고 모든 분들이 동의하실 위기관리에 관한 이상한 현상을 하나들지요.

공무원관련 비리나, 사회에 물의를 일으킬만한 이슈와 관련된 업체들을 보도하는 TV의 형식을 눈여겨 봅시다. 이슈에 관련된 모든 인터뷰 대상을 어떻게 보도합니까. 60-70%가 구두나 ,슬리퍼부분을 흐릿하게 카메라로 잡습니다. 인터뷰 내용도 자막처리를 하며 “비정상적”인 멘트를 부각합니다. 나머지 40-30%는 상대의 뒷통수나, 전화 화면으로 처리하며 상식밖의 멘트 부분을 확실히 따내서 인용합니다. 저는 얼마전 화학 폐수 처리시설을 설치해 놓고도 강심장으로 폐수무단 배출을 일삼는 한 대기업의 지방 공장을 TV기자들이 찾아가는 보도를 보았습니다. 그 공장의 공장장이 카메라를 보고 점퍼차림으로 허겁지겁 도망을 가더군요..저멀리로..참 가슴이 아팠습니다.

 

물론 그들이 뻔뻔 스럽게 미디어 플레이를 하라는 이야기는 아닙니다. 그러나 이러한 종류의 위기(사실 이런 종류는 윤리적 문제입니다만..)를 더욱 심화 시키는 도미노 작용을 최단거리에서 차단시킬수는 있습니다. 그이전에 하늘을 우러러 부끄럼이 없는 사업을 해야 겠지요. 물론..

 

제가 말씀드리는 위기관리는 비윤리적인 기업과 그 사업을 Bullet Proof으로 만드는 마술을 말씀드리는 것은 아닙니다.  윤리적이고 사회의 Goodwill 지향적인

정상적인 기업을 대상으로 하는 것입니다.

 

옛말에 “공부하는 놈과 저축하는 놈은 못당한다”는 말이 있답니다. 기업에는 “준비하는 기업”은 못당한다는 말이 어울릴것 같습니다. 준비의 주체는 우리 PR인력들이지요.

 

오늘은 “준비”라는 측면에서 예를 들수 있는 사례는 아니고, 사후 처리 과정에 있어서 그 신속성과 위기를 기회로 만든 간단한 사례하나를 소개합니다. 여러분이 좋아하시는 Pizza Hut에 관한 얘기입니다. 어린이들과 부모들이 맛있게 피자를 먹고있는 Pizza Hut식당으로 술취한 트럭이 쳐들어 왔습니다. 선혈이 낭자하게 퍼진 식당으로 부터 “위기관리”의 첫 스텝이 시작됩니다.

 

이사례에서 저희가 약간 부족한것은 미국처럼 다양하고 세분화된 신뢰있는 이미지의 Community가 없다는 겁니다. Pizza Hut과 그의 PR 및 광고 대행사 Ruder Finn은 “음주운전을 반대하는 엄마들의 모임”을 이용(?) 했습니다. 그런 의미에서 우리나라에도 사회적으로 위기관리의 인프라(?)가 많이 이루어 진다면 좋겠다는게 또하나의 생각입니다.

 

그럼 홍보!!

————————————————————————

A CRISIS FOR PIZZA HUT 

Organization: Pizza Hut

Agency: Ruder Finn

 

When Fred Brady began drinking heavily during an early morning binge on Wednesday, September 20, 1995, the 59-year-old man set in motion a series of events that would dramatically impact Pizza Hut and the tightly knit community of Granite Falls, North Carolina. That afternoon, the alcohol took its toll on Fred Brady and he drove his 1989 Chevy S-10 pickup off the road, across a field and into a crowded Pizza Hut restaurant. Ten people were injured – two seriously, one critically.

 

Pizza Hut, through no fault of its own, suddenly found itself linked with one of the worst accidents in the history of this small town. The president of Rage, Inc., the Pizza Hut franchisee, frantically called Ruder Finn for advice. By the next morning Pizza Hut had already joined forces with local radio stations and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) to mount an intense campaign aimed at raising money for the accident victims and educating the community about the dangers of drunk driving.

 

The community responded by displaying an outpouring of emotion and support, and Pizza Hut received significant positive media coverage. More importantly, nearly $5,000 was raised to help the accident victims pay for their insurance and medical costs. And as for the damaged Pizza Hut, sales have increased nearly 10 percent since the accident.

 

Strategy

 

Although the Granite Falls crash might not seem like a major crisis – certainly not comparable to a leaking nuclear reactor, a Tylenol scarce or a Denny’s incident – it was a traumatic event for the people in this small town. There was a tremendous amount of outrage over the incident, and Pizza Hut was concerned that it would be the target of this crisis.

 

With its restaurant in shambles, it would have been easy for Pizza Hut to focus on its own problems. But Pizza Hut instead focused on how it could help the accident victims and ensure that such senseless tragedies would not happen again. At Ruder Finn’s recommendations, Pizza Hut organized a major fundraising and education campaign that galvanized the emotions of the community and positioned Pizza Hut as a community leader.

 

Tactics

 

Ruder Finn identified three keys to a successful campaign:

 

Acting quickly: Pizza Hut placed collection jars in nine Western North Carolina restaurants the day after the accident. The next day, a three-day fund-raiser began in the parking lot of the damaged restaurant. Employees sold soft drinks and pizza by the slice to raise money for the victims.

 

Aligning itself with additional community groups: Pizza Hut needed to join forces with an established community group, and RF moved quickly to involve M.A.D.D. in the franchises efforts. M.A.D.D. volunteers from across the Western North Carolina participated in the three-day fundraising event, distributing information about the dangers of driving drunk.

 

Successfully promoting the fund-raising efforts to the community: RF contacted local newspapers, radio stations and television stations to promote Pizza Hut’s fund-raising efforts, and successfully persuaded several radio stations to host live broadcasters during Pizza Hut’s three-day fund-raiser.

 

Results

 

Many people would consider this a successful campaign simply because Ruder Finn helped Pizza Hut survive this crisis with no harm done. In fact, Pizza Hut’s reputation in the community soared following its fund-raising efforts and sales at the Granite Falls location increased by nearly ten percent when the restaurant re-opened

 

But we consider this campaign a success for a different reason — the actions taken by Pizza Hut following the accident truly benefited the Granite Falls community. Phyllis Brittan the most critically injured accident victim, received nearly $5,000 to help pay for her medical and insurance costs (the other nine victims agreed that all the money should go to her). The Granite Falls community benefited as well. Pizza Hut provided a way for members of the community to join together and support the accident victims, and its partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) helped reduce the chances that a tragedy such as this will happen again.

 

 

Crisis Management를 위한 전문가의 조언..  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

요즘들어 위기관리(Crisis Management)에 대한 관심이 늘어나는 걸 느낄수있습니다. 몇몇 회사들이 위기관리에 관해 적극적인 자세를 보여주고 있는데, 그 안에는 젊은 인하우스 인력들의 신선하고 열정적인 노력이 있습니다. 한 인하우스 분은 “기존 우리회사에 내려오는 전통적(?)인 위기 관리 방법이 있습니다. 그러나 그러한 방법들이 제 개인적으로는 모두 바람직한 것들이라고 생각하지는 않습니다. 저는 한번 올해의 계획을 기존 위기관리 방법론을 선별해서 체계화하고, 더욱 전문적인 “프로세스” 개념의 매뉴얼 제작을 통해 지금 “역전의 용사”들이신 윗분들이 퇴직을 하신 몇년후에도 변함없이 위기관리 능력을 유지할수 있도록 시스템을 갖추고 싶습니다..”라고 말씀 주셨습니다.

 

제가 보기에는 이분은 엄청난 위기관리 시스템에 대한 개념정립이 되신분이라고 생각합니다. 기존의 노하우에 대한 선별도입/프로세스 개념을 바탕으로 하는 이해/위기관리의 교육을 통한 능력유지등등의 전반적인 개념이 체계화 되신 분이었습니다. 참 보기 좋았고, 자신의 일에 몰두하는 모습이 멋진분이었습니다.

 

오늘은 위기관리 시스템을 항상 완벽하게 유지하기 위한 필수적인 도움말을 해 주실 Mr. Lukaszewski를 소개 해 드립니다. 그는 PRSA펠로우 회장직을 맡고 계시며, 위기관리 측면에서는 이론적 실제적인 Guru입니다. 그의 이름을 붙인 위기관리 컨설팅 펌을 운영하고 계십니다.

 

그는 오늘의 글에서, 위기관리 계획의 수명은 4년정도라고 지적합니다. 계속되는 업데이트도 필수라고 하십니다. 제가 저의 모 클라이언트를 위해 “위기관리시스템”관련 리포트를 제출하며, 지속적인 시뮬레이션을 통한 연속적 교정/적용의 필요를 제안 했습니다. 그러나 그 클라이언트분은 그이슈에는 별로 관심이 없으신 분위기였습니다. (가시적)자료- 매뉴얼-이 중요하지 그런건 번거롭고, 이론적이라는 표정이었습니다. 그러나 전략적인 분석을 거치고, 잘 구축된 “위기관리 매뉴얼”도 하나의 책일 뿐입니다. 커뮤니케이션즈 코리아의 김 경해 사장님은 ‘시뮬레이션 없는 위기관리 매뉴얼은 그 역할에서 “전화번호부”와 무었이 다른가”라고 하셨습니다.

 

매뉴얼은 시작일 뿐입니다. 전체적인 위기관리 시스템의 구축을 하나의 플로우로 보았을때 전략적 매뉴얼 작성은 30%의 시간과 투자를, 시뮬레이션과 교정/적용은 나머지 70%의 투자와 시간을 요한다고 보시면 되실겁니다.

 

여기서도 Lukaszewski씨가 논하는 것은 업데이팅의 의미와 시뮬레이션에 의한 교정, 그리고 다양하고 깊이 있는 동종/이종 기업들의 사례를 분석하고 벤치마킹하여 좀더 실질적이고 완벽한 시스템을 구축하라는 이야기 입니다.

 

이번 시대 가장 마지막 큰 위기이자, 새시대 가장 최초의 큰 위기인 Y2k문제에 대한 각 기업의 “위기관리”준비는 어떻게 되어있는지요. Y2k는 IT인력들의 문제만은 아닙니다. 회사의 얼굴을 자처하는 우리 PR인력들이 ‘위기관리’의 큰 역활 주체입니다. 막상 어떻한 일이 닥치면 우리 PR인력들은 어떻한 프로세스로 움직여야 하나요. 그냥 여기저기 터지는 위기상황 속에 파뭍혀서 미디어와 공중들에게서 잊혀지기 만을 기도하실 건가요..한번 생각해 볼 이번 12월의 숙제가 아닌가 합니다…이번 12월에는 위기관리 이슈를 적극적으로 다루도록 하겠습니다. 많은 도움이 되었으면 합니다. 감사합니다.

 

홍보…

————————————————————————

James E. Lukaszewski, APR, Fellow PRSA Chairman

Crisis Prevention, Part I –Keeping Your Crisis Communication Management Plans Current

 

One of the most common questions asked of crisis consultants is, “Can’t you do something to help us prevent crises from occurring?” The answer is yes, if there is a willingness to pay attention to readiness and the benefits that ongoing preparation provide. There is no “silver bullet” when it comes to prevention other than working to stay ready for those vulnerabilities and key issues which, even though remote, would have substantial impact were they to occur. Crisis prevention and readiness begin with recognizing the realities of crisis planning.

 

Reality 1:

The useful life of a crisis plan is about four years.

Personnel changes, business structuring and re-direction can overtake even the best updating process. 

 

Reality 2:

Spokespeople change; corporate leaders change.

This means their replacements often require additional help to get up to speed. That’s one reason why we suggest intensive, annual, video-based simulations. The technique brings newcomers up-to-speed in a matter of hours.

 

Reality 3:

The greatest single weakness of most crisis plans is the lack of defined roles for top management (and those management trusts).

Plans designed by low-level insiders without the boss’ input will not be implemented if the reputations, careers or futures of high level insiders will be defined by the crisis at hand. If the boss doesn’t buy it or hasn’t bought in, he/she and those he/she trusts will do something else when problems occur.

 

Reality 4:

The fallacy of the single spokesperson still reigns supreme.

What happens if your single spokesperson doesn’t survive the incident? What happens if your single spokesperson has the flu? What happens if your single spokesperson knows virtually nothing about the problem or issue causing the crisis? What if your single spokesperson is among those indicted?

 

More current theory says that while there may be a chief spokesperson, there are back-ups, subject matter experts, and more importantly, incident management specialists (IMS’s) conversant with specific organizational threats such as kidnap, extortion, natural disasters, sabotage and employee violence. The IMS’s are empowered and ready to respond with special expertise, credibility and the resources necessary.

 

Crisis Prevention, Part II: Keeping Your Crisis Communication Management Plans Current

 

Crisis prevention and crisis preparation planning are complimentary concepts. They both revolve around identifying the people-stopping, product- stopping and show-stopping issues or incidents that, by their very definition, can shut down all or part of the business. Crisis preparation includes crisis prevention when show-stopping problems are examined, and crisis problems are resolved so the opportunity for a substantial disruption is remediated or removed.

 

We conclude this crisis prevention series with two of the most important realities of crisis prevention:

 

Reality 5:

Crisis prevention is the most challenging aspect of crisis planning.

It’s relatively easy to identify and plan for events that can logically disrupt the organization. It’s very difficult to generate interest in planning for things that are unlikely to occur. Good crisis prevention involves exposure management techniques that spot problems early on and trigger preparations to respond and actions to eliminate or manage new threats before they occur.

 

Reality 6:

The five most important crisis communication plan management updating procedures involve:

 

* Ongoing preparation with annual simulations. An untested plan is an unworkable plan.

 

* Sharing critical crisis communication experience case studies.

 

* Useful right way/wrong way video-based, situation specific refresher programs.

 

* Interpreting and packaging as case studies other organization’s crises in terms of how your organization might respond if faced with a similar difficulty.

 

* Crisis prevention/exposure management processes as an ongoing threat reduction activity.

 

These updating processes are structured to fall relatively evenly across a three-to-four year time track. Two are ongoing. All are absolutely useful, worthy of senior management’s time and interest, and will encourage a contingent thinking mentality within your organization.

위기에 취약한 기업 유형 (Caponigro의 분류)  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

작년 이맘때쯤인가 베스트 셀러(신간)중의 하나였던 Caponigro의 Crisis Counselor라는 책을 읽었었습니다. 그는 현재 미시건에서 그의 이름을 붙인 Caponigro Public Relations라는 에이젼시를 운영하고 있고, 잘나가는 위기관리 전문가중의 하나입니다. 그는 이책에서 좀더 과학적인 플로우와 각 스텝별 프로세스를 나름데로 자세히 설명했습니다. 제가 본 위기관리 서적 중에서는 아무래도 fresh(?) 해서인지 정감이 가는 책입니다.

 

오늘은 그의 책 중에서 위기에 취약한 기업들의 유형 분류를 소개할까 합니다.

가만히 제가 보니, “이거 뭐 해당 안되는 기업이 없군..”하는 생각이 듭니다.

 

개인적으로 저는 현재 공공기관들 및 몇몇 사기업들의 위기관리 매뉴얼들을 구해 분석 하고있습니다. 지금까지의 결과는 말그대로 “참담하기 그지없는” 결과 입니다. 밝힐수는 없지만 여러분들이 아시면 깜짝놀랄 만한 얘기도 있습니다. 그만큼 “관심”이 없다는 얘기이지요. 그리고 제가 만나는 몇몇 홍보 실무자 분들도 “위기관리”에 대한 절대적인 필요성을 느끼고 계심을 봅니다. 그러나 어떻게 시작을 해야하고, 얼마나 걸리는지, 또 얼마의 금액이 필요한지 몰라 그냥 끙끙대고 계시는 것을 종종 봅니다.

 

참고로, 위기관리 매뉴얼의 제작을 위시로 하는 위기관리 시스템의 구축은 업체의 크기와 사업의 형태 범위등에 차이가 있지만 그 기간을 길게 잡으면 1년 이상이 걸릴수도 있습니다. (가끔씩 3개월 또는 1개월 정도에 완결할수 있다는 설이 있는데, 잘 분석해 보시면 비현실적이라는 걸 아시게 됩니다.-하기는 홍보매뉴얼이라고 불리는 단행본(?)들도 한두달에 종결하는 사례도 있습니다만)

시스템의 시작은 기업의 사업 구조 분석 및 위기 요소 측정으로 시작됩니다. 수많은 서베이 , 인터뷰, 요인 분석작업을 거치겠지요.

가격은 컨설팅 업체에 의뢰하여 상의 하시면 됩니다. 일단 기업의 크기에 비례한다고 보시면 됩니다. (큰집에 잔 일이 많듯이 똑같이 생각하시면 됩니다.)

 

인하우스에 계시는 분들은 한번쯤 새로운 밀레니엄을 맡기위한 PR기획의 하나로 자신 기업의 위기관리 시스템의 구축을 마련하시는게 어떨까요.(2001년 1월 1일이 새 밀레니엄의 첫날이지요.. 아마?)

 

한번 아랫글을 읽어 보시고 과연 우리기업은 어디에 속해있나 보시죠..

그럼 홍보..!!   

*************************************************************************

 

What type of organizations are most vulnerable to a crisis?

 

All businesses eventually experience some form of crisis. Those which seem to be most vulnerable, however, include businesses with one or more of the following characteristics:

 

 Businesses that have recently experienced a crisis.

 

Businesses should learn from crises. It would make sense that those which recently experienced a crisis should be the most prepared to avoid a future one. Lightning never strikes twice in the same place, right? Some feel, using that logic, the airline that just suffered a plane crash is the safest to fly. However, the odds are that ­ if your business has suffered a crisis recently ­ it is more likely than one that hasn’t to suffer another one soon. Two reasons for this include: the previous crisis showed the company is vulnerable to a crisis; and, the business is often preoccupied fixing the previous crisis and may not notice the warning signs of another on its heels.

 

 Those in highly regulated industries.

 

It makes sense that the more rules your business must follow, with serious consequences for violators, the more vulnerable you are to a crisis. The crisis could be in the form of a product recall, environmental fines, labor-related penalties, stressful government probes and other costly investigations. These can significantly damage the reputation of your business which, even beyond the cash outlay for fines and penalties, can take years and even decades to overcome.

 

 Businesses with financial difficulties.

 

Your business is more likely to suffer a crisis when it is suffering financial troubles. When this occurs, a business is more likely to overlook a warning signal because it is preoccupied with other, more immediate matters. Financial troubles can also deplete the amount of goodwill earned by a business with some of its key publics. This occurs most frequently with suppliers who are not being paid on time, and, in some smaller companies, with employees who are faced with pay reductions or delays in cashing their checks. Without the strong support of your key publics, a business is significantly more likely to suffer a crisis.

 

 High-profile companies with well-known CEOs.

 

Some businesses have owners or CEOs who are heralded as “superstars,” “brilliant” and “geniuses.” They have received substantial amounts of media coverage and have helped make their companies and themselves newsworthy through their success and leadership. The positives from this almost always outweigh any potential negatives. However, a negative by-product of the increased profile is that a crisis experienced by the company and CEO become more newsworthy.

 

 Publicly held companies.

 

Businesses that are publicly owned are more vulnerable to crises for several reasons. They are highly regulated (i.e., Securities and Exchange Commission), have a greater number of publics to please (i.e., shareholders, investors, analysts), and are covered by media that focus primarily on publicly held businesses (e.g., The Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Forbes). They need to disclose all “material” events occurring in the business and can’t easily solve a problem over time with little fanfare, as can a privately held business.

 

 Fast-growing companies.

 

Businesses experiencing rapid growth are vulnerable to crises because they have hired employees who may not be adequately trained or experienced. They may be entering previously uncharted markets by the company. And, keeping up with the day-to-day work has left the business with little time to consider its vulnerabilities, heed its warning signs and work to prevent crises from occurring.

 

 Those with market share among the top three in their industries.

 

These companies are usually covered closely by industry analysts and trade media. Their actions and decisions are scrutinized and second-guessed. These businesses may feel others are waiting for any slip, flinch or mistake that can be sensationalized and used to damage the company. An otherwise manageable vulnerability in this company can easily be catapulted by competitors, analysts, media and others fanning the flames.

 

 Start-up businesses.

 

New businesses face extreme challenges during their early months and years to avoid major crises that could negatively affect their financial positions, marketing potential and future health. They are most vulnerable to crises because they haven’t yet established a broad base of goodwill and support among a broad range of publics (e.g., employees, customers, prospects, suppliers, news media). Start-up businesses often have few management staff and employees who can help prevent vulnerabilities from turning into crises. They also may not have the financial resources to purchase the equipment, technology and other systems that would help reduce their vulnerabilities.

 

 Businesses with absentee ownership.

 

These include businesses whose owner, CEO or franchisee are not on site to personally experience the challenges of the crisis and to see they are managed swiftly and effectively. These can include multi-store franchise operations, where the franchisee is not on-site and rarely visits the outlet, or branches of retail stores, banks, fitness centers or wholesalers.

 

 Businesses with high stress and unfavorable working conditions.

 

Every business nowadays has an abundance of stress as it is forced by competitive pressures and economics to achieve more results with less resources. However, some businesses are clouded by an inordinate amount of workplace stress. This often occurs through the combination of pressure to meet tight deadlines; extremely demanding management; workers/employees feeling underpaid and underappreciated; little sense of accomplishment due to the relentless workload level; and, a working environment that only adds to the stress levels. These pressures can result in disruptive and even violent behavior by disturbed employees, which has occurred at U.S. Postal Service outlets in Michigan and Texas

Crisis Management와 변호사들의 접근  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

저는 종종 PR인을 맛있는 요리를 만드는 “요리사”로 비유합니다.

제 자신이 요리를 재미있어 하고 즐기는 이유때문이기도 하겠지만, 맛난 메세지를 창조해낸는 메세지의 요리사가 우리 PR인들이 아닌가 생각합니다.

 

미국 종합 PR에이젼시 케쳠의 도리스 사장이 저번(전 연설문 참조)에 말한것 처럼 PR업계를 위협하는 많은 사회 분야적 도전이 일어나고 있습니다.

 

경영 컨설턴트들이 브랜드 매니지먼트나, Reputation Management, President Identity, CI등을 서비스 해주는 경우가 생겨나고 있고, 인하우스의 PR조직 및 시스템도 조직디자인이라는 이름으로 경영학적인 잣대로 마구 디자인 해대는 시대가 왔습니다.

 

또한 많은 산업 디자이너들이 CI를 경영한다고 클라이언트들을 모아들이고 있으며, 최근에는 변호사들이 ‘Crisis Management”시장에 뛰어들어 어마어마한 금액을 전문 서비스 비용으로 걷어들입니다. 이래저래 우리 PR인들은 Identity Crisis에 와있습니다.

 

처음의 비유를 돌이켜보면 많은 식품영양학도들이 직접 맛있는 요리를 하겠다고 나서는 형국입니다.

 

일각에서는 이때문에, PR인도 사회에서 공적인 신분과 서비스 영역을 보장 받기 위해 “Licence”제도를 두어야 한다고도 합니다. 비록 미국의 APR이나 ABC같은 라이센스는 하나의 전문가 협회에서 수여되는 사적인 것으로, 전문 집단에서는 권위를 인정 받지만 일반인들에게는 생소한 특수 라이센스입니다.

 

그러나 우리나라에서는 좀더 공적인 의미의 라이센스가 필요하며, 그 특정 라이센스를 획득한 사람만이 PR관련 일을 할수있고 관련 업체를 설립, 경영할수 있도록 하자는 얘기가 많습니다.

 

하다못해 미용사들도 라이센스가 있고, 택시 운전사도 라이센스가 필요한데 왜 PR인들만 그런게 없어서, 그냥 이사람 저사람 이 시장에 뛰어드느냐..하는것이 기존 시장 점유 PR인들(일부)의 주장이기도 합니다.

 

저는 모르겠습니다. 과연 그런 라이센싱이 생기면 누가 그것을 경영관리 할것리며, 또 그 수준은 어떨것이며, 기존의 어른들이 모두들 가지시면 그것이 무슨 의미가 있을까 하는 생각이 들뿐입니다. 근데..또 한편으로는 우리 PR인들이 최소한의 공부를 할수 있는 계기가 되겠다 하는 면에서는 환영하는 바입니다.

 

그건 그렇고 미국에서도 PR인들의 Identity Crisis는 그 심각성을 더해가는 모양입니다. 여기에 한 PR에이젼시 사장님이 쓰신 왜 변호사들이 우리 PR인들 만큼 적절히 위기를 관리하지 못하는가에 대한 짧은 글이 있습니다. 아마도 그분은 변호사들과 위기 관리의 현장에서 많이 부딪치시고, 짜증이 나셨나 봅니다.

 

저도 지금 어느 외국회사의 위기관리 프로젝트를 하나 맞고 있습니다.

이 프로젝트에도 어김없이 이름 높은 법률 펌의 두분 변호사님들이 관여하시는데, 제가 보기에는 별 도움(Crisis Management에..)이 된다고 생각치 않습니다. 물론 방해가 되는 것도 아니지만,, 아,, 아닙니다. 밖으로 나가는 Public Statement의 플로우를 검토라는 이유로 몇일정도 지연시키는 일도 하십니다.

 

PR person has seen a readable release or letter turned into a forbidding, impenetrable document with paragraph- long sentences and words like “heretofore.”

 

** Law school teaches a method of explanation that non-lawyers find patronizing.

 

Every public relations professional has watched a lawyer trying to patiently explain a technical legal point to a senior executive. The lawyer thinks he’s being meticulous. The executive is waiting for him to get to what really matters. To the lawyer what matters is the process; to the executive what matters is the impact.

 

** Law teaches lawyers to see things in legal terms.

 

Although litigation and legal implications are frequently part of a crisis, there are internal and external audiences, costs to brand image, and multiple other areas of concern.

 

** Lawyers don’t understand the creative tools that can be used to protect a company.

 

Example: during a contentious Chapter 11 proceeding for the largest company in an industry sector, we commissioned an economic impact study to demonstrate what would happen to the community if the company didn’t survive the bankruptcy proceedings. The high-priced bankruptcy lawyers disparaged the study, but the company CFO let us release it to the media. The next morning, the federal judge cited a story in the local paper about the study and prodded creditors’ lawyers to speed up their arguments. “Don’t you realize there are jobs at stake?” he asked.

 

How To Protect Yourself From Lawyers Taking Over

 

Prepare your CEO, CFO and General Counsel, among others, that any crisis will require special, faster, team communication. Raise the issue and get their agreement pre-crisis.

 

Title the crisis function “crisis communication.” While I know we are all dedicated to improving the standing of public relations, calling it “communication” broadens the scope of your charge. The time to enlighten your management that this is another aspect of public relations is after the successful conclusion of an incident.

 

Scour the media for examples where the lawyers clearly missed things. Share these as “ongoing learning” with top management. For example, two years ago, Texaco dealt with much publicized charges that employees discriminated against African Americans. Secretly made tapes of employees using racial epithets found their way into the press. Circulate these articles; add your own cover note saying, “We’re trying to prevent these kinds of mishaps at our company.”

 

Find someone in the General Counsel’s office who will participate in media or communication training. He or she will be your ally for setting up or reviewing your crisis plan – and making sure public relations has a key role.

 

Appoint yourself the video/TV coach for your CEO and CFO. Use the news media as your educational tool. Explain to your top management that television has contaminated communication and that you’re asking for 15 minutes weekly to hone their skills (show them tapes of other CEOs looking lackluster on CNBC, “MoneyLine” or other business shows).

 

Get outside, credible third-party individuals recommended to you by those in your company who head up community outreach or risk analysis. Recruit those individuals before the crisis. Pepsi provided an outstanding example two years ago when a few people claimed they found syringes in Pepsi cans. The director of the Food and Drug Administration appeared with Pepsi’s CEO to signify his faith in the company’s manufacturing process.

 

Get your video support ready now. As part of your company crisis plan or ongoing crisis review, ask what existing videotape would be helpful to the media during the kind of crisis you might experience. Again, Pepsi is an excellent example. On the day of the crisis, they released a video of their bottling plants showing cans whizzing by so fast it was impossible to believe anyone could insert a foreign substance. Alert inspectors were seen peering carefully at every can. The video’s imagery reinforced the company’s claims.

 

Submit an opinion piece co-written by you and someone in your General Counsel’s office to your local business journal. Focus on the importance of pre-planning for crises and the broadening definition of crises today. You want your CEO to know your opinion is well-regarded and that you can work in tandem with your top legal staff.

Above all, think ahead. It’s too easy to get bogged down in day-to-day work. Use these substantive steps, and you’ll add real value to your company.

Issue Management 3  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

오늘은 한 작은 회사의 영리하고 인상적인 이슈 매니지먼트/ 위기관리/ Community Relations의 종합적 샘플을 소개해 드립니다.

 

현재 여러분이 일하고 계신 회사 건물에 간밤에 불이나서 홀랑 타버렸다면 먼저 PR인으로 무엇을 하시겠습니까?

위기관리 PR체계가 서 계십니까?

사업에 연관된 다양한 이슈들을 미리 파악해 놓고 계십니까?

몇번이나 시뮬레이션을 하셨습니까?

 

Crisis Communications를 강의하시는 어떤 분은 위기 발생 후 24시간내에 모든것이 결판 난다고 하십니다. 1-3-6-12라는 비유도 쓰시더군요, 1시간내에 Crisis Team 전원 집합/분석회의..3시간내에 공식 보도자료.. 6시간 내에 기자회견..12시간내에 수습 관련 행동(이벤트)라던가요..

 

아무튼 준비는 되어 있어야 합니다. PR인이라면..

 

아래의 사례를 보시면 밤 10시에 오우크 트리 우유회사에 불이 났습니다.

아직 현장에 소방차가 남아 있을 다음날 새벽 5시, 이 우유 회사는 자신들의 우유 배달을 기다리는 고객들에게 걱정말라는 편지들을 우유와 함께 배달했습니다. 그밖에 감사카드를 소방관들에게 나누어주고.. 참 재빠르고 아기자기하지만 전략적이었던 PR프로그램이었습니다. 참 인상적입니다.

 

우리나라의 대 기업이라 할찌라도 이정도의 위기 관리 체제가 서있는 홍보 시스템은 거의 없으리라 봅니다. 부럽습니다.

 

이 프로그램은 에포크5라는 소규모 PR에이젼시에서 주관하였습니다, 이전에 오우크측과 사전 위기관리 시스템 구축이 이루어져 있었기에 가능했던거겠지요.

아무튼 멋진 녀석들입니다. 아마 이 프로그램의 냄새를 보니 여자분이 지휘를 한거 같습니다. 소프트하고 강렬한게 재미있습니다.

 

한번 보시고 같이 느껴 보시죠.

 

“홍보!!”

***********************************************************************

Rebuilding Oak Tree Dairy

 

Oak Tree Dairy Farm with Epoch 5 (PR에이젼시 이름입니다.)

 

OVERVIEW

Oak Tree Farm Dairy is Long Island, New York’s last remaining dairy processing facility. A family owned business, it has operated on the same site since 1941, providing milk and other dairy products to 1,500 retail customers and 450 schools in the region. At 10:00 pm on October 7, 1997, the dairy burned nearly to the ground, with damages estimated at $10 million.

 

Epoch 5 was on site even before the fire was out, working with the media and preparing messages to customers and suppliers. The next day, we developed and began implementation of a comprehensive plan to negate a history of community relations problems, build support for the reconstruction and to reassure retailers that they would continue to receive their milk deliveries as usual.

 

RESEARCH

 

In addition to the daunting task of running a dairy without a dairy, Oak Tree faced three major communications challenges:

 

1. Keep customers from switching suppliers – Oak Tree is a relatively small player in the Long Island market. Its retail customers are constantly under pressure to change suppliers, especially from its major competitor, a New Jersey-based dairy ten times its size. The morning after the fire, many Oak Tree customers had already been contacted by competitors.

 

2. Obtain permission from the town to rebuild – Oak Tree operated as a special use in a residential zone. Because more than half of the facility was destroyed, it required Zoning Board of Appeals approval. This was particularly problematic because the previous management had never obtained building permits for several outbuildings, and the ZBA had denied the dairy’s attempts to right the situation only two years earlier.

 

3. Overcome a history of contentious relations with neighbors and town officials – Previous management had tended to ignore the concerns of the residential community that had grown up around the dairy. A distant history of code violations (previously addressed, but still recalled), odors allegedly emanating from the wastewater treatment facility, nighttime noise and other factors led to a strong community effort to derail the reconstruction.

 

PLANNING

 

Within 12 hours of the fire’s start, Epoch 5 presented a plan of action to Oak Tree’s management. This plan emphasized the following key strategic objectives:

 

1. Obtain early support from key public officials and the media.

 

2. Communicate early and often with community members, and involve them in the process.

 

3. Position the dairy’s efforts to survive as the heroic and successful work of a local, family-owned business, thus creating sympathy that would stem customer losses and encourage local support.

 

EXECUTION

 

Media

 

1. Epoch 5 coordinated TV, radio and print media coverage during and after the fire. Almost every story emphasized the dairy’s commitment to rebuild and to avoid laying off any of its workers. The stories also noted that the dairy had made every single delivery, despite the fire, due to a contingency production and distribution plan in place prior to the fire.

 

2. Epoch 5 met with the editorial boards of local weekly publications in order to enlist support. As a result, favorable and sympathetic editorials appeared within several days of the fire.

 

3. Epoch 5 created a full-page “thank you” ad to run in Newsday targeting the firefighters and Oak Tree’s neighbors, customers, and well-wishers – and obtained a 75% space price cut.

 

4. Epoch 5 developed factual responses to several negative Letters to the Editor from neighbors opposing the reconstruction. These further reinforced our primary messages of conciliation.

 

5. Epoch 5 placed or managed major stories on the dairy’s reconstruction efforts and its commitment to use the rebuilding as an opportunity to create a better facility with less impact on the community. These stories appeared in Newsday, The New York Times, The New York Daily News, Suffolk Life, The Long Islander and the Huntington News, as well as on News12 Long Island, Long Island News Tonight, and TV 55 News. When possible, stories were timed to coincide with key points in the zoning appeal process.

 

Community & Consumers

 

1 . Epoch 5 wrote letters to Oak Tree customers to lessen their concerns about delivery. These were sent with the first milk delivery at 5:00 am, while the fire department was still on site.

 

2. The day after the fire, Epoch 5 sent flowers and a thank-you note hand signed by the dairy’s president to the two dozen neighbors who were most disrupted by the fire and media coverage.

 

3. Epoch 5 coordinated a presentation to the local civic organization, which opposed the reconstruction. Many of the neighbors dropped their opposition based on the presentation.

 

4. Epoch 5 developed and issued newsletters to 400 homes in the area. In addition to providing facts to counter misinformation from outspoken opponents, The Dairy News reinforced the message that the current management was committed to the community. It also outlined redesign elements included specifically to reduce the dairy’s impact. The newsletter was deliberately unspectacular graphically, thus avoiding the inference that the dairy was spending money on public relations it should be using to improve its site.

 

5. Epoch 5 coordinated multiple meetings between civic association opponents and dairy management, keeping them fully apprised of all plans and progress.

 

Local Government

 

1. Epoch 5 met with the Town Supervisor immediately after the fire, and obtained his commitment to “fast track” the reconstruction. As a result, a team of town workers in various departments were brought on board within days, establishing a more congenial, positive atmosphere.

 

2. Epoch 5 worked closely with Oak Tree’s zoning attorney to coordinate presentations before the Town Board and the ZBA. In addition to preparing statements and materials, we enlisted support from the business community and residents favoring the reconstruction.

 

3. Throughout the process, Epoch 5 worked extensively behind the scenes to get and keep the support of state and local government officials. As a result, efforts by a town board faction to enforce a Stop Work Order and issue a referendum of opposition were derailed.

 

EVALUATION

 

1 . Despite legal entanglements, significant community opposition and prior management’s perceived disregard for the community, Oak Tree Farm Dairy was granted the right to rebuild in late August 1998. The facility began limited milk production in December 1998.

 

2. Instead of losing business, Oak Tree’s sales actually increased by approximately 10 percent during the reconstruction, despite concerted efforts by competitors.

 

3. Not a single employee was laid off as a result of the fire, and, through our efforts, the 610 member Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce named Oak Tree Farm Dairy “Business of the Year.”

Issue Management 2  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

오늘은 이슈 매니지먼트의 두번째 시간입니다.

어제는 사회적 이해집단들간의 갈등요소를 어떻게 개척하느냐 하는 이슈를 소개해 드렸습니다. 오늘은 이미 생겨 버린 강력한 이슈를 어떻게 처리하느냐 하는 이슈입니다.

 

오늘도 여러분이 좋아 하실 또하나의 회사 “맥도널드”입니다.

많이 아시고들 계시겠지만, 맥도널드는 몇년전 영국에서 참 난처한 지경에 처했습니다. 몇몇 극단적인 사람들이 맥도널드에 관련된 험담을 하고 다니며, 그들의 간행물이 널리 퍼지기 시작 했기 때문이었습니다.

 

항상 기업들은 Reputation을 관리합니다. 기업 생존의 가장 근본이 되는 PR적 자산이지요. 이런 사건은 맥도널드의 Reputation에 치명적인 상처를 입히는 것 이었습니다. 아래의 사례를 보시면 어떻게 그들이 해당 이슈에 의연히 대처하였는지를 (물론 내부적 패닉은 있었지만..) 아실겁니다.

 

그이전에 저는 맥도널드의 기존 풍부한 Reputation자산이 부럽습니다.

부자는 망해도 3년 간다는 말이 있습니다.

Reputation의 부자 맥도널드가 어떻게 기존 자산을 자랑스럽게 활용했는지, 그리고 그들이 사건 이전에 얼마나 각종 이슈에 대한 대비와 함께 Reputation을 배양 해 왔는지 보시죠. PR의 재테크” 라 할까요..

 

그럼 저는 정신없이 “홍보!” ……

*********************************************************************

 

IN THE U.K., THE MCLIBEL CASE IS A MCDISASTER

 

In the early 1990s, a couple of unemployed anarchists from north London distributed a leaflet accusing the world’s largest restaurant chain of poisoning its customers and the planet. McDonald’s, concerned for its reputation, embarked upon a course of action that gave the allegations a circulation of millions and resulted in a trial that is financially draining and reputationally devastating.

 

“McDollars, McGreedy, McCancer, McMurder, McDisease, McProfits, McDeadly, McHunger, McRipoff, McTorture, McWasteful, McGarbage,” says the leaflet, What’s Wrong with McDonald’s, produced by an obscure organization called Greenpeace (London) – it has no connection with the better-known Greenpeace International – chastising one of the world’s best-known companies for what it sees as a catalog of crimes against humanity. “This leaflet is asking you to think for a moment about what lies behind McDonald’s clean, bright image. It’s got a lot to hide.”

 

In some respects, the leaflet is a public relations nightmare. It accuses McDonald’s of poisoning its customers with unhealthy food – “what they don’t make clear is that a diet high in fat, sugar, animal products and salt…. and low in fiber, vitamins and minerals, which describes an average McDonald’s meal, is linked with cancers of the breast and bowel, and heart disease” – and of poisoning the environment, both through its ecologically unsound packaging and by “using lethal poisons to destroy vast areas of Central American rain forest to create grazing pastures for cattle.” The company is also responsible, the leaflet says, for starvation in the Third World, exploitation of its workers, the mistreatment of animals and the corruption of small children.

 

On the other hand, the leaflet’s hysterical tone and rampant paranoia make it difficult to take seriously. Most of the charges have been repeated elsewhere, and refuted. The mainstream media was paying little attention. And there was nothing to indicate that customers were being persuaded to stay away from McDonald’s restaurants by the charges.

 

Nevertheless, McDonald’s U.K. decided to pursue legal action against the leaflet’s authors and those distributing it. It identified a couple of suspects – unemployed Londoners who belonged to Greenpeace (London) – and hauled them into court. The company expected a relatively lengthy, by U.K. standards, trial: the initial estimate was that it could go on for 12 weeks. It did not expect to recover any damages or even its legal expenses – the two defendants are living on welfare checks and are unable even to afford their own lawyer – but it did hope to clear its name.

 

Says Mike Love, a former press officer for British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who now heads up the McDonald’s U.K. public relations department: “We ended up in court very reluctantly. It has been very much a last resort as far as McDonald’s is concerned.” He says that customers were beginning to ask questions about the allegations in the literature, and that the claims were gaining currency in schools and colleges in particular. McDonald’s, he says, believes its reputation to be an asset worth defending.

 

Whether that is the consensus view today, as the libel case enters its second year, as legal bills continue to mount and as charges which once were made in an anonymous, hand-distributed leaflet are now repeated in the national and international media, is something none at McDonald’s wishes to comment on. Executives at McDonald’s corporate headquarters in Oak Brook refer calls to the U.K. company, but newspaper reports indicate that they have flown in to London on several occasions to try to put a halt to the proceedings. The British company, meanwhile, is steadfast in support of its original decision. But elsewhere there seems little doubt that what McDonald’s did by bringing suit against the individuals now known as the McLibel Two is put itself on trial.

 

 

The leaflets had been circulating for several years before McDonald’s, in 1990, served writs for libel against five London Greenpeace activists. Three appeared in court, conceded the libel, and promised to desist. Two, Dave Morris and Helen Steel, refused to comply with the writs, and McDonald’s elected to pursue the case.

 

The U.K. company, unlike its U.S. parent, has a history of using legal action to silence critics. The labor union-funded Transnational Information Centre was forced to pulp its entire run of Working for Big Mac, a pamphlet it had published documenting the corporation’s employment practices, and as a result was forced to declare bankruptcy. McDonald’s has also served writs on national papers, including The Guardian and Today, and against Scottish trade union branches which financed a local theatre group production called Jimmy McBurgers. When Chrissie Hynde, lead singer of the rock group The Pretenders, called on fans at a Greenpeace (International) rally to petrol bomb the chain in defense of the rain forests, the company’s lawyers swiftly extracted a promise that she would not repeat those charges.

 

It is interesting to compare the litigious culture of the U.K. subsidiary to McDonald’s corporate headquarters here. Charges very similar to those repeated in the What’s Wrong with McDonald’s leaflet have been made in this country. Health activist Phil Sokolof, for example, has bought full-page advertisements in national newspapers to warn of “The Poisoning of America,” and has yet to be sued. Environmental activists have accused the fast food chain of playing a part in the destruction of the rain forests, and there was a long-running campaign, including a children’s boycott, against the company’s use of polystyrene packaging.

 

The company’s response has generally been to enter into dialogue, to appear responsive and responsible. As the American public’s obsession with nutrition grew, McDonald’s was one of the first to provide nutrition information to customers, and won the support of the Society for Nutrition Education for an advertising campaign that featured Ronald McDonald and an animated character called Willie Munchright talking about “sometimes” foods – cake, cookies and potato chips – and “everyday” foods such as rice, bananas and corn.

 

In the environmental arena, the company issued instructions to its suppliers that it would only accept beef from cattle reared on long-established ranches, and met with the Environmental Defense Fund to create a ground-breaking agreement under which it replaced its polystyrene clamshells with paper packaging and invited the EDF to monitor and report on its environmental policies.

 

” I think their proactive approach to public relations in the U.S. is a model for other corporations trying to figure out how they should deal with outside constituencies,” says David Drobis, chairman of Ketchum Public Relations, which does no work for McDonald’s. “They are very rational, very responsible.”

Issue Management 1  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

요즘 저는 개인적으로 한 클라이언트를 위해 이슈 매니지먼트를 열심히 공부하고 있습니다. 여러가지 재미있고 의미 있는 사례들이 가득하더군요. 오늘은 그중에서 여러분들 특히 여성 홍보인 여러분들이 사랑하시는 던킨 도너츠”사에 대한 사례가 되겠습니다. 이케이스는 Hill & Knowlton이 이쁘게” 디자인 한 프로젝트로 제 개인적으로 아주 자랑스럽게 생각하는 바 입니다.(이것도 홍보?)

 

기업이나 행정을 펼치다 보면 많은 이해 관계가 얽히는 상황이 예측 되거나, 실제로 얽혀서 소란스러운 경우들이 생기곤 합니다. 큰아들을 먹이려니 작은 아들이 울고, 작은 녀석을 먹이려니 큰 녀석이 우는 꼴이 생기죠.

둘다 굶겨 버리면 좋겠지만, 엄마의 마음이 있듯이 기업이나 행정주체의 계획이나 비젼이 있어서 그 고민의 순간은 길어집니다.

 

어떻게 소위 말하는 Win-Win 전략이 나올수 있겠는가. 두 아들을 다 배부르게 할수 있는 방법은 없을까. 이런 고민을 하고 해결하려고 노력하는게 이슈 매니지먼트 입니다.

 

이슈 매니지먼트의 핵심이라고 한다면

1. 최초 기업 자신의 확실한 이슈상의 포지셔닝을 잘 해야 합니다.

2. 상대 이해 집단을 최대한 포용할수 있는 관대한 프로그램이 수행되어 효과를 거두어야 합니다.

3. 그밖에 강성인 반대 부류는 차후 강력한 포지셔닝의 확인으로 무력화 시켜야 합니다.

4. 중립적 입장에 있는 일반 이해집단(수적인 우세 집단)으로 부터 the third Endorsement를 받아야 합니다.

 

모든 기업상의 전략이 마찬가지지만 확실한 대의명분(즉 비젼)이 서야 합니다.

아래의 던킨 같은 경우에는 Smoke-free / Clean Air라는 사회 이슈상의 비젼이 최초부터 확실했고 그에 따라 일관된 프로그램이 잘 진행됬기 때문에 성공할수 있었습니다. 여러가지 프로모션 프로그램들로 불만세력화 될수 있는 흡연고객을 유인/설득했고, 그 밖에 예상되는 강성 흡연자 부류는 던킨이 헌신적으로 추구하는 비젼에 대한 사회적 인증을 받아 무력화 시키려고 노력했습니다. 진정한 이슈를 잘 경영한 사례이지요.

 

행정홍보도 마찬가지일 겁니다. 이해집단을 무력화 시키는데만 집중하는것이 아니라 당근과 채찍을 함께 전시하는 묘미가 필요할거라는 생각이 듭니다. 또한 프로그램의 실행에 있어서도 좀더 재미있고, 고객(국민)에게 어필 가능한 예쁜 프로그램을 실행해보아도 좋을 것입니다. 틀에 밖힌 행정홍보가 아니라, 눈에 띄는 프로그램이 치밀한 전략속에서 이루어 진다면 국민들이 행정 프로그램들을 더욱 사랑할수 있지 않을까 생각해봅니다.

 

아무튼, 아래의 맛난 던킨 도너츠를 잘 즐겨보시기 바랍니다.

 

그럼 저는 배가 불러서 이만…… “홍보!”

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DUNKIN’ DONUTS NEW SMOKE FREE POLICY 

 

Organizations: Dunkin’ Donuts

Agency: Hill & Knowlton

 

Based on a strong urging on the part of customers and franchisees, the Dunkin’ Donuts corporation decided to implement a mandatory smoke-free policy for its nearly 3,000 shops nationwide. The policy was unanimously approved by the Dunkin’ Donuts Franchisees Advisory Council on January 18, 1995.

 

Dunkin’ Donuts was faced with the challenge of successfully converting ail of its U.S. shops to non-smoking environments without alienating their loyal, smoking customer base (22%), while attracting new customers who indicated that they would visit Dunkin’ Donuts more frequently if smoking was prohibited. Although Dunkin’ Donuts research indicated that many customers favored smoke-free shops, there was a concern that smokers’ rights groups, resentful franchisees or adverse news reporting could easily sour what the company viewed as a positive initiative.

 

The following research led Hill & Knowlton to its recommendations:

· Many of Dunkin’ Donuts’ competitors had already banned in-shoe smoking, including Starbuck Krispy Kreme, Coffee Connection and Au Bon Pain.

· At the time of the mandatory conversion, more than 60 percent of the company’s shops had voluntarily implemented a smoke-free policy. Of those 60 percent, many shops enjoyed sales increases, none suffered a materials sales decline, and few shops experienced even a minor sales decline.

· Smokers’ rights groups and tobacco lobbyists have a history of picketing and sometimes violence against companies banning smoking, especially in heavy smoking markets.

· Company research showed that a significant number of patrons said they would visit Dunkin’ Donuts shops more often if the environment was cleaner and smoking was prohibited.

 

OBJECTIVES

 

Educate franchisees and shop employees about the new smoke-free policy and procedures, and provide a

contingency plan to deal with any backlash from smokers’ rights or tobacco lobbyist groups.

 

Generate consumer awareness through favorable media exposure for the system-wide smoke-free policy

 

Encourage lapsed customers to visit smoke-free shops and provide incentives for smoking customer base to continue their patronage

 

AUDIENCES

 

· Dunkin’ Donuts franchisees and shop employees

· Business and lifestyle media

· Dunkin’ Donuts current and lapsed customers

· Smokers’ rights groups

 

CREATIVE STRATEGY

 

The first step in converting Dunkin’ Donuts shops to smoke-free environments was to clearly communicate the new policy and its parameters to franchisees and shop employees throughout the network. Hill & Knowlton worked with the Dunkin’ Donuts corporation to develop a smoke-free conversion kit which included a letter to customers from Dunkin’ Donuts president, Jack Shafer; a “Q & A” brochure for franchisees; an order form for in-shop point-of-purchase materials (such as banners, posters and window decals); franchisee testimonials on the bottom-line benefits of a smoke-free shop; and a contingency plan on how to handle a pro-smoking group demonstration and related media inquiries.

 

Following the franchisee and employee outreach, Hill & Knowlton prepared a two-phased media relations plan to capitalize on both the policy announcement in February 1995, and the implementation date on June 1, 1995. The first publicity effort in February involved widespread media relations activities announcing the new corporate policy to business, health, food and lifestyle writers and reporters nationwide, and arranging interviews for a Dunkin’ Donuts spokesperson. Since Dunkin” Donuts shops were known by many people as a place for customers to enjoy a cup of coffee, a donut and a cigarette, the news value of the no smoking policy would be high. Accordingly, a straightforward media outreach program was implemented.

 

Capitalizing on the momentum gained by the exceptional print and broadcast coverage generated as a result of the February announcement, Hill & Knowlton implemented ‘phase two of the media relations plan and in-shop promotions to generate awareness for the June 1 policy implementation. Each market was offered a menu of in promotions to supplement a localized media relations plan. Promotions were developed to both acknowledge the existing base of smoking customers, and encourage non-smokers to visit shops more frequently. Optional promotions included:

· Flash Your Pack for Donuts’ promotion where smoking customers received a free 10-ounce cup of coffee or

· a donut for flashing their pack to a shop employee, but not smoking in the shop to respect the new policy. This promotion was encouraged in markets where research showed the customer base consisted of heavy smokers (such as Philadelphia)

· I Love to Smell the Coffees promotion where any customer who entered a shop and declared, “I love to smell the coffee” received a free 10-ounce cup of coffee.

· Tie-ins with local firefighters in recognition of their efforts to keep their communities smoke-free. Donations were made to local fire departments, and in turn, the money was used to purchase much-needed smoke detectors for community buildings.

· Charity affiliations with high-profile, non-profit organizations that closely matched the program’s clean air and smoke-free messages. For example, in New York, we established a relationship between Dunkin’ Donuts and the Fresh Air Fund.

 

To generate additional goodwill and support of the policy, Hill & Knowlton aligned Dunkin’ Donuts with an influential anti-smoking organization, The American Cancer Society, to endorse the initiative. Quotations hailing the new policy were provided by The American Cancer Society and included in all news releases, both national and regional. The local chapters of the American Cancer Society provided shop managers with letters of support and encouragement.

 

RESULTS

 

The smoke-free conversion process went very smoothly, with virtually 100% compliance by shops across the country. Media coverage of the policy announcement, implementation, and various promotional initiatives was extensive.

 

The March 10, 1995 issue of Entertainment Weekly reported that the #1 topic Americans were talking about that week was the Dunkin’ Donuts’ smoke-free policy. Print radio and television widely reported on the company’s decision to convert to smoke-free, resulting in more than 90 million impressions. The smoke-free policy was reported by major, national broadcast programs such as NBC-TV’s “Nightly News,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno several reports on CNN’sHeadline News and more than 120 network affiliates across the country for a combined broadcast audience reach of nearly 42 million.

 

Print coverage reached more than 30 million, and was covered in major publications such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune and The Boston Globe. In addition, local market promotions were reported by area media including the Allentown Morning Call, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Average weekly retail sales for all Dunkin’ Donuts shops continues to increase, up 3.5% from 1994 for the two quarters following the smoke-free conversion

한국의 경제위기 극복 홍보 사례  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

오늘은 좀더 재미있고 우리의 피부에 와닿는 우리나라의 사례를 하나 구경해 봅니다. IMF경제 위기 이후에 우리나라의 떨어진 국제 투자 신인도의 향상을 위해 한국 정부는 과감한 결단(?)을 내렸습니다. PR대행사를 쓰기로 한 것이지요. 정말 큰 발전이었습니다.

 

제가 이전 Bulletin에 썻던것 같이, 해외 홍보는 철저한 개념정립과 효과적인 에이젼시 관리를 통해 많은 부분을 아웃소싱해야 하는 것이 당연한겁니다. 국가 자체에서 능력이 모자라는 부분은 과감한 결단으로 외부로 부터 능력을 보충 받아야 하는 겁니다.

 

그래서 한국의 재정경제부(이 규성 장관)는 해외 투자자들의 한국에 대한 투자 신인도를 높이기 위해 해외 대행사인 버슨 마스텔러를 선택했습니다.(경쟁 P/T가 있었는지는 잘 모르겠습니다. 이 글을 읽으시는 메리트 분이 계시면 한번 알려 주시죠.)

 

이 프로젝트는 작년 2월 부터 12월 까지 약 11 개월 정도의 비교적 긴 프로그램이었고 그 프로그램 액수는 정부사업이라서 밝히지는 않지만 mid-range에 six-figures라고 하니 어렴풋이 짐작은 합니다.(사실 이액수는 기간과 프로젝트의 중요성에 비해 그리 많지 않은 액수입니다.)

 

여러분이 이 프로젝트를 구경하실때 관심을 두실것은 이 프로젝트가 economic communications, investor relations, crisis communications 과 issues management를 통합 운영한 아주 잘된 사례라는 것입니다.

 

또한 이 사례에서 우리나라의 장관도 Media Training을 받았고, 본 프로그램의 디자인 아래에서 열심히 뛰어주셨다는 게 참 다른 변화라고 생각 했습니다. “비온 뒤에 땅이 굳는다”라는 말이 맞습니다. 모두가 무언가의 중요성을 깨닫게 되었다는게 지난 우리경제 위기의 의미라 할겁니다.

 

다만 약간 아쉬운 것은 이 프로젝트가 더욱 지속적으로 이루어 져야 한다는 것입니다. 정부에서는 항상 어려울때 적극적이고, 조금 나아졌다 싶으면 수동적이 되는 PR자세를 버리고, “옷을 적시는 가랑비”의 PR을 해야합니다. 물론 우리나라의 일천한 PR경험과 역사속에서 이런 당위성을 이해하기에는 무리가 있을 수도 있지만, 몇몇 분들의 과감한 결단만 있으면 우리는 하지 않습니까.

지속적이고 일관된 커뮤니케이션적 노력이 중요합니다.

 

또한 BM의 본 케이스에서 모자람이 있다면 효과측정/평가에 있어서 프로그램 이전에 실시했던 Focus Survey를 프로그램 이후에도 실시 했었는데 얼만큼의 변화가 있었는지를 정확히 말해 주지 않았다는 것입니다. (메리트 분들중에 누구 갖고 계시나요?)

 

아무튼“, 어쨋든”, 하여간” 본 프로젝트는 우리나라 PR역사상의 기념비적인 사건이었음에는 틀림없습니다. 우리 홍보인들이 나라를 살릴수있다는 것, 매력적이지 않으십니까. 군인들은 나라를 살리기 위해 적 병사들과 싸우지만 우리는 나라를 살리기위해 눈에 보이지 않는 “Perception”과 전쟁을 합니다.

 

평소 Perception Management를 논하는 BM의 본 프로젝트는 참 괜찮았습니다.

그럼 전 먼저… “홍보!”

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Restoring Economic Confidence in Korea during the Asian Financial Crisis

Ministry of Finance & Economy with Burson-Marsteller

 

SILVER ANVIL AWARDS ’99

————————————————————————–

 

OVERVIEW

By mid-December 1997, Korea faced an economic crisis triggered by the massive loss of investor confidence in Asia. In response, Korea’s first democratically elected President assembled a team of senior economic advisors to assess the situation, produce an IW supported reform plan, and restore investor confidence. However, Korea was viewed by the investment community as hostile to foreign investment, plagued by intransigent labor unions, and burdened with an economic structure dominated by inefficient conglomerates. In short, the “New Korea” had a crisis of confidence that undermined its reform program before it was able to get off the ground.

 

The financial crisis communications program for Korea sought to recapture and redirect the global dialogue on Korea and demonstrate its commitment and ability to drive through a comprehensive reform and restructuring program. This program is unique as it blends economic communications, investor relations, crisis communications and issues management expertise supported by a 24 hour, global network and geared toward the most senior level decision makers at the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE).

 

RESEARCH

 

Primary Source Research: Research benchmarked perceptions of Korea among key stakeholders: investors, bankers, U.S. and other government bodies, multilateral lending agencies, business community and financial media. An outside research organization conducted primary opinion surveys of all these publics. General findings showed respondents: 1. viewed the economic crisis as caused by structural defects in the economy and not simply a loss of investor confidence; 2. viewed the Korean Government as reacting to events rather than implementing a plan for recovery; and 3. did not believe there was a broad consensus supporting reform.

 

Global Research: Burson-Marsteller’s network undertook an exhaustive global media audit that delineated perceptual issues in major European lending countries. Research gauged overall and country-specific trends.

 

Ongoing Issue Analysis: The volatile nature of the Asian crisis required a daily read of issues facing Korea. Throughout the year, ongoing issue tracking with senior counsel was conducted in New York. During the initial crisis phase, a report and analysis of issues affecting perceptions of Korea was delivered daily. Later, research became a regular issue thermometer – commenting on views of media, academia and the investment community.

 

PLANNING

 

In the face of substantial skepticism as found by the research and a rapidly deteriorating economic position, we had an urgent need.

 

Goals: 1. Restore international confidence in the Korean economy and 2. Enable Korea to maintain positive relations with global stakeholders.

 

Target Audiences: 1. International and domestic financial community; 2. International media; 3. International economic and political policy communities.

 

Key Messages: 1. There is a clear, Korea-developed and coordinated plan to restore the country to economic health; 2. Korea has a strong financial team that has the support of the administration and private sector leadership; 3. There is a consistent and pro-business environment for foreign investment that offers a transparent and fair regulatory environment; 4. Korea is committed to providing access, timeliness and reliability of economic information and transparency in economic reporting.

 

Budget: A mid-range, six-figure program for the period from February to December 1998.  

 

EXECUTION

 

An extensive action plan was designed to first stabilize the situation, then provide the momentum to proactively communicate reform efforts to the target audiences. Successive phases of the program built on the core elements of this action plan. Following are the main tactics employed:

 

                         24 hour support base.

Burson-Marsteller immediately established a global, fully integrated team with core members in New York and Seoul and a network spanning the United States, Europe, and Asia. Team members were placed within MOFE to provide on site support.

 

                            Senior counsel.

Financial relations experts provided ongoing counsel to senior Ministry staff, including the Minster and advisors. Specific elements included seminars on interacting with the credit rating agencies, investor relations and economic communications.

 

                        Communication training.

Communication training, with an emphasis on delivering presentations to investment banks and financial audiences, was provided to senior members of the economic team, including the Minister.

 

                         Third party network.

Third party allies and spokespeople were identified. Activities included ally education, event participation and op-ed signing.

 

                   Media and stakeholder relations.

Media interviews were arranged in conjunction with key international meetings, such as the Asian Development Bank conference in Geneva. Information kits detailing the nature and elements of the reform and restructuring program were sent to media and third-party audiences. Op-eds were developed and signed by MOFE officials and the Third-party network.

 

                           Speeches.

Speeches were drafted for major forums and ensured message consistency at important events.

 

                    Foreign press briefings.

A regular press briefing program was developed for top-tier international media based in Seoul. This tactic included information materials, briefing materials, press release tracking.

 

                      Korea Economic Update.

Developed direct-to-investor publication on new developments in the Korean economy in a format similar to an investment report. The Update was distributed among institutional investors and their clients. Follow-up research confirmed that these publications were received positively.

 

                   Rapid response issues management.

On several occasions, Burson-Marsteller provided immediate support in case of crisis, such as speechwriting, presentation and press release development for the Vice Minister to clarify an issue with the World Bank during a trip to Washington.

 

                          Issues tracking.

As noted in the research segment, a major component of the program was ongoing issues tracking, which included senior counsel and rapid response recommendations when required.

 

                    Investment audience engagement.

Developed messages/materials/agendas for Government meetings, the most important of which was Korea’s first global bond offering after the crisis. This bond was seen as a key barometer of investor confidence. Elements were: a complete itinerary for Minister Lee, presentation training, speech for Korea Society dinner, backgrounder and talking points for meetings, media analysis.

 

EVALUATION

 

Burson-Marsteller’s strategic communications and consulting services fortified the Ministry’s efforts to effectively communicate the government’s stabilization and reform plan during Korea’s most serious economic crisis in 40 years. In the months following the inauguration of the President, international institutional investors, representatives of the Bretton Woods organizations, and officials from key lending countries have acknowledged the professionalism and the success of the Korean government’s impressive efforts to restore international confidence. As a result of effective communication of the government’s reform program, the macroeconomy has stabilized more quickly than any other country in East Asia. Moreover, members of the Korean government’s economic team are consistently presented in the international media as among the most steadfast reformers in the region. At the end of 90 days, we measured against the benchmark and found improvements in perceptions of Korea and its commitment to reform. And, media coverage shows that Korea has met its program goals:

 

1. Enable Korea to maintain positive relations with global stakeholders.

 

Standard & Poor’s, 1/25/99: “The restoration of an investment-grade rating reflects the government’s progress to date in corporate and financial restructuring as well as its restored external position.”

 

Barron’s, 2/20/99: “But the strongest endorsement of Korea’s improving fortunes has come from the international rating agencies … To many, the upgrades are the most important stamp of international approval for the country’s recovery efforts. It was the recognition officials in Seoul had sought to convince the world they were serious about fixing their broken economy and fragile banking system.”

 

2. Restore international confidence in the Korean economy.

 

Reuters, 4/3/98: “Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin said after meeting South Korean Finance Minister Lee Kyu-Sung on Friday that he had praised South Korean success so far in stabilizing its economy.”

 

Los Angeles Times, 11/23/98: “More than any other country in the region, and certainly more than Japan, South Korea has been a model from the U.S. perspective. It has accepted International Monetary Fund medicine even when the prescription was questionable, moved to reform and recapitalize its outdated banking system, and taken steps to expand democracy, open markets and begin dismantling bloated companies and crony capitalism.”