CRISIS COMMUNICATION OF TODAY

International Summer University Program 2013 - Copenhagen Business School, Crisis Communication and Social Media - A Simulation Game Learning Experience

DESCRIPTION/TABLE OF CONTENT

Deepwater horizon oil spill disaster. Sierra club’s assessment and analysis

BP oil spill crisis situation analysis Media training Social media training Learning outcomes References List of writers

BP OIL SPILL CRISIS SITUATION ANALYSIS

Our perspective on the crisis by our manager: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xg1uat_sierra-club-on-bp-oil-spill_news#.UeaM_KeZi2k

BP OIL SPILL CRISIS SITUATION ANALYSIS Mainly environmental crisis in the Gulf of

Mexico

Critical to all wildlife in the area

Unpredictable long term effects of the oil spill

BP OIL SPILL CRISIS SITUATION ANALYSIS

Main issues/what we did: Saving wildlife/cleaning up the oil

By sending out volunteers to all beaches

Securing sustainable energy for future generations By lobbying in the White House for legislation on green energy

Promoting green energy to the public Through events and our

webpage/social media

BP OIL SPILL CRISIS SITUATION ANALYSIS We believe it could have been

prevented through: Green energy Safety regulations on oil rigs

Poor crisis preparationfrom BP oil

BP OIL SPILL CRISIS PLANNING

Preventing the crisis by having a comprehensive crisis plan:

Communicating the right message at the right time to the right people by the right person

(Anthonissen, 2008, p. 28)

BP OIL SPILL’S EFFECT ON SIERRA CLUB

More focus on green energy – making it easier to lobby Clean Water Act, RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act (hence more legitimacy)

MEDIA TRAINING – Q&A’S

What did Michael Burne do during the crisis? Visted the affected areas

What did the RESTORE Bill contain?

Why did you only start doing something about oil pollution during the crisis? We didn’t we have been working on doing something for the climate changes during several years

If you don’t want oil – then what do you want? Why? Oil free & high efficiency cars (electric cars), Bikes, Public transport, Wind, Solar

  What do you do for the environment?

How does your organization work? National organization and local organizations (with a lot of volunteers)

MEDIA TRAINING - ASSESSMENT

We had a good position, because no one was against us.

We were reasonably prepared It did help us during the media training – it

was easier to respond, when you knew what to respond.

We tried to turn unexpected questions so they could be answered with things we knew

Another time we will assign spokespersons

MEDIA TRAINING – QUESTIONS FOR OTHER GROUPS

BP – media/social media: Have you made any changes in communication strategy according to Social Medias? Why did you downplay the accident? Isn’t it a little late to commit to the Gulf after you destroyed it?

Local stakeholders: How do you feel about Louisiana being the only state that is not cleaned up yet? The White House: Are you planning to make the US “more green” after the BP crisis? BBC News: Why did the CEO at the time of the accident play such a little part in your documentary? Greenpeace: What do you think the BP should have done differently in connection to the oil spill? Huffington Post: Why do you keep on posting about the BP oil spill?

MEDIA TRAINING - ASSESSMENT

We tried to ask the questions we had prepared but usually they avoided answering the questions – so we had to ask more follow-up questions to get a satisfactory answer

LEARNING OUTCOMES OF MEDIA TRAINING Another time we would assign

spokespersons – it is important that people know who to ask (Anthonissen, 2008, p. 29)

It is important that the organisation responds quickly to their stakeholders (Ulmer et al, 2011, p. 64)

Consistent point of views throughout the whole team (Anthonissen, 2008, p. 138)

Be prepared or this can end up harming you instead of helping you (Anthonissen, 2008, p. 15)

SOCIAL MEDIA TRAINING

BP sees social media as a possibility to promote themselves

Comments need to be approved before occurring on Facebook page

Create a human picture of themselves (through i.e. John the fireman)

Responds to almost all positive comments

SOCIAL MEDIA TRAINING

The crisis is framed as an opportunity to create a better Gulf Coast

Focus is moved from the oil spill to a ”see-all-the-good-things-we-do-now” approach

BP is trying to promote that the Gulf is clean and there will be no long term effects.

SOCIAL MEDIA TRAINING

BP’s framing of the oil spill should be taken with a pinch of salt

They are more interested in saving their own reputation than the Gulf Coast

The picture they paint is not realistic – to get a clear picture of what the Gulf Coast is like today you need to consult more sources

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Crisis communication planning is a key factor when dealing with a crisis and shouldn’t be underestimated

A quick response is important – if you don’t have enough information then tell them you will investigate

Take control of the situation

REFERENCES

Anthonissen, P. (Ed.) 2008 Crisis Communication: Practical PR Strategies for Reputation Management and Company Survival, Kogan Page.

Umer, R., Sellnow, T., and Seeger, M. 2010. Effective Crisis Communication: Moving from Crisis to Opportunity. Sage Publications

LIST OF WRITERS

Lisa Hartmann Andersen, stud.ling.merc, twitter: @hjerteafguld

Malik Benjamin Johansen stud.merc.im, twitter: @mbj1983 Emil Petersen, stud.merc.psyk, twitter: @1337emil Camilla Schæbel, stud.merc.com, twitter: @camilla_schbel André Samy Brandt, stud.merc.psyk, twitter: @brandt_samy

Instructor: Betty Tsakarestou, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Media and Culture at Panteion University, Greece, @tsakarestou

Academic Director: Patricia Plackett, Department of Operations Management at CBS, www.cbs.dk