Photo Credit: USFWS/Southeast

When people are stressed and upset, they want to know that you care before they care what you know.
Dr. Vincent Covello

One thing that has really bothered me about the response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been the perceived arrogance and lack of caring by BP. Now I get that many of the circumstances are beyond their control. This is the first time an oil rig has exploded and the shut off valve hasn’t worked. But even if they are making their best efforts, by appearing not to care, they have lost all credibility. Yes, Tony Hayward, we are all sure you would like your life back, but so would all the people whose lives and livelihoods has been ruined by this disaster.

I have been to plenty of crisis communications training workshops over the years, several of them presented by Della Smith. In each of the workshops Della has talked at length about Dr. Vincent Covello of the Center For Risk Communication. Dr Covello and his team have conducted numerous studies and are recognized for their approach to risk communications and their templates for crisis communications.

When people are under stress it is difficult for them to hear, discuss and process information. They can probably manage to understand three messages. This leads to the 27/9/3 principle. 27 words, nine seconds and three messages. By keeping it short and simple you leave little room for interpretation by others. Also, in the construction of the average TV or radio news story the company or organization’s clip is around 10 seconds.

Your audiences will want to know that you care before they care what you know. This is where the compassion, conviction, and optimism template comes in. Recognize the impact of what has happened, speak to what can be done, and paint a picture of the future. Link this to the 27/9/3 template by creating three statements of nine words.

That leads to the final template, anticipate, prepare, practice. Journalists are likely to ask who, what, where, when, why, and how related to what happened, what caused it to happen, and what it means. There are 77 questions commonly asked by the media in a crisis. Review them, prepare your spokespeople, and practice with your spokesperson.

This is just a small part of being prepared for crisis communications. Every organization needs to have a plan before a crisis happens. By communicating effectively in a crisis, you can prevent your brand or reputation from being irreparably damaged.

Photo by: tyfn

Samantha: Theres no such thing as bad publicity.
Carrie: Of course you’d say that, you’re a publicist.
Sex In The City

No, I’m not referring to the four letter word that rhymes with duck. I’m also not referring to the beeped f word in those great commercials for frozen dinners. The word I am referring to is flack.

What prompted me to this was finding the word used liberally on the site PR Breakfast Club. I recently added them to my RSS feeds and the f word has appeared a few times. It led me to tweet today that I’m not a big fan of the word. I got a couple of tweets sent my way saying that we need to reclaim the word. To me it’s a pejorative and to be frank, it doesn’t seem to be used much here in Canada. To be fair, I did google the term (minus Roberta) and did find it come up in the news results.

Like I said, my issue with the word is that it has a negative connotation and I don’t feel we should be using it to describe ourselves. Our profession is already much maligned and doesn’t do well in surveys about how we rank against other professions.

Yes, there certainly are flacks out there who do not do us proud. But vast majority of us are the trusted advisors to leaders in business, government and the non-profit sector. Every day we go to work, follow the best practices for our craft and follow the code of ethics for our professional association, be it CPRS, PRSA, or my choice, the IABC. We tell our organizations’ stories and when something goes wrong we equip our leaders with the ability to respond appropriately. We can go home at the end of the day and be proud that we’ve done a good job.

Let me be clear, I’m not picking a fight with the PR Breakfast Club for using the word. I just think it’s one we should retire from our vocabulary.

Photo by: francescominciotti

According to a retrevo.com Pulse Report, 64% of Americans get at least some of their TV content online. For those under 25 that number rises to 83%.

Who wants to wait around for their favourite TV show to come on? Apparently not Americans according to a new retrevo.com Pulse Report. Or Canadians for that matter, with a study by Solution Research Group finding 50 percent of Canadians have viewed TV online.

This presents an interesting challenge to the business model for TV networks and the cable/IP/satellite distributors of their signals. Especially as both sides in Canada are locked in a bitter payment dispute because providers don’t currently pay networks for carrying their signals. In addition, new technology like Apple TV and Internet-capable TVs are making the entertainment experience increasingly personalized.

If you miss the latest episode of your favourite drama, comedy or reality show, just go to the network’s website and in just a few clicks, you can get caught up. The upside of this for viewers is that they basically can watch the TV show for free, just by having an Internet subscription. The downside for networks is it reduces the ratings for the programs, further eroding their advertising revenue which is still based on the number of eyeballs watching. Some of that can clearly be made up with online advertising revenue but that doesn’t yet fill the gap.

On the service provider side, if people are watching online they may be tempted to cancel their subscription impacting their bottom line. In the Retrevo survey, 26% have cancelled or considered canceling their cable or satellite service. New entrants into the market such as Telus TV are providing increased competition for fewer subscribers. The good news is people aren’t yet ready to give up HD, live sports and events, and premium services like HBO that aren’t yet available on the Internet. Also, in Canada most people subscribe to Internet and TV through the same provider.

As communicators these trends are important for us to be aware of so we can adjust our strategies. If you are dependent on television advertising to get your message out, new online tactics will need to be explored. If you are trying to achieve earned media, then you will need to ensure the stories about your company or clients will survive the transition from broadcast to the web. It also makes being engaged in social media even more important.

Image by Rob McMahon

Behind the anonymity of commenting, people hate others. It is disgusting… Keith Bilous, ICUC Moderation Services.

From letters to the editors, to the first call-in radio show there have been forums for people to share their opinions with the world on the issues. Today there was an article by the Canadian Press on 24 Hours Vancouver’s website about the number and ugly nature of comments being left on news websites after stories were published about the apparent lack of French in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

At a recent FreshMediaMe event I asked a question of the panel about how we could go about raising the level of discourse. A representative of CBC was on the panel and he mentioned that when any story is posted on their website about First Nations the most vicious attacks come out and their monitoring company has a lot of work to do. The suggestion was to flag the comments as inappropriate so that a moderator could remove them. But there has to be more we can do.

Unlike newspapers that have editors to review content and radio stations that have producers that can screen callers, the web in most cases is unfiltered. Comments that are inappropriate generally need to be flagged or caught by a service to be removed.

I have to agree with Bilous that the anonymity of the web allows people to show their ugly side without signing their names. I equate this type of behaviour to the anti-Olympic protesters that covered their faces before smashing store windows, threatening pedestrians and vandalizing cars and buses.

Late last year, the Wall Street Journal posted an excellent opinion piece by Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia and Andrea Weckerle, founder and president of CiviliNation on cybercivility. They made some excellent suggestions on improving the level of discourse on the Internet:

1. We need to create an online culture in which every person can participate in an open and rational exchange of ideas and information without fear of being the target of unwarranted abuse, harassment or lies.
2. individuals appalled at the degeneration of online civility need to speak out, to show that this type of behavior will no longer be tolerated. This includes flagging comments as inappropriate.
3. People need to know how to differentiate between information that is published on legitimate sites that follow defined standards and also possibly a professional code of ethics, and information published in places like gossip sites whose only goal is to post the most outrageous headlines and stories in order to increase traffic.
4. Adult targets of online hostility deserve a national support network.
5. Online hostility is cross-jurisdictional. We might need laws that directly address this challenge.

I strongly urge all upstanding cybercitizens to be transparent and respectful in your posts, call out those who use the Internet to propagate hate and support organizations that work to create an online culture where everyone can feel safe.

You can also follow CiviliNation on Twitter.

Photo credit: mag3737

This professional designation, granted by the International Association of Business Communicators offers professional communicators a way to demonstrate their ability to think and plan strategically and to successfully manage the skills essential for effective organizational communication.

About a year ago I decided that I wanted to go for my ABC, which to those not in the communications profession is to become an Accredited Business Communicator. I am starting this journey not only because I want to take the next step in my career, but also to demonstrate that I have the skills necessary to take that next challenge.

I am fortunate to belong to BC Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) which has the second highest number of accredited members. One of them in particular who is very, umm, passionate, about having members obtain their ABC, but I won’t mention any names, Maureen.

One way the chapter helps people prepare for their accreditation journey is the Accreditation Preparation Program (APP). Its meant to help fill the knowledge gaps and I find really act as a reality check as to whether or not you are ready to take on this challenge. The instructors are all accredited and extremely well qualified to assist aspiring candidates. There have been two classes already and I feel validated that I am on the right path but have also learned a few things that I need to integrate in my communications practice.

To obtain your ABC you need to submit two portfolio pieces and sit a four and a half hour exam that is both written and oral. I have to admit right now I feel more intimidated by the portfolio pieces than I am by the exam. I can’t count the number of projects I have worked on in the 11 years I have been practicing and the majority of them have went well, but what I have been missing is the research and measurement pieces. Since starting the APP I have been considering how to build those important elements into my communications programs. It’s added a new dimension to how I think strategically about aligning communications programs to achieving the goals of the organization I work for.

I have to say, I am really excited about this journey. It will be extremely rewarding to put the work in and arrive at my accreditation destination.

Photo Credit: iLoveButter

“Sugary drinks shouldn’t be a part of our everyday diet,” said New York City Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley. “Drinking beverages loaded with sugars increases the risk of obesity and associated problems, particularly diabetes but also heart disease, stroke, arthritis and cancer.”

My name is Rob, and I have a sweet tooth. I do love my dark chocolate and once upon a time I loved soda, or pop as we call it in Canada. I fully believe that soda contributed to my gaining 50 pounds that took a lot more effort to take off than put on.

While I was home sick watching daytime TV I was surprised at the level of discourse over healthcare reform in the US. The vitriol and attacks against the plan was disturbing. The screaming matches at Town Hall meetings and the way the demonstrators derided the President.

One thing that shocked me were the ads about not taxing soft drinks. The American Beverage Association is running a $2 million ad campaign to oppose a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks, depicting it as a tax on “simple pleasures.” Well, simple pleasures lead to health issues that cost everyone. If a product causes health problems long term, shouldn’t governments have the ability to tax the product to cover the costs associated?

I really like the campaign that New York Department of Health is running asking “are you pouring on the pounds?“. They lay out clearly the calories and the number of teaspoons of each type of drink. It lays out the facts clearly. Its well worth a read.

I have given up count of how many blogs and associated designs that I have. Suffice it to say there have been a few iterations since agentnumberone.com graced the Internets before most people even knew what a blog is.

I blew my site up a couple of months ago, thought I had found a design that I liked but that turned out not to be the case. So which I had some time over this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend I installed a new theme, added some bells and whistles, put my portfolio pieces back in and have come up with something I pretty happy with.

Now, lets see how long I can keep this version before I decide to go all Extreme Makeover: Website Edition on it again.

Thanks for reading!

I had a Saturday subscription and the delivery was so dodgy that I ended up canceling and can never seem to pick one up unless its a miserable weekend and I want to read the paper from cover to cover.

Now I’m happy to graze at leisure and not feel guilty about killing trees.

I’m going to work with the chapter webmaster to start a wiki on the site so we can start a membership list, come up with ideas and venues for future events and share our ideas. But before we get that started, here’s a few links to some things we shared talked about last night:

For those who were new to social media, check out Darren Barefoot and Julie Szabo’s book Getting to First Base: A Social Media Marketing Playbook. Its a great starting place, easy to read, full of great examples and wonderful ideas.

Shift Communications updated their Social Media Press Release Template last month. Check out the one Ford did for the 2008 Ford Focus.

Bruce Clay has an affordable SEO Took Kit that I mentioned last night, including several free ones. We all like free right?

And finally, this is the Safe Boating Photo Contest I am working on that I mentioned last night and the Social Media Press Release I create for it.

If I missed anything, just ask!

I really like that they have tied in traditional media, Facebook, video, etc. I also got this email today from Sasquatch promoting their campaign kits.

Its a really fun campaign.

When you go looking for creative commons licensed content there is nothing available. I wanted to post something about the Habs clinching their playoff spot and you can’t even post their logo on your site without violating their copyright. Major League Baseball has even imposed new limits on mainstream media for online content. They do offer MLBlogs but it will cost you $5/month or $50/year.

Where can the average sports fan go for content for their blog? With increasing ticket prices and an economy that is tanking they are missing the opportunity to build an online community that is willing to respect their brand and copyrights. Rabid sports fans can be the best brand evangelists for both teams and players.

Why not be user friendly instead of posting stuff like this:

The Montreal Canadiens logo is a registered trademark and is for the exclusive use of the Montreal Canadiens. Public or commercial use of the logo is prohibited without the written consent of the Club de hockey Canadien.

I had a really bad experience recently with someone I had declined. A friend of his called impersonating a reporter and I was left with the feeling that if I didn’t provide product the station would do a very negative story. I was concerned because it was small market and I knew a story was being done by the station. Its all sorted itself out, especially since I spoke to the reporter he impersonated and the person who requested the sponsorship in the first place. From what I understand there will be an apology letter coming my way.

To help stem the tide of requests I get I came up with guidelines for what I am looking for. I admit fully to borrowing heavily from Vodaphone’s awesome set on their site. I even came up with a sponsorship matrix with pillars (market alignment) and platforms (business goals) to ensure I’m looking at everything objectively. Unfortunately, I am still inundated with requests that are either not aligned with our business, don’t offer a brand experience.

In the last year I have really become skeptical of the value of having my logo on stuff. T-shirts, posters, websites, etc. Personally I don’t notice any of those things. What I do notice is when I get to see a sponsor in an engaging way that allows me to experience their product.

One example for me recently was sponsoring an angler with product. She was attending an event and promised to wear the life jacket when she was out on the water. She also agreed to provide blogs and pictures from the event. In the end it worked out really well for both her and the company.