DePaul PRSSA Presentation on Crisis Messaging

8/14/2019 DePaul PRSSA Presentation on Crisis Messaging

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Communicating During

a Crisis

February 12, 2010



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2February 16, 2010 2

Introductions

Josh Morton, Account Supervisor

t @joshmorton [email protected]

A food & nutritioncompany.



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Today’s agenda:

• Review preliminary concepts

• Introduce the scenario

• Formulate responses

• Share strategies

• Discussion



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In a crisis…

…You can respond using any

number of media, but it’s importantto step back before you jump in.



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What are the most important factors incrisis response?

- Speed

- Intelligence

- Messaging

It’s not the medium, it’s the message.



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You can’t ‘control your message,’ but you

can control what you say.

And how you say it, when you say it, caninfluence the conversation about you.



Principles of Messaging

• Define your stakeholders

– Consumers, suppliers, government,

• Anticipate questions

– Informational, challenging

• Develop answers

– Ease concern, show compassion, give

guidance



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J O H N C O W B O Y B E E F

Your Role: Communications Director John Cowboy Beef

-Established 1910

- Family-owned

- Fifth largest beef company in the U.S.

- Supply to high-end steakhouses

- Premium line of ground beef, frozenburgers

- Flawless record of safety

http://i25.tinypic.com/t9coap.jpg



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You

The Scenario:

vs.

E. coli









The Scenario: Multi-State Outbreak of E. coli

• The CDC and USDA’s Food Safety and

Inspection Service (FSIS) are investigating a

multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7

• Investigators have found 20 people ill with

matching strains of E. coli, most had consumed

or handled ground beef from two restaurants

supplied by John Cowboy Beef

• USDA is requesting JCB issue a Class I recall of

200,000 lbs of ground beef (Class I is a

reasonable probability that eating the food will

cause health problems or death)



• Cases identified in Illinois, Indiana, New

York and Connecticut

• JCB has received 50 calls in the past

week from worried restaurant managers in

7 states (including the four under federal

investigation)

• No deaths have been identified thus far

The Scenario: Multi-State Outbreak of E. coli



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E. Coli O157:H7- Outbreaks often are caused by food that has tbacteria in it, typically from animal manure(cattle)

- Every year at least 2,000 Americans arehospitalized, and about 60 die as a direct resultof E. coli infections

- A recent study estimated the annual cost of E.coli O157:H7 illnesses to be more than $405million

- E. coli can be spread by eating undercookedmeat and poor hand washing

- Symptoms are typically easy to see



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Health Tips: E. coli

- Listen to information from public health officials onwhat foods to avoid

- Cook ground beef to 160 degrees

- Keep raw meat away from other foods

- Wash your hands!



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Time to write the messaging.



Identify Your Audience

• Who are our stakeholders?

– Consumers

– Restaurants

– Government (USDA/CDC)

– Employees

– Media



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Anticipate Questions

• Informative:

– What should restaurants do?

– How did this happen?

• Challenging: – What are you doing to solve the problem?

– What are your safety/sanitation practices

like?

–When did you know about thecontamination?



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Develop Answers: Key Messages &Message Mapping – Focus on Consumers/Media



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Develop Your

Messaging

- Consumers/Media

- Government Agencies

- Restaurants



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Develop Answers: Key Messages &Message Mapping – Focus on Consumers/Media



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Now, how will we communicateand where?



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Discussion



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22February 16 2010 22

Thank You!

Josh Morton

t @joshmorton [email protected]

A food & nutritioncompany.

www.foodminds.com

Documents

DePaul PRSSA Presentation on Crisis Messaging