Digital Crisis and Issue Management Playbook

Our Playbook for Digital Crisis & Issue Management 3.0 A Preview Understanding and Planning for a Crisis in the Social Media Age

Rachel Caggiano | Senior Vice President May 2013

2

Table of Contents

Purpose …………………………………………………………………………… A New Approach………………………………….……………………………….. Crises Today: A Primer ….………….…………………….…………………….... Five Trends in Crisis Management Today…..……………….…………………. Framework and Apps for a New Approach...…………………………………… Case Studies for a New Approach..…...………………………………………....

3 4 10 17 24 27

3

Crisis Response Has Changed Social media has changed how information is spread and how people form opinions. It has changed how brands communicate with stakeholders, and how those stakeholders communicate with each other. Social media has also changed how brands manage their reputations – every day, but especially during times of crisis.

Because of these factors, social media has fundamentally changed crisis management.

In order to effectively help a brand through a crisis – or, more importantly, prevent a crisis – today’s marketers, communicators and public relations practitioners must also be experts in the social space.

Social@Ogilvy has developed a detailed Playbook designed to articulate a new approach to crisis: one that marries established crisis practices with the most evolved thinking in social media marketing and social business practices. It’s also designed to be highly practical – providing checklists, templates and other tools that can be quickly downloaded, should a crisis hit.

This document offers a preview of that “how-to,” born from our global experience preparing for and responding to brand and corporate crises.

Social media crises are steadily on the rise – up from 1 in 2001 to 10 in 2011 – but, even worse, 76% of them were preventable, had the organizations invested in proper training.

–Altimeter, Social Business Readiness, August 2011

Purpose of this Playbook

4

A New Approach

Why do we need a new approach? There is a growing risk for brands and corporations. While crises have occurred since humans started making mistakes, the growth of social media now makes these mistakes visible to mass audiences in real time.

Social media has given groups and individuals an even playing field. It has elevated the “vocal minority,” powered the consumer watchdog, and given huge impact to “hacktivists” and socialized groups like Greenpeace and PETA.

It has revolutionized the news cycle. The citizen journalist now feeds traditional media, and vice versa. A local story quickly becomes a global story on the Internet. Meanwhile, search engines favor the fresh and viral, and consumers turn there first for information on an emerging issue.

Social media has evolved the art of storytelling and the use of content online. Stories are core to human belief, and social media gives brands new ways to demonstrate their values and earn belief. Emotional and visual storytelling techniques matter more, but detractors skillfully wield these same techniques.

Understanding these trends and knowing how to employ techniques around stakeholder engagement, community management and content activation give today’s experts a new, complete framework to understand and plan for a crisis in the social media age.

5

Social-Savvy Hacktivists More Impactful Than Ever

Greenpeace and The Yes Men launch elaborate hoax poking fun at Shell’s Artic drilling plans. Activism against brands can now go viral and be amplified via social media.

6

Social Feeds a Crisis Cycle at Web Speed

A “United Breaks Guitars” video goes viral, causing a major drop in brand equity. The world can now tweet their troubles with brands — with higher expectations for swift justice.

7

Social Breeds a Million Forensics Experts

Tesco promises to install cameras along supply chain after horsemeat-scandal. Social gives consumer watchdogs stronger tools for fact-checking, and fuels greater demand for transparency.

8

Social Fuels Search and Search Favors the Viral

Driving international buzz, more than 8 million people turn to YouTube to watch Red Bull’s Stratos event. Amidst buzz, consumers turn to search first for information, giving viral news great impact.

9

Social Allows Emotional, Visual Stories to Break Through

In aftermath of a brake pedal scandal, Toyota turns to consumer stories of safety. Social now gives brands a more personal, more direct way to connect with consumers.

Crises Today: A Primer

11

Traditional Crisis Triggers

INTERNAL TRIGGERS •  Environmental Issue or Accident

•  Investigation, Lawsuit, Fine, Settlement

•  Poor Financials or Stock Performance

•  Structure/Ownership Issue (e.g. merger)

•  Management Change/Dismissal

•  Incident/Allegation of Mismanagement

•  Incident/Allegation of Wrongdoing

•  Product Defect/Recall

•  Employee Complaint/Issue

•  Labor Dispute

•  Workplace Injury/Fatality

EXTERNAL TRIGGERS •  Natural Disaster

•  Terrorist/Criminal Threat/Incident

•  Activist Issue/Protest

•  Structure/Ownership Issue (e.g. hostile takeover)

•  Consumer Complaint/Issue

•  Category/Industry Issue

•  Competitor Threat

12

Characteristics of Crises Today

What type of crises will you likely see? The majority of crises we see are typically internally-triggered. However, externally-triggered crises can quickly lead to an internal crisis. We will typically see the following types of issues lead to crises – often accelerated via social: •  Poor customer service •  Poor marketing practices •  Poor public or influencer relations •  Poor governance

13

Poor Customer Service

Attributes Consumer service problem. Bad response or non-response on Facebook. Bad experience with a brand representative offline or online. Potential Accelerants Disregard for customer concerns and questions. Tone-deaf reaction by the brand.

Video of FedEx delivery man throwing computer monitor is uploaded to YouTube, quickly gaining millions of views and setting off a crisis for the brand.

14

Poor Marketing Practices

Attributes Unfavorable consumer reaction to advertising or other external communication. Potential Accelerants Failure to understand customer sentiment or upsetting key segments.

A poorly planned marketing tactic by McDonald’s backfires on Twitter where consumers used the #McDStories hashtag to highlight negative experiences with the brand.

15

Poor Public Relations

Attributes Opinion or story posted online by angry, disgruntled or confused customer. Potential Accelerants Global reach of site or blog. Many influencers joining together. Crossover to traditional media.

Filmmaker Kevin Smith, aka “Silent Bob,” live tweets his experience with Southwest Airlines alleging he was thrown off a flight for being “too fat.”

16

Poor Governance

Attributes Evidence of brand or representative exercising poor judgment. Uncoordinated efforts across organizational silos. Potential Accelerants Loss of life or other tragic circumstances.

An agency employee mistakenly sends an inappropriate, vulgar tweet from Chrysler’s official Twitter account.

Five Trends in Crisis Management Today

18

Smart

Five Trends in Crisis Management Today

SOCIAL MEDIA CRISIS

…is the new fast.

…is the new listening.

…is the new way to earn belief.

…are the new influencers.

…is the new key to building relationships.

Perceiving

Story marketing

Social advocates

Real-time data

19

But over-reacting in haste can fan the flames. Today’s experts need to be smarter, faster. They must be deliberative and exercise judgment for the most appropriate response.

1. Smart is the new fast.

We use search to find what other people say about products

Speed is critical. Rapid decision-making and nearly instantaneous response are requirements in today’s world.

20

Listening is a given. Social media allows isolated customer service issues to become overnight viral hits. But simply listening isn’t enough.

2. Perceiving is the new listening.


But data-driven, emotional radar is the new requirement. Today’s experts need finely honed emotional radar as well as keen analytics skills to convert social data into insights.

21

But story marketing is the new way to earn attention and advocacy. Today’s experts must be master storytellers who know how to market content to build belief and drive action.

Anyone can publish content. Hacktivism is the new form of social protest, and parody content is the new social currency.

3. Story marketing is the new way to earn belief.


22

But orchestrating community and content to scale advocacy is key. Today’s experts must be master relationship managers, knowing how to drive advocacy while carefully managing detractor voices.

Engagement with fans and detractors alike is expected. Entering into co-creation with fans is one of the deepest forms of engagement, but can leave brands vulnerable to vocal critics.

4. Social advocates are the new influencers.


23

But social and search intelligence can fuel actions that build relationships. Today’s experts know how to build relationships by converting social data into a deep knowledge and understanding of their audience.

The focus group is dead. Marketers can no longer rely on intermittent research to find out how their customers feel.

5. Real-time data is the new way to build relationships.


Framework & Apps for a New Approach

25

A New Framework for Crisis Management

Readiness Team & Protocols

Radar Listening & Detection

Response Issues & Crises

Recovery Reporting & Rebuild

Readiness

Response

Radar

Recovery

CRISIS

26

Our Suite of Crisis Apps

Listening Post Plus

Threat Level Scorecard

Conversation Criteria Worksheet

Response Matrix

Community Management Playbook

Conversation Impact Report

Three-Level Response Plan

Team Finder

Crisis Path Planner

Social Platform Checklist

Readiness Radar Response Recovery

Crisis Content Calendar

Social + Search Ad Plan

Proactive Content Calendar

Post-Mortem Learning Report

27

Method for identifying threats and assessing risk triggered by internal and external events.

Monitoring report that distills social data into actionable insights to inform crisis response.

Pre-determined action plan for three main risk scenarios: Red Flag, Yellow Flag and Green Flag.

Framework for assessing the severity of the message and messenger(s) to determine appropriate escalation and response actions.

Crisis Path Planner

Listening Post Plus

Three-Level Response Plan

Threat Level Scorecard

Contact matrix collecting the information needed to mobilize the new crisis team and activate across social channels in real-time.

Team Finder

The Apps: Defined

28

Framework for organizing approved response messaging for multiple stakeholders across traditional and social channels. Response Matrix

Method for documenting evolving keyword lists, hashtags and conversation trends to optimize listening efforts.

Conversation Criteria Worksheet

Editorial calendar to organize and set cadence for crisis messaging across traditional and social platforms. Crisis Content Calendar

Set of specifications to ensure all social platforms are optimized for crisis messaging and content activation. Social Platform Checklist

The Apps: Defined

Guidelines and best practices for conversation and relationship management to ensure community managers are coordinated in crisis response.

Community Management Playbook

29

Analysis of social data to measure the impact of crisis response activities and deliver insights to optimize response tactics. Conversation Impact Report

Combines social advertising, search marketing and other paid media to amplify crisis messaging and extend the reach to the right stakeholders. Social + Search Ad Plan

Editorial calendar to organize and set cadence for transitioning from crisis to proactive messaging across traditional and social platforms.

Proactive Content Calendar

Measures the impact of response methods and captures recommendations for refining processes, tools and policies for improved crisis readiness.

Post-Mortem Learning Report

The Apps: Defined

Case Studies

31

Mexico: Telling Mexico’s Untold Story

BP: Using Social Media To Demonstrate Actions

Experience in social media will help you respond fast … and appropriately

Moleskine: Responding to Foster Conversations With Concerned customers.


UPS: Using Courage to Engage with “Maddened” Fans

KFC Malaysia: Using Social to Quell a Viral Mess


Qantas: Using Crisis to Reinforce Values

37

Rachel Caggiano Senior Vice President | Social@Ogilvy Email: [email protected] Twitter: @rcaggiano Linkedin: linkedin.com/rachelkennedycaggiano

Connect with us

John Bell Global Managing Director | Social@Ogilvy Email: [email protected] Twitter: @jbell99 Linkedin: linkedin.com/johnhamiltonbell