Corporate and Crisis Communications

Weber Shandwick’s Corporate practice helps clients succeed in a communications environment that demands transparency, rewards reputation and reacts ruthlessly when faith in either is threatened. Applying the focus and discipline of their distinctive campaign approach, team members work closely as corporate advocates for their clients, communicating their messages, strengthening their reputations and overcoming their business challenges.

The practice’s communications campaigns are built around a dynamic, ongoing dialogue with every key internal and external constituency. In addition, practice experts have access to an unparalleled array of resources, relationships and proprietary data bases across Weber Shandwick’s other practices and all geographic regions.

The team’s expertise encompasses the full range of corporate communications for organizations of all sizes and industry sectors: automotive, biotechnology, financial services, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, technology and telecommunications, travel and leisure, and utilities.

The practice’s centers of excellence include Boston, Brussels, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, Singapore, Toronto and Washington, D.C. Services include corporate social responsibility, corporate reputation management/thought leadership, internal communications, financial communications and litigation support. Other services include:

• Strategic Media: Through a combination of global media relationships and its proprietary "story mining" approach, the practice offers unparalleled strategic media services to clients. In an increasingly competitive media environment, team members engage reporters and editors around stories that build long-term reputational equity and break through the media clutter. Practice experts also counsel clients on how to establish lasting ties with the media so they can maintain and expand their ability to tell their stories through leading print, broadcast and online outlets, at regional, national and international levels.
• Crisis Communications/Corporate Issues Management: Practice members help clients develop the internal culture and infrastructure needed to anticipate, prepare and manage issues and negative events affecting reputation. The team’s crisis experts have been involved in preparing for and responding to some of the most visible political and corporate crises.
• Corporate Message Lab: Research partner KRC Research designed and facilitates the Weber Shandwick/KRC Research Corporate Message Lab. More than a simple brainstorm meeting, the Lab is a structured and managed process that rapidly builds clarity and consensus around corporate messages. By leveraging expertise in corporate communications strategies, message design, market research and meeting facilitation, the Lab is a cost- and time-effective way to develop a core message platform that can lend consistency and discipline to strategic communications. Please click here to learn more.
• Corporate Image Advertising: Sawyer Miller Advertising, Weber Shandwick's advertising partner, creates powerful, emotionally resonant messages in all forms of media. Whether it is a campaign to educate national audiences on a public affairs issue, shape a corporate image or help a company respond during a crisis, Sawyer Miller motivates both heart and mind. The team is involved in campaigns where speed is of the essence – where it is vital to get ahead of opinions and shape them before they become ingrained. Team members, including Weber Shandwick colleagues, have a unique combination of experience in traditional and Interactive media environments, and create winning, integrated paid media solutions for clients.
• Rapid Response & Recall: An improperly managed product recall can be devastating to a company’s reputation and bottom line. Amid a business environment where a company’s every step and misstep is closely scrutinized, Weber Shandwick introduced a dedicated product recall group – Rapid Response & Recall practice – within its well-established corporate practice. The team has worked closely with leading healthcare, consumer and technology companies that have recalled their products and successfully managed the oftentimes high-risk, reputation-threatening situations that follow. Our philosophy is to safeguard clients’ reputations with responsive, transparent and cross-media communications to all audiences affected by product issues.
• Integrated Reporting: There is a growing trend in corporate reporting towards one report that integrates financial performance and non-financial information such as environmental, social and governance issues. Integrated reporting is the subject of Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer Robert Eccles’ new book, One Report: Integrated Reporting for a Sustainable Strategy (John Wiley, 2010). Weber Shandwick can advise companies and help them utilize this unique reporting concept to increase corporate transparency, accountability and competitive advantage. For more information, please visit www.integratedreporting.org.

American Airlines: Flight AA24 | SFO - JFK Social Media Crisis

Challenge

American Airlines Flight 24 bound for New York City was halted just before takeoff after someone called in a threat against the jetliner that was later described by the FBI as non-credible. Passengers were removed from the plane and taken by buses to a terminal where they were sent through security again. The atmosphere on the plane was generally calm even though passengers got little explanation about why the plane had been diverted. Rumors about a hijacking or bomb threat began floating around among passengers, and those connected to the Internet started to tweet from inside the plane. Shortly after, the tweets captured the attention of the social audiences and the media.

Strategic Approach

The AA social team was aware of the incident and the tweets from AA24’s passengers. As a result, the AA team started to tweet to news outlets and respond to specific passengers on the plane assuring them that the authorities had things under control. As the plane was emptied and passengers rebooked, the social audience followed the scenario and saw the interaction between the media, Aairwaves and the passengers.

Outcome

American Airlines responded quickly and openly to not only the passengers on the plane tweeting but also to the general flying public. The AA message tonality was peaceful with calm reassurance, and the social media world noticed. The airline was applauded for good social crisis handling and this combination of online and traditional media efforts have proven that when working in tandem, this one-two punch can be an effective way to deal with an online and offline crisises.