Our senior counselors work with clients to evaluate and monitor a crisis situation and provide 24/7 counsel and support. We give an honest – sometimes brutally honest – outsider’s assessment and recommendations. We work with our clients’ leadership and designated spokespersons to speak confidently, honestly and proactively through the most effective channels to reach the people who need to hear the messages. And, we do it quickly. The lightning speed with which information moves through social media, digital channels and the 24-hour news cycle is a double-edged sword. It can wrest a story away from an organization is there’s a delay, but it also provides the opportunity to immediately update or correct information and address audiences in real time.
WILDLIFE CARE AND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS
SHOWCASE
REPUTATION MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
SEE SELECTED CLIENT RESULTS
WILDLIFE PARK REPUTATION SAFE AFTER DEADLY FIRE
On Thanksgiving 2019, the holiday-shift keepers working at African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, Ohio, discovered a fire in one of the park’s animal barns shortly after 6:20 p.m., shortly after the property lost power due to high winds. Flames engulfed the barn so quickly that 10 exotic animals inside – including three giraffe – perished. Park owner Holly Hunt learned about crisis communication two weeks earlier during a workshop at the National Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) conference. She called the workshop presenter from Public Communications Inc. (PCI) for help in managing communications and for guiding the park’s post-crisis, reputation recovery plan.
| KEY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES |
|---|
| Prepared written statement for Holly Hunt to read on camera for that night’s news coverage |
| Established as social media strategy and developed content to inform, engage and assure audiences |
| Developed communication strategies and gathered and shared accurate and timely information for media at the scene on Thanksgiving night |
| Created and distributed a media alert about the fire and providing contact information for follow up |
| Developed messages and talking points that continued to evolve as the fire story moved from crisis to post-crisis recovery and reputation management |
| RESULTS |
|---|
| 100% of the media coverage of the fire included the wildlife park’s messaging |
| Strategic crisis communications strengthened the park’s relationship with its publics |
| On-line public sentiment regained a positive and neutral level after a brief dip when park critics launched a social media attack the morning after the fire |
| The park experienced stronger year-over-year membership sales prior to opening |
| The team also implemented proactive post-crisis strategies to strategically address sensitive issues |
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