| ngoing search for case histories worthy of | | | | deployed to effect spin control on virtually every |
| mention, I came upon this now-dated press | | | | major environmental issue in recent years, the |
| release from Greenpeace about the leak of a | | | | chlorine industry has been a prolific consumer of |
| crisis management plan. It is a case history unto | | | | the type of service outlined in the BigName |
| itself, a lesson about how public relations | | | | memo. The Bleach PR strategy sounded familiar |
| professionals can create a crisis. I have changed | | | | to Stewart. "We've seen the same kinds of ploys |
| the names of both the national PR firm and the | | | | coming from the American Paper Institute and |
| manufacturer because there is no reason that | | | | the Chlorine Institute surrounding the toxicity of |
| either, which are both still in business, should be | | | | dioxin," she said. |
| damaged today by a mistake made in 1991, | | | | [Lessons For Us All] |
| although I admit that most will figure out the | | | | * Never put anything in writing that you aren't |
| manufacturer's identity. | | | | willing to risk being aired in public. Sometimes that |
| [The Leaked Plan Press Release] | | | | means leaving messages you might actually want |
| Seattle, May 13, 1991 (GP) -- A public relations | | | | to use out of a written crisis communications plan, |
| "Crisis Management Plan" prepared for the Bleach | | | | particularly if (a) you don't practice very controlled |
| Corporation and leaked to Greenpeace | | | | information security (see below) and/or (b) you're |
| recommends labeling environmental critics as | | | | taking an aggressive stance. |
| "terrorists," threatening to sue "unalterably green" | | | | * Practice information security. At the time of this |
| journalists, and dispatching "independent scientists" | | | | case history, faxes were still the common means |
| on media tours as means to counteract bad news | | | | of rapid communication. Today, of course, it's |
| for the chlorine industry. | | | | email and Twitter. Draft documents, whether |
| The plan, prepared by the public relations division | | | | paper or digital, should be shredded when no |
| of BigName Communications, was apparently | | | | longer needed; there are computer programs |
| prompted by fears that the environmental group | | | | which can completely destroy, not just delete, |
| would target household use of chlorine bleach and | | | | documents which are no longer needed, reducing |
| call for its elimination. | | | | them to a state which no hacker can retrieve. |
| Greenpeace has an international program aimed at | | | | Sensitive communications should, ideally, be |
| ending the use of chlorine in the pulp and paper | | | | encoded; fortunately, in my experience, most |
| industry. Its slogan "Chlorine-Free by 1993" is cited | | | | organizations are unwilling to go through the |
| in the Bleach plan, which outlines numerous "worst | | | | process of teaching employees how to use email |
| case scenarios" in which Greenpeace and | | | | or document encoding programs, even though |
| "unalterably green" journalists figure prominently. | | | | many of them are extremely simple. |
| "They failed to anticipate the worst of worst | | | | * Consider having a contingency plan (separate |
| case scenarios," said Shelley Stewart, Greenpeace | | | | from the main plan document) for what to do if |
| toxics campaigner."That some conscientious | | | | the latter's details leak. |
| person would obtain the plan, and leak it to us." | | | | * Plans which are not protected by attorney |
| Greenpeace verified that BigName | | | | client privilege can be exposed through the |
| Communications, one of the nation's largest | | | | disclosure process in a lawsuit, even if there is no |
| advertising and public relations entities, is under | | | | leak. That is why most of my crisis/issues |
| contract to Bleach. One portion of the leaked | | | | management work is contracted directly by |
| document is comprised of a fax transmission | | | | external or in-house legal counsel. Documents and |
| between two BigName offices. | | | | email then get a heading: "Privileged and |
| "Lying is a growth industry," Stewart said of such | | | | Confidential. Prepared at the Request of Legal |
| PR firms. "The truth is that chlorine is a chemical | | | | Counsel for the Purpose of Rendering Legal |
| whose days are numbered. Its use has created | | | | Advice." You should speak with your legal counsel |
| some of the most intractable environmental | | | | to determine the best way of protecting your |
| problems in history." | | | | sensitive documents from disclosure. |
| DDT, PCBs, Agent Orange, CFCs and dioxin all | | | | * "Intelligence" is vital to a good communications |
| originate from use of chlorine. | | | | program. Knowing your opposition, using |
| Perhaps the most revealing aspect of the Bleach | | | | information gathered from public sources, allows |
| plan is that while it's clear that the company | | | | you to anticipate their actions and prepare |
| knows it has a genuine environmental problem on | | | | accordingly. It is not difficult to look at and analyze |
| its hands, the document suggests that Bleach | | | | the background and communications history of |
| feels more threatened by a public interest group | | | | any organization and its leaders and, from that, |
| like Greenpeace than they do by the federal | | | | predict their strengths and weaknesses with |
| authorities. | | | | regard to any issues-related struggle. |
| The Crisis Plan makes reference to studies linking | | | | * Don't assume that volunteer or "lower-salaried |
| chlorine use to cancer, and with remarkable | | | | than big business" organizations have less-qualified |
| candor suggests ways to discredit the findings if | | | | public and community relations capabilities. While I |
| they ever became public. BigName recommends | | | | am usually representing the "business" side of |
| that Bleach should "cast doubts on the | | | | issues, I have great admiration for the public |
| methodology and findings," of potentially damaging | | | | relations skills of certain environmental and other |
| scientific reports which haven't yet been written. | | | | activist organizations. Their PR staff would be |
| The PR firm also recommends labeling | | | | immediately employable at any major agency -- |
| Greenpeace as violent self-seeking | | | | and sometimes were employed there in the past. |
| "eco-terrorists;" attempting to sue newspaper | | | | Some have a vast amount of experience and, as |
| columnists who advocate use of non-toxic | | | | result, have an advantage over any |
| bleaches and cleaners for the home; "immunizing" | | | | less-experienced opponents. To think, as some |
| government officials; dispatching "independent" | | | | businesses do, that organizations which oppose |
| scientists on media tours; and recruiting "scientific | | | | their goals will always be unprofessional and |
| ambassadors" to tout the Bleach cause and call | | | | incapable of effective PR or legal strategies is the |
| for further study. | | | | height of institutional arrogance. |
| While "crisis" public relations specialists have been | | | | |