The Vandiver Group Blog » Andy Likes

Is BP doing the right thing?

Andy Likes — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:57:08 +0000

The term “crisis” has very different meanings to different people. What some may consider a true crisis may only be an inconvenience to others. It’s all based on your perspective. To a new mom, running out of formula or diapers may be a crisis. A traveler experiencing a delayed or canceled flight home for a birthday or special occasion may be a crisis. Severe weather that knocks down trees and power lines could be considered a crisis.

Then there is the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which by all accounts is a crisis on many levels. Many families lost loved ones and the environmental impact could well be worse than the Exxon Valdez oil spill decades ago. There is also the impact on businesses—such as the fishermen and shrimpers who depend on the Gulf for their livelihoods. It is a crisis; it just doesn’t seem like one for BP. At least that is the perception.

Click here to continue reading about BP’s handling of the recent oil spill in TVG’s recent Insight article.

Something Unexpected

Andy Likes — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:16:17 +0000

The unexpected happens most every day in our lives. It could be a nice surprise, like your significant other cooking dinner after a long day at the office. It could be trying something “old,” that is “new” again, like Pepsi Throwback and having that taste bring back memories of when you were younger. Perhaps the unexpected is a tragedy like the workplace shooting at ABB in St. Louis that left families without loved ones and a community shaken. Or maybe, that something unexpected is a sports hero’s disclosure, admitting his poor choices from his playing days.

The unexpected happens most every day and can easily turn into a crisis. Mark McGwire’s interview with Bob Costas certainly qualifies and can absolutely be used as a case study; one that is certainly going to unfold for months to come. In one painful, hour-long interview with the MLB Network, which has since been played by every media outlet in the western hemisphere, McGwire took a giant leap and admitted he used steroids and “health-enhancing drugs” over a ten-year period. Many in the sports and business world had suspected McGwire’s indiscretion, especially given his lack of testimony during the 2005 congressional hearings. This was the first proof.

What can we all learn from this crisis?

Check out my complete TVG Vision article to find out.

Is your company prepared for a crisis?

Andy Likes — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:00:09 +0000

At one time or another every business, government agency or non-profit organization and its leaders face a crisis. Large or small, a crisis can pose real challenges, and often catches an organization off guard and unprepared.

The experts at The Vandiver Group have developed a short threat assessment quiz to determine your risk for a crisis. Answers 10 simple questions and let TVG assess your threat level to see if you may need assistance with media and crisis communications. Remember, it’s all in the details.

Take the threat assessment test.

If you have any questions about crisis communications or preparation, contact Andy Likes at alikes@vandivergroup.com or Kelly Ferrara a kferrara@vandivergroup.com.

No Substitute for a Face to Face Meeting!

Andy Likes — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:16:19 +0000

I recently returned from a three-day trip to Orlando. No, there was no theme park visit and although it was 89 degrees and sunny, there was no golf either. I was in Orlando for the National Association for Government Communicators (NAGC) expo and communications school.

It was a tremendous opportunity to meet new people, see what they are doing for communications, learn a little and talk face to face. I can honestly say I would never have met some of the folks who attended the conference, if I had not been there in person.

In this communications age where we live and die by email and cell phones, it was very refreshing to have a one-on-one conversation that wasn’t over a conference call line. I met some very interesting people and learned that we may be able to partner with them on a project or two in the future.

Those simple conversations turned into new business opportunities. In this economy, what business couldn’t use a few new contacts?

I will likely be returning to the NAGC expo next year in Washington, DC. This time, I hope to present during one of the seminars. I encourage everyone to rethink their travel budget in 2009; it could net you some business that might otherwise have passed you by.

Tweeting my way to new followers and business connections

Andy Likes — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:10:28 +0000

If you’ve ever been to a conference or trade show, you’re almost always asked to drop a business card in a bowl to win a prize. It’s the tried and true way to generate some new leads. Those tactics may be changing with the advent of social media.

I recently attended the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC) expo in Orlando. I tried something new at the TVG booth. I pulled out my iPhone and tweeted that I would be giving away a brick of St. Louis-based Bissingers chocolate to the first person who stopped by the TVG booth on the show floor.

Turns out my original tweet went a bit “viral.” Someone I’d never met before, Glenn Batuyong from the Unified Port of San Diego stopped by my booth after seeing my twitter post. He had not been following me, but saw the tweet on the NAGC twitter site, which picked up my post.

Glenn in turn tweeted about winning the chocolate and posted a picture of the chocolate, the flash drive he picked up with TVG information and our crisis communications brochure. You can see the picture at http://twitpic.com/3upu8.

One of Glenn’s followers, the Social Media Guide then retweeted about Glenn’s post. In the span of about three hours, my followers, NAGC followers, Glenn’s followers, the SMG followers, even TVG followers saw my original tweet and Glenn’s tweet. That adds up to nearly two thousand people. Not bad for a few minutes work in between conversations at the booth.

To quote from Glenn’s tweet, “Marketing over Twitter works!” I couldn’t agree more.

Follow Andy on Twitter: @TVGmediaguy

Getting Crisis Communications Right: Miracle on the Hudson

Andy Likes — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:03:38 +0000

A crisis is one of the trickiest things that companies, organizations and municipalities can be forced to deal with. That is why the majority has such a hard time doing it right. Why is that?

First and foremost, there is never enough information in a crisis. In this internet-age, 24-hour news cycle, where we don’t wait for the five o’clock news any longer, the more information we hear during a crisis, the better.

Case in point, Thursday, January 15th, a slow news day turned suddenly very busy when a US Airways jet ditched following take off from New York’s La Guardia Airport and landed in the Hudson River. Immediately dubbed “Miracle on the Hudson,” the pictures, rescues and stories have been etched into our memories. Why is that?

It was a compelling and improbable survival story. Plus, there was also no lack of information! All of the New York media had helicopters showing live video. All immediately reported there was a “double bird strike.” There were immediate graphics of the flight path of the jet. There were photographers capturing amazing pictures of passengers standing on the wings of the Airbus 320. And there were people talking to the media in droves. From the Mayor, EMS and NY Waterway officials holding news conferences to the passengers and breaking news sound bites, the media fed on every word and so did the public. It seems we couldn’t get enough.

There were network special reports, commercial free coverage on all the cable news channels and oh yes, the Internet. This was a success story because of the heroes on board the flight, the emergency workers on the ground and the leaders calling the shots, all in perfect concert all revealing key information about the incident. We would not have had this fortunate outcome without safety training for the pilot and the emergency operations training by all of the first responders in New York City.

This was a shining example of how everyone can lend a hand to save lives. Hopefully all companies, organizations and municipalities can learn from this incident, have a plan, execute a plan and show the world how to do crisis communications right!

One Thing Leads to Another

Andy Likes — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:32:42 +0000

With all due respect to The Fixx and their 1983 hit, one thing really does lead to another. I had the pleasure of attending the 2008 National Recycling Coalition Congress & Expo last month in Pittsburgh. It was a chance for me to speak on behalf of TVG about the benefits of media pitching, to learn new best practices regarding recycling and to meet new people. While the primary reason I attended was to be a part of a breakout panel discussion on the first day, I also wanted to learn a few things while I was there (and not just eat the Primati Bros. sandwiches). So, I hit the trade show floor for two days.

I find when you limit yourself to the task at hand, you may not be as successful as you’d hoped. In this tough economic time, it would have been just as easy to stay home and do a conference call or webinar. However, there is no substitute for a face-to-face discussion or to see first hand some new product or service put to the test. Not only did I see some of TVG’s clients and meet new people, but I benefited from viewing some of the newest recycling products, technology and services, something that could help TVG clients now and in the future. Cutting back isn’t always the answer. Sometimes just by taking the extra step in business, one thing can lead to another.

Communicating During Crisis: Plan in Advance for Better Results

Andy Likes — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:11:20 +0000

There are major national news stories playing out in St. Louis these days. InBev is attempting a hostile takeover of Anheuser-Busch, flood waters are overtopping and breaching levees all up and down the Mississippi River and American Airlines is announcing major cutbacks in light of skyrocketing fuel prices. Each can be considered a “crisis.” Then there are the crisis events that we don’t see coming: tornadoes, earthquakes and, well…you get the idea. There are so many risks in this business climate that it’s vital for you and your company to always remain ready to respond.

That is where crisis and emergency risk communications become a vital part of your PR arsenal. Knowing what to say, when to say it and how you should deliver a message are vital to your company’s success. Hiding information, or even the mere perception by the public or the media that you are hiding information can, and likely will, damage your credibility. The most recent example: last fall when FEMA decided to hold a “press” conference where FEMA’s own staffers asked the questions and there were no press in sight. Still reeling from the outcry about FEMA’s handling of the Hurricane Katrina response, the fake “press” conference was another major chink in the agency’s already-thinning armor.

So what’s a company to do? The short answer is to get trained in media and crisis communications. I’m not talking about how to dress and comb your hair, although that is important—I’m talking about the prep work that companies need to weather a crisis. In a crisis it is all about communicating with your target audience(s) in a manner that is simple, timely, credible and effective.

At TVG, crisis communications is one of our core services under our practice area of reputation and image management. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has relied on TVG for the past six years to train their first responders to any type of crisis within our state on the process of response and how to quickly get correct and useful information to the public. TVG also helps clients who are already squarely in a crisis. Research shows that even companies who have a crisis plan, don’t have a crisis communications plan. Think about it. What do most company leaders spend the majority of their time doing when a crisis hits? Yes. They must communicate. Knowing what to say and when to say it can be the difference between positive and negative public perception.

We can help you anticipate your risks, develop appropriate communications plans, practice those plans and protect your image and reputation. Contact us at 314-991-4641 for more information, or click on this link for more of our thinking on managing a crisis and the core communications strategies you should put in place now.

The Changing Landscape of Media Relations

Andy Likes — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:06:50 +0000

It seems appropriate as I get out the lawnmower for the first time this Spring, that we talk about changing landscapes. Every year, I spend a little more time in the yard; trees are bigger, shrubs have spread and well the grass just isn’t as green as Home Depot says it should be. The landscape of my yard is adapting to surrounding conditions; rain, sun, you get the idea. The media landscape is changing as well.

Gone are the days of huge ad buys in newspapers and on network television. More and more, companies are dialing back those budgets in favor of hip, new social media concepts. Word of Mouth is a tried and true technique to gain customers, if it is done properly. At the 2008 Media Relations Summit this week in San Francisco, we seemed to coin a new phrase, “Word of Mouse.” These days, more people (customers) than ever are surfing the web. Customers are now on sites like MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. When you have an online WOM conversation, it is now global, rather than simply a recommendation among friends. Media relations strategies must change to help capture those conversations and guide them to your product or service. The strategy: speak directly and honestly to your customer and they can turn into your best evangelist. They will write online posts praising your brand or service. They will tell friends. Those friends will email and text their online groups and all of the sudden, you’ve created new brand champions you never dreamed you could reach.

But the new age of media relations in 2008 isn’t all online. We must manage some of the old with some of the new. Companies must be targeted when they contact the media. Simply blanketing a press release to 1000 of your closest friends (well at least you have their contact information) at local, regional and national media outlets won’t cut it anymore. It seems everyone in PR land has the same idea and media types aren’t biting on blanket pitches. You must take the time to develop specific pitches to reporters (particularly national reporters – USA Today, Washington Post, NY Times). Find who has been writing about your field. What have they been saying and how can your pitch be adapted directly to the reporter; one on one. Reporters appreciate the individual attention. Targeting one reporter takes additional time and research, but it can pay off big when you land an above the fold story in a national paper.

If this all seems a little too much of a change, don’t worry. If I can trim my trees and shrubs and green up my grass, you too can grasp the changing landscape of media relations. TVG is current on all the latest techniques and industry advances. It’s the reason I go to this conference every year. We stay up on the latest information, so our clients can focus on more important things like running their businesses and dealing with all of the happy new customers they’ll soon see.

Contact us at tvg@vandivergroup.com or send comments to blog@vandivergroup.com.

A Grand Opening to Remember

Andy Likes — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 03:17:30 +0000

Late December, 2007, a $507 million urban resort opened in downtown St. Louis, complete with a casino, two hotels (including Missouri’s first Four Seasons Hotel), seven restaurants (including two by celebrity chef Hubert Keller) and four retail shoppes.

St. Louis hasn’t seen a development of this grandeur open in the heart of downtown in a very long time, and The Vandiver Group, Inc. was tasked with generating attention for this monumental event.

Since 2003, TVG has been working to build buzz in St. Louis, around the Midwest and across the country for the opening. After breaking ground and major announcements such as the project’s name, hotels and restaurants to be included, TVG focused its attention on a truly grand night. TVG created buzz by building suspense and not releasing any interior photography until opening day.

TVG wanted to open the doors to this crown jewel for the City of St. Louis and have a wow factor. Everyone across the region saw a skyscraper rising over the past two years; TVG wanted to save the best for last. The response opening night was overwhelmingly positive, drawing some of the regions biggest names and most prominent figures.

On opening day, media rushed to the entertainment complex to begin live coverage at 5 a.m. By 11 p.m. that night TVG had generated more than 100 broadcast, print and web placements including all of the local Print, radio and TV outlets, along with several regional and national outlets including the AP, ABC, the Chicago Tribune and Forbes. To increase their media presence, TVG opted to hire a full TV crew and put the largest rooftop fireworks display in St. Louis history, live on satellite, along with a video news release. At the event TVG used a crew of four people to work with the media, providing tours, accessing interviews, handing out media packets and operating a full media center in the lobby of the new casino and hotel.

The opening was an event to remember for St. Louis and The Vandiver Group. Through its communications plan of strategic suspense building in the media and general public TVG was successfully able to generate media coverage and casino crowds.

Contact us at tvg@vandivergroup.com or send comments to blog@vandivergroup.com.