What I found particularly interesting about this story wasn’t the fact that mom’s were using Facebook to voice their concerns (the term ‘mommy bloggers’ was born due to their large influence in the social media world), but rather P&G’s response which is highlighted in a Social Media Influence article. They acted fast, distributed SEO friendly content, used an integrated media approach (local TV news and YouTube) and they were clear on the product changes.

Too often in a crisis situation, organizations tend to remain quiet and address the issue with more of an internal focus versus responding immediately to public outcry. P&G did the exact opposite and set up an immediate, integrated media effort to respond to the comments being made on social media. From interviews with local TV stations to posting videos from experts on its YouTube channel to address concerns, it was obvious that P&G was monitoring the conversation taking place on multiple channels and responding when appropriate. It is clear they have previously discussed possible online crises and developed a plan that allowed for quick response within the correct channels.

To me the most impressive part of their response was the way that they acknowledged and validated the parents’ concerns. P&G even added additional customer-service representatives in order to provide additional time to speak with consumers with questions about the Pampers product. They have admitted that their initial launch of the product lacked detail and may have caused some confusion with parents. I find some comfort in the fact they are listening to their audiences and taking action to rectify the issue.

It will be very interesting to watch the debate continue between consumers and P&G. Will the social media storm continue to grow? Or will P&G’s efforts successfully satisfy shoppers and the media. We can praise the transparency and speed in which P&G responded to the complaints – a practice we should all learn from.

Happy Friday everyone and have a safe and fun-filled weekend.

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.

1. Is BP doing the right thing? Check out our crisis team’s take on the Gulf oil spill in our most recent Insight publication.  What is your take on how BP has handled communications in the crisis?  Share your thoughts in the blog comment section.
2. Last Friday the St. Louis Business-Journal published a business guide to social media along with their normal weekly print edition.  Be sure to check out TVG’s ad on our social media program and software, Pulse.
3. I go through phases of social media and communication blogs I visit on a regular basis. Lately, I’ve been enjoying Jay Baer’s Convince & Convert.  A recent post highlights some great stats about Twitter.  If you aren’t on Twitter yet, these stats may convince and convert you into a believer.  (Sorry for the pun, I couldn’t resist).
4. You can probably find a new example everyday on how the Internet and social media have changed the way we consume news and communicate.  This week the flooding in Nashville is a shining example.  Hundreds of home videos and first hand accounts of the devastation have been filling the news and social media. Luckily these tools are also helping to drive support and fundraising for recovery efforts.
5. Lastly, happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there.  Need a last minute card for your mom?  Check out one of JibJab’s fun e-cards.

Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?  This week we have a last minute bonus item!  Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (one of my favorite movies of all time) is being played out on Twitter and Foursquare today. You can follow Ferris, his sister Jeanie, girlfriend Sloane and even Mr. Rooney!  Enjoy all.

What I find most interesting about this event isn’t so much Biden’s choice of words, but rather what happened after he made the statement and the response from the White House. Sure, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs could have issued an official statement or addressed the press corps directly, but instead he turned to social media, more specially, Twitter, with the following tweet: “And yes Mr. Vice President, you’re right…”

This brief, 41-character tweet is just one of many recent examples of the power of social media as a communication tool. From world events such as the earthquake in Haiti or the protests of the presidential election in Iran last June, Twitter has provided – and will continue to provide – a new way to report on the stories of the day.

Whether you’re a fan or Twitter, or not, the social media tool is here to stay and will most likely continue to explode…and continue to report on explosions (verbal and otherwise) that happen in this world we share.

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.

As the social media craze took off in the business world, many organizations rushed into creating network accounts and blogs.  Now as we enter 2010, companies seem to be taking a step back and ensuring the proper planning and policies are in place for social media strategies. 

The Vandiver Group has been working with companies to develop and implement these social media policies and is now offering a Social Media Policy Workshop for organizations.

The workshop will review the following:

• Ethical standards for bloggers, social networks and online marketing.
• Creating an environment where consumers trust you in social media- the importance of ethical online practices.
• Case histories where  employee guidelines and corporate standards could have avoided a brand and communications crisis.
• The new FTC guidelines for online marketing and promotion.
• How to develop and implement a corporate social media policy.
• Managing employee use of social media- guidelines and training.
• How to maintain brand consistency and standards within social media
• Special considerations and guidelines based on your industry.

The TVG workshop can be scaled for an organization’s communications staff or for an entire employee population. All attendees will also have the opportunity to work with the TVG social media team to develop a complete and customized social media policy.

To schedule your workshop contact TVG at 314-991-4641 or info@vandivergroup.com.

All of these concerns are valid but simply focus on the negative; I’d prefer to discuss the positive. How can companies use social media to engage with employees? Forget about the public for a minute- and let’s focus on your employees – the group who should be your biggest asset, not your biggest liability.

No doubt there are employees engaging with social media, not only for personal use but as a representative of your company. Just do a quick search on Facebook or Ning and you’ll find hundreds of groups dedicated to employees for various companies: airlines, Best Buy, EBay, and my favorite Who Killed the Bear? a network for former Bear Sterns employees providing support for each other’s job searches. They are sharing their stories, news, complaints and questions.

Instead of just monitoring or trying to control (and inevitably stifle) these public conversations, why not build a new private conversation where you can truly engage with your workforce?

As public communication transforms with social media, companies should also transform their internal communications. A social platform on an intranet allows a company to hear grievances, build culture, share news and discuss possible changes without the fear of public fallouts, leaks of sensitive information or damaged reputations.

At TVG we work with clients to build social networks on their intranet and create their own private social network and discussion board where employees can interact with all levels of management.

Your employees will probably still log in to their public network of choice to connect with fellow workers, but don’t leave that as their only option for communication. Instead of waiting and worrying what workers might say about your company online, create an opportunity to join the discussion, engage with your employees, solve problems, answer questions and improve productivity with a valued workforce.

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!