Lucas R Wade

PR Cases and Problems

Case 11-2
4/7/2014
Spincah harbors the awful E. Coli 0157:H7 strain
SUMMAR
In early September of 200! t"e #$% &#ood and $ru' %dm(n(strat(on) (ssued a
*arn(n' ur'(n' t"e publ(c not to consume ba''ed sp(nac" at t"e t(me t"e (ssue *as
release+ ,o*e-er! 24 "ours later t"ey c"an'ed t"e(r statement! *"(c" *ould (nclude not
consum(n' any and all products *(t" sp(nac"+ .t"er factors dur(n' t"(s t(me seemed to
en"ance t"e problem! *"(c" (ncluded t"(n's l(/e t"e 0##1% &0n(ted #res" #ru(t and
1e'etable %ssoc(at(on) and t"e I#P% &Internat(onal #res"-Cut Produce %ssoc(at(on)
mer'(n'! to form t"e 0#P% &0n(ted #res" Produce %ssoc(at(on+) 2"e mer'(n' of t"e t*o
assoc(at(ons caused employees to *or/ out of a temporary off(ce! ema(l ser-ers *ere
do*n! and *ebs(tes *ere under construct(on+ 2"ou'"! t"e 0#P% *ould respond
appropr(ately after tar'et(n' aud(ences for t"e(r *arn(n' messa'es after t"e #$%3s
messa'e+ Late September t"e announcement *as made t"at sp(nac" could be sold (n
super mar/ets a'a(n+ .-erall! t"e outbrea/ (nfected 144 people across 2 states! and
sp(nac" sales *ould ne-er reac" *"at t"ey *ere pr(or to t"e outbrea/+
S!RE"#!HS
* .-erall t"e case *as "andled *ell dur(n' t"e mer'er of t"e t*o assoc(at(ons
*"en e-eryt"(n' seemed to be (n t"e 'round p"ases of t"e mer'er+
* 2"e ut(l(5at(on of t"e conference calls bet*een t"e a'enc(es to construct a 'ood
response and commun(cate effect(-ely+
* Ident(fy(n' /ey aud(ences t"at need to be reac"ed to ensure all t"e r('"t people
*ere rece(-(n' t"e messa'e+
* 2"e response t(me of t"e assoc(atu(ns (n-ol-ed *ere 'reat cons(der(n' only 144
people 'ot s(c/! t"e number could "a-e been muc" "('"er+
$EA%"ESSES
* Soc(al med(a released t"e outbrea/ before t"e assoc(at(ns (n-ol-ed d(d+
* 2"e staff(n' and t"e fac(l(t(es seemed to lac/ *"en deal(n' *(t" an e-ent of -ery
ser(ous concern l(/e an 6+ Col( outbrea/+
* 2"e use of Soc(al 7ed(a and t"e (nternet *ere not used enou'" to 'et *arn(n'
messa'es to t"e publ(c+
* 2"e cr(s(s PR plan *as not structured *ell enou'"! (t *as suff(c(ent! but could
"a-e been muc" better+
SU##ES!&'"S
* 2ry and ac"(e-e better turn around t(mes for messa'e! and understand(n' soc(al
med(a3s popular(ty! try and 'et messa'es out t"ere faster+
* %lso understand(n' a mer'er can be d(ff(cult and ta/e t(me! "ouse employees (n
better en-(ronments to *or/ (n and suff(c(ent staff+
* Implement t"e use of soc(al med(a from t"e assoc(at(ons (n-ol-ed as t"e source
of t"e messa'e release+
* Secure and ma(nta(n a structured cr(s(s PR plan as (t (s -ery necessary because
cr(s(s3 do "appen and (t (s better to be prepared+