REC 215

Advertising, Public Relations,

and Crisis Management
March 25th, 2015
Class Reminders:
• Course evaluations

• Complete TPB lecture slides now posted on LEARN

• Missing slide from last class

• Micro-themed reaction paper #4 marking update

• Quiz 3 – April 4th

▫ A review guide will be posted on LEARN
In this class we will…

• Discuss the concept of crisis management

• Discuss strategies for creating a crisis

communication plan
▫ Carnival Cruise Lines Case Study
 “Crisis” defined:
• A crisis is “a major, unpredictable event that
threatens to harm the organization and its
stakeholders” (Massey, 2001, p. 157).
 Crisis Management
Crisis management is the strategic, pro-active way in
which agencies prepare for and reduce the likelihood of
crisis situations occurring.

Strategies to reduce the likelihood of crisis occurring:

• Establishing strategies for ensuring a crisis does not
occur
• Develop standard operating procedures for crises
• Train staff on crisis communication issues
• Establish a crisis management team
 Preparing for Communicating about an
Agency Crisis
• View the media as a messenger to communicate
through
• Proactively work with the media to take control of the
communication process
• Always tell the truth
• Document all communication
• Agencies should try to minimize any interruption to
agency operations
• Develop a plan for repairing the agency image
• Learn from the situation
 Crisis Communication Plan
A crisis communication plan is an agency’s
documented policy on how they will handle any type of
crisis situation when communicating with the media as
well as any of their stakeholders
A Case Study in Crisis Communication:
Carnival Cruise Lines
 Components of a Crisis Communication
Plan
• Explain what constitutes a crisis situation
• Identify who is responsible to communicate about the
crisis
• Explain the impact of not following the plan
• Identifies contact names, telephone numbers, and other
communication vehicles to reach key personnel
• Explains various ways in which an agency will handle
specific, more common situations
• Establishes employee, board member, volunteer, etc.
roles when a situation occurs
• States specific protocols that will be taken by the agency
to communicate with internal and external stakeholders
• Communicates to all staff members to ensure clear
understanding and acceptance
Next Class:
• Building Relationships: Community,
Sponsorships, and Stewardship

• Chapter 13