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For any company, it's an honor to receive a visit from the President of the United States. Your brand story is about to be told through the megaphone of the White House press corps, backed by the credibility of the world’s most powerful office.
Amid the excitement and hoopla of this circus environment, it’s important to pause and think about issues management. A visit from a President in an election year has the potential to stir political debate. What if our client’s brand becomes a pawn in partisan bickering? How do we prepare for unexpected, unintended consequences?
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As one of the nation’s leading independently held public relations agencies, French|West|Vaughan was tasked by a client to prepare, manage and leverage a visit from the Commander in Chief. The client, Saft America, has the most advanced Lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in the world, located in Jacksonville, Florida. Saft batteries help power everything from satellites to remote power grids to state-of-the-art battlefield technology. President Obama is highlighting the renaissance of American manufacturing, and Saft is a leading example of success by providing good, high-paying jobs for American families.
Given the sheer quantity of event management tasks, a Presidential visit can consume any company. The Secret Service, press staff and advance team arrive days before the visit. There are a lot of details: run of show, security sweeps, employee background checks, protocol, designated safe rooms, work place disruptions and media requests.
Working with the White House’s media relations staff is a collaborative experience. The staff worked with our FWV PR team to make the event a joint venture. We had the freedom to invite media, distribute press releases and place branded product for the event photo ops. We engaged top national media outlets as well as industry trade publications.
However, as exciting as these opportunities can be, PR teams should always take steps to protect the client’s brand by planning for potential negativity. Political challengers may use mainstream and social media to harass the President and embarrass your client. Dust off and refresh your crisis communication plan. Create media holding statements and review potential scenarios that could require your client to react.
On the ground at the event, there will be two distinct groups of media: local/industry media outlets and the White House press corps. The local and industry outlets will be in place a few hours before the President arrives. You will have time to provide them with press kits, as well as pitch angles and secure interviews. The White House press corps travels with the President on Air Force One and will arrive shortly before the event begins. In our case, we personally handed out company fact sheets to the press corps upon arrival and provided them with written quotes. Keep in mind, the White House press corps coverage is from the viewpoint of political beat writers. If your client’s brand is going to be “politicized,” this is where it will happen.
When you encounter a reputation challenge, reinforce your brand promise. Your products and services make the world a better place. Be able to communicate: who you are, what you do and why that is important. For many executives, the answers to these questions are not as easy as they appear. But getting company leadership on the same page builds confidence, makes messaging strategic and protects your brand from reputation challenges.
In Saft America’s case, the company has built the most advanced Lithium-ion battery facility in the world, provided quality jobs for American families and is helping to power next-generation technology systems. It is something to be proud of, regardless of your politics.
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Chris Shigas is Senior Vice President of French/West/Vaughan, and is also instructor at FWV's premier media training workshop, Media Academy.
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