By James Schlegelmilch

The past few weeks have been filled with stories of N.C. State Highway Patrol misconduct, and this week marks the beginning of the search for S.H.P. commander.

On Friday, Colonel Randy Glover submitted his resignation to Gov. Bev Perdue after just one year of service.  However, the colonel’s resignation does not take effect until September 1.  While his resignation was voluntary, some state officials, like N.C. GOP Chairman Tom Fetzer, said his removal was necessary and outside leadership would need to be brought in to fix this crisis.  “The Highway Patrol needs new command.  It’s a mystery to everybody in North Carolina why he still has that job,” Fetzer said last Monday.

Thursday, Highway patrol officers were asked to turn in personal cellular phone records to investigators.  While some troopers are decrying this policy as illegal and unnecessary, officials say that it is necessary to ensure that patrol officers were not using large amounts of work time to conduct personal business. Allegations continue to pile up against patrol officers, as just this past Friday another officer was placed on administrative duty while she is the subject of a criminal investigation for general misconduct.

Two weeks ago Gov. Perdue called a meeting with 160 officers to try and stop this string of very public ethical lapses.  The meeting included more than two hours of hearings followed by questions from reporters aimed at Col. Glover and Gov. Perdue.  The most public of the allegations had been the resignation of patrol spokesman Major Everett Clendenin after the release of phone records showing more than 2,600 romantic text messages between him and another trooper.  Within the same month, one trooper resigned after his arrest for drunk-driving and felony hit-and-run.  One case involved four officers being relieved of duty when a trooper was pulled over for drunk-driving and instead of being given a sobriety test and taken into custody, officers brought him to a hotel to sleep it off.

The public has been made well aware of the misconduct of the State Highway Patrol, but few of the questions raised have been answered.  Have we seen the end of these allegations?  How much tax-payer money has been misused in the course of this misconduct, either in paying the salaries of these troopers or otherwise?  Who has been turning a blind eye to this misconduct, and who’s going to clean it up?  Still one of the most important questions remaining to be answered is how is the S.H.P. going to restore the general public’s faith in the agency?

PR crisis happen all the time, but when one strikes at this level it becomes even more difficult to address.  It is even more difficult when the agency in question is charged with the keeping the public safe, and the officials have such power, as enforcing the law.

One of the first steps in handling a crisis is to have a leader step forward and take responsibility.  What do you do when these leaders are resigning, who answers for them?  Something as simple as removing the violators in question will not restore the public’s trust.  Only the coming weeks will show the state plans to address this crisis and, most importantly, keep it from happening again.

Photo Source: Ildar Sagdejev

By James Schlegelmilch

On Friday, June 4, McDonald’s announced a recall of 12 million drinking glasses painted with the characters of the newest Shrek movie.  The images painted on the glasses are believed to contain cadmium, a toxic, cancer-causing metallic element.  The McDonald’s home page was immediately inundated with hits from concerned parents who were demanding more information regarding the recall, but was unable to handle the overload and shut down.

McDonald’s said it will not release details on what to do with the glasses specifically, but that anyone with the glasses should stop using them immediately.  They did say however, not to throw them in the trash and do not return them to local stores.  The company plans to release more information Tuesday on how to handle the glassware, and customers should log onto the company’s recall website for instructions. While this response from the company follows their PR policy to the letter, some feel as though it is not giving answers or directions quickly enough.

In response, local area McDonald’s have taken the initiative, and when the recall was announced Friday, stated immediately that they would take back the glasses and offer $3 refunds to assist in smoothing over customers.  Customers originally paid $1.99 plus tax, and management is hoping that the additional cash will ease the tensions of the worried consumers.

While the swift actions of the local McDonald’s does go against the procedure stated by HQ, I feel that the actions they are taking will benefit the chain in the long run.  McDonald’s still has 5 million unsold tainted glasses in its inventory and accepting returns and handing out refunds is not something that will cause major problems within the franchise.  One Triangle franchise owner stated that to him, the most important thing is to “exercise the 10 commandments of service, and one of those is ‘honor the customer.’”

Quick decision making and accepting hassle-free returns from customers in the face of a national recall will keep McDonald’s customers happy and hopefully returning for years to come.  Crisis PR is about acting swiftly and making decisions that, while they may go against S.O.P, keep the public informed and appeased.

Photo Source: Image Gatherer

by Preston Kelly

As seen all over the news, a prototype of the fourth generation iPhone has been lost.  And found.

Gray Powell, an Apple software designer (and a N.C. State grad, I might add), was in possession of the prototype when he left it at a German beer garden in Rosewood, California, after celebrating his birthday.

So what did the finder do when he realized the power he held in his bare hands?  Sold it to Gizmodo, a popular technology blog, for $5000 – not too shabby.  Gizmodo proceeded to showcase all the newest iPhone features, from the updated screen to the new camera flash.

Now that the word is out, rumors have begun to fly.  Was this some sort of publicity stunt executed by the Apple PR team?  Or was this truly an accident – a whopping mistake on the part of Gray Powell?

For those that believe this is a scheme, several reasons lie behind it.  Steve Rubel, SVP of Insights at Edelman Digital, says that in a time where transparency is almost mandatory, Apple has “thrived by maintaining precise control over the news flow.”

Whereas other companies are announcing their every move, Apple relies on this control to create the hype that circles any new product launch.

John Bell, managing director at Ogilvy PR, agreed.  After finally having launched the iPad, Bell says Apple wants to stay in the limelight a little bit longer.  And what better way than to “lose” a 4gen iPhone prototype?

There are, of course, potential benefits that could arise from this publicity stunt (if that’s what it is.) Those interested in buying an iPhone now may decide to wait for the release of the 4gen phone.  The trick may also drown out the noise about competing products.

So how effective was it?  If the goal was to create energy around this new iPhone, the stunt was not executed well.  With such similar visual features, the finder hardly distinguished it from its older version.  If nothing else, though, the lost phone got people talking.

So what do you think?  PR stunt or major PR crisis?

by Mallory Pfeffer

The battle of the phone companies…. We’ve been hearing since last year how the major wireless providers, AT&T and Verizon, are waging war on one another. It’s supposed to be “good for consumers, bad for investors,” and prices were going to drop as providers fought to overtake the market. Prices have certainly dropped and things are looking great for consumers, but those poor companies are still at odds and there was question as to whether or not either one would call a truce.

The situation got ugly when Verizon released advertisements that were somewhat of a smear campaign, suggesting that AT&T severely lacked in the coverage department. Well, AT&T wasn’t going to take that sitting down, so they devised a campaign involving Luke Wilson that suggested Verizon phones loaded more slowly than AT&T phones. Law suits followed, neither side seemed to be fighting fairly, and consumers’ heads were starting to spin.

Thankfully, as an article posted Tuesday reveals, it appears a white flag is being raised. AT&T is about to start airing a new ad campaign that doesn’t hint at a single negative aspect of any other wireless provider. In the campaign called “Rethink Possible,” the company essentially highlights the internet capabilities provided through the phone service and suggests that they are more than just a wireless carrier, they are an improvement to your way of life. At least someone is finally getting it right.

Often times marketing and public relations go hand-in-hand. In this case, the advertisements were fulfilling PR responsibilities by being the voice of the company…and a negative voice at that. You know how your parents used to tell you, “if you don’t have anything nice to say than don’t say anything at all,” because it will just make you look bad? Well the same goes for marketing and public relations. Calling out a competitor not only makes your company look bad, but it tarnishes the entire industry. I mean, are you so desperate to make money that you will try and throw your competition under the bus? News flash, the public notices. Chances are subscribers aren’t going to switch to a different network just because Luke Wilson is funnier than a map covering a TV screen. Don’t try and make your company look good by making others look bad. Simply promote yourself in a positive light through marketing and public relations and you could avoid a mess like this one.

Photo Source: brhubart

by Audrey Beckett

There is no doubt that Tiger Woods has had more than his fair share of public relations issues in recent months. Ever since his late-night car accident in November, news relating to him has centered on scandal, rumors of divorce and public apology. Woods is an important example of how far-reaching the consequences of bad PR are for the high-profiled individual.

Beyond the constant media commentary, his family being followed by the paparrazi and his break from golf, his image problems have wreaked havoc in his more low-profile business endeavors.

In 2007 Woods began working with developer Jim Anthony on his first U.S. golf resort, The Cliffs at High Carolina in the mountains of Asheville. The community will be immaculate with each plot of land costing approximately $1 million before home construction even begins. Resort completion is expected for fall 2011.

His recent fall from the public’s admiration has potential to deeply impact the success of this project. While most of his endorsements don’t center around the fact that he’s a family man, this project has, with Woods stating in a promotion, “I want to have my kids experience something like this. I want to be able to bring them up here and feel safe, feel secure.”

Woods’ recently uncovered scandals combined with the lagging economy have resulted in a bleak outlook for this project. There have been reports, denied by Anthony, that the project has stalled. Home sales are also far below what was projected with only $34.7 million in closed home sales as of Feb. 26.

While Anthony has faithfully stood beside Woods and affirmed his commitment to the project, this remains a bad situation for Woods and one that highlights the pervasive affect of poor image for such a high-profile individual. It’s crucial that Woods and his public relations staff focus on improving his image through honest, consistent messaging. Until he begins to repair the damage that has been inflicted on his image and regains the public’s confidence he should expect even these business endeavors to suffer.

by: Mallory Pfeffer

Animal rights have always stirred up some sort of controversy (think PETA and its avant garde campaigns). The killer whale who just recently killed a trainer at Sea World has certainly ignited debate regarding the captivity of animals, so organizations such as PETA and Friends of Animals have  been given something current to talk about. Well, to add to the recent drama in regards to animal protection, an animal shelter in Robeson County, N.C. is receiving national attention and a multitude of negative publicity.

ABC11 Eyewitness News reported on the situation surrounding the Robeson County Animal Shelter and its treatment of animals. The situation all started when a video was found on YouTube which showed animals being “brutally euthanized” by shelter workers. The catch is the video was recorded 13 years ago and, according to current shelter director Jeff Bass, the facility has undergone drastic changes since then to ensure humane sedation methods.

The public isn’t buying it. Animal rights activists and organizations alike are lashing out against Bass. One group, MJ’s Animal Sanctuary, is even calling for an investigation on the grounds that they have evidence proving the shelter’s continued wrongdoings. Individual animal advocates are the ones who seem to be lashing out the most however, Governor Beverly Perdue’s Facebook wall has been taken over by complaints.

Thousands of people have posted comments about the situation and are urging her to take action against the shelter. Some have written extensive paragraphs regarding animal cruelty and actions the state should take to prevent such incidents, and others are simply asking Perdue to “please do something.” The governor responded to the outcry by assuring the public that her office has contacted the Commissioner of Agriculture’s office and the Robeson County Sheriff.

It seems like a huge mess at first, but there is actually a lot of good public relations at work. It is empowering to know that current trends in social media allow the public to voice their opinions directly to the people they think should hear. Concerned animal advocates were able to flood the governor’s office with  their grievances via Facebook and actually receive a response, however minimal it may have been.

On the other side of the issue, Bass has done well to maintain his composure and respond to the situation. He has calmly stated to reporters that “he keeps detailed records…and will gladly share them with animal rights advocates if they ask him and not accuse him,” but he refuses to have his face shown on camera because he has already received countless threats. Even though he is remaining somewhat anonymous, he is not keeping quiet. He is not pointing any fingers or trying to duel with the opposition, he is simply telling the facts as he knows them.

It’s certainly refreshing to see public relations tactics used appropriately.

Photo Source: garrardhumanesociety

by: Mallory Pfeffer

For as long as I have lived in North Carolina and attended the schools here I remember there being conflict after conflict relating to the bus system for public schools. Basically, the issue is that Wake County has a system of taking buses into inner-city areas and moving students to schools all over the county.

The reasoning behind it is to provide inner-city students with the same opportunities that the students in more affluent areas receive, and to add to the diversity of schools. The problems are some students have to travel more than 20 minutes to get to their schools, they arrive incredibly early and get home incredibly late, they are ultimately being stripped from their communities and the transportation costs really add up.

A meeting held by the Wake County school board on Tuesday was organized to vote on whether or not diversity busing should continue. The session began at 10 a.m. and extended into the night, so clearly a great deal was discussed. Previously, a vote had been cast to end the busing program and have students attend the schools in their communities, so the board was organized to discuss the possibility of passing the resolution.

With representatives from the different communities, as well as the NAACP, at the meeting there were plenty of differing opinions available to turn it into a heated debate. Civil rights became the center of the argument. Some were arguing “racism,” others were arguing that they “opposed anything that lead to re-segregation,” and still others were arguing that “morality doesn’t support the new plan.”

By the end of the session the board decided to keep the new plan and end diversity busing in communities. The opposition aren’t going down without a fight. Rev. William Barber, president of the NAACP in North Carolina declared, “don’t get discouraged” and “get your head up! We’ve got some courts we may need to get into.”

Although the meeting may have ended and the vote was determined, it appears the situation is far from over.  With Wake County now receiving national attention , the government and school board should tread softly. If you were to type “Wake County’s response to diversity busing” into a Google browser nothing but negativity towards the school system appears. Officials should be doing what they can to combat all of the negative headlines, but yet they don’t seem to be trying very hard to maintain a positive image. Well, good luck Wake County, it seems you may be needing it.

Image: laffy4k

by Amy Gretenstein

On Friday Feb. 12, Revenue Secretary Kenneth Lay told The Associate Press that his agency is starting to delay refund checks for taxpaying individuals and businesses. Apparently this is because the state is out of money in its checking account.

The announcement has caused a bit of an uproar among citizens and politicians alike. However, the idea of delayed refunds isn’t new to the state. Last year, the state held back refunds but were not upfront about it. Not until angry taxpayers started complaining did the state speak up.

This year, the state and Gov. Bev Purdue have done a good job being more proactive about the delays. Gov. Purdue said not to be alarmed by the delays. Like many people around the state, North Carolina is living paycheck to paycheck and does not want to bounce any checks.

Typically during the months of February and March, refund checks arrive between two and six weeks. After April 15, checks typically take 12 weeks to arrive. Secretary Lay said the checks are delayed to a 12 week estimated arrival time.

Between the reassuring words of Gov. Purdue and Secretary Lay, I know I feel a little better about the delays. And because the state has been so honest about the delays, I feel even more encouraged to get my taxes done ahead of time so I can get my refund sooner than later.

Photo source: uzvards

By James Schlegelmilch

This past Friday more than 150 participants at a Raleigh YMCA Youth and Government conference fell ill, with complaints of stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and headaches.  Originally five of the 150 needed to be hospitalized, while a sixth was taken to a local area hospital a day later.  The conference was intended to be a role-playing event where high school students from across the state were taught how public policy is developed.

The symptoms described by more than 150 of the 1,000 participants closely resembled food-borne illness.  The symptoms began to arise hours after the conference was treated to a catered dinner on Friday evening.  As of Saturday, the catering company, Centerplate, was unable to be reached for a comment at both their Raleigh N.C. office, and their Stanford, Conn. headquarters.

Good crisis PR dictates that in order to handle this type of a situation a leader must step forward and take ownership of the problem. It must appoint a spokesperson to tell the truth, tell it fast and the organization must take steps to correct the problem and let everyone know what those steps will be.  This event occurred on Friday evening, and calls placed to the company on Saturday were neither answered nor returned.

Centerplate should have appointed someone to handle media relations at the outset of this development. It was almost two days before the company’s vice president came forward, yet said only that his company has “very strict policies and procedures to ensure the health of our guests,” neither confirming nor denying any aspect of the story.  Centerplate finally got it right when, on Sunday, the spokesperson said that they are complying with the health department’s inquiry while conducting an internal investigation of their own.

Public record shows that the Centerplate kitchen had been docked 18.5 points during health department inspections over the past year, with their last inspection just two weeks ago.  Should more of the students need hospitalization, become even more ill or the company health record be brought to light, will Centerplate have the crisis PR skills needed to overcome such a predicament?

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Photo: SuziJane

By Mallory Pfeffer

The anticipation around the Triangle was unmistakable this past Friday as people began preparing for the snow. Grocery store shelves were stripped of milk, eggs, bread and batteries, salt caked the highways, and people raced home from work to beat the oncoming storm.  We all awoke Saturday morning to a winter wonderland — children frolicked, couples went on walks, and families relaxed in the warm sanctuary of their homes.  Now, fast forward. The fun is over, and cabin fever is certainly setting in for Wake County students.

While most have returned to work and college co-eds are attending classes, Wake County has issued its third snow day for public schools. With yet another day of cancellations, fingers point towards the N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT). On Monday, ABC11 Eyewitness News anchor Barbara Gibbs reported that the DOT is being both “criticized and praised for their response” to the storm, and an N&O article released Tuesday stated that “there were varying degrees of success in how well streets were cleared of ice and snow.” Clearly, the DOT can’t please everyone.

I am certainly one of the disgruntled citizens scrutinizing the DOT for failing to venture into roads surrounding my house. The plows reached hundreds of other secondary streets, so why couldn’t they turn down mine when neighboring streets received attention? Jon Nance, chief engineer for the DOT, was interviewed by ABC11 Eyewitness News stating that, “some of the state’s smaller roads have taken a back seat to bigger roads, but…all the major thoroughfares were clear Monday and for some that’s good enough.” He also stated that at night “it was too cold and there was nothing on the roads but unplowable ice,” suggesting that at times there was little crews could do to improve the situation.

Whether or not the DOT is to blame for the snow and ice that is still on the roads and for the kids that are still out of school remains unsettled. Representatives continue to assert that every effort is being made to get the roads cleared, but it appears some roads are still unsafe. With a weekend forecast calling for a possibility of more freezing rain and snow can we trust the DOT to respond to our needs, or will see the same results? Looks like we will just have to wait and see.

Photo Source: Flickr