Crisis Communications Plan - Essay Example

The plan to do this will need to be executed in the next 7 days and will involve executive participation all levels including that of the Managing Director. 3. The significance of the situation is that pressure from the victim's family and from a well-known entity (BBC Watchdog) may generate public demand for Breathe Flow Strips to be banned from sale. This would potentially cut sales revenue by up to 50%. We present here a summary of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) with respect to this crisis situation.

As a consequence, we also extend to a CASE (Confront, Avoid, Search, Exploit). Because of the nature of this crisis and its potentially devastating effects on the company as a whole, we also extend our analysis to include EPISTLE as well. Strengths: The company has a positive brand image (recent reports) for Breathe Flow Strips with the general public and is endorsed by popular sporting figures who are associated with integrity and honesty by the public. Weaknesses: The company was unaware of the problem of abuse of Breathe Flow Strips by drugs users and had not made efforts to contain or reduce the problem, other than general instructions on Breathe Flow Strips products to only use them for the purposes indicated on the packet.

Lack of control of sales channels concerning clubs and club-goers. Threats: Mounting . Weaknesses: The company was unaware of the problem of abuse of Breathe Flow Strips by drugs users and had not made efforts to contain or reduce the problem, other than general instructions on Breathe Flow Strips products to only use them for the purposes indicated on the packet. Lack of control of sales channels concerning clubs and club-goers.Opportunity: Restore and strengthen public confidence in Breathe Flow Strips by mounting an anti-drugs campaign and involving current popular endorsers in this campaignThreats: Mounting public pressure to curtail or ban the sales of Breathe Flow Strips, possibility of government intervention, growing perception by drugs-users of Breathe Flow Strips products being a desirable accessory to drugs abuse.

For the CASE analysis (Confront, Avoid, Search, Exploit):Confront (Strength against Threat): The company must leverage its current public image to the full and publicly state its ban on the use of Breathe Flow Strips for any application other than medical and sporting. Involvement of endorsers in a campaign in clubs to warn against the dangers of drug abuse.Avoid (Weakness against Threat): Avoid confrontation with the public or with BBC Watchdog, even though the company has always acted with honour and integrity.

Avoid discussion of lack of prior information concerning the abuse problem that might be interpreted as negligent on the part of the company.Search (Weakness compared to Opportunity): Issues Management group to repair public image and to prevent the recurrence of similar situations.Exploit (Strength compared to Opportunity): Strengthen endorsement relationship by involving popular endorsers in an