Search Case Studies:
- Search case studies
- Awards and Ranking
- Business Development Strategy and Support
- Business Development Training
- Campaign Planning
- Crisis Management
- Crisis Management Training
- Damage Control
- Deals and Announcements
- Events
- Executive Positioning
- Internal Communications
- Internal Crisis Communications
- Lateral Hiring Marketing
- Litigation Public Relations
- Media Relations
- Media Relations and Presentation Training
- PR and Marketing Staff Training
- PR Audits and Competitive Analysis
- Prospective Client Meeting Preparation
- Reputation Management
- Social Media
- Writing and Ghost Writing
Sign Up For
Contact Us
Digging a Hole in the Ground
SITUATION
A real estate development company was accused by residents of a building it was tearing down - to make room for a major new development - that the company was racist and disregarding the needs of lower income residents.
The disaffected residents had staged a picket in front of the CEO's home and threatened more demonstrations there. They had also organized large-scale demonstrations in front of other company-owned developments. Additionally, the company learned of plans by the protesters to both attach themselves to buildings scheduled for demolition and to jump in the way of demolition equipment - threatening their lives and the lives of company employees.
Prompted by the protestors, the mainstream and Hispanic media had written several negative stories about the new development. Management feared that continued negative attention would threaten the project and drive down the value of the property even if the company did manage to develop it.
OUR SOLUTION
Created a multi-tiered strategy to both establish goodwill between the company and disaffected lower income families and to turn the media in favor of the development.
A Hispanic public relations agency was sub-contracted to directly communicate with members of the Hispanic press and protest organizers.
Members of the mainstream media were frequently invited to company headquarters for briefings about the progress of the development and the benefits of the development to property values in the entire region. The briefings also served as a forum to remind the media of the steps the company had taken to gain community approval of the development in the first place (numerous public hearings, planning committee hearings, etc.).
Housing and job referral offices created by the company for disaffected residents as well as monetary donations for education and job skills training initiatives were aggressively publicized.
Lastly, positive photo-opportunities were staged of company employees handing out hot chocolate and umbrellas to picketers, and positive, safety related messages were developed to communicate during arrests at building demolition sites.
RESULTS
The mainstream media completely shifted their focus from the plight of the protestors to the positive benefits of the development on the community as a whole. The media also published articles about the value of homes for sale.
The minority press shifted their attention from the negative aspects of the development (people loosing their homes) to the positive benefits their readers were receiving (how many families relocated, new jobs, educational opportunities, etc.).
The development launched successfully and pre-sold a high percentage of homes before construction was even completed.
| Share 
