Required Reading: #PR mistakes in the Age of COVID-19 Communications

The plan was to inform customers, employees, vendors, and the industry how one company planned to safely serve customers during the deadly Coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.

As the iPhone recorded video, the CEO of a multi-state company sat uncomfortably behind a desk reading from what appeared to be index cards.

What should have been a heartfelt message from the articulate industry leader--came across more like a book report delivered by a nervous 5th grader who hadn't finished the assignment.

Unfortunately, it came across looking like an ill-planned dress rehearsal. It seemed to do more harm than good to the established brand in business for more than 50 years. Two weeks after this video debuted on social media...it is nowhere to be found online.

The rushed execution of the D.I.Y. (Do-It-Yourself) communication on social media ended up being a D.O.A. (Dead-On-Arrival).

Rapid responses are often required in #crisis #communications. However, the two strategies (Shoot, Fire, and Aim and Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em) are often deployed and lead to self-inflicted brand damage.

Both of these are knee-jerk reactions from managers inside a company who feel any response is better than no response. My experience has been that these managers embark on projects where they or #leadership think--"Hey, wouldn't it be a cool idea if..." and the results often come across as weak or amateurish.

Effective crisis communications strategy is a complex process that requires careful examination of the brand's mission, message and media platforms.

Often what is said (the mission) is just as important as the message (how and why it is said) and what media platforms are used for distribution. Read more about the power of confident speaking.

It is often easier to "read" how something is being said over what is being said. We all know that body language makes up a substantial percentage of how a message is received. Nearly three million people have watched this TED Talk on the neuroscience of communications.

The company CEO, in the above crisis communication video, appeared to be so nervous and halting that it actually made me wonder if the leader operates the same way in his day-to-day duties. The good news is that I have seen him on a panel discussion and he is a true leader.

Seasoned PR pros who have experience with live news, webcasting, brand voice, and brand positioning try to imagine how communication may come across from a 360-degree perspective.

Our job as a crisis communication strategist and content producer is to make the leader come across as intelligent, informed, thoughtful and compassionate.

1.) Does the CEO sound nervous? How can we help reduce stress (Deep breathing exercises)

2.) Does the CEO have on-camera with or without a teleprompter?

3.) Does the CEO know what clothes to wear if a green screen background is used?

4.) Does the CEO look directly at the camera or off to one side in an interview style?

5.) Does the CEO have tastefully-done graphics, images, or b-roll to enhance the message during the presentation?

New York Governor Andrew #Cuomo has perfected his daily news briefings into an art form. He covers essential messages making sure to separate facts from his own personal opinion. He uses PowerPoint slides that do not overwhelm viewers--instead they clearly emphasize key elements.

The backgrounds of his slides subtly enhance the message or meaning. This style of planned and impromptu communications is so much his style and DNA that he owns it.

It often feels like these are FDR Fireside Chats. Removing politics, his presentation is smooth, comforting, and human. He connects with human elements we all can connect with.

The governor recently gave audiences far and wide a glimpse into Sunday afternoon dinner table traditions including Spaghetti and meatballs and how not to alienate a child who has chosen a boyfriend.

The Cuomos are a family of gifted orators who speak with great intellect, compassion and compassion. I interviewed Mario M. Cuomo for a 3-part series that I produced that gained an Emmy nomination. As a rapid response video producer, I was once dispatched to Andrew Cuomo's home to record a message that we quickly uploaded to the internet.

From first-hand experience, I can tell you that Andrew Cuomo has a smooth, prepared and impromptu style. He has honed it over a lifetime and it is remarkable to experience. The Governor looked over my shoulder as I edited video clips and he asked for feedback and made suggestions. This was a process that I enjoyed as I felt that he was looking to produce the best product possible

Governor Cuomo said today at a news conference in Buffalo, that responding to COVID is like tackling a brushfire. He also was clear his approach President Trump will be to tell the truth.

Top tips for effective leadership communications in a crisis:

1.) Determine what you want viewers to feel or know as a result of the communications?

2.) What do you want viewers to do with the new information? Is there a call to action?

3.) What information cannot be released due to proprietary, regulatory or legal reasons?

4.) Does your spokesperson or leader feel comfortable with all aspects of the project?

5.) Are you putting your crisis communicator in over their head?

All of the above is a thought process that seasoned crisis communicators rapidly contemplate when deciding when to speak and what to say. My journalism and PR background certainly helped me look at the news, client, and brand side.

It used to be the PR pros just cranked out news releases and scheduled interviews. Now, we must all be content producers, executive producers, distribution experts, visual branders, and exceptional storytellers. It's all about relevant engagement with audiences throughout the beginning middle and end. You might even argue that there is no end as someone in their pajamas at 2 a.m. could unleash a hate-filled rant about your brand.

Brand communications in the age of social media and COVID-19 is a fluid and complex undertaking. Customers or audiences can take potshots or "pig pile" on a brand in no time flat.

Your leader must come across the firm, confident, compassionate in the age of COVID-19. Just because you have the ability to go live or record a thought leader's response does not always mean the outcome will hit the target. Seasoned PR and media pros often rely on a wealth of first-hand experience that gets evaluated long before a camera rolls.

Sometimes inside PR and marketing managers are afraid to bring in outside help--either because things will go wrong or they will be shown up. Brand-News-Team is often called in at the last minute to assist with crisis communications or to capture a company leader's mission-critical message.

We were dispatched to capture colorful and heartfelt comments when REVLON Chairman of the Board Ronald Perelman was unable to make the induction of his close friend Jon Bon Jovi into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Another client called to ask: "Where are you located?" I responded: "Where do you need us to be?"

In two days, we had crews fanned out all over New York state to capture audio and video from 10 news conferences. Within a few hours, edited audio, video, and still content were uploaded for the client to distribute on #social media platforms to its members.

In some cases, brands need to be their own news teams. Especially in the age of COVID-19 when news outlets are short-staffed. Just because an event does not make it onto the 6 O'clock news does not mean it is not key information for those with a vested interest in the topic.

My final advice: keep it simple, keep it believable, keep it factual, keep it visual, and keep it human. Once all of those bases are covered then think about the technology that can be best used to covey the communications.

Determine whether the communication is a one-time or regular engagement. Decide whether the brand will engage with customer feedback on the web, social, and mobile platforms.

WRAP: I felt bad for the company executive who sat behind a desk and read from index cards. I know he is capable of so much more powerful and effective communications. It was not good or bad. It was really ugly. Unfortunately, these D-I-Y communications ending up being D-O-A.

Roger Rosenbaum is an award-winning journalist who has become a trusted advisor to content producers, publications, senior executives, and brands. He is the president of Brand-News-Team, Inc, a New York state-based digital communications and strategy firm specializing in visual branding and storytelling.