With 24 hour news and digital communication channels now an aspect of daily life, the face of public relations has changed forever. Rather than managing a crisis, it is now more than likely that, unless you are vigilant and quick, you will have to react to not only the original crisis, but also the critical messages that your consumers and stakeholders publish.
How you handle these will impact directly on brand perception and ultimately your bottom line.
In a year that has seen brands such as Eurostar, Toyota and Vodafone rocked by mismanaging consumer communications, as well as Icelandic volcanic ash disrupting air travel, attendees at this event will learn how social media has changed the way that PR professionals operate. Attendees will receive advice on how best to use social media by highlighting the mistakes of others and explaining where they went wrong. No longer can brands take days or even hours to formulate a corporate response - markets and consumers now expect instantaneous information.
By attending this event you will gain an insight into how to strategically use the plethora of tools available to you so that crises can be controlled.
Speaker:
Clarence Mitchell, Director of Media Strategy & Public Affairs, LEWIS PR
Clarence has over 20 years' experience reporting for BBC Television and Radio News. During his time as a News Correspondent, he reported on a number of crisis situations including the aftermath of the car crash that killed Diana, Princess of Wales, the troubles in Northern Ireland, the Balkans conflict and the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
After leaving the BBC in 2005, Clarence joined the Cabinet Office to become Director of the Government's Media Monitoring Unit, overseeing its development and later transfer to the Central Office of Information.
Whilst there, he was seconded to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and sent to Portugal to act as media handler for Kate and Gerry McCann after their daughter Madeleine disappeared in Portugal. The McCanns later took Clarence on as their full time media spokesman, a position he still retains. Prior to joining LEWIS PR in May 2010, Clarence ran the Media Monitoring Unit for The Conservative Party during their General Election campaign. As an ex-journalist who knows the media inside out, Clarence provides strategic advice for LEWIS PR's clients and also acts as an agency spokesperson and crisis communications advisor.
Registration is from 18:30; the event will start at 19:00 and finish at 21:30.