Planning for a crisis or even negative publicity is seen as the province of PR, which is then often used in conjunction with other forms of communication.

Assume you have been asked to help devise a crisis avoidance and management plan of action that would involve a major consumer brand such as Perrier, Tylenol or So Good that would fit in with that brand’s advertising and image. Use the DSM provided in Chapter 4 to complete the following tasks:

• Outline what you feel to be the key background points to the brand. From this information establish the likely target(s) or publics.

• Establish possible objectives for the brand facing a potential crisis. Write an outline crisis management strategy proposal for the brand, suggesting ideas on creative and media tactics.

• Provide ideas on the implementation of a crisis management campaign for the brand by using the parameters in the implementation section of the DSM framework and show clearly what you would recommend in terms of allocation, budgets, timings and so on. Pay particular attention to any leadership aspects that the brand might have. • Using the final section of the DSM, the control section, suggest what monitoring, evaluation and research methods and techniques you would employ to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of the brand’s campaign