Crisis communications is the ultimate spectator sport; played out in the world’s newspapers, on the Internet, and over the airwaves. All crises are a Shakespearean tragedy; with a hero, an anti-hero (the villain), and the sotto vocce voices providing commentary. This class is about winning communications battles when losing isn’t an option.
You will learn the three critical phases of crisis communications: Winning Forward, Winning, and Winning Back (preparation, crisis, brand emergence). It is presumed that all entities (countries, companies, individuals, NGOs, etc…) have a brand or aspire to one. A crisis is the most critical moment in the life of a brand, as its power to define an entity is far more compelling than any and all past marketing efforts combined.
This course is designed to emulate a professional crisis communications environment. Students will be asked to make many of the same decisions and perform many of the same duties that communications professionals (from the mail room to the CEO’s office) engage in every day. Instruction will be based around a series of lectures that allow for active student participation, and weekly reading assignments that will prepare students to actively participate. At times throughout the course, guest speakers will be invited to share their expertise in the specific areas of crisis communications and public relations that we will examine.