Crisis communication plan extrema by MLeenaars

Strategic Communication Management Crisis Communication Plan Extrema

Student: Studentnr.: Class: Date: Course code: Lecture:

Rachel van der Sluijs 20178090 CO4 17 June 2014

Student: Studentnr.: Class: Date:

Manon Leenaars 2166539 CO3D 17 June 2014

2259XADV14 Floortje Koot-‐Peters

Table of contents 1. Internal analysis 1.1 XO Extrema Outdoor (description) 1.2 Mission 1.3 Vision 1.4 Core Values 1.5 Communication means 1.6 Symbols

4 4 4 4 4 4 4

2. Issues analysis Transparency in organisations Fair trade food Climate change

5 5 6 6

3. Risk analysis Motivation Fair-‐Trade food Motivation Climate change

7 7 7

4. Arena analysis

5. Scenario planning

6. Crisis communication 6.1 Objectives 6.2 Communication strategy 6.3 Message 6.4 Communication means 6.5 Social Media 6.6 Press List

10 10 10 10 11 11 11

Resource list

Attachment 1: Long list stakeholders Extrema

Attachment 2: Alternative assignment

Attachment 3: Peer evaluation

Introduction For this Advanced Course Strategic Communication Management the assignment was to create a Crisis Communication Plan for a certain organization by choice. Divided in teams of two persons, we decided to choose XO Extrema Outdoor. XO Extrema Outdoor is an international dance festival. XO Extrema Outdoor is a yearly festival organized by XO Extrema Outdoor. There are creative areas and music area’s with over 100 of the world’s best known dance, techno and house artists. XO Extrema Outdoor is not named negative in the press because of something that happened. The crisis we prefer to work out is climate change. We got the following components in this document: Internal Analysis, Analysis of certain issues, Risk analysis, Arena analysis, Scenario planning and Crisis communication plan. The crisis communication plan is limited to approximately 10 pages. In these pages the following subjects have to be present; Strategy, Message, Objectives, Communication Means, Social Media and Target Audiences. All of these subjects have to be clear and in line with the chosen festival In the attachment you will find the longlist, the alternative assignment and our peer evaluation. Have fun reading.

1. Internal analysis

1.1 XO Extrema Outdoor (description) The company XO is a festival organization offering entertainment. Initially, in the Eindhoven region, but then burgeoning with festivals throughout the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway. Marcel Mingers, already working in the music industry, is the founder and now managing director and comes from Eindhoven. XO Extrema Outdoor is an international dance festival. The first edition of XO Extrema Outdoor was in 1996. It is ais a yearly festival one day festival with over 100 of the world’s best known dance, techno and house artists. The edition in the Netherlands takes place on 12 July 2014 at the beautiful lake Aquabest near Eindhoven.

1.2 Mission People amuse through peaceful and joyful dance music festivals with a stylish decor and a relax, warm and love atmosphere.

1.3 Vision Every year the company comes up with a theme with a relationship with the current time. This theme is developed and has been a recurring theme at the festival.

1.4 Core Values The core values Extrema Outdoor handles are: peaceful and joyful, having an attractive and stylish decor and a relax, warm and love atmosphere.

1.5 Communication means Communication means

Website

Website XO Extrema Outdoor

www.xofestival.nl

Facebook XO Extrema Outdoor

www.facebook.com/extrematoutdoor

Twitter XO Extrema Outdoor

www.twitter.com/ExtremaOutdoor

YouTube channel XO Extrema Outdoor

www.youtube.com/user/extremaoutdoor

The majority of communication with the festivalgoers is through social media like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. There is also use of radio messages and billboards

1.6 Symbols The name XO Extrema Outdoor stands for: to look for boundaries. The seahorse in the logo symbolizes Love & Respect. (Extrema, 2014) 4

2. Issues analysis

In this analysis three most relevant issues for the organisation XO at this moment will be discussed and motivated. Those three issues will be motivated per issue in relation to the issue life cycle. After discussing and motivating the issues, they will be placed in the risk matrix. So witch of the issues are the important issues and will be taken into account. In the next chapter you will find an arena analysis for the selected issue. Scenario planning and crisis communication strategy. Issue 1. Transparency in organisations

1. Current stage

2. Fair trade food

2. Potential stage

3. Climate change

3. Current stage

Transparency in organisations The issue of being transparent is important for the organisation. Since the last couple of years transparency became more relevant to the visitors. Transparency is a trend that each organisation has to be clear and honest to their audience. When something goes wrong an organization must be open to their audience. For example why choices and decisions are made. When something will change it’s also important to inform the visitors. In 2012 Extrema Outdoor decided to change their name in XO Live. Another twist and still 100% dance music, with the most famous DJs, new talents and more intimate areas where the festival visitor a varied dose techno, club, tech house, and dub step could choose. They made the visitors very curious. (limit, 2014) This issue is especially risky because of the history of festivals related to transparency, which contributes to the prior relational reputation. (Coombs, 2007) The McDonalds case is also a good example of transparency, it shows that organizational responses to a crises are very much determining the degree of strength of an issue. It is essential that an organization is transparency in the way the conducts its activities. It is about sharing all the information the audience wants or needs, and not just the information that the organization is willing to share. It is about putting all facts on the table, even when some of them are uncomfortable. It is about being honest and open about what actions are taken, by whom and on what grounds. (Sheehan, 2006)

Fair trade food Consumers find it more and more important what is and what isn’t good for us. In general there is a need on fair-‐trade food on festivals. They festivalgoers are more and more concerned about what they consume. They prefer to eat biological food then fast food on festivals. Honestly obtained pure food is preferred which will result in a healthy way of living. Many festivals magnificently participate in this trend. They target audience of Extrema is not in need of fair trade food. That’s why Extrema have chosen to offer no fair trade food at the festival. (Springer, 2006) To be a Fair Trade mark product, all actors in the supply chain, including importers and exporters, must obtain the Fair Trade certification. A number of studies have constituted the logic of Fair Trade, showing theoretically that if consumers value the nature of the production process, improve jointly welfare. (Dragusanu, Giovannucci, & Nunn, 2013) Climate change The weather is something we cannot control. Even though visitors of festivals prefer a sunny day it can change in an hour. Looking back at the disaster, which happened at Pukkelpop 2011. There was a storm coming and the whole festival turned out in one catastrophe. (Global Issues, 2014) The climate of The Netherlands is also something that is changing. The risks that follow this climate change have result on the change in our society. Recent years, the focus on combating climate change has grown. There is need in working to get The Netherlands climate-‐proof. (Dopp S Albers, 2008).

3. Risk analysis

3 3

2 1

1.Transparency in organisations 2. Fair trade food 3. Climate change Motivation Transparency in organisations Transparency is important when something goes wrong and needs to communicate. The chance of an emergency at a festival is little, the organisation will always try to eliminate all of the risk they can think off. Even though the organisation put a lot of afford in taking out all of the risk, this won’t be a guarantee of something going wrong. In case of an emergency it will be very important to communicate transparent with everyone who is involved. Motivation Fair-‐Trade food Fair-‐Trade food is gaining in popularity, consumers are getting more interested in the cycles of how food is generated. In my opinion people are taking this more and more serious in daily life but not when it comes down to a festival. People are trying to get out of their daily routines and mind-‐set not having to worry about subjects like Fair-‐Trade. For this reason I don’t think the influence of selling Fair-‐Trade food at a festival will influence the ticket sale. Motivation Climate change The impact of a changing climate has a big influence on the festival season. The festival season takes place in the summertime. In this period the chance of having good weather is at is highest. I assume, when this period of having good weather is stretching out cause we are dealing with global warming, the festival season will be longer. 7

4. Arena analysis Stakeholder

Degree of power & Authority

Interest in issue

Press

High, important to get positive media attention.

Commercial and informational.

Very visible.

Government Best

High, they give permission to organize the festival.

Commercial

Not very visible

Social media followers

The can create a positive or negative vibe around the festival.

Personal

Social media followers are very visible.

Visitors

High, because without them there will be no festival.

Personal

Visitors are visible and active

Degree of activity & visibility

5. Scenario planning History The organisation of Extrema has much luck when it comes to the weather for the festival over the years. In the Extrema Outdoor edition of 2011 they had bad weather. The fire ware department of the festival expected that the visitors would go home with lots of numbers. Because they were prepared on the weather they made more exits. Afterwards this was not necessary. The visitors didn’t bother themselves with the rain and partied on. (Omroep Brabant, 2011) The extremely weathers changes in the Netherlands Not only The Netherlands but in whole Europe it is unusual warm. The temperature one year ago will give you the totally opposite of what the temperature is today. Because of the high temperatures in this winter are the weather possibilities of the summer also erratic. (Scientias, 2014) Unpredictable weather In The Netherlands there is no outspoken dry of wet periods. The possibility of atmospheric precipitation is present on many days. Because of the site of our country, the absent of mountains and the dividing line between cold and warm we have an unpredictable weather in The Netherlands. (Klimaatinfo, 2014) 5.2 What if: Based on the issue ‘unpredictable weather’ we came up with a couple of crisis situations that can arise by asking the ‘what if..’ questions: What if there is much rain? What if a visitor dies due to the high temperature weather and dehydration? What if the festival field is flooded? We’ve chosen for the following crisis situation: What if a visitor dies due to the high temperature weather and dehydration?

6. Crisis communication 6.1 Objectives Limit the reputation damage of Extrema Situation Crisis Communication Theory (Coombs, 2007) Initial crisis responsibility The first step is to determine the initial crisis responsibility. The three clusters in the initial crisis responsibility are victim, accidental and preventable. Because of an accidental death due to dehydration it will be an accidental cluster. This because Extrema will hand out free water at high temperature, but can’t check every visitor if they drink enough. The crisis history is very little and prior reputation very good. So this means they have little prior crises that can intensify the reputational threat, which therefore leads to a lower crisis responsibility.

6.2 Communication strategy The best primary Crisis Response Strategy we will use is a form of Diminish crisis response strategies, being: the excuse strategy, explain that there was inability to control the situation and not fully to blame. (Coombs, 2007) Because of the high weather Extrema Outdoor will take actions like handing out free water bottles. Because of the many visitors, Extrema Outdoor is not able to control every situation. To drink as much as needed is the own responsibility of the visitor.

6.3 Message Because of a death due to high temperature and dehydration on the festival the Managing Director of Extrema should speak up. The Managing Director will be using the CRA principle, which means Care, Responsibility and Action.

We give our sympathies to the family of the victim (CARE). We are doing everything possible to hand out enough free water, we regret that this accident has happened. (Responsibility). We will keep trying to improve the visitors to drink enough free water because of the high temperature (action). It is important to give facts and tangible information. Keep certain structure in mind like, what, where, when. Keep calm and confident and take control of the situation. 10

Avoid the following: -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐

Do not name individuals First notify relatives before talking about the victims Who is guilty What caused the incident How to avoid future incidents What went wrong

6.4 Communication means For the different target groups we will have different means of communication. The main means of communication will be the website and social media channels of Extrema, a press conference. Website: There will be relevant information every hour. Because of the every hour update we can give accurate information about the developments of the crisis. Visitors & Media Press conference: Here will be much questions and information going. It is very important that the information that will be given is accurate. Media Visitors: Website and Social Media. Partners: Managing Director writes a personal letter explaining the situation. Media: Website and Press conference.

6.5 Social Media Social Media is one of the most powerfully places to spread a word. This can go both negative and positive. Important to respond if necessary through Social Media. Refer to website, press statement Q&A etc. Refute rumours or incorrect accounts. (Red Cross, 2011) Key points use social media: -‐ -‐ -‐

Explain the situation and tell about the actions you are going to follow. Apologize, don’t hide your mistakes, admit it. Stay connected

6.6 Press List Giving the right information to the right press is relevant. Focussing on target group (young readers) and event media press we have selected the following media: Local media: Spits/metro NRC 3FM, 538

Resource list https://www.facebook.com/extremaoutdoor/info www.extendlimit.nl http://scholar.google.nl/scholar_url?hl=nl&q=http://www.researchgate.net/publication/226 354722_Sustainable_Food_Consumption_Exploring_the_Consumer_Attitude__Behavioral_I ntention_Gap/file/72e7e52777df661605.pdf&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm04EcfVWYMUPUqIw-‐ ZuScatOlXLA http://nieuws-‐uitgelicht.infonu.nl/mens-‐en-‐samenleving/80584-‐de-‐ravage-‐op-‐pukkelpop-‐ 2011-‐vele-‐doden-‐en-‐gewonden.html (Dragusanu, R., Giovannucci, D., & Nunn, N. (2013). The Economics of Fair Trade. Mimeo, Harvard University. First Version: September.) (Döpp, S., Albers, R., & Opdrachtgever, T. N. O. (2008). Klimaatverandering in Nederland: Uitdagingen voor een leefbare stad. TNO, Utrecht.) (Sheehan, Mark, (2006). McDonalds in Crisis: A Comparative Analysis in a National Organizational Context.) (Coombs, T.W. (2007) Protecting Organization Reputations During a Crisis: The Development and Application of Situational Crisis Communication Theory. Corporate Reputation Review Volume 10 Number 3.) http://www.globalissues.org/issue/178/climate-‐change-‐and-‐global-‐warming http://www.omroepbrabant.nl/?news/147417932/Extrema+Outdoor+veel+regen,+maar+go ed+verlopen+(Fotos).aspx http://www.scientias.nl/nasa-‐laat-‐zien-‐hoe-‐vreemd-‐de-‐winter-‐van-‐20132014-‐ werkelijk/96751 http://www.klimaatinfo.nl/nederland/ 12

Attachment 1: Long list stakeholders Extrema Visitors Booking agency Artists Government Municipality Best Medical service Police Politicians Fire department Medical service Partners (Bavaria, 3FM, Coca Cola, Bacardi, Red Bull, CJP, ED.nl, Barefoot Wine) Ticket sale (See tickets) Sound and light technicians Volunteers and employees Media (Local, Dutch and Worldwide press) Security Catering Coin sale Constructers of the festival Local residents Merchandise Décor Food and beverage Public toilets Buma/Stemra

Attachment 2: Alternative assignment Alternative assignment Rachel van der Sluys Pukkelpop On the festival Pukkelpop Thursday 18th of august 2011 a heavy storm made a full disaster. About 18 o’clock a heavy thunderstorm for a short amount of time got a cross the festival. Within several minutes the whole meadow was full with water. Because of the heavy wind several threes broke and fell down. Many visitors took shelter underneath the party tents, but because of the heavy weather the tent was not able to stand up and broke. Someone of the visitors died and many visitors got injured. The mobile phone network didn’t works visitors weren’t able to call their family or friends. After two hours 60.000 visitors were of the festival area. At the end 5 visitors died because of the high weather change. Throughout respect the festival was cancelled. Otherwise it would have going on till Saturday but because of the disaster it has made they cancelled the whole festival. Crisis The power of social media has also shown his side throughout the Pukkelpop crisis. Because of the mobile phone network that didn’t worked many things went by Internet. On twitter there were many hash tags like #hasselthelptand #genthelptwerepeopleoutside the festival wanted to give the visitors help and shelter. Also relatives of the visitors that never been on twitter made communication with visitors of Pukkelpop. They also managed to make an emergency website and phone number. They ended information throughout press but also of throughout their website. Unfortunately the phone number changed through the evening and this causes confusion. The mayor was the person who spoke about the crisis, the facts and the circumstances. Theoretical point of view They determine a message like the theory CRA principle: Care, Responsibility, and Action. Not by Chokri but by the Mayor this CRA principle was used. Coombs, 2010 suggests that crisis managers should match strategic crisis responses to the level of crisis responsibility and reputational threat posed by a crisis. The organization from Pukkelpop used a approach for this crisis.

What went well what could have done better? The things that went well were first of all the communication by the mayor. She spoke very well. She showed empathy and compassion, she told the facts and spoke about the circumstances. The communication by Chokri was not that ok. Because he had a lot on his head he made an mistake saying throughout press that he finding it very difficult to cancelling the festival organizational. This is of course very opposite against the many injured visitors there were on the festival. For Pukkelpop it was better to let someone else speak about this that can say in a split second what happened, what are the facts and what is Pukkelpop going to do about it. Insights First of all the power of Social Media is definitely an insight I picked up from this case. With good use of it you can reach out a big crowed. For example the hashtags that were used through twitter by people that lived among the festival and wanted to help the visitors. Another insight is to choose wisely your crisis communicator. It is very important to have somebody that is can describe a situation in a split second and also be very clear about the whole situation. Example case? Not every organization will do full 100% good in a crisis communication. There will always be certain obstacles that will go wrong. Generally this case is definitely an example case. Many things like medical help and communication was very good.

Alternative assignment Manon Leenaars Pukkelpop tragedy at august 18th 2011 Description of the crisis Pukkelpop, the popular Belgian music festival on august 18th 2011 in Hasselt-‐Kiewit. There were 60,000 visitors at the festival. The festival was hit unusually hard by storm. Within half an hour time destroyed a particularly fierce storm several festival tents and the whole meadow was flooded. What was to be a party has degenerated into a total havoc, causing several deaths and dozens of heavy and light injuries. The festival was put stop as a result of the events. A black page in the Belgian music. In Holland we usually do not have hard storms. But it happened at Pukkelpop in Kiewit in 2011. The storm was not predicted by the weather journal. The storm took five lives and caused major damage. In a few minutes all the water from the storm flooded the whole festival field. Some trees snapped off by strong winds. Many people were afraid of the wind, they took shelter in the Château-‐tent, but it collapsed as a result of large hailstones, rain and strong winds. One person died and many other people were injured. There was so much damage that the only thing people care about is saving their own life. Everywhere you looked you saw people running, it was one big chaos. (Wikipedia, 2014) Description of how Pukkelpop managed this crisis Out of respect for the victims, the entire festival was canceled. It would normally have lasted until Saturday. Off course they organisation were not prepared for a hard storm. Around nine o'clock, three hours after the big storm, there was a press conference by the major of Hasselt. The festival Pukkelpop was hit by heavy weather. From the data that they currently had available was known that two persons are death. Beside this two persons there were 40 people injured. The severely wounded had been taken to the hospital and the slightly wounded to the sports hall. The medical intervention plan was announced; all the emergency services were in operation. The crisis team consists of the police, the fire department, paramedics, the head of Pukkelpop, local government (major) and the security team. Opposite the festival terrain in De Binder, there was a possibility for psychological assistance. It was decided to communicate in general through the media. There was an emergency number to answer individual questions. (Youtube, 2011) 16

Analysis Discuss the case from a theoretical point of view: connect this case to the theory from the course (use references). I connect this case to the theory of issues management capabilities. The theory of crisis communication capability is about who says what about what and through which channel. And ensure Pukkelpop’s awareness of issues and of any potential (in) direct consequences thereof. It was decided to communicate in general through the media, so there will not be different stories told. Around nine o'clock, three hours after the big storm, there was a press conference by the Mayor of Hasselt. (Van Riel, 2010)

Point out what, according to you, went well in this case and what they could have done better. What the organization did well is to first inform the family of the injured victims and the persons who died at the festival. That’s why the press conference was three hours after the big storm. The next important thing they did was to set up an emergency number to respond to family of the victims What could have done better is that the head of the organization also speaks in the press conference. The head of the organization is the face of the festival, he has to speak to the media and apologize and tell everybody that the organization is doing the best they can to control the crisis/situation. The head of the organization will have to collaborate with the major. So they have the same mean and that they show the world that they collaborate together.

Give at least two insights you got from this case. The major has to speak to the media, to tell the world what is happening and what they are going to do. So the major is responsible to calm down the visitors, the local residents and the society. The major has to do this together with the head of the organization. Can this -‐according to the theory from the course-‐ be seen as an example case or not for how to manage a crisis? Explain with arguments. Yes, this case can be seen as an example for how to manage a crisis because: • The entire festival was canceled. • There was a press conference by the major of Hasselt. • From the data that they currently had available they gave information. • The medical intervention plan was announced. • There was psychology assistance available.

Attachment 3: Peer evaluation Peer evaluation Rachel van der Sluys Our group went really well. We’ve done equal parts for this plan and checked each other’s work. Because it was sometimes hard for us to get together during school we made several parts. After school we got together and made some changes. The cooperation went very well. Peer evaluation Manon Leenaars For me the assignment was a little bit difficult in the beginning. We had to make an crisis communication plan for an event. Divided in teams of two persons, the decision was made very fast. We choose the event XO Extrema Outdoor. It was hard to find information about this organisation because their website is not full of clear information like mission, vision and target. Then we had to find three relevant issues for XO Extrema Outdoor at this moment. Finally we gave our chosen organization an advice on crisis communications in relation to one selected issue. About the collaboration, I prefer to work together with someone. Because then you have two opinions and two people with great ideas, which you can combine. The collaboration with Rachel went well because we were able to combine our ideas and help each other. When we got to the part of creating a worst-‐case scenario, we felt back. It was hard to come up with a scenario and how to react on it. But finally we created a really worst-‐case scenario. Personally I don’t think this will ever happen.