When we think of crisis management, our minds usually go to health scares like the recent Enfamil baby formula association with dangerous bacterial infections or the famous case of Tylenol being tainted. But crisis PR occurs more often than we might think, and not all the cases that might hurt a brand create a national sensation. Take the upcoming New Years Eve promotion by AAA of its Tipsy Tow program, designed to get drunk drivers and their vehicles home safely.
As reported by Shelly Kramer on the V3 blog, there has been quite a stir on social media as well as mainstream outlets as the general public and news organizations alike praised this program and its good intentions. What many consumers did not know what that the program was only available in a few states, although news mentions are starting to appear including or focusing on this fact.
AAA faces an issue that is rapidly gaining traction with unclear impact on its stellar brand. In addition to monitoring social and print media for trends in coverage, it needs to know – right away – what is being said on TV and radio about its brand and this generous offer to anyone (you don’t need to be a AAA member to get a safe ride and tow home). To help clarify which regions are offering Tipsy Tow, AAA has listed the participating AAA clubs on its Website at this link.
For now, the coverage on the program in print, broadcast and electronic media seems fair and balanced: AAA gets props for what it is doing and only a mention or at most mild criticism for not covering the whole country with this innovative program (TV coverage in central and western New York and North Carolina mentions without much criticism that drivers cannot access the program as it has been canceled in those regions due to abuse). But what if the trend changes over the next couple of days? What if there’s an accident after a motorist cannot access Tipsy Tow in his or her state? Having immediate updates on what is being said about AAA on TV and radio could make the difference between managing a crisis and becoming a victim of it.
It’s also interesting to note the pervasiveness of TV coverage vs online. A search on Google News for “Tipsy Tow” for the last 30 days yielded around 100 hits on Dec 30. TVEyes search yielded 553 results for the same search term and period. This supports Ms. Kramer’s point that free search tools (in her case referring to social media monitoring only) are not enough to ensure you know what is being said about your brand.
With TVEyes Media Monitoring Suite, companies get real-time alerts, search and monitoring of coverage for an unlimited list of search terms, for all major broadcast stations in all 210 US DMAs, national cable television and unmatched international coverage. Its searchable database of TV and radio allows keyword and phrase search, and unlimited clips can be downloaded to the user’s workstation.
We offer a crisis management playbook that demonstrates how to use broadcast media monitoring to prepare for and respond to crisis situations. Get your copy today!
For more information about TVEyes Media Monitoring Suite, please call 203-254-3600 x100 or sales@tveyes.com
