For the second time around, I passed a reaction paper on our PR Class which entails a much deeper and harder analysis. It was passed actually a few weeks ago, and the results just came in earlier this afternoon during our class.
I admit, I wasn't confident enough that I would get again another high mark for this, for unlike my ImPResyon ng PRopesyon: Deal or No Deal? reaction paper, this one really took my nerves out. For in this situation, we have not only one, but to topics to analyze - plus a comparison that makes your mind twisting while thinking and rethinking.
My vibes was true - but I'm still happy and proud of what my papers have achieved. My grade was 6.9, not bad for a 7-is-the-highest grading system I daresay.
Here's a glimpse:
Twice
A
few days back, my consecutive rest hours and days was stopped by a very
alarming assignment – a PR Case Study! Here we go again! I bet you anything,
this is one of the things that CMC students are dreadful about even the before
batches. But on this case, we were asked to face not just one – make it double!
Twice the PR Case Study, twice the nerve-racking dreadful experience.
I
remember a time when one of my higher
year friends told me about their case study, the Johnson and Johnson: Tylenol and
Exxon Valdez. At that precise moment, I still don’t have any PR subjects, and I
admit, I could really not relate to what she was saying before. On my mind,
this line goes: “someday, I will be able
to encounter that case study too. And if that time comes, I’ll make sure I’ll
put my best to it.” And now, this is that time! Unfortunately, both case studies were given to us at the same time.
Good Lord…
Now
let’s face this…
Upon
reading, I’ve discovered that these two case studies were both a major player
on PR history. Though what happened with one is way too different from the
other, it still managed to give out both the pros and cons of having PR on such
crises.
First
we have the poisoning and killing incidents with Tylenol on September 30, 1982.
According to what I’ve read, both on the case study and other resource stuff,
this Johnson and Johnson tragedy mirrored one of the so-called greatest
miracles and achievements in the field of Public Relations. Thanks to the
mighty and brave soul of the company named James Burke, the chairman of J &
J. He’s the man behind the successful comeback of J & J’s Tylenol on the
store shelves, not just once, but twice! For about four years later, the same
incident happened in 1986, still, the company managed to survive. Their main
weapon: the link between public relations and public responsibility as the
essence of ethical behavior.
Next
in line is the oil-spill at Alaska’s Prince William Sound by the tanker Exxon Valdez in March
24, 1989. Much likely on what happened here in Guimaras Island,
the oil-spill endangered marine life on the affected area. What happened here
is alike to what happened on J & J – they are both big crises which needs a
big fix. But what happened next after the crisis occurred was way different on
J & J’s approach, because here, the company did not pay much attention on
their publics. Its CEO in the person of Lawrence Rawl was a total counterpart
of Burke. Their major mistake: the absence of dealing with the crisis itself,
in the PR way.
In
this sense, one can compare both crises, how was it dealt, and its effects
accordingly. And this time, it’s my turn to do that.
We
see the fact that both incidents happened in dissimilar timeframe and the
occurrences opposites one another. Still, they both need proper approach; they
both need good PR attacks. As to what happened, both company’s dilemma was the
need to regain the trust of its consumers. At this point, Burke succeeded on
his tactic of being a media personality, while Rawl’s tactic of avoiding the
media (and the crisis itself…) was a total looser on that manner. The public
knows the difference of right and wrong, they know when or where to judge
people (thanks to media…), that’s why Rawl’s disappearing act is like an
eye-sore for their publics. Having the initiative was the edge of Burke, for
being here and there at times like that was appealing; it creates this vibe in
you that says to your public, “hey! I’m
in-charge, and I know my charge!” For all we know, if the topmost
functions, the sensation creeps down till its very little ends.
When
it comes to their approach regarding the crisis, J & J’s was far better
than that of what Exxon Corporation did. Of course, this still relates to their
big bosses’ tactics. Having thought of doing public appearances on TV shows and
on every media you can think of, having a pep rally to boost morale and foster
unity, an 800 telephone number for consumers, corporate officials with
commitment regarding the investigations, and re-introducing Tylenol as new and
repackaged are just incomparable with regards to what Exxon Corporation did on
their oil-spill incident, which was to hide on the media and the publics,
send-off lower ranking officials to the site where it happened, a $32,000 grant
for the Alaska Public Radio Network to stop the spreading news, and an $8M
effort to save the lives of the species affected. How come I said it was
incomparable? Simple… J & J managed to come back and survive in the lesser
time it was expected to do so, while Exxon Corporation spent great amounts of
money and efforts just to cling unto their company’s survival. The public
really knows what, when, where, how, and who to trust.
On
both of its effects, their crises managed to be part of the outrageous history
of the Public Relations study and field. For both of these bears not only
unforgettable people and things, but also lessons to ponder about. I myself
have learned the value of public trust on J & J’s situation, that if you
are in-charge of something, you must really know your charge. And negligence of
ethical public responsibility leads to disaster. On the part of Exxon
Corporation, I’ve learned the value of facing even the worst of the worst of
your fears. For once you do so, it allows you to envelope yourself with trust
from your publics, plus the fact that the experience you would get from it
would be worthwhile. After all, experience is the best teacher, and the one who
experienced it becomes the bright student.
Now,
as I finish this paper, I became more aware of what I do as a student leader. I
thought this paper would bore me at all upon doing it, but I was totally wrong.
These two case studies served as my bell alarm to reflect on what I was doing
in the past few days. Whew! PR really is nerve-racking, and surprises you to
the innermost part of yourself. This is surely one great deal of learning both
this part of PR history. Twice the PR
Case Study, twice the learning and enjoying experience.
