Public Relations Crisis



Public Relations Crisis

The New Carpet

In this case study, 'the new carpet', the Executive Director (ED) at Families First, a nonprofit agency, is confronted head-on with a public relations crisis. Families first offer numerous services to its community members. The agency conducts advocacy for domestic abuse victims. It offers support groups and counseling services for teenagers. Further, Families first also advocate services for the mentally ill clients. It accommodates referrals and provides information to the concerned.

Being a director at a successful non-profit agency, ED has a persona in the minds of the community. It has to be perceived through media, as a healthy functioning law abiding and considerate member of the social and economic set up of the community.

The crisis accentuated at the agency, through which clients and employees in the agencies vicinity began to encounter intestinal and respiratory problems. The reasons for this concurrent mishap are rather suspicious; with most assuming that the newly installed carpets and installations in the whole building are infected. These items were donated by one the board members of Families First. This particular member has also rented a commercial space in the building to practice and extend his trade in carpets and fittings.

The deteriorating health conditions of staff and clients are catastrophic for the public image of the agency, if it is allowed to persist. Furthermore, client averseness to the agency due to this information leakage; health related costs that need to be borne on the staff and general disposition of anxiousness among staff are some chief problems that this crisis brings along. Though, within this crisis comes an opportunity to advocate the chief concerns that the institute aims to address and alleviate in society. As such, this crisis can be effectively used to harness the media attention towards the root ...