CrisisCommunicationPlanFor

BurgerKing

By:ElizabethDobski

TableofContents

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..…………1Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………………..….2RehearsalDates……………………………………………………………………………………….……...3PurposeandObjectives…………………………………………………………………………….……..….4ListofKeyPublics…………………………………………………………………………………….….…..5NotifyingPublics…………………………………………………………………………….……………….6IdentifyingCrisisCommunicationTeam……………………………………………………………………………….………………7CrisisDirectory………………………………………………………..………………………8MediaSpokesperson……………………………………………….………………….…..9ListofEmergencyPersonnelandLocalOfficials…………………………………………………………………………….……………10ListofKeyMedia…………………………………………………………………………………………….11SpokespersonFromRelatedOrganization…………………………………………………….……………………………12CrisisCommunicationControlCenter…………………………………………………………………………………………..13EquipmentandSupplies…………………………………………………………………………………….….14PregatheredInformation…………………………………………………………………….………….…15KeyMessages……………………………………………………………………………….16Website………………………………………………………………………..……………...17BlogsandSocialMedia………………………………………………………………………….…………………18TrickQuestions……….………………………………………………….………………….19ListofProdromes………………………………………………………..……………………………20ListofRelatedInternetURLs………………………………………………………………..……………………………..21EvaluationForm………………………………………………………………..…………………………….22MockPressRelease…………………………………………………………………………………………..23

Introduction

Theissueathandisdealingwiththecrisisofthefree

kidsmealtoysbeinghazardoustochildren.Thisissue

isimportanttolookatbecausethereisalwaysa

dangerandaliabilitywhenitcomestogivingsmall

toystochildren.Thiscrisishashappenedinthepast

andthereisalwaysachanceofithappeningagain

evenafterthestepstakentotryandpreventit.

‐SignofffromCEOJohnW.Chidsey

Acknowledgments

Signofffrom:

CEO,JohnW.Chidsey

CFO,BenK.Wells

CIO,RajRawal

RehearsalDates

December1st

May1st

September1st

PurposeandObjectives

Purpose:Itisimportanttopickthiscrisisbecauseithashappened

beforeandthewaytolearnfromthatistomakesurethatthereisa

crisisplanincaseiteverhappensagain.Thiscrisisisamajorone,as

itinvolvesthelivesofchildren.Thepurposeistobepreparedforthe

future.

Objectives:

• TobepreparedintheinstancethatachildisharmedfromoneofBurgerKing’skidsmealstoys.

• Toproperlydealwiththecrisisandsincerelydealwiththefamilieseffected.

• Tomaintainourimageinthemediaandnotmakeproblems

worsethantheyalreadyare.

• Tomakesurethatnotonlyisthecrisisteamprepared,butemployeesareaswellwhendealingwiththemedia.

ListofKeyPublics

ChildrenandFamilies

TheBoard

BurgerKingEmployees

TheMedia

NotifyingPublics

• TonotifyBurgerKingboardandemployees:

PhoneTreeorCompanywidetextmessage

• Tonotifymediaandfamilies:PressReleaseand

Newsreport

IdentifyingCrisisCommunicationTeam

CEO‐JohnW.Chidsey

CFO‐BenK.Wells

PublicRelationsDirector

HeadofLegalDepartment‐AnneChwat

CrisisDirectory

LocalPoliceDepartmentPhoneNumbers

LocalFireDepartmentPhoneNumbers

ConsumerProductSafetyCommission‐(301)504‐7923

MediaSpokesperson

1. CEOJohnW.Chidsey

2. CFOKenK.Wells

3. PublicRelationsDirector

ListofEmergencyPersonnelandLocalOfficials

PoliceDepartment

FireDepartment

ListofKeyMedia

Listknownreporters,producers,editors

‐Nationallevel

‐AssociatedPress

SpokespersonFromRelatedOrganization

ConsumerProductSafetyCommission‐AnnBrown

CrisisCommunicationsControlCenter

5505BlueLagoonDrive

Miami,Florida33126

EquipmentandSupplies

PregatheredInformation

BurgerKingtoysthataredistributedmeetallU.S.

ConsumerProductSafetyCommissionrequirements

andallinternationalsafetystandards.

KeyMessages

• IthascometoourattentionthatthePokemon

Balltoythatweweredistributingwithourkids

mealshasbeenfounddangeroustochildren

undertheageofthree.

• WearerecallingallPokemonBalltoysandthey

willnotbegivenwiththekidsmealsanylonger.

• Tragicallyababyhassuffocatedfromthetoy

caseandweareaskingthatallparentstakethe

PokemonBalltoysawayfromchildrenunder

theageofthree.

• ParentsthatbringinthePokemonBalltoyto

BurgerKingwillgetafreesmallfry.

Website

http://www.bk.com

BlogsandSocialMedia

MommyBloggers

http://www.5minutesformom.com/

http://everydaymommy.net/

http://www.upnorthmommy.com/

http://anordinarymom.wordpress.com/

TrickQuestions

•Howmanychildrenhavediedfromthistoy?‐Asfarasweareawareonechildhasdiedfromthistoy.•Howmanychildrenwereinjured?‐Asfarasweareawareonechildwasinjuredfromthistoy.•Howmanytoyshavebeenrecalled?‐Over25milliontoyshavebeenrecalled.•Whatareyoursafetyprecautionswiththetoysyoudistribute?‐WeareworkingwiththeU.S.ConsumerProductSafetyCommissiontoensurethesafetyofourtoysinthefuture.•Howwillyoupreventthisinthefuture?‐Wewillmakesurethatfullsafetytestshavebeendoneonthetoyswepurchaseinthefuture.•Howmanytoyshavealreadybeengivenaway?‐Idonothavethatinformationatthistime,butIwillgetbacktoyouwhenIdo.•HowwillthisaffectBurgerKingfinancially?‐Iwillnotspeculateonthattopic,andyoucannotputapriceonsafety.•Exactlyhowdidthechildsuffocatefromthetoy?‐Theplasticball‐shapedcontainerthatheldthetoyiswhatthechildsuffocatedon.

ListofProdromes

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html

(ToyHazardRecalls)

ListofRelatedInternetURLs

www.cpsc.gov

EvaluationForm

Howdidwedo?

Whatworkedwell?

Whatdidnot?

Whatcanweimproveuponinthefuture?

BurgerKingCorporation5505BlueLagoonDriveMiami,Florida33126

305‐378‐3000

NewsReleaseFORIMMEDIATERELEASE FORMOREINFORMATION:October21,2010 ElizabethDobski DirectorofConsumerRelations 305‐378‐7200 Elizabeth.dobski@loop.colum.edu

BurgerKingRecallsToyFromKidsMeal

Miami,FL‐TodayBurgerKingrecalledtheirPokemonBalltoyfromtheirkids

mealduetoachild’sdeathcausedbythetoy.Theballmayposeasasuffocationhazardtochildrenundertheageofthreesoparentsareaskedtotakeawaythetoyfromchildrenthatareunderthatage.Twenty‐fivemilliontoyshavebeenrecalledsofar.“Ourapologiesanddeepestregrettothefamilyofthechildwhosuffocatedfromoneofourtoys.Itisimportanttoustomakesurethetoyswedistributearesafeandwewillbetakinggreaterprecautionsinthefuture,”CEOBernardoHeesstates.BurgerKingisworkingwiththeU.S.ConsumerProductSafetyCommissionontherecallofthePokemonBall.Itisdeterminedthatitistheplasticcontainerthatthetoycomesinthatisdangerousandnotthetoyitself.BurgerKingislookingintoimplementingnewsafetyprecautionsfortheirtoysandwillbevigilantinlookingintothetoycompaniessafetypractices.ThePokemonballshavebeendistributedinBurgerKingrestaurantsnationwide.BurgerKingrecommendsthatparentsthrowawaytheball,iftheybringintheballhalvestotheirlocalBurgerKing,theywillreceiveafreesmallorderoffrenchfries.BurgerKingwasfoundedbyJamesMcLamoreandDavidEdgertonin1954.Today,BurgerKingisthesecondlargestfastgoodhamburgerchainintheworld.BurgerKinghasover12,000restaurantsinall50statesandin73countriesandU.S.territoriesworldwide.

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