The death of a trainer at the hands of their main attraction, a killer whale, had to be in SeaWorld’s book of worst case scenarios. What kept this a public tragedy and not a PR nightmare was the effective way in which the park used social media to handle crisis management on multiple fronts. This quote from a Sun Sentinel article explains the strategy SeaWorld put in place:
SeaWorld’s social media reaction started quickly with a tweet and a Facebook post acknowledging the attack and the tragic loss of its trainer. A few hours later, SeaWorld Orlando CEO Jim Atchison announced an investigation on the park’s blog and left the post open for comments. The next morning, the company sensibly suspended its playful ” Shamu” Twitter account, redirecting visitors to the park’s main Twitter account, which included updates on its investigation and plans. It also responded to some of their supportive fans. Videos about the loss of Brancheau, referred to as a member of their family, were posted to YouTube and a press conference with Atchison was streamed live on the park’s blog.
The most interesting conversation was taking place on their Facebook fan page, where people left comments such as, “Stop making money off of exploiting animals!! Free the whales!!.” SeaWorld wasn’t answering most of the questions and comments, but some of their 100,000 plus Facebook fans did. Those fans showed a deep loyalty to the park and were able to answer questions — and defend SeaWorld.
What makes social media unlike unique is its two-way nature. Opening up conversations between your business, customers, fans and yes, critics, is one of the best ways to uncover and resolve issues before they reach “critical” mass.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/