What exactly do pictures of children dangling from tire swings and teenagers surfing sand dunes have to do with the recent salmonella scare? That’s the question a recent article from TwinCities.com, and many consumers, are asking.
“I thought it was an odd way to market peanuts,” says Mallue, a 32-year-old college administrator from New York City. “I just assumed it was a reaction to the scare.”
Mallue’s assumption is wrong. The ads have nothing to do with the contamination controversy, and some crisis-management experts say that’s a problem.
With the industry still reeling from the massive salmonella scandal, the National Peanut Board should be aiming to reassure consumers that peanuts are safe and that they have an active crisis prevention plan in place. While spreading the message that peanuts are healthy is all well and good, the timing was poor. During times of crisis response, such campaigns should be postponed.
Hit the link for the full story along with interviews with crisis management pros, one of whom is me!
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com