Media management – no job for an average Joe!

There is much to be learned from the farrago of errors surrounding Newcastle United’s appointment of Joe Kinnear as the club’s director of football.

Among seriously embarrassing media gaffes, Kinnear called Newcastle’s managing director Derek Llambias ‘Derek Llambezee’ and referred to the club’s France midfielder, Yohan Cabaye, as ‘Yohan Kebab’.

The fact that Kinnear broke the story (and not the Club) remains a puzzle. His remarks, made in an interview with radio station Talksport, were totally out of sync with the club’s press office, which dithered over confirming the appointment. The fallout remains. But what can businesses learn when making a major announcement? Here are three lessons:

1. Gaffes can create more news

With Kinnear’s remarks prompting widespread ridicule of both him and the club on social media and in the broadcast press, the story became self-perpetuating. Opinion formers jumped on the bandwagon to pour scorn on the situation with some even suggesting it was an early April Fools joke. Comment feeds on websites grew and grew as NUFC’s reputation continued to take a battering.

It’s true that football defies normal business logic where customers (fans) are extraordinarily loyal to clubs and players, seemingly no matter what happens. But corporate sponsors are becoming increasingly careful who they associate their brands with.

The Kinnear episode is a salutary example of the need for businesses to effectively manage their communications with a 24-7 media world.

2. Implementing a coordinated media management programme

Messages must be coordinated through a cohesive media plan that covers every aspect and contingency of breaking a news story, with all parties thoroughly briefed and key individuals ‘on-message’.

Media training is also essential for people who do not know how to respond to questions from journalists – an issue illustrated by Kinnear’s poor interview on Talksport.

If any of these elements go wrong – and in Kinnear’s case they all did – the result can be ruinous for your business. Remember what happened to Ratners after Gerald Ratner compared a pair of the jewellery chain’s earrings to a prawn sandwich?

3. The importance of a corporate communications strategy

The media is unforgiving and unrelenting once a juicy story is in the public domain. An effective media management policy must be at the heart of any corporate communications strategy, and all your people must thoroughly understand the absolute need to stick to it.

To find out how our we can help you to develop an effective public relations programme, contact us on 01772 888400 or at hello@freshfield.com.