Okay seriously?  Any PR expert worth their salt knows that proper planning of any PR opportunity avoids disaster.  Not only are we taught as PR neophytes that GOOD planning is the key to a successful news event, we are also taught (by mentors and unfortunately our own bad experiences) that POOR planning leads to disaster.

That’s why I am so surprised at the maelstrom caused by the Air Force One debacle in Manhattan yesterday.  Really, this was PR stupidity of monumental proportions, at the hands of the US Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration.  It’s laughable to anyone who has ever worked with a government entity — they are THE MOST conservative, risk-averse, red-tape oriented institutions that any marketing person could ever be frustrated by.  So it is almost (almost) funny that they would not have thought this through.

Of course people are angry.  We’ve all been taught by recent events to be scared of suspect activity, particularly in Manhattan and more specifically in the SKY.  There is soooooo much about this situation that could have been avoided by proper planning and communication.

Let’s break it down.  When a PR group is presented with a news opportunity, here’s how it should go:

• First and foremost, the team identifies the goals and intended outcomes of the opportunity before embarking on any creative planning — we need to understand the expectations.
• Then the team meets and brainstorms all the great opportunities that exist for possible news coverage, both real and manufactured.
• From there, ideas are vetted for compatibility and functionality — will they work to achieve the desired public relations goals?
• Those ideas are prioritized from most likely to succeed to least likely, and a decision is made about the optimal course of action.
• An action plan is created that provides a checklist for all details.  No stone is left unturned, and all parties to the idea are involved and informed of the details to keep everyone in the loop and on task.
• Detailed planning meetings are held in advance, where best and worst case scenarios are discussed and “what-if” plans are hatched.
• Leading up to the event date, briefing meetings are held with all parties so everyone is on the same page with the latest information.
• Talking points are created for all spokespeople, allowing everyone to be clear about their role and area of discussion.
• An agenda for the day is created, with to-the-minute breakdowns for each component of the event leading up to and after the launch time.
• The event is orchestrated according to plan and agenda.  And since the team knows fully well there will be inevitable glitches along the way, they constantly tweak and react in the moment to ensure a smooth success.
• A post-mortem meeting is held immediately afterwards to celebrate the successes and analyze the failures.  It is a learning experience every single time.

And news leaks like the information stating the FAA purposely asked that the public not be informed in advance about the Air Force One flyover?  That could have been managed with a bit more “delicacy”. Wonder what the real story is there?

I hear the President is “furious”.  I don’t blame him.  This situation could have been avoided with  – let’s all say it together -  proper planning.

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