Crisis Communications

Experience | Case Studies | Coverage

The four poultry groups in British Columbia (BC Egg Producers, BC Turkey Marketing Agency, BC Chicken Growers and the BC Broiler Hatching Commission) called Wilcox Group for assistance in response to some farms that were infected with avian influenza. The crisis escalated to become one of the largest in Canadian history, crippling the poultry industry and grabbing the media's attention for several months. Our work with the poultry groups escalated until we were working with national agencies, health agencies, government, other poultry groups as well as countless other agencies and organizations throughout the crisis. Our efforts restored public confidence in the safety of chicken, turkey and eggs produced and sold in Canada.

Wilcox Group shook things up when we helped Metropolis at Metrotown, B.C.’s largest shopping mall, carry out a mock 7.5 magnitude earthquake. The emergency training exercise included more than 150 participants and a full scale evacuation with the help of B.C. Ambulance Service, firefighters, RCMP and the Provincial Emergency Program. Role-playing victims were painted up with fake blood and wounds for effect and carried out on stretchers to receive treatment at the mock triage centre.

Wilcox Group was brought in to provide strategic counsel when KFC Canada came under attack by Canadian-born actress Pamela Anderson who partnered with U.S.-based animal activist group PETA and launched a negative publicity campaign against the chain, alleging that KFC treats its chickens unethically. Wilcox Group launched an aggressive media relations campaign to immediately correct the inaccuracies perpetrated by Anderson and communicated KFC Canada's quality purchasing standards and regulations to the public. John I. Bitove, CEO of KFC Canada, wrote a letter to Ms. Anderson to inform her of the "real facts" regarding KFC Canada's ethical practices. This results in international media coverage, including the front page of the National Post.

While Krispy Kreme continued to satisfy doughnut connoisseurs throughout Canada, it faced the need to close three Krispy Kreme stores and three Fresh Shops – due to excess market capacity in Ontario. Working with Wilcox Group, Krispy Kreme determined and executed an internal communications strategy to ensure a smooth transition for all Krew members affected by the store closures. Wilcox Group also prepared comprehensive local and national media relations strategies designed to address all potential issues emerging from the store closures and respond appropriately to the shareholders’ suit against American parent company Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.

Wilcox Group activated its communications war room for an entire month to work with TELUS’ Emergency Operations Centre team on four crises: the B.C. forest fire in the B.C. Interior; the Nachi/Welchia virus; the SoBig virus and the Ontario blackout. In each crisis, we worked around the clock to ensure that TELUS’ employees, customers and key stakeholders were informed about developments as they occurred.

Wilcox Group activated its communications war room to provide issues management when SuperPages™ Canada was purchased by global private investment firm Bain Capital. Senior management chose to re-focus the company on its core business areas, closing offices in Halifax, Mississauga, St. Catharines, Montréal, Quebec City and Winnipeg, letting 500 employees go in one day. With only three weeks notice of the announcement, Wilcox Group was brought in to provide strategic counsel and communicate with multiple stakeholders – employees, customers, vendors and media. The goal was to focus on internal and customer/vendor audiences while mitigating media coverage for this significant restructuring announcement.

As the agency of record for Canada’s second largest telecommunications company, our team provides ongoing strategic counsel, labour and media relations, crisis and issues management and internal communications for the company’s 25,800 employees across the country. Our ongoing work with TELUS has seen us provide crisis communications and media relations during one of the most turbulent periods in telecommunications history, which included providing industry-leading voluntary separation and early retirement packages to 6,500 employees, a stock price downgrade and four-and-a-half-year-long contract negotiations which culminated in a strike of more than 12,000 unionized employees across Canada. When TELUS came under scrutiny for allowing adult content to be downloaded by subscribers onto their telephones, we provided the advice and counsel the company needed to manage the issue and protect their reputation as an outstanding wireless service provider.

Wilcox Group has provided ongoing issues management and crisis communications support to TransLink for a number of years in labour relations, reputation management and crisis communications. In order to identify global best-practices in crisis and incidence planning, we conducted an international transit system audit where we gathered intelligence on safety and security programs and crisis plans of leading transit organizations around the world.

In preparation for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, we are currently working with the organization to assess and improve their crisis communications plans and security and safety awareness programs.

Wilcox Group provides crisis management counsel to this American-based parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Long John Silver's restaurants on issues including avian influenza and providing Taco Bell with strategy to manage public concern related to foodborne illness.