God, Apple Pie, and Motherhood

Holding a career studded with four governors, six senators, 30 clients prepared for a 60 Minutes grilling and a few presidents to boot, Ken Fairchild has all the credibility in the world, and when a man like Ken spends almost two hours telling you that public relations is ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATION, you better believe him when he says, "nothing matters if you're communicating the wrong thing." Lucky for us, according to Fairchild, a job in communications will most likely require just that. Excellent communications skills. But what about the really sticky situations? Mr. Fairchild, who I would consider an expert on dealing with tricky issues and questions, advocates the unassailable position.

"Trust me, Love me," is what it's all about. Love my company and my brand because you think we're great and do wonderful things, but trust me that I'm not leaving out crucial information that might make you think otherwise... nearly impossible. While in some issues, such as believing in God, preferring apple pie (why not cherry?), and or having conservative or liberal views on motherhood, no truly assailable message exists, there are possibilities in which one may convey the truth while avoiding an exploitation. Fairchild says, "I want the unassailable position, not that the oil spill is good, but we're going to fix it - you can't tell me you don't believe that."

In a trend where media seems to exist solely to uncover the most interesting story in an effort to top their ratings, regardless of the negative implications reflected on their interviewees, how can PR professionals and their clients defend themselves against these ruthless tactics? Miriam Webster defines the term as "not liable to doubt, attack or question."Fairchild's 'unassailable position' emphasizes a need to FOCUS on one's message and refuse to deviate from it. According to him, "If you develop your message this way, even Mike Wallace can't make you say something you don't want to say."

So yes, sticking to your intended message and not falling for the reporter's dirty tricks is one step toward maintaining your client's level of love and trust, but what about when a crisis occurs? PR professionals are often asked to cover unpleasant things up or simply "get rid of them..." Not the brightest thought. Returning to the example of BP's catastrophic oil spill, there exists a happy medium between shoving an issue under the rug and assuming the "no big deal" position and completely exploiting the damages.

Perhaps BP's CEO, Tony Hayward, could have used a bit of media training from Mr. Fairchild before he so sensitively complained that "I'd like my life back." Even the bluntness of a blatant lack of common sense can be softened by a few lessons in communication with the media in the wake of a business and environmental crisis. I believe the love and trust once invested in BP rapidly evaporated as a result of these events and a poor response by the crisis PR team responsible for handling the repercussions of these events. So much for Hayward's unassailable position.