What Is Social Studies?

What are the current crisis communication case studies using social media that have been successful?  What about those that have not been successful?

• PR professionals have to understand what has worked and what has not in regards to social media. By looking at some examples of good cases and not-so good cases, we can create some best practices in communicating and interacting with social media.

• Answer:

  If you want a really good crisis communications case study involving Social Media, look at the recent Sugarland stage collapse tragedy in Indianapolis. Here's a small breakdown: 1. Stage collapses - Sugarland takes to twitter immediately to say they're okay and asks for prayers for the victims. 2. Youtube videos of the collapse are everywhere. 3. Later that night Sugarland posts a note on their website, along with a statement released thrhough their management agency 4. Their marketing person fields questions the next morning and begins a subtle deflection of blame (quote was something like, "We don't know how this could have happened, the satge and rigging weren't ours, you'll have to talk to the stage company") 5. The next story leaked to the internet and picked up everywhere was the next day that Tour Manager Helen Rollen (sp?) probably saved the bandmembers' lives because she held them backstage a few moments longer based on intuition. 6. That afternoon the band release a statement on their website revealing their plans for a memorial, their comments on the timing of the event, there current whereabouts and their plan to resume touring (and a subtle mention that they lost all of their instruments as well as a very expensive set - and the qualification that it doesn't matter when lives are lost). This was all posted on their website under a photo from one of their concerts of a flag that had a peace sign and a heart on it.    Part of what is remarkable about this case is that while the band used Social Media to communicate, they used it to show the impact of the event by NOT TWEETING.They used Social Media appropriately. he message they tweeted immediately following the collapse served as their statement for almost 6 hours. Their silence helped express the gravity of the situation. They were also blessed by so many fans, celebrities and other musicians tweeting about the situation - it helped garner sympathy for the band and their situation.