Crisis Communications — Product Liability
Crisis communications strategy, coordination help tire-maker survive nation's biggest recall

The situation

A major tire manufacturer, undergoing the largest tire recall in U.S. history, also faced possible punitive legislation and constricting regulations. With no Washington, D.C. presence, no existing relationship with Congressional members and limited past dealings with federal agencies, the company needed a full-scale government strategy put in place immediately, as well as appropriate entrée with federal decision-makers.

Public Strategies' solution

• Public Strategies provided the tire-maker with access to key federal officials, so that the team always had an accurate assessment of congressional attitudes and actions, and decision-makers always had whatever information they wanted about the issue.

• Public Strategies set up two "crisis centers" at once, one at the tire manufacturer's main office and another in Washington, D.C.

• Public Strategies built a federal lobbying team for the client from scratch, and helped the company hire additional experts to deal with a working group made up of all 50 states' attorneys general and created to investigate the recalled tires.

• Public Strategies worked directly with the client's general counsel, outside counsel and vice president of public affairs to ensure coordination and consistency among legal action, legislative initiatives, regulatory activities and press efforts.

Client benefits

• Once facing overshadowing rumors of its impending demise, the tire manufacturer returned to profitability only two years following the recall crisis.

• The client now has a permanent Washington, D.C. office, partially staffed by Public Strategies.

• For the first time, the client has a sustainable political action committee (PAC) and a continuing public-affairs program at the federal level.