Posted on 04/07/2012 2:14:26 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Our own hometown candy company, Wrigley, is facing a very interesting PR challenge. As you undoubtedly know by now, Trayvon Martin had just bought a bag of Skittles (and an Arizona Tea) when he was shot and killed.
That alone wouldn't cause a company to examine its crisis management program, but because of the symbolism of the candy, college-student activists are buying it in bulk and reselling it to raise money for his family.
The candy has been piled into makeshift memorials, crammed into the pockets of thousands of people who have shown up at rallies in his name and sent to the Sanford Police Department to protest the lack of an arrest in the case.
Skittles sales are soaring for Wrigley and its parent company, Mars Inc. But their new level of fame is quickly becoming a PR crisis that is threatening to hurt the company more than it helps.
I know, I know. Sales are up. Everyone is talking about them. So what's the problem?
According to the New York Times, people are calling for donations and giving back to communities where “murder based on stereotypes is a reoccurring theme.”
From the Times story:
On social media sites like Twitter, people are suggesting that Wrigley is profiting greatly from the tragedy and should donate money made since Trayvon's death to the family or causes that would help with racial reconciliation or underprivileged communities. Some African-Americans are even asking people to stop buying Skittles until the company gets more involved in the case and donates money.
So now Wrigley is faced with an interesting problem. Keep quiet or give in to activists and donate some of its profits.
Other than a statement, there hasn't been any communication from the candymaker. The company said:
"It's inappropriate to get involved or comment further as we would never wish for our actions to be perceived as an attempt of commercial gain following this tragedy."
Clearly going the route of capitalizing on this situation is not the right thing to do. Is donating some of the increased profits the right thing to do? Is staying silent and watching it all unfold the right thing to do?
Communication professionals are trained throughout our careers to deal with things such as someone dying from eating a product or someone being killed on the job. But this one? This one isn't a case study you find very often, nor is it a scenario you typically include in your crisis-management plan.
This is a crisis where “I'm sorry” doesn't work. It's a crisis where people on the social networks are telling you how to run your company. And, if you don't donate money, you come off as the big, capitalist company, which could hurt you in the long run. It's a delicate scenario, and companies small and large can learn from how Wrigley and Mars are handling it.
There's no easy answer. Perhaps the best advice is to have Wrigley quietly increase its donations to one of its existing social responsibility programs.
What do you think?
-—Mars....a small company-—
LOL....I think you need to get out more and definity look up the word small in the websters
Drugs and Chemicals of Concern:
DEXTROMETHORPHAN
(Street Names: DXM, CCC, Triple C, Skittles, Robo, Poor Man’s PCP)
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/dextro_m/dextro_m.htm
This is CHICAGO!
Fairy Rahm is the mayor.
He would have his private army, (the Chicago PD,), ticket every car within 10 blocks of the Wrigley plant.
Inspectors would be "finding" bags of pot, PCP, heroin, crack and meth all over the floor of the factory, and in all middle management cars in the lot.
Exactly. Where were the candy and the drink? What the company should be upset about is that “Skittles” (or skillets as the not so sharp Sharpton calls them) is the street name for drugs. Just what was Martin shoving down his pants before busting Zimmerman’s head? Drugs, candy, or what?
Because of poor widdle Trayvon,
“Coke withdraws from group that backs Stand Your Ground law”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2868903/posts
IT and Skillets for erbody!
Yep.
Sounds like a Jesse Jackson brainstorm.
It’s a curious thing...when you talk Skittles on the street...it actually means Dextromethorphan (DXM). When you take excessive amounts of DXM...you start to hallucinate...in essence, you think and react to things that just aren’t your typical reaction. You could do something really stupid, and never even remember what you did until your drug episode ended.
It’d be curious to know if there was a blood test done on the victim in this case....but my guess is there wasn’t any blood test.
What “scandal”?
One of the very first articles on the case stated that there WAS blood work done of Trayvon, but not on ZImmerman.
The blood work and forensic testing that was ordered is the reason that the Grand Jury was ordered on the tenth. Gave the labs time to complete the evaluations.
The Wrigley Company should just tell the race-baiters to double their pleasure, double their fun and stick their extortion where there ain't no sun.
Leni
LOL Love it Leni!
“What “scandal”?”
###
The scandal that blacks, along with their self-hating white allies in the CommieMedia, have accelerated their already decades-long Race War on whites, and whites are still playing defense.
THAT is scandalous.
I’ve read that Trayvon had skittles and ice tea with him, but where did that come from?
Surely what he had in his possession is on some police report.
I don’t understand all the secrecy involving this case.
Also it’s ironic that skittles and ice tea are slang for drug products.
What’s up with that?
Bullying is OK if blacks, hispanics, homosexuals, feminists or muslims are doing it.
That is exactly what we are being taught. Straight whites suck. Everywhere we turn. It’s getting. Ridiculous. Political correctness will kill us all of every group.
Unconfirmed reports have TM yelling while smashing Gz’s head into the ground.
“Taste the Pain, bro!”
WHOA!!!!
There should have been an autopsy. The question is: Would they be made public?? He was a minor.
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