ILMA Compoundings February 2018 - 10

INDUSTRY RUNDOWN

Managing Your Brand
Perception
The balance to sensationalized media
During the oil and chemical industries' most challenging
moments where managing an incident is priority, an
additional challenge comes in the form of managing
perceptions. How does a company focus on the priority
at-hand, and also control the perception that is part of
their overall brand image?
Harsh headlines capitalizing on crises occurrences, and
high-profile protests over the construction of the Dakota
Access Pipeline have made 2017 a difficult year for oil and
chemical companies who have faced a critical audience and a
heated climate around the activities of their industries.
If perception is reality, or the lens through which we see
reality, then how does a company go about shifting perceptions to protect the integrity of its brand?
Joshua Peck, head of public relations at law firm Duane
Morris LLP, suggests crafting a company elevator pitch,
a brief and persuasive message to consumers that doesn't
beat around the bush: "If you think you are contributing
positively, how do you say that clearly and well so it will be
listened to and won't sound like an advertising campaign?"
Peck, who regularly handles crises for Duane Morris
clients, recommends a company "campaign" in good times
via messaging that highlights your positive and essential
role throughout your media communications, advertising,
website and other media.
Chris Jones, senior vice president at Pierpoint Communications, also believes in the power of communication and
encourages companies to not only project it outwardly but
internally as well.
The reason it is crucial to have that corporate culture in
place is so that it is embodied by your employees, who carry
it with them into the communities where they live.
"When the community sees how an employee behaves
and talks about the plant where they work, and they are
proud of what they do, it makes an impression. Let the
community get to know you through your employees and
the corporate culture they reflect," said Jones.
While your employees are part of the community and are
living examples of your company culture, both Jones and

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FEBRUARY 2018

| COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG

Peck also advise companies to get involved in their communities as well. Whether it is through sponsoring a local
softball team or contributing to cultural organizations, if
you are actively engaging with your community, that has an
impact which adds to the creation of a positive perception.
Making information on these initiatives available to the
public isn't as hard as it may seem, either.
As an example, Dow Chemical Corp. posted its charitable
contributions from 2014 (more than $50 million) on its
website's "News and Media" section, a simple platform for
most companies to publish their positive news. Making it
even more up-front is always an option, too, as executed
by Total Specialties USA Inc., which has links to positively
focused portions of its website - including a couple on
environmental sustainability and one on employees and the
surrounding community - right on the site's front page.
While an industry isn't always given the benefit of positive press, there are ways to reach the public with a message
that is more balanced and complete. And with a solid,
well-rounded brand identity in-place, a company will have
that as their foundation to weather challenging times.
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ILMA Compoundings February 2018

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