A Look at North Carolina's Crisis Communication Tactics for Hurricane Irene on Inside Communications

Sept. 21, 2011 - PRLog -- Speaking Channel TV’s Public Relations talk-show Inside Communications with Mike Bako has released its latest interview with Lynn Minges, Assistant Secretary of Tourism, Marketing and Global Branding for the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Ms. Minges sat down with host, Mike Bako, to discuss her team’s success in conquering Hurricane Irene’s destructive effects on North Carolina’s tourist activity.

By organizing communications with coastal partners in advance and directly following the storm, Ms. Minges and her communications partners at Luquire George Andrews (LGA) and Development Counsellors International (DCI) ensured that those evacuated were aware of the many attractions the 6th most visited state offers in their inland areas. Following the storm, their focus was ensuring visitors knew that coastal businesses had reopened their doors.

During the interview, Ms. Minges explains the tactics of their successful crisis communication plan. Through proactive media monitoring, they followed all stages of the storm to understand how the media was reporting the coverage. Then, creating a travel advisory on www.VisitNC.com, they provided visitors and residents updates on the hurricane’s damage, including a map highlighting affected areas.

“Throughout the storm, we had over 10,000 consumers who went to that website to find out just exactly how Irene was expected to hurt our coast,” Ms. Minges explained.

Another successful tactic was sharing photos of families hunting for seashells, surfers enjoying the high tides and fishermen holding their prized catch. These images were shared through social media outlets including Facebook, Flickr and Twitter.

The full interview is now available to view online. To watch the full interview with Lynn Minges and learn more about her team’s response to Hurricane Irene, click here: http://vimeo.com/29008226



About The North Carolina Department of Commerce  

The North Carolina Department of Commerce is the state's leading economic-development agency, working with local, regional, national and international companies. The department’s mission is to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians. The mission is carried out by serving existing business and industry, including providing international trade assistance; recruiting new jobs and domestic and foreign investment; encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation; marketing North Carolina and its brand; supporting workforce development; strengthening communities; and promoting tourism, film and sports development. The Department also provides data, statistics, information and reports for state government and agencies, which regulate commerce in the state. For more information, visit www.nccommerce.com.

About Luquire George Andrews (LGA)

Luquire George Andrews is a leading southeastern agency located in Charlotte, which provides advertising, public relations, brand strategy, media planning and digital solutions to a diverse group of clients – from local to international, B2B to consumer. For more information, visit lgaadv.com.

About Development Counsellors International (DCI)

Development Counsellors International (DCI) is the leader in marketing places specializing in economic development and travel marketing. Since 1960, they have worked with more than 400 cities, regions, states and countries, helping them attract both investors and visitors. For more information, visit www.aboutdci.com.

About The Speaking Channel

The Speaking Channel is the home for all things speaking. The Speaking Channel's newest show Inside Communications invites industry pros to take viewers “inside” the strategies and tactics used to develop campaigns that both meet their client’s objectives and exceed their expectations. To be a guest on Inside Communications, please e-mail producer@speakingchannel.tv.