When a Company Creates Its Own PR Problems
While waiting on repairs to my car, I decided to make the most of the time and practice using a new HD video camera used in my work. I never dreamed I’d be accosted for shooting some video from a public sidewalk of the old coal-burning power plant at the north end of Alexandria, Virginia, on the banks of the Potomac … or that the police would be called!
For more than 60 years, the power plant has been clearly visible from anyone driving nearby or from a plane taking off or landing from Washington National Airport.
The plant has had a troubled history, often of its own making. Hundreds of dump trucks noisily come and go everyday, carrying away ash that spills on cars nearby. Trainloads of coal usually arrive in the middle of the night, whistles blaring and coal cars clanging. The plant – which has claimed (without basis) ever since 9-11 that it’s crucial to national security – is an eye sore in a historic city, its smokestacks puffing away. But, that’s an old story, often in the news. I thought all that had passed.
A guard approached me, shouting I could not take photos. He agreed that I was on a public sidewalk but “no pictures.” I could then hear his accomplice, a woman security guard, seemingly with glee, yell that she was calling the police.
I thought to myself, Good grief … what silliness, and walked back to check on my car repairs.
Alexandria Police eventually sent two squad cars, wasting more taxpayer dollars for an already financially strapped city. But, here’s the fact … There’s nothing wrong with shooting photos of a power plant from a public sidewalk, despite what its management might think.
For the company – Mirant and something called RRI Energy – they appear to continue to be their own worst enemy through public relations mistakes. A company spokeswoman told me it was all the fault of the security company and expressed apologies.
“You are correct, there is nothing to prohibit your photography or filming of the plant from public property,” GenOn spokesperson Misty Allen wrote me in an email. “Again, I am sorry you had this experience today and I will work to get this corrected ASAP with the head of our security team.”
But … someone must have instructed the security company not to permit photos.
The point of my story is this … whether it’s someone, like me, who is out simply practicing with a camera or someone who is intentionally nosing around your company, there is nothing you can do about it if they remain on public areas. Nothing. It’s the same in the online world. If someone posts something on a blog, website or in social media to which you object, ignore it because there is nothing you can do.
Security guards or people who answer the telephone are on the front lines with the public and often reflect and convey the image and reputation of your company. Make sure policies are clear. It’s not enough to brief executives and internal PR people. Everyone must clearly know policies. The camera never blinks, especially in today’s digital era.
Related posts:
- Brand Journalism Creates Another Viable News Outlet
- Report on Airport Security
- Airport Security, More or Less
Category: Featured, Personal notes
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Excellent advice! In reputation warfare, companies would be well-advised to keep their big guns to themselves in cases like these. Threatening legal action against an individual blogger or calling the cops on a videographer isn’t the way to fight back. It only creates a bigger image problem. The onus is on Goliath to show restraint. And everyone — from the C-suite to the security guard — needs to understand their obligation to behave reasonably.