Managing a Brand through Tragedy

We were all devastated to learn of the tragedy that took place at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. It will be a day when most of us remember what we were doing and who we were with when we heard. As the school and its community move on, they are all in our thoughts and prayers.

As I was watching all the news coverage of the shootings, I thought to myself, when all of this settles down, how does the leadership at Virginia Tech ensure their school and their brand are not defined by this one tragic moment in a long history of prestigious achievements? Throughout the semester we have learned how to create brand meanings, develop them and guide them through the brand life cycle via good stewardship. Can we apply any of these techniques to such a dramatic situation? I think so.

The group presentation on crisis management provides some insight on dealing with a situation like this (copied from the team's presentation on crisis management):
1. Respect the role of the media
2. Communicate, communicate, communicate
3. Take responsibility
4. Centralize information
5. Establish a crisis team
6. “Plan for the worst; hope for the best”
7. Communicate with employees
8. Use third parties to speak on your behalf
9. Use research to determine responses
10. Create a website

I think Virginia Tech can (and has been) following these same steps to ensure they are taking care of their community as well as managing the perceptions of those outside the community. For example, they have taken the following steps:

1. Engaged the media to help distribute information as well as to showcase their response to the tragedy.
2. Maintained a steady stream of communication as information became available about the events as well as the University's plans.
3. Created a comprehensive website for those within the Virginia Tech community as well as those just seeking information out of curiosity or concern.
4. Established a crisis team.
5. Provided options for the current students to finish the semester in a way they were most comfortable given the extreme circumstances.

The reality is Virginia Tech is very much like any other business which relies on students attendance to survive and thrive. If students and faculty are not comfortable at the school based on the University's response to such a tragedy, the school will suffer on many levels. Given the dramatic situation, there was, and will continue to be, scrutiny by the media on how the situation is handled and Virginia Tech can use this opportunity to build their brand rather than allowing the situation to detract from it.