Heineken and Windward Leeward Brewery was about to engage a period of intensified engagement with the market through signature sponsorships and events. Part of their business strategy was ensuring the Marketing Team was prepared for any eventuality which meant knowing how to handle a wide number of potential crises from scandals involving artists to product issues to labor conflicts.
Accela working integrally with the Heineken International Framework provided, designed an executed a customized Crisis Communications half-day retreat.
Scenarios were designed such as a government official falling sick allegedly after consuming Heineken at an event, and workers going on strike after a factory mishap which caused injury. Actors were hired and scripts produced presenting these scenarios in a realistic manner in real time. The client’s team were sequestered in the hotel’s conference facilities and were immersed from the get-go in high stress, rapid decision-making for over three hours. Every possibility they could explore to resolve each conflict was already catered for by the Accela Team with guidance from the official Heineken Crisis Communications Policy, that included Chain of Command, recommended spokespeople, and accountability factors. The exercise and friendly team competition provided, embodied training through play to deeply entrench the proper procedures to follow in any eventuality.
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