A banker in an East European country was sponsoring an international sporting event, hoping to create a positive image.
MediaZones helped project the sporting event and even stressed its controversial nature [held in a politically sensitive area]. That focused media coverage more on the political circumstances of the country hosting the event while, as far as possible, the strategy steered the media away from examining the Client’s financial wheelings and dealings. So far, so good.
However it turned out that the bank owned by the Client had used a scheme that had put the customers’ money at risk. This only became apparent the public and to MediaZones when the bank collapsed. Inevitably, serious negative publicity for the Client ensued. Could further reputational damage been minimised?
MediaZones managed to get our Client, by now in hiding in another country, interviewed and quoted prominently in a major British newspaper. The Client was briefed well, and he said the ‘right things’ in the telephone interview, using quotes that MediaZones had prepared with and for him. He was able to blame factors beyond his control for the banking debacle.
Because the Client was co-operative to the media and provided an interesting and colourful story, it was printed in a major newspaper without any quotes or comments from the banker’s many detractors. The client then faded into obscurity.