A 'Perfect Storm' of Privacy: PR Slays an Urban Legend

Client’s Business Problem
Qsent, the data aggregator for the proposed multi-carrier Wireless 411 Service, needed to create broad consumer awareness while skillfully maneuvering around issues including cost, privacy concerns and telemarketing annoyance. Its carefully planned communications campaign was nearly derailed when an anonymous e-mail message filled with false accusations began to circulate. The e-mail warned consumers that telemarketers would soon begin contacting them on their cell phones, increasing their bills and invading their privacy. The e-mail urged them to register their cell phone number with the federal Do-Not-Call Registry (DNC). Qsent and the OnPR team needed to act quickly to address misconceptions and support the goals of the Wireless 411 Service.

Strategy
Six months earlier, OnPR set expectations with Qsent that due to the privacy issues surrounding the Wireless 411 Service a number of factors could contribute to a “perfect storm of privacy controversy” that would result in increased media attention. The urban legend e-mail became such an event.

To combat the misconceptions fueled by the e-mail, OnPR’s plan required precise execution:

De-positioning the e-mail message by immediately labeling it an “urban legend” and “e-mail hoax”: By describing it as an urban legend, the e-mail message would become fair game for the many websites dedicated to contradicting urban legends, including the most famous, www.snopes.com. Qsent helped provide fodder for those sites.

Working closely with the CTIA-The Wireless Association and wireless carriers to ensure that all efforts were coordinated: Qsent and the OnPR team would provide key messages and offer to serve as a clearinghouse for all information and interview requests.

Turning this crisis into an opportunity for broader coverage: The mainstream press was reluctant to cover the proposed Wireless 411 Service. By using the anonymous e-mail campaign’s momentum and visibility to drive media attention, the OnPR - Qsent team hoped to ride the urban legend e-mail’s coattails to reach millions of consumers with information on how the proposed directory would provide a useful service while protecting consumers’ privacy.