Lower Manhattan’s “Photo Opp”….a PR Blunder
Friday, May 1, 2009
“What were they thinking?” has been the common outcry after last Monday’s debacle in the skies of lower Manhattan. What was intended to be a promotional photo shoot of Air Force One in iconic American locations quickly turned to confusion and panic, as New Yorkers fearing the worst – the second coming of 9/11 – poured out of buildings in alarm.
In recent days, there has been much reported on about who knew what, and when. But it remains a mystery to me as to why the mission was classified as confidential. Why shouldn’t citizens of any given community be alerted to irregular activities? When major motion pictures are shot in a city center, the surrounding area is given a heads up. When emergency planning officials orchestrate a test run of an evacuation route, the news media helps alert the workforce how their commute may be altered. For the past several years – thanks to the cooperation of local, state and federal planning officials – Greater Washington has been great about communicating such activities to the residents. In general, Washingtonians have come to accept these “irregularities” in part because we appreciate the open and proactive communication.
Furthermore, I can’t keep myself from wondering who would want a promotional photo of an aircraft flying at such a low altitude around Manhattan? How was it intended to be used? The images of 9/11 are burned into Americans’ brains, and no other photo of aircraft in New York could ever replace them.
Was this planned photo opp a PR blunder? I would say so…..
Julie Buckley
In recent days, there has been much reported on about who knew what, and when. But it remains a mystery to me as to why the mission was classified as confidential. Why shouldn’t citizens of any given community be alerted to irregular activities? When major motion pictures are shot in a city center, the surrounding area is given a heads up. When emergency planning officials orchestrate a test run of an evacuation route, the news media helps alert the workforce how their commute may be altered. For the past several years – thanks to the cooperation of local, state and federal planning officials – Greater Washington has been great about communicating such activities to the residents. In general, Washingtonians have come to accept these “irregularities” in part because we appreciate the open and proactive communication.
Furthermore, I can’t keep myself from wondering who would want a promotional photo of an aircraft flying at such a low altitude around Manhattan? How was it intended to be used? The images of 9/11 are burned into Americans’ brains, and no other photo of aircraft in New York could ever replace them.
Was this planned photo opp a PR blunder? I would say so…..
Julie Buckley
Labels: Events, PR Strategy
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