issues management
Shifting wine industry opinion — the world’s largest cork manufacturer, based in Portugal, needed a campaign to lift the image of natural cork wine closures. Our campaign, which had to service both the Australian and international markets, included market research, media strategy, direct communication with winemakers, sponsorships, advertising, exhibitions, publications, establishing a website and other promotional activities. Numerous positive articles were generated and the campaign succeeded in shifting attitudes to cork among key opinion leaders. In regular tracking research, our client is most often cited as a world leader that is addressing problems associated with cork.
Chemicals storage facility — the operator of a large chemical storage facility needed help to rebuild its relations with the community and to achieve a regulatory outcome after a major industrial accident. The State Government was under enormous public pressure to move the facility, which our client did not want. Clifton ran an intensive program of local community consultation, media strategy and representations to government. The campaign rebuilt community and government confidence in the operator and the government decided not to relocate it.
Protecting a reputation — a major accounting firm needed Clifton’s help after the directors realised it had informed its clients of a scheme that was later found to be bogus. Other firms had also been duped and media interest in the story was high. The firm wanted their reputation protected and wanted to avoid clients suing them or cancelling business. Clifton provided strategic advice on media issues and issues relating to retaining clients and avoiding law suits. The result was that only two clients cancelled their business, no clients sued and the firm’s name was kept out of the media.
