You've got an environmental disaster on your hands. Have you consulted with Greenpeace in developing your crisis response plan? Co-opting your would-be attackers may seem
counterintuitive, but it makes sense when you consider that NGOs (non-governmental organizations) are trusted by the public nearly two-to-one to "do what's right" compared with
government bodies, media organizations and corporations. Activist "brands" such as Amnesty International, Sierra Club, Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund enjoy greater
credibility worldwide than Exxon, Ford, Microsoft, Monsanto and Nike, according to the latest research from Edelman's StrategyOne.
The survey, which tapped 500 well-educated individuals in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany and Australia, further reveals that concerned citizens are more than twice as likely
to consult NGOs than corporations or the media for credible information during product recalls and other crisis situations. In the U.S., more than 80% of respondents rated
Greenpeace as "highly effective," while only 11% viewed corporations as "making the world a better place."
Companies winning the branding wars today are those that forge alliances with powerful nonprofit brands before crisis hits. Jonathan Wootliff, managing director of Edelman's
London-based global NGO practice, cites Chiquita's bond with the Rainforest Alliance and Home Depot's ties to the Forest Stewardship Council as exemplary ongoing partnerships.
(Martin Pearce, Edelman, 212/642-7789)