By Jeffrey Sandman and Fred Bratman
Filmmaker Michael Moore ("Roger & Me," "Bowling for Columbine") is not wasting any time leveraging his box-office success with "Fahrenheit 9/11," and he already is
busy making a "docudrama" focusing on the pharmaceutical industry. What should PR managers do if Moore comes knocking? Here are some pointers:
1. Let him in. There will be those who urge you to ignore him, arguing that no thinking person takes Michael Moore or his movies seriously. They are wrong. His movies
are viewed by millions of people, and they do influence audiences, including the media. Wal-Mart stopped selling guns shortly after Moore picked on it in "Bowling for
Columbine." If you push him away, he'll still make you out as either a villain or a fool. On the other hand, if you truly believe that your company has a good and positive story
to tell, you should speak with him.
2. Find the right person for the job. Often, that's someone other than the CEO. Moses had Aaron do his talking for him. If your CEO is quick on his or her feet, doesn't
anger easily and has a sense of humor, then this could be your spokeman. If the CEO is not right for this situation, then pick someone else from senior management who has the
ability to face Darth Vader and to tolerate the nature of Moore's theatrics.
3. Make an appointment. Moore will arrive in your office lobby with lights a-blazing and a camera crew ready for an ambush interview. Go to the lobby to greet him,
saying you can't speak with him now while giving him your card to arrange for an interview. He'll keep asking you questions, and you should keep smiling while saying, "Mr. Moore,
I welcome the opportunity to sit down with you and answer your questions. Let's find some mutually convenient dates."
4. Lay the ground rules. Make it clear that you are willing to give him an hour of your time but, for that hour to be productive, you need to know what topics he wants
to cover before the interview. This will allow you to prepare thoughtful responses. Naturally, expect questions that were not on the list he gave you.
5. Burn your own copy. Rest assured, he'll call and no doubt will film his fingers pushing the phone buttons as he dials. A neutral setting probably is best, but make
sure you have your own crew there to cover the proceedings. If you've done it right, then you'll want to post the entire interview and transcript on your Web site as soon as
possible. This will deter him from monkeying around with your words, including selectively editing your comments.
6. Attack the premise of the questions. Moore frames his questions to make you appear guilty before you've even opened your mouth. He'd make Mother Teresa look
suspicious. There is no rule that says you have to answer the question he puts to you. When he asks a question, attack its assumptions. To succeed, you must have done your
homework, giving him the context to understand the facts. "Don't you pay workers in Mongolia factories $2 an hour?" he asks to provoke you. Your reply, "Actually, Michael, we pay
twice the average wage in Mongolia, and we provide free health care."
7. Don't argue. You can't win and, what's worse, you'll look ridiculous. Moore's job is to goad you into saying something you'll regret. Don't give him the satisfaction.
8. Never use a dollar figure. He'll trot out your earnings or the CEO's compensation or the expense of keeping a corporate jet. You need to make the case for the
positive role your industry and company play in society. The research-based pharmaceutical industry, for example, has developed medicines that have dramatically cut or eliminated
what were once life-threatening diseases. Shower him with facts.
9. Stay at 30,000 feet. When Moore sought to embarrass Nike Chairman Phil Knight by getting him to make a donation to Moore's hometown of Flint, Mich., Knight
just said no. Mistake. Surely, Nike and Knight are generous in their philanthropic activities. Knight should have started to enumerate his gifts, asking Moore for his list.
10. Be (very) prepared. There are no second chances with Moore, and what you say is there for the ages. While you certainly won't change his mind, you can try to keep
him honest as well as shifting the point of view. If it's not Moore walking through the door today, it's his journalistic offspring tomorrow. Remember, they are "true believers"
on a mission.
Bonus: Do it for your stakeholders. Senior managers expect employees to stick up for the company. If you believe that your company acts responsibly and with
integrity, and that it cares about its stakeholders, then say it. Silence is, in this case, a tacit admission of guilt. Show him you see through his mirrors of deceit.
Contacts: Jeffrey Sandman is CEO of Hyde Park Communications (New York City, Washington, D.C.), whose clients include Johnson & Johnson, Hoffman-La Roche and Pfizer
Inc. Sandman can be reached at 202.872.4860, [email protected]. Fred Bratman, president of Hyde Park Financial
Communications, can be reached at 212.683.3931, [email protected].