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Issues
Over the years, the Federal government has trained public officials and first responders to deal with myriad conditions that arise in national crises. But prior to the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the government paid little attention to the role of media and public communications in its national exercise program. That all changed in May 2003, when Ogilvy PR was asked to develop and manage a full-scale, sophisticated media element for its most comprehensive terrorism response exercise ever.
Now in its third exercise, Top Officials (TOPOFF), is the most comprehensive terrorism response exercise ever conducted in the United States. These exercises, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness, were designed to strengthen the nation's capacity to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
For TOP OFFICIALS 2 (TOPOFF 2), a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State, the event involved more than 100 Federal, state, local, private-sector and Canadian agencies and organizations. Participants responded to two simulated events: a radiological "dirty bomb" in Seattle and a covert biological attack in Chicago. The disasters and their ramifications - including the frenzied media coverage - were simulated down to the smallest details.
Challenge
Ogilvy PR needed to both be the media within the exercise and manage the "real world" media covering the exercise. Throughout the five-day exercise and beyond, the Ogilvy PR team aimed to:
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Design a vehicle from which TOPOFF 2 participants could experience the realistic media pressure that a terrorist attack would generate.
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Improve the ability of public officials to communicate through the media to the public, government agencies, and other countries.
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Maintain the informational security of this simulated environment.
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Effectively manage news outlets' interest in the exercise to assure widespread coverage while protecting security and safety.
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Audiences included:
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Public officials and first responders who are typically thrust into the media spotlight in times of crisis. This audience comprised a mix of crisis veterans and newcomers with limited media exposure.
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Public information officers who are not only responsible for developing unified messages, but also delivering information in a way that causes the public to act swiftly for its health and safety.
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The public, which has its own mix of fears and anxieties about terrors, and which fully expects government to provide accurate risk information and instructions.
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Journalists who were invited to observe portions of the training exercise, but not to participate.
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Strategy
Ogilvy PR created the Virtual News Network (VNN)—a closed-circuit satellite TV network modeled on CNN—to broadcast and cover events as they unfolded during the five-day exercise. Through VNN, public officials could showcase and improve their crisis communication skills live via satellite to numerous closed-circuit locations across the country.
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