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The cost of the listeriosis crisis

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. has reached a $27 million nationwide settlement with plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit resulting from last summer's listeriosis outbreak, which was responsible for at least 20 deaths. The company (and in particular CEO Michael McCain) was applauded for its frank, open communications approach throughout the crisis. At the time, McCain was quoted as saying, "Lesson number one is focus on doing what's right for your customers and don't focus so much on the accountants and the lawyers." The company's PR approach, ably handled by Toronto's Fleishman-Hillard, was a modern take on Tylenol's handling of its product tampering scare back in 1982. Threatened with the potential demise of its company, Tylenol pulled all of its product from every shelf in the United States, putting the public's best interests before the bottom line. That crisis changed the way over-the-counter drugs were packaged, leading to the introduction of the tamper-proof plastic wrap on the caps of such bottles. Maple Leaf's response was bang on, both from an operational and PR standpoint. The $27 million dollar settlement sounds significant, but bear in mind this is a company with 2007 sales of $5.2 billion. And because it responded decisively, the company has solidified its future, having regained the trust of many Canadians who might have had temporary doubt about the safety of the company's products. Read more about the settlement on the CBC's website.

Michael Phelps's image takes a (bong) hit

Over the weekend, a photo emerged showing Olympic gold medalist and media darling Michael Phelps taking a haul from a bong. The picture could prove costly to the man with the most Olympic gold medals in history. Corporate sponsors have been lining up to associate themselves with Phelps since the summer Olympics. Many of those companies are likely to reconsider their association with Phelps in the wake of his 'bong photo'. Phelps is still just a kid (23 years old), but if he wants to swim in the big kids' pool where the multi-million dollar endorsement deals await, such lapses in judgment are going to be unacceptable. While it's nearly impossible to put a precise dollar figure on the financial damage his reputation has suffered, a conservative estimate would have to be in the millions. The obligatory 'apology quote' prepared for Phelps by his agency, Octagon, was actually fairly decent: "I'm 23 years old, and despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in the manner that people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again." The quote had the right balance of sincerity and contrition. Unfortunately, no amount of eloquence or spin is going to put this toothpaste back in the tube. This is one picture that's worth at least a few millions words.

When being interviewed by a TV reporter, look behind you...

When we do TV interview simulations with clients, one of the tips we always touch on is to be aware of the backdrop behind you. TV reporters will often tell you to 'stand right here', positioning you where they think they have the best shot. And often the person being interviewed thinks, "Hey, they're the professional....I guess I'll stand where they want me to." You have a right (I would suggest an obligation to your employer) to stand wherever you like while being interviewed. Take a quick look behind you. What do you see? Is that something you want to have in the frame as you're speaking? For example, if you're doing an interview at a trade show or conference, it is your company's name/logo behind you or someone else's? Why give free advertising to a competitor? If you're a firefighter talking about how the fire is under control, do you want the viewer to see flames shooting out the windows behind you? Perhaps the image of fire trucks and emergency professionals would convey your message more effectively. You can say to the reporter, "I think I'd be more comfortable standing right here" and then turn so that the desired scene is behind you. Which brings me to our friend, Sarah Palin. This clip is from a TV interview she gave just before Thanksgiving. It's just over three minutes long. I've watched it twice. And I can't tell you one thing she said. The reason? I was too distracted watching the turkeys behind slaughtered directly behind her. Yes. You read that correctly. Click play if you dare and let this be your constant reminder to take a quick peek over your shoulder before that little red light goes on.

Surgical checklist story disturbing for several reasons

If you haven't seen this story yet, take a few moments and give it a read. Apparently, having surgeons go over a routine checklist prior to operating on a patient can 'cut complications by a third'. Here's a quote that appeared in the Globe and Mail from Dr. Bryce Taylor, surgeon-in-chief and director of surgical services for the University Health Network:

"I would not undergo surgery unless I knew the checklist was being done."

Is it just me, or did anyone else just assume that this had been happening all along? I mean, it's kind of uncool to realize that your typical grocery shopper is approaching their task with more foresight and strategy than someone who's getting ready to do a heart/double lung transplant. I think the media has missed the boat on this story and judging by many of the comments left by readers, I'm not alone.

How a well-chosen analogy can elevate your media quote

In our media training sessions, one of the topics we touch on his how to increase the odds of getting a particular message into the reporter's finished story. If you participate in an interview that's 10, 15 or 20 minutes long, that's a lot of material for the reporter to choose from. How can you help narrow that choice down to the points you want them to include? There are several techniques to make an important message stand out. You can: - include metrics that provide context and meaning (percentages, dollar amounts, etc.) - keep it brief (most quotes used in the media take less than 12 seconds to say) - use an anecdote or analogy that helps you tell your story Finding the right analogy can be tougher than it sounds. You have to choose something that won't offend your audience, first of all. And it needs to be something common enough that people can identify with. The odds of coming up with something obscure or inappropriate are high. But with a bit of thought before the interview, finding the right analogy can lead to a short, powerful quote that helps underscore your point of view. I found just such an analogy in a recent New York Times story, "Hope for a brighter future on a darker broadway". A number of productions are closing due to the grim economic times. Marc Shaiman, the composer of Hairspray, summed up the situation as follows:

"For me, it feels like putting a pet to sleep, but not because it's sick -- because you can't afford dog food."

This quote does a nice job of capturing the passion these professionals have for their craft. And likewise, how painful it is to watch these shows close. And all in 21 words. Well said.

Honesty - Still the best policy

In our media training sessions, we always spend a few minutes talking about why it's a bad idea to lie to a reporter. I know, it sounds like one of those statements that doesn't really require additional explanation. Yet spokespeople continue to bend the truth in interviews with the media. The results are never pretty. Case in point - this story from today's Toronto Star. The story states that Vaughan mayor Linda Jackson told a reporter earlier this week that there was no alcohol consumed as part of her many thousands of dollars of meals that she expensed in upscale restaurants.

"There is nothing at all wrong with me having business meals with my assistant. There is nothing wrong with it and if you were to go and pull those bills there is absolutely no alcohol,” Jackson is heard saying on a tape of Grech's interview.

Apparently that statement wasn't quite true. In its story, the Star indicated that it had seen receipts that showed alcohol was frequently involved in business lunches and dinners with councillors, senior bureaucrats and others. And we're not talking about the occasional Coor's Light. In one instance, a $100 bottle of Amarone Corte was included in a $345.50 meal ($415.50 after tip). When confronted with the receipts by the Star, Jackson, "changed her tune, saying she was misquoted and that, in fact, expensing alcohol to the taxpayer is common practice in her municipality." Untruths in media interviews can come back to bite the spokesperson in an embarrassing way. Rather than making the story go away, Linda Jackson's comments poured gasoline (or some type of flammable alcohol, perhaps) on the fire. She was relying on the fact that the journalist wouldn't have access to her receipts. From a PR perspective, it was a costly error in judgment. We'll have to wait and see if the taxpayers remember this incident when voting season comes around in 2010.

Today's lesson: Burning bridges via the media

Getting fired from a high-profile job is never a pleasant experience. But true professionals know how to handle themselves throughout the process, market themselves effectively to other organizations in their industries and get their careers back on track. Lashing out at your previous employer in the media isn't part of the plan. But that's precisely what Barry Melrose did earlier this week. Melrose, who was recently fired after just 16 games as head coach of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, got into a very public war of words with his former employer in a radio interview on Toronto's Fan 590. Here are a few of Melrose's gems from the interview: "I had guys in Tampa that wanted to run the team and I wouldn't let them....Every day was a constant battle." "They have guys in charge (now) and they can do what they want. Obviously that's not working out very well either." And when asked if he was happy to see his former team continue to struggle, he said: "I'm not going to lie to you, it does. And any coach who says it doesn't is a liar. I hope Tampa Bay doesn't win a game the rest of the year." It might have been a relief to get that off his chest, but his outburst clearly won't do much to impress prospective employers. If he had taken the high road in the media and put a lid on his controversial comments, Melrose might have had another shot at a coaching position in the future.

A Cautionary Tale: Sean Avery

Anyone who doubts that their ability (or lack thereof) to handle media interviews can have a direct impact on their careers should consider the case of Sean Avery. Earlier this week, Avery made some awful comments to a scrum of reporters about former girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert (who is now dating Dion Phaneuf from the Calgary Flames). I won't repeat his comments here. You've probably heard all about them by now. If not, just Google it. The bottom line is that Avery's now famous lapse in judgment (that took less than 10 seconds to speak) will not only cost him his job with the Dallas Stars, but possibly spell an end to his NHL career altogether. Let's just survey the extensive damage done by one poorly-considered quote to a few sports reporters. Avery has been suspended by the league. His teammates have said openly that they don't want him back. He's sure to take a significant financial hit. The team's ownership and management are in damage control mode. And the Dallas Stars, who are a perenial NHL contender, are having a dismal season. While the team's performance can't be attributed solely to Avery's ongoing behaviour problems, it certainly can't be helping them. And this doesn't even take into account the emotional pain that he's caused his former girlfriend with his mindless comments. The NHL is a business like any other. The players are expected to represent their organizations in certain manner in their dealings with the media. I've always held that the ability to conduct effective media interviews is a career-enhancing skill. Conversely, the inability to manage interviews strategically can be a career time bomb waiting to go off. That's something Sean Avery will have plenty of time to think about in the years ahead, as he contemplates the multi-million dollar career that was destroyed by a few poorly-chosen words.

Passing the smell test

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, the 'smell test' is a test of credibility/believe-ability that you need to apply to your key messages before you unveil them through the media. It's also been referred to as the BS test. When a message causes the listener to raise an eyebrow in a look of skepticism, there's a good chance it doesn't pass this test. Example:

"They are not prisoners. The only thing they are missing is the freedom to leave the ship." -- Somali pirate aboard the oil tanker Sirius Star, on its crew's condition

Shooting the customer is a bad PR strategy

No matter what business or industry you're in, attacking your customers in the media is never a good strategy. Sounds like common sense, right? Perhaps someone should tell that to Spencer Smith. Mr. Smith is the VP of customer service and communications for Pacific Coastal Airlines, a Vancouver-based, family-owned airline. In the wake of two fatal crashes involving the company's planes, Mr. Smith lashed out at 'hypocrisy from customers' as contributing to the accidents in a recent interview with The Globe and Mail.

"There's some hypocrisy from customers. Everybody says safety is a really important thing up to the moment you tell them they are not going anywhere because the weather is bad."

This isn't exactly the kind of accountability I'm looking for from a business (particularly a business that holds the lives of its customers in their hands as part of their day-to-day operations). To be fair, I suspect that this was probably the most controversial/compelling quote taken from a fairly lengthy interview with Mr. Smith. The bad news for him (and the airline) is that it's the quote that made it into print and reflects poorly on his organization. It's quite possible that he had some very responsible, articulate messages he provided to the reporter. But those messages were left on the cutting room floor when he uttered the words above. A spokesperson doesn't have control over the quotes the reporter ultimately selects for the article. They do, however, have control over what they actually say in the interview. A general rule when answering a reporter's question is to think for five seconds and speak for ten. That five-second 'delay' feature can help you steer clear of situations like this.

There are some things media training can't fix

Like poor judgment. There was a story on A1 of the Globe and Mail over the weekend about the sharp rise in violent iPod related thefts. The story referenced the tragic case of a 22-year-old Ottawa man who was killed over an iPod on a city bus. The gist of the story was that many kids would rather fight than give up their iPods. The quote that stopped me in my tracks was from a 17-year-old teen, Christina McPherson, who said, "I'd rather be stabbed than give up my iPod." I like my gadgets as much as the next person (I'm a confessed blackberry and iPod addict), but I literally couldn't believe my eyes when i read this quote. I'm hoping that she uttered these words in a 17-year-old, angsty, Juno-like way, and not that her judgment is really this impaired. Either way, this quote is topping my list of 'worst media quotes of the year'.

Out of the mouths of hockey players

There's a great scene in the movie Bull Durham where Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) is teaching Ebby Calvin 'Nuke' LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) how to survive interviews with sports reporters. His advice is basically to restrict himself to banalities. Keep it simple. Crank out the old clichés.

Crash Davis: You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. Write this down: "We gotta play it one day at a time." Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Got to play... it's pretty boring. Crash Davis: 'Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down.

While it's a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the generally poor quality of sports interviews, there is a grain of truth in Davis's advice. As a long-time sports fan, I listen to a lot of these interviews. And in the majority of cases, the players stick to their clichés. It's boring, but it allows them to steer clear of controversy. And controversy is the last thing you want to create in a team environment. Today, however, a player from the Toronto Maple Leafs went way off script and his comments are at the top of the local sports headlines. Jason Blake, who has been struggling for two seasons to find his offensive groove, is being benched for tonight's game against Calgary as a healthy scratch (for the second time this season). The first time he was scratched, his comments to the media were fairly tame. Today, he couldn't contain his anger and let it show to the reporters:

“I don’t know what’s going on… we’ll try to figure it out sometime today,” Blake said. “It’s just extremely frustrating. To be honest, I was very, very upset in Boston, but I didn’t really know what to say because I was caught off guard. It was the first time in nine years that I was a healthy scratch. I’m even more caught off guard this time, and I don’t know what’s going on, to tell you the truth. I’ll spend the afternoon trying to figure it out.”

I dislike everything about this quote. From saying 'I don't know what's going on' twice, to describing how 'very, very upset' he was and then saying he is 'more caught off guard this time'. This is pretty selfish stuff. This doesn't sound like a player who respects his coach, his teammates or the team's fans. The story of the day should be the team's upcoming game in Calgary. Instead, one player has selfishly hijacked the media spotlight to help soothe his own bruised ego. From an organizational and communications perspective, this is a terrible example of a lone wolf hurting the organization that pays his hefty salary. Even from a hockey standpoint, how can he think that these comments are going to get him back in the starting lineup? And while it might be a bit of a stretch, perhaps the self-serving tone of his comments can help shed some light on the reason behind his lacklustre play of late. Wayne Gretzky was not only the NHL's most prolific player in history, he also gave thousands of great media interviews, always putting his team, coaches and fans before himself. Maybe Jason Blake can spend some of his time in the press box tonight Googling some of Wayne's old media interviews and picking up a few pointers on how an athlete should represent himself to the media.

Taking message control to the extreme

A friend in the PR biz put me onto this video the other day. If you haven't seen it yet, it's pretty entertaining. Someone took the time to compare Obama and McCain's responses from the three televised debates. In a number of instances, each candidate's responses are exactly the same (not similar, but verbatim) in all three debates.

I'm clearly an advocate of managing your message. But there is a difference between having a set of core messages and sticking to them in spirit and tone, and repeating the same talking points word for word in front of tens of millions of people on multiple occasions.

When we do simulated TV interviews in our media training sessions, some participants (particularly those who have never done TV before) ask if they can have their message cards in their hands while they're being interviewed. They're understandably a bit anxious and think that having their messages in front of them will help bolster their performance. Occassionally, to help demonstrate a lesson to the group, I'll say 'sure'. The result is not exactly great television. Invariably, they can't help themselves from reading from the crutch that they're holding in their hand. The interviews sound stilted and they look really awkward.

Then, I'll ask the person to please fold up their message card and put it in their pocket. We start the interview again. And to the interviewee's surprise, in the vast majority of cases, they are able to answer the questions in a confident and knowledgeable manner. They hit most or all of the key points with no visual aids -- and the interview looks like something you might see on TV.

The secret to their success isn't the card in their pocket. Rather, it's the hour that we have spent as a group, boiling their organization's story down to four or five solid, well-articulated messages that explain their position, answer the important questions and contain the appropriate proof points. That's the hard part. The message card is really little more than a memento at that point.

If the process of developing the key messages has been handled properly, those messages become embedded in the participants' minds. They might not be able to recite them word for word, but that's not really the point. However, they are equipped to respond to reporters' questions on the issue in a strategic and coordinated way. And everyone around the table has a consistent message, ensuring the organization goes out to its audiences with a single voice.

Unintelligible news release quotes

Flipping through the daily news releases at Canada Newswire, I am floored by some of the executive quotes that see the light of day. To be fair, most of the news releases on the site are actually fairly well-written. But every day, there are at least a handful that are simply awful. It makes you wonder who's writing these things (not to mention who's approving them). Think about it. Each of these documents has probably been in development for weeks. They've been back and forth between communications/marketing and the executive office. They've been through 12 sets of eyes, legal, compliance, etc. And the result? Well, enjoy:

"Localizing the user interface in Japanese for Thomson Innovation means enhanced usability for our customers, enabling them to access our global, award-winning IP research and analysis resource with valued-added DWPI more easily within their local business environment," said Mr. Mark Garlinghouse, vice president and managing director of the Asia Pacific Scientific business of Thomson Reuters. "This investment demonstrates our strong commitment to Japan and plans to expand our market here with corporate solutions."

"This contract is a fantastic first step for Mint's global expansion, and is consistent with the Company's business model targeting the credit underserved population with tailored products by partnering with prominent corporations and consumer brands providing large distribution channels. Migrant workers are a large portion of the population who are underserved, and our prepaid payroll card makes receiving wages and the transfer of money simpler and cheaper than current available alternatives."

"Citadel Solutions' decision to use AC Plus for its fund administration services demonstrates the value of robust data management and its potential to generate revenue. Asset Control helps to take the operational burden out of data management, with Citadel Solutions as an example of a firm that is harnessing AC Plus' capabilities to streamline data capture and standardize its distribution. By using AC Plus to enrich the platform it provides, Citadel Solutions is able to gain a competitive advantage through the application of advanced technologies."

These companies invested time and money in crafting these news releases and sending them out into the world in an effort to build awareness, increase their profile and generate new business. What lost opportunities.

'Two for one deal' in the Edmonton Sun

There's a story in today's Edmonton Sun about an HIV/hepatitis scare, after it was discovered that some hospital workers had been administering medication using reused syringes. Health officials are urging 2,700 patients to be tested for HIV and hepatitis as a result. The reporter gets quotes from a variety of sources. I found two of those quotes particularly interesting. One of them is effective, while the other leaves you wondering what the spokesperson was thinking. Judge for yourself and see who tells their story more effectively: #1. Alberta's health minister, Ron Liepert, refused to lay blame until the Alberta Quality Health Countil is finished its review of the incident. Here's his quote:

"This is a system made up of human beings. There will be mistakes that will happen and we've had other mistakes in the past."

Talk about a lost opportunity. Instead of assuring residents that everything will be done to ensure this never happens again and that the health and safety of Albertans is their top priority, he sums it up with something that sounds like a line from 'Que Sera, Sera'. #2. The more effective quote is this one, from NDP Leader Brian Mason, who says:

"This government spends more money and makes a greater effort to educate drug addicts about not reusing syringes than they do the health professionals that we depend on to protect us. If they have not put in place the educational practices and procedures to make sure this isn't happening then we should assume it is happening in other places in other forms."

It does what a good key message should do -- it boils down the person's viewpoint into a simple, compelling statement that's easy to remember. The comparison with the education program for drug addicts is pretty effective and makes the government look as if it has its priorities out of whack. It also serves to make the health minister's quote (hey, we're people....things happen) look even sillier.

Why it's a good idea to steer clear of 'worst case scenarios'

I found this quote in the Toronto Star today, in a story about the rising costs of Prime Minister Harper's security detail. The reporter asked Chris Mathers, an international security expert, to comment on the PM's rising security costs and what factors might impact those costs. Mathers offers up the following quote:

"Whether the prime minister chokes on a chicken bone or someone tries to shoot him and he's injured, they have to know where the closest hospital is, how to get him there, is there a helicopter to Medevac him out – right down to who takes him and who stays and shoots it out if it's a group of terrorists."

I don't know about you, but for me, the first thing that came to mind while reading this brief quote was the George Bush pretzel-choking incident of 2002. The next image that came to mind was Ronald Reagan getting shot outside the Washington Hilton in 1981. And the third image was one of a shootout between terrorists and the PM's security personnel. Anything that can be said in a negative way can also be phrased positively. In this case, another approach might have been to reinforce the positive benefits associated with the Prime Minister's security detail, the extent of their training, the wide range of situations they're prepared for, etc. This is more palatable than reciting a list of things that could go wrong (and in the process, generating a series of extremely negative images in the minds of the readers).

John Nunziata puts his foot in it

An article in the October 22 Globe and Mail reveals that former MP and Toronto mayoral candidate John Nunziata was charged with assault. The charge followed an altercation with his ex-wife's boyfriend at a children's hockey game. The boyfriend claimed he was kicked by Nunziata (who says he plans to pursue counter-charges). The incident in question was at Mr. Nunziata's 11-year-old son's hockey game. The following excerpt is taken directly from the Globe story:

Mr. Nunziata, who has joint custody of his children after his divorce from Caroline Brett last year, was standing with his daughter, 14, who became “upset” about a comment made by either Ms. Brett or her boyfriend, Mr. Nunziata claims. “So I approached him and said: ‘You're upsetting my daughter, please stop,' ” said Mr. Nunziata, 53. “He told me to f**k off and he pushed me. Then a bunch of people got in the middle, and that was the end of it.” But yesterday, officers laid charges against Mr. Nunziata after his ex-wife's boyfriend, Murray Milthorpe, 48, went to police and claimed to have been kicked in the buttocks by Mr. Nunziata. Police photographed a bruise as evidence. Mr. Nunziata denies the claim, saying he was facing Mr. Milthorpe during the dispute and couldn't have kicked him.

Sure, this is a sad, unfortunate, embarrassing situation. And granted, Mr. Nunziata is undoubtedly enraged at the incident itself, as well as the ensuing charges and media attention. But this doesn't open the door for anyone, especially someone with such a public profile, of dropping an f-bomb in his statement to the reporter.

But that's not the worst of it. In my humble opinion, the truly inappropriate quote from Mr. Nunziata is this one:

"I didn't kick him. I don't know how he got the bruise on his ass, but I mean, he deserves an ass-kicking, but I didn't give it to him. This is an abuse of the process. It's all about a vindictive ex-wife and her boyfriend."

There's an old saying we use in our media training sessions -- that it's easier to get toothpaste out of the tube than it is to get it back in. This quote is a perfect example of that. Let's be clear. I'm not taking issue with the sentiment or questioning the veracity of the statement. I have no idea whether this gentleman does or does not deserve said buttock-kicking. The problem is that for Mr. Nunziata, these words are now part of the public record for the remainder of his days. In the Google-age, where nothing fades away into obscurity, a public figure (or anyone, for that matter) simply can't have something like this attached to their name.

Think about it. This quote, while it might generate some words of encouragement and slaps on the back from other burned ex-husbands out there, is certainly not going to help John Nunziata going forward. It isn't going to help him if this case goes to court. It isn't going to help him with respect to the integrity of his public personna. It isn't going to help him attract or retain clients with his consulting career.

So what would I have done differently? Well, I haven't been in this situation, so I won't pretend to know precisely what was going through his mind during this interview. Ideally, though, he could have asked the reporter for a few minutes to compose himself before speaking and then written down one or two quick messages on a pad of paper. Messages along the lines of the following:

"I want to be 100% clear that this individual's allegation is untrue. I was attending my son's hockey game, as I've been doing faithfully since he was X years old. Suddenly, I found myself in the middle of a confrontation started by my former wife and her companion, who were also in attendance. I plan to vigourously defend my name and I'm confident the facts will support the version of events I have provided to the authorities, with whom I am cooperating fully. But that is of secondary importance to me at this point in time. My top priority continues to be the happiness and well-being of my children, who are caught in the middle of this unfortunate situation."

Is it perfect? Probably not. Is it better than his actual quotes that appeared in the media? Absolutely. And it took me less than five minutes to write. There isn't a reporter around who won't give you five minutes to get back to them or to collect your thoughts. Even if you're gritting your teeth as you read it off the page, it's better to take the high road.

An ounce of preparation is worth a Pound of apologies

Dick Pound (the former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, an officer of the Order of Canada and a Vancouver Olympic Committee board member) has done hundreds of media interviews throughout his career. This is someone who knows how the process works. Which makes his recent remarks in La Presse that much more surprising. In the August 9th article, Mr. Pound was defending the holding of the Summer Olympics in Beijing despite China's spotty human rights record. The quote in question: "We must not forget that 400 years ago, Canada was a land of savages, with scarcely 10,000 inhabitants of European descent, while in China, we're talking about a 5,000 year-old civilization." The comment is nearly three months old. But it was brought to the surface last week when it was learned that a Quebec aboriginal-rights group has filed a complaint with the International Olympic Committee's ethics committee over the remarks. A story in the Globe and Mail on October 22 said, "Mr. Pound subsequently characterized what he said as a clumsy comment that has been taken out of context." From a communications standpoint, this is concerning for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that Vancouver is next in line to host the games. B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has taken Pound to task in the media, calling the comments 'disgraceful' and demanding an apology. We often tell clients to use colourful analogies, examples or anecdotes to help tell their stories. When properly thought through, it can be quite powerful. But in this instance, in trying to make an argument for China, he inadvertently threw Canada under the bus. In the end, it comes down to an unfortunate choice of words. Today, one day after the Globe and Mail article appeared, Dick Pound has officially apologized for his comments. That was definitely the right call. Failing to do so would have lead to a lingering, growing issue in the months ahead. Being the experienced spokesperson he is, Dick Pound recognized that. If he had only put a bit more thought into his key messages a few months ago, this whole scenario could have been avoided.