Fake News, Fact Checkers and F-Bombs
During the midst of the 2020 elections, Fulton County Georgia experienced a second crisis -- the operation of 2020 Elections. Starting with the COVID-19 death of an election worker, the June 2020 Primary resulted in what was described as a "total meltdown."
In preparation for the November 2020 General Election, the Communications team created a strategic communications framework to help address reputational damage experienced in June and restore confidence. Along the way, Fulton County became the eye of the storm in an historic election marked by misinformation and divisiveness.
To pivot from this crisis in preparation for the November 2020 General Election, the Communications team created a strategic communications framework to help recover from reputational damage experienced in June and restore confidence. Along the way, Fulton County became the eye of the storm in an historic election marked by misinformation and divisiveness. Learn how Fulton County's veteran communications team pivoted from strategy to crisis response, navigating intricate legal issues and scrutiny from around the world. The team will address what worked, what didn't, and strategies that can be applied in other crisis situations.
Specific topics will include:
- Strategic Communications: Leveraging In-House talent to create a strategic marketing and advertising campaign to educate and inform voters
- Community relations approach, including forming public, civic and nonprofit partnerships
- Misinformation: Strategies to balance free speech and "fake news"
- Legal Issues: Navigating through legal challenges including targeting and "doxing" of election workers
- Transparency: Benefits and lessons learned, including a unique relationship with an embedded reporter (this is where the F-bomb came in!)
