Bob Parsons - big elephant = bad PR

Bob Parsons, CEO of Go Daddy, one of the biggest players in domain-name registration and website hosting, caused quite the controversy yesterday when video of him killing a large bull elephant in Zimbabwe spread like wildfire online.

Parsons, never one to shy from controversy, told AOL Small Business that he spends weeks “volunteering to deal with problem elephant.” After the video release, PETA was quick to name Parsons “Scummiest CEO of the Year,” thousands of people voiced their disgust on Twitter, and many threatened to close their Go Daddy Accounts. And competitors were quick to jump on the CEO’s public-relations stumble by offering discounts and donations to elephant-related charities. (Check Mashable for the full story and the disturbing video.)

Regardless of how you feel, CEOs, business owners, and other leaders can learn a few things from this public-relations debacle. These lessons seem like common sense but, judging by the questionable actions of so many CEOs, apparently are not.

How a leader can avoid bad public relations for their organization

1. Lead by example.

Don’t want your employees posting videos of themselves committing questionable acts while wearing t-shirts adorned with your company logo? Don’t do it yourself. Parsons went so far as to give villagers Go Daddy hats, which the video shows them wearing while hacking meat off the fallen animal.

2. Consider the impact on your brand of every decision you make.

Parsons could care less about what people think. While strong opinions are a hallmark of leadership, most effective leaders are also good listeners who will consider the impact of their decisions and how their target market will view them.

Go Daddy is a leader in its industry. But can it continue to do so by alienating large numbers of people?

3. Remember that elephants never forget, and neither does the internet.

A leader’s missteps can be documented immediately and in perpetuity. Parsons’ actions were recorded on video, uploaded, and spread globally and rapidly on Twitter. Customers quickly withdrew their business, competitors stepped in, and petitions called for a boycott of the company.

Passionate advocates with powerful tools have made the phrase “all PR is good PR” an antiquated myth.

What else have we learned in recent months from CEO missteps online? Leave your comments below. And in case you’re wondering, Lead the Pack is indeed pulling all of its business from Go Daddy.

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Three key communications steps can help any organization’s PR team deal with a crisis. The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) response to the brutal killing of 100 sled dogs in Canada shows the importance of being 1) timely, 2) transparent, and 3) thoughtful.

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New Logo Design: Sustain-a-Bull

Lead the Pack enjoyed designing the logo for Sustain-a-Bull, an organization that will provide products and resources to dog lovers that promote the adoption of Pit Bulls and all dogs, strengthen the bond between dogs and their families, and foster the well-being of dogs in America.

When many people hear “Pit Bull,” thoughts of Michael Vick and vicious bites arise. But the American Pit Bull Terrier has a history much longer - and more positive - than the media may lead you to believe (though with positive coverage in Sports Illustrated, Time, and other media outlets, that’s slowly changing.)

Sustain-a-Bull needed a visual identity that was strongly symbolic and representative of the American Pit Bull Terrier’s storied history in America. What better way to share this idea than through Old Glory itself, the American flag? Lead the Pack used the historic and official Old Glory colors, and an Americentric font was used: American Typewriter is an approachable style with a throwback to the past that fits with the Sustain-a-Bull theme. The Pit Bull’s profile features the dog’s stereotypical squared head and all-too-often cropped ears - and if you don’t mind us reaching a bit more towards American symbolism, it recalls the iconic silhouetted profiles of early presidents such as George Washington (who apparently owned hounds, not American Pit Bull Terriers - but we digress.)

Sustain-a-Bull doesn’t yet have a website, but Lead the Pack will design the website when the time comes. Stay tuned. In the meantime, learn more about the history of Pit Bulls in the United States in “The Pit Bull Placebo,” a book detailing the dog’s vilification in the media.

Like what you see? Contact Lead the Pack for a free conversation about how we can help you.