News Conference Case Studies
Project description
News Conference Case Studies
J350
Fall 2014
Directions: Based on the assigned case studies below all students will need to do research on the
issue and prepare a news release. In addition, PR practitioners will prepare statements to be
delivered at the simulated news conferences. Journalists will prepare a set of three questions due
on the day of your client groups news conference and a news story due 48 hours after the news
conference. While preparing these assignments, keep in mind that you may make up solutions to
address issues highlighted in the case studies, if none currently exit. However, base your
responses and media materials on the facts that you have from the case study, your
environmental scanning reports, and your research of the current situation. You do not need to
limit your research to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
You work in public relations at SeaWorld and are preparing for a news conference to report on
several of the companys key strategic initiatives, including upgrades to the new killer whale
habitat at the companys San Diego location and the proposed co-development of theme parks in
Pan-Asia, India and Russia with Village Roadshow Theme Parks. In addition, the company will
discuss its financial results for the Third Quarter 2014, which will be announced on Wednesday,
Nov. 12, 2014. The companys stock price has declined nearly 50 percent in the past year over
investors concerns about decreased attendance at SeaWorlds theme parks. Animal-rights
activists have engaged recently in an aggressive campaign strongly criticizing the companys
treatment of its captive killer whales. They have called for SeaWorld — at the very least — to find
ways to create a more natural environment for the whales. The activists argue that captivity has
negative effects on the psychological and physical wellbeing of the whales.
NEWS RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Your Name, VP Corporate Communications
1-800-700-6000
[email protected]
NIKE RELEASES CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY REPORT OUTLINING
THE COMPANYS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING
ENVIRONMENTAL, LABOR AND WAGE ISSUES
Corporate Responsibility (CR) efforts include reducing environmental impact and
maintaining fair labor practices for factory workers.
BEAVERTON, Ore., June 1, 2014 NIKE, Inc., (NYSE:NKE) today released its seventh
annual corporate responsibility report detailing the companys progress on several key issues,
including reducing the environmental impact of its manufacturing processes and ensuring
compliance with fair labor practices for its factory workers.
According to Nike CEO Mark Parker, decreasing the environmental impact of the
companys manufacturing processes continues to be a challenge, but Nike is making significant
progress through its strong commitment to sustainability initiatives. This includes various
projects underway at the companys Sustainable Business & Innovation Lab established in 2009.
Even though making shoes traditionally has required the use of glue, chemicals and
limited natural resources like rubber and oil, we continue to find innovative ways to reduce our
environmental impact through a variety of environmentally sustainable practices. For example,
Nike shoe boxes no longer require glue or staples, old shoes that previously ended up in landfills
now are shredded and used to make basketball courts, and Flyknit, our woven-shoe technology
introduced in 2012, dramatically cuts waste in the manufacturing process. In addition, by making
-more-
Nike releases CR report Page 2
soccer jerseys from polyester produced from recycled plastic bottles, Nike has prevented nearly
two billion plastics bottles from becoming landfill, Parker said.
The company takes continued allegations of failure to abide by wage regulations
seriously and stands by its code of conduct that requires its factory workers receive legally
mandated benefits and pay that is at least the minimum wage required by the laws of the
countries in which the Nikes products are made. Approximately one million workers make Nike
products in nearly 750 factories in 43 different countries. To ensure these factories — which Nike
does not own — comply with fair labor standards, the company participates in the activities of the
Fair Labor Association (FLA) aimed at creating transparency throughout the apparel industry.
The FLA makes public the findings of its regular factory visits and publishes these
findings on the FLA website, including problems or violations at the factories and how
companies are addressing any incidents or violations. Parker said, We are quick to act if we
discover any failure to comply with Nikes requirements for the fair treatment of factory workers
or any violations of the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct.
Nike will host a news conference at 4 p.m. on June 4, 2014, at its Beaverton headquarters
at which time the company will provide further details from the recent CR report. Requests for
media credentials to attend the news conference should be directed to Your Name at
[email protected]
About NIKE, INC.
Nike, Inc., based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the worlds leading designer, marketer and
distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety
of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned NIKE, Inc. subsidiaries include Converse, Inc.,
which designs, markets, and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories and
Hurley International LLC., which designs, markets and distributes surf and youth lifestyle
footwear, apparel and accessories.
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