Free Essay Example: Adolph Coors Company

Media technology and communication innovation have substantially brought a significant change to editorial and news coverage of corporate problems. The two have also mainly contributed to the growth of public interest and activism in different affairs affiliated to certain corporations. Things have changed as time goes by. Businesses that were protected by the right to privacy are now welcoming capability of media relations. Improper execution of media relations can subject the company's business and progress to jeopardy (Morris 2011). It is quite sure that adversaries who properly handle their media relation have the upper hand. There are adverse effects that are associated with poor execution of media relations among organizations and vice versa. Media relation can benefit or hinder the functionality of a company in equal measure regarding how it will be handled. When properly and skillfully executed, it can help a corporation to accurately manage its financial crisis and reduce the chances of competitors trying to compromise its business practices through communication techniques (Michelson 2011). Unconventional handling can be perilous.

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Historically, the Adolph Coors Company has been associated with rather unpleasant relations with labor unions. Publicized boycotts and strikes related to labor has negatively affected its reputation among stakeholders and sales of its product. During a consumer boycott of Coors, which took a decade, the American Federation of labor and congress of industrial organization (AFL-CIO) carried out an extensive campaign of negative publicity against the corporation. In 1982, there is a high possibility of media scrutiny by a no-nonsense Mike Wallace. This 60 minutes investigation pressurizes Coors to take immediate action to address different issues posed. Coors experience a frequently complicated relationship with the labor union. A wage contract disagreement with united brewery workers results to a strike in 1977 which is voted by 94% of the UBW workers. This is followed by a declaration of a nationwide boycott of the company's products. AFL-CIO strongly supports the idea of UBW and mobilizes a national boycott bringing other grievances into account. AFL-CIO alleges that Coors has been discriminating women as well as an ethnic minority in promotion and hiring. The bureau also indicates searches of workers and their personal belongings for drugs. Coors employees express foul play with the quality of life problems they are encountering. Coors's adversaries have formulated a communication campaign strategy to bring the company's complaints into the limelight and seek public support of the ongoing boycotts. One of the company's former employee who is now the national director of the boycott, David Sickler, helps the AFL-CIO to execute an influential campaign to forward the messages of the federation. Coors's efforts to establish some new market are suppressed, Sickler. For instance, in 1987, the AFL-CIO publicized boycott to interfere with Coors expansion of its market eastwards. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Coors is accused of biased promotion and hiring against women, Mexican Americans and African Americans by the federal government.

The above-stated problems have significantly affected the business operations of Coors. The federal suit succeeded in persuading employees of the company to boycott. Coors experienced division of employees' loyalty with some arguing that the dispute is more than the money issue. These issues trigger the possibility of media scrutiny where pressure is exerted on Coors to address the challenges laid down by a team under the leadership of reporter Mike Wallace. Shirley Richard, the Coors director of communication, admits that the company recorded a 10% sales and 5.3% production drop (Morris 2011). The labor-related boycotts also interfered with the company's protracted efforts to establish the brand in the eastern part of the United States. The image, reputation, and identity of Coors to the eyes of the public was questionable. The corporation proactively formulated a strategy for the preparation of the 60 minutes investigation. This was purposely meant to avoid the company from falling prey to Mike Wallace team.

Shirley Richard gives a comprehensive account of the Coors strategy for anticipating for the 60 Minutes investigation. According to the plan, the challenges that the corporation is facing will boil down to either opportunities or problem. The strategy maintains that the experiences can be used to forward Coors's message and mitigate the results of a negative publicity campaign carried out by its adversaries. The corporate communication team led by Shirley prepared the two brothers by employing professional reporters and professional spokesmanship trainers. Shirley does this to familiarize the two brothers with message objective and different techniques or "bridging." Turning a question into an opportunity and familiarizing the two brothers of their rights during the interview is a crucial objective of the team led by Shirley Richard. Apart from the two brothers, there was a need for Shirley to reach out to employees and the management to effectively implement the strategy of investigation.

In case the interview never took place, Shirley had to come up with a new new strategy of changing the reputation of the cooperation in the eyes of the public. According to Shirley's approach, the 60 minute investigation and the interview was a stepping stone in changing the way the public viewed the organization. The whole process was essential, and Shirley had the obligation of encouraging the two brothers to go on with the interview.

Coors has been enduring a turbulent time for ages. This has forced the corporation to adjust to curb this menace effectively. The corporation has a long contagious relationship with the media. The company needs to mind improving its media relation. Firstly, Coors should understand who they are dealing with. There is a great need for researching the media and journalists in play. For instance, Wallace is widely known for their harsh and adversarial interviewing style. Communication skills are important. Coors should also deliver because excuses will never wash anything away.

Reference

Morris, B(2011). Case Study: Coors Beer and AFL-CIO Slug it Out in the Media.

Michelson, P. (2012). COORS BEER, UNION BUSTER. Nation, 226(14), 434-436.