Summary
Bane NOR’s new train tunnel, launched in December 2022, was shut down just eight days later due to major errors, remaining closed for two months. Infomedia partnered with Bane NOR to assess their crisis communication using traditional media, social media, and local surveys. Despite harsh media criticism from stakeholders, surveys revealed that local residents were mostly supportive and hopeful for the tunnel’s reopening. This comprehensive analysis provided Bane NOR with crucial insights into their communication effectiveness during the crisis and offered strategies for future improvements.

Objective/Brief
Bane NOR faced significant uncertainties during the tunnel closure, with no clear timeline for reopening. The project, a high-profile and costly endeavor, attracted political scrutiny while commuters dealt with travel disruptions. Criticism came from politicians, the Ministry of Transportation, and frustrated travelers due to inconsistent information and unmet reopening promises. The CEO’s attempt to blame an entrepreneur further damaged Bane NOR’s credibility, creating an impression of mismanagement.

Infomedia’s evaluation highlighted how Bane NOR’s communication strategies influenced public perception. Media measurements identified effective communication tactics and those that backfired, while surveys showed commuters were more concerned about updates on operational trains than the tunnel closure itself. This analysis enabled Bane NOR to refine their crisis communication strategies, ensuring better preparedness and responsiveness in future incidents.

Strategy
Infomedia held multiple meetings with Bane NOR to design a comprehensive evaluation of their crisis communication. We started with a big data analysis of Bane NOR’s historical media presence to understand their baseline media coverage. This analysis revealed that Bane NOR typically received negative or neutral attention, providing context for the crisis coverage.

The evaluation focused on three areas: traditional media, social media, and surveys. We first defined our survey targets and objectives, focusing on locals directly and indirectly affected by the tunnel closure. For media measurement, we analyzed local, regional, and national media to capture the exposure of our survey participants. Social media analysis focused on Bane NOR’s own channels, assessing public engagement and reactions to their crisis communication. This multi-faceted approach ensured a comprehensive understanding of Bane NOR’s communication effectiveness.

By integrating traditional media data with survey results, we identified key insights into public perception. The analysis showed that while Bane NOR faced heavy criticism in the media, local residents were relatively satisfied with the communication regarding ongoing train operations. This helped Bane NOR improve their communication strategies, emphasizing clarity and consistency in future crises.

Execution/Implementation
We began by establishing a baseline analysis of Bane NOR’s media presence using methods like Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), word recognition, and sentiment analysis. This provided context for the crisis analysis, ensuring comparability.

Working with Bane NOR, we developed a survey targeting locals directly and indirectly affected by the tunnel closure. The survey data was then aligned with media analysis, focusing on relevant local, regional, and national media outlets.

Traditional media analysis involved categorizing articles using LDA, followed by manual review to capture nuances in public opinion and Bane NOR’s communication. Social media analysis focused on Bane NOR’s channels, assessing customer interaction and response to crisis-related posts.

The integrated data from traditional media, social media, and surveys provided a holistic view of the crisis communication’s impact. Results showed that while Bane NOR faced significant media criticism, the overall sentiment was consistent with their usual negative coverage, albeit at a higher volume.

This comprehensive analysis revealed that Bane NOR’s primary challenge was not the crisis itself but the chaotic and inconsistent communication. Recommendations included establishing clear key messages, avoiding premature promises, improving stakeholder communication, and maintaining a consistent social media strategy. These insights helped Bane NOR refine their crisis communication approach, ensuring better preparedness and effectiveness in future incidents.

Effectiveness of Assignment
Ensuring reliability in communication measurement, especially with diverse data sources, was a priority. We streamlined our traditional media analysis to focus on outlets relevant to the surveyed participants, ensuring the measured communication matched their exposure. Social media analysis was limited to Bane NOR’s channels to capture genuine customer reactions.

Key findings included:

• Chaotic communication with multiple conflicting messages from various spokespeople.
• Lack of responsibility from top management, with the CEO wavering in statements and attempting to deflect blame.
• Poor coordination with project stakeholders, leading to mixed messages and public confusion.
• Survey data indicated public discontent with media handling but appreciation for the tunnel project.
• Facebook was the most engaging social media platform for commuters.
• Inconsistent social media strategy, lacking unified tone and messaging.

Based on these insights, we advised Bane NOR to:

• Define key messages early and avoid unrealistic promises to prevent backlash.
• Enhance communication with stakeholders to present a unified front.
• Ensure top management collaborates closely with the communication team for coherent messaging.
• Focus on long-term project benefits, as survey data showed public concern for overall solutions over immediate issues.
• Develop and adhere to a consistent social media strategy.

These recommendations were aligned with AMEC’s Barcelona Principles, emphasizing goal setting, identifying outputs and outcomes, and ensuring integrity and transparency. Although Bane NOR has yet to face another crisis to test these recommendations, the comprehensive evaluation has significantly improved their crisis communication framework, ensuring better preparedness for future incidents.

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