With the nation still reeling from the elementary school massacre one week ago in Newtown, CT, the National Rifle Association decided to hold a news conference today.
According to the group, the goal of the news conference was to show the?NRA was ?prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again.?
While many people felt the NRA might address the monumental?issue of assault weapons in the hands of youthful killers, NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre went in the opposite direction and said schools need armed security guards to stop future killings.
In more than 25 years in public relations, LaPierre?s news conference may have been the biggest PR disaster I have ever witnessed.?In fact, it may have been the worst news conference ever held?anywhere.
How bad was it? It was so awful that it is likely to be held up as an example in future PR textbooks in ?How Not To Hold a??News Conference.?
It was stunning in its insensitivity and likely will mobilize even greater calls for gun control. In other words, it did more damage to the NRA than if the news conference was never held.
?LaPierre blamed many things in his press conference for the influx of? mass shootings in the U.S. ? everything from gun-free school zones, the media,? movies, violent video games, hurricanes, and a lack of government funding,? noted Business Insider.
LaPierre?s reason for the news conference???To announce the NRA is calling on Congress to put armed security guards in every school. The group has even set up a Web site to advance?that cause.
Not only were LaPierre?s message points off-target for a country reeling from gun violence, but his group did not even have sufficient security to keep protesters from disrupting the event.
Twice protesters interrupted LaPierre, with one protester (below) actually just standing in front of him for nearly 30 seconds with a sign saying ?NRA KILLING OUR KIDS.?
The only wise decision on the NRA?s part was not opening the news conference to questions. That likely would have led to a dillution of its message even more.
LaPierre?should be thankful the protesters were not armed.
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Source: http://www.bottomlinecom.com/nra-news-conference-a-legendary-pr-nightmare/
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