COVID-19 swept the U.S. with little time or warning for brands to prepare. And while most PR firms have crisis messaging in place for their clients’ unexpected and emergency situations, COVID-19 presented unique challenges unlike anything the world has ever seen. No crisis PR playbook included how-tos for a systemwide, global pandemic and ultimate U.S. economic shutdown.
On March 27, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration called upon banks and credit unions to come to the rescue of small businesses and non-profit organizations with the Paycheck Protection Program funding through Congress's #CARESAct.
Deeter Gallaher Group crafted a series of internal and external messages and media releases for Centric Bank and President & CEO Patti Husic to inform, comfort, and assure the bank’s customers, shareholders, small businesses, and community members that the bank was prepared for every eventuality. Transparent, real-time updates were disseminated around the clock as DGG positioned Centric Bank as the champion for small business loans and provided Husic as a media spokesperson to local and state news outlets.
