Ford

The Challenge and the Approach

After contamination was revealed at the Ford Motor Company site in Ringwood, NJ, the company vowed to keep the community informed about its clean up efforts and address questions or concerns about site activities. Winning Strategies developed and executed tactics to maintain the promised communication.

In January 2005, Ford hosted a site tour and briefing for senior staff members of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), community members and the Edison Wetlands Association (EWA). Additional stakeholder site tours were provided throughout the year.

Later, Winning Strategies created a Web site for Ford,www.ringwoodsiteupdate.com, to provide accurate and timely information to the community, government officials and the media. The site allows interested stakeholders to obtain historical and technical information concerning clean-up efforts at the site.

Periodically, progress update information was e-mailed to a list of stakeholders and interested parties to directly deliver Ford’s messages to key constituencies.

Winning Strategies assisted Ford in the creation and publication of an advertorial in local papers providing readers with an update on activities at the Ringwood site and a confirmation of its commitment to addressing remaining environmental issues at the Ringwood site associated with the disposal of Ford-related wastes.

Since its April 2005 launch, the site has received more than 6,000 visits, more than 30,000 page views and nearly 255,000 hits. This Web site activity shows that Ford has been able to reach its audience directly to explain this complicated message that is much more volatile, and often inaccurate, through the media.

Results