The Case of the Viral Snowman
CHAMPAIGN-URBANA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT Nestled in East Central Illinois Flatland Serve Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy Combined Population of about 130,000 and University of Illinois with 40,000+ Students (students, faculty, and staff pay no fare) Bus Only About 100 Buses Annual Ridership 10,000,000
YouTube: Sunday, December 5, 2010 (very early Sunday morning)
Sunday, December 5, 2010 The preceding 47-second video is posted on YouTube. MTD personnel who monitor social media sites discover the video and immediately have the audio/video recordings on the bus involved downloaded.
Monday, December 6, 2010 Video and audio evidence are examined. Meeting is held with the operator and operator resigns.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010 Local CBS Affiliate airs a news story showing the video and comments that the operator was fired.
Thursday, December 9, 2010 Videographers, presumably University of Illinois students, create a Save the Bus Driver Facebook page. Emails flood in to MTD expressing outrage and concern over firing of the operator.
Friday, December 11, 2010 MTD issues a statement via usual channels and social media as follows: Safety is the very core of the s mission. The District has an expectation that operators will always operate their vehicles with the highest regard for the safety of passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists. While there certainly is an entertainment factor in watching the collision of a snowman in the roadway and a bus, there are also a great many safety factors to be considered as well. Most would agree that there are more responsible ways of dealing with an obstruction in the road. The MTD values its employees and also understands that occasionally mistakes in judgment are made which can have a broad range of consequences. To maintain the privacy of individuals, we do not discuss personnel issues publicly. Have a Happy Holiday and we hope snowmen continue to reside on front lawns and not in the roadway.
Friday, December 11, 2010 Local CBS affiliateissues a follow-up to the video story that simply shares a small portion of the MTD s statement. The local newspaper submits a FOIArequestfor personnel policies and information about this individual.
Saturday, December 12, 2010 The local newspaper carries a story summarizing events and for the first time it is mentioned that the operator resigned (as opposed to having been fired.)
Monday, December 14, 2010 Associated Press picks up the story. The story is forwarded by a Chicago Breaking News website as reported in the Chicago Tribune. An explosion of interest erupts.
Tuesday, December 15, 2010 Most Chicago-area TV stations carry the story as do Chicago newspapers. The story airs on the Todayshow, Inside Edition, The Weather Channel, Comedy Central, CNN, Fox News, Good Morning America, the CBS Early Show, and others. MTD is contacted by most for comment but declines comment. MTD staff and Board members are bombarded with hundreds (thousands?) of email messages from as far away as Scotland. Story is carried widely on the Internet including on thehufffingtonpost.com and Perez Hilton s website. The students Facebook page receives postings from all over the world including the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, and Belgium. The local newspaper advises that they were contacted by the BBC, the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many others.
Wednesday, December 16, 2010 A second story is carried in the local newspaper primarily commenting on the extensive national and international interest in the story. Local talk radio is abuzz with comments about how this was a public service. All three local police jurisdictions are contacted. All thought is was amusing. One was appalled at the Death of Frosty. Another said they would investigate but there was no DNA evidence at the scene.
Thursday, December 17, 2010 Incoming comments slow to a trickle from the earlier flood.
Friday, December 18, 2010 A mere 12 days after appearing, there are nearly a millionviews of the video on the various websites on which it is posted. More than 11,000 people Like the Save the Bus Driver Facebook page.
Local Newspaper Coverage Newspaper Stories Letters to the Editor
Comment Categories Operator was doing a public service ridding roadway of a hazard MTD was bad for having fired the Operator [at Christmastime!] Those who built the snowman should be punished MTD s commitment to safety was the reason for firing
KEY TAKEAWAYS This story blew up more than MTD ever expected. is powerful and moves at the speed of light. Develop greatrelationships with local journalists. Develop strategy and tactics for these situations beforethey occur. Take the opportunity to use this is an internal Teaching Moment.
THANKS! Jan Kijowski Marketing Director 217.384.818 jkijowski@cumtd.com Beware the Snowman. He s got a heart of cold.