Crisis management and PR for the end of an era

Closing the door on sugar was a nostalgic and highly emotional event. Rather than sidestep the “end of an era” messaging, we owned it.

A&B executives took every opportunity to acknowledge the loss to the community and express sincere gratitude to their employees — at town hall meetings, in internal communications, and in the media.

Proactive media outreach enabled A&B to generate positive buzz and tell its own story, shifting the focus away from potentially negative coverage.

Our strategy and execution resulted in more than 200 local and national media stories, with virtually no negative articles.

The vast majority of media coverage cemented HC&S’ legacy in Hawaii, praised A&B’s handling of a difficult situation, and laid the groundwork for A&B’s bright future in diversified agriculture.