Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CCP Netflix
CCP Netflix
CCP Netflix
The
Introduction 1
Contact Information 2
Purpose 2-3
Mission 3
Appendices
Communication Channels 22
Key Messages 23
Backgrounder 26-27
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Netflix takes pride in its transparency with employees and its customers. In case of a crisis or
severe problem associated with the company, the following material will help aid in the handling
Contact Information
Phone: 408-540-3700.
100 N Winchester Cir. Los Gatos, CA 95032
Purpose
When faced with a crisis and/or problem, the crisis team should prioritize maintaining and
rebuilding the relationship the company has with the customers. By having these preventive
measures already in place, the team will be able to clearly navigate the crisis. With various risks,
there are different approaches to each. The following information will allow Netflix to
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Mission
and quickly address the problem. The needs of the company and the customers is Netflix’s top
priority .
major media issue) Hulu already does this but Netflix will be the first to join
them.
● Negative reputational damage due to graphic intensity (Can occur if Netflix shares highly
sensitive media depicting images such as intense violence, rape, hate crimes etc)
○ Likeliness = 3 (Possible; this occurred during the release of the Jeffery Dahmer
series. Netflix suffered slight reputational damage paired with outrage from
certain sects of the African American and LGBTQIA+ communities. Netflix was
○ Past incidents and today's political climate show that this crisis can very much
happen
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○ Potential damage to company = 3 (Considerable damage, but still will not be a
major media issue) There are already shows on Netflix that depict sensitive and
hard-to-watch scenes.
actor/producer/director etc.
Chappelle’s most recent Netflix special; Dave has made and is known for making
○ Netflix did not remove Dave’s special but should be careful moving forward with
issue)
○ Netflix has faith that all of their employees will strictly follow company values
○ Still a possibility, especially in today’s day and age where everyone is getting
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○ Netflix has computer engineers working around the clock to ensure that the
○ If the website were to shut down for an extended period of time, this could be
○ If the website shuts down for a shorter period of time, it could still be an issue but
It is of utmost importance to communicate with Netflix’s key stakeholders and publics during a
crisis. The stakeholders share an interest in our organization’s actions (Hayes, 2022). Typically
the interest that the stakeholders share is financial. It is the communication team's job to
determine who Netflix’s key stakeholders are to ensure that they remain in the loop while
navigating an organizational crisis. The following table consists of key stakeholders and publics
for Netflix, as well as a depiction of what the communication will look like during a time of
organizational crisis.
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● It is vital that Netflix practices clarity
when communicating with board
members. Honesty is important to
maintain good relations with the board
while simultaneously giving the board
members vital truths of the situation so
they can move forward knowing all
the facts.
● A stronger relationship will
incentivize the board to continue
supporting Netflix post-crisis.
● Crisis resources will be communicated
through phone calls or meetings. It is
essential that board members are
notified of crisis information in real
time.
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communicating key crisis details and
resources. We must be thorough when
communicating with partners so that
Netflix remains in their good graces.
● Crisis resources should be
communicated via phone calls or
meetings. It shows respect to
communicate with partners through a
direct medium rather than email or
newsletters.
Key Publics are individuals who have any sort of interest in an organization and its actions
(Hayes, 2022). It is important that publics are given accurate and transparent information during
the time of an organizational crisis. Publics, both internal and external, allow the organization to
run. Therefore it is imperative that Netflix communicates updates to its publics throughout the
Internal Publics
● Board of Directors
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● Employees
External Publics
● Subscribers
● Media
● Talents
Environmental Scanning
It is necessary to monitor the media whether you are dealing with a crisis or not. Scanning
through traditional and new/social media is important to identify potential risks towards Netflix.
Environmental scanning allows us to get ahead of risks and solve them before they turn into a
crisis. Should a crisis arise, it is still important to monitor traditional and social media to assess
the public perception of the organization during the crisis. The following list consists of
Traditional media
○ Fox News, NBC News, CNN, The Associated Press, CBS News etc
● News papers
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○ Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Chicago
Tribune etc
● Social Media outlets: Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, Snapchat etc
● Blog sites
Issues management
Managing issues is the core of what the communication team does, and without this,
organizations would not survive. Issues are developing problems that an organization faces. If
these issues are not dealt with by an organization, then the issue can turn into a full blown crisis.
For this reason, organizations must be proactive with dealing with issues. It is also vital to be
aware of emerging trends that can turn into issues. The communication team is in charge of
identifying these issues and acting to mitigate or prevent them. It is the communication team's
job to analyze the issue, determine the threat it poses to the organization, and determine the
Reputation Management
In order to maintain Netflix’s reputation, the organization as a whole must take proactive steps in
upholding it. Netflix has maintained a positive reputation by working with talented individuals
in creative and productive ways, while simultaneously putting their workers before everything
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else. Netflix’s core value is people before the process. We pride ourselves on being a company
that many talented people want to work with, and it is important that we as an organization are
deliberate in our efforts to uphold this standard. In order to engage in proactive reputation
● Monitor traditional and social media for potential risks and threats to Netflix’s prestige
● Maintain our core values while working with different talents and individuals
Reputation management is not just for external publics, but also Netflix’s own employees.
Studies show that employees would rather work for organizations that care about the same values
as they do. Organizations show employees their strong values by aligning their values with their
know what the organization’s bigger picture or goal is, and employees prefer it when It is
important to employees that their leaders speak up on critical issues, especially in a time of crisis
or controversy. Organizations with a strong positive reputation have employees who work
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Prevention
Environmental scanning is the main tool Netflix as an organization should employ to prevent
potential risks from becoming a full on crisis. It is important that the organization regularly
monitors traditional and new media to gain outside perspective on the organization as well as
identify potential threats against Netflix. Preventing crises before they happen is the main goal.
Not all issues are identified and dealt with however, so it is important that Netflix’s
Communication Team is prepared should one arise. Critical crisis prevention steps are as
follows:
1. Threat Assessment: The communication team is in charge of analyzing the crisis at hand,
and determining the scale of damage that the crisis poses to Netflix. The potential
2. Deliberate and Communicate: The communication manager and the rest of the
strategies. Employees and other stakeholders must know what the next steps are and how
3. Address the Issue to External Publics: Once strategy and next steps are shared with
employees and other stakeholders, the communication team’s spokesperson must respond
to the media about the issue. It is imperative that this is done in a timely manner in order
to control the narrative. Organizations who are open and honest with the media from the
jump display sincerity, which can go a long way towards maintaining a positive
reputation.
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4. Assess External Reaction: The communication team must assess the public's reaction to
Netflix’s strategy in navigating the crisis. It is necessary to determine what went wrong
or right during crisis mitigation in order to better prepare for potential future crises.
5. Revise and Update: After analyzing the communication teams efforts to mitigate the
crisis, they must update the current crisis communication plan with reference to the
Media Audit
Media allows a crisis situation to spread like wildfire. Depending on the crisis, the media can
determine an organization's future. If Netflix is unaware of which media outlets are likely to
cover their crisis, then the narrative behind the crisis will be completely out of Netflix’s hands.
With Netflix being one of the most used streaming services in the world, any crisis will likely
warrant news coverage from most national news outlets. Netflix also has a strong presence on
social media. Therefore any crisis will likely warrant a lot of social media traffic in real time.
Social media news tends to break well before traditional news outlets, so it is important to be
aware of how and where news would spread on the internet during a potential crisis. The
following table contains several traditional and social media outlets/ platforms that are likely to
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Outlet Media Type Medium Contact Information
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Outlet Media Type Medium Contact Information
Platform 1 (310)-399-3339
As mentioned before, social media serves as a great medium for discovering information in real
time. Users are able to receive updates on news stories as they break, making social media a
great tool for accessing external reactions in a timely manner. The faster Netflix can gauge the
Social media can also be utilized as a tool for organizations to market their product or content.
consumers and the organization themselves. Netflix participates in this by having social media
accounts on almost every platform. The following table contains information regarding Netflix’s
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actors that Netflix
works with
● Also highlights
specific scenes from
popular movies and
shows that stream on
Netflix
● Captions from posts
use similar vernacular
to today’s younger
generation (Ex. one
post is captioned “in
my trying to get
Taylor Swift tickets
era)
● Captions also use a lot
of emojis; this gives a
sense of informality
and relatability
especially since
Instagram’s audience
is mostly young
people
● Account also posts
memes related to
current events and pop
culture with the use of
famous scenes and
characters from
Netflix shows
● Overall, the account
markets their content
while simultaneously
attempting to be
viewed informally
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relating to current
events and pop culture
using their content
● Generally uses
platform to market
their content
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Netflix’s Use of Social Media During A Crisis
Social Media is a good tool to utilize during a crisis as it provides a direct line of communication
between Netflix and the public. It is important for Netflix to update and share public statements
In Netflix’s case, only two of the four major platforms should be utilized during crisis mitigation:
facebook and twitter. Instagram and Tik Tok are important platforms for environmental
scanning, but the informal nature of these platforms make it difficult to remain sincere and
● Facebook should share any public statements Netflix might make in regards to a crisis.
○ This can be in the form of a written statement, a recorded video statement, or even
● Facebook’s audience consists of a lot of older people, making it a good platform to share
● Facebook should also be utilized to evaluate the public’s reaction to the crisis
○ Posts on Facebook are not as limited in size as other platforms, thus allowing
● The formal nature of Netflix’s facebook account makes it the perfect platform to share
serious information.
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Twitter
● Twitter should share any public statements Netflix might make in regards to a crisis.
○ Also can take the form of a written statement, a recorded video statement, or even
● Twitter has more young users than facebook does, therefore this platform helps Netflix
get their message out to younger users more effectively than Facebook.
● Twitter is also a good tool to evaluate public reaction towards the crisis in real time.
News tends to break on Twitter before every other platform or outlet, therefore Netflix
● Netflix uses Twitter more informally than they use Facebook, which can complicate
things when trying to share serious information. Nevertheless, the timely fashion in
Third-party supporters
In the event of a crisis event, third-party supporters may provide support for the organization by
helping with reputation management and nullify negative comments. Third-party supports are
those that a company does business with (suppliers, vendors, partners, affiliates, etc.). These
individuals or groups are not directly employed by the organization, but are knowledgeable about
the organization, know enough to speak on their goals, and have supported them. Supporters who
are identified may be contacted by the media to show their support for Netflix in a crisis. The
chart below lists current third-party supporters in regards to hypothetical crisis scenarios that are
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Third-party Supporters Relationship
In order to ensure an effective crisis communication plan, they must be tested, evaluated, and
revised to update along with the changes of communication strategies. In a real crisis scenario,
everyone who is or will be involved should have input in the testing, evaluating, and revising of
the CCP.
1. Test
The CCP can be tested by using the hypothetical crisis scenarios that are previously mentioned in
pages 3 through 5. This should accurately test if the strategy is effective, efficient, consistent,
complete.
2. Evaluate
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During a real crisis, those involved should observe and take notes on how effective, efficient,
consistent, and complete the CCP is. Those involved (stakeholders, employers, etc) then must
evaluate the plan using the Post Crisis Evaluation Form (Appendix A) within a week of the
resolution. A copy of the CCP must be available to reference while filling out the Post Crisis
Evaluation Form.
3. Revise
Once the CCP evaluation has been completed by employees and stakeholders, Netflix and the
communication manager must work together to rate how successful the plan is and how it could
be improved. The plan must be kept up to date and tested at least once a year to ensure
communication before, during, and after with stakeholders, publics, and the media. The
following five step plan can help Netflix in providing responses in a timely manner. This should
be used repeatedly throughout every stage of a crisis, so that their response strategies can be
● Immediately gather facts and key information (may meet at the location of the
incident if necessary)
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○ Where did the crisis take place?
● Keep employees informed and provide them with guidance on how to talk about
the crisis
● Prepare for responses and questions from external audiences following the release
4. Release messages
Twitter, Instagram). May use a live press conference depending on the severity of
the crisis.
● Follow up on comments from the public and mentions from the media
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● Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and communicate feedback with Netflix
The communication channel should be reflexive of the current crisis situation as well as the
audience.
Partnerships ● Interpersonal
● Email from organizational leader
● Updates via email
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Key Messages Worksheet
This worksheet should be utilized when crafting official statements and messages to the public.
What do we know What must stakeholders do to Should we apologize for our role
for certain? minimize their risk or to manage in the situation?
the effects of the hazard?
What actions are we What else should they do? How can we stake out the middle
taking to resolve the ground?
situation?
When will we What else could they do? How can we acknowledge any
provide our next uncertainties about the situation?
update?
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Press Release (Template)
Headline
One sentence, 7-10 words, that describes the major point of the release:
Main Paragraph
Quickly answers the Who, What, Where, When and Why of the story:
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Who is affected:
What is going on:
Where is this taking place:
When did this occur:
Why is this important:
About Netflix
Netflix is the world’s leading internet entertainment service with 209 million subscribers in over
190 countries enjoying TV series, films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and
languages. Members can watch and play as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any
internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without
commercials or commitments.
###
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NETFLIX BACKGROUNDER
History
Back in 1997, Netflix was founded by two software gurus by the names of Reed Hastings and
Marc Randolph. Hastings had come up with the idea of Netflix after forgetting to return a movie
on time, and wound up paying nearly $40 in late fees. The duo came up with the idea of a
subscription service where customers could order as many movies as they wanted, for a flat fee.
Their system was designed in a way that once a customer sent back the previous DVD, they
would immediately be issued a new movie of their choosing. As technology advanced over the
years, Netflix transitioned from a DVD mailing service, to a first of its kind streaming service.
Today, Netflix is currently headquartered in Los Gatos, California, home to over 15,000
employees.
Netflix Today
Netflix currently holds over 209 million subscribers worldwide and brings in nearly $25 billion
annually in total revenue. The streaming site is home to over 5,000 movies, TV shows and games
for subscribers to enjoy. With the addition of Netflix Original shows and movies, the streaming
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Netflix’s Impact
Netflix is committed to being an inclusive and diverse company. Inclusivity ranges but is not
limited to both the company’s employees and on screen programs. “We believe more people
deserve to see their lives on screen, and are committed to creating opportunities in front of and
behind the camera for people from all backgrounds and cultures.” (Netflix, 2021)
The company is also extremely committed to making sure the platform is accessible to all
individuals. Netflix currently streams in over 190 different countries around the world. Within
those 190 countries, local languages are provided via both closed captioning and verbally, to
Environmental sustainability is also important to the company’s culture. As the year 2022 comes
to a close, Netflix has successfully reached their goal of achieving zero net greenhouse gas
emissions. The corporation has not only reduced their own carbon footprint, but they are
continuously funding environmental projects around the world. “Netflix exists to entertain the
world, and that requires a habitable world to entertain. Which is why environmental
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MEDIA CONTACT LOG
Your Name:
______________________________________________________________________________
Publication/Station:
______________________________________________________________________________
Reporter:
______________________________________________________________________________
Office #: ______________________ Cell #: ______________________ Other #:____________
Fax #: ______________________ Email:____________________________________________
Request:
Call-Back Log
Actions:
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Kayla Friesland Spokesperson kbfries@ilstu.edu (217) 871-1022
References:
Columnist Tuesday, A. E. G. (2022, September 6). Netflix and Microsoft is a partnership built on
bundling. AdExchanger. Retrieved November 19, 2022, from
https://www.adexchanger.com/tv-and-video/netflix-and-microsoft-is-a-partnership-built-o
n-bundling/
Evans, J. (2021, October 11). Walmart and Netflix team up for exclusive new retail hub that will
bring popular stories to life. Corporate. Retrieved November 19, 2022, from
https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2021/10/11/walmart-and-netflix-team-up-for-ex
clusive-new-retail-hub-that-will-bring-popular-stories-to-life
Google. (2022, November 3). Netflix party is now teleparty. Google. Retrieved November 19,
2022, from
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/netflix-party-is-now-tele/oocalimimngaihdkbi
hfgmpkcpnmlaoa?hl=en
Niedt, B. (2022, November 1). Netflix comes to Walmart for a 1980s throwback. Kiplinger.com.
Retrieved November 19, 2022, from
https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/shopping/netflix-comes-to-walmart-for-a-19
80s-throwback
Popp, M., By, & Popp, M. (2015, January 9). Netflix partners with the big 3 to bring 4K content
to consumers. TechNorms. Retrieved November 19, 2022, from
https://www.technorms.com/42176/netflix-partners-big-three-bring-4k-content-consumer
s-soon
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