Influence Alley

Sorry crisis communicators and ad buyers, but despite the dire warnings about the cantaloupe-listeria outbreak grabbing headlines, the industry is unlikely to respond with a big advertising or lobbying blitz.

Kathy Means of the Produce Marketing Association said the industry doesn't normally launch aggressive counter messaging when the outbreak is contained to one grower, as is the case this time. Means, the association's vice president of government relations and public affairs, said she had not heard of any PR efforts tied to the recent outbreak short of some agricultural trade associations using social media to spread food safety information.