A dangerous elevator at a country inn killed 8-year-old Tucker Smith. During discovery in the ensuing lawsuit, his parents learned that for decades the same type of elevator had killed scores of children. To their horror they also learned that the manufacturer knew it, and had destroyed records to hide the problem. As part of the settlement, the family required Otis Elevator to launch a public awareness campaign and a national legislative campaign. They wanted to warn people about the threat and the need to outlaw this type of design defect. Tucker’s father Jeff had been the first to find the child, seconds after Tucker’s gruesome encounter with what Jeff’s attorney called “a guillotine with call buttons.” The challenge was to conduct an effective series of press events and maximize media exposure, knowing that the effort had to be thorough, detailed, but most all — delicate.

Mark Robinson arranged one-on-one interviews in advance of the press conference, with reporters he personally knew had the sensitivity to handle this story, and who would be mindful of the Smith family’s ordeal. These reporters also had the readership, listening audience and viewing audience required for wide distribution of Jeff’s very serious warning. This advance work resulted in two solid days of interviews for Jeff and his legal team.

The strategy helped ease Jeff into the process. Although it was a heartbreaking two days, he more than rose to the occasion, and did great work under enormous pressure. Coverage of the press conference traveled around the globe. Since that day, a similar lawsuit in Austria has been filed and settled, and almost 3,600 similar elevators worldwide have been retro-fitted with a protective space guards. Who knows how many lives this has saved — and will save.