Turning antagonists into advocates using Facebook Groups

Leigh Gibson

Presenter: Leigh Gibson

Summary: With a lawsuit looming, the Utah Department of Transportation was facing an uphill battle with the construction of the US-89 project in Davis County. To build public trust, Intrepid created the Utah Department of Transportation’s first-ever Facebook Group on a highway project. Through regular proactive educational updates and responding to dozens of comments and questions daily, UDOT earned the support of the community and even turned antagonists into advocates. 

  • Event Date: January 10, 2024
  • Event Time: 11:45 – 1:10 p.m.
  • Event Address: 1 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84133

When: Wednesday, January 10, 2024 (11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)

  • Lunch will be served at noon
  • The program and Zoom broadcast will start at 12:00 p.m.

Register In Person or Online

  • PRSA Chapter Members: $20
  • Non-PRSA Members: $25
  • Students: $8
  • Weber State PRSSA & Affiliates
  • Includes lunch

Where: 1 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84133 , Capitol View Room on the 18th floor

  • We suggest parking at the City Creek South Temple Entrance. City Creek offers two hours of free parking.
  • Online: Zoom program will start at 12:00 p.m. — register above

In this session you will learn:

  • Why social media is NOT the enemy
  • How to turn antagonists into advocates by being transparent
  • How to convince your boss or client to allow you to create a new customer service tool on social media (and the time and energy needed to maintain it)

Speaker Bio:

As vice president of Intrepid, Leigh Gibson’s background as a newspaper journalist allows her to provide expert counsel for her clients from both the strategic and media perspective. She has been on the front lines of war-torn Iraq and on the front lines of proactive media pitches, crisis response, strategic development and execution—attacking every job with the tenacity of a seasoned reporter.

She’s been awarded dozens of Golden Spike Awards from the Greater Salt Lake Chapter of PRSA, as well as the industry’s highest honor—the Silver Anvil award from the national Public Relations Society of America.

Utah PRSA