Shell is not going to forget lightly its misadventures with the Brent Spar. The Oil Major was taken by complete surprise when the Greenpeace campaign against sinking that former drill platform achieved its goals. What happened to Shell can in fact happen to any corporation. Loosing control of the situation as result of the activities of a pressure group has become a nightmare scenario for the modern multinational enterprise.

The Oil Major's first reactive measures have meanwhile become the perfect example of how not to do it. But Shell has learned a lot as well. A comprehensive review of what has become known as the PR disaster of the century indicates that Shell had it all wrong about its own influence on the media. There was a new factor in the game, which had been completely missed out: the role of the Internet. That would not be allowed to happen a second time. From July 1996 Shell International sports an Internet manager.

Responsible for Shell International's various presences on the Internet, and for monitoring and reacting to what is being written and said about Shell in cyberspace. 'There has been a shift in the balance of power, activists are no longer entirely dependent of the existing media. Shell learned it the hard way with the Brent Spar, when a lot of information was disseminated outside the regular channels.' He also helps formulating Shell group's strategy for how the Internet should be used.

Modern day pressure groups have become a major political force in their own right, and are here to stay. They manifest themselves in the use of powerfull communication techniques, and they succeed in attracting wide attention and sympathy, projecting their case with great skill via the mass media - they understand the power of PR and of the media 'sound-bite.

Their power and influence is bound to grow inexorably over the next years. Pressure groups are small, loosely structured and operate without overhead or other bureaucratic limitations, they move lightly and creativly. They pursue their aims with single- minded and remorseless dedication. To be on the receiving end of a modern pressure group can be a very uncomfortable experience indeed, sometimes even a very damaging one.

A company cannot always prevent such things, but can at least be prepared. Pretection's Online Monitoring Service can help detect the activities of these groups on the Internet. Online forums, chatrooms, and much more will be monitored to detect negative campaigns against your company. This will help your company to be prepared against these kind of activities, unlike Shell, and protect your companies image to the fullest.