When Legal Strategy Sparks Outrage and Torches Your Reputation
[by Howard Fencl, Hennes Communications] A lunatic methodically hauls a massive weapons cache into an MGM Resorts International hotel, the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Over six days, unknowing hotel staff politely help him schlep his disguised gunnysacks to his suite. Thirty-two floors below, a country music festival on the Vegas Strip is in full […]
How LeBron James Mastered the Media
From Bryan Curtis, writing in The Wringer: After Game 3 of the NBA Finals, reporters surrounded Kevin Love in the Cavaliers’ locker room. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stood at the group’s outer edge. This is an advantage of working for the Worldwide Leader; Windhorst can tap into the company’s boom mics and hear the interviews from […]
The Cost of Recovering from Self-Inflicted Wounds
By Nora Jacobs, Hennes Communications Those who have weathered crisis events within their organizations know that there are many costs the event can inflict – not including the heavy emotional and personal toll on those charged with responding to it. Some costs, such as lost business, staff defections, fines and jail time can be […]
Crisis Management Requires Truth, Not Obfuscation
By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications There are some people who believe President Donald Trump and his closest advisers committed illegal acts by conspiring with Russian officials before and after the 2016 presidential election. Others believe the president and his advisers indeed had contacts with Russian officials, but that those contacts were benign and not criminal. […]
The Spokesperson Blues: Why Picking the Wrong Spokesperson Can Blow Your Crisis Management Strategy
[by Howard Fencl, Hennes Communications] “No comment” is never a good option for an organization in the crosshairs of controversy or crisis. It’s a frequent knee-jerk reaction by people who are unprepared for media scrutiny. “No comment” almost always comes off as “guilty as charged” in news reports. Jamming your hand over the lens of a […]
PR Warfare: When An Enemy Targets Your Firm In the Press
From Cheryl Connor, writing for Forbes: Does anybody remember Lori Cheek? Those who follow my columns may remember my story about the intrepid entrepreneur who was famously turned down in front of eight million viewers by all five investors on Shark Tank and used the experience to propel her mobile dating site, Cheekd, on her own. TheObserver.com “That […]
Are Women Leaders More Calm In A Crisis? 6 Tips On Keeping Cool
TAKE THE LEAD prepares, develops, inspires and propels women to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors by 2025. Here, a provocative piece by Michele Weldon: Do you have what it takes to maintain control in a severe crisis? Southwest Airlines pilot Tammie Jo Shults, a veteran pilot of three […]
Weasel Words: The Lexicon of TV Pundits (But Not Exclusively)
From CommPro, written by Arthur Solomon, Public Relations Consultant: Depending upon which dictionary you use, a weasel will be defined as “sneaky or untrustworthy,” (Meriram-Webster); “achieve something by use of cunning or deceit,” (Oxford Living Dictionaries); or “a word used “to temper the forthrightness of a statement; that makes one’s views equivocal, misleading or confusing,” (Dictionary.com). Perhaps […]
Once a Social Media Crisis Hits, the Reputation Management Clock is Ticking
From New York Times staff writer Michael Grynbaum: The toppling of Roseanne Barr — from her racist late-night tweet to the early-morning backlash and ABC’s axing of her highly rated show — took less than 12 hours. That is the equivalent of hyperspeed for businesses and brands that are accustomed to taking their time when […]
Wide-Awake: Sanofi’s Rapid Response to Roseanne Barr’s Twitter Attack – Lessons Learned
[By Howard Fencl, Hennes Communications] By now you know the story: Acerbic, sharp-tongued comedian Roseanne Barr shoots her mouth off on Twitter, posting a racist tweet targeting Valerie Jarrett, a former aide to President Barack Obama: “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj [Valerie Jarrett]” ABC wastes no time cutting ties […]