Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams – How To Do It Right
[By Nora Jacobs] (Note: This article has been updated since being originally published on April 24) Clients sometime ask us for examples of organizations that have done a good job managing a crisis. When we first commented on the situation on April 24, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams had just announced a full recall of the […]
There Was an Explosion in New York City, and Seconds Later I Was Watching It Live on Periscope
“We are entering a new era of ubiquitous live broadcasting,” writes Ben Popper in The Verge, an online publication. “I was browsing on Twitter when someone posted an image of a smoking building, fire trucks, and a message about a crazy explosion. Then I got a push notification on Periscope, the new live-streaming app from Twitter, about a […]
The Difference Between Reporters & Publicists
From The American Lawyer: Typically, I prefer to say what I’m about to say one-on-one, when you can hear from my tone of voice that I’m not trying to be preachy or patronizing. But our newsroom has had several incidents in the past month that make me think it’s a good idea to discuss the […]
Lessons from the Rolling Stone “A Rape on Campus” Debacle
[By Bruce Hennes] Some months ago, I had lunch with an editor from a major metropolitan newspaper. At the end of the meal, after swapping childhood and industry stories and a few opinions, she asked me if there was anything she could do to help me. When an editor asks that question, you better have […]
Yesterday: Slam Books. Today: Online Bullying and Public Shaming.
[By Bruce Hennes] I recall, from the 1960s, what we called “Slam Books” – spiral-bound notebooks with a single student’s name at the top of each page and enough pages to list every student in class. These books were passed surreptitiously, and students would write about their classmates until teachers confiscated them. The anonymous comments […]
Monica Lewinsky Gave a Really, Really Important TED Talk on Bullying
In a recent issue of The Washington Post, Chris Cillizza, who covers the White House for the Post, writes about reputation management, specifically about cyber-bullying. He writes: (But) what I do believe is that there is a line — societally — that shouldn’t be crossed when it comes to how we treat each other. Sure, the anonymity […]
Why You Can’t Fake Your Feelings
As our clients, those we’ve trained and others who’ve attended our seminars, know, we constantly and consistently teach “tell the truth, tell it all and tell it first.” We also stress authenticity. If you don’t believe it, to the core of your being, don’t say it. Unless you’re Al Pacino or Meryl Streep, you can’t […]
Mass Fatality Events and their Impact on Public Company Value
[by Howard Fencl, APR] The emerging horror of a suicidal pilot methodically guiding Germanwings Flight 9525 and all 150 souls on board to their demise thrust the CEO of the airlines’ parent company, Lufthansa, onto the world media stage. CEO Carsten Spohr is in full-blown crisis mode, with millions – especially critics – hanging on […]
Corporate Reputation, Crisis Communications and the Global War on Terrorism
What do corporate reputation, crisis communications and the global war on terrorism have in common? According to author Col. Barry Johnson, it is truth, vision and values. You can read the rest of this short, but provocative piece here.
Curt Schilling Talks Cyber Bullying
It’s rarely a good idea to “strike back” at bloggers, flamers and trolls who defame and skewer others on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. The urge to attack may be overwhelming, but we advise against anything that will make a bad situation worse by drawing further attention to the original attacks. Former Red […]