Own your mistakes or risk a crisis If a blogger or reporter publishes genuinely libelous statements and refuses to retract them, then pursuing legal action can force the issue in your favor. If you’ve done wrong though, then you have no choice but to own up and make it right, …
Major Mistake at Applebees
Crisis management lax following incident This past Friday, Applebees restaurants encountered a world of trouble when employees at one of its Detroit area locations allegedly served tequila mixed with apple juice to a 15-month-old child in, and this is the kicker, the child’s own sippy cup! While it’s very possible …
Edano Aces Media Relations
Savvy crisis communication wins trust of the people Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano has been doing crisis management for the country starting mere hours after the brutal earthquake of March 11. Edano has put on a clinic since then, exemplifying the ideal spokesman through what was surely extreme stress, as …
Chrysler’s Social Media Crisis Management
Strong crisis communication prevents trouble for automaker As social media opens up new communication and crisis management avenues, it also presents new dangers. One of the most common types of trouble that comes to companies using social media is inappropriate postings by employees. Auto giant Chrysler found this out first …
The Extra Step
Nothing beats a personal touch It’s been a long time since merely issuing a press release was considered adequate communication. These days, taking only that meager measure is almost inviting crisis, as criticism is bound to follow. BCM President Jonathan Bernstein recently addressed this issue in a Fox Sports article …
Be The Source
Take charge of communication You always want to be the primary source of information in a crisis. The best way to do this in today’s climate of near-instantaneous communication is to answer stakeholders’ questions before they’re ever asked, a crisis management tactic described here in a quote from a Mashable …
Google Does Crisis Management Right
Simple communication pays off Google has received even more attention than usual (if that’s possible for a page that welcomes millions of users daily) due to a series of articles investigating flaws in its ranking system. While theories abound as to who is behind this sudden influx of attention, it …
Crisis Communication
Give the people want they want While communication will fall flat on its face without actions to back it up, in the immediate aftermath of a crisis the first thing the public wants is information. In a recent post on the LawFirmsPR blog, my colleague, crisis communication expert Rich Klein, …
Preparing for the Unthinkable
Japan faces overwhelming need for crisis management The catastrophic impact of last Friday’s quake and tsunami in Japan shows that even the very best preparation can be overwhelmed by violent and unpredictable events of this magnitude. Japan has a well-drilled population, strict building regulations and some of the most extensive …
The Right Message
Everyone needs to be on the same page when it comes to crisis communication It’s not always possible to limit crisis communications responsibilities to one person, which can create damaging situations if everyone isn’t on message. This was evidenced after White House staffers gave varied responses to questions regarding the …
Speak Carefully
Choose your words carefully or your reputation will suffer Merrie Spaeth’s BIMBO Awards are a constant reminder of the power that words carry and the danger of using them without thinking. The latest edition of the BIMBOs features a medley of examples, including this outstanding one: “The crisis was not …
Reputation Rehab
Designer heads to rehab after rant in bar Fashion designer John Galliano is the latest high-profile person to be captured on film making a complete ass of himself and embarrassing his employer, Christian Dior, in the process. Already cut from the Dior team, Galliano is headed straight to rehab for …
J.C. Penney Cheats Google
Shady SEO tactics create a reputation crisis While it can certainly net you temporary gains, in the long run it doesn’t pay to be dishonest. Retailer J.C. Penney is a perfect example, having been outed by The New York Times this week for using “black hat” SEO methods to unfairly …
Answering Questions
Active crisis communication always pays off In the past, when all hell broke loose, regular sources of information could be hard to come by, unreliable, intermittent and downright infuriating; a phone number with a taped message on the other end, a sliver of advice, half-heard from the radio or a …
Protocol Counts
No matter how talented your team is, crisis management is not something done best on the fly. While obviously some improvisation is necessary, it’s important to create a plan and follow through. That’s why, as Risdall McKinney PR president Rose McKinney wrote in a recent article, “protocol counts.” A quote: …