Editor’s Note: The following mea culpa email was so surprising in its quality and thoroughness that our friend Crockett Dunn had to pass it along, and we thought we’d share it with you. Major kudos to the Pingdom team for doing online reputation management right. Subject: Bug temporarily affected monitoring …
CDC Combats West Nile with Web Content
Using web education for crisis management With the Centers for Disease Control reporting 1,590 cases of West Nile so far this year, 2012 officially holds the record for highest number of West Nile infections since the virus was first detected in the U.S. some 13 years ago. To help combat …
Yeah We Lost Your Kid, So What?
Appallingly poor online crisis management from United Airlines United Airlines was riding a wave of social media success following the Olympics. With Facebook contests and Twitter stunts accompanying pictures of returning athletes embracing United staff, the campaign was a mounting success. Suddenly, the Monday after closing ceremonies, a new and …
The Crisis Show Ep. 10 – Akin, West Nile, Sports Crises, and that’s not all!
In the latest episode of The Crisis Show, hosts Jonathan Bernstein, Rich Klein, and Melissa Agnes welcomed guest Karen Freberg, assistant professor in Strategic Communications at the University of Louisville and adjunct faculty member for West Virginia University. The crisis management mishaps continue to roll in, and we covered the …
Crisis Management for the Long Haul
Think beyond the short term when it’s crisis management time It’s a very common crisis management mistake – you see an issue, think of a quick solution, and POOF, it’s fixed in the fastest way possible. Problem is, a “quick fix” has a strong chance of becoming a damper on …
How to Trash a Political Career in 15 Seconds or Less
Rep. Akins reputation is beyond crisis management “Legitimate rape.” If you don’t know what I’m referring to, prepare to be shocked. This weekend, Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) was the guest on a St. Louis TV news program. A vocal opponent of abortion, Akin should be used to answering questions related …
Progressive’s #Crisisfail
Don’t let lawyers control your crisis management Progressive has made a fortune branding itself as the “everyman” of the insurance world with its kitschy commercials, but a major crisis management failure has caused the brand harm it could have avoided. At the heart of the controversy is a Tumblr created …
Twitter #Fail on Integrity Test
Bowing to pressure from NBC creates need for crisis management Twitter has been revered since its inception as a platform for free speech and mobilizing social movements, but would its partnership with one of the symbols of major corporate media, NBC, lead to a dilution of these ideals? The Independent’s …
Alleged Delta Employee’s Reddit Posts Create Crisis Management Stir
Respond when your reputation’s threatened The popularity of social media has certainly opened up organizations to new types of crises. For a perfect example, take a look at how a poster on Reddit.com, claiming to be a Delta Airlines employee, responded to a complaint about poor baggage handling: “People get …
Crisis Management Know-How is Prerequisite for Success, Say 65% of Global CCOs
Know it, use it, or be left in the dust Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of global chief communications officers (CCOs) say that crisis management experience is today’s prerequisite for success. This requirement has nearly doubled since the survey debuted in 2007 when 33 percent said the same. These findings come …
The Crisis Show Ep. 5 – with guest host Merrie Spaeth
This week on The Crisis Show, hosts Jonathan Bernstein and Rich Klein covered the top stories in crisis management alongside special guest Merrie Spaeth, former director of media relations for President Reagan. Crises are breaking as fast as we can cover them, and this week our experts had a host …
The Crisis Show Ep. 3 – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
What’s going on in crisis management? Have you caught The Crisis Show yet? Every week, Jonathan Bernstein, Melissa Agnes, and Rich Klein combine their talents to pick apart the good, bad, and straight out ugly crisis management stories that are making the front page. In the third Crisis Show, our …
Talk to Your Online Community in Times of Crisis
Crisis management calls for constant communication One of our most-used sayings here at Bernstein Crisis Management is, “in the absence of communication, rumor and innuendo fill the gap.” Never has that been more true than now, where the line between accredited media member and amateur e-reporter is almost completely blurred. …
Rumors Cause Crisis Management Catastrophe
Catch trouble early to prevent crisis management nightmares It was a blood-boiler of a story, a menacing tale of government gone too far: The Environmental Protection Agency was spying on Midwestern farmers with the same aerial “drones” used to kill terrorists overseas. This month, the idea has been repeated in …
A Crisis in One Culture May Be Commonplace in Another
It depends on the culture [Editor’s note: We’re pleased to bring you this article from crisis consultant Tony Jaques.] While the Internet and online technology is rapidly flattening out cultural differences, an incident in Australia provides a reminder that what might be commonplace in one country can trigger a reputational …