Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “public relations”
Showing compassion without apologizing Apologies are powerful crisis management tools, but more and more often we’re seeing reputation-threatening situations that do not call for the ones taking flak to actually say “I’m sorry”. The most common situations are when organizations or individuals stand falsely accused, but other factors such as …
Insensitive remarks and a flop of an apology Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) is no stranger to criticism regarding public comments, especially when it comes to race, and he’s getting another lesson in why you should watch what you say after dropping a couple of doozies at the Asian …
“We’re working on it” can buy more time than you expect When you encounter a crisis, the pressure to immediately make a statement is immense. Not only will your stakeholders be clamoring for you to talk, and angry if you don’t, but you also risk damaging rumor or innuendo taking root …
[Editor’s note: The following is a guest post from Brittany Foster, one of the talented members of the Triad Strategies team. Triad is a preferred Bernstein Crisis Management contractor.] Senator John Walsh (D-Montana) was already running a losing campaign for re-election, but he may have shored up his retirement with …
Understandably angry stakeholders and poor crisis management leave sports reporter in a bad spot ESPN anchor Stephen A. Smith won’t be stepping up to the mic for at least a week following his on-air comments regarding domestic violence – specifically that women should avoid “provoking” men into assaulting them. Smith …
Dating site seems to be applying the dubious principle of “any publicity is good publicity” Move over Facebook, because OKCupid just hopped on the user experimentation train! In a blog post published Monday, one of the dating site’s founders, Christian Rudder, proudly proclaims “We Experiment On Human Beings!” From the …
Lack of much-needed compassion leaves bank’s communications falling flat Having a debit or credit card charge declined is both frustrating and embarrassing no matter who you are or what you’re buying, something we would expect a bank to be aware of. That’s why, when we spotted the below email from …
150 year-old wisdom that still applies today Ralph Waldo Emerson was a legendary speaker, essayist and poet who, perhaps not surprisingly for a man who published dozens of groundbreaking essays and delivered thousands of lectures, has a long list of quotes that have survived the nearly 150 years since his …
Considering how stakeholders will react to change is key The impact of stakeholder trust on reputation and the bottom line is at an all-time high, yet organizations are burning what little faith their proponents have left on a daily basis through penny pinching, poor customer service, or a simple lack of …
Major mistake highlights importance of experienced guidance for social media managers Why is it that organizations feel perfectly comfortable handing full control of their social media accounts over to employees barely old enough to drive, or outsourcing to someone who doesn’t even live in the same country as their audience? …
[Editor’s note: The following post comes to us from friend and colleague Janine Hills, founder and CEO of Vuma Reputation Management. While it’s normal to feel a crisis is nothing but negative, Janine presents a strong argument for the advantages to be gained by facing difficulty head-on.] Adversity has its …
17th century wisdom that’s even more true in the 21st This time around, our Crisis Management Quotable comes to us courtesy of a 17th century Spaniard who wore many hats, from scholar and philosopher to army chaplain. A single lie destroys a whole reputation of integrity. — Baltasar Gracián The meaning …
Financial services firms still feeling the pain from sullied reputations The events of the past half-decade (or more) have left the average American utterly untrusting of those in the financial industry, for good reason. Although obviously there are exceptions to the rule, the bad behavior displayed has left a lasting …
Was the popular chain’s crisis management a four-star effort? The data breach at P.F. Chang’s came to light in mid-June of this year, with the organization claiming to have learned of the situation June 10. Crisis management started out in troubled waters when a massive number of news organizations and …
Another example of stakeholders’ power to force change The food and drink industry has come under fire on issues from health to environmental practices. Now, feeling a financial squeeze, The Consumer Goods Forum, an industry network including some 400 organizations from 70 countries around the globe, is announcing sweeping changes …
