[Editor’s note: The following article by Chris Lukach was originally published in the Philly Ad News January edition. It shares an interesting account of a problem many crisis management pros encounter, along with a much-needed wakeup call for communicators everywhere. Enjoy!] OUTLOOK 2019: TOWARD AN ACTIVE, ACCOUNTABLE APOLOGY By …
As we step firmly into 2019 I thought I’d sit down for a few hot takes on the top crisis management issues of the coming year. Here are three that have been top of mind: “Trickle down” from national and global issues will impact day-to-day business for small business …
Is this a wake-up call for YouTube about expectations and reputation? It only took one week for YouTube Rewind 2018 to become the most disliked video of all time, at the time of this writing now carrying a staggering 14 million dislikes and counting. The annual review video is a …
We hope you enjoy this reprint of a recent editorial from Crisis Manager, the award-winning crisis management newsletter. When a caller asked, “Can you unGoogle me?”, I have to admit it took me a second to respond. Though I chuckled at how this particular individual phrased it, asking if we …
Though identifying details including names and locations have been changed, the following is a real-life case study based on Bernstein Crisis Management client experiences. The Crisis “We have traced the probable source of E. Coli that is sickening people in Dallas, TX to one of your restaurants.” That’s the …
Improving your ability to deliver the often-intimidating media interview or public statement According to Psychology Today, people are more afraid of public speaking than death. I see you nodding your heads out there, and to be honest when I first started practicing the skill I felt the same. While it’s …
This article, written by Bernstein Crisis Management president Jonathan Bernstein, has only grown in relevance since it was written. More often than not when we’re assisting clients with breaking crisis response there are reporters involved, and a worrying percentage of those reporters are willing to go beyond what we’d consider …
At the core of every message we create for crisis situations are our Three C’s of Credibility – Confidence, Competence, and Compassion. Without displaying these three items any crisis communication is bound to fall flat, and for the most part people get the first two C’s in their messaging. What’s …
Celebrity controversy is constantly in the news, but why is it some public figures take more lasting damage than others? Celebrity controversy seems to drive the internet today. Why, though, are some reputations seemingly bulletproof while others are practically obliterated after their first controversial encounter? In a recent interview with …
[Editor’s note: This guest post comes to us from frequent contributor – and our go-to crisis expert “down under” – Tony Jaques. This time around Tony dives into the dollars and sense behind CEOs engaging on social media in the face of barriers like lack of time, competing priorities, low …
Explaining why a slow trickle of “small” bad news keeps companies facing major crises in the headlines Why do seemingly minor issues result in damaging headlines for organizations facing crises? In this interview for NPR’s Marketplace, Bernstein Crisis Management VP Erik Bernstein explains why a combination of refreshing the news …
Is There a Loose Cannon on Your Deck? By Jonathan Bernstein & Anthony Moore Loose cannon referred to an actual weapon before it entered the language as a metaphor. In the days before ships were equipped with fixed-turret guns, muzzle-loading cannons were mounted on wheels and rolled back and forth …
[Editor’s note: We love hearing about how other seasoned experts think. Though methods vary, the minds behind those who have risen to the top of their respective fields are typically incredibly interesting, not to mention containing knowledge anyone can use. To that effect, enjoy this quote from a The Measurement …
How to avoid trouble when navigating the social media jungle Social media crisis management has been a part of 99% of the damaging situations we’ve seen this year. In fact, more often than not, social media is a driving factor behind any given crisis. The bottom line here is that …
Crisis management mistakes can cost you. In this guest post Tim Scerba, multinational reputation and crisis management expert, explains a deceptively simple problem that impacts crisis teams around the world. There is a lot going on during a crisis training. The Crisis Management Team (CMT) is sifting through real-time information …
