A discussion of some tough-to-swallow disaster preparedness truths, by Jonathan Bernstein If you’ve been denial about disaster preparedness, this may be a good time for you to avert your eyes, because you’re not going to like what I have to say. …
Why you have to consider the negative when making ad decisions How did an Australian clothing company wind up sending thousands of customers a marketing email that threatened to release compromising photos of them “everywhere”? While the idea is shocking, …
Failure to avoid predictable problems results in backlash Before it became the in-store restaurant for a new Whole Foods store in Long Beach, CA Yellow Fever was operating in two different SoCal locations. Co-founded by a Korean-American chef, it was …
The Starbucks incident: a crisis management case study By Rick Kelly Given the heightened sensitivity to racial bias issues these days, is it possible for even a socially responsible organization to manage its way through a racially charged crisis with …
[Editor’s note: In today’s post Bernstein Crisis Management president Jonathan Bernstein takes a step aside from his expertise as a crisis management pro to speak from his deep base of experience both as a business owner himself and as a …
Over decades of dealing with the media in high-pressure situations we’ve come to realize that the rules many people assume reporters must follow simply don’t exist. In fact, what we’ve seen again and again is that reporters simply don’t follow …
Be prepared, work hard, and hope for a little luck. Recognize that the harder you work and the better prepared you are, the more luck you might have. — Ed Bradley Fast responses happen because you were ready. Fast recoveries happen …
It’s practically become a spectator sport to watch for marketing mistakes after any calendar event, and April Fools 2018 did not disappoint. There were numerous examples to choose from, like the French mayor who thought it would be a great …
[Editor’s note: Sensitive information is sent via email every single day, and making a mistake can create serious issues. This guest post looks at the most common risks and shares recommendations on how you might react if and when an …
Why every organization is vulnerable to #MeToo allegations When humans are oppressed and repressed long enough and finally find a channel for venting their feelings, for finding justice, we sometimes overreact. Riots occur, with innocent individual and businesses damaged (or …
Mounting an offense In part one of this series we talked a bit about being on the defendant’s side, but what about when you’re the one on the offensive in a battle of litigation and PR? There are two scenarios …
Playing defense While it’s been happening for many years, the internet – and more specifically social media and review sites – have made the process of trying a case in the court of public opinion long before it hits a court of …
Turning potentially negative communications into positive PR opportunities Welcome to When Legal Meets PR! Today every legal move has potential for PR ramifications and vice versa. That’s why it’s critical that your legal and PR work in tandem to produce …
Why is this product particularly risky for Musk and The Boring Company? There’s no doubt that Elon Musk is a technical genius and a great thinker. And, while his latest venture has the kid in me shouting “woohoo!” it’s also …
Empathy is key to reaching your target audience Have you ever tried to resolve an argument with a loved one without acknowledging their feelings first? Have you ever started apologizing, only to be told, “That’s not even what upset me in …
