[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 trusted adviser for hundreds of others over the years.] After …
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 the same rules they expect the subjects of their stories …
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 because you were ready. We divide crisis management into two …
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 laugh to get the town excited about new jobs that …
[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 email containing sensitive information is sent to the wrong address.] …
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 worse). Sometimes entire governments are brought down by such action …
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 where we see a need to take things into the …
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 law more common than ever. We work on both sides …
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 the best possible product for the situation. In the first …
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 the first place!”? Doesn’t work too well, right? Despite all …
[Editor’s note: This guest post on the situation H&M faced after releasing a controversial ad comes to us from friend and colleague Andrea Obston, of Andrea Obston Marketing Communications.] On Monday, I learned that H&M actually stands for Hugely insensitive and Massively out of touch. They ignited a social media …
California nonprofit The Aerospace Corporation has published estimations of China’s Tiangong-1 space lab’s return to Earth, and according to data we’re not looking at a controlled, calculated return. Satellite trackers have been showing clues the lab has actually been in an uncontrolled orbit since 2016, and China’s Manned Space Engineering …
Humility, honesty, and a dose of good manners. It’s not often that we get to talk about positive media coverage of a star athlete, but with all of the “wrong way” examples out there it’s always refreshing to see someone who lives in the spotlight doing it right. Watch @Titans …
Mistakes happen. You’ll be judged on what you do next. YouTubers are a controversial topic. If you’re a teen or young adult it’s likely you have your own favorites that you’ve spent hours watching, and you may even feel deeply connected to a streamer you’ve followed through their daily lives. …
Failures in day-to-day communications can create serious threats to reputation Customer service is a critical part of crisis management. The way each individual in your company treats stakeholders is a direct reflection of how your company feels about said stakeholders, whether it’s intended to be or not. Provide poor customer …
