A partial response leaves plenty of room for problems What happens when a supposedly trusted piece of software creates a major vulnerability in the systems on which it’s installed? Is the software’s publisher responsible? And, if so, what actions should they take? Over the weekend details emerged about the dangers …
Putting customers (and reputation!) first in the midst of industry-wide concerns Tesla Motors already has a reputation that far outshines its competitors. Its emphasis on service and customer care has supplemented the straight-out engineering power of the company as its been demonstrated time and time again. In an era where …
A look at what it takes to truly refine the process If you’re using some type of emergency communication system, whether it’s formal enterprise software or simple already prepared email, text, and social media lists, you’re on the path to protecting your organization and its employees. That said, you always …
Will the PR effort be enough to push VW out of its rut? Although the facts behind its scandal are still murky at best, Volkswagen is moving ahead with its crisis management plan. The embattled automaker ran a full-page ad in major newspapers this past Sunday which not only boldly …
Spiking someone’s drink is no laughing matter Bloomingdale’s had a lot of ‘splainin to do after a ridiculously inappropriate ad ran in the store’s new holiday catalog. Take a look and we’ll dive in after the jump: Yes, this is a real ad that was undoubtedly created by a …
Sharing valuable lessons with the community As announced recently, we decided to start giving away the formerly $10 PDF version of Jonathan Bernstein’s media training manual, Keeping the Wolves at Bay. Now, from Bernstein Crisis Management’s Home Page, you can choose to download the media training manual or any of these …
Knowing what creates issues can help you avoid them Conflict is bound to happen in any group, but it doesn’t have to lead to lasting issues. By recognizing the signs of conflict and knowing how to best resolve it you can avoid the negative consequences. Thankfully there’s a lot of …
A slow and painful way to destroy a reputation When the Volkswagen scandal first broke we specifically told several publications that the automaker needs to avoid a “death by 1000 cuts” scenario wherein bad news comes out bit by bit, re-igniting the public’s attention each time. Well, if you’ve been following …
Interesting opinions from PR pros The public, and how it communicates, is always changing. As a result, so is how we do public relations. Collecting responses from professionals in the field, PRNewsWire created an infographic to detail what experts define as PR today: The BCM Blogging Team www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
One of the most difficult situations in crisis management Sometimes, operational concerns mean difficult decisions have to be made. Layoffs may be the case to demonstrate this. No matter how necessary cutting numbers from your workforce may be, the personal impact on the lives of those who have served your company makes …
With reputation translating into serious bucks you can’t afford to let yours slip Online reputation can make or break an organization today. Studies show Yelp rankings alone can raise revenue 5-9% for each one-star increase in rating, meaning helping to nurture and grow your reputation has a direct translation to making …
Thoughts on the future of our field There’s no doubt about it – the pace of crisis management is growing ever faster. The “as-it-happens” nature of reporting and related decline in journalistic ethics. The ease and sheer speed of self-publishing via platforms like YouTube. Even interest in the crisis management process …
An assortment of examples showing crisis PR done right One of the best ways to learn about and prepare yourself to cope with the negative side of PR is to study real-life examples. There are a lot of “wrong way” case studies out there, but, as is the nature of …
Do you REALLY want more effective gun control? The currency that matters most to elected officials is votes and there are two websites that, when used together, can tell you which candidates are most likely to vote “your way” on gun control. Ironically, the first of those sites is the …
Lessons from a protest turned violent Labor issues are common causes of crisis around the world. Regardless of what field you’re in, there’s a good chance disputes will arise over pay, benefits, work hours, policy, or any number of other workforce-related issues. Protests have long been an effective tool for …
