[Editor’s note: The following is another take on Volkswagen’s situation from our friend and colleague Rick Kelly.] The Volkswagen Case Study Two weeks after the Volkswagen emission test cheating scandal erupted, the company has taken several important steps toward redemption. Here we present our second installment in this real-time case …
Hot tips for killer headlines Coming up with solid headlines is a priceless skill for any type of PR. And, despite what many think, you don’t have to sit and wait for a lightning flash of inspiration. By applying a few simple principles you can start cranking out high quality …
Building trust is a must if you want communications to be effective A quote I came across from Dr. Stephen Covey, author of the famous “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, really got me thinking. Too often, those at the center of crises mistakenly believe their stakeholders have an obligation …
Knowledge that will help keep your communications on point Knowing what communication platforms stakeholders prefer, along with how they’re actually using them, is key to delivering your crisis messaging on target. We discovered this HubSpot infographic that nicely displays how people make use of one of the premier social media …
A look at the latest trends and most effective ways for you to communicate internally Communications isn’t a, “we talk and you listen” business anymore. It’s a two-way street. If your audience – whether they’re customers, investors, or your own employees – can’t take part in the communication then they …
Coping with a now-common crisis is more pricey than ever Whether you’re prepared or not, you will spend money and lose reputation when your data is exposed. The question is, will it be the minimum you could have paid, or will you join the ranks of those helping to push …
Things are cranking over slowly, but the automaker is showing it’s ready to face the problem it created Volkswagon’s reputation (and stock price) took massive damage as a result of the revelation it had cheated U.S. emissions testing by programming its diesel-powered vehicles to perform differently when attached to diagnostic …
Another failure to live up to expectations creates a reputation threat The hosts of The View created a code red situation after dropping disparaging comments about Miss America contestant and nurse Kelley Johnson. The backlash was immediate, and came from not only nurses and their families but the general public, …
Busted by a boom Hot on the heels of British Prime Minister David Cameron’s mic slip comes another politician stepping in it. Quipping back and forth with his fellow Australian, PM Tony Abbot, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton cracked wise about the very real fear mounting among Pacific Islanders of rising …
KEEPING THE WOLVES AT BAY MEDIA TRAINING MANUAL NOW FREE TO ALL September 16, 2015 – Monrovia, CA — Keeping the Wolves at Bay, the widely used media-training manual published by Jonathan Bernstein, president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., is now being given away in its PDF format. Formerly …
Worker exploitation, wage fixing, and a lax crisis response create massive backlash against 7-Eleven Australia While 7-Eleven remains a ubiquitous part of American culture, the buzz surrounding the brand has taken a serious dive down under. A joint investigation by Four Corners and Fairmax Media found evidence of systemic wage …
Know who’s using what to maximize messaging Every communications plan has (or should have) a social media component. And, as with other forms of media, you’ll want to select the social media platforms best suited to your intended audience. The precise demographics on the most popular platforms are constantly shifting, but …
Making broad statements with no backup isn’t the way to restore lost reputation Following weeks of international pressure, organizers of the 2016 Rio Olympics are backing away from statements declaring they would not be testing admittedly polluted bodies of water that are to be used in several events. An AP …
Put your conflict readiness to the test When we talk conflict resolution we’re referring to something far beyond basic people skills or managerial ability. Here at Bernstein Crisis Management, we call it Human Factors in Crisis Management. Higher-ups at most organizations will tell you they’re good at handling conflict, but …
Essential info to help you manage reputation As much as many would like to believe they can ignore them, fake them, or land five-star ratings without going the extra mile, online reviews play a role in nearly every business today. Learning about the experiences of peers and other influences is …
