Bic’s “For Her” Crisis, or How to Play Ostrich

Erik Bernstein crisis management, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, online reputation management, reputation management, social media Leave a Comment

Nonexistent crisis management from the pen maker Are you a woman? Are those manly black, white, red and blue pens keeping you from writing? Well look no further, because Bic’s “for Her” line is here! Yes, we’re being sarcastic, but no, we aren’t making up the “for Her” line. Industry …

Colleges Use Social Media to Defuse Bomb Threats

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, school crisis management, social media Leave a Comment

Crisis management that reaches its intended audience This past Friday, the University of Texas at Austin and North Dakota State both received bomb threats from unidentified individuals. The obvious first step after receiving such a threat is to clear the area, but how do you notify the tens of thousands …

No “Likes” for Facebook’s Crisis Management

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Facebook, Jonathan Bernstein, online reputation management, public relations, social media Leave a Comment

What drives a social media innovator to sit silent while his stock plummets? With Facebook stock, one of the most anticipated public offerings, well…ever, sinking from day one, you would think that the company would be eager to trot out the man who brought it all together, THE face of …

Yosemite’s Deadly Hantavirus Crisis

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Widespread exposure calls for crisis management with reach Camping is a summer mainstay for many, but if you decided to take your family to California’s famed Yosemite this year, you’re probably feeling a bit nervous right now. Hantavirus, a bug few of us even knew existed, has leapt into the …

The Crisis Show Ep.12 – Recalls, Apple Leak, Montreal Shooting and…

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, Crisis Response, Jonathan Bernstein, online reputation management, public relations, social media, The Crisis Show Leave a Comment

The Crisis Show’s 12th episode aired this week, and as usual hosts Jonathan Bernstein, Rich Klein, and Melissa Agnes had no shortage of topics to discuss. Two shooting incidents shocked the public this week, one at a PQ Montreal Victory Rally and another at Pathmark in New Jersey. The foul …

Skip the Spin

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Editor’s Note: The following post is from Jerry Brown’s Monday Morning Media Minute newsletter. For a case study on the dangers of spin, check out the guest submission from Tony Jaques on our Free Management Library blog. Have you ever listened to someone flawlessly deliver a perfectly honed message — …

CDC Combats West Nile with Web Content

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, crisis preparation, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein 1 Comment

Using web education for crisis management With the Centers for Disease Control reporting 1,590 cases of West Nile so far this year, 2012 officially holds the record for highest number of West Nile infections since the virus was first detected in the U.S. some 13 years ago. To help combat …

Yeah We Lost Your Kid, So What?

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, online reputation management, social media 1 Comment

Appallingly poor online crisis management from United Airlines United Airlines was riding a wave of social media success following the Olympics. With Facebook contests and Twitter stunts accompanying pictures of returning athletes embracing United staff, the campaign was a mounting success. Suddenly, the Monday after closing ceremonies, a new and …

The Crisis Show Ep. 10 – Akin, West Nile, Sports Crises, and that’s not all!

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Jonathan Bernstein, Karen Freberg, online reputation management, reputation management, Rich Klein, social media, The Crisis Show Leave a Comment

In the latest episode of The Crisis Show, hosts Jonathan Bernstein, Rich Klein, and Melissa Agnes welcomed guest Karen Freberg, assistant professor in Strategic Communications at the University of Louisville and adjunct faculty member for West Virginia University. The crisis management mishaps continue to roll in, and we covered the …

Crisis Management for the Long Haul

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, crisis preparation, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, public relations, reputation management Leave a Comment

Think beyond the short term when it’s crisis management time It’s a very common crisis management mistake – you see an issue, think of a quick solution, and POOF, it’s fixed in the fastest way possible. Problem is, a “quick fix” has a strong chance of becoming a damper on …

How to Trash a Political Career in 15 Seconds or Less

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, media training, public relations, reputation management, social media Leave a Comment

Rep. Akins reputation is beyond crisis management “Legitimate rape.” If you don’t know what I’m referring to, prepare to be shocked. This weekend, Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) was the guest on a St. Louis TV news program. A vocal opponent of abortion, Akin should be used to answering questions related …

Progressive’s #Crisisfail

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Don’t let lawyers control your crisis management Progressive has made a fortune branding itself as the “everyman” of the insurance world with its kitschy commercials, but a major crisis management failure has caused the brand harm it could have avoided. At the heart of the controversy is a Tumblr created …

British Red Cross Disaster Response Challenge

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A hands-on crisis management experience Have you ever wondered whether you could handle the intense crises encountered by real Red Cross disaster response teams? Maybe you’re trained in crisis management, but want to get some real, “down in the trenches” experience. The British Red Cross Disaster Response Challenge is a …

Twitter #Fail on Integrity Test

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, Olympics, public relations, reputation management, social media, Twitter Leave a Comment

Bowing to pressure from NBC creates need for crisis management Twitter has been revered since its inception as a platform for free speech and mobilizing social movements, but would its partnership with one of the symbols of major corporate media, NBC, lead to a dilution of these ideals? The Independent’s …

Crisis Management for One, Please

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, crisis preparation, Crisis Prevention, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, public relations, reputation management, social media Leave a Comment

Protecting your reputation on the ‘net When your small business is reliant largely on word of mouth, as they so often are, how do you protect its reputation when upset customers get vocal on the web? This quote, from an AmEx Open Forum article by Angela Stringfellow, features some solid …