Three Studies in Public Apologies & Crisis Communications
One of the major facets of public relations is crisis management. After all, although preventative measures are key, a variety of things can go awry that can negatively impact a company and its brand. Properly addressing errors is as important as preventing errors. One strategy frequently employed by a corporation is a public apology. However, […]
Resolution at Last: NFL and Refs Reach a Deal, But What’s the PR Damage?
As a faithful Seattle Seahawks fan, a win is a win in my book. However, after Monday night’s football game against the Green Bay Packers, others may not share my sentiment. For those who didn’t catch the game or for those who may have been living under a rock the past week and avoided every […]
Lessons Learned from Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood Debate
Last week, Susan G. Komen’s decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood dominated the headlines across countless media outlets and conversations in the world of social media. The story was first reported by the Associated Press on Tuesday, Jan. 31, highlighting that Komen would cease funding under new eligibility rules that precludes grants to […]
Key Elements of a Crisis Communication Plan
At the end of every year, media outlets and blogs around the world curate powerful image galleries or compose stories that cause us to pause and reflect back on the year’s top events and headlines. From turmoil in the global economy and tragic natural disasters that hit Japan and Missouri, to global uprisings like the […]
Netflix’s Launch of Qwikster: A Good Reminder for Developing Effective Messaging
With the recent headlines around the Netflix/Qwikster PR blunder, we are reminded once again the importance of developing effective messaging when communicating to key influencers – particularly consumers. Whether you are announcing a change in your business model, introducing a new product or an update to an existing service, effective messaging allows organizations to articulate […]
Transparency: How Much is Too Much?
As a PR professional, I consider transparency to be one of the most important principles of my job. As a rule of thumb, I tell myself and my clients that if you wouldn’t want your statement or actions popping up in an Internet search result, then you probably shouldn’t be saying or doing it. We’ve […]
What Not To Do in Crisis Communication
By now, everyone is aware of the News Corporation hacking scandal unfolding in England. Amidst the coverage, I came across an article from Forbes’ writer Robert Wynne who posted an interesting take on the scandal from a “what not to do” PR scenario. The article titled, “News Corp Hacks Public Relations Efforts,” outlined several PR […]
Invite Only: Google+
With the recent launch of Google+, everyone is speculating how this new social media “project” will fit within the overall landscape dominated by well-established players such as Facebook and Twitter. Are we really ready to adopt yet another new platform? And what is this new platform exactly? One answer currently prevails: Only time will tell. […]
Managing Your Online Reputation
In today’s digital world where we’re constantly connecting to one another and sharing content through the Internet, social media, and mobile devices, it’s easy to forget that the content you share can be seen by unintentional viewers. Have you ever posted a Facebook picture from a night out in college or griped about a colleague […]
How to React to a Twitter Crisis
In the Internet age, most people often act quickly and pass along information via social media, before they even verify that the information is accurate. We’ve all see the fake Amber Alerts for missing children or the faux-images that fly around Facebook and Twitter, such as the one picture to the right comparing Prince William […]