Stories by Brett Bruen

There is a real need to be more thoughtful about thought leadership. Here, our author discusses three things you can do to increase your position.

Podcasts can be an effective way for executives to build credibility and trust with key stakeholders, argues our contributor.

Many American companies could learn a few things from how President Joe Biden responded during his State of the Union.

What is the best response when your company is called out for being “woke”? American values. Avoid getting dragged into a culture-war conversation. 

Getting your company ready for crisis can seem overwhelming.  Where do you start?  What will really make an impact?  The short answer is simple: start with your story.

The friends and relationships needed during a PR crisis often are far different from the partnerships you focus on when operating at normal times. Often, the individuals and institutions that are best positioned to provide support when you have problems are quite different from those you and your company engage with on a day-to-day basis. The problem is most companies not only fail to build those bridges, but they also do not even know who these entities are or where to start.

One of the best ways to prepare for your company’s next crisis is to simply walk away and take a risk retreat.

There used to be a belief that businesses could, and indeed should, stay away from the campaign trail. Sure, they donate to candidates and often have lots of lobbyists. But, it was not seen as their role to try and support or strengthen the democratic process itself. That all changed in 2020.

Exposing the emotional elements of a story during a PR crisis can be extraordinarily powerful. Unfortunately, it is too often deemed an unacceptable risk. Yet, the team at Oxford was able to employ storytelling effectively during these difficult days.

You thought the last few years were challenging for crisis communication? Sure, we had a global pandemic and massive political upheaval. Disinformation and truth distortions reached record levels. Don’t forget the unprecedented changes to our planet. But, you haven’t seen anything like what awaits us in 2022.