With so much reporting of how botched crisis response can harm companies and organizations, why do we continue to see so many crises mishandled? Crisis veterans Ayme Zemke and Gene Grabowski dive into this complex topic.
Crisis Management
Broadway Announces Return With United Front
May 11th, 2021 by Nicole SchumanThe Great White Way will shine again. And an eager, informed audience will help in its return. Today on Good Morning America cast members from shows Hamilton, Wicked and The Lion King announced a Sept. 14 restart of performances. The good news comes after theaters darkened for the past year due to COVID-19.
Lessons from Peloton’s Treadmill Recall Reminiscent of Other Crises
May 6th, 2021 by Seth ArensteinFrom a PR viewpoint, Peloton is a good news/bad news story. First, the relatively good news. Peloton apologized yesterday (May 5) for failing to act promptly on reports that its secondary line of equipment, treadmills,… Continued
A Fast Fall from Grace: Lessons from Trader Joe’s Labor Woes and the Power of Twitter
May 5th, 2021 by Sophie MaerowitzThis case study on Trader Joe’s shows how quickly organizations, even those with very good reputations, can find themselves in a PR mess, particularly when leadership seems out of touch with stakeholders and the forces of social media and public opinion become involved
Out of Touch: The Super League and Hollywood Foreign Press Association
May 5th, 2021 by Katie PaineThere are a number of organizations that are not in tune with their constituencies. The most obvious recent example is the European Super League, which went from a press release to dissolution in four days. It took longer for all the problems plaguing the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and its signature awards, the Golden Globes, to emerge. But both PR disasters resulted from being totally out of touch with stakeholders.
Don’t Bombard the C-Suite: Shoulder the Worry and Keep Volatile Leaders Calm
April 20th, 2021 by Seth ArensteinThe idea for this month’s Crisis Dialogue springs from something we hear often from crisis pros: ‘That person/company is difficult.’ So, we talked with Chanel Cathey, founder/CEO, CJC Insights, LLC, and Daniel Roberts, a corporate crisis specialist, about handling uncooperative executives during a crisis.
Tesla Crash Response Shows What Happens When You Ditch PR
April 19th, 2021 by Sophie MaerowitzOn April 17, two men were killed in an autonomous Tesla crash in Harris County, Texas. The company has so far stayed mum—perhaps because no PR pros were around to pick up the phone. There’s little question as to why Tesla has stayed so silent: The company disbanded its PR team in October 2020.
J&J Vaccine News Showcases Crucial Time for Communicators, Media
April 13th, 2021 by Nicole SchumanPR pros and the media face a critical situation. They must get the J&J vaccine narrative right, informing the public about risks while not inducing undue concern and spurring more vaccine anxiety. It’s also an opportunity for government, the medical community and media to regain public trust.
Gaetz-Gate Illustrates Importance of Allies in a Crisis
April 9th, 2021 by Dan ReneThe odds seem long for Rep. Matt Gaetz to clear his name and reputation, although this story changes daily. His task is not impossible, though. If Gaetz beats the allegations, he can restore his reputation by focusing on the basics of crisis response and strategic communication.
15 Timeless Principles of Crisis Management
April 6th, 2021 by Deb HilemanDeb Hileman outlines her top 15 fundamental principles of crisis management for communicators to keep top of mind.