On the morning of Nov. 30, Marriott announced that the data of approximately 500 million customers had been compromised by a breach of the Starwood Hotels database. Starwood became a subsidiary of Marriott when it was acquired by the hotel chain in 2016, and according to the statement on Marriott’s news site the breach has been an ongoing occurrence since 2014 but wasn’t detected until Sept. 8, 2018. The breach impacts guests who booked stays at Starwood properties on or before Sept. 10., and could be the second largest in history.
Archive:
Communications Lessons From Marriott’s Data Breach Announcement
November 30th, 2018 by Hayley JenningsThe Limits of Deflection: PR Takeaways From the NY Times Facebook Story
November 15th, 2018 by Seth ArensteinIt’s unclear how accurate the NY Times’ account of how Facebook responded to two PR crises is; Facebook says it contains many inaccuracies. The Times says it stands behind its 5,600-word story that took more than one month to craft. As a case study for students and practitioners of PR, however, it’s loaded with important lessons.
7 Essential Elements of a Crisis Plan
September 24th, 2018 by Hayley JenningsIf you’re feeling like there is a new business crisis in the news every day, you’re not wrong. There were more than 800,000 crises reported in the media globally in 2017, and that number has continued to grow. So it’s more important than ever for brands to think about crisis not in terms of if one will happen, but when. Responding to a crisis is really about preparing ahead of time, so make sure you have a robust plan in place so that you can handle anything that comes your way.
What Communicators Can Learn From MoviePass, CBS and Facebook’s Latest Missteps
August 7th, 2018 by Seth ArensteinFor a brand, knowing when to react is crucial. Move too quickly and a small problem can become a crisis. React too slowly and you might create a crisis. Do brands hurt their reputation by reversing a position, as MoviePass and Facebook did recently? It’s at times like these when crisis management seems a mix of art and science.
A 7-Point Checklist for Evaluating Your Crisis Plan
July 10th, 2018 by Hayley JenningsNot all crises are created equal, and thus a crisis plan that was effective for one situation may not work well for another. Given how quickly new technologies emerge, news travels and opinions of communications strategies change in 2018, a plan that was crafted five years ago may be woefully out of date for a current crisis. As such, regular evaluation of your crisis strategy is crucial for success during a stressful time.
Quick Checklist for Using Live Video During a Crisis
May 21st, 2018 by Hayley JenningsWith information spreading via traditional media and social media at ever-increasing speeds, speaking out about a crisis right from the start can help you shape the story and make clear that your organization is on top of the situation. And one of the best ways to do that is with live video on your social feeds, especially if your crisis may impact public safety.
Starbucks Doubles Down on Its Philly Incident Apology
April 18th, 2018 by Hayley JenningsStarbucks has had a rough week after an issue of racial discrimination at one of its stores in Philadelphia led to national headlines. In response, the company has gone beyond the traditional CEO apology and announced that it will close more than 8,000 stores across the U.S. for one day for antibias training among its employees.
Essentials for Your Social Media Crisis Survival Kit
April 16th, 2018 by Hayley JenningsCommunicators can never be too prepared for a crisis, especially in the age of social media. Luckily, there are dozens of tools—many of them free—your company can leverage to assist in planning for and managing crisis communications swiftly and effectively. Barry Reicherter, executive vice president and senior partner/director of insights at Finn Partners, lists three key priorities for monitoring social before, during and after a crisis and an artillery of programs for each.
Under Armour Arms MyFitnessPal Users With Facts About Data Breach, After Curious Delay
March 30th, 2018 by Hayley JenningsFollowing a data breach by an unknown party in February, Under Armour—MyFitnessPal’s parent company—released an email on March 29 notifying users of the incident. In the email, Under Armour explained that the hack was initially discovered on March 25, and “the affected information included usernames, email addresses, and hashed passwords—the majority with the hashing function called bcrypt used to secure passwords.”
3 Tiers of a Social Media Crisis—and How to Manage Each One of Them
March 26th, 2018 by Hayley JenningsSavvy communicators know that having a crisis plan in place before a situation emerges is crucial for any brand. But not every negative comment requires a full-scale mobilization of the proverbial troops. Some social media crises can be mitigated before they gain widespread attention. Taking a tiered approach to crisis management strategy is important for avoiding blunders. By examining your company’s audience and vulnerabilities ahead of time, you can create protocols for each tier.