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We expected good things from 2021. Instead, it delivered large doses of frustrating virus protocols, political turmoil, mistrust, disinformation and reputation gaffes. Classic PR blunders generated headlines when leaders failed to learn from history. Here are a few cautionary tales as we look to 2022.

Communications continues to be an essential function, particularly as companies, organizations and individuals continue to wade through pandemic challenges. The PRNEWS editorial team highlights some innovations and predictions we predict will be important for 2022. 

Some learnings emerged from our survey of nearly 300 communicators conducted in October and November 2021. The most newsworthy was what issues are concerning crisis pros. Besides COVID, they include: DEI, misinformation/disinformation, activism, cyber, natural disasters and employee/executive misconduct.

This month’s dialogue takes a slight variation from our usual route. We won’t explore an operational topic, such as ‘What to do during a crisis when your CEO goes off-script.’ Instead, as it’s nearly 2022, we’ve asked two crisis communicators to consider 2021 trends and discuss what they believe 2022 will bring. Our dialoguers are Sonia Diaz, SVP, Balsera Communications and president, Hispanic Public Relations Association USA (HPRA) and Jenelle Eli, senior director, media relations + international communications, American Red Cross.

The holidays arrived early for crisis communication fans. There was no shortage of stories to peruse. All featured ghosts of crises past, whose protagonists we’ve covered in Crisis Insider.

A yearly tradition continues as veteran communicator Arthur Solomon offers headlines that contain lessons for PR pros, young and old.

It’s a tradition for Solomon McCown & Cence to share its video of the year’s top PR crises with us. This year’s video offers plenty of lessons.

Making resolutions is a New Year’s tradition. For PR pros, resolving to improve one’s writing is a useful objective. Here’s how.

Amazon has responded to a deadly warehouse collapse that killed at least six employees with several rote “thoughts and prayers” responses from spokespeople. Add a too-little-too-late comment from executive chairman Jeff Bezos, and any company would find itself in a communications crisis with long-term consequences.

Should you pitch the same story to multiple reporters at a media outlet? HuffPost D.C. bureau chief Amanda Terkel offers her view.