Reputation

Not long ago companies could steer clear of politics. That option’s gone, courtesy of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ambassador Francisco Santos says.

PR trade associations can’t penalize outliers like 5WPR’s Ronn Torossian, who cheated for profit. Business must join PR in eliminating unethical players.

A strong reputation can be a useful defense during a PR crisis. But can we manage reputation? Yes, say ReputationDividend and Signal AI, among others. Yet, as you will see, reputation measurement is not without hurdles.

There are few phrases that spill more often from PR pros’ mouths than “corporate reputation.” Is it a meaningful concept?

All that glitters is not gold. The Beijing Olympics may damage reputations of companies associated with the games.

Our annual predictions feature touched on a number of themes, including companies wanting to avoid social issues. Social media, trust and AI are table stakes. Yet healthcare communication, particularly healthcare equity and ESG, are prominent. And accessibility is mentioned. New this year, a faux ‘Headlines We’d Like to See in 2022.’

Whether one chooses the descriptor new normal or next normal to discuss today’s reality, one suggestion is that we opt instead for the word uncertainty in the year ahead.

As we approach Thanksgiving, we offer an essay that expresses one PR pro’s gratitude for the industry. It’s our way of wishing you a wonderful holiday.

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.

Companies are collections of people. So, one way to judge them is how they measure up during challenges, or a crisis. A Salesforce survey of 12,000 global consumers and 3,600 B2B buyers provides evidence.Polling people during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey found 90 percent say how a company acts during a crisis demonstrates its trustworthiness.