By Nick Hansen for the American Bar Association “If you can see it coming, it’s not a crisis,” said Bruce Hennes, CEO of Hennes Communications, to audience members at his a Bar Leadership Institute workshop “Speaking Out or Strategic Silence? Organizational Approaches to Issuing Public Statements.” Hennes, along with (now former) Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association […]
By Taylor Osher for PRNews In the age of social media, phrases can go viral overnight. Such viral moments have become a staple of online culture—shaping trends, influencing language, and even driving consumer behavior. Their viral nature can make phrases powerful cultural assets, leading individuals and businesses to try to protect them as trademarks and […]
By Linda Zebian for PRNews You’re wrapping up an interview with a journalist when they turn to your executive spokesperson and ask: “Is there anything else you’d like to add that I didn’t ask?” Your executive replies, “Nope, I think we covered it.” And your heart sinks. Would your Chief Marketing Officer turn down free advertising? Would […]
By Lindsey Bradshaw for PRNews Layoffs, particularly over the past year, have become a predictable reality. And unfortunately, most companies aren’t ready when it comes to communication and public response. In 2024, Tesla (14,500), Intel (15,000), Cisco (10,000), and Meta (3,600) all experienced major layoffs. Layoffs aren’t only a reality for tech companies, as federal government workers deal with with major firings through […]
By Katie Suiters for PRNews For many companies, CEOs are seen as the default spokesperson. They’re the face of the company. But that doesn’t mean the media always sees them as the best source. New data from Edelman’s Trust Barometer shows only 30% of journalists say CEOs are the most credible voice for company information, which means […]
By Marc Hill for Domestic Preparedness Training is an important aspect of the careers of first responders. How that training is delivered will depend a great deal on the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the instructor or speaker. A trainer speaking to new first responders should assume only a basic level of understanding and skill […]
By Laura Hazard Owen writing for Nieman Lab… There’s a lot out there to leak. The second Trump administration, historically unfriendly to the press, has thrown Washington into chaos. Tens of thousands of federal employees have been placed on leave or fired as billionaire Elon Musk’s DOGE tries to gut the government. And taxpayer-funded data is being destroyed. Amid […]
By Allison Wood Brooks, writing for the Harvard Business School… When my fellow researchers and I analyzed 15-minute get-to-know-you conversations among 398 strangers, we found that four dominant question types emerged: introductory, mirror, topic-switching, and follow-up. So how do we distinguish these question types? Introductory questions are what they sound like—“What’s your name?” “How are […]
By Evan Nierman for Fast Company… For decades, the playbook for public relations revolved around one core activity: media relations. PR pros cultivated relationships with journalists, pitched stories, and relied on traditional outlets to amplify their clients’ messages. Today, the proliferation of digital platforms and the democratization of content creation have reshaped the communications landscape. […]
From our colleague and good friend in Australia, Tony Jaques, Director of Issue Outcomes Pty Ltd… The financial impact of any crisis is high, and new research suggests it will only get higher. The Crisis 300 index, just released by reputation consultants SenateSHJ, tracks over 300 crises and reveals that share value plummets by an […]