Time Magazine chose Taylor Swift as Person of the Year, offering a jump-off to examine the challenges faced by CEO’s and nonprofit executives in today’s climate of intense consumer activism and digital scrutiny, highlighting how modern boycotts and activism can cause lasting reputational damage to brands, unlike in the past. The article emphasizes the need for […]
By Mark Penn for Harvard Business Review Historically, companies faced crises related to their products, services, or governance. Think Boeing and 737 Max crashes, Chipotle and burritos contaminated with E. coli and Wells Fargo creating millions of fake bank accounts. And historically, these companies’ reputational recovery, as measured by the Harris Poll’s Reputation Quotient, followed […]
By Nicole Schuman for PRNews On the evening of Dec. 10, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempted to lead his team to a late-game comeback victory against the Buffalo Bills. It certainly looked like the Bills would suffer another heartbreaking loss as Mahomes launched a pass to tight end Travis Kelce, who lateraled the […]
By Thom Fladung, Hennes Communications At Hennes Communications, we often tell clients that they have an attorney for the Court of Law. But they have us for the Court of Public Opinion. And those two courts often require different – and at times conflicting – strategies. Attorneys have persuasive arguments for tailoring a strategy completely around […]
Need an end-of-the-year CLE? An Attorneys’ Guide To Crisis Communications & The Court Of Public Opinion Monday, December 11 9:00 am – 10:30 am eastern time 1.5 hours of CLE | Online via Zoom only To register, click here Today, with the ubiquity of the internet, the legal battlefield must include the Court of Public […]
By Sean Devlin for Ragan In today’s world, communicators must be prepared for all sorts of crises, whether they’re directly related to company operations or part of our larger society. With the news of the ICBC cybersecurity attack that disrupted treasury trading last week, it’s a prime time for communicators to consider the plans they have […]
In the wake of the Uvalde school tragedy, the frequent call that “thoughts and prayers are not enough” resonated deeply. This sentiment underscores a growing numbness towards standardized expressions of empathy and compassion, which, while well-intentioned, often fall short in the face of real crisis. As these phrases become routine, their ability to truly address […]
Tony Jaques, Director of Issue Outcomes Pty Ltd, is both colleague and friend. Writing from Australia, he offers solid advice about when to speak – and when not to speak. Let’s see what he has to say… When you’re in the public spotlight over a high-profile issue, the first question is often: “What shall we […]
From wildfires in Hawaii to hurricanes in Florida, and sweltering heat, ice storms, boil-water notices, tornadoes, and extended service outages everywhere in between, 2023 has provided many crises (or near crises) on which utility communicators must communicate. That’s why we sat down with Thomas Fladung (left), managing partner at Hennes Communications, a crisis communications firm, to assess the current state of […]
Since the tragic events of October 7, when innocent Israeli civilians were victims of Hamas terrorists’ actions, senior executives have faced the challenge of whether to say something on behalf of their organizations – and then what to say. As Bloomberg pointed out in a wide-ranging look at the issue, “Many companies won’t have a […]