The Mass Shooting Playbook Introduction by Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications… A mass shooting is not just a tactical emergency. It is a communications crucible. This article introduces the Mass Shooting Playbook, a research-driven, practical handbook for leaders and communicators responsible for communities under threat. Built on real-world cases, it offers checklists, clear roles, and guidance […]
By Justin Snair, Sarah K. Miller and Emma Erwin, writing for the Texas Division of Emergency Management and DomesticPreparedness.com Bad alerts can cost lives. Jargon, acronyms and unclear actions waste precious characters. This article shows how emergency managers, researchers and technologists are using generative AI to build evidence-based, multi-platform warning messages with built-in readability and […]
By Julia Minson, writing for The New York Times A Harvard researcher describes a fraught conversation about immigration with her conservative, veteran father-in-law and shares the behavioral-science playbook that kept it constructive. The takeaway isn’t “win the argument,” but keep the relationship intact. She explains why curiosity beats persuasion, how to signal respect while disagreeing […]
Crisis communications is a sub-specialty of the public relations profession that is designed to protect and defend an individual, company, or organization facing a public challenge to its reputation. Crisis communications is aimed at raising awareness of a specific type of threat, the magnitude, outcomes, and specific behaviors to adopt to reduce the threat. […]
Introduction by Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications… Every issue of Crisis Communications Today is written with one hope: to teach and give our readers usable, do-able information. Unfortunately, we know the reality many of you live with every day: the threat of a mass shooting is no longer theoretical for city halls, schools, colleges, hospitals and […]
By Christine Haughney Dare-Bryan, writing for Provoke Media PR officials offer their greatest wisdom on how to lead through angry times. CHICAGO — There’s no debate that society is living through an “age of rage” — from the murder of health care executives to the polarizing political debates that dominate news headlines. But at Provoke […]
Editor’s Note: Ever since we began training clients in media relations, we’ve strongly cautioned them about the risks of going off the record, speaking on background or using any other variations of sharing sensitive information. It’s nothing like what you see in the movies, where someone says, “This is off the record,” and the reporter […]
By Ioana Good and Natalie Magierski, writing for Strategies & Voices According to a recent study shared by Cision, “45% of communications leaders identified content creation as a top priority; however, only 33% rate themselves as ‘excellent’ at articulating a compelling brand story.” As communicators and strategists, we understand the importance of telling a story authentically […]
For the third consecutive year, Hennes Communications has been named one of the top U.S. crisis communications firms by Chambers and Partners, the world’s leading independent legal research and rankings organization. Hennes Communications is one of only 20 communications consultancies in the United States included in the prestigious 2025 Chambers Crisis & Risk Management guide. […]
By Ioana Good, Natalie Magierski for Strategies & Voices According to a recent study shared by Cision, “45% of communications leaders identified content creation as a top priority; however, only 33% rate themselves as ‘excellent’ at articulating a compelling brand story.” As communicators and strategists, we understand the importance of telling a story authentically and meeting […]