Jonathan Bernstein's "Keeping the Wolves at Bay: Media Training" is the "how to" guide for anyone who may have to deal with the media in any capacity. Full of tactics learned through nearly three decades of crisis management and media training, this book will prepare you for situations that are guaranteed to come up when handling the media in a crisis.
You can get an exclusive sneak peek at this just-published work in the newest Crisis Manager with a chapter called "Practice Makes...Better," a step by step guide to maintaining your media skills post-training.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Rebuilding a Reputation
Rick Kelly believes that Tiger Wood did better than alleged by many pundits. In his article, "Rebuilding a Reputation," from this week's Crisis Manager newsletter, he explains why waiting to get in front of the media may have been a good crisis management move. He has this to say about Woods:
...it would be a mistake to write Woods off as ruined goods, another icon who squandered extensive fame and fortune with, as he put it, "my repeated irresponsible behavior."
Woods certainly has the skill, presence and funding to rebuild his reputation but, as Rick says, he'll have a long road to recovery.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
...it would be a mistake to write Woods off as ruined goods, another icon who squandered extensive fame and fortune with, as he put it, "my repeated irresponsible behavior."
Woods certainly has the skill, presence and funding to rebuild his reputation but, as Rick says, he'll have a long road to recovery.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Friday, February 26, 2010
New Crisis Manager Includes Excerpt from Keeping the Wolves at Bay
Jonathan Bernstein's "Keeping the Wolves at Bay: Media Training" has just been published, and in celebration Crisis Manager is featuring an excerpt about a seldom covered topic - how to maintain your skills after the media training is over.
After that, Rick Kelly, director of Crisis Communications at Triad Strategies, offers up another rarity - a favorable view of Tiger Woods' crisis management strategy!
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
After that, Rick Kelly, director of Crisis Communications at Triad Strategies, offers up another rarity - a favorable view of Tiger Woods' crisis management strategy!
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
SeaWorld Crisis
The fatal mauling of a SeaWorld trainer by a killer whale has placed the theme park in a precarious position. As a business that thrives on the attendance of families, anything that creates the perception of risk is a danger. The company didn't hesitate to start crisis management though, and after a slight error they got it together, as this quote from an AP article explains:
The company stumbled during its first post-attack press conference. Orlando SeaWorld President Dan Brown did not immediately correct a sheriff's spokesman who said Brancheau accidentally fell into the water, and Brown himself said only that she "drowned in an incident with one of our killer whales."
SeaWorld acknowledged two hours later that Tilikum had grabbed Brancheau by her ponytail and yanked her into the water. The park then made its head animal trainer available to the media to explain and defend its methods of training and maintaining its whales.
SeaWorld does have the benefit of starting with a solid reputation, and, if they take the necessary steps, should be able to recover from this unfortunate incident.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
The company stumbled during its first post-attack press conference. Orlando SeaWorld President Dan Brown did not immediately correct a sheriff's spokesman who said Brancheau accidentally fell into the water, and Brown himself said only that she "drowned in an incident with one of our killer whales."
SeaWorld acknowledged two hours later that Tilikum had grabbed Brancheau by her ponytail and yanked her into the water. The park then made its head animal trainer available to the media to explain and defend its methods of training and maintaining its whales.
SeaWorld does have the benefit of starting with a solid reputation, and, if they take the necessary steps, should be able to recover from this unfortunate incident.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Toyota Plays the Villain
The sheer scale of Toyota's recall has caused many to compare it to the J&J Tylenol recall of 1982. The reality is, though, that these crisis management cases are similiar only in the fact that both involve recalls of entire product lines. As this quote from a PR News Online article written by Andrew Gilman explains, the difference is in the Three V's:
The Three V’s in Crises are the Victim, the Villain and the Vindicator. J&J was both a Victim and a Vindicator and never the Villain. Toyota—for now at least—is simply the Villain. Victims are those affected by the crisis. Villains tend to be those who cause the calamity. And Vindicators are those who help provide solace to the victims and help solve the problem.
In Tylenol’s case, Johnson & Johnson and its Tylenol brand were considered almost as much the victim as the people who were poisoned by the saboteurs. J&J was the victim of industrial sabotage, perpetrated by unknown individuals who have yet to be caught. Toyota is hardly the victim in the current crisis. Whatever the ultimate resolution—which might get them into the vindicator category—the car manufacturer is by no means innocent in the pedal, floor mat and brakes issues.
While J&J was seen almost immediately in a sympathetic light, Toyota has no such advantage. Because the auto giant sits firmly in the role of villain, its road to redemption will be strewn with far more obstacles.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
The Three V’s in Crises are the Victim, the Villain and the Vindicator. J&J was both a Victim and a Vindicator and never the Villain. Toyota—for now at least—is simply the Villain. Victims are those affected by the crisis. Villains tend to be those who cause the calamity. And Vindicators are those who help provide solace to the victims and help solve the problem.
In Tylenol’s case, Johnson & Johnson and its Tylenol brand were considered almost as much the victim as the people who were poisoned by the saboteurs. J&J was the victim of industrial sabotage, perpetrated by unknown individuals who have yet to be caught. Toyota is hardly the victim in the current crisis. Whatever the ultimate resolution—which might get them into the vindicator category—the car manufacturer is by no means innocent in the pedal, floor mat and brakes issues.
While J&J was seen almost immediately in a sympathetic light, Toyota has no such advantage. Because the auto giant sits firmly in the role of villain, its road to redemption will be strewn with far more obstacles.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Toyota's Troubles
Toyota's recent string of problems has caused significant damage to its once-spotless reputation in the U.S.. Not only did the company's leaders stall far too long before launching a crisis management campaign, but when they did it was clearly not a priority. Early this month, the automaker finally began making smart moves, conveying apologies and explanations though media outlets nationwide. In an interview for the International Association of Business Communicators, Bernstein Crisis Management President Jonathan Bernstein shared some advice for how Toyota can continue to move forward:
“Toyota needs to fix the cause(s) of the problems, explain how they've done that in a manner that will prevent recurrence and properly make amends to all those affected,” says Bernstein, adding that Toyota also needs to first stop having new problems. “Amends meaning not just apologizing, but making things right. That could take the form of some free service or extended warranties for consumers and/or zero/low-interest financing to draw people to dealerships and/or reduced cost of "flooring" — the price dealers pay to manufacturers to get the cars for sale.”
Toyota is not beyond salvation, but their future as a successful company does hinge on their actions in the coming months. Until the organization can assure both the public and their stakeholders that their problems are fixed, and that there are measures in place to prevent them happening again, it's no guarantee.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
“Toyota needs to fix the cause(s) of the problems, explain how they've done that in a manner that will prevent recurrence and properly make amends to all those affected,” says Bernstein, adding that Toyota also needs to first stop having new problems. “Amends meaning not just apologizing, but making things right. That could take the form of some free service or extended warranties for consumers and/or zero/low-interest financing to draw people to dealerships and/or reduced cost of "flooring" — the price dealers pay to manufacturers to get the cars for sale.”
Toyota is not beyond salvation, but their future as a successful company does hinge on their actions in the coming months. Until the organization can assure both the public and their stakeholders that their problems are fixed, and that there are measures in place to prevent them happening again, it's no guarantee.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Open for Conversation
We often say that social media is a conversation, and what we mean by that is unlike traditional broadcast and print mediums, which are often one-directional, social media is very much a two-way channel. Not only can businesses communicate with their customers, but their customers can communicate with them and with each other, as well. By and large, this type of communication is a good thing — businesses can form more personal relationships with customers and customers can become part of a community around the brands and businesses they want to support.
However, when you open the conversation up to anyone, you can also potentially invite negative criticism that you need to be prepared to deal with.
This quote from a Mashable article sums up the dilemma that faces businesses wanting to enter the social media arena. Everyone wants those positive comments, but many are unsure of how to handle critics and hecklers without damaging their reputations. Using social media not only facilitates crisis management by allowing you to keep an ear to the ground, but the ability to have direct, open conversation makes it easier to retain customers and even convert the critics. While engaging in social media can sound dangerous to certain technophobic C-Suiters, taking the leap is crucial to organizational survival in the 21st Century.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
However, when you open the conversation up to anyone, you can also potentially invite negative criticism that you need to be prepared to deal with.
This quote from a Mashable article sums up the dilemma that faces businesses wanting to enter the social media arena. Everyone wants those positive comments, but many are unsure of how to handle critics and hecklers without damaging their reputations. Using social media not only facilitates crisis management by allowing you to keep an ear to the ground, but the ability to have direct, open conversation makes it easier to retain customers and even convert the critics. While engaging in social media can sound dangerous to certain technophobic C-Suiters, taking the leap is crucial to organizational survival in the 21st Century.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Criminals Tweet Too
One reason people love social media services is because they enable them to see where their friends are and what they're doing. What many don't realize is that this information is often available to anyone who visits their page or profile, including criminals. While it's rare these days to find someone who isn't using several different types pf social media, we may see a change if the prediction in this quote from the UK Telegraph holds true:
Darren Black, the head of home insurance at Confused.com, said: "I wouldn't be surprised if, as social media grow in popularity and more location-based applications come to fore, insurance providers consider these in their pricing of an individual's risk. We could see rises of up to 10pc for people who use these sites.
"Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their information gathering, even using Google Earth and Streetview to plan their burglaries with military precision. Insurance providers are starting to take this into account when they are assessing claims and we may in future see insurers declining claims if they believe the customer was negligent."
While the use of social media is almost a necessity in crisis management, the same dangers that face individuals also face businesses. If left unsecured, corporate accounts and feeds can be tracked by diligent criminals to the point of knowing when certain individuals are in or out of the office, posing a major security risk.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Darren Black, the head of home insurance at Confused.com, said: "I wouldn't be surprised if, as social media grow in popularity and more location-based applications come to fore, insurance providers consider these in their pricing of an individual's risk. We could see rises of up to 10pc for people who use these sites.
"Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their information gathering, even using Google Earth and Streetview to plan their burglaries with military precision. Insurance providers are starting to take this into account when they are assessing claims and we may in future see insurers declining claims if they believe the customer was negligent."
While the use of social media is almost a necessity in crisis management, the same dangers that face individuals also face businesses. If left unsecured, corporate accounts and feeds can be tracked by diligent criminals to the point of knowing when certain individuals are in or out of the office, posing a major security risk.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Google Dodges a Bullet
Last week, Google launched an add-on to Gmail called Google Buzz. Almost immediately, the world howled with complaints that the product exposed users’ privacy by publishing lists of followers made up of the people a user e-mailed and chatted with most.
This made Google Buzz a danger zone for reporters, cheating spouses, mental health professionals, and anyone else who didn’t want to tell the world who they e-mailed or chatted with most.
But since this early failing, Google employees — specifically VP of product Bradley Horowitz and Buzz product manager Todd Jackson — have done a rousing job answering criticism from users and the media with rapid-fire updates to the product.
The story of the near-disastrous launch of Buzz, Google's new social networking site, told here in a quote from BusinessInsider.com, should serve as both warning and inspiration to others. As soon as complaints started rolling in, the entire Google team committed themselves to crisis management. Their fast response, aided by marathon sessions from several programmers, was enhanced further by a degree of sensitivity to their user base seldom seen from any company. By executing to a T, Google not only saved their new service, but their reputation as well.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
This made Google Buzz a danger zone for reporters, cheating spouses, mental health professionals, and anyone else who didn’t want to tell the world who they e-mailed or chatted with most.
But since this early failing, Google employees — specifically VP of product Bradley Horowitz and Buzz product manager Todd Jackson — have done a rousing job answering criticism from users and the media with rapid-fire updates to the product.
The story of the near-disastrous launch of Buzz, Google's new social networking site, told here in a quote from BusinessInsider.com, should serve as both warning and inspiration to others. As soon as complaints started rolling in, the entire Google team committed themselves to crisis management. Their fast response, aided by marathon sessions from several programmers, was enhanced further by a degree of sensitivity to their user base seldom seen from any company. By executing to a T, Google not only saved their new service, but their reputation as well.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Friday, February 19, 2010
High Stakes Litigation & Crisis Communications Podcast March 24
More and more often we are seeing successful lawyers and law firms reaching out to crisis management experts to manage their client's message in the public eye. Regardless of how things are "intended" to run, a strong communicator can educate stakeholders and minimize reputation damage for those involved. On March 24th, the Law Blog Radio podcast will cover this hot topic.
A panel discussion led by Rich Klein (LawFirmsPR) who will be joined by Jonathan Bernstein of Bernstein Crisis Management (author, Keeping the Wolves At Bay: A Media Training Manual) and Michele DeStefano Beardslee, Associate Professor at the University of Miami School of Law (author, Advocacy in the Court of Public Opinion). The panel will discuss why corporate management, and particularly general counsel, need to consider crisis communications when involved in high stakes litigation. They will also give some basic advice about what actions companies can take to protect their reputations (online and off) at all stages of high stakes litigation.
When the stakes are high, you want every advantage you can get. Taking your case into the court of public opinion, if done correctly, can give you that edge.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
A panel discussion led by Rich Klein (LawFirmsPR) who will be joined by Jonathan Bernstein of Bernstein Crisis Management (author, Keeping the Wolves At Bay: A Media Training Manual) and Michele DeStefano Beardslee, Associate Professor at the University of Miami School of Law (author, Advocacy in the Court of Public Opinion). The panel will discuss why corporate management, and particularly general counsel, need to consider crisis communications when involved in high stakes litigation. They will also give some basic advice about what actions companies can take to protect their reputations (online and off) at all stages of high stakes litigation.
When the stakes are high, you want every advantage you can get. Taking your case into the court of public opinion, if done correctly, can give you that edge.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Thursday, February 18, 2010
What's Important to You May Not Satisfy Your Stakeholders
Simply stating your case and letting it lie is a path that leads quickly to crisis. Unfortunately for many, this realization comes long after the time to act has passed. Recently, a WebWorkerDaily article interviewed several crisis management experts, including Jonathan Bernstein, and offered these thoughts on the right way to handle things:
"...simply saying something that seems sufficient to you, but does not address the concerns of the public or your client, is not a productive way to handle a crisis. Certain statements must be made and actions taken to show those watching that you take the situation seriously."
Your apologies and the ways in which you make amends speak volumes to the public. A genuine, caring response can do wonders for your reputation, while a halfhearted effort will only provide cannon fodder for your critics and the media.
Interestingly, this precept applies to some news of the day, the Tiger Woods "Making Amends" press conference. Jonathan Bernstein was interviewed by national radio talk show host Laura Ingraham right after that event, and commented on her blog.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
"...simply saying something that seems sufficient to you, but does not address the concerns of the public or your client, is not a productive way to handle a crisis. Certain statements must be made and actions taken to show those watching that you take the situation seriously."
Your apologies and the ways in which you make amends speak volumes to the public. A genuine, caring response can do wonders for your reputation, while a halfhearted effort will only provide cannon fodder for your critics and the media.
Interestingly, this precept applies to some news of the day, the Tiger Woods "Making Amends" press conference. Jonathan Bernstein was interviewed by national radio talk show host Laura Ingraham right after that event, and commented on her blog.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Crisis Management and the Media
If you decide to confront the media head on, you'd better have perfect manners and a healthy dose of respect for their power to shred a reputation to pieces. Unfortunately for them, the Lee County Electric Cooperative had neither, and instead has put on a display of crisis management gone awry in their battle with Fox 4, a local news station.
When Fox 4 did a news bit on a Facebook page called "LCEC Sucks," the company should have used it as an opportunity to bolster its reputation by hearing out these upset (ex?) customers. Instead, their part of the piece was just one of a pair of major blunders, described in this quote from a CrisisBlogger post:
If you wait until about 4 minutes into the interview you will see the smiling PR person for LCEC make the case that having to deal with this issue and annoying reporters is making customer’s rates go up. Oh boy. I wonder what more important thing the head of PR is supposed to be doing than trying to put out a major reputation fire?
Then it gets worse because the organization decides to take the matter up the chain, to the station manager and threaten to go the station owner. Of course, Fox 4 was thrilled with this and make public to everyone the not so veiled threats if they didn’t improve their coverage.
It is the media's job to expose things to the public, and it benefits them to do so in a sensational way. In approaching things with Fox 4 the way they did, the LCEC has damaged their relationship with a potential ally, along with their customers, potential customers, and stockholders.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
When Fox 4 did a news bit on a Facebook page called "LCEC Sucks," the company should have used it as an opportunity to bolster its reputation by hearing out these upset (ex?) customers. Instead, their part of the piece was just one of a pair of major blunders, described in this quote from a CrisisBlogger post:
If you wait until about 4 minutes into the interview you will see the smiling PR person for LCEC make the case that having to deal with this issue and annoying reporters is making customer’s rates go up. Oh boy. I wonder what more important thing the head of PR is supposed to be doing than trying to put out a major reputation fire?
Then it gets worse because the organization decides to take the matter up the chain, to the station manager and threaten to go the station owner. Of course, Fox 4 was thrilled with this and make public to everyone the not so veiled threats if they didn’t improve their coverage.
It is the media's job to expose things to the public, and it benefits them to do so in a sensational way. In approaching things with Fox 4 the way they did, the LCEC has damaged their relationship with a potential ally, along with their customers, potential customers, and stockholders.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Workplace Rumors
The spread of misinformation can often be more damaging to a company than any real crisis. This is especially important in smaller organizations, where workplace rumors can cause enough concern and insecurity that morale and productivity suffers, and your best employees may decide they'd be better off working elsewhere. Rumors may even be passed along to customers and competitors, damaging your position in the marketplace. Your best approach is to be proactive.
As this quote from Jacquelyn Lynn's article, "Controlling Workplace Rumors," explains, when rumors catch hold within an organization or among its customers it can be a slippery slope that often leads to the company scrambling for some type of crisis management. You can find her full article and much more in our latest Crisis Manager Newsletter.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
As this quote from Jacquelyn Lynn's article, "Controlling Workplace Rumors," explains, when rumors catch hold within an organization or among its customers it can be a slippery slope that often leads to the company scrambling for some type of crisis management. You can find her full article and much more in our latest Crisis Manager Newsletter.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Video Surveillance System by Logitech Falls Afoul of RipOff Report
If you run a business, one of the websites that can cause you the most harm is RipOff Report. It allows consumers -- completely anonymously if they wish -- to report their beefs. And then, often, that report shows up fairly high on a Google search for the target business' name!
As a consumer, on rare occasion, as a tool of almost-last resort, I turn to RipOff Report myself, as I did in what I wrote about Logitech's WiLife Camera. Fortunately for Logitech -- and unlike some consumers my client has dealt with -- I'm willing to withdraw my complaint if Logitech does the right thing. So far they haven't!
Jonathan Bernstein
President, Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc.
As a consumer, on rare occasion, as a tool of almost-last resort, I turn to RipOff Report myself, as I did in what I wrote about Logitech's WiLife Camera. Fortunately for Logitech -- and unlike some consumers my client has dealt with -- I'm willing to withdraw my complaint if Logitech does the right thing. So far they haven't!
Jonathan Bernstein
President, Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Flashpoints
This week's guest article by Jacquelyn Lynn, managing editor of Flashpoints, sticks to the theme of crisis management in the workplace, offering several effective tips for stopping rumors before they can take hold.
To subscribe to the free Crisis Manager newsletter, just click here.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
To subscribe to the free Crisis Manager newsletter, just click here.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Cultural Differences in Crisis Management
The Toyota brand is in serious danger. With more vehicles being added to their already-massive recall list almost daily, the Japanese automaker's carefully crafted reputation is quickly degrading. One explanation for their seemingly relaxed crisis management may be cultural differences, as Weber Shandwick Japan CEO Akihiko Kubo pointed out in an interview for PRWeek:
Kubo said that the traditional Japanese corporate preference for either working with ad agencies, or handling matters in-house, has had devastating consequences.
‘This does not come out in a normal situation but in an emergency like this, it's the client who has to pay the bill for an easygoing attitude,' said Kubo. ‘Also, Japanese corporations tend to manage PR in-house. This is another factor why they have a limited objective perspective, resulting in a slow reactive attitude.'
Businesses that operate worldwide must be aware that every region expects business and communication to be handled in a different manner. By ignoring these differences, Toyota has dug themselves a deep hole.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Kubo said that the traditional Japanese corporate preference for either working with ad agencies, or handling matters in-house, has had devastating consequences.
‘This does not come out in a normal situation but in an emergency like this, it's the client who has to pay the bill for an easygoing attitude,' said Kubo. ‘Also, Japanese corporations tend to manage PR in-house. This is another factor why they have a limited objective perspective, resulting in a slow reactive attitude.'
Businesses that operate worldwide must be aware that every region expects business and communication to be handled in a different manner. By ignoring these differences, Toyota has dug themselves a deep hole.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Gibson Beyond Glib
Mel Gibson's reputation took a major blow three years ago due to highly publicized issues with alcohol and apparent anti-Semitism. After making his apologies, Gibson took himself out of the public eye for a time. Recently the actor has been in the media promoting his new movie, "The Edge of Darkness," and with this being his first project since his blowups, one would be surprised if he wasn't asked a single question about them. Regardless, when reporter Dean Richards questioned him, it didn't go over well. Check out the clip:
Although Gibson is keeping his crisis management team employed, he might want to remember the media training classic instruction, "Never assume the microphone is off!".
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Although Gibson is keeping his crisis management team employed, he might want to remember the media training classic instruction, "Never assume the microphone is off!".
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Pat Robertson is a Bimbo
Televangelist Pat Robertson is no stranger to controversy. Last month, though, the Christian Broadcasting Network founder, who is a regular in the media, really outdid himself. Known for delivering quotes which would cause any traditional businesses' crisis management team to blow several blood vessels, his latest comments earned him one of Merrie Spaeth's Bimbo Awards:
“They got together and swore a pact with the devil… ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other,” said televangelist Pat Robertson about the earthquake in Haiti. (This is an example of forgetting that one audience can overhear comments made to another. What is familiar to those speaking the language of sin and damnation seems over-the-top and outrageous to those who don’t. Rev. Robertson went on to talk about how the Dominican Republic is prosperous and thriving, but Haiti is desperate. His main pitch was to “help the suffering people and the suffering is unimaginable.”) Huffington Post, “Pat Robertson: Haiti ‘Cursed’ by ‘Pact To The Devil’” January 12, 2010
There is no way that anyone could construe this statement as positive or helpful in any way. Coming from a man claiming to be a paragon of virtue, this type of quote does nothing but further taint an already tarnished reputation.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
“They got together and swore a pact with the devil… ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other,” said televangelist Pat Robertson about the earthquake in Haiti. (This is an example of forgetting that one audience can overhear comments made to another. What is familiar to those speaking the language of sin and damnation seems over-the-top and outrageous to those who don’t. Rev. Robertson went on to talk about how the Dominican Republic is prosperous and thriving, but Haiti is desperate. His main pitch was to “help the suffering people and the suffering is unimaginable.”) Huffington Post, “Pat Robertson: Haiti ‘Cursed’ by ‘Pact To The Devil’” January 12, 2010
There is no way that anyone could construe this statement as positive or helpful in any way. Coming from a man claiming to be a paragon of virtue, this type of quote does nothing but further taint an already tarnished reputation.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Demon Sheep Cause Crisis
Carly Fiorina's "Demon Sheep" ad, part of her campaign targeted at landing one of California's Senate seats, is getting a lot of attention. Unfortunately for her, this type of attention usually means you'll be spending a lot of time with your crisis management team. Here's a sample of one reaction, from the Huffington Post:
Seriously, what the Fiorina campaign should be doing is firing everyone involved with this ad -- you know, for calling fiscal conservatives sheep, for making some poor guy crawl around in a field, for attempting to create buzz over this crazy acronym "FCINO," which stands for Fiscal Conservative In Name Only -- but for my own sake, I'm glad this doesn't seem to be happening.
Despite the fact that the video is already being used by Fiorina's competition as material for their own campaigns, she pledges to move forward with even more shocking videos. We definitely haven't seen the end of this story!
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Seriously, what the Fiorina campaign should be doing is firing everyone involved with this ad -- you know, for calling fiscal conservatives sheep, for making some poor guy crawl around in a field, for attempting to create buzz over this crazy acronym "FCINO," which stands for Fiscal Conservative In Name Only -- but for my own sake, I'm glad this doesn't seem to be happening.
Despite the fact that the video is already being used by Fiorina's competition as material for their own campaigns, she pledges to move forward with even more shocking videos. We definitely haven't seen the end of this story!
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Friday, February 5, 2010
John Edwards' Crisis Management Emergency
The ball of sordid tales and blatant lies that makes up one-time vice presidential candidate John Edward's personal life continues to unravel in the public eye, and with it goes a reputation and image which had been carefully pieced together through years of work. In an article for The Atlantic, Nicole Allan and Niraj Chokshi interviewed BCM President Jonathan Bernstein on the subject of Edward's unlikely recovery:
Earlier in the career of Jonathan L. Bernstein of Bernstein Crisis Management, he was approached by people representing the recently deposed Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos. "If anybody approached me on behalf of Edwards, I'd tell them the same thing I told Marcos' people: 'I don't think there's anything I can do for you right now.' That said, I think if he can drop under the public radar for a period of some years, get involved in some charitable do-gooding activities, and not do anything else that he could be criticized for, ultimately he could rehabilitate himself. Bill Clinton did."
Other experts interviewed seemed to agree that only the passage of time and some serious do-gooding may help Edwards with crisis management. He also needs to put down the shovel.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Earlier in the career of Jonathan L. Bernstein of Bernstein Crisis Management, he was approached by people representing the recently deposed Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos. "If anybody approached me on behalf of Edwards, I'd tell them the same thing I told Marcos' people: 'I don't think there's anything I can do for you right now.' That said, I think if he can drop under the public radar for a period of some years, get involved in some charitable do-gooding activities, and not do anything else that he could be criticized for, ultimately he could rehabilitate himself. Bill Clinton did."
Other experts interviewed seemed to agree that only the passage of time and some serious do-gooding may help Edwards with crisis management. He also needs to put down the shovel.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Including Employees in Crisis Management
How your company communicates with its staff, clients and customers defines whether they respond by rising up in unison to support the business, or instead spread gossip on coffee breaks, complain loudly and publicly, and turn to the competition for inspiration.
Nowadays crisis communications are a proven concept and their potential for motivating people is undisputed. It’s pretty obvious, for example, that in order to guide an organisation out of trouble, both the guys on the shop floor and the people buying your stuff need to understand and relate to your plans.
This quote from an article on The Marketer's website is an excellent explanation of the reasons it is important to consider your employees just as much as your customers when creating crisis management plans. Because every member of an organization (and every one of their friends, family, Twitter followers, Facebook contacts, etc.) is a PR representative whether you want them to be or not, it pays to take care that they are happy and informed.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Nowadays crisis communications are a proven concept and their potential for motivating people is undisputed. It’s pretty obvious, for example, that in order to guide an organisation out of trouble, both the guys on the shop floor and the people buying your stuff need to understand and relate to your plans.
This quote from an article on The Marketer's website is an excellent explanation of the reasons it is important to consider your employees just as much as your customers when creating crisis management plans. Because every member of an organization (and every one of their friends, family, Twitter followers, Facebook contacts, etc.) is a PR representative whether you want them to be or not, it pays to take care that they are happy and informed.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
AA's Crisis Management Prep Pays Off
A false Twitter post, sent out shortly after the Haiti earthquake, stating that American Airlines was offering free flights to the island, caused the company to be flooded with phone calls, emails and many, many Tweets. The problem was exacerbated when popular Tweeters, including film critic Roger Ebert, re-Tweeted the original message. This story ends well though, as this quote from a Dallas News article explains:
American acted quickly, directing tweets to major news outlets warning them that the free flights rumor was not true, Vary said. The airline also used its own Twitter feed, AAirwaves, to combat the buzz.
Not long after Ebert's post, reporters for The New York Times began cautioning their Twitter followers about the free flight rumor. A day later, CNN posted a Web story about the mistaken tweet.
American’s crisis management was greatly enhanced by the company’s having the foresight to create social media channels before an issue arose. By having these in place, they were able to quickly and effectively clarify the situation without any serious reputation damage taking place.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
American acted quickly, directing tweets to major news outlets warning them that the free flights rumor was not true, Vary said. The airline also used its own Twitter feed, AAirwaves, to combat the buzz.
Not long after Ebert's post, reporters for The New York Times began cautioning their Twitter followers about the free flight rumor. A day later, CNN posted a Web story about the mistaken tweet.
American’s crisis management was greatly enhanced by the company’s having the foresight to create social media channels before an issue arose. By having these in place, they were able to quickly and effectively clarify the situation without any serious reputation damage taking place.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Monday, February 1, 2010
Navy Needs Crisis Management
When 7,000 people sue you, there is a lot of crisis management in your future, even if you're the U.S. Navy. The landmark lawsuit, which involves much of the population of Vieques, Puerto Rico, alleges that the six decades of weapons testing the Navy did there has caused residents to develop cancers and other illnesses. To help their cause, the plaintiffs have several very vocal experts and witnesses who are making the media rounds, including ex-Marine Hermogenes Marrero, quoted here in a CNN.com article:
Because he no longer lives on Vieques, Marrero is not one of the plaintiffs but has given sworn testimony in the case. He said the weapons used on the island included napalm; depleted uranium, a heavy metal used in armor-piercing ammunition; and Agent Orange, the defoliant used on the Vietnamese jungles that was later linked to cancer and other illnesses in veterans.
"We used to store it in the hazardous material area," Marrero said. It was used in Vieques as a defoliant for the fence line.
The military's crisis response can vary from excellent to amateurish. This situation demonstrates the latter. Eventually, someone's head will have to come out of the sand and stop letting the lawyers negatively imp;act reputation.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
Because he no longer lives on Vieques, Marrero is not one of the plaintiffs but has given sworn testimony in the case. He said the weapons used on the island included napalm; depleted uranium, a heavy metal used in armor-piercing ammunition; and Agent Orange, the defoliant used on the Vietnamese jungles that was later linked to cancer and other illnesses in veterans.
"We used to store it in the hazardous material area," Marrero said. It was used in Vieques as a defoliant for the fence line.
The military's crisis response can vary from excellent to amateurish. This situation demonstrates the latter. Eventually, someone's head will have to come out of the sand and stop letting the lawyers negatively imp;act reputation.
The BCM Blogging Team
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/
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