Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declined to respond to criticism on Wednesday of the city’s handling of a series of wildfires that have left at least five people dead and thousands of structures burned. Bass was on a diplomatic trip to Ghana as flames tore through the Pacific Palisades and left on Saturday. Here, in […]
By Thom Weidlich for PRCG | Haggerty LLC We hoped to avoid writing about the ongoing and messy legal and comms battle between Hollywood actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. But it’s become too sprawling and interesting to ignore. The multifaceted scandal has much to say about what crisis communications is — and isn’t. Lively […]
By Dan Stoneking and Ed Conley for Homeland Security Today In today’s tumultuous landscape, the rise of misinformation and disinformation during disasters poses a significant challenge to effective crisis communication. The recent response to Hurricane Helene has starkly illustrated how false narratives can exploit the chaos, undermining trust in relief agencies and governmental institutions. As crisis communicators, our […]
By Gabriel De La Rosa for PRNews Public relations is a messy business. Even when you don’t screw up, somehow you do. That is even more true now in the emerging AI era of deepfakes, when an image of your likeness can be used against you, even if it wasn’t really you. Take the example of […]
By Daniella Alkobi for PRNews In an age where transparency and trust are crucial to brand loyalty, Kellogg’s recent food dye controversy has left a sour taste in the mouths of consumers. The cereal giant, known for its colorful breakfast staples, has come under fire for its use of artificial dyes—raising concerns over potential health risks and […]
By Shawn Lim for Human Algorithm! In times of crisis, leadership isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how you deliver it. I recently watched a government press conference addressing the accidental exposure of whole NRIC numbers. The gravity of the situation was apparent. But instead of providing clarity, ACRA’s CEO buried herself in a script: Page after page, […]
By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications This article highlights the critical distinction between true crisis communications and the practice of traditional public relations, especially in light of recent allegations of unethical tactics in the Blake Lively lawsuit. Crisis communications is portrayed as a principled discipline rooted in truth-telling, accountability and proactive problem-solving, unlike traditional PR, which […]
This article ran first in Crain’s Cleveland Business on December 19, 2024. By Bruce Hennes, CEO, Hennes Communications This article examines the crisis communications lessons from the tragic assassination of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, Brian Thompson. It critiques the company’s public statements and explores the broader ethical and reputational challenges facing UnitedHealthcare in light of this tragedy […]
By Carol Kinsey Goman A recent graduate had just been hired by one of the world’s most prestigious high-tech companies. When I asked her why she was chosen out of the hundreds of candidates vying for that position, she said that it was due to the “sit next to on a bus” test. She went […]
By Lucy Meneghello for Communiqué PR In PR, reactive messaging is no longer an option—it’s a necessity. This strategy encompasses the development of a response to inbound media inquiries or other requests for comments following a major event. As the name suggests, most organizations develop this response reactively. But the best reactive messaging isn’t created […]