By Thom Fladung/Hennes Communications The numbers are grim and grow more discouraging by the day. Tens of thousands of people are losing their jobs as businesses re-evaluate, retrench and dig in to adjust to a nationwide coronavirus shutdown. Companies and organizations from General Electric to the National Rifle Association to your favorite restaurant down the […]
By Howard Fencl, Hennes Communications The only thing certain about COVID-19 is uncertainty. That’s the primary challenge facing communicators as coronavirus clusters bloom and fatalities mount world-wide. But as Christopher Moore and John Kaag write in The Uncertainty Principle, “Humans crave certainty. We long to know what will happen, what to believe, and how to […]
Beyond the headlines and soundbites, the main effect from coronavirus seen thus far in the United States may be confusion. Who to believe. What to believe. And how best to prepare and think about this latest global threat right now. Here, we offer analysis and advice from the United States’ preeminent risk communication speakers and consultants, […]
The experts at Skadden weigh in on whether the epidemic constitutes force majuere as a legal basis for nonperformance under financial and commercial contracts. The outbreak of coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) is reportedly impacting global manufacturing, transportation and cross-border supply chains underpinning many aspects of international trade and commerce. Some companies are asserting that […]
By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications New coronavirus headlines, tweets and Facebook posts are piling up by the moment: first U.S. death, new cases of unknown origin, updated travel advisories, outbreaks in new areas. This is how news of a virus spreads in the communications ecosystem in 2020, and it’s understandable if you’re wrestling with how […]
By Stephanie York, JD, Vice President, Hennes Communications Q: Why should a local school system (K-12) reach out to a crisis communications firm? A: Quick – What’s the single highest priority for a public, private, independent or parochial school? It’s not education. It’s safety. And just one part of that safety net is making sure the […]
This article is written by attorney David Wolowitz, co-chair of the Education Law Group of McLane Middleton, P.A., with offices in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. While written for Wolowitz’ independent schools, it’s equally applicable to public, parochial and charter schools. Strong digital use policies, trainings and behavioral standards can protect schools from these emerging […]
From Garret Graff, writing for Wired Magazine: The voice message that Lauren Grandcolas left for her husband, Jack, on September 11, 2001, would puzzle a generation raised with smartphones. Two months pregnant with their first child, the 38-year-old Grandcolas was returning home to California when her flight from Newark Airport—United 93—was hijacked, and she, along with […]
By Thom Fladung/Hennes Communications The Houston Astros have now pulled off the rare Triple Crown of mishandled crisis communications: cover up; issue lame apologies; allow the bad news story to keep dripping out, day after day. This is not a coveted award. As even the casual baseball fan is acutely aware by now, the Astros […]
From Anthony Spota, writing for Fair Observer: In an era when 280 characters can spur the demise or salvation of entire companies, so-called crisis communications has become an increasingly important and technically complex profession. Today’s successful specialists in this craft must be knowledgeable about a variety of topics including public relations, psychology, data science and […]