Sin once, you may escape. Sin again, and you won’t.
Generations came and went, but they endured. Oscar de la Renta. Ben Bradlee. Joan Rivers. Nelson Bunker Hunt. All were born in the brief period between the First and Second World Wars. When their end came this autumn, they were in their 80s and 90s.
People often die younger, sometimes older. But few so control their destinies for so long, each atop their field. Fashion. Journalism. Comedy. Oil industry.
Their perspective is long and tempered. Events that burn brightly but briefly are transitory.
To those with shorter views, those events become all-consuming.
They make headlines and are talk-show topics. They feed society’s voyeurism and bring pain to those caught in the glare.
That’s the realm of Crisis & Reputation Management.
They’re on call 24/7 and seldom take holidays. Attorneys and clients keep them on speed dial.
But they also realize a quick fix won’t hold without a long-term strategy. That takes a scalpel and nurturing.
The short- and long-range are born simultaneously.
They’re designed to flow seamlessly from one to the other. Even the appearance of contradiction isn’t permitted, no matter how slight.
The smartest clients grasp this concept instantly. No questions. No qualms. Do what needs to be done, and do it right the first time.
The alternative is messy. The glare comes back, and so does the pain. Cleaning up a second time is always more challenging.
For the media and the public, the equation is simple: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
They’re cynical the first time, but forgiveness is possible. Do it again, and they’re merciless.
And with 24-hour news cycles, they’re unrelenting.
For a deeper glimpse into our world, see our book on Amazon, A Lawyer’s Guide to Crisis PR: Protecting Your Clients In & From the Media.
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You can reach Roger Gillott and Eden Gillott directly at 310-396-8696.
Gillott Communications is a Los Angeles-based public relations firm that specializes in high-stakes Crisis & Reputation Management with more than 50 years of expertise in strategic communications, corporate public relations, and working with the media.
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