When the worst happens, you’re on your own. You must define the terms of the debate. The public never really trusted Wall Street. That relationship went from bad to worse in the economic…
Tag: how to mitigate damage during a crisis
The Underbelly of Finessing Reputation
“Can’t fool all the people all the time. But with the internet, you can get close.” Since time immemorial, there have been those who polished the reputations of others. Plato did it…
Motives vs. Merits
You won’t hear much about the merits. You win or lose on an emotional level. NIMBYism. Not a new concept. Not always straightforward, either. The truth is, We see what we want…
Trends, the Media & Making the Most of It
Journalists love to find trends. This is an opportunity for you. Trends are everywhere. The more we look for them, the more we see. It’s a constant ebb and flow, and…
No Facts? No Problem. Just Speculate.
Journalists call them “thumb-suckers.” Short on facts for a story? No problem. Rumors and speculation are fine. You don’t even need to be accurate. If events ultimately turn out differently, blame the…
The Fantasy of Rationality
Symbols trump facts every time. Since we emerged from the intellectually impoverished Dark Ages, philosophers and economists have been trying to make people fit into neat boxes prescribed by universal and predictable…
It’s Not How Much You Say. It’s How Well.
If you do your job well, no one sees all the work behind the words. One hundred and fifty years ago in the midst of our nation’s Civil War, prominent politician, diplomat,…
Fashion & Style
Fashion is seasonal. Style is forever. The same is true for high-stakes Crisis PR. There’s a saying in the high-end rag trade: “Fashion is seasonal. Style is forever.” The same applies…
Getting Paid & Being Thanked
Gratitude is rare…and even more special! Usually, the best any of us can hope is that clients will pay their bills promptly. It’s rare they take the time or effort to say…
Election Edition: Wishful Thinking & Talking Heads
The best way to disappoint a client is to over-promise and under-deliver. The two most influential newspapers in the country — the New York Times and Wall Street Journal — couldn’t…