By Bruce Hennes & Nora Jacobs, Hennes Communications A CEO, executive director, bar association president or other business executive has to apologize or speak about something very important. The stakes are high – and the apology is going to have to be done using Zoom or another virtual platform. Under any circumstance, delivering an effective apology can be a daunting experience. It involves conveying the right words, in the right tone of voice, with the right facial expression. It requires authenticity combined with the ability to convince the individual (or group) you’re apologizing to ..read more

By Linda Varrell for Mainebiz Over the past year, I’ve received twice as many calls for crisis communications than in the 15 years since I launched Broadreach Public Relations. And none of them had anything to do with COVID. In some of the cases, organizations were already in the throes of Def Con One, worst-case scenarios that were rapidly escalating and threatening to wreak collateral damage on their employees, customers, brands and long-term chances of survival. But in many of the cases, the leaders weren’t staring down crisis, but major organizational changes that could potentially be ..read more

By Anne Green for O’Dwyers In May of 2010, BP’s then-CEO uttered what must’ve become one of the most infamous phrases in the annals of crisis communications: “There is no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back.” The leader in question, Tony Hayward, already had a reputation for making cringe-inducing declarations, as a Fortune reporter observed that year. In the context of the large-scale—and, at the time, still unresolved—environmental disaster represented by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, these remarks felt unforgivably self-centered and tone-deaf ..read more

By Liz Janisse, Rachel Rosenblatt for O’Dwyers We’re living in the era of the documentary, a time when [insert favorite streaming service here] has the scoop on cults, tigers, murder mysteries and even threats to corporate reputations. Today, there are more than 50 different streaming services in North America alone, all competing for subscribers and ad spend with sought-after original content. Considering the time spent binge-watching TV increased dramatically due to the global pandemic, there are captive viewers around the world eagerly anticipating the next talked-about documentary or multi ..read more

By Nicole Schuman for PRNEWS [Editor’s Note: Even the most experienced professionals need a refresher on basics from time to time. Whether it’s how to become a better writer or a review of PR ethics, PRNEWS aims to provide readers with explainers on a variety of topics and issues. Hence, our Explainer series is born.] Previous posts looked at Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), NIL (name/image/likeness) and bounce rate. Today we offer a deeper look at what “off the record” means.] What does it mean to agree to ‘off the record’? “Off the record” is a phrase that can b ..read more

By Arthur Solomon for PRNEWS There’s a maxim that says the cover-up is worse than the crime. Another variation is the cover-up makes the crime worse.   A prime example is the cover-up of the break-in at Democratic National Committee HQ at the Watergate Hotel, in 1972. In our business, unsuccessful cover-ups have brought many entities massive negative media coverage. Years later, the National Football League, Boeing, Wells Fargo and Volkswagen remain excellent examples of entities that brought trouble on themselves when they tried hiding certain difficult fact ..read more

By Kathryn Janicek for Harvard Business Review Alongside meetings, job interviews, and even social events, layoffs have entered the virtual era. It was, after all, inevitable. In a recent McKinsey study, 35 percent of respondents reported that they were able to work remotely full time. Logic follows that when someone works remotely, they can be laid off remotely, too. But this doesn’t give managers and company leaders a pass on handling the matter without sensitivity and compassion. In fact, it means the opposite. As familiar as most of us now are with platforms like Zoom a ..read more

By John Guilfoil for PRNEWS [Editor’s Note: One of many things under scrutiny in the killing of Tyre Nichols is how the Memphis Police Department (MPD) communicated in its initial press release and police report. Critics charge they are gross mischaracterizations of what occurred. Moreover, they contrast with bodycam video and other footage of Mr. Nichols’s beating. We asked communicator John Guilfoil, who works with police and fire departments, for his view. The essay below was lightly edited and does not necessarily reflect the views of PRNEWS. As always, w ..read more

By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications Why Did the Biden Team Fail to Use the Tenets of Basic Crisis Communications? When the news broke that classified documents were found in President Joe Biden’s Delaware home, the PR pundits immediately criticized his handling of the situation. They pointed out that Biden and his staff waited too long to tell the public, didn’t reveal all the information, and let CBS News break the story instead of taking control of the situation. However, crisis communications is not just about telling the truth, telling it first, telling it all and telling it fast. It’s ..read more

By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications In the aftermath of the death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five police officers, the Memphis Police Chief chose not to stand behind the usual “This is a matter under investigation.”  Instead, she made remarks that were honest and, in my opinion, stunningly blunt.  Her outrage was evident and her message was clear. The chief provided clear information about the situation without trying to hide or downplay the severity of the crisis – and by doing so, she built trust with the community and showed that the department was taking the situation ser ..read more