The interview that many were waiting for happened. Paula Deen appeared on the Today Show to quell the growing crisis confronting her brand. Over the past week, her crisis response to the revelation that she had used the ‘N’ word over 20 years ago was disastrous. She has lost the Food Network, long the lynchpin ..
If wasn’t for Paula Deen, Men’s Wearhouse would be getting the dubious honor of how not to deal with a crisis and branding strategy gone awry. Last week without warning or explanation, Men’s Wearhouse abruptly fired their founder and company spokesperson, George Zimmer famous for the slogan “You’re going to like the way you look. ..
The media has been filled with the bad public relations that Obama Administration has been suffering from a trio of investigations and scandals – Benghazi, Associated Press and the IRS investigations of Tea Party groups. Every day, Jay Carney, the White House Press Secretary seems more embattled as the IRS narrative changes. The media which ..
Anthony Weiner, the disgraced ex Congressman of Twitter fame, is looking to make a political comeback. Earlier this year he had polling done for a possible run for mayor of New York City or Comptroller. It seems that his political comeback plans are accelerating with a recent spread in the New York Times Magazine discussing ..
College sports has taken a hit over the past several weeks. While scandals in college athletics is nothing new, the number of PR black eyes that it suffered in just over a week’s time has it reeling. First there was Ed Rush, forced to resign as Pac-12 coordinator of officials following comments that seem to ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1TS-LOWvv14 A few days ago, an investigative reporter from St. Louis was dispatched to cover complaints of a dangerous decaying tree encroaching on a woman’s property. For most journalists, this is not a huge story. No one is busting a human trafficking ring or bringing down a corrupt politician – this is a classic tale ..
The hottest media topic right now is Lance Armstrong and his interview with Oprah Winfrey. The story of the interview has been leaking out for days. Everyday seems to bring a new tidbit and media frenzy as viewers prepare to tune in to see if Oprah will provide absolution to Armstrong and his tattered brand. ..
Washington, DC seem dysfunctional to many Americans lately. The word compromise seems to have become a dirty word, as legislators on both sides of the aisle fear that if they don’t take the most extreme views, they will face a primary challenge. But it isn’t merely Congress that is suffering from a public relations problem, ..
As we close 2012, this was a year of crisis communications. From the need to respond to tragedies to corporate decisions to divorces, 2012 showed why any organziation or celebrity needs a crisis communications plan in place. Tom Cruise and his team actually were winners in dealing with the PR crisis over his divorce. Losers ..
Here’s a quick snapshot of counsel we often provide: 1.Create value, not lip service. If you don’t want to donate money to a local or national relief organization following a disaster, make sure the response is authentic to your brand. A good example of positive “branded” responses that created real value for victims vs. empty ..
