reputation

Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation • July 17, 2012

Can Penn State’s Reputation Be Saved?

Among the casualties of the Penn State sexual abuse coverup were the personal reputations of university officials, including the late football coach and sports icon Joe Paterno. Paterno, Spanier, Curley, Schultz and others will be forever linked to the efforts to minimize and conceal shocking crimes against children. (Who can forget the email in which […]

blogging, branding, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, marketing, public relations, reputation, social media • June 28, 2012

PR Techniques: How To Get ZMOT On Your Side

Marketers like to talk about the Zero Moment of Truth, or ZMOT, for a product or brand. Loosely defined as the moment when a prospective buyer looks for online reviews and recommendations for a product, ZMOT follows the P&G tenets of the “first moment of truth,” when a customer chooses a product on the store […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation • June 12, 2012

2012 Commencement Wisdom For New (And Old) Graduates

There’s just something about graduation season. Even those of us whose commencements are far in the past can catch some fresh inspiration from the wisdom dispensed at the annual college rites. And for the speakers, it’s often a strategic PR move where boldfaced names look to be humorous, colorful, and newsworthy. Here’s a recap of […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation • June 6, 2012

Jason Alexander’s Apology Is A PR Homerun

We communications pros like to use words like authenticity, transparency, and honesty. Too often, they’re empty cliches. But every now and then, they jump out at you. Take the latest public apology to go viral. I don’t know anything about cricket, so when I read that actor Jason Alexander had called the game “gay” in […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, leadership, public relations, reputation • May 21, 2012

Jamie Dimon’s Apology Tour: Is It Enough?

JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s apology to shareholders last week managed to fulfill at least three prerequisites for a public mea culpa. It was swift, it was direct, and the CEO took responsibility for the bank’s $3 billion trading loss in a hedge gone wrong. Dimon used words like “egregious,” “sloppy,” “stupid,” and “self-inflicted.” […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, leadership, public relations, reputation • May 14, 2012

Crisis Management: When The Crisis Is The CEO

It’s hard out there for a CEO. Recently, we witnessed a week’s worth of drip-drip-drip coverage about Yahoo chief Scott Thompson’s resume. The gaffe culminated in Thompson’s resignation after only four months on the job. But the controversy, on the surface, wasn’t about whether he’d faked an advanced degree, or falsely claimed Ivy League credentials. […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation • April 27, 2012

How Not To Apologize: A Lesson In "Apology PR"

The past two weeks have seen a cascade of misdeeds to fascinate apology-watchers like me. Where to begin? There’s the mushrooming scandal over the GSA’s $820,000 taxpayer-funded junket to Las Vegas in 2010. And the even seamier “hookergate” involving members of the Secret Service (though at least they were cost-conscious in their indiscretion!) There was […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation, social media • April 11, 2012

PR Move of the Week: Hillary Clinton (Hillz)

Hillary has become cool. That’s right, the Hillary Clinton who struggled through grueling Democratic primaries in 2008, only lose the ultimate prize to the maddeningly unruffled new guy, seems to be having the last laugh. And we thought Obama was the cool one. It started when two Hillary fans, PR specialists Stacy Lambe and Adam […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation • March 29, 2012

JetBlue’s Response to Pilot Breakdown: Light On Crisis PR Strategy?

All airlines are prone to rough PR weather, but JetBlue seems to have more than its share. Maybe it’s because during a time of rapidly deteriorating expectations, many of us still expect more of JetBlue. It’s that rare industry bird, the customer-friendly airline. An oxymoron. So when it goes off-course, that’s news. There was the […]