One of the world’s most successful investors, Warren Buffett, once said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.” ...read more
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Recently, I partnered with Chevron's External Relations Advisor Mickey Driver for a lively discussion with Houston’s IABC around some good, some bad and a few distinctly ugly crisis communications experiences...read more
Can you remember that September day in 2008 when Hurricane Ike landed on the Texas coast? I can still picture the millions of people without power, the fallen trees, the empty grocery store shelves and the complete devastation of Galveston Island...read more
A couple weeks ago, a sharp panel of seasoned pros offered their wisdom and shared their experiences with a group hungry to learn how to handle a crisis communications situation. Co-sponsored by Pierpont and PRNewswire, about 75 professionals attended the luncheon on September 23 in Dallas...read more
BP is being criticized from coast to coast and from beach houses to the White House. Many ask how the company will survive the backlash. Unfortunately, there is no magic wand for a crisis of this magnitude...read more
As I sit down to write this we are in the midst of Day 84 of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Regardless of your stance on energy demand and supply, I think we can all agree that the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon, the loss of life and the resulting effects of the spill on the environment...read more
General McChrystal flunked the basics of public communication when, in an article published in Rolling Stone magazine this past Friday, he and members of his staff made unflattering remarks about Vice President Biden and other administration officials. Shortly after, the General was called to the...read more
Terry Hemeyer and I spoke this afternoon with the Houston Business Marketing Association to discuss crisis communications, reputation management and how successful companies operate in today's changing business environment. In our presentation below, we reviewed how corporations navigate crisis...read more
In a recent presentation I gave to a state-wide meeting of the Texas Public Relations Association, I discussed how Toyota’s face-to-face, personal contact strategy with customers is working to help the brand overcome its recent (and widely publicized) recall. How? The company is making...read more
In the hours, days and weeks following the disastrous earthquake in Haiti on January 12th, through all of the news reports and horrific images, one message came through loud and clear to most Americans: Text HAITI to 90999 to send a $10 donation to the Red Cross. (As a side note: this program is still...read more
The importance of having a crisis communications plan was thrown into stark relief last Thursday when a disgruntled man flew a plane into an office building in Austin...read more
We at Pierpont thought this might interest you. It’s a public apology from Southwest Airlines to famous actor and director Kevin Smith. But what makes this apology especially interesting is the role that Twitter and social media played in the situation...read more
The recent Tiger Woods infidelity controversy and its gradual play-out is an interesting case study. While it’s easy for us to judge and form opinions as spectators, it’s a completely different ballgame when you’re calling the shots and making decisions that could cost a man his...read more
We’ve all seen examples of media relations nightmares – interviewees who go on live national television and provide incorrect information, come off unprofessionally, or have no clue how to answer even the easiest questions. The result? A publicity nightmare. When this happens, you have to...read more