He spent most of his adult career treating the elite athletes of the US Olympic Gymnastics team, now it appears physician Larry Nassar will spend the rest of his life in prison. Nassar, who has been accused by several former US Olympic athletes of sexual abuse, was sentenced to 60 years in prison for being caught in possession of thousands of images of child pornography. And, according to a report in the Associated Press, that’s just the beginning of the reckoning Nassar is facing … READ MORE »
Social media has forever changed how people stay in touch with each other and get updates on each other’s lives. With a scroll and a click, people reminisce on their past, see what old friends are up to now and even dig into the seemingly scandalous personal lives of A-list celebrities.
Because of its soaring popularity, many brands turn to social media to help with marketing and public relations efforts. However, increasingly, brands also use social media as part of their crisis communications … READ MORE »
A brand must be prepared for a possible reputation crisis caused by its influencers or spokespeople. To be as prepared as possible, here are some steps to take should a reputation crisis occur.
Alerts
It’s a simple and easy step, but oftentimes, one that gets forgotten. Find an alert system that works for you. There are a variety of options: free alert systems, paid ones, comprehensive systems, but decide on one and get it functioning. If you want to thoroughly research the matter before … READ MORE »
Hackers can cause all kinds of PR nightmares, and a new night fright is just about to hit as many as 200,000 individuals and entities because the hacked database (the “Panama Papers”) of Mossack Fonseca, a Panama law firm is about to hit the internet. These papers are being leaked by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) with 2.6 terabytes of information on entities in as many as 200 countries. Off-shore accounts can be used for many reasons, but have often been … READ MORE »
A security breach is one of the most dreaded forms of attack against any modern day company. Security breaches not only put the brand and its employees at risk, but also the customers and clients, which the company serves.
This affects the brand’s reputation and its ability to inspire trust. While more people know how easy it is to be victimized bu hackers, how a company handles the situation after the fact speaks volumes.
Prevention is Better than Cure
The best way to … READ MORE »
With 2012 coming to an end, there is no end to the Public Relations disasters which ruined reputations. Working extensively as a crisis PR agency, here’s our take on the worst PR gaffes of the year (in no particular order):
Lance Armstrong: Lance Armstrong was a legendary sports figure that many looked up to. Even with the growing burden of doping accusations, the renowned cyclist and cancer survivor made no comment on the accusations. In the wake of the scandal,
Armstrong stepped down as … READ MORE »
We work extensively as a crisis PR agency, and sometimes we need to be aggressive, and hard-hitting. This just released press-release is a “WOW” classic.
From Laura Nelson, Sr. VP Corporate Communications, Current TV
Current terminated Keith Olbermann last Thursday for serial, material breaches of his contract, including the failure to show up at work, sabotaging the network and attacking Current and its executives.
As the old adage says: “When the law is on your side, you argue the law. When the … READ MORE »
Two interesting tidbits in the media which I wanted to share:
Born and bred in NYC, real estate and space has always been of interest, and the media’s portrayal of NYC apartments is always “interesting.” An interesting quote from the Sunday NYT in the story “Not So Mad About Taxes” when talking about the character Don Draper from Mad Men: “More significant, the thinking ignores the profound titillation of an era in which it was possible to live spectacularly well — in Manhattan — … READ MORE »
Front page news in Europe is that Former Metropolitan Police chief Sir Paul Stephenson has joined a crisis PR agency. Stephenson resigned following allegations of his police force being involved with alleged phone taps with The News of the World.
Might be a first that a police chief joins the public relations world – but I am sure it wont be the last, and his new role will have him counseling crisis clients for a firm whose employees according to their press release … READ MORE »
Digital media such as twitter, Facebook, etc. offers a tremendous amount of opportunity – as well as a tremendous amount of risk. With instant exposure, some utilize the exposure to their advantage and others fail miserably. Hence two high profile celebrities with vastly different digital experiences – Chris Brown & Kate Upton.
This week, Chris Brown yet again seemed in need of a crisis PR agency as he caused controversy on Twitter after his Grammy performance – After tweet topics such as #wifebeater … READ MORE »
“PR is a mix of journalism, psychology, and lawyering - it’s an ever-changing and always interesting landscape.”
Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR"In the long run it's the daily actions of a brand that determines its overall image."
Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR"Talk isn't cheap - it's undervalued."
Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR"A company that knows itself can capitalize on its strengths and see competitive advantages where other might see weaknesses."
Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR
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Ronn Torossian is the CEO of 5WPR and author of best selling PR book, For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations, and a regular contributor to Fox News, Huffington Post, Business Insider, Insights Wired, Everything-PR and more.
