Making a PR Virtue of Economic Necessity
When companies see trouble on the horizon, often the best course is to act before the storm arrives. Two excellent examples of this strategy were on display in recent weeks.
Thank You, Tim Armstrong
Give Tim Armstrong credit for doing what President Obama could not. In just one day he managed to humanize the healthcare debate and make it topic number one in nearly everyone’s conversation.
Learning from Twitter’s Mistakes
The first earnings announcement for a newly public company is often traumatic. Just ask Dick Costolo and the team at Twitter, which saw the company’s shares plummet 20% after announcing results yesterday. A glorious IPO a few months ago made being a public company seem so easy. Now what?
Saving Sergio Ermotti
UBS chief executive Sergio Ermotti bravely launched a defense of the banking sector and hit out at its critics in a candid interview from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In this post, we imagine the conversation Ermotti had with his PR chieftain when he returned from the mountains.
And Good Luck to You, Ezra Klein
The big news in the media world this week was Ezra Klein’s decision to start his own media property, jumping from the Washington Post, where he found fame as creator of its popular Wonkblog. As he gets busy running a business and not just writing a blog, Mr. Klein should remember two words: Michael Arrington.
PIMCO: The End of an Era
The surprise resignation of PIMCO’s Mohamed El-Erian rocked the investment world. Such an abrupt leadership change is almost unknown among investment firms, and with El-Erian’s sky-high public profile his departure was even more newsworthy. The change signals a big shift for PIMCO and a greater focus on restoring its performance after a poor few years. […]
Gov. Christie Survives
Thanks to a strong and unexpected performance today, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is likely to survive the “bridgegate” traffic-blocking scandal. He took a risk that few political or business leaders caught in a scandal could even imagine, holding a two-hour, unscripted press conference to take all questions on the subject.
The Annual Risk Communication Awards
The ballots are in, and we are pleased to announce the winners of our annual Risk Communication Award for 2013, which recognizes those who used communication to skillfully take and manage risk in the past year. Take your seat, top up your champagne and read on.
Our Hits and Misses in 2013
It’s the time of year to reflect on life, business – and our best and worst posts. Your diligent scribe here at the Risk Matters blog had a few observations that proved prescient. Oh yes, there were some clunkers, too.
When Lawyers Advertise
Have you ever seen a really effective, memorable ad for a law firm? Didn’t think so. The ads usually reinforce the most negative impressions about lawyers – long-winded, self-absorbed, aloof. Good advertising should do the opposite. Will law firms ever get it right?