Crisis Management

We Will Always Have Paris

by Sheldon Rampton — June 28, 2007 - 2:46am

The family of Paris Hilton has hired PR attack dog Michael Sitrick to repair the released jailbird's reputation. According to Gawker.com, a New York-based website that focuses on media news and gossip, Sitrick is "a PR pit bull ... a master of spin ...

Main Source: 
Gawker.com, June 25, 2007

Crisis Management "Gold Standard" Actually Tinny

by Diane Farsetta — May 24, 2007 - 4:22pm

As many speeches, magazines and books have done previously, the current issue of Fortune magazine calls Johnson & Johnson's (J&J's) response to the 1982 Tylenol capsule poisoning deaths "the gold standard in crisis control." O'Dwyer's PR Daily writes that "the Tylenol story, as commonly told, is a '

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), May 22, 2007

Shell Drills for Support in Virginia

by Diane Farsetta — May 14, 2007 - 11:13am

As part of its crisis management strategy, in response to public anger over high gas prices and record-breaking profits for the oil industry, Shell Oil president John Hofmeister recently spoke to a small invite-only group in Richmond, Virginia.

Main Source: 
USA Today, May 11, 2007

Investigating the First Casualty of War, in Afghanistan and Iraq

by Diane Farsetta — April 20, 2007 - 1:39pm

"Within hours of Pat Tillman's death, the Army went into information-lockdown mode, cutting off phone and Internet connections at a base in Afghanistan, posting guards on a wounded platoon mate, and ordering a sergeant to burn Tillman's uniform," reports Scott Lindlaw.

Main Source: 
Associated Press, April 20, 2007

The FCC and Armstrong Williams' Continuing Legacy

by Diane Farsetta — March 27, 2007 - 4:55pm
  • Topics: Crisis Management, Pundits, Education, Ethics, Fake TV News, Public Relations, Secrecy, U.S. Government

    • There are many reasons why federal investigations might take some time to conclude. Perhaps the issues are complex. Maybe the parties under investigation are less than forthcoming. The investigating agency may lack the resources needed to resolve the matter in a timely fashion.

    On the other hand, a stalled investigation may be part of a crisis management strategy. When an embarrassing ethical or legal transgression surfaces, launching an investigation sends the message that the matter is being taken seriously. Thanks to a rapid news cycle and a lack of follow-up reporting, public attention shifts elsewhere as the investigation continues. Closing the investigation can be seen as counter-productive, as it once again calls attention to the problem and creates the expectation that the findings will be acted upon.

    Representative John Dingell (D-Mich.) may well have been pondering such matters on March 14, when he pointedly asked Federal Communications Commission Chair Kevin Martin about the status of the agency's ongoing Armstrong Williams investigation.

    Gonzales Seeks Support in the Court of Public Opinion

    by Diane Farsetta — March 26, 2007 - 3:16pm

    As more information surfaces about Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' role in the Justice Department scandal over the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, Gonzales is going "on a public relations tour to boost his image," reports Jennifer Hoar.

    Main Source: 
    CBS News, March 23, 2007

    Chiquita Pleads Guilty to Funding Colombian Terrorists

    by Bob Burton — March 21, 2007 - 4:51am

    The food company Chiquita Brands International, Inc. has pleaded guilty to funding a Colombian paramilitary group designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. According to U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors, the company's Colombian subsidiary, Banadex, paid approximately $1.7 million to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) between 1997 and 2004.

    Main Source: 
    Associated Press, March 19, 2007

    The Corporate Art of Creating a Crisis

    by Bob Burton — March 20, 2007 - 5:37pm
  • Topics: Activism, Crisis Management, Issue Management, Children, Corporations, Democracy, Think Tanks

    • By all indications, Mark McInnes is a smart cookie.

    After Fevered Response, Merck Stops (Some) Vaccine Lobbying

    by Diane Farsetta — February 21, 2007 - 3:21pm

    The pharmaceutical company Merck, known for its aggressive marketing of the ill-fated drug Vioxx, will stop "lobbying state legislatures to require the use of its new cervical cancer vaccine," Gardasil.

    Main Source: 
    New York Times, February 21, 2007
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