Increasingly global companies are looking to emerging markets as rapid growth opportunities (isn’t ’emerging markets’ synonymous for developing countries?). Some, like those in West Africa affected by the deadly Ebola virus, have significant populations living in remote areas where standard communications tools don’t work as well, and bridging cultures is challenging. Read more
CommCore Blog and News
Communication Tactics in Politics v. Business: What Might Work for One, May Spell Disaster for the Other
With so many channels of communication available, organizations have to be aggressive to be heard above the digital din. Public relations, corporate, brand and advocacy communicators have become more active – and in some cases more assertive – when engaging target influencers and communities. Read more
The 2014 World Cup: World Class Communications Challenges
FIFA (the federation that governs international soccer ) couldn’t have asked for a worse buildup to the largest sporting event in the world – its signature quadrennial World Cup, just underway in Brazil:
- Facility and infrastructure completion problems right up to the start of the games
- Massive, violent local protests against the lack of the promised economic World Cup “trickle-down” to Brazil’s poor
- News coverage of alleged international match “fixing” by a sophisticated syndicate managing crooked referees
- The prospect of the 2022 World Cup being taken away from Qatar after revelations of $5 million in alleged bribes paid to FIFA officials to sway the selection
Question: How does an organization counter this type of spiraling bad publicity happening in real-time around a major event? Read more
The “R”s of CEO Crisis Communications
Even though she’s only been CEO for 5 months, GM’s Mary Barra probably thinks she’s been through 10 years of learnings and experience managing the current recall issues. Among other jobs, she has been the primary face of GM in Congressional testimony, employee videos and customer dealer communications. Read more
Blog Comments – Dead, Dying, or Migrating?
Sometimes an article is living proof of the very point it is making. Take Janine Popick’s recent “Three Reasons Blog Comments are Dead” article on Inc. online. Her blog was written shortly after blogging behemoth Copyblogger announced last month it would no longer publish comments because 96% them were garbage. Read more
When Your Data Is Breached, Will You Be Ready?
Data security breaches are becoming regular headlines:
- The highly-publicized Target breach that involved sensitive information on more than 40 million credit and debit cards resulted in the resignation of the company’s CIO after it was revealed the hack was a relatively low-tech invasion.
Why is the Cruise Industry Close to Bullet Proof?
Take a look at what’s happened to the cruise industry over the last couple of years:
- Two “poop” cruises
- Costa Concordia capsizes in Italy
- Norovirus sickening passengers
- Two separate drowning incidents involving small children in a ship’s swimming pool
That’s just a partial list. Read more
BP’s “I’d Like My Life Back”, Redux
Most professional communicators learned a lesson in the importance of preparation and foresight from former BP CEO Tony Hayward’s infamous “I’d like my life back” comment at the height of the Gulf oil spill. Read more
Crisis Planning New Year Resolutions That Never Get Fulfilled!
(Maybe it’ll be different in 2014…)
We PR professionals are all guilty of it – pushing off critical aspects of the master crisis communications planning and preparation in order to put out the smaller, daily fires. Read more
The Art of Storytelling: Relevant As Ever
After a business meeting, which are you more likely to remember – a relevant story or anecdote, or a good PowerPoint slide?
The answer should be self-evident, as a recent Wall Street Journal article suggests: “Even with digital and social-media tools, employees often struggle to convey ideas to each other, to managers and to customers. Read more