CommCore Blog and News

CEO: Crisis Executive Officer

Last year more corporate CEOs were ousted for either personal or organizational ethical lapses than for any other issue. That’s one of the key findings of the latest annual CEO Success Study by Strategy&, a division of PwC:
  • The study defines CEO dismissals due to ethical lapses as “the removal of the CEO as the result of a scandal or improper conduct by the CEO or other employees.”
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When can you pivot in a reputation crisis?

The ongoing Boeing 737 MAX crisis raises the dilemma of when to pivot messaging and how not to over-promise. Buying time is tricky when the heat is on from the media and stakeholders.
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The College Admissions “March Madness” Scandal: Implications for Any Organization

If you’re a student applicant, professor or alumnus, you’re probably wondering which university will be implicated next in the admissions scam scandal. The lessons from this expanding crisis extend beyond academia:
  • Regardless of industry, any organization’s reputation is at risk from potential unethical behavior by an executive, employee, investor or other stakeholder.
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Viral Videos of Workers Behaving Badly… Again and Again

The latest edition comes from a Little Caesars restaurant in Roswell, NM. A video is trending of workers playing indoor baseball with pizza dough. Unless the employees were aliens from the alleged Roswell UFO crash of 1947, the incident may pass quickly since the general public has become more desensitized to these videos. Read more

The Trade Show Challenge

Most of us use December to reflect on the year as a time for holidays. However, for many it also means lots of preparation time to get ready for major trade shows and conferences which begin after the New Year. Read more

Communicating About Safety in Unsafe Times

Be honest: When was the last time you read the safety card in the airplane seat pocket, reviewed the office evacuation wall chart, or even looked at where the exit signs are in a bar or theater? Read more

Corporate Activism: CEOs Are Stepping Out

For decades, conventional wisdom for corporate CEOs was to steer clear of controversial issues and politics. Why risk alienating your customer base and shareholders?

No longer. Driven by activist investors, advocacy social media campaigns, a more diverse workforce, and a polarized national political and social atmosphere, CEO activism is on the riseRead more

Jack Goes Outside the Box

Jack in the Box’s Teriyaki Bowl Ad Campaign features a simple innuendo between “bowl” and private male body parts that critics say has overtones of sexual harassment. Others say it was very clever:
  • Adweek accused the fast-food chain of “launching one of the most tone-deaf ads of the #MeToo Era.”
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