The vultures are circling the reeling Costa Cruises brand following the wreck earlier this month. There is already plenty of analysis of what transpired so I won’t retrace those steps. But I do want to examine one seemingly minor aspect of the crisis response that offers an important lesson for crisis communicators. In the days [...]
Read Specificity in Language Can Prevent Misunderstandings »
I don’t know many organizations seeking help from a public relations agency that are satisfied with the recommendation to shut up. But it is often the best advice — at least for a period of time. Instead, PR firms typically recommend programs designed to increase visibility through ubiquitous communications. They want you out there as [...]
Crisis PR can help to protect an organization or encourage long-term change. I stumbled upon the story, “PR Students Learn How to Handle Crisis for Clients,” in the Cape May County Herald written by Al Campbell. I am not 100 percent sure where Cape May County is, but it appears to be in Pennsylvania. Regardless, [...]
Read Teaching Crisis PR »
Last night after watching the final Oprah show (at least until the end of her non-compete with her syndicator, which ends in 2012), I read a terrific profile in BusinessWeek about Salmon Khan, “Salman Khan: The Messiah of Math,” which seemed to me to be the perfect subject for Oprah. It is a great story [...]
Read Kudos to Khan »
I have recently started working with a new client in the data security space, so I am trying to refresh my understanding of this highly complex area of technology. I had previously done some work around information security for AT&T both prior to the acquisition by SBC and afterward. While only a few years have [...]
It has taken me more than four months to dig deep into my favorite gift from last Christmas, “The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story.” One of the many fantastic discoveries in the treasure trove is a DVD of a 1978 concert in Houston by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. I [...]
Read Houston Concert Centerpiece of Springsteen Retrospective »
First, I need to admit that I am a customer of Groupon. I have purchased some great meals. I have also used Living Social to pick up some bargains, including the photo shoot that resulted in that wonderful photo over there in the sidebar on the right from Payge Stevens Photography. Now that disclosure is [...]
Read Groupon: Pay Us Money to Get Deals You Get in the Mail for Free! »
It seems like almost every week I run into some situation involving a trademark. Today I had a new experience. One of my clients asked me to gather some information about one of their customers. The customer has a product that just so happens to have a name that is identical to the name of [...]
Founder and president of DPK Public Relations, an independent public relations practice based in Texas. Specialties include managing issues, crisis communications planning and response, media relations and strategic guidance.
