BulletProofBlog the blog on crisis communications

Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the heroic pilot who safely touched down on the Hudson River after losing power to both engines last January, is returning to the cockpit and creating a significant branding opportunity for U.S. Airways. Thus far, the media has seemed more interested in reporting on Captain Sully's return than U.S. Airways has been in publicizing it - and that's a smart move. Captain Sully is a genuine American hero, not a celebrity, and ... READ MORE

ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), the controversial non-profit organization that was recently caught on film advocating violations of federal tax law, now finds itself in crisis and at a crossroads. By opting for one path, ACORN would remain true to its brand as a $25 million scorpion that fights poverty with a take-no-prisoners, door-to-door approach by aggressively defending itself and attacking its critics. By opting for the other, the left-leaning NGO would take ... READ MORE

In just the last week, Serena Williams, Kanye West, and Congressman Joe Wilson have all led us to wonder what to do once you've made a very public gaffe. As critical commentary about their high-profile outbursts led the news and made front page headlines, there's little doubt that each - given the benefit of hindsight - would likely have chosen a different way to voice their opinions. In today's hyper-connected world, there is no putting the cat ... READ MORE

Walmart is no stranger to reputational attacks. For years, the discount chain that is synonymous with rural America has dealt with its fair share of critics and detractors. But now, the company is at the center of an emerging online issue. A website has emerged that is not necessarily adversarial, but nevertheless has thrust the company's brand into the limelight. This journey carries with it both great threat and great opportunity - and it could ... READ MORE

It's been 57 years since Richard Nixon saved his political career with the Checkers speech, artfully amalgamating regret, apology, and defiance. At day's end he had proven two seemingly contradictory messages - that he was politically astute and that he was as human as any one of the millions of voters watching. In recent years, political life has gotten both more transparent and more complicated as career-decisive apologies proliferate. We've discovered that apologies in and of ... READ MORE

Each week, Bulletproof Blog features exclusive interviews with thought leaders on issues of critical importance to companies and countries. This week, with executive compensation issues creeping back into the news despite an increasingly positive economic outlook, we interview Robin Bond, Founder and Managing Partner of Transition Strategies, LLC. A nationally-recognized attorney and thought leader in the areas of workplace law and executive compensation matters who has made numerous appearances on CNN and other national and local ... READ MORE

Last week, The Washington Post published a story about the forgiving atmosphere that more than a few public figures with tarnished reputations have found in our nation's capital. What's more, they have taken advantage of Washington's forgiving ways to erase the stain of past scandals and start their lives anew. As many who have felt the sting of high-profile disgrace can attest, Washington, D.C. is indeed one of those special places where news cycles are short, ... READ MORE

Conversations about products and brands used to be held around the dinner table, over the backyard fence, or in the aisles of the local supermarket. Now, they're taking place on the blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and countless other social media platforms - and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is taking notice. With an increasing number of consumers turning to the Web for what they believe to be disinterested and unbiased product reviews, concerns about the potential for ... READ MORE

Today, it seems that CEOs are blogging, tweeting, and friending at a pace once reserved only for teenagers, professional athletes, and pop stars - and why not? With digital and social media overtaking television, print, and radio in terms of relevance and reliability, if you're not sharing messages online, then you're not being heard in the venues that most audiences migrated to long ago. Before making their first foray into the blogosphere, CEOs must understand that ... READ MORE

Fresh on the heels of Senator Orin Hatch's allegations that the college football Bowl Championship Series (BCS) violates U.S. antitrust laws, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is again under fire for allegedly anti-competitive practices. This time, it's former men's basketball and football players that are blowing the whistle, claiming that the NCAA has violated their likeness rights - and its own rules - by allowing EA Sports to manufacture video games that utilize their jersey ... READ MORE