BulletProofBlog the blog on crisis communications

A few weeks back, New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin asked a question that's on a lot of Americans' minds - "Where's the Plan, Wall Street?" With so much focus on the government's efforts to dig the country out of financial crisis, it seems as if we've forgotten that the private sector has a vital role to play as well. With a massive regulatory overhaul in the works, securities litigation on the rise, and the ... READ MORE

At first glance, news that a million pounds of pistachio nuts have been recalled due to potential salmonella contamination may seem like a rerun of a movie we've seen before. Wasn't it just last month that we finally saw the end of our six-week national nightmare over the recall of products made by the now-defunct Peanut Corporation of America? But while public anxiety about food safety has reached fever pitch, consumers should know that the pistachio ... READ MORE

As the digital domain increasingly informs today's news and popular opinion, social media engagement is quickly becoming an essential element of any effective communications strategy. With 82 percent of the world's 112 million active bloggers discussing corporate brands at least occasionally (according to Technorati's 2008 State of the Blogosphere report), companies that fail to recognize social media's power to create and shape opinions about their brands do so at their own peril. Recently, I spoke with Eric ... READ MORE

Americans are angry, and with good reason. Every time we turn on the television, pick up a newspaper, or read a blog, we are inundated with stories about how those responsible for landing us in the worst financial crisis in a generation are not sharing in the economic hardship they helped bring about. The animus is palpable. It is reflected just about everywhere we look. But, as President Obama so aptly put it in a 60 ... READ MORE

Every Monday Bulletproof Blog now features exclusive interviews with thought leaders on issues of critical importance to companies and countries. This series provides insights on current communications challenges, how best to deal with them, and what we can expect down the road. This week - with a recent report issued by the American Society for Quality showing that a majority of Americans are just as worried about food safety as they are about the War ... READ MORE

According to The New York Times, President Obama is seeking to tear down and rebuild the U.S. food safety system. With consumer alarm at all-time highs over recent recalls of peanut products, tomatoes, spinach, and pet food, it's no surprise the president has bipartisan support in Congress and an Agriculture Secretary who sees "a grand opportunity" to revamp food regulation in America. With food contamination killing an estimated 5,000 people and sickening another 76 million each ... READ MORE

The Era of Accountability has set the stage for sweeping reforms in the ways that regulators do business. From the financial services and defense contracting industries, to the manufacturers of everything from helicopters to toys, no company is immune to the reputational and compliance challenges that regulatory overhauls and investigations are likely to bring about as the Obama Administration and Congress seek to burnish their watchdog credentials. In this month's edition of High Stakesâ„¢, we examine ... READ MORE

Here we go again. An activist coalition has reported that many children's bath products contain chemicals that may cause cancer and skin allergies. As a result, the news media, members of Congress and plaintiffs attorneys are in a feeding frenzy. Just like the recent scare over salmonella in peanut products and the 2007 toy-import recalls, even brands proven to be free of the chemicals will likely suffer collateral reputational damage as fearful parents avoid buying any children's bath ... READ MORE

In 2002, Las Vegas launched a new $75 million tourism campaign. In 2009, just about everyone knows what happens there, stays there. It's all about safe excess. Come to Vegas, be anonymous, and commit whatever vice you like within our relaxed legal limits. Who's going to know? Certainly not your spouse, boss, or minister. But now, after spending all that time and expense getting this message across, the Mayor of Sin City is shocked and appalled to ... READ MORE

Bernard Madoff, the former NASDAQ Chairman who allegedly carried out the largest Ponzi scheme in American history, is expected to plead guilty on Thursday to up to 11 counts of money laundering, perjury, and wire, mail, and securities fraud in U.S. District Court in New York. The 11 felony counts with which he has been charged carry a maximum of 150 years in prison - an especially onerous sword hanging over the head of the 70-year-old ... READ MORE