BulletProofBlog the blog on crisis communications

A new study by the Statistical Assessment Service of George Mason University (STATS) offers a fascinating look at how the media's limited understanding of the science of statistics can lead to the spread of potentially dangerous misinformation. STATS took a close look at news coverage of Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in thousands of plastic products from baby bottles and canteens to food containers and pill packages. Reports that BPA might leak into food and ... READ MORE

Millions of Americans like to talk on the phone while they drive - and Congress apparently knows it. The New York Times reports that a National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA) study of the dangers posed by distracted drivers was suppressed, at least in part because of fears that the results would anger influential members of Congress. Now, two activist groups - the Center for Auto Safety and Public Citizen - have their hands on the information ... READ MORE

Fifteen years ago, companies could reasonably expect that confidential or sensitive information disclosed to internal audiences would remain within the cozy confines of the office walls. As a story in yesterday's Wall Street Journal makes abundantly clear, those days are now long gone. The speed and ease with which information travels in the digital age has signaled the extinction of purely "internal" audiences. When companies share messages meant for their employees' eyes only, the odds that ... READ MORE

The recent death of Walter Cronkite reminded me of one of his favorite sayings that I learned as a young reporter: The role of a journalist is to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. But today, too many journalists have become celebrities in their own right, far too comfortable in their elite status, socializing and courting acceptance with the very actors, politicians, and public figures they write about. Is it a coincidence that as so ... READ MORE

Bulletproof's Weekly Web Wrap-up offers a compilation of key discussions regarding the relevance of social media in business. Don't believe social networking can influence a consumer's opinion of your brand? Think again. A new study by Razorfish finds that nearly three-quarters of respondents to a Razorfish study share their brand experiences online, influencing the purchasing decisions of others even when they are not actively seeking buying advice. Social media has permanently altered customer service best practices ... READ MORE

As reports of The Washington Post's plan to sell access to reporters and government officials played out over the last few weeks, one thing became abundantly clear: While lesser publications can engage in similar behavior - as they have for decades - without their readers batting an eye, a founder and guardian of the Fourth Estate cannot. It's a question of fundamental branding: The Post is held to a higher standard if only because that ... READ MORE

Each week, Bulletproof Blog features exclusive interviews with thought leaders on issues of critical importance to companies and countries. This week, as a follow-up to our conversation with Paul Levy on CEO blogging, we interview the woman behind what may be the best-known corporate blog on the Web - Southwest Airlines' Linda Rutherford. As Vice President for Communications and Strategic Outreach at Southwest, Ms. Rutherford was one of the creative forces behind "Nuts About Southwest" - ... READ MORE

Bulletproof Blog's Weekly Web Wrap-up offers a compilation of key discussions regarding the relevance of social media in business. New data this week reinforces the notion that social media is no longer only for millennials, but has successfully bridged the generational divide. According to Facebook, users 55 and over have dramatically increased in the past six months from 1 million to almost 6 million. And, The Wall Street Journal reports that 63 percent of moms used ... READ MORE

From the outset, companies that file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection fight an uphill battle. They must overcome the fact that bankruptcy proceedings highlight what the media loves most - bad news. They must build a compelling, forward-looking narrative while critics focus on past mistakes. They must evoke sympathy from a public while having little to offer except promises. And they must define angles of interest that enable the conversation to rise above procedural detail. Just ... READ MORE

While most companies have demonstrated a mastery of the blogosphere, Facebook, Twitter, and myriad other social media platforms when it comes to marketing their products and brands, most remain a full Internet-generation behind when it comes to bringing these tools to bear in crisis. As United Airlines, Apple Computers, Amazon.com, Domino's Pizza, and countless others have learned in just the last year, the Internet has fundamentally changed crisis management. The days when companies could wait 24 ... READ MORE