Every organization will eventually face a crisis that could threaten its public reputation. Unfortunately many companies are unaware of what to do during a crisis or do not understand the basic elements of putting together a crisis communications plan.

When, not if, your company faces a crisis, it should have a well-developed crisis communications plan to address the situation in a meaningful way to deescalate any serious problems. Before developing your plan, be aware of the four most common pitfalls companies face when dealing with crises.

The New Year is upon us and as public relations professionals, it’s important we not only examine future trends, but also take a look at lessons from the past. In 2018 we saw a rich crop of PR crises pop up across a variety of industries, providing numerous examples to learn from.

In today’s environment, it’s really no longer a matter of if – but when – your organization will fall under fire. Crisis management is an especially valid concern for companies in the financial services industry that are trusted with extremely sensitive data. We’ve compiled a list of the top PR recoveries in 2018, each of which contains a valuable takeaway that can be applied to any business:

When you think of today’s biggest brands, it is difficult to think of one that has not experienced a PR crisis. Remember Facebook’s data breach? What about the Wells Fargo account opening scandal? Or NBC and Matt Lauer? While these were all publicity nightmares, public backlash can stem from something as simple as a controversial communications strategy. For example, remember Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi commercial? Or Nike’s ad with Colin Kaepernick? Even IHOP’s temporary name change to “IHOB” resulted in some negative publicity.

In today’s fast-paced, business environment, it’s not if a company will face a crisis, it’s when. That’s easy to see as 2017 had its share of scandals and mishaps ranging from social media blunders to poorly planned advertising spots, as well as a host of poorly executed responses to the

The troubling United Airlines situations, the Snapchat debacle, and the ongoing litany of scandals continue to steal the headlines day after day. These epic public relations failures are prime examples of how NOT to manage a corporate crisis.  However, a few weeks ago a chicken shortage surprisingly provided two invaluable

No organization willingly captures the spotlight by placing itself in a crisis situation, but the reality is that most organizations, regardless of size or industry, will find themselves in the midst of a crisis at some point.

Yet, according to the “Crisis Preparedness Study” released by Burson-Marsteller and global research-based

Make sure your credit union is prepared to respond if the unthinkable happens

As featured in this month’s CUES PR Insights.

Chances are, you or someone you know has had personal information compromised due to relentless cyber attacks across various industries in the U.S. Last year alone, we saw companies

No organization is immune to a crisis. They’re inevitable and strike when you least expect it. But with the sharp rise in social media, crises can leave a nasty scar if not handled appropriately.

For a second consecutive year, WMA participated in a #BankOnSocial Twitter Chat, moderated by WMA-client Kasasa,

Earlier this year, the state of Indiana took a huge reputational hit after Gov. Mike Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law, which allows both individuals and corporations to cite religious beliefs as a defense when sued. This law was immediately criticized as potentially giving business owners the right

What the FinTech industry can learn from the top five PR nightmares of the year

By Mary Cox, Account Director, William Mills Agency

Crises are all too familiar for the FinTech industry. From data breaches to hefty fines imposed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – and let’s not forget