The Crisis Beat Brady Wood

Hey Now!
In this Episode of The Crisis Beat, Brady and Mark again explore who can defy communications gravity.
Kate Middleton's seeming disappearance caused a great deal of upset and speculation metastasizing into conspiracy theory, briefly dominating the news and social media sphere cycles. Tempest in a teapot? Kate recently cleared up all the fuss quite effectively by releasing a 'cover all' video explaining the circumstances of her cancer diagnosis, and what comes next. We parse the issues and review what led to a communications mess, and what went extremely well in this recent clean-up effort. We also review analysis of the issue by other PR experts like Drs. Terry Flynn and Alexandre Sévigny, as well as Molly McPherson.
In other Royal Family news, The Netflix product 'Scoop' starring Gillian Anderson about Prince Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein will also look at how 'The Firm' (mis)handles a previous crisis. We also discuss the HBO show Succession.
Other things we touch on this week:
The finding that Amazon's AI store checkout was actually manned by humans in India reviewing the camera feeds.
An update on the recent story Instagram enables exploitation of child influencers, attracting pedophiles.
An incident where a woman lost her Planet Fitness membership for filming a trans woman getting dressed in the changeroom.
More updates on the Airlines - United and Alaskan airlines have differing reputation results handling safety issues; Boeing quality issues continue.
We also discuss Quebec Hospital where woman gave birth outside because security wouldn't open a locked door, and Brady's similar experience running communications on an incident at a hospital where a woman fell in the lobby and the staff from Emergency said something to the effect of 'you'll need to call an ambulance.'


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 16 - Get the Lead Out 
Heavy metal episode: Stanley Mugs and Baby Food contain concerning contamination
We thought we were well past lead poisoning in the North American food supply, but there are still holes in our quality controls. Baby food and Stanley mugs are the culprits. In this episode we explore what offending organizations could do to recover trust.  
Other news and topics covered: 
Elon Musk sues OpenAI Harvard Business School and DEI Media BiasAirlines continue to be in the news for safety and quality control issuesThe “Dude Chill” approach to crisis communicationsThe "Mind Bomb" concept from Dr. Terry Flynn Two members of the Royal Family withdraw from family life
And...the Word of the Day was Renumerative versus Remunerative...
Tune in next time for Episode 17 where we pick up where we left off re: how Kate Middleton disappearing from public life created a communications catastrophe.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meta - the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp - led by Mark Zuckerberg, is in the news for the wrong reasons, specifically the alleged exploitation of children. 
Mark Zuckerberg recently presented at a US Senate hearing and was forced into an awkward apology by leaders of the the committee, following testimony on harms caused by social media. A New York Times Article also highlighted exploitation faced by children influencers on Instagram: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/22/us/instagram-child-influencers.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
This episode, Mark and Brady dissect these moments as well as related media coverage and issues. 
Other News this week: 
Conestoga College - John Tibbits, called Sioux College President a whore and made comments about international students; the issue of funding related to international students Funny Beaverton satire article about Rogers Communications; discussion of duopoly of Bell and Rogers in Canada https://www.thebeaverton.com/2021/02/rogers-cant-fucking-believe-theyre-the-less-evil-telecom-giant/In news about the Airlines, Air Canada was lambasted in the House of Commons for poor Accessibility outcomes, and Alaska Airlines handled an in-air mishap quite well, and offered insight on a communications best practice for drumming up good news stories 
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crisis Beat Podcast Episode 14: "Year In Review - Career Killing Flubs"
Date: January 7, 2023
Hosts: Brady Wood and Dr. Mark Crowther
Main Topic:
Celebrity Downfalls - Case Studies in Apologetics:
Our main topic revolves around a detailed discussion inspired by a New York Post article highlighting celebrities whose careers took significant hits in 2023.
https://nypost.com/2023/12/27/entertainment/celebrities-whose-careers-imploded-in-2023-jonathan-majors-more/
Harvard President's Resignation:
The episode takes a turn to academia with the resignation of Harvard President Claudine Gay. This segment delves into the complexities of her departure, initiated by a plagiarism scandal and exacerbated by her handling of sensitive campus issues. Gay's resignation prompts a broader discussion on the interplay between legal counsel and leadership decisions in times of crisis. 
Read this highly recommended Forbes article.
Other Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
A Contrast in Leadership - Columbia's President:
In juxtaposition to Harvard's leadership crisis, we discuss how Columbia University's president adeptly managed a potential crisis.
The Epstein Controversy:
While not the focus of our episode due to time constraints, the ongoing revelations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and his connections to high-profile individuals continue to cast a long shadow, emphasizing the enduring impact of his case on public perception and trust.
Safety in the Skies - Aircraft Incidents:
The episode also touches on notable safety concerns in the aviation industry, including a critical incident involving a Boeing 737-900.
Other Dimensions:
Mark and Brady also continue their digressions about the English language.
WORD OF THE DAY: effluvium https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effluvium
RUNNER UP: detritus



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Episode, Mark and Brady explore the recent events concerning University Presidents appearing before Congress and failing to say clearly that calling for the genocide of Jewish people would be harassment on campus.
A few weeks ago, Presidents of esteemed universities Harvard, Penn State, and MIT appeared before a committee of US Congress to answer to lawmakers about a rise in antisemitic events on campuses. When asked directly whether calls for the genocide of the Jewish people constituted a violation of the code of conduct or constituted harassment, all 3 Presidents failed to say unequivocally that this was a violation of their schools' rules.
* Since we recorded this Episode, Claudine Gay of Harvard has resigned her post, something we will pick up in the next Episode.
In this Episode explore some of the fallout of these events, as well as other topics including:
- Telsa recalls, compared to other recalls by Ford and Toyota
- President Zelensky of Ukraine and his handling of their country's communications
- 'Leave the World Behind,' a dystopic near-future film on Netflix produced by the Obamas
- Open AI's recent communications since restoring Sam Altman to the CEO role
Brought to you by words of the day 'equivocate' and 'invigilate'...
Some links:
Tesla recalls nearly 2M vehicles https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/13/tech/tesla-recall-autopilot/index.html
Elon Musk says DEI initiatives must die https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/12/15/elon-musk-says-dei-must-die-and-criticizes-diversity-schemes-as-discrimination/?sh=113d74464e71
OPENAI - Sam Altman returned to CEO, Board Implications
https://gizmodo.com/openai-s-new-board-members-are-now-the-boss-of-sam-altm-1851109038
University Presidents Under Fire https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/12/25/university-presidents-under-fire
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/20/us/harvard-claudine-gay-plagiarism.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/21/opinion/harvard-claudine-gay.html?partner=slack&smid=sl-share
https://nypost.com/2023/12/21/news/billionaire-len-blavatnik-yanks-donations-to-harvard/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey now, Happy Holidays, dear listeners!
Here's a quick summary of Episode 12:
In this episode, Mark and Brady explore the recent crisis involving Elon Musk, a well-known figure due to his leadership in companies like SpaceX, Tesla, and others. The backdrop of this crisis is the global tension following the events of October 7 between Hamas and Israel.
Inciting Incident: The controversy began with Musk's response on his social media platform, X.com, to a post discussing antisemitism in the context of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Musk agreed with a comment that echoed the 'great replacement' theory, a concept linked to white supremacist ideology.
Advertiser Reaction and Consequences: Musk's comments led to a significant advertiser withdrawal from X.com, including major companies like Warner Bros. Discovery and Apple. This exodus poses a severe financial and reputational risk to the platform.
Musk's Response to Backlash: Musk reacted confrontationally, threatening legal action against critics and deviating from typical crisis management strategies, which usually involve conciliatory measures.
Public and Industry Response: The response from the public and industry has been largely critical. Calls for Musk's resignation and disappointment from investors signify a shift in perception of Musk's personal brand.
Recent Developments: Musk's comments at The Times's DealBook Summit further escalated the situation. His dismissive response to advertisers' concerns exacerbated the crisis, leading to increased reputational risks for X.com. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo's decision to leave the platform and label it a 'Global Sewer' highlights the growing backlash.
Discussion Points covered by Mark and Brady:
- The impact of a CEO's personal conduct on their company's reputation and operations.- Best practices for handling rapidly evolving online crises.- The role of empathy and cultural sensitivity in crisis response, especially in ethically charged situations like antisemitism.- Balancing swift crisis responses with comprehensive, well-thought-out statements.- Long-term strategies for rebuilding trust and repairing stakeholder relationships post-crisis.Key Takeaways:
- The importance of initial responses in crisis communications.- The need for clarity, empathy, apology, and action in crisis management.- The role of positive leader reputation in crisis outcome and company bottom line.- The challenges posed by digital media in crisis escalation and management.- The significant impact of a leader's personal brand on their company.This episode not only dissects the ongoing crisis around Musk but also provides broader insights into effective crisis communication strategies, emphasizing the interplay between personal conduct, public perception, and corporate responsibility.
Also discussed: Sam Altman/OpenAI Board and Leadership Updates, Kate Middleton and King Charles being revealed as 'the Royal Racists' mentioned in Prince Harry's memoir, and new missteps by airlines.
With word of the day 'Melofluous,' and runner-up 'Bollard.'
Don't forget to subscribe!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.