News
Levick's experienced crisis counselors are regular commentators in traditional print, radio, and television outlets, as well as in online media. The most influential and widely read business, regulatory, and legal media across the country and around the globe turn to Levick experts for insights and commentary.
Levick experts also provide regular commentary on Bulletproof Blog and the High Stakes monthly newsletter, offering insights and analysis on the most pressing communications issues facing corporations, countries, and interest groups today.
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July 19, 2010
Apple CEO Jobs Tackles iPhone Complaints
Reuters
Patrick Kerley, Senior Digital Strategist, Levick Strategic Communications: ""If there's anyone who can single-handedly get up on stage and reset the tone it's Steve Jobs. It was the right choice by Apple to have him go up there and explain it to fans and consumers generally, anyone else would have looked insincere. He's the face of the company, and while it's painful and we wouldn't always recommend it, he was the right man for the job here.
July 18, 2010
Crisis Expert Gives Apple a 'C' for iPhone 4 Response
ComputerWorld
"For the test, I'd give Apple a B+ or A-, but for the entire semester, they get just a C," said Patrick Kerley, senior digital strategist with Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that specializes in situations where companies are backed against a wall ... "Apple got caught flat-footed," said Kerley. "By waiting as long as they did, they created a vacuum of news, and others stepped in, like Consumer Reports, to fill that vacuum."
July 16, 2010
Congress Exempt from Civil Rights Act
Politico
“The last thing Congress needs to do right now is start a new episode of ‘above the law,’” said Michael Robinson, a crisis management expert with Levick Strategic Communications. “Just the pure optics of it make no sense, especially going into the November elections."
July 16, 2010
Roger Clemens Fires Back as Former Red Sox GM Dan Duqette Predicts More Steroid Allegations
New York Daily News
Gene Grabowski, a Washington-based crisis communications expert who has worked with Clemens in the past, cautioned against reading too much into Duquette's comments. "Someone needs to determine what Mr. Duquette's source of information is before they take it too seriously," Grabowski said.
July 16, 2010
Was Apple Really Sorry About the iPhone 4?
Marketplace
One PR expert we spoke to thinks the Apple loyalists will be satisfied. Patrick Kerley is with Levick Strategic Communications, he concedes he's an iPhone user and Apple stockholder.Patrick Kerley: I think in the long term, what will be remembered today is if the fix works, not whether there was an apology that was graceful enough.
July 15, 2010
Apple Plans Surprise Briefing on iPhone 4 Antenna Issue
BBC
"It seems there has been a real crisis of leadership here," said Patrick Kerley, senior digital strategist for Levick Strategic Communications which deals in crisis management and reputation protection. "There are so many conflicting reports about this issue and a lot of confusion in the marketplace. They need a plan of attack. Today's companies have to react quickly before chatter on Facebook or Twitter turns into news headlines as is the case here," Mr Kerley told BBC News.
July 15, 2010
iPhone 4 Case: What Does Apple Have on the Agenda?
Christian Science Monitor
Over at Computerworld, Gene Grabowski, the Senior VP of Levick Strategic Communications, wonders if Apple will give away or offer steep discounts the iPhone 4 case, which have been shown to radically improve reception. (And bumper cases look so much better than LiveStrong bracelets or duct tape!) "Apple should consider the problem as real, then offer cases at no-cost or low-cost," Grabowski says. "That would address most of the problems. They need to make a grand gesture that shows the company does care about its customers."
July 15, 2010
Apple Better Give iPhone 4 Owners Free Cases, Say Crisis Experts
ComputerWorld
"This is undeniably doing damage to Apple's brand," said Gene Grabowski, senior vice president of Washington, D.C.-based Levick Strategic Communications, referring to the company's refusal to respond to customer complaints. "Apple's being perceived as arrogant by trying to minimize a problem that users say is a big problem ... Apple's correctly assumed that existing iPhone owners and Apple devotees are mostly unfazed by this, but it's the potential buyers it should be worrying about."
July 13, 2010
iPhone 4 Antenna Sends Bad Memories
San Francisco Chronicle
"The steady drip, drip, drip will hit a tipping point where the weight of it is too much to endure and will scare away potential iPhone users," said Gene Grabowski, a public relations crisis expert with Levick Strategic Communications. "Apple will have to make some kind of grand gesture along the lines of providing a cover or some kind of fix that will satisfy buyers of the iPhone. If they don't do something, potential sales of the phone will drop."
July 13, 2010
Why Isn't Hollywood Outraged Over Mel Gibson's Racist, Sexist Rants?
Fox News
“Mel Gibson is yesterday’s news, I doubt too many people are really surprised by these outbursts given his history. And he is not relevant to young viewers,” Gene Grabowski of Levick Strategic Communications said. “His agency could afford to dump him because he no longer matters – Mel’s situation is far worse than being considered evil, it is that nobody really cares for him anymore.”
July 13, 2010
Gibson Scandal Could Doom His Movie Career
Los Angeles Times
Experts in crisis public relations said Gibson was in a maelstrom of trouble that would challenge the best of their craft. "He needs to find an appropriate villain in this issue, and as long as he can't put it on alcohol and drug abuse, he's going to be the villain," said Jason Maloni a strategist at the publicity agency Levick Strategic Communications.
July 12, 2010
Fenton "Unethical" for Anti-Blockade Work, Says Rubin
The Holmes Report
However, Levick Strategic Communications CEO Richard Levick defended Fenton’s decision to take on the brief. Levick himself is no stranger to such controversy, having previously overseen a campaign on behalf of inmates at Guantanamo Bay. “If they have met all of the legal requirements, then it’s a subjective decision for company to make on their own,” said Levick. “Fenton has made their brand as a controversial position-oriented comms firm.”
July 7, 2010
How Businesses Survive Recalls: Insurance
Fortune
Once the insurance is activated, crisis PR firms swoop in and manage a company's image when it's in danger of a media disaster. Recalls happen all the time, says Gene Grabowski, senior vice president at Levick Communications. He estimates that 70% of them don't involve a media component. But the big ones certainly do. Think about BP (BP), which totally blew its crisis PR, and Toyota, that did a pretty good job with it, according to crisis PR professionals.
July 2, 2010
Analysis: P&G's Pampers Leak Market Share
Reuters
"This is a product that goes on children's bodies, and because of that no parent wants to take any chance at all," said branding expert Gene Grabowski, senior vice president of public relations company Levick Strategic Communications. "What they might want to do is add something to it or change the formulation somehow so that they can legitimately make the assertion that the diapers are new and improved and safe," he said.
June 29, 2010
Analysis: SEC May Use Goldman Sachs to Improve Its Image
USA Today
"That's what scares (Goldman)," says Michael Robinson, a former spokesman for the SEC and Justice Department who's now at Levick Strategic Communications, a public relations firm that specializes in crisis management. "You don't know the deals that you didn't get" ... "There's an old expression, 'When you're explaining, you're losing,' " Robinson says. "And right now, Goldman is explaining."
June 21, 2010
Reggie Bush Could be Running From IRS on Gifts Allegedly Received at USC
FOX News
“He should keep the Heisman Trophy because no one would argue he is not an outstanding athlete with great ability who’s achieved what he’s achieved by being a great football player," said Jason W. Maloni, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications, a marketing firm. "Bush already has a Super Bowl victory to his name and has certainly proven he can compete in the NFL."
June 15, 2010
Past Crises Hint at Whether BP Can Pass Its Test
Associated Press
"Strong leadership will survive any crisis," said public relations executive Richard Levick ... Levick, the public relations expert, thinks Exxon Mobil has managed to recast itself as environmentally sensitive because of the work it did to restore Prince William Sound. (Some environmental researchers see it differently, arguing it will be decades before all the oil is gone.)
June 15, 2010
BP, In Crisis Mode, Misses Social Networking Target
ComputerWorld
"BP is in one of the biggest PR crises that we've seen," said Patrick Kerley, a senior digital strategist for Levick Strategic Communications, a PR and crisis communication firm. "I think that the problem they're having is that it's an ongoing process that doesn't have an easy solution and it's exacerbated by the idea that they're not showing the sort of engagement with the public that PR in 2010 expects. They were playing by old rules.... Dealing with a crisis has totally changed because of social media. They didn't get that."
June 14, 2010
After BP Cleans Up the Oil, It Has to Clean Up Its Image
USA Today
Offer free gasoline. The free gas should go to churches, schools and charities in affected areas, and steep discounts should go to area residents for a specific time period, says Gene Grabowski, senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications, a crisis management specialist. Assemble a panel. It should be an independent panel of experts to take the long view of the crisis, Grabowski says.
June 14, 2010
BP's Failures on the Gulf Made Worse by PR Woes
Associated Press
"All crises are personal," said Richard Levick, who runs a public relations firm, Levick Strategic Communications, that advises companies. "Action and sacrifice is absolutely critical" ... Levick suggested BP could have cut gas prices at its stations along the Gulf Coast - a show of financial solidarity.
June 11, 2010
U.K. Prepared to Back BP
Financial Post
“The company needs to focus on capping the well and demonstrating a commitment to cleaning up the environment,” said Gene Grabowski, senior vice-president of Levick Strategic Communications in Washington and chair of the company’s crisis and litigation practice. “Anything they might do beyond that, no matter how well intended, could backfire.” BP has bungled its communication on the issue from the start, said Mr. Grabowski.
June 10, 2010
BP, Obama Public Approval Ratings Fall as Gulf Oil Spill Worsens
Voice of America
"Right off the bat, they failed to manage the pictures," said Gene Grabowski. Gene Grabowski is senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications, a leading crisis management firm here in Washington ... But according to Grabowski, public opinion could change if the crisis worsens. "I think BP has to find a path forward, show us what that path is, stop apologizing - stop blaming and start doing," he said.
June 9, 2010
BP Buys 'Oil Spill,' Related Internet Search Terms to Manage Message
Christian Science Monitor
The marketplace sets that amount, points out Patrick Kerley, Senior Digital Strategist at Levick Strategic Communications. He explains that in any given search, placement is determined by “auctions,” conducted at light speed, and the top spot goes to the highest bidder.
June 9, 2010
BP Gas Stations Vandalized in NYC
WABC
Experts say BP must focus on a long term strategy to avoid further public backlash. "Maybe a pricing strategy, if they're starting to see people make what's known as a left turn in the oil industry, turning away from your station and also draw a line in the sand to clearly distinguish between the old BP and the new BP going forward," said Richard Levick, of Levick Strategic Communications.
June 9, 2010
Expert Advice for Brandon Underwood
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Jason Maloni, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications and leader of the firm's Sports and Entertainment practice, believes its important for Underwood to get out in front of the story. "Don't let everybody else define your actions. Take control of the matter," said Maloni, who is not advising Underwood. "Explain the circumstances. And take responsibility. The best way to take control of the story is to tell all, and tell it yourself."
June 9, 2010
BP Camera: A Good Idea?
CNBC
Joining us is Richard Levick of Levick Strategic Communications: "The first rule of crisis communications is to run to the light. And here is BP trying to show themselves as transparent ... But they are going to have to think long-term and gradually earn back public trust."
June 8, 2010
BP Becomes Lawmakers’ ‘Pinata’ as Oil-Spill Hearings Reach 28
Bloomberg BusinessWeek
BP is a perfect target for politicians with Congress’s approval ratings low and lawmakers fearing an anti-incumbent wave in the November elections, said Michael W. Robinson a former Mobil Corp. communications executive. Oil companies are perceived as friendly to Republicans in a Congress controlled by Democrats, he said. “As long as this goes on, they will be the pinata, and the pinata will be hit not with a baseball bat, but a sledgehammer,” said Robinson, now senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications in Washington.
June 7, 2010
Goldman Sachs Spent Months Dodging Questions, FCIC Says
USA Today
"Goldman is the occupant of a one-room doghouse right now," says Michael Robinson of Levick Strategic Communications, a crisis-management firm. "Not cooperating (with the FCIC) is a way to guarantee a long stay."
June 7, 2010
Communications
Washington Business Journal
Levick Strategic Communications in D.C. appointed Jason Maloni senior vice president of its litigation and crisis practice. Formerly vice president at Levick, Maloni now assumes full oversight of crisis and legal campaigns on behalf of corporations, countries, institutions and professional service firms. Maloni is a consultant to professional sports celebrities, teams and related industry businesses. He is the head of Levick’s sports and entertainment practice.
June 6, 2010
Crisis Expert: PR Needs to Grow Up
The Holmes Report
Richard Levick, CEO and president of US firm Levick Strategic Communications, made the remark while discussing BP’s comms response to the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico ... Levick said that PR industry needed to “grow up and understand that it is now going to be part of the story. PR has always wanted a seat at the table and now it’s got a seat at the table" ... “It is the age of transparency,” added Levick.”Everything you do and say is recorded and visited. CEOs need to understand you have to run to the crisis.”
June 6, 2010
Apologetic BP Ads Get Criticism, Not Sympathy
Associated Press
Public-relations experts said BP's ad blitz seems premature and a little shallow. BP missed an opportunity to shift focus away from criticism of the company and toward BP's strategy for cleaning up the spill, said Gene Grabowski, a senior vice president with Levick Strategic Communications. "The one element they seem to be missing is laying out a plan for what they're going to do. Usually in ads like these you apologize; he's doing that in the ad. You talk about your resolve to fix the situation; that's also included. But what's missing is a concrete plan or vision for what they plan to do next," he said.
June 6, 2010
Communications
Washington Post
Levick Strategic Communications of the District named Jason Maloni, former vice president, senior vice president in the litigation and crisis practice.
June 4, 2010
Roethlisberger: Trying to Make Most of 'New Chapter'
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"Had he done the in-depth interview, the focus would be a lot more on the substance of what he was saying, rather than the image he's trying to project," said Gene Grabowski, senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington firm specializing in crisis communications. "Instead, the story is about how he is smiling, and that's a positive image. "If he wants to, later on -- and he probably should -- he can sit down and do some interviews and get into some depth. He's softened up his image."
June 3, 2010
Why Apple and Others Are Nervous About Foxconn
Bloomberg Businessweek
Gene Grabowski, who chairs the crisis and litigation practice at Levick Strategic Communications, says ... one way to minimize any Foxconn-related PR trouble would be to follow the strategy of U.S. toymakers. In 2007, after their Chinese manufacturing partners were found to be allowing lead paint into products sold in the U.S., companies sent inspectors to watch over the plants and invited national media to monitor improvements. "It sent a signal to the Chinese companies that their work was being constantly monitored, and it reassured families around the world that toy manufacturers had got the message," says Grabowski.
June 2, 2010
Three Lessons for BP from the Exxon Valdez Spill
Fortune
The public also has access to more data today than in the time of Valdez -- more pundits, more criticism, and more images of disasters. "The first rule of crisis communications is control the pictures," says Gene Grabowski, chair of crisis and litigation practice at Levick Strategic Communications. "When we heard stories about the folks from BP trying to manage the crisis, [we] saw no human faces. We have yet to see CEO Tony Hayward in shirtsleeves in a war room, supervising. That's a critical deficiency."
May 31, 2010
Sara Lee's Secrecy on CEO Barnes' Health Leaves Investors Wondering
Crain's Chicago Business
"Nine out of 10 times, corporations try to put more information out there so shareholders and other stakeholders are not left to postulate on what the situation might be," says Gene Grabowski, a senior vice-president at Washington, D.C.-based Levick Strategic Communications.
May 30, 2010
BP Spill Response Tars Reputation
Business Insurance
“This could be offshore drilling's Three-Mile Island....It could set the oil industry back decades,” said Gene Grabowski, senior vp and chairman of the crisis and litigation practice for Washington-based Levick Strategic Communications L.L.C. ... Mr. Grabowski added that when the crisis began, BP sent the wrong message by saying they would only pay what was appropriate for “legitimate claims.” BP was “already defining what it would pay for before they had an idea of what they were dealing with."
May 28, 2010
N.J. Residents Join Online Protest Against BP
New Jersey Star-Ledger
Richard Levick, an expert in crisis communications, said the impact of the BP boycott will be measured in sales. “We don’t really know how serious these people are,’’ he said. “The question is, when people are going to buy gasoline despite what they’ve written will they still go ahead and boycott BP.” People generally see all gasoline as being the same, so when they’re looking to buy it, they make their decision based on price and the convenience of the gas station location, Levick said.
May 27, 2010
Who's Rating the Raters?
Voice of America
Credit rating agencies have one primary task: to examine and grade financial products and companies. Their findings can shape how a stock performs or at what rates a government can borrow. However in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, some analysts - such as Michael Robinson of Levick Strategic Communications - say those rating agencies assigned their highest grade to the very securities that nearly brought down the U.S. financial system.
May 26, 2010
BP 'Top Kill' Effort Should Have Begun by Now, Salazar Says
Bloomberg
“They’re in the position of a surgeon about to operate on one of your loved ones,” Gene Grabowski, chair of the crisis and litigation practice at Levick Strategic Communications in Washington, said today in an interview. “Once they cap the well, a level of anxiety will still be there but it will go down precipitously. The healing can proceed and they can start talking about what they’re doing to clean up the environment and what the road ahead looks like.”
May 26, 2010
Facebook Privacy Woes Make Little Impact on Site’s Popularity
Bloomberg
“If they can put together a system that’s easy to use and makes it clear to Facebook users exactly what they’re sharing and not sharing, then, yes, it can stem the tide of criticism,” said Patrick Kerley, a consultant with Levick Strategic Communications LLC in Washington. “They’ve somehow managed to not communicate well on this platform that is so well known for its ability to communicate and share.”
May 24, 2010
Privacy Advocates: Facebook Has Fooled Us Once Too Often
TechNews World
There is something to that theory, Patrick Kerley, senior digital strategist at Levick Strategic Communications, told TechNewsWorld. "I don't think it is a coincidence that Facebook ran this op-ed in The Washington Post." The paper is read by many lawmakers. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has already asked the FTC to design privacy rules for social networking sites.
May 20, 2010
Steroids Still a Problem For Major Sports Leagues
WTOP
Joining us today is Gene Grabowski, a sports crisis expert and senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications: "One word of advice to athletes in crisis: If you do have something that is going to come out later, talk about it now. Get it out of the way."
May 19, 2010
Every Political Affair Is Different
Politico
But personal judgments are invariably colored by electoral realities, said Michael Robinson, a political crisis management expert and a senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications. “Incumbents have probably about the lowest approval rating today as ever. The public is wildly distrustful of anyone in power, and I think any opportunity people have to voice disapproval, they’ll do it,” Robinson said.
May 19, 2010
BP CEO Tony Hayward Isn't Winning 'Hearts and Minds'
AOL Daily Finance
BP is also underestimating how important pictures are in telling the story. "We have not seen Mr. Hayward take off his jacket," says Gene Grabowski, a senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications. "We have not seen him roll up his sleeves and physically help out in any way. In strategic communications, you must control the pictures."
May 17, 2010
Goldman Eyes Redemption Road, Despite Potholes
Reuters
"They have company in the doghouse, but they are still in the doghouse," said Michael Robinson, a financial and crisis public relations consultant with Levick Strategic Communications. "They were the first ones in and they were the highest profile. That others are believed to have done the same thing doesn't lessen the need to try to make this story go away as soon as possible."
May 15, 2010
Rules of Conduct on Internal Social Networks
Inc.
Assume employee posts might get out into the world. "Don't rely on a false sense of security that everything you've posted will stay internal," advises Patrick Kerley, senior digital strategist for Levick Strategic Communications. "The one thing we know about digital media is that things can be shared, and shared forever. So a good rule is not to post anything to an internal social network that you wouldn't want to see on Facebook."
May 14, 2010
P&G Sued Over Pampers Dry Max Diapers-UPDATE 2
Reuters
"They're saying the right things. I think that in this case, though, the timing may be just a little slow," said Gene Grabowski, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications. "It would have been better for P&G to be as aggressive in protecting its brand as it is in marketing the brand on the Internet ... The next two days are going to be vitally important. They're going to have to make a decision whether they try to make an adjustment to the product that the marketplace will accept or to just withdraw it," Grabowski said.
May 10, 2010
BP, Oil Interests Brace for Capitol ‘Perp Walk’
Roll Call
“If we were training BP we would want them to be looking carefully at the Goldman Sachs video and the Toyota videos to prepare them for the questions they will receive and the lectures they will have to endure,” said Gene Grabowski, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications. Grabowski, who chairs his firm’s crisis and litigation practice, said he would advise BP to bring some of its rank-and-file workers to Washington to help the company make its case. “I don’t think BP has done as good a job as it needs to put a human face on this crisis,” he said.
May 6, 2010
Brownie Attempts a Comeback
Politico
“I’m not even sure this is the old college try,” said Michael Robinson, senior vice president for Levick Strategic Communications, a crisis communication firm in Washington. “There is no chance that it will rehabilitate his image. No chance,” he added. “Every crisis has a face, and he was the face of Katrina. No amount of white-washing is going to change history.” Robinson added that Brown’s re-emergence into the public dialogue actually hurts his chances of people forgetting about his part in the failed response to Katrina.
May 5, 2010
Surviving the Age of Humiliation
Wall Street Journal
Not long ago, people who routinely plugged their own names into online search engines were thought to be engaging in "vanity Googling." These days, it is an act of self-preservation. "Google yourself at least once a week," advises Richard Levick, who heads a strategic communications firm in Washington, D.C. "You need to track what's being said about you" on blogs, message boards and social-networking websites.
May 5, 2010
Oil Slick: How BP is Handling Its PR Disaster
Slate
Michael W. Robinson of Levick Strategic Communications recommends a bit more self-awareness. "You have to recognize that everyone, from fishermen to congressmen, is going to look at you with a jaundiced view," Robinson says. When it comes to social media and the Web, though, communications experts give BP high marks. BP created a section of its Web site dedicated to the spill, complete with photos, video, and maps that track the cleanup.
May 3, 2010
BP Struggles to Hit Right Note in Response to Oil Spill
Advertising Age
Gene Grabowski, senior VP-chair of crisis and litigation for Levick Strategic Communications, said BP got off to a shaky start in trying to get control of the situation and looked especially weak when the federal government had to step in and help out. "Their messaging should have been more focused on what a challenge it was and how they were actively working with the government, Coast Guard and the Navy rather than the statements we saw from their chief operating officer and others that basically said, 'We can't handle this, we will take help anywhere we can get it,'" Mr. Grabowski said. "It almost looked as if they had taken their hands off the steering wheel."
April 28, 2010
Stranded Airline Passengers' Rights Vary Widely By Carrier
USA Today
Crisis communications consultant Gene Grabowski at Levick Strategic Communications says even when they aren't responsible for such travel disruptions, airlines should behave responsibly toward their customers and toward the long-term value of their brand. "Doing nothing is survivable in this case because it was an act of nature," Grabowski says. "But the smart company will do something for its customers. And in a year from now it will have a stronger brand than the company that does nothing."
April 27, 2010
Steelers' Roethlisberger Will Not Appear His Suspension
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
I think Roethlisberger is responding as well as he can under the circumstances," said Gene Grabowski, a senior vice president with Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that specializes in crisis communications. "So far, it meets the test. I think people will accept it. I think the fans want to forgive him. But, of course, he has to stay out of hot water. He should avoid bars and parties for a good long while."
April 26, 2010
Sen. Schumer Questions Facebook on Privacy
Advertising Age
"[Facebook] would be well-advised to launch a campaign, not just for Facebook users, but for those people who may be Facebook users in the future or who don't trust it, to lift the veil of mystery," agreed Gene Grabowski, senior VP-crisis and litigation for Levick Strategic Communications.
April 23, 2010
GOP Ramps Up Attacks on SEC Over Porn Surfing
Associated Press
Former SEC spokesman Michael Robinson said he shares the public's outrage about SEC staffers who enjoyed porn on the taxpayer dime when they were supposed to be keeping the markets safe. "That kind of behavior is just intolerable and atrocious," said Robinson, now with Levick Strategic Communications. He said he expects the head of the SEC, Mary Schapiro and her team, are "very focused on" the issue.
April 21, 2010
Goldman Case Shows Power of SEC's Bully Pulpit
Associated Press
"The weapons in the commission's arsenal are many, but the bully pulpit is unmatched," said former SEC spokesman Michael Robinson. "Once the SEC makes an announcement, the dominoes start to fall." ... And Robinson said such publicity serves the SEC's goal of warning companies that they'll pay high costs for improper behavior. "They're doing it to make a point — and so what?" he said.
April 20, 2010
Time to Tear Down the Wall Around Goldman?
Reuters
Traditionally, the firm has been a fortress barricaded behind a wall of silence. It says little about what its bankers do or what happens on its trading floors and it ignores its critics. That has worked throughout its history but no longer, experts say. "They can't play that game anymore," said Michael Robinson, a financial and crisis public relations consultant with Levick Strategic Communications. "The world has changed too much."
April 20, 2010
Fraud Charges Overshadow Goldman Profits
National Post
"The story is not about Goldman's profits, it's about their integrity," said Michael Robinson, senior vice-president of Washington-based Levick Strategic Communications and a former public affairs and policy chief at the SEC. "That's what the core of the SEC's suit is about. Was Goldman honest with their investors or, as it appears with this litigation, were they in it for themselves without regard to their investors?"
April 20, 2010
Lush Earnings Alone Won't Restore Goldman Sachs's Reputation
AOL Daily Finance
"This is entirely new territory for them," says Michael Robinson, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications and a former public affairs and policy chief at the SEC. "They are not accustomed to it ... The larger issue for Goldman is how do they restore their reputation. How do they get back to business?"
April 15, 2010
Stock Boys
New York Post
"I think the notion of 'Undercover Boss' is a very good one and the show is intriguing. The notion of having someone from Wall Street to me presents much more of a dilemma," said Jason Maloni, Vice President of Crisis and Litigation Practice at Levick Strategic Communications. "I think there's far more a downside than upside to an organization with such a reputation deficit as Wall Street," Maloni said.
April 14, 2010
Ben Scrambles, Might Not Escape Penalty
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"Ben's going to have, just like Tiger Woods, just like Michael Vick, a long road ahead of him where small successes, small measures that he does in the community, that he does with his own behavior are going to over time change perception," said Jason Maloni, vice president of Levick Strategic Communication's Crises and Litigation team. "It's not going to happen overnight, it's not going to happen with a 75-second statement."
April 12, 2010
'Little Punk Staffers' Fuming at GOP
Politico
Michael Robinson, a crisis management expert with Levick Strategic Communications, said anecdotes like these can have a damaging effect — and not just on the staffers but on their bosses as well. "This is going to splash back on their bosses and the whole institution," Robinson said. "Every opinion poll I've read shows that Americans want Washington to be more serious and less partisan. It's going in the opposite direction. ... Staffers need to grow up. It's their job to do the work, not become the story."
April 9, 2010
Mine Owner Slammed Over Plan to Move Operations
Reuters
But another crisis management expert, Richard Levick of Levick Strategic Communications in Washington, said Massey had little option. "There are SEC requirements that they need to file when there is a material event and this clearly falls into that. In the timing, they may not have had control." The SEC's only consideration, he said, was the financial implications and Massey provided those, along with updates on the status of the rescue efforts.
April 4, 2010
Experts Divided Over Tiger's Masters Plan
NBC - San Diego
So which Woods should show up at Augusta? A genial, tempered one, said management expert Michael W. Robinson ... "Every inch of this guy will be under a microscope," said Robinson, a senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications in Washington, D.C., which has also worked with athletes like scandal-plagued Roger Clemens. "Tiger needs a mulligan."
April 2, 2010
Crisis Manager Likens Church's Reaction to Toyota's
Globe and Mail
Gene Grabowski, a leading U.S. expert on consumer-products recalls, thinks the Roman Catholic Church risks making the same crisis-management mistakes as Toyota did in dealing with faulty accelerators on several million cars. The senior vice-president of Levick Strategic Communications Corp. in Washington says the church is in danger of forgetting what Toyota forgot – that an institution’s greatest strength is axiomatically its greatest weakness.
March 25, 2010
Leonsis Prepped to Buy Wizards, Arena
The Washington Times
"Some details are still to be worked out so it’s not a done deal entirely," Jason Maloni, Chair of Sports & Entertainment practice at Levick Strategic Communications said of the reports. "It's a fair price. It's a good time for Ted to buy and the Wizards are a good value."
March 23, 2010
Experts Give Tips on How Woods Should Fix Rep
AM New York
Jason Maloni, vice President of Levick Strategic Communications, agreed that Tiger’s comeback seems to orchestrated. “For Tiger, what’s needed is less a media strategy as it is a golf strategy,” Maloni said. “He needs to get back to playing and winning — and then that becomes the story and the headlines.
March 19, 2010
Goldman Nominates Ex-Wal-Mart CEO to Board
Reuters
That image-related experience could be helpful to Goldman's board as it deals with its own public relations woes, said Michael Robinson, a financial and crisis public relations consultant with Levick Strategic Communications. "No one preaches like the converted," Robinson said. "It is a good way of bringing some very practical experience to the boardroom."
March 19, 2010
Crisis Management Firms Help Minimize Scandals
Voice of America
"It was shocking to see his inability to manage and control," said Richard Levick, who owns a crisis communications firm in Washington. "The thing he needed to do most was to reach out, show some vulnerability. Instead what he's done, by elongating it, he's made every appearance such a media event; it's even larger than the PGA itself."
March 16, 2010
Toyota Steps Up Effort to Rebut Runaway Prius
San Diego Union-Tribune
Shedding light on new findings is a good first step, but Toyota needs a long-term strategy to regain customer confidence, said Gene Grabowski of Levick Strategic Communications. “Toyota is not doing well in the court of public opinion,” said Grabowski, senior vice president of the Washington D.C.-based firm. “What it needs to rise above this is a special task force, headed by someone with stature and fame … to determine what’s gone wrong and how to fix it.”
March 16, 2010
Tiger Woods Masters Comeback: Not the Safe Play
Christian Science Monitor
"It is good for him to come back," says Gene Grabowski, senior vice president who heads the crisis practice of Levick Strategic Communications, a consulting firm in Washington, D.C. But "he may have been better advised to start at a smaller tournament where he wouldn't have such great media scrutiny and pressure to win."
March 15, 2010
For Hire: Social Media Rep for Businesses
Inc.
"We did a social media survey for a finance company with 42 employees," recalls Dallas Lawrence who heads the social media practice at Levick Strategic Communications. "Twenty of them told us that they regularly use social media and/or read online news." That company can likely find an effective social media representative among those 20 employees, he says. "Before you go outside the company, look inside at who you already have."
March 12, 2010
Press Coverage Cited as a Risk in Goldman Sachs Filings
Risk & Insurance Magazine
Goldman's media relations battle is real, and the fact they have filed what they have with the SEC is a big deal, according to Michael W. Robinson, a senior vice president with the Washington, D.C.-based Levick Strategic Communications, a crisis communications firm. "Goldman Sachs over the years has a very well-deserved reputation of being the creme de la creme. I think to some degree the bloom is off of the rose here," said Robinson.
March 1, 2010
Toyota Has a Hard Time Saying 'Sorry'
Canadian Business Magazine
The second step for Toyota will be engaging its customers using all available means — including automotive blogs, websites and traditional media. “They can’t lecture at this point. Now they have to join the conversation,” says Gene Grabowski, senior vice-president of Levick Strategic Communications.
February 28, 2010
Toyota's Liabilities From Massive Recalls Taking Shape
Business Insurance
“I've seen this movie before,” said Gene Grabowski, a senior vp at Washington-based Levick Strategic Communications L.L.C. “Plaintiffs' attorneys were watching the testimony and every utterance from Lentz and Toyoda very carefully, and I have no doubt that they will try to introduce some of the statements that have been made into their pleadings.”
February 25, 2010
Analysis: How Did Toyoda Do?
CNN
"Under the circumstances, he did very well indeed," said Dave Bartlett, the Washington-based senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications. "He did suffer from the language barrier, which made it tougher for him to express the emotion that would have probably amplified his message in a way he would have liked."
February 24, 2010
Split Decision on Toyoda's Congressional Performance
Reuters
"I thought he did OK," said Gene Grabowski, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications in Washington. "He touched all the right bases," Grabowski said. "He apologized. He announced the creation of this expert panel (on quality). That's a really good move at a congressional hearing because it demonstrates that you are committing resources to the issue and they are assigning responsibility."
February 23, 2010
U.S. Probe Raises Stakes for Toyota
Globe and Mail
His appearance before the House oversight committee could represent a watershed for Toyota in this crisis, said Gene Grabowski, senior vice-president of Washington-based Levick Strategic Communications and an expert in crisis management. “If Mr. Toyoda does well enough and demonstrates to the satisfaction of the committee and the viewers that are watching on television that he is taking this seriously, is taking corrective steps, acknowledges responsibility for past failures, then he's on the right road,” Mr. Grabowski said.
February 23, 2010
7 Secrets for Boosting Your Online Power
Houston Chronicle
Even if you only have a small number of followers, you can still make a difference. "The squeaky Twitterer still gets the grease," says Dallas Lawrence, the chair of the digital and social media practice group at Levick Strategic Communications. "Like most travel related stories in the online space, companies have focused their efforts towards addressing critical commentary posted by dissatisfied customers who have posted damaging comment to the online space about a particular airline, hotel or travel provider."
February 23, 2010
Execs Can't Win in Testifying on Capitol Hill
Los Angeles Times
"It's harder to attack someone that you've met," said Gene Grabowski, senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications, a firm that has advised toy and pet food companies involved in recalls as well as other industries under federal investigation. Grabowski said his next step would be to set up "the murder board," a mock hearing that can last for hours and spares no one.
February 22, 2010
Toyoda Preps for Grilling at Congress
American Public Radio
Gene Grabowski works in the crisis and litigation practice at Levick Strategic Communications. He says Toyoda should answer honestly: "On the other hand, you don't discuss every problem and every issue. You focus on one or two that are very important and you use those as platforms to talk about what you're doing to make sure that those problems never arise again."
February 20, 2010
Image experts: Tiger not out of woods yet
Houston Chronicle
“I give him an A for content and a C+ to a B for delivery,” said Gene Grabowski, a crisis counselor for professional athletes, executives and celebrities, including Roger Clemens and Rosie O'Donnell. “The good news is he has done a pretty good job restoring his base. The people who want to support him are going to stay with him.”
February 20, 2010
‘Controlled’ Event Muzzles Empathy, Some Experts Say
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"He disrespected journalists," said Grabowski, a senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications. "It was arrogant. It was aloof. It kept us at a distance and yet it still might work because it's Tiger, and the rules have been different for Tiger." Grabowski called Woods' public apology "a step in the right direction, albeit a small one."
February 19, 2010
Management Lessons from Tiger's Apology
Wall Street Journal
Gene Grabowski, chair of the crisis and litigation practice at crisis management firm Levick Strategic Communications, agrees. He liked the content but felt the delivery was "contrived and orchestrated."
February 19, 2010
Tiger Woods: 'Deeply Sorry' for Behavior
The Washington Times
"In terms of words, the speech was very powerful," said Jason Maloni, of Washington, D.C.-based Levick Strategic Communications, which helped baseball pitcher Roger Clemens after allegations of steroid use. "But I was disappointed with his need to scold the media. Who was thinking performance-enhancing drugs? Where did that come from?"
February 19, 2010
Tiger Woods apology strategy: Heal the Tiger, then the business
Christian Science Monitor
"It looked too aloof, too contrived," says Gene Grabowski, who heads the crisis practice of Levick Strategic Communications, a communications consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. "He needs to somehow connect with fans and the media."
February 19, 2010
Did Tiger Say the Right Things?
Fox Business Network
Michael Robinson, Senior Vice President at Levick Strategic Communications and a crisis management expert, said, "The way [Tiger] presented himself was contrite, I think it was a very well crafted statement. So I think those sponsors that are with him today will be with in the coming months. But he does have to get back on the golf course, and that will have to happen in 2010."
February 18, 2010
Toyota President Gets 'Formal Invitation' to Hearing
CNN Money
Gene Grabowski, head of the crisis communication practice for Washington-based Levick Strategic Partners, agreed ... "Now the die is cast," Grabowski said."I think Mr. Toyoda must testify and I think he needs to be very well prepared." Grabowski's firm has worked with more than a dozen witnesses called to testify on Capitol Hill, he said, and the most important thing they all must remember is to remain humble.
February 18, 2010
Tiger Woods Will Talk Friday
Los Angeles Times
Yet Gene Grabowski, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications, a company that has helped clients as varied as the Vatican and Roger Clemens deal with public relations crises, said he isn't sure Woods' plan will be a winner. "Doing it this way, accepting no questions, sort of putting his hand up and keeping reporters and public at a distance sends the wrong message," Grabowski said. "It sends the message that I'm really not ready to face the music but I want to be able to call the tune."
February 18, 2010
What Will Tiger Woods Say at His Announcement?
Washington Post
"This not only doesn't solve the problem, it aggravates it," agrees Gene Grabowski, a senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications, a "crisis" communications firm in Washington. By avoiding questions, Woods is "enhancing the perception that he and his advisers are trying to control the situation. They're still behaving as if they're calling the tune when, in fact, they should be facing the music."
February 18, 2010
Above All, Tiger Woods Has To Apologize, Experts Say
Houston Chronicle
"He’s gotten off to such a slow start, it’s unfortunate," said Gene Grabowski, a crisis counselor for professional athletes, corporate executives and celebrities, including Roger Clemens and Rosie O’Donnell. "He has taken a baby step in the right direction by going in front of the news media. But by not taking questions and trying to control this process, he’s behaving like he’s calling the tune when, in fact, he should be facing the music."
February 18, 2010
Tiger to Talk
CTV
Jason Maloni, Vice President at Washington, DC-based Levick Strategic Communications, was interviewed on Canada's CTV discussing Tiger Woods' decision to address the media tomorrow morning.
February 17, 2010
Toyota's Loss is U.S. Carmakers' Gain
CBS Evening News
Crisis management expert Gene Grabowski says Toyota's early communication strategy didn't help. "I think there was a concern for secrecy and privacy and I think that was probably as much of a cultural difference between Japan and the U.S. and North America as anything else," he said. Toyota's new strategy, he says, is a step in the right direction.
February 17, 2010
Tiger Woods to Address Media on Friday
WTOP
Gene Grabowski, Sports Crisis Specialist, Levick Strategic Communications: "At a time when he should be facing the music, he's still acting like he's calling the tune. He needs to make it more of a conversation with the fans and with the media. If he does that, this could probably go away eventually."
February 16, 2010
Recall Blunders Have Rich History
NPR
Mr. Gene Grabowski: (Senior Vice President, Levick Strategic Communications): This is a PR problem, a communications problem as much or more as it is an engineering problem ... Nothing ever goes perfectly in a recall or in a crisis and thats the first thing that everyone needs to understand. So, something will always occur that you didnt plan for, that you werent prepared for. But its how well you recover from those mistakes that were all judged on.
February 15, 2010
What It Takes to Be an 'Undercover Boss'
Advertising Age
"On balance, it probably has greater potential to backfire," said Gene Grabowski, senior VP at Levick Communications, noting that to be successful, it has to be entertaining, and therefore, "it just has too many problems for many companies."
February 15, 2010
Media in the Boardroom
Directorship
“It’s communications to the public writ large,” noted Richard Levick ... Levick advised that directors at least ascertain whether management is aware of the “high-authority bloggers” covering their industry or company, noting that some members of Congress are now doing this.
February 12, 2010
Businesses Aim to Harness the Power of Social Media
Sacramento Business Journal
American business is in the midst of a dramatic shift to social media, said Dallas Lawrence, social media expert at Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington-D.C.-based strategic marketing and crisis communications firm ... “We work with a good number of C-Suite late adopters, and the common thread that connects those who have been slow to join the social media revolution is a lack of understanding of the reach, the power to directly connect and opportunity to leverage for proactive branding that exists within social media today,” Lawrence said.
February 11, 2010
Toyota Bulls Say Recall Makes Its Stock a Bargain
Associated Press
"Recalls can be a buying opportunity," says Gene Grabowski, senior vice president of crisis manager Levick Strategic Communications. "There's usually a substantial blow to the shares, but they typically climb back in five or six months."
February 10, 2010
Goldman CEO Blankfein Will See Better Paydays
Reuters
And although Blankfein is not likely to see paydays like 2007 again, public ire will fade, said Michael Robinson, a crisis communications consultants with Levick Strategic Communications. a"I don't think Lloyd is going to have to eat humble pie for too many more years," Robinson added.
February 10, 2010
Will Toyota's TV Apology Ad Help?
NPR's Marketplace
Gene Grabowski of Levick Strategic Communications joins us: "When they [Toyota] did apologize it was too late. I mean, they didn't speak up publicly until they were testifying before Congress, and the company went out of business. So that's how not to say I'm sorry. A more successful example? Mattel. Back in 2007 they recalled unsafe toys. CEO Bob Eckert posted a personal apology online. "
February 9, 2010
Can Toyota Digg out of its Recall Hole?
Christian Science Monitor
Those unfiltered dialogues with customers and would-be customers are crucial for Toyota to begin rebuilding its brand, says Gene Grabowski, a senior vice president who heads the crisis practice of Levick Strategic Communications, a consulting firm based in Washington. "It's intelligent of Toyota to be doing this ... they need to be seeking more opportunities and more venues where they can communicate more directly with consumers."
February 9, 2010
Toyota Seeks Damage Control, In Public and Private
Associated Press
"You're being called up there so Congress can beat you up a little bit," said Gene Grabowski, who chairs Levick Strategic Communications' crisis and litigation practice. "By the time it gets to a hearing, you're there to take some punishment, to listen to their concerns."a
February 5, 2010
Tim Needs a Win
The Street TV
Michael Robinson, a Senior Vice President at Washington, DC-based crisis communications firm Levick Strategic Communications, discusses the steps Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner needs to take in order to keep his job.
February 4, 2010
Emerging platforms you should bookmark (or forget about) in 2010
iMediaConnection
According to Dallas Lawrence, chair of the digital and social media practice group at Levick Strategic Communications, Google Wave, the search giant's real-time communication and collaboration tool, is likely one of those products that got a lot of undeserved buzz in the advertising world. "While the platform presents innovative features that could revolutionize the way we communicate online, I don't see this technology taking off from an advertising standpoint in 2010."
February 4, 2010
Blame Ken
Forbes
The Merrill deal is "still the burr under the saddle of a lot of folks," says crisis communications consultant Michael W. Robinson, a former SEC spokesman. "This is not going to go away easily." For starters, it gives politicians something to talk about during an election cycle. Cuomo is eyeing a run at the governor's mansion. In a press conference Thursday, he played up his populism.
February 3, 2010
Toyota's Digital Disaster
Newsweek
If you Google Toyota, among the first things that pop up is an ad slugged "Toyota Recall News." With just a few more clicks, you'll find hundreds of news reports that the car company's faulty accelerators have been linked to 19 deaths ... To learn about the new rules of crisis management, NEWSWEEK's Matthew Philips spoke with Gene Grabowski, chair of crisis and litigation practice at Levick Strategic Communications, the same firm that represented pet-food makers and toy manufacturers during 2007 recalls.
February 1, 2010
The Business of Ghostblogging
Entrepreneur
"If you're a CEO and you're hands off, not really editing, not really making sure it's written in your voice, then it's not credible," says Dallas Lawrence, head of the digital media team at Levick Strategic Communications in Washington, D.C. "People will see through that, and at the end of the day, it'll have a negative impact on the brand."
February 1, 2010
Advanced Social Networking for Travelers
MSNBC
“The squeaky Twitterer still gets the grease,” says Dallas Lawrence, the chair of the digital and social media practice group at Levick Strategic Communications. “Like most travel related stories in the online space, companies have focused their efforts towards addressing critical commentary posted by dissatisfied customers who have posted damaging comment to the online space about a particular airline, hotel or travel provider.”
January 31, 2010
Toyota's Vehicle Recall Puts Reputation at Risk
Business Insurance
“For Toyota, this is their Tylenol moment,” said Mr. Grabowski, referring to New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson's response to the 1982's deaths of seven people who'd ingested cyanide-laced Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules. “What they do next is so important. They took a big gamble—I think it was forced by the U.S. Department of Transportation to halt production of those eight vehicles. Now that that's done, they have no choice but to communicate clearly and transparently and come back strongly when they do go back into production, and probably add a safety feature or two that they can tout for these cars. So they will have something more that their competitors don't have.”
January 29, 2010
Cars: Off the Road
Financial Times
“This is the first time that anybody has called into question whether they can trust Toyota,” says Gene Grabowski, a crisis communications consultant at Washington-based Levick Strategic Communications.
January 29, 2010
Toyota Recall Update: 'We Have a Remedy.' Will Toyota's Fix Work?
Christian Science Monitor
Reach out. "They need to craft some op-eds out there from the leadership in the company," says Gene Grabowski, a senior vice president who heads the crisis practice of Levick Strategic Communications, a communications consulting firm in Washington, D.C. "Any newspaper in the country would take an op-ed by the CEO of Toyota explaining why they did" the recall.
January 28, 2010
Facing Its 'Tylenol Moment,' Toyota Needs to Move Fast
Daily Finance
Crisis communications expert Gene Grabowski says the automaker is being put to the test by this ordeal much as the makers of Tylenol were tested in the early 1980s by the negative publicity surrounding poisoning deaths connected to their product. "Consumers are going into dealerships getting confused messages. Dealers feel abandoned," says Grabowski, senior vice-president of Levick Strategic Communications. "This is their Tylenol moment."
January 28, 2010
Arenas, Crittenton Suspended for Season
USA Today
Before Arenas and Crittenton rejoin the league, they should rehabilitate their images, crisis-management expert Gene Grabowski said. Arenas "needs to take a page from Michael Vick's book and find himself someone who can serve as a senior mentor ... much as Tony Dungy," Grabowski said of the NFL player's return from animal abuse charges. "Arenas has to do those symbolic things, as well. And he has to show remorse."
January 27, 2010
Workplace Gossip an Issue? Slow the Rumor Mill
Monster.com
The trick is to turn employees' use of social media to the company's advantage, says Dallas Lawrence, chair of the digital and social media practice group at Levick Strategic Communications in Washington, D.C. "Many companies are telling employees what not to do, rather than making them online ambassadors," says Lawrence. "That is a sad misunderstanding of the branding power that employees could have if they were trained and empowered."
January 27, 2010
'Painful' Recall Engulfs Toyotal in Storm
The Globe and Mail
“This is the kind of story that can make or break your reputation,” said Gene Grabowski, senior vice-president of Levick Strategic Communications LLC, a crisis management firm based in Washington. “It's a risky strategy, but it's a strategy that is based on the idea of showing absolute concern for the well-being of customers, which in the long run could be an advantage for Toyota,” Mr. Grabowski said. He compared it to the Tylenol recall by Johnson & Johnson during the 1980s, which is regarded as the most successful management of a crisis by a consumer products company. “In the short run, it's going to be extremely painful.”
January 27, 2010
Toyota Manages Through Major Product Recall
PRNewser
Gene Grabowski, senior VP-chair of crisis and litigation for Levick Strategic Communications, told PRNewser in a phone interview today, "Toyota is no longer in the car business, they are in the safety business, whether they like it or not." Grabowski expressed doubts in the company's communications strategy, saying, "if they have a strategy, it's looking pretty shaky right now."
January 25, 2010
Wall Street Firms Cut Pay, 'Buckling' to Washington (Update 1)
Bloomberg
“There’s no question that Wall Street got the message from Washington,” said Michael W. Robinson, a senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications and former head of public affairs at the Securities and Exchange Commission. “But positioning the big banks with big bonuses as the bad guys has played well for politicians, and they are likely going to keep coming back to it. To some extent, banks are just going to have to be prepared for that.”
January 24, 2010
Blogs as an Indispensible Crisis Management Tool
Social Media Buzz
Some time back, I talked about Dallas Lawrence, VP of Digital Media at Levick Strategic Communications, who sent me the book Stop the Presses - The Crisis and Litigation PR Desk Reference authored by Richard Levick and Larry Smith - two of his bosses, with a foreword by Jack Trout. I really liked the chapter where they discuss how blogs can become an effective crisis management tool. Here’s a excerpt:
January 22, 2010
Two Big, Bailed-Out Banks Send CEOs to Davos
Reuters
“The last thing you want is to be seen doing anything other than working at your desk, growing your company,” said Michael Robinson, a crisis communications consultant with Levick Strategic Communications. “You don’t want to be seen hanging out with Bono,” he said, referring to the investor, activist and frontman of rock band U2, who has attended the Davos event in previous years.
January 21, 2010
Creepy Ways Your Social Media Data Can Be Used
TechNewsWorld
"2009 was a watershed year for social networks, with the numbers of people joining or expanding their use of these sites," Dallas Lawrence, chair of the digital and social media practice group at Levick Strategic Communications, told the E-Commerce Times. "The next stage, I believe, will be companies taking all this information [and] combining it with new search tools in order to sort through the trillions of data points available," Lawrence said.
January 21, 2010
Obama Knocks Down Goldman
Forbes
“Whenever a U.S. bank is profitable, it’s good for the U.S. economy and, in turn, the global economy” said Michael W. Robinson, former SEC spokesperson and senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications. It indicates that companies are getting back into capital markets and is “a positive sign which means that the markets are beginning to function well again,” he added.
January 21, 2010
PV Mayor Targets Under-35 Set with Party
The Arizona Republic
Andrew Koneschusky, vice president of the public-affairs firm Levick Strategic Communications in Washington, D.C., said candidates often host fundraisers in unexpected places like nightclubs and restaurants. "Those events are a dual purpose, typically," Koneschusky said. "They do raise money, but not a lot of it. Typically, it's really to bring people into the fold of your campaign, expose them to your messages and to broaden your base. I can see a lot of young people, who might not be interested in coming to a more traditional, stuffy political fundraiser, coming to an event like this."
January 20, 2010
The Big Reset
Pharamceutical Executive
"The new leadership is positive for the industry," says Don Hannaford, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications. "[FDA Commissioner Margaret] Hamburg has taken on a broader mandate around a holistic view of health. FDA scientists should feel they're not going to get in trouble for making decisions."
January 20, 2010
Royal Caribbean Blasted for Continuing Stops in Haiti
Advertising Age
Gene Grabowski, senior VP-chair of crisis and litigation for Levick Strategic Communications, said Royal Caribbean's biggest mistake was not making its case about how it would help the local economy before the pictures came out. He believes that move could have gotten it some support from people like President Obama. "But that ship has sailed," Mr. Grabowski said. He noted that donations are all well and good, but don't translate visually. "They have the ships, why not commission a ship to deliver supplies or transport suffering people?" Mr. Grabowski said. "They need to do something that can create some visual impact. There's no picture when you donate money."
January 19, 2010
Protecting American Citizens or Themselves? DHS Needs to Change Its Attitude
Homeland Security Outlook
It would have been far better to approach the bombing attempt with a frequent, consistent message that the DHS is still looking for answers than rush to soothe the American public, says Michael Robinson, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications, a public relations firm that specializes in crisis communications. "You want to deactivate any criticism so you can focus on the going-forward element," he said. "You need to establish a communications predicate: 'thank God nobody was hurt,' thank the passengers, 'I'll be coming back in 30 days with specific recommendations,' this sort of thing."
January 14, 2010
Arenas Charged With Felony Gun Possession
WTOP
WTOP's Neal Augenstein talks with Gene Grabowski, Senior VP of Levick Strategic Communications, about how Gilbert Arenas can put himself into a position where the NBA and the Wizards can be willing to accept him back into the league.
January 1, 2010
Economic Tumult Forces CEOs to Consider Value of Visibility
PRWeek
While some CEOs are pushing a leadership position, the economy has made others focus on internal engagement, says Gene Grabowski, SVP at Levick Strategic Communications. "As the cult of the CEO grew in the '90s, egos became involved and CEOs spent too much of their time and energy communicating with the outside world and news media," he explains. "Now there is a much better appreciation of first speaking with your employees."