Myth busting
Burger King has launched a global advertising campaign depicting mouldy burgers. The intention is to prove the absence of preservatives...
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Mar 2, 20201 min read
Real people strike back on corporate values
Have we have reached a tipping point in public tolerance for ‘values’ marketing? Several charities, small businesses and individuals...
Feb 3, 20201 min read
Final Folau
We may have finally reached ‘peak Folau’. After a year of controversy, news that he has now signed with a French team and some posturing...
Feb 3, 20201 min read
Scomo slo-mo
The cringe-inducing sight of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison grabbing citizens of fire ravaged communities to shake their hands...
Feb 3, 20201 min read
Slow grow crisis
Many organisations are caught out by a crisis that starts not with a bang but a whimper. The coronavirus is just one such slow growing...
Dec 2, 20191 min read
Fact void
Air New Zealand this week initiated a social media firestorm on a Koru club customer with its ‘happy talk’ response to their question on...
Sep 27, 20191 min read
Stand firm when outrage comes knocking
The closure of popular Auckland restaurant Gypsy Caravan shows there are risks to giving in to an outraged customer. The owners closed...
Sep 27, 20191 min read
Troubled awakenings
There’s a danger that “ethical business” is becoming a refuge for scoundrels, undermining those more serious about the practice. Thomas...
Sep 27, 20191 min read
Spark throws its contingency plans in the fire
Spark’s response to Rugby World Cup streaming problems is a lesson in trusting in your contingency plans. Spark were quick to act; within...
Sep 12, 20192 min read
Tale of two controversies
This time a year ago, Nike celebrated the controversial “taking the knee” campaign by American football player Colin Kaepernick. Half a...
Aug 5, 20192 min read
Why you can ignore Twitter – two types of stupid
Each day, organisations are caustically abused by people over Twitter, and fold in the face of these views, especially when they’re...
Aug 5, 20191 min read
Trust your customers
Being demonised by small, vocal sections of society might not be fun to bear, but it doesn’t necessarily hurt much. Exhibit One is...
Jul 1, 20191 min read
The small actions matter the most
News of McDonald’s outperforming Burger King is evidence that small, local, meaningful gestures define a reputation that leads to...
Jul 1, 20192 min read
Words are empty without action
Public cynicism in response to the fashion for declaring a climate emergency has surely underlined that leadership (and PR) must be about...
Jun 4, 20191 min read
How Generation Z will change us
An online spat between two beauty vloggers over hair vitamins has shown one possible future of public discourse. It’s ugly. Millions of...
Jun 4, 20191 min read
Is authenticity unobtainable?
The ideal of an “authentic” organisation persists because audiences respond best to expression and actions that lack artifice (that is,...
Jun 4, 20191 min read
Strike first, and repeat
Widespread praise for the Government’s Wellbeing Budget shows the power of not leaving it to others to define your position or product....
May 6, 20191 min read
A hiding for hockey
We decry the tactic of responding to a social crisis by using the tactic of a “review”. Kicking the can down the road always ends up with...
May 6, 20191 min read
The backdown boogie
We’re familiar with political “backdowns” like that on capital gains tax, where a concept once strongly promoted gets dumped following...
May 6, 20192 min read
Bubble trouble
When your big-city organisation is in trouble, it’s not safe to use the reactions of media as a guide to your response – if your...
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