Our Thinking

Topic: Reputation and Brand Management

Carbon Disclosure on the Rise
Posted 03/30/10

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Wal-Mart’s Efforts to Affect Change: Who Would Have Thunk?
Posted 10/21/09

This past July, Wal-Mart announced its intentions to implement a “Sustainability Index” that will ultimately ask its suppliers to provide Wal-Mart with information about the social and environmental impacts of their products.

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McChrystal and Obama – Perception is Reality or Perception Reflects Reality?
Posted 10/06/09

It is not a little disturbing to me that I am referencing Richard Cohen twice in one week, but it’s only fair to note that his column (Does Obama Have the Backbone?) crystallized a serious problem.  Much of the recent Beltway chatter has been devoted to a public division between the president and his hand-picked commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal.  We know that in politics, perception is often reality.  The more alarming issue is whether, in this case, perception merely reflects reality.

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Czarmania
Posted 06/04/09

Cybersecurity Czar. Climate and Energy Czar. US-Mexico Border Czar. Urban Affairs Czar. Bank Bailout Czar.  The list of new titles created within the White House “Executive Office of the President” goes on, and reportedly numbers near 20 now.   The trend has lots of Washington insiders and poli-sci academia-types talking up a storm.

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Punking Traditional Media
Posted 04/18/09

It was reported today in the Los Angeles Times that actor-producer Ashton Kutcher and CNN are in a Battle Royal.  No, CNN didn’t misreport a Kutcher story and the recent CNN ratings were not the subject of a Kutcher practical joke (they really are that low).

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Racing to Twitter
Posted 04/17/09

As Twitter CEO Evan Williams prepares to go on Oprah today with Twitter phenom Ashton Kutcher, my VOX colleagues have been furiously debating the value, power, and practically of the tool for use in public affairs and reputation management campaigns.  Personally, the best use of the tool I’ve seen so far is by Lance Armstrong.

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Adjusting for the Irrational
Posted 04/15/09

Josef Stalin reportedly noted that "one death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic."  As a man who was responsible for dozens of such "statistics," Stalin knew of which he spoke.

According to studies by University of Oregon researcher Paul Slovic and reported by the Washington Post, people show more willingness to help individuals or small numbers of victims more readily than they will help large numbers.

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Sit up Straight…
Posted 03/10/09

Remember how your mother said to sit up straight.  She was right, especially if you are going to be a guest on a national television program.  Jack Welch, the legendary former CEO of General Electric, was a guest on Morning Joe this am and he didn’t look great. Now, I am not being critical of Mr. Welch, who I admire a great deal, it’s just that he didn’t do a lot to enhance his brand this morning.

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