Personality and Authenticity
By Ros Hunt, Cohn & Wolfe
The post-recession era has been characterised by intense scrutiny of corporations by government, NGOs and the media. The world is on high alert for any suspected misdemeanour, be it greed (the banks), environmental damage (BP) or dubious practices (News International). In this digital age, every customer has a public voice with which to alert others to corporate misbehaviour.
But has the response of corporate PR professionals to this increased pressure been effective?
Many seem to have retreated to the bunker of defensive corporate jargon and bland, faceless statements.
Real Business magazine recently asked readers: “As times get harder, have you noticed how our movers and shakers come up with ever more deceptive phrases to gloss over difficult situations?”
About the author
Ros Hunt is managing director of corporate affairs at Cohn & Wolfe London.
This article was originally published in PR Week, September 2011. To read the full article, download Personality and Authenticity (pdf, 448 Kb)