Newsletter – May 2025
The Signal debacle, the Manawanui sinking, learning from reputation risks, the impact of internal comms, Trump’s messaging, brands in peril, advice for spokespeople …and more
The Signal Group chat that bombed, literally: be careful who you message
In a story that reads like a scene from a political satire, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg revealed that he had been inadvertently added to a Signal group chat involving what appeared to be some of the most senior officials in the U.S. government. The group—titled “Houthi PC small group”—included individuals identified as National Security Adviser Mike […]
Choose words with care: lessons in effective leadership communications
A wave of major layoffs, rising costs for consumers and businesses, and mounting anxiety over global stock markets in the wake of escalating trade wars—2025 has opened with a sharp increase in global economic uncertainty. In April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded growth forecasts for most countries, citing unprecedented Trump tariffs and “extremely high […]
What the Manawanui sinking teaches us about communicating in a crisis
It was a peacetime activity with seemingly little risk: survey the waters around Samoa ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Yet, the October 2024 mission would eventually sail into a crisis for the Royal New Zealand Navy. On October 5th, the Navy’s HMNZS MANAWANUI – a hydrographic vessel with a team of […]
The Communication Gap: analysing the disconnect
A communication gap is when a message is relayed ineffectively, and it leads to a misunderstanding or confusion. This can hinder operations in any industry and, in the maritime Industry especially, may lead to safety issues. In politics recently, we’ve witnessed a communication gap between Trump and his country. Trump introduced tariff hikes as part […]
Prank call gone bad – risking the brand
In our client media training sessions, we spend a good amount of time going over the social media landscape. During this section we touch on self-sabotage in a digital age. This is where someone may post a comment, photo or video online thinking it’s funny or harmless, but it ends up back-firing in a major […]
The Ripple Effect: Why internal comms shapes external reputation
In today’s hyper-connected world, the lines between internal and external communication are more blurred than ever. What you say within the walls of your organisation, whether in team meetings, company memos, Slack messages, or casual conversations, doesn’t necessarily stay there. And more importantly, how you communicate with your employees has a direct, and often underestimated, […]
Stepping up to the mic: how to prepare for a crisis press conference
When a crisis strikes—be it an oil spill, a fire aboard a ship, or another high-impact event—stepping in front of the media as a spokesperson is one of the most critical and high-stakes roles in the entire response effort. Your words, tone, and demeanour will help shape public perception, reassure stakeholders, and represent your organisation […]
The right voice in any crisis response
One of the initial challenges crisis communicators face is selecting an appropriate press and public-facing voice for the organisation involved in order to begin to communicate critical information to the press and the public. Whether it is a multinational corporation, a government agency, or a not-for-profit entity in a crisis, who becomes a spokesperson can […]
Words up against optics… cutting through the distraction
It was a democratic senator, responding to media after Trump had spoken to Congress, who wasn’t going to miss an opportunity as she took a question from a news reporter in a lobby – from inside the lift. Driven to distraction, a follow-up question had her aide frantically move to block the closing doors. Then […]