Unfortunately, the information we share may not always be accurate. This is exemplified through a recent article from the Austin American Statesman, which reported on a viral TikTok video that falsely claimed professors within the UT System could be punished, disciplined, fired, demoted or sent to jail for using the word “racism.”

Despite being untrue, the video gained significant traction, with over 379,000 views and nearly 100,000 likes as of Wednesday. This video is not the first nor the last of its kind.

This is just one example of the challenges of managing your brand in today’s social media landscape, where anyone can publish information that may damage your reputation. From negative product reviews to false information, it can be difficult to maintain control over your public image. So how can you protect your brand from this kind of misinformation?

It starts with being proactive.

You need to form clear, concise messaging that articulates your policies and positions.  

Communications crises often snowball when people are left without clear information; and, thus, draw their own conclusions. This is especially precarious when partisan policies are involved: someone believes something contentious is true, they get on their soapbox, it spreads like wildfire.

Clear, accessible information about your policies allows everyone to verify if the information they are watching in a viral clip is real or not.

It’s important to practice social listening and be prepared to deploy rapid response.

Unless someone with celebrity status gets involved, there is often a slow up-tick on a post. If you — or, better, a communications team — are actively monitoring your social media, you can catch and address any harmful accusations before they go nuclear.

Know how to strategically discredit the misinformation.

Organizations and individuals can first issue statements on their own websites and platforms to combat a lie — but bringing in a reputable third-party ups the ante. A statement published by a news organization or an article like the one in the Statesman helps to bring additional legitimacy to the retort.

Being on the receiving end of a viral lie is not a happy position for an individual or organization, but with a strategic communications plan — you can help set the record straight.

The post Combatting Viral Lies appeared first on The Mach 1 Group.

Communications Consultancy

Whether defense or offense, Mach 1 has decades of experience navigating different public relations strategies. Our company provides professional consultation to determine the most appropriate messaging for every situation you may face.  

Content Marketing

Creating and conveying appropriate messages can promote an understanding of your business, brand or organization to key internal and external stakeholders. Our team of professional writers will develop original content that promotes your message to targeted audiences. Through articles, opinion pieces, testimony, speeches, press releases, scripts and web copy, Mach 1 will help create favorable press opportunities that reflect positively on your business. 

Event Support

Well crafted events are a great way to gain media attention and position company leaders as experts in their industry. However, building an effective event – whether live or virtual – is both an art and a science. From large-scale campaign events to Capitol press conferences, Mach 1 makes sure every appearance projects the message that matches the client’s goals.

Media & Analyst Relations

Having regular communication with local and national media can make all the difference when trying to place a story in a specific news market. We have established relationships with top-tier media across Texas and at national media outlets in key markets. Mach 1 understands the best way to share information to reach specific campaign goals. Mach 1 also offers media training to help company leadership effectively communicate their key messages once an interview is secured. 

Influencer marketing

The rise of social media transformed influencer marketing from celebrity endorsements to ordinary people. Influencers often attract a larger market of consumers as their content is relatable and feels more authentic. That authenticity builds trust among their followers. Incorporating influencers into your next advocacy campaign can help humanize your issue, increase awareness and expand your overall reach. However, building relationships with influencers is also a very involved process. Mach 1 builds those relationships for you to ensure the ROI is worth it. 

Networking & Lobbying Support

Getting support from legislators requires a much different strategy than drumming up public interest. Mach 1’s expertise comes from years in the toughest communications realms there are: political campaigns, government and crisis management. We serve organizations and causes at the crossroads of public opinion and public policy, often working hand-in-hand with legislative consultants to get lawmakers in your corner. 

Public affairs strategies typically involve a multi-part plan that includes media relations, community relations, creating coalitions that demand attention, creating relationships with lawmakers and crafting strategic testimony to build pressure for your cause.    

Digital PR Services & Marketing

In the digital age, the importance of utilizing social media to promote messages, gain feedback and increase exposure is crucial. Consumers are not only critical of the content on a business’ or organization’s account, but also the executive staff’s posts. Mach 1 performs regular assessments of clients’ social media use and provides recommendations to promote each business to a targeted online community.  

Thought Leadership

Establishing executives as industry experts can increase visibility and make company leadership more accessible for partnership opportunities. Mach 1 helps strategically position executives by securing speaking opportunities, crafting opinion articles, preparing speeches and increasing media opportunities. As organizations communicate across multiple platforms and need effective brand and mission ambassadors, thought leadership skills will be an important asset. 

Crisis Management

Organizations are graded on how they handle a crisis AND how they communicate about it. Mach 1’s team of professional communicators has served as crisis managers and spokespeople for some of the most recognizable names and brands in the U.S. Our team is highly experienced in crisis and reputation management. We help organizations large and small prepare and execute plans and procedures that allow them to shine under pressure. Our process evaluates, streamlines and expands current messaging to maximize impact while accounting for current events. 

Search Marketing

Increasing visibility with search engines can increase business by attracting new business owners and consumers.  Search engine optimization is a key part of digital campaigns and Mach 1 knows which keywords and links will help increase your ranking among the most popular search engines. 

Market research

Before Mach 1 even takes on a new client, our team is already conducting market research to make sure we produce results as efficiently as possible. Whether you’re trying to reach other businesses or consumers, Mach 1 stays on top of emerging trends to position your company as a leader in its respective industry.

The post 11 Elements of a Successful Public Relations Campaign appeared first on The Mach 1 Group.

The rise of social media transformed influencer marketing from celebrity endorsements (think: Beyonce and Pepsi) to ordinary people. 92% of us trust recommendations from family, friends and influencers – giving influencer campaigns 11x the ROI of typical digital marketing.

Incorporating influencers into your next advocacy campaign can help humanize your issue, increase awareness and expand your overall reach. Below are a few ways to integrate influencers into your advocacy efforts.

Social Media
Social media has become synonymous with influencers. Search for users already sharing stories related to or discussing your topic area. Once you identify users, reach out, share your message and encourage them to promote your talking points, infographics and call to action.

Testimonials
Capturing testimonials of those connected to and who feel comfortable talking about your issue can help humanize the campaign. These narratives can serve as the basis for opinion pieces, outreach to elected officials and digital campaigns.

Reporter Outreach
There’s nothing as powerful as a compelling story. While experts provide essential background information for reporters, influencers create a narrative hook that turns the topic into a compelling story.

The post Advocating With Influencers appeared first on The Mach 1 Group.

Every day, we process roughly 74GB of information, about 16 movies or an iPhone’s worth of data. To help sort and process all the information we receive, our brain looks for patterns. Three is the smallest number required to create a pattern.

By limiting yourself to three key messages, you tell your story in a format designed to maximize audiences’ retention. Any more than three, and you risk losing your audience. As you move through an interview or presentation, your three points should be woven together to create one compelling composition: the pattern of your message.

The post How to Communicate Effectively: The Power of Three appeared first on The Mach 1 Group.

At 2:16 a.m. on Monday, February 15, 2021, millions of residents received the following text message from their energy provider:

“Due to record electric demand, Texas electric grid operator is directing rotating outages to protect electric grid reliability. Outages typically 40 mins or less. Length and frequency depend on the severity of the event. Prepare for possible power interruptions due to mandated rotating outages.”

For more than 4 million households, including my own, forty minutes turned into days. As of Wednesday morning, 2.7 million Texans still did not have power, and many more have lost water access.

During the thirty-eight hours I went without power and heat in below-freezing temperatures, I received only one additional communication from my power company, an email informing me that “emergency thermostat adjustment events will likely be called this week” due to the high energy demand and warning me to prepare to have my thermostat automatically decreased by four degrees. That was it – two messages and hours of radio silence.

Like many early into the blackout, I relied on social media to fill in the gaps in critical information. I learned we were experiencing rolling blackouts and that many in my community were also without power.

As the power remained out, social media became a luxury only accessible to a few. With limited or no power for days, most rationed their phone usage to preserve their battery for emergencies. Those with enough battery to use social media experienced limited access due to cell and internet outages caused by an increased demand and providers relying on generators to keep networks going.

Despite limited consumer internet access, energy companies, elected officials, and municipalities continued to rely on social networking platforms and media outlets to disseminate information to consumers.

During an emergency, any organization’s goal should be to provide as much information to the ones directly affected as possible. Direct-to-consumer information cuts down on misinformation and fraud while helping the organization build a recovery strategy.

Texas’ energy crisis exposed a dangerous trend in crisis management. Many are not adapting their methods of communication to meet the moment. While Facebook Live can be an efficient way to hold a press conference on a good day, if your consumers can’t access social media or watch the news and are cut off from technology — using an online platform won’t help you reach your real target audience.

Responsive communication strategies start at the governmental level. Emergency notification systems are critical to keeping residents informed. Similar systems exist at the state and national levels (think: Amber Alerts or Flooding/ Severe Weather Notifications). Municipal governments and utility companies should utilize emergency notifications to alert residents to possible outages. These alerts go to every phone, and their blasting sound will cause even those rationing power supply to check the message and receive information. Opt-in text alert systems, like the one run by the Capital Area Council of Governments and its partners, should continue to provide residents with essential updates, easy-to-access resources and updated timelines.

Sending information directly to the individual prevents misinformation and rumors from spiraling out of control while mitigating panic and additional damage. When people are desperate for information, they will rely on anything that sounds credible. Last night, my in-laws, who are without power and water, called us panicked because a friend of a friend told them that the energy companies would shut the entire grid and cell tower system down overnight to reboot. Even more devastating is when misinformation leads to injury and death. Desperate and without resources on when the crisis would end or how best to proceed, Texans have been hospitalized or killed while going to extreme and unsafe measures to stay warm.

Crisis leaders need to use all channels possible to deliver consistent, accurate information.

As neighbors and community members, we need to implement similar changes in how we offer assistance. Posting on Next-Door, shooting off a tweet, or writing a Facebook post offering assistance is a way to show support, but with critical infrastructure faltering, those seeing your posts are those who do not need help. Instead, look for houses with lights off, knock on their door and ask if they need anything. Find a community shelter in need of volunteers or supplies and offer assistance. Use your resources to go right to the source and fill in the gaps.

Those hurt most by disasters are most often vulnerable, hard-to-reach populations. It is the responsibility of crisis leaders  to ensure their communications strategy is not catering to the crisis spectators but rather using all resources available to direct the messaging to those in need.

The post Texas’ Failure to Communicate appeared first on The Mach 1 Group.

What has happened to Ellen — both the accusations themselves and the response — is a cautionary tale in public relations and crisis management.

First, it is essential to understand that when you build a brand on the back of an individual, everything that person does in and out of the spotlight will be scrutinized. Ellen’s brand is Ellen. She has built an empire on her leadership, advocacy, and personality. Her daytime show cornered the niche on feel-good stories, supporting everyday heroes, and donating to those in need. It was a shining beacon of “nice” — and Ellen herself was a vocal advocate of being kind to everyone. So, when accusations began to circulate on the internet that Ellen was “notoriously one of the meanest people in Hollywood” — people started to take notice. Ellen’s primary mistake here, of course, was not practicing what she preached. Her callous and aloof behavior when the red light was turned off threatened to dismantle her public image.

As public relations experts, we caution clients about the constant threat of a crisis. Those who build a brand around a singular entity – be it a celebrity, forward-facing CEO, or public company representative – need to be aware that personal choices and behaviors affect the brand as a whole.

Next, Ellen failed to adequately respond to the accusations. A poorly timed and/or poorly executed response to a scandal typically exacerbates the issue — and unfortunately, this is precisely what Ellen did.

Her response was slow. Rumors of her unkindness began circulating on social media in March. In mid-July, Buzzfeed published a workplace exposé that lifted the lid and brought legitimacy to the stories. Ellen did not issue a response until July 31. Her response was also viewed as insincere. In Ellen’s letter to her staff, she claimed that she wanted the show to be a place of happiness and respect and that she was “disappointed to learn this has not been the case.” While her words claimed she accepted responsibility for the mistakes, the letter also deflected blame to senior producers and failed to address the accusations lodged directly against her.

In crisis management, it is essential to assess the severity of the issue, target who has been affected, and — while often difficult — recognize when you have personally contributed to the problem. With a meaningful, genuine response, you can mend broken pieces and protect your brand. And this is where an outsider’s perspective — like the help of a public relations firm — is invaluable. We objectively assess the problem, help issue quick and appropriate responses, and help win back trust as you weather the storm.

Ellen’s reputation is bruised. While she recently fired three of the producers who were named by former staffers as harassers, as the brand, she continues to carry the weight of this problem. She needs to listen to her staff’s concerns, and respond with sincere, individual apologies, concessions, and personnel training. She also owes the public an explanation and needs to make a concerted effort to win back their trust — without it, she may never get back what she has lost.

The post Ellen: What Went Wrong from a Public Relations Expert appeared first on The Mach 1 Group.

Today, she owns a public affairs and strategic communications firm in Austin that allows her to focus on the things she was so interested in during her adolescence.

But like many 20-somethings, Katherine wasn’t sure what she wanted to do after she graduated college from Texas A&M University with an English degree.

“My parents… wanted me to become a teacher like them, [but] I didn’t feel that was the right path for me, so I got a job waiting tables at Chili’s,” she said.

Katherine said, looking back, she’s glad she didn’t follow her parents’ advice because, despite their best intentions, in her heart, she knew being an educator—or a flight attendant as her grandmother suggested—wasn’t what she was meant to do.

“I followed my gut, and thank God I did.”

When she took a job early on in her career at Public Strategies, an Austin-based public affairs firm, Katherine asked her boss and now-lifelong mentor Mark McKinnon how he figured out what he was going to do as a career.

“He told me the best possible thing, which was that you never figure this out,” she said. “You grab opportunities that come your way, and that’s life.”

But there was a time in Katherine’s life when she didn’t even dream of having a professional career. As the daughter of a Fulbright Scholar, she grew up in Germany. Her father, an American, had switched jobs with a German educator for a year, and after that year was done, her parents loved the country so much, they decided to stay for an extra 11 years.

“Germany in the 70s was like America in the 50s,” she said. “One car, dad works, mom stays home—and when I was a kid, that’s what I thought I would do… I really thought I was headed for the house.”

Katherine didn’t become a housewife—and she even found a use for her German-speaking skills.

“I never thought speaking German would come in handy professionally until I worked for the only native German-speaking governor,” she said.

It was while working for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that Katherine learned a lesson in persistence.

“I once had a setback with a job that I wanted,” she said of being turned down for a position on Gov. Schwarzenegger’s reelection campaign. “[Gov. Schwarzenegger’s wife at the time] Maria [Shriver] called me into her office… [and] she said, ‘You know, this happens to everybody. No one gets everything they want.”

Katherine said she was encouraged to be “as persistent as [she] could possibly be” to get where she wanted to be in her career.

She continue her career as press secretary for the US Department of Education during the Bush administration and as chief communications strategist and spokeswoman for the Livestrong Foundation.

In 2013, Katherine created Mach 1 Group where she continues to work today, advising clients with strategic communications and public affairs needs.

“I absolutely love this,” she said of her full-time role. “It’s what I wanted to do my whole career.”

Katherine and her husband live in North Austin with their two sons, Jack, 8, and Ian, 2. The 40-something mother and career woman seems to have it all, but she cautions 20-something women against racing against the clock.

“Don’t worry, kid. You’ve got plenty of time,” she said of young women in a rush to start a family. “There’s something really wonderful about spending your 20s and 30s just on yourself and the causes that you enjoy… without the very significant obligations of having a family and being responsible for that kind of thing.”

Katherine’s other advice for 20-somethings? Take risks and be assertive.

“There’s a way to be assertive and get what you want in a very diplomatic and intelligent way,” she said. “I just wish I would have figured that out sooner.”

Originally posted here

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But less prominent industries are likely bracing themselves, too. Anyone celebrating that it’s not them in the hot seat should instead be taking steps to mitigate the risk it might someday be their turn.

Organizations walk a fine line when one of their own – especially a prominent, C-level member – is accused of wrong-doing. There are risks and pitfalls on all sides. To many organizations, it seems there’s no course of action that doesn’t come at a price, even if the company has followed every rule and ethical standard to the letter.

That can be tough for organizations to swallow. “We did nothing wrong but because our CEO is under attack, now we are, too,” we hear from clients. Yes. Fairly or unfairly, there is no foolproof way to completely inoculate the organization against leaders’ bad judgment and behavior. But there are a few things smart companies are doing now to help prevent future occurrences and mitigate accusations from the past.

1. Do Sexual Harassment Training RIGHT…not like THIS: Don’t outsource this to HR. Own this! Schedule training immediately. Make it an annual obligation for your whole team. Make it mandatory for new hires before they join the organization. Lots of companies do this but fewer do it right and here’s why: If the C-Suite doesn’t participate or spends the entire training playing on their phones, you’re sending a clear signal: this is not something I care about. Employees smell insincerity a mile away. Take this seriously and don’t phone it in. Be present with your team when this training takes place. Explain at the top that your company culture is extremely important and that you personally and the organization as a whole won’t tolerate inappropriate behavior. If you do, it can improve your team’s productivity, clear the air, head off bad behavior and raise your stock in the eyes of your female team members immeasurably. If you don’t, your team may think, “They’re doing this because they have to for appearances’ sake, not because they really mean it.”
2. Employee Handbook: Have a clear and firm policy against sexual harassment in writing in your company handbook. Require your employees to sign it, confirming that they have read and understand it. If you already have a policy, now’s a good time to remind the team what it is. Consult your legal and/or HR team to determine what, if any, liabilities or holes there might be in your current company policy and fix the ASAP.
3. Vulnerability Assessment & Proactive Outreach: I continue to watch an Austin-area firm, one of whose principles has a terrible track record of inappropriate and harassing behavior against women subordinate to him on the org chart. Any day now, one of his victims is going to come forward, opening what could become a flood of accusations against her harasser and the firm, for turning a blind eye to the terrible behavior of one of their biggest earners. Does your firm have someone like that high up in the ranks? If so, do an assessment to determine how vulnerable your company might be, on the legal and PR fronts. Is it appropriate to reach out to employees you know he or she harmed, and offer an apology or compensation? You might actually be preventing a public relations nightmare for your organization and doing the right thing at the same time. And, if like the company described above, you have turned a blind eye to bad behavior, stop. Letting it happen is second only in harm to committing sexual harassment in the first place.
4. Examine your diversity: I know several smart companies who have done this and are adding women leaders to their team now. And a number of global firms are joining forces to share women’s success stories in concert with Oxford University. If your company doesn’t have women at the top, get them there fast – for many, many reasons. First, of course, because your organization is missing the boat on talent, wisdom and incredible opportunity and second, because of the message you might inadvertently be sending the world and your employees. I admit freely that I watch companies within my own industry and have a dim view of the firms that seem to give all of their top roles to men. Not coincidentally, their reputations are not progressive, ground-breaking or innovative. If you’re in a traditionally male-dominated industry where it’s tough to find qualified women (are there any of those left?), find ways to enlist them on your Board of Directors or as senior advisors.

The reason we’ve gotten where we are today is because company culture and employee behavior have not been a priority for enough C-level leaders. In many cases, companies have allowed sexual harassment and work environment to be the sole domain of HR. And quite often, a blind eye has been turned to the bad behavior of those at the top.

That won’t wash anymore. It’s mandatory for leadership to go all-in on creating a safe, productive environment for all employees. If they don’t, they run the risk of jeopardizing employee morale, company culture, organizational reputation, profits and shareholder satisfaction. That’s what at stake in the here and now. Those that do embrace company culture see happier, more productive employees, less turn-over and, likely, a better bottom line.

McLane advises organizations on risk mitigation and thought leadership to help them achieve their goals.

The post How Smart Companies Create Post-Weinstein Corporate Culture appeared first on The Mach 1 Group.

This city, like many others in the U.S., has just witnessed an epic battle between Transportation Network Companies (TNC) Uber and Lyft and the City Council, which came to a head with a May 7 special election. At issue here, just like everywhere else, was biometric identifiers in background checks – the kind of basic fingerprint check that doctors, architects, day care workers, school bus drivers and even taxi drivers all have to submit to and pass.

The TNCs followed the same playbook used in San Antonio and other cities: work the city council to make an exception to the fingerprint provision, mobilize customers as advocates, and spend big on reinforcing the message. So big did they spend backing Prop 1, in fact, that they now hold the record for spending more money than any group in any previous Austin city election.

The result: defeat. And it’s worth noting that it wasn’t a narrow defeat.

Here’s why:

Timing: They pushed a measure for a special May election. They should have waited for the November ballot. In Austin, turn-out for specials skews to older, more traditional voters who often take an “Austin of yesteryear” approach, which is anti-special interests, big spending, and/or overly corporate. They also care a great deal about public safety. By insisting on a May ballot, Uber and Lyft created an unnecessary impediment to the outcome they were seeking.

The Bully Factor: They targeted City Council members personally, going after a female member in particular for her support of sticking with the already-approved regs that included fingerprinting. Even Austin, the most liberal city in Texas, doesn’t take kindly to big out-of-state companies expending lots of energy and capital to single out public officials who aren’t on their side. This was the point of no return. As political consultant Mark Littlefield—who was conducting polling throughout this campaign—was quoted as saying in a recent Austin American-Statesman article, by the end of April, “The narrative started to change. It became less and less about the policy and more and more about the personalities.”

The Billionaire’s Club Backfires: On one side, you have corporations willing to invest 9 million dollars in ads and promotions for Prop 1, the measure designed to give TNCs a break on fingerprinting. On the other, you have a low-dollar public safety and city sovereignty group that did very little except issue pithy quotes (think earned media!). Who won the credibility game? The little local coalition that spent next to nothing. Why? Because they stuck to a basic message: Don’t allow corporations to essentially buy public regulation. The more the TNCs spent, the more they reinforced their opposition’s premise. 

Losing The Media: It could be said that Austin press started out on Uber and Lyft’s side. Who doesn’t love the convenience TNCs offer, after all? But as the big-spending campaign grew, reporters got skeptical. They watched public officials being targeted and saw a game of chicken developing: Give us the regs we want or we’re out of here! The Austin media labeled many of the TNC ads misleading, and in the end, they got behind the opposition with the Austin American-Statesman and the Austin Chronicle both editorializing against Prop 1. Uber and Lyft brought that on themselves—not only for their hardball tactics—but because they alienated their target audience.

What SHOULD TNCs have done to earn a win in Austin? Hard to say, but in this case, their carrot-and-stick approach ended up costing them the election. The take-away: personal attacks backfire, spending big money can make you more of a target, and if you don’t have grassroots support that translates into votes at the polls, you don’t have much.

Up next: TNCs take their fight back to the state legislature which next convenes in January 2017, with the goal of a one-size-fits-all structure that most Texas cities will be guaranteed to resist.

In the meantime, this certainly creates an opportunity for TNCs such as Get Me, a “hybrid” solution founded in Dallas and now headquartered in Austin. Like the taxi companies, Get Me fingerprints all of their drivers, but like Uber and Lyft, Get Me operates as a savvy app-based delivery service which offers ridesharing, food delivery, and more. It will be interesting to see how smaller TNCs—and customers—respond to these suddenly wide-open markets. Stay tuned!

The post Uber & Lyft: Spending their way out of a likely win in Austin appeared first on The Mach 1 Group.