Protecting Your Company From Mischievous PR

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June, 2010

Did you hear about that rash of deaths in Congress? That major Supreme Court decision affecting industry? Plus that special investigation by the Administration into your favorite cereal maker? If you did, you might want to double-check the facts.

Recently, there have been a slew of reports in the media about phony press releases sharing fake news about real people and organizations. These releases have traveled over respected newswires and rippled through social media networks like Twitter. To some, it might appear to be a mere annoyance but in reality it could have devastating effects on the name and brand you’ve worked so hard to build.

Newswires have been faulted for failing to verify the source of these releases, but fraudulent messages are slipping through the cracks. The results can be negative press, confusion among your target audiences and even fluctuating stocks prices.

How can you protect yourself from falling victim to mischievous PR? We have a few ideas to get you started:

  1. Monitor what’s being said about you online.  With the explosion of social media and blogs, there are a seemingly endless number of places where consumers can comment on your company and brand (and it’s happening in real time). While you can’t control what is being said, it’s absolutely critical to monitor the conversation so that you know what’s being said and you are positioned to respond strategically. By knowing where to look and how to monitor the conversation, you’ll never be left in the dark.
  2. Secure domain names similar to your own.  When setting up your website, work with your communications and IT team to search for domain names that are similar to your own and purchase them. Consumers can be duped into visiting alternative sites that contain information that doesn’t carry your message. A copycat web address can make it easy for someone with poor intentions to broadcast messages aimed to confuse your constituents and malign your brand.
  3. Set up accounts with wire services to ensure only approved individuals can issue releases.  In response to a recent fraudulent press release, Business Wire no longer accepts releases via email. Instead, they must be submitted via the company’s internal platform. Setting up company accounts with wires such as PR Newswire and Business Wire will make it harder for external sources to submit anything on your behalf. Only certain individuals, such as public relations contacts, should have the authority to post news releases. Establishing these official relationships will protect you in the long term and block unapproved communications.

Aligning your brand and messages with your overall strategic plan is something Jones Public Affairs understands well.  We partner with our clients to help protect them from different scenarios that can arise from troublesome saboteurs.