Corporate Reputation
Partially based on Ronald Alsop’s,
18 Immutable Laws of Corporate
Reputation
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A. Establishing a Good
Reputation
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Maximize your most powerful asset
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“The purest treasure mortal times afford is a
spotless reputation.” – Shakespeare
“A strong corporate reputation is a life preserver in
a crisis and a tailwind when you have an
opportunity.” Bill Margaritis of FedEx
3.65 years to restore a reputation
Measure your reputation
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Reputation quotient
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Fortune, Forbes
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Establishing, cont.
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Adapt to multiple audiences
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Rate audience importance
Levi Strauss case
Live your values and ethics
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Performance appraisal
Reaffirm, reinforce, revise
Community service
To publicize or not publicize?
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Establishing, cont.
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Convey a Compelling Vision
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Microsoft –”A computer on every desk and
in every home.”
JetBlue – “to bring humanity back to air
travel”
Create Emotional Appeal
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Maytag Repairman
Customer delight
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B. Keeping a Good Reputation
“Glass, china, and reputation are easily cracked, and never well mended.”
- Benjamin Franklin
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Recognize your shortcomings
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Hardee’s
GM
Monitor ever-present perils
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Starbucks case ($130/water 9/11)
Chief Reputation Officer
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Keeping cont.
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Use employees as champion
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AT&T “Monkey Biz”
Ben and Jerry’s, Manager Of the Mission
Control the Internet
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www2.coca-cola.com/contactus/myths_rumors/index.html
www.ihatestarbucks.com
www.urbanlegends.com
E-influential
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Positive = 11 others
Negative = 17 others
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Keeping cont.
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Speak with a single voice
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Logos (example IBM = 800 logos)
Consistency & clarity
Beware of reputation “rub-off”
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K-mart & Martha Stewart
Oil companies
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C. Repairing Reputations
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Manage crises with finesse
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Never underestimate the public
cynicism
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Fix it right the first time
“Show me, don’t tell me”
ROT: Big = Bad
If all else fails, change your name
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Case – Anderson Consulting to Accenture
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D. Odds & Ends
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Develop an AA pyramid
Scrutinize your core messages
Memorable
Actionable
Motivational
Enduring
Comprehensive
Theme 1
Theme 2
Theme 3
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Remember the tale of the hummingbird
feeder
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