How to Handle Harassment Allegations as a Brand and Company
For the past couple of months, there has been a windfall of sexual harassment and assault allegations coming out of Hollywood, Washington, the media, and more spaces.
Sue Jacobson is the co-founder of Jacobson Strategic Communications and an expert on strong PR and communications. She joins Cheddar to explain why responding quickly in these situations is so important. Jacobson argues that companies should have a plan in place ahead of allegations and news. That way, she says, leadership has a framework to effectively and properly assess allegations and repercussions.
And strong communications is not only important reactively, it is just as important proactively. Jacobson has served as a communication director on recent presidential campaigns. She gives us some insight into President Obama's successful run explaining that it was successful because the campaign knew to focus on small, locally-based offices. By building out offices and campaign centers across different states, the Obama campaign was able to grow a name, brand, and loyalty.
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Spain's government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros or $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals. The consumer rights ministry announced the fine on Monday. The ministry stated that many listings lacked proper license numbers or included incorrect information. The move is part of Spain's ongoing efforts to regulate short-term rental companies amid a housing affordability crisis especially in popular urban areas. The ministry ordered Airbnb in May to remove around 65,000 listings for similar violations. The government's consumer rights minister emphasized the impact on families struggling with housing. Airbnb said it plans to challenge the fine in court.
Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process. iRobot said that it is being acquired by Picea through a court-supervised process. Picea is the company's primary contract manufacturer. The Bedford, Massachusetts-based anticipates completing the prepackaged chapter 11 process by February.
Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The charges came on Monday. The investigation centers on a controversy over a a bombed-out military complex in central Belgrade that was a protected cultural heritage zone but that is facing redevelopment as a luxury compound by a company linked to Kushner. The $500 million proposal to build a high-rise hotel, offices and shops at the site has met fierce opposition from experts at home and abroad. Selakovic and others allegedly illegally lifted the protection status for the site by falsifying documentation.
