As technology advances AI has brought forth new challenges for businesses. Most recently the threat of deepfake attacks, AI-generated photos, images or audio files has increased, causing business leaders and employees to raise concerns about how to mitigate risk, protect themselves, and guard their businesses.
Below are three steps business leaders can take to prepare employees for a deepfake attack.
Be Transparent
Before a crisis happens, business leaders must prepare employees for potential risks. If a crisis hits, employees are most often the first ones who have to communicate with angry or scared customers– calming their fears and resolving their problems. Be transparent with your employees and let them know potential risks or threats that a deepfake attacker might take advantage of before it happens.
Examples of deepfake attacks can include the inappropriate use of AI-generated images or the spread of a fictional video on social media. A deepfake attack on a construction company can look very different than one on a dentist’s office. Employees are a company’s front line of defense. It’s crucial to be transparent, clear and upfront about company practices and threats.
Create Steps for Workers to Follow
Most companies already have a crisis playbook to guide them through incidents. If your company does not have a protocol in place for employees to follow in case a crisis hits, start building one immediately. When preparing for deepfake attacks, protocol should include educating employees on how to identify a potential deepfake. In addition, employees should know what to do if they suspect a piece of media is fake. Make the step-by-step guide short and easy to follow. If a crisis hits this protocol will help employees navigate the first 24 hours of a crisis until upper management can step in to provide more direction.
Schedule Trainings
Before a crisis company leaders should hold group meetings with employees to get everyone on board with key messaging and proper crisis protocol. Incorporate crisis messaging into monthly talks and urge company leaders to visit with employees to ensure understanding. Work with your company’s IT team to educate employees on how to identify if the media is a deepfake or not, similar to how companies conduct training on how to identify phishing emails or other scams.
Other Strategies
Other strategies for preparing employees for deepfake crises include preparing a crisis playbook and preserving media connections. Take action now and safeguard your business against deepfakes. Take a look at our free guide on how to prepare for a deepfake crisis.
Stop the Spread: Monitoring for Misinformation Will Save Your Business
Monitoring the internet for news mentions, customer reviews, and social media posts is a crucial part of maintaining a business’s reputation.
Businesses need to stay aware of what is being spread on the internet to mitigate risk, maintain trust and credibility, and support customer relations. Recognizing the spread of misinformation is key to building a strong defense against digital deception. It’s important to react to misinformation quickly and efficiently as misinformation can cause major business repercussions such as loss of customers and long-term reputation damage.
With the rise of digital deception, it is more important than ever for businesses to preserve their image to retain and gain customers. Reputation management through monitoring for misinformation safeguards trust and credibility for companies and is a key component of long-term success.
One strategy businesses can use to mitigate the risk of misinformation is to create an online space where customers can find and connect with your brand, such as websites or social channels or a website. If customers know the key messaging and tone of a brand they are less likely to confuse it with misinformation. In addition to creating an online space where customers can recognize a brand, maintaining that space is also crucial. Businesses should prioritize monitoring for misinformation while creating reliable messaging and sustaining engagement with customers.
Other strategies for maintaining reputation include preparing a crisis playbook and preserving media connections. Take action now and safeguard your business against deepfakes. Take a look at our free guideon how to prepare for a deepfake crisis.
At 10 to 1 Public Relations, we close our office between Christmas and New Year’s Day to give our team a well-deserved break after working diligently for our clients all year long. (Of course, we were on call to assist clients in need during that week in case of an emergency, of which there were a couple that we swiftly handled.)
We asked the team to report on what they were up to over the break, here is a snapshot of what a few of them shared:
Madeleine
Over winter break I flew to Santa Clara, California to celebrate my mom’s 50th birthday. While I was there I visited Wilder Ranch State Park, a relaxing area known for its beautiful hiking trails and and seal watching spots.
Madeleine Williamson, Sr. PR Coordinator
Rachael
I went on a hike and saw a coyote.
Rachael Clifford, Sr. PR Executive
Jamie
Over break I did a lot of home projects including having turf installed in the yard. My dog Piper was so excited!
Jamie Killin, Account Supervisor
Josh
I spent the holidays working hard for all our clients to resolve crises and coordinate interviews.
Josh Weiss, President
Erica
I went to visit the Christmas markets in Strasbourg, France, with my in-laws.
Erica Fetherston, Vice President
Joanne
I had an amazing time with my family celebrating Christmas and my daughter’s birthday on Christmas Eve.
Joanne Sgro-Killworth, Account Supervisor
Laura
Introduced my niece to conveyor belt sushi- she introduced me to mochi ice cream.
Laura Slawny, Vice President
Lauren
Went to watch some St. Louis hockey with my family and saw the Blues win an exciting game against the Dallas Stars!
Lauren Dietrick, Sr. PR Coordinator
Carolina
Had fun helping my nieces and nephews with their gingerbread houses, it was very competitive.
4 Ways to Preserve Your Business’s Image in the Age of Digital Deception
Digital deception is increasing and with today’s evolving digital landscape, leaders may be worried about maintaining their business’s image. It’s harder than ever for businesses to create trust and build relationships with customers, but with a little effort you can share your story the way it was meant to be told.
Here are four ways to preserve your business’s image in the age of digital deception.
1. Consistent Messaging
Messaging is how customers will recognize your company’s brand. If messaging is inconsistent, your target audience could become confused, ultimately leading to a decrease in customer traffic and a loss of trustworthiness. Make sure that messaging is consistent across all channels of communication, internally and externally, to ensure that customers can find your company, recognize your brand, and trust your products or services. In addition, it’s important to remember that consistent messaging should align with your brand’s mission, values, and key principles.
2. Crisis Management Planning
Creating a crisis playbook is a crucial part of preparing your business for unforeseen crises. Incidents such as data breaches, natural disasters, the spread of damaging viral videos and more can have a lasting impact on a company’s reputation. Having a well-planned crisis management plan in the form of a crisis playbook will allow you and your employees to respond to crises in a timely manner, reducing reputational damage and keeping customer and employee trust.
3. Media Relations
Building relationships with media such as reporters and editors will help ensure that your brand’s story is being told accurately. Making an effort to build a relationship with local or industry media will allow your company to be part of the media narrative that impacts the industry, local community, and more.
4. Monitoring Online Reputation
Monitoring the internet for news mentions, customer reviews, and social media posts is an important part of maintaining your business’s reputation. Creating an online space where customers can find and connect with your brand such as websites or social channels is a key aspect of creating a brand. Maintaining that space is crucial for sustaining engagement with customers and reliable messaging.
With the rise of misinformation and digital deception, it is more important than ever for businesses to preserve their image. Building a strong defense against digital deception includes preparing a crisis playbook, monitoring online presence, sharing consistent messaging, and preserving media connections. Reputation management safeguards trust and credibility for companies and is a key component of long-term success.
10 to 1 Public Relations Wins Its Third “PR Agency of the Year” Award in 2023
Scottsdale-based 10 to 1 Public Relations (10to1PR), a strategic communications firm servicing clients in various industries across the country, has won its third PR Agency of the Year award of 2023. The most recent was awarded at PRSA Phoenix’s annual Copper Anvil Awards held on October 12, 2023, where the company earned six additional awards for successful public relations campaigns and tactics on behalf of its clients including media relations, corporate social responsibility, community relations, internal communications, public affairs, and special events.
Earlier this year, 10to1PR was named PR Agency of the Year by the International Titan Awards, and Mid-Sized PR Agency of the Year by the Bulldog PR Awards which recognizes the top PR agencies across North America.
“It’s a tribute to our talented staff that their efforts have earned three unique PR Agency of the Year awards within the same year including an international organization, a major national industry award, and now this Phoenix area local award. This further motivates us to continue expanding our reach to serve more clients on a national scale, demonstrating our commitment to delivering strategic communications that exceed our client’s expectations.”
Josh Weiss, President and Founder of 10 to 1 Public Relations
10to1PR was selected as the Agency of the Year due to its overwhelming list of accomplishments on behalf of its clients and its impressive growth in the last few years.
With the advancement of AI technology, businesses are seeing the emergence of new challenges and threats. A threat that has risen to the top of business leaders’ list of concerns is the threat of deepfakes. Deepfakes include the manipulation of videos, audio clips, photos, and other content for the purpose of misleading an audience or manipulating others into believing fake content is real.
The spread of misleading content can significantly damage a brand’s reputation and trust, causing a major loss of business. If you’re a business leader, you should be on the lookout for the following types of deepfakes and how they can affect your business.
Deepfakes and Financial Fraud
Financial fraud can be attempted through someone using a deepfake to appear as a trustworthy representative within an office. An example of financial deepfake fraud could be a voicemail left on an employee’s phone that sounds like their CEO or HR representative asking the employee to email over banking information for payroll reasons. However, in reality, the voice message is a deepfake, it’s an AI-generated message created to mimic a trustworthy person. This type of fraud is dangerous because an employee who has a lot on their plate or who is unaware of the threat of deepfakes might not think twice about confirming whether the request is legitimate.
Deepfakes and Impersonation
Impersonation is one of the most common types of deepfake fraud. Using AI tools, almost anyone can impersonate someone as long as they have access to photos, video, or voice recordings of them. Examples include the creation of an Instagram account mimicking the CEO of the company. The account may post photos of the CEO committing inappropriate actions, sharing extreme beliefs, or voicing unpopular opinions for the purpose of ruining the reputation of the CEO, brand or company. Impersonation is very dangerous for a business and can result in detrimental business loss and reputational damage, even if caught quickly.
Deepfake Impacts By Association
Sometimes, damage to a business’s reputation won’t be the main goal of a deepfake. However, many businesses in today’s world of viral videos and internet controversy will receive backlash through association. For example, an AI-generated video of a celebrity behaving inappropriately at a public event wearing a hat with the logo of a business could appear funny to viewers at first, but when spread can cause major repercussions. As viewers dive deeper into the video they can acknowledge the celebrity’s hat and the business it represents. This is just one simple example of how a business can be pulled into a crisis, incidents where businesses deal with repercussions because of association happen all the time and leaders need to be ready.
Deepfakes and News
Deepfake fraud in the form of a news story can spread far fast. It is arguably one of the hardest crises for businesses to stop once started. For many reasons, creators of this type of fraud spread illegitimate content appearing in the form of news articles or updates. Deepfakes like this can be dangerous as news outlets will sometimes pick up stories others have published, resulting in false information being shared. For example, an AI-generated video of an employee protesting in an extreme way is shared online and then shared via social media. Social media users may not realize the content is a deepfake and continue sharing. The video was fake from the start and users may eventually realize that, but now it is too late.
Ways to Combat Deepfake Fraud
Businesses need to be prepared for the threat of deepfakes and deepfake fraud. Some ways businesses can prepare for this challenge is by making sure employees are aware of the threat of deepfakes and are educated on how to tell if a piece of content might be deepfake fraud. In addition, businesses can increase digital security, keep media identification tools on hand, and create internal business strategies on what to do if a threat ever happens.
At 10 to 1 PR, we have secured agreements with highly reputable deepfake detection software companies capable of conducting immediate reviews of content in addition to creatine strategies and crisis playbooks for businesses to help prepare for the threat of deepfakes. We also have connections to AI Deepfake industry experts willing to provide their personal insights to the media and the public, exposing the deception.
Take action now and safeguard your business against deepfakes. Take a look at our free guide for how to prepare for a deepfake crisis.
Erica Fetherston Promoted to Vice President at 10 to 1 Public Relations
Erica Fetherston
Scottsdale-based strategic communications firm 10 to 1 Public Relations announced the promotion of Erica Fetherston to Vice President.
Fetherston first joined 10 to 1 Public Relations in 2018 as a PR Executive and has been repeatedly promoted due to her talent in creating and executing strategic communications plans and PR campaigns that deliver results for clients in various industries. She also plays a key role in developing and implementing policies and procedures to optimize efficiencies for the growing firm and inspiring and mentoring her co-workers. Most recently, she held the title of Director.
“Erica’s talent is on display every day generating results for our clients and serving as a mentor and role model for other members of our team,” said Josh Weiss, President and Founder of 10 to 1 Public Relations. “Erica has played a direct role in our firm’s growth and success in recent several years and we’re excited for her leadership within our company to continue in the years to come.”
“It has been a rewarding experience to be a part of 10 to 1 Public Relations’ continued success, both for our clients and internally for our highly talented team. I appreciate that I have been offered so many opportunities to challenge myself professionally, and I look forward to this leadership role at one of the preeminent PR agencies in the Valley.”
Erica Fetherston, Vice President, 10 to 1 Public relations
Fetherston also currently serves as Immediate Past President of the local Public Relations Society of America chapter, and is one of a dozen international members of the current IPREX Emerging Leaders Academy. 10 to 1 Public Relations has experienced exceptional growth in the last five years, nearly tripling its client list and quadrupling its staff. The firm has seen demand from businesses and organizations in various industries due to its consistent success in generating thousands of media features and bolstering the reputations of its clients year after year. 10 to 1 Public Relations works with clients in various industries, including finance, health and wellness, professional services, real estate, manufacturing, construction, technology, transportation, government service, nonprofit, and others.
10 to 1 Public Relations Named PR Agency of the Year in International Competition
Also Wins Top Award in Crisis Management Category
Scottsdale-based strategic communications firm 10 to 1 Public Relations was recognized by the 2023 Bulldog PR Awards, the only international PR awards program judged exclusively by journalists, as the Midsize Agency of the Year. 10 to 1 PR was also awarded the top recognition in the Best Crisis Management category.
“We saw so many excellent examples of PR pros elevating their clients’ messages and using their platforms for good. I think more than anything, they showed the true value of a PR practitioner,” said Christopher Elliott, author, consumer advocate, nationally syndicated columnist, and veteran Bulldog PR Awards judge, in the 2023 Bulldog PR Awards press release.
“These awards are special to our firm because they are judged by the people that we work with every day: journalists from across the country. As a traditional public relations firm focused on protecting and elevating the reputations of our clients, we thank the Bulldog PR Awards for honoring our team’s work over the last year.”
Josh Weiss, President and Founder of 10 to 1 Public Relations.
Bulldog Reporter has been providing news, best practices, and insights to PR and communications professionals since 1980. Filled with insights on topics critical to PR pros and communicators, including media relations, crisis communications, influencer marketing, and more, the Bulldog Reporter email newsletter offers compelling and relevant articles, plus timely updates about journalist moves and agency news.
10 to 1 PR Wins American Marketing Association Award for National PR Campaign
By Laura Slawny, Vice President at 10 to 1 PR
One of our greatest joys comes from winning awards for our clients. While some individuals shun the spotlight, we believe awards can have a powerful impact in boosting brand recognition, building reputation, and instilling trust with customers and business partners. We also love that it gives us a chance to share stories about inspirational people that have a genuine impact on their communities.
Recently, we won a prestigious award from the American Marketing Association – Phoenix Chapter in the national PR campaign category for building brand awareness and industry recognition for electrical contractor Rosendin. Over the last year, we were honored to share their favorite stories which helped Rosendin increase brand awareness, community engagement, and talent recruitment.
Laura Slawny, Vice President at 10 to 1 Public Relations (right) receives award from AMA Phoenix’s President.
Our PR efforts aimed to position Rosendin as an industry leader and innovator, prioritizing brand visibility through nearly 500 media placements and interviews. These efforts highlighted Rosendin’s people and projects, establishing them as a trusted source of expertise and an incredible place to work. We amplified their commitment to corporate social responsibility through volunteer projects, fundraisers, and donations in the communities throughout the U.S. We also highlighted Rosendin’s commitment to providing a safe, inclusive, and caring workplace focused on developing individuals by profiling team members, career paths, and Rosendin’s commitment to safety at all costs.
A snapshot of some of our PR campaign results:
26 interviews with local and industry media throughout the county
126 features for Rosendin’s completed projects companywide
78 stories highlighting Rosendin’s local community events designed to increase recruitment
One of the stories we generated for Rosendin with a leading industry outlet – read it here.
We value every interview, every article, and every opportunity we secured for our client. But most of all, we value our trusted relationship with Rosendin’s marketing team. This incredibly talented group helps us navigate the complexities of the industry, providing guidance and grace so we can be our best.
Winning prestigious awards highlights the power of industry recognition and has a positive impact on business. But this statue from the AMA shines brightly because it reflects the stars on 10 to 1 PR’s dedicated team and the bond they have built with our friends at Rosendin.
We thank them all and could not be here today without them.
How to Leverage Community Outreach Initiatives for Positive Brand Awareness
Written by Annie Appleton, PR Executive at 10 to 1 Public Relations
Corporate social responsibility, such as community outreach and charitable work from a business, has long been a tool used by public relations professionals to help bolster an organization’s reputation. There are a lot more benefits that can come from performing community outreach projects other than being a positive story to feed to the media. We’ll run through some of those benefits, plus how to turn a community outreach initiative into a PR win.
Why Community Outreach Matters
Performing community outreach is a great building block for positive brand reputation and recognition. Having strong community outreach initiatives also helps build trust between the business and the community. It shows that the business cares about its community and the people in it, thus helping to create a more loyal customer base. This also reigns true internally for the business or organization.
“Roughly 82% of U.S. consumers actually consider corporate social responsibility when deciding what services and products to buy and from where. Similarly, a survey of millennials’ work habits indicates that 86% of Generation Y workers greatly value their companies’ corporate social responsibility programs and would quit their jobs if those programs started to slip.”
We are seeing more and more from both an external and internal standpoint that people care about what values a business stands on. People are choosing where to work and shop in businesses that align with their own core beliefs. With the rise of social media, audiences can determine by one post if they will support a business or not.
How to Identify Relevant and Timely Causes
The first thing we look at when start to think about a community outreach initiative is the calendar. We review what holidays are coming up, what time of year it is, and what is timely. For example, in June, a community outreach effort could be centered around Father’s Day, Pride Month, or summertime.
The next thing to consider is the who, what, and why:
Who in the community needs help
What are we going to do to help
Why we chose this particular problem to solve
Finding a cause or organization that is relevant to your business is a good place to start when it comes to deciding the “who.” Here in Phoenix, AZ, it gets hot in the summer. For those who haven’t experienced it, imagine walking into an outdoor wood-fired pizza oven. It is like that, only hotter, from May – October. Homelessness is a big issue here, caused in part by not enough affordable housing and an unstable economy. Here is why the who, what, and why come into play:
Who: People with little to no access to shelter from the heat
What: We will host a water drive by donating cases of water to an organization
Why: According to reports at least 130 people experiencing homelessness died from heat-related deaths in 2021
Getting PR Recognition for Your Community Support
Our client Air Pros collaborated with their local Big Brothers Big Sisters organization on a donation to support kids in the community.
Once you have identified your cause and how you are going to help, there are several things you can do to leverage the work you are doing for positive public relations. Consider:
Creating an event around your community outreach project.
Make sure to take photos with your company’s logo visible
Invite the media to your event and offer interviews about the cause
Send a post-event story (along with your photos) to the media
Add how your company practices corporate social responsibility to the company website
Post your photos and community outreach projects on social media
The Big Picture: Impacting the Community
We worked with our client FirstBank to create the ‘Give it Forward’ campaign to raise awareness for donating to local nonprofits for Coachella Valley Giving Day and Arizona Gives Day.For this year’s campaign, FirstBank surprised local residents by covering their gas bills and encouraging them to ‘give it forward’ by donating to a nonprofit of their choice.
Most importantly, community involvement helps the community at large. When performing acts of service there are real people in real need that are the most important beneficiaries. Think about a back-to-school supply drive. Those who benefit the most will be the teachers that often have to buy supplies for their classrooms out of their own pockets, and the children who will have the supplies they need to learn. That should always be the main focus of a community outreach project, not how it benefits the business doing the service, but how it benefits the community.
The internal benefits of community involvement are vast. These programs and projects are wonderful for team building and unifying employees. They get the whole team to work on one goal – helping others. It can help raise employees’ morale as well. If employees are given a voice on what projects and issues are important to them, it can leave them feeling not only more professionally fulfilled but also fulfilled on a personal level. Many businesses and organizations choose to schedule volunteer days where, instead of going to work, they volunteer at an organization for the day. This gives the employee more control to choose a cause close to their heart.
Takeaways
Taking part in community outreach programs is a wonderful way to practice corporate social responsibility. Community outreach can help to build brand recognition and reputation, foster trust with customers and the community, and bring a team closer together. But when we look at the bigger picture practicing corporate social responsibility by helping the community around us is invaluable to the community and the individuals that are at the receiving end.
We should all try to leave the world a little better than when we arrived. Companies are no exception. There is so much good that can be done in the world, so many people that could use a helping hand, and not enough people that are willing to extend that helping hand. I encourage you to go out and be involved in your communities, and strive to be the good in the world, you will be surprised how even the smallest of things can make an enormous difference in the lives of others.
