10 to 1 Blog

Celebrating Women’s History Month by Honoring the Women Who Made Us (AKA Our Moms)

by Erica

Celebrating Women’s History Month by Honoring the Women Who Made Us (AKA Our Moms)

To celebrate Women’s History Month our team members each took a few minutes to write a summary describing women who inspire them in their daily lives and why. The survey results showed that every team member found inspiration from their mom. Moms influence people’s daily lives, and it’s the women of our family histories who ultimately helped shape our futures.

Drawing inspiration from mothers has a direct correlation to Women’s History Month, as it is an acknowledgment of the influence that women have on each other and how that influence is carried through generations. Below are some of our team member’s brief explanations as to why their mom inspires them and why they look to their mothers as role models. 

Madeleine Williamson

My mom is my biggest role model. One of the greatest lessons she taught me is how to set goals and how to work to accomplish them. Watching her determination to try new things and challenge herself with new adventures has always inspired and motivated me to pursue my own goals. Currently, she is helping me train for my first marathon and is so supportive that she decided that she will train too and run it with me. 

Lauren Dietrick

Two women in my life who inspire me are my mom and my sister. Their compassion, strength, and positivity inspire me to show up as the best version of myself. They are the first people I call when I need anything, from advice on adulting to unpacking the latest episodes of the shows we are watching.

Jamie Killin

My mom is my greatest role model – she is a semi-retired aeronautical engineer who grew in her career during the 1980s and 1990s when there were few female engineers, and continued to excel in her career even while balancing the demands of being a wife and mother. Not only is she skilled in her trade, she was a great manager and is the first person I go to when I need advice on how to be a better leader. Most importantly, she is a loving wife, a generous friend, a caretaker for her aunt, and a great Mom who’s never too busy to help me prune my roses, figure out my taxes or talk wedding planning. I just wish I would have inherited her math skills!

Rachael Clifford

A role model in my life is my mom. She is a hard worker who cares deeply for her family. She inspires me to practice empathy toward others and has helped me better understand the importance of fostering a positive environment and supporting those around me. 

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How to prepare employees for a deepfake attack

by Erica

How to prepare employees for a deepfake attack

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. 

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Stop the Spread: Monitoring for Misinformation Will Save Your Business

by Erica

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 guide on how to prepare for a deepfake crisis. 

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How the 10 to 1 PR Team Celebrated Winter Break

by Erica

How the 10 to 1 PR Team Celebrated Winter Break

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.

Carolina Llamas, Sr. PR Coordinator

4 Ways to Preserve Your Business’s Image in the Age of Digital Deception

by Erica

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

by james

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. 

Other high-profile awards earned by 10to1PR in 2023 include being named to the Inc 5000 America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies List; several awards from Clutch.co; the American Marketing Association Phoenix Chapter’s Spectrum Awards; the Hermes Creative Awards, and others.          

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These Types of Deepfakes Can Affect Your Business

by Erica

These Types of Deepfakes Can Affect Your Business

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

by james

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.

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Deepfakes: The End of ‘Seeing is Believing’

by james

Deepfakes: The End of ‘Seeing is Believing’

When a story appears too good to be true, you might have heard the saying “seeing is believing.” The notion implies that if you witness something happening, even in a video or picture, it must be real or truly occurred. Not anymore. AI technology has advanced and Deepfakes (images, audio and video) are getting better and harder to detect.  

The challenge of detecting Deepfakes is growing as their usage rises, especially when celebrities and high-profile politicians become targets. While certain instances may be easy to spot due to video or image quality concerns, others are more inconspicuous, like a politician endorsing a cause that contradicts their beliefs, such as the video of Hillary Clinton endorsing Ron DeSantis for President or the picture of the Pope in a stylish white puffy coat.

Deepfake attacks against companies are becoming a looming concern, and consumers are highly susceptible to believing their content. Imagine encountering a video apparently from a company leader, announcing a product delay or a serious defect recall – you’d likely believe it, as there seems to be no motive for someone to fabricate such content.

Disreputable business competitors have compelling reasons to create doubt, even if it’s only temporary. For instance, imagine a scenario where a business competes for a major contract, and a video surfaces seemingly proving the company’s deception and inability to deliver as promised. This undermines their chances of securing the contract, ultimately benefiting the competitor who may have orchestrated or promoted the fake video to win the sale.

Prepare For An AI Crisis Now

It is crucial for businesses to proactively prepare for potential attacks and enhance their crisis communications plans by incorporating Deepfake-related scenarios and strategies for safeguarding their reputation.

The good news is that many existing crisis communications plans and internal structures will still be relevant. However, it’s important to note that defending against an AI and Deepfake-related crisis requires a different approach from what most companies have traditionally prepared for. When dealing with a Deepfake Crisis, two significant changes come into play within the traditional PR crisis plans:

  1. Acknowledging and responding quickly during a crisis has always been crucial, but when dealing with Deepfakes, mounting a rapid and comprehensive defense becomes even more essential. Deepfakes have the inherent ability to spread rapidly, particularly through social media, leading to exponential growth. Unlike traditional media outlets, which offer more time for investigation and providing thorough responses, Deepfakes demand immediate action to mitigate their impact effectively.
  2. In countering Deepfakes, mere denial of their authenticity falls short. It is imperative to provide substantial evidence and proof that discredits their validity. Third-party, independent verification significantly enhances the credibility and strength of your defense.

Take action now and arrange your team and Deepfake Detection software or forensic experts. Waiting until you’re in the midst of a crisis leaves no time. 

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Companies will face a new type of crisis because of AI. They aren’t prepared.

by james

Companies will face a new type of crisis because of AI. They aren’t prepared.

Companies aren’t prepared for the risk they may face from AI-generated Deepfakes. These scenarios aren’t farfetched, and they’re quite easy to produce and create chaos.

  • A fake AI-generated video showing your company leader stating that your big new product is going to be delayed by months, leading your stock price to drop so that short-sellers can make a killing before you even start to mount a defense.
  • A fake AI-generated image of key staff committing a crime appears just as the selection committee is choosing the winner of an important bid, creating enough doubt that they select your competitor instead.
  • A fake AI-generated audio recording where your company President appears to be on the phone making racist and inappropriate comments, creating a staff and customer uproar.

AI has created an entirely new category of crisis for companies, but few have a plan in place to deal with it if they come under attack.

In an AI crisis, quick response and defense remain crucial, but now, providing verifiable proof is equally essential. Mere denial won’t suffice, as the content appears incredibly realistic. Demonstrating evidence is a vital component of your defense strategy. However, trying to explain the falsehood on your own can be time-consuming and ineffective during a crisis. Instead, opting for an independent, third-party forensic review or a formal report from a reputable Deepfake Detection software company can bolster your defense significantly. An AI expert’s independent explanation carries undeniable weight and credibility.

The challenge lies in the limited availability of companies working on Deepfake Detection software. Additionally, many of these companies restrict their products to government or university research, while others focus on enterprise clients, like insurance companies, for fraud identification.

Our team invested significant effort in researching and securing agreements with highly reputable Deepfake Detection software companies capable of conducting immediate reviews. We also managed to find AI Deepfake industry experts willing to provide their personal insights to the media and the public, exposing the deception.

Take action now and arrange your team and Deepfake Detection software or forensic experts. Waiting until you’re in the midst of a crisis leaves no time.