At Meaby&Co we understand the importance of helping to maintain and protect our clients’ reputations. That is why we offer a reputation management service at no extra cost for both our business and private clients.
Our crisis management team is personally headed by publicist Jonathan Hartley who has a proven track record of advising businesses, sports stars, celebrities and high-end private clients on how to best to deal with the media. We have teamed up with media consultancy firm Jonathan Hartley Associates (JHA) which can step in to act as a spokesman for all media enquiries and issue press releases and briefings where necessary. The reputation specialists help to halt stories and turn negative publicity into positive PR.
Because JHA understands how news organisations think it has the ability to foresee and prevent potential problems with the media. Unlike traditional PR companies, JHA uses its experience of selling hard hitting news stories into the media to understand how to keep similar stories away from the headlines. JHA’s network of contacts and daily dealings with news organisations means that it has an inside track on how the media landscape is working and thinking. Crucially, it means that the reputation protection specialists are acutely tuned into what action is appropriate and effective at a particular time.
Below are some examples of the fields in which this free reputation management advice is available to both our business and personal clients.
Employment
If an employee unwittingly finds themselves in the sights of the media it is essential they can instantly access experienced and well-connected reputation protection. Likewise, however hard a business tries to avoid difficult situations with employees current or former, there is always potential for a disgruntled ex-employee or whistleblower to cause serious commercial damage to a company, especially during an employment tribunal. By working alongside JHA, employers are able to ascertain how a case is likely to play out in the media to help it plan for every eventuality and make informed commercial decisions on whether to settle a claim.
JHA can help to prevent stories from being published or broadcast altogether, turn negative publicity into positive PR or limit any ongoing damage to a reputation. For those making claims at employment tribunals one of the biggest concerns is having to face the media and we can prepare you for this eventuality, and where appropriate, provide a spokesperson at the hearings and prepare statements to issue to the media.
Criminal and Civil Court Cases
Whether you are attending a court case as a witness, defendant, respondent or claimant there is always the added worry about how the case will be portrayed in the media. We use a media consultant from the start to help make an assessment of how the case is likely to pan out in the press. This means that clients interested in taking a case can do so with a full understanding of the possible media consequences.
For those who are called to face accusations in court, JHA can help provide support by helping to issue statements and press releases and even supplying a spokesperson at the hearing. JHA can turn negative publicity into positive PR by placing stories and interviews that are complimentary to our client.
Matrimonial
Many of our high-end clients who are in the position of having to go through divorce are naturally concerned of the case coming to the attention of the press.
Working with JHA we help ensure that this process is as painless as possible and ensure that both our clients and their family are given the best possible protection.
Regulatory Law
Even with well-thought out safeguards in place it is still easy for a company to fall foul of regulatory law. When a regulator does become involved it can inevitably lead to unwanted media attention.
Many regulatory investigations and findings are press-released to publications and broadcast media. Working with JHA, we are able to set up a media strategy to minimise the commercial damage and protect individuals within the business when regulatory authorities become involved.
During public hearings media consultants from JHA can act as a spokesperson and help guide and brief newspapers, TV and radio journalists into creating more sympathetic reports as well as releasing press statements. The reputation specialists can set up well rehearsed and controlled interviews to ensure that a company’s position is positively reflected in the media at the before, during or at the end of the process.
Blackmail
Too often high net worth individuals and businesses face the spectre of blackmail. Very often the biggest fear for someone being blackmailed is that the information will appear in the media. Using its media connections and expertise, JHA will work behind the scenes to help ensure that any potential story is kept away from the headlines. JHA advises clients what steps to take to prevent publication or broadcast of the offending material.
Reputation Protection and Crisis Management
Everyday individuals and businesses unexpectedly and unwittingly find themselves a the centre of the media. It is at this point that members of the public need access to high end legal and media advice.
Meaby&Co together with JHA can quickly develop a joint legal and media strategy to avert or limit any negative publicity.
Very often the early response given to newspapers, television channels and radio stations is the most important. An initial ill-thought reply to a media enquiry can set in train a series of events that can become extremely difficult to halt.