You’d expect a PR veteran to have a few war stories about food recalls, and I don’t disappoint. These are always a rollercoaster of stress and urgency for the client and the comms team, especially when public safety is at stake.

Reputation is a living, breathing part of every business. In today’s environment, where news spreads instantly and digital footprints are permanent, the way a business prepares for reputational risk is just as important as how it responds. 

Leading communications agency Pead has launched a specialist division, Houston Issues Management, to help New Zealand businesses proactively prepare for and respond to issues that impact their reputation. 

We are beyond proud to share that our campaign for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust (RMTT) has taken home the Excellence in Marketing Award for Not-for-Profit.

I grew up in the time before the internet*. When I was at school there was no Google, no one had a laptop and the phone was attached to the wall at home. Fast forward to 2025 and the world is vastly different.

At Pead, we’ve given out our fair share of Love Time, especially to startups. Maybe it’s because we love a good "born in New Zealand" story. Or maybe it’s because startups run on the smell of an oily rag and need all the love they can get.

Ever wondered what not to do in a PR crisis? Dive into the Carnival Triumph “Poop Cruise” disaster and the communications chaos that followed. From silent CEOs to slow communications, it’s a masterclass in what happens when you don’t front-foot your bad news.

“The customer comes first.”

We’ve all heard it before, many times. But do they always? 

Think that Codral or Sudafed PE helped clear your congestion? It didn’t. The key ingredient, phenylephrine, doesn’t work when taken orally. Yet Johnson & Johnson sold it for decades, and now they’re facing a class action for misleading consumers.

If ever there were a time when Keep Calm and Carry On felt like more than just a quaint slogan, it’s now, the start of 2025.

When onboarding new digital communications clients at Pead, we often encounter two distinct approaches to content strategy: the ‘Magnet’ and the ‘Chaser’. Let’s explore these strategies and how they impact your company’s success.

If your company lacks a well-defined digital communications plan alongside traditional reputation strategies, you risk falling behind.  Let’s explore why this matters, and how strategic digital communication can bridge the gap.  

Time and time again we’ve seen as one media outlet declines others have grown in its place – particularly in the case of Bauer. But there is no way to sugar coat just how devastating declining broadcast media is for New Zealand’s public discourse. 

Years ago, a gang of thugs attacked my husband. No provocation, no insults or threats, no prelude to the bash, just a bunch of thugs endowed with more biceps than brains.