Jim Martinez's blog

Good employee communications will make the EFCA a non-issue for companies

Posted By: Jim Martinez Posted on: June 22nd, 2009

The impending passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) means companies have just a few months left to make the case against union organization. If EFCA becomes law, companies will likely lose their ability to campaign against union organizing efforts – something that’s now possible in the weeks leading up to a formal union vote.  Such votes would effectively be optional under EFCA.

Warm and fuzzy ads won’t work for banks; dialogue will

Posted By: Jim Martinez Posted on: June 11th, 2009

A June 9 article in The New York Times suggests that banks and other financial institutions are betting they can reconnect with consumers by launching warm and fuzzy advertising campaigns.  Their theory is that consumers are ready to “move on.” 

Does it feel like the world is fraught with crises?

Posted By: Jim Martinez Posted on: May 15th, 2009

Swine Flu.  Financial meltdown.  Bankruptcy.  Banks failing the government’s stress test.  Excessive executive compensation. The nature of crisis hasn’t changed, but the way crises emerge has.  And the way we counsel clients has, too.  Bottom line:  companies must aggressively anticipate problems before they draw public attention.