Blog2021-07-23T18:00:04+00:00

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Intern Insights: What Sets the CBL Team Apart?

An exciting aspect of working a summer internship is being a sponge: soaking in every opportunity to learn from your surroundings, particularly by having conversations with your mentors. During my internship at CBL, I took time to formally interview members of the team to gauge their knowledge and experience in the world of crisis

July 30, 2024|

From Nightmare Scenarios to Happy Endings

I’ve been thinking a lot about fairy tales. My son is learning about different kinds of books and narratives in his preschool class. He’s become a fan of fairy tales. Fantastical stories. Enchanting and mythical characters. Improbable events that lead to happy endings. Makes sense for a 4-year-old. But guess who else likes a good

June 15, 2024|

If you don’t want to read it on the front page, don’t say it

“This is off the record.” The 5 scariest words that will send me sprinting to hang up a client’s phone or shoot over the most aggressive “Mom’s MAD” look possible. (Hey, if it can stop a 4-year-old in his tracks, it certainly can give a CEO some cause for pause.) This rundown in Ragan

April 23, 2024|

Beating the boys at their own game: Women leaders in Sports Business

I throw like a girl. And damn proud of it. Almost anything I learned about being successful in business came from what I learned about being an athlete. A girl athlete. Soccer, fast-pitch, cross country. You name it. I did it. Today, I got to reflect on my own learnings playing sports as a

March 20, 2024|

Show, Don’t Tell: The Power of OTT Advertising

1. Take matters into your own hands. ... And ... 2. Show. Don’t tell. Increasingly, these points are among the most common pieces of advice we give our clients. Here’s why: *Viewers are cutting the cord. *Canceling their newspaper subscription to shift online (if they subscribe at all — shame on you!). *Turning to

February 13, 2024|

Look Ahead: 2024 Predictions for Communicators & Strategic Advisors

This year, we had ChatGPT, UAW, the meltdown of crypto and conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried, plus epic hijinks in the U.S. House of Representatives, not to mention all those legal headaches for a former POTUS.   As 2023 rounds out and we gear up for another 365 days around the sun, we’re bracing for more

December 21, 2023|

Springfield Updates: Veto Session Edition

The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to return for veto session Oct 24-26 and Nov 7-9.  With a new Chicago mayor, here’s our take on some hot button issues to keep an eye on:   Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an amendatory veto on a bill that would have allowed utility companies, mainly the electric utility

October 11, 2023|

When Silence Is Golden: Sam Bankman-Fried and Why Not All PR Is Good PR

What do Sam Bankman-Fried and Rod Blagojevich have in common?  They never met a reporter or an open-ended question they didn’t love to use to defend their innocence against far-reaching charges (and in Blago’s case, convictions) of fraud.    Both men deployed unusual strategies to defend their cases in the court of public opinion before their

October 3, 2023|

The Winning Play: Issues Management for Professional Sports Leaders

In the high-stakes world of professional sports, success isn't solely measured by on-field wins and championship titles. The reputation and public perception of a sports franchise can significantly impact its long-term popularity and profitability.   While more high-profile and consumer facing than our clients, say, in manufacturing or energy or tech, sports teams’ problems and challenges

September 29, 2023|

Pay for your news like democracy depends on it

It’s like the proverbial tree in the forest: Is it news if no one is there to cover it?  This fascinating — and frankly, depressing — report from PBS’ Judy Woodruff explores the dangers of the decline in local news. My alma mater the Medill School of Journalism put some numbers to the challenge: Since

August 30, 2023|

‘KISS’: The Power of Keeping It Simple, ST*PID

“It’s the economy, Stupid.”   I was 15 (ah-hem) when that phrase became the soundbite of the Clinton-Gore ‘96 presidential campaign.   Today, the line still resonates.  Simplicity rules. Aka the “KISS” Rule.  In our post-Clinton, post-MTV, post-long-form world, we now daily battle the ongoing onslaught of information offered up by a 24/7 news media and a

June 15, 2023|

Mastering Media Training: A Vital Skill for CEOS

Practice makes perfect. Yes, we all know that’s the rule, but when you’re the CEO or C-suite executive dealing with so many competing interests, how do you justify the time required to go into preparing for media interviews?   From my experience advising senior leaders in the private sector and the political arena, you can learn

May 22, 2023|

Crisis Preparedness: 7 Questions for Building Resilience for the Inevitable

It’s the quiet times that worry me the most — when things are humming along, operations are working fine, teams are collaborating as they should. Just business as normal.   To me, this is the time to think ahead: What happens when the unthinkable happens? Are you ready for that moment?  If your organization is ready

April 19, 2023|

Navigating Troubled Waters: Issues Management vs. Crisis Management

The terms “issues management” and “crisis management” may seem like they’re interchangeable, but nothing could be further from the truth. They’re actually quite different and require different approaches depending on a client’s circumstances.   My business partner Dennis Culloton likes to explain that a crisis is an issue that wasn’t managed. A metaphor I’ve heard compares

March 7, 2023|

SBF’s Media Blitz: Strategic or Catastrophic?

You would have to be living under a rock to have missed the cryptocurrency scandal surrounding FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. As his world began to crumble, we watched him turn to all public avenues from media interviews to social media channels to clear his name. This surely made all crisis communications experts like myself

January 6, 2023|

ABB: Always Be Better

By Eleni Demertzis “The best competition I have is against myself, to become better.” That’s a quote by the legendary basketball coach John Wooden that my dad instilled in me at a young age. It’s a mantra that has followed me through my career (and life) that motivates me to always be better, learn

December 8, 2022|

Meet the Expert: Courtney Avery

In 2021, Courtney joined CBL as a Senior Consultant, focusing on her specialty, healthcare issues advocacy and crisis management. She works with our range of healthcare industry clients, from hospital systems to long-term care organizations, advising them on how to navigate the regulatory arenas in Springfield and Chicago. To celebrate her 1-year anniversary with

December 7, 2022|

Interviews with Lynn, Part 6: “Do you see new threats on the horizon?”

This is the sixth episode of “Interviews with Lynn” a seven-part series from Culloton + Bauer Luce on the issues facing public affairs and crisis management practitioners and their clients. Lynn Holley, senior consultant at CBL and a former financial news anchor, interviews founding partners Dennis Culloton and Natalie Bauer Luce. These communications strategists

October 5, 2022|

A lesson in trusting your gut and following your path

By Natalie Bauer Luce I first met Dennis Culloton at a fundraiser in Bucktown for Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.   After a brief chat and a few big laughs at his prime one-liners, we exchanged business cards, and I thought that was that.   How wrong I was.  Little did I know in the

September 26, 2022|

Interviews with Lynn, Part 5: “Do You Advise Threatening Lawsuits to Kill Stories?”

This is the fifth episode of “Interviews with Lynn” a seven-part series from Culloton + Bauer Luce on the issues facing public affairs and crisis management practitioners and their clients. Lynn Holley, senior consultant at CBL and a former financial news anchor, interviews founding partners Dennis Culloton and Natalie Bauer Luce. These communications strategists

September 21, 2022|

Interviews with Lynn, Part 4: “What Can Culloton Bauer Luce Do to Make a Difference?”

This is the fourth episode of “Interviews with Lynn” a seven-part series from Culloton + Bauer Luce on the issues facing public affairs and crisis management practitioners and their clients. Lynn Holley, senior consultant at CBL and a former financial news anchor, interviews founding partners Dennis Culloton and Natalie Bauer Luce. These communications strategists

September 8, 2022|

Interviews with Lynn, Part 3: “How Does an Agency Remain Balanced?”

This is another episode of “Interviews with Lynn,” a video series from Culloton + Bauer Luce on the issues facing public affairs and crisis management practitioners and their clients. Lynn Holley, senior consultant at CBL and a former financial news anchor, interviews founding partners Dennis Culloton and Natalie Bauer Luce. These communications strategists offer

August 31, 2022|

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