Bettison High-Stakes Public Relations

06/01/2026

Now that both Minnesota's state DFL and GOP conventions are over, we are full steam ahead into the political campaign season. Let the mudslinging begin.

But must there be mud? Can we get through this season with less vitriol, less name-calling, less swear words, and more civility?

Call me crazy, but my hope is yes.

I get it. And so do you. Algorithms demand a lot these days. Being polite and civil gets way less clicks, way less engagement -- ultimately, less visibility. And candidates need visibility

Contentious, hateful campaigns, however, are nothing new (and well before social media).

The election of 1800 for president of the United States was one of the dirtiest campaigns in our nation's short history.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson went for throats: Jefferson's campaign calling Adams a "hideous hermaphroditcal character;" that Adams was a "repulsive pedant," and a "gross hypocrite." For Adam's campaign, voters were warned that a Jefferson presidency would result in burning of Bibles and a total collapse of morality. One surrogate suggested that if Jefferson were to become president, "we would see our wives and daughters the victims of legal prostitution."

So, what can we do, the observers, the audience, the captive audience of this political season?

We can do our part. We can engage with the less inflammatory of those candidates, the ones who are working hard to stay positive, not trash on their opponent, and who draw distinctions on policy over person.

My dad once said to me that I was a person of "hope." That he could see that my heart was full of "hope" all the time, for so many things. Dad was right. I do have a tremendous amount of hope.

So, I'm putting my hope out there now. A call for civility. A call for debate on merits, debate on substance. Let's click, like, and heart on deep talk about hard issues.

We, the electorate, deserve that.

05/31/2026

Data centers are here, and more are coming. Here's how OpenAI, for its part, is trying to solve the PR problem of data centers. Will it work?

Data centers are popping up everywhere. OpenAI in particular is feeling the resistance from communities for its Stargate centers. What is OpenAI doing about it? It has devised a new PR solution.

05/30/2026

Minneapolis Police Department Chief Brian O’Hara has resigned. His attorney issued a statement. Three key elements for crisis communications can be found in the statement:

First, the statement establishes and frames the context: the statement reminds the public that O'Hara inherited a “depleted” police department” that was facing a “crisis of public trust,” which really anchors his role as chief to a historic low point – this is the mess he came into.

Second, the statement establishes achievements: it points to violent crime decreasing in several major categories during O’Hara’s tenure.

Third, and most importantly, the statement focuses on O’Hara’s humanity and his gratitude: the statement did not take on the alleged misconduct specifically (no need to, it’s already been reported widely what he was accused of doing, and if he isn’t denying that allegation, no need to address it).

Instead, the statement reminds that the circumstances should not “define his service” to Minneapolis, that O’Hara grateful to his fellow officers and the community who are engaged daily in very hard work, and then it shifts to O’Hara returning to his “young family” in NJ – reminding us that O’Hara is a dad, and has been living away from his family. This introduces an emotionally relatable situation. It replaces a less-than-ideal exit with a positive homecoming to his family.

The full statement is available below. Take a look and tell me what you think.

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O’Hara Statement

“After a nationwide search, Chief Brian O’Hara was brought to Minneapolis to help lead the city through one of the most difficult chapters in its history. He arrived just two-and-a-half years after George Floyd’s murder, at a time when Minneapolis was still confronting the aftermath of unrest, a crisis of public trust in policing, rising violent crime, and a depleted police department. MPD was the most scrutinized police department in the country.

“One of the Chief’s top priorities was reducing violent crime in Minneapolis. During his tenure, crime has decreased dramatically. In 2019, the City had 890 officers. When the Chief was hired in 2022, it was roughly 560 officers. It is now 643 officers and growing in quantity, quality, and diversity. The Chief also made significant progress in rebuilding community trust and pride within the ranks of MPD.

“During the recent ‘Metro Surge’ by federal immigration agents, Minneapolis was constantly on the precipice of igniting the spark that would set the city on fire again. The Chief carefully navigated the surge, allowing freedom of expression while mitigating violent clashes with the federal government.

“The circumstances of Chief O’Hara’s departure should not define his service. He was proud to serve Minneapolis, remains grateful to the officers and community partners who did difficult work under extraordinary pressure, and hopes the city continues moving forward. He understandably looks forward to returning to his young family in New Jersey.“

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05/28/2026

Why the EPA is changing its communications about forever chemicals — PFAS — in drinking water. Here’s what you need to know.

The EPA has rescinded many regulations for forever chemicals.

These chemicals are in our drinking water. They are resistant to breaking downs which means they accumulate in the environment and our bodies.

The EPA has pulled back regulations of 4 out of 6 PFAS. PFAS has been linked to a myriad of health issues. Of particular concern is how it may impact children.

If you want to limit PFAS in your drinking water, get a filter specifically designed to eliminate PFAS. They make at home water pitchers! 👏

05/25/2026

OpenAI’s PR Solution to Communities’ Resistance to Data Centers.

More are coming, and many communities are voicing their concerns and objections. OpenAI’s solution to community pushback for its Stargazer data centers is to hire “community engagement leads” to “reduce friction” in these communities.

It’s not uncommon for companies seeking to build in communities to hire people to specifically engage with people, to help answer questions about such projects (think solar and wind energy projects).

What is different about past projects and current and future data centers is that people are concerned about AI generally and building large-scale energy-consuming structures, to fuel something that people are ambivalent anyway, takes a stronger public relations push.

Ultimately it will be up to people to decide whether they want data centers in their backyards. For now, is the theme of the day until companies like OpenAi can demonstrate why data centers are good for humans.

05/08/2026

Recent news reports indicate there is a rise in threats against judges. Not only is threatening a judge a crime, it is also not the right thing to do. No one should be threatened — defense attorneys, politicians, elected officials—for the job they do or beliefs they hold. There is a way to express strongly held beliefs in a civil manner. Let’s do that instead.

05/06/2026

RFK's about-face on Roundup has left his MAHA moms feeling betrayed and confused. From building his career and brand on the messages that the weed-killer was "toxic" to now supporting a ramp up of glyphosate production under Trump's executive order, RFK, Jr.'s about face is the ultimate about-face. Mid-term elections will tell us how much those MAHA Moms are willing to forgive him.

While public communications can change over time as circumstances change, the science on Roundup has not changed. Only the politics have changed—and that has “red-flag” written all over it.

04/27/2026

The manufacturing and agriculture industries come with a lot of challenges -- workplace safety, state and federal regulations, tariffs, customers, supply chain challenges, environmental compliance . . . the list goes on. We have been on-site to many manufacturing and agriculture clients over the years. We've walked the production lines, we've talked with shift employees, we've worked in the C-Suite, and we've undertaken important communications programs that reach everyone from employees, to regulators, to customers, to the media.

These communications strategies are not easy -- they often involve complex issues that require quick study and fast implementation. And that's exactly what we do at Bettison. We are lean, we are fast, and we are good.

This post provides a lot of information on a variety of considerations for these industries, and then we break it out into three basic rules. We hope you find this article helpful.

https://www.bettison.com/three-basic-rules-for-crisis-communications-in-manufacturing-and-agriculture/

04/16/2026

Eric Swalwell: “Mistakes in judgment.” Read: “I had affairs.” Just say it. Active voice. Own it. Be credible.

04/08/2026

How Icelandair Flipped the Influencer Model to Secure Global Earned Media

In travel marketing, the standard operating procedure is predictable: brands hire professional photographers, provide high-end gear, and curate "perfect" imagery to drive bookings. Icelandair recently secured a massive wave of global earned media by doing the exact opposite.

By launching a search for a bad photographer —and offering $50,000 in compensation plus an all-expenses-paid trip—the airline utilized a strategic PR tactic: Pattern Interruption.

Breaking the Traditional Model

Typically, paid travel opportunities are reserved for those with the highest technical skill. Icelandair’s campaign succeeded because it was surprising. In a saturated media landscape, "Airline Hires Professional Photographer" is not a story. "Airline Hires Person Who Can't Take a Photo" is a headline that journalists across NPR, Daily Hive, and major news syndicates felt compelled to cover.

Why the Inversion Worked

* Subverting Expectations: Because the industry has always prioritized high-fidelity visuals, Icelandair’s "bad photographer" requirement felt novel and counterintuitive. This novelty is what triggered the initial surge of earned media.

* The "Un-ruinable" Narrative: While the offer was the hook, the underlying message was strategic. It means that Iceland is so naturally beautiful that professional skill is unnecessary. They used a surprising offer to validate the quality of the primary product: Iceland.

* Cost-Effectiveness: The $50,000 investment functioned as a catalyst for millions of dollars in equivalent advertising value. By choosing a path that had never been taken—specifically, the path opposite to the industry standard—they ensured the campaign would be self-distributing.

🎯 PR Takeaway

The Icelandair campaign is a reminder that a underutilized but effective way to gain media attention is to identify an industry "norm" and intentionally subvert it. When a brand does what has always been done, it’s less visible. When a brand does the opposite of what has always been done, it becomes news.

For PR professionals, the lesson is that a counterintuitive offer is often more valuable than a massive advertising budget. Success in this instance wasn't about the photos—it was about the surprise.

Now, for all you “bad” photographers, time to apply for the Icelandair position!