INSIGHTS
Thinking From
the Front Lines.
Perspectives on communications, crisis, public affairs, and reputation — from practitioners who've seen it all and continue to work in it every day.
Perspectives on Crisis, Media, and Public Affairs
Crisis Communications
The First 24 Hours: Why Most Organizations Get Crisis Response Wrong
When a crisis breaks, organizations face a brutal paradox: the moment they know the least is the moment the public and press expect the most clarity.
James Fuller · March 2026
Media Training
Five Things Every Executive Gets Wrong Before a Major Interview
After preparing hundreds of executives for high-stakes media appearances, the same mistakes appear again and again.
Kurt Watkins · February 2026
Public Affairs
Why Issue Campaigns Fail Before They Start — and How to Fix Them
The most common reason a public affairs campaign underperforms has nothing to do with the issue itself.
Jason Huntsberry · January 2026
Reputation Management
Reputation Is Built in Calm Waters. It's Tested in the Storm.
The organizations that survive crises best are the ones that invested in their reputation long before the crisis arrived.
James Fuller · December 2025
Strategic Communications
Mergers and the Messaging Gap: Why M&A Communications Consistently Underperform
Transaction teams obsess over financial modeling while communications planning becomes an afterthought.
Jason Huntsberry · November 2025
Nonprofit & Civic
What Nonprofits Get Wrong About Their Public Narrative
Mission-driven organizations often have the strongest stories and the weakest communications discipline.
Kurt Watkins · October 2025
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Perspectives from the field.
Arena partners publish regularly on the issues that matter to communications leaders. Reach out to discuss any of these topics directly.