105 Quotes by Richard Edelman

We have continued to advance our global ambition with acquisitions that fill in the global footprint, such as Dabo in Dubai on the marketing side, Smithfield in the U.K. for financial PR, Ergo in Germany for corporate reputation and public affairs, and Position in Colombia to add scale to our Latin America business.

The number one way to get trust back is to pay your employees well and get them to speak well about the company.

Mainstream media has been abandoned by many, for ideological reasons mostly, and brands need to directly engage with the end-user of information and offer opportunities for consumer- and employee-generated content.

The media has to go local and go social.

I think that the direct conversation is exactly what companies need to earn trust of customers. Admit an error. Fix a problem. Commit to doing better. That is only human.

It's urgent that companies tell their own stories on digital platforms.

Social lets consumers talk about the products. You may pay your way onto the Facebook feed, but after that, it's conversations by the users. That's not sufficient because it leaves out what is possible for employees to talk, for R&D to talk, or the CEO to talk.

We like being private because when there is a downturn, as in 2001 and 2008, we do not reduce people. Also, we have flat decision-making. It's quick. We don't have to meet quarterly numbers, and it's all about excellence of work for the client.

Social media has had a corrosive effect on government and trust, and I think it is a real cause for concern.