Sony Pictures Entertainment is leaning on Rubenstein Communications as it faces the unprecedented cyber attack and publication of its internal communications and intellectual property.
The entertainment giant's saga took a darker turn Dec. 17 when hackers identifying themselves as the Guardians of Peace invoked the 9/11 attacks in threatening theaters that show Sony's "The Interview," the comedy feature film slated for released on Dec. 25 that is the crux of the ongoing hacks and release of Sony data.
Steven Rubenstein, president of New York-based RC, confirmed that his agency is advising Sony. "We have worked for Sony for years in different capacities and continue to do so," he told O'Dwyer's.
The latest threats caused Landmark Sunshine Cinema to cancel the New York premiere of The Interview, which debuted in Los Angeles on Dec. 11. Major theaters followed suit this week, saying they will not show the picture. The $44M film's stars, Seth Rogen and James Franco, have cancelled all media appearances promoting The Interview.
SPE is navigating the crisis without its top PR executive, Charles Sipkins, who left the chief communications officer slot at the company this fall. Sipkins' tenure and exit have been the subject of hacked Sony emails published by outlets like Bloomberg and Gawker. Jean Guerin is senior VP of media relations at SPE from Culver City, Calif.
Sony's crisis team also includes the high-powered law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner, as well as cyber security outfit Mandiant. The law firm this week riled media but drew support from prominent entertainment industry voices when it threatened outlets like the New York Times and Bloomberg for publishing hacked Sony data.
Howard Rubenstein chairs RC.
The FBI is investigating the source of the attack on Sony. The New York Times reported Dec. 17 that the US government has linked the hacking to North Korea.
Sony on Dec. 17 pulled the plug on The Interview's Dec. 25 release date amid the threats.
It's not just the tech sector—when companies in any sector grow rapidly, what happens to their ability to manage, learn from and prevent critical issues from evolving into full-blown crises?
FGS Global’s Paul Holmes, Molly Levinson of TLG Communications. Trident GMG’s Joshua Galper and Brunswick Group’s Ellen Moskowitz all placed in the top level (Tier 1) of individual practitioners in the recently released Chambers rankings for both crisis & PR communications pros and those working in litigation PR & communications.
Gregg Feistman, M.A., Professor of Practice in Public Relations at Temple University and former corporate communications executive, joins Taking the Lead to discuss the frameworks leaders can use to determine when to speak up or stay silent.
Sam Singer, the Bay Area’s go-to crisis PR guy, today celebrated his client OpenAI’s “tremendous victory” over Elon Musk.
Deepfakes have crossed a critical threshold from an emerging concern to an effective tool, where any public figure is now a target for AI-enabled reputational manipulation. Here’s what PR pros need to know.
