OUR EXPERTISE

REPUTATION MANAGEMENT | PROTECT YOUR INTEGRITY


“It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.”

- Warren Buffet

Acara Strategy advises and supports corporates and individuals, from CEOs and HNWIs to philanthropists, entrepreneurs and artists. Our focus is to build visibility to protect and drive your reputation, professional or personal, on the global stage and to help define and articulate your brand voice. Through bespoke strategic planning, a trusted network of influencers and an innate understanding of the media, we work to reach the audiences that matter most and with tangible results.



SPECIALIST AREAS

– Issues & Crisis Management
– Building Visibility – Storytelling, Media Strategy & Media Relations
– Thought Leadership

WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS

John has a compelling command of the written word. A graduate in English & Classics, John is also an accomplished journalist whose work has been published across Bloomberg, Financial Times, Washington Post, New York Times and Business Week. His experience and proven track record as a writer have provided invaluable support to clients around the world. This can range from drafting thought leadership pieces for leading publications, to speeches, letters to dignitaries and news-impacting strategy reports. He ensures the finished product is clear, concise, succinct and on message. He is mindful to tailor his writing style, so it bears the personal mark of the client. 

ISSUES & CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Never is that adage more relevant than with the handling of a crisis. It is always best to prepare for all eventualities and be in a position of strength should a crisis come. The priority in a crisis is to act quickly and be authoritative and considered in your response. A deafening silence for too long, or a poorly thought-out holding statement, can often cause more harm and escalate the original crisis. With our help, the goal is to, first, mitigate the risk, maintain trust and protect your credibility and reputation. We will prepare you for a potential crisis, be there 24/7 if it comes, limit the damage when it happens and re-calibrate after it has passed.

SPECIALIST AREAS
– Crisis training
– Crisis response
– Scenario planning

LEADERSHIP POSITIONING

“Don’t follow where the path may lead, but go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

- Simon Murray | CBE | Polar Explorer & Former French Legionnaire   

Our experience coaching global leaders and influencers across business, politics and entertainment can help you to correctly position and develop your reputation through message development, bespoke presentation and media training. We advise on how you can create reputational value both for yourself and your organization, how to develop your own personal narrative and the techniques you need to make an impact with the audience.

This support includes discreet and high-profile training for media interviews, keynote speeches, leading conferences and – often overlooked – an effective strategy and voice for your internal communications.

MEDIA TRAINING

“If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”

– Maya Angelou

With over 20 years as an international journalist, both print and broadcast, together with his five years in senior roles at a reputation and crisis management agency and then advising one of the world’s most dynamic CEOs, John brings a unique and diverse perspective. He uses his journalistic insight, communications experience and global network to carefully select, navigate and manage effective media coverage while ensuring his clients feel confident and protected throughout the process. He creates bespoke media training courses to fully prepare clients ahead of any interview, whether it be print, broadcast or addressing a conference.

In consultation with clients, John ensures that each of our bespoke media training session in Hong Kong is harnessed to the specific needs, experience and abilities of the individual. He prepares a detailed Q&A to ensure the questioning is relevant and on-message and he uses insight, harnessed from years in the newsroom, to guide on a journalist’s methodology and line of questioning. John films his clients to document the performance of their interviews, provide feedback and demonstrate progress. Our media training course in Hong Kong will prepare you for all conceivable contact with the press, be it online, on television or on radio. The media strategy we have here at Acara will also help you in developing strong media relations with the press. In consultation with clients, John ensures that each media training session is harnessed to the specific needs, experience and abilities of the individual. He prepares a detailed Q&A to ensure the questioning is relevant and on-message and he uses insight, harnessed from years in the newsroom, to guide on a journalist’s methodology and line of questioning. John films his clients to document the performance of their interviews, provide feedback and demonstrate progress.

The following SIX components constitute the Acara Media Training Course, and can also be packaged as individually focused sessions –

1 | FACING THE MEDIA

Successfully navigating and understanding the media landscape.

2 | YOU THE BRAND

Using messaging and positioning strategies, we work with your Communications Director to develop your brand voice, narrative and gravitas.

3 | CRISIS MEDIA TRAINING

Using a combination of scenario planning and careful message development, these exercises are designed to fully prepare you in the event of a developing or actual crisis situation.

4 | ON-CAMERA

Ensuring you have a commanding presence on camera and understanding how to maximise an on-screen interview opportunity.

5 | VOICE AS A FORCE

Mastering your voice through articulation, vocal and breathing techniques.
As a presenter, John trained under the renowned British RSC actor and speech coach Greg De Polnay, the former Head of Voice at LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) and visiting tutor and Director of Speech at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art). 

6 | PUBLIC SPEAKING - HOW TO WIN THE AUDIENCE

Techniques, stage presence and mastering conferences. Whether it be giving a speech, presentation, a one-on-one fireside chat with a guest in front of 100 people, or as a panellist in front of 1,000, it is crucial you know the techniques to steer the experience to your advantage.

OBJECTIVES

– Ensure you fully understand the media landscape, traditional and digital, and are equipped to handle all types of interviews.
– Confidently handle crisis-related media events, including social media situations where an inflammatory post can quickly go viral.
– Leverage your messaging and techniques so you create maximum impact with your audience.

TRAINING AREAS

– How the media works and empathising with journalists’ needs, pressures and their endgame.
– Differentiate between what the media wants vs. your message.
– Understanding media “Do’s and Don’ts”.
– Bridging & Blocking: how to structure answers and control interviews.
– Storytelling: effective use of statistics, anecdotes.
– Handling tough questions and avoiding pitfalls.
– Digital and social media tips and techniques.
– Scenario planning & simulated exercises.
– Be prepared and briefed ahead of any media interview – know the publication, know the journalist.
– Techniques to avoid pitfalls and nail your message – Lead, don’t be led; effective messaging and storytelling; body language.

VISUAL | DIGITAL MEDIA

“Visuals are processed sixty thousand times faster than text by the human brain and ninety percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual.”

- Ekaterina Walter | The Power of Visual Storytelling

Acara Strategy is fortunate to team up with multi award-winning Shanghai-based film production company, ARTeFACT Entertainment, and pioneering digital creative studios, Reset and Create Productions, to combine on-screen coaching, world-class film direction, production and design. 

ARTeFACT Entertainment
Based in Shanghai, ARTeFACT is an international media company founded by two-time Academy Award winning Director/Writer, Malcolm Clarke, and Golden Horse winning Director/Producer, Yi Han. The company develops, produces and distributes documentary films, television programming and online content for multi-media platforms. The ARTeFACT team brings together Chinese roots with world-class production expertise and integrated cross-media marketing and PR capabilities. In China, ARTeFACT pioneered the art of the region’s real-life storytelling, bringing to life the dreams of China’s new generation. They collaborate with brands, institutions and the public sector, producing each film with a total commitment to authentic voices and creative vision. Their award-wining productions have reached global audiences of hundreds of millions through major TV networks, theatrical distribution, film festivals and the burgeoning online space in China and around the world.

Reset

Based in Hong Kong & Vietnam, Reset is a creative studio and advertising agency that builds powerful brand experiences with film at the forefront. They challenge brands to challenge themselves by provoking conversation and connection using unique storytelling methods. Using film as an anchor, they combine multi-layered activations to help their clients build meaningful connections, through emotionally driven content that engages customers and in turn empowers the brands that they work with. Having built a strong foothold in Asia over the last five years, Reset has worked with brands both rooted in Asia and expanding from overseas markets, to truly build loyalty and growth for their customer base in Asia. Working across a range of industries and both internally and externally with some of the biggest brands in the world, Reset creates exceptionally strong content across the film, photography and design mediums.