The Worst:
Charlie Sheen: From tiger blood to Adonis DNA, Sheen's one-liners sparked a media firestorm but once the dust began to settle, the same crazy shtick quickly turned to media overexposure; especially with the bombing of Sheen's Violent Torpedo of Truth Tour.
Rep. Anthony Weiner: The frenzy surrounding a picture of an underwear-clad Weiner was made worse by the Congressman's actions and handling of the situation. "He committed every PR mistake in the book," says Chapman. "Instead of ripping off the band-aid and coming clean, he denied any wrongdoing until he was backed into a corner."
Herman Cain: The former GOP frontrunner has faced his fair share of PR woes on the campaign trail after a string of sexual harassment allegations were made public but rather than tackling the story head on, he allowed the rumor mill to continue spinning with more accusations coming out of the woodwork.
<b>Bank of America: The fallout from Bank of America's $5 debit card fee was not only a public relations disaster, but caused the bank to lose its No.1 ranking among the big banks. "Bank of America attempted to set a trend in the banking industry, while the competition focused on the concerns of the consumer," says Chapman.
The Best:
Sony: In April Sony's PlayStation Network (PSN) was hacked, exposing the personal information of nearly 77 million users. In the wake of the aftermath, CEO Howard Stringer released an apology and offered identity theft insurance as well as numerous video games and music downloads to affected users free of charge. "Stringer took responsibility for the mishap, offered a contrite apology and a proactive solution for customers affected," says Chapman. "Freebies certainly don't hurt either."
Justin Timberlake: Timberlake accepted an invitation to the annual Marine Corps Ball and made good on his promise by taking 23 year old Cpl. Kelsey De Santis to the event. He later posted on his website what an honor it was to attend.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel: Emanuel served as President Obama's Chief of Staff during the onset of the economic crisis, and offered a heartfelt resignation when he set his sights on Chicago's mayoral campaign. Despite facing ballot setbacks, Emanuel's team helped secure a successful election campaign.
