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Author Archives: Flaminia De Leonardi

In public relations, the highest heights are reached on the ground (and over a cup of coffee)

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by Daniele Pernella

The airline industry is, by definition, all about speed. It is a hyper-dynamic sector, driven by algorithms, route optimization, and price wars. But in a market where routes and prices quickly tend to become indistinguishable, the true competitive advantage in public relations is increasingly shifting to an intangible realm: trust.

This is where communication and public relations come into play. Because today, an airline doesn’t just sell flights; it sells reliability, reputation, and the ability to reassure the public, local communities, and stakeholders.

In a market driven by urgency, the real challenge isn’t to be the fastest, but to be the most attentive. At Spencer & Lewis, we know that turning a simple business transaction into mainstream news requires the boldness to shape the news cycle. It’s not about shouting louder than everyone else, but about taking the time to transform a technical detail into a narrative that truly resonates with the community.

Strategie di Relazioni Pubbliche aviation per compagnie aeree

Staying relevant in airline public relations means turning technical data into stories that add value to the local community

It is often thought that capturing media attention is a matter of spontaneous timing. The reality is quite different, because the real strength lies in the strategic ability to capitalize on current events to align the brand with issues of social and economic relevance.

Let’s consider the aviation sector, for example, with the launch of a new route from Fiumicino to a country in Eastern Europe: the traditional PR approach would simply involve announcing schedules and fares, resulting in a purely promotional announcement.

The strategic approach, on the other hand, focuses on reputation. That same route is presented in terms of its actual impact, highlighting the increase in local jobs, the strengthened connection to the airport hub, and the services provided to specific communities.

At Spencer & Lewis, we work with this approach in mind: transforming operational data into news that generates reputational value and public relevance.

From a simple messenger to a trendsetter: the strategic significance of the news

For a news story to break out of the trade press and go mainstream, it must be unique. The public relations consultant’s job is to understand the specific significance of this newsworthiness in order to reach the most strategic media outlets. Sending the same press kit to hundreds of contacts is a standard yet outdated practice that only ends up in the trash.

A technological innovation on board shouldn’t be promoted everywhere, but rather targeted at authoritative industry publications; the introduction of pet-friendly policies on flights, on the other hand, finds its perfect audience in lifestyle magazines. Understanding the right angle for the right media is what transforms a news item into a strategic asset. It’s not about getting more coverage, but about securing a presence in the contexts that truly shape brand perception.

Strategie di Relazioni Pubbliche aviation per compagnie aeree

The need to “break through the screen barrier” in public relations

To achieve this level of impact, simply pitching via email or phone calls may not always be enough. Journalists are inundated with generic communications, which is why it’s essential to break through the screen barrier using formats such as  Media Breakfasts, for example.

These are not merely social gatherings, but a hybrid space—suspended between the formal and informal spheres—where the brand can physically connect with the media. The human relationship is built through a deliberate process. It begins with a targeted invitation and the prior sharing of topics, is strengthened through handshakes and eye contact, and culminates in the release of high-quality, in-depth content.

We recently witnessed a perfect example of this chemistry: during a media breakfast, a journalist had the opportunity to engage in a lengthy conversation with the airline’s international manager. Although they came from different backgrounds and countries, meeting in person allowed them to “connect.” What was supposed to be an informal chat sparked an extraordinary ripple effect, leading to an in-depth interview, which in turn resulted in the manager being invited to speak at an exclusive industry event.

Reputation is a long-haul journey

Building a brand’s reputation—in the aviation industry as in others—means understanding that the invitation and the interview are just the beginning. True value is forged through human interaction and is reflected in the quality of the resulting content. Our role in public relations is not merely to identify strategic media outlets, but to steer the process so that every message becomes a cornerstone of the company’s credibility. Just as an airplane needs a control tower to fly safely, a brand needs public relations guided by vision, method, and human sensitivity.

Because in complex markets, it’s not the one who communicates the most who wins, but the one who knows how to manage their reputation best.

The crisis is not an emergency, it’s the real test for your company

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by Matteo Tivegna

From emergency to strategic pre-occupation: how invisible work, team synchronization, and lucidity transform Crisis Management from a first-aid kit into a true test of leadership.

In the language of corporate communication, the word crisis is almost always associated with a specific image: a fire to put out to limit the damage. In a market obsessed with performance and the “blackest t-shirt”, a crisis is often experienced as a failure to hide. This reactive approach is profoundly misleading, because crises don’t arise suddenly; they emerge when a latent tension meets an unprepared context.

At that moment, it’s not the extemporaneous speed of response that makes the difference, but the quality of the preparation.

The moment of truth: Strategic Crisis Management as an authenticity test

There is a widespread belief among corporate boards: a crisis is a failure to be hidden, a deviation from the brand’s positive narrative. Yet, when media attention focuses on a company, communication ceases to be a narrative construct and becomes a test of authenticity. Any room for ambiguity vanishes, and this is the moment of maximum alignment between what a brand claims to be and what it actually demonstrates itself to be. In this sense, a crisis managed with awareness is not an opportunistic opportunity, but the means by which the solidity of what has been built beforehand becomes evident.

In Italy, crisis management is often approached as an emergency function, trying to adapt generic tools to specific contexts only after the damage has occurred. At Spencer & Lewis, we believe that the speed of the first public response — often required within an hour to avoid silence being read as a lack of control — is only the surface. What makes a response truly effective is the invisible work that precedes it. The most decisive element is the synchronization of people. A team must build a deep preventive “attunement” on values and on the client’s decision-making context before the emergency. Defining a clear crisis committee means knowing in advance who decides, who validates, who communicates, avoiding every step becoming an exhausting negotiation. 

The value of being calm in times of crisis

Those who have never experienced a crisis imagine management as a frantic sequence of decisions, but the most precious quality in those moments is only one: calm. Management and the internal team experience the situation with a very high level of emotional involvement and stress. In this context, the role of the external consultant becomes fundamental precisely because it offers a different perspective, helping the leadership regain lucidity. In complex scenarios like those managed with Costa Crociere, where attention becomes global in a few hours, the difference does not lie in the frenzy of actions, but in maintaining a clear line: what to say, what not to say, and above all, why. Sometimes the greatest support is reminding the client to breathe, slow down, observe the full picture before reacting. 

Companies must stop limiting themselves to reactive defense and start developing a true strategic pre-occupation, anticipating sensitive issues and monitoring weak signals to build fact-based narratives. A common mistake is, in fact, considering the crisis as an isolated event, when in reality many critical or social issues tend to recur over time, revealing themselves to be deeply cyclical. When a company develops true governance, it stops limiting itself to reactive defense and moves to a strategic pre-occupation. This means anticipating sensitive topics, monitoring weak signals, and building in advance a narrative based on data and facts, transforming vulnerabilities into opportunities for clarification.

From AI to leadership: a human responsibility

In the coming years, Artificial Intelligence will play an essential role in the early detection phase and in the simulation of risk scenarios. However, the risk is thinking that technology can replace human judgment. Machines recognize patterns, but they do not possess empathy or cultural context. The responsibility for evaluating reputational implications will inevitably remain human. In the end, crisis management is not a technical discipline, but a form of leadership. When the unexpected arrives, companies do not need someone who “does more”, but a partner who helps them decide better.