Get on the Brand Wagon

Let’s address the digital elephant—or rather, the shadow IT elephant—in the room. 🐘 (And yes, that's a big elephant.) After last week's adventure through brand miscommunication disasters, we've stumbled onto another not-so-hidden truth: your online reputation is as fragile as your grandma’s teacup collection—one wrong move, and you're picking up pieces forever.

Combine a dash of cybersecurity negligence with a pinch of sloppy communication, and voila—you've cooked up a PR nightmare casserole, garnished liberally with memes, embarrassment, and possibly criminal charges? Funny/not funny.

(Meme source: https://www.facebook.com/igallerydmv)

The recent Signal leak debacle got me thinking: how can we protect brands from becoming internet punchlines in the wild west of the digital world?

Here’s what I'd prioritize as the top three in a survival guide (brought to you by common sense—something often in shockingly short supply):

🔑 Leadership 101: Monkey See, Monkey Do

Model secure behavior from the top down. If leadership treats cybersecurity like the fine print on a candy wrapper—guess what? So will everyone else. Your job description literally includes not sabotaging your company. Lead by example.

📞 Sensitive Information? There's an App for That—It’s Called a Phone Call.

I shouldn't have to spell this out, but if you’re discussing anything sensitive via a messaging app… well, you probably shouldn't be handling sensitive information. Stick to the old-fashioned method—a secure phone call. It's shockingly retro but remarkably effective.

🔐 Passwords: Two Factors are Better Than None

Still using "Password123" as your login? Congratulations, you're asking for trouble. If 2-factor authentication (2FA) feels like rocket science, just remember: failure to launch here means your brand might explode spectacularly on social media later.

Remember, if you’re not actively managing your narrative, the internet’s army of meme-makers and thieves will happily rewrite it for you. (Spoiler: you won’t like their version.)

So ask yourself: What do you want your brand story to say about you? 🤔

Until next time, stay sharp, stay secure, and please—keep your brand (professionally and personally) out of the meme-verse. ✨