Vox Optima

11/14/2025

One of the biggest mistakes in preparing remarks for executives is to make them sound antiseptic, generic, or AI-generated.

“Audiences feel that instantly—overly-polished language reads as evasive or defensive. My approach is always clarity first, humanity second, optics third. Before drafting, we evaluate the core issue: what actually occurred, who is affected, and what the consequences are,” Alexandria Hurley, head of public relations for Cirrus Aviation Services, told me via email.

She does not recommend deflecting, minimizing, or shifting blame for a crisis, which “erodes trust faster than the crisis itself. The language should acknowledge impact, avoid legalistic coldness, and sound like the CEO on their most grounded day.”

Strive to have CEOs come across as human and humble. In a crisis, stakeholders need to know that there is a real person at the top who genuinely cares about the people affected. Do not let the lawyers beat the humanity out of the CEO’s statement. Stay humble. You will feel pressure to assert control and give answers, but many details are unknown. Remember, what you say on Day 1 must hold true on Day 30, or your credibility will suffer. ~ Edward Segal via Forbes

The speeches and statements CEOs deliver about a crisis can affect reputations, stakeholder trust, market value, and careers.

11/14/2025

DO NOT Rely on AI

AI is great for mundane chores, but it should be critically fact-checked when using for international pitching. While AI-powered integrations are available in almost every search engine and media intelligence platform, it can produce inaccuracies due to flawed LLM models.

For example, users have flagged that Google’s AI-generated search summaries contain mistakes, and ChatGPT has been known to prompt users to double-check facts to avoid blunders. Therefore, in your pre-outreach research of the local media landscape, culture or market, always look for information from trustworthy sources or experts instead of just grabbing a few lines from the “AI Overview” that pops up below the search bar.

In the case of researching materials in foreign languages, also don’t rely on AI translators. The best practice is to always fact-check and ideally seek a human’s input. ~ Jessie Peng via Pollack Group

Expanding your brand internationally is exciting, but breaking into new markets requires more than just hitting “send” on an email pitch.

11/13/2025

No. 4. The first few seconds are wildly important

Half the battle in knowing how to shoot video for social media is knowing how to shoot those first few seconds. Capture your viewers’ attention right away—or lose them forever. Use intriguing visuals, bold statements, or questions to draw them in.

“Users decide if they want to scroll or keep watching within the first 3 seconds of watching a video. Each video has to grab your audience fast,” says Eileen Kwok, Hootsuite Social Marketing Specialist.

“Users are looking for a reason to stay. Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience and brainstorm what kinds of words or actions they would want to see on screen.”

Don’t get afraid to play dirty and use puppy videos to ensnare your audience. No one says you can’t! ~ Colleen Christison via Hootsuite

Ready to shine on TikTok (and Reels, and every other social video platform)? You need these 17 social media video tips.

11/13/2025

When leaders feel paralyzed by ambiguity, they need more than conventional risk management to navigate these questions effectively. They need a framework that acknowledges the interconnectedness of modern challenges and supports principled, decisive action, even when every option feels impossible. ~ Daisy Auger-Domínguez via Harvard Business Review

https://ow.ly/mCaf50XqwSz

11/13/2025

Veteran-owned. Mission-driven. Results-focused. Vox Optima brings government contracting expertise and private sector agility to deliver powerful, integrated communication solutions you can rely on.

Partner with a firm that understands your mission: https://www.voxoptima.com/

11/13/2025

Feeling overwhelmed by scattered messages, missed opportunities, or uncertainty during a crisis? Many organizations struggle to keep their communications clear and consistent—internally and externally. Without a solid strategy, it’s easy for your brand’s voice to get lost in the noise or for teams to feel out of sync.

Our latest blog dives into why a comprehensive communication roadmap is essential for organizations aiming for real impact. Learn how data-driven planning not only unifies your messaging but also boosts your reputation, prepares you for the unexpected, and helps you prove ROI. Ready to see how strategic communication can drive your success? Check out our expert insights and start building a smarter strategy today.

Learn how to align your messaging, boost crisis readiness, and maintain brand consistency through data-driven strategic communication planning.

11/12/2025

From Helper to Hacker: How AI Amplifies Human Intent

AI has always been the ultimate collaborator — a tireless assistant capable of scanning, sorting, and solving in seconds what would take a human hours. In cybersecurity, it’s already become the silent guardian in the background, filtering suspicious traffic, detecting anomalies, and learning from patterns we can’t even see. It watches, listens, and predicts with a kind of quiet precision that feels almost reassuring.

But that same precision, in the wrong hands, becomes something else entirely. The same code that protects can also probe. The same model that recognises patterns in behaviour can exploit them. The same algorithms that defend systems can, with a few altered lines of instruction, find the weaknesses they were meant to secure.

AI doesn’t distinguish between builder and breaker. It doesn’t understand motive — only method. That’s why the shift from helper to hacker isn’t a technological one; it’s human. The machine doesn’t wake up and decide to deceive anyone — it’s simply answering the questions it’s given. And sometimes those questions are designed to cause harm. ~ Andy Longhurst via Cyber Rebels

Is AI the threat—or human ethics? Explore how AI mirrors our choices, why culture beats code in cybersecurity, and how training builds resilient teams.

11/12/2025

I worked for an organization that I left days prior, and there was a customer discrimination case that popped up. It had started to get some national media coverage. Some outlets had started to reach out. This was shared with me by the person who was really in the middle of the situation at that time.

He was leading both marketing and communications. He had decided that there was really an opportunity here to provide some more context, but he didn’t necessarily want that context in the story. He wanted to explain the situation because he thought journalists could understand better if he could provide that additional information.

While he was having a conversation with a journalist, he had said, “I’ll share this information with you on background.” During the conversation he shared confidential and proprietary information about the customer and about the interactions between the customer and the organization at the time.

He was very surprised to learn when the story ran, that confidential and proprietary information was included in the story. ~ Michael McClennan and Amie Hoffner

https://ow.ly/wsXw50Xpsyn

11/11/2025

Celebrating and honoring

11/10/2025

Effective Lighting Techniques

Lighting plays a crucial role in the overall quality of your web videos, as it directly affects visibility and viewer engagement. To start, utilize natural light whenever possible; filming during the golden hour provides soft, flattering illumination.

Consider using soft lighting methods like diffusers or bounce boards to minimize harsh shadows, making your subjects appear more natural. The three-point lighting technique—combining a key light, fill light, and backlight—creates depth and dimension, ensuring your subjects are well-lit from multiple angles.

Furthermore, incorporating adjustable lighting options, such as LED panels, allows you to adapt brightness and color temperature to various filming conditions. This way, you can achieve the desired effects, even when using a free animation maker for your project. ~ Barbara Harris via Small Business Trends

Discover essential tips and techniques in our beginner's guide to producing video for the web. Learn how to create high-quality web videos that engage your audience and elevate your online presence.

11/10/2025

No. 4 Use visuals

Did you know that over half of all people are visual learners? It’s no wonder then that nearly every effective communication strategy employs the heavy use of visuals in its materials.

Visuals can help break down complex ideas, especially when part of a presentation to a large group. Infographics and diagrams in particular can relay important statistics related to your business goals. Visuals are also objectively more engaging to audiences than blocks of text. ~ Quinn Malloy via CloudTalk

Discover communication strategies that improve collaboration, efficiency, and relationships with your customers and employees.

11/10/2025

Happy 250th birthday to the United States Marines! Semper fi!