Bob Pickard
@BobPickard
Followers
91,880
Following
41,193
Media
2,672
Statuses
20,010
Public relations for leaders – communication counsel to names in the news ⚡️ @commsleadership 🌐 Career @ 🇺🇸🇨🇳🇯🇵🇨🇦🇰🇷🇸🇬 Asia hand 🗺️ Geopolitical PR
🌏 Singapore
Joined December 2008
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
Kyiv
• 397031 Tweets
HMP Wandsworth
• 170275 Tweets
#海のはじまり
• 99490 Tweets
Kiev
• 60566 Tweets
STRAY KIDS WORLD TOUR
• 50378 Tweets
#dominATE
• 46468 Tweets
#マウンテンドクター
• 42964 Tweets
SULKING WITH MMTF
• 41917 Tweets
石丸構文
• 40567 Tweets
WELCOME HOME LIA
• 38047 Tweets
MIS TÍAS IS COMING
• 34275 Tweets
Greenwood
• 31357 Tweets
Morning Joe
• 30391 Tweets
LATAM
• 29050 Tweets
#MAPA_100MILLIONViews
• 27248 Tweets
配信視聴
• 25226 Tweets
進次郎構文
• 22749 Tweets
不起訴処分
• 20364 Tweets
XO MV TEASER 1
• 18208 Tweets
KSPO
• 17981 Tweets
弥生さん
• 16111 Tweets
nerve
• 16060 Tweets
海ちゃん
• 15923 Tweets
不要不急の外出
• 12173 Tweets
自民党政治資金問題めぐり
• 12123 Tweets
しんちゃん
• 11694 Tweets
Kh-101
• 11634 Tweets
WELCOME BACK LIA
• 10261 Tweets
Pinned Tweet
Now en route to Asia on a multi-month PR mission. This summer I will be based at Singapore and visit Japan, Korea and Thailand. 🇸🇬🇯🇵🇰🇷🇹🇭
4
2
37
I have tendered my resignation as the global comms chief of
@AIIB_Official
. As a patriotic Canadian, this was my only course. The Bank is dominated by Communist Party members and also has one of the most toxic cultures imaginable. I don’t believe that my country’s interests are
738
2K
4K
@scottcraig
@AIIB_Official
Thanks Scott. Happy to be gone from that cesspool. The Communist Party hacks hold the cards at the Bank. They deal with some board members as useful idiots. I believe that my Government should not be a member of this PRC instrument. The reality of power in the bank is that it’s
27
191
673
@mpunit999
@AIIB_Official
Thanks Punit. The party runs the joint, but that’s not transparent. It’s only after working there for many months that I became aware of how that’s where the true power is concentrated inside the bank – the CCP crowd who operate like a secret police.
15
123
612
@StationCDRKelly
What a disappointing climb-down. Winston Churchill stood up to Adolf Hitler and his courageous leadership saved the whole world from Nazi conquest. When he did so, in 1940 (a year before the US entered the war), only Churchill’s Britain stood in the way of the Axis winning WW2.
16
41
477
And if AIIB now has “nothing to hide,” then will there also be AIIB transparency about the Russian procurement meeting that this man has been quietly organizing with the staunch internal backing of Chinese Communist Party members inside the Bank? 🇷🇺 🇨🇳
@cafreeland
“Nothing to hide,” except the power interrelationships between Communist Party members internally which are not visible externally. I wonder what
@bankofcanada
thinks about this. Have they been buying
@AIIB_Official
bonds? If so, why? If not, why not?
9
68
157
12
143
311
PR pro tip: when laying off hundreds of people, don’t say “no comment” on the issue of whether or not bonuses might still be paid to remaining staff.
Adrienne Arsenault almost made CBC CEO Catherine Tait swallow her tongue with her brilliant question about Christmas bonuses.
0
774
3K
42
76
315
This is quite a remarkable car-crash interview. One which makes a worthy addition to any decent collection of media training case study clips. Especially in this age of geopolitical complexity, it’s so important to think the communication through before a public conversation
This is magnificent to watch. The President of Guyana truly put the BBC in its place.
When sanctimony and pomposity meets sense and modesty.
812
3K
15K
14
75
312
@NguyenThih36
@bongbongmarcos
@Joseph_Morong
That cartoonishly villainous PLA general is PR poison for the PRC’s image. I hope he continues his spokesperson duties on behalf of the Beijing CCP regime in the world media.
7
17
279
This is the new Chinese Communist Party line on AIIB (they have tried several themes today on Twitter and they do orchestrate these things): I’m a CIA agent. Sounds exciting! Secret agent.
A CIA agent discovers that the orders of his American master are no longer useful in Asia. Can only resign.
8
6
74
74
49
244
@JeanValin1
@AIIB_Official
Thanks Jean. Increasingly I become concerned for my security and didn’t tweet that until back in the free world (I write this from Japan). Appreciate your feedback.
10
29
218
The untelegenic PLA generals from the PRC parroting CCP messages at
#SLD24
wilted under the media glare and were neither credible nor convincing communicators. Definitely not ready for prime time on the world stage. In free and open forums like this, they seemed completely
Below is Lt Gen He Lei, former Vice President of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, talking about the
#SouthChinaSea
issue.
Taking a complete U-turn from Maj Gen Hu Xui's words yesterday, wherein Hu asked for ASEAN & its centrality; Lt Gen believes in bilateral talks! 1/5
44
53
264
75
58
220
This is a totality view of
#Eclipse2024
looking across Lake Ontario on the Canadian side to the United States towards Watertown, New York.
12
22
181
@andymstone
@FrancesHaugen
The backlash to this tweet will prove useful in the new PR case study of how NOT to do modern crisis comms. These lower-end tactics from the political realm aren’t effective here, from the slick
@nickclegg
prebuttal on
@ReliableSources
to this sort of ad hominem sliming
#PRethics
7
28
170
“Nothing to hide,” except the power interrelationships between Communist Party members internally which are not visible externally. I wonder what
@bankofcanada
thinks about this. Have they been buying
@AIIB_Official
bonds? If so, why? If not, why not?
9
68
157
Hands-up who thinks the world would be a better place if Facebook stays down?
26
25
149
PRs are taking note of this, too 📝 This
@BBCRosAtkins
explainer format enlightens audiences and communicates effectively. Stay tuned for imitators who may be inspired to innovate their own storytelling based on this design.
I'm quite the fan of what
@BBCRosAtkins
has developed in his one-off explainers. He has also developed a new form of the continuing update-cum-explainer, not filled with redundant background but plowing the new ground in each one.
14
38
279
10
18
149
@cheddle
@AIIB_Official
I am feeling very safe, my friend, in this free and democratic country. Living in a strongman authoritarian dictatorship does not suit me I’m afraid.
47
13
139
The Chinese embassy in Canada described Mr Pickard's claims as "purely sensational hype and outright lies".
As a longtime PR professional, I actually don't mind being accused of "sensational hype" but when it comes to "outright lies" then let's consider the source here which is
UK Treasury staff worked at Chinese bank accused of communist links
48
30
107
9
53
142
Today I appeared as a witness at a parliamentary committee meeting in the same building where I worked as a young political staffer in the 1980s. Such an honor to do my duty as a citizen of a free country – and grateful to live in a democracy where I can speak my mind without
14
19
135
As a media relations aficionado, I found the
@NYGovCuomo
press conference this p.m. a riveting spectacle (+ journo 'car-crash' exchanges). His TV briefings in the first wave of the pandemic were PR triumphs. Today's event — putting it mildly — not so much:
8
17
99
This is the sixth article in CCP/PRC controlled media during the last six months defending the controversial Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) that contains phrasing almost identical to the same PR messages that the Beijing-based bank is communicating.
2
70
127
@s_guilbeault
What you are not mentioning is that such an aggressive policy schedule may create the biggest ‘win’ of all for Chinese car companies and Chinese geopolitical strength: “Rise of China’s EV Makers Threatens Western Firms”
14
22
123
Beijing's 'Wolf Warrior' diplomats communicating on Twitter/X come across as some of the most obnoxious accounts on social media (kind of like cartoonish villain characters). And almost always boasting, blaming, bullying, or bullshitting.
A new academic study is suggestive of a
23
48
126
I trust that all the corporate communicators doing public relations for Facebook consider their career positions carefully and look at the company more closely through an ethical lens in light of what we now know. Including agency owners who get paid to spread the client’s story.
7
41
123
One of the nice things about growing older in the PR trade is being able to give extremely candid comms advice to very senior execs that will for sure help them, while not caring if candor ruffles a few feathers. Clients worth having appreciate and pay for 'courageous' counsel.
7
21
121
For some time, I have been calling for the creation of an International Institute of Climate Communication or something such. The idea? Convening top academic experts in this field with top PR pros to apply the latest evidence-based intel at scale for climate comms everywhere.
33
15
114
@zhang_heqing
You are trying too hard again 🙄 So unpersuasive. Yes, nice trains (built with stolen technology from the French and Japanese). I’m not an American, but at least in the United States there aren’t half a billion cameras surveilling everyone constantly in a dystopian nightmare of
30
5
109
The Pacific coast scenic drive from Monterey to Los Angeles always supplies the most spectacular sights
11
13
112
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity.” –
@DaleCarnegie
4
49
111
PR pro tip: just because a journo interviews you, that’s no guarantee of getting into the story. You have to be interesting enough to include in the coverage. Also, things change. News is a fleeting phenomenon and time moves on. Real pros don’t take it personally.
#mediarelations
7
18
115
I started my public relations career in 1990 and after 34 years in PR, I still get a charge out of visiting media organizations.
11
8
113
Onward to new adventures ✈️ I’m excited to start writing the next comms chapter based in China. This return to Asia comes after seven years of my most important work: as a single dad, helping raise two wonderful kids in their Canadian homeland. Grateful – and lucky. God Bless 🙏
19
2
113
It looks like this alarming story is getting the media play it merits this weekend: . Extreme
#climatechange
weather disasters are an ominous new normal – hopefully recent catastrophes will be catalysts for more effective
#climatecomms
and
#climateaction
.
4
48
105
At a special event hosted by
@MLInstitute
, I am listening to the former Australian PM
@HonTonyAbbott
describe the Chinese Communist Party regime as a “menace” and “danger” to the “whole world” against which western democracies are now competing in a “new Cold War.” He criticized
7
51
104
I have some career news to share: starting this Monday, I will be the new Managing Partner of
@NATIONALPR
in Toronto:
21
7
105
Well worth watching is this interview with
@ajphelo
about geopolitical issues in Asia Pacific, including what to make of the Indonesian election result amid concerning signs that China is preparing for war:
3
72
105
PR pro tip: make sure the photo in the frame is consonant with the message in the text. Think before tweeting!
Conversations on diversity, inclusion, and culture change are not incompatible with our thirst for operational excellence. I count on my senior leaders to champion culture change. Diversity makes us stronger, inclusion improves our institution. We are
#StrongerTogether
- ArtMcD
3K
320
2K
9
15
102
Interesting how all the Communist Party stooge accounts and fake bots here on Twitter are defending AIIB. The Bank’s staunchest supports on social are the usual suspects supporting Communist Party propaganda. These CCP accounts are AIIB’s biggest social media supporters. For
41
26
99
I came into possession of this gem visiting family today – my late grandfather’s press card from Winston Churchill’s 1941 visit to Ottawa when J.A. Pickard worked in the media at
@CBCRadioCanada
12
13
100
Tuning into some media interviews about the possible forced sale/ban of TikTok today, the breathtaking extent of ignorance about the insidious nature of PRC foreign interference overseas — and the malignant role of the CCP deliberately undermining rival countries — is truly
8
47
101
New
#PR
study finds that "Helping others with no expectation of immediate return is highly effective. That seemingly selfless behavior builds good relationships, good relationships bring in resources, and resources are what we need to achieve our goals."
6
32
96
9
5
99
The
@AOC
chief of staff
@saikatc
on
@ReliableSources
with
@brianstelter
nails it just now when it when he says she isn't just effective at using social media; she's effective as a communicator. Grasping this is key to success for the PR of all public figures, especially CEOs.
24
16
92
Ditto for corporate comms, where prose polished to a shine, carefully crafted anodyne messages, and stale stock phrases are now out of tune and fail to sell well. The PR zeitgeist now demands emotional intelligence, radical transparency, courageous backbone + admission of flaws.
Just as they did when the pandemic set in, brands are so afraid to say anything controversial that they end up saying the same things over and over in unison.
4
15
46
9
32
99
At no point in my 32 year public relations career have I heard so many executives and leaders from across sectors and cultures routinely talk about the critical importance of communication as I hear today.
14
21
95
@StephanieLevitz
As she should. This is an encouraging development. I’ve already provided some information to the government. I will be pleased to share more.
13
15
84
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some hire public relations officers"
— Daniel J. Boorstin
3
83
86
“The PR industry has been booming. PR specialists now outnumber journalists more than 5 to 1…the relationship between PR and news has grown hazier.” I don’t know any PR pro who celebrates this concerning trend which emphasizes our ethics imperative.
3
39
90
Can Beijing really find 50,000 young Americans who want to be surveilled 24x7 and watched by countless omnipresent security cameras tracked by AI facial recognition while having no access to the western internet? And always facing the risk of arbitrary exit bans?
China is ready to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study in the next 5 years.
473
325
2K
30
38
87
Today at the
#PRCAVirtualSummit
from London, I enjoyed delivering a keynote presentation on “Forces of change in global public relations and the rising importance of PR for effective leadership.” The deck is here: Thanks
@Ingers1975
@SparklyPinchy
🌐
#PR
7
33
85
PR pro tip: for clients in a crisis, choosing a PR advisor can send a public message about your competence + character. A firm known for comms craft + respected for consulting ethics = ideal. Beware outfits that always seem to get their name into their clients' media story frame.
2
17
86
@MooreintheAM
@PeterMacKay
The rotary phone certainly signals ‘ready to lead today’s modern Canada’
2
5
83
At long last, my personal belongings have finally returned from Beijing, China. This morning I am processing their customs clearance across the border at Canadian Forces Base Trenton. The end of a long, hard and enlightening journey home. 🇨🇦
6
13
83
Today I enjoyed speaking with
@JonErlichman
on
@BNNBloomberg
about how the pandemic has profoundly changed public relations and made communications more important than ever for both corporations and governments. ‘Action communications, not just words'
#PR
4
28
79
That so many compatriots and other well-wishers have said “stay safe” these last couple of days begs the question of why Canada and other Western democracies are financing a PRC MDB based in a “stay safe” kind of country.
24
26
80
Check out the Media Show on
@BBCRadio4
these days. I have listened to it for years but lately it has become more compelling. I particularly recommend tuning in to fellow PRs. Illuminating guests and intelligent conversations. A British program of broader interest internationally.
This is the inside story of the No.10 Christmas Party scoops.
@PippaCrerar
broke the story,
@PaulBrandITV
obtained the leaked video. Here’s how they did it – as told to me on the Media Show on
@BBCRadio4
.
300
3K
9K
1
17
80
Today is the first day working from my new office in the growing global comms department at
@AIIB_Official
. Feeling fortunate to have such fantastic teammates. A busy Year of the Rabbit lies ahead!
14
1
80
Most PR disasters aren’t caused by disastrous public relations.
What industry “secret” do you know that most people don’t?
339
94
2K
2
20
81
From a public relations perspective, not every person or organization necessary needs to say something or apologize for ‘anything + everything’ with which they might be confronted on social media. Not everyone has an opinion on the latest outrage. There’s nothing wrong with that.
2
12
76
Good, so if the overwhelming majority of CEOs now value the communication function — the pandemic has accelerated this trend — then comms budgets (more money) and reporting lines (direct to the CEO) should be commensurate with the rising importance of public relations.
@PRNews
2
21
72
I just finished a media training with two lawyers who told me: “We want to communicate our story in the media but not mindlessly message and repeat the same talking points like politicians do in campaigns.” Spin + pivots are ‘out,’ authenticity + answering the question are ‘in.’
6
18
77
Whenever Beijing - backed by its mouthpiece media - criticizes someone using "hyping" rhetoric (one of the PRC's propaganda watchwords), in reality that means a CCP critic is actually telling the truth.
Ministry condemns Canada's hyping
And those pesky
3
36
74
@acoyne
With all of this country's natural resources and abundant possibilities, it takes a special talent to accomplish that. Or is it a lack of talent? Millions of Canadians now live overseas...
3
9
74
Kudos to
@petermansbridge
for underlining, with needed emphasis, how climate change remains the world's most under-reported story.
10
61
66
“81% of fastest-growing companies had a vocal or outspoken CEO. Companies with a CEO who...communicated regularly performed better than their industry peers during the pandemic by an average of 2%, translating to $260B in shareholder value.”
#coronacomms
#leadershipcommunication
3
40
67
Many are focusing on how bad Letterman was as the interviewer. I am inspired by how good
@lindsaylohan
was as the interviewee. She doesn’t need any media training. Such poise under pressure. Talk about taking control – turning the tables + communicating with considerable courage.
This Lindsay Lohan interview on David Letterman in 2013 is horrifying to watch now.
7K
32K
224K
9
11
66
My first incoming client arrived today from a brand new category of business referral: children of my former agency colleagues in the PR industry.
5
3
70
This is the other CCP/AIIB key message on me today: I’m an “imperialist” (not just a CIA Agent). It’s remarkable the Star Wars bar of smear freaks tweeting from China (where Twitter is banned), for some orchestrated reason.
20
8
65
Whenever the expression “smear against China” appears in the PRC’s global propaganda mouthpiece outlet, that is when we know for certain that the accusation is absolutely accurate. Watch for that phrase in future – it’s a very reliable decoder of the truth behind the deceit of
Ministry slams US fabrication of non-existent 'Chinese military threat'
47
69
230
10
27
68
The snow storm is over and now the moon appears through the clouds.
3
12
69
A world of languages, and how many speak them:
http://t.co/CNIVNVMRmQ
| International communicators take note
http://t.co/H4evFSUvSp
3
102
65
‘No comment’
7
13
67
I just finished doing a TV interview (remotely via video). Beforehand the media outlet sent me a 'pre-interview checklist' plus tips on 'getting it right' and 'looking your best.' Well, I must say it was first-class guidance which would be the pride of any top-flight PR firm.
7
2
66
"In a time of
universal deceit,
telling the truth is
a revolutionary act."
– George Orwell
0
39
63
NEWS ⚡️
Canada consulting with international partners to further review the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Canada’s participation in the AIIB will remain indefinitely suspended
"In consultation with some of our closest international partners, Canada is expanding its
Canada consulting with international partners to further review the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
1
5
6
3
29
66
It’s seldom a smart move for an organization’s public relations success to lower the communications function reporting line down from the CEO to a lesser executive. Especially at a time when comms is more important than ever – and leadership communication particularly so.
3
15
66
“Huawei has gradually dismantled its public relations and government relations teams in the U.S. and Canada, according to people familiar with the matter.” via
@NikkeiAsia
ht
@ajphelo
11
33
64
My son is in grade 4. His teacher sent a letter listing his homework assignments. The boy crossed out her note and wrote 'fake news' on it.
3
18
63
"The biggest communication problem is that we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply."
http://t.co/7g4Lokc2G7
2
67
63
I feel excited to now be on my first-ever PR mission to Denmark 🇩🇰
4
6
64
“The Chinese Communist Party has deflected several incidents that have inferred undue influence and intend to change the function of multilateral financial institutions, both in its Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the post-WWII US-led Bretton Woods institutions.”
New Publication - CPC Influence in Multilateral Financial Institutions
#CCP
#China
#IMF
#AIIB
@AIIANational
@EASCentre
@BondUniversity
1
14
26
3
33
62
This charming and eloquent PRC general seems to have been media trained at the Joseph Goebbels School of Propaganda. An utterly dishonest address, from start to finish. Only the idiotic or the ignorant might believe this balderdash.
China has not and will never bully smaller countries, but it will not allow certain countries to take advantage of their smaller size to play the role of victim and act wildly, said Lieutenant General He Lei on Fri in response to Philippine President Marcos Jr's comments.
729
248
936
5
27
62
This passenger is teaching
@WestJet
a lesson in public relations.
Earlier today my family endure the most horrific & dehumanizing treatment onboard
@WestJet
plane. My wife was threatening to be arrested & forcibly removed unless my daughters, 3 yrs & 19 months would wear a mask. While my 3yrs wore her mask, the 19 months old was hysterical.
3K
5K
9K
5
19
62
2
23
55
“If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on public relations”
— Bill Gates
2
63
59
This hour’s CCP theme: now I am a “government plant.” Gee, I wonder why these CCP smear accounts are all boosting AIIB? It’s not a coincidence. Fully orchestrated.
12
8
57
Without a doubt - and on many levels - Ego is the enemy of effective public relations and especially leadership communication.
3
24
58
A strong
#coronacomms
piece where “communication” is almost synonymous with “leadership.” The learned authors write that “communicating bad news is a thankless task” – done with care + candor + compassion, it can be sincerely appreciated and also result in closer bonds of trust.
4
28
59
Crafting a public statement for a controversial client in the news – on deadline – remains one of this PR consultant’s most stimulating things to do in the late afternoon/early evening.
2
5
61