Sunday, December 21, 2025

David Holmes

David Holmes, owner of Intrepid Solutions, has over 20 years experience planning for, avoiding, and solving crises in the public policy, political, and private sectors. David is also a professional mediator and has worked in the Texas music scene.

Will Airbnb’s new genitalia-esque logo hurt their brand?

(Business Marketing) As Airbnb rolls their new logo out, the company Founder says you can all go ahead and laugh that it may resemble various genitalia.

If a terrorist group adopts your brand’s name, what do you do?

(Public Relations) Isis mobile payments are having quite a time of their name as a terrorist group adopts the same name for their brand. Let's discuss the conundrum.

Reid’s use of the nuclear option is understandable but short-sighted

Although an argument can be made that filibustering has been abused, implementing the nuclear option is a bad move in the long run.

Brand lessons from the @NatSecWonk Twitter debacle

There is only so much you can do to prepare for stupid, as the recent dismantling of the @NatSecWonk account proves, but there are steps you can take as a company to safeguard the brand.

BioMarin CEO calls terminal cancer patient a “spoiled petulant brat”

BioMarin pharmaceutical continues to astonish, not by their move to refuse a dying cancer patient life-saving treatment, despite the FDA's direct approval to do so, but by their CEO writing aggressive emails laced with insults and condescension. Not advisable to any company, whether in a moment of crisis or not.

BioMarin reveals crisis strategy in callous “reply-all” as patient nears final days

BioMarin continues to be at the center of a crisis management nightmare as they deny a cancer patient a life-saving drug, but their strategy was unveiled as the CEO accidentally hit "reply-all" on an email, including the patient's supporters he is seeking to avoid.

PR crisis in the making at BioMarin Pharmaceutical

Ethics is a principle at the core of crisis management planning for businesses. Of course, there are ethical considerations once a crisis is underway while making such decisions as, "How much proprietary information should we reveal in explaining the cause of this crisis?" But there are also ethical considerations in the preparation for and avoidance of crisis.

Airlines sucking at social media, despite it not being 2009

Years ago, failing to understand the implications of social media was common, but there is no excuse today for a major airline to screw up so royally in public. This is a teachable moment for all sizes of company.