Nearly every advantage a brand has in a crisis — speed, message quality, spokesperson readiness, coordination — is created before the crisis ever hits. We build that readiness in, before you need it.
Decades of combined communications experience, led day to day on this practice by Susan Stoga.
Bob Spoerl
CEO & President, Co-Owner
Susan Stoga
Senior Strategist, Advisor
DeAnna Spoerl
Chief Brand Officer, Co-Owner
Sean Wille
Vice President
THE METHOD
Prepare. Protect. Prevail.
PREPARE
Audit the reputation landscape, assess vulnerabilities, and plan for likely crises — before turbulence hits.
PROTECT
Real-time 24/7 crisis support and decisive messaging, guiding internal and external stakeholders when it matters most.
PREVAIL
Recovery strategies that don’t just restore reputation — they strengthen stakeholder trust for the long term.
BUILT FOR
• CMOs & comms leads without a crisis plan • Leadership teams after a near-miss • Boards asking “what’s our plan if…” • Anyone whose current plan is a shelved PDF
THE ONGOING RELATIONSHIP
• Monthly monitoring reports • Quarterly contact & credential checks • Annual full review + live exercise • Plan updates within 2 weeks of major change
Nine-tenths of every crisis is already below the waterline.
The statement you publish is the tip. The stakeholder map, the pre-approved messaging, the decision authority, the rehearsals — that’s the mass underneath that keeps you upright.
WHAT WE BUILD FOR YOU
Everything your team needs to run cold at 2 a.m.
Stakeholder Map
Who matters, what they care about, and the notification sequence when the clock starts.
Scenario Modules
4–6 priority scenarios with pre-drafted messaging and escalation ladders.
Crisis Team & Authority
Named roles, backups, and a decision authority matrix with time caps.
Messaging Architecture
Holding statements, message maps, and hard-question Q&As — pre-approved.
Communications Protocols
PESO channel matrix, one-voice policy, and quarterly-tested activation.
The Written Plan
Full master plan, plus a 1-page First Hour Checklist your team can run cold.
9 key crisis categories. Every risk scoring 12+ gets a full response module — mapped to your business, not a template.
FROM KICKOFF TO READINESS
From first interview to a plan your team has rehearsed
STEP 1
Intake, interviews, audit, and vulnerability register.
STEP 2
Findings presented; priority scenarios signed off.
STEP 3
Plan build, validation, delivery + quick-reference card.
STEP 4
Media training; monitoring live with baseline report.
STEP 5
Tabletop exercise; plan v1.1 — then ongoing retainer.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
“I’ve worked with probably a dozen PR agencies in my years of experience and Bear Icebox is the only one that delivers on tier 1 coverage. They do what they say they’re going to do and that’s why I always call on them to be a strategic PR partner when I need one.”
Amy Hanan
CMO of The Pipeline Group
CF
“Bear Icebox brought calm, structure, and strategic thinking to a multi-layered, fast-moving situation for Pennon Media Group. They helped our leadership team stay aligned, communicate clearly with stakeholders, and protect the credibility we'd worked so hard to build. Their guidance made a real difference when it mattered most.”
Cassie Farrelly
Chief Impact Officer of Pennon Media Group
“As CMO of a financial services firm, I needed a PR partner who could both elevate our brand and truly understand our business—and Bear Icebox Communications delivered on both. Their team has been proactive, responsive, and deeply collaborative, helping us increase national media coverage, position our subject matter experts as thought leaders, and build meaningful relationships with reporters who now come to us for insight. They operate as a true extension of our team, bringing a positive, can-do attitude and strong strategic guidance that's been invaluable as we continue to grow.”
Kathryn DeLia
Award-winning CMO of Cherry Bekaert
Pending approval — remove this slide if not approved before launch
Get ahead of your next crisis.
A conversation now costs an hour. A crisis without a plan costs the story.
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