EPR Editorial Team3 min read
Edited on Jun 24, 2026.
Part of PR Agency Q&A Profiles · See also: Automotive PR pillar
Jason Vines is a leading communications and government affairs consultant and the former head of PR for Nissan North America, Ford Motor Company globally, and Chrysler Group. He is a published author with Waldorf Publishing. Automotive News, the lead trade publication for the global auto industry, named Vines the top PR person in the global auto industry in both 2005 and 2006.
Vines responded to these questions in all caps — preserved as the original record.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you can give to other PR professionals?
A: FIRST: NEVER LIE. IN THE END, TRUTH IS YOUR ONLY REAL WEAPON. NEVER SPECULATE — SPECULATION IS A LIVE HAND GRENADE. DEAL ONLY WITH FACTS. PUSH BACK ON JOURNALISTS THAT WANT TO ATTACK YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION ANONYMOUSLY. DEMAND THAT AS AN AMERICAN PRINCIPLE, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO FACE YOUR ACCUSER. SECOND, FOR YOUNG PR PEOPLE: LEARN HOW TO WRITE. LEARN HOW TO WRITE AND IT WILL IMPROVE YOUR "ORAL" COMMUNICATION SKILLS. THIRD: DEMAND A SEAT AT THE TABLE WITH TOP EXECUTIVES.
Q: What is your most memorable or transformative PR moment?
A: THE FORD/FIRESTONE TIRE CRISIS OF 2000-2001. IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT TO MITIGATE A CRISIS, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR ORGANIZATION, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, READY FOR IT BY ESTABLISHING GUIDING PRINCIPLES AS TO HOW YOU WILL ACT, TALK, AND RESPOND WHEN THE PROVERBIAL HITS THE FAN.
Q: What is the best thing you did to directly benefit Ford / Nissan / Chrysler?
A: NISSAN: RESTORED THEIR CREDIBILITY AS A VIABLE AUTOMAKER AND DEMANDED IT REFIND ITS SOUL BY BRINGING BACK THE NISSAN Z SPORTS CAR. FORD: GUIDED THE COMPANY, WORKING MINUTE BY MINUTE WITH THE CEO, TO ENSURE WE PUT THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS FIRST AND ALWAYS COMMUNICATED OPENLY. CHRYSLER: INHERITED A DEMORALIZED PR STAFF AND BUILT THEM INTO THE MOST RESPECTED PR TEAM IN THE INDUSTRY BY JOURNALIST SURVEYS.
Q: What did you do differently at Ford than the person before you?
A: MADE TOP MANAGEMENT 100 PERCENT OPEN TO THE MEDIA. NEVER LIED. MADE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO MEDIA, WORLDWIDE, 24 HOURS A DAY.
Q: What separates you from other PR professionals?
A: NEVER, EVER LIED TO A JOURNALIST, OTHER THAN TO SAY THEIR NEWBORN WAS CUTE. IT PAID OFF AS I WAS ABLE TO KILL B.S. STORIES BECAUSE MEDIA KNEW I WASN'T LYING. PR COMPANIES SPEND THOUSANDS WRITING UP PROPOSALS TO WIN SHINY PR AWARDS. THE GREATEST WORK A PR PERSON DOES IS KILLING A COMPLETELY B.S. STORY BEFORE IT HURTS THEIR ORGANIZATION. THE KEY TO BEING ABLE TO DO THAT: CREDIBILITY.
A: FIRST: NEVER LIE. IN THE END, TRUTH IS YOUR ONLY REAL WEAPON. NEVER SPECULATE — SPECULATION IS A LIVE HAND GRENADE. DEAL ONLY WITH FACTS. PUSH BACK ON JOURNALISTS THAT WANT TO ATTACK YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION ANONYMOUSLY. DEMAND THAT AS AN AMERICAN PRINCIPLE, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO FACE YOUR ACCUSER. SECOND, FOR YOUNG PR PEOPLE: LEARN HOW TO WRITE. LEARN HOW TO WRITE AND IT WILL IMPROVE YOUR "ORAL" COMMUNICATION SKILLS. THIRD: DEMAND A SEAT AT THE TABLE WITH TOP EXECUTIVES.
A: THE FORD/FIRESTONE TIRE CRISIS OF 2000-2001. IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT TO MITIGATE A CRISIS, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR ORGANIZATION, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, READY FOR IT BY ESTABLISHING GUIDING PRINCIPLES AS TO HOW YOU WILL ACT, TALK, AND RESPOND WHEN THE PROVERBIAL HITS THE FAN.
A: NISSAN: RESTORED THEIR CREDIBILITY AS A VIABLE AUTOMAKER AND DEMANDED IT REFIND ITS SOUL BY BRINGING BACK THE NISSAN Z SPORTS CAR. FORD: GUIDED THE COMPANY, WORKING MINUTE BY MINUTE WITH THE CEO, TO ENSURE WE PUT THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS FIRST AND ALWAYS COMMUNICATED OPENLY. CHRYSLER: INHERITED A DEMORALIZED PR STAFF AND BUILT THEM INTO THE MOST RESPECTED PR TEAM IN THE INDUSTRY BY JOURNALIST SURVEYS.
A: MADE TOP MANAGEMENT 100 PERCENT OPEN TO THE MEDIA. NEVER LIED. MADE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO MEDIA, WORLDWIDE, 24 HOURS A DAY.
A: NEVER, EVER LIED TO A JOURNALIST, OTHER THAN TO SAY THEIR NEWBORN WAS CUTE. IT PAID OFF AS I WAS ABLE TO KILL B.S. STORIES BECAUSE MEDIA KNEW I WASN'T LYING. PR COMPANIES SPEND THOUSANDS WRITING UP PROPOSALS TO WIN SHINY PR AWARDS. THE GREATEST WORK A PR PERSON DOES IS KILLING A COMPLETELY B.S. STORY BEFORE IT HURTS THEIR ORGANIZATION. THE KEY TO BEING ABLE TO DO THAT: CREDIBILITY.
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