When US president Bill Clinton is impeached after news breaks of an extra-marital affair with a 22-year-old intern, his credibility suffers a huge blow. As his communications adviser, what would you suggest he do to repair his personal brand?

Steve Earl, Speed

“If the Lewinsky scandal happened today, Bill Clinton would probably still talk his way out of it, but his ‘brand’ may need to tweet its way out too.

His court claims would probably still allow him to get off constitutionally, but the diverse media we have now could give his reputation more of a battering. Whereas readers roundly mocked his claims at the time, there were few mass feedback channels for their reaction. So he’d have to engage, personally, with social media to stand a fighting chance of explaining his side. Twitter would give him a great medium for those conversations and he could move faster than the conventional press by doing so. 

My approach would be to use Twitter to talk with people, rather than at them via statements. While you will have to use short statements to answer the big questions, use tweets to add more colour later.” 

James Mitchell, Babel PR

“There’s not much chance to suppress the news – she sold the story and had a dirty dress to back it up. So make Bill’s misdemeanours laudable and use the old tool of patriotism to overcome the challenge.

Our lead message: ‘Sexual vigour produces political results’. Think of any of the great presidents – Kennedy, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Jefferson. They all had their flings and no one can deny the national pride the mere mention of these names creates.

Our implicit message: Take heart fellow Americans, your President shall go down in the history books as one of the greats. And in times to come, you’ll look back at the glory years of the Clinton administration and wonder when you’ll have another leader with the urges and the needs that come with a man of true power and influence. Long live Freedom!”

Mark Pack, Mandate

“Bill Clinton had charm – great for winning votes but also for getting himself into trouble. He was at his best close up, looking directly at someone and talking to them without distraction.

How to replicate that with the millions who had read about his impeachment?

Direct-to-camera video clips (what we’d now call video-blogging and stick on YouTube) would have played to his communication strengthens – and would have gained huge media coverage, making it effective even in the low internet access days of the 1990s.”

Nancy Prendergast, Tannison Mae

“In the age-old spirit of high-profile wives (sometimes politicians themselves) standing by the men in power, we’d suggest Hillary Clinton use the tools of social media to deflect attention away from scandal-mongers and her husband’s inability to tell the truth, and to remind us there are more important issues at hand.

HillonBill at Twitter.com might in fewer than 140 characters say: I am no Penelope, but as we note from history: men are weak, women strong, hence we best just move on. #Lewinsky, I say MYOB.”

Alan Parry, Arwain Ltd

“His credibility suffers a huge blow?’ I’ve never heard it called a ‘credibility’ before.”

Next month: Braveheart Faced with the patriotic fervour whipped up by Sir William Wallace, King Edward of England faces a battle to retain control of Southern Scotland. How can he win the hearts and minds of the Scots to avoid a bloody uprising? Email your advice to neil.gibbons@ communicatemagazine.co.uk