Digital & Technology

Not everyone is game for sexy mac n’ cheese. Kraft Heinz celebrated National Noodle Day by encouraging Kraft Macaroni & Cheese lovers to “send noods.” The provocative promotion included a blurred picture of a bowl of mac and cheese, and a play on the misspelling of “nudes.” For many, the joke flopped. Moreover, a recent survey about brands and humor indicates levity is a risky tactic when consumers are dealing with a pandemic and social and electoral upheaval.

When COVID-19 shut down most in-person communication, the traditional press conference just didn’t cut it any more.

PR pro Stephen Payne offers an update on what communicators need to know about the CCPA and European Union data privacy rules. In short, there’s a lot to monitor and regulation seems to change almost daily.

During an Aug. 25 webinar hosted by PRNEWS, panelists discussed the benefits of including AI in their communications strategy. The technology, they said, does not exist as the be-all solution for anyone’s needs. Instead, it provides a helpful boost where needed, particularly for PR. 

A household name found itself having to explain what seemed to be a typical workplace guideline this week. An employee for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company shared a photograph of a slide, allegedly from a corporate diversity training session. The resulting political brouhaha offers several takeaways for PR pros.

Traditionally touted as a celebration for political buffs of all things blue and democratic, the Democratic National Convention will certainly boast a different feel this year, as guests and the nominee’s acceptance speech will be broadcast nationally, but conducted virtually. No former U.S. president Bill Clinton fawning over falling balloons. No real-time booing of Sen. Ted Cruz. No Al Gore swooping in for a spontaneously awkward kiss with Tipper. Because of the coronavirus, it will certainly be a much different experience to watch or stream. 

No doubt the pandemic has narrowed choices for brand communicators, especially those accustomed to decamping to Las Vegas every January for CES. With the task of creating and maintaining brand images, communicators will have to change their PR plans for all-digital events, such as CES. A CES veteran, communicator David Wolpert offers tips on how to do this successfully.

PRNEWS welcomes Lou Dubois, Director of Editorial Content for Hilton to talk about brand responsibility during COVID and delivering that sentiment in messaging.

The start of the AMEC Global Summit featured a terrific talk from well-known academic Jim Mcnamara. The Australian professor highlighted research from his new book, which looked at misinformation in various forms. A multi-faceted approach is needed to combat the scourge, he said.

Using AI to create realistic but deceitful video content, known as a deepfake, is rapidly moving into the business world. As such, communicators need to know how to recognize and combat deepfakes to protect their business and the brands they represent. Kglobal’s Ellen Huber offers tips and tactics.