PR Insiders

Girls and boys, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for: Ashley McCown’s year-end video with her choices of the top PR crises for the final 6 months of 2019. So, fire up your Google machine and get ready for McCown’s eclectic mix of popular and outside-the-box PR crises. Hats off to those of you who can guess all five of her top picks before watching this video. Hint: Look for a clue in this post.

As a public service for PR pros and those who care about them, we provide a quick guide to gifts every communicator could use as we head into the new year. The good news is that communicators aren’t necessarily interested in big-ticket items. Gifts that save time and make life a bit more comfortable top the PR pro’s wish list at holiday time.

In a world where influencers-turned-stars and tales of ‘cancel culture’ dominate, it can seem like fame and producing the next viral hit should be important goals. Many brands chase ‘internet fame’ – whether through social content or partnerships with celebrities – but success stories like fast food Twitter wars or Carmax’s viral YouTube video remain elusive. Even if the odds of success were higher, should ‘fame’ and virality be your goals?

Amy Rosenberg saw the initial messaging in its controversial ad as progressive, displaying how fitness isn’t about pounds and inches — but letting endorphins and commitment take center stage for a woman who brings exercise back into her crowded life. However, with Peloton straying from the norm, Rosenberg believes the messaging also could have used another look—by those with a more feminine perspective.

The work of public relations typically happens behind the scenes, but at yesterday’s 2019 PR People Awards and Rising Stars 30 & Under Awards PRNEWS put the spotlight on the communicators behind some of the year’s most impactful work. While the awards honored individuals, many of the recipients emphasized the importance of their colleagues in their success throughout the year and in their careers.

Mankind’s digital exhaust is social science’s Big Data. We create digital data with every post, purchase or picture. This offers social scientists access to previously unimaginable reams of data. Coupling that with new computing power and the possibilities are endless, argues Peter Zandan, global vice chairman of Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Brands can decode what makes ideas spread, how purchasing decisions are reached and who and what influences influencers. It’s time to prepare, he writes.

Last week,  we talked with Joshua Otten, CEO of Ronin, the largest branding agency for cannabis and hemp businesses. We spoke about his journey from PRØHBTD to Ronin, how quality content can make the difference between a commodity and a lifestyle, and why the future of cannabis branding will live on streaming services.

In our regular Lessons Earned feature, former Cargill and State Farm CCO Mike Fernandez recalls three examples when it was advantageous to be fearless. This attitude led a 23-year-old Fernandez to confront a senior member of the Senate. It also prompted him as a new CCO at two well-known companies to whack at sacred cows.

Not every PR project or new client is glamorous. On the other hand, PR pros exist to generate coverage, among their many other duties. Here is a series of 8 questions that will help communicators unearth news and interesting story material in any sector. You should ask them of your executives twice monthly. At least.

In this mini-case study about higher education, FleishmanHillard SVP Brendan Streich offers three ways PR is using measurement to help academia improve communications as well as other facets of college and university operations.