PR Insiders

Is there an industry more vulnerable to crises than the airline industry? On the one hand you have the usually catastrophic nature of airplane crashes and terrorist attacks; on the other you have on every plane aggravated, gaseous, claustrophobic passengers packed like Pringles in a tube, armed with smartphones, ready to broadcast to the world any provocation.

As the digital divide narrows and more people turn to the internet to research, make and discuss holiday purchases, it only makes sense that social media is playing a larger role in the season. Sprout Social surveyed more than 1,000 consumers on their social media habits and expectations for brands this time of year. The key takeaway: Social matters at every step—from along the path to purchase to afterwards enjoyment.

With the New Year only a few weeks away, now is an ideal time to reflect back on the past year and look ahead to 2017. The public relations industry saw its importance elevated in 2016 due to a number of high-profile corporate missteps. There are a variety of lessons 2016 taught us but one thing is inarguable: The PR industry is primed for significant growth. Here are five PR trends that will help shape our work as PR pros in 2017.

What would you do if you found out you had a life-threatening disease? Another question: What would you do with your life if you’d overcome the disease, at least for the time being? About two-and-a-half… Continued

Anne Glauber is using her 30 years in PR and communications to offer a hand to people like her. In truth, of course, there really are not many people like her. It’s become her mission to inform pancreatic patients of the possibility of clinical trials and experimental treatments.

While the world of public relations is often fast-paced and exciting (what most of us love about it) there is plenty of maintenance work that goes into the job as well, and some of that includes taking very unsexy topics and turning them into something that people care about. Next time you’re faced with writing about something that may seem dry or uninteresting, be it a byline, press release or even a presentation, consider these tips to spice it up for your audience.

As the year draws to an end, there are many lessons that young PR people should have learned from 2016 news reports that can apply to our business. Here’s a look back at the learning moments of the year that sprang from the headlines.

If you’re with a B2B company, professional association or government agency, finding your visual identity for Instagram and Snapchat, for instance, might be the subject of weekly, or daily, meetings. These meetings might have proved fruitless. Keep in mind your visual identity can be as simple as a single color. Is there one color that dominates your logo or calls to mind an emotional connection with your product or service?

Taco Bell is often held up as a brand that knows what it’s doing on social media. Before you follow Taco Bell on Snapchat and steal its ideas, take a look inward. Are burritos and… Continued

The dedicated PR and communications professionals behind the best PR and marketing campaigns of the past year were honored on Dec. 6, 2016, at PR News’ Winter Awards luncheon, held at the historic National Press Club in Washington, D.C. At the luncheon PR News announced the winners of its 2016 PR People Awards in categories that included Brand Marketer of the Year, Spokesperson of the Year, Social Media Professional of the Year, Intern of the Year and Public Affairs Professional of the Year, among others.