Archive: September 2017

Four of the people who’ve helped engineer the momentum toward research- and insights-based PR joined PR News on Thursday, Sept. 21, for a Twitter chat as part of AMEC’s annual Measurement Month. This was the fourth consecutive year PR News and AMEC have organized a Twitter chat featuring members of PR News’ Measurement Hall of Fame.

PR is the same everywhere, right? Well, not quite. For example, Russian attitudes toward brands and corporate social responsibility are very different from what we’re used to here in the U.S. On the other hand, these conditions can create opportunities for communicators and marketers. Here are three things to know about the Russian PR market before you start seeking business there.

Mexico City is reeling from the devastation caused by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake on Sept. 19, and much of the area has suffered electricity blackouts and downed cell service, roiling recovery efforts. But media outlets and government officials with access to power and cell service have taken to Twitter and Google to share evacuation instructions and request supplies.

President Trump’s use of the moniker “Rocket Man” to refer to the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, was purely Trumpian communications. Like or hate the president’s politics (and yesterday’s speech), he has a way of using language that cuts through the clutter and gets people talking about subjects he’s passionate about. That’s similar to what communicators strive to do every day.

Toys ‘R’ Us announced late Monday that it has filed for bankruptcy, as the retail chain struggles under the weight of nearly $5 billion in debt. While its finances present an existential threat, an equally sizable challenge comes from within: how to keep its nearly 64,000 employees informed while also calming fears.

As you know, it’s less costly to keep an existing customer than to find a new one. Still the urge to aim marketing solely at new customers is real. Here are 10 tips to help you create brand affinity with existing customers, who can be a continuous revenue stream for your brand.

PR News recently asked its community to tell us who should be listed among the top game-changers of PR in the last few years. Here, we look at game-changer Nicole Rodrigues, who—after a 13-year career that started with the Oakland Raiders—founded her own agency and used her star power to launch a PR-themed radio and video series.

Influencers in Food and Finance bucked the trend in August, with modest consumer engagement gains for their posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram vs. July, according to data supplied to PR News by Shareablee. British chef Jamie Oliver led the Food category, while Robert Kiyosaki was the top influencer in the Finance category in August.

Size matters, particularly when it comes to social crises. In fact, large brands with extensive presences globally are very big targets for those with mobile phones, which is just about everyone. Walmart has absorbed its share of social crises this summer. Dan Kneeshaw, the brand’s senior director, global communications, digital strategy & brand engagement, provides insight on how Walmart views social crises.

In our regular feature How I Got Here, we ask PR leaders to tell us about trends, people who has influenced their career, the best advice they’ve received and what advice they give students. This week we talk with Amanda Harris, senior director of PR & marketing at The Diplomat Beach Resort. Her secrets include being authentic and reaching out to influencers via telephone.