Stories by Nicole Schuman

Food brands, whether fast food restaurants, traditional mainstays or innovative products, continue to have some of the best PR and advertising reach. In 2019, many brands dominated conversations in social media, and laid the groundwork for creative, memorable campaigns. We look at a few of the most noteworthy campaigns of 2019.

How can a pitch really stand out in a crowded inbox? A panel of experts from both sides of the comm fence including Laura Brusca, vice president for corporate communications at Forbes, Tom Butts, content director at TV Technology, Monica Melton, assistant editor at Forbes Innovation, Howard Mortman, director of communications at CSPAN and Seth Gilpin, product marketing manager at Cision, dispensed wisdom at the How to Pitch Reporters on Email panel at the PRNEWS Media Relations Conference on Dec. 13 in Washington, D.C..

Journalists and public relations experts discussed adapting to new media strategies at the PRNEWS Media Relations Conference in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 13. The panel, “Rethinking Media Relations in the Age of New Media,” included Brandon Arolfo, head of PBS digital studios, Sara Fischer, media reporter for Axios, Nicole Smith, director of corporate communications at IAC and Katina Arnold, vice president, corporate communications at ESPN.

When it comes to newsjacking, there’s a thin line between victory and defeat. Some brands can come off as desperate without well-crafted messaging. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel with a new marketing campaign, sometimes a great strategy can come just from social listening.

What does the popularity of year-end lists mean for brands? A smorgasbord for media mentions, content shares and article placements. Giving the public what they want, in a usable package, is one of the finest public relations strategies used by companies like GIPHY and Uber. Lists inspire the media to spur further stories, as well as grab the attention of consumers.

The experts we talk to routinely stress the importance of having a crisis plan. Of course, it’s not enough simply to do the initial work—we must revise mindfully and make important adjustments. Join PRNEWS on Dec. 10 for Crisis Webinar: Why a Strong Defense is the Best Offense featuring representatives from Hyatt, Virginia Commonwealth University and Devine + Partners.

What’s ahead for social media in 2020? For starters, it appears the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will continue to hound brands and influencers who misrepresent themselves to consumers on social. Fortunately, the FTC has re-issued its guidelines in a plain-language format. There’s even a video.

While these may seem like gag gifts for some, influencers and super fans will fork over serious cash to own a piece of brand loyalty—which they can show off from all social media platforms. It’s probably too late to get on the trendy grab list for this year, but there is something to be learned from brands like Red Lobster, Hidden Valley Ranch and others, going the extra mile to connect with their consumers.

At PRNEWS, we thought about how to utilize Slack to connect our readership and community. How could we leverage the relationships we’ve built with amazing contacts to benefit those outside of our circle, and bolster an entire community? And with that, we created the PR and Communications Pros Slack group.

This year’s Agency Elite Awards winners will be announced at PRNEWS’ Top Places to Work and Agency Elite Awards luncheon, Nov. 21 at the Yale Club in New York City. The awards denote excellence in PR agencies’ key practice areas, from community relations, thought leadership and social media to integrated communications, branding and business to business messaging.