Stories by PRNEWS

PRNEWS welcomed Caroline Jones, executive director of Social Media Club, Inc., to talk about the intense pressure social media managers are under these days.

Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO of Ruder Finn, spoke with Holly Teichholtz, SVP communications and content strategies at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. The two discussed pandemic-related disruptions to the workplace, the future of work, and how the nonprofit sector can best respond to the Black Lives Matter movement.

CompTIA’s senior director of global social media Kelly Stone shared LinkedIn Live best practices with PRNEWS senior content manager Sophie Maerowitz.

In this continuing series about lessons in career and life, a senior communicator explains how she overcame her hesitancy to speak up in leadership meetings.

We’re at a crossroads, so the question is not whether brands should speak out, but how. Yet lacking an authentic message backed up with action, brands can be headed for disaster. In addition, before wading into multicultural communication and marketing, know your audience, be respectful and commit to a long-term commitment.

The killing of George Floyd led the author to think of her father, an immigrant who poured his life into his children. He expected that providing his children with a strong education would help them succeed professionally and personally. Pure merit isn’t enough when structural racism and exclusionary practices exist. The status quo must go, the author argues. Stakeholder capitalism is here to stay.

As communicators, we have a powerful opportunity to positively influence behavior change. Through messaging with strategic calls-to-action, brilliant creative and multichannel outreach, we can impact wide-spread sea change in any environment. Whether you’re operating from agency or brand, our shared purpose within this discipline is to do well by doing good.

The business case for diversity and inclusion is well known. Now, the pandemic and wrongful death of George Floyd in Minneapolis have teed up an opportunity for corporate communicators and PR agencies to re-shape their organizations’ values on diversity and inclusion. It’s a moment that PR should not miss.

Some marketers are reluctant to emphasize influencers during the pandemic. Yet it could be an advantageous in that social media use is exploding with homebound audiences. In addition, influencers have a personal connection with audiences, which is greatly needed now. Two attorneys offer a guide for working with influencers at this difficult moment.

In our series with Institute for PR, the dean of the University of Oregon’s communication school discusses the lessons he’s learned about maintaining contact with the academic community during the pandemic.