On Jan. 23 in New York, PR News celebrated its 2018 Top Women in PR. These inspiring women have risen above the crowd to make a difference in their workplaces and in their communities, both as communications professionals and as mentors to other women. We took some time out at the luncheon to speak with some of them on camera.
Stories by Samantha Wood
How Brands Are Gearing Up for the Winter Olympics
February 9th, 2018 by Samantha WoodThis weekend, one of the most-viewed sporting events in the world kicks off in PyeongChang, South Korea. But it’s not just athletes that will be strutting their stuff on the world’s biggest stage. For the brands that serve as official sponsors, the Winter Olympics provide a perfect opportunity to combine storytelling skills with the natural drama of international competition. Here’s a look at how some of those brands are leveraging the games, using everything from influencer marketing strategies to virtual reality experiences.
3 Super Bowl Ads That Gave Their Brands a PR Boost
February 5th, 2018 by Samantha WoodThe Super Bowl is one of the most highly anticipated annual events in popular culture. But for many people tuning in, the advertising breaks are every bit as compelling and competitive as the game itself. This year, ads from Tide, Amazon and the NFL won the day and gave their brands a lift, while Dodge Ram shot itself in the foot with a tone-deaf spot.
5 Communicators Give Their Take on the Decrease in Time Spent on Facebook
February 2nd, 2018 by Samantha WoodAt the start of 2018, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that big changes are coming to Facebook’s news feed—specifically, a de-emphasis of branded and publishers’ content in news feeds—and we’re already seeing the effects of some of those changes. PR News spoke with five communicators to see if the decrease in time spent on Facebook, and the company’s recent changes in its news feed algorithm, is cause for concern and augers a shift in their own content strategy.
Instagram (Finally) Allows Scheduling of Posts
January 31st, 2018 by Samantha WoodIn a move that was long overdue, Instagram announced that it would allow for scheduling of posts ahead of time—but with a twist. You can’t schedule a post directly on the app, but you can schedule through one of Instagram’s partners, such as Hootsuite, Sprinklr or Sprout Social. The feature, announced yesterday, has long been on the wish list of social media managers looking to simplify content management on the platform, and is the latest in a series of updates being rolled out for the Instagram Graph API redesign.
Follower Bots Exposed: How to Spot Fake Influencers
January 29th, 2018 by Samantha WoodThe practice of buying social media followers has been around nearly as long as social media itself. And it’s still unclear whether platforms like Twitter and Facebook are responsible for weeding out the fake accounts. So, how can a brand separate influencer fact from fiction?
USA Gymnastics, USOC, MSU and the Nassar Sentencing: Behind the Messaging
January 25th, 2018 by Samantha WoodThere’s no crisis management cure-all for organizations linked to heinous, life-destroying and unchecked behavior like Larry Nassar’s, but there should be a guiding principle—learn from your errors, and show that you’re learning and changing. Two crisis management experts weigh in.
How the Women’s March Won Social Media
January 22nd, 2018 by Samantha WoodIf your Instagram, Twitter or Facebook feed was a constant stream of images and video from the 2018 Women’s March this weekend, you were not alone. On the first anniversary of Trump’s inauguration, women (and men) took to the streets to protest the presidential administration and support fellow sisters at Women’s Marches across the country—and posted to social en masse. Marches were organized in nearly every major U.S. city from New York to Dallas.
Facebook to Downplay Branded Content in News Feeds, Zuckerberg Says
January 12th, 2018 by Samantha WoodIf you thought Mark Zuckerberg’s New Year’s resolution to “fix” Facebook was just like your resolution to stop eating candy (as in, never going to happen), think again. Late Thursday, Zuckerberg announced major changes coming to the platform—namely, a de-emphasis of branded content in news feeds—and those changes will likely have a serious impact on your brand’s approach to the platform.
H&M Under Fire, Loses Brand Collaborator The Weeknd
January 8th, 2018 by Samantha WoodH&M’s media relations team told PR News that a controversial marketing image of a young boy wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with “Coolest Monkey In the Jungle” resulted from internal procedures that had not been followed properly and that the item would no longer be for sale.