Latest Posts

Today is Amazon Prime Day. It’s a day (or two) of deep discounts on everything from electronics to apparel and household items. But the highly publicized event has grabbed headlines instead for timed global protests and a work stoppage in Minnesota. Some Amazon staff are upset with working conditions and employment policies. Amazon has not publicly responded—and what happens next is an important case study in handling an internal comms crisis.

The “brand newsroom” is a concept that’s here to stay, with several large brands including Marriott and General Electric earning plaudits as successful early adopters. Hype surrounding brand newsrooms has reached a crescendo, but small and mid-size brands need not be concerned that they rival the reporting power of the New York Times to survive. Let’s take a look at what these two entities really are and how traditional newsrooms actually inform the brand content creation process.

Communicating brand content, in all its shapes and sizes, is a people business. PR and the messaging you are creating is anchored in how to reach, attract, inform, educate, often sway—and most importantly, influence—people. Is your brand making a human connection?  If so, how deep?  What’s your secret sauce or your go-to method to humanize your brand, draw meaningful connections, and land squarely on the map of authenticity?

While celebrity and fan support never hurts when fighting for a cause, the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team appearances inspired real media coverage. The publicity also sparked motion toward possible change in a lawsuit filed by the team against the U.S. Soccer Federation over gender discrimination. Moving the needle at a highly-publicized national level could also ignite change regarding pay for all industries, including the ever-present public relations gender wage gap.

Nearly all communicators use technology in their daily work. In healthcare, though, technology surrounds communicators and the practitioners they work with each day. Ahead of next week’s PRNEWS Top Women in Healthcare Communications awards luncheon in NY, we asked several awards finalists to discuss communications, technology and how to maintain a human touch.

Crisis management may be the topic du jour in the communications industry, but it still seems like with every new day, another big brand or Fortune 500 company with massive PR resources is enmeshed in some kind of crisis. Why do they keep screwing up? And how can you make sure your brand is ready to do better when crisis strikes?

Companies may expend tremendous energy and time to find the right influencer for their brand. Unfortunately, they often fail to look deeply into an influencer’s past for clues of potential future behavior. Although many details surrounding a recent incident in Denmark remain unclear, it reminds us of the need for companies to research the reputation of influencers before going into business with them.

Companies frequently look for images to help convey ideas internally. For KFC, the image of a basketball team is applied to crisis management. Ahead of the PRNEWS webinar, “Crisis Management Tips to Keep You Cool in the Hot Seat,” July 25, KFC’s global public affairs manager Tori Carter explains basketball’s application to crisis. She also discusses the element of surprise in crisis simulation.

Muck Rack, a journalist database, media monitoring and coverage reporting platform, released its 2019 State of Journalism study, highlighting how journalists use social media and work with PR teams. Currently, 47 percent of journalists believe that “the way most companies share information with the media is outdated.” It seems the PR industry still has some work to do towards building relationships and updating pitching for the digital era.

Press releases: They may be quaint. Some even say they’re obsolete, done in by technology and Twitter. Don’t believe the naysayers. You still have to get the message out for your clients, especially when you have some great news to share. And if and when trouble comes up, it’s best to stay on top of the story and shape the narrative. But knowing when this is the right vehicle for that is crucial.