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Final Four! 2018 Most Overused PR Words & Phrases Tournament

March 29th, 2018 by

We’re down to the Final Four of the 2018 Most Overused PR Words & Phrases Tournament. Before calling your bookie to place a bet, go to Twitter, use the hashtag #WordsBracket and tell us which of the four words or phrases should advance to the glorious championship round.

Weber Shandwick’s Work for MSU Raises Questions About Client Vetting

March 29th, 2018 by

Weber Shandwick’s crisis management work for Michigan State University (MSU) has come to light, dealing a blow to the industry’s reputation—and raising questions about the agency’s client-vetting process. While the price tag is raising some eyebrows—Weber Shandwick billed MSU for more than $500,000 for one month’s work—the real question for PR pros is, what should agencies do when they consider taking on a controversial client, particularly in the age of #MeToo?

Will Facebook’s New Privacy Controls Affect Communicators?

March 28th, 2018 by

Following a lengthy lashing in the press and the loss of $95 billion in market value over the last week, Facebook has taken steps to make it easier for users to control the privacy of their personal data. The platform rolled out redesigned security settings that allow users to control what personal information the social network and its third-party apps can store. Yet some data—such as records of the ads that users clicked on—will still be visible.

Data Analysts in the Newsroom: 7 Ways to Adapt Your Media Pitches

March 28th, 2018 by

It is a given that the newsroom is changing. It is smaller and more diverse, for example. A new study from the Tow Center of Digital Journalism at Columbia University also points out that people who are skilled in data, analytics and platform-oriented operations have infiltrated newsrooms. We asked media relations professionals for tips about pitching to this more data-infused newsroom.

Crisis Experts Share What Brands Can Learn From Heineken’s Ad Fiasco

March 27th, 2018 by

Heineken is facing a backlash on social media for a Heineken Light advertisement that many are calling racist. The offending ad portrayed a bottle of Heineken Light sliding across a bar past black patrons and into a white customer’s hands, along with the tagline, “Sometimes, lighter is better.” Two crisis management experts weigh in on this latest messaging fumble.

2018 Social Media Awards Finalists Announced by PR News

March 27th, 2018 by

The world’s largest unboxing broadcast live on Facebook, a luxury hotel chain sharing its service values on Twitter, pancreatic cancer awareness spread through Instagram: these are just a few of the worthy social media campaigns spotlighted by the 2018 PR News’ Social Media Awards finalists. The winners of PR News’ Social Media Awards—which showcase the top social media campaigns and honor the individuals behind their success—are announced at an annual luncheon in New York City. This year, PR News’ Social Media Awards Luncheon will be held May 23, 2018 at The Yale Club.

The Week in PR

March 27th, 2018 by

Our weekly roundup of trends, news and personnel moves in PR and communications. This week’s stories include the fallout at Facebook from Cambridge Analytica, LinkedIn adds video tools, Levine and Smiley fight back at #MeToo and Starbucks’ search for a new cup may produce a pot of gold for a lucky engineer.

3 Tiers of a Social Media Crisis—and How to Manage Each One of Them

March 26th, 2018 by

Savvy communicators know that having a crisis plan in place before a situation emerges is crucial for any brand. But not every negative comment requires a full-scale mobilization of the proverbial troops. Some social media crises can be mitigated before they gain widespread attention. Taking a tiered approach to crisis management strategy is important for avoiding blunders. By examining your company’s audience and vulnerabilities ahead of time, you can create protocols for each tier.

Killer Mike Flexes Influencer Muscles With NRA Interview and Inevitable Apology

March 26th, 2018 by

The March for Our Lives on March 24 attracted huge crowds across the country in support of gun reform. But upsetting the march’s No. 1 trending position on Twitter that afternoon, the National Rifle Association released an interview with rapper and activist Killer Mike. The interview was widely criticized by gun-reform advocates but it quickly became something else: a textbook example of the power influencers have to further a national conversation, sometimes at the expense of the very organization with which they are affiliated.

What Instagram’s Altered Algorithm Really Means for Brands

March 23rd, 2018 by

Instagram recently announced a change to its algorithm so that posts will now appear in a more chronological manner, finally heeding years of user complaints. But does that mean your brand should now post more frequently? How will brands be impacted by this change? Carmen Collins, social media lead for the talent brand at Cisco Systems, weighs in.