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In an always-connected digital world, delivering a message to unite a community seems simple. We see this in the unity of health and safety messaging from organizations that has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now groups, companies and brands must decide about their stance not only on the death of George Floyd, but support of the black and brown community.

Skittles pledged to honor LGBTQ Pride Month by removing the rainbow colors from its signature product in 2020. “Only one rainbow matters during pride,” greyscale candy wrappers read; individual candies will temporarily be leeched of color. Skittles will donate $1 per pack of its all-white Skittles to LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD. Here are communications takeaways to consider as Pride month—amid nationwide protests against racial inequality—begins.

Today, June 1, 2020, we are suspending our social posts and essays to take time to reflect on how we as writers and communicators can stand in solidarity with the Black and Brown communities in the fight against racial injustice and inequality. The following article, published May 29, seems even more important today. Our staff wishes you health, peace and well-being today and in the tumultuous days ahead.

Similar to many in the work force, media relations pros continue to do their jobs, albeit from home. Unfortunately, their counterparts in journalism are absorbing unpaid furloughs as well as layoffs and outright shut downs of media outlets. A simple suggestion might help slow these trends and bring brands benefits.

The PRNEWS staff comes across many examples of brand advertising and communications every day. We have compiled a weekly assessment, with staff members providing their choices of the most notable, good or bad. We hope these brief examples will provide a learning experience about what works and what to avoid.

One of the pandemic’s few bright spots is that it has been a catalyst for communicators’ creativity. Examples abound, including a virtual red-carpet/press screening that National Geographic Channel staged for a new series recently.

The latest battle between the White House and social media platforms began on May 26, when Twitter attached a “Fact Check” notification to President Trump’s tweet which included misinformation about mail-in voting.

It is clear that until the pandemic is over, the world will experience constant change and heightened uncertainty. This should be good for PR, as demand for strategic communication will remain strong. In addition, there will be plenty of changes in how PR looks and functions once the pandemic subsides.

On Memorial Day, a video went viral of a white woman, Amy Cooper, calling the police in New York City’s Central Park on a black man, Christian Cooper (no relation) after he asked her to leash her dog in a leash-required area. The video sparked widespread outrage at Ms. Cooper’s racist report, with some lawmakers calling for false calls to law enforcement like Amy Cooper’s to be classified as hate crimes. Franklin Templeton, Cooper’s employer, enacted a rapid crisis response.

In a way, the pandemic brings the stigma of mental illness to the forefront, making Mental Health Month more important than ever before. The communications tactics for the month may have pivoted to meld with the ongoing COVID crisis. If anything, the message may be clearer than ever that mental health needs to be a priority.