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Earlier this week, Johnson & Johnson announced it had paused “further dosing in all our COVID-19 vaccine candidate clinical trials” due to an “unexplained illness” in a volunteer. One day later, drugmaker Eli Lilly paused its clinical trial for an antibody treatment. For PR pros, messages related to the race to find a vaccine and treatment serve as a natural experiment in healthcare communication.

It is important to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, but it’s also imperative to look beyond that toward the work needed to include all parts of the Latinx community, including Afro-Latinos. Here are some ways PR pros and their organizations can increase inclusion.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct.15), we asked Yesenia Reinoso, a 2020 “15 Under 35” honoree (PRSA-NY), to offer tips for communicating with the Hispanic market. As is the case in other markets, authenticity is one of the most important characteristics to ensure your brand bonds with Hispanic consumers.

Christopher Columbus could use a new PR campaign. Brands and organizations seem to be acknowledging this trend and embracing Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor tribes that populated the frontier of America. We look at several campaigns acknowledging the holiday(s) today.

Awareness months seem like a win-win for brands and organizations. And they can be, assuming they are undertaken with honest intentions. One of the areas that grass-roots group Breast Cancer Action fights is brands and public officials highlighting Breast Cancer Awareness Month for the wrong reasons.

The NFL had six months since coronavirus emerged to develop a plan to face possible crisis situations. It also had the benefit of seeing how the NBA, NHL and MLB handled the pandemic. And yet, NFL fans and players are left with a glut of silence from the league as several players are the first to test positive during the season.

Media relations guru and PR coach Michael Smart discusses a terrific lesson for communicators from Disney executive chairman Bob Iger’s autobiography. Smart says the relationship between Disney’s top communicator Zenia Mucha and Iger, which is based on honesty, sometimes brutal honesty, is the model we need to emulate.

PRNEWS lost an important member of its family this time last year when Melissa Hoffmann, content director since early August 2018, passed away suddenly in Manhattan. The PRNEWS staff remember her as a passionate and compassionate editor and person. A recurring theme with PR pros and others who reminisced about Melissa was her enthusiasm for people and PR. We reprint an appreciation originally published last year at this time.

Technology has invaded the world of media relations, allowing PR pros to send press releases and other announcements easier and quicker than ever. Still, a recent PRNEWS webinar emphasized the human factors in media pitching, including building relationships with journalists through phone calls and empathy.

A leader of a company or organization can serve as the quarterback when it comes to delivering a positive reputation to the public. While leaders do not always handle the day-to-day details of running a brand, they serve as a face for employees, customers, shareholders and more. We asked communication professionals about how to proceed when leadership falls ill.