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Two major international brands—Dolce & Gabbana and Lenovo—screwed up big time in the last month. How each handled its crisis is a classic lesson in ‘how to’ and ‘how not to’ communicate after a misstep.

Spring is in the air, and so are significant changes at some of the most popular brands. These are not marginal changes where a press release and a few media hits will suffice to get out the message, though. They are major breaks from the branded past that require long-term communication strategies and a sustained effort by PR pros.

Kelly McGinnis became executive VP and CCO of Levi Strauss & Co. in 2013. The move came 18 months after Levi Strauss hit the reset button following years of no growth. From the get-go McGinnis—who reports directly to Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh—instituted four principles that have guided communications strategy and enhanced integration.

Unlike some audiences that brands and organizations cater to, influencers are not monolithic but are a loosely affiliated group of individuals who can have a pivotal influence on PR’s ability to drive conversation and spread the word. But getting people online to share information about your company’s products/services or values requires a different mindset than blasting a press release to a similar demographic or giving a presentation to like-minded people.

The travel industry is faring better when it comes to engaging consumers via social channels.

Here are four key trends related to innovation and four pearls of wisdom from leading professionals that emerged at SXSW.

Due to faster-than-expected growth in users in 2014, up 60 percent, Instagram surpassed Twitter to become the second-largest social network in the U.S. last year, eMarketer s aid earlier this month.

A few ways to focus on your audience.

Apple sends Dick Tracy a thank-you note, a new crisis for Hillary Clinton and Wendy’s takes an interesting brand journey.

The fleeting rush of a major influencer or prospective client responding to a ‘DM’ via Twitter may not be nearly as important for your brand or organization as a kick-ass annual report.