This week’s PR Roundup looks at the crisis issues surrounding the fallout from sending of government Signal messages to a journalist, a new study about PR employee engagement not reflecting job satisfaction, and how a new online tool created by UPS is helping to alleviate tariff stress for customers.
Branding/Marketing


The Benefits of Building a Velvet Rope Around Your Brand
March 25th, 2025 by Mark SatterfieldWhether a product or service is priced for the one percent or the everyday American, there are strategies to put in place to create a velvet rope around a brand to make your clientele feel like VIPs.

PR Roundup: Journos Pick Bluesky, Frontier Pokes Southwest Air, Forever 21 Bankruptcy Lessons
March 20th, 2025 by Nicole SchumanThis week’s PR Roundup explores the growth of journalists on Bluesky, bankruptcy communications in light of Forever 21 closing, and how brands like Frontier Airlines and Polestar are taking advantage of market changes with messaging.

SXSW 2025 Mixes It Up Again for Brands, Influencers and Their Publicists
March 17th, 2025 by Lana McGilvraySXSW 2025 requires those brands speaking and showcasing at the event to be provocative enough to break through the sea of activations to get the attention of media.

PR Roundup: OPM PR Leader Caught Shilling, Trust in AI Increasing, Guinness Celebrates People
March 13th, 2025 by Nicole SchumanThis week’s PR Roundup looks at an important federal communicator getting caught doing a side gig on the job, how trust in AI is increasing with the public, and how Guinness is connecting with consumers for its latest St. Patrick’s Day campaign.

PR Roundup: Ben & Jerry’s Meltdown, Apple’s Opportunity, Bird Flu Leads to Cat Food Recall
March 6th, 2025 by Nicole SchumanThis week’s PR Roundup looks at how Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever would have to approach a decoupling from a communications standpoint, if Apple’s new product announcements were an opportunity or mistake, and how bird flu is affecting tertiary companies .

How DeepSeek Took Over the AI Conversation
February 24th, 2025 by Lori RuggieroThe lessons from DeepSeek’s rise offer a blueprint for how brands, especially challengers, can capture attention, navigate controversy, and take over the conversation.

PR Roundup: Delta Crash Compensation, White Lotus Collabs, IPR Pinpoints Impactful PR Research
February 20th, 2025 by Nicole SchumanThis week’s PR Roundup looks at whether or not Delta’s compensation to crash survivors is good PR, fun partnerships between brands and “The White Lotus,” and the Institute for Public Relations’s new report that looks at the most impactful research of 2024 for communicators.

PR Roundup: The News and Employee Wellness, Waffle House’s Announcement, Super Bowl Trends
February 6th, 2025 by Nicole SchumanThis week’s PR Roundup looks at ways to interact with employees during times of uncertainty and stress, how Waffle House can be seen as an example for price-increase communications, and what brands are leading the social media conversation before the Super Bowl.

The Psychology of Gen Z’s Historical Nostalgia: What Brands Need to Know
February 5th, 2025 by Clay Routledge and Nicola AvisIn a world of constant digital connectivity and rapid technological change, Generation Z is exhibiting a fascinating psychological phenomenon: They’re deeply nostalgic for eras they never experienced firsthand. This “historical nostalgia” among Gen Z offers a compelling window into how digital natives creatively engage with the past to meet psychological needs and navigate contemporary challenges—a phenomenon that brands must understand to forge meaningful connections with this generation.