Corporate Social Responsibility

Many marketers continue to operate with the idea that American family ideals of the past are relevant in targeting female demographics. But this tactic falls flat for many—if not most—modern women. Worse, it lacks the… Continued

For the past few years, future-focused communicators have seen cryptocurrency as a potential tool for promoting brand transparency and accountability. That’s because blockchain, the digital technology that logs cryptocurrency transactions, acts as an unalterable ledger.… Continued

The modern consumer holds a world of information at their fingertips. They can research companies to the finest minute detail—including working conditions and the CEO’s latest political contributions. Younger generations hold companies accountable, and want to make purchases with those who uphold an authentically purposeful agenda surrounding their products and promotion.

There’s been a generational and cultural shift toward activism over the last few decades, as consumers call for more organic and open conversations about CSR from businesses. With this, the spirit of reversing capitalism-induced environmental and social damage has also become a trend in marketing. And millennials are largely the ones driving the shift.

Companies like Nike and Ben & Jerry’s have demonstrated the power of brand activism in marketing. With consumer expectations shifting in a tumultuous political environment, what happens when a brand decides to take a neutral approach? Online home furnishing company Wayfair is right now finding out the hard way.

If “purpose” is to last as one of PR’s top buzzwords, brands need to step up their game. Already in the past few weeks we’ve seen Nike forced to adjust its purpose concerning treatment of pregnant spokespeople. Now Google, which espouses free speech, among other lofty values, is warning staff there will be repercussions should they protest as Google employees during this weekend’s Pride festivities in San Francisco. Apparently for Google, free speech has its limits.

Taking a stand or promoting a cause is important for brands, which want to identify with their target audience and its beliefs. Unfortunately, some brands view events such as Pride month or International Women’s Day purely as profit-making opportunities. Here are three tips brands need to embrace so they can be seen as promoting activism not slacktivism.

Operating with purpose must be the lens through which every business decision is made, argues WE’s global CEO and founder Melissa Waggener Zorkin. While sticking to your values isn’t easy, the consequences of ignoring today’s societal issues are much greater. She offers highlights from recent research about purpose that aim to help communicators and leaders.

The opioid epidemic has touched one in three Americans, a new survey from NPR and Ipsos shows. In addition, pharma’s narrative about its role in the epidemic has failed to resonate with a significant majority of the American public. What steps should industry communicators take to rehabilitate pharma’s reputation with the public? Crisis communications provides a possible option.

Each year PR News’ CSR and Nonprofits awards lunch is a pastiche of PR tips and tactics and emotion. The 2019 edition, held Friday, was jammed with takeaways and examples of PR using its vast tool kit to do good. We offer a few memories of the awards luncheon, which was held at Washington, D.C.’s historic National Press Club.