Last month, San Francisco’s leadership failed perhaps the most basic of PR tests: They tried to put lipstick on a pig and pretend it wasn’t a hog. Here are six PR lessons from the city’s failure to appeal to its core audience: its residents.
Crisis Management


PR Roundup: Top TikToks, MarCom Blurs, Barbie’s Missed Opportunity
December 7th, 2023 by Nicole SchumanThis week’s PR Roundup features how we can learn from the top TikToks of 2023, Muck Rack’s latest survey on the blurring lines of marketing and PR, and Mattel’s release of an Indigenous Barbie to mixed reviews.

Reading the Room: (When) Businesses Should Comment on Sensitive Issues
November 30th, 2023 by Shahar SilbershatzIn our ever-faster news cycle, hot-button topics dominate our media feeds, demanding our attention. The dilemma is knowing what to say and when—or whether silence is indeed golden.

PRNEWS Announces 2024 Agency Elite Top 100
November 27th, 2023 by PRNEWSOur fourth annual Agency Elite Top 100, highlighting the industry’s most innovative PR, marketing and communications firms in the business.

PR Roundup: WeWork’s Pending Bankruptcy, News Interest Wanes, FTX Founder Testifies
November 2nd, 2023 by Nicole SchumanIn this week’s PR Roundup we take a look at how to communicate bankruptcy and financial issues, how not to take the stand and how to get Americans back to caring about the news.

PR Roundup: Media Mistakes, X’s Downfall, Barbies are Back
October 26th, 2023 by Nicole SchumanThis week PR Roundup takes a look at major news outlet reporting mistakes regarding the Israel/Hamas conflict, X (formerly known as Twitter)’s free fall and Barbie’s commercial resurgence.

Shifting Reputational Gears on Hyundai and Kia’s Viral Theft Phenomenon
October 23rd, 2023 by Austin AdamsBeyond the legal and financial toll, the reputational damage for the Hyundai and Kia could be significant. It doesn’t have to be that way, if the automakers are willing to change course.

The Friday News Dump Is Counter-Productive in the Social Media Age
October 19th, 2023 by Sean O'LearyThe Friday news dump has turned into a match ready to light your worst news on fire.

When One Company’s Crisis Becomes Your Company’s Problem
October 11th, 2023 by Mike McLeanEven with long-standing, trusted partners, you need to remember that their problems can become your own. In order to protect their reputations and businesses, founders and their communications teams must prepare for the right response when third-party risk becomes a firsthand problem.

PR Roundup: Barrymore’s Backlash, Free COVID Tests, ESG Breakdowns
September 21st, 2023 by Nicole SchumanThis week we take a look at lesson from the ongoing writers’ strike, a new COVID testing rollout and ESG broken promises.