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The City of Toronto’s CCO Brad Ross argues communicators have done a good job relaying vital messages about the pandemic. As people are tiring of safety measures and we face a second wave, this is not the time to take a break. Do not let this long crisis, and its critics, cause you to question the effectiveness of your work

The news of the day, of course, is the positive test results of the First Couple. In the coming days, PR pros, and everyone else, will be discussing whether or not the White House press operation informed the media and the public in a timely fashion. We take an early look.

The PRNEWS team has announced the 2020 Platinum Awards finalists. Winners across several dozen categories will be announced live in October.

A dynamic Social Shake-Up panel including Catherine Hernandez-Blades, SVP, chief ESG and communications officer at AFLAC, Nadia Khamis, director of corporate engagement for Planned Parenthood, Elianne Ramos, chief communications officer at LatinoJustice, and moderator Dwayna Haley, SVP and practice director, brand innovation and impact at Porter Novelli, discussed the necessity and nuances of tackling social justice issues, and creating messaging behind it.

You can’t stop what you don’t see coming. The internet is comprised of thousands of small, hyper-connected sub-cultures. Many will use brands to further their agenda. To protect her brand, the communicator needs to understand what motivates these online groups so she can spot a disruptive narrative in its earliest stages.

Social media is getting a bit long in the tooth, which has spawned many ‘rules’ about creating great content. Forget them, Lego Group’s social chief James Gregson told a Social Shake-Up session. Instead, focus on the basics. Social’s fundamentals have not changed, he said.

The first Presidential Debate of 2020 seemed neither presidential nor a debate. In a contentious and interruptive shouting match that resembled an argument between angry old uncles at Thanksgiving dinner, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden offered little to help undecided voters.

A seasoned expert in communications knows how to provide the right words for any situation. However, the explosion of social platforms led to an ocean of content, and the real issue now is how to stand out from the endless scroll. Leah Feygin, head of U.S. creator content solutions at Twitter’s creative arm—ArtHouse—advised Tuesday’s Social Shake-Up participants on the craft of unforgettable content.

Even before the pandemic, plenty of major media outlets were struggling to stay in business. With fewer targets to pitch, is it time to ditch your media relations strategy? Veteran communicator Michael Monahan argues there still are myriad ways to attract coverage, even if one of the solutions means PR pros are crafting content.

Ahead of this year’s Social Shake-Up virtual social media conference, we spoke to #SSU2020 speaker Alanna Bass of Okayplayer. Whether you are trying to communicate with a diverse audience or jump into a trending conversation, Bass says to keep these things in mind in tumultuous 2020 and beyond.