Reputation

The lessons from DeepSeek’s rise offer a blueprint for how brands, especially challengers, can capture attention, navigate controversy, and take over the conversation.

A new C-suite outlook report from The Weber Shandwick Collective indicates that business executives have little confidence in their teams’ abilities to properly respond to an unexpected PR disaster. But communications professionals shouldn’t panic. Executives cited their team’s lack of resources to handle crises—which creates a tremendous opportunity for CCOs and their teams to bring value to C-suites and play a bigger leadership role in corporate structures.

Making crisis drills a regular occurrence can improve communicator response skills and boost team confidence.

This week’s PR Roundup looks at PRSA’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, The White House’s risky media relations move with The Associated Press, and how Shopify’s reputation received some major blows after not acting quickly enough in a crisis with Yeezy.com.

The New York Times exposé published in December about Justin Baldoni’s alleged smear campaign against Blake Lively highlighted the dark side of PR. Then a week later, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times, saying the media outlet got the story wrong. Ultimately, the legal questions in Baldoni’s suit concern media ethics. But in the meantime, the actors’ PR teams should keep these crisis communications tips top of mind.

According to a survey from Morgan Stanley Research, 94% of healthcare businesses use AI or machine learning in at least some capacity. Expectations have forever changed, and healthcare communicators must now rally behind AI to provide optimal outputs for their own companies as well as for clients and healthcare professionals.

In a moment that underscores the challenges of navigating the political landscape, TikTok has found itself in a high-stakes battle. However, this evolving situation also offers valuable lessons for PR pros and businesses on crisis management, brand loyalty and communication strategies.

For some brands, the Super Bowl doesn’t necessarily mean creating a multi-million dollar TV ad during the big game. Many notable promotions don’t even require an actual ad anymore, as the event is now a multi-platform experience for companies and consumers.

With Congress slated to consider a host of measures that could profoundly impact businesses in 2025—ranging from taxes to trade to artificial intelligence—it’s more important than ever that business leaders leverage a trusted army of authentic stakeholders and validators. Our author outlines the ways in which communication teams can take up this task, through proactive and creative storytelling.

This week’s PR Roundup looks at companies not backing down from their DEI policies, Jim Acosta and the White House embracing “new media,” and the result of change on a company’s reputation.