January 8, 2021

Pizza Chain Bakes Itself into a Corner with Political Statement
Pizza Inn took a stand on the 2020 presidential election, stating that it's unsure if the contest was legitimate. It's a stance that a significant portion of the public disputes, in addition to several dozen court cases that upheld the election. Why would a brand intentionally alienate potential customers?

H&R Block Responds to Stimulus Check Crisis
For many Americans, the arrival of a second government stimulus check can’t come soon enough. The payments began arriving in eligible citizens’ bank accounts this week, but not all are available for immediate access, and that has some people very upset. On Jan. 4, many H&R Block customers took to social media to complain about delays in getting their stimulus check.

Why Your CSR Programs Require Authentic Storytelling
Finding ways to authentically share news of your CSR programs with key audiences can be a challenge. It's not as simple as just telling people what you're doing. Communicators need to personalize their brand's CSR activities to key audiences and explain why they matter.

'Bean Dad' Offers First PR Lesson of 2021
Podcast host and musician John Roderick, now known to the Twitterverse as "Bean Dad," found his parenting philosophy under fire over the weekend, following a viral Jan. 2 (now-deleted) 23-tweet thread. Here are some PR takeaways from Roderick's and podcast co-host Ken Jennings' responses to the viral blowback.

Eat or Be Eaten: Battling Dirty Data During The Pandemic
Information is power, or, more accurately, without information you are powerless. All of our senses collect information to allow us to make life-or-death decisions. Without this information, we are no more than a chicken nugget in need of ketchup.

Premium Content:

Communicators Face Multiple Hurdles as They Race to Erase U.S.’s Vaccine Hesitancy
With emergency approval of vaccines, the need to communicate the importance of prompt vaccination seems obvious: Without 75-80 percent of Americans vaccinated, herd immunity, leading to a return to normalcy, will not be reached. And now, with the discovery of an additional, more contagious virus strain, getting Americans vaccinated promptly seems even more critical.

Worst Crises of 2020 Expose a Lack of Transparency and Strategic Action
If you are a crisis consultant, 2020 was your banner year. When we look back at the year, clearly there were societal changes that contributed to a proliferation of attacks on brand reputation.