This week's PR Roundup looks at how Ben & Jerry's and Unilever would have to approach decoupling from a communications standpoint, if Apple's new product announcements were an opportunity or mistake, and how bird flu is affecting companies you may not have thought of.
Ben & Jerry’s Meltdown with Unilever
What happened: Sometimes bigger isn’t always better.
It’s been reported that Ben & Jerry’s founders are interested in buying back their ice cream company from Unilever. According to a recent Bloomberg report, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are not happy with the parent company’s efforts to silence the brand’s social and political commentary over the past several years.
For example, in 2021, the brand decided to stop selling its ice cream in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, citing it as stolen land from Palestinians. More recently, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever stopped its plans to make a statement calling for a ceasefire and end to the war in Gaza. It’s also been blocked by Unilever from making any statements regarding the current U.S. President, Donald Trump.
The brand was originally sold for $326 million to Unilever in 2000. Twenty-five years later, Ben & Jerry’s is now worth upwards of billions of dollars. It won’t be easy for the founders to buy it back, even though reports say Unilever is eager to spin its ice cream division off.
It’s a sticky situation, but in reality this partnership could melt down at any time. (Had to do it).
Communication takeaways: Anyone who’s grown up with Ben & Jerry’s knows the brand’s vibe: hippie, free-thinking, creative and do-gooding. It makes sense that its founders would like to preserve that.
But a buy-back of any brand consists of major steps which include a variety of stakeholders. It’s not just the owners who are involved, but employees, customers, investors and more.
Seth Horowitz, President, Horowitz Agency, says when a popular brand joins a multinational CPG company, and the owners then decide to buy back the brand in order to realize more autonomy, there have to be compelling reasons communicated for doing so.
“From a customer relations standpoint, one or more of the reasons must reinforce the brand’s ability to provide a better experience or added value,” Horowitz says. “Unilever has made it clear that it wants to focus on rapid growth. Sometimes rapid growth comes at the expense of the customer experience.”
Horowitz also notes the delicate communications strategy that must be understood from a legal standpoint.
“Unilever will be best served to have the Ben & Jerry’s founders and departing executives sign a separation agreement that protects the interests of both Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s, including a non-disparagement clause to ensure that both Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever use positive public-facing language for the reasons behind the separation.”
Apple Announces New Products: In this Economy?!
What happened: This week Apple announced the debut of its newest iPad and MacBook Air models. The new MacBook will include a faster M4 chip and an upgraded video conferencing camera. The latest iPads also have new chips and increased storage.
The releases come at an interesting time when considering U.S. economic activities. Many federal workers across the country are losing their jobs, and announcements of tariffs on countries like China, a large manufacturing hub for Apple, will have an impact on electronic imports.
However, the company also dropped the price on computers by $100 and has not increased the prices on iPads—yet.
Communication takeaways: Some may say that Apple did not announce its new products at the right time, and instead needed to “read the room” regarding the current economy. Adam Ritchie, Principal at Adam Ritchie Brand Direction and author of "Invention in PR," believes Apple’s audience is so strong and knowledgeable that the company can be given some grace when it comes to making product announcements.
“Apple has always run on its own clock—or smartwatch,” Ritchie says. “It issues new product announcements on its own schedule because it can. And when those announcements come, consumers expect a significant price increase, even if the features aren't a quantum leap forward.”
And historically, Apple does not do discounts. Ritchie says the company did show it was “reading the room” with the price cut.
“The fact that it offered a price cut this time … sets a precedent for other premium brands to do the same,” he says. “It's not particularly shrewd. It's coming from a common sense desire to not become prohibitively expensive in a laptop category which peaked years ago.”
Cat Food Recall Shows a Bird Flu Issue Response
What happened: Avian flu is not only affecting the cost and availability of eggs.
As the virus mutates, it is spreading to other mammals including dairy cows, cats and dogs. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “mammals can be infected with H5N1 bird flu viruses when they eat infected birds, poultry or other animals and/or if they are exposed to environments contaminated with virus.”
A Washington state-based pet food company, Wild Coast, announced a recall on its cat food products as a precautionary measure after two domestic cats in Washington state tested positive for bird flu and reportedly both ate the brand’s food. One cat passed away after euthanization due to the severity of its illness.
Wild Coast posted a letter on its website alerting customers of possible products contaminated with bird flu virus, including its frozen Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula raw pet food for cats. The letter includes product codes, reasoning for the recall, an explanation of the company’s food processing and what will come next. It also expressed condolences.
“The safety of our products and that of our customers’ beloved pets is always our top priority. We were devastated to learn of the passing of a beloved pet, and our hearts go out to the owner,” the letter reads.
Communication takeaways: Dan Rene, Strategic Communications Counselor at Dan Rene Communications, who also serves as a cat dad to Isla, notes that pets are more than companions to many.
“Companies that recognize the importance of this bond will be the most successful as they communicate news that impacts them,” Rene says. “In Wild Coast Pets’ letter to customers, they acknowledge and empathize with the loss of a pet, which is important.”
Rene also says the brand’s ongoing commitment to safety should be communicated and demonstrated.
“Even after a recall, brands should demonstrate a commitment to safety through enhanced testing, independent audits and public-facing updates on preventative measures,” he says. “We have seen many brands emerge stronger after handling these situations effectively. Ongoing reassurance (such as updates on testing and future safeguards) will help their customers maintain confidence.”
Many communicators also learned intense lessons during the COVID pandemic, and unfortunately, the avian flu is something that could also affect stakeholders in different industries.
“I hope there isn’t further escalation with bird flu, but after COVID, most organizations should already have protocols in place for symptom monitoring, reporting illness and workplace safety,” Rene says. “We need to keep these ideas top of mind, and communicate expectations to employees, visitors, suppliers, etc.”
Bonus: March 8 Is International Women’s Day
According to Page Center research, women make up about 70% of the public relations industry. It’s important to remember why days like International Women’s Day are so important and to honor women who get the job done.
The National Organization for Women President, Christian F. Nunes, provided PRNEWS with a statement on what the day should mean to everyone. We thank her for her response and dedicate it to all of our female colleagues and friends.
“International Women's Day started as a women's labor strike against sex discrimination in the workplace,” Nunes says. “It supports equal pay for equal work, the right to vote, the right to hold public office and other political issues affecting women. This day serves as a reminder of the brave women advocates who came before us and a call to action to move forward together toward a future where all people's rights are protected and honored. It's also a celebration of women, our contributions and an acknowledgment of what we still have to accomplish.”
Nicole Schuman is Managing Editor at PRNEWS.