
PR Roundup looks at JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon's flip flop on tariffs heard around the world, Meta's Instagram follow/unfollow crisis, and how to get the right attention from trend and insights reports.
Jamie Dimon Flip Flops on Tariffs
What happened: This week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told an audience to “get over it,” when it comes to President Donald Trump’s possible tariff enactment.
“If it’s a little inflationary, but it’s good for national security, so be it. I mean, get over it,” Dimon told CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin during an interview.
This statement ran in contrast to Dimon’s positions over the years. According to The New York Times, Dimon “repeatedly warned about tariffs during President Trump’s first term.” In 2018 he labeled them a “threat to the economy,” and in 2019 said they “wouldn’t be a positive.”
Dimon also did not explain how exactly he thought the tariffs would improve national security.
Communication takeaways: Many of these onlookers could be JP Morgan Chase customers. Aside from the security aspect, the statement rang clear for many Americans (who could be possible onlookers and potential customers) concerned about even higher prices on goods coming into the country.
Michael Grimm, SVP, Reputation Partners, a national strategic communications firm, says that while Dimon has been known for his pragmatic views as a business leader, his comments are another example of major corporate leaders publicly taking steps to grow their relationships with President Trump. However, he notes, that comes with risk.
“How do JP Morgan, Meta and Amazon’s employees, stakeholders, customers and shareholders feel about this type of behavior with such a polarizing political figure? Such politicization risks alienating these audiences and perhaps damaging [the organization’s] reputation,” Grimm says.
Grimm also notes that Dimon’s choice of “just deal with it” language could undermine the company’s image as a client-focused, strategically-trusted institution, particularly if any of their clients are negatively impacted by potential tariffs.
“If major clients come back and say they have been severely damaged by enforced tariffs and seek JP Morgan’s help, will Dimon say, “just deal with it”? Hard to believe that will happen, and starkly shows the potential reputational challenges such comments may have on their business in the future.”
Meta’s Answers Leave More Questions
What happened: This week many Instagram users discovered their accounts following @potus @flotus and @vp accounts. Many users said it was done without their permission.
Now, if a user had been following any of these accounts before the change in administrations, they’d continue to be following even with the new administration. However, many users publicly noted on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Bluesky, Threads and others, that they had chosen to unfollow these accounts in the days before the inauguration, or never followed them to begin with.
The New York Times reported that Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, responded on several platforms, saying that “it was part of a regular process in which White House social media accounts are handed over when a new president takes office.”
Andy Stone, a Meta spokesman, also took to Threads to say that users are “not made to automatically follow any of the official Facebook or Instagram accounts for the President, Vice President or First Lady,” and that “It may take some time for follow and unfollow requests to go through as these accounts change hands.”
The company claimed it would be fixed soon, but did not provide detail on why it was happening.
Communication takeaways: Regardless of the prompt response from Meta, many users still felt disappointed in a lack of concrete answers. Shawna Rossi, Principal, PinkBox Communications, took to LinkedIn to explain the situation and discussed how technology companies should address instances of distrust.
“This isn’t just a technical glitch despite what Meta said in [its] official statement,” Rossi says. “It feels like a deliberate attempt to push specific content and control the flow of information and sources. When social media platforms take actions like these, it raises serious ethical questions about their role in shaping public discourse.”
Rossi offered some suggestions on what Meta could do to rebuild trust.
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Ensure user choices are respected when it comes to following, unfollowing and blocking accounts.
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Communicate transparently about how algorithms work and why users are being served certain content.
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Implement clear ethical guidelines that prioritize user control over algorithmic decisions.
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Make sure that public statements are truthful representations of what’s actually happening.
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Be transparent with detailed accountability reports when issues like these occur, explaining the cause and resolution.
“Social media companies hold enormous power, but with that power comes a responsibility to act ethically,” she says. “Without trust, these platforms risk losing the very communities they depend on. It’s time for them to prioritize transparency, accountability and user choice above all else.”
What Makes a Trend Report Newsworthy?
What happened: Trends, also known as insights, are everywhere. And when created from trustworthy, useful data, they can tell quite a timely story about a specific demographic or industry, for example.
Recently, Codeword, a communication design agency, released its Report on Trend Reports, analyzing nearly 150 trend reports to uncover what makes them readable, actionable and shareable—including which elements best boost media coverage.
Codeword recognized that while trend reports can be useful marketers, communicators and the media are drowning in them. Reports average 29 pages and nearly 7,000 words, making it difficult to tease out insights.
Other key findings include:
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Trend reports need to provide readers with something worth clicking on to maintain interest. 66% of trend reports are PDFs, with only 10% providing any form of interaction, and a mere 8% utilizing motion in their visuals.
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VIP media earns views, but targeted coverage earns leads. Top-tier outlets made up only 13% of mentions but accounted for 87% of total audience reach. However, there was a much higher correlation with website engagement on brand websites associated with more diverse outlets (89%) and targeted media (90%).
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Optimism breeds actionability. 88% of trend reports were considered actionable, but words related to positive sentiment and happiness were used 1.4 times more often in top-performing reports compared to those with a high actionability score alone.
Communication takeaways: Jordan Lechinsky, VP and Head of Strategy at Codeword, offered several suggestions for communicators on how to create a winning trend report to get media and audience attention.
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Provide value that goes beyond the report. Readers don’t care about your document; they care about how it can transform their business. Offer clear, actionable steps and real-world examples.
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Tailor content to solve real problems. Busy readers crave concise, actionable insights, while others want deep dives and data-rich case studies. Give them what they need to succeed.
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Identify your trend report champions. These are the journalists and thought leaders whose voices matter. Their endorsement can make or break your reach.
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Data is your secret weapon. It’s not just helpful; it’s essential. Unique data builds authority and trust, turning your report into a must-read. Use every tool at your disposal, from first-party data to expert quotes.
Nicole Schuman is Managing Editor at PRNEWS.