This week's PR Roundup looks at the difficulties journalists are facing after the devastation of Hurricane Helene and how PR folks can help, what business communicators can learn from the port strike and Memo's latest study on messaging while your organization's leadership turns over.
Journalists and Hurricane Helene
What happened: Poynter had several interesting pieces this week about how journalists are exactly covering Hurricane Helene and its aftermath. Many of these journalists are also citizens of the areas affected, and in addition to trying to file stories and get important information to local readers, they are also dealing with their own issues—lack of power and wifi, cell phone outages, flooding of their homes, lack of food, childcare, etc.
In the article one reporter, who lives an hour from Asheville, North Carolina—one of the hardest hit areas—says she is using wifi at her friends houses or at businesses to send stories. Others don’t have water, or have to walk everywhere to conserve fuel which is not readily available. Some team members are still missing.
Communication takeaways: Journalism is a stressful profession on a normal day. Adding in a life-altering crises can make it a million times worse. At these times it’s important for PR professionals to do their research and remember to approach reporters with empathy.
Kati Murphy, VP, PR and Communications at Meow Wolf, which produces immersive art experiences across the country, has experienced first hand what a climate emergency can do to both sides of the editorial fence. She says communicators need to stay flexible and mindful of what’s happening around them to help make journalists’ lives easier during these times.
“When Hurricane Beryl hit Houston right before a Meow Wolf press moment, it was clear most journalists in the area had their attention elsewhere,” Murphy explains. “Rather than pushing ahead, we recognized the need to pause. We held off on the press release and rescheduled media visits, knowing it wasn’t the right time.”
Murphy also says she checked in with journalists she knew were directly affected and acknowledged the situation, letting them know there was no added pressure.
“Being aware of what they’re dealing with, putting their well-being ahead of the story, and adjusting as needed is not only the right thing to do—it protects both your relationships and your brand during tough moments.”
Businesses Need to Pay Attention to the Port Strike
[Update: As of Thursday evening (Oct. 3), the strike has been suspended.]
What happened: 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association, situated on the East and Gulf Coasts, walked off the job Tuesday (Oct.1). The strike has the potential to disrupt the flow of goods throughout the country, entering at the nation’s many ports.
Talks between the workers and the United States Maritime Alliance, or USMX, which represents terminal operators, major shipping lines and port authorities stalled in the latest contract negotiations. The union is fighting against the use of automation at ports and for an increase in wages.
According to a report in Quartz, Walmart, Ikea and Home Depot are only a few of the major companies that could be affected. As a result of this news, many grocery stores and retailers are saying customers are flooding the stores with panic buying. Of course, the number one item selling seems to be toilet paper.
Government entities seem to be setting the tone to halt consumer panic. The Department of Commerce told CNBC that the “work stoppage at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports will not have a meaningful impact on toilet paper supplies. Nearly 90 percent of toilet paper used in the United States is domestically produced, with the majority of imported supplies coming from Canada and Mexico over road or rail.”
Communications takeaways: Entities such as The National Grocers Association, and The National Retail Federation have already issued statements for members and consumers. Many leaders of corporations seem to be forthcoming in the media as well, with updates for shoppers, getting ahead of the story.
Nicole Paleologus, Managing Director and supply chain expert at Next PR, says not just the port strikes but destruction following Hurricane Helene are contributing to a new normal for supply chain disruption, which can ruin a brand’s reputation if not handled correctly.
“The minute a customer has to ask for an update, it’s too late,” Paleologus says. “Because there’s so much that happens behind the scenes in the supply chain, it’s imperative for companies to proactively communicate what they’re doing to address challenges affecting production and delivery, and doing so in the ways their customers prefer to receive updates. The extra consideration to communicate through email, alerts within your platform, and/or text messaging, ensures your key stakeholders know their needs are a priority and questions are answered.”
She also notes that one update or proactive message is not enough during these types of crises.
“Companies need to determine when and how often they’ll be communicating updates to their customers and being transparent about that,” Paleologus says. “According to project44, [a digital platform powering high-velocity supply chains] there are over 100 container vessels scheduled to reach these ports on strike in the next week. Customers need consistent updates as shipments are reroutes. Don’t leave key stakeholders without the knowledge they need to make the best decisions.”
Memo Study provides Data Analysis Around CEO Turnover Comms
What happened: Memo, a PR measurement platform, released new data surrounding reader attention and corporate leadership turnover. The company studied major CEO departures in 2024 (including the likes of Starbucks, Boeing, Nike and others) to see how different communications strategies connected to the changes impacted public attention, criticism and the company profit margins.
Key takeaways include:
- Sharing the news in phases left room for more criticism and prolonged the negative news cycle.
- Narratives around incoming CEO credentials and vision for the company captured reader attention.
- Comms strategies and announcements can have share price and market impacts.
Communication takeaways: Sometimes in PR it’s not just the information you share but the tone and media environment it’s shared in. Katrina Dene, VP of Communications at Memo says for example, that we all know negative news drives headlines and attention.
“The biggest lesson learned from CEO turnover at Boeing, Starbucks and Nike is that if you share negative news alone, that's what people will read and cling onto,” Dene says. “However, simply sharing negative news [coupled] with a plan for the future can change the tide when it comes to big leadership changes.”
Bonus: Leave Mariah alone! (For now.)
What happened: Mariah Carey shared on social media that it’s not the holiday season until she says so. The "All I Want for Christmas" queen sure knows how to reach her audience.
To those asking…. Not yet!!! pic.twitter.com/CCejJcDjDs
— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) October 2, 2024
Nicole Schuman is Managing Editor of PRNEWS.