This week's PR Roundup discusses how to make a brand impact by leaning into football, what Edelman's new report says about trust at work, and what B2B messages get attention on LinkedIn.
Brands Kick Off NFL Season
What happened: America loves its football. And that fact is not ignored by brands and organizations all across the country—particularly during the National Football League’s kickoff week. This year the opening games will be played today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) with the traditional Sunday slate.
And it’s no surprise the NFL is owning all the screen time it can handle this opening weekend. According to Sportico, in 2023, NFL games accounted for 93 of the top 100 TV broadcasts.
Communication takeaways: Chris Tropeano, Senior Vice President, Sports at Prosek Partners says brands can take advantage of the start to the NFL season in a non-cringey way if they are smart.
“The kickoff to the NFL season has become a pseudo national holiday, shaping everything from weekend plans to what’s on the dinner table,” Tropeano says. “Obviously, brands want to ride the tsunami of media hype leading up to game day. In my experience—what really works for brands is tapping into those real moments that define the fan’s personal journey. Think tailgating spreads, fantasy football rivalries, or even those superstitions that help give your team an “edge.” These are the moments that millions of fans live for every Sunday, and when brands find a way to connect with those moments, that’s where the magic happens.”
However, it can be difficult to stand out in a barrage of campaigns for everything from Snickers to Kendra Scott jewelry.
“Storytelling and creating memorable moments should always be your north star,” Tropeano says. “Don’t just slap a logo on it and call it a day—show how your brand enhances the fan experience. Prosek clients have NFL stadium naming rights and are conceiving novel ways to improve the fan’s live attendance experience.”
Edelman Releases Trust at Work Report
What happened: Edelman released a new report this week on trust at work. The report reveals an increased polarization within organizations, with an exceedingly widening gap between executive and associate level employees’ economic optimism. The gap reveals a tendency for loss in motivation and declines in mental health among employees.
Notable findings include:
- Economic optimism among executives (EVP+) and associates (entry-level and non-managers) diverging as executive optimism has rebounded to its 2021 high, while associate optimism has declined by 10-points since 2019.
- Given this, associates feel left behind. Executives are 2.5 times more likely than associates to trust their CEOs to tell the truth, whereas associates are more inclined than executives to trust their coworkers over their CEOs.
- Economic optimism drives employees to be more civically minded, with optimistic employees being 24-points more likely than non-optimists to make personal sacrifices for their country’s greater good.
- If employers fail to address these shifts, they risk a disengaged workforce and miss the opportunity to leverage increased civic engagement, which is especially crucial during a U.S. election year.
Communication takeaways: Internal communicators, working along with human resources, play a large role in assuring the trust of the workforce.
To combat the widening gap, the report re-emphasizes the expectation of the employer to
- ensure employees feel confident about sustainable career pathing
- make a positive impact on society
- and involve employees in strategic decision-making and the integration of technologies like AI.
“By investing in AI upskilling, empowering employees to share their voices, and focusing on advancement opportunities, we can bridge this divide, creating a ripple effect that materially unlocks trust well beyond the four walls of business,” says Julia Christenson, U.S. Head of Workplace Advisory.
Creating Memorable B2B Messaging
What happened: In other research news, LinkedIn released a study in partnership with Magna, a leading global media investment and intelligence company, regarding B2B messaging, and the drivers of B2B ad effectiveness.
Some of the takeaways include:
- Regardless of industry, many B2B ads lack humor, emotional appeal, or a unique perspective, making them underwhelming among business decision makers.
- When B2B ads are creative, they work significantly harder for brands. Business decision-makers are 40% more likely to consider purchasing the brand if their ad is seen as “creative.”
- Storytelling beyond a product’s function can be just as effective for B2B as B2C companies.
- B2B ads are 29% less effective if they don’t have a clear message.
Communication takeaways: Many B2B products or services can be overwhelming or unclear when it comes to communications. They may find the receiver asking “Office Space”-style, “What is it exactly that you do?” particularly when it comes to high-end or complex technology products.
Tusar Barik, Senior Director of Marketing at LinkedIn says injecting some humanity into messaging can make a huge difference.
"Ads that establish a lasting connection through humor and emotion can increase purchase consideration by 40%,” Barik says. “It’s essential for communicators to align with marketers on clear and compelling messaging to grow their brands.”
Nicole Schuman is Managing Editor at PRNEWS.