This week's PR Roundup features Taco Bell bringing National Taco Day and Taco Tuesday together for taco fans, Boden's new study on the impact of Latinas on cultural and economic influencer and PR Newswire's latest State of the Press Release.
Taco Bell Gets National Taco Day Moved Permanently
What happened: For taco lovers, National Taco Day is a pretty big deal. However, other taco fans (and Mexican restaurants) may live for Taco Tuesday.
Taco Bell users noticed a conundrum. The restaurant’s Chief Marketing Officer, Taylor Montgomery, told USA TODAY that Taco Bell online followers “were questioning why National Taco Day only fell on a Taco Tuesday once every five to six years.”
A keen observation for sure. And Matt Prince, Head of PR at Taco Bell, said liberating the Taco Tuesday trademark in 2023 from Taco John’s inspired the brand to go farther in “righting other taco wrongs.”
“The mindset of committing support to all who make, sell, eat and celebrate tacos—beyond just us as a brand—opened a world of opportunity,” Prince says. He remembered discussing new branding opportunities and campaigns for 2024 soon after the trademark battle settled.
“Someone said, 'It's too bad National Taco Day won't fall on a Tuesday.' Before the meeting was over, I had tracked down who owned the National Day Calendar and scheduled a meeting to discuss the potential move.”
So Taco Bell and National Day got together and decided to give the people what they want—the organization moved National Taco Day from Oct. 4 to the first Tuesday in October.
“Taco lovers can now sleep easy knowing the national holiday has been moved to its rightful and forever home," National Day Calendar founder Marlo Anderson said in a statement.
Communication takeaways: Everyone talks about the power of social listening, and if you are looking for a successful example of what that means—look at Taco Bell. Prince discussed the importance of pushing the loyalty bar even higher when it comes to fans and users.
“One of the most important qualities for any PR practitioner is the ability to find solutions, get things done and not be deterred by the status quo,” he says. “In addition, having a clear strategy and vision for your work as a brand makes anything possible. We could have easily waited another four years for National Taco Day to fall on a Tuesday, but instead, we recognized the opportunity to lead the change we wished to see and took action.”
Boden Study Reveals Latina Impact
What happened: This week BODEN Agency released a new study “The State of Latinas in the U.S: An Essential Study for Brands 2024” in conjunction with its new offering, The Latina Accelerator™, which helps brands identify the white space within their industry and provides them with a roadmap to seize their opportunity with the influential Latina cohort.
Released in partnership with C+R Research, the report uncovers how Latinas feel about long-standing societal misconceptions, and aims to radically shift the narrative around how they are portrayed in society, culture, and media.
Key findings include:
- Pride vs. Pressure: While 9 in 10 Latinas take pride in their identity, 36% of Latinas admitted to hiding parts of themselves to feel accepted.
- Brands Must Step Up: 81% of respondents said brands have a responsibility to improve representation for Latinas. Gen Z Latinas specifically, hold brands to an even higher standard when it comes to advancing representation.
- Breaking Stereotypes: 43% want brands to showcase Latinas beyond stereotypical “fiery” or “spicy” personas, while 40% crave more diversity in how Latinas are portrayed—showcasing a range of countries of origin, skin tones, and hair types.
- Rewarding Authenticity: 54% say it is important for them to purchase brands that champion their causes and communities.
Communication takeaways: With over 30 million Latinas in the U.S., Latinas represent one of the largest, youngest and fastest-growing demographics, and their influence also spans business, politics, and culture, driving a significant portion of the $3.78 trillion purchasing power of U.S. Latinos. Latinas are the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs, outpacing revenue growth of other small businesses. Their representation can no longer be treated as an afterthought.
Sara Garibaldi, President, BODEN, says the results from the study demonstrate that many brands are missing the mark, and they need to make a bigger effort if they want to grab the attention of this demographic, which can have a major business impact.
“It’s essential for brands to cultivate a deep understanding of Latinas by seeking insights into their experiences and respecting the unique perspectives and challenges they face,” Garibaldi says. “To make a meaningful impact, brands should prioritize dedicated efforts to properly engage with this powerful segment, versus assuming they'll reach Latinas through a total market approach.”
State of the Press Release by PR Newswire
What happened: This week PR Newswire (who PRNEWS gets mistaken for ALL the time!) released its “2024 State of the Press Release” report. Still an essential tool for a majority of communicators, interesting data reveals how the release has evolved.
Key findings:
- 93% of comms professionals plan to send the same or more press releases in the coming year.
- 26% of strategic communicators are already using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for press release creation, and another 42% are open to using the technology in the future.
- 88% of PR professionals have used multimedia to enhance their press releases.
- Use of the term "AI" within press releases grew 15% worldwide year over year.
Nicole Schuman is Managing Editor for PRNEWS.