Dan Mazei is principal at All Tangled Roots. He previously worked at brands including Tinder, Activison Blizzard and Reebok. 

Your procurement lead e-mails you to check-in. You’re coming up to the end of your agency’s contract, and it’s time to evaluate. 

You look back through your quarterly reports, the coverage summaries, the recommendations for the new year. There are no real red flags or disastrous misses; you rationalize that the moments of frustrations can be traced back to internal timing shifts, re-briefs, lack of clarity. The work has been solid. 

So… what is this nagging feeling? 

Beneath every decision today, there are festering anxieties. Work-life balance and the morality and practicality of return-to-work requirements. Stagnant salaries. Rampant layoffs. Shrinking dollars and, in America, early signs of an emotionally taxing election.

The fact is, brands cannot ultimately succeed if their leaders are mentally and emotionally taxed beyond their means. 

As service providers, agencies and consultants have been trained for a generation to be strategic partners, thought leaders, problem solvers and resolute warriors. But missing in that equation is caring, understanding and empathy. These are fundamental tenets of humankind, not luxuries afforded to the clients with the largest retainers. 

It’s only prudent, then, that decision makers consider when selecting or retaining their agency partners how those teams treat them as individuals. 

So, as a leader, how do you know when it’s just not right? 

Firstly, consider this: If you sat down with your agency lead over a coffee tomorrow morning and asked, “What are the biggest challenges I’m facing right now,” what would you hear in response? The answer should not be a recitation of your last status call agenda, nor should it be a summation of your company’s operating environment. Both of these are data sources for problem solving, but they are not reflective of a deep personal understanding of you and your daily realities. 

Next, think about the questions you get back from your agency or consultant when you present a new challenge. You should certainly remember receiving thoughtful, strategic questions. But are you hearing questions about your existing workload, and how this challenge fits into your priorities? More specifically, do you expect your partner to proactively lighten your burden, so you can be a better operator internally? 

And when you’re closing your laptop on a given day, are you doing so knowing that your partner is thinking of ways to be more efficient and flexible? Past the timelines and the hard deliverables for your work, do you see your partner putting in the time and effort to streamline the process; to make the work more easily consumable for you and any other stakeholders; to get you the materials early so you have more runway for review and improvement? 

The value exchange of the client/partner agreement demands that these questions end with a resounding, “yes.” 

Servicing an in-house leader today requires an active understanding and appreciation for the quiet noise – the things that may not be captured in an e-mail or noted on a call, but are nonetheless impacting the way the work is actually getting done. Drawing out and analyzing the quiet noise is not easy, but great partnership requires it. It is both good business and good ol’ fashioned civility for your partner to ask questions beyond the brief, and to think from your perspective as a leader, people manager and peer. They should be considering and framing their questions around how you’ll be managing your internal team on this work; around the relationship dynamics of any other stakeholders who will see this work; around the toll this work may be taking on your overall stability. This is the quiet noise. This is what makes already challenging work that much harder, and it can only be seen through the eyes of partners who rightfully prioritize caring, understanding and empathy in their service model.

If this sounds foreign to you as a leader, it doesn’t mean your agency or your consultant is bad. It simply means you’re not getting the maximum value available from your partnership. Because, when both signatures go on that contract, you mutually agree to do your best work together. When the world around us grows more complex, so too does the expectation of what can be defined as a partner’s best work. 

Make sure, when you sit down to talk big picture with your agency lead or consultant, that you make this expectation clear, and that you need it to be your best as a client, an operator, and as a fellow human being. Explain that this does not replace another section in the scope of work, but is simply a way of operating that will strengthen the satisfaction and, in turn, the commitment of everyone involved. 

Because, at the end of the day, the work you do with your partners can crush every KPI and win industry awards – great, enviable outcomes, to be sure – but will that be what you remember if the journey to get there was sad, confusing and lonely? Of all the questions to ask today, perhaps that’s the most important.

The post The new agency contract appeared first on PR Daily.

Sarah Riley is a vice president at Method Communications.

PR people are in the business of establishing, nurturing and maintaining relationships –but no relationship is more important than those we have with our clients. The benefits of stellar client relationships are twofold: seamless communication makes for better outcomes, increased efficiency and honest conversations. Equally as important: it’s nice to enjoy the people that you work with every day, and feel that they’ve placed their trust in you. 

Our industry brings high highs, like celebratory cheers after a great piece of coverage hits, and low lows, like commiserating when an exclusive falls through. Both are bettered by a solid foundation between agency and client.

Here’s how to get there. 

Establish genuine connections 

Establishing trust with a new client is table stakes, but developing a working relationship that feels natural, positive, and good is something else. It’s not just small talk during the first five minutes of a call. It’s sending chocolates when they get promoted, commiserating about a delayed product launch and finding ways to trauma bond through an all-day and all-consuming crisis. 

When you’re lucky, it’s also laughing over two, maybe three, glasses of wine after it’s all over. The aim here is to instill confidence that you’re united by the same goal: helping them and their company be successful. 

Learn what a client wants, what a client needs

Another surefire way to establish a good working relationship? Make your clients’ life easier. Our goal should be to give them something (research, monthly priorities, messaging – anything!) that they can use, not something they need to do something else with to be able to use. Think about something as mundane as a recommendation you give in response to an inbound request from a reporter. You could say “This publication is legitimate, it’s worth doing in our book,” or you could include the UVM, the last time your client connected with that publication, a flag about a coverage area they’ve been dipping into lately, and a drafted note they can pass along to execs that outlines the ROI for the opportunity. 

Ask yourself: How can I make their day, week and life easier? How can I make them look good to their boss? How can I encourage them towards making something bigger and better than they imagined? Call it concierge service, white-glove service… just look for ways to surprise and delight. 

Discover how to fail together, then grow from it

When I’m training interns new to PR, I tell them to always expect the unexpected. We’ve all learned over time that despite our strongest efforts and best-laid plans, disappointments are inevitable. We’ve been the bearer of bad news, but we don’t need to hide our disappointment with smoke and mirrors. We can tell our clients that we’re as upset as they are that we didn’t land inclusion in an article we worked really hard to get featured in. That we know their hard work feels fruitless, and that we can do what’s possible to create another opportunity – even if we can’t always guarantee it.

A true partner shares in joint failures as much as successes, and how we respond to those failures is equally important as how much effort we put into avoiding them. When you’ve established a solid relationship with clients, this won’t come across as excuses or lip service because it will be genuine. 

By doing all of these well, you’ll not only be a good agency partner, but an asset to your clients as individuals for life. The world of PR and marketing is increasingly small and constantly moving. A client today could be a colleague tomorrow, or even an advocate for you and your agency when they move to a new company that would be amazing to work with. You never know where people are going to end up, so nurturing every relationship you can is in everyone’s best interest. 

The post 3 pillars of building a rock-solid client relationship appeared first on PR Daily.

This artifact is shared in partnership with the Museum of Public Relations. 

Ofield Dukes was born in 1939 in Rutledge, Alabama, and passed away in 2011. Dukes’ work included advising all Democratic presidential candidates since 1968 and many other political and cultural figures. His work focused on strengthening the relationship between Washington and Black leaders. Throughout his career, he worked with other renowned corporate clients, including Lever Brothers, Anheuser-Busch, CBS Records, AT&T, the National Bankers Association, the National Education Association and the Treasury Department. He retired a few months before his passing.

The plaque was gifted to Dukes from Motown Records. Motown was among the first clients as Dukes launched his public relations firm, Ofield Dukes & Associates, in 1969. The plaque is today housed and displayed by the Museum of Public Relations in downtown Manhattan.

“Motown Records Gratefully Acknowledges Ofield Dukes, A Living Legend and a Public Relations Pioneer. In honor of Black History Month, we celebrate your legacy, significant contributions to Motown Records, and your lifetime commitment to the field of Public Relations and Communications.”

The post From the Museum of Public Relations: Motown honors PR legend Ofield Dukes appeared first on PR Daily.

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➢ Communicators have a steady seat in the boardroom and are taking an active role in crafting corporate policy and voting on pivotal issues.

➢ Generative AI wipes out the busy work and allows communicators time to be strategic, creative and proactive.

➢ The word “strategic” has been scrapped from the term Strategic Communications for its obvious redundancy, and the Chief Communications Officer now reports to the CEO.

➢ DEI and ESG are no longer polarizing labels as the practices of inclusion, diversity and sustainability are as normalized as media relations and community relations.

Is this the future of communications, or is this just a pipe dream? For most communicators, it’s hard to imagine a future in which the scenarios above come to fruition.  

There’s a small cohort, perhaps the ones attending Davos or other economic global forums, who have the seat at the table and the ear of the C-suite. But for most communicators, you are just too busy getting through the day.  

You say you’re too busy. In Ragan’s 2024 Communications Benchmark Report, communicators cite that the top reason they can’t be more strategic is because they are being pulled in too many directions, with tasks and requests that keep them from big-picture strategy. This answer has topped the other choices for the past six years of the Benchmark Report.   

The last several years have been seismic for communicators. As the stakes were raised during the early stages of the pandemic, and amid social justice and geopolitical unrest, communications met the moment. In my three decades in this space, I’ve never seen so much positive movement.  

Communicators were front and center, keeping stakeholders informed, employees safe and connected. They weren’t in the boardroom, per se, but they were (and arguably are today) at the heart of their organization, not missing a beat.  

The risk is real

But the more things changed, the less it stuck. As we look to the near future, we risk a slide back.  

The tremendous influence and authority gained from 2020 to 2023 is at risk of slipping through the many priorities organizations face unless there is a collective awareness that Comms is still taking a back seat to other roles in the organization. Communicators need to come together around the core issues impacting society and their organizations and assume a role they might not have deemed themselves worthy of when they first entered the profession.  

The stage is set to take the lead role on critical issues of the day: AI’s impact on work and society, employee upskilling, brand management and social issues, misinformation management and ensuring a reasonably diverse and inclusive work culture.  

We are not talking side character or cameo roles — comms should be the lead role in this regular series.  To do this, it’s critical that communicators get curious beyond the walls of its own comms department.  

Here are some ways forward: 

Play in the AI sandbox: Dabble in the potential of AI for you and your team and for the larger organization, asking questions that will positively transform business. Play with AI rather than pray that it won’t impact you. Partner with other communicators to create a framework that moves our profession forward.  

Become business fluent: Treat it like learning a new language and commit to diving into the numbers, getting curious about the ecosystem that drives your business and dashboarding KPIs that truly tie comms to business growth. 

Take the lead in upskilling: AI has accelerated the need for most professionals to develop new skills and competencies (upskilling has always been important). In addition to ensuring you and your comms team are learning new skills, you have the chance to be at the table formulating and overseeing a talent revolution. Somebody’s got to do it – why not you? 

Be comfortable in the fog: With the U.S. election and nearly 40 other elections around the globe in 2024, this will undoubtedly be another year of uncertainty and division within your organization and among your customers and other stakeholders. Communicators will need to manage the murkiness and be the voice of reason, stability and truth. 

Stop being so busy: As mentioned earlier, communicators are busy bees. But as you commit to taking the lead on upskilling, AI and strategic business counseling you’ll find that the stage is yours to take the lead. Decide where you need to spend your time or someone else will decide for you. 

This is all to say: Buckle up, communicators, for an exhilarating ride.  

Diane Schwartz is the CEO of Ragan Communications.  

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There are never enough hours in a day to complete all the work an in-house communicator has on their to-do list. The nagging feeling that there’s more that you could, should, be doing is enough to bring even the most cheerful pro down.

But sometimes, agencies can be a solution to that time crunch.

PR Daily spoke to Laura Emanuel, managing director of Red Thread PR, and Randi Berris, vice president of Marketing and Communications at Business Leaders for Michigan, about when an agency can supplement in-house work.

Emanuel said that she helps in-house teams assess their agency needs and where the best opportunities for collaboration lie.

“Together it’s the ultimate kind of partnership and the ultimate team to really pull everything off to the best of our ability,” Emanuel said.

‘Look under the hood’ first

Before collaboration even begins, it’s critical to understand what your needs are. The first step is to understand what everyone is doing by conducting an audit to understand what tasks are on everyone’s plate, what’s getting done and where another set of hands is needed.

“Look under the hood of what everyone is doing,” Emanuel suggested, to gain insight into how to rebalance workloads for greater success.

For instance, Berris said her company heavily relies on agencies for their media relations acumen, especially when it comes to specific relationships with reporters in local markets across Michigan.

“When I’m looking at different agencies to choose, I need a good thought partner for strategy and tactical support for advertisement placement and bread and butter public relations,” Berris said.

Once needs are identified, it’s time to identify where an agency can really pitch in. Often in-house communicators must stay responsive to quick-turn, high-importance requests from within the organization. But when it comes to looking for opportunities, an agency might bring the fresh eyes you need.

“More of the proactive type things that oftentimes (in-house teams) need an agency to keep an eye on,” Emanuel said of using an agency.

In addition to helping with comms planning, agencies could help an in-house team see things through a new lens.

Emanuel said that an in-house team might be so used to being reactive to internal comms pressures that an external agency has the advantage of seeing the big picture that’s often overlooked when one is immersed in the day-to-day grind.

Berris echoed similar thoughts. Berris said that in her experience working in larger companies, her in-house team relied on agency support as thought partners to bring to life new ideas and comms strategies – especially if they had a fresh take on something that an in-house team might have missed or were too busy to see.

“Now and in my previous roles, having that third-party perspective is really important,” Berris said.

Berris said that in-house teams might not see the forest for the trees in their comms because they’re dealing with it day in and day out. Having an agency could show them what comms angle is working and what’s not and what makes sense and what doesn’t.

“I think it’s very easy for us to assume everyone understands exactly what we’re talking about – how we’re saying it,” Berris said of an in-house team. “And having the third party helps balance us out and be able to push back when we’re getting too comfortable with language that some might see as jargon-y or bureaucratic. An agency is helpful in being that reality check.”

Using agencies for tactical support

Emanuel said that it is vital for agencies to have an ongoing dialogue with their in-house teams about resource allocation and the internal measurement process to best understand the success of the partnership. That also looks like ensuring everyone is on the same page with tracking tools to know how stakeholders engage with internal content to see if the messaging works or should be tweaked.

“It gets pretty granular,” Emanuel said of the data shared with her agency. She added that while clients will share different amounts or kinds of data, it provides agencies with a better understanding of the broader picture.

“It’s not just asking for data for the sake of data,” Emanuel said. “It’s so that we can build the case for where (we’re at) and where we’re falling short.”

Berris said it’s important to have a regular cadence of meetings and check-ins between in-house and agencies to ensure everyone’s aligned.

“I also hold quarterly meetings where I get all of my agencies together on Zoom and we talk about all of the issues. And it’s never my intent for agencies to be competing against each other,” Berris said. “We should be working toward the same goal … to support the client, me, and be on the same page with strategies.”

Sherri Kolade is a writer and conference producer at Ragan Communications. She enjoys watching old films, reading and building an authentically curated life. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR/comms speaker in mind for one of Ragan’s events? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.

The post Tips for integrating an agency with an in-house team appeared first on PR Daily.

Here are a few safe bets for 2024: AI will continue to grow in importance. The U.S. election will be an absolute mess. And PR pros will handle it all with grace and style.  

Everything else that might happen in 2024? That’s just a guess. But we’ve assembled some of the brightest minds in the PR industry to share their very best predictions for the year ahead. See what they thought, and see how accurate our 2023 predictions were. 

Wishing you all a very happy holidays.  

AI 

It’s more important than ever before to make sure our clients have consistent online coverage that sheds them in a positive, accurate light as we still don’t 100% understand where AI gets its data from.

Lindsey Stecki, president and founder of Palmer Public. 

Comms offerings and pros’ experience will be reassessed through the lens of, “Can’t AI do that?” Making the case for our value proposition will require stakeholder and business partner reeducation, business model rejiggering and skills development rethinking.  

Lynnea Olivarez, founder and community manager of Ticket to Biotech.

There is way too much chatter about using AI tools like ChatGPT as content drivers beyond basic outlines. As the legal industry more closely looks into the issue of AI and copyright, there will be some short-sighted organizations that will cross lines they shouldn’t and will be held up as trailblazing examples of how and where AI can be used to run afoul of best practices.

Rod Hughes, President, Kimball Hughes Public Relations.

Media relations 

PR pros will focus less on the medium and more on the message in 2024. Since our directive and expertise often lies in earning media coverage for our clients, we can silo ourselves to editorial publications as the sole medium for promoting key messages. Developing compelling storylines and mapping them to the appropriate medium — company blog, thought leader LinkedIn, contributor profile, etc. — will lead to more high-impact campaigns. 

Kim Jefferson, EVP at BLASTMedia.  

This is the first time we’ve had significant global conflicts in the age of social media and such open and fast communications platforms. It’s jarring to see how easily images, videos, and accounts of war can be shared. Public affairs and communications experts must determine how we can use these platforms to more quickly and accurately provide help and assistance, while sharing actionable insights for policymakers. In 2024, we will see a shift in policy media and conversations on social media platforms. 

Bonnie McLaughlin, vice president and public affairs lead at RH Strategic Communications. 

PR needs unity with all types of media. PR practitioners will have to be creative and resourceful to attain placements and, generally, rely more and more on a unified mix of earned, owned and paid media. There are several ways this can be achieved in the future, and it all boils down to creating fresh and useful content and finding where and how it can be placed to reach target audiences.

Vicki Bohlsen, president and founder of Bohlsen Group 

PR will continue to hone its seat at the mid-to-lower funnel tactic table. PR is no longer siloed as an awareness-focused tactic due to advances in measuring capabilities, making companies see the discipline’s value further down the consumer journey.

Nicole Gainer, AVP at Red Thread PR 

Social media 

While there are still some holdouts, the media and brand exodus from X (formerly and more respectfully known as Twitter) may seal the platform’s fate. Companies don’t want to be locked into high advertisement spending while still running the risk that some jokester can replicate their username and hurt their reputation, like Eli Lilly’s stock. HubSpot also cites in a 2023 report that Twitter has one of the lowest ROIs — in short, the bird has flown the nest and brands will decide they should too.

Jake Doll, VP of PR at BLASTMedia. 

Brand founders should feel as open and accessible as influencers. Instead of over-produced content, create organic short-form videos that show the brand’s personality. These also offer the audience a sense of who the founders really are. It goes back to authenticity.  Whether social content, a podcast interview, byline or blog post… offering your key audience a look under the hood is sure to be a hit and drive trust and loyalty.

Sarah Schmidt, executive vice president at Interdependence .

Gen Z are becoming more wary and less trusting of influencer marketing on social media, due in large part to a perceived over-saturation of these posts across all major social platforms. While engaging influencers can at times be an effective method for reaching Gen Z, brands that green light a scrappy social media strategy with clever references to trends in “meme-culture” will often have more luck generating awareness and trust with this generation – generally at a lower cost.

Becky Want, account supervisor at Ketchum.

Crisis comms

Corporate accountability will continue to increase. We are already seeing it as expectations have moved from simply ‘Has [Company] commented?’ to ‘Does what [Company] said have any actual impact or meaning behind it?’ I personally think this is a positive change and will further challenge companies to evaluate their actual impact and role in a crisis or difficult situation. Audiences are tired of companies simply providing lip service to a topic, and comms pros should be, too.

Natalie Maguire, VP of Comms, GIPHY .

The post PR professionals’ 2024 predictions appeared first on PR Daily.

“AI won’t replace humans — but humans with AI will replace humans without AI.”

-Karim Lakhani, Harvard Business School professor specializing in workplace technology and AI for the Harvard Business Review.

As PR professionals, we find ourselves at a unique juncture: Artificial Intelligence offers the opportunity to significantly enhance our abilities when it comes to media relations (the bread and butter of our profession) — but using AI is not without risk.

Before diving into this new technology, here are a few things communicators should consider:

Your creative lifeline: How AI rescues writers from stagnation

For those of us who identify as external processors — individuals who thrive by thinking out loud — AI can be a game-changer. In the fast-paced world of PR, we often find ourselves grappling with time constraints that prevent us from engaging in lengthy brainstorming sessions. When used properly, AI can take on the role of collaborator, seamlessly transforming our scattered ideas and outlines into cohesive and compelling narratives, press releases, or pitches.

In addition, writers who have worked on the same brand for an extended period, sometimes spanning months or even years, may find themselves inadvertently confined by the established brand guidelines. These guidelines can become deeply ingrained in our minds, inhibiting the exploration of new and creative writing approaches. Generative AI can be an invaluable resource in such situations, offering a fresh perspective and encouraging experimentation, helping writers break free from the constraints of familiarity and inject new life into their content.

Indeed, while AI can be an invaluable tool in the creative process, it is essential to emphasize that the role of the PR person remains paramount. AI can assist, streamline, and offer suggestions, but the human element of intuition, creativity, fact-checking, and brand understanding that PR experts bring to the table cannot be replaced.

Keep it secure: Safeguarding sensitive information

Just as companies created social media policies in the early days of Facebook and Twitter, they must now collaborate with their general counsel or chief information security officer to develop comprehensive AI policies. Communicating confidential or sensitive information is one of a PR person’s most significant responsibilities. Announcing a life-changing medical breakthrough, introducing a new executive, unveiling an industry-changing product, or revealing daring new creative — you absolutely don’t want these sorts of announcements to leak before the embargo breaks. Yet many companies have found themselves in hot water by improperly using public AI.

A solid understanding of AI, coupled with a well-thought-out AI policy, can help establish important guardrails to prevent confidential information from finding its way into open-use AI tools where users have little control over their data.

Ai’s impact on newsrooms and PR: Challenges and opportunities

Much like PR agencies and in-house communications teams, newsrooms are also grappling with the implications of generative AI. Are they allowed to use it? Should we disclose if AI has helped in the writing of an article? Some of these questions are still to be answered. The Associated Press has put out its own guidelines, and as a leader in the industry, it’s expected many publications will follow suit.

As far as their interactions with PR people, New Yorker writer John Seabrook shared, “My fear as a consumer of public relations is, I’m getting 200 PR pitches a day and with AI that I’ll get 2,000 pitches a day. That’s a nightmare scenario that I want to avoid.”

Additionally, journalists have reported that they’ve received pitches containing praise for books they didn’t author or articles they didn’t write — all AI hallucinations.

While AI promises to enhance efficiency, caution is necessary for PR professionals, particularly in their engagements with journalists. The key lies in continuing to thoughtfully vet media lists and personalize pitches — much like we did in the good old days before AI. Information generated by AI should always undergo rigorous verification, ensuring the preservation of trust and authenticity in the rapidly evolving world of media and communications.

***

So, as we confront the challenges and opportunities AI presents, what is there to do next? PR professionals navigating the uncharted waters of generative AI in their media relations strategies should turn to three key principles to guide their approach: curiosity, protection and precision.

• Be Curious: New AI tools specifically created for PR professionals are popping up every day. Now is the time to embrace the potential of AI to revitalize content and enhance creativity.
• Be Protective: Establish an AI policy that allows experimentation without jeopardizing proprietary data or information.
• Be Precise: Don’t get carried away with the efficiencies AI affords. PR people must hold tight to their standards to maintain their relationships with the media and remain effective communicators.

Hannah Freedman is director of media and communications at Notified. 

The post The future of media relations: Navigating AI’s impact on PR appeared first on PR Daily.

Delta Dental of California sought to do something about the high rates of cavities and poor oral hygiene in Hispanic youth. But their communicatons team knew that a preachy, PSA-driven campaign wouldn’t cut it with this young, tech-savvy audience

So Delta Dental created a multi-channel campaign, Healthy Teeth from Crib to College, to reach this audience where they live.

Their campaign emphasized the importance of good oral care during National Smile Month (May 15­ – June 15) last year. Highlights included a Spotify playlist, influencer outreach and earned media.

Zelly Lodin, corporate communications manager at Delta Dental of California, told PR Daily that their PR team brought energy and life into the campaign to make their messaging stick.

“It’s going to be hard to get your audience excited if you’re not excited,” Lodin said. “It’s oral health, but we got really excited when we see these comments roll in on content we share. The energy we’re bringing is reflected in the audience in what they’re experiencing and we see that through engagement.”

The campaign achieved its goals — and won Delta Dental the Collaborative Social Media Communications and Multichannel Campaigns in PR Daily’s Social Media and Digital Awards.

Here’s what you can learn from the campaign:

Tap experts to spread the word

The PR team made Chief Dental Officer Dr. Dan Croley a key part of the campaign. They reached out to numerous members of the media to secure interviews, like this one on PBS South Florida. During the interview, Dr. Croley talked about prioritizing oral health and cavity, and disease, prevention with good oral hygiene.  Their efforts earned them 285 traditional media placements and an audience of 175 million in outlets including the Los Angeles Times, the Houston Chronicle and the Miami Herald.

“As a team, we’re very small, so we’re always leaning on our chief dental officer and dental experts internally,” Lodin said. “We kind of fold so many people from throughout the company to really be the spokespeople for some of the content.”

The campaign had a number of firsts for the company with their efforts, including the first Spanish-speaking TV broadcast interview and its first Spanish-speaking published interview featuring Dr. Ernesto Borgards.

“It felt like it was very validating – all the work and effort we put into creating these internal connections and collaboration opportunities,” Lodin said.

Connect with influencers

Lodin said that the PR team cast a wide net across platforms to reach their audiences, which included using influencers.

Delta Dental partnered with influencers like Meleah Campbell, a Washington, D.C., educator, to engage in conversations about children’s oral health. They also engaged with dancer Kim Hale, who encouraged her followers to follow @deltadentalins on Instagram and comment on what made them smile during the campaign.

Lodin added that Delta Dental is not the “sexiest company out there” and oral health is not always top of mind. But the influencers helped add a sense of fun to what can be a boring — or even scary — concept.

Lodin said that simply putting out content about the importance of oral health is not enough.

“It is not going to resonate,” Lodin said, adding that kind of content coming from an influencer, making that touchpoint, and incentive for engagement, is “key.”

Consider nontraditional messaging

The team also came up with a creative idea to use music to reach their young audience: Spotify playlists featuring two-minute songs — the correct length of time to brush your teeth — catered to different interests and age groups.

Lodin said that she and her team tried to think of the end-user when making the playlists, which include everything ranging from kids’ music to lo-fi.

“I really tried to craft it and communicate what people are searching on Spotify and make it user-centric and patient-centric,” Lodin said.

She added that someone listened to a song on one of Delta Dental’s playlists and said that they have ADHD and dental anxiety. The person decided to add one of those songs to their own playlist and it improved their brushing habits. That’s validation for Lodin.

“When we have messaging and tie it into the company and take what we do in the industry to the next level, we can move the needle in people’s lives for the better,” Lodin said.

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.

The post How Spotify playlists helped Delta Dental of California reach new audiences appeared first on PR Daily.

Mary Poliakova is a global PR consultant, co-founder and COO of a London-based PR agency Drofa Comms.

Samantha Jones from “Sex and the City,” Alexis Rose from “Schitt’s Creek,” Olivia Pope from “Scandal” – what’s the common thread binding these cherished TV personas? You guessed it right. They all worked as publicists or communications specialists. However, financial public relations professionals are notably absent from this list. Why? Well, financial PR doesn’t carry the same allure and glamor among entertainment folks. 

On the one hand, financial PR is very niche and does differ from entertainment, fashion or beauty PR, and other industries. Yet, although financial PR seems very scary and out of reach at first glance, it utilizes the same tools and has no less networking involved – only we hang out with investors, traders, and venture capitalists events rather than with designers and beauty gurus at a product launch party. What I’m getting at is that, initially, financial PR might appear intimidating. However, I want to reassure you that stepping into this field is not as daunting or challenging as it may seem. Let’s see what sets financial PR apart and what practical habits will push you forward – no matter if you’re planning a specialization transition or a total career pivot.

What makes the world go round

Simply put, financial PR is about communicating complex financial information to a range of stakeholders. Unlike entertainment or fashion PR, it navigates intricate regulatory landscapes, conveying critical data to investors, analysts, and the general public. This demands a deep understanding of financial markets, regulations, and the ability to translate technical jargon into clear, accessible messaging. Still interested? Then, to make things easier for aspiring financial PR pros, I gathered five practical tips on how to start your career journey and succeed:

Hit the books

A finance degree isn’t a must for financial PR. I stepped into financial journalism 15 years ago without a finance background. Yet, my initial action was to pass a three-month course on “financial market basics” at a brokerage house. Needless to say, it was the best decision I’ve made in that position. That lesson stuck with me and influenced our agency’s approach. We have employees from diverse backgrounds, with or without prior finance experience. No matter the background, new team members take our finance course in the first two weeks of onboarding. It’s a practice that’s proven effective and inclusive, nurturing skills regardless of past financial expertise.

Navigate the news flow like crazy

Market volatility can stir concerns among investors, causing stocks to experience rapid fluctuations. In such moments, adept navigation and flexibility are imperative. A readily accessible life hack is leveraging a macroeconomic events calendar. This proactive tool enables preparation ahead of time — drafting press releases or insightful commentary in anticipation of market declines or surges. It helps craft impactful content and breaking news but also equips you to promptly address journalists’ inquiries about your company’s stock performance. 

Always keep in mind the regulators 

Numbers speak louder than words, particularly in the realm of finance. Delving into financial PR entails understanding diverse regulatory landscapes across countries. Take, for instance, the intricacies surrounding PR for a company embarking on an IPO. It becomes crucial to discern the occasions when and which information can become public. Similarly, companies that already have traded shares must follow strict guidelines for revealing financial data, including the specifics of timing, recipients, and sequence.

Know your numbers

In finance, guesswork and opinions without solid numbers fall short. Convincing arguments must be rooted in concrete figures. Mastering data journalism techniques in PR is a bonus for you. Again, you don’t need specialized education; the world of numbers operates on logic and clarity. From my experience, finance and numbers prove seamless to work with. Why? Numbers and analytics transcend politics and subjectivity, offering a reliable touchstone. Proficiency in handling figures is the key to success in financial PR. When exact earnings can’t be disclosed due to NDA or compliance, leverage percentage indicators. For instance, replace “the company earned $200 million this year” with “the company’s revenue increased by 130%.” Feel the difference. This approach aligns with Kahneman’s insights and is well-explored in his work “Thinking, Fast and Slow” – a recommended read.

Embrace business and finance as your hobby

If the realm of finance and numbers doesn’t intrigue or captivate you, then even exceptional professionalism in communications won’t help you master financial PR. The secret I’ve learned as a PR lead, you need to have an interest in business and finance to succeed in this field. My colleagues come from various backgrounds – IT, education, and even the arts – now working with tier-1 media outlets and specializing in quarterly and annual statistics from leading finance firms. Previous experience in PR from another sector isn’t the decisive factor; your eagerness and drive to understand finance will chart your path toward your goal.

Utilize, succeed

The tips above have proven effective to many top-notch professionals in financial PR, myself included. The critical aspect for aspiring communications pros is embracing change — whether it entails transitioning from a different PR niche or commencing financial PR afresh — and being open to new, exciting challenges.

The post The secret to financial PR success: 5 practical tips for aspiring pros appeared first on PR Daily.

Amanda Guisbond is founder and chief communicator at Intersection: Health. Rachel Huff is president and founder at agency search consultancy Victoire & Co

There’s a rising tension between PR agencies and in-house teams, fueled by the perception that PR agencies are not “delivering.” This trend is complicated by a media landscape in which there are many more communicators than reporters and increasing pressure on clients of all sizes and stages to be more visible among their customers, buyers and investors with fewer people and less budget.

So, how can agencies and in-house teams avoid the 30-day-kill clause and come away feeling more satisfied with their partnerships? Below, we explore the latest strains on agency-client relationships, contributing factors and how everyone can navigate and adapt for better results.

Initiative and adaptability are paramount

Increasingly, we hear from client-side communicators that their agency partners are not generating the media results that drew them to work together in the first place. Though media relations isn’t the only role of a PR firm, it’s a core component – particularly for early-stage companies that are new to telling their story, or for more established brands that are looking to redefine themselves. Clients rely on their PR firms to be strategic storytellers, adapting communications to capture the attention of journalists as the gatekeepers to other audiences. Yet some agencies are throwing their hands up; or worse, waiting until clients complain, and then suggesting they pay-to-play.

Agencies are right to point to a challenging media landscape where earned media is harder to come by, and owned or paid content is a faster path. But to meet a client’s ire by suggesting they invest more to fix the problem? That can add strain to an already rocky relationship.

Agencies need to get in front of client expectations, fast, and advocate for measurable program strategies for which they can deliver. Starting from objectives, with a focus on results, is key. For example, a compelling LinkedIn post about a new product, shared from the company page, could be more effective at reaching potential customers than a mention in a trade publication.

To adapt to change, agencies must proactively acknowledge circumstances, educate clients and offer creative alternatives—before their clients beat them to the punch.

Double down on delivering

Agencies are always revisiting and expanding their services to meet client needs and grow revenue; however, this can backfire if they don’t deliver on all axes. Agencies should assess their foundational strengths and focus on strengthening these competencies. Similarly, clients should exercise caution when an agency claims, “we do it all.” While it might seem appealing to consolidate agency relationships, it’s worth questioning whether one agency can truly excel in media relations, positioning, executive communications, social media, content creation, issues management, influencer marketing and so on.

Lately, we have engaged in much debate with clients about the merits of full-service versus specialist firms and the agency of record (AOR) model versus project-based work. The answer is, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for every organization. Many agencies excel across multiple disciplines, but it’s essential to understand where they have expertise and where they may be overextending themselves.

Make teams more dynamic, and adopt a collective mindset

Post-pandemic, more top communications and PR talent are going out on their own, whether as independents or by establishing their own firms. In-house leaders can tap into this talent by fostering a collective mindset and encouraging cross-resource collaboration. Some fractional leaders now offer this service themselves, identifying the right resources and building customized teams around the client, based on their unique needs and budget.

To stay competitive, agencies should explore new ways to align their teams with client needs and demonstrate greater staffing flexibility that reflects the dynamics of their clients’ businesses.

It’s also essential to recognize and meet the current demand for a flexible work culture. Two notable examples include R/GA’s recently launched fractional work program, ensuring agency alumni a minimum of 20 weeks of work per year, and MullenLowe’s Momternship, a 10-week paid internship program designed to support mothers returning to the workforce. These initiatives extend agency resources in new, innovative, and more inclusive ways.

Bake accountability into contracts

More than half of procurement professionals, a key player in evaluating and selecting agency partners, believe agencies “over promise and under deliver.” Yikes.

This is where both clients and agency teams need to interrogate a contract, together, and align on clear deliverables and hard results – that are, we argue, tied to payment. One way to prove the value of PR is through scopes of work that have more skin in the game. Consider, for example, a tiered approach to payment based on deliverables, such as a baseline amount for PR activity that is greatly enhanced with higher-impact results.

Most importantly, move away from standardized contracts and have frank conversations about what’s most important, where the client has historically struggled to get results, and what would be best to measure together. These types of conversations should happen early and often; otherwise, they happen when it’s too late and everyone’s frustrated.

Recent research validates what many already know: stronger client-agency relationships produce better results. Agencies and in-house teams negatively impact the broader perception and value of PR and communications when we don’t get these relationships right. Doing so requires more proactive, honest dialogue, a shared appreciation for the changing dynamics of effective communications, and a willingness to adapt -– by all.

The post The PR agency-client model is broken. Here’s how communicators can adapt. appeared first on PR Daily.

Doyle Albee realized his team was missing opportunities.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault. But the traditional PR team at his Denver-based Comprise agency was head down on media relations while the digital team was busy with social media and no one was really looking at the bigger picture.

“There were times when, because we weren’t speaking together as well in advance, I think that we didn’t take advantage of opportunities as well as we could,” Albee told PR Daily in a recent interview. They were lacking one person who was looking at how digital and traditional PR meshed in the 25-person agency and what each discipline could offer the other in a holistic way.

Let’s say a client was releasing a new diversity, equity and inclusion campaign. In addition to having a story on their brand newsroom, had they strategically seeded breadcrumbs on their site before the announcement to show this wasn’t a new commitment? Did their social media reflect the same values? Were there other ways digital could get involved to bolster the traditional media efforts — and vice versa?

There was no one to make sure everything was singing in harmony.

Albee and his team decided that what they needed was an integrated marketing director.

HubSpot defines integrated marketing as aligning your communications efforts in tandem, across channels and platforms. That includes making sure your brand voice is consistent, your materials drive to consistent places and your storytelling is seamless and resource rich.

Comprise was lucky enough to have a candidate fall into their laps without even having to post the role. James Royer has been with the company about four weeks, and already Albee said the role has been “a breath of fresh air” as Royer has been able to offer high-level strategy that ties together the agency’s two main silos.

And not only is that good for clients, but it’s also good for the agency. One of the key ways Albee will measure the success of the role is in how Royer is able to extend the breadth of services clients access by demonstrating how the full breadth of the communications strategy fits together.

“We want to be able to say that all of this is important. You can do a great job, get all sorts of reporter interest, and if the website is terrible, it breaks there. If the social isn’t paying it off, whether it breaks or not, it certainly is a missed opportunity,” Albee explained. “So we see all these things working so closely together, I will think that this really worked well.”

If your organization isn’t lucky enough to have the right candidate fall into your lap, Albee has some advice for finding a great integrated marketing professional.

The first is having the right skillset. You want a person whose experience spans different disciplines, so they can credibly speak the language of the branches they’ll be dividing. They don’t have to be an expert in everything, but they do need some experience and familiarity. The other aspect is the right cultural fit to effect change.

“There’s a million ways to change things. And you can do it as the proverbial bull in a china shop or you can come in and work with people and bring things along. So I was really looking for somebody who wanted to come in and say, ‘This is great, what you’re doing here, I really like this, I’m impressed with this, I see a way to make this better,’” Albee explained.

Both factors need to be in balance.

“I think perfect skills and bad culture would have failed. Perfect culture in the wrong skills would have failed,” Albee said.

While it’s early days for integrated marketing at Comprise, Albee is already seeing a positive impact.

“You can really change your agency. I think it can change and improve the value you bring to clients so much.”

Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post How integrated marketing can boost your PR practice appeared first on PR Daily.

No one sets out to hold a bad press conference. But it does happen. And that can lead to burned goodwill with employees or simply holding a party that no one attends.

“I am very opinionated about press conferences because I don’t like them,” Jay Geer, president of Miller Geer & Associates, told PR Daily. He admits they can be effective, especially for politicians, government agencies or notable people. But he said he cringes when most agency clients suggest a press conference.

“There’s a certain amount of hubris that goes with thinking the media is going to show up to hear you say something,” he explained. “Even if you have something really important to say. There are other ways in dealing with it.”

If you must hold a press conference, however, you’ve got to get certain factors right — like the details.

Include the deets

Logistical steps to help reporters goes a long way. Does a press kit at the event  include links for B-roll, photos, a website or press releases with more information?

While press releases are a popular mode to get the word out, Geer says to stick with media advisories (press releases are too long) for press conferences and give reporters the who, what, where, when, why and how at the event.

“Give what the news is, why it’s relatable and it needs to tie into the day or at least something relevant in the news,” Geer said.

Nicole Gainer, associate vice president at Red Thread PR x Brownstein Group, said that media advisories should include names of prominent attendees to attract a bigger crowd. Also ensure that those who are speaking know what they are saying and preparing remarks for them – and don’t let speakers’ comments overlap one another.

Now that you’ve (hopefully) enticed the press, let’s get the timing down.

At the right time

Geer said that holding press conferences on a Thursday at 10 a.m., for example, is a bad idea because the event is now competing with everything else going on at that time. 

“If something else is breaking or it is a hot news day, your stuff could be important but nobody’s going to come,” Geer said. “I’ve been embarrassed at press conferences even for the city when no reporters showed because there was breaking news.”

Gainer said holding it earlier is not necessarily better because most broadcast stations have meetings with their newsroom first thing in the morning.

“You wouldn’t want to plan a press conference, 8:30, 9 a.m.,” Gainer said. Later is better according to the pros.

Geer suggested if a press conference time does not work out, either reschedule it or rethink the purpose of it.

Consider pairing it with an exclusive story featured in a newspaper the day of the event.

“Print drives the electronic media, so I want that story to break the morning of my press conference so other media when they get in in the morning they see my story,” Geer said. “Now you’ve got momentum. If I can get that embargoed story to break and have a press conference, I’m already successful.”

Consider the timing of how long people speak at press conferences, too. Don’t have five people speak for 10 minutes each. Think about having one person speak for about five minutes and offer the press one-on-one interviews with two to three experts so there are not a “bunch of talking heads,” Greer advised.

Press conferences should, overall, be short and sweet – around 15 minutes, keeping reporters’ busy schedules in mind, Geer suggested.

“What they really want is one-on-ones and they want B-roll. Make it visual. They don’t want a picture of someone talking.”

Setting the right mood 

From ensuring that good visuals elevate the scenery and provide print or digital content for reporters, photographers and videographers to creative staging – take an extra moment to make your press conference pop.

Gainer said that she’s all about creating a dynamic space for reporters at press conferences with memorable, intentional moments.

“One of the things that we try to do is keep in mind that the media get invited to press conferences every single day,” Gainer said. “What we like to do is bring a little theater to our press conferences. I think about how we can take a traditional announcement and take a non-traditional approach. That really starts with thinking about the visual that we can share with the media and think about branding.”

Gainer shared how one of her clients held a press conference for Legoland Discovery Center opening at a mall in Pennsylvania.

“We had several announcements and we started with a groundbreaking,” Gainer said. Instead of having a traditional groundbreaking press conference showing project partners with hardhats and shovels scooping out clumps of dirt, Gainer said they chose 50,000 LEGO blocks instead of dirt. Instead of real construction workers or executives doing the digging, kids in hard hats scooped out mounds of colorful bricks.

“We partnered with a nearby school because (LEGO) wanted to start building their relationship with schools,” Gainer said. “It just created a great visual for the media.” 

Geer has also found success in featuring kids in press conferences.

He recently had a school-based health press conference and had children playing on a school campus playground in the background as opposed to having the announcement in an office.

“It was very effective,” Geer said. “You got to think, ‘I’m a photographer, what do I need? You got to do the press conference in the environment you’re talking about.”

Planning goes beyond cute visuals but strategic ones, too, for prominent brand exposure. Geer said to make sure podiums have a brand’s logo and there are risers in the back of the room for TV cameras and they’re situated above the audience.

“I’ve seen badly staged ones,” Geer said. “They don’t put any thinking into it. They’re worried about what kind of chairs to put out for the press and forget about the riser, or step and repeat or logo. Really do hard thinking, ‘Is anybody going to come to this? I start with that question: ‘Who cares about this.’ And work backward from that.”

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com. 

The post Set the stage for a winning press conference that doesn’t bore appeared first on PR Daily.

Roughly 3% of businesses in America are Black-owned, according to the Pew Research Center. And recognizing these numerically small but mighty brands is important to the 58% of Black people who consider their support an impactful way to improve equality for their cultural peers in the United States, per Pew.

Acknowledging Black Business Month is one such way to show support. BBM is observed annually in August when Black entrepreneurs and businesses are celebrated along with their impacts on economic progress in this country, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

One PR expert said that what makes a successful campaign during the month is brands focusing on the purpose of BBM and not straying into political territory.

Amore Philip, CEO at Apples & Oranges Public Relations, told PR Daily that during this month, she hopes brands focus on the positive economics of Black businesses.

“I think a successful campaign could be one that is really based on the real purpose behind Black-owned businesses, which is (in) part (to gain) generational wealth,” Philip said. “And have some sort of a stake in the economics of this country.”

During Black Business Month, Philip said that brands should inspire stakeholders to take action and support these segments of the community in meaningful ways by leading by example and showing direct benefits of support.

“A message that focuses on ways in which if you shop at this particular business, you are helping the store owner do X,” she said. “It gives you some sort of personal connection to the store owner.”

Here are some good examples of brands that are effectively recognizing the month.

Celebrity La La Anthony partnered with Now and Later to shine a light on Black-owned self-care companies during the month. Now and Later’s “Pause Now, Hustle Later” campaign awarded $50,000 in grants to five up-and-coming Black-owned self-care brands, according to a press release by Ferrara Candy Company. They kicked off the campaign on July 24, International Self-Care Day.

“One of my favorite ways to unwind is to enjoy a sweet treat like Now and Later, and now I get to encourage others to pause while also shouting out some of my favorite go-to Black-owned companies,” Anthony said in the release.

The sweet collab stayed true to the Now and Later brand’s campaign messaging -– timely snacking, recharging and grinding -– while giving these new businesses  a platform to shine. The campaign was made even more delicious with the financial boost helping to set up these brands for success.

Pepsi is also helping increase visibility during Black Business Month through its Dig In Day campaign that offers month-long programming to inspire people to eat more at Black-owned restaurants, according to a press release by PepsicCo Beverages North America posted on Cision PR Newswire. Pepsi’s annual event is on Aug. 19 and features activities nationwide including a Washington, D.C. block party to spotlight local Black businesses, dinner festivities and paying for $100,000 worth of free meals for patrons at select restaurants throughout the country. The campaign also urges attendees to post a photo of their meal from one of the Black-owned restaurants and tag the location and Pepsi Dig in for a potential opportunity to win $5,000 to eat at their favorite Black-owned spots. Another $5,000 would go to the restaurant.

“Our goal for Pepsi Dig In has always been to celebrate and generate awareness for Black-owned restaurants, not just on Pepsi Dig In Day, but all year long,” says Scott Finlow, chief marketing officer of PepsiCo Global Foodservice. “This year, we’re turning up the flavor and … people can indulge in delicious food, cheer on talented chefs, and soak up the vibrant culture that accompanies every dish.”

This campaign helps bring attention to Black-owned restaurants with intentional partnerships with them to influence consumers to think more about where they eat and try new places when they dine. 

It’s never too early to start or at least begin thinking about 2024 plans. Consider impactful ways your brand could create a well-received BBM campaign or comms strategy for next year.

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com. 

The post Learn from these strategies to succeed in Black Business Month appeared first on PR Daily.

Brands have two choices when it comes to answering misinformation or disinformation about them: to respond or not. Misinformation is accidentally getting the facts wrong while disinformation is the intentional spread of lies. The rise of AI has also added to the confusion and noise with deepfakes leaving brands concerned about their response strategies.

During PR Daily’s Media Relations Conference session on Strategic PR and Media Relations: Unlocking Trust in the Misinformation Age, Sally Lehrman, founder of The Trust Project, and Mike Nachshen, former senior director of International Communications at Raytheon Missiles & Defense, spoke about solutions.

“AI changes everything. The scope, the speed, the scale of misinformation. You have to be prepared for AI and what it means to your organization’s reputation,” Nachshen said. “A lot of goodness comes out of it, but keep in mind it’s not just state-sponsored misinformation you have to worry about. Could be a disgruntled employee, could be a bored 15-year-old kid sitting in his basement. It could also be a competitor.”

Nachshen talked about how even beyond AI and misinformation and disinformation, offshoots of world events can impact a brand’s reputation, as happened to Raytheon after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Nachshen said that Ukraine used Raytheon’s Javelin and Stinger Missile to combat attacks against Russia, which General Valery Zaluzhny of the Ukrainian Armed Forces showed appreciation for to Raytheon in a letter.

“The customer is satisfied with this product, the end user is satisfied with this product and the people whose lives depend on it are well-satisfied with this product but there’s a lot of propaganda and misinformation about it inside Russia,” Nachshen said.

Some of that Russian disinformation stemmed from false allegations about Ukraine selling Javelins for $30,000, the BBC reported last September.

“When you’re confronted with misinformation or disinformation you have a choice you need to make. Do you respond or do you not respond?”

Nachshen said that responding takes time and energy and a Raytheon dis/misinformation decision matrix shows how to handle such issues.

If dis/misinformation is detected, Raytheon informs internal stakeholders and monitors the situation.

If it influences their audience, they respond. If it does not influence their audience, they do not respond but keep monitoring.

“It’s here to help you make the decision,” Nachshen said, adding that the flow chart helped them reach the decision not to engage with the disinformation. “The people who matter knew the facts and no amount of fake news is going to dissuade them.”

While some people can cut through the noise and determine fake news, others, however, are put off from trying to wade through it all.

Lehrman said that while people want to be informed, a growing number of Americans are pulling back from the news because they feel inundated with misinformation, disinformation and complicated or upsetting news leaving them exhausted, anxious or disengaged.

A 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer shows that just 50% of people trust the media.

“What we see is a public that’s just overwhelmed by information that we find concerning,” Lehrman said. “You can see how that affects everyone.”

But how do PR and comms pros know which press they want to engage with when it comes time to fight back against false information?

The key lies in trust.

Lehrman said that The Trust Project uses a system they developed called the 8 Trust Indicators, which helps vet news articles and organizations for ethical and dependable reporting.

The Trust Project works with news organizations around the world to help them show themselves as more trustworthy and to show the integrity behind their work. It also helps brands to think more about brand reputation and connect with the above-board ones.

“It’s a collaborative, journalism-generated standard,” Lehrman said. “It will help you know which news organization I should work with and help you think about their work with media and demonstrate your trustworthiness and be part of the solution and bring that brand halo to the work you do.”

The indicators encourage people to look at these factors:

• Best practices
• Journalist expertise
• Labels (straight news, opinion piece, etc)
• References
• Methods
• Local sources
• Diverse voices
• Actional feedback

PR and comms leaders have a very important role to play in the process of responding to misinformation and disinformation, upholding brand integrity, and prepping their leaders on strategies surrounding these issues, Lehrman added.

“If you become involved in addressing disinformation and addressing misinformation not just because it’s about your brand but for the greater good, then that influences people’s perceptions about your organization,” Lehrman said.

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com. 

The post How to strengthen your comms strategy when combatting misinformation or disinformation appeared first on PR Daily.

Public affairs is a noble, yet often misunderstood, arm of public relations.

They suffer from some of the same challenges as other branches of PR, but the stakes are often higher as public information officers communicate messages about shootings, natural disasters and more. On the other side of the industry, public affairs agencies must work to sway the opinions of both governments and the public.

Trust can be in short supply from all sides.

Rebuilding trust

Scott Thomsen, director of Communications and Public Affairs at the Ventura County Fire Department, said that building up stakeholder trust is imperative after it’s been broken.

Thomsen, a longtime public affairs official, said that, for example, law enforcement has faced major fallout for about a decade due to a lack of trust in the public toward police officers stemming from questions around officer-involved shootings and use of force.

The public has a certain expectations from people working in the public sector, Thomsen said. Those expectations, when not met, can result in disillusionment and major distrust. Thomsen said that public affairs is facing many problems with perception. PIOs must address contentious issues and be transparent and truthful in their comms, which has not always been a priority for all public safety departments.

“When that trust is broken, it is very difficult to win it back,” Thomsen said. “The implications of that are really big.”

Thomsen said that health organizations felt the lack of public trust for different reasons after the pandemic hit. The National Institute of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had to combat a slew of misinformation and disinformation campaigns that skewed the public’s view of these entities.

“All of those things kind of carry over into this broader, less defined doubt about government as a whole, whatever other agency you work for,” Thomsen said.

Thomsen said that this public perception has increased recently.

“Over the last six to eight years, we’ve seen a lot of intentional commentary and activities that place questions on government institutions,” Thomsen said.

Thomsen also said that some politicians build their campaigns around attacking the integrity of governmental institutions, which is something “we haven’t really seen in quite some time.”

“They’re having an effect on not just an individual associated with an agency but the entire institution,” Thomsen mentioned. “That’s not good for the functioning of our government.”

Not only is infighting an issue with image in public affairs, but so is a lack of openness and transparency.

“As communicators, I see this as one of the biggest challenges that we face right now is restoring confidence, by the public, in our organizations and agencies, and that won’t happen with a ‘no comment,’” Thomsen said.

Thomsen encourages those in public affairs to strike a balance. Share good stories and good news while being upfront and truthful when discussing unpopular news. Inform the public about what’s happening and where the information is coming from so “it is unassailable.”

“Be proactive when something does go bad. If there are mistakes, we need to own them and apologize for them because we live in an age where not only are people questioning our institutions, but they don’t believe you unless there’s a video to show it,” Thomsen said. “We need to do a better job of telling our stories as government agencies.”

Telling better stories

In another branch of public affairs, Chris Guenza, partner at Chase Global, has seen his fair share of complex comms issues. Guenza works at a firm that specializes in crisis issues and reputation.

He also has worked for large developers looking to build neighborhoods and cities.

During his time at a former public affairs and crisis consulting firm, he understood entering spaces where not everyone buys into an idea. He helped solve major developer perception problems with authentic stories to bridge any gaps from the public.

“From local politicians to community members and local businesses, often, you’ll come into a community as an outsider, already perceived negatively,” Guenza explained. He said that in one case, he and his team worked on a large development in Southern California, which was a point of contention in the neighboring community. His job was to connect with the community members and hear their concerns regarding their negative perception of the project.

“The project was in a rural area, and our firm was based in Los Angeles,” he recalled. “The community members in opposition to the development worked to paint us as a bunch of ‘slick, big-city consultants’ who were out of touch and unconcerned with the issues they faced, like traffic and safety.”

Guenza said that in order to break down barriers, his team prioritized getting to know the community and letting them know who they were.

“We hosted many meet-and-greet events where we brought pizza, beer, wine and coffee to discuss their visions for the area,” Guenza noted. “We talked to attendees about our personal experiences as well, like where we grew up, went to school and what our individual ambitions were and why we thought the project would be good for their community. We leveled with them about traffic concerns and how the same project would be perceived in the small towns where we grew up.”

Guenza said that their genuine efforts paid off and being authentic was a major player in gaining the community’s trust and ultimately, project approval.

“People are smart and care about their communities,” Guenza said, adding that people aren’t convinced by flash or jargon. “We need to meet people where they are and take their concerns seriously. When we do this, we make the best possible effort to jointly find solutions. Everyone now has the power to leverage technology and create a coalition, so it’s important to treat every issue as something that could metastasize.”

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com. 

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Tiffany Guarnaccia is CEO of Kite Hill PR. 

This year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity showcased the power of brilliant ideas, the desire for IRL connections and truly engaging experiences. After being canceled for two years, 2023 is the year that the Lions came roaring back to the Croisette. Tens of thousands of attendees from the advertising, media, marketing and communications world came together to highlight key trends, share insights and get deals done.

Some of the key trends that were discussed at the conference could be pinpointed even before the sessions started on Monday just by looking up at the billboards surrounding the Palais des festivals, which featured ads for sustainability, marketing and adtech solutions. Insiders estimated that 80% of attendees were from the adtech industry this year. Double clicking on the adtech discussions, one of the biggest talking points at the show should not come as a surprise –  AI! Executives debated the impacts of AI in performance marketing and programmatic advertising.

While there were a few events geared towards PR pros and opportunities to meet with leaders from GWPR and ICCO, media and tech brands drew the most attention. Pinterest brought more influencers to the show with their Manifestival, which included activations that showed what it was like to step into the consumer journey on the platform. Attendees could get a tattoo, try a food trend or make custom merchandise. It was a well-produced and engaging experience that brought a diverse range of influencers to the show, many of whom were in attendance for the first time. They also hosted a journalist meetup with MuckRack which drew some attention and served as a welcomed pause in jam-packed schedules.

Stagwell’s vertical approach was well received. Their “Sports Beach” with Axios had some of the best attended sessions overall. It was a great example of the power of aligning to purpose and passion. Athletes and stars graced their stage, including a session with Spike Lee who was named as Cannes Lions’ first Creative Maker of the Year. The Stagwell team tapped into passions but brought it back to the business at hand including the touting of their marketing cloud solutions that includes a PR tech layer.

CEOs at an intimate Kite Hill PR-hosted roundtable shared that the conference served as an opportunity to discuss broader trends but was a good reminder about why we were all there – to showcase our passion for the work and the brilliant ideas that power campaigns.

The beauty of Cannes is that it is not one event but many that give attendees the chance to connect in a variety of settings conducive to candid conversations and genuine connections. All in all, the attendance was up. The buzz was tangible. Let’s see if Cannes Lions 2024 roars as loudly.

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The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity celebrates greatness in a variety of categories, including film, advertising and, yes, PR.

But according to an analysis by media intelligence firm CARMA, only 11% of those shortlisted in the PR category are actual PR firms. The lion’s share (pun intended) are advertising companies, who took home 84% of shortlists in the category.

To better understand why advertising dominates, PR Daily interviewed Richard Bagnall, co-founder of CARMA, via email. His answers, lightly edited, give insight into the roadblocks — and how PR can catch up.

Why are ad agencies so dominant at Cannes even in the PR category?

There are several reasons behind this. The Cannes Festival has its original roots in advertising and has expanded to include many more disciplines in the marcomms world. The emphasis on the event is creativity, which suits ad agencies as their work is visually compelling and built on creative concepts.

Ad agencies typically have much larger budgets than PR agencies, allowing them to focus on high-production campaigns. As Jo-Ann Robertson, CEO of global markets at Ketchum and chair of this year’s PR judges pointed out — Cannes is also a numbers game. Of the 1,600 entrants, 85% were from ad agencies, and Jo-Ann stresses that PR agencies (need) the confidence to step up and enter. The judges are not looking for multi-national large-scale campaigns to win. Instead, they want creativity based on a well-researched idea and strategy that delivers meaningful impact.

Here lies the issue. PR and communications are frequently reluctant to plan and measure in ways that link to organisational value. As the challenging economic situation mounts, it is paramount that the PR industry demonstrates its value and proves campaign effectiveness. The “Insights & Measurement” category had the fewest entries out of all the categories, which should send alarm bells ringing across the industry.

Do you think that says more about the judges, the ad agencies or the PR agencies?

The results say more about the ad agencies as earned first is becoming the only way to build a large-scale campaign … Audiences continue to dwindle, and trust in paid is declining too, which is why earned media is making a comeback. The ad agencies are, by default, moving more into the lane of PR and comms as a result. Due to higher budgets and relationships already established at C-level, ad agencies are well-positioned to be the lead.

PRs must have the confidence to earn a client’s trust to take the top-end budgets and stakes. PRs need to get comfortable with data analytics, measurement and insights. They frequently lack the evidence to support their strategic planning and delivery of campaigns. The industry has a lot of work to do to embrace and lean into insights and measurements available to them. What is the cultural and commercial impact for clients beyond the counts and amounts of media evaluation? The results from Cannes show PRs need to up their game.

How could PR agencies catch up? Is that worth doing?

These awards matter and are a part of the biggest global event in the marcomms sector. The Cannes Festival attracts thousands of people, like many big brands and marcomms CEOs and leaders.

Firstly, PR agencies need to have the confidence to enter. The work doesn’t have to be multi-market for already famous brands but must take research and measurement seriously and demonstrate impact against organisational objectives. Agencies can’t just focus on “stunts” and events. Equal attention on planning, research, data and insights will help PRs evolve with sophistication, lean in and not confuse counting activity with demonstrating value.

To improve the chances of success in the future, impact and value matter as much as creativity, and certainly more than scale and budget. There seems to be a trend in PR that the campaign must be flagship for the client, which isn’t the case. Take the Daily Star’s “Lettuce Liz” campaign, which won a bronze award. That is a testament to not needing a big budget to have an impact and securing great earned coverage.

What trends are you seeing among the PR winners?

It was great to see the diversity of regions globally represented in the winner list, including the first winner from Kenya.

The popularity of effectiveness, planning and our ability to offer credible strategic counsel were woefully under-supported. This needs to change. Many PRs globally are regularly doing excellent work, so the industry needs the confidence to step up and pit themselves against the agency’s big boys!

See the full list of Cannes PR winners here.

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Community relations brings brands, initiatives and communities they serve together with a common goal and vision.

It’s also part of developing good public relations overall, Nicole Gainer, associate vice president at Red Thread PR x Brownstein Group, told PR Daily.

Gainer said that community relations allow a business to market itself to customers, investors and media, through brand awareness and more.

“It’s a great tool in a toolbox for PR pros to be able to communicate a brand’s mission and values,” Gainer said.

Gainer said that community relations is an effective employee recruitment and retention strategy that creates a “halo effect of goodwill” internally and externally

Community relations can help promote ideas and initiatives, too.

Rhiannon Hendrickson, founder and CEO of Orapin Marketing + Public Relations, told PR Daily that one of her firm’s favorite community relations projects was promoting a Denver-area construction company joining forces with a Girl Scouts group for an event.

The construction company’s strategic priority is to help bring more women into the skilled trades workforce, which is predominantly male.

“They brought in girls and had demonstrations and hands-on projects with manufacturing and building things,” Hendrickson said, adding that STEM-related fields were highlighted to encourage and introduce girls to this industry. “They were able to garner media attention for it, which is great, too.”

Hendrickson added that while media attention is key and a vital part of community relations, it’s not the end all, be all.

“I think that too often, community relations is seen as a strategy for media coverage, as opposed to a strict strategy to support the organization’s bigger goals,” she said.

“I think the most important thing is that it is authentic and just makes sense for their brand, as opposed to doing some random, one-off partnership with an organization,” she said. “It really should make sense for the brand and for the company in what they are doing in tying it back to their own strategic goals.”

Another critical component of community relations is donations. Gainer said that her company’s clients periodically make donations to nonprofits serving a community or for an event.

“When developing a true community relations program, we always encourage the brands we work with to think bigger and consider other elements. I like to refer to them as the three T’s, and they are time, talent and treasure,” Gainer said. “When brands consider having those three elements as part of their community relations program, it really makes the program as impactful as it possibly can be for them.”

Gainer said that time is using community volunteer opportunities for employees, talent is when a company lends its knowledge and expertise to a cause, and treasure is financial donations.

“If a financial services brand, for example, is trying to reach small business owners, they might create a community relations program around offering financial literacy for the small businesses,” Gainer said.

Hendrickson said that making a difference at the local level is at the heart of community relations.

Her team worked to help spread the message about a public awareness campaign called “Tough As a Mother.”

Hendrickson said that the statewide initiative launched a free online support group to assist moms in need of a safe space and community as they recover from various issues.

The community relations initiative, she said, homed in on how to serve mothers in the community to “help break down some of the barriers that they face.”

Gainer said when “businesses go beyond writing checks,” they not only are more valuable community partners, but they create more opportunities for all involved. This could mean more press coverage or story pitches to the media, too.

“At the end of the day, community relations programs can become really powerful storytelling platforms about the brand’s mission and values and so what we see to be really effective is when the two come together,” Gainer said. “They identify the community (needs and) focus around the brand’s mission and values and the cause that they’re championing really does maximize that storytelling potential.”

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com. 

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It’s no secret that women make up the backbone of the communications industry. In Ragan’s 2023 salary survey, 80% of respondents identified as women.

Yet the same survey revealed that despite their domination, women are underpaid compared to their male counterparts. Women’s base salaries averaged $9,136 less than their male counterparts — $118,284 versus $109,148. The average salary of all communicators was $110,872.

That means women earn just 92% of what men do. The somewhat dark silver lining is that this is a smaller gap than in the economy as a whole, where women earn just 82 cents for every dollar a man earns, according to Pew Research. Men in communications are also more likely than women to earn more than $150,000 — 24% versus 16%.

This gap persists when we look at bonuses, with men reporting extra pay averaging $10,549 versus $7,248 on average for women, a huge 37% gap.

Additionally, 25% of men who received bonuses reported $20,000 or more, while only 10% of women did. And 14% of women who were handed bonus payments took in less than $1,000 for the year, compared to just 5% of men who earned at this lowest level. Men were also likely to earn bigger cost-of-living adjustments.

At the same time, twice the number of women reported that their bonus was smaller in 2022 than 2021 (20% versus 11%)11% of men reported that their bonus was less than they received the previous year, but that number nearly doubled to 20% for women. Still, more women (39%) believed their bonuses were “just right” compared to men (33%).

Despite these disheartening differences in compensation, women overall are more content with their pay than men are, the survey found.

Why does this pay gap persist in communications, even as women make up most of the industry?

The answers are complex.

Given the number of men earning more than $150,000 bracket, there could simply be more men at senior levels, a relic of a time when more men than women were entering the industry. As women ascend to the highest ranks, this gap could decrease.

Or it could not.

Research from MIT indicates that women are 14% less likely to be promoted than men. Even when women made up 56% of entry-level workers, that decreased to a paltry 14% when that same pool of workers became regional managers.

Maybe it’s that men are more willing to work longer hours. Our survey found that 36% of men work 50 hours a week, compared to 28% of women. But it’s also true that women continue to shoulder the lion’s share of work in the home, including childcare, which may preclude them from working the longer hours that some see as necessary to get to the top. Women’s pay tends to decrease when they become mothers — but fathers’ increases by about 11.6%.

But let’s debunk one myth for why women don’t get bigger raises. Women are “leaning in” and demanding bigger raises — they just don’t get them, according to one poll that found that nearly equal numbers of men and women ask for raises each year, but men receive them 82% of the time, while women get them just 74% of the time.

What can we do?

Regardless of gender, we should all see these numbers as unacceptable. Women deserve equal pay. Women deserve flexible work environments that allow them to succeed, even if they have obligations at home. And men deserve the same — a workplace that makes it acceptable for them to be the fathers, partners and people they want to be.

Ensure you’re auditing pay to account for any unconscious gender bias. These things aren’t always malicious — they can simply be the product of longstanding habits that have gone unexamined for years. In addition, make sure you’re homing in on exit interviews when women, especially at higher levels, leave. What obstacles did they face? Not everything is connected to gender, of course, but you may find patterns that can easily be alleviated with a bit of care.

We’ll only address this gap if we all work together and boost each other up.

Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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As people use generative AI more and more, understanding how to decipher whether the information they spit out is real or fake will be critical.   

 The New York Times reported that the technology industry describes AI errors (and there are many) as “hallucinations.” Sometimes these are based on errors in what the AI learns from the internet. Other times, they flat-out make things up, for reasons that aren’t clear.  

“If you don’t know an answer to a question already, I would not give the question to one of these systems,” Arizona State University Professor Subbarao Kambhampati, who researches and teaches AI, said in the article.  

The New York Times explains:  

The new AI. systems are “built to be persuasive, not truthful,” an internal Microsoft document said. “This means that outputs can look very realistic but include statements that aren’t true.” 

That means determining what’s real and what’s false can be very tricky, simply because the bots seem so confident in their wrongness.  

Why it matters: Busy PR pros are already using chatbots to make their work lives easier. But you have to be clear of the technology’s limitations. Sharing wrong information from an AI hallucination could have dire repercussions. Be thoughtful and careful in your AI use – and always fact-check.  

Drinking dips in some demographics  

Gen Z and millennials are cutting back on their drinking or plan to this year, Morning Consult reported.   

The two demographics participated in the survey to note their drinking habits and about three out of 10 of them, or 31%, planned to cut back in comparison to last year, according to the survey.   

Screenshot courtesy of Morning Consult

“When asked more recently about their moderation efforts, nearly half of drinkers said they made an effort to drink alcohol less often (49%) and consume less when they do drink (47%),” according to the survey.   

These habits of drinkers don’t correlate with a viral TikTok trend, “Damp Drinking,” where a person cuts back on their alcohol intake, the survey adds. According to the survey, about one in three drinkers who are Gen Z and millennials, heard of the term. More than half of that group surveyed expressed the possibility of practicing it, the survey adds.    

“This ongoing moderation mindset shift will shape drinking habits for years to come: Brands should prioritize growing low-alcohol and no-alcohol alternatives,” the survey adds. 

Why it matters: Younger demographics are scaling back on their drinking and some brands will have to shift their communications approach. Start considering now how you communicate about alcoholic beverages to younger generations and meet them where they are with drinking options that fit their needs today with mindful messaging that take into account moderation and mental health.   

Bumble creates buzz during Mental Health Awareness Month  

Bumble has created Interest Badges for self-care and mental health that daters can display on their profile, Mashable reported. The new feature is in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.  

The Interest Badges signal to others what’s going on with you, start conversations with others, or boost your mental health talk with pre-selected topics like, “I’m prioritizing my mental health by…”  

Mashable explains:  

Mental health is important to millennials and Gen Z daters, especially since the pandemic. Since 2021, dating experts have said that self-care and mental healthcare and awareness are more important to singles than ever. A survey of 1,000 adults Bumble commissioned, conducted in April 2023, came to the same conclusion: Millennials and Gen Z are more likely than any other generation surveyed to go on a second date with someone who mentions therapy or their mental health journey on the first date.  

The badges garnered pretty positive reactions on social media, too.  

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bumble (@bumble)

Why it matters: Bumble used data to focus on how its target audience prioritizes mental health. They took that information and created an engaging campaign around it tied to an advocacy month. You can’t go wrong with being aligned with what your stakeholders need.  

Brittney Griner keeps positive note during press conference  

WNBA player Brittney Griner talked to reporters at a news conference for the first time since she was released from a Russian jail last December, MSNBC reported.  

Griner, who was imprisoned for almost 300 days, spoke during the event about her experiences coming back from Russia and used the opportunity to promote her activism, sports equity in the WNBA, trans children and more.   

Griner’s emotions ebbed and flowed as she answered a reporter’s question about going overseas to work during the press conference, which MSNBC captured. 

The whole reason a lot of us go over is the pay gap. A lot of us go over there to make an income to support our families. To support ourselves. So I don’t knock any player that wants to go overseas and make a little bit of extra money,” Griner said during the news conference. “I hope a lot of these companies start to invest in our craft, because as you’ll see this season if you haven’t watched before: we have a really good craft in the WNBA. And it’s a shame that we have to leave our family for holidays. I mean, you’re missing everything being away.”

Why it matters: Griner didn’t make the focal point about her hardships. Rather she used it as a platform to talk about pressing matters beyond her time behind bars like trans kids, WNBA equity and more. While she took the opportunity to be transparent about her issues, she navigated the conversation bringing it back to these core issues. Griner is continuing to make use of her platform, as she stepped out last night at the glamorous Met Gala. When given the opportunity, even through difficult moments, talk about issues you stand for, too, especially when all eyes are already on you. Use that platform as a moment to further shape your brand’s narrative while positively shifting perspectives.

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com. 

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Donald Trump had his first day in court in Manhattan on Tuesday. During his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of “falsifying business records in a historic and unprecedented court appearance,” CNN reported.  

Prosecutors said that Trump allegedly attempted to undermine the “integrity of the 2016 election” by paying off women with hush money who reportedly had extramarital affairs with Trump, according to the article.  

Trump, who is claiming innocence, is the first former president to be indicted in United States history. According to the article, Trump’s team has to file any motions by August 8; the prosecution will respond by September 19. The next in-person hearing is on tap for December 4.  

 While there is nothing most communicators need to do to respond to this, it all contributes to this singular moment in American history. Be watchful, be thoughtful and be prepared for the unexpected. 

The White House invite that bombed 

There was controversy on and off the basketball court recently after a game between the Louisiana State University Tigers’ victory over the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.  

Controversy, however, surrounded LSU’s Angel Reese who held her right hand up and pointed to her ring finger, in front of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark in a move suggesting that her championship ring might go there.   

When Iowa’s Caitlin Clark did a similar gesture to another player earlier in the tournament, according to the article, there was less fallout over her move. 

ANGEL REESE HIT CAITLIN CLARK WITH THE “YOU CAN’T SEE ME” pic.twitter.com/Zj3mqIzkk9

— ESPN (@espn) April 2, 2023

Reese received backlash online. Some called her move “childish” and some, like Ted Risk, said in response to ESPN’s tweet, “Why are you glorifying terrible sportsmanship?”  

Spencer Chrisman said: “It’s only a problem when Angel does it but when Caitlin does no one cares. Hmmmm.”  

The White House later invited both the LSU and the Iowa women’s basketball teams. Traditionally, only the winners are invited.  

“So I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House, we always do,” First Lady Jill Biden said. “So, we hope LSU will come but, you know, I’m going to tell Joe [Biden] I think Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game.”   

Biden backtracked her invite after Reese called it “A JOKE,” according to the article.  

 In a comment on a post from The Shade Room, a tweet from Reese said: “WE NOT COMING. period.”  

Vanessa Valdivia, press secretary to the first lady, clarified Biden’s comments in a tweet, saying that they “were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes. She looks forward to celebrating the LSU Tigers on their championship win at the White House.”  

Why it matters: Some commenters feel that there is a double standard for Black women like Reese in comparison to white women like Clark. Reese’s actions garnered negative reactions that Clark did not receive. Biden’s invite of Clark also left a bad taste in Reese’s mouth, along with other teammates because was considered disrespectful, Yahoo Sports reports. 

In the article, Reese’s teammate Alexis Morris shared similar sentiments and suggested an alternative to Biden’s invite.  

“Michelle Obama, can we (LSU National Champs) come [to] celebrate our win at your house?” Morris tweeted. 

Reese agreed by retweeting it and saying, “That’s the tweet.” 

 The New York Post reported that Iowa’s coach, Lisa Bluder, “politely declined” Biden’s initial invitation.   

“I gratefully acknowledge the First Lady’s sentiments, but a day at the White House should belong solely to the champion, LSU and Coach Mulkey,” Bluder said in a tweet following the invite before it was deemed a joke.   

Declining the invitation was the right PR move  to let LSU have their moment in the spotlight to shine -– even if LSU might not want to visit the White House to soak it all in. 

The retail space reckoning   

According to a State of Retail & E-Commerce report,Morning Consult’s semiannual State of Retail & E-Commerce report, there is some major distrust coming from consumers who don’t care too much for brands that don’t have a physical presence, according to the report.  

“Just 77% of U.S. adults (and 68% of Gen Zers) trust online-only brands, and shoppers’ enjoyment of the in-store experience is declining,” per the report.  

  “There’s a stark gap between the share of adults who trust online-only brands (77%) and the share who trust brands with a brick-and-mortar presence (93%). This disparity is present across all generations,” the report added. “In fact, Gen Z has the lowest trust of online brands among all generations, and lower-income shoppers (those with less than $50,000 in annual household income) are also less inclined than higher-income individuals to trust online-only brands.”

Why it matters: Brands that don’t have a brick-and-mortar suffer especially with trust issues because it’s harder to see what you’re really buying online before you buy it. That adage, “Try it before you buy it” is impossible and fraudulent claims come quicker with little recourse.  

“Overcoming that gap requires stronger brand recognition and accurate product representation, to start,” the report adds.  

For brands that don’t have a physical location, look at ways to build back trust with consumers who can’t see beyond the price tag what the product is all about. Work with influencers to build brand recognition. Being more active in responding to online reviews and complaints shows an engaged, authentic brand, too. 

Toys “R” Us is the comeback kid  

Everyone loves a good comeback story, especially one as good as the rebuilding of the beloved (and dare we say iconic) brand that is Toys “R” Us, Retail Dive reported.  

After declaring bankruptcy in 2017 and shuttering its stores, Toys “R” Us is back with a revamped digital push. This time they’re taking on a YouTube series, “Geoffrey’s World Tour,” to stay current in the minds of youth and kid-at-heart adults alike.  

The adorable YouTube series promo features Geoffrey the Giraffe, who goes on a worldwide adventure to meet children. Along the way, he leads viewers back to stores to buy Toys “R” Us products.   

“Geoffrey’s World Tour” is the first production set to be released later this spring by the new Toys “R” Us Studios, per the article. The company also is working on creating more live-action and animated series.  

“The retailer also partnered with Nickelodeon to make a branded content series debuting on Nickelodeon’s YouTube channel this Spring,” according to the article. “During the three-part series, a contestant will be asked trivia questions and given challenges based on Geoffrey’s international tour.”  

Why it matters: All in all it’s a clever reboot of the primarily defunct store, which shows that opportunities abound to be financially viable even after the impossible. The promo video garnered over 15,000 views, while that leaves a lot to be desired, here’s to hoping their come back is a good one, this time with more engagement in the long run.

Vogue Philippines champions beauty and tradition  

You can be beautiful at any age.   

That is the message Vogue Philippines put out after featuring a 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines on their cover making her the oldest person ever to appear on the front of the prestigious Vogue magazine, CNN reported.  

Apo Maria “Whang-Od” Oggay symbolizes the strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit.

Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribe signifying strength, bravery & beauty on the skin.

Read more on https://t.co/2F1mJ5iQWG. pic.twitter.com/urVcA3g2Ek

— Vogue Philippines (@vogueph) March 30, 2023

Vogue Philippines editor-in-chief Bea Valdes said staff at the magazine decided without a doubt that Whang-Od should be featured on the cover.   

“We felt she represented our ideals of what is beautiful about our Filipino culture. We believe that the concept of beauty needs to evolve and include diverse and inclusive faces and forms. What we hope to speak about is the beauty of humanity.”  

Why it matters: The beauty industry has long needed an overhaul by bringing in broader perspectives of beauty and what beautiful inclusivity looks like after years of narrow thinking. The magazine and Valdes exemplify cultural sensitivity and good branding sense that goes out of the ordinary. It’s important for beauty brands to promote unique cultures and beauty standards out of the norm. Find trailblazers and don’t be afraid to use them to promote that message.

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We’re always looking for a new tool to make our lives easier. Social listening, analytics, sentiment analysis, media databases, and on. And these are invaluable resources for understanding the full breadth of our world and our impact, of telling data-driven stories and staying on the pulse of what matters.

But sometimes we need a reminder that not everything can be understood from a dashboard. This tweet stopped my scrolling in its simple reminder:

Social listening tools are great, but have you tried listening to your social media team?

— Clayton Norman (@Clayton_RNorman) January 8, 2023

A social media manager is deeply immersed in your brand world’s day-to-day. A good one is constantly taking in all the conversation around your organization — good and bad — and internalizing it on the fly, whether to craft customer service responses or to better create messages, memes and more that resonate with your audience.

A dashboard is great for giving you at-a-glance data, a snapshot of performance and high-level sentiment. A social media manager who is reading hundreds and thousands of posts every day can give you the deep weeds analysis that can truly lead to new insights. They can identify the major pain points of your brand, the rallying points of pride, what makes customers give a referral and what makes them want to leave forever.

Yet often, social media managers are overlooked as a resource. They tend to be more entry-level employees, are disproportionately female and even in the year 2023 can be seen as doing “unserious” work.

But these workers are usually trained writers, thinkers and marketers who sit most closely to your customers — including those with the strongest feelings — on a day-to-day basis.

If you’re finding that your social media listening tool isn’t giving you the qualitative insights you need, or isn’t synthesizing them into a way that can help, have you bought your social media manager a cup of coffee lately and asked them what people are saying?

If not, it’s time you gave it a shot.

It goes beyond social media managers

This post reminds us that while tools have a valuable place in any comms pro’s arsenal, nothing really beats talking to actual humans. Depending on your product, that could be speaking to customers directly and getting their thoughts on what’s working and not working with your offering. It could be your customer service department, your front-desk staff or other positions that interact directly with your audiences.

All the reports and metrics and sentiment analysis can’t substitute for talking to people who live with your product day in, day out. The people that know why it’s fantastic and what messages you should most share to rally pride with existing customers and to grow your base to others.

Now, of course, you don’t want to rely on any one source to make sweeping decisions. Cover your bases. Get lots of different voices involved to help you find the harmony that will best tell your story in a way that’s truer and more authentic.

Technology is wonderful. People are magic.

None of this should be interpreted as a slight against measurement and analysis tools. But it is a reminder that even the best, smartest tool in the world needs a human to help interpret it. And in many cases, these tools need a human to augment it with lived experiences that may not show up on even the loveliest of dashboards.

Buy coffee for that social media manager. Bring doughnuts to your call center. Talk to people. You’ll be amazed at the messages you’re missing that can become a vital part of your communications strategy, if only we’re willing to listen.

Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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Editor’s note: We are re-running the top stories of 2023 as part of our year-end countdown. This story was our fourth most-read. 

Be real. Be authentic. Be true to yourself.

That all sounds like great advice, but it’s often difficult to do so on social media, when you’re faced with photos and videos of influencers’ expensive vacations and a constant barrage of ads and sponsored posts. What would a social media platform without influencers look like?

The app BeReal, whose user base has skyrocketed over the last few months, aims answer that question.

“Your friends for real,” the BeReal website tagline reads. “A new and unique way to discover who your friends really are in their daily life.” The app has grown its monthly active users by 315% since the start of 2022.

(Image via)

Users are prompted at different times each day to simultaneously snap a photo of themselves and their surroundings using their phone’s front and back cameras. No filters. No face-altering software. Just you and whatever you happen to be doing when you get notified that it’s time to post.

“Push notifications are sent around the world simultaneously at different times each day,” the company said in a statement published by CNN Business. “It’s a secret on how the time is chosen every day; it’s not random.”

(Image via Emma Atkinson & BeReal)

Axios calls BeReal “an antidote to the pressure young users now face to be creative and look perfect online,” noting that the bulk of the app’s users are members of Gen Z, followed by millennials.

BeReal’s setup doesn’t lend itself to brand accounts or influencers, and using the app for advertising or commercial purposes is prohibited in the app’s terms and conditions.

From CNN Business:

In a statement, BeReal says its goal is to create “an alternative to addictive social networks” that focus on amassing influence, it says.

“BeReal is your chance to show your friends who you really are,” the company says. “BeReal won’t make you famous, if you want to become an influencer you can stay on TikTok and Instagram.”

The challenge for brands

This presents a unique challenge for comms pros: How do you build a presence on an app that explicitly prohibits product promotion?

It all goes back to earned media. Some PR pros might tend to think of earned media in a traditional sense — stories in legacy media outlets like The New York Times or targeted trade publications. But if the only way to get your product or service talked about on a particular platform is for users to promote it organically, you’ll have to shift your influencer marketing strategy quite a bit.

Combining earned media strategy with marketing practices will be crucial to the success of your brand on a platform like BeReal. Heavily branded pay-to-play influencer marketing is waning in popularity with younger generations — and comms pros will likely have to work twice as hard to earn Gen Z’s approval of your products and services.

But don’t rush to put all your eggs in the BeReal basket. It’s very possible that, like some other social media apps, BeReal is simply a passing fad.

Social media analyst Matt Navarra told NBC News that BeReal’s popularity could be fleeting.

“I’d be surprised if it’s around in a year’s time,” he said. “Much like the viral apps before it, they could fail for a number of different reasons.”

So don’t fire all your Instagram influencer partners just yet. But perhaps consider the positive impact that generating more organic buzz around your brand could have.

The post Top stories of 2022: What PR pros should know about BeReal appeared first on PR Daily.

The field of PR is changing — and purpose communications are driving much of that shift.

“I think it’s just a really exciting time for anyone in the communication space, because it really does transcend comms,” Laura Emanuel, managing director of Philadelphia-based Red Thread PR, told PR Daily during a recent conversation.

Nearly three years after the murder of George Floyd led to a wave of protests and companies speaking out for the first time, we’re seeing  brands continue to identify issues that matter to their employees and customers and acting not just to speak on those issues, but to act and to effect real change.

Emanuel doesn’t see this focus changing any time soon.

“It’s no longer like you see spots of brands just doing it here and there. It has to be done across the board,” Emanuel said. “And I think the evolution of that … is looking at not only racial inequities, but racial inequity and” as other issues take the spotlight.

Emanuel discussed how companies can find purpose and back it up with action. She also identifies a key trend for PR, especially agencies: working with internal stakeholders.

Finding a purpose you can act on

There is no limit to the number of critical issues an organization might choose to make their driving purpose in communications, actions, charitable giving and so on. Choosing the one that most speaks to your audiences can be difficult.

But Emanuel suggests approaching it as any other brand strategy puzzle: start with what you have the credibility to own, based on your values, work and community. Then determine what you have the resources to own.

“We’re not necessarily going to make the impact if we spread ourselves across everything. So it’s really important that like any other component of their brand, it be very intentional and focused,” Emanuel explained.

And yes, you need resources to have a purpose. Statements offering thoughts and prayers don’t cut it anymore — and Emanuel admitted that brands offering these cliched statements are one of her biggest pet peeves.

When clients get stuck on wanting to release one of these statements, Emanuel pushes them to identify an action behind it. “It can be a small action, it has to start somewhere,” she said.

Don’t feel like you have to tackle an issue alone. For example, in Emanuel’s home base of Philadelphia, many brands are tackling the roots of systemic gun violence. No one organization can solve such a massive issue on their own. But someone must take the first step.

“To say, ‘I’m actually going to take a leading role to pull together brands from my sector or from my category so that we can have a voice in this, that might be the right step forward versus putting out something that says nothing …  or overstating what you can possibly do,” Emanuel explained.

Accountability

With overstating your scope comes the critical concept of accountability. If brands are going to put out statements about taking action, there must be follow through. Emanuel takes creating that accountability very seriously as an agency partner — which includes building accountability for her team.

They start with a KPI workshop, which digs beyond vanity metrics to uncover the true business outcomes of the campaign — not the outputs.

“I will tell the client, if you want those outputs, we can spit that out to you, but that doesn’t tell you what kind of impact we had. We need to look at a number of different KPIs, many of which we might not have access to, and we need you as our partner to be transparent.”

Sometimes, the client themselves might not have access to all the right metrics. Then everyone needs to work together to track down the data that will really show movement.

Emanuel said their dashboards pull in a variety of metrics, depending on the campaign. These could include media metrics, such as establishing the brand as a go-to source for certain reporters, or even internal metrics and employee engagement scores. But Emanuel says it’s also critical to offer insights and to constantly iterate on ideas — even when the news the agency has to share “aren’t as bright and shiny.”

“There needs to be that shared philosophy that we are going to iterate on this, we’re going to look critically, we’re going to call out what things can be done better and then we’re going to figure out how to do them better,” Emanuel stated.

PR looks inside

Since 2020, Emanuel has noticed another major trend: PR agencies are increasingly being tapped to help with internal communications projects. She estimates that about half of Red Thread’s current client work touches on internal comms in some way.

Emanuel attributes this, in part, to changing corporate structures that have placed both types of communications work on the plate of one person or a small team, necessitating outside help from an agency. However, she said that there is also a shift in how many organizations look at employees.

“There’s just been a bit of an awakening that our people are a huge part of what make our brand and create a better brand better for consumers. It’s hard to see where we’re one side of that ends and the other begins,” Emanuel explained. “There’s just been a natural melding between the internal and external counterparts within an organization.”

Additionally, many agencies and companies are realizing that the messages that work internally often work externally — and vice versa. Granted, with some tweaked nuances based on the audience.

“There’s not one side of the brand that is what we present ourselves to the outside world, and then we can show you something different internally, I think that people no longer accept that. They are looking to understand what the real brand is. And so the more that brands are treating the spectrum of audiences, both consumers and internal that way, I think the better off we are.”

Emanuel said that the greater access to internal communicators has led to better traditional PR services as well, given their unique understanding of and perspective on their organization.

“The things they’re going through internally really gives you a much more intimate understanding of the brand at every level. And I think that is so just incredibly invaluable.”

Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post Purpose-driven comms is changing how PR agencies work with clients appeared first on PR Daily.