There is hardly a university in the world that hasn’t hosted political activity on campus. They’re critical sites for getting young voters registered, encouraging civic participation and giving students a voice in political discourse.

However, even the highest-ranking schools have stumbled in recent years when navigating contentious, politicized topics and student activity around them. Notably, Harvard struggled to time and align its messaging around the outbreak of the ongoing Israel-Hamas crisis last year.

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) has this dynamic well in hand: Year after year it has been dubbed a “Voter-Friendly Campus” by the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project and the national association for Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (which goes by the legacy acronym NASPA).

The school does so in large part thanks to the work of its Student Affairs department.

But it’s going to be a big year — and especially for UIC, because the 2024 Democratic National Convention will be held just three miles from its campus in August.

Joy Vergara, assistant vice chancellor for student engagement at the university, spoke to Ragan about how her teams and other departments are preparing for the coming election season. She discussed the importance of ethics and compliance guidelines, annual training and efforts to ensure inclusive expression on campus.

Open expression comes first

UIC’s Student Affairs department prioritizes and encourages open expression on campus, including politically oriented events organized by students, faculty and departments.

Its open expression policy emphasizes the importance of facilitating “the free exchange of ideas and the expression of dissent within the university community,” UIC states, provided any demonstrations are done “in a peaceful and non-disruptive manner.”

Empowering the community to engage in these events using university facilities and spaces requires a constant commitment to preparedness, including communicating and implementing safety measures to ensure events do not get out of hand.

“A lot has changed since the last election,” Vergara said. “We are anticipating that there will be more open expression, so we are having more discussion around staffing. We want our students to debate the topics, and we want our students to bring in different speakers. We just want to make sure safety measures are in place so our students can have these different discussions, whether it is left, right, in the middle or independent.”

Open expression and academic freedom policies are distributed and reinforced each semester through the Dean of Students Office.

Student Affairs plays a lead role in creating safe environments for peaceful demonstrations and political events, collaborating with event organizers, demonstrators, faculty or staff sponsors, campus police, and the Public Affairs, Emergency Operations and Dean of Students Administration departments. According to the university’s grid of open expressions policies, procedures and responsibilities for open expression, these parties:

• Annually create and review guidelines and “Incident Action Plans” around demonstrations and political events.
• Outline and document plans and participants in each event to ensure campus safety officials are informed and prepared.
• Monitor events and demonstrations to ensure they adhere to guidelines and do not become disruptive, and activate security and safety protocols, as well as disciplinary action if necessary.
• Monitor social media and news coverage around the events and prepare official statements and responses as needed, as well as respond to media requests for comments and information.
• Maintain open communication with the organizers and demonstrators before, during and after the event.
• Conduct an “After-Action Report,” which is “a detailed critical summary of a recent incident made for the purposes of reassessing decisions and considering possible alternatives for future reference.”
• And far more besides.

Training is critical

All of the above requires a highly trained staff who is well-versed in protocol, communication and ethics every step of the way.

Vergara said that annual ethics training is mandatory for faculty and staff. As someone who has worked at the university for 10 years, she’s done 10 separate ethics training sessions, all of which covered communications around political activity and events. These trainings, which are conducted online with reporting mechanisms to ensure accountability, are guided by on-campus ethics and compliance officers.

Ethics often come into play when external speakers and participants — say, a political activist or candidate — are invited to participate in on-campus political events, and when external organizations rent space for political activities.

“We always want to make sure that the student organizations know what they’re allowed to host on campus, who they can bring to campus,” said Vergara. “There might be stakeholders that disagree with whoever they bring in on campus. And so the student organizations and leaders provide some guidance. We have to carefully navigate what we help our students host versus what the university is allowed to host or not.”

These situations can present fine lines between what is allowed and what isn’t, so it’s important to clearly define what political activities are prohibited. “When the staff is well versed in that, we can ultimately prepare for what the students may want to do and how people may react,” Vergara said.

Student Affairs is also responsible for managing annual registrations of student organizations and communicating with students about what they are permitted to do on campus.

They also lean heavily on the expertise around departments focused on political science, race and beyond. Resources such as “Diversity Dialogue” courses and faculty research are also offered to help staff and students engage in productive conversations around difficult topics. “We can tap into some of this expertise if we’re not feeling confident enough to lead these facilitations,” said Vergara. “Faculty and staff can help you in the knowledge gap.”

Planning ahead

As this sure-to-be contentious election cycle heats up, Vergara and her department are focusing on consistent communications of those open expression policies each semester to ensure students, faculty and staff are able to engage while the other operations of the university continue.

The DNC in August will not only make the campus host to a range of political events and activity, it will also impact campus transportation and logistics. UIC will work with the city and the national conventions to keep the university’s day-to-day operations running smoothly and address any safety concerns as they arise.

Vergara stressed that communicating “time, place and manner” for open expression is critical.

“We need to allow coursework and academic work to proceed and make progress,” she said. “We need to make sure that the community understands when there’s a time and place and manner when open expression could occur.”

Joy Vergara will join Ragan at our 2024 Employee Communications and Culture Conference, April 16-18, in Chicago. Learn more and register.

Jess Zafarris is director of content at Ragan and PR Daily.

The post How university communicators are preparing for a heated election season appeared first on PR Daily.

TikTok faces yet another potential challenge from the U.S. government. The House today passed a bill, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which seeks to force TikTok parent company ByteDance to divest its U.S. business.

The bill, which may encounter more opposition in the Senate but has the potential to become law, is the latest move against the social media app from U.S. legislators who have concerns about national security and the Chinese parent company’s user data practices.

While previous legislation at the federal, state and city level have banned the app from government devices, this bill would have more sweeping implications: The ban would penalize app stores from carrying and updating the app. It’s a notable gambit with stateside implications beyond just socialization and entertainment for its more than 150 million U.S. users, considering that more than 5 million U.S. businesses are active on the app, and it’s estimated to contribute billions to the U.S. GDP.

Social media strategy on TikTok and its vertical-video competitors will be a hot topic at PR Daily’s upcoming 2024 Social Media Conference, March 27-29, and that conversation will be shaped by the passage or failure of this latest bill. We spoke with experts who will grace our stage to get their take on what this means for the future of the app.

Why it’s different

This attempt at a ban is unusual for its overwhelming bipartisan support in the House, especially around national security — and for its speed and decisiveness.

“This could potentially be more serious and real for TikTok,” said Karen Freberg, professor in strategic communication at the University of Louisville. “From what I’ve seen, this has caught everyone by surprise not just for the initial ban being brought up again, but how swiftly it made it through Congress today.”

While legislators seemed to fumble with the mere concept of the app in prior discussions and ban attempts, they’re more targeted with their approach this time around.

“This proposed legislation specifically targets ByteDance’s ties to China and establishes a clear process for addressing perceived risks,” said Carlos Gil, longtime social media leader who also operates the sneaker resale brand HypeSection, which has more than 300,000 followers on TikTok and has benefited from organic growth and engagement on the platform. “Moreover, there seems to be a heightened sense of urgency among lawmakers to address these concerns, which could increase the likelihood of the ban being implemented.”

But it’s a double-edged sword because, as Gil points out, it’s also a news source for U.S. users and presents free speech implications in that regard. “It highlights the need for a consistent and transparent approach to regulating social media platforms to ensure the protection of user data and uphold constitutional principles,” he said.

Implications for TikTok and beyond

If the ban is successful and a divestment remains in limbo, the move could impact the way brands and organizations that have been successful on TikTok interact with and build their audiences. They may have to pivot to other platforms and communities, and potentially lose access to audiences they have cultivated in the past.

“The latest attempt at a TikTok ban could have devastating implications for the creator economy and small businesses alike,” Gil said. “The potential ban serves as a stark reminder of the precarious nature of relying solely on social media platforms. While platforms like TikTok offer unparalleled reach and visibility, they also represent ‘rented land,’ where users have little control over their longevity.”

That said, this presents an opportunity for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and other platforms capitalizing on vertical video — which it now appears will include X, formerly known as Twitter — to help creators and brands invest more time with them.

“This could lead to heightened competition in the social media landscape, with platforms vying for user attention and loyalty through innovative features and content offerings,” Gil said.

What now?

Freberg noted that brands will need a plan for either outcome. In the event of a ban, she advised brands and organizations to “embrace the different results this could bring to their business and make plans for what to do if TikTok is banned, (and) be actively communicating with creators and influencers they are working with on the platform so they know they are supported. These individuals have built their brand on the platform, and are probably going to raise questions, concerns, and be scared about the uncertainty.”

Gil recommends ensuring that your organization’s content and marketing mix is diversified across channels, and especially includes owned channels such as newsletters and websites. “Building a robust digital presence beyond social media ensures business continuity even in the face of platform upheavals, reinforcing the adage that businesses are only as good as the platforms they inhabit while they remain relevant,” he told PR Daily.

TikTok has reshaped the social media landscape — but what does the future hold for the app, and how should your organization think about it? Find out more from these speakers and many more at PR Daily’s 2024 Social Media Conference, March 27-29, at Disney World.

Jess Zafarris is director of content at Ragan and PR Daily, as well as an author, editor, journalist, speaker, social media engagement strategist and creator. Follow her anywhere @jesszafarris and connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post What a potential U.S. TikTok ban means for your social media strategy appeared first on PR Daily.

The Kansas City Chiefs seized a dramatic overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers as Super Bowl LVIII and its whirlwind of brand and celebrity activity concluded last night. The game proved to be record-breaking, clocking in at the longest-ever Super Bowl and featuring first a record-breaking field goal by 49ers kicker Jake Moody, and then an even longer one as Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker broke that very same record later in the game. 

Cameras lingered on Taylor Swift sparingly throughout the game given how thoroughly she has dominated NFL-centric headlines — and even some conspiracy theories — for the past few weeks. Her presence still loomed large, however, as she continued to make news, and both Swifties and official Super Bowl trackers documented her every move at the game. Those conspiracy theories, meanwhile, are likely to rage on given her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s prominence in the game, both for his performance on the field and his bombastic (even aggressive) meme-worthy behavior. 

Beyond Taylor and Travis, these were the potential PR moments we had our eye on at the Big Game. Do you think they stood out? 

Brand blandness, brilliance and bashing 

What ought to have been a bonanza on the advertising front given the $7 million price tag fell somewhat flat for Big Game regulars, as celebrities were packed into ads without the messaging or cleverness to make the spots memorable. In a bid to recover from its difficult PR year in 2023, Bud Light abandoned much of its boldness and humor in favor of a star-stuffed, incoherent mishmash. Despite its alignment with an authentically mustachioed Chris Pratt, Pringles’ Big Game ad also induced yawns. 

A great deal of safety permeated brand strategy, with advertisers leaning on recognizable mascots such as E*Trades pickleball-playing babies and firmly-cemented stars such as Christopher Walken, whose distinctive voice was parodied in BMW’s ad (Will anyone remember that it was a BMW ad?), and Anthony Hopkins (though that regional ad for STōK Cold Brew and Wrexham AFC wasn’t bad thanks to Maximum Effort’s involvement). 

First-time advertisers captured major social media admiration: E.l.f. Cosmetics’ first Super Bowl ad featured Judge Judy as “Judge Beauty” and balanced nostalgia with a fresh feel and positive message, while Etsy told a charming tale of historical international gifting. 

Skincare brand CeraVe’s lengthy and involved prank, which positioned the aptly named Michael Cera as its apparent founder, managed to score major buzz through strange public stunts and an influencer campaign. 

And interactivity was a plus: Doordash’s ridiculously long promo code, for instance, sent viewers scurrying to score in its big delivery activation.  

A couple of advertisers earned negative attention: With a series of four ads featuring the tagline “shop like a billionaire” and related giveaways, fast-fashion outlet Temu generated quite a bit of chatter — plenty of it negative and pertaining to its business and manufacturing track record. Snapchat paying $7 million to play a “not like other girls” card in the social media toxicity arms race shortly after it laid off 10% of its staff was certainly a choice. 

Music magic: Beyoncé beats the halftime show 

Although it would be inaccurate to say that the 2024 Halftime Show, er, ushered in a new era for the annual performance, Usher, Alicia Keys and guest stars including H.E.R., Lil Jon, Ludacris, Will.I.am and Jermaine Dupri didn’t reinvent the wheel as they took the stage. It was only near the end when everyone donned shimmery getups and roller skates that the show dazzled, followed by a performance of “Yeah!” that managed to lift the energy in an attempt at nostalgia that otherwise fell flat. 

The music moment of the night was Beyoncé’s announcement that she’ll be releasing a country album — news which followed Verizon’s ad that centered around the star and teased the new tunes. 

Social media moments: Duo and Dark Brandon 

Everyone’s favorite persistent green owl made a regional appearance at the Super Bowl — though even in markets where it aired, you may have missed the Duolingo ad if you were looking down at your game snacks. In the surreal 5-second ad, the owl, named Duo, birthed a smaller version of himself from his backside as a reminder to do your daily language lesson. 

need another look at my from the super bowl?! #SuperbOwl #SuperBowlLVIII pic.twitter.com/2uroRG4WiT

— Duolingo (@duolingo) February 12, 2024

Unbeknownst to those watching at the time, the brand also made a longer, weirder teaser that ran on social media earlier that day. 

The other surreal, social media-centric moment of the night fell at the conclusion of the game, when Joe Biden’s official account posted an image of the president styled  “Dark Brandon,” a parody of right-wing conspiracy memes, poking fun at the notion that the Super Bowl was rigged. 

Just like we drew it up. pic.twitter.com/9NBvc5nVZE

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) February 12, 2024

On a less controversial note, fans seemed to have fun watching Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob-driven coverage of the game on Paramount+, with characters from the TV show providing highlights and sideline coverage. 

Nickelodeon’s broadcast pic.twitter.com/N752ALKCR5

— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) February 12, 2024

Whether you came for the game or the ads, this year’s Big Game had plenty to remember despite some safe plays. 

Jess Zafarris is the content director of Ragan and PR Daily, and an author, content editor, journalist, social media engagement strategist and creator. 

The post The best and worst PR moments from Super Bowl LVIII appeared first on PR Daily.

Communicators are the reigning monarchs of wordsmithing, and their words are their tools and materials for constructing compelling, persuasive, authentic and authoritative messaging that makes critical connections, reflects their organization’s mission and values, and brings its voice to life.

Punctuation, then, serves as the nuts, bolts, nails and screws that form the structural support of organizational purpose and expression.

In the next few editions of Comms Etymology, we wordwrights will explore how the punctuation we use in our everyday writing came to be, starting with the most used symbols.

Punctuation Etymology Basics

The word “punctuation” is from the Latin pungere, meaning “to prick or pierce.” It’s related to words such as “pungent” and “poignant” — words for things that pack a metaphorical punch (appropriate given that “punch” is also a relative). This word originally referred to the practice of psalm-pointing. The dots and marks used to notate psalms so that they could be sung or chanted inspired many of the symbols we use to punctuate writing today.

• Period (.) comes from the Latin periodus, meaning a period of time. But it could also mean “a complete sentence,” suggesting a segment or time span of speech or writing. Over time, a period became the mark that signified when a complete sentence had come to an end. (The sense of a “time span” is also why both eras and menstruation are called “periods.”)
• Comma (,) is originally from the Greek word komma, literally meaning “cut off,” though it was also used to mean “a clause in a sentence or a line of poetry.” So a comma indicates a pause or literally “a cutting off” of a phrase that is part of a whole sentence or a line of verse.
• The name of an exclamation point (!) is self-explanatory — it’s a mark that exclaims. It’s from the Latin exclamare meaning “to cry out.” But what you may not know is that for a time in the mid-1800s, exclamation points were sometimes known as “shriek-marks.”
• The question mark (?) is an evolution of the 8^th-century mark called the punctus interrogativus, which is described as resembling “a lightning flash, striking from right to left.”

Less Common Punctuation

Ampersand (&)

The symbol we call an “ampersand” was originally a Roman shorthand version of the Latin word et, meaning “and,” with the letters E and T stylized into a ligature, or a typographic combination of letters. Graffiti including the symbol can still be found around the city of Pompeii.

Ligatures were common in Roman cursive, and some persisted into medieval writing styles including the Carolingian minuscule, the standard calligraphic style of the era in Europe. Another that has persisted, even today, is æ.

The word ampersand arose in the mid-1800s and is a contraction of the phrase “and per se and,” which means “(the character) ‘&’ by itself is ‘and’.” An earlier contraction, recorded in the 1700s, was ampassy.

The name of this mark is rather long because the symbol was also used as a part of other shorthand.

For example, an early symbol for et cetera, which is Latin for “and the others,” was an ampersand followed by the letter c. So, the word ampersand just means “the ligature symbol for and or et by itself” without anything else attached.

Pilcrow

If you turn on annotations in your Word or Google document, you’ll see this symbol (¶), called a pilcrow, marking paragraph breaks.

This symbol emerged in Medieval manuscripts: Scribes would mark a break in writing by drawing a little mark in the margin that looked like an embellished version of the mark.

It also inspired the word “paragraph,” literally means “to write beside.” The sense shifted to the actual sections, rather than the mark, in the 17th century as printing technology and notations advanced.

The word “pilcrow,” in turn, is a mangled variation of the word “paragraph.” In Old French, pelagraphe was a variation of the word paragrafe, and this variation was misunderstood in English as pilcraft, which itself was corrupted to “pilcrow,” the word for that same symbol denoting paragraph breaks in modern word processors (and their predecessors).

Interrobang

And now we come to everyone’s favorite mark, albeit one that’s rarely used. The interrobang (‽) was proposed by ad agency owner Martin K. Speckter in 1962 as a tool for copywriters to convey a surprised rhetorical question. Interrobang is a portmanteau of “interrogative,” and “Bang,” which has been printer or programmer jargon for an exclamation point since at least the 1950s.

Stay tuned for the next edition of Comms Etymology for an additional dive into punctuation. In the meantime, hone your writing skills by joining Ragan’s Writing Center.

Jess Zafarris is an author, content director, editor, journalist, social media engagement strategist and creator. Her 13 years of experience in this space have included such roles as the Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Director at Adweek, and Content Strategist and Digital Content Director for Writer’s Digest and Script Mag. She moderated and emceed at events including Social Media Week and Brandweek, and presented at the Writer’s Digest Conference and State of Social. She is also the author of the etymology books “Words from Hell” and “Once Upon a Word” and an educational social media creator who speaks and creates entertaining content about word origins.

The post Comms Etymology: The finer points of punctuation appeared first on PR Daily.

By its very nature, employee communications can be one of the toughest disciplines in which to innovate. The tools, strategies and toughest moments are usually developed, refined and  solved behind closed doors.

Ragan is here to help tip the communications cards and shed light on the winning plays that lead to meaningful engagement, enthusiastic participation and a cohesive workplace culture.

In the 2024 edition of Ragan’s Top Case Studies in Employee Communications and Culture, you’ll find the strategies and storytelling secrets that helped some of the world’s biggest and most respected brands bring their people together, encourage action and foster an environment of productivity, collaboration and fresh thinking.

With more than 50 case studies showcasing award-winning solutions — not to mention tips, takeaways and captivating visuals — this book is the key to stronger and more effective employee comms.

In this book of communications case studies, you’ll learn how:

• CBRE’s “Courageous Conversations” tackled the toughest interpersonal communications employees may face in the workplace: confronting racism, misconduct and ethical violations.
• Warner Music Group jazzed up its corporate brand, modernizing its look and feel while infusing it with its rich and expansive legacy in the music industry.
• ADM committed to the safety and wellbeing of its Ukrainian employees when war broke out — not just with words, but with action.
• Ochsner Health managed the unthinkable, achieving a near-100% COVID-19 vaccination rate among its employees.
• U.S. Bank developed a content series that effectively eased anxieties, clarified expectations and limited turnover in the wake of a major acquisition.

… and how each of these organizations and dozens more planned, delivered and measured the results of their work.

Find out how to get your copy here. 

The post 50+ comms case studies to shape your 2024 strategy appeared first on PR Daily.

It’s time once again for Ragan to uplift our annual class of outstanding leaders whose contributions have redefined the way communicators connect, inform and innovate.

Ragan’s Top Women in Communications awards recognizes the trailblazing achievements of the women who have raised the bar for the rest of the comms world through their work developing high-performance, relentlessly creative work across internal and external communications, HR, public relations and beyond.

The women in our 2023 class have been unflinching in the face of both global and internal trials and daring in their moves to overcome today’s most urgent challenges. They have improved the practice of communications through their deft mastery of data, their cutting-edge commitment to leveling up tech stacks and their keen-eyed ability to strategize and look ahead. Equipped with an unrivaled grasp of audiences and industries — not to mention the importance of empathy — these top-notch professionals come prepared for any merger or restructure, any layoff or leadership change, any crisis or celebration.

From the women who champion DE&I both within and outside of their organizations, to those with their boots on the ground building systems and policies, to the executives leading the charge into the future, these dynamic individuals are changing the practice of communications for the better every day.

Read on for the full list of 2023 inductees, and learn how you can join us for a special awards ceremony on Feb. 28, 2024.

Congratulations to Ragan’s 2024 Top Women in Communications.

Bridge Builders

Melissa Buscher

Vice President, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer

SPX FLOW

Laci Hasenour

Vice President of Global Marketing and Global Brand Owner

Berry Global, Inc.

Kimberly Leidgertwood

Vice President, Internal Communications

Cognia

Trish Nicolas

Executive Vice President, rf.engage

Ruder Finn

Yolanda Schufford

Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer

Beyond Finance

Gina Spatafore

Vice President of Corporate Communications & Public Relations

Ancestry

Angela Sullivan

EGM/SVP of Communications

Xero

Racquel White

Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Royal Canin North America

Royal Canin North America

Crisis Navigators

Marisa Bluestone

Senior Director, Communications

Macmillan Learning

Kristy Campbell

Chief Communications Officer

OneTrust

Gina Czark

System Vice President Public Relations and Content Strategy

CommonSpirit Health

Atalanta Rafferty

Co-Founder and Senior Executive Managing Director

RF|Binder

Sara Sendek

Managing Director

FTI Consulting

Data Dynamos

Jacqueline Boggess

Director of Communications

Corn Refiners Association

Alex Christian

VP, Research & Analytics

EvolveMKD

Karen Cyphers

Partner and Director of Research

Sachs Media

Sally Slater

EVP, Head of Innovation

The Bliss Group

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champions

Ti’Ara Brown

Manager, Brand Communications

McDonald’s

Eliza Chlebeck

Vice President, Communications & Community

Andersen Corporation

Jewelyn Cosgrove

Vice President of Government and Public Relations

Melwood

Gigi García Russo

Chief Innovation + Growth Officer

HUNTER

Madeline Hiller

Senior Account Executive

French/West/Vaughan (FWV)

Priscila Martinez

Founder and CEO

The Brand Agency

Leah Reynolds

Principal, Engagement Practice

Buck, A Gallagher Company

Jenny Wang

Senior Vice President

Clyde Group

Dynamic Do-ers

Holland Behn

Lead US PR Manager for Smartphones and Lifestyle – Mobile

Samsung Electronics America

Lenee Breckenridge

Senior Vice President of Communications

UFC

Cortney Collins

Director, US Communications and Employee Engagement at Haleon

Haleon

Kenzie Freeman

Senior Program Specialist, Communications

Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO)

Erin Frostad

Employee Communications and Involvement Manager

Mohegan Sun

Reed Handley

Executive Vice President, Head of Growth, Financial Services Practice Co-Lead

The Bliss Group

Mayra Hernandez Bergman

Vice President, Communications & Marketing

Pepco Holdings

Megan Kessler

Chief of Integrated Marketing and Strategy

PAN Communications

Christina Leeds

Senior Director Public Relations

Amtrak

Stephanie McCay

Director, U.S. Communications

PCL Construction

Claire Nance

Head of Global Communications & Industry Marketing

Activision Blizzard

Jasmine Palmer

Supervisor, Brand Communications

McDonald’s

Krysta Pellegrino

Chief Client Officer

Health+Commerce

Amy Persons

Senior Manager, Earned Media

Aflac

Jordan Phillips

Senior Manager of Public Relations

Avocados From Mexico

Rania Rostom

Head of Global Communications & Marketing for GE

GE

Stephanie Rufo

Senior Manager, Brand PR & Influence

PATRÓN Tequila

Julie Sculley

Director, Corporate Communications

Virgin Pulse

Athena Snow

Senior Manager of Public Relations & Giving

Coldwell Banker Real Estate

Steph Spanos

Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Operations

Exact Sciences

Kristina Spychalski

Head of Communications

Spire Global, Inc.

Michelle Trautman

Director, Marketing Communications

SPX FLOW

Nancy White

Senior Director, Communications

Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association

Alison Zurcher

Director, Internal Communications

Seattle Children’s Hospital

Leaders

Jodi Amendola

CEO

Amendola Communications

Dawn Buzynski

Assistant Vice President, Communications

Hy-Vee, Inc.

Katie Clark

Vice President of Communications

Mattress Firm

Anne DeAngelis

Executive Vice President, Employee Engagement

Zeno Group

Vanessa DeGier

AVP, Communications

Providence

Nina Devlin

Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Keally DeWitt

VP Marketing & Public Policy

GAF Energy

Megan Doern

Public Relations & External Communications Leader

Deloitte Consulting, LLP

Theresa Dolge

EVP, Chief Media Relations Office

Evoke Kyne

Monique Fahlstedt

Senior Director, Internal Communications

ESPN

Melanie Fatouros-Richardson

Vice-President, Communications and Government Relations

SkipTheDishes

Brittany Geldmacher

SVP, Head of Corporate Brand & Communications

Scopely

Erin Griffin

SVP of Marketing & Communications

Riddell

Mara Hedgecoth

Chief Communications & Marketing Officer

APCO Worldwide

Suzanne Hendery

Chief Marketing, Communications & Customer Officer at Renown Health

Renown Health

Jennifer Hines

Chief Communications Officer

Tyler ISD

Jessica Hohn-Cabana

VP of Global Communications

Rocket Software

Katie Huang Shin

President

Big Valley Marketing

Ashley Kline Shapiro

Vice President, Publicity ABC Entertainment

The Walt Disney Company

Melissa Lander

Vice President, Communications

Trinity Health

Kate Laufer Gorenstein

Founder & President

KLG Public Relations

Lisa Lesniak

Senior Vice President and Chief Public Affairs Officer

Advocate Health

Amanda Marotti

Director, Strategic Communications & OCM

AWL Strategies, LLC

Johnna Muscente

Vice President of Communications & Public Relations

The Corcoran Group

Rebecca Nunez

Founder & CEO

The MRN Agency

Lauren Pearson Riley

Director of Communications

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Joellen Perry

Global Head of Public Relations

SAP

Dalya Qualls White

Senior Vice President, Chief Communications Officer

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee

Melissa Sachs

Senior Vice President, Communications

Link Logistics

Lauren Triffler

Director of Corporate Communications

HARIBO of America

Hannah Vazzana

SVP, Chief Communications Officer

Hilton Grand Vacations

Heather Young

Vice President, Communications

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)

Mentors & Coaches

Samantha Anderson

Vice President

EvolveMKD

Cindy Auten

Senior Partner, Communications

ICF

Ellen Bremseth

Director, Strategic Communications

Milhouse

Elizabeth Erpelding

Head of Partner & Client Experience, Marketing and Communication

Albertsons Media Collective

Jessie Monroe

Communications Consultant

Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

Susan Stipa

Executive Vice President

CG Life

Tech Leaders

Donetta Allen

Chief Social + Digital Officer

HUNTER

Rachel Pipan

Founder

Maneuvre

Kelly Waltrich

Co-Founder and CEO

Intention.ly

Stephanie Wilson

Director, Global Marketing and Communications

ZS

Trailblazers

Diana Castellanos

Head of Marketing & Communications

Atlas Renewable Energy

Adrienne Chance

Senior Vice President of Communications and Executive Director of the SpartanNash Foundation

SpartanNash

Karlin Keller

Senior Director, Employee Communications and Employer Brand

Intel

Erin Lickliter

VP, Associate & Clinical Communications

Bon Secours Mercy Health

Stephanie Lowenthal

Global Head of Communications

Builder.AI

Tess Mattingly

Director, Brand Communications

McDonald’s

Kelly Miller

Managing Director

FTI Consulting

Justine Sacco

Chief Communications Officer

Match Group

Christina Stejskal

VP of Global PR & Communications

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation

Jody Sunna

Vice President Corporate Communications

Philip Morris International

Nichole Tillman

EVP-Communications

Philadelphia Housing Authority

Cheryl Waide

Chief Communications Officer

Vote Run Lead

Sharlene Wells

Senior Vice President of Public Relations and Organizational Communications

Mountain America Credit Union

Visionaries

Sara Aiello

VP, Corporate Marketing

Trellix

Rhiannon D’Angelo-Parsons

Director of External Communications & Media Engagement

Reynolds American Inc.

Gina Faridniya

Vice President, Spaces

Antenna Group

Tori Fernandes

VP, Corporate Communications

The Walt Disney Company

Sara Garibaldi

President

BODEN Agency

Jenna McMullin

Vice President of Communications

Lockheed Martin, Space

Marisol Mendez Peron

Senior Vice President, Communications & Corporate Affairs

Genmab

Jennifer Moreau

Vice President, Public Relations

Dollar General

Kristina Peterson-Lohman

Vice President, Global Communications

Weber

Amanda Schoch

Chief Communication Officer

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Tracy St. Pierre

Executive Vice President, Global Communications & Marketing

Universal Studio Group

Emily Williams

Senior Vice President

Global Strategy Group

Courtney Young

Director Hulu Originals Publicity

Hulu

Jill Zuckman

Partner

SKDK

Rising Stars (Age 30 and Under)

Kristen Blomstrom

Director

The Levinson Group

Julia Brown

Director of Strategy

Kaplow Communications

Jessica Bryant

Account Manager

SourceCode Communications

Samantha Casamento

Senior Account Executive

EvolveMKD

Allison Chavez

Associate State Director of Communications

AARP-Florida

Amy Climenhage

Account Manager

Sachs Media

Sawyer Coffey Noel

Director of Communications and Marketing

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Kelsey Dalton

Senior Media Relations Specialist

City of Hope Orange County

Jane Ha

Manager, Communications

The Walt Disney Company

Sunjay Lee

Account Supervisor

Ruder Finn

Vianca Lopez

Account Manager

The MRN Agency

Samantha Miller

Senior Manager, Internal Communications

Xperi Inc.

Sabrina Negron

Director

FTI Consulting

Annah Otis

Account Supervisor

The Bliss Group

Michele Owen

Communications Director

City of Muncie

Maredie Palmer

Digital Communications and Employee Experience Manager

Dominos

Bailey Williams

Manager, Crisis Communications

McDonald’s

Michaela Zukowski

Senior Manager, Publicity ABC Entertainment

Walt Disney Company

The post Announcing the honorees of Ragan’s 2023 Top Women in Communications awards appeared first on PR Daily.

While “rizz” and “Swiftie,” “situationship” and “goblin mode” are duking it out as the words of the year, we in the communications and PR world have a lexicon of our own.

Our annual words of the year are the terms that have defined your professional life in 2023 — even if you’re tired of hearing them — and will continue to do so in 2024.

We’ll start out with our No.1, official word of the year and move into runners-up.

Ragan and PR Daily’s word of the year: prompt

Following the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022, followed by the rise of other conversational AI tools such as Bard, Bing Chat, and Jasper, and image-generation tools including DALL-E 2 and 3, Stable Diffusion, and Midjourney, the past year has been defined by the evolution of AI.

Although AI has factored into PR and comms in contexts such as data management and customer service chats, learning the art of the AI prompt truly became a requirement for working in this field over the past year.

Organizations are now seeking AI prompt engineers — roles that can easily pay six figures out of the gate.

Whether it’s for ideation, copywriting, productivity or image development, learning AI has become a must for communicators — to the extent that our network has sought more guidance on this topic than any other this year. (We even launched online AI certification courses for communicators and marketers to help them build their prompting prowess, and navigate the complicated web of ethical and legal considerations that arise from these tools.)

And more change is on the horizon as the technology grows more sophisticated, the future of OpenAI remains uncertain and competing tools arise across existing platforms. (See: “Grok,” farther down on this list.)

Organizations as a whole and communicators in particular will need to be — er, prompt in upskilling in this area to remain competitive in the field.

More top communications and PR words of 2023

Crisis

From wars to weather emergencies, it has been a tumultuous year both inside and outside of organizations.

We’ve heard from communicators whose work has kept people connected during climate change-fueled weather events. Even now, organizations in Tennessee are facing the aftermath of a deadly tornado.

We’ve created spaces for them to talk about the internal and external challenges of crafting messaging and keeping their organizations united during the Israel-Hamas war.

It has by no means been an easy journey, but in the process, communicators have had the opportunity to hone skills such as resilience and conflict management — lessons that will remain critical as the world faces conflict and climate crises to come.

Backlash

Another conflict-based crisis is one that will surely continue to arise in the next year as the 2024 election cycle heats up.

Backlash was a stark point of discussion in 2023, especially around Bud Light’s management of the reaction to trans creator Dylan Mulvaney, who was attacked alongside the brand over their poorly thought-out partnership. The brand’s biggest snafu, however, was its silence toward Mulvaney and its unwillingness to take any stand amid the media and PR maelstrom — a move that left everyone frustrated.

From this instance, as well as Target’s poor handling of messaging around its Pride collection, we learned that it’s mission-critical for organizations to stand by their words and actions and commit to claims around brand purpose.

Owned media

With both trade and consumer-facing news outlets continuing to come to grips with a complex future, organizations that have learned how to tap into communicators’ powers of content development have the advantage of owning the narrative around their organization and wielding a strong employer brand.

Communicators at any organization can act as a brand newsroom — and we’ve increasingly seen them doing so this year, telling both internal- and external-facing stories of employees, crafting thought leadership and beyond.

RTO

This year began with many executives pushing for employees to return to onsite environments — and many did mandate in-office days, if not a full return. Other employers took the opportunity to scoop up talent unwilling to relinquish pandemic-era flexibility by remaining remote- and hybrid-friendly.

As the post-pandemic dust settles and we proceed into 2024, it will be worth noting where flexibility in this arena remains, and where it may shift.

Engagement

One inevitable challenge employers amenable to hybrid and remote flexibility faced this year was ensuring that their dispersed workforces remained connected, informed and committed — making 2023 a year in which communications was essential. Professionals in this space leveraged their knowledge of intranets, newsletters, multimedia storytelling, gamification and more to engage physically distant employees and cultivate a sense of belonging.

Talent

As higher education charts a course into an uncertain future, understanding new paths for talent acquisition and skill-building has been critical for employers. Communicators are drilling down into the best ways to work with HR to find and level up new workers, encourage employees to participate on-the-job training and upskilling, and express these benefits to prospective talent.

X — and Grok

After Elon Musk’s 2022 acquisition of Twitter and its subsequent rebrand to X this year, all bets are off about what exactly the platform will look like in the future. Its culture has shifted too making it a brand safety minefield that has prompted many brands to halt their activity and abandon the platform entirely.

Time will tell whether X’s evolving model will sway users who fled the platform to return for a different kind of experience, but if its culture remains bot-riddled and troll-fueled, it may end up with an entirely different demographic.

New subscription-based features and paid options will continue to change the way users engage on X, as will experiments such as integration with Musk’s controversial AI chat tool Grok. Will Grok have enough of a voice to make this list in 2024?

Threads

Despite ongoing attempts to build audiences on new X competitors such as Mastodon and BlueSky, it appears the winner in the race to get users to commit to an alternative is Meta. The popularity of Threads over others lies in its seamless integration with Instagram, enabling users to easily connect with many of the same people they socialized with on the older platform, as well as its similarity to Twitter’s original functionality.

Parasocial

Cultural phenomena such as the evolution of the creator economy and the force of nature known as Taylor Swift have raised awareness about the dynamics of parasocial relationships — that is, when the details of a person’s life are well-known to external viewers whom the person knows nothing about. This may be nothing new for stars such as Swift, but it may have an impact on Gen Alpha, many of whose lives have been documented on social media as they’ve grown up, with or without their informed consent. We will see in the future how this impacts their professional lives and consumer habits.

So there we have it — the 2023 communications and PR words of the year. What words would you add to this list?

Jess Zafarris is a content director, editor, journalist, speaker, social media engagement strategist and creator. Her 13 years of experience in media have included such roles as the Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Director at Adweek, and Content Strategy Director and Digital Content Director for Writer’s Digest and Script Mag. Follow her on Twitter/Threads/IG and Tiktok @jesszafaris and connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post The top 10 communications words of the year appeared first on PR Daily.

For communicators, crisis has become the norm, a reality that requires a state of constant readiness for controversies — and even emergencies.  

Randi Stipes, CMO at The Weather Company, is no stranger to crises. The organization’s commitment to keeping the public informed, not only of everyday weather conditions, but also during climate emergencies, means it is prepared to care for both its workforce and its users in the event of even the most devastating disasters. 

She spoke at Ragan’s 2023 Future of Communications Conference in Austin last week about lessons she’s learned on the job as a marketer and communicator whose work literally saves lives. These were some of the lessons we learned during her dramatic talk. 

A state of perpetual preparedness 

Even The Weather Channel, the consumer-facing product of The Weather Company, can’t foresee every storm or its impact, so setting the stage is critical to navigating a weather-related emergency — or any other crisis — when it strikes. 

“Every business needs a plan for crisis mode,” she said. “In today’s crazy world, it’s inevitable you’ll use it. … Having a solid comms plan that you can refer back to when things get hectic — that’s critical.” 

That plan’s foundation is its mission, and communicators must make an effort to wholeheartedly champion that mission. 

“You need to carry the torch to evangelize that mission across your organization and beyond,” Stipes told the audience.  

She said communicators act as the “compass and conscience” of their organizations, both internally and externally, a role that requires authenticity and transparency in order to stabilize another keystone in your metaphorical weather-proofing process: Trust.  

“Building trust not only with the media but the public is not a one-and-done action,” Stipes said . 

When the storm strikes 

You have your foundation, infused with purpose, authenticity and trust. But what about the moment itself — when the crisis has arrived and it’s all hands on deck? 

Stipes advised communicators to stay nimble. “Make sure your preparation playbook leaves enough room for agility,” she said. 

That’s where internal trust plays a role: The ability to get everyone on board and work in tandem to do what needs to be done and mitigate any damage. “Leaders need to empower their people to make decisions,” she said. “When we can steer through a crisis the right way, the pride we have for our team and the confidence we have in our own abilities is unmatched.” 

Powered by IBM Watson, The Weather Company relies heavily on technology to stay connected with millions of people during an emergency. Similarly, tech and communication tools can bepowerful allies for keeping organizations connected and on the same page when any type of crisis arises. 

However, Stipes said people will always be the ballast during high-intensity times. “We can’t solely rely on machine learning as we use AI in our comms,” she noted. “Our roles are nuanced and emotional. Humans will always play an essential role.” 

That humanity and empathy serves as the linchpin for survival and a guiding light during the darkest times organizations and employees face together, whether it’s the aftermath of a hurricane or interpersonal conflict during a war on the global stage. “Communicators have the responsibility and opportunity to impact communities by impacting conversations and dialogues,” Stipes said. “Understanding needs to underpin our craft.” 

Communicators who follow this organization’s lead will find they can weather any storm.  

Discover more lessons learned from Ragan’s 2023 Future of Communications Conference in these stories by Ragan’s editorial team: \

• Ragan’s Game Changers on the future of crisis management and employee engagement 
• Top Takeaways from Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference 
• Research: How CEOs influence the comms function 
• How communicators build multigenerational bridges 

Jess Zafarris is a content director, editor, journalist, speaker, social media engagement strategist and creator. Her 13 years of experience in media have included such roles as the Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Director at Adweek, and Content Strategy Director and Digital Content Director for Writer’s Digest and Script Mag. Follow her on Twitter/Threads/IG and Tiktok @jesszafaris  and connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post Weathering a crisis: Lessons in emergency preparedness from The Weather Company appeared first on PR Daily.

You don’t have to look far to recognize the cultural impact and change women are leading in 2023. Women supporting women-led artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are uplifting entire cities’ economies. The “Barbie” movie has become the highest-grossing film of 2023, as well as the highest-grossing film by a female director of all time, in part fueled by the vast, powerful and relatable marketing campaign that accompanied it.

Women have also faced numerous challenges in the marketing industry this year, especially when striving to rise to the top. Global data provided by LinkedIn shows women account for nearly 42% of the workforce in 2023, yet the share of women in senior leadership positions is at just over 32%, and only 25% in the C-suite. In Ragan’s most recent Salary and Workplace Culture Survey, the average base salary of women is $109,148, which is $9,136 less than their male counterparts. While this is progress over the past, it’s clear that there is still much work to be done to break through barriers and biases that women often encounter.

To support the women who are shattering glass ceilings, leveling playing fields and creating opportunities for those following in their footsteps Ragan has launched the PR Daily Top Women in Marketing Awards. These honorees have impacted the performance, reach and awareness of their organizations and inspired those in their professional circles. They work tirelessly to advance the profession while empowering their teams to do their best work and accelerating growth for their organizations.

Judges selected nearly 100 women in nine categories including Agency Leaders, Social Media Marketers and Data/Analytics Leaders to develop a premier list of women leaders who were honored at an in-person event at New York City’s City Winery on Oct. 26.

Congratulations to all of the honorees of our inaugural Top Women in Marketing awards. Let us all continue to support their great efforts in being leaders and their great efforts in moving the industry forward.

Read about just a few of the impressive professionals who made this year’s list:

Alana Visconti

Marking and Communications Director, Publishing and Distribution Strategy, Nasdaq

Alana Visconti embraces change and fuels innovation in marketing. Although she was recently promoted to her marketing and communications role, Visconti spent two years leading Nasdaq’s social media strategy. In just her first year, she expanded content production by 64%, creating more than 4,300 posts that reached 2 billion users. She positioned Nasdaq as a Web3 trailblazer by holding Nasdaq’s historic bell ceremony in the Metaverse, and by leading the launch of an NFT collection, aligned with the tech conference Silicon Slopes 2022. Today she continues to focus on advancing Nasdaq’s partnerships, strategically exploring emerging trends like AI and leading social content with a purpose, all while seeking opportunities to advance ESG initiatives.

Leadership Advice from Visconti: “Dream big! Seek opportunities that are aligned with you and help to support your dreams. Commit to never stop learning and evolving. Always look for ways to take projects, work streams, or roles to a new level.”

Alejandra Caceres

Director of Social Media, Crumbl Cookies

Under Alejandra Caceres’ leadership, Crumbl Cookies’ social media presence has flourished, boosting brand perception, awareness, partnership excitement and, of course, cookie sales. In just six months, her work led to the brand amassing 3.2 million new followers across 14 social media accounts on nine platforms. Also in that time, she spearheaded more than 15 successful social media campaigns, focusing on alignment with target demographics and team collaboration. Caceras’ approach focuses on tailoring content to specific platforms, ensuring that the brand’s content meets consumers where they are, speaks their language and reflects their preferences for engaging with brand accounts.

Lindsay Morgan

Chief Marketing Officer, Pizza Hut U.S.

In a bid to revitalize Pizza Hut’s image and brand in the U.S., 15-year marketing veteran Lindsay Morgan launched a 360-degree marketing campaign that included messaging aimed at younger audiences, contemporary packaging, new food photography and a push into a new category with the introduction of “Melts,” a folded pizza product intended for a single customer. The new product was accompanied by advertising and social media content focused on empowering the individual: Customers were invited to “go solo” and embrace the “World of Me.” The campaign generated more than two billion media impressions across publications, including the websites for Business Insider, CNN, the New York Post and more, and it helped drive a 5% systemwide sales increase for Q4 of 2022.

Maya Wasserman

Head of Marketing and Director of Marketing Communication, Home Entertainment and Sound, Sony Electronics

With more than 12 years at Sony Electronics, Maya Wasserman is no stranger to launching new products, creative storytelling and digital marketing, but her recent work on the launch of LinkBuds headphones and gaming gear brand INZONE shines for its forward-thinking approach and exploration of new channels. For LinkBuds in particular, she developed a mobile-first campaign that spanned social media and the metaverse and incorporated an augmented reality unboxing experience, as well as partnerships with more than 100 influencers, and rising artist Lucky Daye, who worked with the brand to develop an NFT unlocking prizes and real-life experiences. As a result of her work Sony TIME Magazine’s Best Invention of the Year for LinkBuds and a Washington Post Feature surrounding INZONE.

Leadership Advice from Wasserman: “Lead with authenticity and lean into your strengths. Find your own leadership style that works. Also, allow your team to fail and foster an environment of curiosity. Build a culture of ‘test and try’ and let them know it is okay to take calculated risks, and fail, as long as there are learnings from your failures.”

Vanessa Mbonu

Vice President of Digital Marketing and Communications, NAACP

At just 28 years old, Vanessa Mbonu has emerged as a leader at the NAACP and a model for other women in marketing. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, before emigrating to Maryland, Mbonu is an advocate for equity and seeks to uplift women’s voices in her impactful work. She co-produced “UNPCKD,” a virtual event series created in partnership with The Webby Awards that addresses critical issues facing communities of color in online spaces and aims to create a more inclusive internet. Her team’s digital marketing strategy expanded viewership of the NAACP annual Image Awards by more than 70% year over year and increased individual donor contributions. Her work has also resulted in an increase in email list subscribers of more than 30%.

Leadership advice from Vanessa: “Nobody knows exactly how to win 100% of the time. But the few people who have mastered the art of failing fast and pivoting graciously typically end up being the most successful.”

Abby Nelson

Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist, Ascension

Ascension, a prominent non-profit and Catholic health system operating across 19 states with 2,600 care sites, is fortunate to have Abby Nelson on its team. Since her arrival in 2019, Nelson swiftly ascended to a role of immense responsibility as senior marketing and communications specialist. She masterminds marketing strategies for crucial lines of business, such as heart and vascular, brain and spine, orthopedics, sports medicine, and oncology. Nelson’s contributions include the creation of Ascension’s first-ever integrated oncology campaign. Titled “With a plan, comes hope,” this campaign personalized the cancer care journey and highlighted Ascension’s patient-centered approach. It not only aligned with recovery metrics but by December 2022, the campaign garnered 145 million impressions, resulting in more than 8,000 patient engagements. Furthermore, Nelson’s expertise extends to cardiovascular care, where she’s spearheaded a comprehensive campaign spanning TV, online video, and paid search. Her campaigns consistently target high-risk patients and contribute significantly to Ascension’s $28 billion healthcare brand. Her skillful execution, innovative strategies, and patient-centric focus make Nelson a standout figure in the world of healthcare marketing.

Adrienne Cadena

CEO, Havas Street

Adrienne Cadena’s two-decade tenure has driven Havas Street’s growth and reputation. Appointed CEO in 2023, she leads diverse capabilities from large-scale events to sampling campaigns. In 2022, as president, Cadena excelled in creative development and led activations for brands such as Nike, PepsiCo, JPMorgan Chase and LEGO. Notable projects include Merrell’s “More Less” wellness pop-up and a multi-sensory lounge for Norwegian Cruise Line, reaching 18,000 attendees and generating 25,000 social media impressions. The “Welcoming Spirit” campaign for Jim Beam welcomed 70,000 guests at 51 events. Beyond campaigns, Cadena champions diversity and inclusion and has innovative projects in the pipeline. She’s a force outside the office, launching “Run the World Athletics” to empower girls and contributes to The Center for PR. With her strategic leadership and passion, Cadena continues to shape Havas Street’s success in creating meaningful brand experiences.

Kelly Higgins

CMO, Doremus+Co

Under Kelly Higgins’ leadership, Doremus+Co thrives, successfully attracting companies facing transformative change, gaining 10 new clients in the last year, including Meta, AMD and J&J. She spearheaded a successful agency rebrand with a playful visual identity, a new website, and the tagline “Good Company for Complex Brands” while her strategic ads during Advertising Week in Manhattan reinforced Doremus+Co as “Your B2B BFF.” She values empathy in business and focuses on the right opportunities, reducing team stress by focusing on the best prospects best for the company. Higgins ensured Doremus+Co’s presence in a vital Interbrand partnership, contributing to a sector report highlighting B2B brand growth. She was also instrumental in getting Doremus+Co President and Chief Creative Officer Paul Hirsch picked for the prestigious role of Jury President for the first-ever B2B Creative Lions award category at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2022. She then made sure he was quoted widely on the creativity and momentum B2B brands are showing around the world. With her B2C approach, Doremus+Co has earned industry accolades, cementing Higgins as a top woman in marketing.

Leadership Advice from Higgins: “It’s a real honor to be recognized as a Top Woman in Marketing. This is a tough industry, often made tougher as a woman. But with the right mix of grit, ingenuity and self-confidence, you’d be amazed at what you can accomplish. It’s been a privilege to build my career working with incredibly talented people to help solve big client challenges. And with all the changes on the horizon — in culture, in tech, in my life — I’m excited to continue this journey.”

Rachel Barek

CEO and co-founder, Said Differently

Rachel Barek of Said Differently has taken an innovative approach to her agency model. After departing from a major marketing firm, Barek expanded Said Differently’s freelance network to 3,000 professionals within a year. She introduced a dynamic approach, focusing on shorter, better-matched talent placements, enhancing client satisfaction. Said Differently’s collaboration with Neiman Marcus led to a remarkable mobile app transformation, improving its rating from 2.5 to 4.5 stars in six months. Due to its success, Falfurrias Capital Partners made a significant investment in Said Differently in September 2022, underscoring the agency’s groundbreaking model. As an openly LGBTQ+ CEO, Barek actively mentors emerging leaders and advocates for reshaping the agency landscape to serve talent better and yield superior results. Her trailblazing spirit and industry impact make her a standout figure in marketing.

Leadership Advice from Barek: “For way too long, agency-side talent has been working within a model that was designed by boomer men. This antiquated design dictated their options for work-life balance. Said Differently’s distributed model is all about trusting and empowering our talent to choose their relationship to work. That means working when they want, the way they want, where they want and on the types of projects that give them the greatest professional satisfaction. Our flexible model is great for women, who over-index as working parents and caregivers. It turns out that when you empower talent to be their best, it’s a win-win for both the talent and the client 100% of the time.”

Sue Burkett

Strategic Marketing Leader, Owens Corning

With more than 40 years of experience in the building materials industry, Sue Burkett’s remarkable achievements go beyond qualifications. She’s championed female consumers’ voices in roofing choices, recognizing their unique preferences. Burkett reshaped the roofing industry by introducing vibrant shingle formulations like Merlot and Aged Copper, appealing to women’s design sensibilities. She created the Shingle Color of the Year, with 2023’s Midnight Plum as the market’s sole purple shingle, lauded by homeowners and contractors alike. Under her leadership, Owens Corning Roofing has earned the Women’s Choice Award for six consecutive years, signifying it as America’s Most Recommended roofing products. Burkett’s strategies in a male-dominated industry have revolutionized the roofing conversation, bridging the gap between roofing and design for women. Her dedication and transformative marketing strategies make her a standout in the field.

Check out all the Top Women in Marketing Profiles.

The post Celebrating the women who are revolutionizing marketing today appeared first on PR Daily.

In the past year, a proliferation of new social media platforms have hit the internet, vying for participation as leadership changes, data policy concerns, lawsuits and culture shifts rock long-standing platforms and send users looking for new places to spend their time. 

Many users fear TikTok’s data handling practices by parent company ByteDance after dozens of countries, states and cities banned the app on government devices. Facebook’s population is aging even as Meta faces legal challenges over its targeting of underage users. And X, formerly Twitter, has gone Musky, driving away many longstanding users. 

Threads has emerged as a favored Twitter-like option alongside options such as Mastodon and BlueSky. Some brands, such as Amazon, Best Buy and Sephora, are even playing more on LinkedIn.  

As a communicator or marketer for a brand, what happens if your users start to filter away over these concerns? We talked with several social media pros about how they choose their social media battlegrounds and suit up to ensure brand safety. 

Choosing and using your social platforms 

Major brands may benefit from large social teams and hefty resources, but most organizations aren’t in that position. Small teams will need to ensure they don’t bite off more than they can chew. 

“While it sounds great to be on everything, we know sometimes the resources and bandwidth aren’t there.” said Erin Hodges, senior manager of digital for the San Jose Sharks. “So if you are able to be ‘choosey,’ stay focused on the goals you are trying to achieve and align the platforms with that.” 

It’s easy enough to say “go where the audience is,” but in practice, determining where they are can be a real challenge. Thus, cultivating an ongoing relationship with your audience is key. 

“Start wherever you feel less friction, then listen to your audience and adjust,” said Nicole Tabak, a copywriter and content strategist who crafted social media for brands including Harvard University, Time Magazine’s NextAdvisor, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and The Creative Ladder. 

Of course, these decisions may boil down to where the money is. If you’re investing in paid social, or if your organization relies on social as a direct revenue source, you may have to select platforms that deliver more easily attributable ROI before prioritizing organic play — and ensure paid and organic are playing well together. “You should also be aligned between organic and paid where applicable,” said Hodges. 

These choices will also come down to production capabilities. “If it’s lengthy and difficult to create video content, lean into text-based platforms like X or Threads,” said Tabak. “If visual content is plentiful and copy feels challenging, jump on video and image-based platforms like Instagram or TikTok.” 

“As a social media strategist, you don’t want to stretch yourself thin for an already demanding job, and I always tell people that I’d rather be on a handful of platforms and be amazing than be everywhere and mediocre,” said Syed Ali, a social media strategist who has worked with B2B tech brands Carbon, Databricks and Informatica. “It’s really important to do the homework of looking into your audience personas so that you can build channel-specific strategies while remaining flexible enough to test new and emerging platforms.” 

Do I stay or do I go? 

X has grown to be the elephant in the room in terms of brand safety due not only to Elon Musk firing security and moderation teams, but also because of updates to the platform’s functionality, payment requirements for new users and i community. 

“I see [X] and TikTok as our most risky platforms,” Hodges warned. “The speed of virality of content seems far greater on both than the others and the audiences engage in a way that can be just as harmful as it is helpful. The reality though is every platform has its risks and to always proceed knowing that.” 

These experts see less risk in other brands, including TikTok and Instagram, which seem to be more intentional and constant in their growth and evolution.. 

“I still see Snapchat as something to consider or reconsider especially depending on your target audiences,” Tabak said, “and as crazy as it sounds, TikTok still has a lot of room to grow and many organizations aren’t using all the features and content options, sponsorship and monetization opportunities, and even the TikTok Shop to where I see a lot of growth into 2024.” 

Ali has a different take: He cites LinkedIn, Instagram and Discord as the most reliable platforms for most brands to spend their time in at present. “A lot of people underestimate the power of storytelling on LinkedIn, not to mention the ability to tap into the C-suite and amplify your employees’ and executives’ voices to humanize your brand,” he said. “Instagram continues to grow and will always be an outlet for episodic content and flexing your creative muscles; Discord allows your community to have a closer relationship with the brand, all the while initiating conversations amongst customers, partners and other stakeholders that can’t happen elsewhere.” 

Rising stars 

So what of the text-based, short-form alternatives to which so many former Twitter devotees are fleeing — the Threads, Blueskies and Mastadons of the world? 

“There seems to be a battle royale to see who can scoop up Twitter defectors, but the reality is that there are too many alternatives that all offer roughly the same exact features and haven’t been able to separate themselves from the pack,” Ali said. 

Tabak said she advises all of her clients to be on Instagram, LinkedIn and, yes, Threads. “I’m already embracing [Threads] as a refreshing haven away from the chaos of the seasoned platforms,” she said. But not everyone is so convinced. 

Most seem to agree that the technical capabilities and brand awareness of Meta give it the best shot, but some are put off by how close it is to Instagram and want to keep those communities separate. However, this may attract long-time users whose primary platform is Instagram. 

“I’m not bullish quite yet on Threads,” Hodges said. “Our tests haven’t indicated that our audience is here to stay on it, but with adjustments on creating a more ‘in-Instagram app’ experience vs. separate app, there is absolutely potential and something we will continue to monitor and test.” 

And the newcomers seem to have fallen by the wayside in terms of buy-in since the rise of Threads. 

Ali has a different perspective: “If I had to place a bet, I’d expect platforms like Reddit and Discord to grow because I’m seeing growth and interest in more community-based social networks for folks rallying behind topics and interests, much like Facebook and LinkedIn groups,” he said.  

But, as Hodges discussed, nowhere is perfect. “Every platform carries its own problems and the true risk is in assuming guaranteed success,” Tabak agreed. No one can guarantee your brand will go viral. These networks are living and breathing.

Jess Zafarris is a content director, editor, journalist, speaker, social media engagement strategist and creator. Her 13 years of experience in media have included such roles as the Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Director at Adweek, and Content Strategy Director and Digital Content Director for Writer’s Digest and Script Mag. Follow her on Twitter/Threads/IG and Tiktok @jesszafaris  and connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Ragan has revealed its inaugural class of Game Changers, leaders nominated by a council of communications leaders and carefully selected by our editorial team as emblems of innovation in the industry. The leaders will be honored during Ragan’s Communications Week in a dedicated ceremony at our Future of Communications Conference in Austin from Nov. 6th–8th.

These distinguished communications leaders are recognized for their remarkable contributions, visionary initiatives and unwavering commitment to driving impactful outcomes within their respective organizations and beyond. Along the way, they have deftly redefined the way we face, prepare for and respond to today’s most pressing and complex challenges.

The Game Changers represent a diverse spectrum of expertise, operating at the forefront of multiple functions including HR, digital marketing, design and beyond. Their collective efforts continue to elevate the realm of communications by pioneering solutions and embracing cutting-edge technologies, ultimately fostering enduring and positive change for both internal and external stakeholders.

Ragan extends our heartfelt congratulations to the 2023 Game Changers, each of whom has showcased remarkable dedication to advancing the field of communications. They have demonstrated their commitment to revolutionizing the profession and leading us into the future.

Following the awards ceremony at Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference, several members of the class will also participate in panel discussions, sharing their experience and expertise with our attendees.

The 2023 Game Changers are:

Angie Hu

Vice President Communications

Synchrony

Christina Magrini

Vice President of Corporate Communications

Forbes

Damon Jones

Chief Communications Officer

Procter & Gamble

Halley Knigge

Director, Co-op Communications

REI

Lou Dubois

Senior Director, Content, Creative, HD Story Labs and Home Depot TV

Home Depot

Michael Kaye

Head of Brand Marketing and Communications, Archer and Global Director of Brand Marketing and Communications

OKCupid

Sarah Alspach

Senior Vice President, External Affairs

bluebird bio

Stephanie Lowenthal

Global Head of Communications

Builder.ai

Tiph Turpin

Global Vice President of Employee Communications

Expedia Group

Billy Rielly

Senior Vice President, Head of Public Affairs

Consumer Bankers Association

Veleisa Patton Burrell

Senior Vice President

FleishmanHillard Dallas

Mariella Kapsaskis

Head of Corporate Communications

BMW of North America

Felicia Salazar

Deputy Director of Communications

U.S. Department of the Interior

Marc Johnson

Vice President, Corporate Communications

Meta

Kelly Williamson

President, North America

APCO Worldwide

Morgan Painter-Effron

Vice President, Corporate Communications

NBCUniversal

Congratulations to the 2023 Game Changers for their outstanding contributions to the field of communications.

Meet many of these luminaries at Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference in Austin, Texas.

The post Introducing Ragan’s 2023 Game Changers, communicators who are leading the way forward appeared first on PR Daily.

Across YouTube, TikTok, Reels, and even Facebook and Pinterest, creators and influencers are rulers of the socialsphere and all the benefits that flow through it.  

Yet after a series of snafus in the creator space over the past few years, as well as tightening marketing budgets and a maturing internet economy, brands have grown more discerning about the partnerships they pursue. Meanwhile, creators have learned the value of their work and are requiring fair compensation and assurances that, say, an army of Bud Light fans won’t come after them for promoting beer and… well, existing. They’re taking matters into their own hands and increasingly expanding their reach beyond phone screens. 

For an eagle-eyed view of what creators are up to — and how brands can get in their games — we went back to school with Dr. Karen Freberg, professor in strategic communication and director of student advertising and marketing agency The Bird’s Nest at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. 

[RELATED: Join us in Austin for our Future of Communications Conference]

Influencer-to-consumer modeling 

Want to chat with MrBeast, Tom Brady or Kendall Jenner? Now you can — or AI-powered chatbot versions of them — in your Instagram DMs and Facebook Messenger.  

“The notable trends we are seeing right now with the creator economy is a shift from public facing content to a direct-to-consumer model with exclusive subscriptions, channels, and interactions,” Karen said. “The move for creators is to share content still for everyone to see, but they are following the social media platforms in a pay-to-play model.” 

TikTok, X and other platforms have recently amped up their subscription-based options for popular creators, enabling fans to pay to access their content directly rather than earn money from a brand seeking to access their audience. (And let’s be real, OnlyFans beat them all to it.) 

Creators are, in a sense, acting as publishers with social media platforms as their content management systems.  

Freberg also cites social media doyen Matt Navarra’s social media-focused Geekout WhatsApp community, which has gone subscription-only with Geekout PRO. 

The concept? “If you want the exclusives… and get the most value, you must pay,” she said.  

The brand opportunity 

For smaller creators and influencers, the DTC take on emerging social can manifest as a means of removing the need for brand partnerships — aside from, of course, the platforms on which they serve content — to earn big.  

“The question is — which creators are succeeding in this new space right now in the dark social creator economy?” Freberg posited. 

The content and hype have to be big enough to get fans to buy into subscription ventures; otherwise they’ll end up creating content for an empty room. 

That’s why the lion’s share of this trend is going to the biggest creators, influencers and even celebrities. Still, good content is good content, and strategic brand partnerships can build up some of that hype. 

Freberg noted the example set by an actual DTC brand, then-small business Little Words Project, maker of friendship-style bracelets. The then-tiny DTC brand was founded in 2013 by Adriana Carrig and rose to popularity through its social media presence. But that presence led to partnerships with Nordstrom, Target, Lizzo’s Yitty, and is now appropriately tapping into the Taylor Swift hype with the help of Dunkin’. As of 2021, the brand has a shop in Manhattan that has topped six figures in sales — all, ultimately, thanks to the audience it built with its strong social content.  

The takeaway for others? “Tapping into pop culture moments with alignment and creative strategy makes a win-win situation for brands and creators,” Freberg said. “If it is forced, everyone will know. If it’s new and unique, everyone will be talking about it. Attention is the most important currency when the brand/creator collaboration inspires, interests, and informs audiences.” 

And given how quickly creators and influencers come and go, brands ought to be keeping an eye on their habits and new ways of interacting with emerging social features will be key to innovative partnerships going forward, rather than pure follower and subscriber counts. 

“I think brands are always looking for the next big influencer and creator, when they should be looking at the one who has the most investment, loyalty, and unique perspective to offer,” she added. 

As these trends evolve, one thing remains constant: Marketers and PR pros could benefit from ensuring that they know why both their fans and influencers’ fans keep coming back, and tap into the heart of that reasoning. 

For more insights into what lies ahead for social media and more, join us in Austin for the Future of Communications Conference, Nov. 6-8, 2023.

Jess Zafarris is a content director, editor, journalist, speaker, social media engagement strategist and creator. Her 13 years of experience in media have included such roles as the Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Director at Adweek, and Content Strategy Director and Digital Content Director for Writer’s Digest and Script Mag. Follow her on Twitter/Threads/IG and Tiktok @jesszafaris  and connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post Why social media personalities are acting like publishers — and how brands can join in appeared first on PR Daily.

Comms professionals are master diplomats, crafting legal-approved, perfectly tailored, brand-honed messaging that balances the priorities of executives, managers, employees and external audiences alike.

As a result, you often don’t hear much about the horrors that lurk behind the scenes, the complex interpersonal twists among stakeholders, and the frightening uncertainty that can stand in the way of results.

That’s why we’ve asked communicators to spill their tea — in secret — via an anonymous form (and we’re hoping you will too).

In what may come to be a recurring column of “comms anonymous” tales, discover stories of the dastardliest, most chilling and most relatable moments from the secret files of the comms world.

D’oh!

We’ve all made awkward gaffes on the job — sending emails too soon, freezing up on an important call, typing “pubic” instead of “public.” I’m, er, definitely not speaking from experience.

One communicator told us they sent out a press release to reporters “with the entire email thread of edits and back and forth from my team below it.” EEK!

Another comms horror story that made us cackle: “I once left a voicemail for a journalist and closed with ‘love you, bye’ out of sheer habit. Needless to say, she did not call me back!” (Don’t worry, we journalists don’t get enough love. I’m sure she appreciated it.)

“My first attributed quote ever came in my earlier days when a journalist caught me off guard on the phone,” wrote another comms pro. “He was prodding with the same question over and over to which I responded repeatedly with phrases like, ‘I’m not sure. I don’t know. I am not privy to that information.’ I let him know I had to get off the phone and he asked me one last time, the same question, to which I responded, ‘I literally have no idea!’ You can guess which of those responses ended up in the story.”

Toxic terrors

We’ve all had that monster manager or execrable executive plague our day-to-day at some point in our careers. For instance, there are the bosses who think they know how to do your job — but their perspectives are from the wrong century.

One responder shared a story about their boss, a CEO who had worked in PR 20 years prior. “He would regularly insist that I follow up on unanswered email pitches to top-tier outlets five times,” they wrote. “I eventually told him I would give him my contact and he could follow up himself, but I wouldn’t allow myself to get blacklisted for spamming them.”

But this bosszilla didn’t stop there: “Same boss blared CNN during the Trump era all day in the office, said I could have two weeks of maternity leave and then had to work from home, wouldn’t let me hire anyone to cover me during maternity until it was too late to train them, then said I could have a generous six weeks off and called maternity leave ‘a vacation.’ Needless to say, I never made it back.”

Ever had a boss who had no concept of professional boundaries? You’re not alone.

“I was running executive communications for an organization’s CEO, including creating content for her social media,” one communicator related. “One day she complained that I don’t post about her enough on my own personal Instagram account … She fully expected me to be sharing her weekly activities and successes on my personal social accounts.”

If these accounts have given you flashbacks, feel free to share more comms horror stories via our anonymous form, and you may be featured in a future edition of “Comms Anonymous.” Your name and information will not be collected, but will vanish into the ether, never to be seen again.

The post Comms anonymous: Workplace horror stories to keep you up at night appeared first on PR Daily.

More than 30 states and cities have banned TikTok on government devices. These bans are likely to continue unless TikTok parent company ByteDance can provide firmer evidence that user data is not at risk of being mishandled by Chinese government entities.

This was one of several topics we addressed in our recent Ragan Social Media Crash Course webinar. We examined the likelihood of a ban, and what that means for communicators who establish guidelines for their brands and employees’ social activity.

Will TikTok be banned on personal devices?

Experts agree that it’s unlikely TikTok will see a full-scale ban at the federal level for several reasons.

• 5 million U.S. businesses are active on the platform, and banning it from personal devices could cost the U.S. economy $6.8 billion.
• The U.S. government has a tenuous historical record of regulating tech companies and social platforms — or even fully grasping the challenges they pose.
• The US government has yet to “ban” a major social media platform from personal devices. And despite many others being U.S. based, it’s worth considering that the second-largest stakeholder in X after Elon Musk is Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz — so foreign influence is a bit of a selective issue.

From the (military) horse’s mouth:

“It would be incredibly difficult to have a nationwide band that would be governed effectively, efficiently and the same for every state,” said Alan Black, director of corporate communications for the U.S. Navy at Dahlgren, Virginia.

Black and his team manage the Navy’s TikTok presence — without access to the app on their work devices, and without the military brand having an official presence of its own. “We do have a challenge in the government,” Black quipped wryly. But even so, having a strategy is critical, and the Navy is up for the challenge.

The team turned to creators — primarily micro-influencers in the STEM space — to speak to their experiences and recruit for the skills the military needs.

“It’s kind of a third-party advocacy role, where you have people talking about your brand, but they’re talking within your guidelines,” Black said.

Looking ahead and knowing the risks

While average users and creators are unlikely to lose access to the app, it’s worth keeping the topic in mind:

• From a creator’s perspective, government bans raise issues surrounding the app’s content moderation practices, having a safe social media experience, and ensuring privacy factors such as the handling and use of their data.
• From a brand perspective, it’s about brand safety, ensuring the viability of creator partnerships. It also raises the question of whether TikTok is the right platform to use, or whether an alternative such as Reels is the safer bet long-term.
• For communicators in government organizations, making it clear to employees how they engage with the app, share details about their work and approach brand partnerships is critical. Set guidelines and be ready to answer questions from creator-employees.

Jess Zafarris is a content director, editor, journalist, speaker, social media engagement strategist and creator. Her 13 years of experience in media have included such roles as the Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Director at Adweek, and Content Strategy Director and Digital Content Director for Writer’s Digest and Script Mag. Follow her on Twitter/Threads/IG and Tiktok @jesszafaris  and connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Creating accessible content isn’t just about inclusion — though that should be a priority for anyone looking to maximize their reach and make a positive impact on the world — it’s also good business.

Award-winning accessibility advocate, author and social pro Alexa Heinrich provides detailed how-tos for a range of platforms that help marketers, social pros and communicators understand how people with visual and hearing impairments engage with online and social media spaces, along with what features are available to ensure they can access and understand content.

Research — both Heinrich’s and well beyond — shows that captions, alt text and other accessibility features not only reach people with disabilities, but also reach more people who consume content in different ways and different environments.

Heinrich granted PR Daily permission to share some of her key tips around captioning, alt text and image descriptions.

Capturing attention with captions

A wide range of studies show that many people view video on their mobile devices without sound — with 69% watching without sound in public spaces. That percentage increases depending on the platform: While more users (88%) watch TikTok videos with sound on, 85% of Facebook users watch or begin watching videos with the sound off.

By adding captions (and editing them if they’re auto-generated!) content creators and social pros can ensure that their videos are still viewable and can capture attention, even on silent.

Many platforms automatically generate closed captions (captions that users can turn on), while others require open captions (captions that are burned onto the screen of the video itself).

“If you’re trying to decide between using closed or open captions, choose closed,” Heinrich writes. “They offer a more customizable experience for viewers in terms of visibility, position, and size, so they are the preferred option.”

Heinrich’s site provides platform-specific instructions for including captions including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Alt text tips

Whether images appear on your intranet, website, social platforms or beyond, it’s important to ensure that they include descriptive alt text and image descriptions. Not only does this enable users who rely on screen readers and other assistive technology to experience this content, it also optimizes images for search, which can boost traffic and impressions.

Plus, it might even be a legal requirement for your organization.

“In many countries, including the United States, there are laws and regulations that require digital content to be accessible to people with disabilities,” Heinrich writes. “Failure to comply with these regulations can result in legal penalties, revenue loss, and negative publicity for brands and organizations.”

Most content management systems and social media platforms allow users to add alt text and image descriptions to their graphics. Alt text is typically a simpler variation of this text, while an image description is more detailed.

Heinrich advises asking these questions to craft image descriptions:

‍What about your visual is significant for someone to know? ‍

• What information is going into the written part of your post? ‍
• Once you’ve written your post and your image description, is there any information still missing that someone should know about?

Regardless of the type of content you develop for social or your organization’s website, it is vital for both legal and ethical reasons to ensure that it reaches everyone, including people with disabilities and visual and hearing impairments. But beyond that, these accessible content practices ensure that anyone can enjoy the work you create at any time, boosting reach and performance in the process.

Jess Zafarris is a content director, editor, journalist, speaker, social media engagement strategist and creator. Her 13 years of experience in media have included such roles as the Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Director at Adweek, and Content Strategy Director and Digital Content Director for Writer’s Digest and Script Mag. Follow her on Twitter/Threads/IG and Tiktok @jesszafaris  and connect with her on LinkedIn.

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As your average vertical video creator grows up, so too do the marketing and PR industries that rely on their creative labor. These individuals who concept, script, draft, shoot, caption, publish, distribute and publicize the content they create — often on behalf of brands  understand more about their role, importance and stake in the future of social media than ever before.

This evolution in the social and mobile-first video space is driven by a variety of factors, including: More states and cities implementing TikTok bans on government devices, a demand for transparency and demonstrable authenticity in brand content, influencer snafus and pitfalls by major brands.

In PR Daily’s recent Social Media Crash Course webinar, experts from major brands — and even the U.S. military — gave us a look at where things are and where they’re going with creator partnerships.

How has the creator and influencer economy changed?

Since TikTok’s surge in 2019 and 2020, the boom and continued growth of the creator economy made the case for brands to connect with audiences on a more personal and less curated level.

Scrappy, conversational content became a primary mode of entertainment for billions of people — driving outsized brand awareness and even sales for brands that tap into it. Audiences seek relationships with creators and value the brands that they do.

This sped up the marketing creation process and made it more critical than ever for brands to engage via this medium.

“When people go to look for information, if you’re not out there with your brand and marketing what you have to say about an issue, somebody’s going to talk on your behalf,” said Alan Black, director of corporate communications for the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dalgren Division.

Today, creators and influencers are savvier than they once were. It’s no longer just celebrities and traditional influencers asking to be paid for a relationship with their audience.

“A lot of them are requiring payment. And that includes micro-influencers, nano-influencers, macro and superstars, which is not surprising and their work needs to be counted for,” said Jonathan Pinkerton, senior social media manager for Hyatt.

“The shift I’ve seen is we are more likely to be able to partner with a lot of international influencers for less compensation, though over the past few months we’re starting to see some of them up their costs or require payment.”

How do these changes impact brand-creator partnerships?

Reels and TikTok are no longer just about entertainment — they’re about discovery. 40% of Gen Zers use these platforms instead of Google as their primary search engine, whether it’s to keep up on current events, find a good book to read, or to figure out where they’re going to eat or go on vacation.

That means creating content with searchability in mind — using descriptive keywords and alt text, for example — is critical to brand success in the vertical video format, and a collaborative relationship with creators can facilitate that objective.

“Take some time to evaluate what your strategic direction is for your organization, what your goals are, and be realistic about what your staff capabilities are and the volume that it’s going to take to enter into a new social channel,” said Adeta Gayah, director of social media and content at Visit Orlando.

“We do a mix of people who are trying to get us the reach and really tell our story on a larger scale,” added Pinkerton, “and then we also have folks who are going to create content for us so that we can own the content from our own accounts.”

Some brands may find that partnering with multiple creators for single videos or one-off campaigns creates more impact. “Ideally we always go in one on one just because we know how vast and how big the influencer and creator market is right now,” Pinkerton continued. “But we always hope that it’s a relationship.”

One thing he looks for is how quickly a creator will turn around quality content: Meeting deadlines signals an interest in an ongoing creator partnership.

Another key is tailoring the content to the platform it appears on. Despite the platform similarities, Instagram audiences differ from TikTok audiences in demographics and content preferences. Hyatt and Visit Orlando use more produced, POV content on Instagram, inviting viewers to immerse themselves aspirationally, while TikTok creators tend to star in their videos, and demonstrate themselves staying at hotels.

As for finding these people and ensuring that they’re appropriately aligned with the brand’s objectives, Gayah said that Visit Orlando uses Klear when vetting influencers to ensure that they will speak to the correct market or demographic, as well as Sprout Social to measure success.

How can marketers and brands prepare?

Expect to pay creators of all sizes: Functions of generating income from social content, such as TikTok’s creator fund, are now split so many ways among an increasing pool, that it’s no longer a means of surviving. Creators who are looking to establish relationships with brands will expect to be paid.

Embrace your niche: TikTok and Reels creators have set a new standard for expressions of brand authenticity, transparency and purpose. Those brands that lean into their interest communities — those that can benefit and learn from a brand’s expertise, products, services and fandom — are in a position to contribute and engage in a meaningful way with people who share their passions.

Pay attention and measure: Ensure you’re up on the latest regulations, content moderation policies and community dynamics of each platform and are moderating opportunities, risks and benefits.

The post How brand-creator partnerships are evolving appeared first on PR Daily.

TikTok boasts 150 million U.S. users as of March 2023, and by 2025, worldwide users are projected to exceed 955 million. The average U.S. adult will spend 58.4 minutes on TikTok in 2024, according to Insider Intelligence.

In short, there is an audience waiting to find you — and it’s a hefty one. All you have to do is know how to get and hold their attention in 6 seconds or less.

The good news is, there’s room for everyone as long as you understand what users are seeking when they open the app and get creative about how your brand can provide it.

The other good news: Dancing is not required (but it is allowed).

I’ve been reporting on social media platforms and building brand social accounts for more than a decade, and over the years I’ve assembled a talk for college courses and conferences that provides insights into why people use TikTok, how brands and individuals can show up and why they should be there in the first place. Below are some of the lessons I’ve learned and shared along the way.

Why people use TikTok

Your objective as a brand is to develop interesting, entertaining, visually captivating, humorous, timely, community-focused content that makes them feel connected and shakes them from the anxiety and monotony of their daily lives in short, swipeable, shareable video form.  (But you don’t have to do all of those things at once.)

TikTok’s 2023 What’s Next Trend Report is an annual treasure trove of tips for brands testing the waters or aiming to amp up their game. TikTok also wants creators and brand accounts to succeed because all that content gets more users onto the platform and engaging with it—and brands are more likely to spend there. The report says that people come to the platform and engage with its content for three reasons:

1. Actionable entertainment: “4 out of 5 TikTok users said the platform is very or extremely entertaining. … For brands, the most effective messages on TikTok are uplifting, funny and personalized, or entertaining their audiences.”
2. Making space for joy: “Among TikTok users who took an action off-platform as a result of TikTok, 90% said the platform makes them happy and never gets boring. … messaging on TikTok — and beyond — should align with the community’s desire for levity, and empower them to make more room for joy in their lives.”
3. Community-built ideals: “Sharing hyper-niche interests helps people bond with each other. From there, they broaden each other’s horizons. … TikTok is 1.8x more likely to introduce people to new topics they didn’t know they liked compared to traditional social platforms.”

What to do (and not do) with that information

A brand’s best chance to achieve virality, or even consistent performance, is to observe how brand such as Oreo, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Turner Classic Movies, The Washington Post and Gymshark play the game. You’ll note that they all do the following:

• Embrace your niche. Identify your core value proposition and what your subcommunity comes to the app for — and marry the two. TikTok is “a collection of tiny clubs where people can find new ideas on how to explore their passions and live their lives,” according to the What’s Next Report. Start conversations relevant to the audience that shares passions and values with your brand.
• Pare down your message so that your video is as short as possible. Trending sounds and memes can help with that.
• Be on the lookout for unexpected opportunities — and react to them promptly and appropriately. If your brand is relevant to a viral moment, be ready to stitch, duet, respond and riff.
• Reply, reply, reply. Respond to other brands and viral videos from creators to get more eyes on your content. The platform rewards frequent engagement with communities, and users (usually) love it. Still, make sure your brand belongs in the conversation before proceeding.
• Participation in trends must be thoughtful, authentic and timely. The content must align with your existing audience and not appear forced. Trust is earned over time and must be respected.
• Deliver value. Don’t sell things; tell people things they want to know or entertain them with relatable content. The content should provide value in and of itself, without an expectation of a purchase.
• Be inclusive and kind. TikTok doesn’t tolerate haters, and if you’re unkind or express bias or stereotypes, your brand may go viral for reasons you don’t like. Inclusion also means making sure your closed and open captioning game is on point.
• Nail the hook. Users will decide within the first 3-5 seconds whether to stay or swipe away. Capture attention as soon as possible in the video. Think of your opening actions, on-screen text or spoken sentence as a headline — or put eye-catching text on screen to keep people watching.
• Be creative. Play with trending filters, sounds and editing techniques. BUT, don’t worry too much about quality. Selfie explainer videos can be just as powerful as fully produced short films, if not moreso.
• Leverage humor. A funny video has a good chance of reaching many people.
• Experiment with themes, topics and styles. Try out many different types of content until you strike viral gold, then lean into what works.
• Build meaningful creator connections. Creators are ready and willing to collaborate, and it doesn’t take a creator with 1 million followers (or even 100,000) to help a brand connect with a relevant audience.
• Respond to news and current events that impact your brand. TikTok videos get most of their views in the first 24-48 hours and are unlikely to be served to people after a week or so has passed, so timely content can be a good way to get views.
• Don’t be afraid to take risks. Be bold! Try things that make you (and your boss) uncomfy. Tread carefully when making the legal team uncomfy, however.

And finally: Forget everything I’ve told you and break all of these rules. There are none. Go make TikToks, and have fun with it.

Don’t miss PR Daily’s 2023  Social Media Strategies Virtual Conference to learn more tactics for cracking the code of the most influential platforms today.

Jess Zafarris is a content director, editor, journalist, speaker, social media engagement strategist and creator. Her 13 years of experience in media have included such roles as the Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Director at Adweek, and Content Strategy Director and Digital Content Director for Writer’s Digest and Script Mag. Follow her on Twitter/Threads/IG and Tiktok @jesszafaris  and connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post 15 TikTok tactics for brand social media success appeared first on PR Daily.

Communicators are at their best when they set themselves up to be one step ahead of the game, anticipating the needs of employees and organizations alike to prepare everyone for the latest challenges on the road ahead.

These five factors, which are already emerging as both global and professional albatrosses, will come to shape the role of the communications leader in the coming years. The pros who navigate these rough waters most successfully and make a lasting impact will be those who see these challenges as opportunities to develop support systems and processes when they’re needed most.

External volatility will put pressure on employees and brands

Life is heating up for employees, both literally and figuratively. Environmental factors such as increasing climate volatility puts health and lives at risk as hurricane seasons expand and extreme weather patterns become more common.

Meanwhile, the upcoming 2024 election is already shaping up to be a contentious one, and the urge to doomscroll and sound off on political issues can put strain on interpersonal relationships and escalate existential fears about the future.

On top of that, the U.S. dollar has seen an average rate of inflation of 4.57% per year from 2019 to 2023, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This inflation and other economic challenges will continue to weigh on people merely looking to put food on their tables as they also navigate the pressures that these factors also cause their employers.

The opportunity: For communications professionals, this means doing what they do best — advocating for employees, leading and implementing relief and resource programs, and being an emotional and functional resource in times of stress.

Healthcare needs will evolve

The elements employees look for in health and insurance benefits will continue to shift. According to a 2022 Gallup poll, more Americans are planning to retire later. Older employees may require different resources and leave policies than their younger colleagues. Meanwhile, a decline in the U.S. birth rate may reduce the number of parents who need assistance.

A critical factor that impacts communications and HR leaders directly is the mental health crisis, which is as challenging to navigate as a climate crisis, albeit on a more micro level. The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers resources for approaching this issue with the proper care and consideration.

The opportunity: Comms professionals may wish to pilot support programs for different categories of employees, and they will need to push leadership to take mental health and wellbeing needs seriously. Communicators will also need to see to their own mental health.

Tech revolutions will reshape the workplace

Despite the wearying discourse around it, we’re still in the relatively early stages of the transformation that advancements in AI and machine learning technologies will bring to nearly every industry, but especially communications.

As Ragan’s editors addressed at the recent Employee Experience & Wellness Conference, it will be on comms leaders to provide context around how AI is used within their organization, and by the software that employees use on the job. That will include understanding and shaping policies around privacy and data handling, especially when it comes to apps that collect and parse employee information such as healthcare and wellness apps, as well as copyright issues surrounding AI-generated text and imagery.

The opportunity: Communicators should seize this moment to take the lead on efforts to promote continuing education and upskilling programs at their organizations to ensure existing employees don’t feel at risk of being replaced or left behind.

The career path and workplace reckoning will advance

Speaking of which, the way people educate themselves and train up for career paths has dramatically evolved since the pandemic. Rising costs of higher education, as well as alternative educational paths such as online and on-the-job training programs, have led to an 8% drop in enrollment since 2019.

Among those who are pursuing higher education, 60% are taking most or all of their classes online, which means that they will enter college with different interpersonal experiences and social dynamics than previous generations of employees.

And once they’re on the job, many will not choose roles with on-site requirements, while others will continue to seek in-office collaboration. An August 2023 survey from WFH research reports that less than 60% of employees are back in the office full time, 29% are hybrid and 12% are completely remote, while offices remain half-full compared to pre-pandemic. More companies are also coming around to hybrid and flex policies after an initial wave of in-office mandates.

The opportunity: Comms leaders will be responsible for navigating a range of policies, often within the same organization, as well as talent acquisition, engagement and retention strategies for employees with different needs, preferences and work environments.

The media landscape will evolve

The changing tangle of media outlets, misinformation and shift in social media platforms presents quite the briar thicket for communicators as they attempt to keep tabs on current events and issues that are important to employees and external audiences alike.

The relationship between journalists and communicators is changing; many brands are behaving more like publishers while the media industry shifts and traditional reporting evolves. Social media is taking the place of news outlets for many Americans, and not just younger audiences anymore.

The opportunity: Parsing good information from bad and crafting brand storytelling for employees and customers will be skills for comms professionals to master.=

Industry professionals are equipped with the superpowers needed to help people navigate these communications challenges, but it’s no easy task. Staying informed and aware of trends, as well as keeping a pulse on employee concerns and measuring the success of programs designed to support them, will provide a roadmap as we step into the future.

The post 5 challenges and opportunities comms pros will navigate in the next 5 years appeared first on PR Daily.

PR Daily’s Top Women in Marketing recognizes the trailblazing achievements of the women who have raised the bar for the rest of the marketing world, developing high-performance, relentlessly creative work across advertising and marketing.

Today, we are delighted to announce our 2023 class.

These women develop innovative and impactful creative work, pioneer high-performance strategies for brands, agencies and organizations, and pave the way for other women and underrepresented communities to take up the torch and join in. PR Daily’s 2023 Top Women in Marketing have leveraged their networks, influence and experience to solve today’s most pressing challenges, reach new audiences and empower those whose voices often go unheard.

From top communications leads at agencies to analytics aces, these women have demonstrated the ability to unlock new opportunities and generate impact across diverse domains through cutting-edge tactics and tools. They are leaders, mentors and champions — and the driving force behind positive change in the marketing landscape. We proudly honor their work and accomplishments.

Read on for the full list of 2023 inductees and click here to learn how you can join us for a special awards ceremony on Oct. 26, 2023.

Congratulations to PR Daily’s 2023 Top Women in Marketing

Agency Leaders

Demar Anderson, Senior Vice President, Marketing + Business Development, Allison+Partners

Rachel Barek, CEO and Co-Founder, Said Differently

Kelly Higgins, Chief Marketing Officer, Doremus+Co

Jessica Becker, Managing Partner, US & Canada, Manifest

Kara Brown, Chief Executive Officer, LeadCoverage

Adrienne Cadena, CEO, Havas Street, Havas Formula

Abbie Griffith, U.S. Head of Operations, Health, Edelman

Katherine Hollar Barnard, Managing Partner and CEO, Firesign Marketing

Tatiana Lyons, Managing Director, Klick Health

Rebecca Nunez, CEO, The MRN Agency

Debra Pickett, Founder and Principal Consultant, Page 2 Communications

Laura Smith, Executive Vice President, Client Services, Racepoint Global

René Spellman, Chief Impact Officer, Obsidianworks

Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl, President & CEO, MHP/Team SI

Donna Tobin, Global Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, DDB Worldwide

Heather Torreggiani, Founding Partner, The Scratch Collective

Gabrielle Zucker, Chief Executive Officer, KWT Global

Brand Marketers

Nicole R. Braley, Chief Marketing Officer, Inception Fertility

Lisa Campbell, Chief Marketing Officer, OneTrust

Jenn Carson, Manager, Social Media & Digital Marketing, Krasdale Foods/ Alpha 1 Marketing

Maria Colon, Vice President, Marketing and Customer Experience, De’Longhi America

Erika Constantine, Associate Vice President, Marketing, Discover The Palm Beaches

Maggie Curry, VP Brand Marketing, Kendall-Jackson Winery

Aliah Davis-McHenry, Executive Director Corporate Marketing Corporate Communications, Bristol Myers Squibb

Jennifer Denton, Chief Marketing Officer, SHE Media

Sue Dietrich, Marketing Director, Stanley Brand

Jessica Dixon, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, MIND 24-7

Angelina Franco, Director, Brand Communications U.S. and Global Moments, Mars Wrigley

Linda Goldstein, Chief Marketing Officer, CSAA Insurance Group

Jenna Habayeb, Chief Marketing Officer, IPSY

Julie Hernandez, Vice President, Gout Marketing, Horizon Therapeutics

Kari Herrin, Senior Vice President, Brand Experience, Savannah College of Art and Design

LaQuita Howard, Marketing Manager, League of Women Voters

Helene Imperiale, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Call of Duty Endowment Marketing, Activision Blizzard/Call of Duty Endowment

Joy Jarrett, CMO, Guidehouse

Kathleen Kaag, SVP of Marketing, Loadsmart

Jill Kouri, Chief Marketing Officer, HCLTech

Lauren Mannetti, Vice President, Marketing, GNC

Lindsay Morgan, Chief Marketing Officer, Pizza Hut

Megan Newton, Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Digital Media, San Diego State University

Zahra Nurani, Vice President of Marketing Communications, Burger King

Kaylan Rexer, Chief Marketing Officer, Ilegal Mezcal

Kristin Russel, Chief Marketing Officer, symplr

Deborah Sabo, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Food Lion, LLC

Joanna Scholl, Senior Vice President Marketing, Branding and Digital Content, The 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY)

Julie Seman, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, Primerica

Alison Urmini, VP Marketing, Jackson Family Wines

Maya Wasserman, Head of Marketing, Home Entertainment and Sound, Sony Electronics, Sony Electronics

Amber White, VP of Marketing, Phillips Connect

Stefanie Zambelli, Director of Marketing, Applebee’s Grill + Bar

Content Marketers

Marissa Beck, Senior Director, Brand and Content, North America, Mars

Sue Burkett, Strategic Marketing Leader, Owens Corning

Barrie Gruner, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Publicity, Hulu Originals, Hulu

Lainey Johnson, Americas Head of Brand and Media, EY

Sarah Ledger, Assistant Vice President – Marketing and Communications, Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.

Sheila Sarkozi Stevens, Partner Marketing Manager, RepairPal

Kelly Warkentien, Senior Creative Director, Merrell

Erin Weir, Executive Vice President, Marketing Strategy, ABC & General Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company

Data/Analytics Leaders

Leslie Alore, Global Vice President of Growth Marketing, Ivanti

Melissa Hendricks, CMO, Verisk

Melissa Watson, Vice President of Marketing Data Platforms and Analytics, Providence

Marketers to Watch (Age 30 and Under)

Ashley DeJonge, Digital Marketing Associate, Riddell

Sabiha Gire, Assistant Vice President Creative Services, Outreach Strategists

Gia Lee, Co-Founder, NinetyEight

Vanessa Mbonu, Vice President, Digital Marketing and Communications, NAACP

Kerry Mullen, Vice President, Vested

Abby Nelson, Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist, Ascension

Maeli Niebles, Senior Digital Marketing Manager, Native Roots Cannabis Co.

Product Marketers

Diana Chan, Chief Marketing Officer, MOLLI Surgical

Corinna Fulton, Vice President, Solutions Marketing, Ivanti

Rachelle Graham, Vice President Marketing/Communications, UPMC Health Plan

Meagan Keane, Director of Product Marketing, Adobe

Elizabeth Magill, VP, Marketing, Cyara

Social Media Marketers

Alejandra Caceres, Director of Social Media, Crumbl Cookies

Beril Gutierrez, Director, Social Media & Content, Discover The Palm Beaches

Jennifer McDonnell, Vice President, Content & Social Media, Reshift Media

Sharifah Niles-Lane, SVP, Head of Enterprise Social Media and Content Strategy, Citizens

Alana Visconti, Director, Social Media, Listings, Nasdaq

Jamie Whalen, Director, Social Media, Ivanti

Team Leaders

Elizabeth Delhagen, Global Head of Communications & Events, Samsung Electronics

Jane Griffin, Regional Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Trinity Health

Marnie Mitchell Keogh, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Magellan Health

Kristi Melani, CMO & GTM Strategy, Telesign

Sukhmani Mohta, Chief Marketing Officer, Display Division, Samsung Electronics America

Erica Morgenstern, Chief Marketing Officer, Virgin Pulse

Kathy Parker, President & Global Chief Marketing Officer, Bacardi – PATRÓN Tequila & Grey Goose Vodka

Ashley Pollard, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, Ascension

Jennifer Renaud, Chief Marketing Officer, Masonite

Melanie Siewert, Chief Marketing Officer, CellPoint Digital

Rhonda Sloan, Global Head of Sales & Marketing, AIG Travel

Caryn Stancik, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, Cook County Health

Shoma Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer, WellSky

Katie Townsend, SVP Marketing and Communications, Seattle Kraken

Sarah Wise, Senior Vice President, Brand and Creative Services, AmeriLife

Lisa Wolleon, Executive Vice President, Coyne PR

Tech/Digital Marketers

April Augustine, Director of Marketing, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)

Shweta Ponnappa, Chief Marketing and Digital Experience Officer, Providence

The post These are PR Daily’s 2023 Top Women in Marketing appeared first on PR Daily.

The comms needs of organizations today are a world away from those required five years ago, and five years from now, those needs will have only changed more.

Hiring managers seeking to invest in the future of their organizations can prepare for success by seeking out talent with the communications skills required to face the greatest hurdles of today and tomorrow.

We asked comms leaders to offer up their thoughts on the most important strengths and skills to look for in communications talent. Alicia Aebersold, chief communications pfficer at the American Psychological Association; Chelsey Louzeiro, digital community manager at Heifer International; and Matt Ward, head of communications at Corebridge Financial, weighed in:

Data literacy and measurement

Measurement is an eternal pain point for comms departments, and although there is no shortage of solutions, choosing the right one and gleaning the correct insights are more challenging than ever.

“As the profession embraces CommTech and CommTech tools, the ability for communications leaders to interpret data, derive actionable insight, and measure efficacy is going to be the most important skillset within the next five years,” Ward said. “Leaders who get this right will unlock so much value and be able to target their earned, owned, social, and employee engagement activities in a way that is much more bespoke, intentional and impactful.”

Those who can avoid analysis paralysis will be best equipped to succeed, Ward added, through refined, focused messaging, data-backed content strategy and measurable, real-time benchmarking.    

Systems thinking

Citing another facet of the analysis gem, both Louzeiro and Aebersold cited systems thinking — the ability to keenly spot connections and dig deep to find the source of challenges, problems and behaviors — as one of the most critical skills for communications professionals.

“We emphasize creativity, excellent writing, and other traditional communication skills but sometimes devalue curiosity, empathy, big-picture thinking and the ability to analyze root causes,” Aebersold said. “I don’t believe it’s an ‘either-or’ equation. Communications experts are strategy experts and systems thinking is central to our success.”

Negotiation

As an offshoot of systems thinking, Louzeiro explained that being a keen negotiator is a must to help communicators control the people, time, funds and decisions they need to perform at their best.

“‘Power’ tends to constantly shift distribution in groups based on four variables: organizational structure, culture, needs of the organization, and urgency,” she said. “Spending time building relationships within the organization benefits communicators, and helps them identify and recognize shifts in power.”

When cultivating this skill, Louzeiro said it’s important to map and build your network and determine your role among your connections. “We all know the power of strong relationships: networks are conduits for information, they create context for cooperation and collaboration, they provide opportunities for deliberate or spontaneous sharing of power,” she said.

She also offered one word of caution: She advises comms leaders not to fall into the habit of “seeing people as objects [or] getting stuck in specific viewpoints.”

AI skills — with a caveat

This is most likely the answer you expected to find when opening this article, and for good reason: AI and machine learning are poised to change communications processes forever.

The ability to effectively and ethically prompt AI text-generation, data-analysis and imaging tools can make comms professionals powerful, future-ready weapons in any company’s arsenal.

But Aebersold cautions communications professionals not to let the thrill of this new technology carry them away.

“I challenge communication professionals to pair their excitement about and interest in this and other technologies with a healthy dose of skepticism,” she said. “The difference between pivotal communication technology and shiny objects is a relentless commitment to measurable communication objectives and a deep understanding of our audiences.”

Curiosity and the motivation to act on it

In terms of “soft” skills, the recurring heartbeat that unites all of the skills above is an insatiable curiosity, and an interest in applying those learnings to actionable outcomes.

Communications is an ever-evolving field, and the most successful professionals will be those who are willing to keep expanding and building upon what they’ve learned, to continually ask questions that will help them and their organizations succeed and to apply insights to practical solutions.

When tailoring your resume for your next comms role or upskilling to snag your next promotion, advancing and elevating these competencies will set you up for success.

However, while the skills above may be at the top of the list for comms hiring managers in the coming year, Louzeiro noted that foundational skills such as writing, problem-solving, active listening, empathy, employee relationship management, project management and moderation skills remain core to roles in this field.

Jess Zafarris is a content director, editor, journalist, speaker, social media engagement strategist and creator. Her 13 years of experience in media have included such roles as the Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Director at Adweek, and Content Strategy Director and Digital Content Director for Writer’s Digest and Script Mag. Follow her on Twitter/Threads/IG and Tiktok @jesszafaris  and connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post These are the skills communications leaders should hire for right now appeared first on PR Daily.