Time and again, research reminds us that Hispanic Americans are one of the most diverse groups in this country. While we discuss them demographically as one homogenous group, Hispanic people can identify as many races, be domestic or foreign-born, trace their origins to 20 different nations, and speak a variety of languages, including Spanish, English or the plethora of native languages spoken in Central and South America.

Read more: How Black Americans get news

By the same token, the way this group likes to get their news can vary widely, according to data from Pew Research. By understanding these patterns and preferences, PR professionals can better reach and influence this critical demographic.

English, Spanish or both?

One of the first questions a PR pro must answer is which language will best reach their target audience. A slight majority (51%) of all Hispanics prefer to get their news in English. Only 24% of people who identify as Hispanic prefer their news primarily in Spanish, while 23% have no linguistic preference.

However, the data grows more complicated as we dig a bit deeper.

Hispanic people born in the United States overwhelmingly (79%) prefer to get news in English. Since more than two-thirds of Hispanic Americans are native-born, this is significant. Only 3% of American-born Hispanics prefer to get their news in Spanish, while 17% are fine with either language.

To put it plainly, English (perhaps combined with some Spanish) is the most important language for reaching the largest chunk of the American Latino population.

These numbers shift when we look at Hispanic immigrants, but not as dramatically as you might expect. Twenty-two percent of immigrants prefer to get news in English, while 47% want Spanish instead. An additional 31% have no preference.

The bottom line is that being granular in your targeting and better understanding what segment of the Hispanic population you’re targeting will help you choose the most effective outlets to target, or what language to use in social media and other materials.

The most popular news sources

About half of all Hispanic adults get news from Latino-specific media at least sometimes, the survey found. Again, we see a significant split between immigrants and American-born people, with 69% of immigrants preferring Hispanic news sources versus just 33% of native-born. But it’s clear there is still utility in pitching outlets like Telemundo, Univision and others, especially if aiming for that immigrant population.

Most Latinos prefer to get their news from various digital sources. Twenty-one percent prefer social media; 19% go directly to news websites or apps; 18% use search; and 7% like podcasts. Twenty-three percent have a preference for TV, and just 4% each prefer print or radio.

But those are preferences. Most Hispanic people receive news from multiple sources, and their consumption broadly echoes that of Americans as a whole, with 87% getting news at least sometimes from digital sources; 62% from TV; 48% from radio; and 32% from print. So don’t be afraid to experiment with a broad range of new and old-school media to reach this audience. But perhaps veer a bit more toward digital sources overall.

Interest in news

One challenge to reaching Hispanics through media relations efforts is that many simply don’t follow the news. Just 22% say they follow the news closely all the time, a 6-point YOY decrease. Seventeen percent never follow the news at all. These numbers lag news interest in other ethnic groups, a disparity Pew Research attributes, at least in part, to age. Latinos tend to be younger than other demographics, and young people simply don’t follow the news as closely.

This might present opportunities for media relations with sources other than hard news outlets. Think influencers, podcasts, social media or more entertainment-focused news sources.

There are challenges to connecting with the Hispanic market in media relations, just as there are with any group. But with smart targeting, cultural awareness and creativity, it can always be done.

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post By the Numbers: A nuanced portrait of how Hispanic Americans get their news appeared first on PR Daily.

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

On Oct. 29, 1966, more than 300 people came together to announce the formation of a new organization called National Organization for Women (NOW). Muriel Fox, co-founder and press contact at the time, worked closely alongside Betty Friedan, author of “The Feminine Mystique,” to form the legendary organization.

Fox, a feminist icon in her own right, was born in 1928. She served as news editor at WKCR, Columbia University’s radio station, before graduating from Barnard College in 1948. A few years after college, Fox applied for a position as a writer at Carl Byoir and Associates,the world’s largest public relations agency in the 1950s, but was initially rejected as they “didn’t hire women writers.”   But Fox persisted and at the age of 26, she became not only the firm’s first female vice president but a trailblazer for the next generations of women in PR.

An original copy of the full 5-page press release announcing the formation of NOW, written by Fox, is housed by the Museum of Public in downtown Manhattan.

Parts read:

“More than 300 men and women have formed a new action organization called National Organization for Women (NOW), to work for ‘true equality for all women in America’ and ‘a fully equal partnership of the sexes, as a part of the world-wide revolution of human rights.’

“We do not accept,” the statement says, “the token appointment of a few women to high-level positions in government and industry as a substitute for a serious continuing effort to recruit and advance women according to their individual abilities.”

The post From the Museum of Public Relations: The press release that launched NOW appeared first on PR Daily.

Black people are underrepresented in the PR industry. While they make up 13.6% of the U.S. population, Black people comprise just 9% of those working in entry-level PR specialist roles. Only 3% of those working in those roles are Black men, according to data provided by Chuck Wallington, executive vice president and chief marketing & communications officer at Cone Health. Those numbers significantly decrease as you move higher in an organization, becoming whiter with each additional rung of the career ladder.

“In just about every organization I’ve worked for, I’ve gone through the doors; I’ve been very, very happy to be there,” Wallington said during The Museum of PR’s recent “Celebrating Black PR History 2024: Where Are All the Black Men in Public Relations?” “And I’ve looked around, and maybe there was one other person who looked like me, that was most likely a black female, but there were very, very, very few black men in the field.”

That lack of representation matters.

“Public relations is defined by bringing the best ideas to the table. And if those ideas are not represented in this fullest, diverse sense as possible, then we’re not bringing the fullest ideas to the table,” said panelist David W. Brown, assistant dean of community and communication at Temple University.

But why are Black men such a rarity in the PR field?

While conducting research for his master’s degree, Wallington identified three key factors that reduce the number of Black men entering the field. During of The Museum of PR’s presentation, Wallington and a panel of Black, male PR practitioners talked through these issues and how it’s impacted their own careers.

1. High school students don’t understand – or even know about — the profession.

You can’t enter a field if you don’t even know what it is. That’s one simple barrier to entry that begins before college applications even begin. “Before you even get to college, young men just don’t have an understanding of what the profession is at all about,” Wallington said. “And as you know, without that early awareness, folks are just not going to be successful when they go into the field, it’s hard to attract people into the field. And when they get there, they tend to flounder around.”

That lack of awareness resonated with Brown. He initially wanted to be a journalist, but discovered during his studies there was another option.

“I heard about this thing called PR, and they say they make more money out of it, I was like ‘oh! Well, I’ll pursue that.’ But not even knowing that was a path.”

2. A lack of mentors.

The next barrier becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. Because Black men have so few role models who look like them in the industry, it can be hard to see themselves there. It can also be hard to understand how to thrive in an environment where most people look and act differently from you without a guide.

“There’s a shortage of colleagues, especially Black men, who can be mentors, who can be sponsors, who can be role models, who can be allies,” Wallington said. “What when this happens, Black men feel alone, they feel isolated, there’s no one else there who can relate to them in their experiences and their journeys.”

While Black men who can serve as mentors may be rare in the industry, they aren’t the only ones who can help lift up this demographic and help them thrive in their careers. That’s where allyship comes into play.

“Mentorship need not be a singular role,” Brown said. “Many people can mentor. I often tell folks who are coming up, get yourself a board of advisors, because different people can play different roles that can help you. Some can be advocates, some can be allies, some can be the crying board, because sometimes we just need to yell and cuss at the moon, that’s OK. Because sometimes you need to find those spaces. And if those spaces don’t exist, you have to create those spaces.”

3. Black men can be perceived as intimidating.

Whether conscious or not, racism does play a role in the obstacles that can prevent a Black man from thriving in the PR industry.

Research shows that Americans consider Black men to be more threatening than other people, even if they are the same size. This can have grave implications on everything from how police interact with Black men to how they must learn to navigate in the white and often female-dominated public relations industry.

“I have been in spaces where someone would say that because of my voice, I’m intimidating,” Brown said. “Or that if I’m trying to make a point, that I’m being forceful. Adjectives that are just kind of loaded…if it’s somewhere else, they might be viewed as being assertive.”

But while these perceptions can be difficult to deal with, the men on the panel stressed that their identity is not a liability.

“Our black maleness is a superpower, that duality is a superpower,” Brown said. The key is knowing when to wear that superhero cape and when to don a suit jacket to succeed in the world of PR.

Watch the full panel below.

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post Why there aren’t more Black men in PR appeared first on PR Daily.

The traditional role of a PR professional is to secure earned media for our clients, usually through news outlets. But knowing our target audiences, as well as where they get their news, is a vital part of the role. This isn’t a one-size-fits all proposition. 

Perhaps no demographic group in the United States has as complex a relationship with the news media as Black Americans. For centuries, the media – like most institutions in the country – has maligned, misinterpreted or ignored the Black community. This has instilled a deep sense of mistrust of the traditional media among many Black people, which continues to have repercussions to this day. 

Pew Research has shed light on some of the ways Black people interact with the news media which is vital information for any PR professional seeking to connect with this demographic.  

Keep in mind as you read this that these are only preferences. Black Americans are not a monolith: they range from African Americans who have lived in this country for hundreds of years to new immigrants; they live in big cities and deeply rural areas; and they cut across every economic group. This data is a starting point to be used to drill down to your specific audience segment. 

A preference for TV and social media news 

More Black Americans than any other group (38%) prefer to get their news from television sources at least some of the time, and 76% get their news from TV at least some of the time. That last figure is 14 points higher than white and Hispanic audiences and a full 24 points over Asian audiences, according to Pew Research.  

This demographic also enjoys getting news from social media, most notably YouTube (41%), Facebook (36%), Instagram (27%) and TikTok (22%), which they use to consume news at higher rates than other groups. 

This isn’t to say that they aren’t also receiving news via print, radio and websites, merely that the group as a whole has a preference for getting their news from visual and virtual sources – which could make your targeting easier.  

A mistrust in how Black people are covered 

Sixty-three percent of Black people surveyed by Pew said they feel the coverage of Black Americans is often more negative than coverage of other groups. Trust is a fragile thing, and according to Pew’s research, there is no form of news media in the United States is very trusted by a majority of Black people. Local news outlets were at the highest level of trust, with 48% of Black people placing a great deal or a fair amount of trust in these news sources. National media saw trust levels at 44%. 

Black media, with its roots reaching back to times when Black people were denied a voice in the press, is also still a present, vital voice today. Twenty-four percent of Black Americans turn to these news sources often or extremely often, while 40% do sometimes. This offers a unique opportunity to speak directly and solely to the Black community, and should be considered by PR practitioners. 

The role of newsrooms 

Black people are sorely underrepresented in newsrooms. Even today, only 6% of journalists who report the news are Black, even though 13.6% of the country identifies as Black. And identity matters to the Black community: 68% of respondents said it’s extremely, very or somewhat important that news about race and racial equity should come from Black reporters.  

As a PR professional, finding the right reporter to help tell the story is a key part of any placement. But that can be easier said than done when it comes to finding Black reporters to help share stories. 

Looking at all of these numbers, PR pros seeking to reach the Black community should consider finding a Black reporter who works for a local TV station or Black media outlet. This combination might earn the most trust and buy-in from this audience.  

In the end, it all comes down to listening, understanding their concerns of the demographic and matching the right media outlet and personality to the right story. 

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post By the Numbers: How Black Americans get news appeared first on PR Daily.

Leah Pimentel, inaugural director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Culture at the University of California’s Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, wants her colleagues to know that they are seen and their opinions are deeply valued at work.

Pimentel oversees the department’s DE&I committee of six members. She also serves on the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and works to promote city-wide equity.

In increasingly divisive times, Pimentel ensures that everyone has a seat at the table in the organization and their voices are heard.

Pimentel makes sure employees feel valued in other ways too. She recently created an appreciation gift-giving practice for new employees to set the right tone at work.

Pimentel spoke with Ragan about how she makes impactful organizational changes.

Responses were lightly edited for clarity.

From a communication standpoint, how do you effectively convey innovative ideas and solutions to your team and stakeholders?

When I first started, I said, ‘We’re all on this journey together. And we’re all coming from different places. And that’s okay.’ But I think the first thing is to clearly articulate your vision and in DEI it’s not a one-month plan, not a 36-month plan. It’s actually a lifelong journey of understanding, education, self-reflections. … Also creating a supportive environment. … One person cannot do this all. So how can we all work together? Everyone has great ideas, they want to participate. Okay, let’s bring that to the table.

How do you strategically use your influence for work culture change as a purpose-driven leader on the job?

Really defining and articulating that clear purpose of what am I trying to do … and empowering others on the team to be the leader. So, for the DEI and culture team, I ask them what do (they) want to do. What do (they) want to see? … How do you want to educate the department? And giving them that empowerment to be involved because … we’re all (in the) anesthesia (department). And changing that branding and wording and separation to we’re all one team and empowering each other to work together in decision-making and (getting) feedback as well. And leading by example is most important.

Can you explain your onboarding gift process and how you came up with that idea?

One thing I thought about is it’s your first day, you’re excited! You’re that new employee – it’s a fresh start. How can we show you our brand, our culture and make you feel welcome? This is one of my first ideas. … It’s for them to understand the company culture. We are a department that values our employees. We want you to stay. We want to provide you with education, tools and resources as well. By receiving this gift, you see our brand … So, the swag has a box with our logo on it and you open it up and there is a little note that says, ‘We appreciate you and thank you for being part of our team.’ There’s a personalized department water bottle, socks, Chapstick, sunglasses, a notepad and a pen.

How do you integrate Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs into an organizational culture and help employees feel safe, especially through a DE&I lens?

I think that it is particularly important … to ensure psychological and basic safety needs are met. That we have fair wages and benefits and safe working conditions and a supportive work environment … To ensure that we have belongingness and we promote inclusivity and foster a sense of community, encourage teamwork, collaboration and open communication.

How can workplace leaders better understand the important role they play in creating an engaging, fulfilling and productive atmosphere at work?

Feedback and data (are) important. So, one thing that we do is we have to understand what events do people like to go to. So, we have a variety of morale events. … Our staff DEI and culture team, they’re working on a survey to ask the department what is your level of understanding of DEI, but also how will you want to learn about things. I think it’s important to meet people where they are and teach (them) how (they) want to be taught.

What tips would you give to others looking to integrate DE&I into their department through allyship and accountability?

Take the initiative and educate yourself about diversity, equity and inclusion. Read books, articles and resources and explore different perspectives and experiences because … you want to be well-equipped to foster and create a more inclusive, equitable workplace that constantly changes in a DEI world – and having a pulse on what’s currently happening. I would also say reflect on bias.

What are your go-to strategies for building an employer brand that can withstand societal pressures while remaining true to its purpose and values?

(Start) with a clear definition of our organization’s purpose and our core values and then articulating them in a meaningful and specific way to ensure they align with the aspirations and beliefs of the department and our target audience. Conducting an audit to assess what is the current culture, policies and practices and understanding the potential alignment and areas for improvement.

As a leader on the Human Rights Commission, how do you bring that advocacy for racial solidarity, equity and healing in San Francisco to your DE&I work? 

One of the important and critical things to do is (understand what) is the best approach to help and tailor DEI efforts accordingly. And collaborating with community stakeholders because oftentimes the community has a breadth of knowledge of what’s going on in San Francisco as well. And they are your partners in how you can build partnerships with the stakeholders to ensure DEI initiatives are community-centered and respond to their local needs. … Making racial justice and equality at the center of diversity work. … Seeing what’s happening on the Human Rights Commission and the work we do is very much connected to that DEI work. How are we being an ally and helping various communities?

Learn more about DEI in the workplace and other relevant topics by joining us at Ragan’s Employee Communications & Culture Conference on April 16-18 in Chicago.

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

The post ‘We’re all on this journey together’: Bringing everyone together for DE&I appeared first on PR Daily.

February marks the beginning of Black History Month (BHM), and comms departments across the country will tell stories both internally and externally over the next few weeks that spotlight Black excellence. This content reflects how organizations align with the lived experiences of their Black employees, audiences and stakeholders— but smart communicators know that this work shouldn’t stop when the calendar flips over to March.

We spoke with content experts to learn about what makes a Black History Month campaign effective and lasting.

Leaning on core values and the proper lens

For comms pros, impactful messaging always is always rooted in your organization’s core values. According to Pooja Samuel, people operations manager at EasyLlama, the key is viewing your people-centric comms through a lens that ensures the organization’s core values are consistently reflected in all content drips.

“Applying a lens of DE&I is sort of normal and natural as someone from a historically excluded community,” Samuel said. “Applying that DE&I purview to your work is the way to keep the conversation rolling year-round, rather than in just celebration months.”

At EasyLlama, the planning for a BHM campaign begins well in advance of the start of February, allowing Samuel and her team time to strategize about the most impactful channels and messages to disseminate. This allows her and her team to have discussions about their BHM strategy and how it ties to wider content efforts.

This year, Samuel and her team’s BHM timeline is broken up by week, with each week taking on a different topic, including Black business in the United States, Black influence on the arts, and more. The timeline then goes into more detail on specific posts, which channels they’ll be shared on, and when applicable, how employees can interact with them.

“I wanted to make this content timeline because it’s a larger lift than just sending a few Slack messages saying it’s Black History Month,” she said.

BHM content is also an opportunity to share the everyday experiences of colleagues according to Jordan Jennings, senior director of communications and marketing at CHC: Creating Healthier Communities.

‘Communicators can continue to uplift diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts far beyond Black History Month–or any awareness month for that matter,” she said.

Every day is a chance to share the lived experiences of key stakeholders — not just February. A BHM campaign can also go beyond just content and transition into actions that the comms team can feature. Jennings’ organization is running a “Doula Diaries” campaign to support its  Black Birthing Initiative, and to share the important work doulas do in their communities.

“We support our Black Birthing Initiative community partners and the women they serve all year long, beyond Black History Month, raising awareness of the work and stories through videos, emails, reports, social media, brown bag lunches for employees and more,” she said.

“When a family in the program had a home fire emergency in December, our staff contributed to basic needs and one of our staff purchased the items and delivered to the family.”

A wider perspective and pushing toward action

BHM content might only come around once a year, but it shouldn’t be viewed in a vacuum. Instead, content teams should seek out Black voices within their organizations and work to amplify the stories that matter to them.

“Black History Month is about lifting under-resourced or under-heard communities,” said Shalom Obisie-Orlu, communications and marketing coordinator at Creating Healthier Communities. “Consider having more Black voices weigh in on your content and look for ways all year long to include diverse voices in your content strategies.”

Additionally, communicators can seek to go beyond content drips and keep the conversation going by communicating policies through a DE&I lens.

“Say you’re instituting a new pay scale,” Samuel said. “We need to tie in inclusivity, equity and transparency so everybody knows they’re being paid for the same level of work. It doesn’t matter if you’re a person of color or what your sexual orientation is, you’re going to get promoted off this process because it’s most equitable. This approach communicates inclusion and encourages a diverse team to grow.”

It’s also important for comms pros to realize that the messages and themes of Black History Month don’t need to end on March 1 —- these lessons can be carried throughout the year. They also serve as conduits to concrete action.

“Positive stories about Black History Month or any awareness or observance should be transformed into tangible action whenever possible,” Jennings said. “At CHC, we’re not just recognizing doula heroes during Black History Month, we’re supporting our Black Birthing Initiative community partners and those they serve by offering continuous, practical support.”

At CHC, that support comes in the form of providing doulas with full-time salaries.

For Jennings and CHC, it’s about not just talking the talk but walking the walk as well.

“None of us want our organization to simply promote during observance months but not evaluate our internal practices,” she added.  “We should be intentional internally before going external.”

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports, a good pint and ’90s trivia night.

The post How to roll out authentic, meaningful comms during Black History Month appeared first on PR Daily.

A new survey from Morning Consult found that American adults in every age demographic believe that corporations have at least some responsibility to display diverse, inclusive marketing. This data comes even as DE&I efforts at companies, universities and elsewhere are being criticized or even penalized by conservative legislators.  

Still, despite evidence of some fatigue around empty DE&I gestures, the broader public remains supportive of marketing efforts that display the breadth of American diversity.  

As you might expect, the number of people who support inclusive marketing increases as age decreases, but even 70% of Baby Boomers think companies should have inclusive marketing all or some of the time.  

The major caveat to this data: The survey also found that despite these strong preferences, diverse marketing is one of the least important factors when it comes to swaying customers’ purchasing decisions. 

Only 18% of survey respondents said that diversity and inclusion in their marketing was “very important” when determining where they shopped or what they bought. That put the answer in third-to-last place among the 17 factors Morning Consult queried, tied with “Has values similar to mine.” Only “Follows environmental or sustainability initiatives” (17%) and “Recommended by friends, family or influencers I like” (16%) ranked lower.  

The major drivers of consumer-centric purchasing decisions are more practical: price is the number one driver (44%), followed by having products in stock (39%) and a safe shopping environment (39%). 

Indeed, only 28% of all Americans said they’d made a purchase in the past month based on the inclusivity of a brand’s marketing. But that number becomes much more nuanced when we take a closer look at the demographic breakdowns. 

As we can see, those topline numbers are skewed by white, older adults, who are not driven by diversity in marketing. However, we see different trends emerge when we look more specifically at Gen Z, Hispanic and Black audiences. 

While diverse marketing still did not break 50% with any of these groups, it got close in every case, with 47% of Gen Z adults, 41% of Hispanic people and 42% of Black respondents reporting that they had made purchasing decisions based on a commitment to DE&I in advertising. 

What it means 

In short, these numbers state something good communicators and marketers should already know: Our content should reflect our audience.  

For white people, that’s already often the case. A 2022 study found that 72.5% of actors in digital and video ads were white and non-Hispanic, even though this demographic makes up just 59% of the U.S. population.  

But for people who aren’t as accustomed to seeing people who look like them in marketing, advertising and communications, seeing themselves reflected can influence purchase decisions in a more meaningful way. 

So when asking yourself which stock photo you should use on that article or which influencer will best resonate with your audience, stop and think about the audience you want. Showcasing diverse people in marketing is widely favored across demographics and can especially increase purchasing decisions among younger demographics and people of color.

Read the full Morning Consult report here.  

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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Observed on the third Monday of January to mark the birthday of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., MLK Day is a timely opportunity for comms teams to kick off their diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts with a focus on engaging internal and external audiences both.

But there’s no mistaking that many DE&I professionals face significant challenges to their missions. One of the most prominent is the rise of “DE&I fatigue”, which refers to the exhaustion one can experience at the front lines of DE&I efforts. When that obstacle presents itself, it can be a tough determination for the people behind the important diversity-centered work on how to press forward.

Amid a year when DE&I education is openly challenged, communicators and their colleagues who work specifically within the DE&I function should work hand-in-glove with other leaders, partners and community organizations to advance their DE&I benchmarks with a tangible, strategic and actionable plan.

In honor of a man who knew that words needed definitive action to follow them to make a real difference, let’s look at a few ways comms and DE&I pros can make a tangible impact on and around MLK Day.

[RELATED: Enhance, Advance, and Unify a DE&I Comms Strategy with Ragan’s DE&I Certificate Course]

Education and outreach

One of the biggest starts of a successful DE&I strategy involves educating and reaching out to the communities an organization interacts with. Whether it’s through an event series on the impact of inclusive values on the community or a statement or multimedia clip that celebrates the holiday, there are a few great examples to choose from.

First, let’s look at the NBA’s “It’s Time” video, released for MLK Day 2024. The 30-second clip features clips of players serving the community, speaking at MLK-related events, and old clips of Dr. King, over a narrator telling the viewer that “it’s time to speak up and listen up.”

The importance of this approach is two-fold. As a majority-Black league, the NBA is showing that it supports its players and their commitment to diversity efforts. But it also signals a call to action (including the not-so-subtle inclusion of “I Voted” stickers in an election year) and positions the NBA as an organization with a stake in making a positive difference.

Organizations can also use MLK Day as an opportunity to educate employees on Dr. King’s life, work and ideas. In one upcoming example, Aerodei, a platform that helps organizations read demographic benchmark data with the power of AI, will host an event titled “Advancing the Vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”,  when CEO Netta Jenkins will alk with civil rights activist Tylik McMillan, allowing employees (along with the general public) to tune in. These events are powerful because they position your organization as a place for educational conversation and idea-sharing that ties back to your culture.

Acts of service

Of course, education starts from within, and savvy organizations will take MLK Day as an opportunity to showcase the values of their workforce. Last year, Amazon set a high bar when it featured employees sharing what MLK Day means to them and their volunteer efforts.

This campaign is impactful because it doesn’t just show messaging from the corporate level — it allows employees to educate external audiences on their commitments by emphasizing their personal, lived experiences. This clip works as employer branding while reinforcing a core tenet of the company’s employee value proposition (EVP). DE&I’s power and impact comes from platforming underrepresented and unheard perspectives, and this piece of content shows how that can be used to commemorate Dr. King while nurturing culture at the same time.

Communicators should also serve as a conduit to employee volunteering efforts. By working with DE&I and ESG functions within the organization, comms can advance team volunteer projects, time off for volunteer work, and more. In addition, good volunteer comms can encourage employees to form their own volunteer efforts that other employees can join in through employee resource groups.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy centered on the idea that tangible action needs to follow meaningful words. As DE&I communicators, let’s take a leaf from his book to make our words—and actions—count.

Learn more about other relevant DE&I topics by joining us at Ragan’s Certificate Course on Jan. 17, Jan. 24 and Jan. 21.

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports, a good pint and ’90s trivia night.

The post Offering education, outreach and service this MLK Day appeared first on PR Daily.

2023 was a year of transition for the corporate practice of diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Three years removed from the murder of George Floyd and ensuing protests that catapulted this set of priorities and protocols into the mainstream, urgency has begun to fade for some organizations. Layoffs of both DE&I professionals and diverse hires who suffered from a “last in, first out” mentality reversed some of the progress of recent years. Additionally, the Supreme Court case that ended affirmative action at universities has had a ripple effect, with a group of Republican attorneys general warning companies that take race into account during the hiring process may be subject to legal action.  

But all is not gloom and doom for DE&I. Dorian Langlais, co-founder, managing partner and head of DEI Practice at Rally Point Public Relations, works with Fortune 100 companies to improve their outreach and communications with Black, Asian and Hispanic communities. And he found plenty of reasons to be optimistic about 2024, despite the challenges. 

“Some (companies) will probably shrink back. It just is what it is, but there are definitely a number that are starting to say, we’re not gonna do that,” he told PR Daily. “We’re gonna push full steam ahead. That’s encouraging.” 

Here are some of the biggest trends Langlais foresees for 2024 in the DE&I space. 

Collaboration is key 

There is a growing trend of creating content that brings different worlds together — pieces that speak to inclusion and bringing diverse audiences together. This doesn’t mean being preachy, however — it’s just a different way of looking at inclusion. 

Langlais points to a collab between Nike and Louis Vuitton, bringing sneakers and high fashion together. There was also a staged beef between rapper Travis Scott and tennis great John McEnroe over what to name a sneaker.   

“Collaborations from different worlds bring people together,” Langlais said. “And I think that’s definitely what’s needed. It’s not people being in their silos. The PR industry has a really great opportunity to play a big part in that. When we put them out together, there’s a story to tell.” 

Agencies must diversify 

As a co-founder of an agency, Langlais has made hiring diverse talent an intentional part of his strategy. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s also good business. He predicts more agencies that want to make intentional progress in the DE&I space will need to step up hiring to be truly representative of the communities clients want to reach. 

Data shows that the PR industry as a whole continues to lag in diversity compared to the U.S. as a whole, and that agencies are even farther behind.  

“PR agencies, particularly, are going to have a lot of work to do in this space next year. And if they’re not really well equipped in position now, they’re going to have a really tough time next year, because things are going to move very fast and furious very quickly,” Langlais said. 

DE&I work must be done with intention and must be built over time, Langlais said. And that starts with hiring diverse teams who truly understand and empathize with the needs of their community.  

The election 

Black and brown people, LGBTQ+ people and others who fall under the vast DE&I umbrella find their existence politicized in the U.S. And that is especially true as we move into an election year where rhetoric around multiculturalism, race relations and gender identity is already white-hot.  

Langlais notes that while there are people on both ends of the political spectrum who deal in extremes and can’t really be persuaded, there are many in the middle who can be. They’ve weathered the societal challenges of the last few years and don’t want to go back to how we were in early 2020.  

“The election reminds folks who maybe took their eye off the ball — corporations and companies and individuals and companies like ours — that, hey, listen, the fight’s not over.  The fight is not over. And we need to continue to press on and do what’s right and do what needs to be done to support people,” Langlais said. 

As the political conversation heats up, Langlais expects corporations to once again retrench their pro-DE&I stances. After all, diversity is growing in the United States. It’s just good business. 

Regarding the Supreme Court decision, Langlais said that big corporations will find ways around the prohibition with linguistic tweaks and deep pockets, though smaller organizations may be frightened off. 

Still, Langlais expects 2024 to reinvigorate this movement.  

“It really takes the muscles and fortitude for companies, for agencies like ours, to really keep pushing, especially when there are some out there who are like, ‘Yeah, we don’t really know if we want to keep going in this direction, or we decided to go elsewhere.’  For us to keep that pedal to the metal, to keep moving.”  

 For inspiration on how to keep moving forward, join us for our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Communications Certification course, starting Jan. 17. 

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post DE&I in 2024: Transforming fatigue into ‘full steam ahead’ appeared first on PR Daily.

This story was originally published on March 1, 2023. We’re republishing it as part of our countdown of top stories of the year. 

Samantha Rideout is a strategic marketing leader passionate about telling stories about influential brands. She is the product marketing lead at a health tech startup.

It landed in my inbox with the LOL emoji. That’s not how any brand wants an earnest post to be shared. In this case, the post was a self-congratulatory mosaic of female faces paired with a claim about their female-friendly workplace. Anyone who Googled the organization could see the stark absence of women in leadership roles, or really any diversity in upper management. But the post was especially laughable because we had worked for that brand and felt first-hand the lack of support for women. We knew the post was a lie.

Brands get rewarded for authenticity. It’s an important factor for 86% of consumers. On the flip side, brands are punished for faking it. Nearly a third of millennials (30%) unfollowed a brand on social media because they felt their content was inauthentic.

When you peel back the layers of most cringey Women’s History Month posts, the problem boils down to a lack of authenticity. Authenticity is the thread connecting this cautionary tale to the following four blunders brands make each March.

 Technology brings insincere posts to their knees.

It’s fun for the marketing team to brainstorm ideas to fill the social media calendar, but before starting a mind-mapping exercise, consider the organization’s pay gap.

Francesca Lawson, a copywriter and social media manager, and Ali Fensome, a software consultant, created an automated account (aka a bot account) to hold brands accountable. The verified Gender Pay Gap Bot leverages publicly available pay gap data and retweets brand posts with: “In this organisation, women’s median hourly pay is [insert percentage] lower than men’s.”

“The bot exists in order to empower employees and members of the public to hold these companies to account for their role in perpetuating inequalities,” Lawson told the New York Times. “It’s no good saying how much you empower women if you have a stinking pay gap.”

A quick scroll through the @PayGapApp feed shows many retweets with the sheepish notice that: “This Tweet was deleted by the Tweet author.” Instead of taking an introspective pause to consider the authenticity of their message relative to their embarrassing pay disparity, many reposted their tweets using a different variation of an International Women’s Day (IWD) hashtag.

Fortunately, another industrious Twitter user, Madeline Odent (@oldenoughtosay), saw this attempt to dodge accountability. She started keeping track of brands who deleted tweets after being called out by the bot. Brands can’t escape the paper trail left behind online.

 Generic posts trying to speak for all women miss the opportunity to amplify the voices of any women.

A templated post that splashes up a generic claim about “breaking the bias” or “embracing equality” will blend in with the other noise. Sharing a unique perspective from an individual woman, especially an employee, will tell a better story than a vague, blanket post. Attempting to reach everyone runs the risk of resonating with no one. Yet a relatable personal story can reach into the experience of many and create meaningful connection.

People are posting the content your brand needs right now. User-generated content (UGC) is unpaid content published on social media or other channels that brands can leverage. Social campaigns that incorporate UGC see a 50% lift in engagement, according to Salesforce.

How to encourage employees to join the Women’s History Month conversation:

Provide writing prompts, examples, best practices, and reminders for the women in your organization.

What happens when a brand shares its employee’s posts?

• Increased visibility helping employees build their personal brands.
• More authentic content for the brand account.
• More effective content for the brand account.
  • Millennials believe that UGC is 35% more memorable than other media.

 Bad jokes can charbroil brand reputation.

This list started with content that became the butt of the joke due to misalignment with company culture. But what about intentional humor? Three out of every four consumers appreciate humor from brands. Comedy is excellent but vet your jokes.

Burger King learned this lesson the hard way in March 2022 when they tweeted, “Women belong in the kitchen” on International Women’s Day. The tweet was quickly deleted, and an apology issued, but a sea of responses and reactionary memes flooded in nonetheless.

Many situations require corporate apologies, but no one wants it to be because of their inappropriate joke.

 Communications can’t be the only department that cares.

Look around your office and ask a hard question. Who cares about Women’s History Month?

External communications should not be the only thing your brand does for Women’s History Month. Think back to the first fumble on this list and consider the experience of women at your organization. Will employees laugh or roll their eyes at your post?

Saying nothing is better than saying something hypocritical. Yet silence can’t be a permanent solution. Women’s History Month is an opportunity for a cross-functional executive discussion about what it’s like to be a woman in your organization. Implement change like employee resource groups (ERGs), advancement and mentorship programs, or other diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) efforts that are broader than a single month.

Bottom line: Even the best communicators can’t fix an institutional problem with messaging. It has to go beyond communications.

Avoid becoming a cautionary tale or being flagged by a bot, and consider how your brand can add value to the Women’s History Month discourse.

The post Top stories of 2023: How to un-cringe your Women’s History Month communications appeared first on PR Daily.

Autism diagnoses are increasing in the United States and one in five people are considered neurodiverse. 

Neurodiversity is perhaps best known to mean autism and spectrum disorders, but it can also include anxiety disorders, dyslexia and other sensory disorders and mental illnesses.

As their prevalence rises in society, so too does the importance of making content in the workplace accessible. Additionally, communicators may find themselves tasked with ensuring emails, videos and other communiqués are understandable to people with visual or auditory impairments. 

[RELATED: Enhance, Advance, and Unify a DE&I Comms Strategy with Ragan’s DE&I Certificate Course]

What accommodation looks like for each individual in the workplace will differ. However, it’s up to DE&I experts and communicators to anticipate those needs with programs and resources that cater to these growing audiences.

Christina Frantom, internal communications lead—Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, spoke to Ragan about ways to help boost these comms efforts.

Get leadership approval first 

Getting leadership buy-in early can ensure that proper resources are allocated for DE&I efforts so projects have a higher chance of success and visibility.

“Gone are the days where this is (considered) volunteer work by people who are trying to ‘do the right thing,’” Frantom said. “This is a business process that needs to be worked in and incorporated with and alongside all the other business processes you have.” 

After securing approval, it’s critical to incorporate DE&I work companywide. That could look like inviting employees to learn more about employee resource groups, including those for people with disabilities, or intentionally bringing more neurodiverse talent in. That also might look like ensuring DE&I programming is on companywide calendars and agendas. 

Another way to bolster visibility is realizing that DE&I comms should be available to everyone. Send out emails about the latest news from this space. Consider planning DE&I activities and have signage around the workplace discussing initiatives.

Frantom said that evangelizing DE&I work from the top down can help overall efforts companywide.

“One of the most tangible things you can do is set it (DE&I initiatives) as a priority,” Frantom said.

Be accessible and intentional

When creating DE&I plans, ensure that neurodiverse individuals and those with disabilities have a seat at the table when those discussions are taking place.

“You want to make sure that when you’re at a table, that when you look around that table, that there are people who are representing the community that you’re discussing or that your programs or processes or the outcome of your decisions are going to be affected,” Frantom said. 

Now with representation at the proverbial table, creating comms for neurodiverse audiences and people with disabilities is a great way to build strong employee retention and trust. 

That could look like using closed captions or transcripts during and after a meeting. 

“You want your content to be accessible to everyone as much as possible regardless of if (they) have a visible or invisible identity,” Frantom said.

In addition to closed captioning, make sure that your metadata fields are complete when designing everything from websites to presentations to spreadsheets. That could be a content creator adding alt text. This helps someone who is visually impaired to hear the description via a screen reader. Frantom said making those extra steps “takes your content to the next level for all audiences.” 

Another example could be ensuring individuals with red-green colorblindness can access your content. Frantom said that during the holiday season, many festive content creators could put out a story or message featuring those colors. 

“People (who have) red and green colorblindness, they can’t read it,” Frantom said. “And so that just needs to be an awareness when creating content.”

Frantom suggested setting “editing gates,” her term for testing content for accessibility with real people. Put your content in front of individuals who occupy some of those reading or audio-impairment identities and review it with them. Talk with someone who is colorblind or dyslexic, for example. Learn what works and what doesn’t work from their perspective. But don’t just stop there.

“Making it a priority to caption and describe your video content not only makes the consumer experience more accessible, it also makes sure that you have communicated intent along with your graphics and text,” Frantom said. “Preparing your content to be read by screen readers or other assistance devices, as well as designing for red-green color blindness, for example, makes a big difference for individuals using those devices.” 

Frantom said it’s important for communicators to proactively search for opportunities to appeal to their audiences instead of waiting for them to tell you their needs.

“As communicators, designers, and content creators of all types, it is our job to make sure that we are not only meeting industry standards but also exceeding expectations where marginalized audiences are concerned,” Frantom said. “Create content that is as consumable as possible, but make sure you are getting to know your audience on the granular level as well.” 

Learn more about these and more relevant DE&I topics by joining us at Ragan’s Certificate Course on Jan. 17, Jan. 24 and Jan. 21.

Sherri Kolade is a writer and conference producer at Ragan Communications. She enjoys watching old films, reading and building an authentically curated life. Follow her on LinkedIn. Message her if you have a great PR/comms speaker in mind for a Ragan event.

The post ‘This is a business process’: Improving accessibility for neurodiverse, visually impaired audiences appeared first on PR Daily.

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is almost here. Is your brand ready for it?

Held on Nov. 1 – Nov. 2, it is a deeply culturally significant holiday that originated in Mexico but is now recognized throughout Latin America and beyond. The holiday honors deceased loved ones with parties, parades and costumes, according to National Geographic.

Celebrants also give offerings on altars, or ofrendas, to the spirits of relatives who have died to encourage them to visit again.

PepsiCo’s Rockstar Energy drink honors this holiday with its new national campaign, Proud Hasta Los Huesos (Proud to the Bones). The campaign ushers in the upcoming Day of the Dead holiday with custom cans for Rockstar Energy Drinks, Manzanita Sol, Crush and Brisk, part of the “Proud Hasta Los Huesos” limited-edition can collection.

Mexican illustrator and artist Joaquín Nava designed the cans for the campaign, which feature the image of La Catrina, a recognizable symbol for Día de los Muertos.

“Proud Hasta Los Huesos honors Día de los Muertos tradition and encourages the discovery of a new generation of talented Latino creators who use art as a cultural expression, especially those intrinsically preserving tradition,” according to a PepsiCo press release.

Other design elements on the cans include:

• Signature colors surrounded by customary ofrendas (altars)
• Alebrije icons (spiritual guides)
• A Xolo, or Mexican hairless dog
• Feathered serpent
• Other distinct decorative cues like marigold flowers and papel picado (paper banners)

The Rockstar Pure Zero fruit punch can, in particular, is black, white, red and gray. The can is mesmerizing to the eye and a bit mysterious as the stoic, prominently placed La Catrina beckons the observer to take a sip. La Catrina’s hollowed-out eyes seemingly also draws people in to learn more about otherworldly matters around Día de los Muertos.

“Every can has a tie to the Mexican community and culture while recognizing the past, per the release.

PR Daily sat down with Esperanza Teasdale, VP and general manager, Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Beverages North America, to talk about the campaign.

The audience

Teasdale said that this campaign came about because PepsiCo studied Hispanic celebrations and holidays.

Tapping into that knowledge, PepsiCo developed its cans to resonate with audiences and their cultural celebrations.

“Cultural authenticity across all creative touchpoints of the campaign was critical, especially to preserve the symbolism and meaning behind the holiday,” Teasdale said, adding that partnering with Nava was an important element. Nava was given the freedom to bring “his artistic vision to life through the rich cultural lens of Día de los Muertos.”

“(Nava) did a great job leveraging color for our packaging and illustration of Latino custom and nuances,” Teasdale said. “He does beautiful work, very artistic and full of culture.”

The purpose

Teasdale’s said that PepsiCo’s Hispanic business unit team was dedicated to using its employees as a cultural resource for the campaign.

Teasdale said that PepsiCo’s Hispanic Business Unit is comprised of a diverse team from across the Hispanic diaspora, including consultants and a multicultural insights team. They worked together to ensure the campaign authentically captures the “cultural nuances of this beloved Mexican holiday,” she said.

The beautiful artwork draws the eye and piques interest of prospective buyers.

“Our cans, really, (are) the thing people see before they make that purchase,” Teasdale said.

In addition to driving growth, PepsiCo wants to educate more people on what Día de los Muertos is about.

“It’s about celebrating the life of those who have lived on and who have just passed in beautiful ways and encouraging people to make their own ofrendas,” Teasdale said.

The bone (and heart) of the matter

Teasdale said that the campaign slogan felt “really smart” and “beautiful” because it drives home the essence of how people feel about being Latino, “Proud to the Bones.”

“There is a lot of pride, a lot of optimism, a lot of passion. The whole concept captures that really nicely for a moment in time that celebrates life,” Teasdale said.

Rockstar Pure Zero cans are available nationwide; Manzanita Sol and Brisk cans are located in the western and central regions of the U.S. The Crush cans are available in markets including Houston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

PepsiCo chose these metropolitan areas to cater to some of the largest Hispanic, Mexican and Mexican-American populations located there.

PepsiCo used the @RockstarEnergy Instagram page to promote a limited-edition Rockstar Pure Zero ceremonial box, which includes items to put on people’s own altars like cans, custom papel picada, calavera (skull) candles and La Catrina temporary tattoos. Teasdale said that Instagram was the brand’s choice as it is a “highly visual platform where consumers go to share and be inspired by visually compelling content.”

“With the limited-edition cans serving as the artistic anchor of the Proud Hasta Los Huesos campaign, we knew that Instagram was the right place to showcase the beautiful artwork and rich Mexican culture through visual storytelling that would capture the attention of our socially engaged audience,” Teasdale said.

Teasdale said that the biggest message here for PR and comms pros is to be authentic for the culture they are trying to reach.

“Help people celebrate more who they are,” Teasdale said.

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

The post How Rockstar Energy celebrates Día de los Muertos with pride, optimism and passion appeared first on PR Daily.

The more we include our audience — all of our audience — the more clearly our messages will be understood. That means carefully considering how we speak to people of different ethnic backgrounds, nationalities, levels of disability, education, gender identity and the other factors that make each person unique.

During Ragan’s recent Advanced Writing Certificate Course, Vanessa Charles, U.S. communications director for Takeda, recently shared advice on how to ensure your communications speak to everyone.

A-C-E

Charles uses the acronym ACE to emphasize the three qualities an inclusive writer must exhibit:

• Awareness of bias.
• Cultural agility.
• Empathetic listening.

She quoted Brene Brown: “In order to empathize with someone’s experience, you must be willing to believe them as they see it and not how you imagine their experience to be.”

Choose your words carefully

To be inclusive, you must first be understood. This can be as simple as making sure your language is accessible.

• Avoid idioms and slang that might not be universally understood.
• Use plain language and avoid jargon.
• Strive for clarity and simplicity.
• Be mindful of cultural sensitivities when using certain terms.

Tailor your messages

Being inclusive doesn’t mean you talk to everyone the same way. It means meeting people where they are and speaking to them on their own terms. Charles suggests:

• Consider your employee audience demographic.
• Check the appropriate level of formality.
• Adapt your tone to match the cultural context.
• Use gender-neutral language.
• Incorporate visuals to enhance understanding.
• Provide translations if applicable.
• Be accessible in visual design, web design and live events (think closed captioning).

Be brave

Sometimes inclusivity means standing alone for what you know is right. Or as Charles puts it, “Courage is sometimes a solo journey. Get comfortable with it.”

You can do this.

See Charles’ full presentation here.

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

The post ‘Be brave’: Ways to be a more inclusive writer appeared first on PR Daily.

In the ever-evolving world of communications, individuals who adapt and push boundaries are uniquely positioned to cut through the noise and make a difference. Deborah Hyman, senior vice president, head of employee communications and employer brand at Wells Fargo, is a seasoned communications professional passionate about simplifying complex topics — and one such trailblazer. With a background that spans reporting, public relations and internal communications, Hyman has embarked on a journey marked by innovation, advocacy and a relentless commitment to diversifying and advancing the field of communications.

Deborah’s career began in journalism, where she honed her love for writing and making complex subjects accessible. During her tenure at a nuclear physics research laboratory, she transitioned into internal communications, pioneering a newsletter to bridge gaps in communication. This early venture laid the foundation for her future in employee experience.

“They needed a newsletter way back then before employee comms was a thing,” Hyman said. “It all started there. I just love influencing the masses. Such a positive thing. Something that makes their lives better and their work experience better. That’s been the journey.”

One of her achievements at this organization was bringing innovative communication techniques to her workplace, including new tools, software and technology. She soon developed a knack for improving existing systems and thinking outside the corporate box, an attribute that continues to define her career.

“I was bringing in new innovations to the lab when it came to communications very early on, and that’s been really the track for my career,” added Hyman. “How do you come in and make things better? How do you work outside of the box that you get put into in corporate America and kind of do things in a fun and interesting way?”

At this year’s Ragan’s CSR & Diversity awards in September, Hyman was the recipient of the 2023 Ragan’s Outstanding Service to the Industry (OSI) Award. Her focus is not just on what she does but on how she supports, uplifts and advances the industry and its professionals. Her involvement in organizations such as Chief, Page Up, Diversity Action Alliance and the National Black Public Relations Society (NBPRS) exemplifies her commitment to this cause.

Shelley Spector, founder and director of the Museum of Public Relations, founder and president of Spector & Associates and last year’s OSI recipient, presented the award this year.

“This is an award for those individuals who go above and beyond their official work duties to achieve more equity and fairness in our industry,” said Spector while presenting the award. “Who take it upon themselves to make change happen, to do it on their own time, maybe even, on their own dime. They break molds, go against the rules, find new ways of achieving that which must be achieved. One such person is Deborah Hyman, the quintessential builder of communities inside and outside the workplace — communities that help individuals grow and flourish, whatever stage of their career in which they happen to be.”

Service to the industry and beyond

One organization Hyman has committed her time to is Chief, which is dedicated to uplifting executive women across various industries. It resonates with Hyman’s mission to promote diversity and inclusivity; through it, she actively engages in forums and networking opportunities to advance women in leadership roles.

Another is Page Up, a branch of the Arthur Page Society, which serves as Hyman’s platform for contributing to the future of public relations and communications. Serving as a member for over a year, she volunteers on the conference planning committee to foster industry diversity and explore topics like employee and internal communications.

However, Hyman’s commitment to impact extends well beyond her professional life. She also serves on the board of directors for Cloud Cares, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of underserved youth in New Jersey. Her fundraising efforts ensure that these young individuals receive the support they need, whether it’s through gifts at Christmas or essential educational resources throughout the year.

Hyman’s involvement with the NBPRS, which recently partnered with the Diversity Action Alliance, demonstrates her unwavering commitment to advancing diversity within the industry. Through the organization, she contributes to actionable plans to diversify the field and holds industry stakeholders accountable for their role in promoting inclusivity.

“We recently held a summit to diversify the industry,” explained Hyman. “To develop an action plan that would be hard-hitting, actionable and work toward the diversifying industry, holding industry partners accountable for diversity and advancing minorities in their companies.”

As a past president of the organization, Hyman is passionate about fostering leadership among Black professionals in the communications field. She aims to transform the NBPRS into an advocacy powerhouse, dedicated to advancing the careers of black individuals in public relations.

Throughout her career, Hyman has often faced situations where she the only person of color in leadership roles, an experience that Hyman believes underscores the importance of mentorship tailored to the unique challenges faced by minorities. Her support of initiatives such as internships, boot camps and mentorship programs for Black students are her way of helping diversify the industry and create opportunities for professionals of color.

“To be in a leadership role and not having mentors or people above me to look up to — that has probably been the biggest challenge,” said Hyman. “Because you can’t be it if you can’t see it. What I’ve had to look at were not people of color I’ve followed and been mentored by. That’s fine, but I do think people of color need to be mentored differently. Because there are different challenges that we face as we’re going through our career journey.”

Looking to the future of communications, Hyman sees endless possibilities. She highlights the significance of being an exceptional writer and the ability to think outside the box. In a rapidly changing landscape, these core skills remain crucial. She emphasizes that communication professionals must be versatile and adaptable to continue driving change effectively.

“Our being communicators, it’s important that we have diverse voices at the table and that we have diverse perspectives weighing in on content visuals, approaches and strategy,” added Hyman. “There must be a diverse mix. It’s important for our future, and its importance is the success of these corporations and firms.”

Hyman’s journey in the world of communication is marked by innovation, dedication, and a commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Her tireless efforts, professionally and in the nonprofit sector, exemplify her passion for uplifting others and advancing the industry. As communication evolves, her advocacy and innovative thinking serve as a guiding light for the profession’s future.

MORE FACTS

Favorite quote: “Seek first to understand than to be understood.” – Stephen Covey

Best early advice received: Dress for the position that you want, not the position you’re in.

Favorite professional development book: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Best skill to have: “The ability to be a great writer. That’s the basic skill I was told I needed 30 years ago and it still remains. That’s a core skill that will take you places.”

The post Deborah Hyman: Championing change in communication appeared first on PR Daily.

The 2023 CSR & Diversity Awards celebrated an impressive group of communicators and campaigns who prioritized allyship with their communities, put equity at the forefront of their hiring practices, launched unprecedented partnerships and alliances with other organizations, and much more.

Ragan Communications hosted an awards luncheon on Sept. 28th at New York City’s Yale Club, where attendees gathered to celebrate the inclusive campaigns that made a substantial impact on communities that have long been underrepresented.

“This year’s Ragan’s CSR & Diversity Awards finalists demonstrate how communicators are not only telling stories about their DE&I progress, but setting strategy across functions that generate real change and accountability across industries,” says Ragan CEO Diane Schwartz. “We are honored to shine a spotlight on their substantial and meaningful achievements.”

Ragan congratulates this inspiring group of leaders.

CSR & ESG Categories

CSR & ESG Business Practices

Employee Volunteer/Community Relations Program

Mars Food: Ben’s Original Commitment to Purpose and Inclusive Opportunities

ChenMed: Immokalee Mission Trip

Encore Capital Group: Encore Connected Week

Ernst & Young LLP: EY Ripples, The Americas

Honeywell: Honeywell Global Volunteering Month

Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc.: Milhouse Charities

Otis Worldwide: Made to Move Communities

VyStar Credit Union: Good is everywhere Celebration

Environmental Stewardship

MérieuxNutriSciences: Reuse of styrofoam boxes (environmental samples transport process)

IPSY: IPSY Impact

Merchants Fleet: Doing Well, By Doing Good at Merchants Fleet

CSR Campaign

Primrose Schools: Caring and Giving

AAA Club Alliance: Stepping Up for Hunger

ESPN: Fifty/50

Otis Worldwide: Made to Move Communities

CSR or ESG Event (Virtual or In Person)

IKEA and APCO Worldwide: Sparking Action Through Collaboration at ONE HOME, ONE PLANET U.S.

Geisinger: 2022 Bloomsburg Fair – Event Activation

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.: Konica Minolta / Arbor Day Foundation Trade Show Activation

TechnipFMC: BOLD STEM Day

Ubisoft: Ubisoft Forward 2022 – Most Accessible Event in Video Game Industry History

Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Vertex’s Global Day of Service

Employee Engagement Campaign

Mastercard: Mastercard’s Copa América Femenina Employee Campaign

American Institutes for Research (AIR): AIR’s “Sharing the Warmth of Home” Giving Tuesday Campaign

Ascension: ABIDE

Merchants Fleet: Doing Well, By Doing Good at Merchants Fleet

Meteorite: Health Action Alliance, Boost Up for Winter

Milk and Honey PR: Milk and Honey PR

ESG Campaign

PepsiCo Foundation: PepsiCo Foundation’s Food for Good

Consolidated Asset Management Services (CAMS): CAMS ESG Initiatives & Reporting

PR Campaign

Mars Food: Ben’s Original Commitment to Purpose and Inclusive Opportunities

PepsiCo, Inc. (PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos): PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos x Super Bowl 2023

Primrose Schools: National Day of Belongingness

Sparkling Ice: Cheers to You Town Beautification Campaign

Report (CSR, DEI and/or ESG – Print or Digital) 

Cisco Systems, Inc.: Purpose Personified: 2022 Cisco Purpose Report

The Kroger Co.: The Kroger Co.’s 2022 ESG Report

American Express: ESG Report 2021-2022

Aurora Organic Dairy: 2022 Corporate Sustainability Report

McDonald’s: John Avila/Avila Creative

Petco: ESG Website

Science Applications International Corporation: 2022 SAIC Corporate Responsibility Report

Social Media Campaign

T-Mobile: Game of Phones

Children’s Health: Children’s Health Launches Social Media Strategy to Generate Awareness for Pediatric Cancer and Sickle Cell Disease

Video

Megaworld Foundation, Inc.: Creating Change, Transforming Lives: Megaworld Foundation’s Official Video

Mastercard: What happens when the ball starts rolling? Video

CSR & ESG Social Impact

Cause Advocacy Campaign

Call of Duty Endowment: #CODVeteruns100K

Barbara Sinatra Children Center: BSCC x HangarFour – Overcame: Art of the Abused Child

Nicor Gas: Pembroke Township: Building Trust, Fueling Growth and Empowering Communities

The Jed Foundation: Government Affairs and Advocacy

Walgreens Boots Alliance: Expressions Challenge

Corporate-Community or Nonprofit Partnership

DonorsChoose: Panda Restaurant Group & DonorsChoose

Commercial Transport Academy: Women Inspiring Women to Lead in Transport

NRG Energy: NRG partnership with Texan by Nature

Pfizer and the International Trachoma Initiative: International Trachoma Initiative and Pfizer Partnership to Eliminate Trachoma

Trellix: Soulful Work

U-Haul International: U-Haul & Humble Design Partnership

Education or Scholarship Program

Samsung Electronics America: Samsung Solve for Tomorrow national STEM competition

Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin STEM and Vocational Scholarship Program

Otis Worldwide: Made to Move Communities

Sallie Mae: National Scholarship Month

Shop LC: The Fashion Collective

Transitions: Transitions and Black EyeCare Perspective HBCU Light Intelligent Tour

Global CSR Initiative

Barclays and Unreasonable Group: Unreasonable Impact

TEAM LEWIS Foundation: Boosting Culture by Giving Back: TEAM LEWIS Foundation Supports Over 1,000 Global Causes

Global ESG Initiative

Henry Schein: Practice Green

Pfizer: Pfizer’s Refugee Leadership Initiative

Philanthropic Initiatives

Macy’s, Inc.: Mission Every One

Science Applications International Corporation: SAIC’s Hunger Action Month Giving Campaign

Public Health or Safety Initiative

Medela: Medela Launches #MomsUnite4Milk to Support Families Impacted by the Formula & Human Milk Shortages

Geisinger: ZING543210

N-Touch Strategies: Proven Strategies for Responding to a Public Health Crisis

DE&I Categories

Allyship

Food Bank for New York City: Woman to Woman

Diversity Marketing Consortium: Driving Growth of Diverse-Led Start Ups Through Pro Bono Work and Industry Engagement

Community Relations

Genentech: Reclaiming the Double Take to Challenge Disability Stereotypes

Red Havas: Curiosity Cube Ignites Passion in STEM in Communities Around the World

Rudd Resources: Invested in Chatham, Invested in You

VyStar Credit Union: Everyday Heroes Mortgage Program

Cultural Celebration or Event

Houston First Corporation: HFC celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 – Internal

Discover The Palm Beaches: Love The Palm Beaches LGBTQ+ Pride

DKC Public Relations: Hispanic/ Latinx Month Celebration

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commitment

Bell: Bell Internal Communications

Casey Family Programs: Investing in equity

Cisco Systems, Inc.: Cisco Global Communications Innovative DE&I Engagement

Flint and Genesee Group: Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance – Your hub for starting and growing your business in Flint & Genesee

IEA – Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, Inc.: IEA Marketing and Communications team

Inogen: Fresh Air @ Inogen

Mars Food: Ben’s Original Commitment to Purpose and Inclusive Opportunities

Mastercard: Mastercard’s Copa América Femenina Employee Campaign

Philip Morris International: Inclusive Future

Trellix: Soulful Work

Vera Bradley, Inc.: Project Quilt

Wolverine Worldwide: DE&I Commitment and Strategy at Wolverine Worldwide

Employee Resource Groups

Ellucian: Cultivating an inclusive culture at Ellucian through 11 robust Employee Resource Groups

Haleon: U.S. Employee Resource Groups

Henry Schein, Inc.: Employee Resource Groups

Science Applications International Corporation: SAIC’s Employee Resource Groups

Employer Branding

IEA – Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, Inc.: IEA Marketing and Communications team

Children’s Health: The Children’s Health Difference

Event (Virtual or Live)

Genentech: Reclaiming the Double Take to Challenge Disability Stereotypes

Mastercard: Internal Launch Event of the Copa América Femenina Sponsorship

SHE Media: SHE Media Meaningful Marketplace at LA3C

Executive Thought Leadership Initiatives

Philip Morris International: Inclusive Future

Trellix: Soulful Work

Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commitment

Alorica Inc.: Alorica’s Global DEI Commitment

Discover The Palm Beaches: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commitment

Mastercard: Mastercard’s Copa América Femenina Employee Campaign

Industry Partnerships/Alliances

Trellix: Soulful Work

The Aerospace Corporation: Space Workforce 2030

Media Relations

Genentech: Reclaiming the Double Take to Challenge Disability Stereotypes

Kimball Hughes Public Relations: Kimball Hughes PR and IICF DE&I Campaign 2022

Training

City of Brownsville: Leading with Purpose Program

Haleon: Building inclusive leadership skills

Henry Schein, Inc.: The Role of ‘I’ in D&I and Inclusion Starts with ‘I’

TRSA: DEI Safe Space Series

People and Teams

Agency

Syneos Health Communications: Syneos Health® SMA Helps Challenge Disability Stereotypes with First-of-its-Kind Fashion Show

Pace: Pace

Yulu Public Relations: Yulu Public Relations

Executive of the Year

Stanley Bergman: Henry Schein, Inc.

Silke Muenster: Philip Morris International

Dr. Karen P. West: American Dental Education Association

Professional of the Year

Katharine Jensen: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Head of Corporate Responsibility

Jackie Dacanay: Fairmont San Francisco

Natasha O’dell Archer: Golin

Adam Pryor: Genentech

Sirajah Raheem: MiQ

Congrats to all the honorees for 2023!

For more information on our winners, check out their profiles here.

The post Celebrating the winners of Ragan’s 2023 CSR & Diversity Awards: List of winners appeared first on PR Daily.

Affinity months, weeks and days are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all sorts of different internal and external stakeholders. Whether it’s a cultural heritage month, an awareness day for a gender identity or giving visibility to those living with disabilities, these events can elevate our audiences and give shape to editorial calendars.

The tricky part can be keeping track of the plethora of events designed to honor diverse groups.

Let us help.

It’s also available in PDF form for easy printing.

This calendar isn’t a comprehensive list of every affinity event — that would be far too large to fit on a sheet of paper. It focuses specifically on heritage, gender and sexuality, and disabilities to cast a net that’s helpful for most communicators in large organizations.

Remember that you are not obligated to observe each of these events. Look for those that speak most to your audiences, your mission and your goals. You may choose to address some events internally but not externally — or vice versa.

There is no right formula for recognizing these days. Be respectful, be celebratory and be kind.

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

The post Printable affinity calendar: Keep track of heritage and awareness months appeared first on PR Daily.

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.

The post Accessible content basics for social media and PR pros appeared first on PR Daily.

Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) brings a special spotlight to the vibrant, diverse contributions of this growing demographic to the United States.

But if it’s the only time your brand is paying attention to the Hispanic market, you’re “making a very big mistake,” warns Natalie Boden, CEO and founder of Miami-based Boden Agency, with repercussions both for your bottom line and your reputation.

“If you are a company and you’re looking at celebrating a journey just this month, you’re asking yourself the wrong strategic question. And it’s better that you just don’t do anything (for Hispanic Heritage Month),” Boden said bluntly. In fact, she noted that often it’s the brands that are most involved with the Hispanic community all year round that tend to be quieter during their heritage month, instead choosing to quietly watch what others are doing during this hyper-saturated month and draw inspiration for their year-round efforts.

Boden points to a successful campaign launch focused on Hispanic Heritage that was timed to March — Women’s History Month — to break through the noise in a new way.

Likewise, this is not the time to get started with Hispanic marketing if you’ve never made a concerted effort to court this segment before. There’s a lot of work to do before you get to that point. Boden likened it to baking a cake: if you try to rush it, you’re going to wind up with a gooey mess. But if you take the proper time to research, learn and let your cake bake, you get something delicious.

“If you don’t have enough time to ask the right questions and get the right partners to help you answer them, you can get burned. Why run that risk?” Boden said.

If you’re reading this on its publication date and have no plans for Hispanic Heritage Month, start your research, your thinking, your learning — but don’t plan to launch from mid-September to mid-October. Instead, start planning to incorporate those ideas year-round.

A cultural juggernaut

We won’t belabor the statistics here about how many millions of Americans identify as Hispanic, or how quickly this group is growing. At this point, you’re leaving money on the table if you’re ignoring this market — and losing out on a growing cultural cache, too.

Boden, who is originally from Honduras, points to the dominance of Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican singer so influential, Rolling Stone asked him to help pen their Future of Music feature, and Argentine soccer megastar Lionel Messi, who is currently transforming the American sporting landscape.

The influence of these stars — and many, many more who are making an impact in the United States in arenas including food, acting, politics, literature and beyond —means that smartly appealing to the Hispanic audience via these influencers is effective in reaching white, Black, Asian and other audiences as well.

“If you invest in them and find them early enough, you can be on the cusp of these breakthrough voices for your brand,” Boden said. “Don’t wait for them. Don’t wait for other brands to grab on to them.”

Consistent investment

But when seeking to grow in the Hispanic community, you’ve got to get much more granular than “the Hispanic community,” Boden advised.

“No brand will go on to say, ‘we are now going to target women,’” Boden said. “You ask the question, what challenges are they going through? What niche? Are we looking at? What kind of product? Does our service or product benefit women, et cetera. You have to go niche and I’ll say the same thing for Hispanics.”

Boden worked with Pepsico on its Juntos Crecemos (Together, We Grow) campaign. This $50 million community investment did not target “Hispanics.” It spoke to Hispanic small business owners in three categories: restaurants, bodegas and carnicerías, working to understand the day-to-day struggles these entrepreneurs face as they build their businesses and communities. They didn’t try to reach every Hispanic person with the program — just like no smart marketer would ever seek to target all women.

“You always have to look at the challenge that the that the segment is facing as well before you start doing any sort of marketing towards it, because the growth of these segments socially and economically is the growth of the US, the growth of your brand. We can’t look at it as, how are we just going to sell more? We have to say how are we going to invest in them? The sale will follow.”

If you haven’t worked to invest in this community in a real, holistic, respectful way, use Hispanic Heritage Month as a time to research and organize. Because you can’t afford to miss out on this vibrant, growing market.

“At the end of the day, the Hispanic story and the Hispanic audience is an American story is an American audience,” Boden said. “I would say that the most important thing is to make sure you’re asking the right questions and investing the right amount of time. The sales will absolutely come. We’ve seen it over and over again.”

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

The post These companies shouldn’t do anything for Hispanic Heritage Month appeared first on PR Daily.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

June 2023 has proven to be an inflection point for communicators seeking to speak to and about LGBTQ+ audiences. In the preceding years, Pride Month celebrations had become more and more mainstream. While never totally without controversy, they had flourished into  a standard part of many corporate calendars celebrated internally and externally with rainbow logos, affirmations and commitments to support the message of Pride, and participation in parade marches and events.

But amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, especially aimed at transgender people, many brands have stepped back and reevaluated how they participate and talk about Pride.

Critics have become vocal and outspoken. Boycotts are growing. Axios estimated in mid-June that these controversies have cost companies more than $25 billion in market valuation. Threats have been made against the safety of employees and storefronts. Some state governments are also becoming active in punishing opponents who disagree with their stances on LGBTQ+ issues, withdrawing contracts or passing punitive measures.

Then you have LGBTQ+ communities, which has never had a simple relationship with corporate America. While they’ve been courted in recent years with splashy Pride celebrations, they’ve also offered criticism of “rainbow washing,” or brands’ performative illusion of support aimed more at boosting sales than benefiting LGBTQ+ communities.. As some brands have retreated in the face of conservative criticism, some feel those fears have been validated.

The result is an unsettled landscape that poses challenges for both internal and external communicators. It can feel like a no-win scenario, with any move certain to anger one contingent of your audience. Even silence can be risky.

There is no one right answer on how to meet this moment. It can be easy to take a zero-sum approach and say that every organization should take a stand for LGBTQ+ rights, or to say that all businesses should stay out of it and stick to selling widgets.

Both are oversimplifications.

Let’s take a look at the three main ways brands are addressing the current atmosphere in the culture wars.

Staying the course

Some organizations are making no changes to their behavior. This can cut one of two ways.

Outspoken, advocacy-focused organizations are sticking with their support of the queer community. Adidas, facing a Target-esque backlash over masculine models appearing in traditionally feminine swimsuits, stood its ground. In a statement provided to USA Today, the athletic brand said their commitment to self-expression is “reflected in a diverse line of models who bring the spirit of this collection to life.”

Similarly, The North Face did not waver in the face of anger from some over their partnership with outdoorsy drag queen Pattie Gonia. “Creating community and belonging in the outdoors is a core part of our values and is needed now more than ever. We stand with those who support our vision for a more inclusive outdoor industry,” the organization affirmed in a statement to NPR.

These brands knew their audience and held their ground. They faced backlash but made their position clear as an extension of their values.

Other brands remained consistent simply by remaining silent. They hadn’t spoken in the past, and they are not speaking up now. Organizations deeply enmeshed in government contracts or with audiences with a more conservative bent have chosen for years to sit out of Pride events. They don’t oppose them, but they don’t participate either.

This, too, is a maintenance of the status quo.

Falling silent

Others, however, moved back from more active past stances to a watchful posture. While CBS News reported that 78% of Pride organizations nationwide saw their sponsorships stay steady or increase, 22% saw decreases. Indy Pride, which organizes events in Indianapolis, saw one sponsor pull their logo (though not their funding) and another questioned a youth-focused event after social media backlash, according to CBS News.

While most Pride organizations declined to identify which specific corporate sponsors had pulled back or chosen to remove their logos, it’s clear there have been some who have chosen to simply remove themselves from the conversation altogether, with as little fanfare as possible. Some of these organizations may still celebrate internally but have found the current landscape too risky for loud, proud external moves.

Finally, the last group is the one that has drawn the most attention and controversy.

Flipflopping

Bud Light. Target. These organizations have become shorthand for organizations who found themselves at the center of the culture wars — and blinked.

Both brands actively courted the LGBTQ+ community — Bud Light with its partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney and Target through a trans-inclusive swimsuit — and in the face of backlash, chose to abandon their stances. Bud Light disavowed members of its marketing team and Target pulled some Pride-themed items from its shelves.

These have proven to be the most damaging stances, as it draws ire from both sides of the issue. Even in victory, those in the anti-LGBTQ+ camp don’t forget what they saw as a betrayal of their values, while members of the pro-LGBTQ+ community feel abandoned.

This is the true no-win scenario, and one both brands will grapple with for the foreseeable future.

What should you do?

There is no simple playbook to follow here. Each organization must make its own decisions based on their employees, their customers, their desired customers, their ties to state and local governments, and their values.

What works for one brand may not work for another.

It’s time to help your organization do some soul-searching. What will best serve all your stakeholders — and the bottom line?

Whatever decision your organization makes, be prepared for backlash. Have your plan in place.

And good luck.

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

The post 3 ways brands are handling a contentious Pride Month appeared first on PR Daily.

Robert Conner (he/him) is an activist and expert in LGBTQ communications and media who was named by Business Insider magazine as a top rising star in public relations in 2023. He works as the media relations manager at Scott Circle Communications, a public relations firm in Washington, D.C.

Last week’s declaration of an LGBTQ state of emergency by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) confirmed what most LGBTQ people in the U.S. already know: we’re being attacked. While countless companies have published their “ We’re Celebrating Pride” posts, virtually none have issued a statement addressing this state of emergency. The HRC’s warning—the first of its kind in the organization’s 40-year history—comes as a record-high 75 anti-LGBTQ bills have been signed into law this year. As an LGBTQ activist, I feel unsafe. In this climate, how organizations communicate matters now more than ever.

Organizations must take a stand

A new, somber era is here, and communicators must respond accordingly. How you communicated about LGBTQ topics before the emergency declaration is outdated. This climate of oppression requires an overhauling of the communications landscape. Silence or neutrality is no longer an option.

Messages and actions must not create harm and violence

Communicating messages that don’t overtly support LGBTQ lives directly causes harm. About two in three LGBTQ youth report that hearing about anti-LGBTQ legislation “made their mental health a lot worse,” according to The Trevor Project. 70% of non-LGBTQ adults feel companies should publicly support the LGBTQ community “through hiring practices, advertising, and/or sponsorships,” reports GLAAD’s 2023 Accelerating Acceptance survey. When Target recently removed some Pride merchandise, they took down clothes that had conveyed acceptance and hope. This decision sent a message that feeds anti-LGBTQ violence.

Where to start

As a starting point, it is critical that you now publicly address the emergency: acknowledge its seriousness, address its implications for LGBTQ employees and customers, and outline your action plan. Here are the ways to get this right:

Three messages to deliver urgently, following the declaration of the LGBTQ State of Emergency

1. Issue a public statement taking a clear and inclusive stand for employees and customers.

In this initial statement, which you should issue as soon as possible, acknowledge the seriousness and unprecedented nature of the LGBTQ state of emergency. LGBTQ people are nine times more likely than non-LGBTQ people to experience violent hate. Show empathy by explaining that your organization recognizes that the declaration may be new, but the violence has been around forever and has worsened in recent months. Because the state of emergency may trigger anxiety or confusion, explain what options exist to help answer questions and list available resources prioritizing safety and well-being.

2. React to legal decisions directly affecting LGBTQ rights.

The U.S. Supreme Court will issue an opinion, likely by July 2023, on whether a business can deny services to LGBTQ customers based on the First Amendment. Communicate that regardless of the Court’s decision, your company will never deny services to LGBTQ customers. Commit to tracking this case in real-time and provide timely public updates.

Go further and state that you refuse to work with vendors that deny services to LGBTQ customers. Aside from this SCOTUS case, the ACLU updates a weekly map of anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures. Stay on top of bills that impact your employees and consumers, and issue updates regularly.

3. Distribute an “emergency” manifesto detailing your organization’s action plans and path forward.

Put words into action. The emergency has been declared. Now what? A manifesto should spell out concrete next steps for employees and customers to be protected and valued. This should be distributed through internal channels, social media, and any public-facing outlets.  Share new resources: due to the emergency, the HRC created a digital guidebook with health and safety tips and a summary of state-by-state laws.

Almost half of LGBTQ workers have experienced unfair treatment in their careers. Implement protocols for staff and customers to report threats to LGBTQ safety, including harmful language. This is critical for employees on job sites, customers patronizing businesses, and even in digital spaces. Organizations must double down on their non-tolerance of discrimination. Be clear that anti-LGBTQ behavior will have consequences.

In all communications in this new era, pledge to follow through. One-time statements appear shallow. Consistently monitor threats to LGBTQ safety and provide timely updates. Proactively ask LGBTQ employees and customers how they feel, seek feedback on how your organization can improve LGBTQ safety, and train supervisors to spot and prevent violence. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) publishes a Workplace Inclusion for LGBTQ+ Employees toolkit, and the HRC provides a Trans Toolkit for Employers. Lastly, beyond June’s Pride month, your new manifesto should outline plans to celebrate LGBTQ people year-round with Lesbian Visibility Day (April 26), LGBTQ History Month (October), National Coming Out Day (October 11), the Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20), and many other observances.

Be an ally and a leader

Messages can either hurt or help LGBTQ people. Stop evergreen messaging and deploy powerful, constructive statements. In the aftermath of the LGBTQ state of emergency declaration, be an ally and a leader. Use communications tools to help your organization help LGBTQ people.

The post How organizations should navigate the LGBTQ state of emergency appeared first on PR Daily.

It’s no secret that a diverse workplace is beneficial to both your business and culture. Diversity ensures our strategies incorporate a wider range of perspectives that reflect the lived experiences of all stakeholders and audiences, making our organizations better places to work in general.

But with these important commitments come some important questions. How can you combat fatigue around DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives? How can well-intentioned communicators operationalize their organization’s commitment to a more diverse and inclusive workplace while keeping their employees engaged?

We spoke to people who are doing the work to learn about their perspectives on the issue and figure out the challenges they’re facing right now.

The root of fatigue

The personal investment in DE&I work is beneficial in many ways, but it can also bring a certain cost to it for those who carry out the tasks.

Alice Jackson-Jolley, assistant managing editor at Forbes, said that the personal part of the work can also carry some weight for its practitioners.

“In addition to professional success or setback, there is also a very personal cost or reward associated with the success of DE&I work,” said Jackson-Jolley “This makes setting psychological boundaries and maintaining a work-life balance a bit more complicated than other roles.”

She added that creating change isn’t an overnight process and sustained efforts are a big part of why DE&I efforts work long-term.

“Real, lasting, systemic change is not a linear process,” continued Jackson-Jolley. “Nor is it swift. It’s slow, intentional work that often looks like progress and regress, setbacks and success. It requires sustained efforts to grow the initiatives in which we are seeing success and make adjustments to the initiatives where we are not.”

Raising voices

When we talk about DE&I initiatives, we also need to consider the people in our organizations who are working tirelessly to make them happen. These personal stakes are an integral part of how DE&I functions and is championed.

Janice Torres, publicist and founder of The Brand Phoenix, said that she feels deeply attached to the DE&I missions she champions, which informs how she works to combat fatigue in DE&I initiatives.

“I’ve got a responsibility to amplify voices,” Torres said. “As someone who is both a DE&I practitioner and a communications pro, I’ve learned to approach these issues from a holistic point of view.”

DE&I fatigue doesn’t just come from nowhere —- there are signs that watchful pros need to keep an eye out for. Torres said that some of the tell-tale signs can be somewhat clear but need to be acted upon when seen.

“There are usually clear-cut signs of fatigue — not speaking up at meetings, doing the bare minimum, and more,” Torres said. “At times like that, it’s even more incumbent on us as communicators to create a culture in which people feel comfortable sharing their ideas and thoughts.”

Recognizing fatigue while pushing forward 

We know that DE&I initiatives are important and that fatigue around them is real. So what comes next?

According to Jackson-Jolley, the key is having a support system in place.

“It takes a village,” she said. “With DEI change (as with any major undertaking), the best way to lighten the load is to share responsibility.”

Jackson-Jolley also shared an anecdote about her organization emphasizing the importance of the buy-in of leadership.

“One reason that I have a true sense of optimism – a belief that the Forbes Newsroom will look like America and society at large in the near future — is that newsroom change is a shared value throughout the entire Forbes organization. While I oversee newsroom change for Forbes, the Forbes staff, including executive leaders, are invested in that change.”

Torres added that it’s key for DE&I teams to have access to proper resources and avenues of communication to keep engagement high and fatigue low.

“The rhythm and manner of headline-dominating cultural shock responses –– economic downturns, climate disasters, and racial inequities –– that impact the workforce, communities served, and the overall public psyche, must match the resources available to the DE&I team,” she said.

Keeping the momentum

One of the most critical parts of keeping employees engaged on DE&I initiatives is keeping the ball rolling with real, genuine efforts. According to Jackson-Jolley, superficial work isn’t going to cut it; this work is larger than one person or department alone.

“Sustainable DEI efforts are horizontally and vertically integrated throughout the company and strategically interwoven throughout every aspect of the business,” she said. “Ask yourself, if the individual who oversees DEI for my company were to leave, would DEI progress leave with them?”

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports, a good pint and ’90s trivia night.

The post Combatting DE&I fatigue appeared first on PR Daily.

It’s nearly Juneteenth and we’re already prepping to see an onslaught of good and debatable material from brands who are expressing their support and allyship for Black culture -– while others simply get on the bandwagon for profit.

Psst, people know the difference.

Below is a roundup of mistakes brands can learn from and admirable wins that score big. Let’s get into the holiday’s origin first.

The history

Juneteenth, which takes place on June 19th, is described as the country’s second independence day. On June 19, 1865, over 250,000 enslaved Black people in Galveston Bay, Texas learned of their freedom – two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Though celebrated for a long time in the African American community, the holiday gained national steam in 2020 after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and many unfortunate others. President Joe Biden declared it a federal holiday in 2021.

Given this sacred commemoration, people are looking at brands to not only acknowledge the holiday and offer time off to employees, but to commemorate it in appropriate ways, too. There are, though, some mixed feelings overall on how brands should communicate Juneteenth.

According to a Collage Group survey, 41% of Black Americans think that brands should recognize the federal holiday in their marketing or advertising – but 9% said brands shouldn’t. Another 19% say that only “certain” brands and companies should celebrate the holiday while 24% don’t care if they celebrate it or not.

One outspoken DE&I advocate discussed the importance of educating oneself about the holiday, supporting Black-owned businesses and letting action do the talking.

Stacey A. Gordon, an author, executive advisor, speaker and DEI strategist at Rework Work, said in a LinkedIn blog post said that she doesn’t “celebrate” Juneteenth – not because she has a problem with the holiday – but because brands often do it a disservice.

“It’s with the companies and leaders using it to be symbolic but not substantive,” Gordon said in the post. “Making Juneteenth a federal holiday hasn’t done anything to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, or belonging. Instead, companies are spending energy and marketing dollars on performing allyship with themed products, services, sales and the like.”

Now let’s get to the brands who fell into this trap of commercializing over commemorating.

Examples we can learn from

One of the most obvious examples of a brand failure is Walmart’s Juneteenth ice cream last year. The “Celebration Edition: Juneteenth Ice Cream” was a red velvet ice cream flavor with a generic description about sharing and celebrating “African-American culture, emancipation and enduring hope.”

A Walmart spokeswoman said it “caused concern” for some customers, CNN reported last year.

Some people were unhappy with the product because many thought it was a distasteful and quick way to cash in on the holiday instead of honoring it in a meaningful way, like spotlighting Black-owned businesses.

Instead of looking to make a quick buck, brands should evaluate if your company is measuring up to the holiday and being truly supportive. Consider if your brand is really uplifting the Black community and stakeholders in a way that is valuable and resonates. Also, before you market a product, bring on diverse voices from the communities you’re selling to -– see if it’s a hit or a miss. Catching mistakes like this early enough can help save face in the long run.

Another gaffe is excluding Black people from the narrative of Juneteenth.

WYFF4 reported how plans for a Juneteenth celebration in Greenville, South Carolina went awry in late May when two banners marketing the event featured only white and Hispanic individuals. Other banners featured Black people.

Event founders said in the article that they wanted to feature different ethnicities to “bring the right type of messaging of unity, freedom and love.”

The banners have since been taken down and an apology was issued for what is being described as a “slight oversight.” The Juneteenth event Executive Director and Founder Reuben Hays said that future events would “fully reflect the diversity, inclusivity, and historical significance” of the month.

Despite meaning well, the two banners were poorly executed as they excluded the very group being recognized.

While everyone across all cultures is invited to join the celebration, every effort should be made to put Black people at the forefront of promotional materials like so. If people of other cultures are featured, make sure a Black person is prominently displayed, too, so there is no feelings of alienation and confusion.

Now onto the winners. Drumroll, please.

Brands on the right track

Not-for-profit organization Outdoor Afro did not disappoint this year for Juneteenth. The organization, which recognizes and honors Black nature-based leadership and ties, announced its theme this year as “Freedom to Access Water,” according to their website.

Outdoor Afro bridged the cultural gap between Black communities and water in a big way based on alarming data.

Black children are 7.6 times more likely to drown than white children, according to statistics.

“The statistic ties to the historic prohibition of Black entry onto beaches and into public pools,” according to their website.

The organization is using Juneteenth as an opportunity to bring people outside for 2.5 hours to “rest,” “reflect” and “heal,” their website added. The 2.5 hours represent the two-and-a-half years it took for the enslaved Black Americans in Texas to know that they were free.

In addition to the holiday, their annual Making Waves program will teach up to 1,000 Black children and their caretakers how to swim.

Outdoor Afro is celebrating the holiday in a symbolic way that stays true to the brand. Their efforts also really uplift the Black community in a way that makes a big splash and resonates and inspires.

Last year, Dockers also went big and bold for their Juneteenth celebration.

The clothing company posted a story on their website about the life of multihyphenate Selema Masekela, an actor, singer, TV host and beyond. The touching story discussed the intersection of Father’s Day and Juneteenth – commemorated on the same day in 2022. Masekela talked about his father, Hugh Masekela – a renowned jazz artist and anti-apartheid advocate. Masekela joined forces with Dockers last fall, too, for a product collab around jeans’ “classic styles reimagined through his distinct lens.”

Levi Strauss & Co. Chief Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Officer Elizabeth Morrison told PR Daily last year that “embedded” storytelling really brings intentionality to the conversation with more than performative actions.

Levi Strauss & Co. is the parent company of Dockers.

During Juneteenth, allow Black voices to be even more visible through an article, video, or another avenue that tells their story internally and externally. Keep the conversation and momentum going as Dockers did. Let your customers and stakeholders see themselves in the people you feature and remind them on Juneteenth –  and beyond –  that their history and heritage are something always to be celebrated.

The post Want to pack a more authentic punch this year for Juneteenth? Learn from mistakes and wins.  appeared first on PR Daily.

A week before Pride Month began, communicators were once again reminded of the role we play in fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging at work.

Last week, Target received several threats for its in-store displays of Pride merchandise, including some directed at employees directly. Fearing for the safety and wellbeing of its workers, Target pulled much of the merch, while CEO Brian Cornell defended the choice in a letter to employees that also reiterated his, and the company’s, support for the LGBTQ+ community.

While some applaud Target and Cornell for centering their decision around employee wellbeing, some experts warn against the precedent that canceling Pride campaigns sets. But for communicators, this incident also highlights the tightrope many organizations must walk between espousing values of inclusion and belonging that are important to some stakeholders without fear of riling up others. And in the context of Pride Month, such instances are a reminder that pointing back to the work you’ve done throughout the year remains the best way to demonstrate consistent support—the kind of support that withstands even the most vocal aggressors.

To Target’s credit, the company has made its always-on support for LGBTQ+ employees a core value of its employer brand. A company page offers an overview of its decade-plus engaging with Pride, its Pride+ Business Council ERG, information about the LGBTQ+ organizations and suppliers it partners with and more. These are all valid and important pieces of its larger inclusion story—and worth shouting from the rooftops when detractors accuse you of being inauthentic or opportunistic.

This begs the question— what are other organizations doing to support the LGBTQ+ employee experience? How are leaders modeling this behavior in authentic, non-gestural and non-performative ways? How is HR ensuring its benefits are expansive of all lived experiences? And how can an organization view its Pride communications as only the beginning of a long journey?

Treat Pride Month as an activation for larger initiatives.

While supporting LGBTQ+ employees should be ongoing, Pride Month offers a timely news peg for centering your work around a core theme or focus. This year, a key focus of PayPal’s Pride efforts is centered around how seemingly small acts contribute to culture in large ways.

“This year for Pride Month, we are rallying around the theme ‘Visibly Proud,; which focuses on promoting small, but meaningful acts of visible allyship,” said Josh Criscoe, senior director of corporate affairs and communications at PayPal. This includes a resource guide for leaders on the importance of normalizing pronoun use and a push for all leaders to add their pronouns to their intranet profile, Slack, Teams and email signature, along with Pride-themed virtual meeting backgrounds available for all employees to use throughout the year and more.

“These seemingly minor actions send visible signals of allyship, promote inclusion and add further a culture of belonging,” Criscoe said.

The work continues through PayPal’s eight employee resource groups (ERGs) that are also empowered to support talent recruitment and retention, supporting business initiatives while fostering a culture of belonging at the same time. PayPal also launched an inaugural ERG summit and ERG Academy to further promote collaboration, share best practices and build subject matter expertise.

Encourage leadership to model actionable allyship.

It’s often said that true change starts at the top, and demonstrating allyship is no different.

At Pfizer, EVP and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Sally Susman regularly ranks as one of the most well-respected corporate leaders who identify as LGBTQ+, and her internal influence, along with her frequent external thought leadership, reinforce the work being done by members of its OPEN colleague resource group elsewhere in the organization. This sends a signal to all stakeholders that Pfizer walks the talk.

“Our leaders recognize the paramount significance of fostering equity, ensuring that every colleague thrives in an environment dedicated to their professional and personal triumphs,” Jennifer Kokell, director of digital communications at Pfizer, told Ragan. “By guaranteeing equal access to growth opportunities, mentorship, and advanced learning resources for every colleague, we empower them to unleash their full potential and fulfill our purpose — breakthroughs that change patients’ lives.”

For PayPal’s leaders, showing what actionable allyship looks like includes a mentorship program that pairs Pride members with senior executives. In one meeting, a leader shared a personal story about coming out to his parents and spoke vulnerably about his struggles with being accepted. PayPal CEO Dan Schulman is personally championing the company’s core value of inclusion, too, interviewing Kelley Robinson, the new president of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to talk about key issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community in 2023 with a focus on how PayPal can get involved.

Offer inclusive benefits and volunteer opportunities.

Working with HR to socialize how your benefits are inclusive and expansive of all families and genders also sends a signal to your workforce that those who control the spending will put their dollars where their corporate value statement is. Farmers Insurance exemplifies this by offering 10 weeks of 100% paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender identity, including those who become a parent through surrogacy or non-family adoption.

The company’s commitments to this work have also helped earn Farmers a 100% score from the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index for Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality. “We strive to foster an engaging and dynamic work environment that supports employees bringing their whole selves to work,” the company told Comparably. “Celebrating the LGBTQ community helps Farmers foster a culture of inclusion and connect colleagues.”

Remember that benefits manifest in many different ways. Keeping with its 2023 pride theme of “Visibly Proud,” PayPal is also offering volunteering opportunities through its partnership with nonprofit Out in Tech, connecting technologists with LGBTQ+ organizations that can benefit from their skill sets.

PayPal, Pfizer and Farmers are only a few of the organizations doing this work, but their efforts illustrate how Pride Month is a timely opportunity to refresh and realign your DE&I work with larger organizational strategies and ESG goals. Of course, doing this will take a lot longer than one month — and that’s the point.

“Pride for Pfizer is not timed to a month,” said Kokell. “Making sure everyone is seen, heard and cared for It is culturally engrained in everything we do every day through our core values – courage, excellence, equity, and joy.  When colleagues bring their authentic selves to work, creativity thrives, passion leads and collaboration blossoms.”

The post Beyond Pride: How to be an active ally year-round appeared first on PR Daily.

The NAACP recently issued a travel warning for Florida after the organization said that Gov. Ron DeSantis (backed by the state legislature) has engaged in “aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion programs” across the state’s schools, NBC News reported.

The NAACP’s May 20 statement on the advisory notes that the LGBTQ+ community, among others, has faced a “culture of fear,” bullying and other tyrannical tactics from public officials.

NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said that the state’s “hostile” attitude is a “dereliction of duty to all.”

The NBC News article explains that the advisory comes on the heels of the DeSantis administration blocking an AP African American studies course to be taught in Florida high schools.

The College Board, a nonprofit organization over the nationwide AP program, worked on tweaking its curriculum foundation once it was denied in Florida due to six problematic areas including “Black Queer Studies,” “The Reparations Movement” and more, according to the article.

DeSantis, on tap to begin his 2024 presidential campaign soon, made education and other matters a priority during his administration, according to the article.

Why it matters: A Florida television station, WPTV, posted about the potential repercussions of the travel advisory impacting towns across the Sunshine State.

Stuart Mayor Troy McDonald said in the article that the situation is “unfortunate.”

“The city of Stuart has had a long standing relationship with the NAACP, and I think the travel ban like this would hurt their own constituents, black-owned businesses, folks working in the service industry, and it’s not just the service industry that gets hit, it’s all the ancillary businesses that support tourism.”

Last year the state saw 137.6 million visitors — the highest number in Florida’s history, according to Visit Florida.

Martin County, Florida NAACP President Jimmy Smith, who favors the advisory, said in the article it could cost Florida millions.

“If you want to ban the books of Black authors and Black history, look what contribution the Black and Brown bring to America,” Smith said.

Given the travel advisory is effective, numerous companies and organizations in Florida will face consequences as a result of DeSantis’ actions.

These groups and orgs could consider rallying together with a unifying messaging loud and clear that emphasizes the diversity within Florida and — government aside — it is a welcoming place for Black and Brown people, the LGBTQ+ community and others.

Personalizing the message would remind tourists that the advisory, while understandable, is going to impact diverse businesses, too.

In addition to the messaging, let tourists know that they are safe to come to the state and eat, lodge, or play at your business. Also, consider promoting bookstores and minority-owned places to patronize.

Spreading this message of unity in a time of division — while advocating for the rights of the marginalized —could give travelers a reason to visit.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor is already inviting people to come to the area as they “will be welcomed with open arms,” according to News Channel 8.

Castor, “the first woman and first openly gay person” serving as the Tampa Police Department chief of police — and first openly gay mayor — said in a recent tweet that the city values everyone.

As Mayor of Tampa, I can absolutely assure anyone and everyone considering a visit or move to Tampa that they will be welcomed with open arms. Diversity and inclusion are central to what makes Tampa one of America’s greatest and friendliest cities. That will never change,…

— Jane Castor (@JaneCastor) May 21, 2023

“As Mayor of Tampa, I can absolutely assure anyone and everyone considering a visit or move to Tampa that they will be welcomed with open arms,” Castor tweeted. “Diversity and inclusion are central to what makes Tampa one of America’s greatest and friendliest cities. That will never change, regardless of what happens in Tallahassee.”

This similar messaging across the state might make a difference and could bridge the gap for potential travelers unsure of where to go next.

More top headlines:

• New WNBA mobile app features similar TikTok-styled videos to attract a bigger fanbase, including younger people.
• The hospitality and travel industry is facing an “uneven recovery” after being hit by the pandemic. There is some good news as international travel is on the rise, according to a Morning Consult report.
• Instagram is coming for Twitter with a new competitor app. Will it work? We’ll soon find out, but people are already losing their minds over it.

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

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