Stories by Seth Arenstein

It’s good news that the business community continues to elevate the importance of PR and marketing. On the other hand, this recognition can bring unintended consequences. An example is the suit Massachusetts brought against Publicis Health for its alleged role in helping Purdue Pharma sell opioids.

From a PR viewpoint, Peloton is a good news/bad news story. First, the relatively good news. Peloton apologized yesterday (May 5) for failing to act promptly on reports that its secondary line of equipment, treadmills,… Continued

How would you like to lead communications for the new Facebook Oversight Board, which was created to adjudicate content-moderation issues for the behemoth social platform? For Dexter Hunter-Torricke, his greatest challenge, right now, is explaining to the public what the board is and does.

The one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s killing occurs this month. In anticipation, communicators are pondering several scenarios.

It’s a small irony that a week beginning with a bogus story about VP Kamala Harris’s children’s book ends Friday (April 30) with the celebration of Honesty Day. It’s a holiday that every PR pro should circle on the calendar as honesty is the currency of the profession.

PRSA added a 4-pronged information asset to its site today with a resource called Voices4Everyone. It addresses issues communicators need to navigate today’s climate, including disinformation/misinformation and D&I. PRSA says it will update resources regularly with new and curated content.

One of the most difficult moments for crisis communicators is knowing when, or even if, to react. Once you decide to act, finding a proper response is critical. The backlash against Burger King UK’s tweet was immediate. The company, though, seemed to forget a motto it used for 40 years: ‘Have It Your Way.’ Instead, after choosing to respond, it doubled down with explanations.

Each month, we look at new terms picking up steam in the crisis landscape with a definition. This month, we look at empathetic bankers and partisan changes.

Cision’s annual state of the media didn’t offer revelations, but is loaded with useful insight and data about how journalists worked in 2020 and what they’re looking for in 2021. It’s a good reminder for PR pros to tailor pitches, return calls, include useful data, provide DEI angles and consider upbeat stories.

PRSA responded to the needs of former members and unemployed communicators, unveiling an initiative to encourage them to rejoin or join the trade organization, respectively. “In Between Jobs” offers half-price membership to PRSA as well as other incentives aimed at helping unemployed communicators find work.