Reputation

It’s not news that the country is politically turbo-charged. That makes nearly any story a potential PR time bomb. Evidence is today’s White House announcement that it’s launching a program to bolster job searching, particularly for non-degree recipients. The critics charge first daughter Ivanka Trump is the wrong person to lead this effort.

In a $2.65 billion deal, ride-hailing app Uber purchased food delivery app Postmates. The acquisition will extend Uber’s reach in the meal-delivery market. Uber and Postmates aimed a joint press release at investors, saying the acquisition will benefit Postmates’ “strong relationships with small- and medium-sized restaurants.” It also said food-delivering couriers will benefit, but failed to say how.

It’s understandable that some want a break from the constant barrage of social media. But for brands and celebrities, spending more time engaging in social listening might be appropriate, particularly before making big decisions and announcements. Reading the room is basic PR.

Is this pandemic moment the right time to initiate an influencer campaign? Influencer marketing certainly has pain points, yet this might be an ideal time, argue Allison Fitzpatrick and Paavana Kumar of Davis & Gilbert LLP. Here are their content and regulatory tips to bolster influencer success.

It’s not easy for brands to listen to the social conversation. And having the sound of fireworks booming for weeks makes it difficult to listen to anything. Still, perhaps Macy’s and NYC should have compromised on plans for six nights of fireworks leading up to July 4.

As Pride Month comes to a close, we offer this interview of Annise Parker, the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city. Parker now heads Victory, a bipartisan group that recruits and helps elect LGBTQ+ candidates. She tell H+K Strategies’ Ed Patterson how communication is part of Victory’s work.

Many brands have said they support #BlackLivesMatter. Some have taken direct action to back up their words. It is possible LeBron James may ask them to support the effort to register black voters and fight voter suppression, a source of structural racism, James says.

In this continuing series about lessons in career and life, a former senior communicator outlines principles he learned as he helped rebuild a global athletic brand’s reputation.

Those helming brands in this environment face the most critical challenge of their careers – as they attempt to navigate from a business and a brand reputation perspective. Nowhere is that responsibility greater than in communication.

In a week of public apologies, few have loomed larger than that of General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The nation’s top soldier apparently was transfixed reading social media attacks on him and President Trump’s photo op at St. John’s Episcopal Church. His apology was good, though slightly lacking.