Reputation

2018 was a difficult year for CEOs and brands, yet the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer found “my employer” is the most trusted entity. In addition, the 33,000 responders in 27 countries expect CEOs, not government leaders, to help right society’s ills.

Apple has built its reputation for preserving users’ privacy is by putting CEO Tim Cook at the forefront. Cook’s thought leadership has been apparent in myriad op eds and interviews, having recently penned an article for TIME on how users can act to take their privacy back from bad actors. There’s no question a well-written missive from the C-Suite can make or break company reputation and goodwill with stakeholders. Here are three ways to get it right.

This week Gillette launched “We Believe,” a timely screed against toxic masculinity that updates its decades-old tagline to “The Best Men Can Be.” Its former tagline is reframed as a question: “Is this the best a man can get?” With more than 4 million views already, the ad has audiences divided on whether or not the campaign is a genuine push for social good, an opportunistic rebranding, or both.

On the tranquil island of Santorini, Greece, hugging the cliffs overlooking the azure blue Aegean Sea, it’s one person’s job to touch-up a boutique hotel’s white exterior. Every day; and it’s a full-time job. The hotel spends $29,000 annually on white paint. The hotel’s pristine exterior makes guests feel special, part of something luxurious. Does your brand’s image need a fresh coat of paint?

It wasn’t long ago when brands were told to steer as far away as possible from politics and social issues. The situation is more complicated today. Some consumers expect brands to take stands and will reward them for it. Several brands in the Washington, D.C., area are reacting to the government shutdown with acts of kindness. Will they be rewarded?

PR News’ regular Roundtable feature asked senior communicators to discuss what they believe will be the toughest challenge in 2019. Perhaps concerned with the headlines of the day, many of them had trust and integrity issues on their minds. Others mentioned breaking through the clutter to get their narrative heard.

Industry icon Jack O’Dwyer has died at 85. A respected journalist and publisher, he founded his O’Dwyer’s Newsletter 50 years ago. That led to other publications that became industry must-reads. A journalist’s journalist, O’Dwyer was a fixture at industry events for decades, carrying his reporter’s pad and pen. “He was one of a kind,” says veteran communicator Andy Gilman.

The holiday season is here and many are making merry away from their desks. Yet social engagement doesn’t end, not even on Christmas, says Emma Monks, Crisp’s head of trust and safety. In fact, more social messages are sent to retailers during the holidays than at any other time. Here are a few ways brands can mind their social channels and reduce risk during the holidays.

Google’s controversial plan to create a censored search engine in China enabling state surveillance has become a tale of two memos. The optics of Google’s willingness to work on a “pro-surveillance” product is particularly untimely as talk of user privacy issues and data regulation continues to dominate the news.

“Lena Dunham Comes to Terms With Herself” has its fair share of lessons for communicators, especially those in media working to build out their personal brand. The piece artfully uses scene, narrative and exposition to demonstrate the blind spots that Dunham, and those caught up in the digital generation’s ‘cult of personality’, can easily miss. Here are a couple.