Reputation

With brands and government finding their reputations on the wane, companies are turning to employee-advocates to augment their public relations. Executives from T-Mobile, Advanced Energy and Bloomberg discuss best practices.

When Delta joined a growing list of companies rescinding discounts for NRA members, it did so by proclaiming its neutrality. And when FedEx decided to keep its NRA discount in place, the brand also attempted to stay neutral. But both quickly found that when it comes to an issue as controversial as gun control, brands can’t have it both ways.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has had a rough week. On Tuesday, Sports Illustrated published a bombshell investigation that detailed a culture of sexual harassment among the Mavericks’ corporate culture for the better part of a decade. The report seemed to catch Cuban—and the Mavericks organization—off guard, highlighting the need for all organizations to engage in crisis planning. And it’s yet another example of how all brands need to be prepared for allegations of this nature in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

KFC ran out of chicken in Britain earlier this week, closing over half of its 900 U.K. locations Monday in a move that will likely keep some stores closed throughout the week. But KFC got out ahead of the issue and practiced the tried and true “acknowledge, align, assure” mantra—a go-to blueprint for brands needing to engage in efficient, actionable conflict resolution.

Marvel’s long-awaited “Black Panther” has already shattered box-office pre-sale records and is shaping up to be the most successful movie with an almost all-black cast ever released. But the source comic book was not always as infused with such resonant ideas about racial identity, class and power. Here’s a look at the influencers who helped reframe Black Panther’s brand and identity as a powerful avatar for black representation on the big screen.

Unilever is threatening to pull ads from the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Google—but the way the consumer goods giant conveyed that message has been as powerful as the message itself. The company’s CMO Keith Weed planned to use his keynote at the IAB Annual Leadership Meeting today to call for improved transparency, accountability and consumer trust in digital platforms. But in a masterstroke of messaging, the company managed to humanize itself and score earned media, while also positioning Unilever as a thought leader, by releasing the speech strategically.

The Super Bowl is one of the most highly anticipated annual events in popular culture. But for many people tuning in, the advertising breaks are every bit as compelling and competitive as the game itself. This year, ads from Tide, Amazon and the NFL won the day and gave their brands a lift, while Dodge Ram shot itself in the foot with a tone-deaf spot.

The start of the year means many things: new goals, fresh opportunities and, of course, the annual Trust Barometer report from Edelman. This indicator of global attitudes has been a sobering read during the past few years. It’s not too much different in 2018, although media’s low trust factor hasn’t slipped too much.

Many companies measure their reputation via a yearly poll. Others wait until a crisis hits to commission a survey about how stakeholders perceive their company. Still others feel measuring reputation should be an ongoing operation. This fourth article in our series with PublicRelay discusses the best ways to measure reputation and why it’s important to do so.

The Time’s Up movement took the spotlight at the 75th Annual Golden Globes. From the first words spoken by host Seth Meyers, “Good evening, ladies and remaining gentlemen,” the issue that has consumed Hollywood for months was felt in both subtle and overt ways. Here are three of the top Time’s Up messaging moments—from Debra Messing’s red carpet interview to Natalie Portman’s cutting one-liner—from Sunday’s star-studded event.