Category Archives: pr

Yes, Chef: Revisiting “The Bear” for Communications Dos and Don’ts

Posted on by
Reply

FX’s “The Bear”, an instant hit when it premiered in 2022, is preparing to air season four. Taking place in Chicago, the show follows a restaurant’s kitchen staff as they ping-pong across the scale of functionality. Something is always broken, staff members are constantly fighting and profitability is plummeting. It gave those with previous food experience, like me, severe deja vu, and those who have never worked in a restaurant a gritty look at how chaotic the day-to-day can be.

Two years ago, my colleague Kate Glaviano wrote a piece inspired by the show exploring kitchen skills she learned as a Chicago chef that transitioned well to her work today as a public relations manager for a busy boutique agency. A service industry veteran myself, I’d like to take that article a step further offering a few communications lessons from the highly acclaimed series.

Spoiler alert: in the show’s third season, we see “The Bear,” the upscale restaurant main character Carmy dreamed of opening with his late brother, finally open for business. But after the high of the grand opening in the season two finale, things sour through season three. The menu is changing on a constant basis, and the team feels fractured and out of step with one another, leading to high tensions that prevent the restaurant from reaching its lofty goal of attaining a Michelin star.

The kind of communications chaos seen in the fictional kitchen is bound to produce burnout. It’s not an uncommon story in the business world—a company with a talented team and solid product can’t seem to get out of its own way. This is why business leaders sometimes employ communications professionals for input on their day-to-day internal and external operations, to help set their team up for success.

Lessons from The Bear’s kitchen

As communicators, our team frequently advises clients on both internal and external communication functions. For organization leaders who sometimes do not have communications as a core function, there are lessons to learn from The Bear:

  • Don’t ignore your team: During season three, Chef de Cuisine Sydney is constantly sidelined at the restaurant. She often tries to speak with the head chef and owner, Carmy, with ideas about improving the menu, only to be ignored or to have his ideas prioritized over her own. At the end of the season, she begins to consider leaving the restaurant altogether. Radio silence is never a good sign for team morale. Your high-value team members need to feel like they’re being heard, and a good communicator can help you figure out the best way to ensure employees feel appreciated and keep difficult conversations constructive. Employees also want to be kept in the loop. A good communications team will work with you to build smart, transparent messaging to make sure your team members feel valued and critical to the company’s future.
  • Know your audience: A big point of contention among the kitchen staff in season three was the menu changing daily. While a daily menu change may not be abnormal for a fine-dining institution, most brands need to rely on consistency to build their audience. If your internal team doesn’t understand what your product or service is aimed at, no one will. Shifting priorities can lead to muddled messaging, making audiences unsure if your company is relevant to them. A communications team can serve as a sounding board for new business decisions, ensuring you stay aligned with your target audience and brand consistency.
  • Leadership sets the tone: The leadership displayed by Carmy, while effective at times, often devolves into angry outbursts. He frequently yells at his team, causing increased tension among his staff and making operations difficult. On the other hand, when he takes the time to show his team members respect and provide them with the right tools they need to succeed, the team is all the better for it. Toxic leadership can derail an otherwise talented team, stunting the growth of not only the company but also the employees. Poor communications from leadership can also trigger a crisis situation that could attract negative media attention and cause reputational damage to the brand. Leadership should work closely with a communications team to help them find a tone and personal brand that conveys empathy and transparency as well as a commitment to the company and its employees’ professional growth.

Whether The Bear restaurant can bloom into a functioning restaurant remains a question for its fourth season to address. Regardless, we can take the fictional restaurant and its kitchen chaos as a guide for what not to do with your company’s communications. Remember, just because something is working currently, doesn’t mean it will last. A big-picture communications strategy that is adaptable and responsive to your operational needs—and those can be a bear to build—can help organizations remain consistent while addressing the shifting needs of any business.

Guess Who’s Back (Again): PR Lessons From HBO Max’s Return

Posted on by
Reply

There’s no shame in a branding misstep, especially when leadership knows how to recover from it. 

Last month, Warner Bros. Discovery announced the return of “HBO Max,” reversing course from the streaming platform’s 2023 rebrand to simply “Max.” What transpired in the two years since the rebrand offers a valuable lesson in brand strategy: listen to your audience and don’t be afraid to course-correct with a little humility. 

 Where Everybody Knows Your Name 

HBO is a household name, having been around since 1972 and responsible for creating publicly iconic television shows like The Sopranos, Game of Thrones and True Detective. The intention behind the rebrand of HBO Max was to convey the expansive programming that became available when HBO Max and Discovery+ merged. While logically it made sense, decisionmakers at Warner Bros. Discovery underestimated the power of the HBO name.  

HBO has a legacy. Over decades, it has gained worldwide acclaim for releasing shows with unrivaled storytelling and gripping visuals that quickly became cultural phenomenon. Removing the three recognizable and trusted letters confused the public and brand recognition took a hit. At the same time, many viewers and others could not let go of the name by force of habit. 

Recovery Mode  

When Warner Bros. Discovery announced the return of HBO Max, they could have chosen to do the about-face quietly. Afterall, many people never let the original name go. Instead, they embraced their branding 360 with humor and transparency by posting a series of promotional videos that poked fun at the name-change induced chaos. In one video, actors in HBO Max shows and movies joked about the switch, leaning into the very reaction audiences had. This is where Warner Bros. Discovery got it right. 

 Rather than doubling down or defending decisions that led to the failed rebrand, they chose to align with the audience’s perspective. They acknowledged what viewers had already decided, HBO is the brand they trust. The pivot demonstrated to viewers that their voices were not only heard, but worth listening to. 

 Three Takeaways for Brands 

For communications professionals, the HBO Max name change(s) is a masterclass in how to rebound from a branding fail with grace. Consider the following:  

  • If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it: HBO’s switch to Max removed the part of the name that had built the brand’s credibility over decades. HBO took a gamble with brand recognition and while risks can sometimes yield positive returns, this case proved that a strong brand identity is hard to come by. When considering big risk, brands should ensure they are considering their core values, what makes them recognizable and how the proposed change could be perceived by the public.  
  • Listening is part of strategy: Brand decisions may be made in boardrooms, but brand perceptions are crafted by the people. Effective public relations means staying in tune with what audiences want, how they are reacting and how to continue to engage them. In HBO’s case, many continued to refer to the brand’s streaming platform by its original name, rather than accepting the name change. If the public is not willing to jump on board, it might be time to listen, rethink and pivot. 
  • Tone matters. By responding with humor and humility, the platform made the change seem more like a silly stunt gone comically wrong rather than a corporate correction. The audience wasn’t talked down to, they were invited in. In one of the videos, Olivia Cooke, a cast member of House of Dragon, even says “why would you remove the biggest part of the branding?” HBO’s humor around the issue demonstrated transparency, proving to audiences their value while poking a little fun at the corporate blunder.  

Today’s audiences are brand-savvy, and they are not afraid to be critical. They notice when companies fumble and when they truly connect with a brand, they engage. HBO Max’s return is more than a case of a company admitting it was wrong, it serves as a reminder that sometimes the most strategic thing a brand can do is lean into a mistake with transparency, respect for audience feedback and maybe even a touch of humor. 

 HBO Max’s content hasn’t changed, the rebrand just adds clarity. The lesson? Great brands don’t just tell audiences who they are, they listen and meet their audiences where they want to be met. 

When Leadership Talks AI Without Comms, Everyone Loses

Posted on by
Reply

In late April, Duolingo made headlines – not for its quirky language lessons, but for the language used by CEO Luis von Ahn. He announced an “AI-first” shift, positioning it as the nucleus of Duolingo’s business strategy. The intention was clear: innovate, lead the conversation and redefine education technology.

What followed was far from the reception von Ahn hoped to receive.

The criticism was not only focused on the use of AI, but its tone, timing and framing of the news. In particular, von Ahn’s publicly available companywide memo stating the company would “gradually stop using contractors to do work AI can handle” was seen as dismissive of the human cost of that transformation.

In the weeks that followed, Duolingo faced reputational challenges that are increasingly common when major business decisions are made without thorough evaluation of communications strategy. It’s become a timely case study evaluating how even well-intentioned innovations can falter when communications are not treated as a strategic business function.

The gap between strategy and messaging

At its core, Duolingo’s shift to AI reflects an undeniable and broad business trend. Organizations are rapidly adopting generative AI and automation to increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve scalability. While these moves are almost always declared necessary to remain competitive by leadership, they are not neutral.

When business transformation impacts people—particularly the very ones who build it— how leadership communicates matters as much as what is being communicated. In Duolingo’s case, comments from von Ahn emphasizing experimentation and efficiency, combined with previous AI-induced job reductions, raised concerns about whether the company fully considered the human element of its AI strategy.

Those concerns were further compounded by von Ahn’s comments not less than two weeks later, in which he said AI might be better suited than human teachers for educating children. An assertion that not-so-subtly suggests he envisions AI as a replacement for flesh and blood educators. While childcare services and specialized learning environments might still need human educators under such a vision, von Ahn’s remarks demonstrate a disregard for the complexities and nuances required to become a qualified teacher of future doctors, lawyers and engineers.

The absence of a clear, empathetic narrative invited public skepticism. It also created room for assumptions, misinterpretations and reputational risk. All of which undoubtedly will fall on von Ahn’s communications and risk teams to clean up. And despite the fact von Ahn recently tried to clarify his blunder by stating he “does not see AI as replacing what our employees do,” the damage has been done.

What Went Wrong: A Communications Perspective

Beyond the substance of the announcement, the problem lies in the breakdown between leadership and communications teams. When executives bypass or reduce the impact of communications teams in framing sensitive and complex topics like AI adoption or workforce changes, they not only jeopardize public perception but also expose the organization to avoidable reputational and operational risks.

This begs a significant question: How involved should communications teams be on these issues? Here’s what could happen if communications teams’ counsel is seriously considered or implemented:

  • Message discipline is strengthened across leadership: Major strategy pivots, especially those involving significantly disruptive transformations, demand carefully coordinated messaging at every level. When communications teams help shape the narrative early, they can coach executives on tone, timing and terminology, even what to avoid saying to ensure the company speaks with a unified voice.
  • Brand voice stays intact: A well-crafted message reflects the company’s values, not just a single executive’s view. Communications teams help leaders articulate bold visions without losing sight of empathy, humanity or business culture nuances.
  • The “why” remains visible: Change, good change, is easier to understand when stakeholders know the true intentions behind it. Strategic communication ensures bold moves are framed in the right context—how it will benefit users, support employees and position the company for long-term growth.

In Duolingo’s case, this proactive approach might have framed the shift to AI as a long-term value add while investing in talent and partnerships with educators. Rather, it was communicated as a pure efficiency gain and a need to be first to the detriment of human workers.

Lessons for every business leader

The Duolingo episode offers several takeaways for executives considering similar transformations:

  • Innovation is not a substitute for communication: Regardless of how forward-thinking the strategy is, it must be explained in a way that reflects empathy, clarity and foresight.
  • AI announcements require specialized messaging strategies: These are not routine product updates. Anything related to AI adoption must be treated with the same rigor and care as earnings reports, regulatory disclosures or acquisitions.
  • Internal stakeholders are your first audience: If employees feel blindsided, undervalued or expendable, the external message will most certainly fall flat.
  • Reputation is cumulative: Every comment from a CEO builds—or erodes—brand credibility. Once trust is lost, it’s difficult to get it back.

AI is here to stay, and it’s changing the way we operate. But it should also change the way we communicate. The pace of innovation must be matched by the discipline of communications strategy. Otherwise, companies not only risk internal friction and external scrutiny, but also long-term damage to their most valuable asset: trust.

From White Smoke to Bluesky: Uncovering New Ways to Reach Your Audience

Posted on by
Reply

Earlier this month, white smoke emitted from the top of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican announcing the news that a new pope had been selected to oversee the Catholic Church.  

Cardinals voting in the papal conclave have been burning ballots releasing black smoke from the Vatican since the 1400s. Starting in 1914, the Vatican began to release white smoke to announce the selection of a new pope. This was an effective way to share important news long before the dawn of newspapers, 24-hour cable and streaming news, social media and more. In present day, the news crews that flooded the Vatican to film and report on the color of the smoke to announce the new pope, as well as the many individuals who posted to their own social channels and publishing mechanisms, relayed the message to a global audience.  

From black smoke to white smoke to broadcast news to social media, the vehicles we use to share messaging and raise a brand’s profile are always changing. As public relations professionals, it’s our job to make sure we’re finding your audience where they want to be met—and likely they are all not standing patiently, waiting to hear from you in St. Peter’s Square. New channels are always emerging to open new doors to reach your audience. Consider the following as their own smoke signals, alerting brands and others to new media opportunities:  

Substack is evolving as a legitimate news source as media continues to split off from more traditional channels. Around for several years now, Substack continues to gain credibility as known thought leaders come onboard. Former CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta joined Substack earlier this year after leaving the cable news network. The platform allows its users to publish and monetize online newsletters as independent journalists. It also provides a forum for live videos and podcasts. Shortly after launching his presence on Substack, Acosta welcomed 280,000 subscribers. According to New York Magazine, “Substack has escaped its humble newsletter beginnings to become a juggernaut collective of independent voices. If you’re looking to start a media operation, it’s now the place to do so.”  

Bluesky is a microblogging social media platform built on an open-source platform that allows users to move around among online apps. Unlike other well-known social media platforms, Bluesky does not report to one central authority giving posters more freedom and attracting new viewers with more than 30 million users as of last January.   

Open AI is working on its social media platform as well. While no official details have been released, the Verge reported the platform could be based on ChatGPT’s image generation capabilities and possibly integrate it into ChatGPT or launch as its own app. Open AI may benefit by using the data collected from its own social media platform to train its AI. With ChatGPT boasting more than 1 billion users in little more than one year since its launch, a social media platform would open the door to a sizable audience for those who post.  

A good PR professional recognizes and follows the growth and evolution of the media landscape to present opportunities for clients to reach new audiences. Meanwhile, savvy clients have an opportunity to gauge how best to leverage these new mediums to ensure their messaging reaches their target audiences. While not all will become the next LinkedIn, X, or Instagram, it’s critical that marketing and comms teams pay attention.  

Like the smoke at the Sistine Chapel hundreds of years ago, these platforms are informing your audience about your brand. With the help of a smart PR team, you can find the right channels to meet your audience where they want to be met and raise your visibility, credibility and if all goes as planned, indirectly sales. 

To Speak or Not to Speak: How Brands Approach Difficult Topics

Posted on by
Reply

There’s nothing worse than someone butting into a conversation, only to add nothing of substance. It’s unnecessary, ruins a potentially productive discussion and leaves participants unsure about what to take from the interaction. It’s the same with brands taking a stance on national headlines.

The instinct to speak up about a nationally relevant, political issue or story was not born from thin air. In 2019, a Sprout Social study showed 70% of consumers found it important for brands to take a stance on social and political issues. But in a more recent study in 2023, Sprout Social reported 58% of consumers found it inappropriate for brands to speak about politics.

Why the change of heart and where does that leave brands now? A good communications team can help you weigh the risks and benefits of speaking out, keep a pulse on public sentiment and protect your brand from unforced errors.

Missing the Mark

Consumer cynicism about corporate politics stems in large part from years of perceived hollow messaging and little-to-no-action supporting the issues a brand claims to stand for. When protests following the murder of George Floyd erupted across the country in 2020, many businesses took the opportunity to share statements showing solidarity against racism. But not all messages were received positively.

It became easy for the public to recognize brands that had rushed to craft a statement or post a black square on their social media feeds because they felt they had to join the conversation. In the case of companies that chose to join the conversation around George Floyd’s murder like Netflix, with a reported track record at the time of regularly canceling shows led by diverse casts, the public reaction was anger. As more companies faced accusations of releasing statements with no authenticity or follow through, the public call for tangible action by these very companies to support the communities they claimed solidarity with grew louder.

Know Your Brand and Be Prepared

There is no single answer to the question of whether your company should take a stance on a public issue. It depends. However, it’s critical that strategic communications and public relations professionals play a lead role in these discussions and at every step of the decision-making process. Together with your team, they can take a strategic assessment of the situation, considering the following:

  • Your brand’s core values. Reflect on your company’s core values and ensure any outgoing message is consistent. A statement contradicting a tenet of your company’s mission can muddle your audience’s understanding of your organization’s identity.
  • Your audience. If your organization hasn’t previously discussed the issues at hand but believes it could score points with a new audience, it’s important to understand a statement on a sensitive issue likely should not be your first step. Instead, your PR team can help you to strategically find ways to gradually build visibility and credibility with a new audience through earned media and more. Otherwise, you risk leaving previously loyal consumers feeling left behind and the perception of seeking to profit from an unfortunate event.
  • The risks. Political or social justice issues can be incredibly divisive. It’s important to know that no matter what, putting out a statement is bound to ruffle feathers and turn people away from your brand. If your company determines issuing a statement is sensible, it’s always smart to work with your team to develop a plan should your statement not be received as expected. A good PR team can help you prepare a comprehensive crisis strategy.
  • Your value-add. Polite platitudes with no real action or investments to support an issue could end up hurting your brand, rather than helping. Even consumers who generally agree with the sentiment of your message could potentially see it as offensively hollow. The last thing you want is to be accused of using an important issue for profit, so make sure your organization’s addition is thoughtful and substantive, and remember, actions speak louder than words.

With more and more channels to voice opinions from X to Threads to Bluesky and LinkedIn, we’re seeing brands fighting for the spotlight on multiple fronts. While it may be tempting to weigh in on the hot social issue of the moment to attract viewers, it’s critical to consider one poorly received post can cause untold damage to a brand’s reputation. The right public relations partner can help you consider every angle and highlight potential blind spots before you decide to wade into murky waters.

Hiring a Public Relations Agency: What Clients Get Wrong and How to Fix It

Posted on by
Reply

Organizations sometimes hire public relations agencies based on how much they charge, what they are willing to guarantee and, occasionally, who they claim to know at certain media outlets. And, in doing so, these organizations are likely making the poorest of investments and putting their reputations at risk.

Why? Because none of that matters.

Let’s talk about the money first. Like most professional services, pricing for public relations can run the gamut. And, like most any other service, you get what you pay for. You’re not paying someone to churn out rubber stamped stories glowingly in the wonder that is you. That’s not PR. Instead, you are hiring communications experts to build inroads with the media; to discern the stories and guidance your target audience(s) is seeking and to create a series of ongoing opportunities to have your voice heard and your message clearly understood. This is a long-term investment and should be considered as such. Anything less is often a waste of money. 

Additionally, there are some shops out there—I don’t call them PR agencies—that will guarantee placements. This should be a red flag for you because of the associated reputational risks. Shops that guarantee placements are doing one of the following:

  • Pay-to-play placements. The shop is paying to use the space, dressing up advertising as earned media. This content has low SEO value, has a limited shelf life, is typically expensive and can dilute brand authority because it is usually labeled as advertising or sponsored content. This means there is no perception of a third-party endorsement, which is the whole point of getting your brand in the media through PR. 
  • They’re tapping low-value outlets. Obscure blogs, television programs, syndicated content sites, magazines you’ve never heard of or low-traffic outlets that take just about anything all fit this category. Your exposure is nominal at best, and the credibility of these outlets is always in question by anyone who sees them.
  • They have pre-arranged deals. Some shops pay freelance writers who work with certain outlets to pitch your story to their editors. In addition to being ethically questionable, thisoften violates the editorial policies of these outlets. When they learn their paid writer is getting paid by a third party to push a paid story, they often reject those stories and,sometimes, blacklist the pitched organization from future opportunities.

Then there is name dropping. Simply put, any public relations pro doing his or her job shouldknow the journalists covering the industries they represent. Finding names of journalists can be done by anyone or any AI, but that’s not the real value of a public relations firm. However, especially in an era when clicks determine both the value of the story as well as, in some cases, the financial benefits to the journalist, having a name by itself will only take you so far. You need to know the right journalists, along with how they think and where their story interests lie. Youalso, most importantly, need a strong story. And one that isn’t slavishly promotional. Lacking a good story of import to the journalist’s audience, all you have is their name and—frankly—thatis simply nowhere near enough.

What organizations must consider are the following:

  • Experience. PR agencies should be able to demonstrate they know the space that is important to you by telling you the current trends reporters are covering, and showing you recent success in that space that either matches or is closely adjacent to that which the organization is seeking to achieve.
  • Track record. Off the bat, learn what coverage they have landed for clients over time, and don’t be wowed by one recognizable media logo. Talk to their clients, past and present, and ask what they think about the agency and the work they have produced for them. Both current and former clients should be able to positively discuss the agency’s wins and what they liked about the relationship. If an agency cannot produce at least two former clients to speak on their behalf, run.
  • Credibility. Is the agency, and its staff, established in your space? What do the journalists in the space think of them? Do they churn out press releases and rarely interact with journalists? How have they overcome challenges to getting coverage for clients? Do they understand your industry?
  • Personnel. Agencies of all types, and PR agencies are not immune, have been known to pull a bait-and-switch. The prospective client meets with experienced, senior agency personnel. Once contracts are signed, it becomes a revolving door of junior staff, some with little or no experience. Ask who will work on your account, and insist on meeting those individuals and looking at their resumes or bios. Do they have the requisite experience to achieve your goals? Are they in-house or freelance? What specifically will they each be responsible for? This piece is often the most important in determining success.

In my 22 years of experience, boutique and specialized PR agencies often best serve clients in niche industries or markets. They have the experience, the insider language, the track record, credibility and the personnel to do the job well. Often, senior agency leadership will work directly on the accounts. This is rarely the case with big PR firms, and the smaller generalist agencies often cannot check all the boxes.

When in doubt, follow the specialty. Doing so is often the best investment to protect your most important asset: your reputation.

The Rise of the LinkedIn Newsletter: Are Blogs Old News?

Posted on by
Reply

Since the early days of digital marketing, company blogs have been trusted tools for brands to share their expertise and connect with audiences, while maintaining control of the narrative. Blogs were a breakthrough in the late 90s and early 2000s, allowing brands to speak directly to engaged audiences. But as social media began to change how people discovered and consumed content, many company website blogs became an echo chamber of regularly published content, with little engagement or interaction.  

Enter LinkedIn Newsletters. The feature offers brands a direct line to their professional networks and a notification-system, as well as analytics to direct content refining efforts. Brands that are truly taking advantage of LinkedIn Newsletters will see the pivotal role they can play in strengthening their brand voice and credibility, while expanding their digital footprints. And while LinkedIn Newsletters are not a fool-proof replacement for traditional website blogs, they could be a great addition to a brand’s digital marketing strategy.  

What’s the hype?  

A well-maintained company blog still holds value, especially when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). In reality, it’s a different type of content from a LinkedIn Newsletter. Blogs are owned content, whereas a newsletter published on LinkedIn is shared content. While there is some overlap between the two, a brand has less control over how shared content is distributed through LinkedIn’s algorithm beyond the newsletter’s subscribers. With both however, brands control the message they are putting out into the world.   

With a LinkedIn Newsletter, subscribers get a notification when a new edition is published, both in-app and via email if they opt-in to that feature. Because subscribers have to actively opt in, they are more likely to read and interact with the content, much like a traditional blog. Brands will also be prompted to create a LinkedIn post with each new edition, expanding the potential reach of the newsletter beyond subscribers. While similar to LinkedIn’s article feature, newsletters allow brands to cultivate a community of subscribers who will interact with others and share the brands insights.  

Lead with Value  

Before marketing and communications teams rush to transfer their existing, evergreen blog content to LinkedIn, remember that content fatigue can be a considerable deterrent. Audiences want a comfortable cadence of content that delivers clear, useful insights. A LinkedIn Newsletter needs to read less like a company update and more like a resource. That means understanding your audience’s needs, speaking to them directly and offering perspective over promotion. But most importantly, the writing needs to read like it came from the mind of a human:  

  • Repurpose with caution: It is not necessarily beneficial to share all the content a company has posted on their website blog on a LinkedIn Newsletter. A press release announcing a new report, for example, may not offer a brand’s LinkedIn audience much value. But an article about an aspect of the report and expanding on a few key points could be valuable.  
  • Perspective over promotion: LinkedIn newsletters are not the place to be promotional and sell products. While a sales-focused call to action can be an aspect of a LinkedIn article, the key focus should be providing expertise and tangible insight. Brands that stay up to date on what matters to their audiences and challenges they are facing will have a better chance of attracting regular readers.  
  • AI is not a writer: Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like Microsoft Co-Pilot or OpenAI’s Chat GPT can help with brainstorming and organizing a writer’s thoughts, but an effective newsletter still requires a content writer who understands the brand’s goals, their audience and the nuances of the subject matter. An effective writer will offer a final product that personifies a brand and showcases it as a resource an audience can trust. AI written content should always be fact-checked and writers should ensure any use of AI does not supersede proper editing and review processes to ensure human tone and accuracy.

Don’t Forget the Metrics  

LinkedIn shares several metrics around newsletters to help brands refine and improve the content they share. From email sends and open rates to article views and engagement numbers, LinkedIn offers a number of in-platform data points to signal what’s working and what’s not. To name a few:  

  • Email sends indicate how many subscribers opted into an email notification of the newsletter.  
  • Email open rate is a percentage of the email sends that were opened by users. 
  • Article views show the number of times users viewed the newsletter.  
  • Engagement rates report the percentage of interactions on a newsletter compared to the impressions.  

With the above data and more that LinkedIn shares, brands can begin testing new strategies for their newsletters like adjusting frequency, sharing new formats or approaching new, timely themes. The beauty of digital content is its flexibility and LinkedIn Newsletters give brands the time and space to experiment. 

Digital content is only as valuable as the connections it offers brands. LinkedIn Newsletters provide a way to build off a brand’s existing audience on the platform, offer real value and cultivate more meaningful connections.  

Hello Procrastinators: A Look at REAL ID Chaos and Communications

Posted on by
Reply

Whether it’s evidenced by crowds at retailers on Christmas Eve or the onslaught of extension requests sent to the Internal Revenue Service on April 15 each year, it appears America has its fair share of procrastinators. And the current chaos around the U.S. government’s REAL ID deadline only further proves that is another case in point. While there is no surefire way to win over the most stubborn procrastinators, a thoughtful communications campaign to raise awareness is a good place to start.  

A Real Problem 

The deadline—which had been moved numerous times previously— to obtain a REAL ID is May 7, 2025. The REAL ID initiative stems from a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission to establish more universal standards for identification cards and drivers’ licenses to increase security and reduce fraud. After May 7, the REAL ID will be required for Americans to board commercial aircraft, enter certain federal facilities or enter nuclear power plants. 

While the REAL ID initiative has been in play for 20 years, the “real” deadline seems to have come as a surprise for some. CBS News just reported that for people polled in a set of 30 states, fewer than 70% of residents who meet the requirements have a REAL ID. They also found, in 17 other states, fewer than 50% of the eligible population had obtained a REAL ID. 

With just several days until the deadline, Americans are scrambling, worried they will have difficulty boarding flights while airports are readying their teams for long lines and frustrated travelers. But is all of this confusion and delay due to a lack of communication?  

Communicating REAL ID 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security seemed to understand the assignment. They knew getting Americans educated about the REAL ID requirement and encouraging them to act might be a heavy lift. They also recognized a good public awareness campaign embracing a flurry of marketing and PR initiatives would be key.  

The department launched its “Be your REAL ID self” campaign in January 2021 with digital toolkits for government agencies and industry partners to share communications and marketing materials on their websites and social media, as well as through direct mail and on-site signage. And while Homeland Security had its own communications initiatives, individual states went out to try to stave off delays and discord as the deadline neared. For example, last June, Oregon’s Department of Transportation posted it was in search of a firm to launch an advertising and marketing campaign with a $500k budget to help raise awareness ahead of the transition.   

As to public relations specifically, when I asked ChatGPT how many news articles had been written about REAL ID, it said, “​While there isn’t a precise count of all news articles written about REAL ID, it’s clear that the topic has garnered extensive media coverage since the REAL ID Act was enacted in 2005.” Coverage was found in NPR, The Washington Post, CBS News, ABC News, The Associated Press and more. With significant media coverage and a multi-faceted marketing campaign, the public likely knew about the REAL ID deadline; If they failed to act on the information or are simply procrastinating, perhaps that is on them.  

Regardless of whether you see the REAL ID roll out as a communications success or failure, it’s important to understand the elements of a good public awareness campaign.  

  • Understand your goal and your audience: The shifting of deadlines in years past likely complicated the government’s efforts to achieve the goal of getting Americans to meet the May 7th deadline. A good campaign will have a clear achievable goal to raise awareness, draw people to a website, attract sales, etc. 
  • Encourage idea sharing between PR and marketing: In a complex campaign like this, the marketing and PR teams were likely talking to one another. Too often, the teams are expected to work in a vacuum. This can lead to missed opportunities, doubled efforts and conflict. 
  • Develop clear and consistent messaging: Clear consistent messaging is critical because no matter how often someone hears a message, procrastinators will delay. The message should be clear – in this case, explaining what needs to be done, why and when. 
  • Conduct proactive, persistent and regular outreach: A PR team should be regularly talking to media on your behalf. Reporters tend to stay away from promotional material, but any time you can tie your initiatives to a timely event or trend, you are more likely to gain a reporter’s attention. 
  • Leverage social media: Along the lines of the value of repeated messaging above, be sure to leverage social media. Share updates and links to news coverage, consider surveys and more to build engagement. 
  • Engage ambassadors: The REAL ID team wisely tried to tap into industry partners and government offices for support. Trusted members of the community or people with whom your audience is in regular contact can be valuable resources in sharing your key messages and getting audiences to act. 

Despite delays and extensions in recent years, it seems the May 7th deadline for the REAL ID may be … real. While considerable efforts were made to ensure the public was ready, many remain unprepared for the transition. Those who are prepared likely acted on some part of the communication campaign. Those who have not likely heard the call but chose to put it off until tomorrow. 

What to Expect from a PR Agency As the Pitching Pool Grows Shallower  

Posted on by
Reply

Journalists are outnumbered. As the public relations industry has welcomed more communicators into the field, news outlets nationwide have faced massive layoffs that have vastly reduced the number of reporters and editors.  

Between 2023 and 2033, the public relations industry workforce is expected to grow by 6%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are now more than seven public relations professionals for every journalist and with some reporters receiving over 100 emails a day, finding a way to grab and keep their attention is critical for any pitching effort.  

It’s tough breaking through an already congested news cycle without the uneven personnel ratio making competition for attention even more difficult. This growing ratio should impact your vetting process when considering your next communications firm or in evaluating the effectiveness of your current agency.  

Consider the following questions when evaluating a PR partner or prospective partner:  

  • Do They Do their Homework? Relevance is the name of the game. Before any good media relations pro jumps into writing, they make sure the topic is relevant to the interests of an outlet’s readership and personalize the pitch to target the reporter’s specific beat. If a reporter sees a pattern of irrelevant pitches coming from your company, they will be quick to ignore outreach from your PR team, and potentially your company, in the future. 
  • Do They Know How to Tell a Story that Matters to Your Audience? Every pitch entering a journalist’s inbox needs to be concise, clear, compelling, nonpromotional and ideally speak to an industry trend or hot topic. Context is important, but the goal is to offer proof points about meeting the needs and interest of the audience not promoting the company or brand.  Working with an agency staffed with former journalists can help. 
  • Do They Work with Urgency? No one likes having their time wasted, especially a journalist on a deadline. You need a PR firm to position you as a ready resource for a reporter, not as unreliable or unprepared.  
  • Can They Build Relationships? If a pitch is compelling enough to break through the static and engage an editor or reporter, a good media relations pro should use it as an opportunity for relationship-building. If a journalist recognizes your company’s subject matter experts as reliable and relevant to their audience, it can open the door to future opportunities. After all, it’s about what you know in today’s media environment, not who you know. That said, rapport is still important. Your PR rep should be proactively identifying reporters relevant to your industry, talking to them with regularity to understand what they are working on, as well as offering introductory meetings to ensure your subject matter experts are on their radar for future stories.  

Public relations pros cannot change the media landscape, but the good ones are adapting by taking the time to understand the current state of journalism and recalibrating where needed. Business owners and leaders will want to make sure they are working with PR partners who get it. 

It’s called earned media for a reason, and while there is never a guarantee for coverage, these tips could help you find the agency that can make your company’s engagement with journalists stand out among a sea of mundane, irrelevant, promotional or just plain old uninteresting pitches.  

Houston, We Have a Problem: A Female First Campaign Lost in Space

Posted on by
Reply

Pop star Katy Perry, news anchor Gayle King and four other high-profile women launched into space this week with high hopes of inspiring a swell of female empowerment. But, the Blue Origin 11-minute flight—carrying six glamorous women in full make up, donning matching blue, fitted spacesuits —did not resonate with the public as intended. Instead, it launched a chorus of criticism by celebrities and others who bashed the event as tone deaf and an empty show of feminism.

So, what went wrong? How did this “one giant stunt for womankind,” as a critic from The New York Times called it, go wrong and how might a different comms approach have produced a more positive outcome?

Exploring the Issue

The flight was part of the New Shepard program at Blue Origin, founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos. In announcing the flight, the women described the trip as an endeavor to encourage STEM careers and female empowerment, according to interviews with Elle.

The rocket, which pilots itself, carried Perry and King, as well as aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sanchez, a journalist and Bezos’s fiancée. Even though the women were not space professionals, the Blue Origin team labeled the group as the rocket’s “astronaut crew.”  Blue Origin described them as storytellers who inspire others —as advocates for students in STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), civil rights, philanthropy, overcoming adversity and more.

While the trip may have been designed to encourage girls to consider STEM careers, the women aboard were seen as space tourists. They were not operating the rocket or fulfilling any astronaut responsibilities and left audiences reaching to connect them with STEM.

Upping Their Game

Could the right communications approach have changed the outcome here? Maybe. However, we do see a few areas where Blue Origin could have better executed this mission.

  • Authenticity in messaging: Blue Origin thought they were planning a mission to inspire young girls and women to explore new careers, but the wealthy, well-connected women selected to participate did not relate well to audiences. Brands need to ensure their messaging is authentic, compelling and connects to their audiences. The public watching and reading about the launch are not millionaires or billionaires who can afford the undisclosed ticket price. Audiences might have better received a passenger manifesto made up of successful women in STEM, rather than celebrities and journalists.
  • The brand’s reputation: Amazon, also founded by Bezos, has a reputation for disregarding the environment with its packaging and fleet of delivery vehicles in constant motion across the globe. While Blue Origin claims to be sustainably minded using reusable rockets and researching ways to encourage sustainability through space exploration, many viewed the rocket launch as damaging to the environment, as well as a waste of resources when many are experiencing financial hardship. Blue Origin may have been better served by hosting more female scientists like Bowe on the mission, conducting research to further sustainability, and creating messaging to show how those initiatives might connect to the brand.
  • Optics: Full-makeup, perfect blow-outs and designer matching spacesuits set a new tone for space exploration. Blue Origin’s comms team should have considered the optics of the women posing in slinky suits with professional makeup and hair. The comms team should have considered suggesting attire that looked less Hollywood and more professional rather than monied glamour.
  • Leveraging post-event energy: After the women returned to Earth and interviews were conducted, audiences were left feeling flat. Perhaps a post-event press conference with the women talking about the next steps for advancements in STEM for females, for which this mission has opened doors, would have conveyed a real commitment, garnered more attention and furthered a goal of female empowerment.

While the launch gained plenty of media attention, the resulting backlash has not benefited Blue Origin or the six women who chose to board the rocket. When considering a media stunt or event, be sure to think strategically. Not doing so could leave your brand identity lost in space.