Tag Archives: social media

Not So Sweet Surprise: How Product Messaging Makes or Breaks Brand Trust 

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In the world of consumables, consumers experience a brand with all five senses. The look and feel of a product, what the package sounds like when opening it, how it smells and of course, how it tastes. In short, when a consumable product changes, people tend to notice. 

In the case of any product or brand, consumers and their appetites shift, markets transform and costs rise, making change inevitable. But it is not necessarily the change that can be a risk to brands, it is how they communicate that change to their stakeholders. Failing to thoughtfully and proactively message around a product in the face of change can leave even the most loyal consumers questioning their brand allegiance. 

The Reese’s Family Legacy 

The Hershey Company experienced this firsthand just a few months ago when one of their legacy brands, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, came under fire by the original creator’s grandson.  

In February, Brad Reese took to LinkedIn in an open letter to Todd Scott of The Hershey Company. In his letter, he alleged the “Reese’s identity is being rewritten,” going on to criticize the company’s decision to replace milk chocolate with more cost-effective compounds and ingredients. The letter gained national media attention, covered by The Associated Press, CBS News, NPR and more. Days later, The Hershey Company opened their doors to a local CBS news station claiming the recipe had not changed, and gave them a tour of the factory in an attempt at transparency. But the tour was not perceived as transparent at all. 

A few weeks later, The Hershey Company made a public announcement that they would return to using “classic milk and dark chocolate recipes” in all its products by 2027, suggesting they did in fact change the recipes. This promise fell flat on Brad Reese, who was quoted in the New York Times saying “if they were serious, they would do it right away.” 

Lessons in Product Messaging 

Though Brad Reese’s viral LinkedIn post and the subsequent national media attention the incident received is an extreme example, the risks that brands take when they are not proactive with communication, in particular in communicating a change, is clear. The very minute Brad Reese posted his letter to LinkedIn, The Hershey Company was forced to react rather than lead the narrative and use the change as an opportunity to build trust with their audiences. A decision that was likely rooted in the rising costs of chocolate was quickly escalated to a conversation on the future of the entire Reese’s brand. Consider the following relevant lessons in product messaging: 

  • Be Proactive: Business communications is about more than “sharing the fun” or the positive company announcements with the world. When it comes to product messaging, businesses must think strategically about how a change to a product may be received by its stakeholders. This is where involving a communications professional from the beginning of a process can be helpful. They can carefully and strategically consider various scenarios and possible outcomes. The Hershey Company, for example, likely did not predict that Brad Reese’s LinkedIn post would spiral into a crisis. Having ample time to consider all scenarios and adjust messaging before any changes are made public can help prevent misinterpretation, confusion and subsequent distrust. 
  • Be Transparent: Too often when companies are criticized, it comes down to a lack of corporate transparency. In The Hershey Company’s example, quietly changing the product over time then claiming the recipe had remained untouched diminished their credibility when they inevitably had to come clean. Transparently communicating product changes and providing context around its reasoning, especially in cases when changes are received unfavorably, can help reinforce brand loyalty.    
  • Be Prepared: The court of public opinion is unpredictable. When changes are made to a product, a proactive and transparent approach can help limit backlash, but it is always a good idea to be prepared for the worst scenario. Having responses and spokespeople ready to provide context and answer questions can help ensure any negative public sentiment is contained, the business can promote an accurate narrative and avoid rash decision-making. Failing to prepare for such scenarios leads to further inconsistencies in media coverage, misinterpretation by stakeholders, and eventual dissolution of trust. 

Brad Reese’s public dissatisfaction with The Hershey Company is a perfect example of how a single voice can turn the public’s perception upside down overnight. Communicators must be alert to change and consider how that change is not only shared with the public, but how the public may respond. By being proactive, transparent and prepared for all scenarios, businesses can avoid unnecessary crises, while maintaining loyalty and trust among their stakeholders. 

When Silence Speaks Loudest: Lessons from ABC’s “Bachelorette” Crisis

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In March, ABC made the unprecedented decision to pull an already-filmed season of “The Bachelorette” from the air just three days before it was set to premiere. The cancellation came after an unsettling video surfaced of the former lead, Taylor Frankie Paul, involved in a physically violent domestic dispute with her ex-partner, Dakota Mortensen. 

From a public relations perspective, this is more than just reality TV drama; It’s a case study on how not to handle a PR crisis. What unfolded after the cancellation was a series of communications missteps that serve as an important lesson for brands.

Choosing a Spokesperson for “The Wrong Reasons”

Originally chosen as The Bachelorette after her rise to fame on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” (SLOMW) despite controversy she stirred up there, Paul was an unexpected choice from the start. The center of this crisis is a foundational mistake: ABC built an entire season, and promotional campaign, around a volatile figure with a known history of domestic abuse.

Despite publicly accessible records and a SLOMW episode depicting the domestic dispute and Paul’s arrest in 2023, the network vastly underestimated the risk of elevating Paul as the face of the long-beloved franchise. From a reputational standpoint, the lead of a show serves, in a way, as the brand’s spokesperson. Because Paul was involved in a major public scandal, blame shifted to ABC’s decision to choose her as their lead and as a result, public scrutiny shifted to the network. 

Will You Accept This Apology?

After the video of the domestic dispute went viral, a spokesperson for Disney Entertainment Television, the parent company of ABC, issued a statement announcing the season would not be aired. Although the statement came quickly after the video circulated, the public viewed it more as an act of damage control, rather than an authentic response.

ABC remained relatively quiet immediately after the cancellation was announced. When ABC did speak out, their response was short, leaving many with unanswered questions. 

“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family.”

This Changes Everything

The poor and inauthentic statements from the network and its parent company resulted in an ineffective and failed crisis response. 

Rather than taking ownership of the fact that they had prior knowledge of the incident, offering clarity on their casting process and providing transparency, ABC’s response was curt and ineffectual. What’s more? Promotional content for Paul’s Bachelorette season remains on ABC’s social media channels a month later. 

The network’s silence was met with increased speculation, rumors and criticism, damaging its reputation and creating narratives outside of its control. 

The PR Takeaways

The real cost of ABC’s poor crisis management is the lasting impact this could have on its reputation. The lack of a clear response statement has led to a decline in audience trust, which could ultimately cause the deterioration of the franchise, which has been successful for two decades. 

So, what can brands do to avoid these missteps?

  • Bring a knowledgeable and proven PR team in early in the process of a large campaign and ensure there is a strong communications plan in place, including a crisis strategy. 
  • Thoroughly vet spokespeople, including background checks and reviews of social media presence. 
  • Prioritize substance over speed in crisis responses. Your audience wants a thoughtful explanation, not a Band-Aid statement.
  • If you’re not in control of your brand’s reputation, someone else is. By acknowledging crisis situations with thoughtful, authentic statements, you minimize speculation and false narratives.

In a moment where a clear, values-driven response could have stabilized the brand, a brand known for a reality show where no one is afraid to speak up, ABC failed to provide that clarity. If your brand is facing a reputational threat, we can help. Reach out to us at https://www.kimballpr.com/contact.

Newsjacking: Using breaking news to a brand’s advantage 

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Some believe newsjacking is a dirty word. It is seen by some as akin to ambulance chasing. In reality, it is simply a part of the news cycle. In fact, while the term newsjacking carries a negative connotation for some, it actually helps journalists tell better, more accurate stories while also positioning sources as industry or trend experts. When executed properly, this tactic can present a client with an invaluable opportunity to showcase their expertise directly to their target audience on a newsworthy topic that is engaging readers, viewers or listeners at that moment.

Newsjacking allows companies to elevate their brand authority and credibility by positioning a leader within the company as a subject matter expert to share insights on a topic in the news that is relevant to the company’s key messaging or an SME’s area of expertise. An article published in the media can be invaluable when it comes to building credibility for a brand through third-party validation. 

Executing a Newsjacking Strategy

Let’s say the CEO of an insurance company for commercial trucking fleets is looking to generate press coverage for the brand. The PR team sees the federal government is requiring commercial fleets to implement technology-based monitoring systems in commercial trucks. If this CEO is well-versed on the issue, the PR team can reach out to media outlets covering this issue with two or three thoughts to consider to gauge interest in an interview or commentary. 

Next, the PR team will likely reach out to relevant publications offering the CEO’s insights/opinions on the impact of these requirements, the impact on risk reduction efforts and future insurance rates, as well steps fleet owners can take to ensure compliance. 

If the CEO is offered an opportunity to comment and the outlet uses the CEO’s insights, newsjacking likely earned a win for the company and broadcast insight and working knowledge of a meaningful trend trucking companies face. Consequently, the media audience for that story may see the insurance company as a potential resource to help them improve their businesses.

Newsjacking Done Right

Newsjacking requires a deft touch.  

Before making an attempt to newsjack, ensure you are working with a PR team that understands the fundamentals, including how to: 

  1. Set the foundation. Before a PR team can offer an executive’s commentary to a reporter or outlet, they’ll want to make sure they have a valid online presence including an online biography stating experience and credentials, a high-res headshot, a company website that is up-to-date and reflects the current brand identity and ideally previously published articles—even if simply on Linked In or the company website—on industry topics and trends. 
  2. Identify/qualify an opportunity. To newsjack successfully, understanding the universe of current and recent news coverage is essential. Pitch an angle that was already addressed, and you can be perceived as being out of touch. You also need to game out any sensitivities. If the issue involves life/safety or health issues, among others, the pros and cons of newsjacking need to be weighed to avoid unanticipated blow-back on more sensitive matters.
  3. Suppress promotion.  Newsjacking done right is an opportunity to help a reporter better understand a subject or provider deeper insights, rather than promoting the company’s products or services. Stick to the issues. The opportunity for the company will be a secondary benefit if the reporter includes your comments.
  4. Move quickly. Newsjacking is an in-the-moment opportunity requiring rapid action. PR teams should interpret relevant breaking news through the lens of what the company can say and immediately gather insights and commentary. PR pros who aren’t deeply plugged into the company’s executives, lines of business and appetite for media topics will fall short on newsjacking every time. The faster your PR team, and your company, can react and respond, the more likely a journalist will include your thinking in a story.
  5. Leverage the opportunity. Any media placement, whether sourced from a newsjacking opportunity or elsewhere, is most effective when leveraged across multiple channels. PR teams should know to promote media placements on social media channels, the company website, in marketing materials and more, letting their audience know their expertise has been validated by a third-party. 

Newsjacking is a powerful and effective tool to generate earned media coverage to increase your brand’s visibility and credibility. At Kimball Hughes PR, newsjacking consistently allows us to position our clients as subject matter experts in their varied B2B and B2C industries. If you have questions about how a newsjacking strategy can work for your brand, please drop us a comment.

Beyond the Fridge Magnet: Leveraging Media Placements in 2026

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When I was in grade school, it was cool to see your name in the local newspaper—whether you were mentioned for good grades, sports, a musical achievement or the like. If my name made it into print, we would head straight to the 7-Eleven to pick up the latest issue. I would page through the newsprint scanning for my name, then proudly show it to my mom. She would grab the scissors, clip the article and pin it to the fridge, where it would live out its days, seen only by whomever happened to pass through the kitchen.

Many of us have similar stories. In those days, unless the article was physically mailed to grandma, posting it on the fridge was the extent of our abilities to leverage our “coverage.”

Things have changed.

Today, media placements are destined for much more than life under a fridge magnet. With the right amplification, one placement can be shared, repurposed and extended across multiple channels to reach far beyond its original audience and continue to deliver value.

At Kimball Hughes Public Relations, we are securing meaningful media placements in key B2B trade and Tier One media outlets targeting our clients’ core audiences. Once these articles or broadcast interviews featuring our clients’ quotes, commentary or contributed content are published, we don’t stop there. We work to leverage those placements to ensure they create lasting impact.  

A good public relations partner knows individual opportunities should never be one-and-done opportunities. Those partners will consider amplifying the article through the following:

  • Social media: LinkedIn and other relevant social channels can serve as excellent platforms to gain extra attention on a media placement. Consider posting a brief teaser or summary of the article with relevant tags and hashtags along with a link to the article on the company’s LinkedIn page as well as on executive profiles. This practice not only puts original content from your company in front of followers, clients and prospects showcasing third-party validation, it also encourages engagement and drives additional interest in your company.
  • Email signatures: Encouraging executives and other employees to reference and link to the article in their email signatures can also serve as a credible endorsement or proof point for clients and prospects.
  • Website press rooms: A press room on a company website serves as a home for media placements and press releases. Housing materials here will help draw people to the company website where they can learn more about your company and the services it offers, while supporting discoverability.
  • A blog post: A blog post housed on your website can serve to draw more attention to your article and its third-party validation, as well as allow the SMEs to take a deeper dive on the topic or even provide additional information on how the company can provide solutions related to what was discussed in the article.
  • A LinkedIn newsletter article: Similar to a blog, the LinkedIn newsletter article could be something written to tease out the media placement and offer additional insight. LinkedIn articles are delivered directly to LinkedIn newsletter subscribers and encourage engagement and sharing broadening the article’s reach considerably.
  • Employee communications: Media placements can also be leveraged to generate company pride and excitement. Internal comms teams can distribute media placements with commentary to staff members to build company loyalty, foster company culture and encourage more to participate in media opportunities.
  • E-newsletters or direct mail: Weaving mentions of the placements and links into e-newsletters and direct mail to clients and prospects can serve as another touchpoint to highlight that objective validation provided by a media placement, helping to instill reader confidence in the brand.
  • Sales materials: Sales teams can take great advantage of the independent validation media placements provide when making a pitch or in a prospect conversation. It can be valuable to include publication mastheads, article summaries and links in sales decks, proposals and the like. Again, doing so showcases third-party validation supporting claims made by the sales team, reinforcing trust in the brand.

With these suggestions for amplification, it is critical to keep copyright in mind. Even if a company SME authored the piece, the company likely no longer owns the collateral. Often, once an article is published it becomes the property of the publication. Any posting of the article in its entirety could violate copyright laws. Media placements should always be properly attributed and should never be copied and pasted in part or in their entirety without permission from the original publishing outlet.

A strategic multi-channel approach leveraging a media placement can result in lasting meaningful impact for sales, the brand and company morale. So don’t just frame that article on your office wall, leverage it.

What to Expect From a PR Partner: Debunking Common PR Myths

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Public relations’ (PR) function in business can often be misunderstood. The frequent conflation of PR with marketing and advertising, which both contribute to a brand’s visibility and growth in different ways, can complicate its understanding further. Like many communications efforts, PR’s direct impact on sales isn’t easily measured, making it difficult for those who don’t understand its value to commit to consistent PR in order to take full advantage of the long-term audience-building and reputational benefits. 

Below, we’ve listed and debunked some of the most common misconceptions we see related to public relations: 

  • “PR is just putting out press releases” 

The role of PR in building a business’ reputation goes well beyond press releases. While press release writing and distribution does remain an important tactic for sharing relevant and timely business updates, press releases are not and should not be the sole method PR professionals leverage; they should be one tactic of a more strategic approach likely involving proactive pitching of thought leadership and more. Press releases should be used tactfully and strategically. An effective PR partner will avoid the “spray and pray” approach, in which press releases are distributed broadly across a myriad of publications to prioritize the quantity of placements over quality ones that reach relevant audiences and perpetuate an organization’s communications goals. Before a press release is distributed, media lists should be curated carefully to ensure only media contacts with related beats and relevant audiences are on the receiving end.

  • “All publicity is good publicity”

In today’s digital world, where an ill-timed social media post or public faux pas can catapult an everyday individual into public infamy overnight, bad press can tank careers and upend businesses. In the current news cycle, there is never a guarantee those individuals will get a chance to share their side of the story. Any good crisis PR expert will tell you negative publicity requires immediate, careful consideration for the short and long-term reputation of the individual at issue and/or the health of a related organization. 

  • “There is no ROI on PR”

As mentioned above, PR success can be difficult to measure as verified numbers regarding accurate article views are rarely shared or can be unclear. Earned media is earned not bought, which means there is no absolute guarantee of coverage as there would be with advertising or sponsored content, especially in a crowded and fickle news cycle. Our agency has had success measuring share of voice (SOV) with clients, which measures the percentage of a brand’s presence in market conversations relative to competitors. Media relations results are dictated by the given coverage and even if a PR pro sends a well-crafted, relevant pitch to the perfect contact, one breaking news story could completely disrupt their efforts. An effective PR agency will work with clients to identify what metrics are most important to an organization’s goals and report these measurements at a regular cadence. 

From media relations to crisis communications, PR can be misunderstood. At the end of the day, it’s a key component in ensuring your organization remains not only in good standing but reflects the company’s mission and draws in its audience. A good PR partner will be well-versed in how best to identify storytelling opportunities, navigate relationships with the media and position organizations in front of their target audiences. Don’t let these PR myths deter your business from committing to a PR team who will implement a consistent approach that will set your company up for media success. 

Super Bowl 2026: The Ads That Strengthened Brand Identity

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Super Bowl Sunday isn’t just about the game. While millions tune in to watch football, nearly 18% of viewers watch to see the commercials, according to a recent Harris poll. Increasingly, marketers are looking to design Super Bowl ads that do more than make viewers laugh or even send their ads viral; companies are using the pricey airtime to help shape the public’s perception of their brand identity, values and purpose in the world. 

Some of the best ads from the night did more than just try to sell a product; these companies used the platform to reinforce strategic messaging to strengthen trust among the public and to clarify or remind the large captive audience of their company’s values.

Here are the commercials that successfully enhanced their brand messaging and identity: 

Google’s “New Home” Gemini Ad:

Google positioned their AI tool, Gemini, as warm and inviting for families by showcasing a mother and child using AI to build their dream house. The spot helped to position what could be seen as intimidating technology into an approachable, user-friendly, fun and helpful tool. This commercial is a powerful example of the value in humanizing a brand by pulling at the heart strings to illustrate how an AI tool could draw a mother and young son closer together. 

Anthropic’s Claude Ad:

To no one’s surprise, AI ads dominated the Super Bowl. I thought that few ads communicated their value proposition better than Anthropic’s ad for Claude. Their message, “Ads are coming to AI, but not to Claude,” was delivered cleverly with a young man asking the AI, represented as a female therapist, how he could better communicate with his mother. The therapist representing the AI offered tips on listening and building conversation, but then, seemingly out of nowhere, humorously suggested he create a profile on “Golden Encounters” where “sensitive cubs are connected to roaring cougars.” This demonstrated just how intrusive advertisements can be on these tools and served to assure viewers that ads are not coming to their platform. This ad was a nod to their commitment to user preference for ad-free service.

H-E-B’s Celebrating Community Identity:

H-E-B used a national platform to reaffirm its local, community ties. It’s not something you see often. However, it was effective for the Texas-based grocery chain. In the commercial, a baby, via actor voice-over, pines over tortillas he sees other family members enjoying. At the end, he is delighted to finally be served baby-sized tortilla pieces. Text on the screen then reads, “Born in Texas. Raised on H-E-B’s. Here everything’s better. “ 

H-E-B’s tortilla obsession ad celebrated the local food tradition and reminded viewers of the brand’s commitment to regional identity and consumer loyalty. It served to form a deeper connection with their community. 

Super Bowl LX was a reminder in an AI-saturated, celebrity-driven landscape that strategic “humanizing” storytelling that connects with viewers remains a powerful tool in reaching audiences.  

In a world where audiences are extremely savvy and attention spans are short, good messaging – via marketing or public relations – will revolve around prioritizing clarity, leveraging emotion and connecting to culture or community.

Brands that have a strategic alignment between their message and mission will continue to steal the show in future Super Bowls and beyond, by building trust with their target audience.  

Brand Beckham: When Muddy Messaging Leads to a Brand Breakdown

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Family is complicated. We have all faced our fair share of uncomfortable familial conflicts, but for most of us, those conflicts don’t end up as front-page news. The same can’t be said for the Beckham family, whose years-long family drama has consistently made headlines. 

Since Brooklyn Beckham’s wedding in 2022, gossip around the former Spice Girl-turned-fashion mogul and international soccer phenom’s dislike of their new daughter-in-law, Nicola Peltz, has circulated online. The feud came to a head in a recent Instagram post from Brooklyn, where he detailed the many ways his parents had allegedly undermined and embarrassed him and his bride on their wedding day. In the post, he also claimed Brand Beckham always came first, with the behind-the-scenes feuding clashing with the close-knit public-facing image Victoria and David had spent years cultivating. 

This isn’t the first time family feuds have turned public. Of course, the former Prince Harry and his wife Megan Markle’s separation from the Royal Family also continues to drive headlines. Such is the price of building a public image so closely entwined with your personal life, but it also reflects a larger issue that arises when brands fail to ensure internal alignment on strategy and purpose. 

Even for those whose businesses aren’t centered around family, there is valuable insight to gain from these famous family fallouts. If you’re building a brand, buy-in across your team is critical. Otherwise, if there is a public rupture, it can color your brand, stain your reputation and generate costly financial losses. Just one ill-planned comment or social media post could be enough to send the house of cards tumbling. 

Building Internal Alignment

As communication professionals, we often work with corporate partners to incorporate internal teams into long-term branding strategy. Consider the following best practices for making sure your team is on the same page with your organization’s brand narrative: 

  • Align company culture with brand identity: Team members shouldn’t only be hearing about your organization’s values amid a crisis. Those values should be visible in every aspect of the organization. If you build a company culture that reflects your external messaging, your team members have a greater likelihood of buying into it. Building and communicating a supportive, collaborative culture will incentivize team members to contribute positively to the brand’s narrative. A communications team can help drive this cultural push to build a team that genuinely has a positive view of the brand.  
  • Be direct and concise: Make the strategy and purpose behind your brand narrative and accompanying communications clear. If internal teams are working off muddied messaging, it can clog execution and increase the likelihood of communications that contradict an organization’s mission. Consider pulling together a brand book to consolidate messaging and ease your team’s access to important communication tools.  
  • Plan ahead for crises: Accidents—often in the form of poorly worded social media posts—happen. Even with the proper mitigation, there are still outside sources that could put an organization’s reputation at risk. A crisis communications partner can help formulate a plan of action, consulting on messaging and potential next steps to keep public-facing channels transparent without making you vulnerable to further speculation. 

Whether the Beckham family’s public dispute will be enough to hurt their brand’s bottom line in the long run remains to be seen. In the meantime, business leaders should learn from their mistakes and invest in culture to evaluate their team’s alignment on messaging. With the right communications partner, you can build clear and consistent messaging to reinforce your values and culture, help build your team’s confidence in the organization, empower them to handle any obstacles your brand encounters and pave the way for future growth. 

New Year, New PR Habits

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Gyms across the country are cashing in on countless new memberships as New Year’s Resolutions have begun in earnest as many of us aim to make 2026 a year of personal and professional growth. Like all resolutions, it’s the follow-through that counts.

For business leaders as well, the new year provides an opportunity to start the year off with resolve to address pain points and produce better business outcomes. This includes addressing all aspects of the business from technology to operations to communication and marketing initiatives.

As PR pros focused on building brands, protecting reputations and raising awareness for our clients, we offer a few best practices here to help your business succeed in 2026 from a public relations perspective.

Building Sustainable Goals for Better Strategy

According to Forbes, more than 80% of resolutions end up failing by February. Why? We don’t build in the resources necessary to make them sustainable.

Just as someone who hasn’t stepped foot in the gym in years is unlikely to immediately run a marathon, businesses that have not invested consistently in communications will find it difficult to secure a high-profile media win with their target audiences right out of the gate. With that in mind, here are some good communications habits to incorporate in 2026 to set your business up for success in the eyes of your employees, stakeholders, clients/consumers and the public:

  • Invest in Communications: As mentioned above, building brand awareness through PR can take time as the company needs to build credibility before it can be seen as a trusted source by the media. Ensure your company is putting budget aside and support from the top either to make sure your in-house comms team has the resources they need or to engage a PR agency team who knows your specialty.
  • Commit to Transparency: Whether it’s a communications partner or an internal team, transparency about company goals and setbacks is imperative. Prioritizing candor about the organization not only builds trust among your team members but can also lead to more effective strategic planning by allowing your communications team a greater opportunity to get ahead of potential roadblocks. Transparency should also extend to your audiences, maintaining a consistent and open level of communication to ensure they don’t feel isolated or unheard.
  • Be Proactive Storytellers: Don’t wait for stories to come to you. To further build out thought leadership, identify accessible subject matter experts who can serve as effective spokespeople and provide an informed, unique perspective on topics in your industry. A good communications team will be able to work with your thought leaders to refine their ideas and get them ready for media interviews or on-camera appearances.
  • Understand your audiences: Take steps to stay better connected with your audiences’ needs, whether through improved social media engagement or more consistent brand messaging. This clarity can provide greater guidance for both internal and external communications efforts. A communications team can also be an excellent sounding board for new business decisions, ensuring they are aligned with your target audiences and reflect your branding.
  • And new for 2026, Keep AI Search in Mind: In 2025, we saw online search begin to evolve rapidly with more users relying on artificial intelligence (AI) for search and this will continue to be the case in 2026. Good communication strategies in 2026 will consider AI search in content they produce, as AI search scours the internet to produce summaries from multiple pieces of content with trusted third-party media content high on the list. Savvy comms teams will encourage content that avoids jargon and focuses on clarity.

The phrase “New Year, New Me” is commonly thrown around at the start of the new year. But it’s important to remember building better habits is no easy feat. It requires setting up resources to help you find success. To ensure your company is capturing the share of voice among your competitors you want to see and owning the conversation in your space, work with your communications team or engage a public relations agency specializing in your industry to learn their plan to build stronger audience connections in 2026.

‘Tis the Season: Kimball Hughes PR Helps Families in Need 

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Historically, during the holiday season the Kimball Hughes Public Relations team gets together (virtually) for an agency gift exchange. This year, amid global unrest and an onslaught of increasingly stressful news events, we chose to do something a little different.  

The team decided to give back by supporting the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, which helps provide gifts to families across the country each year.  

Thanks to more than $500 in donations from among our team along with matching funds from Kimball Hughes PR, we cleared nearly 30 items from the Pawtucket Rhode Island Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Registry. The donations included toys for a wide range of ages, from alphabet books to fidget spinners and even a bike. Importantly, we were also able to provide essential items for families in need, including winter gloves and towels.  

Agency leadership extends its sincere appreciation to our entire team for their generosity and holiday spirit in helping those in need experience a better, hopefully more joyous, holiday season.  

As we close out 2025, we also want to remind everyone that our agency will be closed from Dec. 24, 2025 through Jan. 1, 2026. We’ll be back at our desks on Friday, Jan. 2 and PR Managers will be available and accessible for any urgent needs. Clients and journalists are encouraged to reach out to PR Managers by cell phone to ensure a timely response if needed. Meanwhile, we wish everyone a happy holiday season and look forward to connecting in the new year! 

The Court of Public Opinion: Public Relations Wins & Fails in 2025

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Public relations can be a fickle industry. A crisis can strike at any moment, the most comprehensive plans require adjustments along the way as the rapid, unpredictable news cycle dictates available opportunities. In most best-case scenarios, the wider public is unaware of the time and care that goes into building a successful public profile. They absorb PR campaigns almost subconsciously, allowing a brand to be part of their everyday lives. But when things go wrong and a brand is thrust into a negative spotlight that same public will both anticipate and scrutinize the brand’s next move.

Throughout 2025, there was no shortage of both PR wins and questionable scenarios across national news. From Molson Coors’ typo strategy to the Astronomer CEO’s obvious passion for Coldplay, below are a few examples of what we saw as the biggest public relations wins and fails in 2025:

2025 Public Relations Wins

  • Jet2 Redirects the Jingle Mishap:If you’ve been on the internetin 2025, you have probably heard the phrase “Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday.”  What started as a cute jingle advertising a low-cost British airline, Jet2, turned into a social media trend in which users used the upbeat sound bite to contrast a disastrous travel moment playing out on video. While this was probably an issue at first, Jet2 jumped on the bandwagon using the soundbite in their own social media videos, engaging with user-generated content and driving organic traffic to their brand social media pages. This goes to show brands cannot control how the public perceives or takes hold of a particular communication, but they can control how they respond and even use it to their advantage.
  • Molson Coors’ Case of the Mondays:Just before the 2025 Superbowl, Molson Coors released a series of advertisements for Coors Light that misspelled the word refreshment. The ad ran in major U.S. newspapers, on billboards and even in New York City’s Time Square. The public was outraged, reaching out to Molson Coors to flag the typo and criticizing the company’s proof-reading abilities. Shortly after, the company released a short press release that started with “We had a case of the Mondays,” recognizing the mishap and maintaining their “Made to Chill” brand identity. During Superbowl season, beverage companies are all fighting for the country’s attention, forcing them to get creative with their efforts, and even ruffle some feathers (within reason).

2025 Public Relations Fails

  • United Airlines Communication:In August of 2025, United Airlines experienced an issue with the system responsible for essential flight operations such as tracking flight times, calculating balance and weight and other necessary data for flight safety. As a result, 35% of United Airlines flights were delayed and 6% were cancelled according to FlightAware. Passengers were outraged after the airline failed to promptly communicate the issue with airline staff and the public, leaving many confused, overwhelmed and frustrated. The company lost control over the narrative, failing to reassure their staff and passengers, and prompting safety concerns. Technical difficulties are inevitable, but it is crucial that brands are prepared to quickly deploy messaging that clarifies a problem, the steps a company is taking to fix them and provides support for frontline staff to reassure customers and answer questions.
  • The Kiss Cam Heard Around the World: Earlier this year at a Coldplay concert during the band’s kiss cam portion of the show, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were spotted mid-cuddle. A cute moment, until the pair realized they were on screen and quickly ducked away, leading Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to jokingly speculate into his mic whether the two were having an affair. As concert goers uploaded the now famous video, the speculation began immediately on who the pair was, their backstory and of course, their workplaces. As it turns out, the two were having an affair and internet sleuths made it their mission to figure out the full story. Astronomer took a couple days to respond initially with a short statement and by the time they did, the public had already developed their own narrative that painted Byron, Cabot and the company in an unfavorable light. Then, a few weeks later, Astronomer tapped celebrity Gwenyth Paltrow, famously Martin’s ex-wife, as a temporary spokesperson in a humorous marketing effort. The only problem? The public didn’t get the joke. Many felt the video was tone-deaf, lacked responsibility and was viewed as a celebrity stunt amid the company’s already slow response. While you can’t always control if and when a scandal occurs, brands must work quickly and thoughtfully to address situations that can threaten the integrity of their brand and values.

Each year brings numerous public relations stories from which communications professionals and brand representatives can learn. Communications at its core is about preparation, understanding a brand’s potential risks and addressing them before the public takes hold of a narrative and draws harmful conclusions. 2026 is almost here and there is no better time to evaluate your brand’s communications strategy to ensure your company navigates the new year with more wins than fails.