Marketing News of the Week: Advertising, Brand Collabs, Politics, and More

During the past week, there were news stories that reflected advertising, brand experiences, brand identity, brand storytelling, co-branding sometimes called brand collaborations or "brand collabs" for short, crisis communications, customer experience marketing, personal branding, product pricing, and more. 

KAMALA HARRIS NEWS

On July 29, former Vice President and Presidential candidate Kamala Harris announced that she would NOT be running for Governor of California. This announcement opened up the race for countless other candidates on both sides of the aisle. According to The19thNews, "The Democrats already in the race include Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis; Secretary of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; Xavier Becerra, who led the Department of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden; former Rep. Katie Porter; Toni Atkins, who served as both California Senate president pro tempore and California House speaker; former State Comptroller Betty Yee; and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. In California, candidates compete in all-party primary elections, and the top two finishers, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election."

In Harris' July 29 announcement, she wrote, "For now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office. I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans.”

Then, the next day, on July 30, Harris announced that she had written a book about her 2024 presidential campaign, entitled "107 Days," available on September 23rd. She said in a video shared on social media, "It was intense, high stakes and deeply personal for me and for so many of you. Since leaving office, I've spent a lot of time reflecting on those days, talking with my team, my family, my friends, and pulling my thoughts together. In essence, writing a journal that is this book, "107 Days." With candor and reflection, I've written a behind-the-scenes account of that journey. I believe there's value in sharing what I saw, what I learned, and what I know it will take to move forward."

Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp praised Harris as "a singular American leader," and added that the book "captures the drama of running for president better than just about anything I've read. It's one of the best works of political non-fiction we've ever published."

According to Glynda Carr, president of Higher Heights for America, which works to elect Black women and has supported Harris' numerous political campaigns, "Part of Harris' ability to run, win, and govern from a local level all the way up to executive office is because she has been very strategic about how she navigates her elected leadership."

Donna Brazile, Democratic strategist who served as former Vice President Al Gore's campaign manager when he ran for president in 2000, said, "In the modern vice presidency, these individuals don't go into obscurity; they continue their public life, whether it's academia, the public sector, public speaking, serving in advisory capacities for corporations or nonprofits, launching their own personal advocacy, writing a memoir, or returning to public office. There are so many gaps the former vice president can fill, so many roles she can play whether it's as a private citizen or a public official. This is just one of the many decisions she will make over the course of her lifetime."

KRISPY KREME AND CROCS

According to Krispy Kreme, "Step into the spotlight and walk like you're the hottest item on the menu with the Krispy Kreme x Crocs collaboration — where bold style meets irresistible flavor. To celebrate the launch of the limited-edition Krispy Kreme Crocs Classic Clog shoes, this specialty doughnut dozen brings the same playful energy and iconic flair. This collaboration is more than just a treat — it's a delicious statement from two icons who know how to bring the heat."

According to a Krispy Kreme press release: "In what might be THE colossal collab of the year, Krispy Kreme and Crocs announced the introduction of limited-edition Krispy Kreme x Crocs Classic Clogs. Comfort meets crave in Krispy Kreme Crocs Classic Clog, inspired by iconic Original Glazed and other Krispy Kreme doughnuts. More than a year in the making, comfort meets crave in this icon for an icon collaboration of two true global originals – Krispy Kreme's Original Glazed Doughnut and Crocs' Classic Clog. Hot now and being served beginning August 5 in adult sizes at Crocs stores, crocs.com, and select channels, the Krispy Kreme x Crocs Classic Clogs' design features a fresh out-of-the-glazer treatment, along with oversized Jibbitz charms of the Original Glazed doughnut and Krispy Kreme Hot Light. The Clogs also include two interchangeable toe caps – chocolate and strawberry icing with sprinkles – that you can swap out depending on your favorite flavor, and the Clogs' pivoting heel strap features the Krispy Kreme logo. Krispy Kreme is also offering guests who come in wearing their Crocs on August 9th a free Original Glazed Doughnut."

Alison Holder, Krispy Kreme Chief Brand and Product Officer, said, "It's been so much fun working with Crocs to create what might be the sweetest Classic Clogs yet. Fans of both of our brands expect the unexpected, and this collab certainly is next-level."

Terence Reilly, Crocs, Inc. Chief Brand Officer, said, "At Crocs, we've always believed in comfort you can customize, and now, with Krispy Kreme, we're serving up style that's glazed with personality and sprinkled with style. Because when it comes to self-expression, we 'doughnut' hold back."

P.F. CHANG'S AND "FREAKIER FRIDAY"

Coming to movie theaters on August 8 will be the continuation of the movie "Freaky Friday" that starred Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis in 2003. This movie called FREAKIER FRIDAY features those two returning stars and others from the original movie. Restaurant P.F. Chang's joined in the freaky fun with its collaboration. Check out the items inspired by the movie:

* Introducing the new Color Changing Refreshers: Flavor-packed drinks that bring the fun and the unexpected to your night out. The Switcheroo Refresher blends mango and orange lemonade in a vibrant, citrusy mix that shifts shades before your eyes. Or try the Crystal Ball, a sparkling combination of desert pear, lemonade, Sprite, and club soda that's as mystical as it is refreshing.

* House Dinner Specials bring bold flavor and a little Freaky Friday flair to your plate. Choose from fan favorites like House of Chang's Spicy Chicken, served with white rice and a fresh house side salad, or the "You're Not My Mother" Mongolian Beef, paired with a comforting cup of egg drop soup.

* Make Good Choices Specials let you build your perfect plate without sacrificing flavor or fun. Start with your choice of a fresh salad, savory soup, or crispy egg or spring roll, then pick your base: white rice, brown rice, fried rice, or lo mein. Top it off with one of 12 delicious entrées, including classics like Orange Chicken and Mongolian Beef, or new favorites like Korean Fried Chicken and Teriyaki Beef.

* End your Freakier Friday feast on a magically sweet note with our all-new Pink Slip Ube Cheesecake. This dreamy dessert layers creamy ube — made from real purple sweet potatoes — over rich vanilla cheesecake, finished with a strawberry-vanilla sauce, a sprinkle of edible pink glitter, and freeze-dried dragon fruit for a little extra flair.

SCHWARZKOPF AND "FREAKIER FRIDAY"

As reported by American Salon, "In a first for the hair-care giant, Schwarzkopf is partnering with Walt Disney Studios to become the official hair brand of "Freakier Friday," the much-anticipated sequel to 2003's "Freaky Friday." As a tie-in with the film's body-switching plot, Schwarzkopf has launched a "Switch Your Story" campaign featuring hair color transformations. The brand will also share professional salon formulas and at-home shade suggestions inspired by the bold hair colors in "Freakier Friday." This movie collaboration makes sense, because earlier this year, Schwarzkopf named Lohan, who is starring in the sequel, its newest Brand Ambassador."

Teresa Cordova, head of Schwarzkopf Masterbrand U.S., said, "The movie "Freakier Friday" reminds us how powerful it can be to switch things up, and at Schwarzkopf, we believe that every hair color change marks the start of a new chapter in your story."

OREO AND REESE'S

As reported by CNN, "Oreo, owned by Mondelez International, and Reese's, part of the Hershey Company, are introducing two new treats that combine flavors from both snacks. Team ups between rival companies are rare, and this marks a notable alliance following Mondelez's failed takeover attempt of Hershey last year. But both companies could use a boost as consumer demand for indulgent food has been trending lower for some time. The first creation is a Reese's Oreo Cup, which replaces the typical chocolate on a Reese's cup for Oreo's milk chocolate and white creme. It's then filled with peanut butter and Oreo cookie crumbs. This treat hits US shelves in September with presale beginning August 18 on Hershey's website. On the Oreo side, the brand is re-releasing a version of a 2014 cookie that used Reese's peanut butter with Oreo cookie crumbs in the filling. The Oreo Reese's cookies roll out in September while supplies last, then returning permanently in January 2026. A presale begins August 18 on Oreo's website."

CHEESECAKE FACTORY AND PRICING

Known as a brand with large food portions and dozens of choices of cheesecake, the casual-dining chain is introducing two new menu categories: bowls and bites ranging in price from under $10 to $16. The six bowls include a Teriyaki Salmon Bowl, Orange Cauliflower Bowl, and the Peruvian Chicken Bowl, while the eight bites include New Orleans Cajun Shrimp and Chicken and Biscuits. CFO Matthew Clark told Restaurant Business, "When we look at what we're doing from a value perspective and pricing, we're driving significant value for the consumer."

On an unrelated note, according to Restaurant Business, "The chain continues to see promising results from its loyalty program, Cheesecake Rewards. After testing blanket offers for all members, the company has begun tailoring its rewards to individual users."

While the new pricing model may not be successful, the customization of its rewards program certainly is, because "The redemption rate has increased from 1 percent to 4 percent using the more targeted strategy."

AMERICAN EAGLE AD BACKLASH

As reported by AP, "U.S. fashion retailer American Eagle Outfitters wanted to make a splash with its new advertising campaign starring 27-year-old actress Sydney Sweeney. Titled "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans," the campaign sparked a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and the backlash to "woke" American politics and culture. Most of the negative reception focused on videos that used the word "genes" instead of "jeans" when discussing the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress known for her two HBO series. Some critics saw the wordplay as a nod, either unintentional or deliberate, to eugenics, a discredited theory that held humanity could be improved through selective breeding for certain traits...Eugenics gained popularity in early 20th century America, and Nazi Germany embraced it to carry out Adolf Hitler's plan for an Aryan master race."

Some marketers observe a shift in advertising since President Trump returned to office and moved to abolish all federal DEI programs and policies.

Jazmin Burrell, founder of brand consulting agency Lizzie Della Creative Strategies, remarked that she has seen more ads that prominently feature white models, "[Unfortunately,] I can see us going back to a world where diversity is not the standard expectation in advertising."

Marcus Collins, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, said, "The criticism could have been avoided if the ads showed models of various races making the "genes" pun. You can either say this was ignorance, laziness, or intentional. Either one of the three isn't good."

Shalini Shankar, a cultural and linguistic anthropologist at Northwestern University in Illinois, said she had problems with American Eagle's "genes" versus "jeans" because it exacerbates a limited concept of beauty, "American Eagle wants to rebrand itself for a particular kind of white privileged American."

Miles Worthington, founder and CEO of marketing and creative agency WORTHI, said, "They were probably thinking that this is going to be their moment. But this [buzz] is doing the opposite and deeply distorting their brand. It's so clear that they didn't have anybody in the room that poked and prodded at this ad. I would bet all the dollars in the world that it was a very white, very privileged room [full of] people who didn't ask the right questions."

As reported in Marketing Brew, Seth Horowitz, president of Horowitz Agency, a marketing services group, said, "I'm particularly interested to see how American Eagle's campaign impacts its other brand, Aerie, which was built on body positivity and inclusion."

A final note, American Eagle defended the ad on Instagram in an attempt to stop the criticism: "[The] Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" [campaign] is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."

Who will want to wear AE jeans now?

CPB ANNOUNCEMENT

On August 1st, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced that it will begin an orderly wind-down of its "operations following the passage of a federal rescissions package and the release of the Senate Appropriations Committee's FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) appropriations bill, which excludes funding for CPB for the first time in more than five decades. For nearly 60 years, CPB has carried out its Congressional mission to build and sustain a trusted public media system that informs, educates, and serves communities across the country. Through partnerships with local stations and producers, CPB has supported educational content, locally relevant journalism, emergency communications, cultural programming, and essential services for Americans in every community."

CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison said, "Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations. CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care. Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country. We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people."

TRUMP'S WHITE HOUSE LEGACY

As reported by CNN, "President Donald Trump has been envisioning a new ballroom on the White House campus for a decade and a half. His dream is about to become a reality. Construction will begin in September on a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom, fulfilling a 15-year ambition by the president to construct an event space on the White House grounds that expands the building's entertaining capacity — but also resembles the gilded spaces of his private clubs. Renderings depict a vast space with gold and crystal chandeliers, gilded Corinthian columns, a coffered ceiling with gold inlays, gold floor lamps, and a checkered marble floor. Three walls of arched windows look out over the White House's south grounds — including a massive new flagpole that was another of Trump's additions to the historic compound. The gold-and-white style closely mimics the Louis XIV-style main event room at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's estate in Palm Beach. The new ballroom — which will maintain the theme and architectural heritage of the neoclassical executive mansion — will have a seated capacity of 650 people, more than three times the space in the East Room, currently the largest event space in the White House."

A July 31st post indicated that the project would be "fully funded by President Trump and other private donors — not taxpayers."

Doesn't it seem ironic that CPB is ending, but a White House ballroom designed by Trump is in the planning - and soon-to-be construction - stages?

STARBUCKS NEWS

CEO Brian Niccol announced this past week that, "Starbucks will be doing away with its pickup-only store model in 2026. We found this format to be overly transactional and lacking the warmth and human connection that defines our brand."

According to USA Today, "Introduced in New York in 2019, "Starbucks Pick Up" was designed to simplify coffee runs. Customers would place mobile orders, pick them up, and move on with their day. The pick-up only stores encouraged customers to order via their mobile app and wasn't meant to be a place to linger, like a traditional location with seating. Although some have a small indoor area, others have only pick-up windows. Approximately 80 to 90 Starbucks "Pick Up" stores in more than 20 states will be impacted, with some locations facing permanent closure while others will be converted into traditional coffeehouses at a later date." 

SMITHSONIAN AND TRUMP'S TWO IMPEACHMENTS

According to NPR, "The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., has removed references to President Trump's two first-term impeachments from an exhibit. The Smithsonian said the references will be restored once the exhibit is updated, but did not provide a timeline. The exhibit, entitled "The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden" includes reference to the impeachments of Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton and the Watergate scandal that engulfed President Richard Nixon, who resigned rather than face certain impeachment. A temporary label was added in 2021 to include President Trump's impeachments in 2019 and again in 2021, just days before the end of his first term. But the reference to Trump's impeachments was removed last month. The Smithsonian said in a statement to NPR that after a recent review of the museum's "legacy content," it was decided to pull the reference to Trump's impeachments – which were placed on the exhibit in September 2021 – pending a more substantial overhaul of the exhibit."

VIRGIN AIRLINES AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES

As reported by Marketing Week, "Former global CMO of design agency AKQA Sam Kelly will step into the role of Chief Experience Officer at Virgin Group (the brand's first in this new role) to lead brand and marketing, while focusing on customer experience. Virgin continues to expand and innovate - and prioritize customer experience.

An interesting note about Virgin's website, every time you visit a page (or refresh a page), a different quote from Richard Branson appears. Here are three of my favorites:

"Finding the spotlight isn't about standing in it. There's so much to be gained from working with people who support each other to achieve great things."

"Don't ever let anyone prevent you from dreaming. Imagination is one of our greatest gifts."

"If your eyes are fixed on the rear-view mirror, you'll miss that important turn coming up."

What other recent marketing buzz caught your attention? Since there's always something happening that impacts marketing, read #DebbieLaskeysBlog for the scoop!

Image Credits: Krispy Kreme, PF Chang's Amazon, and Oreo.

Travel back through history:

What is public media?

https://cpb.org/aboutpb/what-public-media

Read about Eugenics:

https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Eugenics-and-Scientific-Racism

Read about Racial Hygiene in the German context:

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/eugenics

Check out the book BRANDSPLAINING:

"In Brandsplaining, Jane Cunningham and Philippa Roberts expose the monumental gap that exists between the women that appear in the media around us and the women we really are. Their research reveals how our experiences, wants and needs - in all forms - are ignored and misrepresented by an industry that fails to understand us."

https://www.amazon.com/Brandsplaining-Why-Marketing-Still-Sexist/dp/0241456002

How a Positive Customer Experience Erased a Mistake

I don't know about you, but I receive tons of emails from companies. Some I've purchased from, others I have not. The bottom line is that I get too many emails, so when I receive some in error, I get annoyed.

This past week, I received two emails from a company that I purchased items from. Based on the content of the emails, I realized that they were order confirmations from last year. Since I had purchased the items last year, I knew that the emails were not spam, but of course, you can never be too sure.

Since there were two emails, I decided to call the company. As I was preparing myself for what might be an upsetting situation - what if the company was in a state of flux and had charged me again for the same items I purchased last year? - I heard this message:

"Thank you for calling. If you are calling because of some odd emails you received, please accept our sincere apologies. We have upgraded our systems, and some customers received email confirmations of previous orders in error. Again, this was done in error as we upgrade, and we are very sorry. Please ignore the emails. If you are calling for another matter, please hold for a customer service rep."

All I can say is WOW. While this company was unable to stop the emails from being sent in error, someone had the good sense to record a voice message that would IMMEDIATELY address the situation when a customer called to inquire about the emails.

Crisis averted, and averted in the best way possible.

Of course, to add a little extra goodwill to this situation would be to send all customers a coupon for a 10 percent off a future purchase. That might result is some unexpected sales.

How would you have handled this situation?


Image Credit: YourDictionary.com.

How and When Should a Brand Apologize?

 

Recently, United Airlines experienced delays and flight cancellations due to weather in the Northeast. Naturally, this caused customer dissatisfaction. However, the most upsetting news surrounding this situation was that the CEO of United Airlines, Scott Kirby, took a private jet from Teterboro, New Jersey to Denver, Colorado, the same day that United canceled 750 flights.

Should Scott Kirby have taken a private jet? A spokesperson for United said, “Scott Kirby made the wrong decision, which was insensitive to customers who were waiting to get home.”

Should United Airlines have done more to accommodate passengers who were stuck at airports without hotel rooms?

Should United Airlines have done more to accommodate flight attendants who were also stuck in cities without hotels and waited on hold for hours to find out their flight assignments?

Who was monitoring United Airlines’ social channels to respond to customers with cancelled flights?

After what seemed like forever, Kirby provided the following statement, “Watching our team firsthand with our customers at four different airports and during countless meetings this week, it’s clear to me that they represent the best of United, and I regret that I have distracted from their professionalism. I promise to better demonstrate my respect for the dedication of our team members and the loyalty of our customers.”

Would that so-called apology work for you if you had spent the night at an airport while thinking of Kirby flying from New Jersey to Colorado? Definitely not! There should have been a better speech writer in Kirby’s team. And what about offering customers flight vouchers or free drinks at the airport upon arrival?

Has your brand ever had to apologize to customers? What words were used? What was the tone of the message? Did your CEO post a video to YouTube or your website?

In this era of seeing news almost as it happens, it’s important for all brands to have a crisis communications strategy before it’s needed – and adding a script for apologies should be part of that plan.


Image Credit: TravelWeekly.

PR, Storytelling and Brand Messaging

As a member of the Twitterverse for 14 years, I always enjoy meeting new people and learning from them. However, due to the chaos resulting from Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, I joined the Twitter exodus for a short time and joined Mastodon. One of my new connections on Mastodon is Christina Ferraz from Houston, Texas, and I invited her to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A about public relations and brand messaging. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction.

Christina Ferraz is a high performance, flexible communication strategist, and adjunct professor with 20 years of experience. After matriculating with honors from Temple University with a Master of Science in Communication Management and awarded scholarships to present her research at the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, Christina grew her business, Thirty6five, with networks in New York City, Philadelphia, and Houston working with non-profits, small businesses, and public figures. Hispanic Public Relations Association awarded Christina with the Best Non-Profit Campaign for her work with Houston Ballet in 2022, and PRNEWS recognized Christina's work by awarding her Honorable Mention for the Pioneer Award in the CSR and Diversity Awards 2021. She has been quoted by The Washington Post, NPR, CNN, Houston Chronicle and has spoken on panels for to discuss the role of public relations in corporate social responsibility, marketing, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. She was also quoted in my post about 2022’s Brand Identity Changes – a link is provided at the end of this Q&A.

QUESTION: What three brands are handling their public relations campaigns exceptionally well during the Covid pandemic, and why?

CHRISTINA FERRAZ: TikTok is handling their public relations campaigns exceptionally well considering how US lawmakers view the platform as a security threat, because their parent company is based in China and want to ban the platform. TikTok’s popularity exploded during the Covid pandemic due to its videos depicting everyday life and replicable dance challenges. TikTok continues to grow and attract users as well as influence culture, so it will be interesting to see how they handle crises this year, and what they will do to remain dominant in social media if they are banned in the US.
 
I’m also impressed by Roc Nation and the NFL public relations campaigns in how they are using their strategic partnership to highlight Black artists and target Millennials. Last year, the Super Bowl Halftime Show featured Mary J, Blige, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Eminem. The NFL was creative with how they had artists perform away from dancers on the field to respect social distancing among the Omicron wave in January. This year, the Super Bowl Halftime Show will feature Rihanna, an artist who once said that she would never perform for the NFL. Collectively, Roc Nation and the NFL show the importance of strategic partnerships and how keeping brands relevant by tapping into their target audience’s nostalgia is a clever strategy for success.
 
Walgreens is also a brand that handled public relations well during the Covid pandemic. In addition to managing marketing communications for vaccinations and testing, Walgreens was simultaneously managing crisis communications for its association with Theranos. Owned and founded by Elizabeth Holmes, Theranos was a privately-held health technology corporation that falsely claimed to own technology that could run several diagnostic tests using very little blood. They formed a partnership with Walgreens for these machines to be in their stores so they could expedite testing at a cheaper cost providing more access to the public. By focusing more on the marketing communications for vaccinations and testing, Walgreens was able to minimize blowback for their participation in what has now been called fraud by the SEC.

QUESTION: Due to all the chaos resulting in Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter, we met on Mastodon. How do you envision your use of Mastodon will be different than your use of Twitter?
 
CHRISTINA FERRAZ: I anticipate my presence on Mastodon to be much more about connecting with like-minded individuals where we can discuss numerous topics without the threat of violence or the proliferation of disinformation. I do not foresee Mastodon becoming part of my marketing funnel for my company, Thirty6five, so I believe that Mastodon will allow me to be more observant and supportive of other creatives while sharing/boosting their thoughts to my followers. I think the biggest difference between my use of Mastodon and Twitter will be the amount of writing I will do when speaking on PR crises. Twitter did not have enough characters to write extensively about any topic without linking to another website or social platform to read more.

QUESTION: What inspired you to join the field of public relations?

CHRISTINA FERRAZ: I’m a former journalist, so I’ve always been drawn to telling stories – it’s my passion. I found that public relations allowed me to focus more on writing and provided me with a variety of experiences I wasn’t privy to working in radio and TV. I realized I enjoyed bringing attention to brands and entrepreneurs making a difference in their communities and improving the lives of others. It’s incredibly rewarding to support these leaders and help them reach their targeted audiences to get the attention they deserve. I also love managing crises. Creating crisis communication responses that both inform the public and protect brands is thrilling!

SHARE THIS: I’ve always been drawn to telling stories. ~Christina Ferraz #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: In an article for NPR, you said, "Trust with [a] brand is what's going to make [consumers] invest in the brand." With that said, how do you align public relations with brand marketing?

CHRISTINA FERRAZ: Building trust with consumers requires a consistent approach to public relations such that media placements, crisis responses, and strategic partnerships build an identity that aligns with brand marketing. What you say is just as important as what you do -- and what you say you’ll do -- and in that way, public relations and marketing need to be in lock-step in the formation of brand identity and tone when it comes to media mapping and marketing campaigns.

Additionally, corporate social responsibility has become more important in recent years, most especially with Gen Z consumers, and responding accordingly to crises lends to the importance of brand reputation. Social media allows for both the documentation of a brand’s history and instantaneous reactions that can immediately reach millions of people.

A thoughtful approach to public relations and brand marketing is important in building trust by maintaining a positive brand reputation that convinces consumers to invest in that brand.

SHARE THIS: Building trust with consumers requires a consistent approach to public relations. ~Christina Ferraz #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: According to Laura Holloway, Founder and Chief of The Storyteller Agency (@StorytellerAgcy on Twitter), “Storytelling is our obligation to the next generation. If all we are doing is marketing, we are doing a disservice, and not only to our profession, but to our children, and their children. Give something of meaning to your audience by inspiring, engaging, and educating them with story. Stop marketing. Start storytelling.” What does this quote mean to you?
 
CHRISTINA FERRAZ: I appreciate this quote by Laura Holloway because it is the same approach I take with public relations. The difference between marketing and storytelling lies in the way a brand values its consumers. If you only see consumers as a sale to make instead of human beings connecting to hear the difference/sameness in our stories, you will be talking AT people instead of TO people – and people hate being sold. To me, this quote means that storytelling is greater than marketing, and to be successful in communications is to ENGAGE WITH your audience instead of JUST SELLING TO your audience.

QUESTION: What are your three favorite brands, and why?

CHRISTINA FERRAZ: Here are my three:

I am a fan of Coca-Cola because of their approach to branding – from design to marketing to strategic partnerships. Coca-Cola demonstrates a level of consistency and global reach most brands will never achieve. Their brand identity revolves around family which is a universal theme by which any culture can relate.
 
I also support Lush Cosmetics because of its commitment to recycling, fair trade practices, advocacy, and philanthropy, refusal to test on animals, and global presence that influences them to create products reflective of the local culture in addition to their evergreen campaigns and products. I especially like their brand consistency because no matter where you are in the world you can recognize a Lush Cosmetics store with its black packaging, white script, and tongue-in-cheek marketing.
 
Lastly, I have a great deal of respect for Nike and its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. From groundbreaking campaigns with celebrities like Michael Jordan to creating adaptive clothing for people with disabilities, Nike is a case-study on the ways in which consumer feedback influences branding. Social listening can be incredibly helpful in helping a brand to remain relevant, and Nike demonstrates how social listening can contribute to the longevity and success of a brand.

My gratitude and appreciation to Christina for sharing her public relations and messaging insights.

Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.

Quote featured on Debbie Laskey’s Blog:
“2022 Was the Year of #BrandIdentity Changes”
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/01/2022-was-year-of-brandidentity-changes.html

Article referenced in first question’s response:
“Lawmakers are trying to ban TikTok. That won’t be easy – it’s part of our culture now”
https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/07/us/tiktok-ban-culture-cec/index.html

Article referenced in final question’s response:
“Nike launches hands-free shoes inspired by man with cerebral palsy”
https://disabilityhorizons.com/2021/02/nike-launches-hands-free-shoes-inspired-by-man-with-cerebral-palsy/

Connect with Christina at these links:
Website: www.thirty6five.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/theprprofessor
Instagram: @theprprofessor
Mastodon: https://techhub.social/@christinaferraz

The Importance of Reputation Management

Over the last 12 years, thanks to social media, I have had the privilege of meeting a myriad of amazing marketing, branding, customer experience, leadership, and social media experts. One of these experts is Craig Badings from Australia. We recently discussed reputation management, corporate culture, and crisis management, and highlights follow Craig's bio.

Craig Badings has spent over 30 years advising major corporations and senior executives in Australia and South Africa on their reputation in good times and bad. Much of that time has been spent working in the trenches with boards, management teams, and in-house communication teams assisting them with issues and crisis preparation and management, media coaching and media relations, communication strategy, social media strategy, and thought leadership. Craig is also the author of two ebooks and two published books on thought leadership. Follow on Twitter at @ThoughtStrategy and connect on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigbadingsthoughtleader/.

QUESTION: How do you define "reputation management?"
CRAIG BADINGS: Reputation management revolves around three things: context, stakeholders, and culture. To protect and enhance a brand or a corporation’s reputation, that entity needs to have a strong handle on the context in which it is operating and specifically how it's key stakeholders view that context and how it impacts their lives, their decision making, and their perception of whether the brand is operating within or beyond its social license.

You can have the best reputation management practices in place, but if your culture does not align with your values nor your purpose, your organisation’s risk exposure is dramatically increased. Over three decades, almost all the crises in which I have been involved have stemmed from poor culture or a breakdown of what was done versus the values or purpose of that organisation.

(Read more on this topic by Craig in his post: Avoiding the post-pandemic culture chasm:
https://senateshj.com/insight/learning-from-disruption-3/)

TWEET THIS: If your culture does not align with your values nor your purpose, your org's risk exposure is dramatically increased. -@ThoughtStrategy #CorporateCulture #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: You recently wrote about three types of response to a crisis. Can you share brief highlights?
CRAIG BADINGS: There are three types:
(1) The Ostrich – they bury their heads in the sand hoping it will blow over or subside. Some companies purposefully employ this strategy, but it can be high risk on two fronts; 1) the news, social media and public sentiment can run away from you very quickly and grow increasingly negative and sometimes hostile; 2) the company can be accused of trying to hide things, ducking their responsibility and being irresponsible or intransigent in their response.
 
(2) The Pugilist – the company goes on the attack and comes out swinging punches, i.e., legal letters, statements and social media responses which are very defensive in nature and tone, reacting too quickly, denying things without really knowing the full facts, not showing empathy nor offering an apology, ignoring the context, saying or doing things (or not doing things) which can result in a secondary crisis, or which further inflame the situation.

(3) The cool, calm and collected – they have the plans, the necessary structures as well as crisis experienced people in place inside and outside the organisation. They’ve also tested them in some form of crisis simulation. They respond quickly but in a measured, empathetic way and always with a broader understanding for the context. They realise who their stakeholders are, how and when to communicate with them every step of the way, and they take control of the narrative. They balance advice from communication consultants and their lawyers – they don’t hide behind the law but realise that a well-placed, authentic apology, and the right empathetic tone can help enormously in managing how they are perceived to be handling the crisis.

QUESTION: Can you name three CEO’s who have stepped up following a crisis, and what did they do?
CRAIG BADINGS: Here are my three:
(1) The Whole Foods Co-CEOs Walter Robb and John Mackey when accused of overcharging customers sent out a video message in which they fully accepted responsibility. Said Robb: "Straight up, we made some mistakes. We want to own that and tell you what we’re doing about it."
(2) At the start of Covid-19, Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson said he would forfeit his salary for the year and that Marriott would donate hotel rooms to front-line workers to help fight the pandemic. He also asked executives to sacrifice half their salaries.
(3) In 2018, two African American men were arrested for trespassing at a Philadelphia Starbucks while waiting for a friend. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson travelled to Philadelphia to meet the arrested men and announced he would close all 8,000 US stores for half a day so that about 175,000 employees could attend racial bias education to address implicit bias and prevent discrimination. Johnson’s communication was also spot on: "I want to offer a personal apology to the two men who were arrested in our store. What happened in the way that incident escalated and the outcome, was nothing but reprehensible, and I am sorry...Now there’s been some calls for us to take action on the store manager. I believe that blame is misplaced. In fact, I think the focus of fixing this: I own it. This is a management issue, and I am accountable to ensure we address the policy and the practice and the training that led to this outcome."

QUESTION: In your book, Brand Stand, you described seven steps to thought leadership. Can you share highlights?
CRAIG BADINGS: When I wrote that book, I spent a year researching what had been written about thought leadership. I was amazed to find there was nothing outlining a process or methodology to arrive at a thought leadership position. Most of it was how to take your thought leadership to market, the content, the channels.

That prompted me to come up with a five-step process:
(1) Understand the challenge, i.e., the biggest issues facing your stakeholders and the objectives for your thought leadership.
(2) Develop the thought leadership strategy, i.e., do the research (you need empirical evidence), allocate internal resources including senior management buy-in.
(3) Content development and production, i.e., develop your collateral, coach your spokespeople, and launch internally first.
(4) Launch your thought leadership communications program, i.e., build a pervasive presence with your stakeholders (depending on who they are, this could include media, social media, events, etc., but it must be relevant to the way your stakeholder’s consume content).
(5) Measurement, evaluation, and recalibration, i.e., measure against your original objectives and then make the necessary changes - the best thought leadership is built over years and is not a one-off.

QUESTION: There is an important alignment between reputation management and public relations. In March 2021, Burger King experienced a PR crisis, and you commented with the directive, “Know your audience.” Can you elaborate?
CRAIG BADINGS: What I was saying is that you cannot afford to be tone deaf to the context in which you operate. You run a huge reputation risk to your brand if you aren’t tapped into monitoring environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. At its core, this means knowing what they are and understanding how your stakeholders feel about these things. Companies which sometimes hide behind the mantra of their legal right are often defensive or naïve.

Look where it got Rio Tinto, who was legally entitled to blow up the Juukan Caves, but it was a decision so out of kilter with stakeholder and societal expectations that it resulted in a huge crisis for the company and the loss of jobs for many senior executives. Read more about the Juukan Cave destruction in my article in PR Week: https://www.prweek.com/article/1706949/juukan-cave-destruction-red-light-pr-practitioners.

The role of PR practitioners has changed. It's no longer good enough to only think about content, media, and selling the benefits of your brand. Instead, PR is a lot more all-encompassing and should be focused on the entire gamut of reputation management.

In our experience at SenateSHJ, this revolves around three key areas: Promotion, Engagement, and Protection. Here is a bit more on each of those:
(1) Stakeholder engagement: executive visibility/profile-building program, thought leadership, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) communication, proactive media and government relations, social media and content marketing.
(2) Engagement: employee engagement and communication, culture change, leadership behaviour programs, behavioural programs, and change management.
(3) Protection: crisis preparedness, crisis management, issues tracking, stakeholder engagement, alignment with other corporate risk frameworks, e.g., BCP (Business Continuity Planning).

TWEET THIS: The role of PR practitioners has changed. It's no longer good enough to only think about content, media, and selling the benefits of your brand. -@ThoughtStrategy #PR #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What are your three favorite brands, and why?
CRAIG BADINGS: Here are my three:
(1) Fenn surfskis: First, because I am a surfski nut and get out paddling on the water on Sydney’s beautiful harbour waterways as well as the ocean off Manly Beach. Second, because they are made in the country where I grew up, South Africa, and every ski purchased supports local employment in a country suffering from high unemployment.
(2) Apple iPhone: The only time I ever completely missed my train stop going home from the city was when I got my first iPhone. I was so engrossed in the incredible features, apps, and the user friendliness of it that I went a few stops past mine. It remains my favourite piece of tech in my life.
(3) Patagonia: I read founder, Yvon Chouinard’s book, Let My People Go Surfing, many years ago well before ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and sustainability was fashionable. I was struck by their strong sense of purpose and their values right from the outset.

My gratitude to Craig for appearing on my Blog and for sharing his inspiring marketing and reputation management insights.


Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.

Leading and Brand Building during #COVID19 Pandemic

To quote Matthew Kobach (@mkobach), "Twitter is a key that unlocks thousands of doors, some of which you never even knew existed." As a member of the Twitterverse for ten years, I always enjoy meeting new people and learning from them. I recently connected with John Cloonan and invited him to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A format. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction.

John Cloonan is a marketing and branding strategist who creates measurable growth for both companies and people. He's created brand and marketing strategies for companies ranging from startups to $2B plus, and has talked about those experiences as a speaker. John's held roles as a marketing consultant, an agency owner, a corporate marketing executive, and an adjunct professor. You can follow John on Twitter at @JohnCloonan and visit his website at www.johncloonan.com.

QUESTION: On your blog, you described the difference between a boss and a leader (link provided at end of this Q&A). Can you provide some examples from your work experience?
JOHN CLOONAN: In a recent role, I was brought in to manage a team of early career professionals and to reduce turnover. A typical marketing team member on this team would stay for a year or two and then bail out for greener pastures. When I got there, the reasons became pretty clear to me why they were leaving. They were being managed, mainly because of their relative youth. They had no decision autonomy on how work would get done. The person managing them was remote and treated them like children. In fact, one of the first things I had to end was other leaders calling them "the kids."

One of the first things we did as a team when we started was figure out what goals we had to accomplish to be successful in the organization. We then determined, as a team, how we were going to accomplish those goals. I provided guidance to the goals, acted as an advocate with the rest of the leadership team, and removed roadblocks. Mainly, though, I was there with them in the trenches. As an example, we found ourselves needing to edit hundreds of job descriptions on our employment site. I sat with the team for several nights, working right alongside them. We accomplished in a week what the rest of the company thought would take forever.

In a short period, the turnover stopped. The team overcame many challenges together, and both productivity and quality increased.

TWEET THIS: A boss directs and manages the activities of a group. A leader motivates a group to a common goal. ~@JohnCloonan #LeadershipTip

QUESTION: How can leaders be educated to understand that an amazing culture will yield a positive employee experience that will ultimately spill over into a positive customer experience?
JOHN CLOONAN: Begin by explaining to leaders that HR and marketing have the same job. The only difference is segmentation. Think about it. A brand represents the promise you make to your customers, and how you fulfill that promise. Your employees are a customer segment for whom you need to provide value in order to attract and retain them. You increase your customer lifetime value by providing a positive experience. That positive experience is your culture.

Beginning with that framework makes the rest simple. If you're happy, you're more likely to provide good service to your customers. If you're delighted, you're going to be an advocate for the organization and go above and beyond to improve the overall experience.

QUESTION: As a result of the current COVID19 situation, how would you recommend that leaders connect with their employees - when most businesses are closed?
JOHN CLOONAN: Be creative. Meet your team where they are. Give them the opportunity to reach out to you in the channel they want. Also, make an effort to be where they are. If you have a team member who is active on social media, engage with them there. Comment, like, and reshare their posts. If you have team members who prefer text messages, give them your mobile number and respond there. A personal favorite of mine that tends to surprise people is the occasional handwritten note in the mail. I've had former colleagues tell me they still have notes from me from years ago. Don't assume that everyone wants an online video call.

No matter what channel you choose, what you have to do is connect regularly, and continue to motivate and advocate.

QUESTION: As a result of the current COVID19 situation, how would you recommend that brands communicate with their customers and fans - when most businesses are closed?
JOHN CLOONAN: If you have customers and fans, you should already be communicating to them in a preferred set of channels beyond in-person interfaces. What changes is the message. My personal belief is that the only acceptable messages right now are "How can we help you through this?" and "Here are ways we are trying to help. Is this valuable to you?"

Notice that both of these are questions. Spend a lot of time listening. Find out what your customers and fans need or want from you right now and figure out how to deliver it.
 

TWEET THIS: During #COVID19, brands need to spend a lot of time listening. ~@JohnCloonan #BrandTip #BrandExperience

QUESTION: What is your favorite brand, and why?
JOHN CLOONAN: I always struggle with this question. I'm not terribly brand loyal, in fact, I'm more brand DISLOYAL - as in there are certain brands I know I'll never use. If I had to pick one, though, I'd have to say Southwest Airlines. I make a point of always flying with them, which is almost anathema here in Atlanta. I've never had a truly awful experience with them, as I have with a couple other of the major airlines.

My gratitude and appreciation to John for appearing on my Blog and for sharing his inspiring insights.



Link to John's blog post referenced in first question:
"Boss vs. Leader"
https://www.johncloonan.com/boss-versus-leader


Image Credit: Medium.

How Has Your Brand Reacted to the #COVID19Pandemic?

Life has changed dramatically over the last few weeks since the COVID-19 crisis hit the United States. Also referred to as the coronavirus pandemic, most Americans have been directed to stay-at-home to minimize the risk of catching or spreading the virus. As a result, non-essential businesses closed their doors - which has led to an eruption of email marketing campaigns so that brands can stay in touch with their customers and fans.

Has your email box been overflowing? Mine certainly has. I have received emails from brands I regularly support - retail brands as well as nonprofit brands, as well as brands that I may never have communicated with via email.

The following resembles the content of the emails that I've received:
BRIGHTON - jewelry brand: Brighton your day. Faith. Hope. Love.

TALBOTS - clothing brand: A love note from your Talbots family - while our retail stores are temporarily closed, we'd love for you to still visit us online.

LOVEPOP - greeting card brand: At Lovepop, our mission is to create one billion magical moments by helping people connect with those that they love. In today's situation of isolation and social distancing, this feels more important than ever.

SKIRBALL - museum brand: It's an unprecedented challenge to serve as a place of meeting when we cannot meet in person. We look forward to welcoming you back. Until that time...we're all in the same boat! By staying safer at home for the common good, let's navigate this storm together. We invite you to #SkirballAtHome. We've compiled new content and resources to help during this time.

LINCOLN - car brand: Doing what we can, where we can. That's the Lincoln way. Nothing is more important than your well-being. And now more than ever, your home is your sanctuary. So, as the COVID-19 virus presents new challenges every day, we're taking steps to minimize direct contact, while making your Lincoln ownership experience as easy and flexible as possible.

CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE - nonprofit brand: When the world needs love, our dogs are there. Staying paws-itive during ruff times. (This nonprofit even provided a link to its puppy cam!)


According to Jeff Beer of FastCompany:

"There seems to be three tiers of brand emails at this point. First, the service message. This is the most important and helpful, the ones that inform us about a change in service, an updated policy, or a relevant discount. It’s the Gap telling you about store closures. It’s airlines keeping you posted on travel restrictions and flight updates. Tier Two is the Brand Friend. This is where brands who have built a direct line of communication with customers feel obligated to at least acknowledge the situation, even if it’s just to say hi with a “We’re all in this together.” The third tier is the seemingly completely random, we-just-happened-to-have-your-email-thanks-for-buying-our-cat-food-three-years-ago message."

In addition, marketing and advertising are changing almost daily. More from Jeff Beer of FastCompany:

"As the spread of COVID-19 began to rapidly increase, sports leagues like Major League Baseball and the NBA began suspending play, and the NCAA made the move to cancel the March Madness basketball tournaments. Ford had planned to boost ongoing campaigns around its Escape and Explorer models with ads during March Madness but now had to alter its approach, and quickly created two new ads that addressed the crisis, launching them just days later. In those spots, the company said that if customers were impacted by COVID-19 and were financing or leasing through Ford Credit, they should contact the company about payment relief. It’s a move that the company routinely does around regional emergencies, like hurricanes and wildfires — but typically doesn’t advertise."

So, what has your brand done or will do to make an impact during this crisis? What message has your brand communicated? If your brand does something truly memorable, it might just be regarded as a defining moment for your brand and will be remembered long after the pandemic ends.
___________________________________________________________

Follow along by AdAge: A regularly-updated list tracking marketers' response to coronavirus
https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/regularly-updated-list-tracking-marketers-response-coronavirus/2244251

See an appropriate cartoon by Tom Fishburne (@TomFishburne on Twitter):
https://marketoonist.com/2020/03/communicate.html
 
From FastCompany: Why every brand you’ve ever bought something from is sending you coronavirus emails
https://www.fastcompany.com/90479646/why-every-brand-youve-ever-bought-something-from-is-sending-you-coronavirus-emails
 
From FastCompany: ‘We’re all in this together’? Why brands have so little to say in the pandemic
https://www.fastcompany.com/90483063/were-all-in-this-together-why-brands-have-so-little-to-say-in-the-pandemic
 
Image Credits: Brighton, Twitter, Budweiser, and Walmart.