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Sustainability and corporate communications

The North American SABRE Awards demonstrate the importance of sustainability as part of companies’ communications and marketing strategies.

Trade Journal Report        March 29, 2019

GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 29, 2019 (swampstratcommsp19.tumblr.com) – This week, The Holmes Report highlights the impact that sustainability has had on the communications industry. Summit Strategy Group, a California-based corporate communications and public affairs firm, has added a sustainability expert, Derek Young, to its public responsibility team. Additionally, the North American SABRE Awards has released the shortlist of finalists and announced that the ceremony will be held on May 7 in New York. The North American SABRE Awards recognizes “Superior Achievement in Branding Reputation and Engagement” in the industry. It includes marketing, advocacy, crisis management, media relations and many more awards. At last year’s Global SABRE dinner in Washington, DC, a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom won the Platinum SABRE for Best in Show. Its campaign emphasized the company’s commitment to sustainability.

“Iceland And Volkswagen: The Week’s Winners and Losers” focuses on the importance of companies’ reputation. Iceland, a UK supermarket chain, has been continuously recognized since it won a Platinum SABRE last year. This article highlights that the supermarket company continues to apply sustainability efforts to its corporate strategy. Iceland has recently announced that it will ban the use of palm oil in its products to support Greenpeace and its efforts to stop the destruction of palm rainforests. Malcolm Walker, founder of the independently-owned supermarket chain, says, “I’ve been given the license to do this [remove palm oil] because we don’t have to chase short-term quarterly profits. Instead we can take the long-term view for the good of the planet and the company.” Walker expresses that in the long-term, caring for the planet is the right thing to do. Contrastingly, the article also explains that Volkswagen has had a tough time recovering from its 2015 corporate crisis. The company installed a “defeat device” that made cars pass emission tests without confirming fuel efficiency standards. After the crisis, car sales dropped, and the company is still facing the consequences of the scandal.

Sustainability has become vital not only to increase companies’ reputations but also to ensure that entities are taking the world’s future into consideration. It is no surprise that corporations that get involved in sustainability efforts receive credit and respect. As the Iceland founder states, it is important to view this tactic as a long-term strategy that can help preserve a healthy environment for different species and humans. Companies whose purpose and corporate responsibility efforts aim to preserve the planet deserve recognition from consumers and other entities. Sustainability helps maintain a company’s reputation.

The Holmes Report serves as the “voice of the global public relations industry.” It highlights important news and events about the industry and professionals.

Contact:

Valentina Baptiste

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The Importance of Audience Analytics

A study reveals consumer trends regarding companies’ take on political and social issues.

Trade Journal Report        March 15, 2019

GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 15, 2019 (swampstratcommsp19.tumblr.com) – Audiences make up a large part of companies’ success. Without consumers’ input, organizations do not have any helpful feedback from which they can adjust and improve. Taking into consideration audience’s opinions and behaviors can guide companies in the right direction, not only publicly but also economically. This week, The Holmes Report highlights the importance of social inclusion. On one end, Sona Bajaria, the marketing vice president for Pernod Ricard, has started an initiative to change perspectives that scotch is predominantly a male-drink. She strives to make her area of expertise an inclusive one in which women are considered and respected. Similarly, Aarti Shah writes that, despite women’s progress in being recognized as leaders in the public relations field, they still are not treated equally. Furthermore, a study stresses the need for companies to consider their audience when taking political or social stands.

The Global Strategy Group’s sixth annual report on business and politics states that consumers believe companies should take political and social stands given that they have the ability to promote change. However, companies must evaluate their audiences’ opinions before publicly announcing where they stand on an issue. Not doing so could cost them their influence on certain groups of people by driving them away: “It’s important to know where your audience stands, and on what issues,” the study states. “The way you articulate an issue is also critical – words matter.” Additionally, the study indicates that consumers’ support can also be defined by companies’ stands on divisive issues, such as diversity and equality. Consumers appreciate when companies’ decisions and announcements are backed up by intention and deep thought. In summary, companies must act strategically and consider all sides of an argument before publicly announcing their stand.

Social advocacy is something that companies have incorporated as part of their marketing strategy for a few years now. Companies decide to support an issue and promote change among their audiences in order to move toward a more inclusive society. However, these companies must evaluate whether taking a stand on a certain issue can drive part of its public away. More importantly, companies must evaluate to what extent their audiences expand and whether their public actions impact a wider range of people. Today, many communication platforms have given companies a way to reach their public and connect with them. This is something they should take advantage of.

The Holmes Report serves as the “voice of the global public relations industry.” It highlights important news and events about the industry and professionals.

Contact:

Valentina Baptiste

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The division between internal and external communications is at risk

The creation and further development of the digital age is affecting how companies dispatch information.

Trade Journal Report        Feb 22, 2019

GAINESVILLE, Fla., February 22, 2019 (swampstratcommsp19.tumblr.com) – This week, The Holmes Report emphasizes the importance of trust in the public relations field. The PR industry is designed to create mutually beneficial relationships between companies and their publics. Therefore, trust is the foundation upon which practitioners develop their skills. Maja Pawinska Sims, an editor at The Holmes Report, states that public relations is a discipline that deserves recognition as an integrative profession. Furthermore, Gagen MacDonald discusses that corporate communications power is changing. With new technological developments, communications is becoming more about establishing relationships and less about “controlling the message.” Consequently, because trust and relationships guarantee the success of public relations, it is necessary that practitioners in the field understand the importance of internal communications.

Internal communications has become the means through which employers and employees become familiarized with each other and the company. In “How the Digital Age is Changing Information Flow,” Mark Henricks explains that technology is making it more difficult for companies to keep the information they share with their employees private. Sherry Scott, president of Gagen MacDonald, says, “What we’re seeing today is that in a diverse media environment where anyone with a phone can serve as a publisher or citizen journalist, the walls between the inside and outside the company have all but disintegrated.” Therefore, the most effective way to control this situation is for employers to develop strategies to establish trust within the walls of the company. This approach seeks to create a working environment that suggests confidence and respect from employers to employees. The ideal solution “provides enough information so that they [employees] feel aligned with your vision and character,” says Scott.

The article stresses that companies have to establish healthy relationships among all workers. In order to maintain discretion and guarantee that employees are loyal to the company, the people in charge must fully incorporate workers into the goals of the company. One example of a poorly handled situation, which the article includes, is Apple’s attempt to threaten employees. This piece highlights that a negative approach to a delicate situation will only generate negative responses from employees. Therefore, the best way to make sure that members of a company identify themselves with the company’s principles and goals is to involucrate them. Establishing trust among workers from all ranks will shape the future of industries and corporations.

The Holmes Report serves as the “voice of the global public relations industry.” It highlights important news and events about the industry and professionals.

Contact:

Valentina Baptiste

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Facebook Communications Leader Stepping Down

This week reveals that many companies’ communications leaders are either stepping down from their roles or assuming new responsibilities.

Trade Journal Report        Feb 8, 2019

GAINESVILLE, Fla., February 8, 2019 (swampstratcommsp19.tumblr.com) – This week’s report about the public relations industry, based on news provided by The Holmes Report, indicates that various companies are experiencing corporate changes. Communications professionals Kathryn Metcalfeand Michael Gondaassumed new highly ranked roles while Caryn Marooneystepped down from hers. Metcalfe was named Head of Communicationsfor the recently merged CVS Health. Similarly, Gonda became part of McDonald’s global communications teamafter leaving his position at Chobani. Marooney, on the other hand, decided to step down from her communications leader role at Facebook after dedicating eight years of her career to the company.

The reportdiscloses that on Wednesday morning, Marooney revealed her decision in a personal Facebook postto leave the company. After eight years working at Facebook, she has decided that it is time to “get back to her roots” and dedicate herself to the more technical aspect of the industry. In her post, Marooney indicated, “What makes this so hard is that I have more faith in Facebook than ever.” In her farewell publication, she also assured that she is helping the rest of the Facebook team look for a replacement to make the transition as smooth as possible. The Holmes Report states that Marooney’s departure is not the only one that Facebook is facing. Another member from the global communications team, Debbie Frost, also announced she would step down from her position. According to the report, in the face of both of these departures, Facebook is adjusting to numerous changes in the communications department.

This article explains a communications leader’s decision to step down from her role and dedicate herself to other interests. These are changes that must be expected in the industry, especially after someone has worked for the same company for many years. Professionals come to different companies and industries to implement their own knowledge and provide their expertise. After these have effectively aided the company’s overall goal, people decide to change the course of their careers and assume new challenges. The rest of the week’s reports, which highlight other professionals’ new responsibilities, further confirm this.

The Holmes Report serves as the “voice of the global public relations industry.” It highlights important news and events about the industry and professionals.

Contact:

Valentina Baptiste

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Edelman’s 2019 Trust Barometer Reveals New Trust Trends

The new year’s research report highlights the importance of strong employer-employee relationships.

Trade Journal Report     Jan 25, 2019

GAINESVILLE, Fla., January 25, 2019 (Tumblr.com) – Based on The Holmes Report, this week’s news about the public relations field includes different takes on how the field is developing. Traditional rules regarding crisis management have been challenged by professionals who urge that new rules emerge for today’s crisis management strategies. Later reports revealed that Edelman backed out from a seven-figure assignment with Huawei after competing against other agencies and entities for the right to complete this project. Correspondingly, Edelman’s Trust Barometer has been a prominent topic of discussion this week, with people worried about populations’ unrest and distrust in the media.

The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer indicates that employers and CEOs have become the most trusted entity in the industry. Of the people surveyed, more than half say that they trust their employers to incite change and advocacy. The results prove that trust on other authoritative bodies, such as the government, has weakened. According to The Holmes Report, “president and CEO Richard Edelman said the findings signaled a new contract between employer and employee he called ‘trust at work’.” This annual research survey states that internal communication and the strengthening of employer-employee relationships will be what encourages loyalty and commitment. The 2019 Trust Barometer also reports that trust in traditional media has increased as trust in social media keeps decreasing.

The report suggests that CEOs and employers should dedicate time and resources to establishing internal communication and shared trust within their companies. In public relations, trust is the basis of mutually beneficial relationships between a company and its public. The appropriate way to establish these relationships is by consolidating employer-employee ties. The most stable firm will provide the best resources and results to its clients. The increased trust on employers and CEOs can potentially diminish the negative response that social media has received over the past year.

The Holmes Report serves as the “voice of the global public relations industry.” It highlights important news and events about the industry and professionals.

Contact:

Valentina Baptiste

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Apple - “Color Flood”

Apple presents captivating ad campaigns by relying on visual displays that represent its products. “Color Flood” is no exception. This campaign for the iPhone XR highlights the product’s advanced retina display. What fascinates me is that Apple is known for creating ads that rely on visual content. The ad does not need spoken words to demonstrate what the brand intends to provide with the innovation of its products.