Branding

Eric Morley

5 tips for more effective brand communications in 2021

Tactics and platforms change, but bedrock storytelling principles remain. Follow these reminders to keep your messaging on point this year.

Beki Winchel

Thousands of brands’ ads found on sites with COVID-19 misinformation, Facebook labels UK climate change posts, and job listing language leads to museum’s leadership change

Also: Gimlet’s ‘Reply All’ podcast co-host steps back amid backlash, Aquarium of the Pacific makes a splash on TikTok, McDonald’s delights with chicken sandwich ‘drop’, and more.

Beki Winchel

ERCOT and Texas officials respond to blackout, Spotify announces ‘Work from Anywhere’ policy, and Nestlé announces Vegan KitKat

Also: P&G ponders break with ‘Bachelor’ host Chris Harrison, Ford announces zero-emission goals for Europe, most small businesses don’t use link-building strategies, and more.

Beki Winchel

Hormel buys Planters for $3.35B, Facebook working on Clubhouse clone, and Lucasfilm drops Gina Carano

Also: NAACP encourages organizations to extend Black history past February, McDonald’s brings back a fan favorite, most leaders don’t contribute to a positive work environment, and more.

Beki Winchel

‘Aunt Jemima’ becomes ‘Pearl Milling Company,’ Salesforce announces permanent remote workforce, and Heineken to lay off 8,000

Also: Virtual court proceedings go viral with kitten filter, Nationwide has catchiest brand jingle, Coca-Cola’s 100%-recycled plastic bottles, and more.

Ted Kitterman

GM takes flak for flip flop; Amazon faces union vote, and Telegram rockets to the top in downloads

Also: Reddit makes waves with five-second ad, Sprinklr shares brands that stood out on social, vaccine rollout stumbles on tech mistakes, and more.

Ted Kitterman

The winners and losers from Super Bowl LV: Brand edition

With some companies opting to not air ads for the big game, and others eager to jump into the conversation online, which comms pros had a night to match Tom Brady’s seventh Super Bowl win?

Beki Winchel

Jeff Bezos steps down as Amazon’s CEO, Ulta pledges to double Black-owned brands on shelves, and Lowe’s offers Valentine’s ‘night of Lowemance’

Also: Mountain Dew’s interactive Super Bowl campaign, 7-Eleven offers a one-of-a-kind Airbnb stay, almost 90% of marketers have or are building an app, and more.

Beki Winchel

Brand managers celebrate Groundhog Day, Verizon commits $10M to helping small businesses, and JetBlue highlights Black florists

Also: How PR pros are crafting more of their pitches to include DE&I angles, what skills you’re focusing on for 2021, and more.

Beki Winchel

Walmart and Kroger announce DE&I donations, UK’s health care org pulls ‘sexist’ COVID-19 ad, and Planters to donate $5M to ‘acts of substance’

Also: Spotify, HBO Max and more launch content for Black History Month, Hendrick’s Gin offers a ‘moonbathing’ kit, ESG communications considerations, and more.

Beki Winchel

Discord and Reddit grapple with ‘WallStreetBets’ communities, Activision Blizzard defends DE&I hiring initiatives, and Twitter rebrands to embrace ‘real’ conversations

Also: Communciators’ most hated corporate jargon, the future of streaming services, Target and other retailers cut ties with coconut milk supplier, and more.

Beki Winchel

Belk, Cici’s and L’Occitane file for bankruptcy, Target offers employees $500 bonuses, and 72% of comms pros say social media helps other media efforts

Also: Samuel Adams’ tongue-in-cheek Super Bowl ad, YouTube extends ban on Trump and cuts off Guliani’s ad revenue, Air Asia updates cancelation policy, and more.

Beki Winchel

Disney Parks overhauls ‘Jungle Cruise’ to be more inclusive, Citigroup seeks to educate golfer Justin Thomas after LGBTQ slur, and Instagram launches business hub

Also: What top brands on Twitter are doing to best serve consumers, Google rolls out tools to promote COVID-19 vaccine information, Godiva to close all North America locations, and more.

Beki Winchel

Budweiser donates Super Bowl ad to COVID-19 campaign, ‘Star Wars’ denounces racism on Twitter, and Pinterest launches ‘try on’ feature

Also: Social media image guidelines for 2021, PepsiCo’s clever response to President Joe Biden, how Orlando International Airport engages on Twitter, and more.