Ted Kitterman
The Nature Conservancy’s new CCO shares goals for 2021
What are the big challenges facing nonprofit communicators in the months ahead, and what lessons can be taken from 2020?
External Communications
Beki Winchel
IKEA discontinues 70-year-old catalog, KFC and Lifetime offer holiday ‘mini-movie,’ and Dentsu to lay off 6,000
Also: American to offer pre-flight COVID-19 tests, 70% of UK consumers say digital content affects perception of accompanying ads, remote meeting etiquette, and more.
Ragan Insider Ted Kitterman
Report: Digital strategy takes precedence in communicators’ plans for the future
In a survey for our recent Future of Communications virtual conference, participants share their priorities and concerns ahead of another year of uncertainty.
Beki Winchel
Walmart announces employee bonuses and extended leave, Warner Bros. to stream films with theatrical releases, and Southwest warns of 6,800 job cuts
Also: McKinsey & Co. reports that only 18% of top companies made internal DE&I commitments, Dunkin’ holiday drink goes viral, Miller Lite celebrates lack of holiday office parties, and more.
Beki Winchel
State Farm and St. Jude embrace #GivingTuesday, McDonald’s offers free McRibs to fans who shave, and Starbucks gives free coffee to frontline workers
Also: Burger King racks up engagement with tweets tied to Utah monolith, Hawaii entices remote workers with free tickets, mobile wallet consumers spend more per purchase, and more.
Ted Kitterman
GM reverses on climate, Snapchat copies TikTok, and when to expect the COVID-19 crisis to end
Also: A Detroit brewer takes hit from Lions’ Barry Sanders, Dick’s Sporting Goods makes leadership change, Apple defends employee over bribery charges, and PR pros giving thanks.
Joe Livarchik
Giving thanks for journalists and local news outlets in a difficult year of news reporting
For PR and media relations pros, a season of thanksgiving is a time to reflect on essential partners and colleagues.
Beki Winchel
BuzzFeed to acquire HuffPost, YouTube launches audio ads, and Nintendo issues marketing rules for ‘Animal Crossing’
Also: COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting diverse employees, Twitter UK taps ‘BBC Dad’ in new ad, BarkBox launches ‘Home Alone’ tribute merchandise, and more.
Ted Kitterman
Carve Communications’ David Barkoe on staying positive for 2021
This agency co-founder and CEO argues that while it might feel like the world has stopped spinning, communicators should look for the big opportunities that are just around the corner.
Ted Kitterman
5 lessons on activating celebrity superfans
Ice cream company Carvel created an uplifting moment and helped one of its best-known fans celebrate an important birthday.
Beki Winchel
Twitter rolls out ‘Fleets,’ Instagram introduces keyword search, and Mars acquires Kind bars
Also: Tesco says there’s no ‘naughty list’ this year, social media managers jump on a Twitter misinformation meme, LinkedIn’s top 20 marketing voices, and more.
Beki Winchel
Nestlé renames ‘out of step’ candies, Instagram introduces marketing data settings as ‘Reels’ get ads, and Oreos goes gluten-free
Also: Innocent Drinks gives Twitter users a peek behind the scenes of content creation, Waffle House’s first-ever beer, 67% of customers will buy again at brands focused on DE&I, and more.
Beki Winchel
The New Yorker fires Jeffrey Toobin, UPS makes uniform policy more inclusive, and NFL’s Houston Texans fires female PR head
Also: PlayStation offers customized Twitter ‘like,’ how many PR pros’ roles encompass content marketing strategies, a sculpture restoration fail in Spain goes viral, and more.
Ted Kitterman
Matte PR’s Heidi Ruggier shares tools for managing during WFH
Video calls, slack channels and Asana all help this PR leader stay organized and in touch with key team members and clients.
Rosemary Ravinal
Why we should stop pretending virtual meetings are working—and how to fix them
The novelty of the Zoom meeting has long-since evaporated. Here’s how communicators should adapt to improve morale and productivity.
