Crisis Communications

Ted Kitterman

Heron Agency’s leader: Social media will lead post-COVID-19

Here’s how Noreen Heron is helping her clients and colleagues think about the future of the comms industry after the pandemic is in the past.

Beki Winchel

Emmy Awards go virtual, Hearst Magazines staff vote to form union, and more retailers to close for Thanksgiving

Also: Domino’s Australia and New Zealand face backlash for ‘Karen’ campaign, Instagram account calls out brands’ lack of diversity, how marketing budgets are shifting, and more.

Ragan Insider | Robby Brumberg

How to engage anxious employees and forge a fresh culture amid COVID-19

New research from McKinsey can help communicators keep workers feeling hopeful, valued, united and motivated.

Beki Winchel

Mattel’s Black Barbie runs for president, 60% of COVID-19 restaurant closings are permanent, and Post partners with Dunkin’ on caffeinated cereal

Also: Consumer Electronics Show 2021 will be entirely online, the NFL shares a conversation about allyship and workplace culture, Twitter to remove links to hateful content, and more.

Ted Kitterman

Report: How 10 brands succeeded—and failed—to respond to Black Lives Matter

In the wake of George Floyd’s death and a renewed conversation around racial justice in the U.S., the business community has tried to come to terms with its role in fighting systemic racism.

Ted Kitterman

FiComm Partners’ Megan Carpenter on Zoom, WFH and what’s next

Here’s what this agency leader has to say about what to expect as we hurtle toward the end of a chaotic year in communications.

Beki Winchel

Google employees to WFH until July 2021, Target to close for Thanksgiving, and social media channels remove viral video for misinformation

Also: Many consumers won’t feel comfortable traveling for nearly another year, Instagram attempts to lure TikTok creators to its new service, a social media pun, and more.

Diane Schwartz

How Home Depot’s comms director is building for the unknown

To manage her team through disruption from COVID-19 and important conversations around structural inequality in the workplace, Yanique Woodall is discarding the rulebook.

Robby Brumberg

Writing for a weary, worn-down workforce

COVID-19 continues to put communicators in a tough spot. Here’s how to maximize your output and creative energy during this anxious, stressful time of life.

Ray Day

How to move from communications firefighting to futuring

Stagwell’s Ray Day reflects on his time in the auto industry during the Great Recession of 2008 and how that experience taught him to make bold moves in the face of adversity.

Beki Winchel

McDonald’s to require masks, Everlane addresses claims of racism and toxic culture, and Microsoft teams up with NBA on virtual fan experience

Also: Red Robin maps out consumer decisions, Frito-Lay highlights its offerings in its 2020 Snack Index, O: The Oprah Magazine to stop printing, and more.

Brian Pittman

11 benefits of mixternal collaboration

E.W. Scripps’ Kari Wethington and Beth Welter share why—and how—internal and external communications teams can collaborate better.

Annique Simpson

3 keys to simple, succinct and clear communication

As word counts grow, your readers’ concentration and comprehension will slow. Try these tips to keep content nice and tidy.

Beki Winchel

Hearst president resigns after sexual harassment claims, Twitter to test subscriptions as revenues fall, and Seattle’s NHL team releases the ‘Kraken’

Also: The future of the workplace relies on a culture of meaning, Hotels.com’s robe brings roadtrips to the consumer, Waffle House celebrates National Tequila Day, and more.