Resource Hub for Strategic Communication Professionals
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The Rise—and Risk—of “Pity Marketing”
If you’re on TikTok or watching Reels on Instagram or Facebook, you’ve likely seen it. A lonely restaurant with empty tables. A book signing with no line. A warehouse full of unsold products. The voiceover is emotional and tugs at your heartstrings: “We’re really struggling—can you help?”
This is pity marketing, which can also be called “sympathy marketing” or perhaps more accurately, “emotional blackmail.”
What Is Newsjacking—And How Can Your Brand Do It Right?
Coined by marketer and author David Meerman Scott in 2011, newsjacking is the art of inserting your brand or message into a trending news story or cultural moment. Done right, it can win you attention, relevance, and a wave of earned media and social media engagement.
Short Takes: The Ordinary’s Un-Ordinary Marketing
The Ordinary-branded cartons of eggs started popping up in two New York City locations, selling for $3.97 in a city where eggs currently are selling for over $5 a dozen. Was the PR stunt a good move or a flop?
The High Cost of Low Empathy: What Brands Can Learn from the Happiest Baby Controversy
A single social media post can make or break a brand, and how companies handle customer interactions matters more than ever —especially in moments of grief.
How Poppi is Fizzing Back Up After Influencer Campaign Falls Flat
Poppi, a soda alternative, launched its first Super Bowl ad campaign this year. To generate buzz in advance of the game, they sent Poppi-filled vending machines to the homes of TikTok influencers.
Consumers hated it and were immediately fired up about the campaign’s direction, criticizing Poppi’s spending on an expensive brand activation that benefitted already wealthy influencers.
The Risks & Rewards of Co-Branding with The White Lotus (AKA Murder Marketing)
Co-branding can be a powerful tool—when done right, it elevates both partners, creating a PR boost that neither could achieve alone.
Take, for example, the unexpected yet wildly successful partnership between HBO’s The White Lotus and the Four Seasons.
Southwest Drops a Beloved Perk—Then Fumbles the Fallout
For a company whose longtime slogan has been “Bags Fly Free,” the backlash was immediate. Combined with last year’s decision to eliminate open seating, customers felt like Southwest was rapidly losing its identity, along with any reasons to fly the carrier. What can we learn from this?
How a Trash Can Helped Bring a Team to Victory
Yep. In a tradition that very quickly became a national sensation this year, the UNO Mavericks have turned a locker room celebration into a major communications and public relations opportunity, while also building fan culture.
From American Riviera to As Ever: Lessons on Launching a Brand (The Hard Way)
Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand is now on launch #2. What can we learn from these high-profile repeat brand introductions?
The Power of Storytelling: Lessons from an Anglerfish
Have you ever cried over a fish? Well, a whole lot of people have over the past couple of weeks when the story of a little anglerfish swam into the imaginations of the collective internet.
The Power of Thought Leadership: Positioning Your Organization for Success
The leaders of your organization can be some of the most powerful communication tools in your arsenal. By positioning them as thought leaders, you can elevate your brand’s reputation, establish your organization as an innovator, and open the door to opportunities such as media coverage, speaking engagements, and increased social media influence.
Hiring the Best: How to Think About Comms Roles
Hiring for a communications role can be deceptively difficult. The field is vast—spanning everything from media relations to analytics to design—and organizations often expect a single person to be proficient in all of it. But the reality is that no one is an expert in everything. So, how do you hire the right person for your needs?
Protecting Your Organization After Employee Separation
Recently, a post appeared on Burger King’s Instagram page announcing that they were firing their social agency of record, Dentsu, for failure to perform. The kicker? Ad Age reports Burger King denies any such thing. We can only speculate, but it seems possible the post was created by a disgruntled employee—current or former—from either the Dentsu or Burger King social teams.
Do I Delete That Comment?
Social media can be a powerful tool for engagement, but it also comes with the challenge of managing public commentary. When an off-topic remark, a negative critique, or outright hate speech appears in the comments section, the question arises: do you delete it? The answer depends on context, and having clear guidelines in place can help you navigate these decisions with confidence.
The Critical Role of Internal Communication During a Crisis
During a crisis, communications internally has to come first, and without a crystal-clear internal communications strategy, employees can be left in the dark, anxious, and unprepared to navigate the situation. Leaders in a crisis must move quickly and handle multiple tasks simultaneously. This is possible when you have a plan.
Too Many to Handle: Prioritizing the RIGHT Social Channels
When TikTok temporarily went down, communicators received a critical reminder to evaluate the social media platforms their organization is using and ensure that their strategy is sustainable.
Putting all your eggs in one basket (or platform) is a dangerous move, but equally problematic is trying to maintain a presence on every single platform. It’s overwhelming and, frankly, unsustainable.
There’s a better approach: focus on the platforms that align with your organization’s goals and audience. Here’s how to do just that.
Public Relations Lessons from Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton once said, “Find out who you are, and do it on purpose.”
This philosophy has led her to do what few can claim: she’s created a universal appeal that has stretched decades and spans generations, socioeconomic classes, and political divides. This beloved icon, who infuses authenticity, humor, and joy into every project she touches, is a public relations genius that every strategic communicator should study.
Our Nation’s Comms Origin Story
In strategic communications we talk about knowing where you came from and telling your story consistently. On this inauguration day, here are links to our nation’s founding documents that define our democracy story.
Help Me Help You: Building Communications Advocates
If you work on a small communications team—or a team of one—that means you’re wearing multiple hats and juggling competing priorities. By strategically empowering your non-communications department colleagues to contribute, you can create even better content and lighten your load. Here’s how to build a culture of collaboration that benefits everyone.
Not a Luxury, A Need: A Crisis Comms Plan
A crisis plan is often a neglected area of communications planning—until a crisis hits, leaving you scrambling. No organization–regardless of how outstanding its work–can escape reputational risk, and a poorly managed crisis can escalate quickly into a full-blown PR disaster.