What We’re Reading is a monthly roundup of current news, commentary, challenges and trends that impact our industry as well as those of our clients. From the latest social media trends to the communications surrounding a major product recall from Boar’s Head, here’s a look at what stood out to our team in September.
Reputation Management
23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki ‘surprised and disappointed’ by Board resignations – Ashley Capoot, CNBC
“It’s hard to imagine a starker vote of no confidence than losing your entire board of directors at one time, but that’s exactly what happened to 23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki. It’s not been a good year — or a good run period — since going public, with a data breach impacting 7 million users coupled with a lack of ability to monetize the business model. Wojcicki’s recent memo to employees in response to the board’s mass exodus stressed her belief that privatizing the company is the best bet for survival, but otherwise lacked details to counter the board position that going private is not the answer. I’ll be following this closely to see if Wojcicki is able to communicate a coherent vision to breathe life into the genetic-testing company that had such promise when it first went public to the tune of a $3.5 billion valuation (now with a market cap of under $200 million).” – Anne Marie Mitchell
Nike replaces CEO with Veteran Executive Hill in Revival Bid – Kim Bhasin, Bloomberg
“Two S&P 500 CEOs have been ousted shortly after critical Bloomberg articles published in the last 12 months—Dollar General, whose CEO was removed because of reported deplorable store conditions and now Nike, whose former CEO has been removed because of poor strategy. These exits illustrate the power of media relations, and the importance of communicating how companies facing challenging circumstances are developing strategies to improve. Failure to do so could result in media controlling the narrative leading t major reputational and leadership turmoil.” – Michael Grimm
How Wrangler is riding its Western heritage to build brand momentum – Chris Kelly, Marketing Dive
“Wrangler Apparel, rooted in its Western heritage, does not appeal to everyone. Yet while staying true to this heritage, Wrangler has been growing its audience with authentic engagement in the sports realm, with its “Good Mornings Make for Better Days” ad running during NFL and college football games and by signing NIL deals with college athletes, plus assuming their fitting role as a sponsor of the Dallas Cowboys. This is a good example of how media strategies can evolve while remaining rooted in brand identity.” – Emma Smits
Employee Communications
Greed, Gluttony and the Crackup of Red Lobster – David Segal, The New York Times
“What’s especially striking about this story are the quotes from the former employees. They bore the brunt of each new strategy and likely knew they had significant, even insurmountable challenges. A great reminder to CEOs and owners: if you want to know whether a new corporate strategy will work, ask and engage the people charged with implementing it.” – Nick Kalm
Employees voted on the worst workplace jargon. Here’s the number-one phrase that annoys your coworkers – Jennifer Mattson, Fast Company
“We often advise clients to avoid using corporate or industry jargon when speaking with the media, so why do we continue to speak in corporate slang in the office? Even if you’re not irked by being told to ‘put a pin in that,’ this article is a reminder that authenticity speaks volumes in the workplace, and your colleagues value when you say what you mean. Both employers and employees should look to how their everyday interactions reinforce a culture of authenticity and open communication, as these qualities lead to stronger results.” – Catherine McCoy
What company leaders have learned from their Gen Z staff – Hailey Mensik, Worklife
“Organizations and leaders are starting to see a new working style emerge from Gen Z. Whether it’s prioritizing mental health, work-life balance, or favoring in-person work, Gen Z employees are creating their own workplace culture that reflects the needs of today’s young professionals.” – Grace DuFour
Digital & Social Media Strategy
Inside Duolingo’s viral TikTok stunt at Charli XCX’s concert—guerrilla marketing lessons for brands – Gillian Follett, AdAge
“The viral takeover of ‘Brat Summer’ has dominated the trend cycle, outlasting the usual short lifespan of social media trends. Duolingo, with its own viral mascot, saw an opportunity to capitalize on this, recognizing the undeniable synergy between the two brands—from their shared green hues to their sassy, tongue-in-cheek messaging. Rather than sticking to TikTok jokes, the brand took it a step further by sending employees decked out in Duo merch to the show, creating a sea of green that was impossible to miss—and capture on social media—ultimately earning a shoutout from the reigning ‘Brat’ of the summer, Charli XCX herself.
These brands have not only defied the fleeting nature of trend cycles but have also remained true to their brands for years, enabling them to amplify their messaging at key moments, creating memorable and authentic engagement with their audiences.” – Makenna Eldridge
New social media features and updates to know this week – Allison Carter, PR Daily
“There have been many recent updates to almost every social media platform in the past month. As PR pros, it’s important to stay up to date on the ever-evolving landscape so we can best council our clients to enable them to reach their goals through integrated communications programming. From new Meta ad formats to community features on YouTube, there are plenty of opportunities to infuse new, creative ideas for our clients to stand out.” – Natalie Wanner
Marketing & Creative Services
Agency culture—why clients should care about the team behind the work – Elizabeth Furze, AKA, AdAge
“Elizabeth Furze, CEO of AKA, a culture and entertainment agency, wrote an article for AdAge where she spoke about the value of a positive relationship between a client and an agency. Normally, you would think this seems obvious, but having a culture fit between an agency and its clients is less common than it should be. Elizabeth goes on to say, ‘Clients evaluate agencies based on their ideas, capabilities, past work, pricing and presentation. These are crucial factors, but the culture of an agency—its fundamental DNA—often goes unexplored. Culture shapes how teams collaborate, innovate, and deliver for clients, especially if things get challenging.’ This is a forgotten piece to the puzzle often. We, as an agency, work a certain way and collaborate differently than other agencies, making us who we are. This is what sets us apart from the competition and is something that must remain top of mind when we field new clients and business.” – Sophie Murray
Crisis Communications
How Executives Are Preparing for Election 2024 – Gravity Research
“New data from Gravity Research reveals a significant gap between Fortune 1000 executives feeling concerned about election-related scenarios, while many have little to no plans in place for their top scenarios. For instance, 79% of respondents worry about post-election violence, but only 40% have prepared for it. This reflects a broader trend of companies feeling they must avoid politics at all costs. However, in any preparedness effort, it’s important for organizations to determine if and how internal and/or external communications should be issued, aligning with their brand purpose and values.” – Haley Hartmann
After several deaths and a massive recall, can Boar’s Head save its brand? – Rob Walker, Fast Company
“After over a century of building up its reputation as the leading premium deli meat brand, Boar’s Head’s fall from the top following a long, devastating and less-than-appetizing recall has my crisis sense tingling. As the author points out, the passing of time with no new major incidents may be one of the better indicators of if the brand can repair the major damage done. I would also add that they’ve got a lot of work to do communicating transparently on the steps they’ve taken to clean up their act and uphold standards across their plants.” – Kristin Monroe
5 Days With Elon Musk on X: Deepfakes, Falsehoods and Lots of Memes – Stuart Thompson, New York Times
“Just read the subheading and you get the basic point of the article: ‘Almost a third of 171 posts last week from the X owner were false, misleading or missing vital context.’ This also accurately sums up the challenge facing corporate communicators – and one that is only going to get worse in the run up to the election. Organizations may feel they have strong policies in place to protect what they post and what they engage with online. But do those plans contemplate what to do when an otherwise reputable source is the one generating the content you are interacting with. Or do those plans address if the content being shared is based on something from your organization but taken out of context. Organizations need to evolve their planning and guidelines to meet the evolving nature of online content and conversation.” – Andrew Moyer