What We’re Reading is a monthly roundup of current news, commentary, challenges and trends that impact our industry and clients. This month’s coverage looks at the decisions organizations make before the headlines arrive, such as McDonald’s reworking its menu around GLP-1-driven shifts in consumer behavior, Walmart spelling out what its new pricing technology will and won’t be used for, the approval breakdowns behind Converse’s controversial ad and Ed Sheeran’s initial defensive statement. One clear theme stands out: reputation depends as much on process as on outcome. The organizations that come ahead see change coming, set expectations early and are ready to respond before they have to.
Reputation Management
Who the heck approved that? Controversial Converse ad is just the latest in a string of advertising mishaps. – Alexa Gagosz, Boston Globe
“Another week, another reputational challenge for a brand from a controversial ad campaign. What I appreciated about this article is that it isn’t just a rehash of whether the apologies were handled well or not; it digs more into the approval process and challenges leading up to launching the campaigns. In particular, how the ever-shortening consumer attention span and speed of social (viral) content pushes companies to move faster and faster. This creates real reputation risks that must be addressed with compressed timelines, reviews done over internal chat channels, and siloed approvals that look only at each function’s specific area of concern and do not take a more holistic view. As the article highlights, the number of people involved increases, but personal responsibility decreases. That is not a recipe for success.” – Andrew Moyer
12 Takeaways From Ousted Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s New Book – Todd Spangler, Variety
“It’s rare we get to hear from ousted CEOs about why they left and what their experience was like. Normally, they quietly take their generous severance payments and end up joining private equity firms months later. And, while Disney is, to a large degree, a unique company, this article illustrates how challenging it can be for a new CEO when the old CEO hangs around to second-guess them. A cautionary tale for boards and search committees, to be sure.” – Nick Kalm
Paramount settles with states over Warner Bros. Discovery merger – Hannah Knowles et al., Washington Post
“The Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery settlement highlights how major transactions are increasingly shaped by stakeholder expectations beyond shareholders and regulators. For communicators, it’s a reminder that demonstrating clear benefits for workers, local economies, and consumers can be essential to securing support and protecting reputation during periods of significant corporate change.” – Emily Schultz
Manchester City guilty over Premier League charges after £900m of ‘sham’ contracts – Will Unwin, The Guardian
“Manchester City was found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules after a years-long investigation into the club’s financial practices. What stood out to me is how the ruling has reframed years of success for one of the world’s most recognizable sports brands. The conversation is now less about trophies and accomplishments and more about the practices behind them. It’s a reminder that both outcomes and process shape reputation, and when transparency comes into question, stakeholders may begin to view even an organization’s biggest achievements through a different lens.” – Abby Ruth
ESG Communications
Widespread Local Opposition, Often Driven by Misinformation, Continues to Hamper Renewable Energy Development – Ivonne Norman, Andrew Kieffer and Romany Webb, Columbia Law School Climate Law Blog
“Misinformation gets the headline, but the lesson for communicators is about timing. The Sabin Center now tracks nearly 900 state and local restrictions on renewable siting and 567 projects across 48 states that have faced significant local opposition. Most of those fights start the same way: residents hear about a project late, from the wrong source, and fill the silence with worst-case assumptions. Correcting the record after that rarely works. Developers who show up early, are specific about tradeoffs, and give neighbors a real channel for questions can keep the story from hardening before the first public hearing.” – Michael Grimm
Crisis Communications
Ed Sheeran’s Macklemore mess has rocked his public image. PR pros say fans will be more forgiving than you think – Callie Ahlgrim, Business Insider
“After Macklemore was pulled from his tour, Sheeran’s first move was a bulleted Instagram post pointing out that the opener’s contract was with the promoter, not him. Accurate or not, it read as deflection. What stood out to me is how much ground he made up a few days later just by showing up in person and apologizing. As one crisis expert put it, ‘He should have been human.’ It’s a reminder that the first statement sets the tone for everything after it, and that the audience you really need to win back is rarely the loudest one online.” – Jenny Cummings
Apple faces $5.7 billion patent infringement verdict over iPhone and Apple Watch haptics – Ashley Capoot, CNBC
“A $5.7 billion verdict is the kind of headline that can define a company’s month, but Apple’s response shows how to keep a legal loss from becoming a reputational one. In just a few sentences, the company’s spokesperson thanked the jury, disagreed with the verdict, explained why its technology is different, and confirmed they will appeal the case. In litigation, the verdict makes the headline, but the statement can help shape the story that follows. This is a good reminder to come prepared with litigation statements and crisis communications plans, no matter the expected outcome.” – Ava Rosenberg
Public Relations
McDonald’s reveals major changes coming to menus, including a shift due to GLP-1s – Dee-Ann Durbin, NBC Chicago
“What stood out to me isn’t just that McDonald’s is adjusting its menu offerings; it’s how quickly major brands are adapting to broader shifts in consumer behavior. The rise of GLP-1 medications is creating ripple effects across industries, and McDonald’s is recognizing that customers increasingly want more protein, different portion sizes, and greater flexibility. It’s a strong reminder that the companies winning today are paying close attention to changing consumer needs and evolving alongside them, rather than waiting for trends to become impossible to ignore.” – Grace DuFour
Walmart Embraces New Digital Shelf Labels, Not Dynamic Pricing: ‘We Won’t Do It,’ CEO Vows – Kevin Haynes, Inc.
“As consumers become more familiar with demand-based pricing in industries like airlines, hotels, and ride-sharing, scrutiny around how companies use technology and customer data has only grown. By clearly communicating what the technology will and won’t be used for, Walmart is helping build trust before misconceptions have a chance to take hold. It’s a good reminder that when introducing new technology, organizations need to communicate not just the benefits, but the boundaries as well.” – Lindsay Erickson
What we’ve learned from the creator snafus at this year’s US Open – Alyssa Mercante, Digiday
“The backlash over creators at this year’s US Open is a reminder that influencer partnerships require more than just an invitation and a list of deliverables. As brands look to bring creators into major sporting events and reach new audiences, they need to make sure those partnerships feel authentic and respect the experience of longtime fans. That starts with choosing creators who have a genuine connection to the sport and making sure they understand what’s expected of them.” – Haley Hartmann
AI & Emerging Technologies
Employee Data Use: One in Five Trust Leaders a Great Deal – Andy Kemp and Ryan Pendell, Gallup
“What stood out to me is that the fix here is mostly a conversation. Only 20% of employees strongly trust their leaders to use workplace data responsibly. Yet only 19% say anyone at work has ever talked with them about what’s being collected. Among employees who have had that conversation, trust goes up. As AI brings more monitoring and measurement into the workplace, silence gets read as secrecy. Companies that explain what they track, why and how it’s used will earn trust their competitors can’t buy back later.” – Kate O’Neil
Walmart bans AI slop signs in stores – Dominick Reuter, Business Insider
“Walmart’s decision to ban AI-generated signage in its stores highlights an emerging communications challenge as generative AI becomes more accessible. Creating inconsistent or unofficial content can dilute brand standards and create confusion about what represents the company. It’s a reminder that as AI becomes more widely used, organizations need clear guidelines to balance innovation with brand consistency.” – Emma Smits
Closing the Gap Between AI Investment and Financial Return – David L. Rogers and Krishnan Sankaranarayanan, Harvard Business Review
“Rogers and Sankaranarayanan explain why most ‘AI in communications’ conversations feel thin: the spend goes to generic productivity gains nobody captures rather than to capabilities anchored in strategy. Reputation Partners has taken the opposite bet, focusing on building AI-native applications to support the unglamorous work of sourcing, transforming, and analyzing data, then presenting it in a helpful form and still grounded in the human judgement and expertise that comes with our years of experience. ” – Keegan Pavlik