Latest News
Hasbro’s Jen deAngelis joins Welch’s to lead communications
DeAngelis has led publicity and influencer work for brands such as Nerf, Super Soaker, and Play-Doh.
Sonic mixes up strategy with new food-focused campaign
CMO Lori Habib explains why Sonic is stepping away from the in-car dialogues the fast-food brand is known for.
Next 15 CEO hopeful about M&C Saatchi bid following interim results
Tim Dyson describes the bidding process as a 'bit like a soap opera,' which has 'dragged on a lot longer than any of us probably wanted it to.'
Peloton marketing, comms chief Dara Treseder joins Autodesk
Treseder will spearhead Autodesk's global marketing strategy.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Monday morning
Unilever CEO Alan Jope to retire; Why creepy smiling people were at MLB games.
Next 15 reports ‘record performance’, is ‘confident’ over M&C Saatchi, says Engine has been ‘successfully integrated’
Communications group Next 15 has revealed revenue growth of 65 per cent for the first half of the year, with adjusted pre-tax profits up 73 per cent.
Dish Network vet launches Hallway Communications
Founder John Hall is looking for clients in wireless and future-of-work industries.
Q&A: Novo Nordisk’s Keith Middleton on its latest DE&I efforts
Novo Nordisk recently released a report that outlines its aspirations advancing DE&I internally, as well as in communities facing high rates of diabetes.
Parody campaign tells women to 'eff urself' as abortion restrictions tighten
The campaign by Women that Fight, a coalition of advertising creatives, takes the dystopian view that women can protect themselves from abortion restrictions by abstaining from sex – and using a sex toy instead.
Allison+Partners launches BrandgeistIQ
The methodology, launched in partnership with NetBase Quid, makes it easier for clients to determine their cultural relevance.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Friday morning
NFL reveals new Super Bowl halftime show sponsor; KWT Global updates work policy.
WhatsApp responds after Iran restricts access
As protests take place in the country, the Iranian government has also limited access to Instagram and more of the internet in general.
PR can help fix the world’s addiction to fossil fuels
The PR industry must push back against the narrative played out at this week’s UN General Assembly where the profession was portrayed in pejorative fashion as a dark art practiced by spin doctors.
Microsoft enhances employee experience platform Viva
The company is doubling down on employee engagement and internal comms.
6 brands joke, warn about dangerous NyQuil chicken social media challenge
Steak-umm, Dictionary.com and others are just as grossed out as you.
Project Everyone pushes world leaders to achieve the UN’s Global Goals
The campaign by Accenture Song UK asks world leaders attending the UN General Assembly in New York this week to do their part in creating a sustainable world.
FDA warns of ‘NyQuil Chicken’ TikTok trend as misinformation battle continues
The FDA is stepping up to counteract health misinformation on the most popular social media platform, but experts believe it could be more creative in its messaging.
Fast food brands battle it out on Twitch for DoorDash tournament
Wendy’s, Dunkin’, Taco Bell, KFC and others compete in MultiVersus represented by streamers of their choice.
Ingenovis Health names Lauren Pasquale Bartlett as first CMO
Ingenovis was formed in March 2021 through the merger of four staffing companies.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Thursday morning
Why a Southwest Airlines flight was treated to a ukulele lesson; Target gets ready for the holidays.
Ukes on a plane: How would you feel about an unexpected in-flight ukulele lesson?
Would it be a welcome surprise?
‘Passengers were happy, engaged and excited’: Why a Southwest Airlines flight was treated to a ukulele lesson
And why the brands behind the stunt aren’t responding to negative social chatter.
Zeno moves into Web3 with Z3 consultancy
The agency will also explore NFTs, cryptocurrency, blockchain and other emerging platforms.
Signal AI names Nancy McNeill global chief revenue officer
She’ll focus on accelerating growth in the U.S.
Omnicom PR Group: Eight in 10 providers want pharma to solve system inequalities
The research also found that more than half of healthcare providers would consider a company’s purpose when making treatment decisions.
Hill+Knowlton Strategies bolsters Latin America presence by acquiring JeffreyGroup
The WPP firm is concurrently expanding its Brazil-based shop Ideal globally.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Wednesday morning
Meet the new PRWeek Hall of Fame class; Last Choco Taco giveaway; Twitch nixes unlicensed gambling streaming.
Klondike to give away last 100 Choco Tacos via Instagram scavenger hunt
The world says goodbye to the beloved novelty ice cream on Wednesday.
PRWeek US unveils 10th Hall of Fame class
The six inductees in the class of 2022 will be honored at an event in New York City on December 5.
UN boss slams PR for ‘raking in billions’ by ‘enabling’ fossil-fuel companies
UN secretary-general António Guterres called out the PR industry for its willingness to “shield the fossil-fuel industry from scrutiny” in a speech yesterday.
Beam Suntory’s SVP of corporate comms and public affairs Clarkson Hine to retire
Hine has been with the company for 24 years.
YouTube doubles down on Shorts with new monetization program
Creators will make just under half of all ad revenue earned from Shorts, positioning the product as a major rival to TikTok.
Molson Coors ups Rachel Dickens to senior director of corporate affairs
She will oversee the company’s reputation and lead corporate comms.
WPP brings Wendy Lund aboard as chief client officer for health and wellness
Lund previously served as CEO of GCI Health, which is WPP’s integrated, global healthcare communications agency, for more than a decade.
Toluna names Claypoole GM, Americas
He joins Toluna from NielsenIQ.
Period tracker app Flo turns on ‘anonymous mode.’ Will it ease user privacy concerns?
Such measures may not totally shield users of period trackers and fertility apps from post-Roe privacy worries.
Arketi hires health tech veteran Judson Phillips
Phillips has worked at companies including BioIQ, Advectis and Brightree.
Omnicom PR Group names Michael Fleischer DDC CEO
Fleischer assumes the top executive position with DDC founder B.R. McConnon set to exit the firm.
Biden says ‘the pandemic is over,’ but public health experts say not so fast
While much of life has returned to normal, some officials worry Biden’s comments may jeopardize future COVID-19 funding, as well as communications with the public.
Spool launches VC, startup offerings
The business units will primarily focus on underrepresented founders.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Tuesday morning
Golin names global DEI director; Health experts push back on Biden claim that pandemic is ‘over;’ FDA tells kids, ‘Stop cooking chicken in NyQuil.’
Sodexo Live brings on MikeWorldWide as sporting venues, events open up
MikeWorldWide will support Sodexo Live’s bounceback from the pandemic.
‘Going purpose’: Patagonia set a precedent, but can others follow suit?
By giving away all future profit to fund anti-climate-change schemes, Patagonia shows that businesses that want to make a difference face structural rather than communications challenges.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America names Ketchum as AOR
Ketchum is helping the nonprofit break mental health stigmas and expand access to care.
Ditto PR promotes Molly Glennon to new head of crypto role
Glennon is helping clients with messaging about crypto’s reputation.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Monday morning
Finn Partners acquires The Winston Agency; Biden: ‘The pandemic is over.'
Finn Partners continues shopping spree, acquires Winston Agency
WA will tap into Finn Partners’ geographic footprint, which stretches across three continents and 33 offices.
Latinas in Tech and Korbel California Champagne depict STEM role models in NFT exhibition
NFT portraits of Latina changemakers in STEM will launch in the metaverse for Hispanic Heritage Month.
Bentley Motors’ Jeff Kuhlman joins Charge Enterprises as comms head
Kuhlman has also worked at Nissan, Audi and GM.
PR pros react to Patagonia founder’s bold step in fighting climate change
The outdoor apparel and gear company said it’s making Earth its only shareholder.
Watch: Papa Johns gets extraterrestrial with chorizo pizza
Chorizo left Earth’s atmosphere in 1998, making it the world’s — make that the known galaxy’s — farthest-traveled sausage.
PayPal says it will end Phoenix Suns jersey sponsorship unless owner resigns
PayPal’s jersey patch partnership with the NBA team is set to expire at the end of the year, and the company is threatening to not renew it if suspended owner Robert Sarver remains affiliated with the franchise.
Jeff Bridges leads AstraZeneca’s Up the Antibodies push
Bridges opens up about his COVID and cancer experiences, alongside Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani.
Meta finishes off Queens of the Metaverse campaign with drag show
The show was the culmination of a campaign by We Are Social.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Friday morning
Uber responds after cybersecurity incident; FedEx provides business update.
House Democrats hold hearing on PR firms’ work for oil companies
None of the agencies under investigation attended the hearing.
PepsiCo closes in on 10% Hispanic managerial representation
The food and beverage company shared progress across the business, its people and the Hispanic community.
Behind Semafor’s ‘radical’ digital news offering
Justin Smith, CEO of the soon-to-launch global news publisher, and executive editor Gina Chua on how the company is ‘reimagining’ publishing for global and regional audiences.
Arthur Sadoun unveils new top team at Publicis as Steve King moves to Europe role
King, who has been chief operating officer, leaves Directoire.
The Trust Project and Microsoft team up to fight fake news
A news literacy campaign from the global network of media organizations teaches people how to spot misinformation using Microsoft’s platforms.
Hill+Knowlton hires Brenna Terry as global chair of healthcare
Terry has worked at Johnson & Johnson for the past three years.
What is your favorite Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 campaign?
Brands across every sector are celebrating Latinx and Hispanic culture.
Meltwater teams with NewsGuard to alert users to disinfo
The combination of both companies’ tools will help users see where and how they’re being mentioned.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Thursday morning
Communications Bellwether Survey 2022; Highwire PR secures strategic investment from Shamrock Capital.
Highwire PR secures strategic investment from Shamrock Capital
The injection will fuel Highwire’s expansion of its integrated comms and digital marketing services.
Former Brunswick partners launch Jasper Advisors
Julie Andreeff Jensen and David Sutphen are co-CEO’s of the strategic advisory firm.
‘Try our pillowy biscuits’: Why Hardee’s is poking fun at MyPillow’s CEO
The fast-food chain quickly responded cheekily after one of its restaurants ended up at the center of a news story.
Abercrombie & Fitch parent hires Kate Wagner as global comms head
Wagner will not also oversee IR, as previous comms head Pamela Quintiliano did.
NetBase Quid names Lei Li CTO
Lei is a 14-year veteran of the company.
Strategic Elements hires Kathy Didawick
Didawick worked at Blue Cross for two decades.
Is the health data privacy union strong or splintered?
As tech giants increasingly enable consumers to push back against expansive use of their information, marketers have found themselves playing defense.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Wednesday morning
Changemakers; Hunter’s new LA office; ‘Corn Kid’ case study.
The Changemakers diversity conundrum
Diverse PR pros are invited to the ball but their dance cards are still empty.
Weber Shandwick Collective expands, rebrands diversity offering
New hire Nadine Redd Blackburn and Emil Hill are co-leading the specialty.
RIP, cubicle. Agencies are making the most of collaborative spaces in new office designs
With employees in person only a few days a week, firms are maximizing their time together.
Authenticity and consistency: How brands should approach Hispanic Heritage Month
PR pros advise brands to educate themselves on Hispanic culture and demonstrate purpose in initiatives targeting the Latino community.
Live events are back in a big way: How PR pros are helping artists stand out from the crowd
Concerts. Stand-up shows. Film festivals. All are attracting bigger crowds than even before the pandemic.
The NFL isn’t just on TV — and brands can’t be either
Brands need to reach football fans beyond game day on social and streaming platforms.
U.S. Open: A guide to the hottest ticket of the year to connect with (and schmooze) clients
The biggest tennis event in the country is back in full force, and it’s the event to impress clients. How to get there on time and comfortably.
How much of a threat does Google’s latest update pose to PR?
Google’s recently announced ‘helpful content update’ will prioritise search results that provide ‘unique, authentic information’ to readers over SEO-optimised content.
How brands can engage audiences on TikTok via search
TikTok is taking the search fight to Google and brands are waking up to the opportunities to target audiences in buy mode with video — especially the lucrative Gen Z cohort.
Get ready for a flood of green public affairs spending
For companies in sustainability industries, it’s time to spend, due to funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.
The government has a monkeypox comms problem
Healthcare PR experts are unimpressed by messaging about the virus, demanding more urgency and clarity as cases rise.
Digital crisis experts give Adam Mosseri high marks for Kardashian response
Will the Kardashians make Instagram Instagram again? Experts say the platform’s leader did well to explain why they won’t.
Airball: Why PR firms are finding the NIL market isn’t what they expected
Some firms are finding success helping college athletes earn money from their names, images and likenesses. Yet others say the practice hasn’t lived up to expectations.
RTO lessons learned: 5 top in-house comms leaders on what works and what doesn’t
Getting employees back to their desks is proving more challenging than companies anticipated. CCOs tell PRWeek how they’ve gotten results, and the most out of teams in a hybrid environment.
How brands like Chipotle and Duolingo are driving brand love on Roblox
Roblox is the next big platform for driving consumer interaction with brands. But they can’t do it on the cheap. Brands will have to put the work in to impress customers with immersive and customizable experiences.
RadioShack wreaks havoc on Twitter
American tech retailer RadioShack had all but faded into oblivion until it launched a chaotic social media strategy last week, filling our timelines with unfiltered tweets.
Uncomfortable or not, companies have to talk to employees about abortion
Many employees are scared, or at least unsure of how state laws could affect them, and they’re looking for clarity from their employers.
The Great Resignation is over in PR
Recession fears and inflation are prompting companies to pump the brakes on hiring, cutting down options for job seekers.
Buckle up: Even more wage inflation is coming for agencies
Employees are paying more at the pump, the grocery store and everywhere else, and they’re looking to companies to make up the difference.
Silicon Beach: Agencies are flocking to Miami as city’s tech sector booms
And the VCs and ambitious, young tech executives are driving growth in other industries across South Florida.
Pride 2022: Brands forge deeper connections with LGBTQ community, while activists hold them to their word
Running a Pride activation but also donating to anti-LGBTQ politicians? Activists are making sure brands can’t have it both ways.
Uptick in boomerang employees puts spotlight on agency culture
The grass isn’t always greener. Five people share why they left — and then returned — to their previous PR agencies.
No urgency, wrong tone: Baby formula makers are falling flat in communicating with the public
Yet influencers are filling the gap on social media with information about where moms can find baby formula and other tips.
The silence is deafening from corporate America on Roe v. Wade. Why so many companies are staying quiet
Brands such as Levi Strauss and Yelp are in the minority in issuing strongly worded condemnations of the Supreme Court’s likely decision to overturn the landmark case.
Amid a flurry of anti-LGBTQ legislation, is social media streamlining abuse?
State legislation has set social media ablaze with anti-LGBTQ sentiment. Equality organizations are pushing back.
Wait and see: Agency leaders weigh pros and cons of Elon Musk-led Twitter
Firms are advising clients to stick with the platform while they evaluate changes.
When ‘grassroots’ public affairs work crosses a line
Two highly publicized incidents have come to light of firms flirting too closely with the ‘dark arts’ side of the business.
Is corporate America no longer interested in purposeful business?
Stock buybacks and executive pay are back in the headlines nearly three years after the Business Roundtable’s historic statement on purposeful business. Experts say inroads are being made elsewhere.
Can the CDC’s internal review staunch the credibility and comms bleeding?
The agency has acknowledged that it has a problem. Now comes the hard part.
Agencies must be nimble strategizing for awards season
With declining viewership and an increase in scandal and social outcry, awards shows are a fraught, but not unworthy, playing field for brands to connect to audiences.
Alopecia organizations, influencers use Chris Rock’s Oscars joke as education tool
Advocates are using social media and traditional media outreach to ensure the public learns more about the disease.
Too much work, not enough people: Why PR firms are turning down new business at an unprecedented rate
In-house teams are flush with cash; PR firms are desperately trying to keep staff. The result is firms turning down new business opportunities at an unprecedented rate.
TikTok diplomacy: Why politicos are hailing the White House’s outreach to creators
People who are mocking strategy don’t understand the breadth and reach of the platform, say West Wing and campaign veterans.
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Too much talent, too few roles: PR job market stays white hot in Q1 2022
Recruiting for PR positions is still frenzied, but the search trend has shifted from the mid-level to the C-suite. And companies are realizing they need to re-recruit their own employees.
PR in Ukraine: 'It's not a crisis, conflict, tragedy or aggression - it is a war'
PRWeek asked a collection of PR professionals in Ukraine, who have launched a campaign called 'Help Ukraine - Tell the Truth to the World', how they think the war is being presented to the outside world. This is their response.
How global PR agencies are responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Many had abandoned the Russian market in the years before the war started, and all are pledging to help employees affected by the crisis.
The impossible dream: How 5 agencies are making the 4-day workweek happen
Clients would never support it, goes the old line of thinking. But firms are starting to push that aside with surprising results.
As Russia invades Ukraine, what’s being said?
Wars have always been fought on the ground, and with words.
How Coinbase stole Pepsi’s thunder as the most-talked about brand during the Super Bowl
Even though Coinbase’s website wasn’t ready for its own success.
Super Bowl LVI social media war room tour: Behind the scenes with Budweiser and Wallbox
From the monitoring tools they’re using to the conversations they’ll be looking to jump into.
4 ways brands got ready ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics
Amid geopolitical turmoil, companies approached the Winter Games with balance and heaps of preparation.
TikTok and Nick Tran: What happens when brand stunts miss the mark
Everyone loves a good stunt. But they can get tiresome after a while if they don’t align with a brand’s broader goals.
Can the Biden administration reverse its pandemic policy pitfalls?
A push to deliver home tests and high-quality masks is set to replace the previous emphasis on vaccination.
How Activision Blizzard could help Microsoft gain gaming credibility and bigger marketing budgets
The acquisition marks an era of consolidation in the gaming space as the industry grows up.
How women’s health brands communicate on social media: They can’t
Female founders of women’s health brands say censorship makes it challenging to properly address women’s concerns.
Inside the cruise industry’s aggressive pushback against the CDC
Travel industry groups say communications with government medical experts have broken down amid the pandemic.
Not again: School closures challenge return to office, flexible work plans
It’s deja vu for agency and in-house staffers with children as the Omicron variant forces a return to remote learning. But this time there’s an established playbook to lean on.