PR Week Convene Webcast | Penelope Herrera
PR Week held a PR Week Convene webcast, meeting individuals where we are, that being home. Considering the times we are in, with a global pandemic, disseminating information is even more vital. PR Week released an agency business report, where PR was discussed as essential service by one of the CEO’s. He was not speaking in the terms of taking away from the importance of others, like those risking their lives, but on the importance of authentic leadership. He spoke on how crucial it is for brands to be stepping up during these times. Essentially, the point of the webcast was to discuss how brands need to sensitively navigate their reputation and communication during these difficult times. There were three different talks: Purpose: Pressure testing purpose and the path forward; Virtual: Our new reality; and Communicating in the Corona Virus Era.
During the first session, Purpose: Pressure testing purpose and the path forward, PR speakers Allison Burch and Alison DaSilva took on the subject matter. The main takeaway here has been that purpose matters, as those with a less defined purpose struggle to find their path. Many companies who have has a strong purpose have been responding in a great manner to the virus, like State Farm and Johnson and Johnson, while others without a strong purpose have not responded right or at all. What is important during times like these is making sure employees are ok and how the company can help those affected. Also, making sure not to be tone deaf is really a make or break with how companies are viewed. Examples of missing the mark include Burger King, who tied giving with making an order. Popeyes launched a ‘fried chicken and chill’ campaign giving Netflix user and password to a certain number of people, but seen as tone deaf because it was during the beginning times of this pandemic. This just goes to show how all companies need to look within on how to take care of their companies and supply chains and then how company is uniquely positioned to face issues like this. For instance, State Farm partnered with reliefs and took things on by focusing on helping such as helping neighborhoods, communities, and people recover from the unexpected. They first made sure employees were safe to help customers. They looked at how they could help customers with financial issues like delaying payments and did a good neighbor relief program, giving back 2 billion dollars to customers in form of policy credit. They also partnered with Jimmy Fallon to do a challenge raising money for the situation we have.
Purpose has been associated with given money. Alison at Zeno stated that
Philanthropy does not equal purpose. It is a purposeful action.
Purpose means to grow a business and make a difference. This be seen in making conversations meaningful and informative such as an interview with a CEO who does not really do interviews but knows the purpose of it matters. During these times of the Corona virus, people are attaching purpose with the pandemic, creating a sort of Corona washing. This is affiliating brands with a larger cause but needing to look internally and see what their brand is doing, the action they can take, and the impact to be made.
Every communication piece needs authentic natural connection that is not gratuitous or commercial, hooking brand to something with meaning. Alison also stated that
As a brand, never try to leverage corona virus to fix a problem.
Walmart was one of first companies to be used as a force for good during these times, looking at the role they could play and help.
The second session, Virtual: Our new reality, discussed with Katherine Hernandez-Blades, the SVP and Communications Officer at Aflac, was the importance of staying connected and communicated. At Aflac, they have been doing a variety of things like town halls and using a value based approach. Aflac has something called the ‘Aflac way,’ which is a written down value system that employees get in the form of a book, and is all about taking care of people. People need physical, mental, and financial help. With Aflac, those that can't work from home, have a special category of leave which does not tap into PTO. For 1099's there is a no interest loan program available. Activities and tactics need to be measured more because of COVID. Employees are asked weekly if they’ve receive enough communication, have confidence in the way leaders are giving communication, overall measuring the general pulse of people.
In regards to branding for the actual brand, for Aflac and many others, humor is part of it. For Aflac, they scaled back on it, releasing a new commercial that is people focused, not Covid focused. This goes back to being tone deaf, you get penalized for it.
The last session was Communicating during a time of crisis, led by Kylie Wright-Ford, the CEO of the RepTrak Company. She said that things are very situational with what to do. People need to be honest with what they do and don’t know as well because you need to properly communicate.
All communicators in a room have to work out how to have a strategy to prioritize the channels they use and how they speak and what they say.
Another interesting point discussed is that people put an emphasis on companies helping federal government.
A CEO who tries to bolster their personal brand rather than serving community will suffer later on because people see through it. Many people have said that they want to see CEO's communicating. Employees are an important channel to disclosure information to, in order to have a large impact.
I really found this webinar interesting. The first time I heard it, I wasn’t too focused because I was busy but taking out the time to hear it again, it gave a lot of interesting points. This made the webinar even more pleasurable because I could go back and really take in what was being said. PR Week understands the importance of receiving this type of information and has outdone themselves in the accessibility of such content.
