Podium
PODIUM
“Brand activism” - the new embodiment of corporate values
Brands extend their CSR role by expressing disapproval of contentious and socially divisive issues
Read more at https://www.exchange4media.com/marketing-news/on-brands-taking-a-knee-in-divisive-times-105454.html
Brand
'Tastewear'
Pizza Hut launched its first limited-edition capsule collection
Pizza Hut continues to deliver "Newstalgia" with its Tastewear capsule collection, reimagining the brand's iconography with a modern twist for contemporary consumers. The collection sees the restaurant chain tapping into interest around nostalgia and branded merchandise, some of which first appeared in ubiquitous TV spots starr..Read More
29 July 2021
Communications/PR
World PR Day
Future skills for PR practitioners: Wadds
The COVID-19 Communications Advisory Panel report sets out critical skills for practitioners as society learns to live with COVID-19. It's a must read for personal development. It is no surprise that demand for public relations roles is booming. Practitioners have been at the forefront of helping organisations respond to the COVID-19 pan..Read More
29 July 2021
Social
Favouring The Experts: FB
Spotlighting the subject matter experts in Facebook Groups
There are more than 70 million admins and moderators running active Facebook groups around the world. Many of these groups are home to subject matter experts who love to share their knowledge, from fitness trainers to highly skilled crafters. Now, it’s easier than ever to help experts stand out in groups and offer ways for them to ..Read More
29 July 2021
Communications/PR
7 Golden Rules
Communicating to employees in a crisis
People’s information needs evolve in any crisis. That means your message has to as well. Different forms of information can help listeners cope mentally. If you don’t know how things are and how you will be impacted, then say that! Just communicate what you know, when you know it. Be explicit in that you’re sharing..Read More
29 July 2021
Workspace
The Productivity Bulleseye
Targets and metrics can be bad for business
There’s an old fable from Soviet Russia that goes something like this: A nail factory manager (we’ll call him “Big Boss”) wants his workers to produce more, more, more! So, he decides to measure their output with a metric. First, Big Boss settles on the number of nails produced. A few days later, he is dismay..Read More
29 July 2021
Communications/PR
A Noisy World
Storytelling: show value and transfer your beliefs, advocates V M Thomas
Our DNA is wired to listen to stories that inform, entertain, inspire, motivate and bind us. This is why a relatable story ensures our message makes an impact. They prompt easy to recall, build trust and trigger the desired actions. What makes a person interesting? Knowing the person’s name, age, gender, nationality, and educationa..Read More
28 July 2021
Media
The Unusual Olympics
Digital, mobile marketing tactics to the test with no spectators
The Summer Olympics in Tokyo are anything but business as usual, with marketers putting digital and omnichannel tactics to the test as they try to engage viewers whose interest in the event could be dwindling. Nearly half of surveyed U.S. consumers (45%) were not looking forward to the games ahead of their kickoff late last week, accordi..Read More
28 July 2021
Marketing Economy
Pandemic Rebound
Agencies; Publicis, Omnicom, IPG post strong gains
A batch of Q2 earnings last week showed agencies on the mend following a brutal pandemic period that led to mass advertiser pullbacks and a sluggish market for new business. Publicis chief Arthur Sadoun said the group — bolstered by a robust U.S. business — actually scored better results on key performance indicators in 2021'..Read More
28 July 2021
Social
Upvotes & Downvotes
Twitter experimenting on a new feature to gauge the true reaction to a post
Twitter’s experiments continue. Fleets ended in a breakup, but the company has moved on to another feature: upvotes and downvotes. On Wednesday, Twitter said it’s conducting a “small research experiment” to test the buttons in replies. Nothing has been *officially* implemented yet, so it’s not clear how the ..Read More
28 July 2021
Communications/PR
Creating Trust in PSUs
Government communication is more than just crisis management
Public Relations creates awareness of Government initiatives and improve the perception of Public Sector Units. Traditionally, government, be it national or state, has always been viewed with a heavy dose of scepticism. The same is the case with public sector undertakings (PSUs). While healthy scepticism is good, but people tend to disco..Read More
28 July 2021
Brand
Vegan Crocs
Crocs want become a net zero company by 2030
Shoe brand Crocs, Inc. will be completely vegan by the end of 2021. The brand committed to no longer including any animal products in its collections as part of a larger sustainability initiative to become a net zero company by 2030. While many Crocs styles are vegan and made from its synthetic Croslite material, the brand has used leath..Read More
27 July 2021
Communications/PR
Clubhouse PR
Golin hired for for global PR support
Clubhouse, whose popularity skyrocketed during the Covid pandemic, has hired Golin for global PR support. Golin went public with the partnership Thursday morning in a social media post announcing that Clubhouse will no longer require users to have an invitation to join the chat service. “Have you heard the news? Our global #client,..Read More
27 July 2021
Communications/PR
'SUSTAINABLE Finance'
The trending buzzword in the world of banking and finance (ESG)
'SUSTAINABLE finance' is a trending buzzword in the world of banking and finance. The practice of integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into financial services to bring about sustainable development outcomes is t..Read More
27 July 2021
Appointments
The Call of Fintech
Rupeek puts Shah in charge of Integrated PR and Communications teams
Jimit Shah has moved on from ZEE5 as its Lead - PR and Comms to join FinTech startup based out of Bengaluru, Rupeek, as its Associate Director - PR and Communications. He will be joining on Thursday, 29th July 2021. At Rupeek, Shah will b..Read More
27 July 2021
Appointments
Ingka’s GBO
Dhruti Kapadia Krishnan to lead communication for IKEA
Dhruti Kapadia Krishnan has joined the Ingka Group (which owns the IKEA brand) as GBO Global Communications Partner. She will be based in Bangalore, India and will play a vital role in shaping the exciting journey to &lsquo..Read More
27 July 2021
Case Study
Corporate Ethos
Ben & Jerry and its stance on highly politicized current events
Last year, following the murder of George Floyd by police and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests, the Vermont ice cream maker and Unilever subsidiary Ben & Jerry’s issued perhaps the strongest corporate statement on the matter. Its headline was We Must Dismantle White Supremacy. On January 7, after the insurrection at the ..Read More
26 July 2021
Communications/PR
The Summer of Slow PR
A new Modus Operandi for PR Pros
Does it seem like everything’s moving a bit more slowly this summer? It takes a few extra minutes to get your burrito, or a few extra hours to reach customer service. Neighborhood restaurants are closed earlier. Businesses want to h..Read More
26 July 2021
Appointments
Prosus Ventures
Poonam Thakur joins as Communications lead for India and South East Asia
Poonam Thakur joins Prosus Ventures (part of Naspers that owns OLX, PayU, Swiggy etc.) as Head of Communications for India and South East Asia @peas_to_pods was earlier at American Express. She is a award winning communications professional, passionate about data-backed storytelling and driving social impact through communication a..Read More
26 July 2021
Social
Tumblr Post
Tumblr lets creators get $$ paid for their blogs
Tumblr is finally offering its writers a way to make money off their work: charging a subscription. The 14-year-old blogging platform is starting to add the ability for writers to put their posts behind a paywall. The feature, called Post Plus, lets creators offer a $3.99, $5.99, or $9.99 per month subscription, which will give readers a..Read More
26 July 2021
Social
“Don’t make ads, make TikToks"
Authentic advertising is here with the SPARK ADS feature
It's been about a year now since TikTok launched TikTok for Business and challenged brands with the bold statement: "Don't make ads, make TikToks." After a year of pushing for brands to join the platform, now TikTok has published a new post reiterating their original advice and shedding more light on what it really me..Read More
26 July 2021
Brand
Ice Cream Politics
Ben & Jerry's will no longer sell ice cream in occupied Palestinian territories
Ben & Jerry's will no longer sell ice cream in occupied Palestinian territories, saying it's inconsistent with the values of the socially conscious brand. The ice cream company, which is owned by Unilever, has been doing business in Israel since 1987. But the brand has come under scrutiny for its relationships in Israel in recent yea..Read More
22 July 2021
Appointments
Identify Your Niche
Footprint Global wins PR mandate for science & tech institutions
Footprint Global Communications, a Delhi-based PR Firm that specializes in Science Communications and Healthcare Advocacy, has been awarded the Public Relations mandate for Science & Technology Institutions - National Institute of Technology, Andhra Pradesh, IIT Jodhpur, and Gujarat Biotechnology University (GBU). Indian Institute of..Read More
22 July 2021
CSR
The Purpose Project
ON PURPOSE to help a not-for-profit build their communications capabilities
ON PURPOSE has marked its fourth year with the launch of the third edition of ‘The Purpose Project’. This launch marks the successful completion of the Purpose Project Part II, a capacity building project to support social change in India with Azad Foundation. “The Purpose Project is an effort by ON PURPOSE to help a no..Read More
22 July 2021
Marketing Economy
Coke’s Comeback
Coca-Cola doubled q2 marketing spend vs previous year
Coca-Cola on Wednesday reported a second-quarter revenue that surpassed 2019 levels, prompting the company to hike its full-year outlook. Coke reported fiscal second-quarter net income of $2.64 billion, or 61 cents per share. That’s up from $1.78 billion, or 41 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the company earned 68..Read More
22 July 2021
Communications/PR
Omnicom PR
Omnicom PR Agencies Up 15.1% In Q2
Omnicom PR agency revenue was up 15.1% in the second quarter of 2021, signaling the return of business following the height of the Covid pandemic. In its Q2 earnings report, the holding company reported Omnicom as a whole saw worldwide revenue in the second quarter of the year rise $27.5% to $3,571.6 million from $2,800.7 million in the ..Read More
22 July 2021
Social
Black TikTok Strike
Revolt against a new form of cultural appropriation on app
Black creators on TikTok are refusing to choreograph new dances and calling out what they see as a new form of cultural appropriation on the app. Rapper Megan Thee Stallion's latest song 'Thot Shit' was supposed to be a TikTok hit. Her previous single 'Savage' had more than 22 million hits on the app. 'WAP' generated 4m and there were 1...Read More
20 July 2021
Appointments
Diageo India
Rajalakshmi Azariah steps in to lead Corporate & Brand Communications
Beverage alcohol company and a subsidiary of global leader Diageo plc. Diageo India has appointed Rajalakshmi Azariah as its Head - Corporate and Brand Communications. She will be based out of Bangalore. Prior to this, Azariah was General Manager, Corporate Communications at The Himalaya Drug Company for a period of three years. Azariah ..Read More
20 July 2021
SKILL PILL
Driving Social Change
Designing multi-dimensional sustainability campaigns
Sustainability can mean different things for different people. For organisations wanting to prove their sustainability credentials, the motivations could vary from wanting to attract ESG (Environment, Society and Governance) focused funding, to meeting compliance requirements, to attracting talent wanting to work with organisations that ..Read More
20 July 2021
Communications/PR
'Quick Flags And Proactive Comms'
Aman Dhall's entrepreneurial journey from media to consultancy
In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital, especially in the pandemic period. However, at the same time the industry has been facing stiff challenges, moreover client expectations has also increased, with more emphasis being given to digital and onl..Read More
20 July 2021
DE&I
#InThisTogether: Microsoft
Comradeship exemplified with expertise and organization know-how
An ambulance rushes a COVID-positive patient from one hospital to another in search of a bed. His blood oxygen level is critically low and the cylinder keeping him alive is emptying fast. His son, a Microsoft employee, is on board with him and sends out an SOS for a replacement cylinder. A volunteer team of Microsoft co-workers whirs int..Read More
20 July 2021
Media
Top Indian Journalists Being Spied On
Israeli spyware firm Pegasus given official sanction (Leak)
The phone numbers of over 40 Indian journalists appear on a leaked list of potential targets for surveillance, and forensic tests have confirmed that some of them were successfully snooped upon by an unidentified agency using Pegasus spyware, The Wire can confirm. The Pegasus Project, a consortium of news organisations that ana..Read More
19 July 2021
