Hallmark Reverses Course on “Inclusion”
The voice of the public can get loud in a hurry these days, especially on social media. A handful of influencers, or a few key people on Twitter or Instagram, and suddenly it feels like the world is against your brand. Just ask The Hallmark Channel. Last week, a story started trending on social media with people reacting to an announcement that Hallmark Channel would not be running ads for a wedding planning website,which featured a same-sex couple kissing at the altar. The decision to pull the ads were, reportedly, in response to complaints from the American Family Association, via One Million Moms. When it was announced that the ad would be pulled, the AFA celebrated on social media, with…
Read MoreCan GameStop Survive a Shifting Market?
Streaming media has slowly transformed multiple different industries. It began with music. As the iPod sliced away at market share, retailers and production companies tried to ignore the interloper. Apple didn’t stop, and, in the space of a decade, the entire industry was transformed. The example was plain to see, as were the trends, but many booksellers did not pay much attention. When the Kindle came out, they scoffed. Then, stores started closing, as Amazon book sales and digital book sales exploded. People still buy and love “real” books, there are still big box booksellers and independent bookshops, but the market potential shrank considerably. It was only a matter of time before the video game market followed suit. Like movies,…
Read MorePeloton Ad Lampooned and Criticized
Is it sexist, fat-shaming, dystopian, a miscue, or just a missed opportunity? That’s the question marketers at Peloton are being confronted with after reaction to their now-infamous Christmas-themed commercial went off the rails. The concept is simple: guy buys girl an exercise bike for Christmas. She’s initially uncertain, but comes to love the bike, as well as the culture around it, which is a huge selling point for the high-priced luxury interactive stationary bike. So far, so good, right? Not so much. Depending on who you ask, the reasons for the barrage of negative feedback about the ad are legion. Is it the expression on the woman’s face? The audacity of the guy to insinuate she needed to exercise? The…
Read MoreSprint Trying to Survive as T-Mobile Pulls Away
For some time now, the mobile telecom market in the United States has been a four-horse race. Verizon maintained a strong lead, AT&T managed to keep pace, and two companies – T-Mobile and Sprint – fought for third place using a revolving combination of pricing incentives and cool consumer PR. Now, though, it appears a clear, consistent third-place brand has emerged, one that will essentially erase one of these brands, but make the company an instant contender to challenge the perennial top two. How’s that? T-Mobile and Sprint are trying to merge. And, if the $26 billion merger is approved, things in mobile telecom will change immediately. No one needs this more than Sprint. The company has tried, and failed,…
Read MoreUber CEO Responds to Criticism … Again
Most of the world believes Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered, though how, why, and by whom remains an open question and occasion for strident debate in some circles. The controversy alone should warn people off, especially if they’re not ready to face a firehose of very public rage. The fact that there’s an official version of events that most people tend to take at face value, should give people yet another reason to double-down on caution related to this issue. Especially, once again, if your brand has nothing to do with the tragedy or the controversy related to a murdered journalist. Enter Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi… During an interview with Axios media, the Uber CEO appeared to defend the…
Read MoreHasbro Needs Well-Executed Consumer PR to Avoid Another Seasonal Slump
The toy business has been a real roller coaster in the past few years, especially for large manufacturers such as Hasbro. With the shuttering of major retailers such as Toys R Us and the falling off of mall shopping across the country, brands have been forced to find other ways to merchandise and move their products. One of those ways is brand-connected consumer PR. There’s no doubt that connecting a toy to something that already occupies a kid’s imagination is a great way to churn up interest and make more sales. Toy companies have been doing exactly that forever. But, in this age of consumer-first marketing, where nearly all shoppers are looking for specific brands and specific toys, rather than…
Read MoreOSU Promises Payout for Doctor’s Victims
Ohio State University has added its brand to the list of colleges and universities paying for reports of sexual abuse by members of its staff or paid contractors. According to recent media reports, OSU has promised a “monetary resolution” related to accounts of men being sexually abused by disgraced and now-deceased team doctor, Richard Strauss. At this point, the message is more about getting out ahead of the story and trying to grab some control of the narrative than it is about offering contrition or specifics. As of this writing, no settlement has been reached in any lawsuits which allege school officials “ignored complaints” or “failed to stop” Strauss’s abuse. That’s not to say blame has not been levied or…
Read MoreOSU Star Out While Team Takes Run at Playoff
Just days after the first college football playoff ranking came out, the NCAA was rocked by the news that one of the best players on one of the best teams in all of college football may not be eligible to play. Ohio State defensive end Chase Young was said to be facing a two-game suspension – and potentially more – just as his team was headed into the home stretch of the season that would determine if OSU received a playoff bid. The infraction? Accepting a personal loan, something NCAA players are expressly forbidden. Media swarmed. Would the upcoming game against Rutgers prove to be a spoiler? No one really thought so, but that didn’t stop the questions or the…
Read MoreMcDonald’s PR Woes Go Global
McDonald’s workers in the UK staged a walkout this week, joining a global day of protests against pay inequity. Similar protests were reported in the US, France, Germany, Chile and Brazil. The burger giant has also been hit with legal action in the US, with a lawsuit alleging rampant harassment at a Michigan McDonald’s franchise that went ignored by management and proved “emblematic” of a broader problem at the multinational firm. This latest filing joins some 50 sexual harassment complaints filed against McDonald’s in recent years, according to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund working on the suit. In response to sexual harassment claims, McDonald’s has claimed to have overhauled its harassment training and policies in recent years, and says…
Read MoreSports Broadcaster Resigns After Immigrant Comments
Live TV can be a cruel mistress. While, yes, being on live television as a newscaster or broadcast commentator can be exhilarating, there are plenty of opportunities to create a PR fiasco or to torpedo your career. There have been many notable on-air collapses or implosions over the years, but few will sting as much to loyal Canadian hockey fans as the recent resignation of longtime announcer Don Cherry. According to several sports media reports, Cherry will “no longer appear” on Canada’s number one sports network, Sportsnet, or the popular “Hockey Night in Canada” program. This announcement comes after Cherry resigned in the midst of a public relations dustup after he was heard making what the network described as “divisive”…
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