Hasbro 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”…
Read MorePopular YouTube and Gaming Star Apologizes for Cheating
In many cases, PR crises or scandals happen due to accidents or otherwise unforeseen consequences. Sometimes, they are the result of clearly poor choices creating consequences people should have seen coming. While it doesn’t help to point fingers, it is instructive to review the response to those situations when the opportunity arises. Fortnite player and YouTube superstar FaZe Jarvis recently provided such an opportunity. According to various media reports, Jarvis was caught “cheating” by using in-game aimbots, a strategy that allows players to automatically target opponents, thus “greatly increasing” shooting accuracy. The use of these bots is strictly prohibited in bigtime competition, so Jarvis was forced to face the music after receiving a very public lifetime ban by Epic Games,…
Read MoreGarbage Crisis
Garbage in, garbage out is a well-worn phrase that originated in the early days of computers when first-adapter users had to write their own paths and batch commands. But unlike old sayings that come and go, GIGO, as it’s also known, is even more appropriate today with the advent of artificial intelligence or AI. Some law enforcement agencies have come under intense criticism because their facial recognition programs leaned toward people of color. Why? AI reacts and responds according to the information that’s entered into it. If is weighed more heavily with information on people of color, that’s the kind of results it will deliver. Apple was one of the latest companies to get caught up in this because of…
Read MoreMetrics To Check Before Contracting an Influencer
Influencer marketing is a wonderful corner of the digital marketing industry because of its ability to be tailored to whatever the needs of a brand are. Influence is acquired by creating content — and finding the best ways to share it with as many people as possible — that resonates and connects with consumers. Whether the content connects on an aspirational level — ”I want to feel like that person does! That product might help me accomplish that.” — or on a more emotional level — “This person really gets me. I would like to be more like them.” — the precious metric that is loyalty can be accomplished with just one single Instagram post. Because of the influence these…
Read MoreHAMED WARDAK: A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
The meaning of this title from a play about Sir Thomas Moore has evolved over the years to now describe a person who’s ready to calmly deal with just about every situation imaginable. That title is indeed fitting for Harmed Wardak who was born in Afghanistan two years before the Soviet Union invaded the country in December 1979 , the son of General Abdul Rahim Wardak. His father fought the Russians in the 1980’s during the Soviet occupation and was later named the country’s Defense Minister in 2004. Though just 42 years of age, Harmed Wardak has accomplished enough to last several lifetimes according to an interview by digital marketing firm ContentHow. Wardak was one of more than 6 million…
Read MoreTake the Lead
So, the company board of directors or senior management directed marketing to take the lead in the company being seen as an industry leader by recommending that it advocate for something aligned with their industry. Now what? Next Steps What a tall order! Before walking down the plank alone, here are some ideas. The biggest challenge will be in coming up with something provocative and novel, a position or road that’s never been taken before. Achieving this will set a company apart from everyone else. Tap every trustworthy asset and ally available. These may include loyal clients or customers, vendors, partners, and suppliers. Get their input, including not just about one or more possible products, but also potential events, conferences,…
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