What My First Marathon Taught Me, Professionally

About a month ago, I ran my first marathon; achieving a personal goal that I recently set for myself. Running has boosted my stamina and helped me maintain an overall healthier lifestyle. But my recent experience in training and preparing for this 26.2 mile run also gave me an unintended, and significant side benefit: It made me a better leader and a more focused and more confident professional. 

It also clarified for me just how much the process of pursuing a personal passion can help anyone grow tremendously as a professional, and reap lots of benefits for everyone around them. The qualities that make us great professionals are not gained only on the job. So many of the things that make us better at our jobs can come from accomplishments outside of the workplace.  

Here’s how that’s worked out for me.

It’s demonstrated the power of a network: Running has been a lifelong hobby and just that. At the beginning of 2021, I joined a local running group. What had always been a solo activity turned into a powerful support network that helped me to feel more confident in my abilities as well as increased my passion for the sport.  

It’s made me more confident: The confidence I gained through this group and my growing skills as a runner has transferred to my professional life. Confidence can be a bit elusive and intangible, but I think it - or a lack of it - underpins a lot of what can hold people back professionally. For example, imposter syndrome, anxiety, indecisiveness, and a lack of focus, determination and motivation can all hold us back from performing our best. 

It’s a reminder that achieving big goals is possible: A goal is just a wish until you write it down and commit to it. Creating a goal around the thing I love doing and succeeding at it has been incredibly rewarding. When there are professional setbacks, the race is something to positively reflect on. I know that I am capable, strong and resilient.  That’s true of goal-setting in the workplace.

Personal passions can offer great stress relief or ways to sort out problems: I do some of my best thinking when I’m out on a long run.  Also, it’s a great de-stressor, which benefits my family, my co-workers and my clients. 

Don’t ignore your passions work hard at them. You might be surprised at the hidden benefits you uncover. 

Gina Preoteasa, Senior Vice President

Summer 2021 in Review: Workplace Culture

This past summer was a learning experience for everyone everywhere. The coronavirus conversation turned into the vaccination rollout and thus, more businesses and workplaces gradually started to reopen. And with that, we began to see large shifts in workplace culture, updated in-office and work-from-home policies as well as the start of “The Great Resignation.” 

At Kite Hill PR, we stayed true to our agile mindset and implemented new policies and procedures swiftly to future-proof our workflow and maintain pace with the new normal. 

The last few months really brought Kite Hill PR’s value of balance to the forefront. We take work-life balance very seriously – so much so, it is one of our five core company values. Earlier this year, our agency launched a Work From Anywhere (WFA) policy which allows employees the freedom and flexibility to choose the work environment that best suits their needs and is the most conducive to producing the best results. This could include working remotely, in the office, or a hybrid of the two. Many employees were excited to return a few days a week to our company headquarters in New York City’s Financial District. Still, others are opting to work remotely. These shifts in how we work are also changing up our work culture, how we stay connected, how we foster collaboration (another Kite Hill PR value) and how we have fun.

In June, Kite Hill held its annual retreat as a hybrid event where some employees came to the office – safely – and others tuned in from all over the country. Employees received gift bags filled with company swag, treats and thought starters for team building activities in advance. One of our many guest speakers even taught us easy exercises to implement while sitting at your desk (are you hunching over your computer reading this? Sit up straight!). This was a great way for Kite Hill to show its appreciation for our team as well as showcase that companies can still be connected with their employees even in a virtual setting. The event was a success as all participants virtual or in-person were able to come together and connect with one another. 

Kite Hill has put in motion some best practices as the WFA environment continues, to ensure we are staying successful and productive. As a PR firm that has adopted the agile workflow leveraged by innovative technology teams, Kite Hill encourages employees to over-communicate in a virtual environment by checking in with teams on Slack channels, using Monday.com for collaborative project management and hopping on quick Zoom calls to brainstorm. Kite Hill also focuses on results-driven work. Kite Hill allows employees to work in the setting that is most comfortable for them, which gives them confidence in their employees to deliver results on client projects. 

We also shared how we individually approach work-life balance through a summer Instagram takeover series, which allowed employees to take viewers through a “day in the life” while working at Kite Hill. It was great to see how colleagues located in New York City, California, New Jersey, Long Island, Florida or Vermont start their day; some with coffee, others with an early morning workout. Some employees use a quick walk around the block as a head-clearing moment; others participate in walking meetings to get a few more steps in. Some showcased their fancy lunch making skills or impressive WFA Zoom set-ups. It really spoke to how different employees have adapted to the work environment that helps them produce their best work for clients.

Employing this WFA environment has underscored the importance of another Kite Hill PR value:  candor. Our emphasis on teamwork really comes in handy in a world where the new normal means that sometimes unanticipated power outages (hello hurricane season), wifi reboots or pandemic parenting emergencies happen. The Kite Hill PR Way is rooted in #teamworkmakesthedreamwork which empowers us to all come together and deliver excellent results for clients. 

Although we have all been navigating the pandemic together, it is time to really think about how to ensure success for not only the company as a whole but also individual employees. At the end of the day, we all want to work in an environment that fits our lifestyle and allows us to be the best possible version of ourselves. We believe that WFA is something that can help facilitate the best results. 

Angelina Kaliszak, Account Associate

The Continued Evolution of the CMO

Ten years ago several proclamations surfaced in the general business community that the role of the Chief Marketing Officer was dead. As digital advertising and paid social performance marketing continued dominate how brands were engaging with consumers – and measuring that engagement – the perceived role of brand marketing was deemed unnecessary by some. 

A recent AdAge article noted that there have been a copious amount of marketing-related chief titles that are replacing CMOs. Brands are continually creating new Chief INSERT DESCRIPTION HERE Officer titles to fit very specific roles that evolved as technology changes the way businesses function. And with those new c-suite roles, the traditional territory of CMOs is shrinking. 

Yet, just because there are more seats at the c-suite table doesn’t mean that CMOs should disappear. In fact, it’s essential that businesses continue to prioritize the unique perspectives and strategic thinking that marketers provide. What does need to change is the antiquated definition of and parameters put around the role of the CMO. We can’t use dated concepts and be surprised when the industry says the role is being replaced. 

New titles and roles that have been created, such as chief growth officer, chief purpose officer, chief digital officer and chief engagement officer, have very clear areas of focus. You can tell almost immediately what that person’s responsibilities include. Typical c-suite titles also come with a very clear understanding of roles – think CFO and COO. 

The CMO title is, and always has been, more elusive. CMOs’ responsibilities tend to evolve over time and expand across various teams within their organizations. For example, 20 years ago the CMO had a clear swim lane: market to specific audiences to ensure they know about the company and are buying the product. Five years ago that expanded to include all of the expanded capabilities technology brought – new marketing channels, the need to personalize, and the requirement to be transparent with audiences. The CMO is one of the few legacy c-suite titles that sees immense change in their responsibilities so frequently.

So how can today’s PR agencies support today’s evolving CMO?

Create PR programs that clearly align with the CMO’s business objectives

PR programs are not cookie cutter – each program should be tailored to the specific client. Beyond that, PR programs should have direct alignment with the client’s business objectives. Does helping recruit top talent fall to your CMO? If so, your PR program should have a strong company awards program that highlights company culture. On top of that, a strong blog and social media presence that amplifies employee voices will increase visibility and show clear impact. 

Think about who the CMO is working with across the company and what results will resonate the most. Education is key here. As mentioned, it’s difficult to succinctly define marketing, and subsequently PR, so it’s important to show a through line of the results earned media has on the business as a whole.

Deliver results that can be leveraged throughout the organization 

PR and marketing are not, and should not, be standalone programs in a company. Having relationships with and visibility with key stakeholders throughout the organization is imperative to CMOs’ success. The information gained through those relationships informs how marketing plans are developed. Inversely, it’s important for PR and marketing teams to arm people throughout the company with collateral that will help them in their roles. A key relationship that impacts both parties’ success is between the marketing and sales teams. As a PR professional, delivering a piece of coverage in Business Insider that can be used as a resource for sales enablement creates a new way to measure success. That Business Insider article can serve as another touchpoint with prospects and provide third-party validation as to why they should work with the organization. 

By working closely with CMOs, PR professionals have a unique opportunity to take success seen in one area and scale that success across multiple channels. A PR program that snaps into the overarching marketing puzzle enables CMOs to better showcase the company-wide impact to the c-suite. 

The role of the CMO will always evolve. And while other c-suite titles may come, the core value the marketing leader brings to an organization is the ability to understand the goings on of multiple divisions of the company, while also keeping a clear pulse on customer sentiment and demand. As PR professionals, our job is to accept that and grow with the changes that will constantly happen, while providing clear paths to success.

Emma Wolfe, Vice President

Kite Hill’s Top Three: Best Podcasts for Advancing Your PR Career

PR professionals today have myriad resources for career advancement: the entire universe of news is a swipe away.  Have an answer about AP style? You’ll find it in two keystrokes. The digital world has granted us access to an endless universe of knowledge. 

Tapping that knowledge on behalf of clients is a constant pursuit, but our team applies it to finding insights to help with our own careers.

For me, my media of choice is podcasts.They’re the ultimate multitasking media. I can be doing mundane reporting while listening to a podcast that is recapping the industry news for the day, or I can be taking a walk after work while listening to a tech business report that will inspire a byline. The options are endless with podcasts and with so many amazing ones out there, here are just three that have made a difference in my life over the last five years.

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is exactly what it sounds like. Host, Mignon Fogarty begins each episode with a little bit of a history lesson -- sometimes the history of the grammar technique we are about to discuss or other times, the history of a word -- before diving into the grammar lesson for the day. Each episode is only 15-minutes long, and covers a variety of topics including how preposition use has changed over time, how long is too long for a sentence, what does ‘op-ed’ really mean and the perfect paragraph length just to name a few. 

Mignon Fogarty has built an entire network around Grammar Girl, being a New York Times bestseller and winning Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards at the Podcast Awards five times. I love this podcast for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s woman-run and I love supporting strong women entrepreneurs. Secondly, it’s fast. PR moves fast, so I need everything else that I am doing that relates to PR to move just as fast. A 15-minute episode is the perfect length; it is easily digestible, gets right to the point, and holds the attention of the audience. Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is a fun and easy way to brush up on some grammar techniques while learning a thing or two about the history of the language. 

Pitchin’ and Sippin’ with Lexie Smith

Another huge part of a PR professional's day in the life is media strategy. How are we going to get our clients the best results? As a young professional, this is an area of PR that both excites me and drives me. With so much happening in the world, what really is the best strategy? It is a question that is not easily answered but the challenge poses great opportunities.

Through behind-the-scenes interviews with the media to a look at inspiring brands and entrepreneurs that are rocking the world of PR, the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ Podcast talks tips, while taking sips, and openly discusses what makes those in the world of PR tick. Each episode, ranging from 35-minutes to 45-minutes, dives into what really goes into landing press and achieving true influence, impact and organic revenue with PR. Just a few topics have included how to develop an impactful global media strategy, creating an annual news cycle and lookbook for your brand, amplifying visibility and how to improve SEO.

Pitchin’ and Sippin’ features interviews with PR pros who are living this life every day. It feels like a more personal podcast when you are listening to it -- real people sharing real stories about real things they have done. It resonates with everyone at every level of PR, from the most junior staff to the CEO. The episodes are impactful, offer great tips and tricks for elevating your PR game and make you feel as though you are collaborating with each guest even though you most likely have never met them.

Song Exploder

Sometimes, you just need a break from work -- and that’s okay. I love listening to music, any genre and any artist. 99 percent of the time you can find me with my headphones on and, if I am not listening to a podcast, I am listening to some kind of music. I saw on Twitter one day that there was a Netflix series called Song Exploder and one of the episodes featured Lin Manuel Miranda breaking down how he wrote “Wait for It” for his earth-shattering musical, Hamilton. Of course I had to check it out and fell in love with the series and instantly needed more than the four episodes that were available at that time. So I took back to the Internet and found the podcast that inspired the show, Song Exploder.

As briefly described above, Song Exploder, hosted by Hrishikesh Hirway, is a podcast where musicians take apart some of their most popular songs and piece by piece, explain how the song came to be. Episodes are only about 20-minutes long (I wish they were at least an hour) and have featured artists such as HAIM, Billie Eillish, Cheap Trick, Common, Jewel and PJ Morton. 

As someone who works in a field that prioritizes creativity, nothing is better than listening to other creative people talk about their process. It is so special hearing how these songs that we bop to on the radio have come to live and breathe. Through each episode, we are able to see just how much goes into a 3 minute song and it really makes you appreciate this form of art.

Podcasts are a media on the rise as our world has increasingly become more interested in being multitaskers. Whether you are looking for a podcast to help with your career or just looking for something to listen to while taking your walk after work, there really is something out there for everyone.

Why the Delta Variant Might Put Industry Event Plans on Pause, Again… What You Need to Know

Is the Delta variant leading to another pause on industry planned events? It might just be. BravoCon 2021 is being cancelled “out of an abundance of caution”; organizers of the New York Auto Show recently nixxed their upcoming in-person event due to rising concerns surrounding the variant. Now, with recent reports swirling that Stevie Nicks and other prominent artists are making the hard decision to cancel the remainder of their 2021 shows due to the variant, it feels oddly reminiscent of the chaotic energy we were all swept up into just over one year ago.

Event cancellations are not just looming, they’re happening. So, what do we do with that information? Unfortunately, this is -- quite literally -- not our first rodeo, which means now is the time for industry marketers and business leaders to be agile, and plan accordingly. 

What we’re experiencing now may feel reminiscent of where we were at the start of the pandemic, but our actions over the next few weeks can strongly influence -- and manifest into existence -- that more positive outcome that 2021 was supposed to represent. Here’s how:

1. Bring your A-game by keeping Plan B and C in your back pocket. The nature of the industry may change, but the moment in time does not disappear. There is likely another way to maximize the moment outside of attending an in-person event; think through what that path to success would look like for your company, and formulate a few back-up plans. 

2. Hybrid or virtual events are the best options to pursue as we navigate this next wave. Flexibility is key. Take a look at your upcoming event schedule. Ask yourself, what are you locked into? Do you need to attend those upcoming events? What value are they driving for your organization? 

3. Look for sponsorships that have digital marketing elements, such as content marketing opportunities. If the sponsorship makes sense for the business, and the business has the budget, it is still worth the pursuit.

4. With that, use this time to refresh your overall strategy and re-evaluate remaining marketing dollars! We’re at that time of year that often sees marketers racking their brains to cook up ways to use up underutilized budgets ahead of next year’s planning cycle. Leverage this time to your creative advantage.

5. Think employee-led. This is, arguably, the most important tip. Challenge your organization to think if there could be a better way to leverage resources and hit KPIs while keeping employees -- and their safety -- top of mind. We are in the midst of The Great Resignation; now is not the time to make employees feel uncomfortable or worry about having to travel to and attend or staff an in-person event. Now is the time to lead with empathy, understanding, and compassion.

6. Keep events in your marketing and communications calendar! They still mark a moment in time and an opportunity to get the attention of a larger audience. Especially for larger events, like CES where there is opportunity for meaningful mind melds with industry executives, journalists will still be covering the virtual event, so don’t miss out on an opportunity to tell your story.

Delta may be responsible for this most recent and deadly wave, but we are unfortunately -- and realistically -- nowhere near the true end to the pandemic. We cannot think in terms of reaching “new normals”; there is only the here and now. Let this latest variant serve as a great reminder to think big picture, and that thinking extends beyond event planning. 

There will be a resurgence of events that will be a part of a powerful and digitally-transformed marketing mix. The events industry appears poised for a new era, one that is shaped by the impulse to connect and gather. Together, and with a little bit of ingenuity, we have the opportunity to define a new, flexible future of work that was better than anything we experienced in the pre-pandemic era.  

• Mackenzie Gavel, Account Director

Before Going Full Rainbow for a Pride Celebration, Brands Must Be Authentic Internally

As Pride Month comes to a close, we all have a bit of time to reflect. Whether we’re a member of the LGBTQIA+ community or whether we’re an ally, we can all hopefully agree that we’ve come a long way in the 52 years since the Stonewall rebellion in 1969. For the LGBTQIA+ community, Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate. It’s also an occasion to remind ourselves that the queer communities still struggle for inclusion and equity. At Kite Hill PR, we celebrate Pride year-round by proactively building and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and by creating a safe and inclusive space for everyone. At the start of the month, many corporations suddenly switched their monochrome logos with the rainbow versions to display to all. As communicators, when we are asked to recommend timely and topical ways for brands to embrace social justice movements like Pride, we always lead with the need to be authentic about encouraging safe and inclusive spaces for all genders, and to avoid the appearance of “pinkwashing” or being performative with marketing stunts.

Pinkwashing vs Purposeful Marketing

June marks what is now the annual appearance of rainbow motifs, logo treatments, flags and merchandise, online or at nearly any supermarket or retailer. Corporations illuminate the June sky with rainbow logos galore. But our advice? Before imbuing a brand with a rainbow palette, be sure corporate practices are in order and that the company is walking the walk and truly advocating for equality. AT&T, Verizon, UPS, and FedEx to name a few all have been criticized in recent years for pinkwashing. Consumers will also demand that leaders align with the sentiments of their companies:  Chick-fil-A may have pledged support of the LGBTQIA+ community in 2019, but its Chairman and CEO was recently called out for his personal discriminatory actions. 

Actions speak louder than words – and logos. Corporate responsibility isn’t just a simple game to play. It’s a time where vocal allyship is seen and heard. Some marketers have not only understood this, they’ve embraced it. T-Mobile is one corporation who is embracing and advocating for the betterment of the queer community. The “Un-Carrier” was the corporate sponsor at NYC Pride 2019 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion. More recently, they aided the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) with a $1 million donation aimed at developing digital literacy and financial empowerment for the queer community: an exemplary purposeful marketing campaign worth celebrating this Pride Month.

We still have far to go to achieve complete equality for all of the LGBTQIA+ community across the gender spectrum. Yet when recent news out of the NFL – which many would have imagined the last place to celebrate pride – with Carl Nassib becoming the first openly gay active player in the NFL, this moment may mark a truly mainstreaming moment for marketers, and signaling even greater understanding of what pride and inclusion is all about. Here’s to hope and to a Happy Pride Month!

• Jason Keller, Sr. Director of Growth & Digital Strategy

So You Want to Talk About Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Despite the collective level of “woke-ness” that has happened recently in business culture over the past year, insensitivities about racial and gender bias remain pervasive in workplace communication, in marketing and culture. Others may choose to believe it’s too late or too sensitive of a topic to care about, or it’s too thorny to actually take corrective action. At Kite Hill PR, we believe advancing progress in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is not just a nice-to-do, it is an absolute business imperative and that we all have a role in taking steps toward accomplishing complete diversity and inclusion within our company and community.

Adopt an Inside Out Perspective

We start by offering perspective in our clients’ own PR programs. We are pleased that increasingly, the brands we work with realize that they need to start on the inside to ensure their own teams are diverse and that their actions invite inclusion from all across their employee and stakeholder base. Soliciting diversity in thought during discussions, taking in relevant perspectives and being receptive to new ideas from different backgrounds is not only a positive social move, it’s good business. Employees who believe their company’s inclusion strategy is strong are usually more engaged in the workplace – 61% of employees believe diversity and inclusion strategies are beneficial and essential.

Maintain an Agile Posture

Last year’s perfect storm of pandemic, racial and systemic injustice and political divide forced every industry, brand, and person to adapt and change their marketing and digital strategies. Advertisers discovered that personalization matters, but some brands misinterpreted this and instead, missed the mark and were more performative than socially conscious. “Inclusivity can help brands connect on a deeper, more meaningful level with their audiences – which can be a major asset to marketing campaigns,” said Hubspot’s Pamela Bump. And we agree. 

Read The Room

At Kite Hill PR, part of our mission to help clients read the room and avoid showing up as performative. The road of good intentions is littered with missteps many brands made, whether it was Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner spot, Gucci’s Blackface jumper, or the H&M’s image that involved a young Black kid in a “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” sweatshirt (and those are just a few). In today’s environment, marketing teams can always do better by actively listening to all stakeholders, by bringing in different perspectives and viewing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as a long game, not a trend. Getting that wrong could lead straight to a brand being “cancelled.” 

Diversity and inclusion can’t just start and stop at the marketing department, though. It starts at the core with the company’s mission, its leaders, and their values. Carmen Morris wrote in this Forbes piece,“In an era, in which social media and the internet dictates much of what your customers and employees talk about, being authentic and accountable for diversity and inclusion becomes an important issue for leadership.” Simply slapping a few people of color on a billboard, commercial, or magazine ad does not mean your company is genuinely and accurately practicing inclusive branding.

One thing that all of last year’s chaos taught us was that consumers are supporting brands that align with their core values and goals. Consumers want to feel “heard” and “connected” to the advertisements they are seeing on their screens. Brands that are actively speaking out and placing authentic ads are more likely to attract new consumers as opposed to brands that are staying silent. In fact, 69% of consumers would prefer to buy from brands committed to socially conscious causes. Everyone in the advertising industry, from agencies to advertisers to brands, has a responsibility to take a conscious approach to their strategies and it needs to start now.

• Shania Roper, Account Associate

News about Communications Week and A Bright Future for Events

As an active member of the PR community, Kite Hill PR has been the driving force and organizer behind the leading industry week, Communications Week, since its 2014 launch. Today, we’re announcing the acquisition of Communications Week by the distinguished communications trade publication, Ragan Communications.

Ragan Communications is a company that has demonstrated their commitment to elevating the role of the communicator for more than 50 years. Under Ragan Communications, Communications Week will continue to connect, inspire, and inform those in this vibrant and essential industry. I will now be co-chairing the new Communications Week advisory board with the Ragan Communications team.

Communications Week 2021 is slated for November 15-19, 2021, and will feature thought-provoking sessions on topics including crisis management, social media, employee engagement, media relations, diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I), environmental, social & governance (ESG), comms technology and digital marketing.

As a part of a much larger community of communicators, attendees of future events will have access to even more resources and educational sessions. Supporters, partners and sponsors of Communications Week will also benefit from the scale of the Ragan Communications community.

What’s Next For Kite Hill? 

The Kite Hill team continues to be focused on supporting our clients and partners through times of growth and expansion via strategic communications, earned media and thought leadership, with events continuing to be a core element of Kite Hill’s offerings. We are excited to continue to collaborate with clients on future events – whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid models – as a part of an integrated communications program.

We also are continuing to expand how we amplify the earned media results we generate via digital strategy services including social media management and paid media. Stay tuned here for more exciting news regarding this in the future! 

Finally, Kite Hill PR recently joined the PR Council to offer our team more access to training and resources with the ultimate goal of bringing our clients even more great ideas and delivering best-in-class work.

Thank you for your continued support of Kite Hill PR and our mission to pave the way for the future of the communications industry.

• Tiffany Guarnaccia, Founder and CEO

Women in Media Meetup (Webinar): The NewFronts and Upfronts Post-COVID

This spring, our PR agency hosted 2021’s first Women in Media event: a virtual but timely discussion leading into the NewFronts and Upfronts season – a hugely important annual moment for the advertising and media industries. The Women in Media event series is open to everyone in the media, entertainment, and ad tech industries. The panel of industry experts discussed how these events have evolved due to the impact of COVID-19, how they are faring in the wake of changing consumer habits, if they are really still relevant and everything in between. 

Moderated by Jeanna Liu, Managing Director at CDX Advisors, panelists included Amy Emmerich, Brand Advisor and Strategist, Emmy-award winning producer and former Global President at Refinery29 and Rebecca Barr, EVP of Media at GainShare.

Unable to attend the live event? Tune into the recording here.

Here are some key findings from the discussion:

COVID-19 Impact on Digital Advertising

One challenge that brands have faced in the wake of COVID-19 is a necessary pivot away from experiential or in-person marketing strategies toward advertising strategies adopting mobile digital versus traditional media. The panelists agreed TikTok has been leading the way in gaining the attention of Gen Z and thus, creating a truly unique opportunity for brands to leverage for advertising purposes. With over 689 million users, TikTok has set high standards for its fellow digital and non-digital competitors alike. However, despite the digital shift, Generation X is still more likely to turn towards TV advertising instead of social media. Platforms such as Twitch and podcasts also have yet to measure up to the success of apps like TikTok in terms of advertising efforts. 

The Shift in Consumer Behavior

COVID-19 accelerated already emerging consumer behaviors, and the impact of those shifts on advertising across all platforms continues to evolve. With advances in digital, more people spending time inside working remotely, screen time has been at an all-time high. Within the last year, video content watch time surpassed over 23,000 hours. Will this continue with normalcy on the horizon?

The Future of NewFronts & Upfronts

Pandemic or not, the world is going digital and technology is continuing to advance. Advertisers had already begun to move away from traditional presentation formats even before the pandemic. But while Barr and Emmerich agreed virtual events are more manageable from a scheduling perspective, people will begin to look for reasons to network in real life once again. Barr and Emmerich also predicted that both the NewFronts and the Upfronts will converge into one season, citing Hulu, which pulled out of the NewFronts and is teaming with Disney for its Upfronts. 

COVID-19 Impact on the Media Buying Season

Brands are constantly updating their messaging and strategy to keep their consumers engaged. Many advertisers pulled out of Upfront deals due to the pandemic over the past year, however, Barr predicts brands will secure Upfront deals, creating a competitive marketplace, despite not knowing what the future holds for viewership.

While we might still be dealing with the impact of the pandemic, it is clear that the media industry is pushing forward.

• Samantha O’Rourke

The Ten Business and Technology Podcasts You Should Be Listening To Now

Now more than ever, it’s easy to consume your daily dose of news on the move, via mobile, social media, actual newspapers, and more recently, podcasts. 

Podcasts are increasingly a favored way for busy executives to take in the day’s major business highlights. In 30 minutes or less, most podcasts break down the latest news into digestible audio ‘snacks,’ and can be a great way to stay up to speed on general news and vertical categories like entertainment, marketing, media, advertising, FinTech, blockchain, retail, cybersecurity, or enterprise tech, en route to work. 

Even if that work commute might only be from the bedroom to the living room couch in today’s work-from-anywhere environment, the business world going remote has not slowed audio consumption. New options for podcasts are popping up every day and they have become a key platform for Kite Hill PR clients. Here are ten podcasts our PR agency recommends you keep in your podcast rotation.

• The New York Times’ The Daily

Host Michael Barbaro goes behind the day’s biggest news story with the New York Times’s reporting team Monday through Friday.   

• Ad Age Marketer’s Brief

Marketer’s Brief is hosted by Ad Age’s EJ Schultz, who analyzes some of the biggest marketing stories and trends with the publication’s reporters and major players in the industry. This weekly podcast covers marketing news across various industries. 

• Business Casual 

Morning Brew’s Swan Sit interviews the most intriguing up-and-coming executives and goes deep into the latest business trends – from NFTs to AI and meme stocks. 

• Adweek Yeah That’s Probably An Ad

Yeah That’s Probably An Ad dissects the latest news in marketing, media, technology, and pop culture. Hosts David Griner and Ko Im along with other Adweek reporters break down the impact of advertising around major events and moments of the year, such as the 2020 Election and the Holiday Season, and how the industry continues to evolve. 

• Recode Media

Recode’s highly respected media editor Peter Kafka brings deep industry knowledge, sharp wit and sometimes hard-hitting style in discussions with top figures running the worlds of entertainment, sports, advertising and technology to this popular weekly podcast.

• Digiday Podcast

The Digiday Podcast is a weekly show that discusses the biggest stories and issues that matter to brands, agencies, and publishers as they transition to the digital age. Hosted by Kayleigh Barber, the Digiday Podcast has featured executives from well-known brands, such as BuzzFeed, Google, and Vox Media. 

• AdExchanger Talks

AdExchanger Talks discusses the major advancements in digital advertising and marketing with the industry leaders at the forefront of this evolution. Host Zach Rodgers explores the latest news and trends in adtech, publishing, media, tech, and more. 

• Marketing Over Coffee

Marketing Over Coffee is a weekly podcast that focuses on both new and classic marketing. Hosts John Wall and Christopher Penn discuss industry trends, product releases, tech developments, new book launches, and more. Episodes have covered the GameStop/Wall Street takeover, Elon Musk joining Clubhouse, and the importance of customer data platforms. 

• Sway

New York Times’ opinion columnist and legendary tech reporter Kara Swisher holds the tech world’s captains of industry accountable with her take-no-prisoners interview style.

• Through Your Looking Glass

Through Your Looking Glass is hosted by Patrick Comer, Founder and CEO of the leading programmatic research technology company Lucid. This podcast explores the landscape of Research Technology (ResTech) with experts from the industry and beyond. 

The great thing about podcasts is also the most daunting thing about them: there are hundreds of thousands of options to choose from. As brands and companies launch their own podcasts, listeners can curate their own collection with their podcast app of choice. The conversational style employed by most podcasts draws listeners in by making them feel a part of the discussion and keeping them engaged in the series. 

Podcasts will continue to grow in popularity, whether the workforce remains in a work-from-anywhere environment or starts to commute back to the office. So no matter if you’re listening for work or for entertainment, we think it’s time to jump on the podcast train: it’s full steam ahead!

• Krystal Parker, Account Executive

Are your 2021 goals shining bright? Might be time for some Spring cleaning.

If you are like most, you are probably in disbelief that we are already in Q2 2021. While April is when we start seriously tidying up on the home front, it’s also an excellent time to apply a Spring cleaning mindset to your public relations program.

Maybe you started the year with big business and PR goals but have lost steam. Perhaps you exceeded what you wished to accomplish at the start of 2021. Either way—spring is an excellent time to analyze your PR objectives and refresh accordingly so that you are set up for success for the rest of the year. 

Let’s talk about goals

Let’s start with goal setting overall. At Kite Hill PR, we live by agility. Our team implements The PR Sprint™ Workflow to measure and track goals for our clients. Part of the process is identifying “S.M.A.R.T.” goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Based. Business leaders should also be associating S.M.A.R.T. goals with larger business objectives. 

When setting goals, ask yourself these three questions:

Are my goals trackable?

Can data help measure progress and track success? If you are not moving the needle, or making any demonstrable progress, it might suggest that the strategy is not working and should be changed to allow for measurement. For example, if you are looking to raise brand awareness but want measurable results, you might want to consider pairing your campaign with paid advertising options like social or native advertising in order to track cost-per-actions. 

Are my goals up-to-date?

You don’t need a PR team to tell you this past year has been full of communication minefields. Undoubtedly, most businesses had to adjust 2020 goals, and limitations caused by current circumstances may have impacted 2021 goal planning. For example, as strictly virtual events adopt hybrid models allowing in-person attendance to return as soon as this summer, leaders may want to assess events as they are known to be great for networking, brand awareness, and speaking opportunities. If taking on the annual industry trade show seems like too much, consider starting smaller with roundtables or internal corporate events (and be sure to build in plenty of contingency plans). While things are slowly returning to normalcy, brands should still ensure agility in all business goals. 

Am I leading the way? 

The need for more flexibility in the workplace has been heightened by the pandemic allowing employees to have more control in their daily schedule. Business leaders need to listen to their employees and the market needs. As our Founder and CEO, Tiffany Guarnaccia pointed out in a recent interview with PRWeek, “We’re adjusting our headquarters to meet the demands of tomorrow, which we refer to as the ‘three C’s of the modern office': concentration, collaboration and celebration.” Not only will this create stronger employee retention but it will also open the door to thought leadership opportunities as a leader paving the way for others. 

It is never too late to set your business up for success. Having trackable goals allows you to easily increase budgets when strategies are proving to be successful. Staying on top of the latest developments impacting the industry will help you ensure your goals are achievable. Be a true thought leader in all things impacting businesses in the coming years. Use this spring to ensure your 2021 goals have all the light they need to blossom throughout the rest of the year. 

• Kyle Murray, Account Manager

The 2021 April Fools Day Winners and Losers From A PR Perspective

April Fools Day 2021 was a welcome relief in a tough year. While many sat out the annual April 1 jokester fest during pandemic lockdown, this year saw brands coming out for some badly needed cheer. As we took in the flurry of fake announcements and funny social moves, our team at Kite Hill PR observed some hits and misses, but here are a few that really stood out to us. 

For starters, we applaud Cartoon Network for their “Cattoon Network” re-brand and loved their thoughtful and fully cat-themed schedule. Are you ready for Keeping up with the Katdashians or Game of Paws? Note to the network: we would totally tune in!

Volkswagen experienced backlash with their sudden name change “Voltswagen” stunt. While we give them props for using a rather detailed press release to underscore their more climate friendly tech, their decision to go out with the stunt early -- several days before April 1, confused the public and ticked off journalists. The deception also didn’t help given the brand is still climbing back from an earlier scandal.  

On the other hand, TaskRabbit leaned into their brand ethos with the enlightened the mood of their joke introducing Task Bunnies to keep clients company while taskers do their thing. What made this move all the more meaningful was that the company also pledged to donate up to $4,000 to nonprofit rabbit rescues to give back as part of their April Fools bunny move. April Fools Day is also a great time for a brand or individual to apply some self-deprecating humor to their known quirks, and on that note, Lego gets kudos from us. The world knows that stepping on Legos is everyone’s worst nightmare. We loved how Lego announced the arrival of Lego Smartbricks, which detect your walking path and automatically slide away from you while you were walking. (A few of the parents on our team were a bit bummed to learn that it wasn’t real though!)

Velveeta embraced its guilty goodness with a prank ad touting its new expansion into skin care: “V for Velveeta.” The ad encourages you to "indulge your indulgences" and "immerse yourself in the serenity of smoothness." While we are all for adding more cheese to our day, we were more thinking about consuming it, not wearing it. Speaking of food and body care, Jack Ink’s Jerky promoted a giveaway of a cologne for men that has the scent of their jerky.  

As a tech PR firm, we LOL’d pretty hard on Stack Overflow’s introduction of The Key to make “copy+paste” easier to execute in a strain-free way. While on the topic of tech, we also noted Satechi’s cybermouse prank, which hopped onto the surge in electric battery interest among investors. The EV-powered cybermouse was purportedly made out of bulletproof “super-tough” aluminum with LED lights. Although the product was fake, we like that Satechi offered a real consumer coupon.

In the category of pranks that could one day become a real thing, we salute Bentley Motors for touting a coffee machine integrated on its dashboard for an on-demand espresso. Many of us car aficionados would truly appreciate this kind of feature, as long as it was accessible on the passenger side, naturally.

What April Fools 2021 demonstrated is that the marketplace is ready to laugh again. The brands whose pranks were in line with their existing brand personalities, or ones that featured a mission-driven or consumer-oriented initiative like donations or discounts were the winners. But humor is hard. Those whose timing or message were a bit off were cautionary tales for the PR fallout that sometimes accompany a prank gone wrong. 

• Julian Cannon, Account Associate

Adapting your PR Strategy When Major Events are Dominating the News Cycle

3 Tips for Adapting your PR Strategy When Major Events are Dominating the News Cycle

In a marketplace that is forever shaped by things like COVID-19, political divide, and social unrest, businesses have learned to pivot and shoulder on, and that includes PR efforts. It’s more important than ever to be agile and strategic about communications. 

Enlightened brands know that staying radio silent is not always the best option. But it is possible to adapt and embrace smart tactics to generate positive earned media coverage. Here are three tips to adjusting your PR strategy when major events are dominating the news cycle. 

Leverage Cultural Events And Make Yourself a Part of the Story 

This one is a no-brainer. Anticipate those significant cultural events happening, and leverage them to your advantage. The Super Bowl is a great example of an event that many people and businesses are invested in and it consistently ends up dominating news coverage leading up to and after the big game. Awards season, Mother’s Day and the onset of summer vacation are just a few examples of upcoming events that should be also on your radar. 

These annual events give PR pros time to plan ahead and find ways to cut through the noise. Find unique ways to insert yourself into conversations that you know will take place during this time. Is it commentary around the ads? Pandemic safety protocols? Fitness for older adults (inspired by 40-something year-old Tom Brady)? You need only to decide which is most in your favor. 

Contribute Authentic or Thought-Provoking Ideas, Not Just Self-Promotion

They say too much of a good thing can become a bad thing and such is true when it comes to self-promotion, especially during times of civil and emotional unrest. During last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests many organizations and brands released statements about what they were doing to combat racial injustice both within and outside the workplace. But many people, particularly those close to the cause saw these efforts as performative, overly promotional, and tone-deaf, especially as bold words turned out to be empty ones that were neither fortified nor backed up with action. 

In situations like this, thoughtfulness is key. It’s not always about shouting loudly about all the great initiatives you’re implementing. There is a time and place for self-promotion but when it comes to sensitive cultural topics, it’s critical to position messages and actions less about your organization and more about the cause.  It’s important to understand that some stories are larger than your organization. It’s about strategically acknowledging the moment with tact and delicacy. 

The Best Action Might Be No Action 

Staying silent or switching plans in the face of a massive cultural event can sometimes be the right move. Last month, when rioters stormed the Capitol Building, it was a scary and politically fraught moment. Many were confused by what happened and many were in fact hurt. This was likely a moment to skip that big press release and go on pause for a few days. Sometimes society’s happenings eclipse the business climate. Use your best judgment to decide when and where you fit in. 

While these tips are about adjusting your PR strategy, it is really a lesson in agility. It’s about being flexible enough to be reactive when needed but having enough discipline to be proactive as well. It’s not enough to be aware of what’s happening outside of the office. It’s important to be able to quickly pivot and formulate a new plan around any news, and remember, at times it’s okay to not say anything at all.  

• Tanya Merisier, Account Associate

Reimagining the workplace offers opportunity for inclusion

“We must create new opportunities and help women, in particular working mothers, realize their career ambitions. Agency leaders must also develop new work policies that are flexible and that can be customized based on individual employees.”

Read more from our Founder and CEO, Tiffany Guarnaccia in PR Daily.

Why We #ChooseToChallenge Workplace Gender Inequality at Kite Hill PR

Today marks International Women’s Day: a time to celebrate the many achievements women have made and progress towards a more inclusive and gender-equal world. This year’s theme is #ChooseToChallenge, which promotes the idea that a challenged world is an alert world and change ultimately comes from a challenge. 

I have always believed that in every challenge you can find opportunity. Today, we can all choose to challenge inequality while celebrating women’s achievements. At Kite Hill PR, we proactively work to combat workplace gender inequality. We choose to challenge gender bias and the inequality mothers in the workforce face. While women now make up the majority of the workforce, working mothers still face immense challenges and are pulling double duty. Mothers often have their commitments challenged at work, which can affect the type of work assignments handed out and disparities in pay. Additionally, many companies are not taking the time to invest in workplace programs and policies that support and promote a culture of work-life balance. 

As a female-founded and owned company with a senior team made up of 100% women, we value work-life balance because we understand it is a crucial component of a healthy work environment. We live by our core values of agility, candor, collaboration, and passion and recently added balance as our fifth value, to show our team that balance is ingrained in our culture. We have a flexible work program, paid parental leave, and also offer comprehensive healthcare benefits. 

I have challenged the status quo throughout my career and even more so now by navigating entrepreneurship and being a working mother through a pandemic. Throughout my career, I have had strong female role models to draw inspiration from and I have had the pleasure of working with powerful female leaders including Arianna Huffington, the founder of The Huffington Post and the founder and CEO of Thrive Global, as well as Bonnie Kintzer, the CEO of Trusted Media Brands. Both women showed me that you don’t have to worry about shattering a glass ceiling. The only ceiling is the one you create for yourself. 

The challenges we face today are not only the ones of the past. We are facing new challenges brought on by the pandemic. According to a Global Women in PR study, 40% of women are working longer hours in lockdown and struggling to juggle work, childcare, and homeschooling. With the growing demands at home, many mothers are worried about being judged over their work performance, and many women are also experiencing burnout. To offset these negative impacts, we have to act in a positive way now. Employers must confront the bias against working women and take actionable steps to improve the workplace for mothers. Employers need to not only acknowledge the issue but take bold and fast actions including increasing support for parents, offering flexible policies, and maintaining transparency for employees. Join me and #ChooseToChallenge. 

• Tiffany Guarnaccia, Founder and CEO

How the comms industry can attract and retain women amid the pandemic

For companies that want to boost retention rates and attract top talent, there is no going back to older work models, according to Guarnaccia.

"Successful agencies will understand that your people are your number one asset and will carry through the lessons we've learned during this pandemic," she says. 

Guarnaccia's hope is that many of these changes in flexible work hours and sympathetic managers lead to a fundamental shift in how employees are evaluated. 

"We are increasingly seeing agencies shift to focus on results, outputs and the value of one's work," she says. "Now more than ever, it's important to provide employees with support and encourage teams to work smarter not harder."

Read more from our Founder and CEO, Tiffany Guarnaccia in PRWeek.

The Importance of Building a Purpose-Driven Brand

Coming up on a full year of COVID-19, a year that has brought more time and space for reflection than ever before, it seems like nearly everyone has done the work to figure out, or at least start asking questions around, what their individual purpose is. In addition to the pandemic, heated political discourse, and the larger acknowledgment of how systemic racism plagues every aspect of our lives has brought the contemplation of “purpose” to the forefront. It’s not just average citizens going deep on purpose, it’s brands too, who are thinking about their missions and visions.

Savvy brands have been purpose-driven for years. The Internet brought transparency to consumer relationships with brands and in the early aughts, the world saw a shift, with more global brands embracing authentic and often pro-social missions, and becoming more in tune with customer passions.  Many companies began to embrace purpose-driven practices as a core differentiator for talent and growth. And today, Gen Z has emerged as perhaps what is society’s most purpose-driven generation yet, demanding greater transparency by brands and calling out some companies for being performative or less than authentic. This need for transparency around purpose has grown exponentially in the last year. 

However, there’s a big difference between saying a brand is purpose-driven and actually building and leading a purpose-driven brand. Most companies have a mission and vision, and the company’s purpose should be core to both of those statements. Showcasing a brand’s purpose should not be a one-off marketing strategy, but rather infused into every business decision – from the products or solutions offered to the partnerships made. While a brand’s purpose should be integrated into every part of the business, there are two key elements that are essential to ensuring success today – and both have to do with people. 

The first group of people is the brand’s employee base. Today, more people than ever strive to work for brands that share their personal beliefs and values. This shouldn’t be a surprise, given how consumer sentiment has changed in the last 10 years. Employees should be a brand’s #1 advocate – especially a purpose-driven brand. Without the support of employees, there is no way for a brand to be successful in exemplifying its purpose every day. And the most impactful way to ensure the team supports the brand? Open up a two-way line of communication across the entire organization to encourage non-hierarchical collaboration. Invite employees of all levels to share how their personal values align with the company’s purpose and are open to evolving accordingly. 

The second group of stakeholders is, of course, a brand’s customers. Beginning in the 1950s, when Madison Avenue became synonymous with advertising, brands have relied on consumer sentiment to guide their business decisions. Since then, consumers have continually been in the driver's seat, and now more than ever insist that the brands they support show radical transparency and practice meaningful social responsibility. The difference between consumer sentiment 10 years ago and today is that consumers expect – if not require – brands to follow through on their promises. It is no longer enough for brands to make a one-time statement about their purpose. In fact, brands should begin going a step further and stop waiting for their consumers and society to hold them accountable. In addition to incorporating purpose-driven messaging into daily communication with customers, formal communication around corporate social responsibility (CSR) should be built into quarterly company planning.

As individuals and as a society, 2020 brought conversations around purpose to a climax – the year required us to analyze how we will move forward in the future. And just as consumers have individually come to this reckoning so have brands. Brands with a strong purpose will continue to see success in the future as they continue to consider how societal changes impact their customers and lead from a place of intention. Not only will these brands reap typical business benefits, but they will also contribute to the overarching good of society.  

• Emma Wolfe, Vice President

How to Maximize Brand Relevance in 2021

Brands are battling a global pandemic and calls for social reform, both of which began last year with very little likelihood of slowing down. On top of that, marketers are dealing with smaller budgets and fewer resources. As a result, maximizing reach this year might seem like an impossible task and may be leading some brands to retreat or maintain a status quo. 

In a world that has changed so profoundly, it’s unlikely our cultural climate will return to exactly like it was in pre-pandemic, aka ‘the before times.’ Enlightened brands must heed the lessons of 2020’s perfect storm of COVID-19, social unrest, and political divide and reimagine their strategies in order to stay relevant. Here are three ways brands can maximize their relevance in 2021.

Act With Purpose

Consumers have their eyes on brands and expect them to have a voice. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that lip service is no longer enough. It’s time for brands to take action.

A consumer is going to be more receptive to a brand that shares their same values, about 77% of consumers do this. Showing consumers that you care about the same things they do, and demonstrating you are bold enough to state that publicly and authentically, can go a long way. Oftentimes, just making one comment will be enough -- the power of the consumers will do the rest for you. 

Prioritize Thought Leadership

Thought leadership is a powerful tool in any media strategy. Establishing your brand and your executives as thought leaders in the space immediately adds credibility to your brand. As the brand and the executives who embody your brand, gain more media exposure, both your brand reach and credibility increase.

Whether it be published opinion pieces or being invited to offer commentary in news stories, or participating in more outside-the-box opportunities like podcasts, thought leadership can elevate a brand and exert its influence. Another way to establish your brand as a thought leader is through joining LinkedIn groups that are centered around your area of expertise. Sharing your insight and thoughts with like-minded people creates networking opportunities that lead to maximizing your brand’s reach. 

Thought leadership initiatives get your brand out there and have them appearing in publications that matter to both the brand and consumers, and against some of the most important people in the industry. 

Leverage Social Media

Social media is one of the most effective ways for a brand to reach its audience. However, it also makes it that much easier for an audience to reach a brand. As a result, brands tend to shy away from using social media as anything more than a promotional tool.

There are missed opportunities when using social media strictly as a way to promote your business. Using social media as a tool to create conversation can help in maximizing a brand’s reach. Creating stimulating conversations that encourage engagement from your audience establishes a connection that is more than just a brand and consumer relationship. By humanizing a brand through social media, brands can echo their message in a way they never have before.

Brands in 2021 are focused on maximizing their reach. Sometimes, that will mean stepping outside of the brand’s comfort zone. What it likely won’t mean is falling back on traditional tactics that have always worked. The world is changing, and consumer sentiments are shifting at a rapid pace. It is the brands that are agile, bold, and thoughtful that will maximize their reach in the year ahead. 

• Kerriann Becker, Account Associate

Kite Hill PR Named PR Agency of Record for Web Integrated Network (WIN)

Tech PR agency to lead PR and marketing strategy for logistics technology platform Web Integrated Network (WIN)

Kite Hill PR, a leading agile and growth-minded tech PR agency, has been chosen by leading logistics technology platform Web Integrated Network (WIN) as its PR agency of record. Kite Hill earned the business after a competitive review process and will lead PR, thought leadership and marketing strategy for the logistics and supply chain platform.

The WIN platform serves large industrial markets and allows manufacturers and distributors to participate in a transportation marketplace providing all of the tools needed to allow execution of shipments, visibility, cost savings, and the capability to drive a lower carbon footprint.

“In our search, we wanted technology subject matter experts who would bring perspective and be a thoughtful and strategic partner,” said Lindsey Shellman, Chief Commercial Officer at WIN. “We found that in the Kite Hill team and look forward to working with them as we build our business and work to transform our industry.”

“We are thrilled to be named the PR agency of record for WIN,” said Jeanne Meyer, Chief Client Officer at Kite Hill PR. “Their technology and open architecture position them as a true game-changer in the transportation and logistics arena. What they do helps streamline how goods move from one place to the other and touch every part of society. We are honored to be working as an extension of the WIN team and expanding the positive impact the platform has in the world.”

WIN is owned by the same company as Odyssey Logistics & Technology Corporation (Odyssey). Odyssey serves both domestic and international clients transporting more than $40B worth of goods each year.

To learn more about Kite Hill PR visit kitehillpr.com.

About Kite Hill PR

Based in New York City with an office in London, Kite Hill PR is a leading agile tech PR agency specializing in the media, advertising, and tech sectors. Spanning well beyond traditional PR, the agency offers three service divisions. The Kite Hill Content Studio delivers custom content creation from social media to research reports and data-centric white papers. The company’s events division, Kite Hill Experiences, creates stand-out events such as roundtables and corporate conferences. Kite Hill PR has been recognized as one of the “Top Specialist PR Agencies” by the New York Observer and a “Top Place to Work in PR” by PR News. The agency is also the driving force behind the global industry-leading conference, Communications Week.

About Web Integrated Network (WIN)

Founded in 2012, WIN is a cost-effective, cloud-based transportation management solution that puts shippers in total control of North American shipping operations. WIN saves shippers time by streamlining a complicated process on a single, completely neutral platform, while expanding carrier networks and transportation options. Leveraging the teams’ 30+ years of complex logistics expertise, WIN helps to plan the optimal path via any transportation mode with the ability to select carriers and brokers through WIN's networks. The result is productivity improvements, real time metrics and financial savings. For more information on WIN, visit https://gowithwin.com/.

Celebrating Black PR History: Ushering in a New Era of History-Makers

Last week we (virtually) attended the Museum of Public Relations and the Diversity Action Alliance’s event Celebrating Black PR History and let’s just say, wow. The event brought together a stacked line-up of unbelievable speakers and presenters – from agency to in-house, consultants to academics – to talk about personal experiences, how far we’ve come, how far we need to go, and why Black history matters more than ever. 

Before getting into some of the key takeaways, the format of the event deserves some praise because unlike your typical webinar this was structured like a mini-conference. The event featured a keynote speech from Charlene Wheeless, Senior Advisor for Equity and Justice, APCO Worldwide; a presentation of "The History of Black History Month: Celebrating Culture and Heritage for Nearly a Century" from Dr. Denise Hill, Professor, Elon University; followed by two back-to-back panels moderated by Dr. Rochelle Ford, Dean of Communications, Elon University and alongside speakers Sabrina Browne, Account Director, Burson Cohn & Wolfe; Board Member, Girl Scouts of America; Troy Blackwell, Jr., Biden/Harris 2020; Candidate for City Council, NYC; Candace Steele-Flippin, CCO, Acuity Brands; Cedric F. Brown, APR, independent consultant; Emily K. Graham, Chief Equity & Impact Officer, Omnicom Group; Marvin Hill, Jr., External Corporate Communications Leader, Humana Inc.; Damon Jones, Chief Communications Officer, Procter & Gamble, and Denvol Haye Jr., Account Supervisor, Prosek Partners. Preliminary remarks were led by Pat Ford, Co-chair, Diversity Action Alliance, and Carmella Glover, Executive Director, Diversity Action Alliance was the event’s host. Attendees were active in the chat portal on Zoom during the entirety of the event, reacting to the stories and anecdotes in real-time, which really helped facilitate a shared experience. 

Wheeless, the keynote speaker, began the event with a personal story about what it was like for her navigating the workforce in the early aughts of her career. In addition to never leaving the apartment without her briefcase, she would also grab her suit of armor to don and protect her from the macro and microaggressions she would face. It goes without saying no one should ever have to feel as though they need protection to successfully navigate the outside world. 

Wheeless noted that rather than rehash all that is wrong with our societal systems, this event was meant to honor the people that have paved the way to progress. Such as Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Dr. Hill led us through a presentation on Dr. Woodson, a historian, educator, journalist, and author known as the “Father of Black History.” He dedicated his life to ensuring Black achievements and contributions were included and recognized in US history and in 1916 started The Journal of Negro History – a quarterly journal that is still published today – to publish records of African American life and history. He is also responsible for starting what was once Black History Week – the precursor to Black History Month. However, one of his goals was to create a more unified history for Blacks, whites, and everyone else. 

One word that kept popping up throughout the event was: accountability. As Browne noted, gone are the days that companies can just say, “well, that’s an HR issue.” To create change internally, there must be a cross-organizational approach. For example, the C-suite must work in tandem with HR, policy, and various legal departments to make sure that employees are not only seen, heard, and valued but also respected in the workplace. 

In the last panel of the evening, Haye provided advice for students thinking about entering the PR industry. His number one piece of advice? Consume content. Consume all different types of content, not just what you want to read, but content that challenges any biases you have about the world. This will give you a more well-rounded perspective of how different people think, ultimately making you a better communicator.

• Sammy Williams, Account Supervisor