✅ Monday briefing: Exiting Russia, brand vandals, war misinformation, niche podcasts, local media newsletters, Socially Mobile, Twitter downvote, Google Analytics, and more...
Ukraine, media, industry, best and bad practice, tools, and events
This newsletter is crowdsourced each week from my blog and community of practice for people studying and working in marketing, media and public relations. It’s a hive mind, newsroom and source of information, help and support. You’d be welcome to join us.
Ukraine
🛫 EXITING RUSSIA: More than 400 companies have withdrawn from Russia since its attack on Ukraine, but some remain. Researchers at the Yale School of Management are tracking corporate announcements and their rationale for withdrawal, scaling back, buying time, and remaining. Source Mark Stouse.
🎨 BRAND VANDALS: Big brands are leaving the Russian market in protest to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Czech art director Václav Kudělka has edited logos to show what they might say if they could speak. They include Nyetflix, Hasta La Visa, Neineken, adios, ebye, and Dissney. Spotted Sheena Thompson.
🪖 WAR MISINFORMATION: The far-right is using Putin’s propaganda war for unpatriotic and dangerous ends according to the Lynn PR misinformation cell. It has created a toolkit to help spot Russian propaganda and hit back with counter narratives and content. Source Shayoni Lynn.
Media
🎙️ NICHE PODCASTS: DC Thompson says that niche podcasts have the potential to become a lucrative source of income. The company generates revenue for its business-to-business shows through sponsorship, branded content, and producing native series. Spotted Alan Morrison.
📮 LOCAL MEDIA NEWSLETTERS: The Post and The Mill are weekly newsletters from Liverpool and Manchester respectively that are fighting back against the clickbait philosophy of dominant regional publisher Reach. The paid for newsletters cover intelligent, well-researched stories an offer an innovative business model for regional news. Spotted Hayley James.
Industry
👋 SOCIALLY MOBILE: Applications are open for paid and fully funded places on Socially Mobile, the leadership communication programme that aims to increase diversity in public relations. I caught up this week with the class of 2022 to hear their thoughts on the programme. If you know anyone who might benefit, please encourage them to apply. Source Stephen Waddington.
📖 VIRTUAL PR BOOK TOUR: If you’d like Prof Ralph Tench and I to host a discussion about Exploring PR and Management Communication with your public relations classes or communities, please complete this form. We’ll aim to accommodate you wherever we can. Source Stephen Waddington.
Best and bad practice
⛴️ CORPORATE BAD BEHAVIOUR: P&O Ferries is saving money by laying off 800 workers and replacing them with cheaper agency staff but it will be at a huge long term cost to its brand. This is not a public relations failure, it's a failure of humanity. Source Stuart Bruce and Kate Hartley.
📷 WAITOGRAPHER: Hilton is training its staff to use smartphones for photography to capture social media moments for guests. The programme was launched in the UAE with a workshop led by renowned photographer Roger Moukarzel. Spotted Niki Hutchinson.
🕵 PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS: The boss of BrewDog has claimed that he was forced to hire private investigators in order to save his business from a smear campaign. James Watt says he has been the target of a two-year plot to ruin his reputation. Spotted Neil Patterson.
😷 COVID UNCERTAINTY: High street chain Wilko has apologised and backtracked after telling staff in England to show up for work at stores even if they test positive for Covid. The memo was sent to 16,000 staff across more than 400 stores in the UK. Spotted David Edmundson-Bird.
Social media and platforms
👇 TWITTER DOWNVOTE: A downvote feature on Twitter has been extended across to platform to more users, and from the web to Android and iOS apps. It enables users to label content that they don’t want to see. Spotted David Edmundson-Bird and Sarah Waddington.
Tools
📊 GOOGLE ANALYTICS: There were howls of protest around the web this week as Google announced the retirement of Universal Analytics from 1 July 2023. The move will force users to switch to the more complex Google Analytics 4. Google is justifying the move as a shift to more predictive data and privacy-first measurement. Spotted Andrew Bruce Smith.
🌍 ESG WIRE: Cision has launched a specialist wire service for organisations wanting to reach journalists and other stakeholders focused on environment, social and governance (ESG). Spotted Alan Morrison.
Events
💻 AI in PR: The CIPR is hosting a panel debate about the role of AI and big data in PR at 8pm on Wednesday. Participants include: Andrew Bruce Smith, CIPR AI in PR panel; Katie King, AI in Business; Allison Spray, Hill+Knowlton Strategies; and Ant Cousins, Factmata. Source Andy West.
📅 BOOK WADDSCON: Each of our speakers at WaddsCon on 31 March has an important story to tell about how they worked with the media to engage the public in an important conversation. Topics include: women's safety, taking on Britain's slave past, building a legacy from 9/11, and grassroots community football. Book now. Source Stephen Waddington.
Thanks to everyone who subscribes to this newsletter. Last week it was received by 2,381 people and read by 1,695. Please share it with anyone that might find it useful. If you interested in discussing branded opportunities please hit reply. Have a great week.