PR News

PR roundup covers how MapQuest turned a map-naming controversy into its biggest brand moment in 30 years, what the USPS mail-in voting statement reveals about communicating clearly when the facts are still unsettled, and what new research says about why corporate credibility is eroding fastest among the audiences brands can least afford to lose. What happened: MapQuest—yes, MapQuest—shot to No. 1 in the U.S. Apple App Store maps category and No. 8 overall on Aug.

The media narrative around artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers has shifted  dramatically. The Wall Street Journal recently described  public opinion as an "American rebellion against AI." The growing public concern about the financial and social costs of AI is delaying, downsizing and in some cases stopping data center projects altogether. But, you don't quell a rebellion with PR. Public sentiment creates a more complicated communications challenge for data centers.

Meta's agreement to pay up to $17.1 billion and overhaul its products for younger users is being covered largely through the lens of the company. For communicators, that coverage offers familiar crisis lessons like how to prepare, when to offer comment (and when not to) and how to hold the narrative in the first 24 hours.

Technology tends to follow an incredibly predictable path through modern business. Yet the fear of being replaced by machines like AI takes up more headspace than Jimothy. This is called the innovation hype cycle and here’s how it works: Phase one: A new technology promises speed, scale and a competitive edge companies cannot afford to miss.

PR roundup covers what Lovesac's viral complaint response teaches brands about the difference between clapping back and listening, why a billionaire's AI-written Wall Street Journal op-ed is raising questions every comms pro advising executives should be asking now and what new consumer data says about how Americans are spending—and what they expect from brands—in an uncertain economy.

Turning complex pediatric cancer research into a story that resonates with a broad audience requires more than simplifying the science. It also requires finding the right voices and storytelling approach.

Jon Arons, Communications and Community Relations Manager at Giant Food, oversees PR and community relations for one of the Mid-Atlantic's most beloved grocery chains. In this episode of "Five Questions With..." he breaks down what it actually looks like to manage communications for a retailer that serves millions of families across 162 stores. From food recalls to brand health scores, Arons makes the case that trust isn't built in a crisis—it's built long before one ever arrives.

Podcast listeners don't trust guests. They trust the hosts who invite the guests. That distinction is why most podcast outreach fails. When a journalist covers a client, the credibility does most of the lifting. When a podcast host invites a client on, it's their personal reputation at stake with people who chose that specific voice over thousands of others and keep coming back with their undivided attention. A bad booking costs a host something that took years to build.

PR roundup covers how Lucky Charms turned a sorority trend into a multigenerational content moment, what new data on AI search visibility means for communicators thinking about GEO, and why eos's U.S. Open activation is a case study in letting community lead the way. What happened: Every August, #RushTok takes over social media as college women document their sorority recruitment journeys, culminating in Bid Day—the moment new members find out which house they've been accepted into.

A few weeks ago, ESPN cut staff as part of a round of layoffs tied to its takeover of NFL Network. Chairman Jimmy Pitaro sent employees a memo explaining the move. It is a useful document, though not for the reasons he intended. The memo’s language gives us a window into whether the organization created a larger plan, and how well that plan was thought through. When a memo comes out cold or vague, the words are telling of the process and plan.