Brand managers celebrate Groundhog Day, Verizon commits $10M to helping small businesses, and JetBlue highlights Black florists

Hello, communicators:  

Punxsutawney Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

If your reaction is aligned with this tweet from Verizon’s wireless customer service team, you’re not alone:

https://twitter.com/VZWSupport/status/1356588178585640961

The tweet also highlights an opportunity for brand managers to create content and share messages that tap into consumers’ and employees’ collective exhaustion after the unprecedented crises over the past year. Though you ultimately want to craft helpful and uplifting content, there is value in acknowledging difficult situations with authenticity. That can include some wry or even sarcastic remarks, as long as you balance your tone with the rest of your content and online presence.

Here are today’s top stories:

Social media teams have been warming up their fingers for Groundhog Day, with Disney Parks, Waffle House, Orlando International Airport, Redbox, Hershey Park and more sharing brand-related tweets about Phil: