Brand Journalism

Ragan Insider | Mindy Hamlin

5 stories to tell before a crisis strikes

Here are the essential narratives to focus on when building your brand reputation.

Ragan Insider | Beki Winchel

United and Boeing turn to Twitter after flight crisis, Clubhouse takes heat on privacy, and Bay Area school board resigns over public WebEx call

Also: Disney+ adds content warning to episodes of ‘The Muppet Show,’ The New York Times shows COVID-19’s toll with a striking graph, Innocent Drinks gets real on Twitter, and more.

Ragan Insider | Beki Winchel

YouTube blocks Trump from posting, Apple makes good on $100M racial equity and social justice promises, and Glassdoor’s ‘Best Places to Work’

Also: CNN to end its Airport Network, Yelp to display COVID-19 feedback, Chipotle aims to hire 15,000 employees, and more.

Ragan Insider | Ted Kitterman

During the COVID-19 pandemic, buzzwords are getting a workout

Many users on Twitter have noted the increased use of some words and phrases that have started to distract from important messages.

Ragan Insider | Beki Winchel

KC Star reports on its past racist coverage, Tropicana apologizes for mimosa-themed campaign, and TikTok’s top 2020 campaigns

Also: Ford brings back a holiday season staple, Yorkshire Tea’s masterclass in Twitter engagement, a guide to digital marketing across channels, and more.

Ragan Insider | Ronn Torossian

Why listening is a superpower for social media managers

Here are some ways to make sure that your brand building on social media is a two-way street with consumers.

Ragan Insider | Beki Winchel

Twitter slapped with GDPR fine, Utah’s Dixie State University to change name, and Coca-Cola offers gifts via Twitter Santa

Also: Beware of misinformation when crafting vaccine messages, Panera and PepsiCo seek best ‘virtual party selfie,’ a Disney social media pro spills content success secret, and more.

Ragan Insider | Beki Winchel

Ben & Jerry’s partners with Colin Kaepernick, Disney announces huge streaming push, and Google to combat vaccine misinformation

Also: Pringles answers challenge by ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,’ 40% of U.S. consumers will spend less during the holidays, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ nabs Twitter engagement, and more.

Ragan Insider | Beki Winchel

Time releases ‘worst year ever’ cover, Lufthansa Group to lay off 29,000, and Zalando co-CEO steps down to support wife’s career

Also: Microsoft embraces positivity and connection with its holiday commercial, Planters ages its mascot again, a guide to creating effective infographics, and more.

Ragan Insider | Beki Winchel

U.S. announces limits on in-flight service animals, Netflix stands behind Elliott Page, and Oreo partners with Lady Gaga

Also: Spotify packages its listener data in emotional stories, Kellogg’s Pringles are getting a modern overhaul, Dole Packaged Foods urges donations for hungry children, and more.

Ragan Insider | Beki Winchel

State Farm and St. Jude embrace #GivingTuesday, McDonald’s offers free McRibs to fans who shave, and Starbucks gives free coffee to frontline workers

Also: Burger King racks up engagement with tweets tied to Utah monolith, Hawaii entices remote workers with free tickets, mobile wallet consumers spend more per purchase, and more.

Ragan Insider | Ted Kitterman

Report: Communicators must embrace new skills for earned media success

As the needs of increasingly digital-first media outlets change, PR pros must adapt to make their news releases relevant and effective.

Ragan Insider | Beki Winchel

Spotify tests ‘Stories’ feature, Salesforce mulls Slack acquisition, and ‘pandemic’ is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year

Also: U.K. grocers unite for anti-racism campaign, The Walt Disney Co. brings layoffs to 32,000, Black Friday is currently second-largest online sales day in U.S. history, and more.

Ragan Insider | Ted Kitterman

Black Friday makes way for online sales, cognitive overload during COVID-19, and the CDC’s messaging woes

Also: AstraZeneca reports good results on third vaccine candidate, Guitar Center files for bankruptcy, Cineworld announces funding to survive COVID-19 losses, what communicators are thankful for, and more.

Ragan Insider | Joe Livarchik

Giving thanks for journalists and local news outlets in a difficult year of news reporting

For PR and media relations pros, a season of thanksgiving is a time to reflect on essential partners and colleagues.