Ragan Communications and PR Daily

🚀 Why AI is the New Barometer for Strategic Communications In the rush to adopt AI, many leaders are missing its most powerful use: a mirror for strategic thinking. AI isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about aligning your efforts with business objectives. 🔍 AI in Action: Morning Media Intelligence: AI tools now deliver real-time insights, transforming how CCOs lead. ✉️ Stakeholder Messaging Optimization: AI analyzes the effectiveness of communications, offering clear steps for improvement. 📊 Reputation Risk Detection: AI helps anticipate and manage risks before they escalate. Ready to rethink your strategy with AI? Read on to learn how forward-thinking communications leaders are using it to drive business impact.

📢 The Scoop: Investors Stunned by Unilever’s Sudden CEO Departure Unilever shocked investors by ousting CEO Hein Schumacher after less than two years, causing shares to drop by 3.4%. The board stated the change was necessary to speed up the company’s underperforming turnaround strategy, with CFO Fernando Fernandez now taking the helm.

📢 The Scoop: Meta Apologizes After Reels Goes Haywire Meta issued an apology after disturbing content, including graphic violence, appeared in Instagram Reels despite users having the highest moderation settings enabled. While Meta acknowledged the issue, it didn’t provide clarity on what went wrong or how it’ll be prevented. Also in the news: 🔹 Jeff Bezos takes control of The Washington Post’s editorial stance. 🔹 Paramount reaffirms commitment to DEI after canceling a program. Read more.

🚨 Last chance! 🚨 Today is the FINAL DAY to lock in $300 off advanced pricing for the PR Daily Conference! Don’t miss your chance to: ✅ Score more media coverage ✅ Develop winning pitches ✅ Manage crises with simulation planning ✅ Amplify reach & ROI ✅ Prepare for media interviews Join us May 21-23 at the iconic Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. for hands-on workshops, AI-powered PR strategies, and expert-led sessions designed to help you navigate today’s fast-changing media landscape. Secure your spot NOW before prices go up: link.ragan.com/VfnFA

This Week in Comms: Key Takeaways 📢 🔹 Apple & DEI: CEO Tim Cook signals potential changes to Apple’s diversity initiatives, balancing compliance with company values. 🔹 Verizon vs. AT&T: Verizon targets AT&T employees frustrated by RTO mandates—showing the power of strategic employer branding. 🔹 AI & Work: A Pew study finds 52% of workers worry about AI’s impact on jobs. How can leaders ease concerns? Plus, some feel-good news to brighten your week! 🌟 Read the full breakdown here.

Ragan is proud to partner with Axios HQ to present: How to Power a Best-in-Class Communication Strategy 🗓️ Thursday, March 6, 2025 • 1–2 p.m. ET Communication has never been more critical—with 49% of employees feeling left out of the loop. Join us for this FREE webinar as Emily Inverso, Axios HQ’s VP of Brand and Strategy, reveals how Smart Brevity can transform your internal comms to be clear, concise, and impactful. Register now.

⏳ Tonight, Final Deadline! ⏳ This is your last chance to enter PR Daily’s Content Marketing Awards! Don’t miss the opportunity to showcase your most engaging, innovative, and results-driven content. 👉 Submit by 11:59 p.m. CT tonight: https://lnkd.in/gwwpvyrg 🏆 Blogs, videos, campaigns, podcasts—if your content stands out, it deserves to be recognized. #PRDailyAwards #ContentMarketing #Marketing

National Geographic boosts its social media by prioritizing strong internal communication. Weekly updates, cross-department collaboration, and transparency drive impactful content for their 279M Instagram followers. Want to know more about how internal comms can elevate your social media? Read the full article! 🌍

When Starbucks announced corporate job cuts, all eyes were on how CEO Brian Niccol would handle the communication. The memo addressing these layoffs wasn’t just an announcement—it was a masterclass in leadership messaging. 🔹 Empathy First: Acknowledging the human impact while explaining the business rationale. 🔹 Clear & Direct: No corporate jargon, just straightforward, respectful language. 🔹 Actionable Next Steps: Bulleted takeaways for clarity and transparency. Layoff comms are never easy, but Starbucks showed how to do it right. Read the full breakdown here.

We had an amazing time over the past few days exploring the future of AI! Thank you to all of our speakers, attendees, and team for making #AIHorizons an unforgettable conference! 🎉 What’s one message or insight that really stuck with you? 💡