Also: Merriam-Webster adopts nonbinary ‘they,’ FedEx speaks out on the U.S.-China trade war, the worst crises of 2019, and a perfect ‘Princess Bride’ tweet.
Good morning PR pros:
Merriam-Webster is adopting the language of inclusion with its latest move: The nonbinary pronoun “they” is officially a part of its lexicon.
The dictionary added more than 530 terms to its catalog, along with thousands of changes and updates. Some are abbreviations; others are coinages such as “vacay” and “solopreneur.”
The addition of “they” as an acceptable pronoun for someone who identifies as gender fluid is a welcome change for many.
This is HUGE for the #nonbinary community and, for society at large. It is official, non-partisan moves like this that further legitimize what should long ago have been self-evident.
Long may They/Them thrive in a world of acceptance!
[Attn. @glaad. @BuzzFeedLGBT @HRC] https://t.co/6Q1Pg0U6w7
— Alexandra Silber (@alsilbs) September 17, 2019
And the non-binary pronoun ‘they’ was one of them.
𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.
𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫. https://t.co/Bzv4OKhxKp
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 17, 2019
How are you using language to make consumers and stakeholders of all kinds feel welcome in your organization? For communicators who want to be supportive, adding pronouns to your email signature is a great place to start.
Here are today’s top stories:
FedEx CEO paints bleak global economic picture
The shipping and delivery company has had a rough year, which its top executive says is because of the trade war with China. China’s contracting economy has had global impacts on markets that supply Chinese consumers, notably Europe.
Yahoo reported:
“I think there is a lot of whistling past the graveyard about the U.S. consumer and the United States economy versus what’s going on globally,” FedEx CEO Fred Smith said during an earnings call with analysts and investors Tuesday.
Why it matters: The trade war with China has become a big problem for companies with extensive international portfolios, and some say the situation is damaging economies and consumers. That could mean asking your CEO to speak about these issues—and it doesn’t have to be an interview with a reporter to make it into print.
However, with U.S. consumers still spending robustly, it will be tricky to make a comprehensive domestic case on trade.
MEASURED THOUGHTS
According to the 2019 CMO Survey, marketers expect budgets to continue to increase for messaging and content development.
Marketers are seeing a significant spending increase in online efforts.
To learn more, see the full report.
Walmart hit with allegations of gender bias
The superstore retailer has been hit again with complaints about unfair compensation of female employees.
put it:
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says that Walmart likely discriminated against 178 female workers by paying them less, denying them promotions or both, because of their gender. It’s an opportunity for Walmart to step up and take action, but will these allegations bring about change?
So far, Walmart’s crisis response has failed to wow the critics.
Forbes continued:
Walmart is not giving the impression that they fully get the problem, which is not a positive sign that change at the retailer is likely. According to the , Randy Hargrove, a Walmart spokesman reported that the allegations are more than 15 years old and “not representative of the positive experiences millions of women have had working at Walmart.” Walmart also told the EEOC it was willing to engage in a “conciliatory process,” but they thought that the EEOC’s reasonable cause findings were “vague and non-specific.”
Why it matters: For modern communicators, it’s not enough to simply tout your products to journalists and write speeches and memos. You have to be a strategic advisor that helps your company safeguard its reputation and business future. Many communicators believe they must lead on culture change campaigns, because they know the PR consequences of failing to deliver.
SOCIAL BUZZ
After a Variety article floated the idea that some Hollywood insiders wanted to remake the film classic “The Princess Bride,” many fans took to Twitter to voice their disapproval.
The Princess Bride vs. any potential remake. pic.twitter.com/Bs7XPdhcoV
— Andrew Bauer (@thedynamos) September 17, 2019
I’m rarely a “don’t remake this” kind of guy, because I make an effort to be near-pathologically optimistic, and I try very hard to believe that there may be some genius version of a remake that I lack the vision to imagine.
All that said, don’t remake the Princess Bride. https://t.co/5LvQmoBe12
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) September 17, 2019
However, the best tweet in opposition belongs to Cary Elwes, who played Wesley in the film.
There’s a shortage of perfect movies in this world. It would be a pity to damage this one. https://t.co/5N8Q3P2e5G
— Cary Elwes (@Cary_Elwes) September 18, 2019
Twitter loves pop culture references, especially those with a dash of sardonic wit. Communicators can take a lesson from Elwes’ tweet: On Twitter it’s best to be funny and concise, work in a bit of pop culture and, above all, be right.
WeWork leader offers humility after IPO debacle
Co-founder and CEO Adam Neumann shared with employees that he was “humbled” after the company failed to launch with its IPO this week.
Notable departures including its communications chief didn’t help, and the leadership team will have to work hard to rebuild the company’s reputation. The IPO collapse is also a lesson for companies looking to transition for the world of startups to the more staid and established world of publicly traded companies.
reported:
Neumann’s larger-than-life personality played a “huge role” in the listing’s failure, the Financial Times reported, citing someone who worked closely with him. Fears of emulating the disappointing public debuts of Uber, Lyft, and other disruptive businesses this year factored into Neumann’s decision to postpone WeWork’s IPO, people close to the cofounder told the newspaper.
What you should know: Investors have become more skeptical of disruptive tech companies after companies like Uber and Lyft have failed to deliver with their IPOs. That means communicators and leaders for companies planning to share their first stock offering must carefully craft and project a professional organization. The high-flying, wild west atmosphere that might have fueled your startup days won’t cut it when you’re heading to the stock exchange, and a poor first outing might undercut any future attempts.
FROM OUR EXPERTS
Are PR firms becoming choosier about their clients as they seek middle ground between helping organizations in need of their services and potential clients with unsalvageable reputations? Here’s how the demand for companies to lead with their values is affecting the PR industry.
WHAT YOU SAID
We asked how your organization was investing in content creation, and the top answer was original writing.
Tinder and AirBnB are producing original content to engage their audiences. Is every company destined to become a media company? Tell us how your org is investing in original content. #morningscoop
— PR Daily (@PRDaily) September 17, 2019
Social media and long-form video came in second and third, showing that Tinder and AirBnB might be trendsetters but the tactic has yet to catch fire.
SOUNDING BOARD
PR Daily Editor Ted Kitterman made a list last week of the PR crises that have defined 2019.
What has been the top crisis in 2019? Share your thoughts with the hashtag #MorningScoop.
PR pros: What in your opinion was the biggest PR crisis of 2019? Tweet your thoughts with our hashtag #MorningScoop.
— PR Daily (@PRDaily) September 18, 2019
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