This is our public relations blog.
-Taylor Gray and Liam McCaffery
Graduation. The culmination of your academic career. A moment in the spotlight. The chance to be recognized for your achievements, and to celebrate with friends and family alike. For the Class of 2020, however, graduation felt a little different this year. There was no Senior Week, no tearful goodbyes, no cap tossing or tassel turning.
The news cycle is moving at a rapid pace, and it’s nearly impossible to go a day without seeing a coronavirus story. Media relations is already difficult with reporters receiving hundreds of emails a day, and the pandemic has made it even more challenging. If you’re trying to pitch a story that’s not related to COVID-19, you’ll be facing an uphill battle.
A recent survey published by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that about 45 percent of Americans feel that stress related to coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health. That’s something businesses need to consider as the country starts to slowly reopen its doors. Psychologist Jessica Kendorski, a member of Buchanan’s panel of … Keep reading
Nearly six months ago, I wrote a blog detailing how part of being a PR professional is constant news consumption, which has shown me both the importance of empathy in communication and that our country deeply lacks it. Ironically, as we fast forward to today, our current situation has forced us into a unique new reality where there has been an abundance of empathy – for those on the frontlines, for those who have fallen ill, for those who have lost their jobs and for anyone impacted by this virus.
In times of crisis, one of the most important things to keep in mind is clarity and consistency of message. When people are unsure, they look to their leaders to show them the way. When members of the leadership come out with different messaging, it can cause confusion and damage credibility. With coronavirus being the … Keep reading
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, you can hardly turn on the TV or open the newspaper without being confronted with a story that’s related to the outbreak in some way. These days, every new message is being framed against the pandemic backdrop. That’s why companies need to be extremely thoughtful and strategic in … Keep reading
Every other Wednesday, fellow account executive Katie Byrne and I host a Facebook Live show called Buchanan Buzz, where we discuss the latest public relations brand fails. On this week’s show, we broke down a few of th
e poorly timed messages that have coincided with the coronavirus pandemic.
For those of us in the public relations business, the last week has been a 24/7 blur of news consumption, hasty plans, and non-stop work for clients. At the same time that we have been crafting coronavirus responses for clients, we have also been on the receiving end of messaging from our government leaders. Some … Keep reading
Our president surprised each of us with a crisp $50 bill at the holiday party. The only conditions were that we should “pay it forward” and make a difference somewhere. Here’s what one of our team members did with his donation.
When the Houston Astros won the World Series late in the fall of 2017, the country 
rallied around the young team that had brought home a much-needed win to a city recently devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Much like the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl win following Hurricane Katrina, the story wrote itself. It was yet another prime example of the way sports can unite us in even the toughest of times.
Fast forward to this week, just over two years later, and that story will long be forgotten, overshadowed by an electronic sign-stealing cheating scandal that is bound to rock the team and the league for years to come.