Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey explains his departure, how firms can present empathy, and Lush cosmetics shuts down social media accounts
Hello communicators:
After Cyber Monday, today’s Giving Tuesday encourages shoppers to donate their remaining money to charities and causes around the world. To mark the event, TikTok announced a new series of livestream fundraisers expanding its $ 7 million direct donation pledge to various mission-driven organizations around the world. While the donation is made on behalf of the TikTok creators to nonprofits of their choice, TikTok also donates $ 1 million in promotional credits to support charitable fundraisers.
TikTok has christened the initiative #GivingSzn:
“Whether you donate or support your time, TikTok offers many opportunities to give something back and spread joy,” said a press release from the company. “You can use our collection of donation tools to support causes and charities you care about, make a difference in your community, or just take this opportunity to spread goodwill and do good. After all, that’s #GivingSzn. “
@ espdaniella # duet with @espdaniella I promised to give out a scholarship on a student loan and now IT’S HERE! #College #highschool #middle school # what does it mean?
♬ Original sound – scholarship guru
The TikTok campaign shows how the livestream shopping format introduced in 2021 can also be used for philanthropic purposes, similar to a fundraising campaign on publicly funded television and radio. It’s also the latest reminder that your value and mission-driven purpose campaigns are most effective when led by an employee activist or influencer who can share a personal story or connection to the cause.
Here are today’s top stories:
Founder Jack Dorsey is stepping down as Twitter CEO
Jack Dorsey has resigned as CEO of Twitter with immediate effect and will be replaced by Parag Agrawal by unanimous decision of the company’s Board of Directors. Dorsey will remain on the board until the end of his term at the 2022 shareholders’ meeting. Dorsey said in a statement that the decision was consensual, highlighting Agrawal’s ten years on Twitter, including the role of chief technology officer since 2017.
According to its press release:
“I decided to leave Twitter because I believe the company is ready to move forward from its founders. My trust in Parag as the CEO of Twitter is deep. His work over the past 10 years has been transformative. I am deeply grateful to him for his skills, his heart and his soul. It’s time to take the lead, ”said Dorsey.
[Bret Taylor, Twitter’s incoming Independent Board Chair] remarked, “Parag understands Twitter and values the company’s unique potential. He was instrumental in addressing our top priorities, including accelerating our pace of development, and I know he will get started right away to strengthen execution and deliver results. The board has complete confidence in Parag. “
“I would like to thank the board for their trust in my leadership and Jack for his continued care, support and partnership,” said Agrawal. “I look forward to building on all of what we have achieved under Jack’s leadership, and I am incredibly energized by the opportunities that arise.”
Dorsey also tweeted his resignation email to employees, highlighting three reasons why he now decided to step down:
not sure anyone heard it, but
I quit on Twitter pic.twitter.com/G5tUkSSxkl
– jack⚡️ (@jack) November 29, 2021
Why it matters:
Dorsey’s departure from Twitter comes at a crucial time for the social media platform, which recently expanded to include live audio, launched its first subscription service and live shopping series, and more.
In his email to employees, Dorsey extends the brevity of what he said in Twitter’s official press release by elaborating on why, in his opinion, a company does not always benefit from being run by its founders. By leaving these details out of the press release, he leaves the focus on Agrawal and demonstrates how a more detailed message can be shared on other communication channels for readers who want to learn more.
MEASURED THOUGHTS
A recent study by Method Communications found that only 29% of Americans believe that public stance on a political social issue is an effective way of showing empathy. Instead, 43% say the best empathy a company has is in paying higher wages, while 40% cite hiring a more diverse workforce as a sign of empathy, and 37% say the best way to express empathy is more customer friendly.
Courtesy Method Communications
These results underscore the gap between gestures and actions, and reinforce the idea that external consumers view a company’s dealings with its own employees as a bigger indicator of its values than what it includes in its communication of purpose.
View the full study here.
Announcement of the PR Daily Leadership Network
PR Daily launches PR Daily Leadership Network, a unique membership group of Ragan Communications that offers peer-to-peer counseling and team training along with a unique range of resources and events to help PR professionals break the noise, increase their visibility and make meaningful connections.
The network provides daily insights and reporting on a range of topics including media relations, social media, measurement, diversity, equity & inclusion, branding, thought leadership and crisis communication.
“The rapid pace of change combined with the requirement of PR professionals to protect and sometimes defend the reputation of their company make it imperative for executives to leverage the wisdom of other communicators and continue to learn and grow,” says Diane Schwartz, CEO of Ragan Kommunikation. “The PR Daily Leadership Network provides the answers, but also encourages members to question the status quo and press for positive change.”
Visit Leadership.prdaily.com to learn more.
TACTICAL SPEAKING
Nissan Motor Company announced that it will spend over $ 17 billion over the next five years to accelerate its electric vehicle initiatives and catch up with the advances of its competitors. The strategy is to bring 15 electric vehicles to market by 2030, cut lithium-ion battery costs by 65% over the next eight years, and introduce solid-state batteries entirely by March 2029.
Reuters reports:
Those pledges, said Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, would make EVs affordable for more drivers. “We will continue our efforts to democratize electrification,” he said in an online presentation.
“It is very important for Nissan to show where we are going next and today’s plan is a vision and direction that speaks about the future,” said Chief Operating Officer (COO) Ashwani Gupta.
Uchida’s focus on democratizing the electric vehicle market reflects similar efforts by American automakers like Ford and GM to make electric vehicles affordable for everyone. Nissan’s specific goals and schedules, some over a decade away, are a reminder that communicating schedules well into the future can show that your brand is pragmatic about the work and progress it takes to to achieve these goals.
Lush is closing Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok accounts
The cosmetics company Lush has closed its social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat in a self-described step towards “becoming anti-social”. Lush stated in a press release that “Our determination has been reinforced by the latest information from brave whistleblowers, which clearly shows the known damage young people are exposed to from the current algorithms and the loose regulation of this new area of life. “
According to its press release:
“I’ve spent my entire life avoiding harmful ingredients in my products,” said Mark Constantine, Co-Founder and CEO of Lush. “There is now overwhelming evidence that we are at risk when using social media. I’m not ready to expose my customers to this damage, so it’s time to put it out of the mix. “
“As the inventor of bath bombs, I put all my energy into developing products that help people switch off, relax and take care of their well-being,” says Lush CDO and product inventor Jack Constantine. “Social media platforms have become the opposite of this goal, with algorithms that keep people scrolling and prevent them from switching off and relaxing.”
Lush has always been a social brand that found unique ways to communicate directly with customers. From CTG’s groundbreaking catalogs in the ’90s and the hugely popular Lush Times newspapers, to the very early customer forum and our quick adoption of social media in its development, Lush’s goal has always been to interact with those who love our products and hear what they have to say to us.
We wouldn’t ask our customers to meet us in a dark and dangerous alley – but some social media platforms are starting to feel like places no one should be encouraged to go to. Something has to change. We hope the platforms will implement strong best practice guidelines and we hope that international regulation will be turned into law. But we can’t wait. We feel compelled to take our own measures to protect our customers from the harm and manipulation they may experience when trying to connect with us on social media.
What it means:
Last month, following its rebranding, Meta, formerly Facebook, took swift action to postpone its end-to-end encryption plans, shut down its facial recognition program, and eliminate thousands of controversial ad targeting issues. Despite those efforts, Lush’s exodus from the platform shows brands are still struggling to make peace with the revelations in whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony.
Lush’s statement is in line with the brand’s reputation for targeted communication. By placing its social media exodus in the context of the larger history of Lush as a social brand, Lush emphasizes the impact and reach of its decision. By putting themselves in the shoes of their customers, Lush’s leadership sheds light on how the brand understands the relationship between their consumers’ behavior and their values. By framing the specific actions it wants to see from social media platforms and lawmakers around the company’s hopes, Lush is issuing a call-to-action centered around its relaxing, customer-centric approach without taking on a didactic tone .
Topics: Branding, Content Marketing, Crisis Communication, Daily Scoop, Marketing, Media Relations, PR Industry, Social Media, Storytelling, The Workplace, Visual & Video Communications, Writing & Editing
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