STAT OF THE DAY According to a report from Aki Technologies, 84% of consumers said ad messages about COVID-19 either improved or did not affect their opinion of a brand. Messages that were the most liked were updates on safety precautions, social distancing reminders and support for frontline workers. COVID-19 UPDATE - At the time of reporting, The New York Times showed 2,435,297 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and 124,393 deaths. Bing’s COVID-19 Tracker reported 2,469,187 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and 126,277 fatalities.
- Texas is rolling back reopening efforts after a spike in COVID-19 cases. Of specific concern is people gathering at bars.
- California says its spike in COVID-19 cases is being driven by infections in younger people. As of Wednesday, 56% of people infected in California were 18 to 49 years old.
- Consumer spending rebounded sharply in May, but experts warn that the trend is unlikely to be sustainable as personal income fell 4.2% and federal stimulus payments have stopped.
Turn your diversity and inclusion events into virtual campaigns. Here’s how Re/Max engaged the LGBTQ community on it social media channels when annual gatherings for Pride month were postponed or canceled due to COVID-19.
How are you supporting healthy work habits for employees? Here’s a list of ways you can encourage self-care among your workforce. Verizon the biggest advertiser yet to join the Facebook boycott. Other companies that have signed on to boycott the tech platform over its failure to address violent speech and hate on its services include REI, Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s and others. The Verge reported: “We have strict content policies in place and have zero tolerance when they are breached, we take action,” Verizon’s chief media officer John Nitti told CNBC in a statement. “We’re pausing our advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable and is consistent with what we’ve done with YouTube and other partners.” Non-inclusive language will harm your reputation and undercut messages. Here are some phrases you might want to consider leaving out. Nike announces layoffs alongside $790 million loss. The company says layoffs are intended to construct a realignment to direct-to-consumer sales and greater agility—but that changes would result in a net loss of jobs. Business Insider reported: "Consumer Direct Acceleration is the next digitally empowered phase of our strategy," Nike said in a statement. "We are building a flatter, nimbler company and transforming Nike faster to define the marketplace of the future. We are shifting resources and creating capacity to reinvest in our highest potential areas, and we anticipate our realignment will likely result in a net loss of jobs." Replace platitudes with action. Here are some ways you can be an agent of change within your organization on issues of race, equity and inclusion. Who are the execs who have stood out during COVID-19? Here’s what one PR pro argues makes for a list of superlatives, along with lessons from their responses to the pandemic. Starbucks finds itself in the crosshairs of yet another culture war: masks. A San Diego woman tried to lambast a Starbucks barista on social media who refused to serve her because she wouldn’t wear a mask. The incident is a reminder to provide training for frontline workers who are often tasked with enforcing safety measures in stores. WFH in the future will look different from the past three months. Workplace experts say that what many companies have put in place to cope with the immediate fallout of COVID-19 is unlikely to be sustainable and employers must continue to innovate to find workplace solutions. Here’s how some are thinking about the next phase of remote work. Microsoft announces permanent closings for its retail locations. The tech company says instead it will focus on online retail, ending its attempt to compete with Apple’s physical retail presence. The company hopes to signal the change as strategic rather than a loss due to COVID-19. CNBC reported: “Our sales have grown online as our product portfolio has evolved to largely digital offerings, and our talented team has proven success serving customers beyond any physical location,” Microsoft Corporate Vice President David Porter said in a blog post. “We are grateful to our Microsoft Store customers and we look forward to continuing to serve them online and with our retail sales team at Microsoft corporate locations.” Virtual Conference Alert Join us for Ragan’s Remote Employee Engagement &Culture Virtual Conference on Tuesday, July 21 to learn internal comms strategies and best practices to meet the challenges of the new reality. Join our Crisis Leadership Board Ragan’s Crisis Leadership Board is the resource you need before, during and after the crisis. As a Board member, you have access to all back issues of this newsletter—as well as research, data, case studies, checklists, tip sheets, articles and other resources—plus a peer-to-peer discussion board and an all-access pass to the annual Crisis Management Conference. Sponsorship/Advertising Opportunities Contact Hannah Lavelle at [email protected] with sponsorship and advertising inquiries. Pitch Us Have a great story to share about crisis communication or your own take on current best practices? Contact Editor Ted Kitterman at [email protected]. Sign Up Subscribe to Ragan’s Crisis Daily newsletter today. | 
