The Emmy's embrace virtual format; Storytelling lessons from the NBA's bubble; Perfect product video tips; and more

DAILY SCOOP

Emmy Awards go virtual, Hearst Magazines staff vote to form union, and more retailers to close for Thanksgiving

Also: Domino’s Australia and New Zealand face backlash for ‘Karen’ campaign, Instagram account calls out brands’ lack of diversity, how marketing budgets are shifting, and more.

STORYTELLING

6 storytelling lessons from the ‘NBA Bubble’

Consider these insights from a rookie player as he invites fans to look at life inside of the isolation zone at Walt Disney World and the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS

How to engage anxious employees and forge a fresh culture amid COVID-19

New research from McKinsey can help communicators keep workers feeling hopeful, valued, united and motivated.

VISUAL & VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS

What makes a perfect product video?

As more and more shopping moves online during the pandemic, being able to feature your offerings with online video is a crucial tool for your organization.

RAGAN AWARDS

Showcase your engaging videos, visuals and virtual events

Ragan’s Video, Visual & Virtual Awards will recognize the best virtual experiences and visual storytelling work from the past year. Don’t miss the Friday, Aug. 21, entry deadline.

DAILY SCOOP

Mattel’s Black Barbie runs for president, 60% of COVID-19 restaurant closings are permanent, and Post partners with Dunkin’ on caffeinated cereal

Also: Consumer Electronics Show 2021 will be entirely online, the NFL shares a conversation about allyship and workplace culture, Twitter to remove links to hateful content, and more.

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS

Report: How 10 brands succeeded—and failed—to respond to Black Lives Matter

In the wake of George Floyd’s death and a renewed conversation around racial justice in the U.S., the business community has tried to come to terms with its role in fighting systemic racism.

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION

How PR should vie for the prestige of the CMO

By proving value and learning the business strategy believed to be the domain of the chief marketing officer, PR execs can be powerful leaders for the organization.

THE CONSULTANT IS IN

5 ways to improve, refine and streamline your business right now

Ongoing COVID-19 disruptions offer an opportunity to revisit areas of your company that need improvement. Focus on these crucial yet often overlooked aspects of success.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

FiComm Partners’ Megan Carpenter on Zoom, WFH and what’s next

Here’s what this agency leader has to say about what to expect as we hurtle toward the end of a chaotic year in communications.

PR DAILY AWARDS

Don’t miss this Friday’s Content Marketing Awards late-entry deadline

This is your last opportunity to submit your impressive content marketing assets, campaigns and projects. All entries must be received by this Friday, July 31, at 11:59 p.m. Central time.

RESEARCH SNAPSHOT

Employee engagement takes a hit after months of crisis

The metric, seen as a good indicator of morale, productivity and whether your workers are looking for new jobs, had taken a historic rise. What’s behind the drop?

DAILY SCOOP

Google employees to WFH until July 2021, Target to close for Thanksgiving, and social media channels remove viral video for misinformation

Also: Many consumers won’t feel comfortable traveling for nearly another year, Instagram attempts to lure TikTok creators to its new service, a social media pun, and more.

LEADING NOW

How Home Depot’s comms director is building for the unknown

To manage her team through disruption from COVID-19 and important conversations around structural inequality in the workplace, Yanique Woodall is discarding the rulebook.