Welcome to The Flack™ for Friday, Nov. 6.

Every other Friday The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

Do You Have E-Charisma on Zoom? Here’s How to Get It — With the rise of working from home, some people accustomed to using their charisma in person have learned a tough lesson: Commanding a room isn’t the same thing as commanding a Zoom. It comes down to “E-charisma.” In face-to-face meetings, physical charisma often goes a long way in helping someone get noticed and advance in their career. More reserved or shy types are often at a disadvantage. But physical charisma can be more challenging to replicate online — creating a potentially different pecking order. Check out this quick read (or listen) from The Wall Street Journal.

‘Someone’s Typing…’: The History Behind Texting’s Most Dreadful Feature — You may not know the term “typing awareness indicator,” but you see it every day. More often referred to as “so-and-so is typing,” TAIs have shaped how we interact with each other. TAI technology was created (and patented) by IBM engineers in 1997 while working on a Tom Clancy video game (yes, you read that right). Interesting bit of tech history from SF Gate.

Some Words Are More Effective Than Others When It Comes to COVID-19  — Word choice matters, particularly when it comes to communicating about topics as serious as COVID-19. The de Beaumont Foundation conducted a poll of 1,100 registered voters to better understand the language Americans prefer in COVID-19 messaging that deals with behavioral change. This article highlights the poll’s five key findings.

Hershey’s Classic Christmas Bells Ad Got a Makeover … And People Aren’t Having It — ‘Tis the season for “classic” holiday ads from iconic brands. Some of these spots have been airing for decades, and, to some, they serve as warm, secure reminders of the good things in life. For 31 years candymaker Hershey Co. has been airing an ad that reimagines Hershey Kisses as bells playing, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” but this year they decided to make a change. And it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

What Great Listeners Actually Do — Most of us think we’re good listeners. People’s appraisal of their listening ability is often similar to their assessment of their own driving skills, in that most adults think they’re above average. Traditionally, people thought good listening skills simply meant not talking when others are speaking and utilizing facial expressions to show interest. However, research from leadership-development consultancy Zenger/Folkman suggests these behaviors fall well short of good listening skills. This quick read from Harvard Business Review outlines what it takes to elevate your listening skills.

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Miller Lite Bids Farewell to Office Holiday Parties

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

Welcome to The Flack™ for Friday, Nov. 20.

Every other Friday The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

The Convergence of Ransomware and Public Relations — Imagine it’s an ordinary workday. You log onto your computer, only to be greeted by a message that reads: “YOU’VE BEEN HACKED… EMAIL THIS ADDRESS TO START THE PAYMENT PROCESS AND THE SAFE RETURN OF YOUR DATA.” Later that same day, you receive a call from a local media outlet asking about your security breach. How did they find out about this so quickly? The hackers let them know. After hacking into systems, some cybercriminals are issuing press releases announcing what they’ve done. It’s called “double extortion,” and you need to be prepared. This article explains how it can happen and what you should do if it happens to you.

Twitter Launches Disappearing ‘Fleets’ — Similar to features on Instagram and Snapchat, this week Twitter introduced ‘fleets,’ tweets that disappear 24 hours after being posted. You can learn more about the new feature in this article from Reuters. Remember to be careful what you tweet / fleet — just because it disappears after 24 hours doesn’t mean someone didn’t take a screenshot. 

Forgive Me, for I Have Sinned … Against The English Language — Synergy, deep dive, win-win, 30,000-foot view, ping me — if you’ve worked in the corporate world you’ve likely heard so much jargon, you may not notice it anymore. Corporate jargon is rampant, but it isn’t random. Its use is often tied to where people stand in a social hierarchy. A new paper from social scientists at the University of California’s Marshall School of Business and Columbia Business School explores where jargon comes from and when/why we use it. Interesting, three-minute listen from National Public Radio.

Zoom and Text Less, Call More, New Science Suggests — 2020 has been the year of working remotely, and that has caused a significant increase in texting. While texting is efficient and can spare us the awkwardness of a voice call, it’s also making us feel more disconnected, according to new research. And Zoom isn’t the solution either. New research suggests we should all pick up the phone a lot more. Check out this sharp article from Inc.

Follow the 10-20-30 Rule for Killer Presentations — The business world is full of horrible presentations. We’ve all sat through them, and a few of us have delivered them. We often find it daunting when challenged to improve. Some don’t know where to start; while others feel they just don’t have enough time. But, fear not. The 10-20-30 Rule for Killer Presentations can lower your stress and give you a simple, straightforward method to make sure your messages are heard and retained by your audience. Keep in mind, no presentation approach will save you if your idea is bad. That said, many great ideas fall on deaf ears due to poor presentations. If you want to improve your presentation skills in the boardroom or on a Zoom meeting, start here. 

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Careful, that’s a hot mic:

NBC’s Ken Dilanian caught cursing on air when brought onto MSNBC to deliver breaking news

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

Welcome to The Flack™ for Friday, Nov. 6.

Every other Friday The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

How Should Black People Sound? — Hollywood hasn’t always made great choices about how people speak. That may be changing. Recently major studios have shown renewed interest to depict people of color thoughtfully and authentically. It isn’t really possible to verify the sincerity of these efforts, but the changing role of dialogue coaches — and how they’re allowed to work — may offer a way to judge their success. Check out this deep dive from the New York Times.

Girl Scouts Congratulate Amy Coney Barrett … and Then Change Their Mind — Last week the Girl Scouts of America posted a congratulatory tweet regarding Amy Coney Barrett being appointed the 5th female justice to the U.S. Supreme Court. The tweet read: “Congratulations Amy Coney Barrett on becoming the 5th woman appointed to the Supreme Court since its inception in 1789.” However, it drew so much criticism, the organization quickly deleted it and posted this. And of course deleting the original tweet — you guessed it — drew more criticism. Quick lesson: 1. Think through the possible ramifications before you tweet. 2. If quick criticism will cause you to delete the tweet, then don’t tweet it in the first place.

Joe Rogan and Spotify Find Themselves in the Crosshairs — Earlier this year, comedian and UFC host Joe Rogan signed an exclusive agreement with Spotify to have his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, broadcast on the platform. The agreement was reportedly worth $100 million. The podcast began airing on Spotify in September and almost immediately became the platform’s highest-rated program. But now there’s controversy. Rogan, who is known to discuss a wide variety of topics, from illegal drugs to conspiracy theories, recently had Alex Jones as a guest. The backlash was almost immediate, and now Spotify finds itself caught in the middle.

How to Deliver an Effective Presentation via Zoom — Since March, most business meetings have taken place via Zoom or another video service. The first few months were tough as many struggled with technology and a host of other distractions including curious children, noisy pets and regrettable wardrobe choices (remember: always wear pants). And while the struggle has been real, almost everyone has improved. But now it gets tougher. Since virtual meetings will continue to be the norm for the foreseeable future, it’s essential to learn how to give effective presentations in this medium. These 10 tips from Throughline Group will put you on the right path.

Four Tips and One Tool to Help You Perfect Your Slides — Good presenters know it takes preparation to deliver effective, memorable presentations that influence and affect an audience’s behavior. From identifying key messages, to explaining the rationale, to utilizing effective body language and anticipating questions, it all takes time and practice. But the job of the presenter becomes more difficult if the slides have not been built correctly. Check out this sharp guide from Duarte, and keep it handy next time you have to build a deck.

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Earning Good Will:

Jon Lester on How to Win Friends and Influence People

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.