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.
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Let’s ‘Double-Click’ On The Latest Cringeworthy Corporate Buzzword – A new (yet familiar) phrase has been added to the corporate lexicon this year. If you were to double-click a mouse to open a link, said link would open a new window where new knowledge awaits. In this Wall Street Journal article, the author explores how “double-click” has turned into verbal shorthand for “time to elaborate.”
How Tractor Supply Decided To End DEI, And Fast – Recently Robby Starbuck, a former Hollywood director turned activist, caused a crisis for agricultural retailer Tractor Supply. Starbuck posted a list of complaints on the social media platform X – including the company’s use of a pride flag on a warehouse and its promotion of the COVID-19 vaccine – and urged its conservative shoppers to buy from other companies. In response, Tractor Supply swiftly pulled all DEI efforts. The Wall Street Journal has the details.
How Tom Hanks’ Son Spawned A Hateful Meme Online – Chet Hanks is trying to make a name for himself as a musician and actor. Instead, he keeps making PR mistakes. In 2021, he coined the slur “White Boy Summer” and defended it as ironic and playful. Now, hate groups and white supremacists have co-opted the phrase, using it to promote violence and garner support for the far-right movement. The New York Times has the story.
Greece’s New 6-Day Workweek Law Takes Effect, Bucking Trend – For a few years, Greece’s government has been trying to solve two problems: a shrinking population and a shortage of workers. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ solution aims to kill two birds with one stone – establishing a framework to allow 6-day work weeks across the nation. Unsurprisingly, the Greek population is not too keen on going to work for an extra day. NPR reports on this controversial situation.
Who Are All These 20-Somethings Buying a Kindle? – TikTok has done it again. The app’s literary subculture, known as #BookTok, has made the lowly Kindle e-reader a must-have gadget for the younger generation. And much like the Stanley cup fan base, having a Kindle isn’t enough – they need other Kindle accessories, too. The Wall Street Journal explores how another sleeper brand was reawakened by TikTok.
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Beach Reads:
Fun Or Frightening? A Brief History Of Olympic Mascot Design
If You Always Use These 12 Phrases, You’re More Emotionally Intelligent Than Most
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flack
: one who provides publicity
flack
: 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.