Greentarget

Greentarget

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How do you capture history as it happens? When the coronavirus pandemic’s full effects became clear in March, History Factory began its COVID-19 Corporate Memory Project to capture Corporate America’s reaction in real-time and provide insight into how other organizations are responding to the crisis.

In this episode of Authority Figures, host Aaron Schoenherr and History Factory Managing Director Jason Dressel discuss the COVID-19 Corporate Memory project, rising above the noise of standard thought leadership, and how every organization will have its COVID moment.

Aaron and Jason will discuss which organizations are communicating effectively during the pandemic. But they’ll also discuss how technology continues to change corporate history efforts. 

Episode Highlights

1:30 – Jason discusses his background and introduces History Factory.

2:31 – A deep dive into the COVID-19 Memory Project and what Jason and his team discovered.

5:49 – Aaron asks Jason to elaborate on the connection between authority and organizational responses to social issues.

7:16 – Challenges in creating the COVID-19 Memory Project and capturing the nation’s definitive moments as they happened. 

8:48 – Jason explains how an organization’s history supports its own notion of authority. 

10:25 – Examples of organizations that have exhibited authority amid the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest. 

13:30 – Jason describes how every organization will have its “COVID moment.”

15:21 – The role digital archives played in creating the COVID-19 Memory Project. 

16:42 – How technology has impacted responses to 2020’s major events versus those of the past. 

17:39 – Jason reflects on the powerful impact a tangible document holds in a digital world and provides first-hand examples.

21:25 – Aaron and Jason discuss how organizations and leaders have effectively expressed authority in their actions.

Subscribe to Authority Figures on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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New research by communications firm Greentarget examines fakes news’ effect and origins, prescribes action for preserving the integrity and value of journalism.

Chicago, October 27, 2020 – A polarized media environment and cries of “fake news” – often from the highest levels of government – that greet publication of even the most rigorous reporting have eroded journalists’ hope for their profession’s future, according to a new study released today by strategic communications firm Greentarget.

The outcome of the November election won’t change that outlook, the journalists who took the survey say – but at the same time, they firmly believe journalists themselves are in the best position to fight the threat of fake news.

Fake News 2020, a research project conducted in July, August and September 2020, queried more than 100 journalists, half of whom have worked in the profession for more than 20 years. The report addresses the origins and definition of fake news, as well as potential remedies for its creation and dissemination. And it shows that despite President Donald Trump’s relentless attacks on the press, journalists don’t expect broader improvement if Joe Biden wins next month’s presidential election.

“These survey results are significant because they gauge the sentiment of a broad swath of professional journalists at a crucial moment in history,” said John E. Corey, founding partner of Greentarget. “We work with some of the most talented and experienced  journalists in the world on a daily basis – and even we were taken aback by the level of pessimism and the lack of clarity around how to address and ultimately correct the growing prevalence of mis- and disinformation.”

“That was part of the reason why we went beyond simply reporting these results and conclude our report with actionable guidance that everyone in the news ecosystem –journalism schools and think tanks, public relations practitioners and newsrooms – can and should embrace. We did this because we understand the critical role journalism plays in the healthy functioning of democracy and the free market.”

Fake News 2020’s Top Findings

  • Fake News Has Hurt Journalism: 80 percent of respondents strongly believe fake news has negatively impacted their profession, and 14 percent say they somewhat believe that it has. Further, the journalists surveyed say fake news fosters multiple prejudices and distorts the public’s understanding of current events.
  • Don’t Expect It to Get Better Under Biden: One in four respondents say Trump has had a significantly negative impact on journalism. But just 46 percent feel optimistic about journalism’s future under a new president, and 43 percent say they are indifferent on the question. The survey, conducted when it was clear that Biden would oppose Trump in November, clearly indicates that after years of attacks on journalists’ credibility and a steady erosion in trust, a sense of fatalism has settled in.
  • Journalists Still Want to Fight the Good Fight: Despite their pessimism, journalists surveyed believe they (reporters, editors and news councils or journalism organizations) are best positioned to vet fake news and identify misleading information. Only 12 percent think the government should call out fake news. Relatedly, only about four in 10 support or strongly support using the law to curb fake news.
  • Fake News Remains Difficult to Define: Part of the problem is that fake news can mean different things to different people – even journalists. About a third of our respondents say fake news is disinformation (false information knowingly spread with the intent to deceive), while another third say it is misinformation (false or misleading information spread by those who believe it to be true). Twenty-two percent equate fake news with propaganda.

 How to Combat the Fake News Epidemic

The report concludes by laying out a series of actions PR professionals can take to fight fake news. The measures include supporting reporters and editors, stressing ethics and transparency, putting the audience first and broadly advocating against fake news.

Greentarget pledges to follow these steps and encourages other PR practitioners to do the same.

“Long before fake news was part of the common vernacular, the principles of journalism – and the role they play in contributing to smarter, richer and more balanced conversations – have been fundamental to our business,” said Lisa Seidenberg, Greentarget’s vice president for media relations. “We know how important journalism is in our work to help organizations establish unique positions of authority, and we encourage all PR professionals and influential voices in the news ecosystem to support rigorous, responsible journalism. The success of our work depends on the steady flow of reliable information and stemming the tide of fake news is good for our industry and, more broadly, our society.”

A full version of Fake News 2020 is available here. For more information, contact Lisa Seidenberg at lseidenberg@greentarget.com or (312) 252-4108.

About Greentarget

Greentarget is a strategic public relations firm that helps leading law firms, accounting firms, management consulting, real estate and financial services organizations create unique positions of authority through skillful participation in the conversations that matter most to their key stakeholders. With 60 professionals in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and London, Greentarget combines earned media, research and market intelligence, content and publishing, digital strategy and amplification, and special situations counsel to help clients grow market share, attract leading talent and achieve a higher purpose. For more information, visit www.greentarget.com.

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In the lead up to one of the most anticipated elections in generations, Greentarget surveyed more than 100 journalists to learn more about the growing problem of fake news. The resulting report addresses fake news’ origin and causes, its worst and most chilling effects and how journalists think it’s affecting their profession and the public at large.

“I [work hard] trying to be as accurate and fair as possible,” one of the journalists told us, “and someone wants to wave their hand, dismissing something because they choose not to believe it.”

It’s clear that part of the problem is the murkiness of the term itself. Still, fake news is something journalists believe they and their colleagues are best positioned to fight — and that they don’t strongly support government action. It also shows that journalists don’t believe that the problem of fake news will improve based on the outcome of the 2020 presidential election – and that fake news has been a growing problem for several years.

In concluding this first-of-its-kind report, Greentarget offers suggestions on how PR professionals can help journalism – given its value in establishing true positions of authority and to both a free market and a functioning society.

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In the age of information overload, connecting with an audience requires knowing exactly what they want – and how to give it to them.

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It’s the first week of March and on your commute to work you read that new cases of the coronavirus were identified in the United States.

Some days later, you receive an email from your boss that the office is closed and that you’ll be working from home for the foreseeable future.

Working parents wonder what they’re going to do with their children – how am I supposed to be their teacher and lead this conference call? – and millennials, thought to be ‘comfortable in their usage of digital technology,’ cringe at the notion of virtual happy hours.

“At least it’s just temporary,” most of us thought.

Yet fast forward 15 weeks and here we are, many of us still at home, reflecting on how far we’ve come, how our routines have evolved, and whether this will be our new normal. The fact of the matter is that for many of us it will be. In a recent survey conducted for our client, Littler, 50 percent of employers said they were considering requiring more employees to work remotely to reduce physical office costs, and most said they were amenable to accommodating work-from-home requests.

And contrary to what we’d feared in the pandemic’s early days, what many are finding – despite this monumental evolution – is that people at work have remained collaborative, innovative, and creative.

How? At least for us here at Greentarget, we can chalk it up in large part to our core values. Here’s a glimpse at how we’ve applied them to our new work lives.

  • Work Hard. Embracing a work-life balance – when work is literally in your own home – may seem more challenging than ever, but we willfully accept that challenge by remembering that we are fulfilled and energized by embracing serious work on serious issues and achieving results that exceed expectations. As part of Greentarget’s commitment to wellness and in an effort to recharge so we can reengage purposefully, we hold quarterly yoga and mediation sessions for all employees, among a slate of additional wellness initiatives.    
  • Be Authentic. At Greentarget, being authentic means that we listen with empathy, and seek to understand each other, our clients, and the world around us. The need for compassion, particularly for those struggling to balance the needs of their families and work, has never been greater. Offering to dive in or lend a hand when a colleague needs to pull away for a few hours isn’t deemed cumbersome, it’s simply our dedication to one another.         
  • Embrace Curiosity and Drive Creative Thinking. The shift to work-from-home, while it may have been familiar to a handful of organizations, was novel to many. Businesses and individuals alike found themselves searching for new ways to learn, grow and challenge conventions. At Greentarget, we’ve launched a completely virtual internship program, have ditched the conference line and replaced it with video meetings, and held an informative webinar for nonprofits seeking to have their COVID-19 story heard, just to name a few examples.
  • Embrace the Stretch. The last several months have pushed us outside our comfort zones, introducing new routines and habits, but that discomfort has fueled growth. In April, each member of the team submitted a picture of how they have been embracing the stretch during their time in isolation. From learning how to play the keyboard to setting up an indoor 9-hole golf course, it’s safe to say we have a pretty fun and creative group.
  • Grow as Individuals and as a Team. Despite adversity, we can surely say that we’ve come together to ensure we continue to deliver the service and counsel our clients have come to know and expect, and we’ve grown as individuals, as a company and as a partner to our clients as a result. To celebrate, the team has been challenged with individually growing an herb – cilantro, chives, dill, mint, oregano, etc. – provided by Greentarget, which will be used for a cooking or cocktail competition once the shoots start coming in. We also put together ‘The Greentarget Cookbook’ last month, where everyone submitted their favorite recipe – who doesn’t benefit from that?!   

Sure, COVID-19 and the subsequent stay-at-home orders brought confusion and frustration, but it also taught us that even as businesses evolve, corporate values – if they’re a true reflection of your business and your employees – should always ring true, both inside and outside the office.   

Return to COVID-19 Resources for Communicators

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Our Director of Social & Digital and Director of Content & Editorial Strategy provide a roadmap for using LinkedIn to help professional services firms garner leads and improve their social selling capabilities. In our latest video installment, they offer tips and strategies in the following areas:

  • Effective Thought Leadership
  • Optimizing Your Profile
  • Connecting with Potential Clients
  • Creating Content
  • When & How Often to Post

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