From AI with a human touch to sausage rolls making history, September delivered its fair share of PR masterstrokes and missteps.
In our latest PR winners and losers review, we look at the brands and organisations getting people talking for the right reasons – and those making headlines they’d rather avoid.
Staying Fresh
Microsoft AI separated itself from its peers in September by telling a more nuanced story.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Microsoft AI’s chief executive, Mustafa Suleyman, warned that letting AI systems set their own objectives, earn money and acquire resources could create a new “silicon species” capable of competing with humans. Instead he, advocated for “humanist superintelligence”: advanced technology that remains under human control and serves human interests.
From a communications perspective, Suleyman demonstrated the value of a well-handled interview. He acknowledged anxieties about AI rather than dismissing them and gave audiences a clear framework through which to understand Microsoft’s ambitions.
At a time when many organisations are struggling to explain what their AI programmes mean for ordinary people, Microsoft has given its commercial strategy both a philosophy and a very human face.
The lesson? When everyone else is talking about technology, sometimes the strongest story is about people.
Defra takes a familiar campaign to a new destination
For those among us itching for a holiday before the end of the year, Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) showed that guidance on what holidaymakers can legally bring home in their luggage can still make engaging social media content.
The department’s “you wouldn’t bring meat and dairy into your luggage” campaign, which borrowed the distinctive style of the anti-piracy advert that warned a generation, “You wouldn’t steal a car”, gave government guidance enough humour and cultural currency to stop people scrolling.
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While another conversation is needed about whether media piracy and bringing cheese or cured meats back into the country are truly comparable, the advert and resulting conversation demonstrate the power of nostalgia and how public-sector communications can use creative storytelling to cut through the noise.
The lesson? You don’t always need a completely original idea. Sometimes a familiar format, given a fresh twist, can do the job brilliantly.
The Bayeux Tapestry gives brands a new way to tell old stories
The unveiling of the Bayeux Tapestry on September 10 at the British Museum similarly provided brands with a distinctive template to tell their own stories.
Directly opposite the museum, Greene King renamed the Museum Tavern “The Beer Tapestry” and installed an eight-metre embroidered history of British brewing. Starting in 1066, where the original ends, it linked the brewer’s heritage with the history of the pub with the exhibition across the road.
Meanwhile, Mastercard’s ten-metre “Payeux Tapestry” traced 3,000 years of payments, from cowrie shells and cheques to contactless cards and AI-enabled shopping.
Unsurprisingly, Newcastle-headquartered Greggs were ahead of the game.
Earlier this year, the company announced a partnership with the Design Museum to create its own embroidered artwork.
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Its eight-metre “Ta-Pastry” charted the sausage roll’s conquest of Britain, combining traditional craft with the brand’s distinctive sense of humour – and proving, once again, that the devil works hard, but Greggs’ PR team works harder.
The lesson? The best creative campaigns don’t simply jump on a trend. They find a relevant connection between the conversation everyone is having and the story the brand wants to tell.
Gone Stale
Trump’s media ban eclipses a carefully staged state visit
Donald Trump has never hidden his hostility towards much of mainstream media; however, his latest confrontation with journalists demonstrated the reach those outlets still command.
Ahead of Chinese president Xi Jinping’s state visit, the White House denied CNN, MS NOW and Politico access to its grounds. In response, the major US television networks suspended their coverage of the president. The consequences were immediate.
Despite the red carpet, military bands and flyover arranged to mark President Xi’s arrival in Washington, the carefully staged welcome received little coverage on America’s main television networks.
Although events in Washington may seem far removed from the North West, the lesson about working constructively with journalists applies widely.
Effective media relations is not always about securing favourable coverage. It is about building respectful, long-term relationships that provide access to audiences beyond the reach of owned channels – even when the resulting stories might be uncomfortable.
The lesson? You can’t expect the benefits of media coverage while shutting out the journalists who provide it.
Booking.com’s safeguards fail the Downing Street test
10 Downing Street is potentially one of the most easily identifiable addresses in the UK.
Nevertheless, Which? revealed that it had listed the Prime Minister’s residence on Booking.com without completing any identity checks in an expose about fraudulent holiday listings.
The property became bookable within hours, accepted payment and later received a fake review mentioning the Prime Minister and Larry the cat.
Booking.com pointed to its sophisticated machine-learning models and fraud-detection measures in its response. However, these assurances were difficult to reconcile with one of Britain’s most recognisable addresses passing through its safeguards.
Booking.com learnt an age-old lesson: statements to the media carry little weight when the customer experience provides such clear evidence to the contrary.
The lesson? Reputation isn’t built on statements and promises alone. When the reality doesn’t match the messaging, even the most carefully worded response will struggle to restore confidence.
This edition of Freshfield’s winners and losers was written by Senior PR and Communications Manager, Megan Leeming. If your business is looking for some fresh eyes on its next communications challenges, contact us on at hello@freshfield.com.
