Our monthly PR winners and Losers review spotlights those who have pulled off a fresh PR masterstroke, and those whose efforts have fallen short.
Staying Fresh
Artemis II mission shows space’s enduring power to captivate
So much has happened this month, it’s hard to believe NASA’s Artemis II mission happened in April. Launching on April 1 (we’ll leave to one side the merits of making big announcements on April Fool’s Day!), the mission was the first crewed lunar fly by in more than 50 years, and we were invited along for the ride.
In what might already be a Freshfield contender for PR campaign of the year, NASA was able to communicate not just the mission’s goals, but also its relevance for humanity and our collective future.
We were experiencing the astronauts’ awe and wonder in real time and this gave media and social media audiences alike spectacular proof of the mission’s significance. The most compelling content came when the astronauts shared images of the far side of the moon, as well as an in-space solar eclipse.
Watching live footage of the astronauts return to earth and emerging from their tiny capsule, gave us an uplifting ending, but also a cultural moment every bit as significant for this generation as the original Apollo missions.
Apple gives a masterclass in succession communications
Changes at the top of any organisation can often rock the boat if not communicated properly. So, kudos to Apple for somehow managing to make one of the biggest leadership changes in corporate history feel calm, controlled and inevitable.
Tim Cook stepping down as CEO after nearly 15 years could have triggered anxiety about Apple’s future, spooking investors, employees and customers. Instead, the announcement of John Ternus as the new boss from September 2026 landed with strikingly little drama. As a long-time employee and senior vice president of the tech giant’s hardware division, he was already deeply associated with Apple’s products.
Coverage quickly positioned him as a long-expected successor – someone who knew the business inside out. It was interesting listening to BBC Radio 4’s tech editor Zoe Kleinman describe how she had met Ternus in London last summer, presumably as part of a co-ordinated global media relations push ahead of this year’s announcement.
The announcement itself was understated and respectful – honouring Tim Cook’s legacy and establishing Ternus as a credible figure who has the board’s full confidence.
Notably, the media coverage didn’t dwell long on some of the challenges currently faced by Apple, such as it being behind the curve on AI investment. I think this is testament to the long-planned, carefully choregraphed nature of the change.
Japan fans clean up in the reputation stakes
Yes, technically this happened on March 31 when our last edition of this blog series was already published, but we couldn’t let this month go by without also showing our appreciation to Japanese football supporters who left their section at Wembley spotless after their victory over England.
Leaving places as they found them is deeply embedded in Japanese culture, a way to show respect for shared spaces and avoid inconveniencing others. And the visiting Japanese fans at Wembley were rightly praised online and by the media for their actions, creating a positive, yet uncomfortable, contrast with our own culture.
That’s what made the Wembley clean-up so powerful. It was not a choreographed stunt, but culture in action. A reminder that the most positive reputation building comes from visible, repeatable behaviour that embodies the values you want to promote.
Gone Stale
Wireless becomes pointless after Kanye West furore
Organisers of the Wireless Festival were left with little option but to cancel this year’s event after sponsors deserted it in droves following its announcement that Kanye West would headline.
The rapper has faced significant backlash in recent years for his repeated antisemitic remarks, so it was of little surprise the decision to give him a platform drew widespread condemnation, including from the Mayor of London, the prime minister and Jewish leaders.
While initially defending the decision to book West and pleading with people to show him forgiveness, organisers were ultimately forced to cancel the festival when headline sponsor Pepsi pulled out, followed by brands including Diageo, Rockstar Energy Drink, PayPal and Budweiser.
While a provocative booking can generate attention, if stakeholders see it as inconsistent with their values (or potentially harmful), it can quickly lead to reputational damage. Wireless seemed to misread this situation and had clearly not sufficiently consulted with all stakeholders.
Shoplifter sackings expose difficult balance for supermarkets
It may be a case of frequency illusion, but there seems to be a trend developing of retail sector employees being sacked for confronting shoplifters.
Two more examples this month as Waitrose found itself under growing pressure to reinstate Walker Smith, an employee of 17 years who stopped a shoplifter from taking Easter eggs. Then it was the turn of Morrison’s to feel the heat when members of the public turned up at a store to demonstrate against the sacking of Sean Egan, an employee with 29 years’ service, for tackling an aggressive repeat shoplifter.
Retailers are clearly stuck between a rock and a hard place on this. They have a duty to protect both the public and their colleagues, and that means having clear policies in place. Both Waitrose and Morrisons fell back on these policies to defend their decisions in the media.
But when sticking to policies leads to the sacking of people perceived to be doing the right thing, the optics don’t look good and there will always be calls for ‘common sense’ to prevail. Of course, we don’t know the full story of what happened and why certain actions were taken. Safe to say its won’t be the last time public sentiment and workplace regulations are at odds.
Interesting to see Lord Richard Walker, the boss of rival supermarket Iceland, capitalise on the news by publicly offering a job to Walker Smith.
