Robert Neufeld

US Election Day. As a Canadian who has spent a good portion of her career working with politicians, I can't help but be fascinated. So, of course I read Dan Slee's latest blog post - US ELECT: 15 things communicators can learn from the Trump v Harris 2024 campaign. Some of the bits that stood out the most to me were: 📌Speed: "In 2016, Hilary Clinton’s team took up to 12 staffers and 10 drafts to write a tweet. In 2024, Kamala Harris’ team of five for TikTok can go from idea to execution to approval within half an hour." 📌Knowing the platforms & having people who can run them: "It works on TikTok? Great. Let it work there. It won’t work on X, formerly Twitter. So don’t try." 📌 Language: "We talk like you." Read it, you know you want to. https://lnkd.in/eHjVGDr3

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Journalists (or anyone that has experience with this)— I’d love your thoughts on this potential scenario: A company conducts an annual survey using one vendor for year one. In the *second* year, they switch to a different vendor but maintain the same parameters and sample size. Would this change matter to you? Does it compromise the data's credibility or comparability? Would you hesitate to write a story based on the results?

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Having fun in East-West Gateway Council of Governments' Briefings newsletter. Have you subscribed? 😎 https://lnkd.in/gyE-k6ZN An Ode To Our Central Time Zone Say what?! Last week, the high-brow Atlantic magazine found itself in low-brow territory when it published, "America's Worst Time Zone," and described our central standard zone as a place "where the clocks are off in both directions." The author, an academic transplant to St. Louis, decried that explaining the time difference to coastal friends was like "acknowledging a terrible skin condition or an inconvenient food allergy." Clearly, the author has not lived here long enough to absorb the healing and soothing vibes of a free zoo, nor is he old enough to appreciate the restorative power of watching Saturday Night Live an hour earlier. How many East Coasters actually make it to the final credits? Actually, Central Timers don't either, because we choose to retire before the skits nosedive after "Weekend Update." But we make the choice, because we are region of choice. The author argues we live on others' borrowed time. The reality is, we choose to be centered and reasonable regarding time management. For example, the driven Eastern Centralite may be logging into work an hour earlier (OK, maybe two), but we are sleeping in, and that is #winning. Sure, we'll get up for their business calls, but we'll be out by four and home soon after for dinner thanks to short commutes. Transplants to our Central Time Zone already understand the personal advantages—such as responding late to the family group text that originated back east before our sunrise. By the time you tune into these texts, the drama is over, and it's already decided where you're going on that big family vacation. (And it's not Destin—as if you really had a say.) But what about the Pacific Coastal Timers? Might they have it better two hours behind us? This is truly a non-issue. Californians and such don't really do time. Time as a concept, evaporates, because most of the Pacific time zone is steeped in an aura of movies, video games, slopes, waves, palms, redwoods, painted deserts, giant ferns, fog, wine, and cacti. They dream, because the reality of their time continuum is truly too hard to fathom. They will never reach the outer limits of paying off their mortgages. The author of this Atlantic magazine piece is himself a scholar of dreams and fancy, studying video games, and "the pleasure of limits, the uses of boredom, and the secret of games." Nope. We Centralists like the rhythmic, predictable way time rolls on by. It's our time. Ted Drewes is perfect at any time. The corn grows. The cicadas will die. The river flows. In his song, "Central Time," homegrown musician, Pokey LaFarge put it best: "Well, I won't worry if the world don't like me I won't let 'em waste my time 'Cause there ain't nothin' gonna change my mind I'm feelin' fine Gettin' by on Central time

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Our latest in a series into issues with the federal procurement strategy for Indigenous business:

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This is interesting. Why do we only (typically) spend money to advertise safe driving messages while on the road? Meet people where they are- especially teens. Having three, I can tell you you where: TikTok, YouTube and Discord. You will have covered 99.99% of teens. You’re welcome. But let’s extrapolate this message to adults as well and try educating drivers in different non-traditional venues. For what it’s worth, I will give National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA props for their most recent distracted driving campaign - the videos are relatable and capture your attention. Now we need teens to see them- and P.S. teens don’t watch TV. They stream. #THISisITS

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September is the month when we focus on all things to do with 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 and I will be recording a series of short videos to touch on a few things in the build-up to our online course coming up on September 26, 2024. If you are a 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝/𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 or responsible for internal and external communications, you should know every one of those 6 things and be implementing it in your organization. In a recent conversation with Tunbosun Afolayan, SCMP®, I realized that I needed to be more intentional about explaining precisely what we mean by 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 because it has become clear to me that it is sometimes used as a buzzword and some practitioners do not realize that there is a theory of strategic communication as well as the practise of it and until you understand the former, you will continue to struggle with the latter. You can only learn the former in a classroom setting while the latter will come with practical application of what you have learnt with contextual relevance and insights from research and data. So please watch this space for more.. This is the first of a series of EXPLAINER CONTENT over the next few weeks on what we mean by 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 in the context of business delivery, reputation management, brand/market leadership, social and societal impact and organizational effectiveness. Click the link to watch and please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified when we load a new video. If you are a Communications Manager/Lead and the first two or more of the 6 concepts listed in the video is unfamiliar, I would strongly recommend you join the 4𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐀&𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 26, 2024. This is the course that teaches the rudiments of 21st century communications in a practical and accessible way. It is impossible to effectively practise corporate or institutional communications at a high level in the current complex (and information overload) world without becoming adept at these fundamental concepts. 𝐓𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧:  Register here: https://lnkd.in/eJ6Yrgdx (30% discount ongoing till Sep 8, 2024) #strategiccommunication #corporatecommunications #internalcommunications #leadershipcommunication #stakeholdermanagement #onlinecourse #nigeria #africa https://lnkd.in/gWyBPkce

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Here’s the unspoken problem with Crisis Comms planning: it doesn’t actually matter if everyone is too nervous to execute it when the time comes. Planning generic safety messaging for a natural disaster? Easy. Pushing out information that directly impacts the lives of people without the time for that “extra check”? Nauseating. Writing a preplanned, “our thoughts are with the…” statement to check a box you feel like will be required? No sweat. Suddenly executing your preplanned strategy for a reputational crisis with an hour of notice? Terrifying. You can have the best copy/strategy in the world written out - it won’t matter if your org gets cold feet. I can’t tell you how many plans have gone in the garbage the second something actually happens because what WAS approved in blue skies is now too risky for gray skies. Part of your crisis comms planning should be mental preparation with your leaders during the planning process and the actual event. Crisis comms, inherently, means risk. Risk is scary. If you leave out space for mental preparation, questions, voicing concerns, and working through those issues with the people whose names will be attached to the words…actually using the plan you slaved over will be a nightmare. I’ve been called dramatic for looking at a room full of leaders and saying, “while I’m doing [insert comms thing], I need you to take that time to mentally prepare for [really bad outcome]. This is what [really bad outcome] looks like. I want [really bad outcome] to be your expectation.” Does the [really bad outcome] always happen? No. But pleasant surprises are much better than confronting unexpected monsters. You can’t make crisis comms strategies in a bubble, put it on a shelf, and hope it works when things get ugly. Oh - and as I always say when prepping strategy and people - “what’s the worst case scenario we need to realistically plan for? Okay, now worse. No, worse. We’ll start there.”

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Starting a podcast is not for everyone. There are some real reasons not to. Here are the pros and cons https://lnkd.in/gWaF8PKQ #podcasttips #podcastproduction #storiesandstrategies

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One of my favourite sayings in all of political communications or issues management is this: “If you’re explaining, you’re losing.” It’s a great idiom that focuses on the facts that your target audience isn’t with you, and that another narrative is prevailing at your peril. You have to do everything you can to get out of that position. The last two weeks have been an onslaught of embarrassment for newly-minted Republican GOP nominee JD Vance. From comments about childless women, to jokes about Diet Mountain Dew being racist, to serious questions about buyer’s remorse on the part of his running mate, things are going absolutely terribly for JD. The root of all this seems to have started with a completely baseless, and easily refutable rumour: that JD wrote in his biography that he performed a sex act with a piece of furniture. It is, in my estimation, the ultimate example of “If you’re explaining, you’re losing.” Not grasping the impact that unchecked internet virality would have when introducing a new figure to the national political stage, the Trump campaign and JD’s team didn’t look for the right moment to refute it as it picked up speed and now the rumour has a life of its own. As time goes on, it is increasingly clear that an official campaign spokesperson (if not Vance himself) is going to have to say - into a microphone: “JD Vance did not have sex with a couch.” And then it will need to be written in messaging memos and repeated into other microphones. And it will only make things marginally better for JD. It’s a mess. *The Lesson For Candidates & Companies:* Not understanding the potential damage it could do and not taking corrective action when the moment arose has laid the foundation for JD Vance to be the only thing you can’t afford to be with your intended audience: a joke. (For other references, see: Dukakis & the Tank; Palin & “You betcha!”)

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Paying for shortcuts only leaves you shortchanged.. This story bothers me on so many levels. As a public affairs consultant to many Ontario municipalities - and yes - that includes lobbying for them - both the consultant and the municipality are mistaken. As lobbyist, if you are selling your "connections", you do a disservice to your clients. Effective government relations is never about "getting a meeting". It's about aligning your client's needs with both those of elected and unelected officials. As my colleagues and and practice it, it's about the strategy. And, it's hard work that takes time. As a municipal politician, you've had enough face time with provincial government leaders to know that doesn't often work either. You need more than 15 minutes you get at AMO or ROMA. You need a minister's political and civil service advisors understanding what the UNIQUE needs of your municipality are, and why it support is right thing to do. That's how my colleagues and I created new legislation that gave municipalities the right to approve new landfills, and how we lowered the cost of policing for Sioux Lookout and Kenora. That's how we convinced the federal government to provide over $250 million for the living victims of Thalidomide. Selling connections is lazy (that's what Michael Cohen did when Trump was first elected). It also casts a pall on our profession. And, for municipal leaders, it's not about getting a meeting. It's about being truly heard, understood, and creating a decision making environment that leans in your favour. Paying for shortcuts will only leave you being short changed. If that's what you are being sold, move on.

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I'm very concerned about misinformation online but I personally think the online misinformation laws proposed by the government are lacking. For me, the problem isn't so much misleading or deceiving content. People have been saying misleading or deceiving things forever. The problem is that social media algorithms (and those who game them with bots) amplify these messages, spreading them like wildfire to other users. Provided a message online doesn't break the law I'm not sure why it should be treated differently to if it were said in public. I think freedom of speech should be protected online too. But laws should prevent social media platforms boosting harmful ideas across society. And if that means regulating algorithms, rather than content moderation mechanisms, then so be it.

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In the past few years Canadians have endured: ➡ Our federal government unjustifiably using emergency measures to suppress political dissent, marking a decline in the rule of law. ➡ Credible reports of treasonous behaviour by members of Parliament as our democracy is undermined by foreign actors. ➡ Seeming endless ethical scandals from senior members of government (like Minister Sajjan’s recently revealed failures in Afghanistan). ➡ Disgrace and chastisement on the world stage for our pretension to lecture other countries on progressive social issues without substantially contributing to global security. ➡ Once venerated Canadians like Sir John A. Macdonald and Henry Dundas are in the historical doghouse with thin justification and a total forgetfulness of their contributions to this country. ➡ And an economy severely damaged by contradictory and counterproductive environmental measures that stifle natural resource development—our most productive sector. Canadians are feeling betrayed—and for good reason. But justified cynicism is still unhelpful. If we are going to reinvigorate Canada, we’ve got to find a way past defeatism. I think we need to start with two things: (1) We need to stop lying about our history, and (2) we need to restore civic education.... Continue reading 👇 https://lnkd.in/grvieT6u

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If you're not harnessing the strategic power of your comms person or team, you're missing out on incredible opportunities to elevate your organization. When mentoring other professionals, I hear very similar sentiments, and many leave this profession or their organization because their organizations treat their work as transactional. Anybody can make a flyer, powerpoint or other simple media--your comms person/team can let you know if it's the most effective way to deliver your message, and whether it fits into the larger strategy. And if it doesn't, they'll let you know what will. Listen to them. Heed their advice. Respect their professional expertise.

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ICYMI: The "Finding Your TEMPO: An Introduction to the Mission, Products, and Data Services for Air Quality Observations over North America" webinar recording is now available online! This webinar provides an overview of the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) mission and its data products and shows you how to discover and access TEMPO data products using NASA's Earthdata Search. Demonstrations show you how to find dataset documentation, conduct data searches and filtering, use subsetting/concatenation services in Earthdata Search, and utilize NASA's Earthdata Forum to obtain TEMPO data support. View Recording: https://lnkd.in/eEgb35Ne

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What happens to your business when social platforms bury your posts, and your audience stops seeing you? This why email is so powerful. It’s one of the only audiences you truly own. No algorithms, no shifting rules—just you, directly connecting with the people who care about your business. Here's why I'm telling our clients to keep it front and centre: >> Full control: Your email list is made up of people who’ve already shown interest in what you offer. You control the narrative, how often you communicate, and the value you deliver. >> Stronger engagement: When done right, email is personal. It’s not about shouting into the void but about delivering tailored content directly into someone’s inbox. >> Long-term ROI: It’s easy to overlook email, but the numbers speak for themselves—it continues to outperform many other marketing channels in terms of ROI. Carve out some time to think about how email can support your overall communications strategy. What stories will you tell?  How will you nurture and engage your audience? If you’re ready to start planning, I’ve got a few strategy session spots left in to help you get clarity on your 2025 communications and marketing plan. And speaking of email, we’re launching our own newsletter packed with communications tips, industry insights, and a few surprises.  🔗 https://lnkd.in/daZUckpZ #strategiccommunication

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#ICYMI, here's the recording of the Accredited Public Relations (APR) webinar by Canadian Public Relations Society. All tips, no tricks to assuage your fears of the #APR - just in time for #Halloween! 🎃 🔶 Do you only have #InternalCommunications examples for your work sample? Fear not. You can absolutely write up a robust work sample based on internal communications alone. Example: my APR work sample in 2021 was a communications plan for employee return to office during the #COVID19 pandemic. 🔶 No APR references for your application? The National Council of Accreditation can help facilitate connections. Email [email protected] 🔶 Want to understand how you'd be tested? Peruse the CPRS member portal for resources. There are past written exams and work samples for reference. More tips in this webinar presented by Tom Ormsby, APR, Alex Sévigny, PhD, APR and me. I welcome questions. ⤵ https://lnkd.in/gBTvyfwQ Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) - Hamilton

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This makes me a tad bit uncomfortable… Asking a journalist to make a correction. Luckily, most journalists are great about it in the rare instances we’ve had to request one, but it’s still super awkward. To reduce the likelihood of errors before a story hits the press, it's important to do the following: - Triple-check all facts and figures before sharing information with the media; make sure phone numbers work, confirm pricing and hours of operation - basically, check anything that someone could get wrong or misinterpret. - Be clear and concise in your communication to the journalist. - Highlight and note the spelling of the company name in your email (especially if the spelling is unusual or it’s a particularly long name.) - Provide a press release or detailed background information, containing all necessary information. - Ensure your website or landing page is up-to-date with relevant details. - Offer journalists advanced notice to allow sufficient time for research and writing their stories. - Be available to address any questions or connect them with subject matter experts promptly. If you ever find yourself needing to request a correction from a journalist, I recommend checking out Allison Carter’s article on Ragan Communications and PR Daily titled, “So you need to request a correction from a journalist.” It offers some valuable tips that could be very helpful. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eWwjbTQ3 PS: Have you ever had to navigate a tricky situation in your industry? Share your experiences in the comments below. #PublicRelations #Journalism #MediaRelations #FactChecking #DoYourHomework

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