Plus: Google rolls out Preferred Sources to help with traffic declines; how to bulid a profitable social media platform without selling.
Neutrogena has faced blistering criticism in the wake of the death of Hayden Panettiere. Comments Panettiere made earlier this year resurfaced, accusing the company of ending its long-running contract with her in 2015 when she spoke out about her struggles with postpartum depression.
After days of silence and mounting pressure, Neutrogena issued a statement on Instagram Thursday.
View this post on Instagram
The post has three key parts:
- Outlining the situation and acknowledging Neutrogena “made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time.”
- Pledging future action to make a “significant investment” to an organization that helps women with health issues, including post-partum depression.
- Explaining why it took so long to make the statement: “Out of respect for Hayden’s family and loved ones, we did not want to speak out so soon following her passing.”
Comments on the post were turned off. A Community Note gave more context to the apology.
Why it matters: This is an excellent apology in a difficult situation.
Neutrogena is apologizing for a situation that took place 11 years ago. It’s likely that many of the people involved in the decision at that time have since departed the company. Yet it still take full responsibility for the choices made in 2015, and promise future action. The explanation of why the apology did not come sooner is also helpful, changing the appearance of its initial silence from evasive to strategic.
The true measure of this apology, however, will be its next steps. Waiting too long to nail down its community partner would be a mistake. People want to see action and that Neutrogena is willing to put its money where its mouth is. It also has a significant platform it could use to show that the shiny happy people it portrays in its ads are more than just their skin, but need care for their whole selves.
This apology is a good start. But it’s only a start.
What is Google’s Preferred Sources?
Every major publisher is seeing big declines from Google Search as LLMs erode traffic, either from Google’s own AI summaries or from searches being conducted directly in various chatbots. Now, Google is making a small attempt to send more traffic to trusted sources with its new Preferred Sources feature.
Websites can embed a “Preferred Sources” button on their website that lets readers set their site as a favorite. That means it will show up more often in Search, Discover and Google News, TechCrunch reported. Users can also set their favorites directly. Research shows that users are twice as likely to click on a Preferred Source in search results.
The overall decline of Google traffic remains a major issue for publishers (or content marketers) of all kinds. This specific change highlights the importance of building trust in a brand. By earning the public’s respect, sites may drive more traffic. But that’s hard, long-term work that may result in only incremental gains.
How can you build a social media following without selling?
There are tons of real estate agents on social media. They’re often carefully coiffed and taking followers on tours of expensive properties. The message is clear: buy from me. Sell with me.
But one realtor is taking a different tactic — and it’s resulted in a 20% sales bump.
The Wall Street Journal profiled Jamie Peva, a Washington, D.C.-based agent who has earned thousands of followers by highlighting the history of his neighborhood, Georgetown. Granted, it’s a neighborhood with a ton of history, ranging from presidents to The Beatles. But Peva delivers it with aplomb, armed with a bowtie and a ton of enthusiasm.
And even though it’s not a direct sales pitch, it’s resulted in a bump in sales. Even if people aren’t in the market when they watch his video, they may be one day — and they’ll think of Peva. “It’s the digital version of a refrigerator magnet,” he explained.
Too many brand and business accounts get caught up in the need to sell, sell, sell all the time. Peva’s strategy shows that being passionately useful and interesting can raise recognition and brand affiliation without needing to make a direct appeal for business. How can your brand do the same?
What does Walmart’s slump say about the U.S. economy?
Walmart has posted its smallest sales gain since the pandemic, the Wall Street Journal reported. To be clear, it’s not a loss: comparable in-store and online sales rose 2.6%, most of that from online sales. But it’s still a telling number for the largest retailer in the United States.
In an interview, Walmart CFO John David Rainey attributed the decline to the rising cost of fuel. “It appears there were choices between necessities within the quarter because of where gas prices are,” he said. That’s a statement that could earn the ire of President Donald Trump, whose decision to attack Iran led to an increase in gas prices.
Walmart’s share price declined sharply after earnings were released, falling from $114.73 Wednesday to $102.50 as of Friday morning.
Walmart has seen major gains in shoppers earning more than $100,000 in addition to its traditional budget shopper. If even this massive, bargain retailer is seeing earnings hits, we may finally be seeing a downturn in an economy that has proven oddly resilient.
Keep an eye on the earnings of other major retailers.
The post ‘Not what Neutrogena stands for’: Beauty brand issues statement after death of Hayden Panettiere appeared first on PR Daily.
