Plus: American Eagle says Sweeny was ‘all in’ on jeans campaign; WeWork rebrands to rebuild trust.
In a tragic incident Monday in Manhattan, four people were killed by a gunman at 345 Park Avenue, a building that houses the NFL headquarters and offices for investment firm Blackstone, among others.
Among those killed were NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, security guard Aland Etienne and Rudin Management associate Julia Hyman. An NFL employee was also injured.
The gunman, identified as Shane Tamara, turned the gun on himself shortly after he opened fire at the offices, Fox Business reports. He had a three-page note in his backpack that claimed he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain injury caused by repeated head trauma. Tamara was a former football player, but did not play in the NFL.
Both Blackstone and the NFL turned their attention first to employees with internal memos. While Blackstone also released a public statement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell chose only to share a statement with the organization’s staff and players for now. This was released by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who posted it on X.
Goodell said, “I want to take a moment to reach out to you all following yesterday’s tragic events. Our hearts go out to all of the victims and their families, and we are deeply grateful for the first responders and medical staff who acted so quickly and continue to provide care.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain especially with our colleague who was impacted. He is currently surrounded by his family and members of the NFL community, and we are all continuing to hope for and support his full recovery.
He added that employees who work in the Park Avenue offices should work remotely for the next week while the office is closed. He closed his statement by saying, “We are strongest when we come together and support one another. To provide a space for our community, we will be holding a virtual town hall tomorrow where we can connect, share, and support each other. More details to follow.”
Meanwhile, Blackstone’s public statement focused on LePatner, her contributions to the organization and her family.
“We are heartbroken to share that our colleague, Wesley LePatner, was among those who lost their lives in the tragic incident at 345 Park Avenue. Words cannot express the devastation we feel. Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed,” Blackstone’s statement said.
“She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond. She embodied the best of Blackstone. Our prayers are with her husband, children and family. We are also saddened by the loss of the other innocent victims as well, including brave security personnel and NYPD.”
Why it matters: In times of turmoil, especially those events when lives are lost, reassuring employees first shows a commitment to taking care and rebuilding from within. The NFL chose not to address the public at all, instead focusing their efforts on employee safety and scheduling a town hall where employees can have a dialogue with executives while receiving the support they may need.
They further shared the information they had and reaffirmed that the NFL is “stronger together,” emphasizing their values as a community.
Blackstone, too, first alerted employees internally. Their public statement chose focused on LePatner’s value as an executive and person and by acknowledging her family members as well as the other victims.
In times of crisis, it is usually a top priority to release a statement in order to mitigate rumors or other speculation. The NFL will also likely need to address CTE, what it is, how prevalent it is in football players and what lasting effects it can have.
However, right now, in a case of a horrible and very sensitive incident, providing an opportunity for employees to ask questions, come together or just to reassure that their safety is top of mind before addressing the public is the right move.
Editor’s Top Reads:
- The American Eagle jeans campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeny has everyone talking, but perhaps not for the right reasons. A series of ads were released by the company with the quip “Sydney Sweeny Has Great Jeans” as a voiceover of Sweeny discusses how genes are passed down from parent to offspring, ending with a close up of her blue eyes as she says, “my jeans/genes are blue.” There’s even a BTS video American Eagle released with Sweeny replacing the word “genes” for “jeans” on a huge street ad of her posing in the attire. Since then, the campaign has been accused of being tone deaf, racist and even promoting eugenics. American Eagle executive Ashley Schapiro said on LinkedIn that Sweeny herself was game to push the envelope and was behind the campaign every step of the way. She pulled back the curtain on its development but didn’t address the backlash. “The star power of Sydney and the double meaning behind the campaign has a culture shaping power beyond anything I could have ever imagined being a part of- just check your social feeds.” If the goal was to spark controversy and major publicity, congratulations. But as an organization that previously pushed for inclusivity, this sends the opposite message. American Eagle has not released an official statement on the controversy, leaving audiences to draw their own conclusions and make their own interpretations. In that vacuum, a narrative is being set – and it’s not a flattering one. Sometimes controversy is positive. Sometimes they blow over on their own. But in this case, it seems a statement explaining the intention and potentially walking back the ad may be needed.
- WeWork was once the cultural center for quirky startups and laidback tech bros looking to get their big break. When it began, it did so with a vibe that embodied a fun and casual co-working space. But in 2023, it filed for bankruptcy after losing public trust. A potential revival had to be different. WeWork’s new chief marketing and communications officer, Petula Lucey, recently launched an ad campaign called “WeWork for Business” which redresses the offices as a sophisticated space for hardworking teams, the Wall Street Journal reports. “This campaign creates a new visual and linguistic approach that is sophisticated and mature and reflects a company that’s grown up,” she said. “There was this opportunity to help reshape this iconic brand that was suffering from eroding trust. Public opinion had plummeted and there was this ever-continuous negative news cycle.” Lucey does well to acknowledge the company’s problems, admitting there are issues and doing so with transparency. Humility can go a long way, especially in times of rebranding. Lucey also talks about gaining back trust by listening to the company’s audience and meeting their current needs, which is always a positive way to rebuild.
- Dessert creators Hershey and Mondelez are taking inspiration from social media chatter to create the perfect dessert creations: The Reese’s Oreo Cup and the Oreo Reese’s Cookie. The creation was tested briefly more than a decade ago and since then, customers have continuously offered up their ideas on how to perfect it. They took to Reddit, the brands’ socials and even called to share their ideas. “Consumers have been beating this drum for a very long time,” Stacy Taffet, Hershey’s chief growth officer, told the WSJ. “Inspiration also came from consumers’ own posts of their DIY combinations, such as a Reese’s peanut butter cup sandwiched between two Oreo wafers, the company said.” The product is a direct result of how social listening can shape a really creative product. Plus, it gives the people what they want! Sometimes a great social media post can inspire a really great outcome. In this case, both brands will see some positive returns and customers will no doubt continue sharing how the creation inspires even more genius ideas.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
The post The Scoop: NFL and Blackstone reassure employees after tragic NYC shooting appeared first on PR Daily.
