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GOLIN DALLAS VIRTUAL PR VISIT

JULY 22, 2021

HOW THE PANDEMIC WAS A GIFT

COVID, ZOOM, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

On July 22, 2021, Jim Lin (EVP, Executive Director, Digital) and Kim Perry (VP, Director - Influencer Marketing) presented Golin Dallas to Lamar University's Virtual Public Relations Summer 2021 class by direction of Dr. Hutchins. Throughout the entire virtual experience, Lin and Perry were relatable, fun, and insightful when describing their real world experiences and key takeaways from a communication study that is constantly evolving.

Meeting with Golin Dallas, I was not sure of what to expect. To be frank, I felt that as a student in communications I would feel overwhelmed by a lifestyle I have not experienced and be viewed as incompetent.

I couldn’t be more wrong.

Jim Lin (EVP, Executive Director, Digital) and Kim Perry (VP, Director over Influencer Marketing) kicked off the presentation with light conversation and jokes about different web-conferencing and how we all have yet to master each application. It was a relief to see everyone in some form of a safe space such as an at-home office, bedroom, or living area.

Collectively, the pandemic has granted everyone room to evaluate themselves and their businesses. Connection when we could not physically occupy spaces safely was an obstacle met with open ideas, concepts, and hybrid communication strategies. For example, Kim Perry pointed out how there was a bigger reliance on web conferencing than ever before.

“Now we were seeing executives and CEOs in their physical homes,” she said. Relatability evolved from a word to an actionable stance incorporated in everyday life.

THE EVOLUTION OF BRANDING

Communication is a never-ending process where ideas are shared and cultivated. Just because we were in a pandemic, we did not stop talking; we started listening more to each other.

There were “brand truths,” that needed to be acknowledged if a brand foreseen any future of existing during the pandemic. People were not able to go out and enjoy each other’s company. There simply was not “escape.” However, by the way of TikTok and companies tapping into their direct resources (employees), brands such as Target, Walmart, and Budweiser excelled.

“People want to see REAL employees. Generation Z wants authentic content,” Jim Lin explained.

In addition to being authentic, brands could no longer stand by during social and political movements. “Brands can’t remain neutral. What is the voice of a brand? What does it think?” Jim Lin said.

Moving forward, brands have been personified with human-like qualities and people flock to that. Personalization is key in managing a successful brand. Creation of unique retail experiences is earned.

WRAPPING IT UP

Golin Dallas is a pivotal, powerful, and influential public relations agency that is committed to reinvention and innovation of communication techniques that propel their agency and clients to next level branding.

Feel free to learn more about Golin Dallas at https://golin.com.