Early on during the 2021 baseball season, there was a huge internal debate over the idea of pitchers using sticky substances to improve grip and increase the motion of the ball as it approaches the batter. Several players were accused of using the substance, which consists of a mix of sunscreen, rosin, and various forms of glue to throw better pitches and control their ball movement. After the MLB finally banned sticky substances and created punishments for players caught violating the new rules, there was a huge debate among the baseball community about how sticky stuff impacted the game of baseball, and whether it should be allowed in the Major Leagues.

As a result of this lasting discussion, MLB has recently decided to do some research on what is best for the game and what will have the best result on fans and consumers. In his recent article, Matt Hladik quotes Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser, who reported “that MLB will be trying out a new baseball for select games of the end of the Triple-A season. The ball will be pre-tacked for grip purposes.” As a PR professional for MLB, this idea is beneficial because it allows the organization to communicate their plans for new game rules to the fans and the public. By entering the research phase of this concept through experimentation in lower levels of baseball, the league will be able to collect data to tell what kind of impact pre-tacked baseballs will have on the game, player statistics, and fan engagement.

This strategy is also beneficial for the aspect of two-way communication in public relations because it conveys that the league is interested in satisfying fans, players, and coaches. The long-lasting debate over sticky stuff came to a hault when MLB banned it from being used entirely, which created controversy among fans that believed that sticky stuff was a natural part of the game that has been used for years by pitchers. However, by releasing information to publics about how Major League Baseball is taking steps to figure out this sticky situation, they are putting themselves on good terms with consumers and displaying their trustworthiness as an organization. This information was shared by a ton of baseball reporters and beat writers on social media, which not only brings attention to the sticky substance debate, but also brings media attention to the MLB and the decisions they are making to improve their brand and the game of baseball as a whole.

Link to Article: https://www.aol.com/news/mlb-world-reacts-triple-experiment-215643682.html

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Major League Baseball has come up with a new tactic to engage their online audience and spread the word about the exciting nature of the game of baseball. MLB has a large online following consisting of a target audience that loves baseball content, but cannot necessarily make it to many baseball games and events. Especially as a result of Covid-19 restrictions and a shortened 2020 season, the new social media campaign strategy revolves around bringing the exhilarating feeling of being at a baseball game to fans at home. MLB partnered with Twitter to engage fans online by printing the best baseball related tweets on batting practice balls during the World Series. To make it even more appealing to fans, the best tweets got their printed baseball from BP shipped right to the homes of the twitter users.

As a PR professional with Major League Baseball, twitter is an important platform to focus on gaining attention from publics because much of the content that MLB posts, including constant updates on baseball news and general baseball conversation, is part of the fast-moving twitter feed. Our public relations objectives within this campaign is to connect with our target audience on twitter, which includes loyal fans that are unable to experience the thrilling atmosphere of a major league game as a result of extenuating circumstances such as restrictions from the global pandemic, work, or location. Much of MLB’s audience spends a decent amount of time scrolling through baseball content on Twitter and interacting with the league’s updates and news.

We expect this PR campaign to be successful in getting people to talk about Major League Baseball and influencing publics to interact more with the organization on online platforms and boost the organizations online media presence. There are many different ways in which our PR department at MLB can engage in unique ways with fans across the country through media events such as the #FreeBaseball campaign. The purpose of this strategy was to give fans a live experience by allowing them to have their personal tweets on a ball used in batting practice during the World Series, and then having the opportunity to keep that same ball. Not only do fans enjoy the chance to win a free ball from their favorite team’s batting practice, but it gives social media users a virtual baseball experience that generates positive responses and drives conversation.

This social media strategy is meant to boost online conversation among consumers of MLB, and it certainly does a great job of engaging the organization’s target audience and spreading the word about baseball dialogue. Overall, the PR tactic by MLB and Twitter is a unique, conversation-starting method of connecting with an online audience. It gives fans and consumers the opportunity to generate their own content that can be used in major events for the organization, which ultimately serves as a way to get people involved more and increase online participation. By increasing online presence, MLB is able to advertise their organization in a beneficial manner, eventually increasing their brand value and identity. More campaigns such as this one can be helpful in getting people to talk about the organization and follow MLB social media posts with more attention to detail and more engagement.

https://marketing.twitter.com/en/insights/mlb-twitter-steven-miller

Corporations such as Walmart, Lowes, and Apple are supporting local communities that were impacted by Hurricane Ida. Their audiences include people who have been impacted by the crisis as well as consumers who value community outreach programs and support.

As part of Walmart’s PR department, the company’s latest social media activity is beneficial because we are letting customers know that they are giving back to the community by helping out during a natural disaster. 

The positive message to the public states that their first step will be donating $5 million for response and recovery efforts. It also conveys that Walmart wants the money to be used toward resources that will assist shelters and organizations on the ground.

The PR department released this message to the public in a progressive manner that represents the corporation in a positive light. First, the message is communicated in a friendly tone; “To those impacted by Hurricane Ida, we are here for you.” Our PR team at Walmart carefully constructed this message in order to connect with our audience that is experiencing distress as a result of this crisis. Our communication with the public shows the organization’s inclination to give back to the community and form a relationship with consumers, which gives Walmart an overall positive reputation among the general public. 

Not only does this let customers know that Walmart is always there to help in catastrophic situations, but it also allows consumers to be able to connect with the company, compare ethical standards, and recognize the company’s good will and positive intentions as a big name retailer. 

Especially with Gen Z and Millennials, publics consider a company to be more credible and desirable when the organization conveys that they do virtuous deeds and give back to communities. Our PR team implemented this tactic because people are more likely to purchase products from a company that portrays good will through community outreach campaigns and donations during crises. 

The next step in Walmart’s PR process can be focusing on rebuilding family’s homes by supplying necessary furniture and appliances that were destroyed by the storm. This will resonate even more with the public because they are reaching out to the community even further to help restore family’s belongings. As a member of Walmart’s PR department, I would personally reach out to families affected by the hurricane and offer the company’s support in order to really strengthen the connection between my organization and the consumers.

Companies like Lowe’s and Apple also formulated PR plans that would support communities impacted by Hurricane Ida. Lowe’s tweeted that they have pledged $2 million of product donations and partnerships with the American Red Cross, St. Bernard Project, and nonprofits.

Lowe’s PR plan also sends out a good message to the public because they have created a strategic plan to help surrounding communities recover and rebuild in the coming months.

This allows them to be on good terms with potential consumers that recognize the company’s moral and supportive intentions.

Apple’s CEO tweeted that Apple supports the communities impacted by the natural disaster and pledges to donate to relief and recovery efforts, however he does not mention how much and what specifically they will be donating to. I think Apple’s PR team can expand on this strategy by releasing this information to the public. The more the public knows about a company’s good will and charitable donations, the more they will consider that company to be good, trustworthy, and worthy of their business.

In general, these corporations will ultimately be the one’s to help clean up communities and rebuild families through their donations. For this reason, these PR tactics are beneficial to the organization itself because it ultimately attracts consumers who resonate with the company’s morality.

From a public relations perspective, I imagine the public gains respect for these corporations due to their willingness to give back to the community. Since PR is a two way street, this tactic is very beneficial for these big name corporations because they give themselves a good reputation and represent themselves in a good light. As a result, my own contributions to the PR department include finding new manners of connecting with people impacted by the crisis, more donations to specific factors that will help communities rebuild, and support of non-profit organizations that assist local communities.

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