The government shutdown is officially the longest in history and the impact is broadening without an end in sight. Federal workers are reportedly rationing their medicines. The White House is serving fast food to star athletes. And, the FDA is furloughing more employees and suspending “lower priority” tasks to preserve money for new drug reviews for a few more weeks. Nearly 2,000 GoFundMe campaigns have been launched by people impacted by the shutdown. We’re guessing a lot of these are for healthcare costs as new data from Kaiser Health News found one third of GoFundMe campaigns are in the medical category. With more than $1.5 billion raised for those causes, loved ones are showing their value in times of need. We hope you can “get by with a little help from your friends”… and our roundup of this week’s news, a look at what's on the docket, and our take on Gillette’s new ad.
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RBG’s bed rest did not stop movement on a number of cases this week. Here’s a quick look at some of the suits on our radar:
Don't hesitate to reach out to RRM Legal Comms Strategist, Amanda Eiber, who has been following the case closely. | ||||||||||||
If you haven’t yet seen it, take two minutes to watch the provocative new Gillette ad, The Best In Men. Inspired by the #MeToo movement, the ad calls for men to be the best they can be by changing how they treat women, and each other. The ad was released on the heels of the American Psychological Association’s official warning against toxic masculinity and its negative impact. The reaction has been varied, including some severe backlash from men’s rights groups, conservative news outlets and this guy named Joe. Some consumers are even committing violence against their Gillette razors…dare we say that’s a little ironic? But Gillette was clearly prepared for some backlash, and has remained firm in their resolve to set “a new standard for our brand…to encourage and inspire the next generation to be its best.” True to the recent trend of corporate activism, Gillette’s ad was likely motivated by both genuine internal interest in action on social issues and a strategic marketing push to meet the desires of younger consumers. Their spokesperson said: "Successful brands have to be relevant and engage consumers in topics that matter to them…This is especially true when it comes to younger consumers — a key demographic for us." The case raises an interesting question for companies in this new era of purpose: how do we measure ‘success’ when it comes to action on social issues? For a head start, take a look at Morning Consult’s incredibly quick-turn research. Our Take: When it comes to healthcare, companies have been notably absent in the corporate activism movement. This approach might seem “safer,” but our own Dana Davis sees it as a risky strategy, that may have very real business implications for healthcare companies. “As so many other industries have learned,” Dana says, “there’s no way to opt out of activist targeting on social issues, regardless of the company’s political neutrality, published value statements, or degrees of separation between the brand and the consumer.” Check out some of Dana’s tips in PM 360, and reach out to her with thoughts. | ||||||||||||
Syneos Health Communications' Reputation & Risk Management Practice is a team of healthcare communications consultants, policy-shapers and crisis response specialists. We provide unique solutions to the evolving communications challenges in today’s healthcare industry, using evidence-based approaches to help our clients successfully navigate the most sensitive of situations.
Image credits: Megaphone by Ralf Schmitzer from the Noun Project, Hospital by supalerk laipawat from the Noun Project, Magnifying Glass by ranjit kumar from the Noun Project, Scale by Gregor Cresnar from the Noun Project | ||||||||||||
While R’s and D’s can’t agree on a budget deal, what they can 
Talking about value: Netflix 
Hospitals are blaming rising drug costs for layoffs. A new 
Patient groups are joining with doctors in a 
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