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This week’s PR Roundup looks at an important federal communicator getting caught doing a side gig on the job, how trust in AI is increasing with the public, and how Guinness is connecting with consumers for its latest St. Patrick’s Day campaign.
Government PR Exec Caught Shilling on Company TimeÂ
What happened: Yes, the economy is in a state right now. So it’s no surprise that many workers are engaging in side gigs. In fact, this week Sherwood News, the editorial arm of Robinhood, shared new data from the latest jobs report, showing that 5.4% of American adults were juggling more than one job last month—the highest share in 15+ years.
However, there’s a right time and place for all gig work, particularly when you work for the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management—and during a season of massive firings which said office is handing out.Â
CNN reported that political appointee McLaurine Pinover, the communications director for the Office of Personnel Management, posted “at least a dozen videos filmed in her OPM office” in which she “modeled her outfit choices for the day, while directing followers from her Instagram account to a website that could earn her commissions on clothing sales.”
These videos were posted in sync with her communications tasks, including the delivery of numerous statements supporting the current White House administration’s moves to lay off probationary employees and offer buyouts to others.Â
Pinover has since deleted her Instagram account as well as her LinkedIn profile.Â
Before starting work for OPM in January, Pinover worked as a senior director at a public affairs firm, The Herald Group, and served as a deputy communications director for the House Foreign Affairs Committee.Â
Communication takeaways: Pinover is no stranger to the comms industry, so it’s surprising to see such disregard for basic PR protocols in her position, which is a very senior and important one.
Dustin Siggins, founder of Proven Media Solutions, says it’s a PR person’s job to create and support a story, not to be at the center of it.Â
“The head of OPM’s comms shop should have been crafting compelling narratives to defend staff reductions instead of promoting her side hustle,” he says. “You can’t stop someone from making viral hay if they want to. But self-inflicted injuries? We can all avoid those. “
Siggins does note that the story is objectively a “nothingburger” because the staffer doesn’t appear to have abused the power of her office for any real gain or attempted to hurt people, but Pinover needed to be more aware of the current climate.Â
“It went viral because that’s the culture in which we live, because a comms person is supposed to know better,” he says, and because of the office that employs her.
Siggins himself has worked side gigs in media, and he noted the importance of what people say when in the public eye.Â
“Professionals in all walks of life have to be careful about the things they say and do that can be disqualifying,” he says. “In an era when anything can go viral—and when she works for a high-profile, important and controversial figure whom the media will go after for any slights—the staffer should have kept both a stark separation between government-paid work and her side job, as well as a stark separation between her brands.”
Trust in AI is Increasing
What happened: PR is all about trust. So it’s good to take a look at different industries to see how they accumulate trust.Â
Mission North recently launched its second annual Brand Expectations Study, which took a look at several topics currently dominating corporate narratives, including AI. The report reveals insights that can guide how communicators and marketers approach this topic to help shape internal and external reputations.
The report shows that trust in AI platforms and companies has grown from 2024. Because of more consistent personal awareness and use of tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, consumer trust has grown. Known companies such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft head the brand trust leaderboard. However, OpenAI and Anthropic lag by over 20 points.
The report also noted that security, privacy and ethics are big factors when it comes to consumer trust in AI. Sixty-nine percent of the general public surveyed say security is a top driver of trust in AI companies.Â
Ethical oversight is also important. Sixty-six percent of the public supports external governance of AI development. However, only 40 percent of that public trusts the government to regulate AI responsibly. A majority prefer industry self-regulation and corporate AI ethics programs.Â
Communication takeaways: The findings show that trust is built on education and knowledge, which makes communicators an essential partner for AI companies.Â
Tyler Perry, co-CEO of Mission North, says the way in which a company communicates about AI and how a brand’s story is told significantly influences audience trust.
“Our [report] found that your CEO’s voice matters more than ever,” Perry says. “In a world where AI is redefining industries and reinventing how we work, people want to know the human behind the tech, and the values driving his or her decisions.”
Perry also notes the importance of developing a unique AI brand narrative. Â
“[Rev] your content engine,” she says. “More than 80% of survey respondents ranked owned content, direct from companies, right behind local news as the most trustworthy sources for information about AI companies and their products. Don’t hide behind jargon or marketing speak. Educate, explain and engage directly. That’s how you build trust.”
Guinness’s Lovely Day Project
What happened: It wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without a pint of Guinness. The beer brand revived its 1954 ad slogan, “Lovely Day for a Guinness,” just in time for the 2025 Irish celebration.Â
Guinness launched the Lovely Day Project, a coast-to-coast search to celebrate and share what brings people together over these pints. Starting on St. Patrick’s Day, revelers can share photos of their celebrations with Guinness for a chance to be featured in the company’s next ad.Â
Enthusiasts can scan the branded QR code if seen while out and about, or visit pov.camera/guinness to add photos to the official Guinness St. Patrick’s Day camera roll. Guinness will be posting these moments to its social handles, billboards and possibly its new commercial later this year.
“Guinness is made by our brewers, but it’s always been brought to life by the people who enjoy it,” said Joyce He, Vice President, Guinness, in a release. “We want to find and tell the real stories of the people behind the pints, and highlight what a ‘Lovely Day for a Guinness’ really looks like.”
Communication takeaways: UGC projects can be a good exercise to find and reward a passionate fan base, and Guinness looks to create and continue strong connections with its audience through this campaign.Â
Marino’s VP of Social Strategy, Michael Katz, says it’s smart of Guinness to utilize UGC to share authentic moments throughout the day featuring the beverage.Â
“It enables the brand to show how wide-reaching their products are, associates the brand with having a good time, and adds an extra incentive for the audience of potentially being featured on Guinness’ own social channels,” Katz says. “This not only increases consumer engagement but also fuels a sense of community, where fans feel recognized and celebrated for sharing their experiences with the iconic brand.”
However, as with any UGC campaign, particularly one with alcohol, guidelines must be framed before the campaign begins to avoid any sticky situations. Katz offers these tips for social media teams:Â
- Ensure full control over content displayed on any public-facing platforms such as company-owned websites, social channels, ads, etc.
- Only share photos in which the product is being consumed responsibly.
- Provide strict and clear guidelines and language about responsible consumption wherever the link is accessible.
Nicole Schuman is Managing Editor of PRNEWS.Â