LeBron James is breaking up with McDonald\'s Corp. The basketball star is ditchi
ID: 446729 • Letter: L
Question
LeBron James is breaking up with McDonald's Corp. The basketball star is ditching the fast-food giant in favor of a role as "brand ambassador" at upstart chain Blaze Pizza -- part of a growing trend of elite athletes and entertainers who don't want to be just pitchmen any more. Blaze, one of several fast-growing chains vying to be the so-called Chipotle of pizza, expects to finish 2015 with about 110 restaurants and just over $100 million in revenue. James, a four-time National Basketball Association most valuable player, has been an investor in Blaze since 2012, and now has the opportunity to use his immense star power to put a chain that most Americans have never heard of squarely on the map.
There was a time when a star as big as James would have stuck with large, deep-pocketed companies like Nike Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and McDonald's, and plenty still do. But by casting his lot with Blaze, James can also boost the value of the equity investment. And because he has a financial stake, he may be an even more effective spokesman, said Allen Adamson, North American chairman of the branding firm Landor Associates. "He's just not selling out to get a paycheck," he said. "Consumers are skeptical unless they believe that the celebrity actually uses the product and is invested in the brand."
Prominent athletes can use their star power, particularly on social media, to shape the companies they back, said David Carter, executive director of the Marshall Sports Business Institute at the University of Southern California. And they're more willing to pass up endorsement cash to gamble on a long- term payoff, he said. "A guy like LeBron can move the needle with a company like that," Carter said. "He's a powerful brand ambassador and he has the megaphone of social media. That's a dramatic shift."
LeBron has at least a 10 percent stake in Blaze, according to a person familiar with the situation who asked not to be named because the information isn't public. He's also a partner in a franchise group that holds the rights to develop Blaze restaurants in Chicago and South Florida, according to Jim Mizes, the chief operating officer of the pizza chain.
"LeBron believes strongly in the company and where it is going and was ready to double down," Maverick Carter, James's business partner, said in an e-mail. "He wanted to invest the value of his endorsement into a company he owned."
#3 question :Blaze’s CEO is committed to charitable giving and social causes. Describe one activity that Blaze could perform to execute their PR strategy. With your chosen activity, make sure to explain how it fits with Blaze’s image (see http://www.blazepizza.com/).
Explanation / Answer
Basically CSR is about smart business practices. It is about constant improvement and integrity. PR is about reporting on the events as they occur or showcasing a history of events and trending. And when we consider Blaze they has been retained by a growing number of savvy clients who want integrated PR, influencer and social media strategies when we consider it to Food & Beverage. When it comes it comes to Food & Beverage the new year is a time for assessment, goal setting and strategic planning and if we think of PR, then it’s time to set objectives and formulate a clear, defined plan that'll help your business achieve optimum results in the media.
Thus in Blaze it’s important to have these activities for promotional and other social actives like CSR, since as a CSR and PR strategy it is important to engage with stakeholders as they can be instrumental in spreading a message, garnering support and changing behaviors. It’s important for companies to be engaged in community outreach for the right reason to support and enhance the quality of life in the communities where your employees work and live. As the community thrives, so does business. CSR objectives and focus should be on issues that Align with your business like
Once you’ve picked activities for CSR like children issue or environmental issues then stick to them and support them with various resources from cash to gifts-in-kind to technical or leadership expertise. When choosing your CRS goal, consider these things also as what are the community needs, and what are you capable of accomplishing it and our strategies to reach out to these goals with your PR message. In this Blaze may define target market and align relevant advertising and promotional material to meet that audience for CSR and PR activities. In action plan Blaze can take the Pledge to make a difference and improvement in society by helping those in need, reduce, reuse, recycle, be Safe and Well, help others make healthy choices play fair, act with kindness.
Moreover Blaze can organize volunteer activities, encourage local participation and Identify localized recycling interests with initiating new recycling practices and re-energize those already in place.
So in Blaze CSR and PR activities can be focused on action-oriented goals that have an impact on the environment and the communities and Planning your PR strategy will not only help generate new ideas and opportunities for you and your business to shine, it'll give you peace of mind in your day-to-day operations. Thus if CSR is truly embedded into corporate communications strategy, public relations professionals provide a responsive platform to frequent inquiries about corporate mission through consistent communications.
Related Questions
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.