Reacting to claims that surfaced on social media regarding excessive spending by the First Lady of Ukraine, Forbes recently published an article asking media experts to share their thoughts on the dangers of fake news. Melanie Parncutt, a publicist at Otter PR, was one of the experts included in the top-tier outlet’s exposé.
“I was glad to be able to contribute to the important information Forbes was sharing on the problems with misinformation,” Parncutt says. “Fake news is a dangerous phenomenon in our culture that spreads rapidly. Increasing efforts to educate the public on media literacy helps audiences critically evaluate information rather than passively consume it. By calling out inaccuracies and highlighting credible sources, we can turn the tide and ensure a more informed public.”
Parncutt, whose PR expertise is in the future of work, has had great success at Otter PR assisting clients in a wide range of industries. Her efforts have opened doors for exposure in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Fortune, USA Today, MarketWatch, Yahoo, Business Insider, Tech Times, and others.
Parncutt regularly leverages her passion for storytelling and relationship building to assist clients seeking greater exposure as thought leaders. She is a media relations specialist who brings to her clients’ campaigns an innate sense of how to effectively connect with audiences and add value to a conversation. She adeptly guides her clients on how to become a thought leader, empowering them to confidently join the conversations trending in their industries and emerge as sought-after voices.
As a publicist at Otter PR, Parncutt plays a key role in maintaining the company’s excellent track record of achieving impactful media exposure for its clients. Clients partner with Otter PR to gain both the experience and connections necessary to capitalize on media opportunities. Parncutt and Otter PR’s other publicists develop PR tactics, craft newsworthy material, pitch to journalists, write press releases, arrange interviews, and more in an effort to ensure their clients are seen and heard.
Parncutt helps Forbes readers steer clear of misleading sources
The Forbes article titled “Social Media Posts Claim Zelensky’s Wife Spent Millions on Bugatti Sportscar,” which was published on July 2, 2024, sought to debunk what it described as an “ongoing misinformation/disinformation campaign” targeting US military aid to Ukraine. It highlighted two viral social media posts; the first focused on the alleged sports car purchase, and the second claimed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena spent tens of thousands of dollars during a shopping trip to Paris.
The article explained reports posted on the French-language website Verité Cachée purported to show a video and an invoice that confirmed the sports car purchase. According to Forbes, both the video and invoice have been proven to be fakes.
The Forbes article goes deeper by arguing that high-profile social media users — many of whom are seen as trusted sources — are not careful about vetting news before they share it. If reports are “compelling and shareable,” influencers are willing to share them as news without “the need for factual accuracy,” Forbes said.
Parncutt joins the discussion as Forbes explores how challenging it can be to identify “trusted sources” in today’s online environment. “There are an overwhelming number of sources online today, from new-age blogs to fake social media accounts, making it increasingly challenging to distinguish between what’s genuine and what’s fabricated,” she shares.
Parncutt also points out that social media platforms that have devalued the practice of verifying users are contributing to an environment in which misinformation can thrive. “Adding to the confusion, the ease with which anyone can purchase verification badges today undermines the credibility of symbols once thought to signify trustworthy sources,” she argues.
A third point Parncutt offers points to the culpability of social media users who leverage misinformation to build their following. “It’s also not uncommon these days for high-profile users seeking to increase followers or engage their audience to explicitly or implicitly accept that misinformation rides on sensationalism or ideological alignment,” she says.
PR strategies push back against misinformation
Parncutt and her fellow publicists at Otter PR play a key role in countering the misinformation campaigns that flood the media with fake news. One of their top duties is assisting the brands and personalities they represent in maintaining control of their public narratives. Public relations essentially involves proactive efforts to give the media the true story about a brand.
Otter PR performs its proactive public relations work in several ways, but one of the most valuable tools it brings to its clients is established relationships with top media outlets, publications, and podcasts. Otter PR ensures that its clients’ stories get shared by leveraging its relationships to open doors for placements in high-traffic media.
“Our publicists are media relations specialists who are focused on building quality relationships with the journalists, editors, and producers who are making an impact in the media landscape,” explains Scott Bartnick, CEO of Otter PR. “Our clients can think of the contacts we have in the media as allies who can champion their stories with credibility. Earned media placements in established publications and respected networks add immense value to a brand’s credibility by solidifying their position as a thought leader, shape public perception in a positive light, and ultimately, empower them to control their own narrative.”
Staying focused on quality exposure in digital media is another way Otter PR ensures its clients can consistently control their stories. Otter PR was launched with the belief that making solid connections with today’s consumers requires taking your story to the digital spaces that have become central to the culture.
“Meeting consumers where they are is paramount to effective PR,” Bartnick says. “Ensuring your message finds them in the places they naturally engage is much more effective than trying to lead them to your message. Seeking your audience out is an approach that builds trust, relevance, and resonance. It’s the best way to foster lasting connections in today’s dynamic communications landscape.”
Otter PR also helps its clients build the type of media portfolio that pushes their story to the front of Google search results. By telling a consistent story in the right places, public relations ensures that those searching for information on a brand find the truth. Brands that only engage with the media reactively don’t have the media credibility needed to elevate their voice over the din of misinformation.
PR strategies inform crisis communications
PR professionals also serve brands when misinformation leads to a media crisis, which can occur when fake news goes viral and inspires consumers and investors to respond in negative ways. Recently, the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly experienced this type of crisis when a fake Twitter account impersonating the brand announced it would be giving away insulin for free, causing a considerable drop in the company’s stock value.
Otter PR assists clients with crisis management, helping them to develop and deploy strategies that can address consumer concerns and reestablish a brand’s reputation.
“The communication a brand offers the public when it is addressing a media crisis will determine whether it survives with reputation intact or suffers damage and loss from unfair and untrue attacks on its character,” explains Jay Feldman, CMO of Otter PR. “Every brand understands the importance of crisis communication, yet few have the skills or resources needed to devise the proper strategy and carry it out. It’s an extremely challenging task — perhaps the most challenging an organization will ever face — that requires the type of expertise PR professionals provide.”
Award-winning PR work that gets results
The work Otter PR does for its clients around the world has earned it a number of sought-after awards in recent years, including being named to the Inc. Regional list of the fastest-growing private companies in the Southeast for 2024. The Inc. Regional award, which was announced in February 2024, is an extension of the Inc. 5000 regional rankings and acknowledges Otter PR as one of the most successful companies within the southeast region of the US.
The “Inc. 500” and “Inc. 5000” lists are well known in the business world as a guide to businesses that are committed to excellence and explosive growth. Honorees include some of the biggest names in the global business landscape, including Microsoft, Patagonia, Pandora, and Zappos.
Eric Hagerman, Special Projects Editor at Inc. Media, describes those named to the Inc. 5000 list as the Who’s Who of private companies. “They’re energizing regional economies as they engineer the future of their industries,” he said. “Learn who they are and what they do — they’ll be impacting things for a while.”
Otter PR was also recently given the 2023 People’s Choice Stevie® Award for Favorite Public Relations Company. The Stevie® Awards, which are determined by public vote, are one of the global business community’s premier award programs. Otter PR’s win points to the tremendous amount of influence and prestige it has earned within the global public relations community.
Otter PR’s award-winning PR services have helped hundreds of clients around the globe to grow their brands by ensuring the right message is communicated in the correct media spaces. If you are ready to experience guaranteed results from brand-building professionals, schedule an appointment with Otter PR today.