DraftKings VP of global communications Sabrina Macias talks about how her experience in multicultural marketing has influenced the way she handles communications with general audiences in the latest “PR’s Top Pros Talk” video interview with Doug Simon.

When she worked in the multicultural space, Macias was “focused on communicating to Hispanic, African American, LGBTQ, Asian communities on behalf of the clients that I serviced.” Because of that, she “spent a lot of time listening, becoming very attuned to sensitivities, vernacular, just all the things that really matter to multicultural audiences.”

That gave her a skillset she says is beneficial in any position. “The sensitivity of being attuned to the nuances of different cultures and communities and age groups, all of that matters and I think only makes the communication stronger.”

Macias also discusses how the entrepreneurial, fast thinking focus of DraftKings helped the company weather the hits it took from the pandemic, which temporarily shut down sporting events “We were able to pivot to other entertainment factors that were happening in the world and culture,” she says, keeping consumers “engaged and giving them something to do from an entertainment perspective.”

The discussion also addresses some of the ways that communicators can “control the narrative.” She says that a key element of controlling the narrative lies in how brands use owned channels and social media. Medium, Twitter and Instagram off communicators an “opportunity to be able to really hone your message and deliver the message that you want.”

Preparation is another must. “Prepare as much as possible, rapid response plans, lots of thinking, scenario planning and thinking through,” Macias says. “You want your executives to feel confidence in the products that you have, in the preparedness, and the preparation that you've done.”

However, she says that being proactive and consistent “is probably the number one way to really control the message,” and adds that communicators should avoid “backing off of a situation if they're being criticized or if there's something negative happening.”

She adds that hammering home your message often depends on “being able to find opportunities to deliver that message over and over. If you have multiple spokespeople or multiple people out there, just generally talking and speaking on behalf of the company, I think that just gives you an even bigger opportunity.”

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D S Simon Media helps clients get their stories on television through satellite media tours and by producing and distributing content to the media. The company also produces live social media events.