SWC’s Fast Five

We engage with media for a living, but sometimes it is possible to consume too much news, or incorrect information for that matter. That’s why, each week, we are curating and bringing you our Fast Five: five articles, songs, videos or websites to keep you up-to-date and entertained without overwhelming you.

So, here’s this week’s Fast Five:

1 How to spot and dodge coronavirus scams

What do you get when you combine anxiety, misinformation and an increased reliance on technology due to the COVID-19 outbreak? The perfect opportunity for scammers to strike. Creative Planning breaks down the most popular scams of the moment and what you can do to avoid falling prey to them. Remember that a government agency will likely never text or email you, and your loved ones and colleagues will usually call when asking for a favor. Be extra vigilant when responding to these communications!

2 Coronavirus rumor control

Speaking of misinformation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) put together the handy Coronavirus Rumor Control landing page to help you discern fact from fiction. So back away from the 96 pack of toilet paper and check out this website for trusted facts.

3 Dove’s “Courage is Beautiful” ad

Marketing can be tricky right now…it is imperative that marketers find the sweet spot between latching their product or ad to coronavirus (appearing to capitalize on the virus) and not mentioning it at all (appearing tone deaf). But Dove is an example of one advertiser that hit the mark in its latest ad, appropriate for these times.

4 We don’t shut down the economy for the flu, why do we for COVID-19?

The question that you’ve probably asked yourself at least once during the stay-at-home order, explained.

5 Zoom best practices

Yoga class? Zoom. Happy hour? Zoom. Conference call? Zoom. Increased numbers are flocking to Zoom to stay connected these days, and you know what that means…increased potential for hacking (AKA Zoombombing). Here are some simple tips to keep your video conferences secure.