Many companies would consider the Wall Street Journal to be a "home run" media outlet, meaning if they earn a placement, their company just hit a public relations home run. However, when your voice is elevated to the role of industry thought leader on a deeply important subject (like the FDA punting CBD regulation to Congress), we call that a public relations grand slam. For our non-baseball readers, that's a home run with the bases loaded, the single highest-scoring event that can happen in a baseball game.
That's what cbdMD did. While the FDA's decision didn't surprise anyone, the ramifications of that decision do have significant implications, and being identified by a national news outlet as an important voice about those consequences, is hugely important.
On the latest episode of the Move the Stairs podcast, we discussed this and more about the FDA's decision with Dr. Sibyl Swift, cbdMD's Chief Science Officer & Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, and Lance Blundell, cbdMD’s general counsel.
You can listen to our 30-minute conversation on the Move the Stairs™ podcast here. Or check out our top three Move the Stairs™ takeaways below.
Move the Stairs Moment 1: Mobilize constituents
How many times have we seen grassroots movements lead to meaningful change? Lance says, with the loaded political calendar in 2023 that may be exactly what's needed to unstick federal regulations, despite bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.
Move the Stairs Moment 2: Build the Base
If you're offering your company up to a national media outlet, like Forbes and you don't have your ducks in a row, you're playing with fire and likely going to get burned. Sibyl explains how cbdMD invested in building relationships with the press before this story broke.
Move the Stairs Moment 3: The only lemonade to be made will be by bad actors
Is there a silver lining in this decision? Not for reputable companies says, Lance. In fact, he says this move will do just the opposite.