[Newsletter] 08.20.26 | “Nobody is selling football.”
August 17, 2026The World Cup may be over, but FIFA remained in the news, giving us our winning comment this month! From two additional classic comments to the owner of the America’s largest raw-dairy farm saying the wrong thing five times in one interview this edition is a must read.
THE WINNING COMMENT
“Nobody is selling football,” was the official statement from FIFA and this month’s winning comment. On the heels of an exciting and uniting 2026 World Cup, FIFA managed to draw ire—and potential boycotts— by announcing its plan to inject private money into its competitions. FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro, resigned from his position in protest at the proposal and shared this statement: “I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup. Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally. … It is a bad deal for FIFA’s Member Associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.” For football fans worldwide and the crop of newly interested U.S. fans, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
CNN, “FIFA President Gianni Infantino further isolated following senior advisor resignation and confederation revolts” July 31, 2026
THE RUNNERS-UP
Amid claims that Donald Trump Jr. and his business partner, Omeed Malik invested in a company whose fortunes would be affected by President Trump’s policies, the New York Times ran this lengthy piece about the issue. Their firm, 1789 Capital, has grown exponentially, and the article focused on deals they’ve made with Polymarket and Vulcan Elements. In response to the scrutiny Donald Trump Jr. replied, “It’s not like it takes a genius to figure this out. I don’t have inside information.” A classic denial with a side of snark.
The New York Times, “Donald Trump Jr.’s Investment Firm Posts Staggering Returns of 200%” July 22, 2026
In response to a lawsuit filed by ABC, FCC Chair Brendan Carr said, “I don’t view the FCC as the speech police.” Carr has repeatedly rejected accusations of censorship while defending his efforts to rein in what he calls abusive, politically motivated behavior by TV broadcasters. However, by introducing the phrase “speech police,” he managed to make that the lingering sentiment.
Politico, “ABC accuses FCC of ‘attempted censorship’” July 30, 2026
WRONG THING TO SAY
For our avid readers, the featured pull-out quotes in this article encompass not only the “wrong thing to say,” but there were at least five controversial quotes! Mark McAfee, the owner of America’s largest raw-dairy farm, has some thoughts and he shared them freely. The first statement, “I’m begging you to say: ‘This is not anti-science, this is extremely pro-science. … It’s using science that is not conveniently accepted yet,” while emphatic, left us scratching our heads. We’re all for framing a response, but “begging the reporter” to say something was a bit extreme. The next statement, “I’ve put a couple kids in the hospital, and they have been sick, but they recovered,” while truthful, was uninspiring when you’re championing the benefits of your products. The third statement alluded to the pseudo-science behind raw milk and was soundly debunked by experts. “We have a red-flag system here, where if there’s anything that gets really out of whack, they can immediately tag the milk, and it doesn’t go to anything but cheese. … Because, you know, cheese is resistant to pathogens.” The fourth statement was McAfee’s take on the federal government — “They have the guns and the money. I got the truth and the moms.” And his fifth and final statement, “Our sales are highest they’ve ever been, and feedback online with influencers is: If the FDA says something, do the opposite. It’s safer. They don’t trust them at all,” was in response to yet another outbreak regulators traced to his farm. In this end, this article is a masterclass in what not to say OR do.
ProPublica, “5 Quotes on Raw Milk From Raw Farm Owner Mark McAfee” July 23, 2026
YOU DO SAY
Back to World Cup fever. Emirates Airlines advertised heavily throughout the event and its claim to have the world’s best economy class left us frequent flyers wondering if they live up to the hype. All signs point to yes, with their new, game-changing U-Dream Headrest, which features adjustable height, tilting, and foldable side wings to support passengers of various body types. Their spokesperson did an excellent job representing this latest feature. “No more neck pillows needed…It’s another innovation that shows our commitment to customers and cements our economy class as the best.” Sign us up!
People, “Airline Announces New ‘Game-Changing’ Headrest to Improve Sleep in Economy Class” July 22, 2026
Turning lemons into lemonade is always a good idea, as it turns out, so does promoting a one-star review. The New Bedford Whaling Museum did this and gained the attention of CBS Evening News, while simultaneously selling out its merchandise. When someone posted a one-star Google review calling the museum “the worst aquarium ever,” its staff got to work and printed it on t-shirt and hoodies, turning the review into, in the words of reporters, “marketing gold.” Spoiler alert—it’s not an aquarium and it only features whale bones because it’s a whaling museum. The merch is described as “perfect for anyone who likes irony, maritime history and a good laugh.” It’s also a perfect example of what to say…and do.
MSN, “Massachusetts Whaling Museum, dubbed the ‘worst aquarium ever,’ turns one-star Google review into merchandise” July 26, 2026
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
The crisis communications team for Taylor Farms has been working overtime due to the cyclospora outbreak that has been linked back to its iceberg lettuce. It’s imperative that during a crisis you communicate that it is an ever-changing situation and avoid concrete denials early on. Taylor Farms made this mistake when they publicly stated on July 17th, “No Taylor Farms branded salads or kits are associated with this cyclospora outbreak.” The issue? It turned out not to be the whole truth. Counter this with Taco Bell’s July 16th response, “Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states.” This will be a case study worth exploring for years to come. Taco Bell also leaned into humor, by allowing (or at least not blocking) “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” to issue the late-night show’s parody version of a response to the crisis.
Parade, “Taylor Farms Releases Statement Regarding Cyclospora Outbreak” July 17, 2026
The Hill, “Taco Bell removing lettuce from some stores amid cyclosporiasis scare” July 16, 2026
“You Don’t Say” is a reminder not to repeat and deny a negative word because of how the listener hears words. When you repeat and deny a negative word, the listener is likely to overlook the denial and hear the opposite of what the speaker is trying to say.