Happy September (how the hell did that happen?) everybody, lots to discuss in the column this week.

Good PR

Marcus Rashford

After successfully campaigning for the extension of free school meals for underprivileged UK schoolchildren during summer holidays this year, footballer Marcus Rashford has now taken his initiative a step further by linking with some huge British food brands in order to help reduce child food poverty.

The 22-year-old Manchester United player, who himself grew up relying on a food voucher scheme, has teamed up with the likes of Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Deliveroo, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose (amongst many others), to form a taskforce which backs proposals from the National Food Strategy, an independent review of UK food policy. Rashford is calling for the government to fund three policy recommendations as soon as possible, including expanding free school meals to every child from a household on Universal Credit, expanding the number of children eligible for school holiday food and activities, and increasing the value of the Healthy Start vouchers from £3.10 to £4.25 per week.

Channel 4

Channel 4 is garnering a large amount of praise for a documentary that aired on Monday evening, depicting the different struggles and experiences a range of British men have dealt with regarding their penises, including masturbation, infertility, body image and the pressures associated with masculinity.

The one-off programme called ‘Me and My Penis’ followed artist Ajamu X photographing an array of British men nude, whilst they discussed their own individual experiences of being a male in 2020.

Viewers applauded the subjects tackled in the show, highlighting how important the messages being portrayed were in order to break the traditional taboo of what it means to ‘be a man’.

Lincolnshire Wildlife Park

In pretty much one of my favourite stories of 2020 so far, footage of a parrot singing the Beyonce track ‘If I Were A Boy’ at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park has gone viral on social media, garnering millions of fans from all around the world.

Chico, a 9-year-old yellow-crowned Amazon parrot, can regularly be heard breaking into song for visitors of the park since first arriving more than 18 months ago, and has also been known to perform other pop tracking such as Poker Face by Lady Gaga, Firework by Katy Perry and Crazy by Gnarls Barkley.

Anyone else in the Gloucestershire area fancy taking a road trip up to Lincolnshire with me this weekend? This I’ve GOT to see!

Bad PR

Ellen DeGeneres

Yet another blow in the media for comedien Ellen DeGeneres and the uncertain future of her talk show following a series of allegations related to workplace bullying on set.

Global superstar Mariah Carey is the latest celebrity to publicly condemn the show after recalling an appearance she made in 2008 where Ellen manipulated her into admitting she was pregnant with her and ex-husband Nick Cannon’s first child.

The 2008 interview, which Mariah has admitted this week made her feel ‘extremely uncomfortable’ saw Ellen encourage the singer to sip champagne following rumours about her pregnancy, which later sadly resulted in miscarriage. She also told Vulture magazine that she had a really hard time grappling with the aftermath of the interview.

Bottega Veneta

Whilst I am all for the fashion industry doing its part to encourage more environmentally friendly practices, the latest move by Bottega Veneta kind of takes the biscuit!

The brand has launched an entire bag collection made from recycled toilet paper…with a HEFTY price tag.

The ‘Kraft’ collection is comprised of pouch-style handbags and mini options, treated with aliphatic polyurethane film and microfibre plastic, making it waterproof and seriously chic.

BUT, with prices starting at £845 and rising up to an eye-watering £1,710- one can’t help but think it is having a laugh!

Written by Lauren Wilden, head of PR at 10 Yetis Digital. Seen any good or bad PR lately? You know what to do @10Yetis on Twitter or andy@10Yetis.co.uk on email