PR

  • Most Topular Stories

  • Mapping your LinkedIn networks

    Substantialist
    Stephen
    15 May 2012 | 11:01 am
    Here’s a great app by LinkedIn called InMaps which analyses your professional contacts and how they’re each connected. It then clusters them together and colour-codes each one and you simply click on the names in a cluster to see the association. The large blue cluster is, not surprisingly, people I know who have a focus – or are very active in – social media which explains its large size. Natural connectors, you see? The orange cluster at the top is people I know from the North East, who obviously know each other too.  

  • Consumers: Social Dialogue Not Really Two-Way Affair

    PR News :: Free Stories
    15 May 2012 | 11:00 am
    "Liking" a brand on Facebook should be the start of a relationship between a consumer and a brand, not the end of a courtship....

  • Job - Mall of America - Digital Public Relatons Coordinator

    Minnesota Public Relations Blog
    Ryan May
    16 May 2012 | 6:32 am
    Mall of America - Digital Public Relatons Coordinator

  • Are you a good business listener? A 10 Question Self-Diagnostic

    B2B Bliss
    Elizabeth Sosnow
    10 May 2012 | 10:36 am
    Do you hear it? That rumbling, dark rush of water? Wait, it’s changed. Now it sounds like the sweep of a hummingbird wing, rapid and delicate. But, in seconds, the noise evolves again, this time emerging as the steady, pounding whine of a buzz saw. Where are we? We’re in a business meeting. Make no mistake, those noises exist just underneath the surface of almost every meeting.  That rush of water could be an eager project leader, the hummingbird could be a quietly smart junior professional and the buzz saw (you guessed it) might be the company’s resident cynic. The problem is, most…

  • Music, Film, TV: How social media changed the entertainment experience

    Brian Solis
    Brian Solis
    10 May 2012 | 9:56 am
    Social media is more than a digital water cooler for TV and movies. The global conversation that takes place around events and the experiences people share based on what they watch teaches us about consumer preferences. More importantly, their activity influences behavior. Behavior counts for everything. Studying it is just the beginning of course. In order to understand and eventually steer behavior, we must translate activity into insights and in turn, translate insights into actionable strategies and programs. The Hollywood Reporter recently published an exclusive poll about social media…
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    Brian Solis

  • The Fallacy of Information Overload

    Brian Solis
    15 May 2012 | 8:50 am
    Some of you know me through my work in studying how social media and disruptive technology impact business and culture. Others have worked with me in translating insights into action and change within the enterprise.  Every now and then, I share another side of myself that evokes the aspiring social scientist in me as I explore how all of this is affecting us as individuals and human beings. Not a day goes by when I’m not asked about whether or not the social media bubble will finally burst. Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Foursquare, Pinterest, this all has to be too much right? More…

  • Music, Film, TV: How social media changed the entertainment experience

    Brian Solis
    10 May 2012 | 9:56 am
    Social media is more than a digital water cooler for TV and movies. The global conversation that takes place around events and the experiences people share based on what they watch teaches us about consumer preferences. More importantly, their activity influences behavior. Behavior counts for everything. Studying it is just the beginning of course. In order to understand and eventually steer behavior, we must translate activity into insights and in turn, translate insights into actionable strategies and programs. The Hollywood Reporter recently published an exclusive poll about social media…

  • The future of TV is more than social, it’s a multi-screen experience that needs design

    Brian Solis
    7 May 2012 | 1:19 pm
    The future of television is much more than social; much in the same way that the future of media is too, more than social. Social is a fabric; it connects the individual nodes that make up the human network. But, social however, is not a means to an end. And, as such, the same is true about the working theories driving Social TV. Understanding the role social plays in how viewers connect with programs and other people is essential to defining the future of television. Over the years, I’ve written much about my vision for the long overdue convergence of not only web and TV, but also how the…

  • The Path from a Social Brand to a Social Business

    Brian Solis
    2 May 2012 | 11:17 am
    I’ve been a long-time supporter of MediaTemple’s (MT)Residence program along with Gary Vaynerchuk, Neil Patel, and many others whom I respect. I wanted to share my “7 questions to answer to become a social business” with you here.. Social Media is pervasive and is becoming the new normal in corporate marketing. Brands who get this right are starting to build their own media networks rich with customer connections numbering in the millions. Right now, Coca-Cola has over 34 million fans on Facebook, but they’re hardly alone. Disney follows just behind with 29 million…

  • Do Customers Really Matter to Your Business? Prove it.

    Brian Solis
    30 Apr 2012 | 10:21 am
    Frank Eliason and I have known each other for many years. We’ve shared the stage on many occasions, he’s made an appearance on Revolution, and most importantly, I’m proud to call him a personal friend. Frank has championed the adaption and transformation of customer service during his time at Comcast and at CITI. Never one to shy away from sharing his opinions, he’s certainly bullish on where service needs to be as a function and a philosophy versus where it is today. In fact, he’s gone so far as to call out social media customer service as being a…
 
 
 
 
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    A PR Guy's Musings - Stuart Bruce

  • UK coalition government mind map infographic

    Stuart Bruce
    16 May 2012 | 9:41 am
    To mark the first two years of the UK’s Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government the bright folks at Insight Public Affairs have put together a great mind map infographic of the policy issues. Insight has mapped out the: “headline policy drivers spanning: the economy; public service reform; localism; welfare reform; and, the international agenda.” The mind map is a useful tool not just for public affairs and corporate communications professionals, but anyone who is interested in UK politics. You can also download a PDF or contact John Lehal at Insight for an A2 poster.

  • Queen’s Speech as seen by MPs infographic

    Stuart Bruce
    11 May 2012 | 3:23 am
    Online political monitoring company Yatterbox has created an infographic of reaction by MPs to the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday. Browse more data visualizations.   Related articles Edelman Capital Staffers Index 2011 (stuartbruce.biz)

  • Good crisis communications–99p Stores CEO turns tables on BBC Watchdog

    Stuart Bruce
    29 Apr 2012 | 7:05 am
    I try not to watch BBC Watchdog as it tends to annoy me with its fake concern for consumers, when it’s just making cheap ‘shock’ TV. But I’m glad I caught last Thursday’s as it contained a brilliant performance by Hussein Lalani, the entrepreneurial CEO of a family owned retail business. The 99p Stores is a fast growing value retail chain and for some bizarre reason Watchdog decided to make it the victim of one of its usual hatchet jobs. The allegation was that 99p Stores was ripping off consumers by using misleading price claim signs such as ‘Amazing Value’, ‘Mega…

  • FT Global 500 companies still digitally challenged

    Stuart Bruce
    26 Apr 2012 | 6:27 am
    New research reveals that many FT Global 500 companies are still failing to manage their digital strategies effectively. The sixth annual FT Bowen Craggs Index shows that an alarming number of companies still don’t understand that the corporate website is now one of the most effective communications channels that a company owns. The research also looks at how these companies use social media channels and apps. While it found lots of activity, much of appeared as if “companies have simply grabbed the latest things – whether they are iPad apps or Google + pages – without considering how…

  • Most influential UK PR, social, SEO, marketing blogs

    Stuart Bruce
    24 Apr 2012 | 8:00 am
    Today marketing automation software provider Eloqua released a UK edition of its ‘Blog Tree’ infographic of the most influential blogs in PR, social, SEO, marketing, tech, start-up and design. And this little, old blog of mine is right there near the top of the tree as one of the top three PR blogs and one of the top blogs overall. You can see the The Blog Tree: UK Edition below or download the PDF for a clickable version. The Eloqua Experience Europe conference in May looks like it could be good as the keynote speaker is David Meerman Scott, author of Real Time Marketing & PR,…
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    Social Media PR Blog Feed

  • New EndGame PR Client Can Teach the World About IT

    Steve Mullen
    11 May 2012 | 11:19 am
    I’m completely thrilled to announce that EndGame PR is now working with Unisys!  Unisys is a company that for 135 years has been providing technology to make life and business easier.  We’ll be producing a series of podcasts featuring executives from the company talking about the unique insights the company can give on IT solutions and supporting a global workforce.  With 29,000 employees worldwide, Unisys has a lot to share with IT decision makers, and we can’t wait to help them share it! No tags for this post.

  • New Client Website: A Nest is Born

    Steve Mullen
    10 May 2012 | 5:46 pm
    We’re finishing work on an all new client website this week, and it’s one of our favorites because of the design and the client! Neatest Nest is a brand new professional organizing business that is being started by a very good friend of mine, Becky Santelli. My family has known hers for about 10 years, and I can’t think of a better person to come into your “nest” and get it in order! Becky wanted a clean design that reflected her business of organizing. Her new website uses light colors, clean lines, and judicious use of shadow effects to give it a 3d look in…

  • Facebook Timeline for Pages = Anti-Community?

    Steve Mullen
    30 Mar 2012 | 9:39 am
    Imagine you have a branded page on Facebook.  Perhaps you’re a marketing professional managing it for a client or an employer.  You’ve worked hard to grow your “fan” base on Facebook and turn those fans into brand ambassadors.  Maybe a few of those fans even check in every single day to say hello or to ask a question.   Then … this happens: Facebook changes the rules, making those fan posts significantly less prominent. Your fans notice. They don’t feel like they’re “front and center” anymore. Perhaps they even stop posting because…

  • EndGame PR’s Steve Mullen on WRVA Radio

    Steve Mullen
    2 Feb 2012 | 7:53 pm
    Another media opportunity popped up for EndGame PR’s Steve Mullen this week.  This time he was interviewed by WRVA Radio’s Jay Hart about the impact of the Facebook IPO on everyday Facebook users.  Clips from the interview were used during several newscasts.  Here’s a taste… No tags for this post.

  • EndGame PR’s Steve Mullen on NBC12

    Steve Mullen
    28 Jan 2012 | 3:12 pm
    If you watched the NBC12 (WWBT in Richmond, VA) news at 11pm on Friday, January 27 or the station’s morning show on Saturday the 28th, you may have seen me talking about social media privacy with Yvette Yeon.  If you didn’t, here’s the video … after a commercial message: No tags for this post.
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    Tom Murphy - Murphy's Law

  • Are you a communications professional or a pundit?

    Tom Murphy
    25 Apr 2012 | 10:54 pm
    The recent ‘conversation’ on the death of blogs forced me to sit down and write a blog post.  It takes a lot to encourage me to blog these days,  but then upon reviewing my wise, well written draft, I realized I didn’t want to post it. Last month marked a full decade that I’ve had a blog. What started with an explosion of posts about everything PR-related, has matured into a trickle of rants and opinions mostly due to the increasing demands of family and work. The prioritization hasn’t been difficult. Over the past ten years there have been incredible changes in marketing,…

  • Good marketing is hard but not necessarily expensive

    Tom Murphy
    7 Mar 2012 | 10:51 pm
    If you ventured out on the internet today there’s probably two things that popped up in your feeds, namely Kony 2012 and the Dollar Shave Club. I first heard about the Dollar Shave Club through a tweet: Well I had to click didn’t I? Needless to say I wasn’t disappointed.  It’s the combination of a clever business idea and a clever creative marketing execution. It’s  well scripted, well targeted and a great example of effective (and humorous)  storytelling. The website draws on the same humor: Will it be successful? Who knows? Success will depend on a wide range of…

  • You better hope that journalism makes it

    Tom Murphy
    7 Mar 2012 | 10:26 am
    For all the talk about the death of media, mainstream media, traditional media, broadcast media, print media and online media, since the turn of the century, they’re still hanging on. Sure circulations are down, many traditional papers have closed down, slimmed down or moved online.  But thankfully we still have the media, we still have journalists. Social media has been great giving people a platform to share their opinions, but it doesn’t negate the need for journalists. This isn’t a post about bloggers not being journalists by the way. The world isn’t that simple…

  • Do you get bad grammar off people?

    Tom Murphy
    17 Feb 2012 | 6:30 am
    I blame my grandmother. She loved providing real-time feedback on my grammar and her favorite was the difference between ‘off’ and ‘from’. If I innocently reported to her that I had received something off someone, she would immediately respond that “you get fleas off people, but you get things from them”. Indeed. While I am a huge fan of Eats, Shoots & Leaves (and have a well thumbed copy on my bookshelf), I am also sympathetic to Stephen Fry’s tirade on language purists. However, there is a happy medium. Today well written, simple, plain English is the exception. Too often…

  • Some PR posts and a mini rant…

    Tom Murphy
    15 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am
    So I’ve been trawling through my PR RSS feeds and I’m including some interesting posts below, but before I get to that indulge me for a moment…  Mini rant: What was interesting in reviewing these posts is the fact that the ‘PR 2.0’ moniker continues to live.  What is PR 2.0?  Should my business card say that I’m a PR 1.0 practitioner, or a PR 1.7.5 practitioner or maybe I can get ahead and say I’m a PR 3.1 practitioner? Here’s a secret truth. There’s no PR 2.0.  There’s just PR.  PR practice is either good (using the right tools and channels to…
 
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    Online Public Relations Thoughts

  • Power Of Perception

    Jim Horton
    16 May 2012 | 7:19 am
    Is the power of perception worth $86 billion+.  Some commentators think so.  Of course, the perception surrounds Facebook and its IPO value.  A chorus of critics think the site is vastly overrated and advertisers won't find the value in it that is forecast.  But, who knows?  It is unclear at this juncture.  Rather, people are buying on the basis of unsupported belief, a poor basis for investing as experts will tell you.  Chances are they will be disappointed, but if like a miner, they strike gold in the creek, their risk-taking will be handsomely rewarded.

  • Well, Duh

    Jim Horton
    15 May 2012 | 6:25 am
    Colleges and universities are starting to realize they cannot keep raising tuition.  That's a blinding insight.  Academics have lived in a bubble for so long that they have difficulty understanding  they have priced themselves out of their market.  They expected parents to pony up year after year, decade after decade, and parents did, but they can't any longer.  Their children are buried in debt from which they will not escape well into their working careers, if they have careers.  No one can accuse academia of listening to its publics.  In fact, it was the…

  • Falling On Swords

    Jim Horton
    14 May 2012 | 6:35 am
    The fallout at JP Morgan continues with three executives falling on their swords and resigning over a loss that can now reach $3 billion.  Jamie Dimon, the CEO, is busily acknowledging that the trade was stupid, ill-managed, etc.  It probably won't help him offset the call to impose the Volcker Rule and stop such proprietary trading, even though it supposed to be a hedge against risk.  Dimon's crisis management may be a valiant attempt, but time and tide are against him.  It might be better now for Dimon to prepare the bank for a new era.  The larger question is…

  • Moral Authority

    Jim Horton
    11 May 2012 | 6:23 am
    Some organizations possess moral authority unless they squander it.  That is why stories like this are instructive.  Roman Catholic bishops the world over continue to struggle with the sexual abuse scandals that have riven the ranks and caused many believers to walk away.  It is hard for them to discipline nuns in light of this, since nuns weren't involved in sins of the past.  Observers are asking what right bishops have to talk about doctrine when they themselves failed so glaringly at keeping it.  It is a hard question for the episcopate, yet Church law and belief…

  • Fertile Field For PR

    Jim Horton
    10 May 2012 | 6:27 am
    This journalist's complaint against a New York Times reporter is interesting.  What it tells me is that the field of chemistry is fertile for PR.  Of course, there are good chemicals and bad.  The human body is made up of chemicals and everything we eat, drink and breathe has chemical compounds.  To damn chemistry is narrow-minded and ignorant, but a supposedly sophisticated reporter at The New York Times appears to be doing just that.  Perhaps it is the word itself that causes him to shrink.  If so, that is a huge change from the early to middle part of the 20th…
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    Wired PR Works

  • SOBCon 2012 Pivot with Purpose then Karaoke

    Barbara Rozgonyi
    9 May 2012 | 12:24 pm
    Over the weekend, I attended my fifth SOBCon, the successful online business conference. With only 144 people in the room, the two day conference is about as transformative as it gets. To see what I... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Gravity Free Outlaws and Icons Design Inspiration

    Barbara Rozgonyi
    7 May 2012 | 8:36 pm
    “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs What do you design? Communications, marketing, interiors, cuisine? Recently, I had the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • 8 Superhero Super Powers that Save the Day for Small Business

    Barbara Rozgonyi
    4 May 2012 | 7:03 am
    Inspired by the opening of The Avengers today, today I’m challenging you to be a Superhero. You don’t have to wear a cape, fly through the air or leap tall buildings in a single bound to be a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Social Media Club Chicago and SOBCon Team Up For One Night!

    Barbara Rozgonyi
    25 Apr 2012 | 8:53 pm
    It’s so phenomenal that it only happens once a year! On May 3, Social Media Club Chicago will host SOBCon’s opening event. As an SMC Chicago board member, I’m thrilled to invite you... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Art of Marketing Highlights

    Barbara Rozgonyi
    25 Apr 2012 | 9:44 am
    Because I had a marketing mastermind group meeting to go to first, I missed the start of The Art of Marketing. I wanted to meet Keith Ferrazzi and ask him to sign the book we’re both in: Success... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
 
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    Holtz Communications + Technology | Blog

  • FIR Speakers and Speeches: Neville Hobson on Reputation Management at Internet Speed

    shel@holtz.com
    16 May 2012 | 12:21 pm
    On April 26, 2012, FIR co-host Neville Hobson gave a keynote presentation at this year’s annual conference of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII) in Dublin. The overall conference theme was Reputation Management in the Age of Digital. Could we genuinely have foreseen the extent to which technological innovations would have disrupted our way of working? asked the PRII. How social and digital media, in particular, would have given rise to consumer power and citizen journalism? Or that we would face unprecedented competition from a new wave of competitors? These are powerful…

  • Taking the “second screen” beyond television

    shel@holtz.com
    15 May 2012 | 9:39 am
    The “second screen” is gaining momentum. Watching television, once the epitome of passive media consumption, has become an interactive activity. Instead of sinking deeper and deeper into the sofa, people are sitting forward, smartphone or tablet in hand, finding engaging content related to what they’re watching and conversing with other fans of the same show. This week and next, the producers of the ABC series Revenge are planning a to entice people to watch the last to episodes of the season when they are aired, rather than catching it later on DVR or online, by offering a…

  • The Hobson & Holtz Report - Podcast #651: May 14, 2012

    shel@holtz.com
    14 May 2012 | 3:26 pm
    Content summary: FIR interview with Grantoo co-founder and CEO Dimitri Sillam is up. The Speakers & Speeches file from Neville’s talk in Dublin is coming this week. Neville recounts the talk he and Philip Sheldrake gave at the Wikimedia UK Annual General Meeting over the weekend. A discount code is available for FIR listeners interested in attending Like Minds Exeter 2012.  News That Fits: brand humanization is not a social media fad; Ragan Communications promo; the rise of social influence marketing with Klout and PeerIndex; listener comments discussion; CustomScoop’s…

  • Research is at the heart of successful social media training

    shel@holtz.com
    11 May 2012 | 3:50 pm
    This is the third installment in a series on social media training The best social media training effort is one that has been tailored to your organization’s requirements. Off-the-shelf training programs may cover the basics, but the basics will get you only so far. The payoff can be huge if you invest the time and effort to get the information you need to make sure your training addresses the unique circumstances of your company—and every company has unique circumstances! That’s why research is the most important phase of the training development process. What you need to…

  • The need to be vigilant with contractors isn’t unique to social media

    shel@holtz.com
    10 May 2012 | 12:41 pm
    Every now and then I read or hear something that leaves me shaking my head in dismay. That happened today when reading a piece on Search Engine Watch titled, Top 5 Reasons Why SMBs Should Fear Social Media. Aside from the link-bait headline, it was the last item that led to my dismay. Under the label, “Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations Agencies That Have Hung a Social Media Shingle,” author Tim Judd writes… It doesn’t mean they understand content that engages, promotes, or converts prospects to customers. “There are very few experts in social…
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    Bad Pitch Blog

  • Three Online Newsrooms That Don't Suck

    Kevin Dugan
    23 Apr 2012 | 5:13 am
    After considering why newsrooms need to change to stay relevant, I have three newsrooms that are changing, and a fourth that re-sets the bar completely.  All of the newsrooms represent brands with big investments in owned media and media relations.1) Starbucks: With 19,555 stores in 58 countries, Starbucks generates a ton of media interest every day. To the brand's credit, its newsroom  is well-organized and uses visuals to help tell stories. It offers visitors a feature story and related content, including video and photo content -- all armed with sharing tools.

  • Online Newsrooms in a Content Marketing World

    Kevin Dugan
    19 Apr 2012 | 5:42 am
    Are online newsrooms still relevant?Spoiler Alert: Richard and I agree that online newsrooms are still relevant -- when they're done well. But their relevance has shifted. And there are many ways this relevance could increase. This is especially true if you consider how much has changed in the last five years across paid, owned and earned media.>screen does the blurry transition to note we're considering the changes<Publishing: Content management platforms have decentralized publishing. Every year publishing platforms become cheaper and more powerful than before. This has…

  • Big Data Porn & Infographic Gruel

    Kevin Dugan
    9 Apr 2012 | 9:56 am
    Have you witnessed content format drive audience assumptions about its quality? I remember when .pdf files seemed to transform PR content into intellectual capital. It was bad enough that I wanted to take Greek text (loremipsum), put it into a .pdf file, offer it to folks online and track the downloads. It seems that an audience just assumes a .pdf equates to good content.We're seeing this concept with infographics. And since PR people have more access to good graphic design capabilities, we could conduct the above experiment with infographics. Just add some percentages, pictures and voila:…

  • Speculative News Releases & Bad Pitch Mad Libs

    Kevin Dugan
    17 Mar 2012 | 5:22 pm
    A few bad pitches have us seeing red on St. Patrick's Day. OK, we've seen worse offenders. But it's been too long since our last post. So we're calling out assumptive news releases and even making you some "Bad Libs."The Assumptive News ReleasePromoting the fact that “it’s an honor just to be nominated” can be considered news. But speculating outcomes or promoting news before it’s a fact is presumptuous at best.Take the tech news release sent our way noting that tech brand X is “expected to redefine” tech category Y. Well, I’m expected to do things too. But sometimes I…

  • Social Voting? It's Madness (All Year Round).

    Kevin Dugan
    17 Mar 2012 | 4:27 pm
    Earlier this week, an ad rep for a media brand came to us with a sponsorship package that revolves around social voting. Social Madness riffs off college basketball's bracket-style competition, its calendar-inspired moniker and it marries them with a social voting program.We've documented our issuewith social voting in the past. Even Geoff Livingston weighed in on the topic for us. The only voting competition we put up with is from SXSW. And that's because you have no choice if you want to speak at the Austin-based interactive festival.Misguided, Traffic-Driving SchemeAccording to the Social…
 
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    Denver PR Blog

  • Pure Selects Freedom Service Dogs as Pro Bono Partner

    denverprblog
    16 May 2012 | 10:03 am
    Pure Brand Communications has selected Freedom Service Dogs of America is its 2012 Pure Good Works partner. Entering its second year, Pure Good Works awards one nonprofit organization one year of integrated creative services valued up to $75,000. Freedom Service Dogs of America trains rescue dogs to serve people with disabilities, from those with physical challenges to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. The dogs accomplish simple tasks, such as turning on lights, and more profound feats like pulling a weakened client to an upright position in bed. The organization doesn’t breed…

  • HealthOne Offering Four Summer Video Production Internships

    denverprblog
    15 May 2012 | 4:38 pm
    HealthONE is looking for four students interested in for-credit video production internships this summer. Dates: The internships will begin on June 1, 2012 and end on August 31, 2012 Interns must be available on June 6 for orientation. Job Description • Seeking internship candidates eager to gain experience in a wide range of production industry facets, including pre-production, location/talent resourcing, shooting, editing/post production and distribution. • Interns will be responsible for interviewing doctors, patients and hospital staff on a variety of health topics and creating…

  • Yet Another High-profile Denver Post Departure

    denverprblog
    15 May 2012 | 12:06 pm
    In the newspaper game, being a polarizing figure is about as good as it gets. Having people love you and love to hate you means that just about everyone is reading you. And at the end of the day, that is what drives newspaper subscriptions. Which is why I was sad to see columnist Tina Griego today join past lightning rods Penny Parker and Mike Littwin as the most recent Denver Post staff members to leave the paper. So how long can the Denver Post survive while jettisoning its most interesting, engaging, loved and hated personalities? Unfortunately, it looks like we’re going to find…

  • Amelie Company Adds Three Employees

    denverprblog
    15 May 2012 | 10:54 am
    Amélie Company has added three new team members: Courtney Housam and Jane McGillem as account executives, and Natalie Hengel as account coordinator.

  • Linhart Promotes Peters

    denverprblog
    15 May 2012 | 10:00 am
    Linhart Public Relations has promoted Andy Peters to account executive. Peters joined Linhart PR in April 2011 as an account associate, providing media relations, research and video production support to clients, including WhiteWave Foods and UnitedHealthcare. He will continue those communications services in his new position.
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    Drew B's take on tech PR

  • Citizen journalism first hand: my experiences from yesterday's train crash

    Drew B
    10 May 2012 | 6:59 am
    [View the story "Citizen journalism first hand" on Storify]Citizen journalism first handMy experiences from the front carriage of the May 9th CrossCountry train crash where our train hit 12 cattle at high speed near Oxford. These are the tweets that got used by a lot of the mainstream media to cover this incident, with me as the 'citizen journalist'. My name also trended on TwitterStorified by Drew Benvie · Thu, May 10 2012 07:54:06Passengers 'in tears' after train hits herd of cows - Telegraph"Everyone including driver is ok. People saw a vehicle and a lot of blood... We're being…

  • Quantified Self UK - gadgets, geeks and the next frontier for marketers

    Drew B
    27 Apr 2012 | 4:52 pm
    About eight years ago I found out I was going to start my first senior job role, as an account director in a global PR agency. I had just read a 'self help' book (as my wife calls them) called Getting Things Done. The now cult text gave me inspiration to work more efficiently by applying life hacks (or rules to get more out of yourself) such as the three inbox rule, one list rule, two minute action rule, and so on and so on. I still live by those same rules now.  Since then I have read endless books of a similar nature, I devour blogs and twitter feeds about lifehacking, I have more…

  • Instagram + Polaroids = Polargrams (from Firebox.com)

    Drew B
    26 Apr 2012 | 3:00 am
    I got sent a lovely, surprising pressie in the post this week. The nice people at Firebox.com have given me a sneak peak of their new product, Polargrams.  Polargrams are Polaroids of your Instagram pics. Here's my collection!: It was cool to see what pics I'd taken recently (my Instagram feed is open, like a curated version of my Facebook pics) and they make a lovely addition to my desk. Thanks Firebox for the pressie. Really niceidea! [obvious disclaimer: these were given to me as a promo item, I didn't ask for them but love them and think they'r ace]

  • Project Play: I am now going to game everything

    Drew B
    25 Apr 2012 | 9:18 am
    Last week at an event I spoke at I was asked a fascinating question by a member of the audience: "where are all these new Foursquare users coming from? I thought it had died a death?" My answer was what I thought was the reality - I said that recording and publishing info about your life is becoming more socially acceptible. But then I realised I was just a statistic. After being an early proponent of location based social media services, I had recently dropped off the radar myself. Not new or shiny any more.  But in the last few weeks something changed. Don't know why, but I started gaming…

  • Insights from digital mavens on the future of email: put it away

    Drew B
    18 Apr 2012 | 3:12 am
    If you are someone who does battle with multiple inboxes, feeds, flashing lights on your unread messages and buzzing phones in meetings because someone has checked in near you, here are a couple of high profile blog posts you may want to read.  I've taken the topic of email's general unsuitability to the modern business as something of a crusade over recent years (perhaps it's why I embrace everything else so much?). Here are a couple of my posts from 2008, 2009 and 2010. Every time I step away from my inbox for a meeting I return to hundreds of emails. I get thousands every day and use a…
 
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    Minnesota Public Relations Blog

  • A Pleasant Minnesota Surprise for PRWeek Editor-in-Chief

    Brant Skogrand
    16 May 2012 | 6:36 am
    In his first trip to Minnesota, Steve Barrett, editor-in-chief of PRWeek, learned that his perceptions of our state were quite different from the reality. "I saw 'Fargo' and I know that Prince lived here," Barrett told a group of approximately 60 public relations professionals and students. "You have something green called grass, which we don't have in Manhattan." At the Minnesota PRSA event hosted by Carmichael Lynch Spong, Barrett discussed what's driving agency growth, how PRWeek is changing, and how agencies are evolving. Steve Barrett, editor-in-chief of PRWeek Calling this "the most…

  • Job - Mall of America - Digital Public Relatons Coordinator

    Ryan May
    16 May 2012 | 6:32 am
    Mall of America - Digital Public Relatons Coordinator

  • Job - Evans Larson Communications is looking for a full-time summer intern

    Ryan May
    16 May 2012 | 6:31 am
    Evans Larson Communications is looking for a full-time summer intern

  • Siodlarz joins Spyglass Creative as project manager

    Ryan May
    16 May 2012 | 6:28 am
    Minneapolis-based Spyglass Creative has added a new employee to its roster: Ashlee Siodlarz joins the team as project manager.  Siodlarz joins Spyglass Creative In her new role, Siodlarz oversees clients’ digital, branding and public relations efforts – ensuring projects move smoothly and deliverables are met. With a background in public relations, Siodlarz will lend her expertise in media relations, social media outreach, digital strategy and monitoring and measurement to strategic marketing opportunities. Currently, she is working with OptumHealth managing the development of…

  • Job - Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital - Marketing Intern

    Ryan May
    15 May 2012 | 8:15 am
    Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital - Marketing Intern
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    Waxing UnLyrical

  • How to Help a Tiny Torah Scroll Kickstart An Article of Hope

    Shonali Burke
    16 May 2012 | 7:00 am
    What could a group of astronauts and the Holocaust possibly have in common? More than you think. And before you read further, there is an ask involved, to help get a very moving documentary to American television screens via PBS and Kickstarter. But do read further, because I think when you hear the story, you’ll see why it’s important to try to help. An Article of Hope I first heard about the documentary film, An Article of Hope, from Debra Silimeo (Debra’s a senior executive with a well-respected DC agency, and also happens to be a neighbor, friend and Bootcamp Buddy of…

  • Marketing in the Round with Gini Dietrich

    Shonali Burke
    15 May 2012 | 8:00 am
    So, you know how I was in New Orleans last week for Counselors Academy? You already know I had a terrific time and learned so much. But one of the reasons I was really excited to be going was that I’d be able to catch up with Gini Dietrich, who has become a dear friend of mine even though we only met IRL a year ago… and get a (free) copy of the book she’s co-authored with Geoff Livingston, Marketing in the Round. I don’t do a lot of book reviews here at WUL, because: 1. Most business books are boring, badly-written, or both. Sorry, but they are! And I’m not going…

  • Public Relations is Everyone’s Business

    Shonali Burke
    11 May 2012 | 8:00 am
    If you’ve ever stayed at any Ritz-Carlton hotel, you know just how terrific they are. I was reminded of this when I did just that this past week in New Orleans (that’s where PRSA’s Counselors Academy took place), and oh… The room! The bathroom! They had Q-tips (most hotels don’t)! The comfy couches in the lounge! The bellhop who got me a taxi ahead of 15 other people in line (he didn’t tell me this, the taxi driver did). The server who, after seeing I was balancing my breakfast plate on my lap (I didn’t want him to set a table when I’d be leaving in five minutes), insisted on…

  • When Opportunity Knocks

    Shonali Burke
    9 May 2012 | 8:00 am
    If you’ve ever had an opportunity to attend a conference come your way and turned it down, thinking, “This isn’t directly related to what I do, what will I gain from it?”… read on. I’ve been out for the last few days, attending (and speaking at) the 2012 PRSA Counselors Academy in New Orleans. This was my first time attending this conference, which is geared towards PR agency owners, providing a forum for them to share and learn from each other, not just from a professional development point of view, but from a business development and profitability point of view. (That’s…

  • Passion, People, and Professionalism

    Kirk Hazlett
    8 May 2012 | 8:00 am
    I had an amazing experience recently while in Dallas for a PRSA Board of Directors meeting. The good folks at advertising agency The Richards Group generously provided space for us to gather, and, as part of the deal, we had an opportunity to witness what in my opinion is a true “all-about-people” story. What happened, you ask? Very simply, agency founder and chief “cheerleader” Stan Richards introduced us to his 600-plus-member organization and related for us his philosophy on creating a winning team of communication professionals. It’s one thing to say your employees…
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    O'Dwyer's Blog: Covering PR, public affairs, marketing and the world of communications.

  • Zynga Bolsters Communications

    16 May 2012 | 1:48 pm
    Social gaming juggernaut Zynga has bolstered its corporate communications unit with tech PR vets Lisa Revelli and Stephanie Hess. Read the full story (sub req'd) | Subscribe to O'Dwyer's

  • Media Notes

    16 May 2012 | 1:45 pm
    Steiger to step down at ProPublica... NYT Co. dumps Red Sox... Hall Returns to Philly helm... LA Times shutters Sunday magazine... NPR's Reber moves to Center for Investigative Reporting... HBO develops news show with Vice mag... Read the full story (sub req'd) | Subscribe to O'Dwyer's

  • Nicolazzo: Dimon Passes Crisis Test with Flying Colors

    16 May 2012 | 1:43 pm
    Jamie Dimon may ultimately lose his seat on the board of the New York Fed and his star may not shine as brightly as it once did, but so far he comes across as a stand-up guy who can take the “heat in the kitchen.” Read the full story (sub req'd) | Subscribe to O'Dwyer's

  • Newsweek's Tina Brown Is Way Too Cool

    15 May 2012 | 1:49 pm
    Thanks, Tina. We media snobs in New York and California “get” your Newsweek magazine cover anointing Barack Obama as the first gay president. Actually, the multi-hued halo hovering over the president also serves to mock the institutional Catholic Church, which is hardly a friend of the gay community and a frequent target of the “media elite.” Well done! The greatest impact of the nifty Newsweek cover will occur in the great American heartland, and serve as a measure of revenge for Obama’s unfortunate 2008 characterization of small towns in Pennsylvania and the Midwest. He called…
 
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    Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York

  • Pierce Mattie PR Aromatherapy Client Featured in Prevention Magazine

    Josh_B
    16 May 2012 | 8:14 am
    Pierce Mattie PR wellness client 21 Drops was featured in Prevention Magazine. If you’re working on an aromatherapy story be sure to give our Pierce Mattie lifestyle PR team a call at 212-243-1431 or follow us on Twitter @PierceMattiePR and FaceBook.  

  • The Fragrance Foundation Announces Celebrity Guests at the 2012 FiFi Fragrance Awards

    Josh_B
    15 May 2012 | 8:50 am
    The FiFi Awards are considered the "Oscars" of the fragrance industry. This prestigious, iconic New York event showcases and honors the art, passion and personalities of the fragrance world. Competing to win a "Fragrance of the Year Award" are some of the big, the bold, instantly recognizable fragrance names, celebrity creations and collaborations as well as smaller, niche innovators. There's also competition for Best Packaging of the Year, Best Media Campaign of the Year and more.  Over 800 guests and 27 beautiful crystal FiFi ® awards are…

  • Mommy Media: Are You Over The Mom Enough Hoopla

    Shannon Nelson
    14 May 2012 | 6:22 pm
    I saw it early Friday morning come into my Facebook ticker, obviously precisely timed to debut just before Mother's Day..."Are you mom enough?" the headline asked. And judging by the cover photo that accompanied the headline meant to provoke a fight, like a bully cornering you in an alleyway, I knew it was a matter of time before all of my social media channels would be inundated with this "tabloid" type question.Being in PR, I understand what the article and images were meant to do. Controversy sells magazines. As with just about anything, you have strong opinions on…

  • Pierce Mattie PR Seeking Summer Interns (blog about lifestyle media from any location)

    Josh_B
    10 May 2012 | 8:44 am
    Have you ever dreamed of interning in New York for a lifestyle PR firm but are not able to get off your college campus, which isn’t located in NY? Now you can! Pierce Mattie PR is seeking Summer Social Media Interns to work remotely. In years past our interns have gone on to be published authors, featured in the New York Times, received college credit and most importantly learned the ropes of beauty fashion social media from our in-house experts.All Applicants Should:Be pursuing a degree in; Journalism, English, Public Relations or MarketingAble to spend at least…

  • Lifestyle Retail News: Former HSN CEO Mark Bozek Launches Interactive E-commerce Venture EVINE.com

    Josh_B
    10 May 2012 | 8:24 am
    Former HSN CEO Mark Bozek and co-founder Russell Nuce announce the launch of the new e-commerce platform EVINE.com. The site will sell exclusive products available only on EVINE.EVINE aims to create a shopping platform that's all about unique, value driven merchandise in fashion, beauty, accessories, fitness, food and home for women 35+. The initial site launching today on http://evine.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/evine is a "coming attractions" platform that invites members to join for free and learn about the exciting new brands…
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    Quest PR Blog

  • Yorkshire’s Networking Groups Helping SMEs Achieve Their Goals

    Sharon Cain
    11 May 2012 | 9:57 am
       Boost your business performance through networking   Networking is often described as “working a room”; rushing to give out as many business cards as possible in the hope of making a sale.  Not in Yorkshire!  Here, our vibrant networking opportunities are based on forging mutually beneficial business relationships that will not only enhance your business contacts and raise your business profile, but will also help you to boost your business performance, knowledge and skills. BNI At the front of networking in Yorkshire was Business Networking International (BNI).  Founded by Niri…

  • Why Yorkshire businesses deserve royal praise

    Sharon Cain
    4 May 2012 | 9:48 am
    Queen’s Award for International Trade for JSR Every year, UK businesses dream of being awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise.  These highly prestigious awards for outstanding achievement by UK businesses are awarded for Innovation, International Trade and Sustainable Development. On her birthday, the Queen awarded 209 awards and Quest PR are delighted that 10 per cent of the award winners hail from God’s own country – confirming that excellence in business is not limited to the south.  We’d like to introduce you to just a handful of those in the region who were successful…

  • Why Harrogate’s Spring Flower Show was the place to be

    Carol Rees
    1 May 2012 | 5:26 am
    The dreadful weather may have put a dampener on many outdoor activities last weekend, but there was still a ‘spring’ in the step of the thousands of visitors to the Harrogate Flower Show. As well as being two of the biggest shows in the country, the Harrogate Flower Shows are considered to be the most prestigious of independent gardening events. Here at Quest PR we’re delighted to be on the doorstep of such a fantastic opportunity to get green-fingered inspiration! The spring show featured over 100 leading nurseries exhibiting an amazing diversity of plants, such as specimens from the…

  • Hot off the press – our region’s print journalists

    Tracey Dixon
    20 Apr 2012 | 10:27 am
    As part of our ‘all that’s great about Yorkshire series, we want to highlight  the fab work of some of the media and editors a little closer to your home who have been instrumental in elevating the profile of local companies. Their papers may not be as widely known as those we showcased last week, but each and every one of them makes a huge difference to our local businesses and Yorkshire as a whole. The Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP) is a Leeds-based newspaper which is published daily and provides an update of the day’s local news, business and sport. Business Editor, Tony (Antony)…

  • Yorkshire’s business journalists helping your company to shine

    17 Apr 2012 | 10:18 am
    As part of our series to celebrate the best of Yorkshire, we put the spotlight on some of the biggest names in Yorkshire’s business media.  These regional journalists are instrumental in helping SMEs to cultivate their business knowledge and boost their profiles. With a career in publishing and media groups since 2002, Richard Abbott joined the Yorkshire Business Insider as Deputy Editor in May 2010. Swiftly rising through the ranks and in February 2011, he was appointed Editor.  A self-confessed supporter of Southampton FC, Richard loves real ale and  walks in the Yorkshire dales.
 
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    Strategic Public Relations

  • Will Facebook Unveil a Mobile Device?

    Kevin Dugan
    14 May 2012 | 7:49 am
      Based on Facebook's recent app store news and a string of mobile acquisitions, I'm wondering when it will launch its own device?It's something I predicted yesterday during the weekly BraveAdWorld podcast. My colleague Taylor Wiegert and I discuss it during the weekly news items. It's probably my first prediction. That may tell you how strongly I feel about it. But it's not like I'm going out on a limb.The prediction is based on my last post with CNET's overview of the need for digital ecosystems for certain brands to succeed in the future. A digital ecosystem includes the device, a…

  • The Power of Unassuming Brands (a lesson from Signal P&G)

    Kevin Dugan
    6 May 2012 | 1:25 pm
    The Signal P&G event brought together brands we see in the news almost daily -- from Twitter and Facebook to Coca-Cola and more. But the brands on Procter & Gamble's dais getting less media attention, or perhaps less positive media attention, were more interesting that day. Presentations from Amazon, AOL and Nokia taught me to reconsider the power of unassuming brands.These companies are not startups or unknowns. But news coverage can suggest that new brands may "kill" more established brands. Stories with only one clear winner, atop a pile of competitors, make for shareable…

  • TidyCat's Social Media Team Stops a Stink Over Its #lifestinks Campaign

    Kevin Dugan
    8 Apr 2012 | 11:58 am
    TidyCats latest ad campaign spans online and offline to get consumers sharing about what stinks in their lives. But one of their ads created its own stink. To the brands' credit, they were listening and responded in less than 24 hours to stop a possible catfight with consumers.Billboards localize the campaign by referencing what stinks in each market. I'm imagining traffic in Los Angeles, rain in Seattle and there are plenty of opportunities for the NYC subway. These examples are all harmless, even humorous, locally relevant and make TidyCats' point that #lifestinks.Don't Trash the the…

  • Instagram's Android Launch Complete's the Picture for Brands

    Kevin Dugan
    4 Apr 2012 | 7:37 am
    With 1 million downloads made in the first 24 hours of its release, Instagram's long-awaited Android app has clearly been well-received.The Android release was a bit of a tidal wave as you can only access the platform via its mobile app or using your app login to use web-based options that tap into the Instagram API.More users mean more potential for your audience being on the platform. So here's a quick recap of Instacontent, from here and elsewhere, to help users get their sea legs with an app that's gotten a serious second-wind. Watch How Brands Do: There are a variety of brands with an…

  • Hunger Games' Social Media Lesson? The Need for Real-Time (Data) and Longer Lead Time

    Kevin Dugan
    26 Mar 2012 | 1:36 pm
    The word of mouth and promotional frenzy around Lionsgates' Hunger Games has been deafening. It helped the film break box office records -- before it even opened it seemed.While I may never see the movie (I'm not the target audience), one thing I'm first to admit is that I really like how the movie was marketed.According to this article in Forbes, the key to The Hunger Games' social media success can be attributed to the use of real-time input from fans and a healthy lead time to build momentum for the film."Lionsgate adopted a ongoing continuous process for  improvement based upon user data…
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    Peter Shankman

  • No, you cannot “Borrow my Audience.”

    Peter Shankman
    4 May 2012 | 11:17 am
    I got an email this morning that even floored me, the most cynical person in the world. It came from a PR person who was pitching me a new product – A shirt. Yes, a shirt. Nothing special about the shirt, it was simply a new style from a new designer. But here’s what gets me: The subject line of the email was: “Hi! Can I borrow your audience?” (Insert blogging-car-skidding-to-a-halt sound here…) Can you borrow my… Hold up… WHAT? Can you “BORROW MY AUDIENCE?” Are you serious? OK. Not even taking into account the fact that my audience… IS AN…

  • Social Media Weight Loss?

    Peter Shankman
    2 May 2012 | 11:31 am
    This morning, as I was getting my ass kicked by my trainer, he casually dropped a bomb on me that I didn’t expect. “So… You’ve been the mayor of 99 Cent Pizza for quite a while, huh? Ever think about giving that mayorship up?” As I was removing the weight that I dropped on my foot in surprise, I was shocked to find out that my trainer was following me on FourSquare. He knew I was not only the mayor of 99 Cent Pizza, but of Claudio’s Pizza, as well. I could have SWORN I’d blocked him. Whoops. The rest of my workout was spent lifting in shame. I had no…

  • Eight Ways to Immediately Improve Your Customer Service For Little or No Money!

    Peter Shankman
    23 Apr 2012 | 9:02 am
    It’s SO the little things. In a future blog post, I’ll be talking about the wonderful experience that is GroundLink. But as I was taking a GrounLink car to JFK this morning, it got me thinking about why I loved them so much – And I realized that yet again, it’s the little things. Here’s a list of eight things you can do RIGHT NOW, for little or no cost, that will improve your customer service, get your customers happier than they’ve ever been, and get them talking about you to all of their friends! 8) Know your audience. This is one of the easiest, yet most…

  • Your Twitter Questions Answered From a Plane, Volume IV!

    Peter Shankman
    22 Apr 2012 | 7:38 pm
    Your Questions Answered on a Plane – Volume Four! Welcome to Volume Four of Your Questions Answered on a Plane! This time, I’m flying from Hong Kong to NYC, (and continued two days later on a flight from EWR to LAX, because the power system on the HKG-EWR flight died during the flight, and my battery ran out. Until I mention it, we’re still on the HKG flight.) I’m in seat 3E,, with an aisle to my right, and a product manager from Reebok on my left. With that said, here are the latest answers to the questions you asked me via Twitter and Facebook. It’s my pleasure to answer them, so…

  • Today’s VLOG – Contest time!

    Peter Shankman
    12 Apr 2012 | 7:23 pm
    About to board a flight for 15 hours home to NYC – So I’ll leave you with a contest: Watch the video, and leave your answer in the comments. The best one wins some SWAG.
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    Ries' Pieces

  • Visual Hammers speak to consumers

    Laura
    10 May 2012 | 2:12 pm
       A visual hammer is so effective because it says something about your brand. The “lime” that says Corona is the authentic Mexican beer. The “contour bottle” that says Coca-Cola is the original cola. The “cowboy” that says Marlboro is the masculine cigarette.    A company makes a major mistake when it develops a verbal strategy without considering what visual hammer might help hammer that idea into consumers' minds.     In the year 2010, General Motors spent $1.1 billion advertising its Chevrolet brand. The verbal strategy?

  • Audi's Visual Hammer. An opportunity missed.

    Laura
    18 Apr 2012 | 1:26 pm
                    In 1986, CBS broadcast a 60 Minutes segment about Audi entitled "Out of Control." The show chronicled the tendency of the Audi 5000 model to suffer from "unintended acceleration."                 (Three years later, the culprit was discovered. “The major cause," according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "appears to have been drivers unknowingly…

  • NEW BOOK: Visual Hammer

    Laura
    12 Mar 2012 | 10:38 am
        Forty years ago, Advertising Age published a series of articles by my father, Al Ries, and Jack Trout titled "The Positioning Era Cometh."     Nine years later, McGraw-Hill published their book "Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind." In the years that followed, "positioning" became one of the most talked-about concepts in the marketing community. In its 75th anniversary edition, Advertising Age selected positioning as one of its 75 “top ad moments.”     But as revolutionary as positioning…

  • Super Bowl of Advertising - 2012

    Laura
    6 Feb 2012 | 1:37 pm
    While the gridiron battle between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots was close, the advertising battle on the tube was not. The Super Bowl battle for commercial success might better be described as a mixture of the old classics, the new stuff, the overly sexy and the over the top. Here is my brief recap on the best/worst ads of the night.   The Old Classics The Super Bowl isn’t for also-rans. The big game is best served by big brands that are category leaders and that support the game year after year with consistent themes.   Coca-Cola The three polar bear ads…

  • Tim Tebow, the brand

    Laura
    16 Dec 2011 | 12:07 pm
    Tim Tebow is the hottest story in sports. While the Green Bay Packers are charging ahead with an undefeated record, everybody is talking about the Mile High Messiah and Tebowing. How did this happen? What can you learn from it?   The Keys to Tebow’s brand success:   1. Be Different. While there is nothing new about the collision of faith and football, Tim Tebow went out of his way to show PDF – public displays of faith. He also lives the life of a church going goodie-goodie. No alcohol, no smoking, no drugs, no sex (he is staying celibate til marriage.) His outspoken and open…
 
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    EndGame Public Relations News

  • New Professional Organizing Company In Mechanicsville, Virginia Spreads Its Wings

    Steve Mullen
    15 May 2012 | 11:08 am
    New Professional Organizing Company In Mechanicsville, VA Spreads Its Wings (Mechanicsville, VA) – Before you throw your hands up in the air in frustration because you can’t find your keys, or are overwhelmed by clutter in your home or office, think about giving Neatest Nest, a Professional Organizing company in Mechanicsville, Virginia (near Richmond), a call. Neatest Nest will help organize your life and share ideas and tips to keep your home or small business office in order. With 15 years of organizing experience for various employers, family and friends, Becky Santelli decided to…

  • Sleep Tips Website Advises Giving Sleep to Mom for Mother’s Day

    Steve Mullen
    9 May 2012 | 12:18 pm
    Sleep Tips Website Advises Giving Sleep to Mom for Mother’s Day As Mother’s Day gifts go, candy and flowers are fine, but a leading sleep tips website suggests that mom would really appreciate the chance to recharge her natural batteries more regularly. “Whether it’s related to work, home or school, today’s moms are being pulled in multiple directions, and the tepid economy is only adding to the stress,” says Dan Schecter, senior vice president of Consumer Products at Carpenter Co. and creator of SleepBetter.org. “Motherhood has never been easy, but these days getting proper…

  • Sheltering Arms Holds Clinics to Teach Golf to the Physically Challenged

    Steve Mullen
    9 May 2012 | 12:12 pm
    Sheltering Arms Holds Clinics to Teach Golf to the Physically Challenged (Richmond, Virginia – The Adaptive Golf Program from Sheltering Arms, Central Virginia’s premier physical therapy rehabilitation provider, has a goal of educating members of the community, golf professionals, and individuals with disabilities to pursue golf as a lifelong leisure activity.  If you want to know whether it works, look no further for proof than Sid Cook. Mr. Sid Cook utilizing the ParaGolfer Mr. Cook attended one of Sheltering Arms’ golf clinics at Windy Hill Sports Complex.  He had to give…

  • VRMA Celebrates Signing of Amazon Sales Tax Bill

    Steve Mullen
    9 Apr 2012 | 9:50 am
    VRMA Celebrates Signing of Amazon Sales Tax Bill (Richmond, Virginia)A battle for tax equality among businesses has come to an end.  Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has signed the sales tax fairness bill into law, ensuring that all retailers will be required to pay the same sales taxes in the Commonwealth.  The bill was strongly supported by the Virginia Retail Merchants Association (VRMA) and retailers across Virginia. Businesses with a physical presence in Virginia are required to pay state sales tax on online purchases made by individuals with a Virginia address.  Amazon.com, which has…

  • Sleep Expert Says The Arrival of Spring Means More Daylight and Improved Sleep Patterns

    Steve Mullen
    20 Mar 2012 | 10:29 am
    Sleep Expert Says The Arrival of Spring Means More Daylight and Improved Sleep Patterns (Richmond,VA)The arrival of spring is good news for people who have struggled with sleep disruptions over the winter months, despite the short term disruption to sleep patterns immediately after the change to Daylight Savings Time. “It may sound a bit counter intuitive, but a good dose of sunlight can help you sleep at night,” says Dr. Lisa Shives a medical doctor specializing in sleep issues who partners with SleepBetter.org to offer medical insights about health and rest issues. “The reason is…
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    Voce Communications

  • Google+ Gets a Real “Share” Button

    Chris Thilk
    3 May 2012 | 9:00 am
    The question that needs to be asked in the wake of Google announcing last week the rollout of a new “Share” button for Google+ that’s more about curation and less about endorsement (which was the primary purpose of the existing “+1″ button) has to be this: Does this fill an existing gap in my publishing program? There’s nothing monumentally different between this Google+ Share button and similar buttons from Twitter or Facebook. Except for the big one, which is that it has the potential to expose your content to the audience on a whole new network. Now…

  • Market Research with Social Media: “Beyond the Echo Chamber”

    Doug Haslam
    1 May 2012 | 9:00 am
    This past week, I attended Social Media Breakfast 27 in Boston; its theme was “Beyond the Echo Chamber” with an emphasis on conducting market research using social media channels. Realizing this focus, I recalled the early days of what we now call “social media” – before Twitter and Facebook – when blogging almost exclusively ruled our thinking. Monitoring solutions (like Cymfony- now Visible Technologies- a client where I worked at the time) focused on mining blog comments in particular to glean market insights. Having recently spent time at a market…

  • “Manage Multiple Content Streams Like Monster.com” at PRSA Digital Impact

    Doug Haslam
    17 Apr 2012 | 12:00 pm
    At PRSA’s Digital Impact Conference at the beginning of April, our Monster.com client, Kathy O’Reilly, and I were honored to be asked to speak about how we manage Monster’s social media publishing program. The session, titled “Manage Multiple Content Streams Like Monster.com,” addressed the many elements of planning and executing a complex social media program from both the company and agency sides. A lot of the basics we covered are felt and articulated throughout this blog and our main Web site, but I would like to point out some of the more interesting notes…

  • “New” Rules of Content Marketing; Not So New, and Other Thoughts

    Doug Haslam
    21 Feb 2012 | 11:38 am
    This past week, I attended Boston’s Social Media Breakfast 26: “The New Rules of Content Marketing.” Since much of what we do with Voce’s PN Connect team centers on content, I figured I would hear a lot of interesting things, and I was not disappointed. Among the potential social media bingo games (claim your prize if you had “Infographic,” “engagement” and a Marshall McLuhan quote on your card) was a useful discussion of what content means in this world of the expanding notion of “publisher.” The panel, moderated by Social Media…

  • How Much is Too Much? Best Practices for Streamlining Corporate Social Accounts

    Andrew Stoltzfus
    14 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pm
    Brands often find themselves facing the difficult question of how many social media accounts is too many? What divisions within the company are allowed dedicated social media accounts? Which ones should have their social efforts integrated into broader corporate accounts? The answer for each company may be different, but it should be based on the core principles of frequency, topic, purpose, duration, local needs, and discoverability. In order to identify which divisions or initiatives warrant a dedicated social account, a brand must consider questions such as: What topics does the account…
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    Bite Communications

  • Computing pioneers and a Bite outing

    Kylie Brusch
    9 May 2012 | 1:18 pm
    From the way we think and talk, to the clients we work with, to our very surroundings in the Silicon Valley, Bite employees are immersed in all things technology Recently, our San Francisco office visited the Computer History Museum to explore the history of computing and its continuing impact on today’s society. What makes this particular adventure special to me and my colleagues is the personal connection that Bite has to the Computer History Museum, thanks to our very own Andy Cunningham, president of Bite North America. Not only has Andy been on the board of the museum for years, she…

  • Are you not entertained?

    Matt Wright
    8 May 2012 | 6:50 am
    For people who spend their lives talking about what their clients do, marketers often find it curiously hard to explain what they do themselves. Take a quick flick through the ‘About Us’ pages of a random selection of marketing agency sites, and you’ll likely find words such as “endorsement”, “enhancement” and “engagement”. It’s true, we do all these things, but perhaps a better word which starts in “en” and ends in “ment”, would be “entertainment”. Ultimately, everything we do boils down to telling stories about brands to an audience. And every story needs…

  • Telefónica Digital appoints Bite Communications as global lead agency

    Courtney Terrey
    4 May 2012 | 6:57 am
    20 April 2012 – Telefónica Digital today announces that is has appointed Bite Communications as its lead global agency and Access Communications to provide PR support in North America. The appointments follow a tender process conducted in London and San Francisco. Telefónica Digital was created last year as a global business unit of Telefónica, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies. Its mission is to take advantage of the opportunities in the digital world and drive innovation in services ranging from Voice over IP communications through to financial services and…

  • Fixing the sales/marketing/social disconnect

    Roger Marshall
    4 May 2012 | 1:43 am
    I don’t own an iPad and I’ve never eaten a Big Mac! So why would an omnipresent brand like Apple or McDonalds want to engage me? They already have market saturation and majority market share but as every chief marketing officer knows, market share is a highly perishable commodity. Even the big brands need a steady stream of new customers to enable their businesses to grow and to stem the attacks of the advancing competition. New, high value customers who are at the 5 per cent extremes of the distribution curve like me, are therefore critical and bring fresh revenues, a fresh approach, and…

  • Powering Performance: Serving Up Bite & Some Moore in Silicon Valley

    Andy Cunningham
    27 Apr 2012 | 8:16 pm
    This week, I hosted “A Bite & Some Moore,” a dinner and book-signing with my friend, Geoffrey Moore at the Rosewood Hotel in Silicon Valley on Sand Hill Road—the epicenter of the world’s venture capital community.  It was great evening! Our guest list was a Who’s Who of senior executives from Bite client companies as well my Bite colleagues many of whom were visiting the Bay Area from around the world, including my boss, Clive Armitage, our CEO; Hamish Macphail, CFO; David Ketchum, president, Asia Pacific; Kath Pooley, managing director, Europe; Paul Mackender, global…
 
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    PRNewser

  • Nasdaq OMX Launches Media Intelligence

    Tonya Garcia
    16 May 2012 | 8:37 am
    Nasdaq OMX Corporate Solutions has launched Media Intelligence, a software-as-a-service platform for media monitoring and analysis. The platform also allows users to contact consumers and social media followers directly. Media Intelligence brings Critical Mention’s broadcast monitoring capabilities into the fold. Monitoring and other data for tens of thousands of online, news, and broadcast outlets as well as three million social media sources are now available. Nasdaq OMX acquired London-based SaaS provider Glide Technologies in October. Since then Nasdaq has pumped up that offering as…

  • GM’s Decision Not to Advertise On Facebook Not Such a Big Deal After All

    Tonya Garcia
    16 May 2012 | 8:18 am
    Everyone is buzzing about the news that General Motors has pulled its $10 million in advertising from Facebook. The reason cited is the advertising is having “little impact on car purchases.” We’ve never noticed any GM advertising and, when taking into account that GM is the third largest advertiser in the U.S. ($1.8 billion) behind P&G and AT&T, it’s not that big of a spending cut for them. With $872 million in quarterly advertising revenue, its not too critical for Facebook either, though of course, the company would want to hang on to an advertiser. In the…

  • Business4Better Conference Coming in 2013

    Tonya Garcia
    16 May 2012 | 7:12 am
    UBM, parent company for PR Newswire, has partnered with the city of Anaheim, C.A. and other local organizations for the Business4Better Conference, an event focused on best practices, tools, and networking for corporate social responsibility programs. The conference will take place May 1 and May 2, 2013. Click here to learn more. New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

  • Affect Announces Internship Winner

    Tonya Garcia
    16 May 2012 | 6:54 am
    Affect has announced the winner of this year’s New York Intern Project: Katey Kimpel, a senior at the University of Akron. She’ll receive $5,000, a $2,500 housing stipend, and a three-month internship in New York. Click here to check out her entry. She received 1,205 out of 15,953 votes cast for the program. Congrats to Katey! New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

  • Roll Call: Levick, Siegel + Gale, Cannes, and more

    Tonya Garcia
    16 May 2012 | 6:45 am
    Levick Strategic Communications has hired Jack Deschauer to serve as VP of the corporate practice. He previously worked with Pratt & Whitney, an aircraft engine manufacturer, in its efforts to end funding for the the Joint Strike Fighter program. He’s also worked on media relations in the Chandra Levy case, the Jayson Williams trial, and other notable situations. Siegel + Gale co-founder Alan Siegel is leaving the firm after 43 years, according to Adweek. He plans to continue his work with nonprofits, medicine, education, and related areas. Among his next projects will be the new…
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    down the avenue

  • Facebook & Twitter: Lonelier Beings For Using Them?

    Renee Blodgett
    12 May 2012 | 3:23 am
    The Atlantic Validates Our Prediction: Social Media May Make Us Lonelier In this year's edition of our annual predictions of top media stories, one of our prediction was: "We may be immersed in social media, but we’ll spend less time with actual people." Back in Jan., we wrote, "So many people use social media sites – from Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn, to and more -- that people have less time to spend with their friends and family. We’re not sure if this will get much media coverage..." Well The Atlantic Monthly has validated our prediction in its May…

  • Remembering the Strong Female Forces In Our Lives

    Renee Blodgett
    1 May 2012 | 5:47 pm
    This week, I couldn't stop thinking about them. Among "them" was not THE woman in my life who guided me, took care of me, shaped me. That was my grandmother and like most grandmothers of women in their forties, they're no longer a phone call away. The benefits of being raised by your grandmother is that you are surrounded by older, wiser women at a much earlier age, all of which have stories, many of which remind you not to take the world....and everyone in it so seriously. In my grandmother's circle was an incedible group of women who got together for lunches, martinis, and…

  • TEDxSummit in Qatar's Doha Brings Together Nearly 100 Cultures to Accelerate Change & Meaning

    Renee Blodgett
    29 Apr 2012 | 7:01 pm
    I recently came back from Doha Qatar, where I attended a week-long event exclusively for TEDx organizers. The first TEDxSummit was hosted by the Doha Film Institute at the Katara Cultural Center aka the Katara Valley of Cultures. The "village" is a bit like a sprawling outdoor convention center that houses an ampitheatre, tents and domes where you can see live concerts and events. Katara was born out of a long held vision to position the State of Qatar as a cultural lighthouse of art if you will, highlighting the best of theatre, literature, music and visual art in the Middle East.

  • Relevenz: Your Mobile Calendar Marries Relevant & Hyper Local Promos

    Renee Blodgett
    12 Apr 2012 | 2:51 am
    If the word of the day in the social media world isn't engagement or curation, then its geo-location or relevance. Finding things that matter to you amidst the clutter (bring on smart and interesting curators please) is like finding a needle in a haystack. And truth be told, while the content needs to be interesting, it also needs to be relevant. Relevenz is banking on the fact that people are starving for more and more relevance in a world where so much of what comes our way either doesn't spark our interest or has nothing to do with who we are or what we care about. Relevenz is a…

  • LocalSocial: The Bridge Between Mobile, Proximity Marketing & Great Deals

    Renee Blodgett
    11 Apr 2012 | 1:23 am
    LocalSocial is all about the bridge between mobile and proximity marketing. Targeting business owners, retailers, merchants and venue owners, they're trying to make it easy to create offers and loyalty points rewards that can only be unlocked on the premises. The goal of course is to drive footfall, repeat visits, and provides deep insight and social context for new and existing existing visitors. It turns anonymous walk-ins in to real people, enabling merchants to better engage with your customers in a way that's convenient and fun for them. What they're doing is not new, but it is relevant…
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    PR Fire

  • Most Hen Parties Planned a Year in Advance

    cathy
    16 May 2012 | 10:30 am
    Off Limits, one of the UK’s leading providers of stag and hen weekends, has noticed a big trend towards early bookings for 2013. The company has recorded a huge increase in bookings made 8-12 months and 4-6 months in advance of the wedding date. Hens are leading the way when it comes to forward planning. A grand total of 70% of hens booked six months or more in advance, compared to 30% of stag parties. Total bookings for UK stag and hen parties are up 14% year-on-year. Bookings for 2013 are already being made with a particular emphasis on Spanish beach breaks. According to overseas…

  • Bevan Kidwell win legal case on behalf of Cromwell Mansions Management

    bevankidwell
    16 May 2012 | 7:00 am
    On 24th November 2011, Bevan Kidwell LLP successfully defended a claim in the High Court for a declaration that the demise of a ground floor flat included the sub-soil beneath the basement and garden of that flat and that the Defendant (the company that owned the freehold and the landlord) had unreasonably refused consent to works that had been proposed by the Claimants. This is the only known authority on the issue of a leaseholder seeking ownership of the subsoil of the whole property and seeking to excavate and develop beneath the property. The claim had been brought by the tenants under a…

  • Survey results: Smell is proven to affect our productivity at work by Aircare brand Febreze

    saamiaz
    16 May 2012 | 6:00 am
    Working 9 to Febreze, that’s no way to make a living! Smell is proven to affect our productivity at work May 2012: A survey of 2,000* Brits by Aircare brand Febreze has found that ‘smell’ is crucial to creating a ‘focused’ workforce, with citrus and mint beating off coffee as aromas that heighten the feelings of productivity (46%, 35% and 33% respectively) in the office. 10% of those over 55 stated the smell of lavender makes them feel more on the ball, and a fifth of Londoners (22%) thought that the scent of flowers would make them feel sharper and more…

  • Southern Housing Group finds crucial bandwidth while cutting costs

    marketinghso
    16 May 2012 | 5:00 am
    London, UK – One of south England’s largest housing associations, Southern Housing Group, has teamed up with managed network service provider, hSo, to improve its network allowing for improved access to crucial data, voice and high-definition video conferencing. Southern Housing Group decided it was time to move networks when the demand for improved services outgrew the previous provider with needs such as high-definition video conferencing.  hSo was able to provide a network that improved current services as well as allowed for scalability for the future technical needs of the group.

  • Voyage Manager Partners With AST

    John Scott
    16 May 2012 | 4:00 am
    Voyage Manager Ltd. has partnered with global satellite communications company, Applied Satellite Technology Ltd (AST Ltd), in order to provide Voyage Manager with access to Iridium as well as other major satellite communication platforms. With its move into device and location tracking, Voyage Manager has partnered with Applied Satellite Technology Ltd (AST) as its supplier of Iridium based technologies and services. Using Iridium based tracking devices Voyage Manager can provide customers and travellers with GPS tracking in any location in the world, from the middle of the Sahara desert to…
 
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    davefleet.com

  • 7 Steps to Planning Better Presentations

    Dave Fleet
    16 May 2012 | 8:00 am
    As we approach the end of the Spring conference season, and in the run-up to BlogWorld New York, I got to reflecting on how my approach to presentations has evolved over the last while. Preparing a presentation for a conference is no mean feat (I’d estimate I spend at last 30 hours on each presentation I create for conferences; often more). With that level of time investment, especially if you’re creating multiple presentations each year, you need to make sure you invest your time well. This year, I’ve started approaching presentations in a new way. I’ve thrown out the…

  • Communication is about what they hear, not what you say

    Dave Fleet
    24 Apr 2012 | 8:57 am
    If you think you’ve conveyed something but the other person hears something completely different, is that their fault or yours?  Recently a friend of mine posted a photo on Facebook: As pithy and humorous as it was, I disagreed. Strongly. From my perspective the onus is on you to consider not just the words coming out of your mouth, but how they are received. Everyone has their own background and context that they overlay on top of what they hear. It’s our jobs as communicators to consider that perspective and to adjust the way we communicate accordingly. If we do, we stand a…

  • Book Review: The Social Media Strategist

    Dave Fleet
    9 Apr 2012 | 7:00 am
    “Page turner.” Not words you usually expect to associate with a social media book. For anyone who is looking for a solid primer on social media within corporations, though, those two words perfectly describe Christopher Barger’s book The Social Media Strategist: Build a Successful Program from the Inside Out. In case you aren’t familiar with Barger, he’s headed-up social media at two of the world’s largest companies – IBM and GM. While at the latter, he led their social media communications around GM’s bankruptcy filing. Suffice to say, he has…

  • I Am Terrific! A Lesson in StoryBranding

    Dave Fleet
    5 Apr 2012 | 10:31 pm
    Note: I don’t run many guest posts here, but I found the piece below really interesting. The following is a guest post by Jim Signorelli. Let me know what you think. If you’ve gotten past the title of this article (and many don’t) you’re obviously intrigued. How could anyone expect to sell anything this way? Telling someone you’re terrific is so, well…crass, obnoxious, and Neanderthal, anything but effective.  Right? Curious, I created an experiment.  I set out to see how people would actually react to someone saying “Hey there! I am…

  • Want to get better at social media? Ask “Why?”

    Dave Fleet
    30 Mar 2012 | 11:16 am
    Social media practitioners: want to get better at your job? Learn one word: Why? Used well, asking “why?” can help you get to the bottom of almost any problem, push your colleagues to explore new options, and force a new level of honesty in decision making. I’ve just started reading Christopher Barger‘s book The Social Media Strategist (side note: only a few pages in and I already like it), and one particular section stood out to me: “The individual connections and relationships made within social networks on behalf of organizations and brands don’t happen…
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    PerkettPRsuasion - The PerkettPR Blog

  • PerkettPR Introduces our “Effective Executives” Interview Series

    Susan Sweenie
    16 May 2012 | 12:11 pm
    PerkettPR is excited to introduce another interview series, “Effective Executives,” showcasing business leaders from top companies across the globe. Our goal is to continue to share insights, tips, tricks and suggestions from those who have seen it all. How do they work? What keeps them up at night? What tough lessons have they learned? We kick off this series with John Golden, CEO of Huthwaite. Founded on scientifically validated behavioral research, Huthwaite’s methodologies—which include the internationally renowned SPIN® Selling — guarantee sales success. Huthwaite…

  • What’s behind our urge to share on social media?

    Jennifer Hellickson
    14 May 2012 | 4:36 pm
    Most of us take Facebook at, well, “face” value – a social network that “connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them,” as the site itself says. But peel back the façade of friends, likes, photos, apps and more, and you’re left with an extensive data set on human social behavior that intrigues scientists and psychologists alike. From CNN’s first-of-its-kind list of “The 12 most annoying types of Facebookers” to AllFacebook’s more recent post on “7 Facebook Personalities to Avoid” and even Vanity Fair’s take on “The Six Most Common…

  • “Influencers Who Inspire” with Laura Fitton (@Pistachio)

    Susan Sweenie
    10 May 2012 | 12:21 pm
    Our influencer Q&A today is with well-known inbound marketing evangelist, Laura Fitton. Laura “@Pistachio” Fitton is the founder of www.oneforty.com, founder and principal of Pistachio Consulting, co-author of “Twitter for Dummies“ and the inbound marketing evangelist at HubSpot. We had the chance to ask her some questions about her career, her passions and what 2012 has in store for her. Who has been the most fascinating person you have ever met? My daughter, S. How cliched is that? She is so unlike me. She is so preternaturally gentle and wise. I watch how she…

  • Persuasive Picks for week of 4/30/12

    Vic Miller
    4 May 2012 | 9:22 am
    Women Are More Social – When It Comes to Social Media, That Is writes Entrepreneur’s Mikal E. Belicove reporting the results of Nielsen’s latest State of The Media report that shows women are the alpha players on the social media playground. In How Products Participate In Social Media, expert blogger Matt Compton explains that the evolution of the Internet and smart devices has created an amazing fabric of connected lives and now weaves together people’s connections with things, and brands are starting to “participate” in new and meaningful ways. –…

  • Three tips for handling email overload

    Jennifer Hellickson
    1 May 2012 | 9:00 am
    There may be some debate over whether or not email is dead, but take one look at your email inbox each morning, and I bet you’ll beg to differ. As Peter Bregman reported in his recent Harvard Business Review blog, this affair with email is starting to really affect us in negative ways. According to an article he cited from USA Today, the number of lawsuits filed by employees claiming unfair overtime is up 32 percent since 2008. What’s to blame, in large part, for this increase? Email. And when you factor in devices such as smartphones, which we have with us – and neurotically check –…
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    PerkettPRsuasion - The PerkettPR Blog

  • PerkettPR Introduces our “Effective Executives” Interview Series

    Susan Sweenie
    16 May 2012 | 12:11 pm
    PerkettPR is excited to introduce another interview series, “Effective Executives,” showcasing business leaders from top companies across the globe. Our goal is to continue to share insights, tips, tricks and suggestions from those who have seen it all. How do they work? What keeps them up at night? What tough lessons have they learned? We kick off this series with John Golden, CEO of Huthwaite. Founded on scientifically validated behavioral research, Huthwaite’s methodologies—which include the internationally renowned SPIN® Selling — guarantee sales success. Huthwaite…

  • What’s behind our urge to share on social media?

    Jennifer Hellickson
    14 May 2012 | 4:36 pm
    Most of us take Facebook at, well, “face” value – a social network that “connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them,” as the site itself says. But peel back the façade of friends, likes, photos, apps and more, and you’re left with an extensive data set on human social behavior that intrigues scientists and psychologists alike. From CNN’s first-of-its-kind list of “The 12 most annoying types of Facebookers” to AllFacebook’s more recent post on “7 Facebook Personalities to Avoid” and even Vanity Fair’s take on “The Six Most Common…

  • “Influencers Who Inspire” with Laura Fitton (@Pistachio)

    Susan Sweenie
    10 May 2012 | 12:21 pm
    Our influencer Q&A today is with well-known inbound marketing evangelist, Laura Fitton. Laura “@Pistachio” Fitton is the founder of www.oneforty.com, founder and principal of Pistachio Consulting, co-author of “Twitter for Dummies“ and the inbound marketing evangelist at HubSpot. We had the chance to ask her some questions about her career, her passions and what 2012 has in store for her. Who has been the most fascinating person you have ever met? My daughter, S. How cliched is that? She is so unlike me. She is so preternaturally gentle and wise. I watch how she…

  • Persuasive Picks for week of 4/30/12

    Vic Miller
    4 May 2012 | 9:22 am
    Women Are More Social – When It Comes to Social Media, That Is writes Entrepreneur’s Mikal E. Belicove reporting the results of Nielsen’s latest State of The Media report that shows women are the alpha players on the social media playground. In How Products Participate In Social Media, expert blogger Matt Compton explains that the evolution of the Internet and smart devices has created an amazing fabric of connected lives and now weaves together people’s connections with things, and brands are starting to “participate” in new and meaningful ways. –…

  • Three tips for handling email overload

    Jennifer Hellickson
    1 May 2012 | 9:00 am
    There may be some debate over whether or not email is dead, but take one look at your email inbox each morning, and I bet you’ll beg to differ. As Peter Bregman reported in his recent Harvard Business Review blog, this affair with email is starting to really affect us in negative ways. According to an article he cited from USA Today, the number of lawsuits filed by employees claiming unfair overtime is up 32 percent since 2008. What’s to blame, in large part, for this increase? Email. And when you factor in devices such as smartphones, which we have with us – and neurotically check –…
 
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    Brian Solis

  • The Fallacy of Information Overload

    Brian Solis
    15 May 2012 | 8:50 am
    Some of you know me through my work in studying how social media and disruptive technology impact business and culture. Others have worked with me in translating insights into action and change within the enterprise.  Every now and then, I share another side of myself that evokes the aspiring social scientist in me as I explore how all of this is affecting us as individuals and human beings. Not a day goes by when I’m not asked about whether or not the social media bubble will finally burst. Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Foursquare, Pinterest, this all has to be too much right? More…

  • Music, Film, TV: How social media changed the entertainment experience

    Brian Solis
    10 May 2012 | 9:56 am
    Social media is more than a digital water cooler for TV and movies. The global conversation that takes place around events and the experiences people share based on what they watch teaches us about consumer preferences. More importantly, their activity influences behavior. Behavior counts for everything. Studying it is just the beginning of course. In order to understand and eventually steer behavior, we must translate activity into insights and in turn, translate insights into actionable strategies and programs. The Hollywood Reporter recently published an exclusive poll about social media…

  • The future of TV is more than social, it’s a multi-screen experience that needs design

    Brian Solis
    7 May 2012 | 1:19 pm
    The future of television is much more than social; much in the same way that the future of media is too, more than social. Social is a fabric; it connects the individual nodes that make up the human network. But, social however, is not a means to an end. And, as such, the same is true about the working theories driving Social TV. Understanding the role social plays in how viewers connect with programs and other people is essential to defining the future of television. Over the years, I’ve written much about my vision for the long overdue convergence of not only web and TV, but also how the…

  • The Path from a Social Brand to a Social Business

    Brian Solis
    2 May 2012 | 11:17 am
    I’ve been a long-time supporter of MediaTemple’s (MT)Residence program along with Gary Vaynerchuk, Neil Patel, and many others whom I respect. I wanted to share my “7 questions to answer to become a social business” with you here.. Social Media is pervasive and is becoming the new normal in corporate marketing. Brands who get this right are starting to build their own media networks rich with customer connections numbering in the millions. Right now, Coca-Cola has over 34 million fans on Facebook, but they’re hardly alone. Disney follows just behind with 29 million…

  • Do Customers Really Matter to Your Business? Prove it.

    Brian Solis
    30 Apr 2012 | 10:21 am
    Frank Eliason and I have known each other for many years. We’ve shared the stage on many occasions, he’s made an appearance on Revolution, and most importantly, I’m proud to call him a personal friend. Frank has championed the adaption and transformation of customer service during his time at Comcast and at CITI. Never one to shy away from sharing his opinions, he’s certainly bullish on where service needs to be as a function and a philosophy versus where it is today. In fact, he’s gone so far as to call out social media customer service as being a…
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    RONN TOROSSIAN: 5WPR CEO - PR FIRM, PR AGENCY, NEW YORK PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY OWNER

  • ANGELINA JOLIE BRAND – WILL SHE CHANGE HER NAME TO ANGELINA PITT?

    admin
    14 May 2012 | 1:00 pm
    Working extensively in entertainment PR, including extensive work as a crisis PR agency for celebrities, an interesting story is the Angelina Jolie Brand – and will she incorporate her soon to be husband’s last name into her name ? And my 2 cents? Angelina Jolie shouldn’t change her name to Angelina Pitt – the Angelina [...]

  • PR AGENCY CEO RONN TOROSSIAN PRESENTS INTERESTING READING

    admin
    7 May 2012 | 7:41 am
    Some interesting articles which I thought were worth presenting to readers of my blog and are suggested reading “12 publicity “hooks” to promote your products” – I agree, gimmicks work… http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505183_162-57424966-10391735/12-publicity-hooks-to-promote-your-products/ Pippa Middleton hired a crisis PR agency – The only surprise is it seems this is the 1st time she has consulted a Public [...]

  • In Public Relations, As In So Much Else: Money Matters

    admin
    30 Apr 2012 | 11:24 am
    An op-ed I wrote ran today at Everything PR: http://www.pamil-visions.net/pr-money-talks/234386/ Excerpt: “We are governed, our minds molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of.” Edward Bernays, the father of Public Relations PR Agencies today more than ever before are in the content creation business – and this democratization [...]

  • CELEBRITY PUBLICITY & DIGITAL MEDIA & CRISIS PUBLIC RELATIONS

    admin
    30 Apr 2012 | 9:04 am
    Major crisis unfolding in Australia where a publicist sent ABC’s Media Watch an anonymous email saying that the South Australian Tourism Commission was looking to pay high-profile influencers and celebrities to tweet about Kangaroo Island – in a seemingly organic manner. And the SATC confirmed to Media Watch that it was “using influencers in the [...]

  • RONN TOROSSIAN: NFL MARKETING MOCK DRAFT

    admin
    27 Apr 2012 | 7:59 am
    Just as ranking the top players on the field is no easy gig, ranking the top five players in the 2012 NFL Draft for marketing isn’t any easier. There are a lot of variables involved. Which city will the player end up in – Of course a LA or NY based player can accomplish much [...]
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    PR Couture: Fashion PR, Marketing & Social Media

  • Fashion PR Quotables: Gilles Mendel, CEO and Creative Director of J.Mendel

    PR Couture
    13 May 2012 | 10:53 am
    Original Source

  • Fashion PR Fridays: Fashion, Marketing & Social Media Links 5.11.12

    Kalinda
    11 May 2012 | 12:43 pm
    Take a cue from these brands who have done the most with their social media to take advantage of Mother’s Day. (via The High Low) Betsey Johnson filed for bankruptcy and sadly, now the liquidation of assets is not far in the brand’s future. (via Styleite) Building a social media dashboard can be essential in dealing with huge influxes of information and guiding the use of that information in a positive and productive direction. (via 123 Social Media) Iconic accessories brand Christian Louboutin has announced that they will now venture into the world of beauty and cosmetics. (via…

  • Ready to Launch Book Signing Soirée Tonight

    Crosby
    10 May 2012 | 11:24 am
    When I woke up this morning I had a tickle of excitement, not unlike the feeling you get when it’s your birthday and there are a million things to get done but you don’t mind because it’s a day for celebration! I also had a dream that my book was twice as big and full of misspellings, but what’s a party without some subconscious weirding. The lovely ladies over at Elle Communications have set up a lovely spot at the Hard Rock San Diego’s rooftop bar, Float, and it promises to be a magical evening. If you are in San Diego or near, or have friends who do, …
 
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    Substantialist

  • Mapping your LinkedIn networks

    Stephen
    15 May 2012 | 11:01 am
    Here’s a great app by LinkedIn called InMaps which analyses your professional contacts and how they’re each connected. It then clusters them together and colour-codes each one and you simply click on the names in a cluster to see the association. The large blue cluster is, not surprisingly, people I know who have a focus – or are very active in – social media which explains its large size. Natural connectors, you see? The orange cluster at the top is people I know from the North East, who obviously know each other too.  

  • Mapping my happiness with Mappiness

    Stephen
    13 May 2012 | 10:40 am
    Self Quantification, also known as Personal Informatics, also known as Self Hacking (my preference) is going to shake up how we as individuals live our lives. Quite a profound statement, yes, but one I believe in. Technology has broken down another barrier and democratized what was once only attainable by the likes of top athletes with lots of cash to spend on high-end tech and equipment. Smartphones, tablets and their accompanying apps are the new tools to allow us to not only track but to measure and quantify anything about ourselves. Be it our mood, stress levels, how much sleep we get…

  • FT Digital Media Conference 2012 – Storified

    Stephen
    8 Mar 2012 | 2:35 pm
    On Wednesday I attended the first day of the FT Digital Media Conference 2012 on behalf of 33 Digital to help out with the social media initiatives. The caliber of speakers was phenomenal so as you can imagine it was a terric event. Here’s the Storify from day 1: [View the story "FT Digital Media Conference 2012, Day 1" on Storify]

  • The Economist says the future of media’s in tablet form

    Stephen
    13 Feb 2012 | 3:19 am
    Here is a great presentation via Piaras Kelly delivered (I assume) by the Economist’s CEO, Andrew Rashbass, in November last year on how media consumption habits are changing from print to PC to tablet form. The presentation focuses predominantly on how the Economist is adapting to tablet (iPad) use and has defined this phenomenon as ‘lean back media.’ Some interesting take-aways: A Conde Nast survey in 2010 found that print users spend an average of 45 minutes with an issue each month. Readers using an iPhone or iPad users spent 160 minutes. Around 70% of respondents to an…

  • An introduction to Pinterest

    Stephen
    9 Feb 2012 | 2:47 am
    Pinterest is no doubt on the radar of most people working in digital at the moment. And rightly so. The headlines it’s generated thus far leads us to think it’s going to be the next big thing in online sharing and consumption, and recent news today shows that it has been generating revenue from day one. A claim that even the most popular social networks can not make. With this in mind I’ve put together an introductory presentation on what Pinterest is and how it’s being used. An Interest In Pinterest View more presentations from Stephen Davies
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    Don't Eat the Shrimp - Josh Morgan's Take on PR, Social Media & Marketing

  • Sacramento relies more on gov’t jobs than any other metro – how do we get past that? HACK!

    Josh Morgan
    16 May 2012 | 12:28 am
    Sacramento is only 90 miles from the SF Bay Area and Silicon Valley but often seems worlds apart. One of the ways this is most evident is that it seems like everyone here works for government in some way. I thought that maybe this was just my impression, but according to a story today in the Business Journal, it’s true. According to a new study nearly three out of every ten workers in the Sacramento metro area work for state, federal or local government.  While those might unfortunately be growth industries, it’s not the kind of growth that should drive an economy. What we need…

  • Watch the complete “Small Market, Big Heart,” Film About the Kings

    Josh Morgan
    15 May 2012 | 4:45 pm
    Last October I mentioned the Small Market, Big Heart film about the Kings and Sacramento and how I had contributed via KickStarter.  The film ran on local TV earlier this year, and it was awesome when I got to see my name listed among the producers, thanks to KickStarter. Here’s the thing, if you missed it when it ran, don’t worry, you can now watch the entire documentary, including a new epilogue from Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, on Youtube. So, now, go watch Small Market, Big Heart. Tagged: sacramento kings, small market big heart

  • Find your hill.

    Josh Morgan
    8 May 2012 | 1:17 am
    Jerry Rice is the greatest wide receiver of all time. For me, this isn’t up for negotiation. Several things combined to make him great, one of them was preparation.  Not catching balls type of preparation.  It was “The Hill.”  ”The Hill,” is a running trail in Edgewood Park in San Carlos, California.  The segment that Rice runs is about 2.5 miles, all uphill.  He runs it in about 16 minutes. When asked how often he runs it, his answer. “Every day.”   Greatness isn’t about flash, it’s about being great when you need to.  Being…

  • If you’ve got bee problems in Sacramento call Paul

    Josh Morgan
    19 Apr 2012 | 1:31 am
    A few days ago we noticed several bees flying around above the front door of our house.  A few bees…no problem, but this was more swarm like.  We’ve had swarms show up in an oak tree in our front yard before, and they usually move on in a few hours.  This time, they didn’t. They were setting up shop in the wall of our house. This is what it looked like out the window. That’s a lot of bees. We ended up calling several local “bee removal”  folks and went with Master Pest Patrol and Paul Baumeister.  I can’t recommend this guy highly enough.  He…

  • Agency Lessons from Mad Men Episode 503 – “Tea Leaves”

    Josh Morgan
    17 Apr 2012 | 12:04 am
    Image from AMCTV.com Mad Men continues to include real issues faced by advertising (and yes PR firms) in an incredible show. If I wasn’t in this industry, I’m sure I would still be a fan of the show, but for me I get a bonus. I get to watch situations I encounter all the time dealt with by others. The agency lesson for me from “Tea Leaves,” is given by Peggy Olson.  She is tasked with hiring a new copywriter for the Mohawk Airlines account, “someone with a penis,” according to Roger.  As Peggy is flipping through portfolios of applicants, art director Stan Rizzo…
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    Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs

  • The Voice v BGT: another limp response from the Beeb

    Mark Borkowski
    16 May 2012 | 5:45 am
    The eventual defeat of The Voice by the Cowell war machine- compounded by that too perfect final story about the crew watching BGT in the gallery- has far more to do with the BBC’s mentality than it does with the show. Once again, the beeb has shown itself to be something of a shrinking violet, and it won’t be able to enter the hardball arena of true showmanship until it learns to man up. The initial success of The Voice was driven by the freshness of the concept- both in its actual content and in the fact that it was outside of Cowell’s influence. There was everything to play for, and…

  • The Wettest Drought on Record

    Mark Borkowski
    3 May 2012 | 3:37 am
    “The Wettest Drought on Record”: so a dry wit in the back row of a client meeting recently described our current weather situation to me. It’s a spectacularly British situation to be in- a combination of monsoon-esque precipitation levels and poor local planning found nowhere other than Virgil’s ‘edge of the world’. The whole situation illuminates a serious failing in public communications more than anything. Yesterday, I read The Metro on the tube, the front page adorned with a quasi-outraged piece on the arrival of standpipes on streets awash with torrential rain. Public…

  • A piece for the Fresh Awards (www.freshawards.co.uk- originally released in their newsletter)

    Mark Borkowski
    1 May 2012 | 8:00 am
    Earlier this week, I became fascinated as a journalist acquaintance of mine- Grace Dent- suffered a much publicised insult at the hands of a young PR executive with a too-happy twitter finger. The guy, in what we can only assume was a moment of alcohol-fuelled ill judgement, as well as somewhat startling boorishness, offered an opinion not worth repeating.  In so doing, he sparked a controversy and became the latest misguided individual to make headlines for tweeting or posting something they shouldn’t have in recent weeks. He exemplifies all that is wrong with a generation of PRs raised…

  • Pippa- Maybe down but Not Out

    Mark Borkowski
    23 Apr 2012 | 3:41 am
    A deep collective breath is perhaps needed. Pippa Middleton’s identification with firearms last weel, thanks to the somewhat incautious actions of friend Romain Rabillard, has led many to predict that her fledging career in the public eye is already over. Like her sister, runs the thinking, Middleton’s image relies on propriety- all 3 Middleton siblings have a tidy line in British demureness and easy class (bum jokes aside, that is). Now she’s been seen with a gun-toting aristocrat, speeding down a Paris Rue (or possible Avenue) to what the media must assume was some kind of hedonistic…

  • Tupac Rises and Forsythe Shambles Forth- What British Stuntsters Could Learn from Across the Pond

    Mark Borkowski
    18 Apr 2012 | 9:10 am
    It looks like Tupac Shakur’s back on top for the foreseeable future- it was announced today that his frankly rather terrifying hologram will be going on tour following its first outing at Coachella festival.  More than anything else, this is proof of the remarkable power of a great stunt- and is a blow for the great American tradition of stuntsmanship. Just think, Coachella dug up Tupac, Hop Farm dug up Bruce Forsythe. As the megalithic rapper burst onto the stage with a cry of “What the **** is up Coachella? Throw up a m************ finger!”, a cynic could hear the jingling of…
 
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    Deirdre Breakenridge

  • Evaluating Employer Communication Competency Expectations: A Pilot Study

    Deirdre Breakenridge
    14 May 2012 | 11:48 am
    Samoilenko, S.A., Ballard-Reisch, D., & Akhatova, B. (2011). Evaluating Employer Communication Competency Expectations in Kazakhstan. Research Study presented November 18 at the 97th Annual Conventional of the National Communication Association in New Orleans, LA. In the age of globalization and social media there is increased demand for a new type of communication practitioners capable of adapting to rapid organizational change and constantly emerging online communities. These specialists should not only be familiar with numerous social tools available, but also understand the importance…

  • #PRStudChat Graduation Celebration on May 16th

    Deirdre Breakenridge
    11 May 2012 | 11:11 am
    It’s a graduation celebration and you’re invited!  On May 16, 2012 at 8:30 p.m. EST, #PRStudChat will be honor the graduating class of 2012, and be recapping a terrific year with our students, professors and PR professionals.  Our graduates will face exciting new PR opportunities, as well as industry challenges ahead.  With so much to look forward to, we wanted to send them off with insight and advice as they pursue their new career endeavors. In the spirit of graduation, we thought a terrific way to celebrate would be to bring back one of our past #PRStudChat graduates; he’s out in…

  • PR Practice #5: Pre-Crisis Doctor Chart of Responsibilities

    Deirdre Breakenridge
    8 May 2012 | 7:56 am
    One of my favorite new practices, which is outlined in my book, Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional, is PR Practice #5: The Pre-Crisis Doctor. To continue with my edited or cut chart series, today’s post discusses the Pre-Crisis Doctor chart of responsibilities, and the many new roles PR professionals undertake, as they move from PR crisis managers to Pre-Crisis Doctors.  As I stated in my book, Pre-Crisis Doctors are the PR professionals who, “… proactively monitor social media conversations and track the sentiment of customers and other…

  • Social Media and Public Relations Book Launch

    Deirdre Breakenridge
    30 Apr 2012 | 1:56 pm
    Finally, it’s here … my book, Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional, is available in all digital formats and paperback copies too.  The book crystallizes eight new practices for public relations professionals to shift their mindset from tactical to strategic, learn new skills and knowledge, create greater opportunities to collaborate as influencers and to use new practices for professional development, as well as to raise the profile of public relations in the eyes of our executives and the public. My video discusses a few of the many…

  • PR Practice #4: COMMS Organizer Chart of Responsibilities

    Deirdre Breakenridge
    25 Apr 2012 | 6:54 am
    It’s official … Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional is here!  My book is available (a littler earlier than I expected) in a print (paperback version) and all digital formats.  However, what you won’t find in the book is some of the content I’m sharing in this blog series.  These are the charts and even parts of chapters that were cut at the last minute, during the final production process.  To continue with my series, today’s post discusses the chart, which would have appeared in the chapter on PR Practice #4 (The COMMS Organizer). …
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    Blueprint Creative Group » Blog | Hot Topics

  • Non-profits Need to Learn When to Quit and When to Stick

    blueprintcreative
    8 May 2012 | 12:15 pm
    I recently had a conversation with a frustrated non-profit founder…the kind of frustration where you’re stuck and don’t know what to do next and what went wrong. This non-profit was frustrated because their big, great idea for a cause campaign was failing big time —… Related posts: 5 Ways Non-profits Can Use Pinterest Non-profits & Causes Lessons on How to Make Your Non-profit Successful

  • 5 Ways Non-profits Can Use Pinterest

    blueprintcreative
    29 Mar 2012 | 3:12 pm
    Tag me. Like it. Share it. Comment. Retweet. I admit. Social media can get quite cumbersome and overwhelming at the same time, especially for a non-profit who is already severely understaffed, overworked, and probably overlooked. And now you can add Pin It to your to… Related posts: What Pinterest Means for Your Brand’s PR Strategy Non-profits Need to Learn When to Quit and When to Stick Social Causes That Get Twitter Right- Tweetsgiving Case Study

  • How to Get the Most Out of a Digital Non-profit Fundraising Campaign

    blueprintcreative
    28 Mar 2012 | 12:00 pm
    The end of the first quarter marks a time when non-profits begin to realize a noticeable decline in donations as many donors tend to give at the end of the year during the holidays. By March, non-profits start to feel pinched by their budgets and…

  • Skittles, Arizona Ice Tea, & Corporate Social Responsibility in the Trayvon Martin Tragedy

    blueprintcreative
    27 Mar 2012 | 1:30 pm
    If you’re a big brand like Skittles, Arizona Ice Tea, or even a manufacturer of hoodies, how do you respond when your brand is thrust in the media spotlight in the wake of the Trayvon Martin tragedy? Do you sit back as your brand sort… Related posts: Corporate Communications 7 Best Practices in Social Media Use in College Admissions, Student Services & Alumni Relations 9 Tips for Using Twitter to Build Your Nonprofit Network

  • What Pinterest Means for Your Brand’s PR Strategy

    blueprintcreative
    26 Mar 2012 | 4:02 pm
    There’s a new kid on the block named Pinterest. This new platform is all the rave these days and for good reasons. Since May 2011, traffic to Pinterest has increased by 2,702% and counting. Not to mention that Pinterest has become top traffic driver for… Related posts: 5 Ways Non-profits Can Use Pinterest Restaurants and Brands Take Advantage of Festivus Hype What’s in a PR Plan? 5 Key Elements of a Comprehensive PR Strategy
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    Beyond the Hype

  • Are You in the 60% of Companies That Don't Have a Social Media Policy?

    Ted Weismann
    15 May 2012 | 3:24 pm
    Image credit Case Central (client) Caught in my Facebook news feed yesterday was this Wall Street Journal article about the CFO of fashion retailer Francesca's Holdings Corp being fired for improper use of his personal social media channels. Specifically, he used his public Facebook page and Twitter channel to share confidential financial information with personal opinions. The Journal article transcribes a few, but these are the most egregious: On March 13 Mr. Morphis posted on Facebook about a company earnings call: "Earnings released. Conference call completed. How do you like me now Mr.

  • Emergency Media Training for Adrian Gonzalez

    Lois Paul
    10 May 2012 | 11:59 am
    Adrian, it's Les More.  You remember -- the media trainer.  We last met in September. I'm the guy who said to stop talking about chicken and beer.  Remember I told you that your quote about people needing to eat, whether it was chicken or steak, wasn't what I had in mind?  Yes, that was me. I didn't make the trip to Kansas City, but I've been watching the coverage -- and the games, of course -- and you're really taking it on the chin.  I wanted to talk with you to give you some pointers to deal with the current negative tone in the media. Adrian, it is negative, trust me.  I know Albert…

  • Social Media Is Not A Checkbox

    Ted Weismann
    9 May 2012 | 2:16 pm
    Thanks to Scott Stratten (aka @unmarketing) for channeling something that I think about every day. I just saw a tweet auto-posted from Facebook about being authentic. How can.... Ah forget it. — Scott Stratten (@unmarketing) May 9, 2012 I know what's stated in the headline is preaching to the choir for many of you out there. Here we are in mid-2012 and companies are devoting more resources and attention to social media as part of marketing, which is great but from where I sit, I see them thinking about it mostly as a checkbox item. As strategic communications consultants, our existence is…

  • Step Up to the Plate - Are You a "Five-tool" PR All-star?

    Matt Croteau
    8 May 2012 | 10:24 am
    With baseball season now in full swing (pun intended), fans have already had the chance to witness some pretty amazing moments. Fenway Park’s 100th birthday celebration, Phil Humber’s perfect game and the blazing start for LA Dodgers superstar Matt Kemp are just a few that top the list. With all due respect to Fenway Park and the seemingly impossible feat of pitching a perfect game, Kemp’s start to the season stands out the most. Through the first month of the season, Kemp is batting .442 with 11 home runs, 24 RBI’s, 22 runs scored and two steals. For those who are not fantasy…

  • Boston and Bobby, Like Oil and Water

    Gessenia Votta
    1 May 2012 | 11:33 am
    Fact: Boston sports fans are tough and unforgiving. But hey, we put up with a lot, don’t you think? It’s going to take more than a nice tan and impressive cardio endurance to become attractive in the eyes of Boston fans. Yes, I am referring to the Red Sox’s General Manager, Bobby’s Valentine’s sun-kissed complexion and his claim to fame of biking 6 miles a day. A persona that is not commonly associated with the macho tough sports town, and ESPN and blogs all over have made note of it. In no way am I suggesting Valentine isn’t cut out for the job. He has a respectable track record…
 
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    Solo PR Pro | Successful Freelance PR Consulting

  • Working all the time to get ahead is a fool’s game

    Kellye Crane
    15 May 2012 | 7:15 am
    As self-employed consultants, we have to take breaks and vacations whenever we can get them (something I’ve been remiss in doing for a while). So when I was invited to speak to the Coastal Carolinas chapter of the American Advertising Federation this week, I made sure to extend the trip into a mini vacation. It’s Important We know vacations are a boon to our mental health, and we might have some awareness that they’re beneficial to our physical health – but chances are vacations are even more important than you realize. Taking part in leisure activities is shown to lead to lower…

  • Connecting with Hard to Reach Media Contacts & More

    JenniferSpivak
    10 May 2012 | 7:34 am
    During the May 9 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros discussed connecting with hard to reach media contacts, pitching radio shows and podcasts, and minimizing distractions when working from home. In addition to the downloadable transcript in PDF, the following highlights some of the most popular tweets from the chat: [View the story "#SoloPR Chat Highlights - 5/09/2012" on Storify]Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the full discussion. Note that the transcript is in reverse chronological order. If you weren’t able to join us this week, weigh in on the chat questions below!

  • How To Join the Visual Revolution – For Free

    JenniferSpivak
    8 May 2012 | 7:15 am
    This post was co-written with Solo PR community specialist Jennifer Spivak. Between Pinterest’s rise to fame as the third most popular social network in the U.S. by some accounts and Facebook’s $1 billion acquisition of the mobile photo sharing app Instagram – a company that was just two years old – it’s easy to see that if content is still king, visual content rules the social web in 2012. There’s been a lot of interesting discussion about the trend toward more visual content/learning, and strong visuals are clearly here to stay as an increasingly important element in any PR…

  • Firing Clients, Basic SEO Tips, & More

    JenniferSpivak
    3 May 2012 | 6:00 am
    During the May 2 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros discussed firing clients, basic SEO tips, managing a busy schedule, & more. In addition to the downloadable transcript in PDF, the following highlights some of the most popular tweets from the chat: [View the story "#SoloPR Chat Highlights - 5/02/2012" on Storify]Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the full discussion. Note that the transcript is in reverse chronological order. If you weren’t able to join us this week, weigh in on the chat questions below! The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern…

  • Focus your efforts for fun and profit

    Kellye Crane
    2 May 2012 | 7:25 am
    As consultants, we’re largely in charge of our own destiny – which can be both a blessing and a curse. Most (all?) of us have things we enjoy that we aren’t good at, and things we’re good at that we don’t find enjoyable. For example: I love to sing — but no one ever accused me of being the next American Idol. I’m more of a sing-a-long at the pub after one too many-kind of singer. No use trying to pursue it any further than that – no one would pay me to sing, so I don’t focus my time on making that happen. On the other hand, I’m pretty good at large-scale project…
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    PR In Your Pajamas

  • Confronting Your Time Management Excuses

    Elena
    8 May 2012 | 8:45 am
    In today’s guest post, Karen Southall Watts once again forces us to face the truth — no matter how painful — so we can achieve our business and personal goals. The challenge of time management is not new. Increasing pressure to “do more with less” is the hallmark of modern life. At some point everyone faces issues about how much to do or how to prioritize the items on their to-do-list. And the resources we need are all around us. There’s a wealth of information on the internet (much of it free), thousands of self-help books and CD’s and legions of gurus willing to…

  • Tools to Monitor Your Online Reputation

    Elena
    1 May 2012 | 11:16 am
    In a previous post, we talked about the different factors that form your overall online reputation. In this post, let’s talk about the actual tools you can use to monitor how your online reputation is doing. By using these tools regularly — daily in fact — you’ll know: what PR, branding and marketing strategies are working what your prospects and clients are saying about you and your competitors online what makes up the current discourse about your market or industry Think of these tools as your way of keeping your ear to the ground and your finger on the pulse of your…

  • 5 Little-Known Factors That Could Affect Your Online Reputation

    admin
    18 Apr 2012 | 8:18 am
    Merriam-Webster defines “reputation” as: “overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general” Nowadays that reputation is increasingly informed by what people see online. Use of the yellow pages is going down. Google is way up. People ask for opinions on Twitter before they would pick up the phone to get their best friend’s opinion. So while you used to invest resources to make sure your business cards, stationery and signage reflected your image and good reputation, now you must use turn your attention to your online reputation as well. Little…

  • Social Media Fails: The Worst Case Studies of 2012 (So Far)

    admin
    10 Apr 2012 | 8:16 am
    It’s good to learn from other people’s mistakes — so we don’t end up making them ourselves! In today’s guest post, Rachel Hyun Kim writes about 2012′s worst social media failures, and what we can learn from them. Take notes! Social media is a constantly evolving process, with no formula set for a perfect campaign. While cheap, far-reaching, and sharable, social media is not without its potential downfalls. Unfortunately, many individuals and companies are learning this the hard way. Take a tip from the following failures, and make sure that your company…

  • How to Write a Media Pitch Journalists and Editors Will Love

    Elena
    2 Apr 2012 | 2:09 pm
    What if your media pitches always stood out from the pack? What if the editor’s eyes perked up every time they saw an email from you? You can bet this would improve your chances of getting coverage. In this post, we’ll go over a few things you can do with your media pitches to make journalists and editors love them. What journalists want in a story pitch 1. Sent to the right person Journalists and editors love it when your story pitch is aligned with the beat they’re assigned to. A PR newbie mistake is sending out a pitch to any reporter they can find, or all 26 reporters at…
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    Paul Stallard's Technology PR Agency Blog

  • Are business cards a waste of time?

    paulstallard
    9 May 2012 | 3:15 am
    I have a pile of business cards on my desk which have been thrown in a pot after meeting a variety of people and haven’t been looked at again since. In a world where people have often connected on LinkedIn or Twitter ahead of actually meeting is it necessary to have a card with a [...]

  • Is McDonalds the Dr Evil of the blogging world?

    paulstallard
    8 May 2012 | 3:15 am
    I was reading the paper this bank holiday Sunday when I saw an interesting piece about how McDonalds is approaching blogger outreach. After a couple of disastrous forays into using social media it is now trying to build an army of friendly bloggers to drown out noise about pink slime, McDstories and recruitment. McDonalds are [...]

  • Meet the media: Chris Maxwell, Director

    paulstallard
    2 May 2012 | 3:00 am
    The next interview in my meet the media series is Chris Maxwell from Director. I met Chris for the first time recently and as well as knowing a heck of a lot about lower league football I found him to be one of the most approachable and straight talking journalists I have met. It was a no [...]

  • What my Whiteoaks alumni have taught me

    paulstallard
    1 May 2012 | 3:00 am
    My first agency was Whiteoaks in Farnham and this was where I started to learn my trade. Although looking back I don’t agree with the way they structure and approach PR,  it is undoubtably a good agency and helped fuel my love for this industry. More importantly, I made some friends as an exec at Whiteoaks that have [...]

  • What is the most annoying thing a PR can say?

    paulstallard
    30 Apr 2012 | 3:00 am
    Following on from Friday’s post I thought I would ask myself what is the most annoying thing a PR can say to a journalist? I’m sure most people would say the number one would be: have you received my press release? I also think that a contender would be one that not many PR people [...]
 
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    David Henderson - author, journalist, communications strategist

  • The counterbalancing effect of influence and simplicity

    DH
    24 Apr 2012 | 8:28 pm
      Volvo's 1993 "Survivors" TV commercial, best of the year. Look around us. Listen. It seems we are becoming, in America, a culture of noise, coarseness, exploitation, avarice, and division. Real life mirrors television, television mirrors real life. On roadways, motorists drive with the same reckless deference they see in TV car commercials. But, the commercials are often made with animation. Pundits – those minds of the great mentioners, according to David Brooks – act as if discussions are won by shrillness, interruptons and spewing more words than the person…

  • The difference between a “new offering” or just another sandwich on a PR firm’s menu

    DH
    23 Apr 2012 | 10:26 am
      When you hire a public relations firm these days, what are you buying … aside from their hours? With large agencies, such as Edelman and Hill & Knowlton, demanding hourly fees that may total $30,000 to $40,000 a month, minimum, are you getting a full course of services, a la carte or merely recycled scraps? Veteran New York City communications executive Steve Hoechster compares the PR business with a deli menu and provides this perspective. The Carnegie Deli, one of New York’s fabled artery clogging eateries recently added the “Jet Bow” to its menu, a 4 pound edible…

  • Today’s mainstream media: True or not is sometimes of little consequence

    DH
    20 Apr 2012 | 9:37 am
      “‘Horribly mutated’ seafood found in Gulf Coast, likely caused by BP spill,” screamed the headline in GlobalPost.com, an online news aggregator in Boston used by such well-known media as CBS News and PBS NewsHour. GlobalPost’s story used a stock photo of fish in a New Zealand market, which had no relevance to the story and further misled readers.   Screen capture of GlobalPost.com   The story was rewritten by a GlobalPost freelance writer in Los Angeles from an original video piece by Al Jazeera with a slightly less sensational headline,…

  • An organization’s message is most powerful when it focuses on value to others

    DH
    18 Apr 2012 | 12:42 pm
      Even though many companies and organizations remain obsessed with the outdated marketing and PR tactic of narcissistically talking about themselves, fewer and fewer audiences are listening in today’s noisy world. People desire an emotional connection with a company’s products or services. Apple learned that fundamental pillar of effective communications years ago, a style that’s help rocket sales. P&G is the latest shining example, using a stunningly beautiful and storytelling TV commercial now airing in Britain.     What’s particularly powerful…

  • Weingarten: PR teeters on a ludicrous lie to clients

    DH
    7 Apr 2012 | 11:54 am
      Washington Post columnist Gene Weingarten Washington Post columnist Gene Weingarten has gotten fed-up with PR people and is taking his beef public. In a May 6, column, Weingarten wrote, “Their (PR people) entire existence teeters on a ludicrous lie they tell their clients: that they are tight with the media.” “A PR pitch tends to be an enthusiastic description of a product or service that is so lame it actually needs the help of a PR professional. As pitches go, they’re particularly slimy — not like spitballs so much as snotballs. Loogieballs,” in Weingarten’s words.
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    PR Meets Marketing

  • 5 Must Top Skills for Today’s Marketing Professional

    Cece Salomon-Lee
    30 Apr 2012 | 8:38 am
    I originally started my career in public relations before moving into the marketing function. Throughout the years, there are several skills that  I’lve picked up that have been essential to my role. Here are the five key skills that I believe are a must for today’s marketing professional, in no particular order: 1. Search Engine Optimization: I believe it was Jeramiah Owyang who said that search is your new website. If your website is not optimized to place highly on key search terms related to your business, then you are missing opportunities with your business. It’s…

  • New Gig and What’s in Store for the Future

    Cece Salomon-Lee
    26 Feb 2012 | 9:35 am
      Courtesy of Active Network via Flickr In November 2011, I decided to leave my consulting business to join Active Network as director of marketing for the Business Solutions division.  It’s been a busy three months with a launch at the PCMA Convening Leaders conference and acquisition of StarCite, a leading strategic meetings management company. And as you know, my blogging has suffered as a result. While my new position focuses more on the face-to-face events – attendee management, attendee engagement, SMM and more, I anticipate sharing more insights about the role of…

  • Business Cards Do Not Equal Permission

    Cece Salomon-Lee
    1 Nov 2011 | 11:25 am
    by RambergMediaImages via Flickr I subscribe to quite a few enewsletters and RSS feeds, so it’s always surprising to receive an enewsletter that I never subscribed to. How did they find my email? Then I recognize the “from” address and I realize, I gave someone in that company my business card in the past. A business card is meant to develop a relationship between people, not a person and a company. However, the first tendency is to take all business cards back to the office, dump them into a sales database and automatically subscribe them to all the company emails. Come on,…

  • Ten Tips for Virtual Press Conferences

    Cece Salomon-Lee
    17 Oct 2011 | 6:33 am
    On my other blog, The Virtual Buzz, I wrote a blog post regarding 10 Tips for a Successful Virtual Press Conference. With web conferencing, webcasting, live streaming and virtual event technology, I believe it’s important that PR and marketing practitioners understand how to hold online press conferences. Please share you thoughts, expriences and comments below on holding/producing a virtual press conference.

  • Selling Social Media to Your Organization

    Cece Salomon-Lee
    6 Oct 2011 | 7:19 pm
    In the PR Group on LinkedIn (must be a member to view the discussion), some asked, “How do you justify fees to clients in an era of social media?” I believe many PR and marketing consultants have faced this as potential clients believe that social media is “free.” I think there are two parts to this equation that we need to consider before answering the question, assuming that we’ve done the background work of evaluating target audience, prospect personas, and the channels where these individuals congregate. First, Defining Social Media Monitoring: This entails…
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    Tech Affect

  • Editorial vs. Advertising: Blurring the Lines

    Melissa Baratta
    7 May 2012 | 11:43 am
    Source Over the last 10 years, the line between journalists and readers has grown significantly shorter. From blogging to commenting to online sharing, the swift rise of the Internet and social media has allowed the consumer to be the producer in a way that was never before possible. The line between editorial and advertising has also always been a sticky area, and as a PR professional I’m trained to view pay-for-play media opportunities with a bit of a wary eye. Social media enables the proliferation of news at the speed of light, which is a great thing. But now, media outlets are…

  • A Peek Inside a PR Office

    Katie Koenig
    17 Apr 2012 | 3:36 pm
    Hi TechAffect readers! I’m Katie Koenig, Affect’s newest hire! I was asked to write this blog post to show all NYIP entrants, voters, friends and family a glimpse into our wonderful office. I am currently one of Affect’s PR & Social Media interns and have been here since September 2011. I have loved interning at Affect and am thrilled to continue on as a full time Assistant Account Executive starting this May. Read on to see what it’s like at the Affect office! When you’re finally done dodging around fast paced New Yorkers on the street, you find the right address: 989 Avenue…

  • New York Intern Project: Play to Win

    Katie Creaser
    13 Apr 2012 | 5:24 pm
    Lately, one of my biggest pleasures every morning has been to log into The New York Intern Projectto read the latest entries – so far I’ve seen some really fantastic and creative entries and I’m really impressed with the way the contest entrants have used social media to promote themselves and collect votes.  You guys are so smart and talented! If you’re still on the fence about entering or worrying about how to craft the perfect entry, I wanted to give you some tips (straight from a judge’s mouth) to let you know what I’m looking for and to give you an…

  • Don’t Forget, March 30 is Facebook Timeline Time: Tips to Remember as your Brand Makes the Transition

    Breanne Thomlison
    29 Mar 2012 | 5:17 pm
    The only reason you wouldn’t know about the March 30 deadline for the transition to the Facebook Timeline is if you’re living under a rock. But let’s say you’re a last minute kind of person/brand, and you haven’t sufficiently planned out your timeline updates for the changeover. Below are some quick tips to keep in mind as you make the transition. It’s ok not to have all your information updated by March 30. Brands will still be able to modify a timeline, however make an internal schedule with a deadline to have all the information updated as quickly as possible. The more history…

  • The Art of Story Hijacking

    Kate Ryan
    12 Mar 2012 | 9:00 am
    It’s a problem many companies may be familiar with: We have no news. Our product roadmap has been delayed. We don’t have any customers willing to talk about our product or services. As a PR professional, it’s not uncommon for me to hear any (or all!) of those statements from both current and prospective clients – regardless of how big or small the company may be. Enter a little something called “Story Hijacking.” Story hijacking may seem like a simple enough concept (you may have heard it called Rapid Response or Proactive Pitching), but I’m always surprised at how often…
 
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    Everything PR

  • Greece Offers Debt Solution: Will the EU Revert to Chicken Standard?

    Sheepy
    16 May 2012 | 1:07 pm
    In news from Brussels via thedailymash, apparently Greece has offered up the modern day equivalent of a Trojan Horse there in order to appease key members of the European Central Bank (ECB). With news of their politicians not having been able to decide on any form of government, apparently the Greeks have turned to bearing gifts, rather than taking them. According to the reports the gigantic wooden horse appeared in the dead of night from out of seemingly nowhere. The ECB’s President, Mario Draghi, had this to add according to The Mash: “How nice of the Greeks to acknowledge the…

  • Intel Launches Intel iQ Digital Magazine

    Violeta-Loredana Pascal
    16 May 2012 | 10:30 am
    A new and innovative social media project comes from Intel in the form of Intel iQ, a digital magazine with content submitted by employees that aims to “connect with a younger audience and tell them the bigger story of who we are as a brand,” said Editor-in-Chief Bryan Rhoads. The idea is very simple: when an article submitted by the company’s employees reaches a certain number recommendations it goes on the iQ front page. The content published on the front page is sometimes placed by Mr. Rhoads from the articles written by Intel employees, but the general idea is that each…

  • 5W Public Relations Hired by IMMUNE Pharmaceuticals

    Kathryn Buford
    16 May 2012 | 8:06 am
    IMMUNE Pharmaceuticals (IMMUNE) an Israel and U.S. based biopharmaceutical company, has retained 5W Public Relations  as AOR.  An emerging leader in monoclonal antibodies, IMMUNE will receive 5WPR’s comprehensive public relations program that targets influential media. 5WPR’s President and CEO, Ronn Torossian, says his company aims to: “[increase] awareness of IMMUNE and its innovative approaches to treating severe diseases and improving quality of life issues”.  To achieve these goals, 5WPR’s will provide media relations, speaker engagement, messaging, web development and…

  • New Google Data Shows Smartphone Adoption and Business Insight

    Liliana Dumitru-Steffens
    16 May 2012 | 6:09 am
    Smartphones are a multi-activity portal, according to research by Google and MMA. Having a mobile optimized site is critical for businesses. Research by Google and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) revealed that Australia, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have more than 50% of their population on smartphones, and an additional seven countries, including the US, New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland have more than 40% smartphone penetration. According to a recent communique by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), mobile is making immense…

  • Social Media Ad Spend to Near $10 Billion by 2016

    Kathryn Buford
    16 May 2012 | 5:31 am
    Social media advertising revenues will grow from $3.8 billion in 2011 to $9.8 billion in 2016 BIA/Kelsey forecasts that social media ad spend may reach $9.8 billion by 2016.  Of this total, the local U.S. social media advertising revenues are expected to reach $3.1 billion by 2016, with an overall annual growth rate of 21 percent and 29.8 percent for the U.S.  The company also expects the social non-display segment to grow from $140 million in 2010 to $630 million in 2016. BIA/Kelsey identified several reasons for increased sales, including a current trend that sees small and medium sized…
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    The Marketing Journalist

  • Quit Blogging And Go With…Facebook?

    cindy kim
    15 May 2012 | 12:25 am
    Blog Post Originally Published in BtoB Magazine Wayne Usie (@waynejusie), SVP of Retail at JDA Software, recently shared a USA Today article with me titled, “More Companies Quite Blogging, Go With Facebook Instead,” by Roger Yu. According to the article, more companies are replacing blogs with nimbler tools requiring less time and resources, such as [...]

  • All In! Betting On Your Content Marketing Strategy

    cindy kim
    27 Mar 2012 | 12:19 am
    Blog originally posted in BtoB Magazine – BtoB Blog: Defining Your Content Strategy Where are you spending your marketing dollars? If it’s not in content marketing, then you should reconsider. Content marketing remains a top priority for marketers in 2012. This, according to a popular study published by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and MarketingProfs [...]

  • Real People Doing Real Work in Social Media

    cindy kim
    18 Mar 2012 | 12:49 pm
    I was asked to do a podcast interview at 2012 South by Southwest by the uber-talented and witty Jason Baer (@JayBaer). He needs no introduction – he’s the co-author of Revolution Now with Amber Naslund (@AmberNaslund), a book about the impact social media and the real-time Web has on every company, and a recipe for changing business from [...]

  • Social Business Readiness: Are You There Yet?

    cindy kim
    3 Sep 2011 | 2:19 am
    Are we there yet? According to Jeremiah Owyang (@jowyang) of Altimeter Group, while companies are quick to deploy the latest social media technology, most companies are not prepared for the threat of social media crises, or the long-term impacts to business. Jeremiah states: “We found that social media crises are on the rise, even though [...]

  • Adapt or Vanish: 5 Ways to Integrate PR and Social Media

    cindy kim
    26 Jul 2011 | 3:01 am
    I recently gave a talk at a Businesswire seminar here in Phoenix on Adapt or Vanish: 5 Killer Tips to Integrate PR and Social Media. The introduction of social media has changed the playing field for PR professionals. PR is no longer relegated to drafting press releases and bylined articles. Today, PR pros support business [...]
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    Everyone's Blog Posts - Pay-on-Performance

  • Jill Addison - The benefits of online video

    David Oates
    15 May 2012 | 11:00 am
    Online video as a marketing tactic has been picking up speed for the last couple years, and soon it will be a non-negotiable for any business's marketing strategy. The advantages of online video for growing your business are threefold. 1) Online video helps you make a personal connection with your prospective clients. We all know that people like to buy products and services through people they know and people they like.  Online video is the next best thing to meeting someone in person. When people watch you in your video online, they'll feel like they've met you in person, helping you…

  • The very best of marketing to mom

    Elizabeth Ireland
    11 May 2012 | 6:00 pm
    In the spirit of Mother's Day, I'd like to give madres major propers with a "marketing to mom" hall of fame. If mom likes anything, it's setting her child up for success. I'm a big fan of the current partnership between P&G and the Olympics that showcases the mothers behind athletes at the London 2012 games. However, you don't have to be an extraordinary physical specimen to get in on the appreciation. "Thank you, mom" is an integrative campaign featuring television ads and social media. Visit its feed of personalized messages on Facebook - 10,680 moms thanked so far, and I will make it…

  • Looking for a Job in PR? Show Your Attitude – Three Tips from the Front Lines

    Alyson Rybar
    9 May 2012 | 11:39 am
    The student debt clock crossed the $1 trillion mark, as reported by ABC News yesterday. Stunning stats, indeed. On the flip side, May graduates face an improving job market—and growth in PR jobs seems to be on the uptick, according to Tom Halasz, director of the Career Center at the University of South Carolina, as reported here. Amid all this, soon-to-be college grads are anxiously completing their last few classes of the year, wrapping up internships and are on the prowl looking for their first big gig in the workforce. PR professionals willingly offer their two cents by providing…

  • Measuring your PR effectiveness

    Anna Keeve
    9 May 2012 | 11:12 am
     A reoccurring question we get here at Stalwart Communications is how one goes about measuring the effectiveness of PR. This can be a tough question to answer because there is not one simple answer. Here at Stalwart, we hold ourselves accountable for generating results so measurement is an integral part of our business model. That is one of the reasons clients like the Pay-on-Performance model. We take the risk and enjoy the reward together. That means clients only pay full fees when we generate results. Looking beyond the Pay-on-Performance model and talking in general terms, there are a…

  • Tom Brokaw: ‘News consumers can no longer be couch potatoes’

    David Oates
    7 May 2012 | 7:00 am
    Amen... Tom Brokaw: ‘News consumers can no longer be couch potatoes’ By Lauren Rabaino Disclosure: David Boardman, the moderator for this event, is the executive editor at the newspaper where I work, The Seattle Times. SEATTLE — Consumers of news need to change their attitude about news consumption in an era where they’re constantly bombarded with information, former NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw said at a lecture in Seattle. The iconic TV news anchor sat down for a public lecture with Seattle Times executive editor and senior vice president David Boardman on Wednesday night at…
 
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    prTini

  • Overcome “Slacktivism” with a Better Ask

    Heather Whaling
    15 May 2012 | 6:30 am
    Cause-marketers face a serious problem: “Slacktivism.” As noted on Huffington Post: Slacktivism, usually the signing of online internet petitions, Facebook and social media campaigns, and often commercial efforts including T-shirt, bracelet or ribbons sales, is often defined as merely a feel-good measure that requires little personal effort or sacrifice on the part of an individual that has little practical impact in actually helping the involved cause. That common perception perhaps does a disservice to online activism, which is about grassroots communications. After all, the…

  • Challenge: Incorporate “Work Away” Into Your Work Week

    Heather Whaling
    9 May 2012 | 7:00 am
    A couple months ago, I was drafting a bylined article for a client. I’d tried to work on it at various times throughout the week, and it just wasn’t happening. Then, on Sunday morning, the writer’s block evaporated and I finished the article in under an hour — in my pajamas … on my living room couch. And, if I do say so myself, the article was really well written. In fact, I’m convinced  that I couldn’t have written that article that well in the office. Phone calls, interruptions, distractions — all concentration killers. Realizing that there…

  • The “Look at This” Approach to Content Marketing

    Heather Whaling
    7 May 2012 | 7:00 am
    From blogging and pinning … to creating videos, tweets, status updates, ebooks, enewsletters and white papers — content marketing has become a catch-all term that encompasses all kinds of information marketers are creating, disseminating and tying to objectives. But, how do you know what kind of content to share? And, is it actually working? Jason Falls offers the “Holy Smokes” test: He says the idea is anytime you are engaged in marketing, you want your audience to consume the message and think, “’holy smokes,’ this message is: incredible, sad, awesome,…

  • Nationwide Demonstrates How To Respond to Online Criticism

    Heather Whaling
    4 May 2012 | 8:33 am
    Headquartered in Columbus, OH, Nationwide Insurance does a lot of good for my home city, but that doesn’t mean they’re protected from online backlash. This week, The Candle Lab posted a photo on Facebook with the following caption: So…it was brought to our attention today that Nationwide Insurance took an image of our candle with our logo/label on it, removed the text, and dropped in new text to use on a coaster advertisement. I try to not to be too sensitive about this stuff, but this is so clearly a rip-off of our logo and trademark and a shot at our scented candles that…

  • Bigger Is Often Not Better: Independent PR Pros Play a Key Role

    Heather Whaling
    27 Apr 2012 | 7:16 am
    This week’s Follow Friday guest post comes from my friend and Kellye Crane. Kellye created a successful online community for independent pros. In fact, when I was launching Geben, Kellye offered a wealth of guidance — always willing to answer my questions or provide advice. Fortunately, I’ve met Kellye in “real life” a few times and just think the world of her. If you’re contemplating starting your own PR consultancy — or want to learn ways to increase your existing business — connect with Kellye and the SoloPR community. Psst… Have you heard?
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    thebluedoor

  • Facebook Trending Articles

    Rich
    9 May 2012 | 9:53 am
    Today I noticed the highly topical “Trending Articles” feature on my Facebook newsfeed. It has been in testing for the last month or so, but, as always, critics are enjoying having something else to criticise… The new feature, which displays popular links to articles your friends have been reading in your newsfeed, is part of Facebook’s plan to create what they call ‘frictionless sharing’.  Media outlets such as The Guardian and Yahoo have created apps that use the feature. You’ll start to see the new feature sprinkled among your friend’s…

  • Facebook Organ Donor Initiative

    Rich
    2 May 2012 | 10:55 am
    Facebook has announced a new initiative to encourage its users to post their organ donor status, by offering a new Health and Wellness section to the social network. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook spoke about the new feature in an interview with ‘Good Morning America’ this morning. The Facebook initiative allows users to share their organ donation status online. The status will be visible with other information on the user’s Health and Wellness section. This feature will also offer links to state online donor registries, where people can change their donor status.

  • What do Linkedin’s two new functions mean for you?

    Rebecca
    18 Apr 2012 | 10:17 am
    This week Linkedin has announced the launch of two brand new functions; ‘Targeted Updates’ and ‘Follower Statistics’. Over the next few weeks, Linkedin will roll out these new features to its users, once again broadening the appeal and potential of the already hugely successful site. Here at thebluedoor, our PR agency based in Surrey, we are watching with interest as social networking sites continuously evolve. Boasting in excess of 150 million users and counting, professional social networking giant Linkedin has infiltrated the lives of professionals worldwide, offering unrivalled…

  • Zuckerbeg Speaks About Instagram

    Rich
    11 Apr 2012 | 10:46 am
    As we all know, Facebook as acquired the popular photo-sharing app, Instagram for $1 billion in stocks and cash. Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, sent a message out to Facebook users detailing that despite the fact Facebook and Instagram offer “different experiences, that the two platforms would “complement each other.” He went on to say that “This is an important milestone for Facebook because it’s the first time we’ve ever acquired a product and company with so many users,” Zuckerberg stated. “We don’t plan on doing many more of…

  • Cyber Security or Big Brother?

    Rebecca
    2 Apr 2012 | 11:11 am
    We’re following with interest the news that the government will be able to monitor the calls, emails, texts and website visits of everyone in the UK, as announced yesterday. As BBC News explains, “Internet firms will be required to give intelligence agency GCHQ access to communications on demand, in real time.” Experts representing ISPs, such as Trefor Davies, have already commented that this will be very difficult to administrate or enforce, since the technological hurdles to collate everything are too great. At present, only basic information is stored by ISPs. The Home Office has…
 
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    Sword and the Script

  • Social media is like driving in the rain

    Frank Strong
    15 May 2012 | 8:53 pm
    Oh, the commute.  DC area commuters know what I mean.  Sigh.  It gets worse every year.  Housing bubble?  What housing bubble? New apartment and condo buildings go up every day.  I left for a year and recently returned to a new skyline.  New buildings mean more cars.  Think more cars.  And SUVs.  And lots of [...]

  • How Facebook borders on Hunger Games

    Frank Strong
    13 May 2012 | 8:13 pm
                                      Source: Uploaded by user via Living Aloud on Pinterest   Facebook is experimenting with additional ways to monetize its platform and it’s doing so to signal to Wall Street – in advance of its IPO – that the [...]

  • Creative Mother’s Day Pitches

    Frank Strong
    10 May 2012 | 9:16 pm
    We’ve got a few more days to get something for Mom – or grandma, or baby’s mama, or a sister with kids (mine has six!).  This year I was planning ahead – a marketing email from the same local flower shop where I order something for my mother each year hit me up early. There [...]

  • Audio branding, essential sound in marketing

    Frank Strong
    5 May 2012 | 1:13 pm
    Sound has a powerful emotional connection; think for a minute what is triggered in our minds when we hear:  a heartbeat, a doorbell, a phone’s ring, a car horn,  a lawnmower, a dog’s bark, a baby’s cry, or Christmas carols. Each sound has a special meaning, like a language onto its own;  someone needs us, [...]

  • 5 things scuba diving teaches me about PR

    Frank Strong
    24 Apr 2012 | 11:38 pm
    We can see parallels in nearly anything.  Sometimes analogies work; other times they don’t.  It depends on perspective – and experiences. As a long time member of reserve components of the military, I often think of PR as the “indirect fire” – the artillery and mortars that “softens” up a beach before the infantry assaults [...]
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    Next Communications

  • Thank you, Instagram for adding an Android app

    Richie Escovedo
    15 May 2012 | 6:24 pm
    Confession time, I've become a huge fan of Instagram. I wouldn't say I'm quite to the point of addiction or anything, but I'll admit the reinvented photo-sharing is the bees-knees. Yes, I know, I'm all sorts of late to the party on this tool in large part because Instagram was previously behind the wall of the iPhone. But then, it happened. Instagram launched an Android app.   Woohoo! went the chorus of Android smartphone users who had privately (or publicly) been longing for the day when we too could enjoy the fun of sharing photos on one of the hottest, growing networks. Now we could…

  • Public Relations has Biblical roots

    Richie Escovedo
    7 May 2012 | 10:27 pm
    Did you know that an important PR role of being an official spokesperson has its roots in the Bible? I was pleasantly surprised to find it when looking at the story of Moses. In the story there is a clear example of a leader needing someone to speak for him. First, let's set the stage in Exodus Chapter 3. God just appeared before Moses in the form of the burning bush and told him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He told Moses what to say and how to say it. He even provided signs for Moses to use (including the ability to turn his staff into a snake and the whole turning the…

  • What's #HAPPO-ning: Rock your summer PR internship

    Richie Escovedo
    24 Apr 2012 | 6:00 pm
    On Thursday, April 26, the latest installment of the HAPPO Twitter chats will take place to cover tips on how to rock your summer internship.Here's a primer on the chat from Deanna Ferrari (the moderator): Everyone remembers his or her first internship – the first real foot in the door for landing a career. With college graduations right around the corner, summer internships will be starting up all over the U.S. in the next few weeks. That’s why us HAPPO Champs (you know, “Help a PR Pro Out,”) have decided the timing is just right to do our next live Twitter chat to get you ready for…

  • Highlights from Simon Salt's "Conversing with Consumers"

    Richie Escovedo
    17 Apr 2012 | 12:36 pm
    Last week, Simon Salt (@incslinger) spoke at the Greater Ft. Worth Chapter of PRSA April luncheon with his presentation, "Conversing with Consumers." He covered the types of conversations that consumers are already having about your brand, plus how you can join in and more importantly, when it's appropriate. These are the highlights: The social consumer has a much larger network from which to gather advice/guidance for purchases. The old sales paradigm was relatively simple: your brand has product(s)/service(s) and you exchange those for money. The new sales paradigm includes social capital.

  • PR Roles explained through Baseball Positions

    Richie Escovedo
    6 Apr 2012 | 8:11 am
    In honor of the start of the 2012 MLB season and excitement I have for my favorite team, Texas Rangers, I thought it was time to repost something from a few years back: a list of the roles and functions for public relations pros explained using baseball positions. Pitcher (P) - In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter who attempts to either make contact with it or draw a walk. In PR, the pitching role is one where the professional attempts to garner publicity or…
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    Crenshaw Communications

  • Tuesday Tips: Network like a Pro

    Marijane
    15 May 2012 | 11:14 am
    A guest post by networking and PR pro, our very own George Drucker. Which would you rather do? Make cold calls and send emails to names from a directory trying to convince them that they should see you and your agency; or send one email that says, “So glad we met recently at the Jones party; it was really great fun.” That line can say it all. Every person you meet, every individual you say hello to, every function you attend, is a bonafide networking opportunity. It’s a unique chance to engage with people and learn about them, who they are, where they’re from, what…

  • Crisis Management: When The Crisis Is The CEO

    Dorothy Crenshaw
    14 May 2012 | 5:54 am
      It’s hard out there for a CEO. Recently, we witnessed a week’s worth of drip-drip-drip coverage about Yahoo chief Scott Thompson’s resume. The gaffe culminated in Thompson’s resignation after only four months on the job. But the controversy, on the surface, wasn’t about whether he’d faked an advanced degree, or falsely claimed Ivy League credentials. No, this was about his undergraduate major. The headline-making departure last month was that of Best Buy chief Brian Dunn. Maybe it wasn’t surprising, but it was breathtakingly abrupt, amid…

  • TGIF: Give the Gift of Good PR to These Women on Mother’s Day

    Marijane
    11 May 2012 | 7:40 am
    I was all set to wax rhapsodically about some moms who had earned terrific PR for deeds well done this year. Then the Tanning Mom appeared, followed by the Stripper Hot Dog Mom and in an entirely different category, Linda “I don’t get out of bed for less than $10,000” Evangelista and her outrageous child support demands! So instead, I offer up some free PR advice for these and other “moms behaving badly.” There may not be redemption in the court of public opinion but at least their kids may still have fond feelings for them. Now, heed these words! For the “Tanning Mom” Stop…

  • Tuesday Tips: Creating the Killer PR Briefing Book

    Marijane
    8 May 2012 | 1:10 pm
    The secret behind a great media interview? Sometimes, it’s the humble briefing book. Prior to a media meeting, most PR pros prepare a thorough briefing book to introduce a client or spokesperson to each individual outlet and interviewer. In “The Devil Wears Prada” the “mother of all briefing books” was an actual volume that Anne Hathaway used to make Meryl Streep brilliant in any receiving line. In the hilarious new HBO comedy, “Veep,” the briefing book used by Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is in the form of incredibly granular data stored on every…

  • TGIF: Get Outside! (Your Comfort Zone- Conquering Common PR Phobias)

    Dave
    4 May 2012 | 12:20 pm
    It’s graduation season, which means the beginning of new and promising PR careers and summer internships.  It can be a lot to handle all at once, and you’ll have to step outside your comfort zone every now and then to truly succeed. Here are the top 4 phobias I see from those just starting out in public relations. Pitching over the phone This is undoubtedly the top fear I see from interns and entry-level PR pros.  There is always a certain apprehension about picking up the phone and calling a reporter, but the truth is, they don’t bite.  Be smart and only call those who are right for…
 
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    PRBreakfastClub

  • Why Your Klout Score Doesn’t Matter (Much)

    Matt LaCasse
    15 May 2012 | 11:01 pm
    Last night’s #pr20chat was on the subject of integrating offline marketing tactics with those being used online. More to the point, ensuring “real world” tactics are still playing a large part in the strategy for your organization or client(s). I’ve been wanting to write about Klout for a week or so now, and why I think Klout is a good starting point for a lot of things, but in the end doesn’t mean anything. This all started for me with the infamous Wired article a few weeks ago where an executive’s job interview essentially ended after his Klout score was…

  • What Does a Blogger Really Want?

    Linzy Roussel Cotaya
    14 May 2012 | 11:01 pm
    There are many articles out there on how PR professionals should seek, contact and engage with bloggers. We are focused on building a relationship with bloggers and converting them into brand ambassadors for our client. We hope that they will write amazing posts about our clients and it will spread through the blogger world like wildfire. But as PR pros have we stopped to think about what the bloggers want from us? I am a mom blogger, crawfishtales.com, and I have had the opportunity to be on both sides of the pitch. This has given me insight that I have used to mold the way that I, as a PR…

  • PRBC Special – Book Excerpt, Freebies and Discounts

    Nathan Burgess ("PRCog")
    13 May 2012 | 11:01 pm
    Click to enlarge We’re very excited to present to you today a combination of fantastically informative features and the opportunity for you NYC-area folks to get the chance to win free tickets to see marketing superstars Gini Dietrich and Geoff Livingston at their G2 Marketing in the Round training, on June 20th, 2012 from 4:00p to 7:30p, which is based on their new volume Marketing in the Round. Following the training, the two marketers will be joined by Michael Schecher, digital marketing director for Honora Pearls, to conduct a panel discussing best practices in integrated…

  • Faulty Friday

    Nathan Burgess ("PRCog")
    10 May 2012 | 11:01 pm
    Pitching © by Will Folsom Every now and then we get perfect, on target pitches and press releases.  Most of the time, they’re ok, and then very occasionally we get the real stinkers.  The ones that <sarcasm> fit perfectly into our designated coverage and readership.</sarcasm> Yesterday must have been a very special day as we received not one, but two completely mistargeted pitches. Mercifully I’ve removed the names of the offending senders, but otherwise, below please find, for your reading pleasure, pitches perfectly suited to you, our readers (I assume I…

  • 3 Ways Pessimism is an Asset in PR

    John Trader
    9 May 2012 | 11:01 pm
    Half empty or half full? An article recently published over at the MIT Sloan Management Review blog caught my attention. Essentially, the article asserted that in a world where optimism reigns, a little pessimism is a good thing. In our culture, pessimism is generally perceived as a state of mind where one anticipates negative outcomes. We often classify individuals as either optimistic or pessimistic based on the age old question, “Is the glass half empty or half full?” We tend to classify those who answer “half empty” as stewards of a pessimistic outlook, always focusing on the…
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    Jessica Randazza

  • Reclaiming Real-Life Conversation

    jessicarandazza
    26 Apr 2012 | 2:38 pm
    Recently I read an opinion piece in the New York Times called, “The Flight From Conversation,” that struck a chord, as I’m sure it does for many of us. It highlighted the current state of our “always on” culture –the seeming need for constant digital connectivity while sacrificing RL conversation for mere connection. And the [...]

  • Social Networks Stealing the Punch?

    jessicarandazza
    23 Apr 2012 | 9:54 am
    This weekend I made the trek to celebrate my 10-year high school reunion from Homewood High School located in Homewood, AL – my hometown nestled in an area south of Red Mountain, and to locals, lovingly named the suburb community “over the mountain”.  It was an exceptional place to grow up, with all the resources [...]

  • Breaking Up is Hard To Do

    jessicarandazza
    26 Mar 2012 | 9:00 am
    Neil Sedaka said it best in 1962, “breaking up is hard to do,” and with today’s technology and constant lines of communications to our former flings and romances, it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier. Last year I went through a break up with someone I had dated for awhile that was also in [...]

  • Climbing Off the Sx Wagon?

    jessicarandazza
    16 Mar 2012 | 2:15 pm
    Each year I eagerly await and anxiously plan my annual trips to Austin, TX for South by Southwest, known for being the cat’s meow of all nerd conferences. Where brands, marketers, technologists, and innovative startups intersect. The intensity and caliber of innovative technology and services that come out each year leave me in a head [...]

  • Can we move the industry beyond social media lipstick?

    jessicarandazza
    23 Feb 2012 | 11:58 am
    Last night I had the pleasure of entertaining one of my favorite folks from the Seattle social media scene – Kevin Urie. Kevin, the president of Seattle Social Media Club (at least for the next month) is one of those rare finds in the marketing industry. He’s  driven by passion, and it’s clear that he [...]
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    Richard Edelman - 6 A.M.

  • Note to Government Leaders: Control Won’t Work Any More

    11 May 2012 | 5:47 pm
    I attended the annual dinner of the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C. this week. There are significant challenges facing government leaders as a result of ease of communications, which is politicizing the world’s people. People today believe they can make a difference.   Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, said in his keynote address, “There is a deficit of leadership. Seldom, if ever, have our principles and shared purpose been more relevant…Power is shifting. The old order is breaking down and we do not yet know the shape of the new.   Let’s consider…

  • The Big 6-0

    4 May 2012 | 11:07 am
    This is not about me turning 60 (though that comes in a few years).   While it seems like only yesterday we were celebrating our 50th anniversary, we are already knee deep in planning events for our 60th this October.   In addition to a terrific, company-wide pro bono effort focused on alleviating hunger and poverty, a special dinner in Chicago with my parents and some of Edelman’s earliest employees and clients, and a book on my dad being written by former Edelman employee Franz Wisner (current plans have the first chapter released in October with the full book to be released in…

  • Leadership Lessons from Coach K

    27 Apr 2012 | 2:35 pm
    I was one of forty people at a breakfast this morning in New York City with Duke University men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, alias Coach K. He was in town to see a few members of his USA Basketball team (Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul) and to do a bit of recruiting. Here are a few of his leadership lessons, with a bit of hoops celebrity chat added for good measure. 1) Push Talented People—“You fight coaches who change your limits. A good coach makes sure you never stop looking bad, until eventually you look good because you have improved.” He told a story about Kevin Durant, star…

  • Earning License to Lead

    20 Apr 2012 | 9:58 am
    I am delivering the keynote address at the Marquette University College of Communications this morning in about an hour. I had a marvelous discussion over dinner last night with Dean Lori Bergen, who has brought energy and verve to this Milwaukee-based institution. She made a profound observation about the core values of the school, the emphasis on community service and giving unselfishly of oneself. As we drove to dinner, she opined that the ethos at many schools is what you can learn in four years that will enhance your marketability and future compensation. Not so at this school, based on…

  • Leading from the Front

    13 Apr 2012 | 1:37 pm
    I have had a whirlwind tour of the US this week, from San Jose to Chicago to Oklahoma City and finally back to my home in New York City. Some CEOs operate best from behind their desks, focused on the numbers and proper implementation of strategy. Nothing wrong with that approach, but I prefer to be on the front lines, meeting with clients, visiting with colleagues and trying to win new business. Here are my guiding principles for running a PR firm: 1) Get Your Uniform Dirty—Lead pitches for new business. Don’t just come in to talk about the expertise of your firm, or your commitment of…
 
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    Storytelling Techniques For Effective Business Communications

  • The News Release: Friend, Foe or Link Builder

    Lou Hoffman
    15 May 2012 | 8:20 am
    I espoused the virtues of the humble news release as a link-building tool to Mashable some time ago and continue to believe in this tactic. We apply this thinking in cultivating our own brand. For example, we distributed a news release on our new U.S. general manager last week that generated syndicated pickup in a number of media properties including Reuters. The three backlinks that appeared in the Reuters piece - one going to www.hoffman.com and two earmarked for this storytelling forum - are extremely valuable. Search engine algorithms don’t distinguish between syndicated content…

  • Field Of Blogging Dreams, Fast Company On Storytelling, And Belly Fat

    Lou Hoffman
    11 May 2012 | 8:00 am
    I find these grab-bag posts work as a way to share information and thoughts that individually aren’t rich enough to justify a standalone post. Three quick vignettes: Corporate Blogging: Not a Field of Dreams Between our corporate blogging workshops and consulting on the topic, we find this visual makes a good springboard into discussions. USA Today recently addressed corporate blogging. While we didn’t agree with the premise - Facebook is replacing corporate blogging - we did appreciate the shout out. Fast Company Takes on Storytelling Good piece in Fast Company by Jonathan…

  • Three Easy Ways To Bring Out The Humanity Of A Brand

    Lou Hoffman
    9 May 2012 | 8:52 am
    It doesn’t matter whether you sell mobile phones or tractors, customers want to feel there’s a real human being on the other side of the transaction. That’s why Intel, a semiconductor company, posted on tattoos. Even Dick Costolo, the CEO of Twitter, has espoused on the topic: It’s fun to be the customer of a company with a personality. This seems totally obvious, and yet you too rarely see companies with distinct personalities really grab your attention in the marketplace. Why is this? It’s actually hard to remove personality and character from communications.

  • “Hard Hitting” Interview with Steve Burkhart, New Head of The Hoffman Agency U.S. Operation

    Lou Hoffman
    7 May 2012 | 8:27 am
    Steve Burkhart recently joined The Hoffman Agency as U.S. general manager. The news release shares the facts. This Q&A with Steve probes the intangibles. Nicely deflecting the tough questions, Steve manages to tell stories and still stay on message. Q. Consider this an official welcome to the team. A.   Thanks. I am very excited to be joining the team. To me, it’s like coming home. While I was a consultant with Hoffman, I immediately felt at ease with the people, with the culture, with the agency’s mission. I was struck by the willingness to embrace fresh ideas - even my…

  • Localizing the Story: Contrasting the Korean and UK Versions of a LG Electronics Blog Post

    Lou Hoffman
    3 May 2012 | 8:21 am
    The best global brands recognize that their communications must be tailored to the local markets. Last year two of our account folks in our Japan office penned a post that examined how Sony created two different videos for the same camera, one for the U.S. market and the other for the Japanese market. Today, Jiyoung Moon in our Korean office tackles this broad topic. By Jiyoung Moon, The Hoffman Agency Korea Many Westerners have the impression that Asian cultures are serious and formal. Not true. For instance, it’s interesting to compare a Korean blog post and a UK blog post featuring…
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    AdamVincenzini.com

  • Tick tock! 10 'real-time' photo search engines

    14 May 2012 | 8:02 am
    Thanks to services like Twitter and Instagram, and the global 'smartphone saturation' phenomenon, live reporting from big events has never been easier. No longer do we have to rely on professionals delivering content and images from these events, we have our extended social networks doing this for us. And, because so many of these updates get fired into the 'public' timeline, virtually any update from anywhere can be found and shared in a matter of seconds. But, with all of this content creation happening, who is making sense of it, giving it some order and structure? You, of course. But,…

  • 10 Mandatory Ingredients of Online Video Content (Part One)

    12 May 2012 | 5:55 pm
    This definition of 'great online video content' has to be one of the most subjective definitions in existence. How many times have you heard someone say: "We've produced some great video content for our client."  And then you watch it and shake your head (until it nearly falls off). Is this 'great video content' claim simply based on personal preference and / or original client buy-in? Probably (sadly). Who ultimately decides? The public, of course, but how can you predict performance before hitting publish? Side note: If you only use video in an ad hoc manner (as opposed to treating it…

  • Report: Soccer Rules Australian Football Leagues On Facebook*

    9 May 2012 | 2:05 pm
    Sport is a huge part of Australian culture. I was privileged enough to experience this as a marketer of Australia's favourite sport, Cricket, for a number of years (at Cricket Australia). It has filled me with great pride to see the way in which Cricket (in Australia) has embraced (and pioneered) social and digital media under the direction of some old colleagues of mine. Naturally, I've also kept an eye on Australia's three most popular Football 'codes' - AFL (Aussie Rules), NRL (Rugby League) and The A-League (Football / Soccer). And, while there are several HUGE caveats in what you're…

  • 10 Innovative Examples of Traditional Media Using Social Media

    6 May 2012 | 2:00 am
    Traditional media outlets are often criticised for not having embraced social media in the way other organisations have around the world. There's a pretty simple explanation for this - the fundamental purpose of traditional media outlets/ brands is to sell advertising space in exchange for exposure to an audience (via content). When that isn't your main source of income, 'giving away' content is a lot easier to swallow which is why automotive, drinks and fashion brands are so fond of social. However, the smarter operators have realised that they can use social media channels and tools,…

  • Using the New 'Engagement Rate' Formula to Measure Facebook Page Performance

    5 May 2012 | 8:07 am
    There is still A LOT of confusion out there about what constitutes a 'good' Facebook page. Sure, 'likes' are an obvious popularity metric and a powerful 'trust mark' - if you visit a page with big 'like' numbers you are more inclined to join that page and be receptive to the content being shared. But (and it's a good 'un), this doesn't tell you ANYTHING about how well the page is being managed or how the community interacting with the content being provided. Facebook have tried to make this more obvious with metrics like 'talking about this' (the number of people who have actively…
 
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    B2B Bliss

  • Are you a good business listener? A 10 Question Self-Diagnostic

    Elizabeth Sosnow
    10 May 2012 | 10:36 am
    Do you hear it? That rumbling, dark rush of water? Wait, it’s changed. Now it sounds like the sweep of a hummingbird wing, rapid and delicate. But, in seconds, the noise evolves again, this time emerging as the steady, pounding whine of a buzz saw. Where are we? We’re in a business meeting. Make no mistake, those noises exist just underneath the surface of almost every meeting.  That rush of water could be an eager project leader, the hummingbird could be a quietly smart junior professional and the buzz saw (you guessed it) might be the company’s resident cynic. The problem is, most…

  • My 2¢ on Goldman Sachs’ Image Problem

    Meg Wildrick
    8 May 2012 | 11:15 am
    Last week, Michael de la Merced wrote a column in The New York Times about Goldman Sachs’ reputational wake-up call. The article, “Once Remote, Goldman Sachs Puts on a Friendly Public Face,” discusses  how chief executive, Lloyd C. Blankfein, is trying to repair Goldman’s image by speaking publically about the company’s focus on clients and commitment to gay rights. “Goldman appears to embarking on a subtle campaign to repair its reputation,” de la Merced writes. “The bank’s message is simple: Goldman cares about its clients and its community.” While words alone are…

  • Marketing the Wall Street brand of the future: Reshaping communications in the financial sector

    Matthew Kirdahy
    2 May 2012 | 10:48 am
    The future isn’t social media. The future is all media. Yes, that means you too, Wall Street. The channel agnosticism conversation is happening now and in 2012 it will reshape communications strategies in the financial world. The thrust of the concept is simple. Dispense a message using all vehicles at our disposal to reach key constituents. Whether the impetus is to garner loyalty, draw new customers or create brand awareness, the approach remains the same. Let’s look at two real examples that worked in 2011: Traditional Media: On Saturday morning, a sophisticated investor reads…

  • The Banker’s Conundrum: Reputational Re-Set Required?

    Toddi Gutner
    1 May 2012 | 7:50 am
    While recently thumbing through one of my favorite magazines, The Week, my eye was drawn to an advertisement for Ally Bank that read “Remember When the Word “Bank” Didn’t Make You Angry.” I was struck that this bank was highlighting the industry’s woes. It got me thinking. More than three years after the financial crisis that spawned the Great Recession, financial firms are still struggling to restore their reputations and regain their footing — among consumers, regulators, policymakers and the global investment community. Despite Congressional actions to pass massive…

  • THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES: Undressed by Bad Word Usage

    John Bliss
    25 Apr 2012 | 10:56 am
    It’s not clothes that make the man (or woman), it’s words … and how they’re used. Now I may be biased because I’ve been in the word business for 40+ years.  But I maintain that people who are sloppy with word usage will be equally sloppy in discharging managerial duties or being good team players. What do I mean by “sloppy?”  I’m glad you asked.  Here are some of my pet bugaboos: Compliment vs. Complement:  The former means, of course, to praise or laud someone, while the latter means to add a positive element to something.  There is no way these two words should be…
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    Your-Story.org

  • New Kickstarter project looks to turn app development upside down

    Your-Story.org
    16 May 2012 | 12:51 pm
    Kickstarter.com, the crowdfunding site that has recently raised millions for creators of the “Pebble ePaper Watch” and “Double Fine Adventure”, has recently posted another stand-out idea: THE KING PONG PROJECT. This project, by startup iOS Development Studio “App-Different.com”, is looking for funding to create community designed apps via crowdsourcing -allowing anyone to participate in app ...

  • Collective Brands Inc. (NYSE:PSS) Stockholder Lawsuit to block Buyout Offer

    ShareholdersFoundation
    15 May 2012 | 6:40 am
    An investor in NYSE:PSS shares filed a lawsuit against directors of Collective Brands Inc seeking to block the proposed takeover by Wolverine Worldwide, Blum Capital Partners and Golden Gate Capital  at $21.75 per share Investors who purchased shares of Collective Brands Inc. (NYSE:PSS) prior to May 1, 2012 and currently hold any of those NYSE:PSS ...

  • GTSI Corp. (NASDAQ:GTSI) Investor Alert: Takeover under Investigation

    ShareholdersFoundation
    15 May 2012 | 6:40 am
    An investigation on behalf of investors in NASDAQ:GTSI shares concerning whether the offer by an affiliate of UNICOM Systems, Inc.to take over GTSI Corp. at $7.75 per share and the takeover process are unfair to investors in GTSI Corp. was announced. Investors who purchased shares of GTSI Corp. (NASDAQ:GTSI) prior to May 7,  2012 and ...

  • Imperial Sugar Company (NASDAQ:IPSU) Investor filed Lawsuit to Stop Takeover

    ShareholdersFoundation
    15 May 2012 | 6:40 am
    An investor in NASDAQ:IPSU shares filed a lawsuit against directors of  Imperial Sugar Company in effort to stop the proposed takeover of Imperial Sugar Company by Louis Dreyfus Commodities LLC at $6.35 per share. Investors who purchased shares of Imperial Sugar Company (NASDAQ:IPSU) prior to May 1, 2012 and currently hold any of those NASDAQ:IPSU ...

  • Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (NASDAQ:GMCR) Investor files Lawsuit over Missed Second Quarter Sales Estimates

    ShareholdersFoundation
    15 May 2012 | 6:40 am
    An investor in NASDAQ:GMCR shares filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont over alleged violations of Federal Securities Laws in connection with certain statements over Green Mountain Coffee Roasters’ second quarter 2012 financial estimates. Investors who purchased shares of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (NASDAQ:GMCR) between February 2, 2012 ...
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    Exploring Conversational Media

  • Are you marketing in the round?

    Espo
    16 May 2012 | 3:23 am
    This post contains video, click here if you are having trouble viewing. When I heard that friends Gini Dietrich and Geoff Livingston were writing a book together, I was happy for them. Throughout the process, I knew that Marketing in the Round would be good, but did not think that it was going to be something that would take readers out of their comfort zone. Now don’t think that means that they are going all controversial. Rather the duo pushes readers to step back and look at their marketing in a more holistic manner. Sure social media may be the cat’s meow right now, but that…

  • Cartoon of the day

    Espo
    16 May 2012 | 1:46 am

  • Is your marketing smarter than a 4-year old?

    Espo
    14 May 2012 | 2:11 am
    This post contains video, click here if you are having trouble viewing. At the end of last week I heard my boss, Jason Keith, laughing hysterically at his desk. When I asked him what was so funny, he passed me the video above. It took me a while to get around to watching it, but when I did, I had to watch it a few times. After I got over the initial humor of this 4-year old girl breaking down the tactics of toy marketers, I found myself nodding along with what she was saying. Marketers are fond of the keep it simple stupid, or KISS method, when building up a campaign. While it sounds simple,…

  • Cartoon of the day

    Espo
    13 May 2012 | 11:21 pm

  • You can’t do THAT on Facebook, social media champs and Twitter punishment

    Espo
    11 May 2012 | 3:43 am
    This week flew by and flat out blew. I spent six hours on Wednesday with the good folks at Children’s Hospital Boston as they helped Megatron get re-hydrated from the nasty stomach bug that seems to be making its rounds only to be followed by giving him bottle after bottle of Pedialyte to get rehydrated. Hope your week was a better one. Have a great weekend and catch you next week. Move over Zuck, Abraham Lincoln filed a patent for Facebook in 1845 – this is one awesome piece of FAKE news from this week. Despite its false nature, it cracks me up how much detail went into the ruse.
 
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    Online PR and social media agency - Liberate Media » Blog

  • Online privacy, child safety and security threats could mean the end of the internet commonwealth

    Tim Greenhalgh
    10 May 2012 | 3:21 pm
    Online privacy, child safety and security threats are a triple whammy that could lead to the end of the commonwealth of the internet. Our internet, as I see it, is a global network free from constraint on ideas, products and services. The benefits of this freedom are self-evident and are embodied in the brilliance of knowledge [...]

  • The end for social reader apps?

    Lucy Brandt
    10 May 2012 | 5:28 am
    Like lots of people, I initially liked the idea of reading and sharing news articles on Facebook.  It seemed like a civilised way to exchange thoughts and see who reads and likes the same kind of media sources.  But the novelty quickly wore off as my newsfeed was bombarded with endless spammy updates and I [...]

  • MIT and Harvard offer a glimpse of future opportunities for higher education with edX

    Lloyd Gofton
    3 May 2012 | 9:51 am
    Earlier this week, Harvard and MIT joined forces to launch the edX platform, which will offer educational courses and content for free online. The platform, which was originally developed by MIT, will include video lessons quizzes, immediate feedback, student-ranked questions and answers, online laboratories and student-paced learning. EdX has also made the decision to release its learning [...]

  • Can social media work with IT security?

    Lloyd Gofton
    27 Apr 2012 | 11:44 am
    For the last three days I have been at the InfoSec and Internet World shows. Fear not this won’t be a rambling post about the joys of trade shows or living in the airless atmospheres contained within Earls Court. This post touches on the world of Information Security and its parallels with trade show partner Internet [...]

  • Battle for the internet – how does UK copyright law stack up?

    Lloyd Gofton
    20 Apr 2012 | 2:44 am
    The Guardian’s seven-day special series on the Battle for the internet has been fascinating so far. It has covered a wide range of subjects from states stifling dissent to the new cyberwar front line, and focuses on the challenges facing the dream of an open internet. We are currently on day five (Friday), but already the [...]
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    CyberFootprint

  • Webit 2012 Wants to Attract More Start-ups

    Honza
    13 May 2012 | 11:46 pm
    Another year has passed and we are nearing to the beginning of the Webit Congress 2012. This conference focused on new trends in technology and on-line marketing is about to take place on 10-11 October 2012 in Istanbul. The organizers estimate a turn out of 6,000 visitors from over 60 countries and key speakers from companies like Google, Microsoft, Adobe or IBM will be present. This year also features a StartUp Challenge designed to attract young professionals. Entrepreneurial challenge Start-ups from all over the CEE region can submit their applications and 21 of them will go to Istanbul…

  • PR People, Be Like Amélie!

    Honza
    8 May 2012 | 6:31 am
    This text was written for a bulletin PR LIFE, a publication of PR Klub. The current PROs should be exactly like Amélie Poullain. Before you start judging this statement, let me say that I can predict your next thought. It’s: “What the hell are you talking about?” All right, let me explain. I haven’t seen the movie Amélie until two days ago. Ever since, I can’t stop thinking about one thing – small changes affecting people’s lives in a profound way that are rampant in that film. Malcolm Gladwell’s readers know I’m referring to his concept of tipping point. At one point of…

  • Tips For Writing External and Internal Publications

    Honza
    7 May 2012 | 3:43 am
    Aside of writing news releases, every PR practitioner has to get his hands on external or internal publishing. Writing magazines, bulletins, newsletters or flyers is not as intuitive as it may seem. For that reason, I have prepared a set of best practices that have been working for me ever since I started writing. Avoid passive voice as much as you can There are only a few things in the world of writing that irritate me as much as using passive voice. Compare these two sentences to each other. NO: The mat was sat on by the cat. YES: The cat sat on the mat. It is clear that the first one is…

  • Rory Sutherland: Perspective Is Everything

    Honza
    6 May 2012 | 1:40 pm
    Rory Sutherland, a Chairman of Ogilvy Group,  is quite a frequent guest at TED. In this talk, he is focusing on re-framing the way we think about a value. Citing Ludwig von Mises and wondering why accountants don’t ask creative people for advice, Rory argues that tinkering with perceived value can improve our lives much more than fixing the problems of reality. “When you can’t smoke, if you stand and stare out of the window on your own, you’re an antisocial, friendless idiot. If you stand and stare out of the window on your own with a cigarette, you’re a fucking…

  • Evolution in Corporate World

    Honza
    1 May 2012 | 4:31 am
    After meeting a couple of high-placed in-house Marcomm practitioners, having been exposed to corporate environment for a year and reading a whole lot of Dilbert strips, I have decided to put together a process of transformation to a good member of the corporate society. There is not much of ranting involved. Should the tone surprise you, it is because it’s devoid of fancy words and the verbal candy wrap. Before you get into a corporation, make sure you know what your profession is about. If you want to do marketing, get some experience in an agency or in some internships. Chances are…
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    Hodges Blog

  • #PRSARVA, what do you want to hear?

    Jon Newman
    4 May 2012 | 8:28 am
    It wasn’t an easy call to make, especially at 6 in the morning. I had to call Jennifer Pounders and tell her “you know that PRSARVA professional development session that I’m supposed to be leading in a hour?  Well, THAT’s not going to happen…”  She handled the curve ball with her usual grace and proceeded to call all the folks who had registered.  Thanks, Jen. Long story short, I found out after a doctors visit that I had walking pneumonia and it was probably a good thing that I passed on speaking as I would have infected about 70 of Richmond’s…

  • PR pros should “dance with the one that brung you”

    Jon Newman
    26 Apr 2012 | 10:10 am
    by Jon Newman OK, here we go.  Time for your daily dose of blasphemy on this Thursday.   Hold on to your hats but this is something that’s been bothering me for a while especially as a personally stand one foot in each bucket. Texas football legend Darrell Royal who coined the phrase that we in PR need to remember when the objects get too shiny. Are we spending too much time focusing on social media when good old-fashioned public and media relations still works just fine? Before you say Jon, we can and should do both, I will quickly agree with you but add that maybe we should…

  • Got Millions? New magazines are betting on you…

    Jon Newman
    23 Apr 2012 | 12:42 pm
    by Alissa Pak, member of THP’s “lux” team The next time one of the recent Mega Millions winners happens to breeze past a newsstand, they certainly won’t have a shortage of reading materials to flip through. Though some may call the current economic outlook uncertain, for four magazine publications it’s anything but as they launch their new titles. Not exactly aimed at the populist sect, these magazines won’t be everyday reading material unless you count yourself among the 1 percent of society. Are you a subscriber to the Bloomberg Terminal at an annual fee of $20,000?

  • I Killed My Blog and Why

    Jon Newman
    28 Mar 2012 | 1:51 pm
    Jon’s 1.5 is dead. It was time. It’s not like I was running out of things to say but the original reason for the blog and the number of voices needed to tell that continuing story has evolved. Kirk or Picard? Ok, I'm really done now. A lot has happened in the world of PR, social and digital in the three years of Jon’s 1.5 and a lot has happened at Hodges during that time.  The initial journal that the blog was started to chronicle is over.  Think of the difference as the original Star Trek and TNG.  You might debate Kirk over Picard but the voyage continues and the…

  • What Luxury Means to Hodges

    Jon Newman
    27 Mar 2012 | 1:16 pm
    By Elisabeth Edelman We at The Hodges Partnership have been developing a luxury practice over the last couple years.  As with most things, the perception of luxury depends on the lens used.  I wanted to take a moment and discuss what luxury means to us and why we are so passionate for this sector. If you turn to the dictionary, you will find definitions of abundance, extravagance and the enjoyment of pleasures or comforts that are not absolutely necessary.  Some equate luxury with items bearing exorbitant price tags.  Others might get philosophical on you and explain that luxury is…
 
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    Public Relations Sydney

  • What you need to know about LinkedIn

    Catriona Pollard
    15 May 2012 | 2:29 am
    LinkedIn is a social media platform that has been specifically created for businesses and professionals. LinkedIn provides a great way to stay in touch with your business connections or create relationships with new people. When you join LinkedIn make sure you fill out every section of your profile so that people can identify you. Add a summary of where you are working now and your previous positions. You should also include a photo. Start making connections LinkedIn allows you to quickly add your contacts via Outlook. You can search for people you want to link with and LinkedIn suggests…

  • How to find ideas for your next blog

    Catriona Pollard
    9 May 2012 | 7:09 pm
    Are you struggling to think of ideas for your next blog post? Creating new and exciting content each week can be difficult and you may feel like you have run out of ideas. However, don’t give up because there are so many ideas out there for you to choose from. Business 2 Community has provided some great tips for how to find your next blog post. How to guides: You can write a how to guide, which is a set of instructions explaining the steps on how to do something. How to guides have a limitless number of possibilities from the simplest task to a challenging procedure. They are also a great…

  • Sharing your message – how to build a media list

    Catriona Pollard
    7 May 2012 | 11:12 pm
    You’ve written a media release announcing an exciting piece of news from your company (or client) and you’re now ready to send it. Securing coverage is vital to the success of the project, so you want to make sure you distribute the announcement to the right journalists. So how do you do that? By following these simple tips you can build a media list that will have your important announcement in the hands of those that matter. Identify the industry sectors that are relevant to your message Consider the makeup of a business and its clients. What organisations does it identify with? Who is…

  • Tips to grow your LinkedIn network

    Catriona Pollard
    3 May 2012 | 12:55 am
    LinkedIn is a great social media platform, which allows you to connect with other business professionals and people in your industry. To gain the best results from LinkedIn it’s important to grow your LinkedIn network by connecting with new people. Social Media Examiner has provided some great tips on how to build your LinkedIn network. Look for new connection opportunities: You should constantly be looking for new people on LinkedIn that you can connect with. Check the ‘people you may know’ section to see new people on LinkedIn that you might know. You can then send them an invitation…

  • What you need to know before joining social media

    Catriona Pollard
    30 Apr 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Before you dive into social media there are a few things to consider. There are hundreds of social media platforms; however many have different audiences and different ways they interact with their users. You need to choose the platforms that suit the needs of your business and represent your brand effectively. Here are a few questions you should consider before you join a social media platform. Where is your target audience? Before you join a social media platform stop and think about where your target audience is. What social media platforms are they using and which ones are they avoiding?
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    PR Agency One

  • PR and SEO – Will the Worlds Ever Collide?

    James Crawford
    16 May 2012 | 3:59 am
    Here is a slide deck outlining some of the key points that I am planning to raise on the PR and SEO panel at SAScon alongside Lexi Mills of Distilled, Simon Wharton from PushON and Peter Bowles of Dynamo PR. PR and SEO Tips from SAScon | Online PR | | SEO PR | Digital PR View more presentations from James I believe that PR and SEO are intertwined and with each new Google algorithm update, PR coverage (with links) becomes more and more influential. I am not saying that manual link building is dead or anything like that, nor am I a white hat Rand Fishkin fan boy.  My SEO ethos is to do what…

  • ‘Six of the best’ at SAScon 2012

    James Crawford
    1 May 2012 | 5:59 am
    Peter Cobley, the commercial director of hômejames and a founder of SAScon, the search analytics and social media conference, has written this great post on what to expect at the event. We are speaking on the PR and SEO panel and can’t wait for the event on the 17-18 May. And it’s not too late to buy a ticket. It is also worth noting that Peter blogs at  All things Peter Cobley.  Worth a read.

  • Exhibitions for Lead Generation

    James Crawford
    13 Apr 2012 | 4:09 am
    Exhibition Stands of the Future | Exhibition Stand Design View more presentations from priorityexh This presentation is by exhibition stand design company Priority Exhibitions. They make a very valid point in this presentation that exhibitions are changing and more and more marketing channels than ever influence the marketing mix. To generate leads from exhibitions, businesses need to think more widely about how the marketing mix and technology can combine to generate leads. PR Agency One has worked alongside Priority Exhibitions to help define a lead generation proposition for exhibitors and…

  • ZMO Systems Appoints PR Agency One

    James Crawford
    12 Apr 2012 | 7:27 am
    We’ve been brought in to provide digital marketing support for ZMO Systems, the waste oil heaters provider. The aim is to help raise the profile of ZMO Systems’ core product offering and increase its search engine visibility. Waste oil heaters are an ideal low cost space heating solution. All waste oil heaters are versatile and will burn a wide range of oil-based fuels. PR Agency One is working alongside Birmingham based marketing agency Thin Marketing to deliver the brief.

  • We are the Official PR Agency For SAScon

    James Crawford
    8 Mar 2012 | 9:34 am
    PR Agency One has been appointed to handle the PR for SAScon, the search analytics and social media conference, which is taking place over two days (17-18 May 2012) at The Hive, Manchester. Anyone who knows us will testify that we like to join the dots between PR and search, so we are really chuffed to be selected. We launched the third annual SAScon conference today with keynote speaker, Bruce Daisley, UK commercial director of Twitter, confirmed as a keynote speaker. Tickets for SAScon are on sale via the event website.  Further programme announcements will be made over the coming weeks…
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    PR Fuel - Public Relations News & PR Tips

  • Burning Up in Press Release Hell

    PR Fuel
    16 May 2012 | 4:04 am
    Is there anything worse than getting stuck while writing a press release? It’s something worse than writer’s block; you feel like the whole world is collapsing around you. If you don’t get this press release out in time for the product release, you can’t make the numbers you want for the month. If you don’t make the numbers you need you may not be in business for very long! Instead of going crazy, though, it’s best to calm down, step back, and try to think your way out of this press release hell. “Writer’s block” is usually caused by writers simply freaking out and shutting…

  • Tumbling Down the Media Rabbit Hole

    PR Fuel
    15 May 2012 | 3:58 am
    In the story of Alice in Wonderland, Alice runs after the White Rabbit and finds herself tumbling down his rabbit hole into a brand new place. There, she finds a door she can’t get through, so she shrinks herself to be able to use a tiny key she found. When she still couldn’t get through the door, she’s forced to munch on some cake that makes her grow to over nine feet tall – and bumps her head! When you’re dealing with the media, especially during a disaster or backlash, it sometimes feels like things are getting “curioser and curioser” with no end in sight. Eventually it’s…

  • 4 Innovative Ways to Drive Traffic With Pinterest

    PR Fuel
    14 May 2012 | 4:02 am
    Pinterest may be the third largest social media platform, but businesses and online sellers are still trying to figure out exactly how they can use it to move their product. The visual nature of the platform, though, lends itself to several different inventive ways to get people to your store. It just takes a little creativity! 1. Pictures of Your Product Since Pinterest is a totally visual platform, most of your efforts are going to revolve around pictures. And one thing that can draw Pinterest users to your online business is through pictures of your product. However, you can’t just stick…

  • 5 Ways to Lose the Trust of Your Customers

    PR Fuel
    11 May 2012 | 3:37 am
    What is the underlying purpose of all the PR work you’re doing? Why are you spending all of this time and money? Yes, it’s inevitably to bring in more business, but you accomplish this through building relationships. So all the public relations work you do  —  it’s to get people to like and trust you with their hard-earned money. Now having said that, what a lot of small businesses fail to realize is that all it takes is one or two unintentional faux pas to negate all your hard work and make your customers distrust you. Here are a few things you may find yourself doing that could…

  • Why You Should Outsource Your Social Media Marketing

    PR Fuel
    10 May 2012 | 4:07 am
    Recently I fell across an article over at Entrepreneur.com that offered various reasons on why you should handle your social media in house. And while he makes some valid points along the way, I can’t help but disagree. In fact, I think you stand to benefit more by outsourcing your social media marketing to a contractor than keeping it in house. Here’s why: Contractors give you options. Hiring a new employee isn’t easy. First there’s the search. Then there’s all the paperwork and all the training. Not to mention finding a spot for them in your office. Now what happens once…
 
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    Translucid Communications

  • SMB 101 Post #4: SEO, analytics, and content

    Bob LeDrew
    11 May 2012 | 1:40 pm
    One of the things I love more than anything about social media is the testability and measurability of social media campaigns and tools. From Google Analytics to SocialMention to Bitly to Facebook Page Insights and onward, there are a host of great tools out there that let you do everything from finetune your online ad copy and images to make the search engine bots happy and welcome on your page to understand who’s coming to your site and how they get there. Of course, the next step in understanding how people are coming to your site is to start thinking about whether you can fine-tune…

  • SMB 101 Post #3: When someone complains, respond

    Bob LeDrew
    4 May 2012 | 11:32 am
    Last week, I was challenged to write about the wisdom (or lack thereof) of people blocking or ignoring their online critics. This week, I’m going to give you a few tips about how to deal with online criticisms of your business. No business pleases everyone. And now, displeased customers can complain in public. Sometimes with lots of people watching. And when that happens, what do you do?! CC licenced from Flickr user Gordon2208 Shockingly enough, many companies are choosing to ignore online complaints. Look at this blog post by Jay Baer, based on research published in September 2011.

  • SMB101 Post #2: The myth of engagement.

    Bob LeDrew
    27 Apr 2012 | 9:16 am
    It’s a real pleasure to get a request for a post. So when I got one asking for one called “The Myth of Engagement,” how could I not respond? The crux of the request was:  I am so tired of hearing about how people who Tweet are engaging their audiences. In fact, many don’t actually engage but just push out info in a one-way channel. And how do they deal with anyone who challenges them? Easy, they just use that trusty block feature. In my book, you take the good with the bad and that’s the way actual Twitter engagement happens.  My esteemed correspondent was talking about…

  • Social media, “third parties”, and not-for-profits

    Bob LeDrew
    26 Apr 2012 | 10:33 am
    I tend to end up volunteering for a lot of stuff. Part of it is because I have a hard time saying no to good causes, part of it because I enjoy doing the work, part of it because it makes me feel good to help, part of it because often it’s friends asking, and part of it because I might learn something or hang out with cool people. For many of us, the old models of service clubs and voluntarism seem... prehistoric. One of the things I think has been changed most fundamentally by social media is the relationship between not-for-profit organizations and people wishing to do good things for…

  • Overloading your human circuits

    Bob LeDrew
    23 Apr 2012 | 11:17 am
    I was unplugging a phone charger this morning, when I looked at the outlet. What did I see? One of those. Except mine was full. Then I realized that most of my outlets, instead of just having two things plugged into them, had one of these plugged in, so I could plug SIX things into them. In some cases, one of those might be a power bar, meaning there might be 11 separate things going into that electrical outlet (by the way, did you know that the standard electrical outlet, with its three prongs, is called a NEMA 5? Specifically a NEMA 5-15R? Me either). And thankfully, the picture of a truly…
 
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    Communications Conversations

  • 8 ways big brands use Facebook tabs to drive business

    arikhanson
    16 May 2012 | 8:30 am
    Since Facebook unveiled Timeline in late March, there have been thousands of posts and articles written about the new look and feel. And, many focused specifically on how brands can best take advantage of the new layout to create a better branded experience on Facebook. But, little has been discussed about Facebook tabs. And, they’re just as important as they were before Timeline–yet they’re often not nearly as discussed as the bigger Timeline changes. So, I thought we’d take a look at how 8 big (mostly) brands are using Facebook tabs to drive business, awareness and a…

  • How to find a job abroad in PR after college

    arikhanson
    14 May 2012 | 8:18 am
    About a week ago, I shared a quick rant on Twitter that basically said: “I’m tired of baseless pitches from SEO experts, social media ‘gurus’ and other online companies that have absolutely no relevance to my blog.” No more than two minutes later, I had a thoughtful note from Hannah DeMilta suggesting a guest post for my blog that actually made sense. Imagine that. Hannah hit on my passion for helping others (HAPPO) and she wanted to share her story about how she found work abroad after college (in Sydney, Australia, no less!). Below is her story. It wasn’t…

  • Are agency people bigger huggers than corporate types?

    arikhanson
    11 May 2012 | 8:54 am
    I posed the following question to friends on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ yesterday: Is hugging OK in the workplace? The response? See for yourself. As you can see, the results don’t exactly point one way or another, with the bulk of the people basically saying “it depends.” This is a situation everyone faces in the workplace–and one I often struggle with. You see, I’m not a hugger. I’m a Norweigan. We don’t hug. We barely look each other in the eye. We talk about the weather. We drink coffee and eat pastries. We don’t hug. Although I…

  • The social media job scene: How the last four years have played out

    arikhanson
    9 May 2012 | 8:26 am
    Have you realized there’s been an awful lot of movement in the social media ranks of late? Come to think of it, over the last year there’s been a lot of movement. A lot of firms are still hiring, too. That’ll probably continue to climb in the months ahead. But, it got me thinking about the last four years. Why four? Because that’s really when social became a big-time marketing player in terms of jobs. I remember in Feb. 2009 when Valerie Simon and I started HAPPO along with 20 PR bloggers from across the country. So many of our colleagues were looking for…

  • 6 “must-have” elements to a “digital PR” workshop

    arikhanson
    7 May 2012 | 8:13 am
    A couple weeks ago, a potential client and asked if I’d be interested in leading a training session for the corporate communications team around “digital PR” with a mix of presentations and hands-on sessions. Right up my alley. I love the education side of our business–teaching is in my blood, as my Mom was a schoolteacher of some 30-plus years (and I see a potential route for me in teaching at the college level at some point–we’ll see about that . But, then I got to thinking–what would an all-day workshop around digital PR include? What would the…
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    Flack Me RSS News Feed

  • Shaking the Social Media Blender: We're All Doing It

    Doug Bedell
    16 May 2012 | 11:34 am
    Summary: In this social media era, it's hardly worth drawing distinctions between marketing and public relations any longer. Yes, they exist. But overall, reaching the public increasingly involves conversations on social media, whether you're in PR or marketing. Frank Strong, PR director for Vocus, refers to "integrated marketing" as being what the new Web-powered discipline is about. We're all using a social media blender now. Whether people are listening or not depends on how effectively you appeal to them; engage them.

  • Reporters, Fight for Your Right...to Strip?

    Shawn Paul Wood
    16 May 2012 | 7:40 am
    Summary: Layoffs. Consolidation. Lack of sales. And that new-fangled Internet thingy. These are among the reasons newspapers have experienced a terrible demise. And then there's the reporters. Many flacks have relationships with these writers, editors, and journalists. We feel their pain. In fact, some of the battered and bruised in our beloved profession are the formerly laid off victims of the Intertube.

  • PR Take Note: Bing Now Providing Social Leads

    Doug Bedell
    15 May 2012 | 10:32 am
    Summary: With PR becoming increasingly involved with the Web and social media, Gary Goldhammer on his Below the Fold blog advises folks to get acquainted with the new Bing approach to searches. Bing's aiming to become a broader, more socially engaged alternative to Google. Its searches, Gary notes, now include "social recommendations from multiple sources..."

  • Washington's Truly a 'Second Tier' PR Market Now

    Doug Bedell
    14 May 2012 | 9:08 am
    Summary: We generally don't cover PR's corporate scene, but we can't help taking note of Thomas B. Edsall's piece in The New York Times on WPP, the London-based conglomerate that's been buying up Washington's PR firms and turning lobbyists there from "backslappers" into the "man in a gray flannel suit." Lobbyists used to be "personally vested in the institution of government."

  • Does PR Foster Junk Science? It Shouldn't

    Doug Bedell
    11 May 2012 | 10:02 am
    Summary: Robert McHenry is a former editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Britannica (from the period when it changed from a door-to-door to electronic version) and hasn't lost his touch for rigorous review of scientific research and claims thereunder. Here, he skewers a press release from the American Chemical Society on whether dinosaurs might rule other planets.
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    fresh as.... A Mynt Public Relations Blog

  • NextLevel Internet Expands Executive Management Team

    14 May 2012 | 10:36 am
    NextLevel Internet, Inc., a leader in mission-critical Internet access and hosted voice services, today announced that the company has expanded its executive management team with two new key appointments for inside sales engineering manager and channel development manager. NextLevel Internet increased its employee count by 26 percent last year and achieved its most profitable and successful year since the company was founded in 1999. To support this progression, NextLevel Internet has brought in two seasoned veterans to manage this expanded workforce as the company continues to grow its IT…

  • What was First – the App or the Smartphone?

    29 Apr 2012 | 9:03 am
    Hard to say, but KOBIL has no time to start philosophizing. After all, their business is to secure both the app and the mobile endpoint. KOBIL’s new technologies, presented for the first time at the Payments convention in Baltimore starting today, take a radically new approach – including for mobile payments. With BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), the “mobile office” issue has become a familiar subject in virtually every company. Mobile access to e-mails or their own CRM system involve certain hazards, as well. Flexible and mobile payment options, which are booming at the moment, must…

  • EdgeWave Security Solution Supports YouTube EDU to Ensure Safe and Productive Web Content for Students

    10 Apr 2012 | 2:19 pm
    EdgeWave Inc., a leading provider of Secure Content Management (SCM) solutions, today announced that its brand new release, iPrism Web Security v7.0, includes native support for student access to YouTube EDU-only content. The seamless integration allows educational institutions to support compliance to acceptable use policies for accessing video content that has been deemed by school administrators to be safe and appropriate, while other video content is blocked.YouTube EDU is a free service that provides educators and their students with access to hundreds of thousands of educational videos…

  • Pravin Kothari, Founder and CEO of CipherCloud, comments on the recent Global Payments breach

    3 Apr 2012 | 3:00 pm
    “While MasterCard and Visa continue to investigatethe massive security breach of Global Payments, what’s most shocking is that breaches happen so often that it’s actually not shocking anymore. This time, over 50,000 Visa and MasterCard cardholders may have had their personal data stolen. Although the breach details are not yet disclosed, people familiar with the investigation estimated that it could be hundreds of thousands. “The breach is an example of why PCI DSS compliance is inadequate. In spite of growing profits and huge revenues in billions of dollars, companies such as…

  • How long do online empires last?

    28 Mar 2012 | 6:15 pm
    As more and more social media sites are born and incorporated into our Public Relations strategies, CenturyLinkQuote.com just posted a very interesting infographic on the average length of online sites such as Digg, Altavista, Myspace and Facebook. The average came out to 11 years, with Facebook launching 8 years ago.  With Facebook’s heavy integration into both our daily personal and business lives, I can see the social networking site easily surpassing this average.
 
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    SF Chronicle

  • Joey Lawrence, Star of TV, Music, Stage and Screen to Join Chippendales at the Rio in Las Vegas As Celebrity Guest Star - Limited Engagement June 7-24

    16 May 2012 | 5:30 pm
    Chippendales®, the hottest brand in ladies entertainment, is about to get even hotter this summer when Joey Lawrence, star of television, music, stage and screen, adds “Las Vegas headliner” to his already impressive career. Lawrence will join the acclaimed Las Vegas production as the celebrity guest star for three weeks only at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino (June 7th through June 24th, Thursdays through Sundays), where he will flex his vocal cords and muscles as he sings, dances and hosts the #1 male revue in the Las Vegas. Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) May 16, 2012 Chippendales®,…

  • PCI DSS Experts at NDB Advisory Providing Fixed-Fee Level 1 Assessments

    16 May 2012 | 5:00 pm
    The PCI DSS experts at NDB Advisory provide competitive, fixed-fee pricing for all Level 1 assessments in accordance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) provisions. Merchants and service providers today are being required now more than ever to validate compliance with the mandated PCI DSS provisions, which often necessitates a Level 1 Report on Compliance (ROC) assessment by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). NDB Advisory and their lead QSA, Charles Denyer, provide businesses with competitive, fixed fees for their PCI Level 1 reporting needs. Santa Monica, CA…

  • Haute Living Launches First Annual Haute Living Hotel Madness Thursday May 17

    16 May 2012 | 5:00 pm
    Haute Living introduces Haute Hotel Madness, a voter-driven competition that seeks to uncover the people’s choice luxury lodging sites in four markets including Miami, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco New York, NY (PRWEB) May 16, 2012 After much success with the first annual Restaurant Madness and Haute Timepiece Madness, Haute Living introduces Haute Living Hotel Madness. Inspired by the popular NCAA March Madness tournament, Haute Living’s chic twist on the competition offers readers a chance to vote for their favorite hotels in four different cities to declare a national winner.

  • Socially Responsible, Urban “Community” Clothing Brand Launches

    16 May 2012 | 5:00 pm
    Independent clothing brand, Inner City Threads has launched their online store after six months of development and collaboration. Inspired by lifestyle, music, art, fashion and culture, Inner City Threads line is conceptualized by local designers from cities including Fresno, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Building on the brand’s “community” theme, Inner City Threads enables customers at checkout to select an organization from a list that currently includes the Poverello House in Fresno, California, the Raphael House in San Francisco, California and the Union Rescue Mission in Los…

  • Men's Lifestyle Community, Manism.com Launches Providing Tips and Resources for Guys

    16 May 2012 | 5:00 pm
    The world's first men's lifestyle Q&A community, Manism.com, has recently launched, aiming to provide top quality answers to men across the country. Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 16, 2012 The world's first men's lifestyle Q&A community, Manism.com, has recently launched, aiming to provide top quality advice for men across the country. Members of the community drive discussion on everything from dating strategies to workout regimes to style tips, with many suggestions being supplied by an ever-expanding network of professionals in these domains. As circulation of men's lifestyle…
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    Strategic Objectives

  • Canadian Customers Say Koodo Mobile is Canada’s Best Wireless Company

    SO_pr
    16 May 2012 | 10:09 am
    For Immediate Release May 16, 2012 Canadian Customers Say Koodo Mobile is Canada’s Best Wireless Company Company earns top ranking in J.D. Power and Associates Canadian Customer Satisfaction Study Toronto, ON – Koodo Mobile, Canada’s decidedly different, yet fair and simple wireless company, has once again received a top ranking from Canadian consumers. Responding to the J.D Power and Associates 2012 Canadian Wireless Total Ownership Experience StudyTM Canadian consumers rated Koodo higher than any other stand-alone cell phone carrier, which ranked exceptionally well in cost of…

  • Un p’tit don, une bonne bouffe et un appui à la recherche lors du Barbecue de bienfaisance annuel, le samedi 12 mai 2012 !

    SO_pr
    11 May 2012 | 10:45 am
    Pour diffusion immédiate Mai 2012 Un p’tit don, une bonne bouffe et un appui à la recherche lors du Barbecue de bienfaisance annuel, le samedi 12 mai 2012 ! Les aliments M&M et la Fondation canadienne des maladies inflammatoires de l’intestin visent à vaincre la maladie de Crohn et la colite ulcéreuse Le samedi 12 mai 2012, les Québécois sont invités à joindre l’utile à l’agréable lors du 24e Barbecue de bienfaisance annuel organisé par Les aliments M&M. Cette activité spéciale, qui aura lieu dans tous les magasins Les aliments M&M de la province, est en…

  • La Baie annonce l’ouverture de deux nouvelles succursales TOPSHOP TOPMAN à Vancouver et Toronto et une capsule qui ouvrira bientôt à Montréal

    SO_pr
    11 May 2012 | 9:51 am
    Pour diffusion immédiate Le 11 mai 2012 La Baie annonce l’ouverture de deux nouvelles succursales TOPSHOP TOPMAN à Vancouver et Toronto et une capsule qui ouvrira bientôt à Montréal La Baie est fière d’annoncer que l’expansion de la chaîne de succursales canadiennes TOPSHOP TOPMAN se poursuit avec l’arrivée de nouveaux magasins-en-magasins à Vancouver et Toronto, dont l’ouverture est prévue en octobre. Le magasin de Vancouver est prêt à épater les consommateurs de la côte Ouest en tant que plus grand magasin TOPSHOP TOPMAN à l’échelle mondiale avec sa superficie de…

  • The Bay Announces Two New High-Profile TOPSHOP TOPMAN Locations for Vancouver and Toronto

    SO_pr
    11 May 2012 | 8:17 am
    For Immediate Release May 11, 2012   The Bay Announces Two New High-Profile TOPSHOP TOPMAN Locations for Vancouver and Toronto; Capsule to Open in Montreal The Bay is proud to announce the continuation of the Canadian TOPSHOP TOPMAN expansion with two new store-within-a-store locations scheduled to open in Vancouver and Toronto this coming October.  The Vancouver store is set to wow west coast consumers with the largest International TOPSHOP TOPMAN store at more than 33,000 square feet.  Located at 674 Granville Street, the Vancouver store builds on the highly successful Granville…

  • Pay a little, eat a lot, to raise money for research on Charity BBQ Day – Saturday, May 12, 2012!

    SO_pr
    9 May 2012 | 12:10 pm
      For Immediate Release May 9, 2012 Pay a little, eat a lot, to raise money for research on Charity BBQ Day – Saturday, May 12, 2012! Join M&M Meat Shops and CCFC to help find the cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis On Saturday, May 12, 2012, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., visit any of the more than 450 M&M Meat Shops locations across Canada to support the 24th Annual M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day benefiting Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC). M&M Meat Shops’ franchisees, staff and thousands of volunteers from coast-to-coast will be…
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    the red rocket

  • How to build a successful Facebook page

    Phil Szomszor
    13 May 2012 | 11:20 am
    Last week we invited Jas Dhaliwal from AVG and Roberto Kusabbi from British Heart Foundation to speak at our Facebook for Business event. AVG and the BHF are two very different organisations, but they have something in common: they both attach a lot of value to their Facebook communities. For AVG, it’s fair to say that [...]

  • Research shows that consumer brands are ahead of business brands when it comes to Facebook

    Phil Szomszor
    13 May 2012 | 10:09 am
    With its upcoming float, there’s lots of talk at the moment about Facebook’s value. But what value does it serve to businesses? It’s a theme we explored last week at our Citigate Social breakfast seminar: Facebook for Business. Conducting some of our own research looking at how the top 100 B2B and B2C Superbrands use Facebook, [...]

  • An truly organic infographic: The Blog Tree branches out into the UK marketing scene

    Phil Szomszor
    30 Apr 2012 | 5:39 pm
    Everything’s got to be green these days: even infographics! The people at internet marketing company Eloqua have teamed up with designers at Jess3 to create a UK marketing version of The Blog Tree and I’m lucky enough to have my own leaf! Using data from Edelman’s blog-level tool and teaming up with the folk at [...]

  • How to migrate from a free WordPress.com blog to a self-hosted blog – tips for BlogCamp attendees

    Phil Szomszor
    25 Apr 2012 | 4:05 am
    Last Saturday, I was luck enough to be involved in BlogCamp in Birmingham, which Kat and I helped Sally Whittle (Tots100 supremo) to organise. With well over 100 bloggers, 10 speakers and a lot of cake, it was the most ambitious BlogCamp to date. But, it was well worth the 5.30am alarm call as I [...]

  • How to migrate to a bells and whistles self-hosted blog – Blogcamp, Birmingham

    Phil Szomszor
    17 Apr 2012 | 6:41 am
    This Saturday the Blogcamp tour continues and appears in Birmingham for the first time. Last year, Kat and I helped Sally Whittle with Blogcamps in London, Bristol, Manchester and Brighton and this year’s lineup promises to build on that success. The idea of Blogcamp is pretty straightforward. It’s a free event, predominantly (but not exclusively) attended [...]
 
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    InkHouse

  • For PR from TV: 5 Tips on How to Get Coverage

    Francy Wade
    16 May 2012 | 12:21 pm
      As a former TV producer, I worked with great PR professionals who helped me find experts and interesting stories for my shows, often at a moment’s notice. I dealt with many PR people who had bad timing and bad story suggestions; they were doubly clueless. Recently, I was with a group of friends — TV producers, anchors and reporters — when the topic of bad pitches came up.  We laughed about the lazy ones, and others that were just plain bad, which I think @DearPR covers regularly. Instead, I thought I’d focus on five things to do right. Here are tips from me and my TV…

  • 5 PR Lessons from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

    Tina Cassidy
    11 May 2012 | 9:40 am
    Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was a master at PR. That was clear before JFK was elected president and she wrote campaign dispatches that were sent out over the wire.  And it was clear after she became First Lady, when she turned the spotlight on culture and the arts in America. But Jackie’s public relations genius also extended to six major historic preservation projects – including saving Grand Central Terminal, a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court — in which she was pivotal. Here are five things anyone in PR can learn from Jackie’s masterstrokes: 1.      Be…

  • Post, Like, Share…Save a Life?

    Kristina Coppola
    10 May 2012 | 9:41 am
    Facebook has made it easier for us to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, and share content. And now, Facebook is making it easier for us to make an impact and potentially, save a life. Last Tuesday, the world’s leading social network announced it will allow users to include an organ donor status on their timeline. It is an unprecedented move for a social networking site, but one that can have profound impact. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), more than 114,000 Americans are currently on waiting lists for transplants of kidneys, livers, hearts and other…

  • The In-person Media Tour is Dead

    Beth Monaghan
    8 May 2012 | 12:56 pm
    There. I said it. The in-person media tour is dead. In the 1990s, “desk-side” briefings reigned. We regularly tracked executives’ travel schedules and lined up press meetings in New York, San Francisco and Boston, often with five or six each day. These often took place months in advance of an announcement, back when lead times for some print publications that published on a monthly schedule were as long as six, or even eight months. Today, the technology world often works on deadlines of a few minutes. We’ve heard stories of stressed out bloggers, working around the clock to keep pace…

  • A “Twitter Friendship” is all about Communication

    Katherine Connors
    4 May 2012 | 12:41 pm
    On Monday, InkHouse tuned into PR News’ webinar “How to (Really) Use Twitter to Advance Your PR & Marketing Efforts.” We learned that as Twitter turns six years old and the site is averaging 230 million tweets per day, the main obstacle users face is how to make their voice heard. The speakers in the webinar visualized the Twitter community as a cocktail party, but I saw it as more of an opportunity to grow a friendship. Similar to maintaining a friendship, on Twitter you want to show your personality and be engaging, so the other person will enjoy your company. You also need to…
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    PMG Public Relations

  • In Support of the “Paywall”

    Nicole Ravlin
    1 May 2012 | 8:33 pm
    Grumble… grumble. I am hearing a lot of this lately as more and more daily and weekly papers are putting paywalls  in place. In fact, my local daily paper will be introducing a “new subscription model” in the very near future. I get it. Why pay for it when you have had free access for [...]

  • Edit Facebook Links With Ease

    Nicole Ravlin
    1 May 2012 | 3:35 pm
    Who knew? As I was updating PMG’s Facebook page today, I realized that you can now edit the headline and the description that appears when you post a link to your wall. Apparently you could do this as of last year – but somehow I have overlooked this feature. By clicking on the title of [...]

  • So, Who Are You People?

    Nicole Ravlin
    24 Apr 2012 | 3:34 pm
    Just in case you were wondering…    

  • Enhancing Your Community

    Nicole Ravlin
    24 Apr 2012 | 2:48 pm
    I had started writing this post two days ago and was having trouble finishing it, and then, last night I came across this article from the New York Times – perfect timing! Lately I feel like I have been preaching that people need to put away technology and be more present with each other. Perhaps [...]

  • Your Name in Lights

    Nicole Ravlin
    23 Apr 2012 | 8:36 pm
    Well, not quite – but close! It’s spring and the PMG team is traveling all over the place to see clients, media and for meetings. Last week, we were welcomed from Vermont to St. Louis in grand style. Michael went to a meting with PMG Client Janice Shade of True Body Products at Twincraft, where [...]
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    Beyond the Wire

  • CASE STUDY: Integrating video and a news release into a social media campaign

    Jeff Vanderby
    1 May 2012 | 7:28 am
    Last winter Travel Alberta engaged CNW to create and distribute a video to promote and document a publicity stunt they were carrying out in Los Angeles (check out the video here) to raise awareness of Alberta as a potential travel destination. Travel Alberta pegs the worth of earned media value resulting from CNW’s release and Same-Day Web Video at $1,512,997.64 – exceeding their campaign goal thirtyfold. As of today’s date, the video has received over 5,400 total video views on CNW’s network of video sites. The video ended up being one of CNW’s most viewed web videos of the year.

  • Search Engine Optimization: Daunting Phrase, Mighty Results

    Susan Crossman
    16 Apr 2012 | 7:36 am
    I remember the wave of panic that hit me when I first came across the letters “SEO.” I had no idea what they stood for and no clue as to why I should care. Even worse, I had a sinking feeling that they were important for my business. Since then I’ve learned how important SEO has become. And it’s important for your business, too. In simple terms, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a significant part of a marketing strategy designed to help your organization rank at or near the top of the millions of listings that crop up when someone searches for what you have to offer. The closer you…

  • I lose sleep over webcasts

    Danielle Gignac
    2 Apr 2012 | 9:16 am
    As a PR practitioner, I’ve had to put on a webcast or two (or twelve). I can now safely say that I dread them. While working for a government agency, I encountered my fair share of webcast troubles. From annual general meetings for the investor relations crowd, to training seminars, and everything in between, I have come to venerate those who can run webcasts without a hitch. For me though, there’s something unsettling about not being able to simulate the entire thing, from beginning to end. When I ran one of my first webcasts, I had no idea what was about to befall me. I had everything…

  • Things I’ve learned being a CNW VJ

    Lana Pesch
    13 Mar 2012 | 9:32 am
    In June 2010, CNW launched a product called Same-Day Web Video. Since that time, I have found myself shooting, editing, compressing and uploading stories — all in the same day — ranging from a baby food contest hosted by Erica Ehm and a groundbreaking ceremony of a gold mine, to testing mobile technology in Paris. The job is all encompassing and requires a particular skill set to effectively produce, shoot and edit, as well as provide tech support and troubleshooting all the while managing varied expectations. Below is a list of things I have learned from my experience so far: 5. You can…

  • Effective, yet entertaining – how to make sure your video is both

    mitchmercer
    27 Feb 2012 | 1:25 pm
    After the last blog post about differentiating your video, I thought this was a great follow-up… What’s the best way to shoot a video? How can I make sure my video is compelling? Good questions. And I’ll attempt to answer them here, with a little help from a couple of experts on the subject. But, when in doubt, just remember you can always turn to your production team. Harris Watts, author of On Camera: Essential Know-how for Programme-makers, says,“What is television for? The usual answer to this is a list of two objectives for programmers: 1. To entertain 2. To inform.” This…
 
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    Schwartz PRx

  • Healthcare IT Trends to Watch, Week of 5/7 - 5/11

    Davida Dinerman
    11 May 2012 | 4:52 pm
    Each day at Schwartz MSL, the Healthcare IT Practice shares news items on the latest industry trends. Following is a round-up of some of the most relevant story highlights from the past week:According to Don Berwick, former CMS administrator, $1 out of every $3 spent on healthcare is wasted. In an article by Frank Vinluan of MedCity News titled, “Don Berwick on healthcare spending: ‘We have to improve our way out of this’,” he cited Toyota as an example of a company that realized performance improvements by changing processes. In Japanese, the word for continuous…

  • Healthcare IT Trends to Watch, Week of 4/30 - 5/4, 2012

    Davida Dinerman
    7 May 2012 | 8:57 am
    Each day at Schwartz MSL, the Healthcare IT Practice shares news items on not only the latest industry trends, such as population health, ACOs, virtualization and EHRs, but also hard-pressing issues such as the rise in obesity and its impact on healthcare costs, what worries C-level executives, and how to curb wasteful spending in healthcare. Here are highlights from last week's news stories:Sharon Begley at Reuters starts us off with “As American’s Waistline Expands, Costs Soar.” It’s no surprise that the nation's rate of obesity has risen considerable. …

  • The Positive Power of Social Media: Facebook Encourages Organ Donation Awareness

    Stacey Holifield
    2 May 2012 | 5:47 pm
    The power of social media has been recognized for quite some time now. And while the positive impact of social media is undeniable, its darker side is often highlighted in media headlines. Cited for encouraging bullying, oversharing personal details and publically humiliating friends, family and even exes—Facebook is often the scapegoat for negative online behavior.But yesterday that changed, at least temporarily. Facebook launched an initiative to harness social media and social pressure for the betterment of society…to save lives. Yesterday, Facebook announced that users can…

  • Healthcare IT Trends to Watch, Week of 4/23 - 4/27, 2012

    Davida Dinerman
    30 Apr 2012 | 1:15 pm
    Each day at Schwartz MSL, the Healthcare IT Practice shares news items on the latest industry trends, news, insights and events. Here are the recent highlights from the past week:When our nation’s health IT chief Farzad Mostashari speaks, it’s usually a good idea to listen. In this article by Diana Manos of Healthcare IT News titled, “Mostashari: 'Keep our eyes on the prize,” he urged the audience at the National Quality Forum to put the patient at the center of care delivery. He emphasized that quality is the cornerstone of what needs to be done. Other issues included…

  • Differentiate Your HIMSS13 Speaking Proposal

    Davida Dinerman
    26 Apr 2012 | 12:06 pm
      Last month, Schwartz MSL spoke with David Collins, MHA, CPHQ, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, senior director of professional development at HIMSS, to reflect on this year’s event and get a sense for what we might expect next year at “HIMSS Changes Healthcare and the Big Easy” in New Orleans. Since then, HIMSS has opened the call for speaker proposals, which will be available until May 30.HIMSS’s Annual Conference offers more than 240 general education sessions that are selected from a peer-reviewed process. Last year, HIMSS received 775 speaking proposals, and David…
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    Crawford

  • Good, Bad and Ugly Infographics – How to Tell the Difference

    James Crawford
    16 May 2012 | 1:02 pm
    We all know that infographics are the in, cool thing to do. Create a simple, compelling graphic and everybody will “get” your story. Customers love them. Marketers and PR folk love them. Media love infographics — sometimes so much that they’ll use whatever image that marketing/PR teams give them. But don’t let the love fest fool you — great infographics are as rare as great blogs or great press releases, and they require the same kind of strategic decision-making. What is our story? And what is the most powerful way to tell it? One of the best…

  • Facebook: The Next Apple or the Next AOL? A Tale of Two Steves

    James Crawford
    14 May 2012 | 9:00 am
    When a company that “produces nothing” spends $1 billion to acquire a company that makes no money, should money managers fear the next bubble? As Facebook advances from Instagram splurge to IPO this week, some on Wall Street have already reached a verdict: Let the public and media furor over Facebook’s IPO reach frenzy pitch — professional and large institutional investors are staying home. What might the “smart money” know that the rest of the world could be overlooking? Perhaps it’s that when the unwashed masses go gaga over stocks, it’s time…

  • Pushback: Is Your Agency a Poodle or a Pitbull?

    James Crawford
    10 May 2012 | 8:48 am
    EXTRA! EXTRA! Medical researchers at the University of London Animal Sciences School have announced the first genetically engineered bipolar canine. Bred from a toy poodle sire and pitbull dam, the aptly named “Poo-Pit” displays split personality behavior commonly found only in primates. A lab tech described one mutt’s mood shift as follows: “Oi! ‘E wagged ‘is tail, ‘umped me leg, then bit me!” Our research team here at Crawford is checking the story to make sure it isn’t a plant by The Onion. Personally, I think it’s a put-on. In…

  • Tech Start-Ups: Hacking the Anti-PR Syndrome

    James Crawford
    4 May 2012 | 9:35 am
    Mark Cuban created a stir in the agency world earlier this year when he blogged that start-ups should never hire a PR firm. Just not worth the time and money, quoth the Maverick, who advocates a DIY approach to PR. While that sentiment may be shared by some in the tech start-up arena, others are learning through direct experience the value of expert PR advice. At least one highly visible start-up leader’s take on the school of anti-agency rhetoric might be summed up as: “Sorry, Cuban — no cigar.” This alternate point of view came to light at a recent DC Tech Meet-Up, a…

  • PR Satori: Like Each Other a Little Less

    Kate Schackai
    2 May 2012 | 8:20 am
    I’m writing today on the value of an increasingly overlooked professional trait: detachment. We’re all supposed to care about just about everything these days — like it, share it, pin it, retweet it. We’re friends, fans, and followers. We have relationships with clients, with media, with colleagues. It’s a big warm fuzzy bear hug of social nicety, and it’s a totally asinine way for business to function. Don’t get me wrong — I’m in favor of friendliness, and professional courtesy is non-negotiable. But something truly valuable can be easily…
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    casseracommunications.com

  • How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

    melissa
    16 May 2012 | 9:22 am
    Source: sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net via Melissa on Pinterest     Comparison is a tricky pickle. I’ve witnessed business owners refuse to take action because they spend too much time toiling away on their competitor’s websites, wondering why they haven’t reached the same level of success. I’ve watched actors look around the room in horror, mentally comparing themselves to every other person and then completely tanking their audition. There is plenty of advice out there about comparisons – how to stop comparing, tricks to stop comparing, letting go of comparing.

  • What’s your Business Monologue?

    melissa
    11 Apr 2012 | 8:33 am
    Having a rockin’ 30-second pitch about your business is a necessity. But, what happens when you deliver your awesome-sauce 30-second pitch and then the person responds with: “tell me more.” I’ve witnessed many entrepreneurs totally tank when asked to deliver beyond their initial, well-rehearsed pitch. What they really needed in their arsenal was a…. BUSINESS MONOLOGUE Ok, you may be wondering – what the heck is a business monologue? Well, you may have heard of the word 'monologue' already in relation to actors. An actor’s monologue is a…

  • How to Instantly Boost your Twitter Appeal

    melissa
    29 Mar 2012 | 2:34 pm
    Do you feel like you’re wasting a ton of time on Twitter? I’ve been there. I’m a recovering Tweet-aholic who used to spend hours and hours on Twitter, much to the chagrin of my husband who thought he had to get a Twitter account just to talk to me. After nearly a year, I was left with zero strategy, sleepless nights toiling away on my Tweetdeck app, and a disgruntled husband. Through all of this trial + error, I’ve determined the smartest ways to make the best use of your time on Twitter. Boost your appeal and make outstanding connections with these tips: Re-Tweet with…

  • Increase Profits with Spring Cleaning

    melissa
    22 Mar 2012 | 11:44 am
    I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear the words “Spring Cleaning” I automatically groan, pout, and make excuses. After a weekend of helping my husband shovel dirt and rocks in our yard, I decided the notion of “Spring Cleaning” desperately needed a makeover. When it comes to your business, the obvious “Spring Cleaning” methods are to clear the clutter from your desk or de-junk your inbox. This week, I’ve conjured up some fun and effective ways to spring clean your business that directly benefit your bottom line. Shine Up your Social Media…

  • Hot Trends Worth Trying

    melissa
    15 Mar 2012 | 8:22 am
    Is your business hot? Or not? If you’re looking for some quick ways to steam up your business success, I’ve got a sweet treat for you. One of the best ways to attract customers and the media is to piggyback your business onto top trends. So, how do you do this? We’ve rolled up our sleeves and performed all of the heavy lifting to bring you a rockin' trend cheat sheet – aptly named the Hot Trend Report. What is the Hot Trend Report? The Hot Trend Report is our free gift to you every month that’s jam-packed with juicy content and simple steps to inspire major…
 
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    Mopwater PR + Media Notes

  • How to Get Your Business Ready for Publicity

    Amanda Miller Littlejohn
    15 May 2012 | 1:34 pm
    Small business owners are the lifeblood of our economy, but too often  they’re a best kept secret.   One of my passions is helping small business owners garner exposure through the power of publicity.  And as a former newspaper reporter, I know how tough it can be to get the attention of the media – [...]

  • How to Brand Your Business Online

    Amanda Miller Littlejohn
    6 Mar 2012 | 7:24 am
    When was the last time you picked up the Yellow Pages to find a reputable product or service in your area. Chances are, you can’t even remember. When you needed to find someone to find a new florist or car mechanic you did one of two things. You either asked a friend or family member [...]

  • Overwhelmed by Social Media? 6 Ways to Streamline Your Efforts

    Amanda Miller Littlejohn
    1 Mar 2012 | 9:49 am
    I talk to stressed out small business owners and non-profit leaders almost every day who are just plain overwhelmed with social media. Not because they don’t know how to use it and not because they don’t understand its value. They’re stressed because the space changes at such a rapid pace. The ground is always shifting [...]

  • TV Host’s “Wild Ride” to Publicist :: Test Drive My Job Kelly Diedring Harris

    Amanda Miller Littlejohn
    17 Feb 2012 | 8:11 am
    Kelly Deidring Harris Tampa,  Florida KDH Communications @kdharrispr Mopwater: Describe a pivotal moment in your career. KDH: While working as a television host, I had many PR “handlers,” and I always thought I could do their job – but better!  So I took everything I learned in my real world experience and everything I’d learned in [...]

  • Content Strategy – How to Maximize Your Brand Content

    Amanda Miller Littlejohn
    8 Feb 2012 | 8:44 am
    The week or two before the New Year, I found myself listening to the Miles Davis station on Pandora, channeling my creative energies  and charting my course for another year. One day while sitting at my desk in “brand planning” mode, I came across a great book I read earlier this year. Content Rules: How [...]
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    BeckermanVoices

  • One Direction: How You Can Imitate Hot Boy Band’s PR Moves to Generate Your Own Fans

    Denyse Dabrowski
    7 May 2012 | 11:22 am
    I can’t escape them. In my car, on my computer, sucking up valuable storage space on my TiVo and plastered all over my 10-year-old daughter’s bedroom walls: the boys of UK pop sensation One Direction. Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. No, I didn’t have to Google their names — that’s how much they’ve invaded my life. Zayne’s real name is “Zain,” he smokes and he can’t swim. I didn’t have to look that up either. And it’s not the first time I’ve repeated it. All five of these guys auditioned for the UK X Factor in 2010 as…

  • 5 Signs That PR Is The Career For You

    Laura Finlayson
    30 Apr 2012 | 12:16 pm
    College students across the country are about to embark on the annual tradition of pounding Red Bulls and working around the clock to get their papers done while also studying for exams.  At the same time seniors are worrying about getting their first job, while underclassmen compete for summer internships to boost their resumes. It is with these job-seeking students in mind that I offer the following 5 signs that you are meant to work in PR: 1. You are an iPhone addict. You can tweet, text and talk on the phone at the same time — and yes, you actually do sometimes talk on your phone…

  • Pay Now or Pay Later — The Economic Consequences of Climate Change Could Be Severe for New Jersey

    Stefanie Matteson
    23 Apr 2012 | 10:57 am
    A new report has demonstrated that doing nothing about climate change will be more costly than preventive measures. The alarming report on the costs of unchecked climate change, called “Pay Now, Pay Later,” was issued last week (Thursday, April 18) by the non-profit, bipartisan American Security Project (ASP). Gov. Christine Todd Whitman (R-NJ), the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who serves on the ASP board, said in a press release: “Too often the debate about climate breaks down over cost, with many Americans rightfully concerned about what limiting pollution…

  • PR 101 for Game Hunters, Large and Small

    Stefanie Matteson
    9 Apr 2012 | 4:45 pm
    Election season tends to bring out the call of the wild in presidential candidates. The thought of Hillary as a hunter does not compute, yet in 2008 she bragged of having bagged a duck as first lady of Arkansas. Ditto for John Kerry, who donned camouflage garb to down a goose in 2004. Sarah Palin’s boast in a campaign speech about having “caribou blood under my fingernails” was more believable — but didn’t translate into enough votes to put her ticket over the top. Mitt Romney has his own hunting problem. In the 2008 campaign, he said he had hunted rabbits as a teenager, which…

  • 2012: Critical Year for Urban Economic Development Policy Initiatives in New Jersey

    Tim White
    15 Mar 2012 | 12:36 pm
    As the economic consequences of the housing crisis continue to play out across the country, New Jersey legislators seem to have found an innovative approach to mitigating the damage. More than most states, New Jersey’s overall economic health is largely dependent on its residential and commercial real estate development markets – especially in our bigger cities and urban areas. The road to economic recovery begins in urban areas with the resurgence of the real estate development community. Their redevelopment efforts and the private capital they infuse into local economies have been shown…
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    The PR Coach

  • Research Bafflegab: How PR Creates Junk Science

    PR Coach
    15 May 2012 | 11:07 pm
    Is PR creating junk science in the news? Sometimes I wonder about the usefulness of PR people. These often-glib practitioners of public relations occasionally dabble in the research labs and scientific journals around the world to create junk science. Say what? Robert McHenry’s wonderful post Science vs PR in The American says it best: ” One of the major reasons that science is held in low repute among portions of the citizenry is that it has too often allowed itself to become entangled with public relations. The PR connection has nothing to do with peer review, that essential…

  • The PR Puzzle: Will They Ever Trust Us?

    PR Coach
    30 Apr 2012 | 7:15 am
    Why has trust in media dropped so much? According to Gallup, public trust in mass media dropped from 70% during the 1970′s Watergate era to 44% today. Jay Rosen recently wrote a must-read post about this drop in confidence in the press. He poses some difficult questions and tries to answer why this trust has fallen so far. He asks how this is possible: “So the puzzle is: how do these things fit together?  More of a profession, more educated people going into journalism, a more desirable career, greater cultural standing (although never great pay) bigger staffs, more people to do…

  • 15 Primo PR Job Boards & Resources

    PR Coach
    26 Apr 2012 | 7:15 am
    PR job hunting is competitive I was just drafting my own best PR Job Boards post when I got scooped by Amanda DiSilvestro over at the terrific PR Breakfast Club blog. You can see her Top 10 PR job boards list, a useful resource for PR jobs. It’s tough keeping up with smart new public relations grads isn’t it? So, I’ve revised my approach to… drum roll please… an analysis of monster job boards and 15 [More] Primo PR Job Boards & Resources. Most Monster Job Boards Not Worth Your Time If you’re a PR job hunter, I’ll save you a lot of time. Most…

  • Activists’ Phony PR Campaign Hits Bank of America

    PR Coach
    23 Apr 2012 | 7:15 am
    Yes Men activists launch sophisticated PR campaign parody against B of A Activists launched a creative, ironic and sophisticated but phony “Your Bank of America” PR campaign against the North Carolina-headquartered financial institution yesterday. This comes just a week after my recent post Perils of Online Crisis Public Relations. Andy Bichlbaum worked with The Yes Men and stepped forward to take credit for the high-profile public relations campaign. The Yes Lab later posted a video with Bichlbaum explaining the campaign. The initiative has support from Rainforest Action Network,…

  • Perils of Online Crisis Public Relations

    PR Coach
    10 Apr 2012 | 11:13 pm
    Another day, another trial by Twitter. This time for South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley when a blogger falsely reported she was under investigation by the IRS for tax fraud. The New York Times traced how the unsubstantiated rumor, posted on March 29th by 25-year old blogger Logan Smith, caught fire on Twitter. Smith who blogs at the Palmetto Public Record, failed to verify facts with the Governor and the IRS. In minutes, other mainstream and political media and bloggers repeated and retweeted the allegations, again without verification. Another black eye for journalists and bloggers racing…
 
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    Social PR #Scoops Blog

  • #Mashcon Tweets and Rumors Heard @Mashable Connect

    Lisa Buyer
    12 May 2012 | 12:55 pm
    If you can’t explain it in 140 characters, your idea is too complicated! The most popular Tweet from #mashcon and also the most poetic as a mantra of what’s to come in digital marketing. In case you missed Mashable Connect, … Continue reading →

  • 5 Tips #PR Professionals Can Learn from Lindsay Lohan

    Lisa Buyer
    30 Apr 2012 | 8:00 am
    Lindsay Lohan has had her fair share of troubles recently, and she’s been all over the news and gossip sites. Undoubtedly any PR professionals who work with her are up for quite a challenge. If you’re a PR person, here … Continue reading →

  • Social Media Insights From College Students at MediaPost Search Insider Summit

    Lisa Buyer
    29 Apr 2012 | 10:32 am
    Pass the beer, censor the Facebook post and ignore the ads. Life without social media? College students say they can’t imagine it! The first generation of consumers who grew up on social media and mobile phones graduates next month and … Continue reading →

  • Garrett French’s #SEOchat on Scalable Link Building Tips & Tricks

    Miranda Miller
    21 Apr 2012 | 8:25 am
    Ready to take online PR to the next level? If you haven’t sat in on a Thursday evening #seochat, you’re missing out!  Each week, the guys from Search Marketing Weekly bring on special guests to share their expertise in different … Continue reading →

  • Do You Ever Delete Emails? Consider Email Bankruptcy

    Newsroom
    13 Apr 2012 | 6:00 am
    Email bankruptcy…in an NPR interview Twitter founder Biz Stone mentioned the concept of “email bankruptcy, “sometimes the best thing to do is to alert all the people in your electronic world that you are declaring email bankruptcy and are starting … Continue reading →
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    Hypertext

  • Want to make the message count? Get the CCO on board

    Anne Costello
    16 May 2012 | 9:16 am
    Gandhi once famously said that your words become your actions, then your habits, values, and finally your destiny. What we say has as much, and sometimes more, impact than what we do, especially when it dictates our available courses of action. Today’s businesses are placing increasing emphasis on reputation, brand, and community engagement, but that emphasis has yet to fully permeate the heart of corporate strategy: the boardroom where C-suite decisions are made. We have CFOs and CIOs, but the CCO – or Chief Communications Officer – only exists in a handful of organizations like IBM,…

  • The Emotional Side of Social Media

    Bethany Latta
    14 May 2012 | 1:55 pm
    My friends and family are often shocked when I tell them that, as part of my job, I am routinely on Facebook, Twitter and a host of other social platforms. As many of you can likely relate to, this only furthers their confusion on what exactly it is that I do every day. However, they might be interested to know that it’s because of my job, that I am able to connect better with them. While my sister, a kindergarten teacher who routinely is trying out the latest social tools, can take partial credit for encouraging me to first sign up for MySpace, and later Facebook – the real reason I did…

  • Best Practices for Infographics

    Barbara Ruane
    10 May 2012 | 8:30 pm
    A recent panel hosted by the Publicity Club of NY discussed how infographics can and should be used for communications and what you should consider before adding them to the mix. Infographics have quickly become a buzz word and part of our PR arsenal, but like any digital tool (or really, any PR tool), there are some ideas to consider when deciding if it’s something that will add value to your announcement or campaign. My colleague Melissa Chanslor captured this sentiment in a recent post following a SXSW panel, noting that, similar to any form of content, your information needs to be solid…

  • #HyperTextLive: Best Practices for Growth in the Era of Transparency

    Jason Clarke
    9 May 2012 | 8:07 pm
    Last Thursday, Text100 hosted #HyperTextLive, the first in a series of events aimed at taking many of the hot topics being discussed on the HyperText blog and extending the conversation in an offline forum with senior marketing and communications executives from across the industry.   Held at the Grand Hyatt, San Francisco, this first #HyperTextLive event themed ‘Best Practices for Growth in the Era of Transparency’ was a roundtable discussion on the changing state of the PR industry.Text100 invited Burghardt Tenderich, Associate Professor and Associate Director of USC Annenberg’s…

  • Up for a little healthy debate?

    Text 100
    9 May 2012 | 4:30 pm
    We’d like to invite all of our readers to join us on LinkedIn for some healthy discussion and debate over issues in the digital communications industry. Our new LinkedIn group, Communication Conversation – Digital PR Debates, is a place for discussion on emerging and mainstream communication trends and how they are being embraced, challenged and championed. With more than 145 members already, this is a great place to tap in to the expertise of the best and brightest industry minds. Whether it’s sharing your opinion on a recent industry article, commenting on something we…
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    The Access Point

  • Food & Booze News of the Day

    mkelleher
    8 May 2012 | 4:07 pm
    At Access, we have a variety of food, wine and spirit clients and as such, we are constantly digesting the news of the day within these categories. Starting today, May 8th, Access will share the food & booze headlines that keep us salivating from week to week. From new FDA regulations to the hottest cocktail new bar trends, we’ll put a fork in what matters most. Here’s the latest news that caught our eye: Battling Childhood Obesity – Multiple Strategies Needed The Institute of Medicine put out a new report today that looked directly at the obesity epidemic among America’s children…

  • Introducing Access Cares

    SMWG
    23 Apr 2012 | 1:17 pm
    At Access Communications we like to work hard, have a good time and give back. In staff meetings and lunch room conversations we often hear about impressive volunteer work and fundraising events many of our colleagues support during their spare time. Sensing the desire of Access employees for opportunities to do good alongside their Access teammates, we created Access Cares. This volunteer group within Access organizes companywide opportunities for colleagues to give back to local organizations in San Francisco and New York. We’re used to “the speed of PR” around here so once Access…

  • What We’re Reading: Professional athletes, Amazon app store, job seeking and more

    SMWG
    20 Apr 2012 | 12:45 pm
    Check out our weekly roundup of this week’s most interesting topics from around the Web… Normal people have Facebook. Athletes have It’s My Play, the social network connecting professional athletes with coaches, agents and sports employees. It’s My Play is Facebook for athletes wp.me/p1re2-1KFU — VentureBeat (@VentureBeat) April 19, 2012 Social Media Delivered imparts some tips on how to keep your social networks job-seeker friendly with the help of Mindflash. How companies are using social media to hire/fire employees. ow.ly/a3wlm — Linkedin Queen (@LinkedInQueen) April 19,…

  • VIDEO: Jeff Bakalar of CNET discusses social media, gaming and more

    SMWG
    18 Apr 2012 | 10:50 am
    CNET’s Jeff Bakalar wears many hats at the tech blog. He co-hosts CNET’s daily show, The 404, which focuses on gadgets, social media and video games. And to top it all off, he’s also the  games editor for the site. Now that’s a lot of responsibility! We recently chatted with Jeff about building relationships with journalists through social media, integrating social platforms into video games and how he views the future of long-form journalism. Want to learn more? Watch the interview below: We’re interested in hearing what you think, so feel free to let us know by…

  • PAX East: The Latest Major Gaming Convention

    SMWG
    16 Apr 2012 | 2:58 pm
    E3 is no longer the only convention that matters in the gaming industry. Now in its third year, PAX East, which took place last weekend at the Boston Convention Center, was a major success for consumers, journalists and industry professionals. The show floor at PAX East Our client, 2K Games, made the strategic decision to treat the convention like a huge industry event by creating massive set pieces in booths for two upcoming games, Borderlands 2 and Spec Ops: The Line. With XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Civilization V: Gods and Kings also on the show floor, 2K had arguably the largest footprint in…
 
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    ThinkFast!

  • Half of Mobile Phones in US are Smartphones

    8 May 2012 | 11:09 am
    The news is out, and it's not unexpected. We're walking around with full-fledged computers in our hands. And there's more of us with them. Nielsen's new Q1 Mobile Insights report on US smartphones shows that 50% of mobile phone users own smartphones, rather than basic feature phones. From that percentage, Nielsen figures that as of March 2012, almost 51% of female mobile subscribers carried smartphones, compared to 50.1 percent for men. Those aged 25-34 made up the greatest majority of smartphone ownership. The report also found that looking at ethnic ownership, Asian Americans are the top…

  • New Journatic-Chicago Tribune hookup promises better journalism

    27 Apr 2012 | 3:50 pm
    Fascinating goings-on in the Chicago area this week, if you're a interested observer in the process of news manufacturing and news consumption, as I am. The Chicago Tribune announced that it is investing in and using the services of Journatic, a hyperlocal news provider startup working on behalf of the Chicago Tribune's suburban editions. Journatic enables publishers and advertisers to better serve their customers through the efficient creation of hyperlocal content, with a focus on 'people', 'places' and 'events', according to the release. Its website reads that "Some of our services include…

  • Gmail Add-On Rapportive

    13 Apr 2012 | 12:47 pm
    I've recently been tipped off to a Gmail add-on that's very useful - it's called Rapportive, a Gmail tool that allows you to see profile information about email senders next to their incoming email messages. The information that you see next to your email is pulled from their public social profiles. The company writes on its site: "Rapportive shows you everything about your contacts right inside your inbox. You can immediately see what people look like, where they're based, and what they do. You can establish rapport by mentioning shared interests. You can grow your network by connecting on…

  • 2012 Digital Benchmark and Trend Report

    6 Apr 2012 | 2:32 pm
    Experian Marketing Services, part of the parent group Experian, the global information services company, announced this week the release of its new 2012 Digital Benchmark and Trend Report that offers up trends, benchmarks and insights into the global digital marketing world. Experian wrote: "As always, this year’s report contains trend information, predictive benchmark data and analytical insight necessary for business leaders to maximize digital marketing opportunities and return on investment. Learn actionable ways to actively engage customers in conversations while delivering relevant…

  • Affordable Tablets for Fun and Work

    5 Apr 2012 | 5:00 pm
    While at the Infusioncon 2012 conference this week, I saw a lot of Web tablets in use. From attendees taking pics of presenters and their slides, to sharing presentations with others in the hallways and for catching up on email and social media, tablets and their users were in full force during the week. I didn't stare at all the device brands - though I'd guess that 80% of them were iPads from looks alone. And maybe it's just me, or do the iPads look a bit big for carrying and working with? Is anyone else in favor of the smaller 7" screens? If so, then you might be interested in saving space…
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    Communiqué PR Blog

  • The Lowdown on Bylines: Four Rules of Thumb

    Karalee Sargent
    16 May 2012 | 11:00 am
    One of our favorite projects to work on for clients here at Communiqué PR is landing byline articles. Byline articles elevate thought leadership by highlighting content experts, and they also help our clients put themselves in a reporter’s shoes. Over the past few months, Communiqué  PR has helped our clients garner coverage through byline articles. John Scumniotales, CEO and president at Verdiem, had a great guest post in GeekWire last month about workplace culture. In March, Sam Morris, a product marketing manager with Attachmate, was published in the Data Center Journal regarding…

  • Working Yourself Out of a Job – The Right Way

    Colleen Moffitt
    11 May 2012 | 11:00 am
    We never want to lose a client. However, there is at least one situation in which losing a client is cause for celebration. At Communiqué PR we focus on helping our clients leverage PR in order to achieve their business objectives. Sometimes those business objectives involve selling the company, and by successfully positioning a company for acquisition, we may ultimately lose the account. We have seen this happen over the years with a number of our client companies including SnapIn and Open Interface North America. In November 2010, we began working with another organization focused on…

  • Looking to Spice up a Presentation? Try Prezi!

    Heather Campbell
    9 May 2012 | 11:00 am
    Here at Communiqué PR, we are enthusiastic about staying on top of current ”tools of the trade” that enhance communication. That’s why the new cloud-based presentation software, Prezi, caught our eye. Since learning about the tool, I have noticed multiple presentations in the format, and have even seen LinkedIn profiles boasting to be “Prezi experts.”  A recent TedTalk on YouTube Driven Innovation even featured the presentation software.     So what is Prezi? Prezi is a cloud-based presentation software that has the unique property of a “Zooming User Interface,”…

  • Is This News?

    Holly Zuluaga
    7 May 2012 | 1:07 pm
    A common challenge in PR is working with clients to determine if their story is newsworthy.  News organizations are often bombarded with pitches and press releases that have no hope of seeing print. As PR professionals it is our job to work with our clients to determine what the news elements are. For example, a product release might not be appealing to a journalist, but if tied to a hot trend, it can help pique interest. In a recent article I came across in Ragan.com titled, “6 questions to determine whether your story is newsworthy,” Susan Young suggests questions to walk through when…

  • Five Best Practices Surrounding Messaging Workshops

    Jennifer Gehrt
    4 May 2012 | 11:00 am
    Earlier this week, we facilitated a two-hour messaging workshop for a new Communiqué PR technology client. The goal was to discuss the company’s mission and vision, as well as hone in on its value proposition and distill that information into several compelling key messages. The messaging workshop was a big success and it got me thinking about our work and methodology for facilitating these discussions, which can often be fraught with emotion as senior leaders and executives often have strong points of view about the subject matter. At Communiqué, we believe there are five key steps that…
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    Words of a Broken Mirror

  • Corporate Blog Strategy – Getting Personal

    Alina Popescu
    12 May 2012 | 5:36 am
    TweetAs every business and their grandmothers are haphazardly hurling themselves onto the social media websites, the neglected corporate initiatives of yesteryear patiently lurk in the dark annals of the World Wide Web anticipating the time when high ranking execs will again begin to realize the power of the corporate blog. Just about 5 minutes after businesses began to wake up to the idea of adding a blog to their online presence, Facebook and Twitter hit the scenes, and most companies plans of improving their blogs went from being on top of the CEO’s desk to being ‘filed away…

  • Is Reputation Management The New PR?

    Alina Popescu
    2 May 2012 | 6:37 am
    TweetThese days most businesses are handling a considerable number of their operations online. Many companies are finding that many of their commercial transactions are being handled online, much of their marketing campaigns are being waged online, and even many in-house operations are being pursued online. For instance, a good number of companies conduct seminars for leadership training online. Many companies are also storing their data online, in the cloud, in order to save money on hardware and energy costs. One of the newest online trends for businesses is reputation management services,…

  • Marketing Without ‘Marketing’

    Alina Popescu
    28 Mar 2012 | 4:10 am
    Tweet Guest post by Sol Baker In this article you’ll learn how to… Study the birth of trends and early adopters Crowdsource pertinent data Create cultural events while marketing These days marketing is simultaneously easier and harder. It’s easier in the sense that there are a wide variety of new online tools that can equip the wayward marketer with an arsenal of powerfully efficient information gathering techniques. It’s harder in the sense that people are aware of the presence of marketing and are somewhat jaded by it. This makes marketing campaigns less effective…

  • 6 Questions Bloggers Should Ask Themselves

    Alina Popescu
    23 Mar 2012 | 3:04 am
    TweetIf you’re a blogger, there are many issues to consider when creating content, promoting it, and designing the aesthetic of your blog. Whether you work for a marketing agency like Quick Sprout with a number of different online clients or are launching your own blog, ask yourself these six questions in order to get yourself on the fast track to success: What is your niche? Don’t blog in a vacuum. Decide who your blog is for and actively write for that audience. If your blog is about graphic design, specify what medium of graphic design—online, advertising, manufacturing,…

  • The Essential Marketing Guide for Startups and Small Businesses

    Alina Popescu
    22 Mar 2012 | 6:58 am
    TweetGuest post by Dave Mathews Since startups and small businesses have limited financial budget, their reliance on a well thought-out marketing plan is a rarity. But the point that a marketing plan makes or breaks a business cannot be emphasized enough. It has been reported by Forrester Research in their research that from all over the world, more than $200 billion were spent online in 2011 by the Americans alone, with an estimation of the total jacking up to $327 billion in 2016. This proves Bill Gates statement that, “the Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of…
 
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    PRSAY – What Do You Have to Say?

  • Friday Five: Measurement as a Second Language

    Nicole Castro
    11 May 2012 | 4:06 pm
    In the past 10 years, public relations professionals have discovered that when it comes to measuring public relations strategy and tactics, volume metrics alone don’t tell the full story. The problem with relying solely on volume metrics is that they don’t tell you whether your program is delivering the right message, bringing the right kind [...]

  • Why Professional Communicators Should Care About CISPA

    Kathy Stershic
    10 May 2012 | 10:26 am
    Cyber security is a big and growing problem. CISPA, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, would allow private corporations to monitor anyone’s email and online activities and, acting in good faith, share this information with the government. While removing some barriers to sharing cyber-attack information certainly will help to address some serious problems affecting our country, CISPA also could mean a radically different online world from the open Internet we grew up with. Here's why professional communicators should care if CISPA is enacted.

  • Friday Five: Advertising Faces Challenges in a Digital and Social Age

    Nicole Castro
    4 May 2012 | 2:22 pm
    The advertising industry has been and continues to be an industry in the midst of radical transformation. Traditional mass media advertising is augmented by nontraditional approaches, such as product placement, viral marketing, direct marketing and virtual community marketing on the Web. Given these dynamic changes and the increased reliance on social and digital media, practitioners [...]

  • Friday Five: Key Learnings in a Social Landscape

    Nicole Castro
    27 Apr 2012 | 2:21 pm
    We hear a lot about the diverse use of social media in the public relations world, but how are other industries leveraging the power of social media? Companies in the health care and sport industries are beginning to understand that their richest source of insight, ideas, data and information is within their business-to-consumer (B2C) engagement [...]

  • No Grand Slam for Miami Marlins’ PR Practices

    RFiske
    22 Apr 2012 | 11:01 pm
    When Ozzie Guillén, manager of the rebranded Miami Marlins, inserted the proverbial foot-in-mouth during an interview with TIME magazine, where he stated, “I love Fidel Castro,” I immediately began to question the Marlins’ management strategy. I thought, “Clearly this guy has no understanding of local politics. Clearly he has no understanding of what so many [...]
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    ComPRehension

  • APR: Enhancing Your Role as a Trusted Communications Counselor

    nathaliesm
    16 May 2012 | 9:00 am
    Participate in PRSA’s online training session, “Getting Ready for the APR Computer-Based Examination,” on June 12, 2012 3–4 p.m. EDT . This public relations accreditation training sesssion is free to PRSA members. Pursuing the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) designation is a decision that has been extremely valuable to my career. Public relations is a profession that is evolving every year but the core of all we do is still based on research and ethical communication practices. The APR helped elevate my role as communications counsel, provoking me to think beyond one-sided…

  • Ten Resume Revising Tips: Strategies from the PRSA Jobcenter

    rspector
    15 May 2012 | 12:27 pm
    Round Robin Resume Revising: It Works! After helping two friends revise their resume recently, I realized how much I’ve learned through osmosis of managing PRSA Jobcenter for five years. I’ve had the benefit of meeting many insightful recruiters and asking them advice on behalf of our job seekers. While there’s no “perfect formula” for revising a resume, here’s some advice and strategies I’ve obtained with a little help from my friends. 1) Brainstorm: Spend time listing all of your accomplishments. This process may take a few days but it’s important to get everything down on…

  • Using Reality Advertising to Engage the Latino Community

    dgomez
    9 May 2012 | 10:05 am
    Taking a page from reality television, brands have been using non-actors to engage their audiences in television commercials. We’ve seen this in the likes of Mitsubishi’s “Ride the Storm” campaign, Domino’s “Show Us Your Pizza” campaign and Chobani’s “Real Love Stories” campaign. However, this isn’t the first we seen of reality commercials — even if they weren’t labeled as such. Remember the “Pepsi Challenge” or McDonald’s Big Mac commercials? The reality approach to campaigns stems from the desire to connect with audiences in a way that is personal. When you…

  • To Reach Real Readers, Write Copy that Connects

    awylie
    2 May 2012 | 9:00 am
    Join Ann Wylie for her online training session, “Anatomy of a 2.0 Release: Write Releases That Get Posted on Portals, Help Google Find Your Site, Reach Readers Online and More,” on June 28, 2012 3–4 p.m. This public relations writing training sesssion is free to PRSA members. Fourteen percent of Americans can’t read well enough to search for programs in a TV guide, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). Meanwhile, more than four out of 10 Americans have basic or below-basic prose skills, according to the study. That means…

  • Those Three Golden Letters — Finally!

    AWilliams
    25 Apr 2012 | 9:00 am
    April is Accreditation month at PRSA! PRSA has designated April as Accreditation Month. Members can learn more about APR through many special events, including: Free On Demand Webinars: Accreditation Power Play, Knowing Your Business is Good PR ; Getting Ready for the Readiness Review Using the “Invite-a-Peer” tool to help spread the word about APR My boss has been (thankfully) pestering me for three years to get my APR. But with growing workplace responsibilities and three sons to chase, who has time to prepare for “the unknown monster” of APR preparation? So after faithfully…
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    PR Back Talk

  • Entrepreneur Validates "Lean In" in Jargon of the Month

    Norman Birnbach
    10 May 2012 | 9:13 am
    Back in January, we predicted that "lean-back/lean forward" might be one of the most overused phrases this year.   As background, Lean-back activities are those in which users passively access content, like watching TV. Lean-forward activities are those in which the user is actively engaged in consuming content, as when they’re searching for content on the Internet or via an app.  The May issue of Entrepreneur, not yet available online, validated that prediction with its... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • New York Times Validates Cashless Wallet Prediction

    Norman Birnbach
    8 May 2012 | 7:57 am
    Back in Feb., we issued the prediction that focus on mobile payments would increase, saying: Spearheaded by Google Wallet, Visa's V.me, and Verizon, 2012 looks to be a big year for mobile commerce. Using your smartphone to make purchases will not attract most Americans this year, but a growing part of the population will love the convenience of not having to find an ATM or not paying fees to use another bank system’s ATM. You can delay the day our society becomes a cashless one, but... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • "Natural" Causes Problems for Companies like P&G, J&J and Kelloggs

    Norman Birnbach
    2 May 2012 | 8:25 am
    This week, we've seen two consumer companies get called out for misleading consumers about the ingredients in their products.  Procter & Gamble was subject of calls to reformulate its Tide Free & Gentle (fragrance free) and Tide Original Scent because they included low levels of a 1,4 dioxane, a possible carcinogen. And Kashi was booted off the shelf of an organic food store because the owner found Kashi uses genetically engineered, non-organic ingredients. Normal 0 ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • The Atlantic Validates Our Prediction: Social Media May Make Us Lonelier

    Norman Birnbach
    1 May 2012 | 9:25 am
    In this year's edition of our annual predictions of top media stories, one of our prediction was: "We may be immersed in social media, but we’ll spend less time with actual people." Back in Jan., we wrote, "So many people use social media sites – from Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn, to and more -- that people have less time to spend with their friends and family. We’re not sure if this will get much media coverage..." Well The Atlantic Monthly has validated our... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Another New York Times Article about Cutting the Cable Cord

    Norman Birnbach
    30 Apr 2012 | 1:09 pm
    Another day, and another article about alternatives to accessing TV content that previously was available only via cable subscription. Here's the latest New York Times article that validates our prediction: "In Search of Apps for Television." It's worth checking out. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
 
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    March Communications

  • Besting the Booth Babe Trade Show Strategy

    Meredith L. Eaton
    16 May 2012 | 12:45 pm
    As you would expect from any major tech trade show, last week’s Interop event in Las Vegas generated quite a bit of buzz around new announcements, technology innovations and partnerships. But, one thing I didn’t expect to see so much coverage around was the continued use of “Booth Babes.” While booth babes are getting increasingly negative exposure, several of March’s clients who were in attendance at Interop this year found creative ways around this tactic – and to great effect! For those unfamiliar with the term, booth babes are essentially spokesmodels that companies hire to…

  • Welcome, Brian

    Cheryl Gale
    14 May 2012 | 9:01 am
    We’re also excited to welcome Brian DeMichele to the March PR team today! Brian joins us from Matter Communications, where he worked on a number of tech accounts. Prior to Matter, Brian was a member of the EMC sales team. It’s an exciting day here at March PR. Welcome to the team, Brian!  

  • Welcome, Brittany & Brooke

    Liz Swenton
    14 May 2012 | 7:00 am
    We’re excited to welcome Brittany Bosacker and Brooke Swilley to the March PR team as our summer interns! Brittany will be a senior this fall at Boston University and recently returned back to Boston after spending the semester in London, interning for Songkick. Brooke will be a senior this fall at Florida State University and is excited for her upcoming role as president of the FPRA Student Capital Chapter. Welcome to the team, ladies! We look forward to working with you.

  • Is Social Media Killing the News Industry?

    Meredith L. Eaton
    11 May 2012 | 10:26 am
    According to Gartner, worldwide social media revenue is forecast to reach $14.9 billion this year and practically double to reach $29.1 billion by the year 2015. With this level of growth, will print newspapers ultimately cease to exist? Will social media replace our most trusted and beloved news anchors like NBC’s Brian Williams or PBS’ Jim Lehrer? While certain research suggests this will soon be the case, there are also clear and unique advantages of traditional journalism and news outlets that social media cannot supersede. Schools.com has created an infographic that aims…

  • Addicted to Your Smartphone?

    Erica Frank
    8 May 2012 | 11:12 am
    You know the kind – always checking in on Foursquare, posting pictures to Instagram, updating Facebook statuses, making purchases with the click of a finger. You might be this person, but if you’re not, I know you’re friends with him or her. According to eMarketer, the “smartphone class” is a new class of consumers, with 100 million members (growing daily) who are redefining cultural norms in our country. Their (our??) constant connectedness allows them constant access to real-time information. They use their smartphone for work, entertainment and shopping. According to this…
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    Doug Haslam

  • Pan-Mass Challenge: Spring Training

    Doug Haslam
    11 May 2012 | 7:37 pm
    Now that we are well into spring, I am stepping up my training for this summer’s Pan-Mass Challenge. I’ll be riding my fifth PMC in August, and I keep coming back because it’s such a well-run event, and raises money (over $30 million a year) to fight and cure cancer at Boston’s Dana Farber Cancer Institute. This has become an ever more important event and cause for me, after my father and father-in-law both passed from cancer over the last year and a half, and many friends and their families are also suffering from dealing with cancer. Fundraising has gone well so far,…

  • “Manage Multiple Content Streams Like Monster.com” at PRSA Digital Impact

    Doug Haslam
    8 May 2012 | 7:52 am
    The original version of this piece appeared in Voce Nation, the blog by Voce Communications, a Porter Novelli Company At PRSA’s Digital Impact Conference at the beginning of April, our (Voce’s) Monster.com client, Kathy O’Reilly, and I were honored to be asked to speak about how we manage Monster’s social media publishing program. The session, titled “Manage Multiple Content Streams Like Monster.com,” addressed the many elements of planning and executing a complex social media program from both the company and agency sides. What follows are some of what I…

  • Reprehensible Ego-Tripping or Fun? Both!

    Doug Haslam
    4 May 2012 | 7:15 pm
    In Social Media Marketer-Land, we often make sport of the constant ego-building, attention-mongering activities that are all too prevalent. I do it, you do it (oh, I know you do don’t act all innocent), and it’s great that we call each other to account for being egomaniacal jerks. Sometimes, though, we’re just having fun. For example, on our recent vacation in Phoenix, we noticed that at Chase Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Diamondbacks, fans could get Tweets displayed on the big scoreboard in center field. All you had to do was include the #godbacks”…

  • “New” Rules of Content Marketing; Not So New

    Doug Haslam
    1 May 2012 | 8:17 am
    A version of this post originally appeared on the Voce Nation Blog In February, I attended Boston’s Social Media Breakfast 26: “The New Rules of Content Marketing.” Since much of what my colleagues and I at Voce Communications/Porter Novelli do  centers on content, I figured I would hear a lot of interesting things, and I was not disappointed. Among the potential social media bingo games (claim your prize if you had “Infographic,” “engagement” and a Marshall McLuhan quote on your card) was a useful discussion of what content means in this world of…

  • Pinterest and Instagram; The Scales Fall From My Eyes (Somewhat)

    Doug Haslam
    13 Apr 2012 | 6:03 pm
    in my cynical, skeptical way, I have spent the last several months heaping doubt and scorn on Pinterest and Instagram, mainly as a hedge against the people who seem too excited about either of these being the “next big thing.” I have, some of you will like to hear, since started truly enjoying these services. But I did have real doubts. Both are based on images, and don’t allow more complex expressions of text, video and audio. Neither is focused on housing things on your own site- they are really spokes in the hub-and-spoke world of social media content, aren’t they?
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    Brand Channeler

  • Creativity counts in the workplace

    9 May 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Cone Communications recently celebrated World Creativity and Innovation Week (WCIW), a global initiative started in 2002 to celebrate creativity, as well as encourage the expression of creativity through work, school or play. The kickoff on April 15, coincides with the birthday of Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the most recognized and talented artists, inventors and scientists of all time.Employees were encouraged to track their activities through WCIW for the chance to win raffle prizes.As part of Cones ongoing commitment to infusing creativity throughout our organization and client work, we…

  • Making national go local

    12 Apr 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Every PR professional has heard the dreaded reporter feedback at least once: This isnt local enough. Why does this matter to me or my readers? When dealing with a national product launch or campaign, the national media angle is often obvious, but its challenging to find the local hook that answers the why does this matter to me? question. However, if local and national media attention is important, there are ways to hyper-localize a campaign without sacrificing a larger story. One great example is our recent work with Cone client Yoplait, who tasked us with driving sales and awareness of…

  • With Google Consumer Surveys, look before you leap

    4 Apr 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Market research firms, take heed. In its continued efforts to infiltrate every facet of our lives both personal and professional Google has now made its way into the business of consumer insights with the launch of Google Consumer Surveys.  This new platform allows users to create short and simple online surveys, which Google posts on its publishers websites. Before a reader can gain access to a publishers content, he or she must agree to answer a quick survey, thus creating a surveywall blocking access to exclusive content. Perhaps more of a money-making venture for publishers than an…

  • Check your ego at the door

    27 Mar 2012 | 11:00 pm
    I was reminded recently of both the complexities and the power of a multi-agency meeting. Walking in, prepared with countless hours of creative ideation now distilled into 25 PowerPoint slides, I was on guard and feeling the pressure to make the PR discipline proud. I can only imagine my colleagues representing the other agency partners felt the same.  In recent years, weve seen changes to the role of PR with ad agencies onboarding PR experts to their teams, PR agencies crafting and executing digital campaigns and clients handing the campaign lead role to a PR agency instead of the…

  • We all need to be strategic

    20 Mar 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Its a refrain I hear frequentlyfrom colleagues, job candidates, friends in the industry: I want to get more involved in strategy. As if strategy is a distinct type of work, different from the work they do every day. But its really not. Is it?Shouldnt communications professionals be strategic with every recommendation we make, with every program we execute, whether its how to launch a product, employ social media, counsel a client on a sensitive issue or measure the success of a campaign? In fact, being strategic is an imperative, not something you need an invitation to do. At organizations…
 
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    Sherrilynne Starkie

  • Are professional communicators normal?

    sherrilynne
    13 May 2012 | 8:45 am
    This is a handy infographic that compares advertising, PR and marketing people against ‘normal’ people.  It looks at how we use social media mostly, but also at how we behave at office parties.  Are you normal? Hat tip: Adverblog Related posts: Wikipedia rules the waves Content marketing is king Women in social media Click here to start to receive my newsletter. PLEASE LIKE  MY FACEBOOK PAGE Related articles How to Display Social Media Buttons(socialmouths.com) Twitter more valuable than press release for law firm public relations?(kevin.lexblog.com) Email Is Alive and Well…

  • Third Tuesday Ottawa: social media in health care

    sherrilynne
    10 May 2012 | 7:17 pm
    The sold out Third Tuesday event this week in Ottawa saw the city’s social media crowd fill the room at Maxwells on Elgin Street to learn about social media and health care.  Presenter Ann Fuller, CHEO‘s public relations director and a health care social media pioneer,  didn’t disappoint; she offered an almost hour-long presentation so chock full of interesting facts, figures, case studies taking notes was pretty much impossible.  Thank goodness for the fast finger people in the crowd who live-tweeted the session; a selection of tweets is feature below.  In addition,…

  • The social customer

    sherrilynne
    5 May 2012 | 10:04 am
    The concept of social shopping is nothing new. People have loved shopping together since the dawn of mankind.  Most women will attest that shoe shopping by yourself is just no fun at all. Now thanks to social media, people can indulge in social shopping online and this trend is just in its infancy.  This infographic Gloople explains what online social shopping is and how it’s set to transform ecommerce. Related posts: The rise of social commerce Is social media better than sex? Did Chris Brogan sell out? Click here to start to receive my newsletter. VISIT MY FACEBOOK PAGE  …

  • Which social network would you quit?

    sherrilynne
    4 May 2012 | 1:16 pm
    If you had to quit one social network, which would it be?  This is my most-answered Facebook question ever posed with 57 people taking the time to register a vote. Unfortunately for Pinterest, the newest platform of all is the one that folks say they would quit first, with 22 people singling it out. Next comes the much-maligned Google+ with 14 people willing to leave it in the dust. Perhaps surprising, Facebook!  Six people would leave the most popular of social networks. Five would kick Twitter to the curb. Four would shirk LinkedIn. Three would leave Path, (I quit it myself several weeks…

  • Social media and health care reform

    sherrilynne
    2 May 2012 | 8:29 am
    In the era of health care reform, hospitals need to figure out how to do more and more, with less. Social media can play an important role in patient care, patient support, health research, education, training, advocacy, and more. Each month in Ottawa, people who are interested in social media gather for a Third Tuesday event, never mind that it rarely happens on a Tuesday, or in the third week of the month for that matter.  Third Tuesday is a must-attend fixture.  May’s  Third Tuesday takes place on Monday May 7 and Ann Fuller, public relations director at the Childrens’…
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    Gregarious

  • Hyperink wants to pull your blog off the web

    4 May 2012 | 10:49 am
    Today's topic on GThink: "Next-Generation Publishing Platform Hyperink Wants To Transform Blogs Into Books," covered by TechCrunch. HYPER BLOG: Publishing the web Abstract: Hyperink, a next-generation digital book publishing platform, is debuting a service which helps bloggers create short books from their existing content. The startup will help any aspiring author write, design, publish, market, and sell a book without any up-front fees. A staff editor curates a blogger’s posts, structures them into a narrative format, and creates a book in PDF, epub, and mobi formats. The book is then…

  • The reality of women's issues

    30 Apr 2012 | 11:18 am
    BABY ON THE WAY: Rancic has become a spokeswoman for women's issues Today's topic on GThink: "Giuliana Rancic: Baby On The Way Via Surrogate For E! Host, Husband," covered by The Huffington Post. Abstract: Giuliana Rancic, host of E! News and reality TV star, and her husband announced that they're having a baby via a gestational carrier on Monday. Rancic was diagnosed with breast cancer after undergoing two unsuccessful rounds of IVF in an attempt to get pregnant, and chose to have a double mastectomy after receiving the cancer diagnosis. The Rancics have chosen to live their lives…

  • On races run long ago and lessons learned at Penn

    24 Apr 2012 | 6:32 am
    RACES REMEMBERED: Penn Relays of the past come into view this week I don't often wander off the topic of public relations and communications on Gregarious. But hey, it's been a long winter, and here in Philadelphia it's a special week. Penn Relay week, a time when the track nation comes together to renew old acquaintances, lie about times long since run, and celebrate the magic of young muscles still supple and twitching with speed. In high school, I ran Penn every year, among seas of young kids, all anxious and eager, naive in our belief that our race held some greater meaning than that of…

  • On fake indignation and how the media fall prey

    23 Apr 2012 | 9:14 am
    Or how to funnel indignation for the good of a company, crisis, or cause BAITED: Media are hooked by Nugent and Rosen's political polo play The Secret Service needs to visit Ted Nugent, file charges, and lock him up for suggesting that a second term Obama Administration will either get him killed or put him in jail. Hilary Rosen has defamed every woman in America by saying that Ann Romney “never worked a day in her life” for choosing to be a stay-at-home mom. The season of indignation is upon us, and the media are once again falling prey to the feigned outrage and hyperbolic horse hockey…

  • JOBS Act leads the way for hedge fund managers to speak out on strategy and structure

    11 Apr 2012 | 4:45 pm
    Today's topic on GThink: "Sidebar Measure in JOBS Act Opens Door for Hedge Funds to Tell Their Story to the Masses," covered by Reuters. Abstract: On Thursday of last week, President Obama signed into law the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, a measure largely touted as a sign of support for small businesses and innovative companies. Tucked into the legislation is a change in the law governing how hedge funds can advertise and promote themselves. The Securities Act of 1933 made it impermissible for hedge funds to advertise, and now, nearly 80 years later, that barrier has been…
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    BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas

  • 2012 Counselors Academy Conference Keynote – Groovin’ to Your Own Beat: How to Build Your Business by Merging Your Personal and Professional Selves

    BurrellesLuce Insider
    15 May 2012 | 9:12 am
    Colleen Flood* The 2012 Counselors Academy kicked off on Sunday, May 6, 2012. The evening’s keynote session featured Jay Baer, president of Convince and Convert, and Gini Dietrich, CEO of Arment Dietrich. The duo asserted that “it’s difficult to tell a client they need to be using the Web if an agency principal doesn’t believe it themselves.” How to Build Your Personal Brand into Your Professional Brand During the session, Baer and Dietrich discussed “how revenue follows capabilities and capabilities follow beliefs” and presented agency leaders with best practices to “finally…

  • PRSA-NCC Members Told Social Media is ‘Where We Live Today’

    Guest Blogger
    11 May 2012 | 11:51 am
    This post first appeared on Capitol Communicator 5.11.12 and is cross-posted with permission.  Shown in the picture, (l to r) Chris Brooks, Julie A. Weckerlein, Cappy Surette, Jennifer Mitchell and Gloria Huang. The session was moderated by Debbie Friez, vice president, BurrellesLuce.) Five communicators made the case that social media is “where we live today” during a May 10 professional development session conducted by the Public Relations Society of America’s National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC). The session at the Navy Memorial, “Social Media Tips and Success Stories for PR…

  • The Changing Media Landscape: What It Means to Public Relations

    Tressa Robbins
    10 May 2012 | 10:35 am
    This post first appeared on CommPro.biz 5.9.12 and is cross-posted with permission. Recently, I spoke at two PRSSA regional conferences about how the evolution of digital and social media is changing the media landscape. In particular, the discussion revolved around how news is now immediate and information can get lost in the shuffle and, perhaps more importantly, how this all affects our role in PR. I wanted to share some of what we discussed with you.  According to The Pew Research Center and the Project for Excellence in Journalism (Pew PEJ), the Internet surpassed newspapers and radio…

  • Digital Marketing Insights from the Mid-Atlantic Marketing Summit

    Debbie Friez
    8 May 2012 | 8:41 am
    Social media is boring, so let’s find a way to influence the physical world, says Peter Corbett, CEO of iStrategyLabs, when highlighting his latest projects during the Mid-Atlantic Marketing Summit on April 20. The full-day event, sponsored by the Capitol Communicator and Potomac Tech Wire, was held at Gannett headquarters and included insights from marketing, communications, advertising and public relations experts. With many folks overwhelmed by the number of social media platforms available, one panel attempted to put the social networkings into perspective. Moderated by Geoff…

  • In PR and the Media: May 2, 2012

    BurrellesLuce
    2 May 2012 | 9:48 am
    A round-up of what’s trending in PR and the Media. 1. 66% Prefer Reading Print Newspapers to Online Version - Despite the continuing shift from print to online media over the past several years, most Americans still like to read the newspaper away from their computers. (Rasmussen Reports) 2. Epoch Homeless Newspaper Going Strong Despiste Founder’s Death - Epoch’s new publisher said he and his staff will keep working to ensure the city’s homeless have a viable means of earning money. (TBO.com) 3. Facebook Launches Organ-Donation Tool - “GMA” anchor Robin…
 
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    Communication Overtones

  • CoolTools: 4 Instagram Apps for Android and iPhone, too

    Kami Huyse
    3 May 2012 | 12:35 am
      Last month, Instagram, a photo sharing social network, finally added an Android app. A few days later, Facebook bought them for an incredible amount of money. Of course, I immediately went out to find some MORE apps to play with Instagram and do our jobs better, of course, Why have one app when you can get five?   Here are my favorites so far, along with some ideas about how to use each of them for business. What apps are you loving for Instagram, and do they work on Android yet?     Postagram     What if you could take a cool picture of that new person that…

  • Machines are Doing More for Us Than Ever: But When is it Too Much?

    Kami Huyse
    30 Apr 2012 | 6:40 am
        It is natural a to want to do more with less. Over the past few centuries we have relied more on machines to do a lot of our work for us. It was once thought that computers would help us do all of our work and we would sit by at our leisure and enjoy life. We are enterprising creatures, looking to get the most value out of the least amount of work.   It’s human nature.   As you know, that utopian world of non-working people and hard working machines hasn’t come to pass, but it won’t stop us from trying.   We Are Relying More on Systems   A couple of…

  • New Internet Dating Sites (PinPal, Girls Around Me, FaceMatch) Compromise Safety

    Kami Huyse
    2 Apr 2012 | 7:05 am
      Mashing up data from multiple social networks seem like a great idea, certainly for marketers and those of use in public relations. However, unintended consequences can crop up pretty quickly.   Please Rob Me was probably the first such application to cause widespread concern. Its aggregated check ins from Foursquare announced when a person just checked out of their house. The owners of the site were trying to make a point about over sharing.   More recently a crop of online dating and meetup “services” have been released that have given rise to concern about personal…

  • International Women’s Day: Doing Good Just Got Easier

    Kami Huyse
    6 Mar 2012 | 5:53 am
      You might be a little like me. You see the faces of starving children and your heart breaks a little. But you really have no idea how to make a difference beyond making a donation. Part of the way forward is awareness of the problem and how to solve it and recognition and encouragement of those women already on the front lines.   I am lucky that my day job allows me to work with organizations whose mission it is to make a difference. So I am always interested when I get a pitch from one that is using communication tools in a unique way, which is what I got from Oxfam America last…

  • Unraveling the Mystery of Edgerank on Facebook

    Kami Huyse
    29 Feb 2012 | 1:48 pm
      via Wildfire’s Edgerank and Your Brand   Just as PageRank was used by Google to help people find the most relevant search, Facebook developed Edgerank to surface the most interesting content.   Late last year, Facebook made a number of changes to Edgerank that made it more difficult to get in the newsfeeds of your fans. Brian Carter, author of the Like Economy, outlines a number of them here, including the now often-quoted finding that only 17% of your fans are likely to get your posts in their newsfeed. And earlier this year Buddy Media did a study that shows people spend…
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    abbymalikPR

  • 14 interview tips for print, TV and radio

    abbymalikpr
    27 Apr 2012 | 5:07 pm
    Whether you’re preparing for a big interview, or your client is, or you need to train someone on how to be interviewed by the media, here are some tips to help make it as good as possible. 1) Always speak clearly and simply. Don’t use science or technology (or whatever field you’re in) jargon. Pretend [...]

  • Is Facebook the “real world”? Part 1

    abbymalikpr
    14 Apr 2012 | 12:28 pm
    Normally when I blog about Facebook, it has to do with using Facebook for marketing, but this series is going to take a look at how we use Facebook in our personal lives. Earlier this week, I was listening to a webinar, and one of the featured speakers was the corporate social media manager at [...]

  • Let’s laugh at ridiculous Facebook posts

    abbymalikpr
    4 Apr 2012 | 3:37 pm
    After a friend sent me a Buzzfeed article on 13 Simple Steps To Get You Through the Day, I wandered around and found the very funny 25 Friend Requests You Should Never Accept. Which made me want to blog about this one person’s Facebook behavior. So this isn’t exactly a PR lesson, unless you want [...]

  • No Cards cover? Yikes, Sports Illustrated.

    abbymalikpr
    29 Mar 2012 | 2:29 pm
    Update: As of 9:50 am 3:45 pm Friday, March 30, SI’s Facebook page still hasn’t officially said anything about the covers. Others, though, have posted on their wall, expressing their discontent. Many Louisville fans have said they’re canceling their subscriptions. Where are you on this, SI? There’s even a someecards about this! The web is was [...]

  • So you want to change careers to PR? Some helpful resources

    abbymalikpr
    24 Mar 2012 | 2:03 pm
    Recently, a colleague asked if I would sit down with his daughter and talk to her about what I do: marketing, social media, public relations. She’s looking to change careers: this field intrigues her, and she has some entry-level experience. Of course I said yes! In addition to telling her about my background, my experience, [...]
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    Jennings & Associates Communications, Inc.

  • Rules of (Customer) Engagement

    Jessica Beattie
    20 Apr 2012 | 4:18 pm
    #1 If a business has a story to tell, public relations is the way to tell it. #2 If a business doesn’t have a story to tell—it does, or else it wouldn’t be in business—see #1. Every business has something to sell and every CEO wants traffic in the door. Educating reporters and consumers about your business’s product/technology/service is vital to customer adoption (sales). The more the press understands what you do and the context in which you do it, they will be more apt to mention the business in relevant (and repeated) articles. Of course, many executives don’t have the time…

  • Whatever you do. . . Push the Green Button!

    Kevin Manley
    30 Mar 2012 | 12:39 pm
    To meet a recent call to action from President Obama to develop a strategy to assist consumers in lowering their energy costs, several utilities across the country have been compiling customers’ energy usage data and organizing it into a uniform format as a part of the launch of the Green Button initiative.  The program aims to provide more than 15 million households the ability to track, monitor, and better understand their home energy usage in a straight forward, easy to understand layout.  On March 22nd, the White House issued a press release detailing the initiative, as well as…

  • Securing the Power Grid and Our Way of Life

    PJ Jennings
    16 Feb 2012 | 7:05 pm
    There have been many stories of late about securing the grid against cyber threats, terrorism and unplanned outages. However, for most folks, these stories go unnoticed overshadowed by the latest antics of Hollywood actors, politicians or YouTube videos. Granted talking about the electrical grid is not the most glitzy of subjects (I should know, I’ve been talking about power for 20+ years while my friends’ eyes glaze over), but we as a society should be very interested and concerned about our electrical lifeline to the world. A few months back, San Diego had an unexpected blackout in the…

  • Green Energy: Simply Ponderous

    PJ Jennings
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:08 pm
    In one of the LinkedIn Energy Forums I’m a member of (Linked:Energy http://linkedenergy.net/  – great forum by the way), a question was posed: “Will green energy ever become the primary energy source?” This elicited a lot of commentary (Over 280 posts including one from yours truly) and even more discussions about defining green energy. The commenters all had great points, insights and passion about various technologies and political and business influence. As I reflect on the lively discussion, it makes me think how far we’ve come in just a decade. While some of the renewable…

  • Like Kermit the Frog Said: It’s Not Easy Being Green

    Jessica Beattie
    3 Jan 2012 | 11:05 am
    For the past decade, environmental issues have crept into corporate-speak. Eco-friendliness has gone from being a differentiator to a must-have for consumer companies. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Are corporations engaging in sustainable behavior because it’s the right thing to do or because they are forced to by public opinion? It’s important to care about motives because the tides change. If a company has made a “green” decision mostly or solely based on import prices and fuel surcharges then what happens when those prices come down? In the Six Laws of Green Marketing,…
 
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    PR CONVERSATIONS

  • Contending for content – PR, journalism and marketing

    Heather Yaxley
    10 May 2012 | 2:19 pm
    Back in the 1970s, there was a vision of a paperless office; whilst the futurist, Alvin Toffler predicted increased technology was creating information overload. The reality is that we’re using more paper than ever – alongside an ever exploding volume of online content. I’m sure I could find data to illustrate the trend, but I’m overwhelmed with infographics, slideshare presentations, YouTube videos and a zillion other sources. There’s so much stuff out there (and increasingly filling up our email inboxes, social media feeds and so on) that we’re all…

  • Beyond Ground Zero: shifting the public relations discourse

    Judy Gombita
    3 May 2012 | 10:31 am
    Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. Photo by Enid Bloch Beyond Ground Zero: shifting the public relations discourse to an American Muslim identity and global alliance of moderates Toni Muzi Falconi’s conversation with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf on the value of public relations Recently I was granted the privilege of an extensive conversation with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf in New York, following up on our first direct encounter in Kuala Lumpur at the inaugural Muslim PR Congress. Just like my report on the Congress, I am happy to share this interview with readers of PR Conversations. Religion as a divisive,…

  • Transparent Swede filmmaker Fredrik-David vs. aggressive Dole-Goliath PR

    Judy Gombita
    25 Apr 2012 | 4:26 pm
    BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!* photo by Anna Sivertsson. Used with permission of WG Films. An exclusive interview with Swedish documentary filmmaker, Fredrik Gertten, about his 2009 BANANAS! film and his currently screening (at film festivals around the world) Big Boys Gone Bananas!* documentary. In particular, we talk about Dole’s aggressive corporate public relations and media campaign, which worked to prevent WG Film’s BANANAS! documentary from screening in the USA on multiple fronts (including Swedish media). “In 2009, Fredrik Gertten’s documentary, BANANAS!, chronicling a lawsuit…

  • Closing the door on the gatekeeper role in PR

    Heather Yaxley
    19 Apr 2012 | 10:04 am
    At a Sustainable Conversations event earlier this week (organised by Kantar Media), I started to think about the impact on both public relations and journalism of ongoing communications changes. In particular, it is clear neither occupation can maintain their traditionally exclusive roles as ‘gatekeepers’ in filtering and controlling the flow of information that is communicated to publics. With anyone and everyone potentially able to express an opinion and be listened to, many of the taken-for-granted aspects of the PR-media relationship are challenged, opening the gate with some…

  • Lies and Secrets: the currency of public relations

    Heather Yaxley
    6 Apr 2012 | 1:34 pm
    You don’t have to dig too far to find criticisms of public relations as involving lying and other less than ethical practices. The normal response from the industry is denial, citation of codes of conduct and finger pointing at isolated ‘others’. But is lying really an absolute ‘do or don’t do’ matter? In reality, doesn’t everyone tell lies to some extent on a regular basis? So as professional communicators, doesn’t that mean PR practitioners trade in a currency of lies? Let’s not lie about it.  Shouldn’t we examine the criticisms…
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    Public Relations Sydney

  • What you need to know about LinkedIn

    Catriona Pollard
    15 May 2012 | 2:29 am
    LinkedIn is a social media platform that has been specifically created for businesses and professionals. LinkedIn provides a great way to stay in touch with your business connections or create relationships with new people. When you join LinkedIn make sure you fill out every section of your profile so that people can identify you. Add a summary of where you are working now and your previous positions. You should also include a photo. Start making connections LinkedIn allows you to quickly add your contacts via Outlook. You can search for people you want to link with and LinkedIn suggests…

  • How to find ideas for your next blog

    Catriona Pollard
    9 May 2012 | 7:09 pm
    Are you struggling to think of ideas for your next blog post? Creating new and exciting content each week can be difficult and you may feel like you have run out of ideas. However, don’t give up because there are so many ideas out there for you to choose from. Business 2 Community has provided some great tips for how to find your next blog post. How to guides: You can write a how to guide, which is a set of instructions explaining the steps on how to do something. How to guides have a limitless number of possibilities from the simplest task to a challenging procedure. They are also a great…

  • Sharing your message – how to build a media list

    Catriona Pollard
    7 May 2012 | 11:12 pm
    You’ve written a media release announcing an exciting piece of news from your company (or client) and you’re now ready to send it. Securing coverage is vital to the success of the project, so you want to make sure you distribute the announcement to the right journalists. So how do you do that? By following these simple tips you can build a media list that will have your important announcement in the hands of those that matter. Identify the industry sectors that are relevant to your message Consider the makeup of a business and its clients. What organisations does it identify with? Who is…

  • Tips to grow your LinkedIn network

    Catriona Pollard
    3 May 2012 | 12:55 am
    LinkedIn is a great social media platform, which allows you to connect with other business professionals and people in your industry. To gain the best results from LinkedIn it’s important to grow your LinkedIn network by connecting with new people. Social Media Examiner has provided some great tips on how to build your LinkedIn network. Look for new connection opportunities: You should constantly be looking for new people on LinkedIn that you can connect with. Check the ‘people you may know’ section to see new people on LinkedIn that you might know. You can then send them an invitation…

  • What you need to know before joining social media

    Catriona Pollard
    30 Apr 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Before you dive into social media there are a few things to consider. There are hundreds of social media platforms; however many have different audiences and different ways they interact with their users. You need to choose the platforms that suit the needs of your business and represent your brand effectively. Here are a few questions you should consider before you join a social media platform. Where is your target audience? Before you join a social media platform stop and think about where your target audience is. What social media platforms are they using and which ones are they avoiding?
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    Digital Park

  • Why Vidal Sassoon could have cut it as a PR professional

    Michelle Zambrana
    10 May 2012 | 2:54 pm
    Style icon Vidal Sassoon wanted to change the world with a pair of scissors. From his humble beginnings as a shampoo boy to international success, his recent death at the age of 84 marked the end of a life propelled by innovation. It may not be as simple as lather, rinse, repeat, but the key learnings that PR pros can take away from Vidal Sassoon’s many successes are timeless. Lesson 1: Set realistic goals When Vidal Sassoon opened his first salon in 1954, he said, “I gave myself five years. If I couldn’t change anything, I was out of there.” This gave him a direction…

  • Does Facebook Want Your Medical Records?

    Jeremy Lettiere
    1 May 2012 | 2:15 pm
    Today on Good Morning America, Facebook CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg announced that the social network will now offer a Health and Wellness section on profiles, where users can learn how to register to become an organ donor and post their organ donor status. Facebook’s intention for this new tool is to raise awareness about the critical importance of organ donation, stating that “many [patients] – an average of 18 people per day – will die waiting, because there simply aren’t enough organ donors to meet the need.” The new Health and Wellness option in the Life Events section of…

  • YouTube turns seven and shows no signs of stopping

    Rafael Sangiovanni
    23 Apr 2012 | 12:45 pm
    Back in 2006, TIME Magazine semi-controversially declared that the Person of the Year was “You.” The magazine even featured a reflective pane that let you literally see yourself on the cover of TIME. It was (and still is) emblematic of this day and age, a celebration of Web 2.0 where millions of people contribute content to the Internet every day via all kinds of channels. But it’s no accident that the TIME editors chose a computer screen with a YouTube player on it for the cover. As of today, people and brands alike have been using YouTube for seven years. In this span of…

  • Huffington Post Pulitzer sets a new standard for online media

    Michelle Zambrana
    18 Apr 2012 | 4:04 pm
    The Internet: a source for memes, cat videos and trends on Tumblr that make any workday fly by faster. Now: a credible source for Pulitzer Prize winning content thanks to Huffington Post and Politico. Since Politico has a print component, let’s focus on Huffington Post, an online-only news and blog site, and what their award win earlier this week signifies. Huffington Post winning a Pulitzer Prize may be a surprise to the more traditional print media, but to the abundance of readers that access the site daily, it makes perfect sense. In a time when traditional print media is battling…

  • How to adapt to stay ahead of the changing media landscape

    Julia Wakefield
    18 Apr 2012 | 9:25 am
    It’s no secret that media today is evolving faster than ever before. As the channels through which people consume and disseminate information increasingly move towards the digital, traditional print and broadcast media are scrambling to keep up – fighting for their lives as they try to boost their bottom line through their online content. This holds a number of implications for public relations professionals. The 2012 State of the Media Report, recently released by Vocus, provides some surprising insights on how the media landscape has changed over the past year. Here are a few of the…
 
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    Communication Studies

  • 5 Things Howard Stern Can Teach You About Communicating

    chase
    16 May 2012 | 10:41 am
    With the selection of Howard Stern as a new panel member on America’s Got Talent, it made me realize that behind all his controversy, he’s doing something right. As a radio personality, talk show host, and prominent media figure, Howard Stern knows a few things about the world of communication. It makes sense considering he graduated magna cum laude with a communications degree from Boston University. Look past the many double d’s and hysterical parents circling Mr. Stern and you will find communication lessons we should all take into consideration. Here are the five things Howard Stern…

  • Sexting: Is it Getting You Into Trouble? [Infographic]

    chase
    14 May 2012 | 11:00 am
    A survey from mobile phone news website Recombu shows that sexting is popular but sometimes complicated. People often mistakenly send sexts to the wrong people, or in some cases, the wrong partner. Sexting, sending sexually themed pictures or messages by cell phone, is popular with both men and women according to the survey of 2,000 adults. 48 percent of women and 45 percent of men admit that they have sexted, while a quarter of all men and 16 percent of women have accidentally sent a text to the wrong partner. The survey also showed that about 10 percent of both men and women have given…

  • Facebook Addiction Symptoms are Found by New Study

    chase
    9 May 2012 | 11:06 am
    A new study gives potentially important information about social media use and why addiction to websites like Facebook is on the rise worldwide. According to Dr. Cecilie Schou Andreassen of the University of Bergen in Norway, social media addiction is a distinct type of Internet addiction that has grown significantly over the past several years. Andreassen’s research provides a first-ever look at the demographics of the average addicted Facebook user. According to Andreassen, Facebook addiction is much more common with younger users and women, both of whom respond to the social…

  • Venus, the Goddess of Beauty, Gets Photoshopped

    chase
    8 May 2012 | 10:44 am
    In Greek mythology, Venus is known as the goddess of beauty. She has been portrayed over the years in endless paintings by world renowned masters like Botticelli and Bouguereau. But how would Venus fair in today’s photoshopped society? Would she still be considered beautiful? Would Botticelli have decided to paint the same woman? Anna Utopia Giordano is an Italian artist who took a look into this topic. In her series entitled, “Why Goddessess are so Beautiful: Love and Beauty in Atiquity,” she photoshops some of history’s most famous paintings of Venus. We had the…

  • Dove’s New Facebook App Turns Advertising on its Head for Women

    chase
    27 Apr 2012 | 4:31 pm
    Need to enlarge your bust or get rid of that muffin top? Not according to Dove’s latest ad campaign, which seeks to replace ads for diets and cellulite creams on Facebook with messages that promote a positive self-image. To do this, Dove created an app called the Ad Makeover. It allows Facebook users to select one of eight esteem-boosting messages to replace negative ads that target women’s insecurities. Instead of the latest wrinkle cream, users will see slogans such as “Every body is beautiful” and “Joy is the best makeup” in Facebook’s sponsored ad space. The Dove…
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    Wired Flare

  • The Road to Innovation – Inspired by a Dragon

    Wired Flare
    12 May 2012 | 7:08 pm
    A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to “Dine with a Dragon” as part of Halifax’s annual Entrepreneurship Expo. The keynote speaker was Robert Herjavec, famous for his roles on The Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank, and his words left audience members (at least this one) with much to consider. Robert addressed the topic [...]

  • What Constitutes Spam on Social Media

    Wired Flare
    4 May 2012 | 8:05 am
    While most business people are familiar with the do’s and don’ts of sending electronic mail, many are still very confused about what constitutes SPAM in social media. Are there really SPAMMERS in social media? Absolutely! However, many social media spammers just don’t know the difference and are spamming without knowing it. Here are some of [...]

  • Re-inventing Your Business “Profile” on Facebook

    Wired Flare
    26 Apr 2012 | 7:56 am
    Surprisingly many businesses still have Profiles with their business names. As a Profile, your business connects with “friends” as if it were a person (which, of course, it is not). This is in violation of Facebook policy and reflects poorly on your brand. According to Facebook, “If you don’t convert your noncompliant account to a [...]

  • Your Community Online: Volume 1

    Wired Flare
    20 Apr 2012 | 7:47 am
    Originally Published in Local Connections Halifax, Spring 2012. Spring is here, and the world is literally transforming into newness right in front of our eyes. As I sit at my computer, appreciating the magic outside my windows, I pause and smile because it hits me – Social Media exists in a state of perpetual Spring. [...]

  • Plugging in for Financial Success: Social Media and Mobile Resources for Tax Season and Year-Round Financial Management

    Wired Flare
    10 Apr 2012 | 7:39 am
    Originally Published in Mingle Magazine, April 2012. With tax deadlines just around the corner, many small business owners are finalizing year-end statements and getting their finances in order. How in the world, one might ask, does Social Media fit into the picture? In more ways than you might think! There are many helpful social media [...]
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    The PR Coach

  • Research Bafflegab: How PR Creates Junk Science

    PR Coach
    15 May 2012 | 11:07 pm
    Is PR creating junk science in the news? Sometimes I wonder about the usefulness of PR people. These often-glib practitioners of public relations occasionally dabble in the research labs and scientific journals around the world to create junk science. Say what? Robert McHenry’s wonderful post Science vs PR in The American says it best: ” One of the major reasons that science is held in low repute among portions of the citizenry is that it has too often allowed itself to become entangled with public relations. The PR connection has nothing to do with peer review, that essential…

  • The PR Puzzle: Will They Ever Trust Us?

    PR Coach
    30 Apr 2012 | 7:15 am
    Why has trust in media dropped so much? According to Gallup, public trust in mass media dropped from 70% during the 1970′s Watergate era to 44% today. Jay Rosen recently wrote a must-read post about this drop in confidence in the press. He poses some difficult questions and tries to answer why this trust has fallen so far. He asks how this is possible: “So the puzzle is: how do these things fit together?  More of a profession, more educated people going into journalism, a more desirable career, greater cultural standing (although never great pay) bigger staffs, more people to do…

  • 15 Primo PR Job Boards & Resources

    PR Coach
    26 Apr 2012 | 7:15 am
    PR job hunting is competitive I was just drafting my own best PR Job Boards post when I got scooped by Amanda DiSilvestro over at the terrific PR Breakfast Club blog. You can see her Top 10 PR job boards list, a useful resource for PR jobs. It’s tough keeping up with smart new public relations grads isn’t it? So, I’ve revised my approach to… drum roll please… an analysis of monster job boards and 15 [More] Primo PR Job Boards & Resources. Most Monster Job Boards Not Worth Your Time If you’re a PR job hunter, I’ll save you a lot of time. Most…

  • Activists’ Phony PR Campaign Hits Bank of America

    PR Coach
    23 Apr 2012 | 7:15 am
    Yes Men activists launch sophisticated PR campaign parody against B of A Activists launched a creative, ironic and sophisticated but phony “Your Bank of America” PR campaign against the North Carolina-headquartered financial institution yesterday. This comes just a week after my recent post Perils of Online Crisis Public Relations. Andy Bichlbaum worked with The Yes Men and stepped forward to take credit for the high-profile public relations campaign. The Yes Lab later posted a video with Bichlbaum explaining the campaign. The initiative has support from Rainforest Action Network,…

  • Perils of Online Crisis Public Relations

    PR Coach
    10 Apr 2012 | 11:13 pm
    Another day, another trial by Twitter. This time for South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley when a blogger falsely reported she was under investigation by the IRS for tax fraud. The New York Times traced how the unsubstantiated rumor, posted on March 29th by 25-year old blogger Logan Smith, caught fire on Twitter. Smith who blogs at the Palmetto Public Record, failed to verify facts with the Governor and the IRS. In minutes, other mainstream and political media and bloggers repeated and retweeted the allegations, again without verification. Another black eye for journalists and bloggers racing…
 
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    Doktor Spinn

  • Whispr Hamptons Kickoff 2012

    Jerry Silfwer
    14 May 2012 | 2:40 pm
    This is truly a fine group of people to be a part of. Total world domination awaits for our data-driven approach to social media marketing as well as for our clients that allows us to to play a role in their success. Big up also to The Maidstone for such a lovely stay in beautiful surroundings! top: Joakim Leijon, Daniel Chow, Caroline Watson, Carl Anchér front: Daniel Ryan, Sofia Sunnerlöf, Raj Singh, Angela Berger, Linda Harleman, Cronja Hultin, Caroline Hirsch, Jessica Giantonio, Jerry Silfwer If you liked this post, you should also check out my Facebook Page!

  • Berghs Grad Show 2012: Great Minds Don’t Think Alike

    Jerry Silfwer
    12 May 2012 | 8:42 am
    I’ve been given lectures on digital strategy and internal communications at Berghs School of Communications in Stockholm for the last couple of years, and the school keeps building its reputation. Now it’s time for their annual grad show and my gosh how I like their promo video, Great Minds Don’t Think Alike. If you can’t see the video, click here. I love it. Messaging that forces you think. Imagery that slaps you in the face. And reasoning that actually means something. I don’t think any other communications education can match Berghs right now. They don’t…

  • Free 2012 Social Media Marketing Industry Report

    Jerry Silfwer
    1 May 2012 | 7:24 am
    Courtesy of the excellent blog Social Media Examiner, download the report here by simply signing up to their newsletter. It contains tons of useful industry statistics. If you liked this post, you should also check out my Facebook Page!

  • When Do You Get To Call Yourself A Writer?

    Jerry Silfwer
    28 Apr 2012 | 6:08 pm
    Source: allthingsstylish.tumblr.com via Blair on Pinterest I enjoy writing in English; it’s such an expressive and versatile language and I make sure to find ways to practice and improve every day. But as much as I enjoy the whole process of writing, I would never ever call myself a writer. When it comes to writing in Swedish on the other hand, I can easily get away with murder; I know the rules well enough to break them and I have this delightful sense of knowing what I’m doing. But first and foremost—I know what it took to get me there. This is why I’ve got this major…

  • Communicare 2012 Public Relations Conference In Sweden

    Jerry Silfwer
    25 Apr 2012 | 2:09 pm
    Each year, Mid Sweden University arranges Communicare, a dedicated PR conference arranged by both the faculty and the PR students in my hometown of Sundsvall. For more on the 2012 edition of the conference, please visit http://www.communicaresundsvall.se and sign up to participate on May 24-25, 2012. This version in English of the campaign video was created exclusively by the Communicare PR students for Doktor Spinn, enjoy. P.S. A small note to this year’s Mid-Sweden PR students. Time to show what you’re made off, ok? Let’s see how many shares and tweets you can create for…
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    Cisionblog

  • Leading Parents: Most Influential Mamas

    Lisa Larranaga
    12 May 2012 | 11:57 pm
    Photo courtesy of Leslie Duss via Flickr Over here at CisionBlog, we decided to keep Mother’s Day going and honor all the diaper-changing, hug-giving, relaxation-deserving editors, writers, and bloggers who moonlight as mamas. Using the same methodology as our customizable Influencer Report Briefing Books, we have compiled a list of some of the most influential women who cover parenting topics. Barbara Turvett, Working Mother, @barbaraturvett Michelle Horton,  Babble.com & early mama,  @earlymama Katherine Stone, Postpartum Progress, @postpartumprogr Glennon Melton, Momastery,…

  • PR News Roundup 5/11/12: 5 PR Blog posts You May Have Missed

    Yvette Pistorio
    11 May 2012 | 9:16 am
    Photo courtesy of Stock.xchg It’s time for my weekly round-up of the best blog posts I have seen around the web this past week! Here’s the top five in no particular order… The Most Overrated Social Media Metric via Convince & Convert “Do you sell advertising on your website? No? Then why are you so excited about your website traffic? The most overrated social media metric is traffic from social outposts. This blog post is symptomatic of this problem, although there have been hundreds (thousands?) like it. Here’s the highlight: With only 1% of Facebook’s user count, Pinterest…

  • Q & A with Mom Blogger Jessica Gottlieb

    Guest Author
    10 May 2012 | 9:18 am
    This is a guest post by Gina Goodman, social media coordinator at Cision Navigator. After grabbing the number one spot on CisionNavigator’s Top 10 U.S. Mom Bloggers on Twitter  list, we thought we’d catch up with Jessica Gottlieb to find out what she looks for in pitching, what she’d like PR professionals to stop doing and how she utilizes social media. As a mom blogger at her self-titled site, Gottlieb covers parenting and motherhood, the Los Angeles area, fashion, technology, and lifestyle. 1.       What are some specific pitches you like to see in your inbox? I love seeing…

  • PR & Marketing Wins, Moves & Other News

    Lisa Larranaga
    9 May 2012 | 12:10 pm
    Photo courtesy of hectorir via Flickr Here is our bi-weekly roundup of new talent, account wins and other PR and marketing industry news. Read below to find out about your competitors and friends, and be sure to share comments and discussion points! Waggener Edstrom Worldwide has announced new additions to its Asia Pacific regional management team. Matthew Lackie is taking on the newly created role of deputy lead and senior vice president, Asia Pacific. He previously was the senior vice president of South Asia. Along with him, Sarah Jackson joined the staff as regional HR director to…

  • Moms Shout Out Loud

    Guest Author
    7 May 2012 | 1:55 pm
    This is a guest post from Emily Zimmerman, Internet Media Researcher at Cision.  Photo courtesy of Dawn Huczek via Flickr With Mother’s Day less than a week away, dads and children are seeking the best Mother’s Day gifts while mothers are shouting ideal brunch location suggestions and preference of calla lilies over daisies in addition to anticipating a day of pampering and relaxation. Mothers who blog are also preparing for a day of fun but also have the obligation of posting for Mother’s Day. Some bloggers tend to stick with the same type of post each year concerning their own…
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    Paratus Communications

  • A new relationship begins…

    Paratus
    2 May 2012 | 6:39 am
    A note from Dominic Shales and John Rivett, co-founders, Paratus Communications When we set up Paratus in November 2003, we set out to create a different type of agency, based on a hybrid model of permanent staff and specialist independent consultants. We’ve had the pleasure of working with fantastic people and clients during that time [...]

  • Platform Five – Social media listening tools for schools and teachers

    Adam
    20 Apr 2012 | 5:10 pm
    This weekend, Paratus is taking part in the Cyberbullying seminar at the  TES Resources North event in Manchester. Our section of the seminar will be focusing on the basic listening tools teachers and child carers can use to better monitor online interactions between students. In this special edition of platform five, we’re going to take [...]

  • Platform Five – This week’s most useful new social media tools and web apps

    Paratus
    12 Apr 2012 | 6:17 pm
    It’s been almost a month since we last served up Platform Five – our (usually) weekly wrap up of the newest social media tools and web apps that have been generating buzz around the web. To make up for the radio silence, we’re going to unveil some of the best places on the web to [...]

  • Platform Five – This week’s hottest new social media tools and web apps

    Paratus
    9 Mar 2012 | 6:55 am
    It’s time for Platform Five! You know the score, let’s unwrap this week’s goodies… 1. Increase your YouTube subscriber numbers in a ‘legal’ and transparent way with SubPals.com - Here’s a novel idea! Anyone with a YouTube channel knows how tough it can be to add new subscribers, even if you have the most compelling content on [...]

  • Google+ for businesses and brands in Bristol and Birmingham!

    Paratus
    5 Mar 2012 | 2:40 am
    Towards the end of last year, Paratus sponsored and participated in the UK’s first ever Google+ conference, hosted by Communicate Magazine. The event was so successful, that it is being taken on a tour of the UK during March 2012. The tour dates are as follows: Bristol (05/03/12) Birmingham (07/03/12) Manchester (08/03/12) London (14/03/12) If [...]
 
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    The Fosbury Flop

  • Morrissey & Company Intern Emily Wienberg featured on Ragan’s PR Daily

    admin
    24 Apr 2012 | 8:33 am
    For those that missed it, you can read our intern Emily Wienberg’s Ragan’s PR Daily blog on “Top 5 tips for PR interns—from an intern” here. An excerpt: “Eat lunch with your co-workers.  It’s so simple, but many interns may not realize how important it is to connect with co-workers on a casual level. Taking a half-hour break during the day is necessary, so why not spend it with people who can offer advice and share stories about the industry you’re interested in?” Tweet us your advice for interns!

  • Facebook + Moderation = Happiness

    Jim Barbagallo
    20 Apr 2012 | 11:11 am
    If you work in public relations, you have little choice but to be on Facebook.  If you’re not, you’ll be conspicuous by your absence.  After all, social media is likely an increasingly important element in your company or clients’ communications strategy — or perhaps the most important element — and you have to be walking the talk. As PR and marketing pros, we have to understand Facebook’s role in any integrated communications campaign; we need to keep up with all of the platform updates from the ever-so-ambitious Facebook team; and, of course, we need to…

  • Leveraging Sustainability through Communications

    meganmpage
    6 Apr 2012 | 1:03 pm
    I was traveling this week and noticed a new bus at Boston’s Logan airport branded with Enterprise, National, and a few other car rental companies touting the slogan “Working together for the environment.” I also noticed the big yellow Hertz bus, conspicuously independent and, one had to think, seeming like a blight to the environment, as Hertz ‘s one bus gave off emissions equal to that of the bus operating on behalf of a number of companies. The buses were a good reminder that every interaction is an opportunity for an organization to communicate what it stands for. The bus branded…

  • Part II: MassChallenge’s Founder Advises Start-Ups to Focus Their Public Relations Efforts (video)

    aimeecharest
    5 Apr 2012 | 9:50 am
    Recently, Akhil Nigam, founder of MassChallenge (MC), spoke with Morrissey & Company about how public relations (and an understanding of public relations) benefits early stage companies. In the first of two videos, Akhil discussed MassChallenge’s public relations efforts, including its TV channel, as well as why MC added PR support to its portfolio of entrepreneurial services. One piece of advice he offered entrepreneurs was to focus on the customer as “hero” in public relations campaigns, versus the entrepreneurs themselves.* “Although, yes, MassChallenge is interesting, I really…

  • MassChallenge’s Founder Advises Start-Ups to Focus Their Public Relations Efforts (video)

    aimeecharest
    3 Apr 2012 | 8:50 am
    MassChallenge's 2012 Launch Notes - displayed proudly on its walls (credit given to Collective Next and IdeaPaint). Photo via www.facebook.com/masschallenge Akhil Nigam, founder of MassChallenge (MC), the largest-ever startup accelerator and competition, has a lot to say about how public relations plays into the success of  early stage companies (view related press release here).  MassChallenge is the first program of its kind to support entrepreneurs with no strings attached.  As part of its 3-month accelerator program, MC competition winners enjoy free public relations and legal…
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    Council of Public Relations Firms

  • Data Storytelling: The Art and Science of Social Media Metrics

    Crystalyn Stuart
    16 May 2012 | 9:30 am
    Understanding how your social campaign is performing requires a fine mix of data and interpretation, as many marketers know. But it’s not always as simple as that. A lot of brands are left asking, “What does all of this data mean to my social channels?” Social media firm 5Loom, which is owned by Council member IMRE, created a new concept to turn a pile of analytics into contextual opportunities for brands. To find out more, the Firm Voice dug a little deeper in a Q&A with Crystalyn Stuart, president of 5Loom powered by IMRE, about data storytelling and how it can help brands tell…

  • Spotlighting Diversity—Two Award-Winning Agency Programs

    Kathy Cripps
    10 May 2012 | 8:06 am
    On April 26th, the Council in association with PRWeek announced the opening of the second annual Diversity Distinction in PR Awards.  These awards honor excellence in promoting ethnic diversity and inclusion within public relations, and are intended to encourage professionals of diverse backgrounds to seek opportunities at firms and the PR industry more broadly. Last year’s competition generated many impressive entries, demonstrating our industry’s strong and ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. The two agency winners, APCO and Porter Novelli, were so strong that we thought we…

  • The Day-by-Day Revolution: Insights from The Council’s Program on Measuring and Monetizing Social Media

    Michael Lasky
    2 May 2012 | 8:10 am
    Think you’ve heard it all about social media? Last week, The Social Media Society and The Council of Public Relations Firms presented a program entitled, “Igniting Opportunities: Measuring and Monetizing Social Media,” hosted by my law firm, Davis & Gilbert. This eye-opening program revealed that the pace of change continues to accelerate, and that more than ever, brands and their marketing communications firms risk falling radically behind just by pursuing business as usual. In this blog posting, I evoke some of the key points and memorable moments. First and foremost, the…

  • Developing An Outside Game—Engineering Tomorrow’s Virtual Workforce

    Matt Shaw
    25 Apr 2012 | 11:09 am
    This past February, the UK telecommunications company O2 asked almost 3,000 employees at one of its offices to work from home for the day. The results raise eyebrows: Employees saved almost $15,000 in commuting costs, got 1,000 extra hours of sleep, were more productive (36% of them claimed as much), and spent more quality time with family members (according to 14% of them). Nontraditional working arrangements are also catching fire on this side of the Atlantic. Forrester reports that 34 million Americans telecommute at least sometimes, a number that should reach 63 million, or 43% of the…

  • The X Factor—Reflections on Female Entrepreneurship in Public Relations

    Kathy Cripps
    18 Apr 2012 | 10:25 am
    Women and women’s issues have claimed a prominent position in the Presidential campaign in recent months, and that should only become more pronounced as November nears. But what about women in business? It’s no secret that public relations offers unusually exciting opportunities for talented women to establish careers and build companies of their own. At present, women own or run a full third of our member firms. At a glance, that might not seem exceptional; according to the Center for Women’s Business Research, women own 40% of all privately held businesses in the US, and that number…
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    Smoking Gun PR

  • Wednesday Infographic: Inception Explained

    Ben
    16 May 2012 | 8:20 am
    This week’s infographic is a little different from normal as Inception Explained is a web based infographic designed by Matt Dempsey that aims to explain the plot of the 2010 film Inception. We’ve included some screen grabs of the infographic below but to fully enjoy it, click on the above hyperlink.

  • The Blagger’s Blog 11th May 2012

    Martin
    11 May 2012 | 2:40 am
    A weekly roundup of talking points, sans effort Worth the paper it’s printed on? Last week’s light news success stories included… …Britain’s Got Talent, which is approaching the end of its current series- the crux of 96 articles, in contrast David Cameron being called to the House of Commons to defend Jeremy Hunt only made it into 45… …Tulisa being named FHM’s Sexiest Woman In The World, with 86 stories reporting, whilst clashes in Cairo killed eleven, wounding 160 more, and just 26 headlines appeared… …Avengers Assemble, AKA The Avengers, Marvel’s latest…

  • A return to Cosgrove Hall?

    Martin
    10 May 2012 | 7:49 am
    Well, not likely. In 2009 Manchester’s most famous animation studios closed its doors for the last time, and then two years later Mark Hall, the co-founder and creator of its most famous export- Danger Mouse- died aged 74. But don’t worry though, it’s not all old, bad news, because for the last few weeks there has been widespread talk about Cosgrove Hall Fitzpatrick Entertainment (the company run by Hall’s son, Simon) looking for new office space in Manchester, and £2.3million of external investment, in order to fully re-launch after the firm was resurrected last…

  • Infographic: The Social Media Premier League

    Ben
    9 May 2012 | 7:43 am
    With the Premiership title race set to be decided this weekend it seems only fitting that today’s infographic combines football with online networking. Digital marketing boffins at Freestyle Interactive have decided to look at the web based activity of each team, and rank them all appropriately, highlighting the most prolific and least active web players, the most talked about squads and fastest growing groups of followers- interesting stuff.

  • The Blagger’s Blog 4th May 2012

    Martin
    4 May 2012 | 2:41 am
    A weekly roundup of talking points, sans effort Worth the paper it’s printed on? Last week’s light news success stories included… …Kim Kardashian’s evening with President Obama, a meeting of minds that found a way into 39 articles, whilst hostilities in Sudan escalated and the country drew closer to war, resulting in 26 reports… …Katie Price’s third marriage, which 32 stories focused on, whereas the £475million pre-tax loss for Barclays in the first three months of 2012 only made it into 21… …and finally, Gary Neville enjoying commentating on the Chelsea v…
 
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    Finn Partners - Inspired

  • The 101 on Embargos vs. Exclusives

    Jeff Seedman
    15 May 2012 | 11:35 am
    I’m Jeff Seedman, an associate partner in the San Francisco office, writing today on a topic that is sure to incite debate. The pressure on journalists to break news first is at an all-time high in today’s fast-paced world of online media. As such, we receive quite a few questions from clients regarding how best to implement and manage embargo and exclusive outreach strategies. It’s a worthy debate – one that the managers at Finn Partners often discuss. First, it’s important to understand the differences between the two approaches. Exclusives represent an age-old strategy in which…

  • Social Media Week in Review

    emily shirden
    11 May 2012 | 3:48 pm
    Zuckerberg in his go-to hoodie. (Photo courtesy of fashionindie.com) As the world counts down to the Facebook IPO, what’s hot in social media this week besides Mark Zuckerburg’s hoodie? A Little Help from My Friends – That’s right – search is getting even more social. Microsoft Bing announced this week that Bing will help you search with the help of your Facebook friends.  According to InformationWeek, this move competes with Google’s Search Plus Your World search integration. Saturday Morning Cartoons Pins – When should you pin, and when to wait?  If you’re pinning…

  • Celebrating at the Sabre Awards

    rose maciejewski
    9 May 2012 | 1:35 pm
    The PR stars were out in force at the annual Sabre Awards, held at Cipriani 42nd Street last evening. Paul Holmes and his team did a great job keeping the program moving (who knew Snoop Dogg made great awards dinner music?). For the team from Finn Partners that joined in the revelry, our highlight was certainly seeing Peter and Richard accept the award for Best New Agency of the Year. Congratulations to all the award winners and finalists. Our video spotlight. Table 30 celebrates the win. Amy Terpeluk, Helen Ames and Mark Singer await the next course. David Hahn, Gail Moaney and Michelle Horn…

  • HR in PR: The Finn Partners Way

    Allison Manus
    7 May 2012 | 11:07 am
    Finn Partners Human Resources Director Allison Manus Finn Partners values and supports risk-taking and loyalty.  I’ve never been one to follow the rules, and I never want to look back on my career saying, “I wish I had done this” or “I should have been that.”  That’s not a problem we have here. But retaining talent and developing careers needs to start with the people themselves and our managers.  From the day our junior associates step in the door, they are given responsibilities that will challenge them. Finn Partners celebrates individuality and collaboration.  Whether your…

  • Social Media Week in Review

    Emily Gilbert
    4 May 2012 | 11:51 am
    Facebook is facing the largest IPO in Internet history. (Photo courtesy of newsjunkiepost.com) It’s no secret. This week, Facebook takes the cake, as details of its upcoming IPO steal headlines. However, there was more that happened in the social world…Facebook just overshadows it by…a lot. Take a look at the below and get up to speed! TWITTER Personal Customer Service According to a new report from American Express, consumers who have resolved a customer service issue via social media at least once in the last year are willing to buy “significantly more” from a company than those…
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    Imelda Dulcich Public Relations

  • Reputation: You’re Always “On” If You Are Online.

    Imelda Dulcich
    11 May 2012 | 5:02 pm
    A reputation for a thousand years may depend upon the conduct of a single moment. – Ernest Bramah A fellow social media friend recently posted some pictures online. They were taken down almost immediately – but not before at least one peer saw them. Were they inappropriate? Not for me to judge. But they certainly seemed out of sync with the profile and reputation that person has built and works hard to project. To paraphrase my friend Arden Clise: you can’t put toothpaste back in the tube once you’ve squeezed it out. If you put something online it can never really be…

  • My Extraordinary Life. Social Media.

    Imelda Dulcich
    8 May 2012 | 2:50 pm
    Sometimes the most ordinary thing can be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people. Every week I meet at least two of my social media friends in real life. Sometimes it’s a one-on-one for coffee – sometimes a larger group meets for a Tweetup or lunch. It makes for a warmer world – online and off. The benefit? Business connections, mentoring, shared networking and meeting some clever, creative and thoughtful people in your community. My favorite part is introducing people to each other. Some of the introductions or connections I’ve made have…

  • Integrity. “You is Smart. You is Kind. You is Important.”

    Imelda Dulcich
    7 May 2012 | 12:26 pm
      “Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters” ― Albert Einstein Integrity – a character trait that you don’t want to damage.  Being honest is a part of  integrity.  What may seem a “white lie” to you may represent a flaw in character to others. Misrepresenting yourself or an event can come back to bite you. Ultimately, you can harm your reputation, and your choices may affect whether business associates deem you trustworthy. Some examples: If you don’t know how to do a specific job or…

  • Northwest Hope & Healing Fashion Show. Style 12 Seattle

    Imelda Dulcich
    4 May 2012 | 12:18 pm
    I saw an old friend today.  I’d lost touch with her since she moved out of our neighborhood.  I found her.  On the runway with 30 other beautiful breast cancer survivors. I hadn’t known. But wow, she rocked it on the catwalk! I felt good knowing that she was a part of such a wonderful event and support system. All of the breast cancer survivors took to the runway on May 3rd for Northwest Hope and Healing’s Style ’12 Fashion Show Benefit – their 10th annual show. The beauty wasn’t in the outfits.  It was on the faces and bodies of the models. I had…

  • Evening Magazine’s winner (3rd year in a row!) The Old Hen Bed and Breakfast

    Imelda Dulcich
    4 May 2012 | 5:00 am
    Imelda Dulcich Public Relations. The Old Hen Bed and Breakfast. The Doors that Welcome Guests to The Old Hen Bed & Breakfast. Update:  May 4, 2012 Deanna and John Morauski won Best Northwest Escape for the 3rd year in a row!  I meet at least two of my Twitter or Facebook followers/friends a week.* In April 2011, I made a 30 mile trip from Seattle to meet one of my Twitter connections, Deanna Morauski. She and her husband John own and run The Old Hen Bed & Breakfast in North Bend Washington.  I already had a feeling I’d love Deanna – she has a wicked sense of humor on…
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    The PR Verdict

  • Why Doesn’t Rebekah Brooks Have Any Supporters?

    prverdict
    16 May 2012 | 7:00 am
    PR Verdict: “F” for Brooks and her PR strategy. There was a surprising moment at the press conference held by Rebekah Brooks and her husband yesterday.  Rupert Murdoch’s favorite power editor had assembled the media to respond to news that criminal charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice had been levied against her, her husband and assorted colleagues. Complaining the charges against others were unwarranted, Brooks emphatically stated  “I was the Editor of the News of the World.  I was the Editor of The Sun and I was Chief Executive.”   What a surprise! Was…

  • Why Bain Capital is in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

    prverdict
    15 May 2012 | 7:06 am
    The PR Verdict: “C” for Bain Capital. If any publicity is good publicity, then take a look at Bain Capital, the investment firm, founded by presidential Republican candidate Mitt Romney.  The firm is front and center in a TV ad, issued by the Obama campaign, undermining Romney’s record on jobs.  The ad’s main focus is Bain’s 1993 investment in a Kansas steel company, GST Steel. The advertisement cuts between interviews with former GST workers and clips of Romney on the campaign trial, saying he knows what “makes jobs come and go.”  One ageing worker says of Bain,…

  • Oops We Did It Again…Jamie Dimon and JP Morgan Chase

    prverdict
    14 May 2012 | 7:00 am
    The PR Verdict: “B” for JP Morgan Chase and Jamie Dimon. How do you say sorry for losing $2 billion?  Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase seems to have got it right.  With a remorseful mea culpa, he announced last week a blow-out trading loss from credit derivatives.  From one of the banks  least scathed by the 2008 financial crisis, JPM’s surprise market malfunction was announced with aplomb. The previously revered Jamie Dimon and his firm blamed the losses on “errors, sloppiness and bad judgment” and ominously warned, “it could get worse”.   Was this…

  • What Did Obama Say That Was Offensive and Callous?

    prverdict
    11 May 2012 | 7:00 am
    The PR Verdict: “D” for both organizations and their PR strategy on Obama’s announcement. “Offensive and callous” were the surprising words used yesterday by the gay Republican organization, Log Cabin Republicans, to describe President Obama’s headline comments endorsing gay marriage.  Distinctly underwhelmed by Obama’s change of heart, the organization immediately issued a statement claiming the President “does not deserve praise for an announcement that comes a day late and a dollar short.”   Their reasoning?  His comments followed North Carolina’s approval…

  • Getting Naked with John Travolta

    prverdict
    10 May 2012 | 7:10 am
    The PR Verdict: “B” for Travolta who was quick with a robust and unequivocal denial. What else is there to know about John Travolta and his genitals?  According to a thrillingly prurient and detailed lawsuit filed by an unnamed masseur at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the public now knows more than it ever expected.  After recovering from allegedly being groped by the iconic star, the distressed masseur is now suing Travolta for damages. Seeking $2 million (what might have been claimed if they went all the way?) the masseur’s filing (his name has been withheld) gives a minute-by-minute…
 
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    Sterling Communications

  • On V-E Day, Four Lessons from a WWII News Embargo

    Lisa Hawes
    8 May 2012 | 10:10 pm
    Today is the 67th anniversary of the official end of hostilities in the European theater of World War II. The unconditional surrender of Germany was announced on May 8, 1945. The Associated Press correspondent who filed his V-E Day report on May 8 — a full day before competing media outlets — also violated a news embargo imposed by the Allied Command. As a result, the US military expelled the reporter from France and briefly banned AP dispatches from Europe. The AP then fired the reporter, Ed Kennedy, in spite of the enormous scoop he had handed his news agency. This story has resurfaced…

  • Will Your Sweepstakes Win You Committed Followers, or Fair-weather Fans?

    Lisa Hawes
    27 Apr 2012 | 5:50 pm
    Last Friday, I caught tweets by two environmental reporters who seemed to cast a jaundiced eye on a sweepstakes launched by the Obama re-election campaign. The competition offers people that complete an online registration form the chance to win a ticket to a dinner attended by the president and hosted by George Clooney. Donations are encouraged, but not required, although donations on subsequent days will “purchase” additional entries to the competition. My first instinct was that the sweepstakes was a joke. It seemed such a cheesy idea, à la the Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! rom-com of…

  • Sound Off Podcast: Social Media Privacy in the Workplace

    Kawika Holbrook
    19 Apr 2012 | 4:26 pm
    Sterling Communications Account Supervisor Scott Smith sits down for a chat with colleagues Tiffany Bryant, Jordan Hubert, and Lisette Rauwendaal, to discuss how many companies are increasingly evaluating potential job candidates, and current employees, by evaluating content on their Facebook, Twitter and other social network pages. In the wake of recent news focusing on companies that require login information, and access to personal pages as a screening method, the panel delves into whether this is a step too far, or if there is a need for such policies.

  • A Day in the Life of an Account Executive

    Jordan Hubert
    17 Apr 2012 | 4:40 pm
    Woke up, fell out of bed Dragged a comb across my head Found my way downstairs and drank a cup   Like the Beatles song suggests, there’s a certain level of monotony to our workdays. Mine start no differently, except substitute watching “Boy Meets World” for brushing my hair! However, once I get to the Sterling office, things generally are less predictable. For anyone who’s ever wondered what life is like as an account executive in a PR agency – or for those friends and family who still ask me, “so, what do you do, exactly?” – below is a play-by-play account of a typical…

  • PV America: Continuing My Love Affair With Solar

    Lisette Rauwendaal
    12 Apr 2012 | 5:16 pm
    I love conference season, particularly, solar conference season. There’s something about all the sunny looking exhibits and eager new technologies that just makes me smile.  Last year, at Intersolar, companies competed after expo hall hours in a “Battle of the Bands.” Somehow folks in the solar industry seem to make conferences more upbeat and fun than anyone would expect. I’ve always felt that solar brings out the most intrepid minds and positive personalities. People in this industry are bravely facing tax increases and funding cuts, but that doesn’t slow them down. I was able to…
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    Beast Of Traal.com

  • Vacation at Mugilu, Sakleshpur

    Karthik S
    6 May 2012 | 12:21 am
    Earlier this week, we had driven down to Sakleshpur for a brief vacation. Sakleshpur, for the uninitiated, is a 4.5 hour drive from Bangalore with excellent roads all through. I had vaguely known about Sakleshpur’s existence when an ex-colleague and her husband left their Bangalore life by buying a 10 acre coffee estate there and moved for good. They had started a 3 room home-stay there called Mugilu. And this is where we stayed when we drove down this week. Having been to other coffee-growing vacation spots like Coorg and Chikmagalur, I was expecting a largely similar experience. It…

  • Perhaps

    Karthik S
    26 Apr 2012 | 11:40 pm
    The dictionary meaning of ‘perhaps’ is, Used to express uncertainty or possibility: “perhaps I should have been frank with him”. Used when one does not wish to be too definite or assertive in the expression of an opinion. Some of the synonyms used for ‘perhaps’ include ‘maybe’, ‘possibly’ and ‘probably’. When was the last time you used the word? I did a quick check on my writing (in this blog and my office emails in general) and I seem to be using a lot of ‘perhaps’. Not necessarily in places where I need to…

  • The pointless viral that was Kolaveri?

    Karthik S
    17 Apr 2012 | 9:36 pm
    Imagine you running the social media properties of your brand/organization. One of your updates on Facebook or Twitter goes mega-viral and everybody’s bloody happy that your brand/company has got phenomenal global visibility. All good. Next year, your company tanks, in revenues/profits. Of course, you can’t blame the mega-viral post for your company’s failure. But the point remains – mere visibility is not enough. Getting visibility was a tough task in earlier days when the media avenues were limited. These days, it is relatively easier. But the kind of things that may…

  • The opportunity cost of an e-commerce purchase

    Karthik S
    15 Apr 2012 | 8:17 pm
    I have always wondered about the impact of e-commerce in India….even long before joining Flipkart. I mean, from a consumer’s point of view – hassle-free, comparatively better prices, more options and so on. Yesterday, something hit me when we were at a nearby park, enjoying the greenery. Usually, on a Sunday evening, we are in a store buying vegetables and groceries for the next week. It is a chore and it needs to be done. I actually like grocery shopping, incidentally. But, like most other chores, it tends to get boring after a while. I always wished for a way to get over…

  • Apple. Foxconn. iPad factory video. Spin vs. PR.

    Karthik S
    12 Apr 2012 | 2:14 am
    This morning, as I saw the video of iPads being built at a Foxconn factory in China, I tweeted it with, ‘Brilliant, timely PR work!’. I got into an interesting, albeit brief discussion about my use of the word ‘PR’ in my tweet. The reaction was, ‘PR? Dei, he was the guy who exposed Mike Daisey. If he did it for PR it would be the ultimate irony.’. (Please ignore the very colloquial and Tamil-style friendly address, ‘Dei’) My response was, ‘PR, by definition, is NOT spin. It is simply timely communication ’ The reply was, ‘yeah,…
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    Communication in a Web Saturated World

  • Content Marketing Whitepaper

    Jill Kurtz
    26 Apr 2012 | 8:10 am
    Social Media Group has released a whitepaper: Unleash the Power of Content Marketing: Strategy and Considerations for Operations. Content marketing has the potential to drive traffic, customer acquisition, and engagement. Learn how to Unleash the Power of Content Marketing by downloading our helpful whitepaper, which draws on Social Media Group’s experience. Download the Whitepaper Filed under: Communication Tagged: content, content strategy

  • Webinar on Turning Customer Data into Action

    Jill Kurtz
    25 Apr 2012 | 7:06 am
    Click Z offers a free webinar: Analyze This: How to Turn Customer Data into Actionable Insight Tuesday, May 8 @ 1 p.m. Register Analyze in order to prioritize. Every insight you gain, across every channel and program, leads to a deeper understanding of what customers want today – and what they’ll need tomorrow. Watch this webcast to find out how to use in-depth analysis to drive targeted action. Learn: How analytical capabilities help you measure, benchmark and monitor key performance indicators Ways to analyze the influence of every exchange with your customers – from first…

  • Thoughts from the Mid Atlantic Marketing Summit

    Jill Kurtz
    24 Apr 2012 | 7:01 am
    I have posted at the Balance Interactive blog about my takeaways from the Mid Atlantic Marketing Summit. Filed under: Communication Tagged: marketing, mobile marketing, online marketing, video marketing

  • Blog for More Meaningful Relationships

    Jill Kurtz
    23 Apr 2012 | 8:44 am
    While at the Mid-Atlantic Marketing Summit, presenter Mike Volpe from Hubspot mentioned that there is a trend toward companies using Facebook and Twitter in lieu of blogging. He called it wrong-minded and I couldn’t agree more. Here’s an article that discusses the trend: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-04-19/corporate-blogging/54419982/1 Building relationships purely with microblogs like Facebook and Twitter where you are limited to just handful of words is building a personal life on only first dates. You can fill your calendar, but what do you have at the end?

  • Use of Social Networking Sites Growing

    Jill Kurtz
    22 Apr 2012 | 3:20 pm
    According to a new study by Netpop, social networkers, a giant swath of online users, represent the changing face of the Web and media at large. There are now 146 million “Social Networkers” in the U.S., adults age 18 and older, who have used a social networking site at least once in the last month. Filed under: Communication Tagged: activities online, social media, social networking
 
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    Stearns Johnson

  • Inspiration for Today’s “Tweets”

    Jamie Porter
    14 May 2012 | 4:17 pm
    We enlisted the help of today’s office visitor to boost our Twitter strategies.

  • Chasing a Definition for a Dynamic Industry

    Tim Johnson
    28 Feb 2012 | 3:33 pm
    Stuart Elliott at The New York Times reported in November that the Public Relations Society of America, one of the trade associations for the PR industry, is starting a project to define: “What is public relations?”  PRSA’s current definition reads, “Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”  Huh? Given the continuously changing nature of how organizations communicate, the abundance of new communications tools available, and the highly-subjective nature of communications, defining public relations is one of those Sisyphean tasks, that…

  • Rooting for a Social Sports Team

    Jamie Porter
    6 Jan 2012 | 4:31 pm
    For a sports team, Twitter can certainly create hype among fans before a big game. But what happens when the team requires each individual player to join the conversation from their own handle? Professional lacrosse team, the Philadelphia Wings will soon find out, when they become the first U.S. sports team to create jerseys that swap out players’ last names for their Twitter handles. With a focus on increasing social media presence, the campaign has noble intentions: The stunt is already calling attention to a team (and league) with a relatively limited following. Ticket sales may…

  • Network by Rubbing Elbows (Literally)

    Jamie Porter
    8 Dec 2011 | 11:32 am
    Thanks to an innovative airline, the CEO you’ve always wanted to meet may be just on the other side of the armrest. According to the Huffington Post, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced a future service allowing passengers to attach social media profiles to their seat assignment. Using “Social Seating”, fellow travelers will be able to search LinkedIn and Facebook profiles for a perfect seatmate at online check-in.  Social media is now a standard way for people to connect, but rarely has it led to almost instantaneous face-to-face rendezvous, (outside of location-based services such as…

  • Kicking Off December with Dinner Theatre

    Pam Njissang
    2 Dec 2011 | 2:05 pm
    All work and no play makes PR people very restless and irritable… which is why it’s important for us at SJC to make it a point to go out and have some fun every so often.  Last night we attended the Teatro ZinZanni Dinner show located right off the Embarcadero here in San Francisco for our annual holiday outing and it was a fun time, indeed. It was a night of great drinks, great food, A LOT of laughs and most importantly, great company.  We even had the opportunity to snap a shot with 7 foot  (with 10 inch platforms on) Brigita (Manuela Horn), also known as the “Austrian…
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    Vikypedia.in

  • Annual General Meetings of PR Agencies

    Vikram Kharvi
    20 Apr 2012 | 6:24 am
    Hi Friends, I plan to work on an article on the annual get together/AGMs conducted by PR agencies for their employees. For this I require inputs from two sets of respondents 1)      The management representatives of the agency, who plan these AGMs 2)      Employees of the agencies, who have attended such AGMs in their current or earlier agencies Questions for the Management Representatives 1)      What are the objectives behind hosting an AGM for employees? 2)      What outcomes do you expect from the AGM 3)      Are the expectations met post the AGM 4)      Any…

  • Future of Indian Independent PR Agencies

    Vikram Kharvi
    12 Apr 2012 | 4:07 am
    Recently I had an opportunity to visit the newly opened office of Adfactors PR, one of India’s largest PR agencies and was amazed seeing the magnificent set-up. It seems that it is probably the largest single location office of a PR agency, anywhere in the world. The office boosts of all modern amenities that one would wish for, such as a library, a cafeteria that can accommodate 100 people at a time, a fully equipped gymnasium, indoor games facilities, yoga training, a doctor on call, a green zone in a large open terrace and most importantly an inhouse banquet hall for press conferences,…

  • Differentiate your marketing strategy

    Vikram Kharvi
    11 Apr 2012 | 1:53 am
    Brands in their mission to reach out to their target audience adopt numerous marketing tactics, some unique and many tried and tested. Today’s Brand Equity talks about how Nokia tried to regain their market dominance in the dual-sim category by adopting differentiated marketing strategies to reach out to non-urban audiences. It used bikers under ‘Nokia Blue Brigade’ to rally small towns of Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It relied on street plays or Nukkad Natak in a massive way by reaching out to 575 towns and villages across six North Indian states by roping in…

  • Who Owns the Media List???

    Vikram Kharvi
    26 Feb 2012 | 1:45 pm
    Media Lists, a prized possession of every PR professional, which most often is the last thing he would want to share it with anyone, even his colleagues, let alone his clients. What could be the reasons for such a behavior? Insecurity; fear of losing clients, once they get hold of the media contacts; or fear of backlash from the media, who had trusted him and shared their personal mobile numbers with him. To understand this, I had posted a query titled – ‘Refusing to share media contacts with clients’ on Indian PR Forum and few LinkedIn groups and the result was quite intriguing. The…

  • Refusing to share media contact with clients

    Vikram Kharvi
    26 Feb 2012 | 12:57 pm
    Dear All, I have come across instances, when the agency refuses to share media contacts with the client. I believe this is absurd as being at the agency side for quite long time, I never thought that my strengths are only the media contacts that the agency has (getting media contacts probably is not that difficult, if one wants to compile). I always believed as an agency our strengths are the concepts and ideas that we collectively come up with to help the client right mileage in the media. Refusing to sharing media contacts with the clients while on a contract I believe is unethical. This…
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    PR Daily News Feed

  • PR pro: I bought Twitter followers

    16 May 2012 | 12:31 pm
    Accusations that Newt Gingrich was buying Twitter followers brought the practice to the public’s attention at the end of last year. Surely a presidential candidate would be influential enough that he didn’t need to buy followers, no? But with many celebrities and organizations coming to the online party unfashionably late, the temptation to jump-start a fresh account must be huge. No one wants to be in that awkward zero to 100 follower stage. Though friend-culling on Facebook became popular in recent years, Twitter remains very much a numbers game. Profiles with few followers find it…

  • How Internet users worldwide spend time online

    16 May 2012 | 12:00 pm
    Thirty percent of the world’s population spends time online. That may not seem like a large percentage, but it represents 2,095,006,005 people who spend a cumulative 35 billion hours online each month. That’s equivalent to 3,995,444 years, an infographic from Go-Gulf.com says. What does everyone do during all that time? The average Internet user spends most of his time online on social media (22 percent), search (21 percent), reading content (20 percent), and email (19 percent). Internet users visit Google more than any other website, but spend more time on Facebook than anywhere else.

  • The 20 most 'well-read’ U.S. cities

    16 May 2012 | 11:00 am
    Congrats, Virginia. Not only are you the state for lovers, but also the state for people who love to read (or at the very least love to buy books). For the second straight year, Amazon identified the most well-read cities in America—based on how much stuff the residents buy from the online retailer—and Alexandria, Va. grabbed the top spot. Arlington, Va., was No. 7. Amazon determines the rankings by compiling sales data of all book, magazine and newspaper sales in print and Kindle format since June 1, 2011. The data is ranked on a per capita basis in cities with more than 100,000…

  • 5 things you (probably) don't know about Pinterest

    16 May 2012 | 8:59 am
    Although Pinterest is two years old, it leapt to popularity this year as people flocked to the site and the media took notice. Meanwhile, many PR pros figured out that Pinterest pin boards mean publicity and, in some cases, dollars. But there are probably a few things you still don’t know about the new social media darling, such as: 1. Mostly female users, but … Pinterest has a reputation for its mostly female population, and for the most part it’s true. However, it’s not as skewed as you might think. While one study said the site is almost 90 percent women, another study showed that…

  • Is JPMorgan's $2 bill loss the worst PR disaster of 2012 (so far)?

    16 May 2012 | 8:59 am
    For those keeping score at home, there is at least one PR disaster that will almost certainly make the list of 2012’s worst—Susan G. Komen. There are also several more in the running: Pink slime, Walmart bribery, Goldman Sachs resignation letter, Homeless Hotspots at SXSW. Thanks to JPMorgan Chase’s $2 billion trading loss, we might have another shoo-in. Despite CEO’s Jamie Dimon’s textbook apology tour, the media continues to beat up the company—most recently, calling for Dimon’s resignation—and on Tuesday the FBI launched an investigation. Bad news, especially for JPMorgan…
 
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    Prakkypedia

  • Who has the Biggest Voice on social media?

    Prakky
    15 May 2012 | 9:24 pm
    I’ve got a confession to make. I watch The Voice. I like it. I watched the American version featuring Christina Aguilera and enjoyed that; so I looked forward to the Australian version and have had fun watching the blind auditions. The current live shows? I’m not enjoying those so much … But I digress. The point of this blog is to look at the social media program of The Voice. The Voice is one of a number of TV shows that is using social media to: Listen to audience feedback Promote the show’s brand and products Lift the profile of the show and generate buzz They’re certainly…

  • The social media time machine

    Prakky
    4 May 2012 | 1:13 am
    Social media users often move through different phases according to the length of time they’ve spent on social networks. And “time” is a common thread that comes up in conversations around social media. I’ve pulled these two time themes together in the list below. Do you recognise yourself or others in these sayings? “It’s a waste of time” This person isn’t using social media and doesn’t understand the appeal. They think it’s a fad that will go away. They scoff at social media users. They often reason that they prefer other methods of communication. “I haven’t got…

  • Deadly serious about social media

    Prakky
    30 Apr 2012 | 6:34 pm
    As we spend more of our lives on social  networks, it only makes sense to ask: what happens to our social media accounts when we die? A start up called Dead Social has taken this a step further, by developing a tool that will enable people to store Facebook, Twitter and GooglePlus messages, for distribution after death. See the explanatory video below: This was discussed on Michael Smyth’s ABC Drive show yesterday. Some very clever  callers pointed out the dangers of such a service, including hurtful messages that someone may store for later posting, when they’re not around to face the…

  • Selling social media to your management or board

    Prakky
    19 Apr 2012 | 10:53 pm
    A lot of organisations would like to use social media – but they’re blocked by management. CEOs, board members and others can be wary of social media because they are the guardians of an organisation’s future and its reputation. They constantly assess risk, and social media can appear to be a volatile and risky space. So how do you convince the powers that be, that social media is worth trying? Here are some tips to help you plan your approach: Firstly, you have to know what you want to do with social media. Why are you convinced it’s worth trying? How do you plan to use social media?

  • 6 ways to enhance your Facebook experience

    Prakky
    11 Apr 2012 | 2:07 am
    This is part of the Social Media 101 series. If you’re more au fait with social media, look away now … Facebook is Australia’s most popular social network, with a user base hovering around 10 million and growing. But some things about Facebook annoy us, right? Here are six quick little adjustments you can make to give you a more pleasant Facebook experience. 1. Unfollow a post This one is a personal favourite of mine. Sometimes you comment on a friend’s Facebook update, then lots of other join the conversation, occasionally over several hours or days with trite contributions. You grow…
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    Atlanta PR Blog - PeRceptions - Cookerly Public Relations » Atlanta PR Blog – PeRceptions – Cookerly Public Relations

  • Dimon Faces PR Crisis Head-on

    Matt Cochran
    15 May 2012 | 11:35 am
    As I’m writing this blog post, J.P. Morgan shareholders are gathering in Tampa for their annual meeting. At the top of everybody’s mind will be the $2.3 billion in trading losses the bank fessed up to recently. As its CEO, Jamie Dimon, admitted, the blunder handed ammunition to proponents of new, complex regulations that would further limit certain banking activities. The banking giant’s misstep has many facets and is already claiming casualties at the highest levels of Wall Street, but the most serious ramifications may be of the public relations variety. For a bank with a market cap…

  • OMG, That’s Totes Not Kewl :(

    Kate Grusich
    10 May 2012 | 3:40 pm
    When it comes to pet peeves, my list is long and ever growing, ranging from drivers who fail to use turn signals, to cars taking up multiple spaces and people who read over your shoulder on the train. In recent years, however, one irritation has begun to reign supreme – the increasing use of texting and tweeting lingo in corporate communications and business emails. Example: “OMG. I just had the best idea. Can’t wait 2 share w/u, LOL!” ARRRRGH! Sadly enough, this doesn’t seem to be a passing fad. According to a recent poll of high school educators, 54 percent of those surveyed claim…

  • Why? Why? Why? Asking the Important Questions

    Tracy Paden
    7 May 2012 | 10:27 am
    Pop quiz: What are the three most powerful letters in the alphabet? Answer: W-H-Y Think about it. “Why?” has the potential to change everything. Why would someone watch (and share) the video we’re about to produce? Why would we want a Pinterest page? Why are we printing these brochures? Why are people buying my products/services? Why aren’t they? “Why?” keeps you from going through the motions. It makes you look at your work with a fresh perspective (and, remember, that perspective should be your audience’s view, not your personal one). It sharpens your marketing efforts and…

  • You Are Not Your Audience

    Candace McCaffery
    4 May 2012 | 10:59 am
    As PR pros, one of the first lessons we learn is that to deliver real results for our clients (and their bottom lines), we need to take ourselves out of the equation. The second lesson is how to convince our clients they have to do the same thing. Why? Because in most cases, neither we nor our client contacts are representative of the audience we need to reach. It’s a challenging proposition. Business owners are rightfully very passionate about their companies. Having employees who are passionate about what they do and the organization for which they work is one of the greatest strengths…

  • Five Lessons I Learned After I Thought I Had “Finished” Learning

    Cookerly PR
    30 Apr 2012 | 3:54 pm
    Ok I confess: I’m kind of a nerd.  I was always that student who loved school.  As a kid I would line up my dolls and pretend to “teach” them as I wrote the day’s lesson plan on a chalkboard in my bedroom. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in communication, I worked for a year in a communications office before I decided I wasn’t finished learning, so I went back to graduate school and earned a master’s degree. And I thought I was pretty smart.  I learned a lot of stuff and memorized a lot of theories. I was ready to take on the working world. And then…I started…
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    Melissa Agnes - Social Media Crisis Management

  • Dark Websites as a Social Media Crisis Management Strategy (White Paper)

    Melissa Agnes
    16 May 2012 | 7:54 am
    A dark website is a pre-developed site that is not set live until your corporation finds itself in the midst of a social media crisis. Pre-crisis, a dark website is equipped with the appropriate legal and other documentations that your corporation may feel will be needed, but not have the opportunity to acquire during an attack. In the event of a crisis, the dark site is set live and the appropriate information and details are added to it – such as communications to the public, as well as direct information and news concerning both the crisis and the brand. Dark websites are a highly…

  • Making Good Use of Your Blog in a Social Media Crisis

    Melissa Agnes
    15 May 2012 | 7:30 am
    Every company and organization should have a blog. Not only does it play a massive role within your content marketing strategy and generating new leads, but it plays a substantial role in helping you regain control of a crisis. How to strategically use your blog in a crisis Publish your FAQ Your FAQ plays an important role within your social media crisis plan, and your corporate blog is the best place for your FAQ to be published. For more information on the role your FAQ plays within a crisis, what to include within it and more, click here. Publish your official response to the crisis on…

  • Real-time Is Now a Social Media Crisis Standard

    Melissa Agnes
    14 May 2012 | 7:30 am
    Between the web tools at your disposal and the new-found expectations of your audience, updating your customers and fans in a crisis is no long an option. It has become a standard – and a minimum standard at that! Gone are the days when you had hours to prepare a news release or send your statement over to the press. The reality of today is that not only do you have the tools to publish your own content in real-time, but your audience and the public expect nothing less of you. The fact of the matter is that if you don’t, someone else will – which will only help in making sure…

  • This Week’s Hot Topics: Infographics, Guides and Prevention

    Melissa Agnes
    11 May 2012 | 7:30 am
    Another week has come and gone. Hoping yours was as productive and fabulous as mine! Check out the social media crisis related hot topics you may have missed this week: Infographic: Does Your Company or Organization Need a Social Media Crisis Plan? Unsure if your company or organization would benefit from investing in a social media crisis plan? Follow the arrows within this infographic and find out! When Is It Acceptable to Delete Negative Comments Posted to Your Social Media Channels? There’s a different between negative comments and unacceptable comments. Find out where and how your…

  • 4 Steps to Preventing a Social Media Crisis

    Melissa Agnes
    10 May 2012 | 7:30 am
    I get asked this question often: “How can I prevent a social media crisis?” Although many crises are unexpected and unavoidable, there are strategies that you can put into place right now that will help you prevent the preventable. In fact, the Altimeter Group recently released a report stating that 76% of social media crises could have been avoided. Seventy-six percent! That is a substantial amount of social media crises that needlessly happened! So how can you protect your company or organization from falling into this 76%? The following are 4 steps your company or organization should…
 
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    Return on Reputation

  • Say on Pay: Will CEOs eventually be running for office?

    cwinters
    16 May 2012 | 11:29 am
    Investor relations used to be about telling a company’s value story and managing the flow of information to shareholders. But like all communications over the last decade, what used to be one-way disclosure has turned into a two-way conversation. Lately, it has escalated into more of a screaming match. Those tasked with shepherding the reputation of a public company have often argued that rich executive pay packages were necessary and appropriate to assure performance and protect investors – essentially paying for quality.  Lately, shareholders are voicing a different opinion. The new…

  • Reputation Metrics and JP Morgan

    rtauberman
    14 May 2012 | 9:20 am
    Since the announcement last week that a large bet on Euro markets orchestrated by JP Morgan’s London trading desk, led by a gentleman referred to by awestruck compatriots as “the whale,” had failed spectacularly and caused at least a $2 billion loss, there has been much talk in Washington, on Wall Street and in the media on what the real costs will be.  Politicians and pundits fired new salvos about the evils of banks, lessons of 2008 not learned and the need for more and stricter regulation, including speeding up the tortoise pace of Dodd-Frank regulatory enactments. On Wall Street,…

  • Chesapeake Energy CEO Gets Fracked

    rtauberman
    2 May 2012 | 12:16 pm
    In the annals of corporate perks, Chesapeake Energy made the Top 10 list by allowing co-founder and CEO Aubrey McClendon to buy into 2.5 percent of every well the oil and gas company drilled.  Even better, Mr. McClendon paid for the very lucrative perk with personal loans he arranged with companies Chesapeake did business with such as Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs, an innovative new spin on payola. The story gets even better.  At first, the Company, through its general counsel, said that the Chesapeake board “was fully aware” of the very comfy financing arrangements.  But then with the…

  • Komen has a strategy problem, not a communications problem: 3 ways to tell the difference

    cwinters
    1 May 2012 | 9:17 am
    It’s no surprise that the Susan G. Komen Foundation is having trouble fundraising after their giant missteps in the handling of grants to Planned Parenthood.   As the former pink powerhouse struggles to regain its footing, it is comical to hear their issues described as a communications problem. They failed to keep local Chapters in the loop.  They failed to communicate the changes in their position promptly.  Didn’t apologize fast enough. That isn’t a communications problem.  It’s a policy and strategy problem. This notion that any policy, strategy, action or decision can be…

  • The Long Tail of the Walmex Scandal

    cwinters
    30 Apr 2012 | 9:38 am
    There’s an interesting piece about Walmart running into trouble with its U.S. expansion in the wake of the Mexico bribery scandal.  Walmart presents a tricky issue for community, civic and government leaders.  Organized labor opposes them…for their refusal to commit to union construction, and for their large, unrepresented work force.  Community watchdog groups bemoan the traffic and congestion that accompanies a new store.  But consumers (aka voters) love their value prices and one stop shopping. Is the Walmex scandal really the reason Walmart is facing opposition?  Or is it a…
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