An Open Letter to CMOs on PR RFPs
April 21, 2026
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Storytelling Through a Business Prism
Not Your Typical Birthday Card
Life is better than fiction. If you had any doubt, consider my all-time favorite birthday card (it’s that time of year). My granddaughter Addy served as creative director, copywriter, and designer of the card. In the spirit of full disclosure, she created this card some time ago. Not only does “it keep going on,” …more
AI in Journalism Offers Hints on How AI Will Play Out in Communications
Axios published a story last week on “The Rise of Super Journalists.” There’s much the communications profession can glean from how journalists are applying AI to their work. I’ve highlighted the following passages from the Axios story (full Axios story at the end of the post) that have relevance to communications. Reporters with sourcing …more
Now, 50+ Strong in London
My takeaways from my time in London last month and the news that we’re combining forces with CCGroup: The endorphins are finally subsiding (thankfully). The word “nice” gets a bad rap. I’m here to say that being nice and having an intense drive to win can co-exist. In sifting through the hundreds of comments …more
Tying the CCGroup Acquisition to Our Aspirations
I pride myself on staying away from hyperbole and showy adjectives. Still, there’s no getting around that today is a big day. We have acquired CCGroup, the top tech-focused consultancy in the UK. The Agency has enjoyed many milestones over the years. Winning HP’s enterprise business in year number three. Expanding to Asia and later …more
Revisiting the Mantra: “Show,” Don’t “Tell”
Mr. Harper, my high school English teacher, beat this mantra into brain: “show, don’t tell.” Often, business communications takes the easy way out, depending on adjectives and adverbs to try to make their point. They “tell.” It’s the storytelling that allows us to “show.” One of my favorite go-to exercises for our storytelling workshop leans …more
Revisiting the Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have A Dream” Speech
I can’t be the only one thinking about the incongruence of Trump’s inauguration and the celebration of Martin Luther King’s life falling on the same day. I’ll leave the breakdown of Trump’s remarks to the talking heads on cable news. Instead, MLK day serves as a prompt to dust off Dr. King’s “I Have Dream” …more
A Few Closing Thoughts on 2024
What a year! My version of an understatement. There’s a reason “time flies” became a cliché. Reflecting on 2024, the Agency had its best year ever. Many people will associate those words “best year” with financial performance. That’s not what I mean, though we did enjoy strong growth tipping the $30M mark for the first …more
If the Harris Election Campaign Called Us for Counsel
I’m not holding my breath for a call or text from Jen O’Malley Dillon. I’ve toiled in the tech sector throughout my entire career. What do I know about politics and running a campaign for the president of the United States? Nada. With that caveat out of the way, here are a few thoughts for …more