Every PR agency touts its storytelling prowess. When everyone gravitates toward the same shiny objective, it tends to lose meaning. You can start to get a feel for how this plays out through a simple Factiva (massive database of publications) search on the number of stories that contain the word “storytelling” going back 10 years. …more
When we opened our first overseas office in Singapore in 1996, we didn’t have a business plan. We didn’t even have a spreadsheet with properly crunched numbers. What we did have was a strength of conviction – think “all in” playing poker – that this part of the world would equal or even exceed the …more
The official Olympics motto reads, “Faster – Higher – Stronger.” Yesterday’s HAlloween Olympics took a few liberties with these words. OK, it might have been more than a few liberties. Here’s what I mean … This event tested the mouth-eye coordination of the athletes. First one to snag the hanging donut and ingest it won. …more
This year’s State of the Media from Pew Research showed newsrooms at their lowest level since 1978. Yet, most people still turn to the daily newspaper in one form or another, which explains why this media type remains a primary target for PR. Brian Cafferty has spoken with 100+ newspapers over the past three years, …more
If Gordon Gekko were a PR pro, he would have said, “Change is good.” And would relish today’s world where companies of all shapes and sizes jar the status quo on a daily basis. Forget change. Industries are being blown up right before our eyes. More than just driving demand for PR, this dynamic is …more
Much has changed about the communications business since we opened our doors in 1987. Yet, some companies continue to send out PR RFPs with no mention of budget today as they did 25+ years ago. I’m guessing these same companies did not enjoy the scene in Jerry Maguire when Cuba Gooding Jr. tells Tom Cruise …more
Dear Jeff, I’m a huge fan of LinkedIn. Your mashup of a digital Rolodex and content creation – both original and curated – has a certain business purity that appeals to the white-collar crowd. Just last week I was singing your praises in sharing three LinkedIn hacks: While the social media platform started as the …more
It’s one thing when the local dry cleaner closes for a week due to a family vacation. But shutting down the federal government because the politicians can’t play nice in the sandbox? Thankfully, the boys in Washington discovered that elusive common ground; hence, the U.S. government is once again open for business. Playing my humble …more
That’s not a typo in the headline. Nor am I trying my hand at keyword stuffing. Back in June a post detailed how social media, in this case Facebook, reshaped the storytelling behind a Navy squadron rescuing a family lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Here’s an example of interactions on social media …more
