Cryptology, the science of coding and decoding messages, doesn’t appear in the mass communications syllabus at universities. And PR consultancies don’t invest in cryptology equipment like the handy “Lorenz SZ.42 Cipher Machine” pictured above (it’s a beauty). Yet, how PR professionals on the front lines interpret a certain client phrase can make or break an …more
You may be a company in the bowels of B2B. The content may involve something as mundane as an email signoff or, in the case that I’m about to highlight, subscribing to a blog. Every online touch point offers the chance for storytelling and making an impression that builds your brand. Keep in mind that …more
Today brings a grab bag of business storytelling for easy consumption. Here goes — Incredible Product Placement and Mr. Whippy Didn’t Pay a Quid It turns out there was more than one winner at the Ryder Cup. Not only did the Euros trample that happy-go-lucky bunch from the U.S.A., but Mr. Whippy — Scotland’s famed …more
HP’s decision to cut along the dotted line and create two companies signals the end of an era. We supported HP’s communications efforts from 1988 to 2002 when the Compaq merger resulted in a game of musical chairs with the PR agencies … and left us standing. To this day, the experience rates as one …more
Back in January, I offered 10 quasi-mad predictions on how the communications industry would unfold in 2014. With nine months in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to look at the scoreboard. Prediction 1: The Pope’s Selfie Goes Viral I figured the big event would happen at Easter Mass. It turned out to be with two …more
With the story “The Invasion of Corporate News, The Financial Times became the latest publication to skewer brand journalism. I suppose the FT figured a headline along the lines of “You’re Too Stupid to Figure Out Journalism from Propaganda” might alienate readers. Because that seems to be one of the themes in the FT piece. …more
The influence of journalists remains as important today as when I started in the communications business. While the Internet has commoditized news announcements, what appears in publications still impacts a company’s brand and reputation. That’s why I was intrigued when I heard that Muck Rack (in cooperation MDC Partners) surveyed a cross section of journalists …more
I am an unabashed fan of the anecdote. I’m also convinced that it’s one of the most underutilized storytelling techniques in business communications. Executives often perceive anecdotes as fluff and put the kibosh on such content before it sees the light of the day. That explains why if you audited the content generated by PR …more
Any type of relationship—personal, business or with the guy at the farmer’s market—always comes down to trust. It’s ironic that the typical person will open up more with the guy at the farmer’s market—“you don’t want to know how I’m doing, but since you asked …”—than with someone from his or her business world. Check out these three data …more
