Archive: January 2016

MENU

This Type of Sponsored Content Freaks Out the FTC

After deep study and discourse, the FTC delivered its enforcement policy on native advertising last month. And to help corporations toe the digital line, the FTC offered up “Native Advertising: A Guide for Businesses” with 17 examples covering every imaginable scenario. If only it were that easy. Take the sponsored content from Marketo that recently …more

Micro Moments in Brand Building: The Good, the Bad and the Unattractive

Companies underestimate the power of micro moments in brand building. As the world and specifically business communications increasingly tilt toward the digital sphere, . This holds true for all companies, whether B2B or consumer. Starting with “the bad and unattractive,” an interaction with LinkedIn last week reminded me of this point. I think I’m on …more

Revisiting the Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have A Dream” Speech

Today’s holiday celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. always prompts me to dust off the “I Have Dream” speech. It’s a revealing exercise to read the text of the speech rather than watch and listen to the speech. King was such a gifted orator, you get the feeling he could recite the owner’s …more

Do the Best Business Storytellers on the Planet Have Shoes?

Journalists, particularly journalists at business and mainstream publications, show the way when it comes to applying storytelling techniques to business communications. Pick out a story in media properties such as The Atlantic or The New Yorker. Reverse-engineering the content and studying the construction of the story will surface lessons that can be applied in business. …more

This Data Proves PR Is Not Rocket Science

I’ve been wanting to use this data for some time. But I needed to allow the statute of limitations to run its course since the data comes from a specific client engagement. The client was Novellus, a player in the semiconductor capital equipment space. It’s been over five years since Lam Research swallowed up Novellus, …more

Rethinking Ogilvy’s 10 Tips for Writing for Today’s World

The wonders of social media periodically dust off commentary long relegated to the archives. So it was with David Ogilvy’s advice on writing that made the rounds on LinkedIn this week. Ogilvy penned these words on Sept. 7, 1982 in a memo to his employees. His point of view has relevance for all business communicators, …more

The FTC’s Quixotic Fight Against Native Advertising

I wasn’t going to write about the FTC’s latest salvo on native advertising. When the agency announced its “enforcement policy” on Dec. 22, I was focused on making sure there was enough “Bud’s Famous Egg Nog” in the fridge and constructing my argument that binge watching Empire absolutely fits the holiday spirit. But so many …more