Today’s guest post comes from Dave Kellogg who participates in the madness called Silicon Valley from a variety of perches. I met Dave when he was CEO of a software startup called MarkLogic, periodically lunching at the San Carlos Airport café where we hatched plans to get the world to care about unstructured data. While …more
Look, I recognize it’s been a rugged 20 years or so for the publishing industry. Since Craigslist showed up on their doorstep and eviscerated classified advertising, media properties searching for new revenue streams seem to have a certain Ponce de León quality to them. Some would argue that in a world where people expect to …more
Back in 2015, I wrote that PR’s version of the Industrial Revolution had begun. I made the point that the upheaval in the business of communications was redefining our world in similar way that manufacturing did in the 18th century and captured 10 symbols as proof points. Now, two plus years later, let’s revisit those …more
By Gerard Smith, Intern, The Hoffman Agency . . Fast-paced business, sky-high valuations, innovation-driven individuals and unlimited opportunity; a few of the ideas that came to mind when I pictured Silicon Valley nearly three months ago before moving here sight unseen. Although I may have relied too heavily on the fantastical experiences of Richard Hendricks …more
The vast majority of companies invest in public relations to raise their public profiles — and with a little luck, fortify the corporate brand. Then, there are the situations in which PR becomes a blunt instrument in a public spat, and the objective becomes exerting as much pain on your opponent as possible. That’s what …more
As President Trump continues to use the “fake news” mantra to whip the masses into a frenzy, it causes one to wonder what publications people do trust. The University of Missouri set out to answer that question based on a survey of over 8,000 consumers. Before jumping to the results, it’s worth noting that respondents …more
The Agency will celebrate its 30-year anniversary on Sept. 15 with a party. There’s nothing like a milestone to prompt reflections. Yes, 30 years is a long time. At the 10,000-foot level, I view the Agency’s lifecycle from a U.S. perspective in three phases: . . Naturally, our lifecycle takes the form of the classic …more
Every PR agency with a pulse touts its storytelling chops. You half expect carnival barkers shouting, “Step into our tent, and we’ll show you how to tap the magic powers of storytelling to connect with the outside world, eat canapes at Davos and pal around with Anderson Cooper.” Yet, the vast majority of content developed …more
By Mark Pinsent, Managing Director Europe, The Hoffman Agency . . Breakfast: the most important meal of the day (they say). But often the easiest one to skip as a shortcut to the goal of weight loss. Too many marketers treat a proper investment in strategic development in the same way. But as skipping breakfast …more
