All communication consultancies periodically encounter Procurement before contract sign-off and embarking on the fun stuff with a client. I am not a fan of Procurement. They always claim to be there to help the agency and make sure everyone — both the agency and the in-house PR department — enjoy a “happily ever after.” Yet, …more
That was the headline in a Wall Street Journal article back in 2012. The piece made the point that the word “innovation” (and its derivatives) was being used so much by companies to tout incremental improvement — or worse — that the word lost meaning. Raking through earnings calls from the previous 12 months, The Journal …more
Most companies want to be known as innovative. To bastardize the Wallace Simpson line, “you can never be too rich, too thin or too innovative.” The problem is those same companies often depend on adjectives to tout their breakthroughs. The Wall Street Journal challenged the use of the “i” word over ten years ago: “Businesses …more
This post, authored by Senior Account Manager Matt Burrows, originally appeared on our Agency Blog. Pride Month always hits a little strangely for me every year. As a bi man married to a trans spouse, it can be hard not to feel a little cynical when all the rainbow logos go up. I know that’s probably not …more
Soon, the class of 2023 at universities across the country will be tossing their caps in the air. The days of cramming all night for a final have come to an end. Once the effect of too many White Claw mango beverages subsides, attention will turn to landing that illusive first job. This is a …more
What sensible human being thinks it’s OK to put what’s essentially a machine gun in the hands of private citizens? The tragedies keep coming with the latest mass shooting in Nashville. Here’s the problem. These events serve as a form of smelling salts, helping politicians come to their senses in response to public outcry. Then, …more
Mental, emotional, social, and physical wellbeing — as well as their influential factors — look different for everyone. From biking to ballet, meditation to music lessons, what makes us tick or just makes us feel good ranges hugely from person to person and might even change for an individual over time. In recognition of this, …more
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. To say Dr. King had a gift for narrative falls short in describing his skills in communicating. …more
Is it just me or does it feel like there’s been an acceleration of time since the pandemic slammed the world in early 2020? I can’t believe we’re already counting down the days to the year’s end. In a year that marked the Agency’s 35th anniversary, we had our best year ever. Typically, when you …more
