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
The quest by both brands and publications to fool the reader continues. In response, the FTC has made a push for disclosure on sponsored content and native advertising. But what about the online search for news? I was reminded of this challenge during a client campaign that included a sponsored content spoke. If you plug …more
Tonight, I share the stage with Shel Holtz at a San Francisco IABC event that examines the future of PR and communications in 2025. Given the velocity of change in today’s world regardless of industry, predicting what will happen one year from now — much less eight years out — is fraught with peril (and …more
If there were ever a year that proved life is better than fiction, it was 2016. As always, subjectivity rules my curation of the best posts of the year. In fact, the most popular post of the year, “Fresh Take on Influence in the Tech Industry” — thank you, Kara Swisher, for that one tweet …more
I’m with the seagull. As my Mom will attest, I wasn’t big on rules. Since starting the blog back in 2008, I’ve strived to offer perspectives that you won’t find in the Communications 101 handbook. This is the time of year when I reflect, calling out what I consider to be the 10 best posts …more
If you missed it last week — perhaps studying the latest numbers from the Department of Labor? — BuzzFeed proved what everyone has always believed in theory. If you stretch enough rubber bands across a watermelon, it will eventually succumb to the pressure in one glorious Kodak moment. The New York Times used the BuzzFeed …more
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
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
As PR-led campaigns increasingly blend tactics such as paid media, native advertising bears watching. I called out the genre last month suggesting most of it should be called “alien advertising.” Still, with the rules of the game being invented on-the-fly, we’re seeing fresh wrinkles like this native advertising campaign by Ryder in TIME Magazine. Here’s …more
