September 24, 2012 Dear PR Pro, Admit it. You probably did a fist pump after reading David Carr’s column last week, “The Puppetry Of Quotation Approval.” According to Carr, journalists are increasingly acquiescing to PR requests to be manipulated, often in the form of approving quotes. In exchange for access, the journalist agrees to the …more
There’s a fresh question Ms. Mayer. I recognize that media properties are still struggling to crack the code on how to make money in the digital era. Still, I question the long-term value of applying the advertorial concept to a banner ad. Here’s what I’m talking about specific to the Yahoo News channel. Yahoo News …more
I think Mark Twain would agree. He’d be particularly amused by a report on the solar industry released earlier this week that triggered two stories on opposite ends of the spectrum. In one corner, we give you the San Jose Mercury News and its bullish headline. The supporting graphic continues with the bullish stance. OK, …more
Every agency person has experienced a client who adds what we’ll call “extra obstacles” to achieving success. It’s not personal (usually). Sometimes, it’s simply a byproduct of the company’s culture. I’m reminded of a client whose management required report after report to the point that the reporting cost exceeded the doing-PR cost. Even after showing …more
Journalists do not want to regurgitate a news release that by definition sits in the public domain. If the news release encapsulates the complete story with anecdotes, texture and a touch of drama, you leave no room for a journalist to navigate. IBM’s recent announcement of a mainframe illustrates how good content – not great …more
I’ve been waiting months to share this exchange with a journalist at a major business publication. I love this example because it shows a journalist’s reaction to the same core content: one based on the typical bulldoze pitch, and the second reflecting storytelling techniques. Here’s the first volley. Me Journalist This was probably my worse …more
Traffic to news sites increasingly comes in through the side doors, that is, from search and social means. Adrienne LaFrance recently wrote on this very topic for Nieman Lab: As with newspapers – which haven’t so much disappeared as been pushed off center stage – few are saying that homepages will disappear completely. But as …more
Anyone who writes a book called “Outsmarting Google” has my attention. Combine this technical expertise with a gift for storytelling and we move to a Q&A. Meet Evan Bailyn, founder of First Page Sage. I thought this passage on Evan from a Forbes feature was particularly revealing: All I do is I’m able to get …more
Obviously, we’re passionate about applying storytelling techniques to our client campaigns. These are more than words. We walk the talk. Here’s an example from Jacqueline, one of our senior account executives in our Silicon Valley office. By Jacqueline Velasco The Hoffman Agency (Silicon Valley) Being solely reliant on press releases for coverage is a thing …more
