Blagojevich’s PR Strategy: Self-Defense Or Simply Desperation?
In Linton Weeks’ recent NPR article regarding Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Weeks writes that the governor has opted for a strategy of “self-defense by public relations onslaught.” I wonder if this really is a strategic approach to counter the current impeachment proceedings and sway public opinion, or merely the desperate attempt of a man who […]
Facebook Provides Increased Competition for News Media
Facebook is becoming the first stop for many people when they want to learn about the latest news in their community. Individuals are reporting on the events in their communities with photos and personal commentary, making Facebook an excellent source for local happenings and news. We witnessed this phenomenon first hand in Seattle when individuals […]
Big Canvas Changes Social Networking Landscape With Visual Conversations
Social networking – there’s no doubt it’s here to stay. According to Wikipedia, social networking is defined as the building of online communities of people who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. The rise of popular social networking sites such as Facebook, Flickr, MySpace and […]
Thought Leadership – What Is It and Why Is It So Important?
As newspapers and magazines continue to cut jobs, it is becoming increasingly difficult for small-to-mid sized companies to compete with larger organizations to garner media attention. So how can a company position itself as a valuable asset and tool for journalists while building trust, credibility and brand awareness with its customers? By becoming an industry […]
Magazines Continue to Shift Its Focus Toward the Internet
A recent article in PRWeek reports that several of the industry’s top publishing houses have recently reduced their budgets and workforce. One prominent company that is scaling down is Rodale, publisher of Men’s Health, Prevention, and Runner’s World, Time Inc. owner of Time, Sports Illustrated, and Fortune and Condé Nast whose titles include Vogue and […]
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Blogging
When facing difficult news such as layoffs, many companies used to draft meticulously scripted press releases – if they shared the news at all. But this strategy is fast becoming a recipe for disaster as employees turn to their blogs to voice frustrations and announce corporate layoffs. In a recent New York Times article, Claire […]
Gartner Claims At Least Half of Social Media Campaigns Will Fail
In a recent interview with CNET, Gartner research analyst Adam Sarner predicted that 50 percent of social-media campaigns taken on by Fortune 1000 companies will fail. Sarner states that this is in large part due to the fact that companies aren’t engaging with social communities with a mutual benefit in mind – they are not […]
Public Relations and the Client-Facing Role
Public relations professionals continually strive to achieve meaningful results for their clients. Whether it’s placing a feature story in a top publication, receiving a notable mention on a morning broadcast segment, or building strong brand awareness through well-written press releases, to achieve these results these PR efforts must be focused and strategically planned in order […]
Social Media: A Critical PR Tool for Companies
The emergence of social media is significantly changing the current media landscape. The days of newspapers, magazines and network news programs have given way to a new generation of information sharing on the Internet. Blogs, social networking sites such as Second Life and Facebook and video-sharing sites like YouTube have changed the way information is […]
Corporate Social Responsibility: More Than Publicity
“As long as any business depends on its customers, their concerns, at whatever level, should also be the concerns of the business.” This quote from Forbes magazine succinctly describes the philosophy behind corporate social responsibility, or CSR. Proponents of CSR laud its capacity to combine success in business with sustainable practices. Yet despite these positive […]