Sports fans and students of media and advertising are no doubt aware of the perceived sexist comments recently made by Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton toward a female sports reporter. When asked by Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue about the route-running of Panthers receiver Devin Funchess during an October 4 press conference, Newtown stunned the gathered reporters. (more…)
Archive for the ‘PR and Media Relations’ Category
Sponsorships Can be a Slippery Slope
Tuesday, October 24th, 2017Simple Guidance for Talking to the Media (Even in Tense Situations)
Wednesday, August 30th, 2017Regardless of one’s politics, it is fair to say that the current presidential administration has caused a great deal of controversy on many fronts, creating fresh headlines nearly every week. One of the most visible manifestations of this has been the attention paid to the president’s communications team. Fans of late night are no doubt aware of former press secretary Sean Spicer’s combative press conferences, Saturday Night Live’s parodies of those press conferences, and Spicer’s disdain for those parodies. Spicer’s interactions with the news media were one of the most talked about aspects of the young administration.
Then his replacement came on the job — for a total of 10 days. (more…)
This is What PR Then, and Now, Looks Like
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017
I’ve been involved in both PR/media relations and business journalism for a number of years. So many years, in fact, that I can recall the days when I had to write copy on a typewriter without an auto-correct function. I honestly can’t even fathom how I managed to do that. Think about the work (and re-work) involved in making even simple edits to a document. You’d literally have to pull out one sheet and start from scratch. Even more mind-boggling (even for me) is that I wrote quite lengthy articles that way. (more…)
Driving Revenue Through Public Relations and Media Placement
Thursday, July 13th, 2017
At a basic level, generating a profit in business revolves around a simple formula: revenues – costs = profits. In other words, the goal is to bring in more money than you spend. This is what makes the marketing function so tricky for many businesses. Marketing – if done properly – drives revenue. At the same time, marketing can be a significant part of an organization’s budget. According to a recent CMO survey, marketing can account for as much as a quarter of the overall budget for the consumer packaged goods industry, and ten percent for industries like retail wholesale and healthcare/pharmaceuticals.
So, any time you can find a way to do successful marketing on the cheap, it’s a great idea to take advantage. Using PR and free publicity to drive revenue is one of these methods, and here we examine what it takes to be successful. (more…)
Be Careful Out There! From Fake News to Fake Newsmakers—How to Best Protect Your Brand
Thursday, May 11th, 2017
In 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat character burst onto the big screen and became a huge success in the United States. Borat – a scruffy, socially awkward “journalist,” ostensibly from the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan – took a cross-country trip through the United States, mostly in the South, and interacted with and interviewed numerous unwitting participants who became fodder for Baron Cohen’s movie.
While Borat had been a staple of Baron Cohen’s Da Ali G show for years, the 2006 film marked the first time many Americans had been exposed to the character. From college students and driving instructors to rodeos and local news stations, many Americans were fooled into believing they were being interviewed for a cultural program for consumption in Kazakhstan, something that would not be seen in the United States.
Hilarity, embarrassment and lawsuits followed. (more…)
It’s Tough to Avoid Negative PR These Days
Saturday, April 22nd, 2017
April has been a rough month for the airline industry. Delta—renowned for its low rate of delays and cancellations—probably saw itself as the pariah of the airline industry after “unprecedented” weather hit its main hub in the Atlanta metro and caused the cancellation of thousands of flights over the course of a few days impacting thousands of customers around the country.
But, then United stepped into the picture and a single incident with a single passenger on a single flight stole the negative publicity spotlight from a likely grateful Delta. (more…)
Building Up Your Expert Status Through Strategic Communications
Thursday, March 9th, 2017Credibility is crucial for marketing efforts, whether B2B or B2C. Just as a consumer needs to be able to trust the business selling a product or service, business partnerships need to be built on trust as well. A great way to build this credibility is to be seen as an expert on a particular subject or in a particular field. A world-renowned heart surgeon who spends time as a medical professor, for example, is likely to be much sought after by those in need of heart surgery. The difference is personal branding. (more…)
The Risky Business of Mixing Marketing With Politics
Tuesday, February 28th, 2017
Politics permeates virtually every aspect of our day-to-day lives, and it’s constantly on display in every channel of media. So it’s no surprise that in seeking to connect with, and seem relevant to, their customer base, marketers from time to time invoke the politics of the day. However, the risk of such tactics often far outweighs the marginal rewards. (more…)
The New Extended Life of Super Bowl Commercials
Tuesday, February 14th, 2017
In the world of advertising, perhaps no event is as highly touted as the Super Bowl — or at least its commercials. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), nearly 190 million were expected to tune into the Super Bowl this year, making the four-hour event a prime venue for advertisers. And unlike most events where many viewers use modern technology to fast-forward through annoying advertisements, Super Bowl advertisers have an eager audience. In fact, the NRF reports that 17.7 percent — about 43 million people — say the commercials are the primary reason they watch the game. All that access comes at a price, of course. (more…)
Lessons Learned When Newsjacking Goes Awry…
Sunday, January 1st, 2017Social media is a key marketing tool that no business should overlook. To stay relevant to your audience, this medium requires being fluid and agile while staying up to date on the latest trends, buzz and news. Unfortunately, much of the news and buzz of 2016 has been around some of the great celebrities we’ve lost, including athletes, astronauts, politicians, actors and musicians. Commenting on these tragedies is, obviously, a sensitive matter, making it especially important to exercise caution before casting messages into cyberspace. Unfortunately, too often, even big businesses who we’d assume know better, commit egregious social faux pas. (more…)
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