Matt, Say It Ain’t So!

So here’s a certifiable techno geek-turned-journalist named Matt Haughey doing his best imitation of Chris Anderson.Instead of blackballing misguided PR types by name, he’s deployed Gmail’s filters to eliminate whole domains from his e-mailbox. As a result, entire PR firms are punished for the amateurish and admittedly annoying transgressions of the few: “So for now,…… Continue reading Matt, Say It Ain’t So!

Hocus Vocus

In the last year, Vocus has gained considerable traction in its efforts to position itself as the media database software company that “gets it.” Yet earlier this week in one of my favorite blogs, Church of the Customer, Jackie Huba took Vocus to task as just another purveyor of PR spam. “Undaunted, Vocus powered on…… Continue reading Hocus Vocus

The New Pitch

Engage, pitch, annoy, alienate… Whatever category you fall in, all PR pros have one shared lament: a desire for closure. How many story pitches have you made over your career that went nowhere?I’m not talking about having the phone slammed down after you deliver your spiel. I’m talking about no reply whatsoever…zero…zilch…silence.I don’t mind rejection.…… Continue reading The New Pitch

Echo in the New Year

Geesh. Five days away from this blog. That’s the longest absence since first starting to post some two-and-a-half years ago. My truancy, I suppose, is less a function of vacation preoccupation — yes, I did get away with my family to ski for a week — and more tied to my reluctance to become just…… Continue reading Echo in the New Year

PR Crunch Time

Ahhh. The beleaguered gadget guru. I truly sympathize with those keyboard commandos who are charged with sorting through the myriad mailbox-filling missives that breathlessly tout the latest gizmos this (and every) holiday season.At least CrunchGear didn’t close the door completely on the frequent source of butter used on the bread it digests and regurgitates for…… Continue reading PR Crunch Time