Million Dollar Motion

It was fun seeing Ellen doing some man-on-the-aisle (versus MOS) interviews last night during the Oscar telecast. She handed a screenplay to eventual Oscar-winning director Marty and posed for a close-up with Clint after giving her digital camera to Steven Spielberg.She even had the temerity — and good comic timing — to ask the world’s…… Continue reading Million Dollar Motion

Coal-Fire Sale

Talk about doing a 180. When the news first broke that fabled buyout king Henry Kravis would embark on his(tory’s) biggest deal ever, the first write didn’t exactly position the target in the most favorable light.Following the superlatives from NYTimes deal reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin, there, in the second paragraph, was the rub:”The amount of…… Continue reading Coal-Fire Sale

Divorce Dancing

I was with a lawyer friend last night when the subject turned to litigation PR, a most robust and lucrative PR industry practice specialty. We both agreed that lawyers and PR people are frequently at odds over what, when, how and even if, trial information should flow into the public domain.We also debated the risks/rewards…… Continue reading Divorce Dancing

Swayed

Yesterday The Guardian reported on a new social media product called “Sway” that not only mines the online conversation, but purports to “influence” that conversation. Sherrilynne at StrivePR pointed to the piece.Sway’s makers at the UK-based marketing group Creston make no claims about lowering one’s cholesterol. Instead, the company’s “Director of Influence” had this to…… Continue reading Swayed

Safe Landing

There are some unwritten, but useful rules for new business presentations. One favorite of mine is to avoid “piling on,” e.g., when every agency person in the room feels compelled to offer, in succession, his or her answer to the client-prospect’s question or concern. The net effect: little time for questions to the client from…… Continue reading Safe Landing

Bald Rumble

Shaved heads and The Donald. Is there anything closer to Nirvana in today’s popular culture? Well, yes, there is. Add the taint of world wrestling to the mix, and you get the picture.News Flash from yesterday’s Detroit Free Press : wrestlers representing Donald Trump and WWE’s Vince McMahon will face off in a Detroit ring…… Continue reading Bald Rumble

Pay-Per-Pray?

Not that we can expect the New York Post to give any Democratic candidate the benefit of the doubt, but Mr. Murdoch’s Manhattan mouthpiece has gone through extra pains to skewer one particular NY junior senator.Maybe it was that over-the-top “fashion” spread that first caught my eye during Fashion Week? The art department at the…… Continue reading Pay-Per-Pray?