Social Clout At Re/Code

Very few business news organizations enjoy the brand esteem and influence of Dow Jones’s Wall Street Journal. A prominent story within WSJ’s print or digital editions has the capacity to drive conversations, alter corporate fortunes (and stock price), and even affect government policy.On top of that, few professions, outside of technology or entertainment, have embraced…… Continue reading Social Clout At Re/Code

Of Cookies & Cruises

Anyone who’s ever conducted a Google search has encountered that moment when one, two or seven days later up pops a related product ad in your desktop, laptop or mobile browser’s window. These cookie-enabled ads seem to surface on some of the most random sites.The issue of how online marketers use tracking cookies and one’s…… Continue reading Of Cookies & Cruises

Zucker to CNN…Presumably

Jeff ZuckerIt is 3pm Wednesday, and the news of former NBCUni’s chief Jeff Zucker’s ascension to the leadership of CNN Worldwide has still not yet been confirmed by Time-Warner, nor Mr. Zucker himself. Even so, the Twitterstream was buzzing last night and today with hedged assertions that this news was manifest. Leading the charge was…… Continue reading Zucker to CNN…Presumably

BP’s New Campaign: Just Hot Air?

For PR pundits everywhere, especially those with outlets to spread their musings, BP is the gift that keeps on giving. This blogger has written three posts on the beleaguered company thus far, and with every new day, a potentially bloggable wrinkle emerges around company’s efforts to manage this most unnatural disaster, and its own reputation.I…… Continue reading BP’s New Campaign: Just Hot Air?

Drudge-Driven News

During a recent Publicity Club of New York media panel, I brought up the downside of real-time news, citing Silicon Valley Insider’s Henry Blodgett’s now-famous faux pas in which he broke the “story” of a supposed Steve Jobs heart attack. The report was wrong…as further evidenced by Mr. Jobs’ star turn in a tux at…… Continue reading Drudge-Driven News

It’s (Not) the Real Thing

A number of authoritative voices I follow on Twitter today collectively glommed onto the long-simmering issue of PR-driven corporate speak under the banner “Worst Press Release Ever?”The catalyst for the extra-carbonated Twitter cooler conjecture was a post by the Wall Street Journal’s “The Deal” blog titled “Coke: Most Unintelligible Press Release Ever?”In it, The Journal’s…… Continue reading It’s (Not) the Real Thing

Anatomy of a Controlled Leak

On Monday evening, I tweeted the following: @PeterHimler March shipping date. Price of $1K. My my. How unApple-like for new product details to leak in advance of the launch.8:43 PM Jan 4th from Power Twitter Late yesterday, the good folks from The Mac Observer peeled back the skin of Apple’s seemingly invincible PR department with…… Continue reading Anatomy of a Controlled Leak

Unconventional Taste

It started with Fox’s “terrible and shameless promotion” during the 4th game of the World Series.America had its first trailer-length glimpse of James Cameron’s $300 million epic “Avatar,” which seemed to produce the opposite effect for many. The Times’s Carbetbagger David Carr tweeted: @carr2n: These wall-to-wall Avatar promos are not having the desired effect on…… Continue reading Unconventional Taste

The PRfect Match

As one of the 74 percent of Americans who reads “a printed or online newspaper” at least once a week, I couldn’t help but notice the full-page ad that broke in the “Money and Investing” section of Friday’s Wall Street Journal, and again today.It was a “house-ad” from Dow Jones that amazingly targets…the PR professional.…… Continue reading The PRfect Match

Forget Journalists. It’s the Algorithm.

As PR 2.0 twists and turns its way into PR 3.0, we are constantly reminded of our growing role as producers of content that drives awareness, opinion, and action.Cases in point: the Twitterization of the Skittles home page, the de-listing of one’s Facebook friends for the sake of a Whopper, and the first appearance on…… Continue reading Forget Journalists. It’s the Algorithm.