Maker’s Mark recently announced it would drop the whiskey’s proof from 90 to 84 and then stumbled a bit before going back to its original recipe and apologizing for the mess it had caused along the way. In that controversy, one of America’s truly great brands forgot — even if just for a day or…
What’s in a name? Well, if you are a Boeing, Gates, Schultz, or Ballmer, your name is synonymous with a well-recognized brand. And, in addition to being associated with hugely successful empires, what do all of these names have in common? They all have solid philanthropic reputations that not only benefit their communities, but also…
Companies can’t be making front page news all the time, but when the iron isn’t hot to strike, it doesn’t mean you can’t advance your PR program between larger news announcements. Sometimes the most interesting aspect of your company may be sitting right under your nose, and a well-written whitepaper can help you showcase…
Aside from the Baltimore Ravens winning Super Bowl XLVII yesterday, the big news coming out of the game was a sudden power outage at the New Orleans Mercedes-Benz Superdome shortly after halftime. As public relations pros, something we appreciated during this time was seeing some big brands taking the pause in gameplay as an opportunity…
As the world becomes more and more digital, so too does the world of public relations. The media landscape is constantly changing as publishers tweak their business models and expand further online. Social media cannot be ignored as a viable source of information and home to many influencers. PR professionals even have to take into…
A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to attend the Gartner ITxpo with our client WatchGuard, a global business security solutions provider. In between staffing meetings with industry analysts, I had the opportunity to attend a session called, “The Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2013” presented by VP and Gartner Fellow David Cearley. Some…
Events present a great PR opportunity for our clients. Whether it is an industry tradeshow or a grand opening of a new location, events for customers, partners and media offer an enticing news hook and a chance to secure interesting video and photos. We recently had the honor of assisting one of our technology clients,…
Government IT managers today have to do more with less. For even as cloud computing and “government 2.0” initiatives are supposed to save taxpayer dollars, continuing security threats and ballooning government programs are straining agency IT budgets just the same. Pressures like these mean many agencies are paring private-sector contractors to a strategic few. In…
Schema Creator Form Social media is everywhere these days, like water around a fish. The original players – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – are as popular and influential as ever. And new platforms are popping up at a dizzying pace, such as Google + and Pinterest. Despite the hype, social media has proven to be a…
Don’t let the suits, grim faces and bad lighting fool you; Congressional hearings play an important role in shaping news every day. A well-timed hearing can bring widespread media attention to a topic that was below the nation’s radar – not to mention bringing prestige or notoriety to the presiding member of Congress. With cameras…
Surfing, anyone? A bunch of hopeful entrepreneurs – all dreaming of becoming the next Instagram, no doubt – are certainly up for it. They’re all participants in the new SURF Incubator, which officially opens in just a few days. What is SURF Incubator? Founded by serial entrepreneur (and, of course, surfing fanatic) Seaton Gras, it’s…
