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Posts Categorized ‘public relations’
PR: Don’t Order the Nachos
Jason Michael 04.16.12
public relations I am a nacho man. Always have been. No matter where I go for dinner, nachos are a strong bet to be ordered. They’re delicious, they’re affordable and they’re safe. It’s nearly impossible to mess up a plate of nachos. I mean, once you have the framework of chips, cheese and protein, it’s really just a matter of preferential toppings (author choice: light salsa, sour cream, guacamole and jalapenos). If we go to a restaurant that has nachos, I am confident the nachos will be good, even those bottom chips that have gotten soggy under …
Super Bowl Ad-a-Thon 2012: One company really gets it.
Jeff Cohn 02.08.12
brand strategy One of America’s favorite pastimes is the ubiquitous water cooler discussion on Super Bowl Monday. Around the office, breakfast table and coffee house, everyone likes to share their opinions on what spot was funny, interesting, well done, etc. No doubt, it’s a lot of fun. But as a marketer, it always gives me great pause to wonder if the investment is worth the return. Does anyone really remember or take action from these spots? Maybe that’s not the intent. Maybe it’s just about brand building, creating awareness for the brand, the product, the newest of …
5 reasons why your pitch struck out
CJ Powell 02.06.12
public relations I’ll admit it: This isn’t much of an “original” post. You and I have both read plenty of articles focused on the fine art of story pitching. Some experts emphasize the importance of the subject line; others stress a strong hook to capture interest. Some focus on length; others focus on content. In my experience, there are countless ways to write a strong pitch—and possibly even more ways to mess it up. While this post is far from my personal Pitching Manifesto, I have put together below some definite factors that will ensure your email …
Is Siri the one answering my tweets?
CJ Powell 11.21.11
public relations Spoiler alert: I’m about to blow your mind. It recently occurred to me yesterday that the human tone behind so many corporate social media accounts may not be coming from a human at all. If Apple can create a phone that can converse like a human, why couldn’t the same technology be used to manage social media accounts? I’ll preface this entire post by saying I don’t believe that automated responses—however human they may sound—are a smart approach to social media. At BlogWorld 2011 earlier this month, I was shocked to learn that social media …
BlogWorld 2011
CJ Powell 11.14.11
brand strategy I’ve been bad. In helping clients, friends and colleagues with creating blog content to enliven their blogs, I’ve neglected to post on BrandStand in a while. But after a two-day whirlwind called BlogWorld slapped some much needed inspiration across my face, I’ve got the writing bug all over again. Please find it in your heart to forgive me… and then forgive me again for all blog-themed content you’re about to read. At BlogWorld, I sat through 10 incredibly inspiring and insightful presentations, including Cohn’s own Michael Barber speaking on mobile web and mobile apps (he’s …
Life without Twitter? Hard to imagine!
COHN 07.26.11 public relationsI remember the first time I was exposed to Twitter. It was September 2008, and I was attending the BlogWorld & New Media Expo in Las Vegas. It’s safe to say that the conference was a life changing experience for me. Sure, Twitter had been up and running for two years, but people hadn’t really done much with it, or at least that’s what I thought. While at the conference, I realized I might have been the only attendee without a Twitter account. Where had I been? Why didn’t I have an account? Thank goodness …
What can PR learn from the NFL lockout?
CJ Powell 07.13.11 public relationsRaise your hand if you knew that this spring, the NFL franchise owners “locked out” their players from the league. Keep your hand raised if you know what “locked out” actually means, and continue to keep your hand raised proudly if you can succinctly explain the points of contention between the owners and the players. Those who still have their hands raised are either lawyers or sports fans, and these two groups are probably not reading this blog. So, I’ll keep my explanation simple: NFL owners and players are fighting over a pool of money, …
Conventional Wisdom
CJ Powell 05.02.11 public relationsThere is a first for everything. I still remember the first time I ate duck meat (about five years ago), the first time I cried in a movie (My Girl in the Buckingham Mall theater in Aurora, Colo.), and the first of many times that I accidentally sent a text message to exactly the wrong person (sorry for ruining the surprise party, Allie!) I love “firsts,” and that’s probably why I woke up feeling inspired to write about my first trip to Houston. Not only was it my first trip to Houston, it was also …