public relations

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation • October 21, 2011

How To Turn Bad Publicity Into Good PR

There are those who think any PR is good PR, but let’s face it, sometimes it’s just plain bad. Faced with withering reviews for its plan to separate its DVD and streaming businesses into two distinct units, Netflix has canceled Qwikster. This latest plot twist is a bit reminiscent of Gap’s unveiling of that infamous new […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • October 12, 2011

The Care And Feeding Of Bloggers: Tips For PR Pros

Last month, a top-ten firm cooked up a PR mess when it tried to surprise bloggers by serving frozen entrees from a client brand instead of the freshly cooked meals the guests were led to expect. The duped bloggers started an epic food fight, dishing on the agency and their client online for weeks after the event. […]

creativity, Crenshaw Communications, PR Fish Bowl, public relations • October 7, 2011

How Workplace Superstitions Can Boost Business

The quarterback of my alma mater played every game wearing the same socks. Ernest Hemingway always wrote standing up. Matthew Weiner, creator of “Mad Men,” claims all of these superstitions in this recent NY Times article: “No hat on the bed. No shoes on the bed. Do not step over people on the floor. Put […]

branding, communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • October 6, 2011

What Steve Jobs Knew About PR

In the wake of Steve Jobs’ passing, pundits and Apple-watchers are trying to outdo one another to describe his talent, vision, and impact. But if you look at Jobs as the presumed architect of Apple’s ongoing public relations strategy, he was a disaster. At least, he should have been. After all, in the digital age, […]

public relations • October 4, 2011

How To Be Indispensable In PR

There’s no better way to end a work week than with a thankful note from a client. “Great job this week, couldn’t have done it without you.” Yep, that sums it up. Weeks worth of hard work have paid off. In public relations, we have to be indispensable. Every action must prove to our clients […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • September 30, 2011

A Weighty Issue: Is Being Heavy Bad PR?

One of the tweets after the earthquake in August was about a certain hefty New Jersey governor and object of Republican presidential fantasies: “I think Chris Christie just jumped into the race.” Bada-bum. Christie’s size has been the butt of jokes, with puns always intended, since his own campaign against Jon Corzine. His bulk is the […]

branding, ImPRessions, public relations • September 29, 2011

When Brand Nicknames Are Bad PR

Coke. Mickey D’s. Tar-zhay. Brand nicknames are usually a marketer’s dream. Impossible to impose (just ask RadioShack), they have enormous power when they happen organically. And they’re nearly always a sign of familiarity, engagement, or even affection. That’s what General Motors learned – the hard way – after its ill-fated attempt to legislate use of […]

media relations, PR Fish Bowl, public relations • September 20, 2011

The Seven Deadly PR Pitching Sins

Top PR agencies know what to do, and what not to do, when pitching media. Yet, it’s easy to cut corners under time pressure. Here’s a quick list of the “Seven Deadly Pitching Sins” for PR professionals. Feel free to add your own. 1. Being boring. A boring or irrelevant pitch will be deleted faster […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • September 16, 2011

Fake News Site Highlights Fine Ethical Line For PR

September is PR Ethics Month. That’s ironic, because a water utility’s ‘innovative’ PR tactics have sparked an outpouring over industry ethics while highlighting the thin line between legitimate news and faux content. It all started when the Central Basin Municipal Water District in Southern California was outed by the Los Angeles Times for its creation […]