public relations

Crenshaw Communications, public relations, technology • June 15, 2009

Zen And The Art of Mindful Multitasking

Do I have your attention? I didn’t think so. In a world of hyperlinked blogs, pop-up emails, and 140-character updates, it’s natural to wonder about attention span, and whether ours is stretched to the limit. In the agency business, “attention-shifting” is a professional hazard and practically a pre-requisite for success. I blame the business, and my […]

branding, communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, social media • June 12, 2009

Twitter: Is Anyone Listening?

During the months I’ve spent reading about and using Twitter, I’ve analogized it to many things, depending on my mood and its usefulness. At various times, I compare it to: a cocktail party; a real-time search engine; email for exhibitionists; a high-school popularity contest; and heroin. Personally, I find it both frustrating and fascinating. But, […]

advertising, communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, social media, technology • June 10, 2009

Has Twitter Jumped The Shark?

It’s a running joke among people in communications that, today, everyone’s a social media expert. Those who aren’t experts are usually self-proclaimed evangelists, mavens, gurus, specialists, advocates, or at the very least, enthusiasts. It’s striking, isn’t it, how quickly so many have become so adept at using new networks, platforms, strategies, and tools? My point […]

public relations, technology • June 8, 2009

Is Innovation A Victim of Its Own PR?

I was startled to read Michael Mandel’s provocative BusinessWeek article describing the failed promise of American innovation over the past ten years. It makes a pretty persuasive case, documenting our innovation shortfall in key industries and linking it to the US trade deficit, our debt load (taken on under false expectations of compensation increases) and even the current […]

advertising, blogging, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, reputation, social media • June 3, 2009

The Few, The Proud…. The Tobacco Executives

The American Legacy Foundation has been using “reality advertising” in its anti-smoking campaigns targeted to young people for years, with mixed reviews from the marketing community for tactics that are occasionally heavyhanded. But, its 2009 campaign featuring new TV spots takes the reality up a notch. What’s more, it moves away from the health messages typical of many […]

advertising, Crenshaw Communications, public relations • May 31, 2009

Spin Doctors And Other PR Myths

I spent part of today preparing a presentation about optimizing the PR investment for a meeting of MENG (Marketing Executives Networking Group), and my advance research has reminded me that certain myths about our business persist. Despite the growing prominence of PR and the fact that nearly everyone thinks he understands it, there’s a lot […]

blogging, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, reputation, social media • May 27, 2009

Citizen Advertising? The Future Of Sponsored Conversations

Note: No cash or gifts were received for the writing of this post. I’m being facetious, but, if this were a “sponsored” post, would you feel skeptical about the opinions expressed here? Or, would you applaud my “transparency?” That’s one of the issues at the heart of the debate around sponsored blog posts […]

Crenshaw Communications, public relations, social media • May 25, 2009

Tweeting To Remember

I was surprised and proud when my five-year-old announced that she knew why she had a holiday from school today. While she needed a hint to recall the day’s name, she eagerly told me that it was to remember people who fought in wars, “like Grandpa.” We talked a little bit about World War II, […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, leadership, public relations • May 22, 2009

Partnership Unlimited

Spending time at the international meeting of our sister consultancies (www.proi.org) has given me the chance to catch up with colleagues, commiserate about the economy, and share insights about trends affecting our business. The caliber of the firms in our global partnership is extraordinarily high, and the discussions have been both passionate and eye-opening. It also […]