Our Insights

Crenshaw Communications, PR Fish Bowl, public relations • June 24, 2011

PR People Are Just Different

Last night at my children’s middle school graduation ceremony, I was struck by how my husband and I, both PR professionals, reacted to the evening’s speakers, who included a board of education rep and the superintendent of schools. They mumbled, they were unfocused, and they didn’t even hold their punch lines long enough for the […]

creativity, PR Fish Bowl • June 21, 2011

A Father’s ROI

How my dad’s “investment” in me improved my PR skills My dad spent years investing his time and wisdom in shaping my values, skills and “way in the world”. Now that we have celebrated his big day, I wanted to reflect on the great tips he’s given me by word and example, that have helped […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations • June 17, 2011

Do Journalists Really Make The Best PR People?

The recent Burson Marsteller “whispergate” mess got me thinking about the long-lived, symbiotic relationship between people who work in PR and those who make their living in journalism. The two PR pros who tried to seed negative stories about Google on behalf of a not-so-secret client (Facebook) were former reporters who had only recently moved to the dark […]

Crenshaw Communications, PR Fish Bowl, public relations • June 16, 2011

All Work And No Play, In PR? No Way!

Want to know one of the secrets to improving your PR skills? Play! The right kind of play incorporated into your day can help relieve stress, heighten creativity and problem-solving skills as well as make you more comfortable in social situations. Stuart Brown of the National Institute for Play has actually demonstrated the active presence […]

creativity, PR Fish Bowl • June 10, 2011

Ode To My PR Office

Office, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Each morning I come into my own space ready to create something new on behalf of a client or for our company. Like anyone, I make my space my own and draw upon certain things for inspiration and to help me through my day. […]

Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation • June 10, 2011

Apology PR: What Happened To The ‘Good Wife’?

For the record, I thought Rep. Anthony Weiner’s apology was fairly strong. He accepted responsibility, admitted that he lied, vowed to change, and issued apologies to practically everyone in the universe, even the Democrats’ Darth Vader, Andrew Breitbart. (Who, in a surreal move, nearly hijacked Weiner’s air time…but that’s another post.) Weiner then subjected himself to endless […]

Crenshaw Communications, PR Fish Bowl • June 7, 2011

The Difficult Conversation In PR

We all dread it. Whether you are letting a friend know that you were hurt by something she said or telling a co-worker about a client problem — the “difficult conversation” is stressful for all parties. Although there are endless scenarios that get you there, the facts remain the same — at one point or another, […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation, social media • June 3, 2011

Crisis PR Tips From "Weinergate"

Last night, Jon Stewart mocked his own ambivalence about going below the belt on close friend Rep. Anthony Weiner in a bit that epitomized the appeal of the scandal known as “Weinergate.” A Tom Brokaw “angel” appeared over one shoulder urging journalistic restraint, while a Don Rickles “devil” on the other side repeated, “But it’s about Weiner’s […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations • June 1, 2011

For PR Pros, There Will Never Be Another Oprah

As Oprah’s long goodbye at last culminated in her final show last week, many PR professionals breathed a sigh of relief. The country’s most powerful third-party endorser has moved on. No longer will consumer clients gauge PR success by whether we could land an Oprah segment. For so many years, an appearance on Oprah was […]