Our Insights

communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, reputation • January 13, 2010

McGwire PR Strategy Misses The Mark

Somehow, I expected more of Ari Fleischer. Fleischer, who served as George Bush’s Press Secretary for two years (which is like 10 years in real time), knows a thing or two about PR and messaging. But, his coaching seemed to fall short for his client Mark McGwire this week when McGwire tried to come clean and apologize […]

advertising, branding, celebrity, communications, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, technology • January 9, 2010

Lady Gaga And Polaroid: Beautiful Music Or Bad Romance?

Picture this. When Polaroid announced its new relationship with pop diva Lady Gaga, it rocked the CES haus and nearly brought down Twitter. The former Stefani Germanotta, looking wonderfully preposterous in a hat made of her own hair, was shakin’ it as the brand’s Creative Director. She even showed off her new business card. Okay, the pairing might be a stretch. […]

Crenshaw Communications, public relations, social media, technology • January 7, 2010

CES Gets Its Mojo Back

To me, the international PR and gadget-fest that is the Consumer Electronics Show has always been an adrenaline-charged kick-off for the new year. For starters, it’s in Las Vegas, where everyone’s welcome, and anything – and I do mean anything – goes. Both the show and the town are an orgy of imagination and commerce, and […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, marketing, public relations, reputation, social media, technology • January 2, 2010

Ten Trends Affecting PR Professionals In 2010

Despite their overabundance this time of year, I’m a fan of lists. They impose structure and order on what is actually messy, imperfect, and disorderly. But, because I missed the 2009 list window I’ve taken a crack at identifying the major trends affecting our business and what they’ll mean in 2010 and beyond. 1. Social […]

advertising, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, technology • December 28, 2009

Will E-Books Save Publishing?

While scanning the post-holiday news this weekend, I was gripped by what might be the biggest retail story of the season. Amazon, in a PR release, reported a first. On Christmas day, it sold more e-books than regular print titles. Holy page-turner. This latest chapter took me by surprise. Just this summer, Amazon-watchers and tech pundits were […]

advertising, communications, creativity, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • December 23, 2009

Pepsi Super Bowl Snub Scores PR Points, Changes Marketing Game

In recent years, the Super Bowl has become as much a brand PR vehicle as an advertising showcase. Companies can score big by announcing their participation in the adfest, and if they hit, their commercial will be replayed and discussed by pundits like Barbara Lippert and Donnie Deutsch throughout the post–game news cycle. That’s why it’s ironic that Pepsi’s recent announcement […]

branding, communications, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • December 21, 2009

Domino’s Serves Up A New PR Recipe

Call it a mid-life crisis. On the eve of its 50th birthday, Domino’s is throwing its pizza recipe – and its business – up in the air. The company recently announced it has changed “everything” about its products, from crust to sauce. To top things off, it’s invited influential bloggers, some of whom have criticized its product – […]

public relations, social media, technology • December 16, 2009

Facebook Privacy Fix Is A Very Public Problem

As the mother of social networks, Facebook has struggled with privacy issues. It hasn’t gotten credit for many of the tools it offers, possibly because many users don’t understand them. So, the bar was raised a while back when CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised “a simpler model for privacy control.” What happened instead was a very […]

celebrity, Crenshaw Communications, public relations • December 14, 2009

The Tabloid Carnival: Celebrities As Entertainment

One of the more troubling aspects of the Tiger Woods scandal is what a political consultant famously referred to as “bimbo eruptions.” That devastating (and devastatingly accurate) description of then-president Bill Clinton’s extramarital history, and his PR problems, feels pretty familiar right now. Especially as more women come out of the woodwork to grab their tawdry piece […]