Our Insights

Crenshaw Communications, public relations, social media, technology • August 31, 2009

Is Multitasking A Myth?

Like many PR professionals, I consider myself a decent multitasker. I find plenty of ways to justify my surface-skimming ways, including the most obvious excuse, the nature of the agency business. And, yes, I’ve occasionally had a superiority complex about my juggling act. I used to work with someone who never tried to take on more than […]

communications, creativity, Crenshaw Communications • August 28, 2009

Genius PR Move Of The Week

Normally I think creative job titles (Chief Enjoyment Officer?) in a corporate setting are contrived, and so, well, nineties. Not so for the lastest post at the National Railway Museum in York, England. The museum gained a new director recently, and along with it, a nice public relations boost. It was a golden opportunity, and they were quick to […]

Crenshaw Communications, social media, technology • August 25, 2009

The Face Of Online Anonymity

After becoming a parent, I was briefly obsessed with the anonymous online community UrbanBaby. UB was ostensibly about parenting, but it became known as a place where sleep-deprived moms would confess embarrassing secrets. As New York magazine put it, the anonymity was like a blend of “truth serum and a very strong cocktail.” Beyond the oversharing, UB could be snarky, even […]

Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, leadership, public relations, reputation • August 21, 2009

Whole Foods, Healthcare, And The “S-Word”

Partly because it’s in my building, but also because I like and admire the company, I feel bad when Whole Foods is attacked. I’m referring to CEO John Mackey’s Wall Street Journal editorial that has many customers threatening to hang up their reusable shopping bags for good. The piece, which essentially argued for fiscal restraint and individual empowerment, has […]

Crenshaw Communications, social media • August 19, 2009

Does Twitter’s Pointless Babble Remind You Of Anything?

Just about any half-baked study claiming to be about Twitter seems to generate lots of attention lately. Cue the salt shaker. But, I was entertained by a recent example of Twitter insight. A market intelligence company called Pear Analytics had the idea to analyze 2000 tweets over a period of two weeks’ time, grouping them into six […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, reputation • August 17, 2009

The Humane Society Makes It Real

Since the news broke that Michael Vick would rejoin the NFL and work with The Humane Society on its anti-dogfighting campaign, speculation about his true state of mind has gone into overtime. Is he sincerely remorseful? Does he regret only that he was caught and suspended, or has he actually changed? It’s impossible to tell if Vick’s […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, reputation • August 14, 2009

Astroturfing Is PR’s Dirty Battleground

If social media is the PR industry’s shiny new object, then fake-grassroots activities – known as “astroturfing” is its dirtiest open secret. I’m embarrassed to say that I haven’t followed the policy details of the healthcare debate, yet. it’s driving me crazy. Not just the ballooning price of coverage for my employees. Or even the $4500 […]

advertising, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • August 11, 2009

Penny Pranks Pay Off For Office Max

Back-to-school campaigns make me anxious. They evoke that Sunday-night-and-I-haven’t-done-my-homework feeling in a sure sign that the summer’s waning. This year, despite some encouraging economic reports, it’s looking like a depressing September all around. Forecasts suggest that shoppers will keep their wallets zipped, and major retailers are responding with uninspired price promotions and coupon drops. There’s even evidence that the […]

advertising, branding, Crenshaw Communications • August 7, 2009

When Brands Try To Be Cool

Recently, RadioShack announced that it’s changing its name. Or, more precisely, it wants you to use its nickname. In what’s billed as an informal move, the retailer has launched a campaign inviting us to call it “The Shack.” I can understand wanting to lose the dated “Radio,” which connotes a bygone technology era. And, the chain […]