communications

communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, reputation, social media • January 12, 2011

When Bad PR Is Good For Business

Boycotts are powerful, but they can also be PR magnets, drawing attention where none is deserved. That seems to be the case with the attempts to pressure Etsy, the online marketplace for handmade goods, to drop one of its sellers. Etsy is known not only for the business opportunities it provides to artist-entrepreneurs, but for […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, technology • January 9, 2011

What Happened In Vegas: Top Trends From CES 2011

And I thought it was 2010 when CES got its mojo back. By the end of day one of CES 2011, I knew this year’s geekfest would easily top last year’s. The recession seems to be receding, the innovation thriving, and the news flowing. Here are the top trends from CES 2011. Tablets, tablets, tablets. Not […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, public relations, reputation • December 31, 2010

The Worst PR Moves Of 2010

It was a good year for bad moves – when it comes to PR, that is. Here’s our list for 2010’s biggest PR blunders. BP. Let’s get it out of the way. There’s not much more to say about BP’s response to the flood of bad press after the Gulf oil spill. Its handling of the […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, public relations, reputation • December 28, 2010

The Best PR Moves Of 2010

This year brought well-publicized disasters, misbehaving celebrities, and corporate goofs. But, which individuals and companies communicated most skillfully during 2010? Here are our nominees. Wikileaks. Whether Julian Assange is a hero or a “high-tech terrorist” depends on your point of view. But in 2010 Wikileaks perfected a media relations strategy for maximum impact for the […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, public relations, reputation • December 21, 2010

Ten Trends That Will Affect Public Relations Pros In 2011

PR is reaching a golden age, triggered by the growth of social media and new, more relevant metrics. PR is dead, a bridesmaid in the hot pursuit of larger budgets and sexy social programs. The predictions are all over the map, but, as usual, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Here’s our list for […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, social media • December 14, 2010

Does Social Media Cause Groupthink?

I used to consider “groupthink” mostly as the enemy of new ideas. You know, where members of the team are more motivated to agree with one another and get along than to question the status quo or break new ground. Then there’s the too-homogeneous mindset that can result from an entrenched corporate culture. Tech blogger Steve Tobak wrote […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, social media • December 7, 2010

When Social Media Goes Too Far

The social web can be a wonderful thing. But what happens when social content goes too far as a substitute for actual journalism? In an age when “everyone is the media,” the credibility bar drops fairly low, revealing biases, errors, and rumors that pass as fact. I’m grateful for the traditional press, battered, but unbowed, when […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, reputation • November 29, 2010

The "Deadly Spin" On PR: Where Potter Gets It Right

Wendell Potter’s “Deadly Spin” is a fascinating book. It’s a broadside against the health insurance industry, an insider’s account of the battle over healthcare reform, and an exposé of PR’s ugly underbelly. In our business, it has drawn criticism for portraying what we do as the most subversive of dark arts. Personally, I found it […]

branding, communications, Crenshaw Communications, public relations, reputation • November 11, 2010

Can You Turn Bad Publicity Into Good PR?

When Gap unveiled a new logo last month, the negative buzz forced it to backpedal and eventually restore the original, iconic identity. It was a miss for Gap…or was it? Logo-gate may have awakened brand fans and made it more relevant than it’s been in years. Accident? Probably. But there are ways to turn a PR failure into […]