marketing

communications, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • May 13, 2010

How To Get A Job in PR: Advice For Millennials

It’s graduation season, when advice is plentiful, but jobs are scarce. Firms like mine are blitzed with resumes from freshly degreed communications grads eager to make their mark in PR. A tough economy isn’t the only obstacle. Those entering the workforce now are tagged as Millennials and stereotyped as indulged, overpraised, and entitled. Here’s my contribution to the […]

advertising, communications, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • April 26, 2010

Banned Ads Are A Robust PR Opportunity

It played out like a publicity stunt. Not one as blatant as the annual Super Bowl banned-ad PR-fest. But, at first it seemed a little, well, overblown. The sexy Lane Bryant lingerie commercial featuring curvy model Ashley Graham was rejected by both ABC and Fox for showing “too much cleavage” and being therefore too risque for the family […]

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

When Brands Try To Be Cool (Part 2)

Brands trying to be cool is an obsession of mine, and I’ve noticed how they seem to come in clusters. The latest rash of high-stakes rebrandings is in cable and Internet services. In February, Comcast renamed its TV, Internet and phone services as Xfinity. The PR picture wasn’t pretty. Bloggers and branding experts pounced on […]

Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • March 20, 2010

Ford Leads The Way For Influencer Marketing

As I’ve previously blogged, I get a charge out of the Fiesta Movement, Ford’s nontraditional campaign to promote its new subcompact car. Not because it’s innovative, although it’s undoubtedly a departure for the automotive category. I admire it precisely because it’s not groundbreaking in the truest sense. It’s something better. The Fiesta Movement is a […]

celebrity, communications, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, social media • March 16, 2010

Genius PR Move Of The Year – Conan on Twitter

Before late February, the closest Conan O’Brien came to social media was making lame jokes about tweeting celebrities on his show. So, when his updates came over my Twitter stream, I thought it was a clever way to stay relevant for a guy who’s barred from going on television for six more months. @ConanOBrien‘s bio seemed to […]

advertising, branding, celebrity, communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, marketing, public relations, reputation, social media • March 5, 2010

The Future of Celebrity Endorsement, Post-Tiger

Last night I had the pleasure of speaking at a symposium sponsored by The Cardozo Arts and Entertainment Law Journal. The topic was “The Tiger Woods Effect” on celebrity endorsement, contract negotiation, morals clauses, and a host of other legal, marketing and PR issues. Here’s my take on the discussion, from a strictly brand marketing perspective. Brands […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, reputation, social media • February 25, 2010

What We Can Learn From "Undercover Boss"

When I was 23 years old I worked for a PR entrepreneur who insisted we accompany the sales reps of a large client company on their customer calls at retail. He said it was the only way to learn how the company’s products got to market and to gain a real-world perspective on our PR planning. […]

advertising, communications, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • February 3, 2010

Super Bowl Advertisers Score PR Points By Getting “Banned”

Someone blogged recently that the Super Bowl’s like “American Idol” for advertisers…with a little football thrown in. They called it right. And this year, with social media kicking in like never before, the Super Bowl is still a winning PR strategy for the brands that pay to play. Most are looking to extend their investment through the […]

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. […]