ImPRessions

advertising, communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions • October 6, 2013

Has PRankvertising Gone Too Far?

To think, just a few months ago, I wondered if Chipotle’s faux Twitter hack was a mistake, because it duped followers in order to cook up some quick PR. But the stunt was nothing compared to the outrageous shock-ad campaigns from major international brands. Prankvertising – or what I think of as PRankvertising, because its […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • October 2, 2013

6 Ways To Use Public Relations To Build Brands

“Brand public relations” – is it an oxymoron? Some say that PR builds reputation, while marketing actually boosts brands. But in reality, the two work in concert….kind of like brick and mortar. There are many ways to use classic PR strategies to add depth, color, and cohesion to the building blocks of brand identity. Here […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • October 1, 2013

PR Winners And Losers In The Government Shutdown

From a public relations, communications, or any other point of view, it’s hard to find much positive in the Congressional wrangling that devolved into a government shutdown last night. A quick overview of traditional media showed plenty of “he-said, she-said” punditry, message-point-stuffed interviews with elected officials, and a few polls showing that the American people […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • September 27, 2013

Public Relations Is A Powerful Storytelling Tool

Brand storytelling and PR – what’s really new here? The truth is, marketers have been telling brand stories through paid media, branded events, and, lately, brand journalism, also known as owned media. Make no mistake, a well-crafted 30-second television spot can tell a resonant story. But the heart of brand storytelling lies with public relations. […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • September 23, 2013

What Startups Should Know About Public Relations

Many startups or emerging businesses can benefit from an investment in public relations. It’s a cutthroat world out there, with all manner of new and fast-growing companies competing fiercely for media and investor attention. Most entrepreneurs realize that a well-focused PR program can help drive visibility, highlight what makes the business or its products different, […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • September 18, 2013

The Seven PR Agency Commandments

The web is brimming with posts by journalists and bloggers warning PR pros what not to do when presenting clients or pitching stories. Sadly, there’s plenty of evidence that we have more to learn as an industry. Yes, spamming pitches is a bad idea. But within a PR agency, there are other, more grievous sins. […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions • September 12, 2013

What PR People Can Learn From Vladimir Putin

It raised eyebrows when Russia seemed to seize the communications initiative on Syria, picking up on a stray comment by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to call for a diplomatic solution to the mess. But it’s downright shocking that Russian president Vladimir Putin makes his case with a bylined editorial in The New York […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions • September 7, 2013

When Customers Fight Back – With Promoted Tweets!

As every PR or reputation expert knows, social media cuts both ways. It can be a critical outlet for real-time promotion and customer relations and a useful branding tool. It can also be a megaphone for unhappy consumers. Any brand who puts itself out there needs to be ready. Earlier this week, a businessman named […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • September 4, 2013

The "Science" of Spotting A Winning Startup

My first PR agency was founded in 1996. If that year doesn’t mean anything to you, you’re either young, or you’re not very interested in technology startups. 1996 was a fantastic year to start up just about anything, including a New York PR agency. The “dot-com” boom was roaring, there was far too much VC […]