ImPRessions

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions • October 18, 2021

Can Ethical PRs Represent Unethical Clients?

The public relations business is plagued with bad cultural stereotypes (see: Flacks) as well as real-life examples of specialists who lie or deceive. Sure, every occupation has its bad apples. Ironically, however, image control for PR is particularly challenging. For one thing, we answer to many parties, from clients and media to shareholders and stakeholders. […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, media relations • September 29, 2021

Why Press Coverage Still Matters In PR

Is earned media – otherwise known as press coverage — still the key to a successful public relations program? Or is it simply one component of the broader picture? It may seem like a silly question; after all, “publicity” is what people think of when they think about PR. And even in the business, many […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions • August 31, 2021

Lessons Of Theranos: Sex, Lies, And PR

Like many in tech PR, I’m fascinated by the Theranos story because of what it says about Silicon Valley, public relations, and the press. Now that the trial of its disgraced founder Elizabeth Holmes has started, media and pundits have updated their hot takes on her spectacular rise and fall. Theranos claimed to have devised […]

ImPRessions, public relations • August 6, 2021

What Thought Leaders Have In Common

In B2B public relations, there’s a lot of talk about thought leadership. Agency teams promise client executives that they’ll be positioned as thought leaders, we throw the term into proposals, and we call our content “thought capital.” Granted, good executive content is a very useful component of a B2B PR program, but that doesn’t necessarily […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • July 21, 2021

Who’s Winning The PR Space Race?

The new space race is on, but this time, instead of a PR challenge among competing governments and clashing ideologies, it’s a pissing contest among billionaire entrepreneurs…with phallic imagery to match. Or so it seems. The national press has chronicled the space flights with live saturation coverage so far. Maybe it’s a welcome break from […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • July 1, 2021

A Toast To Independent PR Agencies

It’s nearly Independence Day, which is a good time to reflect on what independence means in the business of public relations. Lots of ad and PR agencies tout their independent status in their marketing. Judging from a quick review of the websites of midsize PR firms, most think it’s a differentiator. But what does the […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions • June 8, 2021

Is Corporate Communications Optional?

Early in my PR agency career, our team was summoned by the CEO of a prestigious client. He was a brilliant and entrepreneurial hospitality executive who had been brought in to turn around a luxury travel company. The CEO fulminated about competitors getting better trade coverage than his company. He even tossed one of the […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • May 7, 2021

How Jeff Bezos Scored A PR Win

Not every billionaire CEO needs a big public relations team, apparently – just ask Elon Musk. But many successful founders do have an innate grasp of PR and media strategy. Sure, communications skills are learned, and years of experience really count in the PR biz. But when it comes to the hand-to-hand combat of media […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, reputation • April 8, 2021

Big Tech Has A PR Problem. Can It Close The Trust Gap?

A new survey of 31,000 people in 27 countries has documented what most of us in PR know – Big Tech has a reputation problem. For years, the enormous role technology plays in our lives and our reverence for brands like Apple and Amazon shielded the sector from greater taxation and regulation. But things are […]