marketing

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, marketing, public relations, reputation, social media, technology • January 2, 2010

Ten Trends Affecting PR Professionals In 2010

Despite their overabundance this time of year, I’m a fan of lists. They impose structure and order on what is actually messy, imperfect, and disorderly. But, because I missed the 2009 list window I’ve taken a crack at identifying the major trends affecting our business and what they’ll mean in 2010 and beyond. 1. Social […]

advertising, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, technology • December 28, 2009

Will E-Books Save Publishing?

While scanning the post-holiday news this weekend, I was gripped by what might be the biggest retail story of the season. Amazon, in a PR release, reported a first. On Christmas day, it sold more e-books than regular print titles. Holy page-turner. This latest chapter took me by surprise. Just this summer, Amazon-watchers and tech pundits were […]

advertising, communications, creativity, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • December 23, 2009

Pepsi Super Bowl Snub Scores PR Points, Changes Marketing Game

In recent years, the Super Bowl has become as much a brand PR vehicle as an advertising showcase. Companies can score big by announcing their participation in the adfest, and if they hit, their commercial will be replayed and discussed by pundits like Barbara Lippert and Donnie Deutsch throughout the post–game news cycle. That’s why it’s ironic that Pepsi’s recent announcement […]

branding, communications, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • December 21, 2009

Domino’s Serves Up A New PR Recipe

Call it a mid-life crisis. On the eve of its 50th birthday, Domino’s is throwing its pizza recipe – and its business – up in the air. The company recently announced it has changed “everything” about its products, from crust to sauce. To top things off, it’s invited influential bloggers, some of whom have criticized its product – […]

advertising, celebrity, communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, marketing, public relations, reputation • December 11, 2009

Will Tiger Woods Sink Celebrity Endorsement?

The seemingly endless Tiger Woods scandal, and the well-worn implications for PR and crisis management, have me thinking instead about another aspect of our business – the celebrity endorsement. In this case, the negative fallout is so dramatic – and so unanticipated – that I have to wonder. Could brands become wary of getting into […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, marketing, public relations, reputation, social media • December 4, 2009

How Method Cleaned Up A PR Mess

How do you clean up a PR mess? That’s the question Method, the natural cleaning products company, asks after a video created to rally support for the Household Products Labeling Act, which would mandate disclosure of chemical ingredients in common cleansers, somehow went toxic. It went from being the toast of the ad world to…well, just toast. In “Shiny Suds,” a […]

Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • November 30, 2009

Shopping Holidays Are On A Roll

As an inveterate procrastinator and hater of crowds, I’ve always avoided Black Friday, except as a business angle for retail clients. And Cyber Monday, despite a similar usefulness, seemed a little like Grandparents Day…you know, an attempt by marketers to create a commercial holiday that never really, um, clicks. Maybe it’s the “cyber” label, which hasn’t been in the […]

branding, communications, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, social media • November 17, 2009

Sarah Reloaded: Palin’s PR Offensive

“She’s not retreating, she’s reloading.” That’s how Sarah Palin, quoting her father, describes her re-emergence on the scene at the end of her memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life. It’s also a pretty fair description of the preparation for the PR offensive mounted to promote the book. Palin’s come out with guns blazing. Some reviewers have dismissed […]

advertising, Crenshaw Communications, marketing, public relations, reputation, social media • October 26, 2009

Ready Or Not, Here Comes SideWiki

Lately I’ve been involved in discussions about companies who don’t want their brands to engage with consumers online. Most PR practitioners agree that there can be legitimate reasons for a business to avoid social media – be they regulatory issues, a narrow or niche positioning, or lack of preparedness. It’s a brand’s choice, after all. Until now, that […]