ImPRessions

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • September 20, 2012

Can PR Pros Learn From Romney’s Mistakes?

It’s been a tough two weeks for Mitt Romney’s campaign. It’s hard to separate the aggressive punditry, faux outrage, and media overkill from the real lessons here. But there are lessons. In my view it’s not about gaffes. Those occur on both sides, and the media pounce and squeeze every last ounce of news value […]

blogging, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • September 14, 2012

When Should A PR Agency Break Up With A Client?

Client-PR agency dynamics are a lot like dating, except the relationship is inherently unequal. A paying client always has the upper hand in the duo. Yet, agencies, too, can initiate a breakup. And like the song says, breaking up is hard to do. So is it ever a good business move to fire a client? […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • September 7, 2012

How To Give A Killer Speech: Lessons From The 2012 Political Conventions

Most of the time, a political convention combines the best of public relations strategy, messaging, marketing, and theater. But good or bad, there are always learnings that PR pros and our clients can take to any public speaking opportunity. Here are some from my convention-watching over the past two weeks. Match the room. Politicians and […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations • August 31, 2012

Bic Pen "For Her" Draws Mixed PR

In the past few days, lots of ink has been spilled – literally and digitally – about the hundreds customer reviews posted for Bic “For Her,” a line of pens marketed to women. Now, you might think the brand is elated to receive such an active response to a product, especially a year after its […]

communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, reputation • August 28, 2012

6 Myths of Crisis Management PR

In the past several weeks, brands from Burger King and Penn State to Chick-fil-A and CelebBoutique have grappled with serious reputational threats. These days, it’s almost routine for communications pros to be managing some kind of potential crisis situation along with proactive PR programs. Yet true “crisis management” is probably a misnomer. Though there are […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation, social media • August 24, 2012

Armstrong’s Crisis PR Is In Fighting Form

As evidence that he used performance-enhancing substances has gained traction over the years, cyclist Lance Armstrong always managed to stay out in front, avoiding major reputation damage. Until now. But even now, he may be down, but he’s not out. As he threw in the towel, announcing that he’d no longer contest the US Anti-Doping […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • August 20, 2012

How To "Newsjack" – Ethically

Recent conversation about “newsjacking” as the province of PR bottom-feeders has set off a minor digital storm. But I’m not sure what the fuss is about. The term originated with David Meerman Scott, who wrote a book on the topic; he defines it in the subtitle as “inject(ing) your ideas into breaking news” with a […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, social media • August 12, 2012

Olympics 2012: A Golden Moment for Twitter

Top prize for social sharing during Olympics 2012? Unquestionably, the gold should go to Twitter. It gave us a fresh crop of must-follow athletes, broke news about shattered records, and fostered social sharing over everything from Ryan Lochte’s hotness to Gabby Douglas’ hair. And there were lots of milestones. There was the unprecedented partnership between […]

blogging, communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • August 8, 2012

7 Signs Your PR Needs A Reboot

One of the exhilarating things about working in PR, particularly on the agency side, is the variability of what we do. It’s ideal for those of us who are easily bored or fear being in a rut. Yet, we, too, can fall into routine, and even the most well-conceived plan can become outdated or stale […]