ImPRessions

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, leadership, public relations • August 17, 2011

Are Executive Vacations Bad PR?

As President Obama parks his sleek tour bus (dubbed “Bus Force One”) and travels to Martha’s Vineyard for a little R&R this week, the predictable criticism has followed. Some question whether our chief executive should be taking time off amidst stock market volatility, a “crisis” economy, and dropping poll numbers. Chief among the President’s critics, of […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, social media • August 11, 2011

When It Comes To Social Media, Faking It Isn't Making It

The recent rash of bogus Twitter follower scandals, like Newt Gingrich‘s 1.3 million supposed fans, and the oil industry’s apparent astroturfing efforts, are entertaining blog fodder. But they’re also important as a reminder of what’s erroneous about linking social media status to a friends and follower count. (It’s actually unclear what percentage of Gingrich’s followers […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • August 4, 2011

When Choosing A PR Firm, Does Size Matter?

Sure, it does, for PR agencies, and other creative services. From the agency perspective, size can be a powerful differentiator. But just how it stacks up depends on your point of view. Smaller firms are a better value, right? Not necessarily. I’ve held senior positions at firms that range from mega-agency to midsized. When I was […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • July 29, 2011

How To Be Quoted In The Press: Nine PR Tips

One of the mysteries of media relations is the process whereby an interview becomes a feature story. Quality in, quality out, right? Not always. What goes in does not always come through in the final piece. And there are few things more frustrating than offering up your best insights, quotes, and experience, only to be cut […]

advertising, communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • July 26, 2011

A Summer’s Eve Debate: Why ‘Offensive’ Ads Can Be Good

Can men effectively market to women? Can whites sell to people of color? Sure. Yet, some recent ad campaigns make you wonder. The latest is for Summer’s Eve cleansing wash, and it’s definitely a fresh take on the “feminine products” category. Each of the three ads features a woman’s hand that is meant to be a […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, social media • July 20, 2011

Was The Murdoch’s "Humble Pie" Good PR?

As he prepared to face a day’s worth of questioning by British lawmakers about the News Corp. phone-hacking crisis, Rupert Murdoch was set to serve up a carefully crafted statement that began,”This is the most humble day of my life.” But Murdoch was rushed into questioning and had to wait until later to try to […]

branding, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, social media • July 13, 2011

All Facebook "Likes" Are Not Created Equal

Even before Facebook popularized the “like” button, there’s been online discussion about the value of a single Facebook fan, or, now, a “like.” Some is pure speculation, while some is more research-based. Last year, social measurement firm Syncapse put the revenue potential of Facebook fans for certain brands at an impressive $136.38. More recently, revenue optimization […]

Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation, social media • July 6, 2011

Recipe For A Twitter Fail: Was Entenmann’s #Guilty of Hashtag Hijacking?

Call it a half-baked attempt to be topical…or perhaps, just a mistake. As Twitter erupted following the surprise guilty verdict in the Casey Anthony murder trial, Entenmann’s adopted the rapidly trending #notguilty hashtag to tweet a whimsical update about “eating all the tasty treats you want.” The tweet lasted only minutes. Someone realized the juxtaposition wasn’t […]

branding, communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations • July 4, 2011

Craft Beer Fight Over B-Word Rages, With Good Press On Tap

The Bitch is back. That’s Flying Dog Brewery’s Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA. Now maybe the name should offend me, but it doesn’t. I don’t actually have a dog in this fight, but I do think it’s fitting that on Thursday, just in time for the July 4th weekend, the state of Michigan reversed a decision […]