social media

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation, social media • February 3, 2012

Can Komen Recover From Its PR Disaster?

Susan G. Komen For the Cure, the force behind the ubiquitous pink breast-cancer ribbon, had a lot of people seeing red this week. After withering social criticism and fierce pressure from influentials, Komen reversed its controversial decision to defund Planned Parenthood. But a formidable symbol of grassroots activism built over 30 years has taken a […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation, social media • January 16, 2012

Racist Receipts And Other PR Blunders

Is any industry more challenging than retail? Not only is the business tough, but your employees are your brand. And those employees are notoriously transient and often underpaid, overworked, and just plain bored. And sometimes they do things that are just plain stupid. It takes only one misstep, powered by social media, to create a […]

celebrity, Crenshaw Communications, crisis management, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation, social media • January 5, 2012

Fake Twitter Accounts: The Ultimate Status Symbol?

Wendi, we hardly knew ye. The all-too-brief period in which Mrs. Rupert Murdoch took to Twitter was thrilling for Murdoch-watchers, social media pros, and PR types. It seemed another example of the faux-democratizing power of the social Web. It also showed the cleverness of Ms. Deng, and her uncanny ability to humanize her much-reviled husband. […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, social media • November 29, 2011

The Governor, The Teenager And Twitter: A PR Lesson

The awesome power of social media may be matched only by the withering force of teenage scorn. I was startled by the social blowback resulting from Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s public feud with a local high school student. It started last week when Emma Sullivan and her class attended a youth event in Topeka where […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, social media • October 28, 2011

Robert Gibbs On PR, Politics, And Social Media

“Whether or not someone is camped in a park literally, there will always be someone camped in a park, figuratively.” Nice, tweetable quote from former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. Gibbs spoke yesterday at the Council of PR Firms Critical Issues Forum about the power of social media to mobilize change. As a veteran of policy […]

communications, Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, social media • September 14, 2011

8 Ways To Make Your PR Program More Social

Social media is like a “secret sauce” for marketing communications. It isn’t always strong enough on its own, but it adds flavor and power to a traditional program. The key is integration. Here are some simple steps for “socializing” a PR campaign, even if it’s a DIY (do it yourself) variety. Set clear goals. Many […]

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 […]

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 […]