American PR firm Imperial PR has been honoured with an industry award for its “achievement” in protecting the image of a major US sugar producer after one of its refineries exploded, killing 14 people and injuring over 40.
Public Relations
Wal-Mart’s China PR nightmare
In China, five Wal-Mart employees allegedly beat a shoplifter to death. It seems some were external contractors but the public makes no such distinction, says Shaun Rein, which is why companies need strict rules for outsourcing.
Media briefs: AFP and media broker deal, Kyle and Jackie O dodge a bullet
AFP and media to broker deal … Kyle and Jackie O dodge a bullet … Headline Watch: Viscous or vicious? … Majority of tweets inane drivel? …
Is the media ready to embrace the Twitter-sized press release?
Media tweet-aggregating site Muck Rack has launched a new service for PR pros to publish one-line press releases, up to 130 characters long, at a rate of $1 per character. But is the media world ready to pay more for less?
Miley Cyrus and the art of crisis PR
Miley Cyrus, Disney’s poster girl, has flirted with brand disaster by attempting to grow up too quickly too publicly, but she’s also learned how to atone well. Just like Tylenol in the 1980s, says Bruce Watson.
The envelope please: Rio’s winning way with public relations
For global mining behemoth Rio Tinto, it appears red envelopes extend beyond Feng Shui into the realm of cash for comment.
Tony Burke shares PR with Gunns
The Greens have caught Agriculture Minister Tony Burke out with some apparent cutting and pasting from propaganda produced by pulp mill proponent Gunns.
The salesman behind Wall Street’s bull
The strategic communications specialist advising a financial industry effort to enhance Wall Street’s image has plenty of experience in spinning the American public: he was one of the aides in charge of the Bush administration’s fact-bending campaign to sell the Iraq War.
How not to sell a business change — the eMusic story
Online music store, eMusic, which focuses on independent labels recently added Sony’s back catalogue. It went down like a cup of cold sick, says Tim Dunlop, who interviews Cathy Nevins about the change.
This is serious: getting through to humans
If the science with climate is settled, the thinking goes, then why aren’t people and the world’s nations galvanised? Andrew C Revkin meditates on the green PR problem.
PR firm to greenies: call it “deteriorating atmosphere”
The earnest English major in me is pitching a fit right now, says Jonathan Hiskes, but an eco PR firm has conducted some great research about convincing fence-sitting consumers to go green.
Tourism Victoria presents Sydney’s finest
Tourism Vic hopes to lure NSW ladies to Melbourne with romance. Ad agency Play has created spoof profiles of Sydney blokes, hopefully making Melbourne’s scarf-clad emos seem attractive by comparison.
P&O combats swine flu with PR
Dealing with the hysteria on swine flu includes blogging and this CEO message, says Trevor Cook.
PR tips for an accident-prone Pope
Just be yourself. And other words of wisdom to help lift Pope Benedict XVI out of controversy.
Wankley Awards: Outstanding achievements in PR
This week’s Wankley goes to some truly magnificent achievements in PR.
Comment for cat food pays mighty fine
The cat food story thickens, as a new revelatory email lands.
Message to PR flacks: You win
Daily newspaper and broadcast journalism is in the process of capitulating to that insidious and often irresistible attraction: the easy feed of the PR industry.
What Matthew Johns should do to save his reputation
Sydney talkback callers are ignoring the Budget to keep talking about NRL personality Matthew Johns’ group sex scandal. Trevor Cook suggests three courses of action for the player.
PR and journalism: we’re on the same side
A debate on PR vs. Journalism at the Public Relations Institute of Australia recently concluded: we’re all on the same side. Or is that just what those cunning PR hacks want us to think…?
The week in geek: Amazon fails the Twitter test
Amazon suffered PR carnage when they failed to adequately respond to the mysterious disappearance of gay and lesbian books from their sales lists. Why weren’t they following Twitter?
Oops Leading food writers in cat food for comment scandal
Crikey / Eleri Harris / Thursday, 14 May 2009
Food critics Australia-wide last night received an interesting offer from a “junior” accounts manager at Ogilvy PR’s Pulse Communications.