U.S.A. Youth Marketing

"The U.S. Department of State is taking another stab at putting private-sector marketing smarts to work for America and its image problem," reports PR Week. Mike Holtzman, a partner at the Brown Lloyd James PR firm, was hired "to help plot a new course for U.S. public diplomacy." Holtzman is expected to "move away from government-branded initiatives and toward youth-oriented cultural campaigns." He's suggested "a center ... [to] coordinate sporting events, cultural and educational exchange, technological and medical training, and other activities aimed at engaging ordinary people - particularly the young - in more dialogue and interaction." It's seen as a major move away from Charlotte Beers' "Shared Values" ad campaign.