Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on
Wal-Mart Stores "is enjoying its best publicity in years as even its harshest critics laud the retailer's Hurricane Katrina relief efforts," reports Emily Kaiser. And the company is planning a "secret spin strategy to counter a union-backed, anti-Wal-Mart media blitz" that accuses the company of paying poverty-level wages and driving competitors out of business.
Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on
The American Gaming Association (AGA), a lobbying group for U.S. gambling casinos, is working on a PR campaign to improve its image. According to AGA chief executive Frank Fahrenkopf, the group wants to persuade state officials that current casino taxes are too high in the states where its members operate.
Submitted by Laura Miller on
"In today’s economy, you can have incredible marketing for your company for free rather than spending an enormous marketing budget," writes Steven Warren for IT Managment. "How is this possible? Corporate blogging." Warren encourages corporate bloggers to "be honest and forthright. Don’t just blog about your products with a PR spin. ... Use the blog to capture your audience with your personality and your passion for what you do. ... A passionate blog will reach more people than any high-dollar ad campaign." It's not just corporations that are blogging, but trade associations too.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"The U.S., which saw positive PR results from the millions donated to Indonesia after the tsunami devastation in May, wants a PR firm to spread awareness that Uncle Sam has given over $1 billion to the archipelago over the last 50 years." The U.S.
Submitted by Laura Miller on
Entering the race to win hearts and minds, China has begun an image campaign to bolster its global economic and political ambitions. "Beijing has already opened 27 branches of the Confucius Institute around the world in less than a year, and it has a budget of $200-million (U.S.) annually to teach Chinese to foreigners," Canada's Globe and Mail reports. As part of China's "charm offensive" led by President Hu Jintao, the effort includes plans for 70 more culture and language centers in the next five years.
Submitted by Laura Miller on
When George W.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
The Lincoln Group, one of three firms helping "to put more creativity into the Pentagon's psychological operations," is hiring. The firm just completed "a three-month image campaign with Iraq-based Al-Wathba Group to develop collateral material and a messaging strategy to introduce U.S.
Submitted by Bob Burton on
The Director of Crisis Media for the PR firm Hill & Knowlton, Paul Clark, had a few words of advice on crisis management for public officials handling the Hurricane Katrina disaster. "One of the first concepts is to accept blame if it applies ... people forgive mistakes, but they don't forgive excuses," Clark told the St.
Submitted by Bob Burton on
The Knight Professor of Journalism Ethics at Washington and Lee University, Edward Wasserman, worries that the PR industry is doing a better job of attracting "the next generation of idealists" than journalism.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
In an article on "the PR industry's scattered but heartfelt response to the ravages of Hurricane Katrina," PR Week notes that Harrah's Entertainment is documenting their good works.
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