What's Worse Than Providing Free Laptops to Bloggers?
Submitted by farrell kramer on Fri, 12/29/2006 - 12:48pm.Microsoft, it seems, has found a way to compound the PR problem it created by offering free laptops running its new Windows Vista operating system to influential bloggers.
It asked for them back!
Blogger Joey deVilla, one of those who got the laptops, explains on Global Nerdy:
Google Search -- The New 'Paper' of Record
Submitted by farrell kramer on Thu, 12/07/2006 - 10:52am.The Wall Street Journal today features an extraordinary page one story on the mammoth PR campaign Edelman has conducted on behalf of Wal-Mart.
I use the word extraordinary for two reasons. First, it is unusual to see a newspaper cover the PR industry at all. I have always assumed this is because reporters really don't want to acknowledge that some story ideas actually come from PR folks.
More interesting, however, is this nugget about just how Edelman won the account:
In its pitch for the account, Edelman had warned Wal-Mart that Google results for a "Wal-Mart" search yielded mostly unflattering material, potentially overshadowing the company's own sites.
Press Release Mergermania -- PR Newswire Buys U.S. Newswire
Submitted by farrell kramer on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 12:45am.The newswire business seems the hot place to be.
PR Newswire has just announced the acquisition of U.S. Newswire, which focuses on press release distribution in the government and public interest sectors. The price: $19 million in cash and up to an additional $4 million based on future performance.
This comes just two months after PRWeb, the online press release distributor, said it was being acquired by PR software producer Vocus for $28 million in cash and stock. And it follows less than a week after PRWeb announced a distribution partnership with Business Wire, perhaps PR Newswire's No. 1 competitor.
The Write Stuff
Submitted by farrell kramer on Mon, 07/31/2006 - 6:23pm.Press releases. Blog posts. E-mail pitches. Podcast and conference call scripts. Speeches. PowerPoint presentations.
Writing is at the center of all the above -- and represents a critical skill for communicators, particularly now that the Internet era is solidly upon us. My podcast, Talking Communications with Farrell Kramer, examines the craft of writing in Episode 9 -- The Write Stuff, which has just been posted.
Mark Baker, a bestselling author and Senior Vice President at Robinson Lerer & Montgomery, talks on the podcast about how to write effectively for communications. He also assures us that good writing is hard work for even the most practiced professionals.
It's a worthwhile listen for anyone involved in communications.
