- Toxic PR Clients: Are They Worth The Risk? in
Marketing Daily on
10/13/2017
All the pros responding to my inquiry said they would not represent Harvey Weinstein, mainly due to ethical reasons but also because they felt he was a lost cause.
- The Princess And The Pee: Caesars, Zappos Clean Up On The Concert Porta-Potty Experience in
Marketing: Entertainment on
08/04/2017
The last rock concert I attended as a fan was probably Rod Stewart at the Orange County Fairgrounds in the early '80s. I've seen a lot of amazing artists in my time-including Elvis, the original Beach
Boys, and KISS-but eventually the thrill of seeing the performers live got drowned out by the negatives: the cost of the tickets, the crowds (who always seemed to be drunk or high), and worst of all,
the disgusting outdoor toilets. Who knew that 30 years later, the online retail geniuses at Zappos would manage to turn the infamous porta-potty into an experience that's truly a "head" of its time?
- The CEOs We Love To ... Like? in
Marketing: Entertainment on
07/13/2017
I once handled PR on the West Coast for the most-hated man in Hollywood. That would be Ted Turner, founder of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and the visionary behind such now-ubiquitous brands as
CNN, Cartoon Network, and TCM, among many others. While Ted was revered and respected by most of his employees and partners at the time, he was shunned by Hollywood because he was an outsider who
bought the treasured MGM library of film classics but then decided to colorize them. (Suffice to say that he knew what he was doing-but let's not rehash that old controversy!)
- Getting The Goods On Google in
Marketing: Entertainment on
06/01/2017
When I interviewed for my first PR job, I never worried that an employer's Google search would turn up incriminating evidence about me. Not because I led such a spotless life (we'll just leave that
subject there)-but because Google was a couple of decades away from being invented. So I have to smile and shake my head (sorry, SMH) at the origin story of BrandYourself, the online reputation
management company whose youthful executives have, in just five years, raised more than $5 million in investment funding, hired 80 full-time employees, been honored as one of the top young startups of
2012 by the White House, and appeared on "Shark Tank."
- It's A Mad, Mad Augmented Virtual World in
Marketing: Entertainment on
05/04/2017
How artificially intelligent are you? Sorry, let me put that another way: How smart are you about artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), the latest tech trends
in entertainment? I recently had my knowledge (not to mention my comfort level) put to the test for a new business proposal and quickly realized that I was in a new reality of my own.
- The Message On Voicemail: Do It Right Or Not At All in
Marketing: Entertainment on
04/06/2017
Apparently, there's something that people find more horrifying than the IRS, back waxing, and the "Jackass" movies. That thing would be voicemail.
- Whatever Happened To VNRs? The Original Fake News in
Marketing: Entertainment on
03/02/2017
Okay, I admit it: I recently struggled to get television coverage in Los Angeles for one of my projects. Granted, it was a feature story and it was on a busy news day, but still-I'd hoped at least one
of the local news stations would come out and cover my event.
- Tostitos Campaign Scores A Touchdown (But Not A 2-Point Conversion?) in
Marketing: Entertainment on
02/02/2017
Mashable called it a "stunt." "Adweek" said it was a "neat party gimmick." And the "Washington Post" deemed it a "nifty innovation." I'm talking about the new Tostitos chip bag that can detect alcohol
on a person's breath when you blow into it, announced to much fanfare last week. Tostitos is also offering 25,000 $10 discounts off Uber rides on Super Bowl Sunday, helping to ensure that football
fans get home safely after celebrating the big game.
- 5 Habits Of Highly Effective Publicists (and 5 No-nos) in
Marketing: Entertainment on
01/05/2017
Happy New Year, everyone! If it's the beginning of January, it must be time to make my New Year's business resolutions. This year, I wanted some expert advice in creating a list that would make my
agency and my work more meaningful and effective for my clients.
- Look, Ma! I'm On TV! in
Marketing: Entertainment on
12/01/2016
When you're watching television and you see "experts" giving their opinions on everything from Brexit to Brangelina, do you ever wonder, "Who are these people? And what makes them qualified to sit in
that chair?" Do you also wonder how you might become one of those TV experts?