tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58209752011-04-21T20:20:26.382-04:00Sampling from the aisles of the information supermarketcanuckflacknoreply@blogger.comBlogger901100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1132952788359077322005-11-25T16:01:00.000-05:002005-11-25T16:28:01.106-05:00

NBER and Wal-Mart over at the new blog, pt. 2 http://www.canuckflack.com/archives/001157.html

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1124186574921095032005-08-16T06:01:00.000-04:002005-08-16T06:02:54.926-04:00

New posts daily and an archive over at www.canuckflack.com

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1097181550519879392004-10-07T16:37:00.000-04:002004-10-07T16:39:10.520-04:00

You may not have noticed, but www.canuckflack.com is even better, with faux FDA nutritional information table design! Go there now - www.canuckflack.com Seacrest out!

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1069366065229108622003-11-20T17:07:00.000-05:002003-11-20T17:09:34.543-05:00

Act now! For an unlimited time offer, we're bringing you a new and updated Canuckflack! Brighter! Happier! More attuned to your personal concerns and needs! Just go to canuckflack to see the difference! That's www.canuckflack.com! Act now!

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1069340236773652272003-11-20T09:57:00.000-05:002003-11-20T09:57:41.793-05:00

Sorry about the unsteady stream of info and insight (and for those of you who visit late at night, the uneven formatting). I'm trying out a new Movable Type layout on a proprietary domain, and will move most of this blog there today. Once I get some style and formatting issues settled, I'll link to the new site here. Thanks for your patience.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1069172425560899722003-11-18T11:33:00.000-05:002003-11-18T11:33:04.640-05:00

I don't know if it was intentional, accidental or simply the product of little experience as an English-language spokesperson, but how can you properly prepare a spokesperson when they forget basic grammar? I certainly remember my lesson from Grade 10 English: double negatives are always confusing! "We don't plan on any of the vehicles not to have incentives," Dieter Zetsche, president of

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1069081396900384592003-11-17T10:31:00.000-05:002003-11-17T10:31:57.140-05:00

Money Mart, a Canadian cheque-cashing service, is running a new television ad featuring a crotchety and miserly Scottish Uncle. The premise? It's far better to borrow against your upcoming pay cheque than from your Uncle Angus. The point is driven home when, after an extended harangue about working hard for your money, Angus pours 400 coins from his sporran onto the coffee table, and shouts "And

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068935633605352382003-11-15T17:33:00.000-05:002003-11-15T18:44:59.610-05:00

Mike Foster, the Governor of Louisiana, is calling upon a high-profile ally to raise public awareness and build support for his wetlands preservation campaign: Tabasco, the home state company, is distributing pamphlets describing the problem and how to help with over 3 million bottles of their signature hot sauce. It should be expected, in a state that produced Huey Long and James Carville, that

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068844962730561852003-11-14T16:22:00.000-05:002003-11-14T16:23:02.780-05:00

Interesting NYT article about the organizers and protesters preparing for the upcoming WTO conference in Miami.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068735874771783342003-11-13T10:24:00.000-05:002003-11-13T10:26:18.060-05:00

A government agency operating in Newfoundland has been called out for faxing one version of a release to the local (and largest) paper, then posting a different version on their website the next day. While there were relatively minor differences between the two versions, the slip-up did result in a few days of critical coverage and required a follow-up letter to the editor from the Director of

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068672574660733962003-11-12T16:29:00.000-05:002003-11-12T16:35:04.503-05:00

So. John Kerry, presidential candidate, was a guest on the Tonight Show. ABC's the Note has some hints for other booking assistants dealing with the show: "... here is a list of acceptable people a man of John Kerry's stature may follow in the second-guest-slot on the Tonight Show: Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, any non-celebrity who has performed a heroic deed." "Unacceptable choices include:

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068660841985346532003-11-12T13:14:00.000-05:002003-11-12T13:23:00.870-05:00

Well. The Judge in the Gruner + Jahr vs. Rosie O'Donnell bunfight ruled today that no-one deserved damages. "It seems to me ... we're just dealing with bragging rights here, who wins and who loses,'' Gammerman said. With his ruling, neither side wins -- although O'Donnell could still ask for publisher Gruner+Jahr USA to cover her legal fees. Meanwhile, plain old multi-millionairre businesswoman

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068653890895945802003-11-12T11:18:00.000-05:002003-11-12T11:18:35.450-05:00

This weekend's NYT magazine has a poetic - and wordy - look at generating buzz at the Venice Film Festival: "The goal of all the activity is, of course, the elusive thing called buzz, the deceptively soothing term that has mostly replaced words like the vaguely clinical ''hype'' and the etymologically challenged ''ballyhoo.'' ''Buzz'' sounds so restful, so natural -- like something you become

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068485965764668472003-11-10T12:42:00.000-05:002003-11-10T12:51:34.683-05:00

The Buffalo News focuses on what seems to be a rarity: a letter to the editor from a top State Department official. While the paper paints this letter as part of the apparent "propaganda war" with the media over the Iraq war, its exchange highlights two continuing trends in how officials from federal governments work with the regional media: the continuing concentration of senior and elected

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068483940162517442003-11-10T12:05:00.000-05:002003-11-10T12:08:35.466-05:00

Chris Allbritton liked his short stint as a journalist in Afghanistan so much, he decided to move from a technology to a foreign affairs beat. Trouble was, no-one would give him a chance to work in Iraq. Through his blog, donors provided nearly $15,000 to fund an April trip to report from Iraq. Editor&Publisher has more details: "I would have liked to go freelance with some backing of a

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068478535520704542003-11-10T10:36:00.000-05:002003-11-10T10:49:47.263-05:00

A snippet in the NYT speaks to Richard Harris' search for an allegory for the culture and political environment surrounding us: "Until he spied the couple wearing the ears for their wedding at Walt Disney World in Florida, Robert Harris, the best-selling British author, believed he could use the Disney culture as a satirical parable for modern America. "But after 18 months of research and a

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068473603580804752003-11-10T09:14:00.000-05:002003-11-10T09:14:14.210-05:00

Tom Murphy notes that a British firm has won a contract to help sell India as a progressive and modern country. In a related story, Promo has touched on how American firms have begun to sub-contract marketing jobs in India: "AT&T Wireless uses an Indian-built Web site, AT&T Wireless Photo Zone, to display consumer photos taken by street teams demonstrating phones like Sony Ericsson's T68i

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068238233399616522003-11-07T15:50:00.000-05:002003-11-10T09:13:52.633-05:00

But what would your mother think? "Family Unsure What To Do With Dead Hipster's Possessions" hit too close to home, since I could imagine owning a lot of the items described in this too-accurate sendup from The Onion. How would your nerdy cousin react to your complete A-Team character t-shirt set? "... I'd like to give his dishes to Goodwill or the local church, but I'm not sure they would

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068224020332490232003-11-07T11:53:00.000-05:002003-11-07T11:53:37.920-05:00

Somehow, the really interesting stories don't seem to jump the Atlantic - like the C4 story last night about the Queen's bisexual, heroin-addicted uncle. Here in Canada, our governing party is heading into a leadership convention in just over a week. Because we're a parliamentary democracy, that would normally mean the new party leader would become Prime Minister - unless the current Prime

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1068220922874299322003-11-07T11:02:00.000-05:002003-11-07T11:02:01.163-05:00

Back from my quick trip to Halifax and ready to blog again. I also did some training and am now fully literate in HR issues. Now, if only my employees would comply with the HR framework I was given!

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067874106752897462003-11-03T10:36:00.000-05:002003-11-03T10:41:45.010-05:00

Well, between the scheduled power outage at the office this weekend, the unscheduled network failure today, and the three day training course I just began, the blog may suffer. So please be patient as I post using my Blackberry - which is as nimble as a 960 baud Heathkit home computer.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067631091326529492003-11-02T10:36:00.000-05:002003-11-02T10:36:38.963-05:00

I know I saw footage on Entertainment Tonight, but The Smoking Gun details how those wonderful American Idol producers are controlling the image of their proteges: "... if press photographers want to record Ruben, Clay, and Kelly's staged holiday frolics, they'll have to sign [an] agreement drafted by 19 Entertainment, the show's London-based producers." "In return for access and $1, shutterbugs

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067628194163769152003-11-01T11:27:00.000-05:002003-11-01T11:58:30.570-05:00

The November issue of Folio notes the increasing popularity of advertorial content and questions its effect upon the quality of design and editorial in magazines: "These low-rent production values pose problems ... The intent ... is great, but in execution, we find that writers who wouldn't write for the magazine are producing editorials that the editors would not otherwise accept ... We find

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067621678754196762003-10-31T12:46:00.000-05:002003-11-01T12:02:28.160-05:00

As a follow-up to the Ketchum announcement earlier this week PRWeek has run a more detailed story on the role of "influencers" in public opinion research. As you'd expect from the consulting professions, one British firm has a different name for the concept: 'Protagonists" Are you in this exclusive subset? How would you answer the following questions? "Your boss stops you to discuss a PR fiasco

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067620889199396462003-10-31T12:21:00.000-05:002003-10-31T12:34:47.926-05:00

So, the creator of the Playboy empire is going to start hawking Carl's Jr. burgers. I can understand the psychological leap that made William Shatner popular, but Hugh Hefner selling meat? From the WSJ: "Although to some Mr. Hefner still conjures up cocktails and smoky nightclubs, bunny costumes and sexual freedom, some marketing consultants suggest time has worn down his racier edges. "He is

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067473374599792622003-10-29T19:08:00.000-05:002003-10-31T11:56:12.003-05:00

"Researchers who study the effect of cellphones on society talk of a nation living in "soft time" - a bubble in which expectations of where and when to meet shift constantly because people expect others to be constantly reachable. Eight-thirty is still 8 o'clock as long as your voice arrives on time - or even a few minutes after - to advise that you will not be wherever you are supposed to be at

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067368281843246362003-10-28T14:13:00.000-05:002003-10-28T14:13:57.966-05:00

Sure, it's full of business process-speak, but McKinsey has run an interesting examination of how to identify your internal experts. While it concentrates on the information management tools needed to identify areas of expertise and experts within your company, it does make some good points: "...What matters in seeking expertise is not what people say they have done but what their achievements

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067275211858028162003-10-27T12:20:00.000-05:002003-10-27T15:24:46.690-05:00

So far, Dr. Phil has managed to play the marketing communications game fairly well. He's taken a small role on Oprah into orbit, in the process launching a formidable media personality, an attendant book and a parallel television program. His latest marketing move, to endorse a line of nutritional products, may cause a meteor shower (to take the analogy one step too far) of criticism. Dr. Phil,

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067009611986397612003-10-26T09:33:00.000-05:002003-10-26T10:25:48.806-05:00

PRWeek is running a case study this week on the launch this summer of a new DEET-free Off! mosquito repellent . As it so delicately puts it, "the 2002 arrival of West Nile Virus in Canada touched off a torrent of media interest and tipped off insect-repellent manufacturers that 2003 would be a strong sales season." Now, because of the sensitivity about - you know - people dying from this disease

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067100680143502562003-10-25T12:27:00.000-04:002003-10-25T12:51:19.393-04:00

Let's try to imagine the brand identity manual for Twinkies. Now, turn to the tab marked "stick or no stick?" "Frying a Twinkie outdoors is tougher than it might sound. Last year, Interstate Brands Inc., the maker of Hostess Twinkies, wanted to help spread the fried-Twinkie phenomenon ..." "Ms. Maher uses a stick to fry the treats but said Hostess didn't want its Twinkies served on a stick. "They

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067017123227811832003-10-24T13:38:00.000-04:002003-10-24T13:42:57.930-04:00

Ketchum has finally jumped on the "influentials" bandwagon - the conviction (at least in front of the clients) that a small number of culturally attuned and socially connected people can lead popular opinion or the purchasing habits of much larger groups. Adweek details their exciting new web-based system: "Two weeks ago, Omnicom's Ketchum introduced its Influencer Relationship Management

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1067011377843667422003-10-24T12:02:00.000-04:002003-10-24T12:16:08.996-04:00

Know how, when you take your new digital camera to an event, how you take countless pictures and only one or two are actually useable? The WSJ points out that the ease of digital photography has resulted in the re-emergence of a horrific Saturday night pastime: the home slide show: "The slide show is back with a high-tech twist. Armed with thousands of shots stored in their new digital cameras

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066931627479779982003-10-23T13:53:00.000-04:002003-10-23T13:58:53.950-04:00

Meanwhile, at the premiere of Renee Zellweger's new Bridget Jones movie: "Centre stage is the red carpet, on which stalk scary PR people in kitten heels and security men with earpieces. .... If there are personal questions, her personal assistant will move her on.” .... “I have been told there are cakes! Have you got cakes?” he yelled at someone three spaces down. “No cakes,”whimpered the man. “

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066920334546808832003-10-23T10:45:00.000-04:002003-10-23T10:48:23.033-04:00

The Government of Canada's management development centre has prepared a handy guide to managing in a crisis, with a special emphasis on communications (see page 35 onwards). They've also researched a number of case studies, looking at national and regional security and transportation crises. It's a good read for beginners, and a refresher for experienced communicators.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066836989628113292003-10-22T11:36:00.000-04:002003-10-22T11:36:29.280-04:00

A senior foreign policy wonk suggests, in today's NYT, that self-serving leaks designed to serve a political purpose don't deserve protection by journalists: "Is there a cure for this problem? Yes: call it counterleaking. To protect against such manipulative behavior — and to discipline those who practice it — reporters could themselves assume the status of confidential sources and share those

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066769657867836812003-10-21T16:54:00.000-04:002003-10-21T16:56:43.213-04:00

Interesting. A psychologist at Harvard Business School suggests that advertisers should explore techniques to change your perception of a product by blanketing you with positive messages after the fact. One researcher " ... reported an experiment in which people were shown an advert suggesting that children who visited Disneyland had the opportunity to shake hands with Bugs Bunny. Later, many of

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066743056784639802003-10-21T09:22:00.000-04:002003-10-21T09:30:56.553-04:00

A friend of mine has suggested the word "bloink" as a common term for a link, clumsily dropped into an online conversation, pointing to your own blog. As in: "Can you believe that? I asked where I could find that article and he bloinked me!"

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066662878038500362003-10-20T11:14:00.000-04:002003-10-20T11:17:15.460-04:00

The BBC is about to provide guidance to editors and reporters on reporting risk "to help ... ensure that scare stories are kept in perspective." The same piece deals with a recent report issued in the U.K. on communicating health issues: "The report ... accepts that the disparity between journalistic values and actuarial values will inevitably lead to events being presented out of proportion,

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066659355617831402003-10-20T10:15:00.000-04:002003-10-20T10:15:55.613-04:00

The new edition of Maxim magazine (which I read at the doctor's office, honest!) has a poly-bagged insert: Maxim's Hometown Hotties. But the editors have covered the opaque bag with headlines from other, more respectable, publications: "25 Dazzling Kitchens and Baths!," "Telecom: What's Next for This Key Sector," "Savor the Flavor: The Incredible Edible Eggplant'' and "Maxim Editors Too Lazy to

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066568327146266382003-10-19T08:44:00.000-04:002003-10-20T10:19:13.066-04:00

Whoa! A reference to Star Trek, an allusion to Ricardo Montalban and a mixed metaphor, all in the lede! The business mags have recently fallen in love with the "Wal-Mart is the Evil Empire" storyline, but someone obviously didn't screen this reporter at Progressive Grocer closely enough: "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan introduced the Genesis Device, a mechanism conceived to "terraform" lifeless

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066397543274821952003-10-17T09:35:00.000-04:002003-10-17T10:01:59.000-04:00

A banner day for poor communications in the papers today. First off, spokespeople handled the opening of a contentious grocery store in a gentrified neighbourhood poorly, despite the attention of the local columnist: "We'd like to show you a photo spread of what the interior looks like, but Loblaw Cos. Ltd. has a policy against news photographs of the interiors of their premises. In fact, they

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066320726383959062003-10-16T12:18:00.000-04:002003-10-16T12:18:22.396-04:00

Apparently, CBS' John Roberts feels that the White House's decision to work with media outside of Washington is an affront to the fine White House correspondents corps: "It was the public relations equivalent of a declaration of war aimed at the national media, President Bush claiming the American people aren't getting the truth about Iraq." But the real issue has to be: how can anyone take

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066318407337443052003-10-16T11:33:00.000-04:002003-10-16T11:33:51.290-04:00

Advertising Age has covered the impact the folks in Bentonville, Ark. have made on the marketing world, and it's pretty staggering: "Wal-Mart, because they're so efficient, will often have a new product in their stores before the other retail chains ..." "... Wal-Mart buyers have grown especially fond of shrink-wrapped buy-one-get-one-free offers. But the retailer has banned the word "free,"

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066314434343849922003-10-16T10:28:00.000-04:002003-10-16T11:34:17.930-04:00

PR Studies has taken a trans-Atlantic look at the issue of mudslinging [pdf]. On a slightly similar track, the Guardian has run an opinion piece on the relatively new (for the UK) practice of hiring PR counsel for high profile court cases: "Given the current power of the mass media in the UK it is no longer realistic to expect that a figurative blanket can be put over the heads of all involved

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066155827611564202003-10-14T14:23:00.000-04:002003-10-14T14:24:15.346-04:00

Slate asks Why don't consumers tell the truth about what they want?

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066141723526068612003-10-14T10:31:00.000-04:002003-10-14T10:31:50.506-04:00

This week, an interesting juxtaposition of opinions on whether truly creative ideas can prosper in advertising and PR agencies. RLM has written Creativity from Discipline, a piece on the success of creative ideas in an office: "For years, I have been struggling with the conventional perception of “creative” jobs being carefree and artistic. ... I have learned that true creativity only comes from

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066057740538896452003-10-13T11:09:00.000-04:002003-10-13T11:11:07.500-04:00

The NYT's Sunday took an in-depth look at efforts to create the infrastructure for progressive political thought in the United States - "a think tank on steroids" - like those that have driven the Republican Party over the last twenty years. As a policy wonk, I'm interested in how a dedicated movement to develop conservative policies, organizations and voter support resulted in the messages we

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1066057038805860382003-10-13T10:57:00.000-04:002003-10-13T10:57:18.996-04:00

I have developed a new interest in Biovail, a Canadian pharma company - mostly because its' owner bought the Ottawa Senators NHL franchise over the summer. The company's stock has taken a beating over the last little while, and its executives have started to turn on the financial analysts covering the stock. One analyst has even launched a lawsuit against the company. But you, as a PR person,

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065816520599795842003-10-13T10:22:00.000-04:002003-10-13T10:22:39.646-04:00

I always put down a management book feeling slightly unsatisfied, and a book review in Management Today has finally identified the cause. How to Get the Perfect Promotion doesn't like the book very much, but makes some apt observations about management books today: "Like most business books today, this one mirrors the style of business communication. It is replete with checklists, examples and

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065811087116233342003-10-12T17:25:00.001-04:002003-10-12T17:25:51.043-04:00

Now, analogies are generally a good thing. Unless the writer is doing a bad job of harbouring a grudge. In discussing changes in senior management at Barclays Bank, the Financial Times writes that "regardless of what you think about the result, the process of choosing a new chief executive for Barclays has damaged the bank. It may not be jobs for the boys, but it certainly looks like lollipops

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065813867000816762003-10-12T17:25:00.000-04:002003-10-12T17:25:32.886-04:00

What a refreshing rumour to report! FOX news is going to new lengths to make sure their coverage of Iraq is fair and balanced - by hiring former Hussein stooges! Senior bureaucrats from the Iraqi Information Ministry, "who spent their days reporting to the intelligence services on foreign reporters or doing their best to obstruct their work have gone on to well-paid jobs - for the same foreign

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065804947080509352003-10-10T16:09:00.000-04:002003-10-10T16:09:34.170-04:00

Have you ever wondered about the Yankees' search engine optimisation strategy? Try searching for the best baseball site ever. And the first hit at best baseball owner? Gorgeous George is at the top of the list.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065803767655600922003-10-10T12:42:00.000-04:002003-10-10T12:55:54.990-04:00

I remember how, back when USA Today was initially conceived and published, Doonesbury skewered the paper for being full of "factoids" much like McDonald's McNuggets - a consistent product that isn't very filling or very tasteful. It doesn't seem to have changed much. Al Neuharth's column today asks if your newspaper will survive the digital age. And he doesn't give much thought to the question or

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065802116716661322003-10-10T12:08:00.000-04:002003-10-10T12:10:05.273-04:00

The new Governor of California promises to cause a lot of anxiety for headline writers and editors. His 14-letter name was given space during the run-up to the recall election, but won't fit into the tiny news holes given to local news in most newspapers. "There were copy editors across the state who were dreading the prospect of Schwarzenegger becoming governor, not because of politics but

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065794077699343402003-10-10T09:54:00.000-04:002003-10-10T09:56:05.876-04:00

We're all aware of the impact made by anti-globalization protesters over the past five years. In South Florida, a group is now preparing to protest the Free Trade Area of the Americas meeting in Miami next month, and they are very aware of the importance of messaging and presentation in their work: "I think it's important that the revolution is aesthetically pleasing," said Martina Mafalda, a

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065717907811851422003-10-09T12:45:00.000-04:002003-10-09T13:08:27.926-04:00

It's a two-fer in the Harvard Business Review this month: the case study deals with product placement as a marketing strategy, and another story discusses former AT&T Chairman Michael Armstrong's increasing PR difficulties as a high profile executive and spokesperson. It was recently revealed that pharmaceutical manufacturers have hired celebrities to discuss their ailments and, coincidentally,

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065716629430842102003-10-09T12:23:00.000-04:002003-10-09T13:08:39.893-04:00

Among many suggestions from a British customer service consultancy to deal with unwanted callers: Customers are wising up to the fact that if they keep the operative talking for more than three minutes this will mean they miss their productivity target.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065642017299446442003-10-08T15:40:00.000-04:002003-10-08T15:41:09.363-04:00

Apparently, the most popular password for online banking is bananas.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065632143643483992003-10-08T15:07:00.000-04:002003-10-08T15:40:58.146-04:00

Any reference to Enron-era frauds has usually been couched in technical financial terms, and scandals have largely been featured in the business pages. Well, the prosecution seems to be taking a more popular approach in its opening arguments to the trial of Dennis Kozlowski, the former chairman of Tyco: the prosecutor is arguing that Tyco executives "engaged in a sweeping scheme of 'lying,

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065544320223616062003-10-07T12:32:00.000-04:002003-10-07T12:33:48.836-04:00

ABCNews' The Note sort of misses the exit polls in the run-up to the California recall election: "But as Mr. Murphy and Tim Russert know, having access to the exit polls on election day is still significantly better than, say, hearing from your cousin's husband that there were long lines at his polling place in Encino, or from your affiliate that it is drizzling in Mendocino. Note to our 'sources

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065541513274932662003-10-07T11:45:00.000-04:002003-10-07T11:45:12.810-04:00

The new Billy Bragg compilation album is out today. Here's more information about Must I Paint You a Picture, and here's a free mp3 from Billy.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065535790703803802003-10-07T10:14:00.000-04:002003-10-07T10:14:34.940-04:00

Sony has come out with a Playstation console that includes a DVD recorder! That's news enough in my house, but the Nikkei Weekly also details how Japanese businesses are trying to build markets through cell phone advertising: "An estimated 60% of Japanese households now own at least one cell phone, and people tote them just about everywhere they go. At the same time spam ... is a huge problem

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065459664975599222003-10-06T14:56:00.000-04:002003-10-06T15:15:09.920-04:00

The Aluminum Association's decision to partner the work of McKinsey & Co. and H&K on its nascent branding effort has, predictably, prompted some clucking and scurrying about in PR circles. PR WEEK US has taken this opportunity to restate the need for PR counsellors to demonstrate solid results and connect with a client's strategic objectives in order to succeed in a tired economy. But its' piece

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065309227954164612003-10-04T19:07:00.000-04:002003-10-06T15:17:38.606-04:00

What Would Chris Lehane Do? TLC's While You Were Out is taking on an unusual project this week: renovating the office of Sean Feddeman, the Press Secretary to Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. Hmm. Haven't we all felt like "redecorating" the boss' office at one time or anoher?

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065199819319938582003-10-03T13:41:00.000-04:002003-10-06T15:18:16.450-04:00

I've always faced a dilemma when advising technical experts and spokespeople on how to deal with hypothetical questions from reporters. In the world of politics, hypothetical questions are used to draw someone out of their comfort zone. They push your spokesperson to reveal future courses of action and, by intuition, what reservations they may hold about a current policy. That article in Slate

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065190888396653092003-10-03T10:21:00.000-04:002003-10-06T15:18:41.293-04:00

Making a pitch for new business can be difficult, especially when you're trying to sell a service like public relations. Some operations and marketing executives can't make a decision if the pitch isn't presented in a nice box with a celebrity endorsement, 100% of the daily requirement of Vitamin C and a Christmas tie-in promotion. That's what Alan Weiss, writing in Across the Board, remembers

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065188981311205562003-10-03T09:49:00.000-04:002003-10-03T10:29:12.620-04:00

Here's a question: I code the hyperlinks to open in a new window, mostly because I don't like hitting the "back" button. Is this disturbing, annoying, or simply unnoticed by anyone? Comments?

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065137344371181222003-10-02T18:39:00.000-04:002003-10-02T19:29:04.120-04:00

Geez. The WSJ discusses the 'winning' formula for sitcoms, and it's really depressing: "Sitcom producers discovered long ago that living rooms offer a ready excuse for characters to gather, and the staircase lets characters enter and exit while talking. Writers are loath to monkey with what works: This fall, 67% of sitcoms on ABC, CBS, and NBC feature a living room with a sofa and staircase." But

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065132858967780072003-10-02T18:14:00.000-04:002003-10-02T18:16:42.783-04:00

A true-to-life school of crisis communications: this week's Sports Illustrated runs a short story on the NBA's Rookie Transition Program - "a six-day mandatory crash course in Reality 101. ... The time commitment was substantial for what commissioner David Stern describes as "a cocoon for the players," but the newcomers endured it and seemed to accept it. The rooks got schooled from players

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065024865135730552003-10-01T12:14:00.000-04:002003-10-03T10:25:56.496-04:00

It dwells too much on marshy subjects like Sarbanes-Oxley and audit procedures, but an article in the latest Fortune pinpoints a real weakness in the PR strategies of the large accounting firms: "True, only a year has passed since the passage of Sarbanes- Oxley--not much time for an industry to reinvent itself. And to be sure, some of the cases now making news are actually pre-Enron in origin.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065023189673257722003-10-01T11:46:00.000-04:002003-10-01T11:53:19.983-04:00

I don't want to seem like a McDonald's fetishist, but their marketing department has been busy (you would be too, with all those consecutive quarters of declining sales). Over the past four weeks, ads running in Canada have surreptitiously planted a reference to a website/chatbot meant to appeal to a younger online audience. Paul Hains, executive at the Toronto agency that created the site, .. "

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065021393738296552003-10-01T11:16:00.000-04:002003-10-01T11:46:39.986-04:00

Way back in the distant reaches of time - when Margaret Thatcher was in power - people used to set newspaper type by hand and drink lots of tea on the company dime. Then Rupert Murdoch had a bright idea: why not computerize the whole process at a new plant outside London, and generate fantastic returns that would fund the creation of a global media empire? There was only one stumbling block: 5500

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1065019354844228792003-10-01T10:42:00.000-04:002003-10-01T10:42:34.583-04:00

Well, I should thank Tom Murphy for the shout-out this morning, for one thing.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064929361861892932003-09-30T09:42:00.000-04:002003-09-30T09:42:41.410-04:00

Tom Murphy's PR Opinions takes a new look at the term "meta tagging" - in this case, news releases where the "quote is clearly mind-numbing. Rather than focus on a clear message it focuses on trying to get a firm in as many market segments as possible and ends up losing the point."

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064927595236384892003-09-30T09:13:00.000-04:002003-09-30T09:13:15.196-04:00

You know, when the Auditor General of Canada says you've been a bad boy, you really shouldn't accuse her of a "vicious personal attack" and of overstepping her authority. In a case study for poor crisis communications, the former Privacy Commissioner for the Government of Canada is the target of a number of investigations, particularly for his ability to spend $500,000 on meals in a two year

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064852701901572322003-09-29T12:16:00.000-04:002003-09-29T12:25:01.783-04:00

Today, Howard Kurtz takes a look at the possibility that the traditional media's influence over voters way be waning, if behaviour by the Dean and Schwarzenegger camps is any measure. "The press corps has been giving him a hard time," says Schwarzenegger strategist Mike Murphy. "But he's not a traditional candidate -- that's his strength. We go on Larry King and talk to 2 million people instead

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064594150392131062003-09-27T11:37:00.000-04:002003-09-27T11:40:44.520-04:00

Apparently, Ronald McDonald is moving up in the world. A notice in today's National Post, topped by a vaguely unsettling picture of the smiling clown, announces his appointment as "Chief Happiness Officer." Sure, this is just another tactic in the rollout of the new "i'm lovin' it" tagline, but the notice has a glaring ommission: "Over the years, Mr. McDonald has ably supported his colleagues

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064590543947988782003-09-26T11:57:00.000-04:002003-09-27T11:44:50.613-04:00

In the Wall Street Journal's Weekend Journal, Dave Shiflett rolls out his high horse and hops on for a ride, sniping at the UN's practice of appointing celebrity ambassadors for high profile issues: "Geri Halliwell, who gained international recognition as a Spice Girl and who now plumps for safe sex under U.N. auspices, explains that "fame is like a bright light." The sniffy piece, though, gets

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064586604687849092003-09-26T10:40:00.000-04:002003-09-26T11:01:31.716-04:00

A recent issue of In-Store Marketing discussed how companies handling the installation of point-of-purchase displays in the U.K. are now reassuring brand managers by "using handheld digital technology to ensure installations go to plan. It usually takes the form of a digital camera type device with the option of web feedback ... to provide the client with photographic evidence of successfully

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064506335667017092003-09-25T12:12:00.000-04:002003-09-25T12:12:15.630-04:00

I wanted to point out this column on copy editing from Poynter just because it contains the quote: "As someone once said to me: Editors are not word janitors."

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064436084599198052003-09-24T16:41:00.000-04:002003-09-24T16:43:48.460-04:00

On the Red Carpet at the Emmys: "So, is that lovely 3.4 carat ring from Winston's?" "No - Eddie's of Flatbush!" Turns out the bling bling advisor to the stars was hocking millions of dollars in jewelry. (NYT : reg. req.)

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064434525140388632003-09-24T16:15:00.000-04:002003-09-24T16:20:46.056-04:00

When I'm looking for a little visual stimulation and a twist of creativity, I turn to HOW Design magazine's annual guide on self promotion - on sale now.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064345994877294622003-09-23T16:05:00.000-04:002003-09-23T16:05:42.623-04:00

It's a little musty, but there's a simple guide to communicating political analysis to decisionmakers and politicians in the CIA's Studies in Intelligence. A lot of these arguments can help PR types as well: Senior officials are smart, talented, confident, comfortable in their judgment, and almost always better plugged in than analysts ... analysts must bring something to the party—in short, they

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064342585091186882003-09-23T14:48:00.000-04:002003-09-23T14:50:22.123-04:00

I know Howard Dean's run for the nomination has developed momentum, largely because of his association with meetup.com, but Roll Call's cartoonist takes a really good shot at him.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064334403533071142003-09-23T12:26:00.000-04:002003-09-23T12:29:12.750-04:00

Well, between radio tags at grocery stores and the wireless keys for the new Lexus, I can imagine a world where mall doors swing open unprompted and cash registers charge me for Swiffer gift packs still on the shelf.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064260294151165832003-09-22T15:43:00.000-04:002003-09-23T12:41:06.786-04:00

from Management Today: "There's a new graduate recruit in marketing. We call him the Embryo because his head seems much larger than his body and he smells slightly of amniotic fluid (I've noticed the women in the office surreptitiously sniffing him). Smokehouse has a rigorous induction course for our graduates. It's in five phases - enthusiasm, confusion, disillusionment, bitterness and cynicism.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1064185288450942322003-09-21T19:00:00.000-04:002003-09-22T09:34:26.010-04:00

I am, I confess, a functioning crackberry addict. I have almost worn off the finish of my Blackberry 957 from continuous use: during boring meetings, on the bus, in the backyard, at hockey games and while eating lunch at Indian buffets. What do I use this wonderful little crackberry for? Email, of course. Notes, beeps and flashing lights remind me that the calendar is trying keep me on track

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1063909462234915642003-09-18T14:24:00.000-04:002003-09-18T14:30:21.773-04:00

As you would expect, I highly recommend my LaunchCast radio station for songs by the Specials, the Violent Femmes, the Jam, Prodigy, Erasure, Save Ferris and for Chris Rock, George Carlin and many more.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1063830271607484732003-09-17T16:24:00.000-04:002003-09-18T14:16:59.253-04:00

I'd like to post something everyday - but only if I think it will be useful to me.

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820975.post-1063745155568528322003-09-16T16:45:00.000-04:002003-09-16T16:45:55.310-04:00

A sound for you: http://tinyurl.com/nlem

canuckflacknoreply@blogger.com