Remember how hard it was to keep a secret when you were a kid, particularly if the news was something fun or exciting? We had that kind of day here at the office yesterday. The people who run the American Business Awards program – more commonly known as The Stevie Awards – shared their list of 2012 Finalists with those that had earned this honor, but asked us to hold the news until today, when…

I was intrigued by a piece that ran in PRWeek recently on the topic of corporate character.  The piece was prompted by a new report, “Building Belief: A New Model for Activating Corporate Character and Authentic Advocacy,” issued by the Arthur W. Page Society, a professional group for senior comms leaders. The report reflects insights and best practices from major brands such as Johnson & Johnson, P&G, Apple, FedEx and IBM. It describes a new…

What makes great Public Relations?  Ask this question at lunch at Tanis Communications, and you’re sure to create a lively debate.  How do the talking points, pitches, influencer contacts, research, social media tools, editorial calendars, speaking opportunities, etc. all fit together to generate coverage for the client? While other forms of marketing communications such as advertising and email marketing allow you to target a particular demographic, completely specify the content, determine the optimal location and…

I recently contributed an article to PR News’ Digital PR Guidebook, Volume 4 on “Using Storytelling Skills to Transform Your Web Content”. The article talks about the current dynamics in the marketplace and how you shouldn’t expect to get much share of mind in a fast-paced digital world where everyone is competing for eyeballs—unless you have an exceptional story to tell. As a PR professional, you need to become the person who knows how to mesh “what will…