What was the most irritating word of 2010?
Merriam-Webster released its list of the top 10 words of the year, based on number of searches. Topping the list was “austerity,” which was searched more than 250,000 times on the dictionary’s website, followed by “pragmatic,” “moratorium,” “socialism,” and “bigot.” Perhaps more important, pollster Marist
A 43-page dress code policy is raising eyebrows
Lipstick, socks, facial hair, fragrances, and hairstyles. No it’s not Cosmo or GQ; it’s the new 43-page trial dress code that’s part of a test UBS is carrying out in Switzerland across five pilot branches. The Wall Street Journal reports, “It follows a recent advertising campaign aimed at re-establishing confidence in the Swiss bank’s brand and mending relations with cli
U.K. advertisers spending like it’s 1996
A report by the Advertising Association showed that third-quarter ad spending in the U.K. increased 7.3 percent from the same time last year. Although growth is anticipated to slow to 5 percent through 2010’s fourth quarter, it would still bring total U.K. ad revenues to their highest point since 1996.
Research firm offers journalists cash for their opinions
Is it ethical for reporters and editors to accept cash for sharing their opinions? A New York research firm, PFC Opinion Research, is offering journalists $250 for 25 minutes of answering questions about “certain aspects of the oil and gas industries,” reports The Washington Post. Journalists and PR professionals are crying foul. Terry Neal, senior vice president at Hill & Knowlton and a for
How do you score Fox News’ response to study?
A new study from the University of Maryland found that Fox News viewers were less informed and more likely to believe misinformation about the 2010 midterm elections. MSNBC viewers and NPR listeners were also misled on certain issues, the study noted. How did Fox respond? In a statement, Michael Clemente, senior vice president of news editorial at Fox, said: “Th
Job of the Day: Executive messaging at Target
Minneapolis-based Target is hiring a group manager to lead the development of appropriate executive messaging strategies to support company initiatives that advance Target’s reputation. Read more about this job.
10 marketing terms to retire in 2011
You’ve seen these words; you’ve probably included them in your marketing copy. Guess what. It’s time for them to buy a condo in Naples, Fla. That’s right; they need to retire — or, more accurately, we need to retire them. The list, from InkHouse Media and Marketing’s Beth Monaghan, includes “best-in-breed,” “paradigm shift,” “cost-effective,” and more. Read on.
Facebook can bring family, friends together during tragedy
Warning: Grab some tissues before reading this story. But we think you should read it. Told through a series of Facebook posts, it’s a story about how a new mom used Facebook to communicate with friends and family about the birth of her newborn son. What happens next is difficult to read. This story will make you realize just how much Facebook can impact a family.
8 ways your newsroom can get more from Facebook
A watched pot never boils. OK, it does, but it definitely seems to take longer. And the same could be said for the reach of your newsroom’s Facebook page. The followers will come, but if you stand idly by, it’s going to feel like an eternity. So, if you’re tired of watching the clock, here’s a post from Journalistics offering eight tips not only to help land you more followers, but also to keep them engaged. —PR Daily
Is medical marketing wasted money?
Physician and author Dr. Lucy Hornstein wrote a blog post arguing against the need for healthcare marketing. She suggests that the funds would be better spent on free clinics and charity care. What do you think? —Dan Dunlop
4 ways to craft a social media policy that even a lawyer could love
Here’s a rhetorical question: Do you want to keep your social media team out of court? “It all comes down to conscious and responsible communication”, blogs Brian Skeypes on Intelligence in Social Media. He references a presentation by digital legal experts, Pinsent Mason, publishers of Out-Law.com. Skeypes writes about internal policy and governance. “Customers have expectations about how a company will interact with them, and they don’t like it when it surprises them. At the same time, customers hav
The 5 Ws of marketing and why the order matters
The five Ws — who, what, where, when, and why — are essential to telling a good story. And for marketers, the order that they appear matters, marketing pro Steve writes for Bloomberg Businessweek. The order, according to McKee, should be: why, who, what, where, and when. Read more.
Target’s holiday ads are the best — do you agree?
Nearly 30 percent of U.S. consumers told the National Research Foundation that Target’s holiday ads — which feature a quirky holiday shopper — constitute their favorite TV ad campaign of the season. Seventeen percent of survey-takers chose Walmart’s marketing campaign. Amazon led the pack among online retailers.
And the biggest lie of 2010 was …
“A government takeover of health care.” Republican strategist Frank Lutz created the term as an attack line against President Obama’s overhaul of health care coverage. Editors at PolitiFact, a nonpartisan website that monitors the truthfulness of policymakers, selected it as the biggest lie of the year. “Uttered by dozens of politicians and pundits, it played an important role in shaping public opinion about the health care plan and was a significant factor in the Democrats’ shellacking in the Novemb