Archive for April, 2012

Ragan Insider   |  {/%BYLINE%} {%AUTHOR%}Alan Pearcy{/%AUTHOR%} {%TITLE%}Boxers or briefs? What men’s underwear says about the economy{/%TITLE%} {%ALTERNATIVEURL%}{/%ALTERNATIVEURL%} {%IMAGE%}/Uploads/Public/infographic-five-sign-econ-crop.jpg{/%IMAGE%} {%ROLE%}87d65c27-6e78-4e5c-b423-78d47d4f2768{/%ROLE%} {%KICKER%}Writing, Editing{/%KICKER%} {%CATEGORIESID%}e8e0f32d-5d24-41be-86cc-a8fd29cc4619, 055d8a23-ee23-4f9c-a2f4-df030843f312, 9b04de1d-f7bc-4de7-842e-c9c833ff24e9, 1fd4d0a9-bbe2-4b5c-af5c-11dce5b9983e, 5b5f5480-7a63-458a-90a4-0b98007ec3f7{/%CATEGORIESID%} {%CAPTION%}Boxer briefs, by the way. Plus, the beautification of the Web, doodle while you work, Obama doesn’t read Playboy, ‘Klout bombing,’, more.{/%CAPTION%} {%BODYCOPY%}Penguins frolicking on the beach while polar bears rip it on their surfboards in the water. No, this isn’t another sign of global warming. It’s a description of my new boxers,, one of five signs that the economy is approving. See the other four in this infographic found on Economy Watch. Infographics are just one form of relatively new content that marketers are using,, according to Mashable, the “beautification of the Web” via great visual storytelling is where the real future lies. Even the workplace, whether it’s a traditionally creative environment or not, is all about emphasis on the visual. The Wall Street Journal reports that more firms are holding employee-training seminars, hiring outsourced consultants to teach their staff the importance of doodling, particularly while taking notes. From “slow-jamming” to “camera-hamming,” our Preezi of the United Steezi seems to know the importance of the visual—at least when it comes to his younger constituents. Just check out these photos from when Obama dropped by a dive bar in Colorado. Yogurt was spilled, good times were had,, if the strategy pays off, some votes for November were earned. Speaking of Obama, the Commander-in-Chief recently sat down with Rolling Stone to discuss his reelection campaign, Occupy Wall Street’s impact on it—along with some of his pop cultural influences. SPOILER ALERT: Playboy is not one of them, or so he claims. Meanwhile, Whole Foods claims you’ll no longer find red-rated wild seafood amid its fresh or frozen foods after the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Blue Ocean Institute labeled them unsustainable. Gawker’s Joe Muto may have been unsustainable as the “Fox Mole,” but not un-servable by authorities. According to his Twitter feed, Muto had his iPhone laptop, some old notebooks seized after being presented with a search warrant Wednesday morning on charges of grand larceny. (via The Blaze) May he fare better than a McDonald’s patron who is now facing up to five years in prison for stealing a $1 soda. Elsewhere in the world of fast food, Burger King is unlocking its livestock, pledging that by 2017, all of its eggs, pork will come from cage-free chickens, pigs. With word that Penn State set free Ketchum PR from its media relations roster— instead hiring Edelman, La Torre to see to matters of school communications—we feel remiss that the pitch process wasn’t documented by TV cameras. However, for anyone impatiently awaiting more about AMC’s newest reality program, “The Pitch,” here’s all you need to know. Something we didn’t know: What the heck a “Klout bomb” was. Thankfully, AgencySpy explains. Protesters are bombarding Facebook over the social network’s seven-person, all-male board of directors, insisting it could use more Klout from its friends who carry double-X chromosomes.{/%BODYCOPY%} {%ID%}11482{/%ID%} {%DATAID%}e46b81e2-5997-4e4f-a15c-eec03b1a8a0b{/%DATAID%} {%CanonicalUrl%}{/%CanonicalUrl%} {%PUBLISHDATE%}4/27/2012 1:48:04 PM{/%PUBLISHDATE%} {%LINK%}https://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/11482.aspx{/%LINK%} {%BYLINE%}Rosalie Morton

Ragan Insider   |  PR Daily Staff

Ragan Insider   |  {/%BYLINE%} {%AUTHOR%}Alan Pearcy{/%AUTHOR%} {%TITLE%}The PR Daily ‘True/False’ quiz: How will you fare? {/%TITLE%} {%ALTERNATIVEURL%}{/%ALTERNATIVEURL%} {%IMAGE%}/Uploads/Public/95207371.jpg{/%IMAGE%} {%ROLE%}87d65c27-6e78-4e5c-b423-78d47d4f2768{/%ROLE%} {%KICKER%}Crisis Communications{/%KICKER%} {%CATEGORIESID%}5b5f5480-7a63-458a-90a4-0b98007ec3f7, 1fd4d0a9-bbe2-4b5c-af5c-11dce5b9983e, 9b04de1d-f7bc-4de7-842e-c9c833ff24e9, 055d8a23-ee23-4f9c-a2f4-df030843f312, e8e0f32d-5d24-41be-86cc-a8fd29cc4619{/%CATEGORIESID%} {%CAPTION%}Starbucks going belly-up? New hair on the Donald? Horses at the drive-thru? Interest in Pinterest over, out? Wouldn’t you like to know.{/%CAPTION%} {%BODYCOPY%}Pencils down, y’all. Since it’s Friday, we figured we’d put the work away (if only for a few fleeting moments) and, once again, hit up our readers with another roaring round of True/False—covering everything from the latest in pop culture to industry specific news (and all points in between). No need to worry about sharpening that No. 2. You’re answers won’t be graded. You will be judged, however, by a higher power—Chuck Norris. Let’s begin: 1. Soaring coffee prices are leading to the closure of many Starbucks locations. Answer: False. In fact, the company has opened 176 new cafés in the last year. While higher coffee prices have made a dent in its cost margins, the company posted net revenues of $3.196 billion, up 14.7 percent. 2. Donald Trump is donning a new coif. Answer: False. But the business tycoon could have used some Static Guard when a protestor in Scotland rubbed the Donald’s famous head of hair with a yellow balloon. Trump was visiting Edinburgh this week for continued talks concerning his opposition to wind farms near tourist attractions—such as his golf course. 3. Earning $150,000 a year to tweet from a tropical island is hard work. Answer: True. Ben Southall, who won Tourism Queensland’s contest to serve as caretaker of a beautiful deserted island, offer social media updates, said of his duties: “It should have been entitled ‘the busiest job in the world.’” Poor guy. 4. Ellen DeGeneres is lending her vocals to the audio recording of E.L. James' “50 Shades of Grey”? Answer: False. But the funny lady did attempt a few takes, judging from the clip below, we think the publisher of this steamy novel should consider going in a different direction if, when it decides to make an actual book on tape. video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player 5. The most expensive menu item at KFC is the “Twister” wrap. Answer: False. Although a “Twister” wrap served in Australia left a young girl in Sydney brain damaged, cost Yum! Foods, the parent company of KFC, $8.3 million when a judge in New South Wales this week awarded the victim’s family the payout. 6. McDonald’s is now allowing people to enter the drive thru window on horseback. Answer: False. But a Colorado family’s fugitive cow named Darcy—who we’d like to think meant to go to Dairy Queen—somehow broke free from her pen, trekked it a half mile to the Golden Arches, perhaps hoping to see some long-lost friends. (Sorry, vegetarians.) Guess old McDonald really did have a farm. 7. Amazon’s earnings beat Wall Street expectations. Answer: True. Too bad that’s still a decline of 35 percent in the company’s net income. 8. iPads are the new babysitter. Answer: True. Although the AFP reports that the practice isn’t without its adversaries. As the number of apps for toddlers continues to grow, psychologists, parents are torn on the idea of putting smartphones in the hands of such young, impressionable children. 9. British imports Sophia Grace, Rosie are parting ways. Answer: False. False. A million times false. We wouldn’t normally show two clips from “Ellen,” but these girls can brighten anyone’s day. Watch as the duo kills its rendition of “Starships” by Nicki Minaj. You just keep dancing, little Rosie. video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player 10. First Lady Michelle Obama is considering pulling a Hillary by setting her eyes on the presidency following her husband’s time in office. Answer: False. During the annual “take your child to work day” festivities at the White House this week, a youngster asked the First Lady about pursuing the White House. She replied: “Absolutely not. No.” 11. Users have finally lost interest in Pinterest. Answer: False. A report this week said that the rate at which Pinterest is growing has leveled off, but the social network continues to garner interest from the public. In fact, Monday, Tuesday were the site’s most heavily trafficked days yet. 12. Big brands don’t like Twitter’s foray into paid advertising. Answer: True—well, it’s true for one brand. Xerox Chief Marketing Officer Christa Carone said this week that that many of the company’s more established clients have had an “initial negative reaction” to its first experiments with Twitter’s paid advertising, signaling to her that not all social channels are suitable for all marketing purposes. 13. Fashion maven Betsey Johnson declared bankrupt. Answer: True, sadly. The May 8 liquidation will lead to the closing of most of the notably eccentric designer’s 63 boutique stores, the firing of 350 store employees. 14. “Good Morning America” turned its ratings coup into a winning streak? Answer: False. Matt, Anne, ease your worries. The Hollywood Reporter revealed that “Today” is back on top of the morning show circus after ABC’s short-livid snap of the NBC program’s 852-week stint at No. 1. 15. It’s going to be a good weekend. Answer: You tell us. We certainly hope so.{/%BODYCOPY%} {%ID%}11488{/%ID%} {%DATAID%}b66f08b8-a387-4ee7-81c9-bd45f24d2c74{/%DATAID%} {%CanonicalUrl%}{/%CanonicalUrl%} {%PUBLISHDATE%}4/26/2012 1:59:39 PM{/%PUBLISHDATE%} {%LINK%}https://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/11488.aspx{/%LINK%} {%BYLINE%}