Beki Winchel
Ogilvy’s angry staff, 7-Eleven’s brush with serendipity, and the ‘Cats’ trailer gets clawed
Plus, SEO failures and how PR pros can do better, Miss Michigan’s forced abdication, and Ernest Hemingway’s 120th birthday.
Writing & Editing
Frank Strong
A slew of PR pros share what they do for a living
‘Public relations’ encompasses a multitude of different skills, disciplines and tactics. Here’s what 50 working in the field say they do to earn a paycheck.
Russell Working
Strunk and White: Parentheses and misused phrases
Wrapping up our series on the influential writing gurus’ centennial, we delve into punctuation and the perplexing persistence of purple prose.
Beki Winchel
Bud Light’s Area 51 joke, a groundswell for podcasts, and Circle K’s sexist misstep
Also: A clever marketing insight from a Utah youth, how IPR creates buzz through video, and Berkeley nixes genders-specific terms.
Elizabeth Williams
Why and how you should prevent your CEO from blogging
That chummy yet authoritative initial post brims with inspiration and wisdom; then the tepid follow-up straggles in nine weeks later. Soon your team will be ghostwriting. Head it off now.
Russell Working
6 lessons from a never-delivered Apollo 11 disaster statement
In 1969, a speechwriter had a statement ready for President Nixon in case the astronauts died on the moon. How prepared are you for a fatal crisis?
Beki Winchel
53% of PR pros use a wire service, Coca-Cola’s approach to inclusion, and words to banish
Also: Burger King plays ‘meat or no-meat,’ Huggies courts dutiful dads, and T-Mobile serves Taco Bell
Rob Cottingham
Why and how you should get to know your audience before a speech
Before your big event, do some sleuthing to identify attendees’ pain points and preferences. Use whatever nuggets you mine to shape your message and delivery.
Kayleigh Steigerwalt
5 ingredients for becoming a repeat guest contributor
You can get your thinking in front of new audiences with targeted guest posts, but your work will have to be better than your average blog post. Here is a recipe for success.
Shelley Sorensen
How to use food imagery to grab a bigger slice of the PR pie
Victuals, comestibles, noshes—all manner of foodstuffs—resonate deeply with consumers, even if your product or service isn’t edible. Try these tactics to sweeten your next campaign.
Beki Winchel
Twitter’s redesign slammed, Netflix buckles on suicide scene, and Google offers search insights
Also: Emails with visuals grab more eyeballs, an editing session goes awry, and Boeing’ struggles despite name change.
William Comcowich
Expert guidance to maximize your LinkedIn presence
Share trending posts, analyze analytics and add hashtags. Above all, be consistent and helpful.
Perri Robinson
How starting a conversation boosts social media engagement
As algorithms begin to favor user interaction and community sharing, how can brand managers adapt their campaigns to get better organic reach? Here are some tips.
Robby Brumberg
Infographic: A slew of saucy phrases that trigger online action
Replace those weak, wimpy words with terms that imply exclusivity, scarcity and safety.
Beki Winchel
Juul chief apologizes, Amazon workers strike on Prime Day, and P&G support equal pay
Also: Phrases to banish from the workplace, Starbucks ditches newspapers and how e-commerce is shaking up the retail industry.
