Recording Academy Responds to Reports CEO was “Ousted”
Deborah Dugan, the now-former president of the Recording Academy, has been fired after the organization which hosts The Grammys conducted what they called “two exhaustive, costly, independent investigations” into allegations made by Dugan. Each investigation followed up on accusations made by Dugan about both the Academy’s culture and nomination process, as well as separate allegations made by Dugan that she was sexually harassed. Dugan insisted that the voting process for some top awards was “rigged,” insinuating that the process was unfair, casting aspersions on the winners of some of music’s most prestigious awards. In addition to finding no substance to the allegations made by Dugan, the independent review stated that there was evidence of Dugan’s “consistent management deficiencies and failures…”…
Read More4 Brands That Are Winning with Digital PR
Creating and maintaining a winning digital PR strategy is a must in today’s marketplace. As nearly all consumers are connected to the internet or to digital media in some way, knowing how to succeed in the digital marketplace is a must. One of the best ways to learn how to do that – as well as what mistakes to avoid – is to look at what other brands are doing. Some strategies work across platforms, and others are specific to that industry, marketplace, or that platform, but winning examples offer a lot of positive, helpful information. With that in mind, let’s look at four brands that continue to develop and implement successful digital PR strategies. AMEX Builds Community Many brands…
Read MoreHamed Wardak: Entrepreneur Of The Week
Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Hamed Wardak is the son of Abdul Rahim Wardak, the acting Defense Minister of the country for eight years. During his position, he worked hard to oppose the destruction of his home country. Unfortunately, the Wardak family ended up having to flee Afghanistan and become refugees. After living in Pakistan for some time, the family finally moved to the United States, where Hamed has been living ever since. He studied at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. where he became the valedictorian of his graduating class in 1997 and was also named a Rhodes Scholar.Inspired by his father’s wisdom and desire for peace, he got a Bachelor’s Degree in Political and Government Theory, before travelling back to Afghanistan in…
Read MoreBurger King’s New Ad Campaign Turning Heads
In recent years, Burger King’s advertising has been dominated by a guy in a giant “king” head turning up in various places offering strangers food, a concept that some found funny and others found creepy. Now, Burger King’s marketing department is pushing things even further, turning heads and raising eyebrows with its latest in-your-face campaign. The latest ad, which is capturing attention in both Europe and the U.S., features Burger King’s signature Whopper sandwich covered in mold. The message, Burger King says, is that the brand is in the process of removing artificial preservatives from the Whopper. Translation: our burger is healthier, fresher, and will taste better. On social media, where interactive media is a must, Burger King is blowing…
Read MoreMLB Commissioner Apologizes for “Disrespectful” Comments
Controversy has been building in Major League Baseball for some time now, ever since the Houston Astros cheating scandal erupted, calling into question many things, including the legitimacy of recent playoff and World Series wins. Fans remain disgruntled and players have begun speaking out. It could have been an opportunity to reset and redirect the narrative but, instead, the MLB Commissioner made it worse. While addressing concerns about the “tainted” World Series win in a lengthy interview on ESPN, Rob Manfred called the World Series trophy – the top team award in all of baseball – a “piece of metal.” Players and fans, already upset, absolutely exploded. Twitter went toxic immediately, and countless baseball fans were calling for Manfred to…
Read MorePlayers Respond to Cheating Scandal
Ask the average baseball fan these days about the Houston Astros and, if they’re not in east Texas, expect a less than cordial response. Ask sports media, and many would say the 2017 World Series champions should be stripped of their title, because they effectively broke baseball, and those are the comments that are fit to print. Others are being more direct and less tactful. Yankees superstar Giancarlo Stanton said if he was cheating like the Astros he “probably would have hit 80-plus home runs.” Stanton, along with his New York teammate Aaron Judge have been very vocal about their belief that the Astros should have their title rescinded, adding that he, like Judge, believes the cheating continued well into…
Read MoreRonn Torossian Appointed Chairman of American Friends of Duvdevan
Public Relations executive, entrepreneur, philanthropist Ronn Torossian has been appointed Chairman of American Friends of Duvdevan, a 501 c3 charity. The organization supports the soldiers of the Duvdevan unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), a mista’arvim (counter-terrorism) special-forces unit. Fauda, the Netflix show is based upon this unit. “These heroic soldiers protect Israel and keep the country safe. Duvdevan has previously been described by Prime Minister Netanyahu as having the most significant effect on the war on terror. This charity helps the soldiers of this unit who make such an enormous contribution and sacrifice,” explained Ronn Torossian. American Friends of Duvdevan – the American arm of the Duvdevan Foundation in Israel – supports Duvdevan soldiers and graduates. The unit specializes in urban anti terrorist warfare…
Read MoreThe Undeniable Power of Video Marketing
Someone once said “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Somewhere along the line, a videographer or director responded, “Then what’s a video worth?” Turns out, quite a lot. Video marketing has seen a significant increase in interest in recent years, and, looking at the statistics, it’s no wonder why some are calling video marketing the most important trend in marketing and advertising today. Just how powerful and pervasive is video marketing? According to recent studies, more than 70 percent of all consumers surveyed said they have shared a brand’s video, and nearly three out of four businesses say adding a video component to their content increased their conversion rate. More than half of the consumers surveyed say that being…
Read MoreDigital Marketing with a Brick and Mortar Experience
Marketing, like all endeavors, evolves over time. The mom and pop stores and the Sears catalog gave way to downtown shopping districts and, later, shopping malls. Many brands adapted, transitioning from small footprints and mail order, to large showcase stores. Then came big box outlets, a discount version of mall department stores where you could buy just about anything. In the early 2000s, as more consumers logged onto the internet and stayed, retailers and marketers saw something new coming over the horizon, but it would have to be built largely from scratch. Consumers would need to be taught how to search for what they wanted and how to use the software that allowed them to buy those products and services.…
Read MoreVital Elements of Marketing Orientation
“Who is the customer,” and “what do they want?” Boil all the jargon and these are the two most vital questions every marketer needs to answer. The process of finding the answers to these questions is called marketing orientation. The point of this process is to develop a strategy that places the brand in a better position to find the right customers, connect with those customers, and meet their needs. Four vital elements of this process are identification, explanation, assimilation, and direction. Identification This is the step during which stakeholders within the business or brand identify and clearly define the challenge the brand is facing. Examples might include, shifting consumer tastes, changing trends, new competition, market confusion, growth problems, disconnection,…
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