Tag: Media Relations

“Papa” John Schnatter Delivers Defiant Message

John Schnatter is firing back at the company he founded, which has taken steps to distance their brand from the guy who, not that long ago, was the, face of the operation. “Papa John” was on everything, from the branding to the TV commercials to the radio spots. All that was true for years, until a few weeks ago, when reports surfaced that Schnatter made some remarks on a conference call that some considered racist. Once those allegations  surfaced, Schnatter was quickly wiped away from the company’s branding. Schnatter maintains both that what he said, in context, was not inappropriate, and he says the company would be better off keeping him as the center of its brand.

Read More

Barr Trying to Battle Back After Firing

After several weeks of defiance, Roseanne Barr appeared poised and contrite in her first major network TV interview since being fired from her eponymous sitcom due to some tweets about former Obama advisor, Valerie Jarrett. It’s a new look for a comedian who has built her career stepping across the line with sharp satire and humor directed at social norms and political trends. Barr has always been edgy, even when her popular sitcom was not, yet, when Twitter users reacted with outrage over tweets deemed to be racist, Barr was quickly ousted by ABC.

Read More

Paramount TV President Fired Over Racial Remarks

While it’s true that socio-cultural norms change with time and environment, there are always going to be some things one cannot say, in any context, in a business setting. Or, rather, you can say them, but it will lead to consequences. These consequences could be a loss of respect, a loss of opportunity to advance, the loss of a job, or, in affect, career suicide. In recent years, in-context comments or ‘jokes’ that would have been given a pass – if not a laugh – not that long ago, have led to major consequences for even some of the most powerful people in their professions. From Roseanne Barr to “Papa” John Schnatter, it’s become pretty clear that racial commentary is…

Read More

Former Obama Spokesman Joins United Air

The United Continental Holdings group is taking the next step in their reputation management strategy this month by hiring former President Barack Obama’s previous spokesman as a new chief communications officer. The industry veteran, Josh Earnest has the potential to play a significant part in United’s leadership team as the company struggles to maintain a strong position in the marketplace. Although United Airlines is suffering from a relatively bumpy experience reputation-wise, Josh Earnest could be the cure they’ve been looking for. Earnest has a lot of experience managing communications within an agile and volatile environment, making him a strong fit for the airline.

Read More

Loew Tries to Explain Shocking German Loss

Even before the shocking German loss to Korea in the World Cup, some headlines were already insisting Joachim Loew’s job was safe, regardless of the result. The fact that those arguments were even being made even before Germany’s ouster from the Cup, telegraphs the somewhat weak expectations of the defending champion German squad. Part of those low expectations of Loew’s crew stems from the fact that three of the last four World Cup winners — France (2002), Italy (2010), and Spain (2014) — failed to make it out of the group stage in their next cup appearance. The more telling factor, though, is the apparent lack of faith in both Loew and his team.

Read More

Can ABC Sell Roseanne Without Roseanne?

What do you do when you have a hit show but choose to fire the star? A star, who also happens to be the program’s namesake? If you’re ABC, you reboot the same show without that cast member, and try to sell it to the same fans who loves the old version of the show. Here’s the rub… Many of the fans who loved Roseanne, loved it because of the frank conversations about politics and current events through the filter of multiple different perspectives. In firing Roseanne for a tweet about Valerie Jarrett, ABC angered many of the same fans that say they loved the show’s take on free — and not “politically correct” — speech. Many of those loyal…

Read More

Earning Media in the Digital Age

With the advent of digital marketing, social media marketing, SEO, and content marketing, some people have given up on one of the staples of media relations: earned media. That’s a huge mistake. No matter what’s happening in other areas of the industry, earned media is still a hugely valuable commodity. And, for PR professionals, earned media is definitely something your client will expect. That’s not to say it’s easy. After all, even though news is 24-7 these days, and there are more outlets than ever before, there are certain topics that always seem to grab headlines. With these popular topics crowding the news cycles, getting noticed takes the right message, a winning strategy, and precise timing. Here are a few…

Read More

How to Leverage Influencers in your Audience

When most people think about “peer pressure” they get a negative connotation. Bullying, cajoling, kids trying to get friends to do things they know they shouldn’t. But peer pressure can be a good thing too. In fact, I would venture that all of us have done some interesting and exciting things thanks to peer pressure. We tried that ride or that sport, tasted that menu item, or talked to that girl (or guy). We learned a new language or an instrument, or we picked up a long-forgotten hobby — all thanks to friends that “pressured” us to do so.

Read More

Kellogg’s Stranger Things Campaign Hits Big

Two elements of effective PR that you should never discount are timing and clever brand placement. Sometimes, all it takes to get noticed is to have your brand in a prime place at the right time. From red carpets and royal weddings, to sporting events and movies, product placement can be a very effective way to energize or introduce a brand. Just ask Kellogg’s. Eggo waffles have been around for decades. Most American kids grew up eating them. In fact, it may have been one of the first things those kids – who now have kids of their own – learned to cook.

Read More

Emirates Trying to Sell Passengers on Windowless Jets

Frequent fliers, if you like the window seat, Emirates has some news you may not want to hear, but the International Airline is going to try to sell you on their new pilot program anyway. Recently, the Dubai-based airline revealed a new “first class” option on some of its jets: virtual windows. Instead of the “real thing” passengers are treated to videos of what’s outside the airplane, recorded by cameras outside the aircraft and projected inside the first-class suite. According to Emirates, the transition could eventually be applied on all the aircraft in its fleet, as long as they can sell passengers on the idea. The first salvo in that consumer PR campaign: without window, airplanes are lighter and fasters.…

Read More