Chevron Rebuts '60 Minutes' With Its Own Video
Chevron got grilled on “60 Minutes” a couple of weeks ago for its alleged contamination of the Amazon rain forest in Ecuador. If you’re huge oil company, that’s definitely par for the course. Causing environment damage? Check. Getting caught? Check. Getting unfavorable treatment on 60 Minutes? Check. This is the pattern that major multi-nationals have [...]
Great PR Move by the Obamas
According to New York magazine, the Obamas are redecorating their private quarters in the White House using only their own money. They made $4.2 million in 2007, so they can afford the couple hundred thou such a redesign is likely to cost. The government has an allotment of $100,000 per new prez for redecorating, but [...]
New Name for AIG is Putting Lipstick on a Pig
Last week, a Senator helpfully suggested to the CEO of AIG that the company consider changing its name, and the CEO said that was in the works. Sure enough, this week the company took down the AIG nameplate from its lower Manhattan office, replacing it with the name “American International.” The company would also like [...]
When in Doubt, Say "How Dare You!"
A spokesperson has to have a lot of tricks up his or her sleeve — you never know what the interviewer is going to say or ask, but you’ve always got to have some sort of answer ready. Faux indignation is a good one to have, though hopefully it’s not something you have to use [...]
Blagojevich PR Blitz is a Laughable Farce
With imbeciles like Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich using media relations tactics to try to influence the outcome of his impeachment trial, PR gets another black eye. Yes, there are many times when you should go on the offensive, make yourself available to the press, and try to sway public opinion to your cause. In fact, [...]
Jobs' Health Creates PR Nightmare for Apple
Apple announced Tuesday that Steve Jobs will not give his customary keynote address at Macworld in San Francisco next month and will be replaced by an Apple executive. What was left unsaid was: why? As Apple-watchers know, Jobs has had cancer and in his most recent appearance for Apple, looked thin and sort of gaunt. [...]
Think Differently to Keep Going in a Recession
We’re in a recession. If your business is going gangbusters, keep going! But if your business is softening or contracting, or if you’re afraid of that happening next year, you’ve got to think up some new ideas. You know what they say: you can’t keep doing the same thing over and over and expect a [...]
Good Auto Industry PR Means More Than Flying Coach
So GM and Chrysler say they “get it” and that their CEOs won’t be flying in corporate jets when they return to DC this week for Round Two of begging/arm-twisting/cajoling/blackmailing Congress into forking over billions of dollars to their companies. (Ford hasn’t said yet what its CEO will do to get to Washington) “We’ve gotten [...]