Media Relations

With brands creating content without going through media channels, is the art of pitching stories dead? It just might be more alive than ever, our author argues, although he admits pitchers will need to adapt some of their tactics slightly.

There probably isn’t a single American CEO who’s not quivering right now, wondering if he or she is going to have to make some kind of statement about President Trump’s strongly expressed conviction that both… Continued

You’ve got a great story to tell and a media representative ready to listen, but your company’s gun-shy leadership doesn’t want to engage with the press. While staying away from the spotlight can be the right call at times, we know earned media can help burnish your company’s reputation and make it more resonant. Try taking small steps with your executives to demonstrate that not all media members are looking to attack them and the brand.

In the 24 hours following statements made by President Trump and the Department of Justice that could endanger the civil rights of LGBT Americans, the ACLU rapidly established itself as the dominant counterpoint in the media narrative, and deployed successful calls to action from organizing rallies to soliciting followers’ questions and concerns, which were addressed by ACLU lawyers in a live stream that garnered thousands of views and shares.

Reality checked in with me recently when a few parents on my son’s rowing team, knowing my affiliation with PR News, asked me to write the press releases for the club. Sure, it’ll be easy,… Continued

Reebok’s Twitter account took a satirical streak July 14 when it mocked President Trump’s comment to France’s first lady Brigitte Macron that she’s “in such good physical shape…beautiful.” The post has since gone viral, with more than 46,000 retweets and nearly 79,000 likes as of this morning. The tweet is a rare example of a big consumer brand challenging President Trump on his favorite social media platform. “We saw this as an opportunity—as a learning moment,” says Inga Stenta, senior director of brand management at Reebok.

Here’s one question you don’t want to be asked by a brand representative when you’re trying to resolve an ongoing issue: “Who did you speak to the last time you tried to resolve this?” Once… Continued

When I ask my friends in PR what they’d do with a bigger budget, their first instinct is to smile that “yeah, right!” smile. It’s hard enough to keep the budget they have much less… Continued

President Trump’s June 29 tweets about “Morning Joe” hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough have generated plenty of outrage in the professional media, on social channels and in home kitchens across the land. In his… Continued

On June 16, Amazon announced its $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods in a press release. But what does its messaging look like to its investors and top stakeholders? In the 10 days since the press release and accompanying front-page headlines, messaging for investors has centered on sales, showing that automating more jobs is a good thing, aligning with government priorities and maintaining a CSR narrative. Here are five ways Amazon has been communicating the acquisition as a benefit to investors.