GREEN IS THE COLOR OF MY TRUE LOVE’S PRESS RELEASE: What if there were One Color to Rule Them All? Who would its press agent be? “Global color authority” Pantone, of course, which has proclaimed the Star Trek planet–sounding 17-5641 Emerald, “a lively, radiant, lush green,” the “Color of the Year” for 2013. No, Read More
BASKETBALL AND BLACKBERRY: When celebrities walk the red carpet and go out on the town, you can bet that none of the billions of dollars in cash that Apple is hoarding is being paid to any of them to hold iPhones. Fact is, they wouldn’t be caught dead carrying anything else. However, if you’re Research in Motion (RIM), the BlackBerry manufacturer whose stock price wouldn’t even cover a subscription to People, buzz is something you just have to create yourself. (It sure didn’t help when even Barack Obama ditched his model during the campaign.) Read More
HURRICANE HUBRIS: No electricity? No scruples? No problem! The day after Hurricane Sandy split town, leaving dozens dead and millions without power, the event that some observers regarded as an epic tragedy was seen by others as a golden PR opportunity. Nothing generates goodwill press more than Urban Outfitters tweeting “this storm blows (but Read More
Manipulate With Extreme Predudice
OH, THANK HEAVEN: Every four years, Gallop and Pew bill millions of dollars to poll a representative sample of likely voters and thereby precisely forecast the next leader of the free world. By why should they be able to hog the spotlight? In the hammy world of hype, you don’t really need anything as [cough] scientific or expensive or frankly complicated as all that statistical mumbo jumbo. A decent gimmick will do just fine. Read More
A veteran press agent assesses the week in ballyhoo.
FAKE FEUD: Desperate for attention after ratings for last year’s duo of big butt (JLo) and big lips (Steven Tyler) began dropping faster than Justin Bieber’s voice, American Idol took a page from the WWE playbook and decided to stage what appeared to be a Read More
