Posts tagged media
July 23, 2010 · Filed under Posts · Tagged blogging, gift blog, media, PR, social media
I feel privileged to be of the Toronto folks selected to spread the word about Virgin America’s new TO/LA or SF flights. Actually, when I first got the email offerng a ticket, I thought it was a scam. It wasn’t!
So here I am, in-flight, and posting from 30,000 feet (or so). OK, I know this is no moon walk, but it’s feels pretty amazing being connected up on high.
What do I think of Virgin America?
Well, they’re friendly and helpful – from check-in to the gate to the plane – and they have a more casual and humourous attitude than some of the other airlines I fly. You see it in the FAA-required info video, produced as a quirky animation (‘if you’re one of the .00001% of the population that doesn’t know how to buckle a seatbelt, here’s how you do it…’). From a design perspective, the interior reminded me of an old house renovated and modernized with stylish colours and accents. I liked having the option of chatting with people in other seats via the AV system – not that I did. And of course, there’s the wi-fi… Would I fly it again? I guess I should really wait till we land before answering, but I so far absolutely. Would I recommend it to people? Yes.
As I was sitting in the airport waiting to board and thinking about my post, it occurred to me that it would be the result of being pitched and, like a media person PR firms invite to an event, there was a reciprocal, if implicit, expectation in place. I would receive the free trip and, in exchange, hopefully be motivated to share my experience.
I first heard about this concept of reciprocity from author and psychologist Robert Cialdini. The essence is simple: if I give you something, you will feel an obligation to give me something in return.
And really that’s the core of media/blogger relations. We provide a story/information/news and hope that we get editorial coverage. I also wondered whether the reciprocity might make me (or anyone) a little kinder in my review (they gave me something after all). Probably.
Because so many PR people are blogging, we often find ourselves on the other side of the request. (We talked about this on Inside PR 2.13.) And this gives us an opportunity to experience what a pitch feels like. I always suggest that young practitioners try their hand at being published (and yes blogs count!) so they can gain an understanding of a journalist’s perspective more clearly. And hopefully, by empathizing and learning we will improve our approach.
But back to the matter at hand. I’m ready for more pitches and I sure do like cars 
.
April 9, 2010 · Filed under Posts · Tagged blogging, communications, Martin Waxman, media, PR, social media
That might be a good idea. According to a new study conducted by PR Newswire/Canada Newswire and PRWeek, 52 per cent of bloggers now view themselves as journalists. This is up from about 33 per cent in 2009.
Another shift in the PR/media landscape. And it opens the door to many questions.
Consider the definition of journalism from The Free Dictionary:
’1. The collecting, writing, editing, and presenting of news or news articles in newspapers and magazines and in radio and television broadcasts.
2. Material written for publication in a newspaper or magazine or for broadcast.
3. The style of writing characteristic of material in newspapers and magazines, consisting of direct presentation of facts or occurrences with little attempt at analysis or interpretation.
4. Newspapers and magazines.
5. An academic course training students in journalism.’
There’s no allusion to blogs or bloggers anywhere. Beyond that, a profession (i.e. journalism) has traditionally referred to a job that required training and provided remuneration. Or to put it another way, it’s something many parents want their kids to do. And you don’t hear too many moms and dads extolling the virtues of blogging as a career choice (at least not yet).
Then there’s the matter of education. If bloggers are to become the next generation of journalists – and I think there’s great potential in that – we need to develop programs that help provide some academic training; perhaps offering a combination of courses in writing, editing, publishing, research and ethics. Some institutions are starting to do this. But most bloggers learn their craft on the job.
From a PR perspective, we seem to be relying on media relations tactics to set the framework for interactions with bloggers. But is this the best way to go about it? Or do we need to re-think the way we identify and engage them?
I think we do. For one thing, the days of the canned pitch are thankfully almost behind us. But is ‘pitching’ even the best way to reach bloggers? How can we help ensure their stories are balanced/credible and not just cut and paste versions of our news releases? Will PR need to focus more on the public good and, if so, how will that affect our compensation model?
There’s much to consider. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
March 9, 2010 · Filed under Posts · Tagged communications, ideas, media, PR
A hallmark of any profession is its body of knowledge, something we have been lacking in PR. That may change with the launch of a new publication, the Journal of Professional Communication (announced at the Canadian PR Leadership Summit).
Edited by professors Alex Sevigny and Terry Flynn and based at McMaster University’s Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia, the Journal will be a digital publication that ‘explores the intersections between public relations practice, communication and new media theory, communication management, as well as digital arts and design. (Disclosure: I sometimes teach at McMaster.)
It will feature case studies, interviews, peer-reviewed articles and commentary on current communications trends and our evolving profession. Of course, the content is contingent on the quality of the contributors, but I’m looking forward to a thought-provoking discussion and debate.
For anyone familiar with the inner workings of academe, starting a new publication is no easy task and I want to congratulate Terry and Alex on this worthwhile endeavour. While there’s no website or start date yet, I’ll continue to share details as they become available.
January 11, 2010 · Filed under Posts · Tagged books, business, ideas, Martin Waxman, media, social media
Normally, the question we’d ask is: what are you reading? As in content you’ll hopefully share. And, of course, that’s key.
But with the recent announcement that Canada’s largest newspaper chain put itself in bankruptcy protection and with all the drastic changes to MSM in the past year or so, I wonder if media, and publishers in general, should also be asking the question: how.
It’s common knowledge we’re in a state of print transition. And, while it’s certainly a different order of magnitude, it reminds me of the switch from professional typesetters to DIY typesetting on computers. There’s a large empty building on Dupont Street in Toronto that stands as a somewhat bleak monument to that change.
But while it took down an industry, it didn’t alter the fact that we need (and enjoy) text.
It’s human nature to like and stay loyal to the familiar ways of doing things: poring over the morning paper, appreciating the visual textures of magazines, the pleasure of reading a book that seems to be speaking directly to you.
I love to do all of these. But more important is the fact that I just plain love to read.
These days I almost never read the print edition of a newspaper for news anymore – I get that from different sources, mostly online. But I do read the paper for more in-depth stories, opinion and because I don’t yet have a reader that I can take to the kitchen table (it’s on my list…).
I think media and publishers have to take some big chances, accept that the printed page has faded and act accordingly. Only then will they be able to start thinking creatively about the ‘how’; as in how are they going to provide us with a fresh and innovative way to read, share and engage with their content. And yes, make some money, too.
They need to get out of their comfort zone; we need to get out of ours.
December 10, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged agency, Martin Waxman, media, PR, social media
When I started in PR, I worked in arts and entertainment and called myself a publicist. And I was proud of the title.
Then I switched to the corporate agency side and became a PR consultant who practised media relations. It didn’t take me long to realize those two were pretty close to the same thing. In fact, while we offer many types of communications counsel, media relations/publicity has, for a long time, been the cornerstone of what we do.
But these days with MSM in transition, it doesn’t take an Amazing Kreskin to predict that our comfortably familiar landscape is fading. And great chunks of it are just plain disappearing; morphing into something new.
So with PR in rapid-evolutionary-mode (REM), perhaps it’s time to dream big and rethink what what we do and where we’re heading.
And for me (and many other people) that means a shift to social media. I have to say direct-to-influencer connecting has re-energized the profession, encouraged us to learn (and enabled me to teach) and caused us to look at what we do through a less-filtered lens. It’s also given the profession a voice and helped us step out of the shadows.
But in order to truly change, we need to rid ourselves of our shackles – notably our reliance on pure media relations. Sure, that will always be a part of our repertoire. But if we want to survive and thrive, we need to do so much more:
- Really start listening (that means opening our minds)
- Get better at telling visual stories
- Become less text-reliant, while still being the guardians of grammar and voice – we can’t ever forget how to write with clarity and style
- Master new techniques – video/audio production, designing and coding a website
- Join communities, participate and connect
- Issue a full-on challenge to marketing and advertising. Maybe I’m biased, but I feel we really are the naturals to understand and get around in this space.
So what should we call this new entity? Truth is, I’m not sure.
Social media? I like it, but there’s a day where that could seem faddish. Digital relations? Sounds like PR for the AI set. Social relations? A bit too much like someone who plans parties for the DAR. Social networking? Too much like self-help. Networked relations? Are your cousins on Facebook too?
Part of me still likes the term public relations – that is if we go back to its original definition.
Or maybe we need a completely new moniker. And if so, do you have any ideas what it should be called?
November 4, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged Canada, H1N1, Martin Waxman, media
You can’t pick up a Canadian newspaper, listen to radio or watch TV without hearing about H1N1, the vaccination process, supply issues, lineups…
But the story doesn’t seem to have the same intensity in the U.S. It wasn’t even mentioned in Conan O’Brien’s monologue a couple of days ago (when it was the lead on CBC) – and talk show openings are often a good barometer of big news stories (as silly as that sounds).
I did a search of ‘H1N1 vaccine’ on Google this morning* and in the first 30 results, there were 25 Canadian stories; four U.S. stories; and one international story. That’s over 80 per cent of today’s coverage emanating from Canada.
Now, we all know a pandemic is a very serious situation. And I’m not saying we shouldn’t do everything we can to prevent the spread of the virus. It’s important to be informed and educated.
But I wonder if Canadian media are making H1N1 a bigger story than it needs to be right at the moment.
What do you think?
*Search results as of 9:30 a.m., November 4, 2009
October 13, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged agency/client, Inside PR, Martin Waxman, media, PR, working
On Inside PR #173, my ‘-30-’ comment, the short POV remarks we’re using to end the show, dealt with a few of the things we need to do to start fixing the pretty much broken relationship between journalism and PR.
This is something that must be done. And I think it’s up to our industry to take the lead and try improve the way we interact with each other; build trust, credibility and respect on both sides. I think the same applies to bloggers and other influencers, as well.
Part of the problem lies with the way our profession functions: trying to place stories, traditionally in MSM, for clients or organizations. We often feel under a lot of pressure to deliver results for which we have virtually no control.
Fine. That’s our reality and no one forced us into it. I’m proud to be a PR practitioner and this uncertainty is one of the things we just accept.
There are many media with whom I feel I have a good professional relationship. I define that as being able to approach a journalist/blogger with an idea they might be interested in, showing them why/how it works in a quick, efficient manner and having them say either say yes or no (or sometimes saving it for a future story).
However, I think that over the years we have made many repeated mis-steps that hurt the industry and our collective reputation.
And now, with social media and two-way conversations being embraced by both sides, this seems like a perfect time to make the change.
Here are 10 steps the PR profession can take right now:
- Always read a journalists or blogger’s past stories (and not just from last week). We need to do our research and know who’s covering or interested in which subjects.
- Know the difference between hard and soft news and position a story accordingly. It may seem big to us (or our client), but we have to step back and realize where our news fits into the grand scheme of things. I mean really fits.
- Be transparent and tell the truth.
- Stop writing in corporate-speak
- Strive to be helpful, not a pest.
- Understand that while our clients are a top priority for us, the reporter has many other priorities and we need to empathize more with them.
- Stop making media lists from databases. Go to the source: newspapers, broadcast outlets, blogs, online publications. See who’s writing about what. If we’re not passionate about media, why are we in PR?
- Never blast out an email to a large (or small) bcc list. We’ve all done that in the past. And some are still doing it. Really, this was a bad idea from the start. It turned us into broadcasters, something we’re not.
- Leave our PR egos at the door. It’s up to us to reach journalists. Stop griping if they don’t always call back when we want them to.
- Help journalists and bloggers understand the new FTC rules/principles so that we can continue to work together in a mutually beneficial way.
It sounds simple but we’ve got to make the first move.
What do you think?
October 9, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged blogging, Martin Waxman, media, PR, social media
That seems to be the question these days. It follows on changes to the FTC’s rules requiring, among other things, that bloggers to disclose if they’ve received product samples for review.
There’s been a lot of discussion on the subject online and in MSM including a good piece in the Globe and Mail. There was also a lively Twitter debate between Jeff Jarvis and Mark Glazer (thanks Mathew Ingram).
And while the ruling doesn’t apply to Canada, the principles do.
For the record, I am in favour of disclosure. I think it’s always easier to be up-front, honest and transparent. Then, people know who you are and where you stand.
I think a lack of disclosure by some (many?) PR practitioners over the years, contributed to giving our profession a bad name.
However, I think Jeff Jarvis brings up a good point about fairness. Why should bloggers be singled out when MSM journalists receive product samples all the time? Shouldn’t both be held to the same standards? If not, the rules seem skewed in favour of companies over those with an individual voice.
I’d much rather have a level playing field with the same code of transparency, ethical behaviour and freedom of expression for all sides.
UPDATE: Here’s a good legal perspective on the new FTC regulation from the Council of PR Firms’ legal counsel, Davis and Gilbert LLP (by Michael Lasky).
September 14, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged agency, Martin Waxman, media, PR, social media
Not too long ago I got an email from a person I didn’t know with the subject line: ‘I was just on your blog’.
Well, naturally I was curious. I opened the note only to read how much the woman liked my blog (flattered) and, how she felt it was an ideal place to promote a giveaway for of a pair of Ugg boots. She even offered $100 if I could drive enough traffic to her site.
Well, thanks but no thanks. It was clear she hadn’t read my blog or bothered to engage me other than by offering a vapid compliment that was easy to see through.
In other words, an irrelevant pitch. Something the PR industry has been accused (and guilty) of again and again.
And, it’s true. As it’s been said many, many times, we have to go beyond form letters and lists gleaned from databases and offer journalists something of value to them. We have to read what they write, understand their point of view and show them why our stories might be of interest to their readers.
However, there’s a flip side to all of this. Sometimes, we do target the right journalists and bloggers, read their articles/posts (often look forward to them), feel we grasp what they’re after and tailor what we think is a perfect story for them. Only to hear someone say: ‘You don’t have a clue about what I write about.’
This can also be a canned message. And possibly a knee-jerk response to all the bad pitches they’ve received.
So maybe all of us – journalists/bloggers and PR – need to step back and realize we’re on a two-way street in the same community and try to have a little more respect – on both sides of the fence.
July 13, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged communications, Martin Waxman, media, PR, social media
It wasn’t that long ago when MSM was our main filter (and source) for news. And it was usually quite reliable. Sure something outrageous might slip through and cause a stir, but generally what you read in the paper was considered to be accurate.
Then along came blogs, the rise of citizen journalists and Twitter. Now, credibility is pretty much in the eye of the beholder.
And as the old Johnny Carson show used to ask, ‘Who Do You Trust?’
I thought about this again after reading an article in the NY Times that noted how the deaths of Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson spawned a spate of false celebrity deaths including Jeff Goldblum, Harrison Ford, George Clooney and Miley Cyrus. All were quickly denied. But only after the word had spread on Twitter.
It sounds like the rumours emanated from the same source, a somewhat macabre website, where people can plug in a celebrity’s name and various details and the site will generate an article speculating about their death.
Now I do like practical jokes and humorous hoaxes (and, full disclosure, have been involved in a few myself). However, in a world where silliness can instantly morph into news, I think it’s up to all of us to establish our own system to filter truth from idle gossip.
It’s easy to do. When something juicy comes across our stream (of consciousness), instead of simply hitting RT (or posting it on Facebook or another social site), take a moment to research the veracity of the item.
As communicators, we should know how importance it is to dig deeper, analyse and verify; and not simply believe/repeat everything we read, see or hear.
In other words, look both ways before we tweet.
March 31, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged blogging, Martin Waxman, media, PR, social media
When I was at PodCamp Toronto 2009, a thought occurred to me amid the lively, p2p discussions: social media feels like it’s nearing the end of its indie phase.
By that I mean it’s being embraced (or at least considered) by a lot of folks who wouldn’t call themselves early adopters. We’re certainly reading about it in MSM. And clients are asking how it works.
And that’s not a bad thing. It’s a rite of passage for most independent movements that really catch fire (think music, movies, writing…).
Companies are beginning to see that more and more of their customers are engaged in social media and realize it’s a good place for them to be too. They’re starting to accept the notion that they need to be more open, transparent and conversational.
Lately, I’ve been giving interactive social media 101 sessions every week – to demystify web 2.0; demonstrate that the tools are tactics – not strategies; and try to get people thinking about how they can create online programs that work for their company and culture and help them achieve their business goals.
A year ago people were mildly curious. But maybe the recession has caused organizations to look at their marketing communications from a different angle (i.e. a new bottom line). It feels like the economy and social media have intersected on a supply and demand graph and we’re about to see a steep trend upwards. (And no doubt we will see some tremendous missteps, but hopefully people will experiment, learn and adapt.)
What we may lose is some of the independent spirit that’s part of the beginning of every movement. What we will gain is a wider audience that will come to see companies and brands in a new light. Hopefully, businesses will find a new way to relate to their customers and turn a profit, too.
And perhaps I’m being too optimistic, but I wonder if this could become a catalyst for a fresh way of thinking that will help us climb out of our economic mess.
March 29, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged blogging, Martin Waxman, media, PR, Twitter
I’m trying an experiment: writing a blog post composed of 140 character paragraphs (or less) to see if Twitter supports longer-form thoughts.
I’m checking each paragraph in Twitter – to make sure it doesn’t exceed the limit. And, I’m trying to adhere to CP style too. Here goes:
Lately, there’s been much ado about Twitter in mainstream media. It feels like you can’t open a newspaper without reading about it.
This week alone, the Globe and Mail had stories by Sarah Hampson, Margaret Wente and Ian Brown.
So what does it mean? I think it shows that yet another social media platform has hit a tipping point and is gaining wider acceptance.
In all cases, the journalists seemed both intrigued and reluctant. And they questioned Twitter’s usefulness for real human interactions.
As one of the formerly reluctant, I can empathize. It took me months to begin to understand why it’s such a powerful communications tool.
I think my biggest obstacle was the randomness and messy nature of the medium. It really is an endless stream of consciousness.
Think party line with a few too many conversations going on at once. Noisy? Absolutely. Trivial? Sure. But there’s an amazing energy too.
I like Twitter a lot. For me, it’s the people I’m following, the shared ideas, immediacy- personal and professional ‘news’ in real time.
Perhaps it’s about our innate desire to connect with others. Its instantaneous nature is a relationship spark.
But it can be a diversion as you immerse yourself in the never ending flow; the ‘bursts of being’. And forget how fast time rushes on…
And that’s the trade off. The choice each individual needs to make. How much time on Twitter (if any) is too much?
I’m still figuring that one out. Stay tuned.
Note: That was harder than I thought. I felt constrained by the format and the act of looking for smaller words that would fit the space.
My writing seemed staccato. Maybe because this is a monologue and Twitter needs a response to bring it to life.
Conclusion: it’s not easy to write a full blog post in Twitterese. The one-sidedness of the voice lacks one of Twitter’s essentials: flow.
January 28, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged blogging, Martin Waxman, media, Toronto, Twitter
Just under two weeks ago, there was a power outage in Toronto that left about 250,000 residents without heat or electricity on one of the coldest days of the year (-19C).
I was one of those folks in the dark.
When the incident occurred, just after 10 on a Thursday evening, we found the flashlights, lit a few candles and tried to find out what happened.
First we turned to our community – looked outside to see if anyone else had lights, called a couple friends… We put a battery in a clock radio and tuned to 680 News only to hear (after weather and sports), what we already knew: power was out in a large section of western Toronto. And crews were on the scene.
Thank you very much. That didn’t answer any of my immediate questions like: when is MY power coming back?
I don’t know why I defaulted to old habits (the reluctant adopter in me), but it wasn’t till Friday at work when I thought to check Twitter. I did a few searches and uncovered the hashtag #darkTO, and there, found what I was looking for: an enormous outpouring of comments, thoughts and news – in real time.
There were tweets from people who got their power back; others from folks nearby who hadn’t; offers of office space for those in need of Wifi; updates from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC); requests from MSM media for interviews; and on and on.
It felt like I’d stumbled into the promised on-land. Yes, I had read how quickly Twitter spreads breaking news in real time, but it wasn’t till I experienced it first-hand that I truly grasped its scope.
However, something was missing. There was no local ‘authority’ to offer updates and tell us things were under control. And while Mayor Miller, the City and hydro held a traditional news conference, they seemed oblivious to the conversation taking place around them.
And that was a missed opportunity.
Of course, power was eventually restored (we got ours back nearly 24 hours later).
A little more than a week later, I noticed that Kevin Sacks, City of Toronto Director of Strategic Communications started posting on Twitter, @TorontoComms. Maybe the blackout triggered a lightbulb in City Hall. And that, I believe, is a very positive sign.
January 17, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged blogging, ethics, Martin Waxman, media, PR, social media
With more and more PR people wearing blogger’s hats (a great addition to any winter wardrobe), the line between PR and journalism – citizen or otherwise – continues to blur.
I was thinking about this when I received my first over-the-transom pitch a while back. And though I was glad to be noticed, I wasn’t sure how to react. Probably because I’m not usually on the receiving end.
Not long after, a personal blogger I know was approached by a word of mouth firm that wanted to send her products for review. When she told them she works in PR and may be conflicted, the WOM’er said, ‘I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that and we’ll send them anyway.’
I think that’s just plain wrong on so many levels and is yet another example of why our business has a bit of a bad name. (She didn’t do the post.)
And it made me wonder: when is it OK for PR folks to blog about a pitch they’ve received? Or really, when is it not appropriate?
It’s a grey area and, like so much else in our business, it all comes down to knowing where to place our self on that fine line we call reputation (ours, as well as our clients). In other words making an ethical judgement call.
As many have already said, be transparent, identify yourself and be open about who/what you represent. Some bloggers have gone further by listing their criteria for accepting pitches.
I think there’s a positive outcome to PR people being pitched. With the shoe on the proverbial other foot, we get a chance to experience life from a journalist’s POV. Interesting loafers, I say, though they don’t quite fit and I’m not sure I’d want to wear them everyday.
Hopefully all of this will give our industry a greater understanding and empathy for media, which will help us do a better job.
January 4, 2009 · Filed under Posts · Tagged blogging, economy, Martin Waxman, media, PR, social media, working
The past few months, I’ve had to gird my stomach before picking up a newspaper (something, just six short months ago, I loved to do). The news has been singularly bleak and negative; even spilling into the softest of stories (e.g. holiday gift guides for products under $20, the subtext being we can’t afford more).
Now, I’m all for honesty and transparency; telling it like it is. But I also think part of media’s job is to show some balance. So while the market spiraled downward and consumer confidence slid, too many outlets were painting a picture of complete doom and gloom and not leaving any room for hope.
The thing is, life goes on. We get up, eat, work, go to school, spend time with friends and loved ones, go out to movies and restaurants, shop, and have many other experiences too numerous or personal to mention. Unfortunately, some of us may lose jobs and other material things and that’s really too bad for those concerned.
But look around you. Things have slowed down but they aren’t going to stop. The economy may have gone south (like the snowbirds), but that’s no reason to nail shutters to the windows.
As a PR person who craves and consumes more than my fair share of media, I have probably taken too many of these stories to heart. In fact, I wonder if we, in the communications business, don’t have an extremely mild version of ‘current-traumatic’ stress disorder, due to the fact that we’re ingesting far too many downers (and I don’t mean of the pharmaceutical kind).
Couple this with the effects of the economic slowdown. I’ve felt a tightening in my business for months, but what’s worse than the reality are the sleepless nights and anxiety spent anticipating. I’m pretty sure my stress levels have gone up in inverse proportion to the economy.
Now, it’s a new year. And what can a person do to begin on a more positive note?
Here are a few suggestions (not resolutions) I’m going to try:
- Become more emotionally detached about unemotional things – look at the facts and try not to take so much innuendo and speculation to heart.
- Be more selective about the way I approach MSM; find a filter that enables me to view things objectively (e.g. get my news from sources like Jon Stewart so I can both cry and laugh).
- Read more blogs. I’ve found the PR and tech blogs I follow have a much more balanced view. And I take solace in that.
- See things from a fresh perspective. Don’t crawl into a hole and ignore the world, experience it. Open my mind, keep learning and trying new things.
- Enjoy the moment – a quiet dinner, a great novel, an entertaining Hollywood film, spending time with people I care about.
So, to end on a ‘high’ note, I’m going to turn things over to Jerry Lewis as he belts out his final song on the Telethon: ‘When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark…’ (Come to think of it, watch a musical, too.)
Happy New Year. Here’s to a lighter 2009.
October 21, 2008 · Filed under Posts · Tagged Canada, Martin Waxman, media, Toronto
According to an article in the Toronto Star, our fair metropolis placed fourth in a global ranking of cities that offer people the best cultural experience, after London, Paris and New York. Pretty good company, I’d say.
And in the same piece, an A.T. Kearney study ranked us 10th in terms of what it calls ‘global cities’ (below Chicago and Seoul). Again, not too shabby.
Now, compare that with a recent Maclean’s magazine cover story ranking ‘smart’ Canadian cities, (i.e. those ‘rich in culture’, among other things), and Toronto didn’t do nearly as well – we only made it to the middle of the list. In fact, Barrie and Orillia placed higher.
Now, without meaning to impugn those communities, that’s a ridiculous result. And so Canadian. Slagging the leader while trying to be politely inclusive towards the rest of the country. The tall poppy syndrome rears its ugly head once more.
Frankly, I’m tired of it. Toronto’s the number one city in the country. Complain all you want, it’s a fact. And, rather than trying to apologize for what we are, we should celebrate.
September 22, 2008 · Filed under Posts · Tagged Canada, disclosure, ideas, jokes/puns, media
There’s a Canadian federal election in full swing. Or should I say in full baby swing – as in fun if you’re in it, but other than that quite dull.
It’s the same old posturing, spinning and name calling we remember in the past – only this time the ties are off. I guess our political leaders want to appear ‘political casual’. Me, I miss the formality.
One thing for certain, elections help take our generally full dose of political correctness to a higher level.
This past week there was a brouhaha over Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz’s private remarks. Why? He did something no politician should ever do: he made a funny joke.
I’m not talking about a pre-written ice breaker, I mean two one-liners of relatively high comedic calibre, in my humble opinion.
Now, were the jokes in question tasteless and mean? Absolutely. But where I come from, some of the best humour is rarely in the best of taste. It’s often crass and edgy. It says things that we may not want to admit or hear, but does so in such a way that enables us to laugh at them; and then, when the joke is over, shake our heads at the horror.
That’s why so many people have walked out of Yuk Yuk’s over the years. It’s also why Yuk Yuk’s is one of the funniest, most unpredictable and entertaining places in the country. (Disclosure: Yuk Yuk’s is a client and Mark Breslin is a close friend).
Have a look at Christie Blatchford’s Saturday column in the Globe and Mail. She’s written what many of us have been thinking about one-liner-gate and she did it in her usual acerbic, honest and stylish way.
Did this slip of the tongue warrant all the news coverage? I don’t think so. But I’m sure many of the country’s comedians wish their jokes would get this kind of attention.
It’s just another example of a country that’s taken politeness to a sad, new extreme.
And, Christie, I happen to be one of those people who’s allergic to nuts. But I want to tell you that I have no problem if airlines serve them. I just wish they’d provide an alternative to those of us who can’t enjoy the good taste.
August 16, 2008 · Filed under Posts · Tagged agency/client, media, PR, social media, spam, working
When people from my agency go on vacation, we try to give them an email holiday, too.
We stop cc’ing them and prepare an update that they receive just before they get back with a summary of what happened, the most recent drafts of documents and so on.
Of course, that doesn’t mean emails shut down entirely. There are still times when you need to be copied or sent a note. But it sure cuts down on the clutter.
So when I returned from my time in NYC (nearly a week), I was pleased to find only about 250 emails in my inbox (very manageable and totally non-stress-inducing).
However, when I checked my spam filter, I noticed it also contained about 250 messages (many about debt control – is spam a barometer of the environment or are they trying to tell me something?).
This reinforced the fact that spam isn’t something we can turn off or even control. We can redirect it, try to ignore it, but it bombards us; like cheap verbal junk food, clogging up our online arteries.
And it made me realize how careful we, as PR people, have to be when we’re distributing a news release or other information on behalf of our clients. In the olden days (say three or four years ago), we used the bcc function and blasted emails out to an unspecified, but often long list of media.
Thinking back, I’m sure these lists contained a fair number of journalists who viewed PR missives in much the same way that I view spam. Unsolicited, untargeted and unwanted. This probably came to a public head with the Chris Anderson affair.
I say it’s time to leave our subscription-based media databases behind and put an end to PRspam. Our industry needs to be smarter, learn more about the influencers we’re trying to reach and offer them something of value. Let’s get back and do what Giovanni Rodriguez describes as the essence of our profession’s name.
Building relationships with our publics. You know, the kind where we talk to (as opposed to pitch) each other.
*Thanks to my friend Joey Ax for inspiring the title when he reminded me of the country hit: Liars 1 Believer’s 0 (sorry I couldn’t find the song).
May 25, 2008 · Filed under Posts · Tagged email, guest blog, media, working
Guest blog by LOUISE ARMSTRONG, executive vice president, Palette PR
When I turned 40, I decided to draft some resolutions for the second half of my life. Each goal is designed to simplify my life by eliminating time wasters – things that are a part of my day but which I neither need nor want.
I had no trouble finding my first victim – email newsletters. A weekly scan turned up 25 distinct titles, seven of which arrived on a daily basis. It wouldn’t be so bad if I had requested them but most were uninvited guests to my inbox.
I made it my mission to unsubscribe myself from the lot and set to work with a single-minded zeal. First, I divided them into three categories: those I voluntarily subscribed to and actually read (only one fell into this category); those I subscribed to and didn’t read (six here) and, the vast majority, those I had not subscribed to and didn’t want.
In some cases, I had been systematically placed on the email distribution list of professional groups I belonged to. Others were from stores I visited, hotels I stayed at and restaurants I frequented, all of which assumed that I would be fascinated by their every move. Finally, there were the ones whose source eluded me – monthly real estate reports and investment trends – authored by people who must have received my business card at a networking event.
Removing myself from these lists varied from remarkably simple to downright impossible. The ones I had voluntarily signed up for took the news fairly well, although many asked me to log in, forcing me to recollect ancient passwords. Others acquiesced after some prodding but said they would need up to three months for it to take effect. A few gave up the fight only when I threw myself on their mercy with a tale of how out of control my life had become.
The best response I received was from a community newspaper whose tech person responded that I was now ‘blacklisted’ from their email distribution list. Imagine that.
At this writing, several weeks after the start of my quest, I have reduced my daily newsletter total by about two thirds but I’m ticking it off my resolution list as a ‘complete’.
Next task: deal with snail mail as it comes in.
May 3, 2008 · Filed under Posts · Tagged blogging, media, PR, social media, Toronto
Janine Falcon, a former Canadian Living beauty editor I know and have worked with, has just launched her blog: beautygeeks!
And whether or not you’re interested in beauty opinion, news and tips, I think you’ll enjoy Janine’s writing which is playful, stylish, crisp, funny, sometimes cynical and always honest and entertaining.
Not only does she have a lot to say; she’s got a great way of saying it.
