Guest post by zcomm Director, JoAnn Mangione I attended a session this week designed to better acquaint public relations practitioners with the Spanish-speaking media and its audience. For the most part, the advice from the panelists was typical: don’t call at deadline, don’t pitch something too commercial, and if they are interested in the story, they will let us know.… Read more →
Author: zcomm
Netflix F*x Up
What were they thinking? First Netflix hikes prices for DVD mail-outs and online streaming a few months back, then they decide to apologize by video. In the PR world a sincere apology by a CEO is usually a good move, but this one bombed. Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings started out his blog apology by saying “I messed up.”… Read more →
Hiking Can Be Dangerous (Updated)
UPDATE: As of September 21, after two years in an Iranian prison, American hikers Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer have been released. There’s nothing like taking an innocent hike in the Middle East and wandering into Ahmadinejad territory. Not good. And that’s exactly what three Berkeley grads were doing in the summer of 2009 when they reportedly went one step… Read more →
9/11 Bird’s Eye View
Ten years ago, on that crystal clear morning of 9/11, I was in our offices, which were then located in Rosslyn, Virginia and had large windows to the south and west. The TV was on when the first plane hit the building, and then the second. We all gathered around open-mouthed and then grabbed the phone to call family and… Read more →
Disco Gets Balls
It’s about time Dancing with the Stars spiced up its season and opened its arms to the real way Americans dance. Not everyone is Ozzie and Harriet, and DWTS is taking a more open-minded stance by casting Chaz Bono, the transgender activist, as one of its tango-ers. And, yes, it takes two to tango so Chaz will be paired with… Read more →
DSK-Gate
Mon Dieux! Dominique Strauss-Kahn might actually be innocent of the charges leveled against him by a Manhattan maid. And with the charges dropped, the prosecutor-led perp walk might morph into a walk back into the public graces of his fellow Frenchfolk. This socialist socialite might still be a slimeball, but if DSK opts to run for President of France, he… Read more →
Wild About Harry
Who could ask for better summer reading than something about Harry? And, yes, he does it again. This latest romance tale is about Prince Harry’s break-up with 25-year-old lingerie model, Florence Brudenell-Bruce. Her nickname is “Flee.” And that’s exactly what the ginger-haired prince did… again. Maybe it’s time to switch PR agencies. Why? Here’s his story to the press: “He… Read more →