Fleishman-Hillard Point of View » Blog Posts

Hate Crimes Law Signals Change for LGBT Community

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:53 +0000

Will the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act create a safer place for the LGBT community in the U.S.? The Out Front team says the recently enacted law is “a giant leap in the right direction,” but suggests a joint grassroots campaign between LGBT organizations and local law enforcement agencies should follow.

Taking Town Halls Online

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:05 +0000

A new study by the Congressional Management Foundation reveals that online town hall meetings yield more favorable outcomes than traditional gatherings. The public affairs specialists from the Cloakroom discuss survey results, which include increased approval ratings for members of Congress and an upswing in constituent engagement.

Sidewiki Spreads to Pharma Industry

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:00:16 +0000

It appears the pharmaceutical industry has embraced Sidewiki, a new tool by Google that allows Internet users to visit any home page and insert a wiki. But pharma specialist Mark Senak cautions that regulatory issues are likely to surface when a Web 1.0 site suddenly “becomes a Web 2.0 tool of social media.”

FDA Releases Plan to Reduce Risk

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:29 +0000

The FDA recently released “Strategic Plan for Risk Communication,” a document detailing ways in which the agency intends to improve communications. Pharma specialist Mark Senak looks at the various strategies outlined and explains why “the speed and scope of the Internet demand a new paradigm.”

Social Media Searches for New Strategy

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:00:06 +0000

Will new search offerings from Google and Microsoft redefine the role of social media? The communications specialists from Beyond the Hype talk about the integration of social media with search engines and explain why it “completely changes the game.”

Mobile Design Still Favors Function Over Form

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:00:20 +0000

The idea of merging mobile communication devices with the digital wristwatch has been around for two decades. But as rumors of a new BlackBerry “Smartwatch” emerge, the mobile specialists from Next Great Thing wonder why designers “persist on keeping this hybrid form factor on life support.”

Reputation Building: The Future Is Now

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:51 +0000

While brand and reputation sometimes overlap, it’s important for marketers to understand the difference. The communications specialists from Reputation Point maintain that reputation is “more about the future” and explain why it “seems to attract the most attention when it is lost.”

Harnessing Digital Power for Change

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:00:02 +0000

Using social networks to affect change was just one of the topics covered at this year’s Alliance of Youth Movements Summit in Mexico City. The mobile specialists from Next Great Thing discuss event highlights and explain how SMS helped Nigerian farmers negotiate a 6 percent drop in the price of grain.

Riding the Google Wave: Day One

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:00:41 +0000

Will Google Wave, the company’s new online tool for real-time communication, live up to the hype? Pharma specialist Mark Senak, who was invited to test the new service, describes it as “more dynamic and efficient than an email,” but advises beginning users to exercise patience.

Digital Democracy in the U.K.

Fleishman-Hillard Point of View — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:00:34 +0000

It appears the debate on e-government is alive and well in the U.K. The digital specialists from Public Affairs 2.0 discuss the pressure on suppliers to push broadband out to everyone and what it might mean to “exercise one’s democratic rights online.”