Cohn and Wolfe Blog Posts

Brain Blink: Cereal can't bring you salvation

Jeremy Baka — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:58:32 +0000

It's important to take the role of brand communication seriously – but not so seriously that all rational perspective is lost. When developing strategies and messaging, don’t forget that car brands, cereal brands, quick service brands, etc. are still just brands.

Eco-Wolfe

Eco Wolfe — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:31:08 +0000

Eco-Wolfe is Cohn & Wolfe’s window into the world of sustainability, providing breaking eco-news stories, showcasing green brand initiatives and sharing tips for how we can all lead a more eco-friendly life. At Cohn & Wolfe, sustainability communications is not only an area of expertise, it is our passion. Eco-Wolfe aims to bring light to sustainability issues, recognize the companies and media that help drive sustainability and make our world, and yours, a little “greener” in the process.

In the Den with Thomas Kelly

Suzanne Raouf — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:56:39 +0000

Today we're In the Den with Thomas Kelly, Co-Founder, CMO and Director of Culinary Development at one of our favorite NYC food trucks, Mexicue. Needless to say, Thomas wears many hats, but he took a moment away from the lunchtime rush to talk to us a little about Mexicue’s crowdsourced menu and social media best practices in the culinary industry.

Brain Blink: No one ever "presented" the iPhone

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:45:49 +0000

According to Walter Isaacson, author of the book "Steve Jobs,” one of the first things Jobs did after his return to Apple was ban PowerPoint.

Eco-Wolfe

Eco Wolfe — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:35:12 +0000

In the Den with Jennifer Diamond

Julie Matic — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:27:47 +0000

From her love of Instagram to social media’s effect on event production and execution, Event Marketing Manager at Mashable Jennifer Diamond really knows her stuff. We caught up with her at our Digital Passport: Navigating the World’s Social Media event during New York’s Social Media Week 2012, to talk abouthow social media has changed event planning, what social platform will be hottest in 2012 and her new love for Instagram.

Brain Blink: Let a consumer feel you

Jeremy Baka — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:17:47 +0000

According to the latest neuroscience research, the brain makes no distinction between reading about an experience and encountering it. Subsequently, more than just delivering information, carefully crafted sentences can provide an actual "experience" for readers.

In the Den with Carol Cain

Julie Matic — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:38:08 +0000

Today we’re In the Den with Carol Cain, founder & publisher of NYCityMama.com. NYCityMama.com has become the toast of the blogosphere lately, boasting accolades such as Babble’s Top 100 Mom Blogs, NewYork101.net’s Top 101 New York Travel Blogs and Family Travel’s raveable Travel Guru. We’re addicted to her family friendly tales of travel and food and think you will to. Turn up your volume and enjoy a front row view of our conversation with Carol.

Amazing hyperlocal technicolor dream bloggers sound off

Stephen Brown — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:25:18 +0000

This week Cohn & Wolfe Atlanta helped underscore the importance of hyperlocal journalism in grassroots engagement by linking corporations, institutions and agency communications practitioners with Georgia-based bloggers at a PRSA|GA breakfast meeting. A spoonful of citizen journalism met a dollop of local color for a program that helped businesses recognize important findings about how bloggers like to be approached and activated.

Second year in a row on Ad Age’s Best Places to Work list

Donna Imperato — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:19:15 +0000

While it shouldn’t surprise me given the bold and inspirational team at Cohn & Wolfe, I must admit to being amazed when I learned that Cohn & Wolfe would be listed on Advertising Age's “Best Places to Work in Marketing & Media” for the second year in a row. This is a highly competitive and coveted list, with only 40 agencies across the marketing, advertising and PR disciplines being recognized.

Eco-Wolfe

Eco Wolfe — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:15:25 +0000

Will only the pretty survive on Facebook Timeline?

Christianna Giordano — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:03:14 +0000

It’s been an exciting time for both Facebook community managers and fans since the release of Facebook Timeline. Checking out brands’ latest additions to their timeline, new cover photos and company legends has become a new favorite pastime. I’m blown away by the creativity, amazing designs and layouts – but what does it mean for the future of engagement on Facebook?

In the Den with Charlotte Cooper

Julie Matic — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:15:48 +0000

We were lucky enough to grab a few minutes of Charlotte Cooper’s, Director of Marketing for Women’s eNews, time at our Digital Passport: Navigating the World’s Social Media event during New York’s Social Media Week 2012. Reaching an estimated 1.5 million readers each year, Women's eNew touches lives across the world, from New York City to New Delhi, so Charlotte really knows the best ways to effectively connect with their audience. She gave us her two cents on Pinterest, email and much more.

Seeking meaning in Twitter's Posterous acquisition

Tyler Pennock — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:00:03 +0000

Twitter's recent acquisition of popular web-based blogging platform Posterous would appear to be an even bolder move toward transforming Twitter into a full-on multimedia content publishing and consumption hub. Let's take a look at how Posterous' underlying technology might be integrated into the Twitter's next big move.

Bold ideas from the front lines at SXSW 2012: Day four

Nicole Hubik — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:27:55 +0000

Yet another lovely, sunny day in Austin, TX for our team at SXSW Interactive. Here’s the rundown of great panels we attended on Sunday, March 12th.

Brain Blink - Everyone wants a Captain Midnight

Jeremy Baka — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:30:00 +0000

It was 1971, and kids across America were desperate for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes cereal. But not just for the crunchy, sweet-tasting treat, they wanted it for something more: the Captain Midnight Mini Decoder Book.

Bold ideas from the front lines at SXSW 2012: Day three

Christy Kirby — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 02:50:13 +0000

Day three of SXSW Interactive in (now) sunny Austin, Texas has provided ample inspiration for our team on the ground. Here’s the rundown of notable insights for Sunday, March 11th.

Bold ideas from the front lines at SXSW 2012: Day two

Brooke Hovey — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:52:53 +0000

Cohn & Wolfe Digital brings you highlights and insights from the digital and social media event of the year, SXSW Interactive 2012. Be sure and follow our daily coverage here on the Wolfetracking blog as well as on Twitter from @cohnwolfe.

So what’s making a big splash in Austin today, besides the rain? Here’s the rundown for March 10th.

Hey! Brands! Your social media manager is now in charge of advertising!

Tony Lederer — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:07:08 +0000

Facebook held a major event in New York to announce several changes to its products for brands. These changes profoundly impact the role marketers can play on Facebook, and will form the next step in the evolution of marketing becoming more about holding intimate, relevant conversations with consumers, and less about pushing out the same message via multiple mass media channels.

Eco-Wolfe

Eco Wolfe — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:58:59 +0000

Brain Blink: Once every few months is not enough

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:48:20 +0000

According to a UK-based survey by sales company, Maritz, when asked whether bosses were better or worse at saying "thank you" than they were 10 years ago, 37% of employees said bosses actually say it less frequently. In fact, 44% admitted to getting a "thank you" just once every few months.

Calling all luxury retailers – get M-commerce already!

Grace Flanders — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:12:19 +0000

While luxury retailers are beginning to venture beyond traditional e-commerce capabilities to explore digital retail outlets such as F-commerce, they remain hesitant when it comes to adopting mobile commerce, or m-commerce, applications. In fact, only two-thirds of prestige brands have mobile-optimized sites, and one-third of these sites don’t support commerce. Fashion icons such as Hermès, Bottega Veneta, and Marc Jacobs rely solely on their websites, which are often inaccessible on mobile devices. Missing out on m-commerce translates to missing out of potential sales with an ever increasing mobile luxury consumer demographic.

Eco-Wolfe

Eco Wolfe — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:05:09 +0000

Gocial? Soggle? How a social Google will (or won’t) work for brands

Christianna Giordano — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:17:52 +0000

Google has changed the world again, or at least expects to, with the release of Search Your World. What exactly IS Search Your World? Google describes the new feature as improved search results that include photos, posts and more from you and your friends. What does this mean for digital tactics?

In the Den with Pete Cashmore

Julie Matic — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:23:06 +0000

In the Den with Cohn & Wolfe features short video discussions with thought leaders from all walks of life; be they digital geeks, creative catalysts or branding warriors. In our inaugural video, we’re In the Den with Mashable founder and CEO Pete Cashmore.

Time after time: Pinterest keeps you looking

Masha Murakhovsky — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:46:06 +0000

I’m an avid user of many social platforms. However, I shy away from some for fear that I may become slightly obsessed with logging on and engaging for hours on end. As 2012 started, I turned over a new leaf and registered for Pinterest. For those not familiar with the site, it acts like a digital pin board, allowing subscribers to chronicle photos, products and items of interest known as “pinning.”

Braink Blink: Do you REALLY need that brainstorm?

Jeremy Baka — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:38:24 +0000

Susan Cain in The New York Times suggests that solitude is better than “group think” when it comes to creating ideas. Her examples of creative loners range from Sir Isaac Newton and Picasso to Jesus and Buddha. Cain says studies show brainstorms can actually hurt ideation, due to shy, lazy, or overly dominant participants.

Brain Blink: Millennial NOTs

Jeremy Baka — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:46:43 +0000

A survey of 5,000 Millennials (16-28) by the "Mr. Youth" agency found that they are a bunch of NOTs.

Eco-Wolfe

Eco Wolfe — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:58:41 +0000

Luxury retail gets social with F-commerce

Grace Flanders — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:37:26 +0000

Designers and retailers are wasting no time climbing aboard the Facebook commerce bandwagon, and who could blame them? Facebook commerce, or F-commerce, is at the forefront of every retailer’s mind as a way to convert intangible “likes” into profitable purchases.

Brain Blink: That jacket is hurting your brand

Jeremy Baka — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:07:03 +0000

Lowering prices is not a brand strategy that builds differentiation – any brand can lower a price. Powerful brands, such as Apple, focus on the emotional aspects of design, imagination and creativity rather than price.

Proceed with caution: Digital missteps

Suzanne Raouf — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:40:51 +0000

It only takes one controversial tweet to spark hundreds of responses from an enraged audience. Twitter can be a ticking time bomb for celebrities and brands alike, just waiting for one digital misstep, followed by an explosion of backlash.

What brands can learn about social media from Coco Chanel

Christianna Giordano — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:50:40 +0000

When Coco Chanel said, “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance”, I doubt anyone thought she was speaking about social media. When pushing through the digital clutter, I think we all have wished, at one point, that brands would take a hint from Chanel and scale back.

Cohn & Wolfe ranked as a top 5 global agency for social media performance

Tyler Pennock — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:38:07 +0000

This week, Cohn & Wolfe received an impressive 4th place overall ranking in the 2011 Holmes Report/Sociagility Social Media Performance study of the top 23 global PR agencies.

Social media, Italian style

Francesco Paciocco — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:30:27 +0000

After spending a couple months working in our Milan office, I thought it would be high time to provide some updates and social media usage trends on our friends from the Mediterranean Boot—Italy.

Italians are quite the social media butterflies with a recent study suggesting Italians send 200 tweets per minute, the number of Twitter users in Italy doubling over the past year to reach 2.4 million. On average, the country is very engaged in social media: Facebook has 93% penetration and 76% of Italians use social media platforms more than once a day.

Brain Blink: When giving means getting

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:00:51 +0000

The nonprofit group, Disabled American Veterans, generally gets an 18 percent response rate when it sends out mailings requesting contributions. However, when the same letter is sent with personalized address labels (each costing just eight cents apiece), the response rate jumps to 35 percent. Sociologists call this phenomenon the "Rule of Reciprocity”.

Brain Blink: Our products suck, happy holidays

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:51:32 +0000

During the busy holiday shopping season,Patagonia is running ads online and in mainstream publications encouraging shoppers NOT to buy its winter jacket. Is this "Marketers Gone Wild," or an ingenious approach to standing out during the holidays?

HR & Social Media: Love or hate?

Christianna Giordano — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:56:48 +0000

It is no longer a question that employers are checking you out on social networks - according to Media Bistro, 76% of employers check Facebook, Twitter (53%) and LinkedIn (48%) during the hiring process. This isn’t always a bad thing, unless of course you do these five things, in which case, you’ll never get hired.

Although LinkedIn prides itself as “an Internet platform company focused on connecting the world’s professionals”, Facebook is actually where most employers read up on you. Even though LinkedIn experienced a 60% growth in users in 2011, more than 75% of employers check Facebook as a reference, less than half view your LinkedIn profile.

Brain Blink: From fizzle to sizzle

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:51:07 +0000

Interested in making the absolute worst sizzle reel ever? Try these tips.

Louis CK vs. Klout: Finding the balance between living and tweeting

Anna Kate Babnik — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:27:21 +0000

During a recent appearance on Conan on TBS, popular comedian Louis CK had less than great things to say about the current obsession with all things social media. When asked for his opinion on social media, Louis responded that he “kinda hates it” and went on to (hilariously) describe how he believes it’s changing the way we view the world. The comedian made the astute observation that “doing everything available to do” isn’t a good idea and that there’s a current sense of urgency to join every new network as soon as it’s available.

Teaching an old dog the new tricks of networking

Stephen Brown — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:19:45 +0000

Atlanta is like many cities in that basically a few hundred people make everything happen on the business scene. Between hobnobbing in the real world and maneuvering through virtual communities, it’s a veritable scavenger hunt to get to know them all. But it’s not just the Downtown Rotary or “meat and three” restaurants where the titans of Southeastern business hang their hats over the next big deal; sometimes it’s in unexpected places.

Hot off a few weeks of travel that included Florida for the PRSA International Conference and South Carolina for a marketing summit with leaders of consumer brands, I found myself in the most unusual of networking locales here in my adopted hometown. I had landed in Barkworld, a convocation of bloggers writing about animals and sometimes in the voice of those pets.

SXSW Eco: Top takeaways

Nicole Hubik — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:15:38 +0000

The first SXSW Eco conference turned out to be a great event, representing an interesting cross-sector of attendees from the government, non-profits and industry. Over the course of three days, SXSW Eco aimed to address where the future of sustainability is going and how we can best solve some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Following are the top five takeaways from SXSW Eco.

Brain Blink: Brand-Ding

Jeremy Baka — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:32:09 +0000

Sometimes we get so caught up in the target audiences, the consumer traffic-driving, the narrow business objectives, etc., that we forget to actually understand and believe in what a brand stands for at its core, i.e. why it was created; how it emotionally impacts the lives of consumers. Shortly after Steve Jobs returned to Apple – a company that was 90 days away from bankruptcy – he gave this impassioned speech to his employees about the true meaning of the Apple brand and how it needed to be marketed.

Mobile proliferation and healthcare gamification: Patients & HCPs move online

Travis Taylor — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:48:34 +0000

Mobile is a massive current – particularly in healthcare. Hence, this mobile trend was cause for much enthusiasm at the recent DigiPharm Europe congress. Data from d4- a not-for-profit that aims to improve patient care by placing modern technology in the hands of healthcare professionals – shows 81% of UK doctors use a Smartphone, which is much higher than general population’s 24%. The same survey found 87% of UK doctors carry a mobile phone at work, and 42% use their phones to look up info online.Therefore, it’s critical that whatever Pharma does online is optimised for mobile.

Brain Blink: Prediction - you will read this

Jeremy Baka — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:26:34 +0000

British performer Derren Brown denounces those who claim he has psychic or paranormal abilities. Brown swears his communication skills involve nothing more than psychology, suggestion and a bit of showmanship. He says he influences his key target audiences with carefully orchestrated visual and verbal cues and communication. Sound familiar?

Do we really 'like' brands?

Christianna Giordano — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:29:07 +0000

In a recent article, eMarketer reported that 54% of Facebook users do not want their newsfeeds to be flooded by messages from brands. Are Facebook’s newsfeed options the answer to this?

We can mark stories as ‘important’ and hide all posts by brands. This feature can determine how relationships between brands and fans continue after the coveted first ‘like’. These options are great, and I love that my newsfeed is a bit tidier now, but I’ve started to wonder, if I’m hiding all these brands’ content, why don’t I just ‘unlike’ them?

Will Pharma put their money where your mouse is?

Travis Taylor — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:02:23 +0000

“Digital for Pharma is like sex for high school students ‑ everyone's talking about it, wanting it, but no-one's doing it properly.”

Or so said Google’s Industry Head of Consumer Goods & Healthcare Jens Monsees at the recent DigiPharm Europe meeting ‑ Europe's leading digital marketing conference for senior pharmaceutical executives. While digital for Pharma is still in its infancy, particularly when compared to other more consumer focused industries, the two day meeting showcased a number of Pharma companies that are leading the digital Pharma charge.

For sports bloggers, it's not just about sports anymore

Mohammed Dieye — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:58:35 +0000

Sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? A sports blogger who de-prioritizes the score and play-by-play? But that was the permeating theme at this year’s Blogs With Balls conference. Hosted by Bloomberg Sports in their futuristic Manhattan skyscraper, the event featured 250+ independent and professional sports writers, Kobayashi chugging a gallon of milk in 19 seconds and instead of trophies, the awards were Muppets. The yearly sports blogging event celebrates excellence in the medium and discusses ways bloggers can improve and evolve. The biggest trend? Not actually blogging about the scores and stats.

Is better the new best?

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:55:48 +0000

It used to be that “Better” was a rest stop on the way to “Best” – a stepping stone that received some polite applause for effort, but wasn’t really a reason to celebrate.

But in a world of broken ecosystems, financial meltdowns, outdated processes and rampant bad decision making, “Better” may not only be our reality – it may actually be our greatest hope and a rallying cry more motivating than “Best.”

First-Ever SXSW Eco Conference takes root

Nicole Hubik — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 05:02:03 +0000

Taking place this week, literally four blocks from Cohn & Wolfe’s Austin office, is the inaugural SXSW Eco conference. That’s right – the famous South By Southwest interactive, music and film festival held in the spring has gone green.

Beyond Census 2010: How to approach the U.S. Hispanic market

Kerri Allen — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:15:09 +0000

By now, marketers are well-aware that the U.S. Hispanic population has reached 50.5 million people and that spending power is just shy of a trillion dollars. Many brands, however, still approach the market without anchoring their programs in current consumer insights or fully vetting their products or services for the market before jumping in headlong.

Italy is walking, not running: Who owns Italian social media?

Francesco Paciocco — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:57:21 +0000

Besides Fashion Week, big things are happening in Milan. As an official partner of Milan Social Media Week, the Cohn & Wolfe Milan office got to work commissioning an original research study in collaboration with AstraRicerche (an Italian research firm) and the University of Udine to measure how companies operating in Italy approach social and digital media from a structural point of view.
By surveying more than 100 managers of small, medium and big companies operating in Italy, we wanted to study how companies are organizing themselves internally to meet the challenges of the digital age—what are the mean budgets, available resources and who calls the shots when approving plans are some of the questions we posed.

How PR professionals can use Google+ today

Brian Remmel — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:46:58 +0000

A few weeks ago, I took a look at Google+ and created a cheat sheet for PR professionals to use while navigating the new platform. Since then, Google has opened up Google+ to the public (opposed to a select group of chosen individuals), experienced rapid growth, and released a slew of new features. Unfortunately for social media managers everywhere, business profiles were not among them.

A lesson in communication from The Economist

Pedro Rodriguez — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 20:15:12 +0000

Where do LinkedIn’s Jeff Weiner (CEO), singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash, and Nitin Noahria, Dean of Harvard Business School, rub shoulders? The Economist’s Ideas Economy: Human Potential conference in New York City.

WPP Stream and the shifting model of marketing

Tony Lederer — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:30:35 +0000

The WPP Stream annual 'un-conference', hosted by Sir Martin Sorrell and Yossi Vardi, brought together 300 of the marketing industry's leading strategists, entrepreneurs and media companies to talk about the future of communications and marketing. So what were the key topics on everyone’s mind? What is the world of marketing and media concerned about? And what are the trends that are shaping our industry? There were several topics that came up over and over again that all the companies represented are grappling with in different ways.

I'd like to teach the world to tweet: Social Good Day 2011

Anna Kate Babnik — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:56:27 +0000

Already today, chances are pretty good that you’ve been on at least one social media site. Whether it was wishing your friend “Happy Birthday” on Facebook or checking in at your local lunch spot on Foursquare, social media has come to dominate our on-line lives. So think how cool it would be if, for one day, everyone used their Twitter, Facebook, or blogs to work on brainstorming ideas to solve some of the world’s most pressing social challenges and issues. That’s exactly what the folks at Mashable and (RED) asked the internet on September 21^st for the Second Annual Social Good Day.

Is Facebook a copycat? : A look into Facebook's subscribe button and improved friend lists

Christianna Giordano — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:33:51 +0000

In the last week, Facebook has made two announcements on new updates to the platform: the addition of the ‘subscribe button’ and the new ‘friend lists’. These updates have spurred a series of questions around Facebook’s loyalty to its original mission and have made many ponder, “Is Facebook a copycat?”

Brain Blink: Dear consumer, you can't use our product anymore

Jeremy Baka — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:38:59 +0000

Kjerstin Gruys, a Ph.D. candidate in sociology at the University of California, took a vow that most women would never dream of: go a year without looking in a mirror, even during her upcoming wedding. Gruys' project and corresponding blog is called "Mirror, Mirror... OFF the Wall", and was created after she spent a stressful weekend searching for the perfect wedding dress.

Google+: The PR professional’s cheat sheet

Brian Remmel — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:45:57 +0000

Google’s latest attempt to establish a successful social network, Google+, made a huge splash when it launched two months ago. The fledgling social network has some very promising features and has quickly built momentum. While the site has received criticism for lacking some basic functions like business profiles and search, Google has assured that these will be rolled out in the near future.
For those not already familiar with Google+’s functionality, here’s a quick recap:

Working for a non-profit: A healthy choice

Lorenzo Petracco — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:59:02 +0000

From a PR and communications standpoint, taking care of a charity campaign can be extremely rewarding for at least three reasons:

Increased passion from all stakeholders;
Charities are often more willing to embrace and experiment with new ways and tools of communication with 100% genuine spirit;
Digital and social media are an amazing opportunity to generate buzz.

Again this year, our office in Milan was appointed by Europa Donna – The European Breast Cancer Coalition to build and manage Breast Health Day on October 15^th campaign.

BlogHer ’11: Conference lessons from a newbie

Madison Craig — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:21:11 +0000

Conferences are a great opportunity for businesses to showcase new products & services and to interact with the very customers they’re targeting. I’ve attended several industry conferences in the past, but I just attended my first conference on behalf of a client. In case you haven’t heard, BlogHer 2011 was an outstanding event! Now I can safely say that I have one successful conference under my belt, and learned a thing or two in the process. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you, too, are a conference newbie:

One of Ad Age’s Best Places to Work

Donna Imperato — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:38:51 +0000

When you walk the halls at Cohn & Wolfe there’s always this overriding sense that something incredible is about to happen, like fans buzzing before a sold-out rock concert. That creative energy permeates every office and every person, and I love walking into an atmosphere like that every day. Who wouldn’t?

BlogHer '11: The value of face time between brands and bloggers

Tyler Pennock — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:29:41 +0000

I've just returned from the annual BlogHer conference, an impressive and inspiring event that brings together women influencers from all walks of life to learn more about the art and business of blogging. As with most conferences, the exhibit hall is a featured attraction, and this year's event offered both the attendees and sponsors a first-rate experience.

Fish where the fish are

Jeremy Rosenberg — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:11:13 +0000

Creating custom microsites for video-centric campaigns may go the way of My Space as YouTube is becoming the new platform-of-choice for interacting with video. There has never been a shortage of contest-driven branded YouTube channels and there probably never will. Asking users to submit their own videos will always remain popular, as it has for years. What seems to be a trend picking up steam is a crop of innovative campaigns spanning brands, along with break through PSA’s which, for the last few years, have co-mingled the interaction commonly found on customized microsites with YouTube videos placed directly on the channel.

All the news that’s fit to tweet

Daniel Bonner — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:58:22 +0000

I spent a year living near downtown Jerusalem, where you learn quickly to run in the opposite direction of any SWAT team. So when I saw New York’s finest blockading the area around the Flatiron building yesterday, I headed straight to 200 Fifth Avenue, Cohn and Wolfe’s headquarters, to check the news at a safe distance. Habit led me not to the New York Times, which had nothing on the story for over an hour, or the Post or Observer, both quick to post information that could not have been further from the truth. I searched Twitter.

Brain Blink: What's your lionfish?

Jeremy Baka — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:38:07 +0000

An evasive, fast-breeding fish with few natural predators is devastating the fish population along the Florida coast and Caribbean. The red and black-striped lionfish with its venomous spikes is eating native creatures and out-competing others for food and habitats.

What do you get when you put 150 PR interns in a room? Welcome to Internfest 2011

Daniel Bonner — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:54:48 +0000

Cohn and Wolfe’s own SVP of Human Resources, Stephanie Howley, joined a panel of HR leaders in the industry that included Kim Duffy of Coyne PR, Tara Lilien of MSLGROUP, and Steve Seeman of Makovsky + Company. They echoed Polansky in calling for interns with passion, intellectual curiosity, drive, ambition, and creativity. Develop an online identity, they continued, market yourself and your experience, be a good communicator, and never underestimate one-to-one contact with your future bosses and colleagues. And don’t worry too much, because, in Seeman’s words, “you’ve already got your foot in the door.”

#SMDay with Cohn & Wolfe: Getting social in #NYC

Christianna Giordano — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:29:05 +0000

As Mashable put it recently, “Social media is a force to be reckoned with” and June 30^th marked The Second Annual Social Media Day – bringing together thousands of global digital gurus from around the world to celebrate the power of social media.

Bloggers unite to attract audiences, end up benefiting brands

Madison Craig — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 18:29:18 +0000

I would sound like a broken record if I told you that digital media is becoming a part of every PR plan and a focus of communication firms worldwide. I would be preaching to the choir if I touted the benefits of working with bloggers that might not be as impressive or established as The New York Times, but could potentially be more successful in reaching small, targeted audiences. And I would be the recipient of thousands of eye-rolls if I tried to bill blogger relations as quick and easy.

When it comes to sustainability, there’s no "I" in team

Nicole Hubik — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:54:54 +0000

From games of four square to an event-wide scavenger hunt, it was easy to see the theme of this year’s Sustainable Brands 2011 conference - “Play On” - resonate throughout the halls and breakout sessions. It became clear just how much sustainability is a team sport. For example, a Chief Sustainability Officer cannot make a difference without the buy-in of the company’s Chief Executive Officer. A maker of a greener shampoo bottle must also look to consumers and water suppliers when assessing the environmental impact the product has with regards to water consumption and reuse. And sustainability initiatives are much more effective when less traditional, cross-functional relationships are developed between consumers and brands or NGOs and corporate governance, for instance.

Brain Blink: Say everything by saying nothing

Jeremy Baka — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:48:50 +0000

"The Tree of Life,"a new film starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, has been both jeered (literally, during the Cannes Film Festival) and cheered by audiences. Director Terrence Malick pushes the limits of unconventional filmmaking by shooting scenes that go for more than 10 minutes with no dialogue. In fact, little dialogue is used during the entire 138 minute film. Malick instead relies on imagery to create his emotional connection with audiences.

Big buzz without big bucks: Take the 7 Line for an express lesson

Steve Bonsignore — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:49:40 +0000

Imagine your client is hell-bent on connecting with sports fans. Now, let’s make the hypothetical specific. They’re trying to hit Mets fans based in New York City. You counsel them that your dazzling PR team can deliver a branded message that will splash across all the area’s major dailies, land interviews on the top-rated radio stations, drive in-studio TV appearances – plus more social media buzz than you could shake an ineffectual Jason Bay stick at – in a matter of days. What if you then told that same fictional client this could all be achieved for the cost of a t-shirt, some elbow grease and a few days of smart social media interaction? After checking your vital signs, they might mutter something about it sounding too good to be true. Well, perhaps we should all take a lesson from Darren Meenan.

10 rules for being a responsible social media counselor

Lorenzo Petracco — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:07:18 +0000

Social media is an extraordinary tool that allows millions of people to connect all around the world. As a result, the content we publish is reposted and commented, extending it way beyond our initial network that we may consider to be closed into a much bigger forum than we may imagine.

Web wars: (Some of) the significance of LinkedIn’s IPO in the battle between the "old" web guard and social media

Tony Lederer — Wed, 25 May 2011 16:07:37 +0000

LinkedIn had a crazy IPO late last week. "Crazy" isn’t my word, it’s the Wall Street Journal's. Shares began trading at $45 per share, but over the course of the day on Thursday rose to over $108 – over 140% increase. This values LinkedIn at $10.5bn, or 43 times its 2010 revenue. Even before shares started trading, LinkedIn was slated to be the biggest IPO of a technology company in the US since Google in 2004, and its first day pop in stock price is one of the largest seen since the dot.com bubble. When eBay went public in 1998, its stock popped 168% on the first day of trading.

Brain Blink: Nothing is good

Jeremy Baka — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:49:35 +0000

"A Void" is a 300-page French novel translated from the original French La Disparition ("The Disappearance") written entirely without the letter E, except for the author's name, Georges Perec. This is called lipogrammatic writing.

Spooking up some digital buzz on Friday the 13th

Esther Rawlings — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:03:49 +0000

To the superstitious, Friday the 13^th is infamous for bringing bad luck. But to a savvy brand, that bad luck can be flipped on its head to present only the best of luck or – in PR speak – the best “buzz.”

C&W and Project Kaisei dig deep to “Save Kai”

John Walls — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:59:33 +0000

Last November, more than 500 Cohn & Wolfe employees around the world harnessed the power of collective creativity to create a compelling 30-day fundraising concept for pro-bono client Project Kaisei. Our smarts and ingenuity resulted in a quirky campaign that is truly an amalgamation of global imagination. Titled “Save Kai,” the initiative centers on a streaming video of Kai, a small goldfish involved in an epic battle against ocean plastic.

Earth Day indulgence

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:18:04 +0000

In my job as Cohn & Wolfe’s Global Sustainability Practice leader, I feel lucky to live and breathe People, Planet and Profit every day. So on Earth Day I am usually happy to sit back a bit and enjoy the celebration.

Brain Blink: Boss posers, big mouths and experts

Jeremy Baka — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 13:30:41 +0000

Kevin P. Coyne and Shawn T. Coyne, Authors of "Brainsteering," suggest holding "sub-brainstorms" consisting of just three to five people, because "the social norm is for people to speak up in small groups and stay quiet in big groups.”

New social media guidelines for the pharmaceutical industry issued in the UK

Natasha Peacock — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 16:10:31 +0000

The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA), which oversees the self-regulatory code of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), issued informal guidance earlier this week for the pharmaceutical industry on using online communications.

Brain Blink: Blind ambition

Jeremy Baka — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:17:58 +0000

Helen Keller once said, "Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence." That same spirit is key to unleashing real creativity. The idea of a blind photographer, for example, is just plain stupid. After all, even IF a blind man could find a way to take photos, who would buy them? Who would care?

Should brands ask the "crowd?"

Brooke Hovey — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:29:29 +0000

The SXSW Interactive conference featured more than a dozen different sessions on the topic of crowdsourcing: the act of outsourcing tasks, traditionally performed by an individual employee or team, to an undefined, large community or group of people.

Social networks reevaluate boundaries

Brooke Hovey — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:17:16 +0000

ReadWriteWeb posted that Google was set to launch a new social network called Circles at the conference, which started the Twitter rumor mill churning during SXSW Interactive.

SXSWi ’11 day five: Top bold digital moments & ideas

Brooke Hovey — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 01:05:45 +0000

After five days of panels, keynotes and happy hours, SXSWi is reluctantly coming to a close. But not without Cohn & Wolfe Digital sounding off on the final top bold ideas from day five of SXSWi ‘11:

The good, the bad and the tchotchke

Madison Craig — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:45:31 +0000

Our Cohn & Wolfe Digital crew stopped by the SXSWi Trade Show today and picked up a bundle of souvenirs from a variety of brands. One thing we quickly discovered; all tchotckes are not created equal. Here are the highlights of the free swag we snagged at SX:

SXSWi ’11 day four: Top bold digital moments & ideas

Kristen Wiley — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 02:31:05 +0000

Here’s another batch of bold ideas coming straight to you from SXSWi ‘11:

Does your company create 'heroes'?

Brooke Hovey — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:13:35 +0000

At this year's SXSW Interactive conference, Josh Bernoff and Ted Schadler of Forrester Research led a session based on their new book, "Empowered: Unleash Your Employees, Energize Your Customers, and Transform Your Business."

SXSWi '11 day three: Top bold digital moments & ideas

John Walls — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:56:56 +0000

From food trucks and games of four square to rewards flash-mobs and achieving enchantment, here are the highlights from day three of SXSWi:

SXSWi '11 day two: Top bold digital moments & ideas

Christy Kirby — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:16:39 +0000

Live from Austin, TX, here are the highlights from day two of SXSWi:

SXSWi '11 day one: Top bold digital moments & ideas

Madison Craig — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 01:01:26 +0000

Cohn & Wolfe Digital has a team of people attending this year’s SXSWi, covering panels, interviewing thought leaders, and hitting every last happy hour – all for you! Check Wolfe Tracking each day (or better yet, subscribe) for a daily recap of the “Top Bold Digital Moments & Ideas” from SXSW. Here’s the rundown for today, Friday, March 11:

3 tips on breaking down barriers to great brainstorming

John Walls — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:01:24 +0000

One of the many skills required of PR professionals is the ability to quickly switch gears from manager and taskmaster to creator and innovator. The challenge soon becomes how to become motivated and inspired within a matter of mere minutes? And how do you create and foster an environment of creativity while balancing seemingly never-ending client deadlines and status meetings?

Google reduces Internet pollution and spam-laden search results

Tony Obregon — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:04:58 +0000

Recently, Google announced that it was cracking down on spam and low quality websites created for the mere purpose of building links and gaming SEO. The latest efforts to declutter the digital landscape offer an important opportunity for communicators.

Does online buzz predict Oscar winners?

Brooke Hovey — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:42:28 +0000

While this year’s 83^rd Academy Awards may have offered few surprises in terms of which actors and which movies ended the night with coveted statues in hand, there was a tremendous amount of buzz througout the social media space in the days leading up to Awards night, with viewers taking to Facebook, Twitter and their respective blogs to talk about this year’s nominees.

Brain Blink: Saving music with tennis shoes

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:40:29 +0000

The 70-year-old London rock venue the 100 Club has played host to some of the world's most famous musicians over the years, including Muddy Waters, Rolling Stones, Sir Paul McCartney and more. But the financial strain in 2010 was too much for the legendary venue and it announced plans to close.

Brands are stories waiting to be told

Francesco Paciocco — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:21:15 +0000

Brands are not immune to ups and downs—the stock market fluctuates, products succeed and fail, corporate scandals come and go. But, what remains a constant is our (consumers’) intrigue into “What will happen next?”

5 ways to ensure your global social strategy is done right

Francesco Paciocco — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:24:26 +0000

In honor of Social Media Week 2011, I had the pleasure of attending an excellent event entitled “Social Media Around the World” hosted by Freddie Laker of SapientNitro—digital strategist, international man of mystery and all-around nice guy. You can read details from the event here.

Will the next frontier in the browser wars impact targeted advertising?

Jeremy Rosenberg — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:57:18 +0000

A growing concern over data privacy has started to motivate the major browser makers to address these issues. But how much impact will their efforts truly have?

Brain Blink: Chimpanzees kill ideas

Jeremy Baka — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 20:20:52 +0000

According to Matt Ridley, author of various books on evolution, genetics and society, what separates us from our distant cousins, the chimpanzees, and other species in the Animal Kingdom, is “the ability to exchange ideas.”

Brain Blink: Storm stash

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:04:19 +0000

What are the chances of you coming up with a new idea if you walk into the same conference room, sit around the same table, surrounded by the same people and staring at the same old walls?

Thoughts from Stream 2010

Francesco Paciocco — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:16:13 +0000

Two weeks ago, I attended WPP’s Stream Conference, which brought together a collection of creative, technological and digital minds across the WPP network to talk about what’s on the horizon for digital media and how we can best continue to leverage it for our clients.

The 'Crisis Plan' crisis (and the digital defense)

Chad Latz — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:50:34 +0000

While most big brands have Corporate Affairs functions and existing crisis plans, the vast majority of these brands have not updated their crisis management strategies to reflect both the speed and nuance of managing issues via social media.

Gifts good enough to eat

Theresa Bertrand — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:18:01 +0000

In an economy that has seen many holiday gift categories decline over the past two years, consumer food gifts grew by 9.6% to $14.9 billion. Specialty foods, which are gift-packaged food items other than chocolate and candy, are driving food gifting’s growth and the category is expected to continue its upward climb this holiday season.

Brain Blink: Real cool replay

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:14:36 +0000

To target Gen Xers, Gatorade brought back two rival football teams to replay a 1993 high school game that ended in a 7-7 tie. Touted as "the ultimate battle" between rivalries, the game - and campaign - generated tons of attention and awards. What's hidden in your history that can be put to good use?

The Yelp effect: Are you a disruptive force?

Theresa Bertrand — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:52:04 +0000

For anyone who has ever needed a solid recommendation for a local dermatologist, sushi joint, manicurist, or florist, chances are yelp.com has been consulted. That’s why I was eager to attend a recent luncheon hosted by the folks at the San Francisco PR Round Table, where the guest speaker was Vince Sollitto, Communications VP at Yelp, Inc., who spoke about the evolution of Yelp and the power of user-generated content.

No ordinary agency

Jill Tannenbaum — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:01 +0000

Let me tell you a story. Sometime in the not-too-distant past, we set out to tackle what seemed an impossible task: differentiate our “large, global PR agency” from dozens of other PR, marketing and digital agencies all claiming to be different. “We have passionate people,” they cried. “We use cutting-edge digital tools,” they boasted. “We offer breakthrough creative concepts,” they bellowed. But so do we, we reasoned.

Brain Blink: The 90-9-1 rule

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:44:17 +0000

Brand Science Institute (BSI), a German think tank specializing in brand management, conducted a study to find out why most corporate social media projects fail. As part of its analysis, BSI surveyed 560+ marketers representing more than 50 brands. One prominent finding: 68% of the respondents had never heard of the 90-9-1 principle.

BlogHer '10: I came, I saw, I ate

Theresa Bertrand — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:00:11 +0000

As an attendee and sponsor representative at BlogHer Food ’09, the she-blogger conference series’ sophisticated gourmet sister, I thought I was prepared for what to expect at BlogHer ’10.

So what's BlogHer all about?

Katie Greene — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:49:32 +0000

If that’s a question that’s crossed your lips, then you’ve got a lot to learn about BlogHer and the ladies (and gentlemen!) who came out en masse for the two-day event in New York this year.

Brain Blink: Motivation vs. money

Jeremy Baka — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:39:29 +0000

Professors Dan Ariely and James Heyman conducted a simple experiment to determine the difference between financial motivation and human motivation.

4 things your brand needs to know about online video

Francesco Paciocco — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:01:00 +0000

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then perhaps a video is worth a thousand times more. There’s no doubt that online video has become an essential tool for marketers. From website intros to product tutorials, and from live streaming events to episodic entertainment, brands have made video a central part of their digital marketing strategy.

Brain Blink: "Annual Report" meets "Madame Butterfly"

Jeremy Baka — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:16:47 +0000

As part of Bang & Olufsen’s renewed effort to highlight the brand’s quality, innovation and design characteristics, the company turned its annual report into an operatic extravaganza.

Brain Blink: Book smart

Jeremy Baka — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:03:26 +0000

Seth Godin is the author of 11 books, including such hits as “Purple Cow” and “The Dip.” In a recent publishing challenge, Godin asked 70 innovative thinkers to come up with a 10- to 200-word essay or picture about “a big idea that matters now.” Godin turned the submissions into a free downloadable e-book packed with quick thoughts, fresh ideas and intriguing perspectives.

Brain Blink: The ugly secret about brainstorms

Jeremy Baka — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:10:09 +0000

A study at the Wharton School, considered one of the world's preeminent business schools, reveals that group brainstorms may not be the best way to come up with ideas. Instead, researchers say, a hybrid brainstorm where people are first given time to think on their own before sharing ideas with a group resulted in more, and better, ideas.

Pointing a finger--at a solution

Eric Litchfield — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:12:51 +0000

Much of the conversation in the communications industry around BP and the disaster in the Gulf has been fixed on the PR missteps the company, and its CEO, has made to make a tragic situation even worse. And while the list is long, and the response one that will be studied for decades to come, I’m sure everyone in the business would much prefer discussing a solution to the crisis. So with that in mind, I bring to you entrepreneurial mycologist, Paul Stamets.

Sustainability means many things to many people

Tony Obregon — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 22:48:32 +0000

It’s amazing how one’s perspective can change in just a few days. For me, it happened last week at the Sustainable Brands 2010 conference. The four-day conference attracted more than 700 business leaders, innovators, and mavericks committed to learning, developing, refining and implementing sustainable strategies in one way or another. Hearing about the many ways people are approaching sustainability expanded my view and validated its value as a business objective for companies.

What's so funny about sustainability?

Eric Litchfield — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:24:53 +0000

At the end of a networking event last night at the Sustainable Brands conference, Annie Longsworth, Head of Cohn & Wolfe’s Sustainability Practice, held up a Flip camera and with a wry smile asked: “What’s funny about sustainability?” I wasn’t sure if it was the pressure of being filmed or if there just isn’t anything funny about it, but for a few uncomfortable seconds, I was stumped.

Social media in a regulated environment--panel insights

Chad Latz — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:51:59 +0000

Last month I had the pleasure of moderating a panel called “Something Regulated” hosted by Digital Somethings, Business Development Institute, and Pfizer. The panel consisted of a dynamic group of communicators responsible for driving social media in their organizations.

Social media in a regulated environment--a meeting of the minds

Chad Latz — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:18:11 +0000

Whether on the agency or client side we all endeavor to honor best practices in social media… to offer something of value to our online stakeholders that encourages sharing, doesn't intrude on the community, and ultimately, helps build our [client’s] brands.

Social behavior vs. social media

Chad Latz — Tue, 04 May 2010 11:54:56 +0000

It’s easy to forget that the term “social” is as much intended to describe behavior as it is a reference to the media or platform. In the May issue of PRWeek, I had the pleasure of sharing my perspective on the best way to incorporate offline experiences into a social media strategy to encourage engagement. As I was thinking it over, perhaps the real question was “How can social media create engagement in a way that produces offline behavior?”

Promoted tweets--essential for marketers?

Chad Latz — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:30:48 +0000

Much has been written about the roll-out of ‘Promoted Tweets,’ Twitter’s new advertising feature. Many are discussing the business model and debating if/how advertising will impact the platform’s user experience. I had the pleasure attending the debut of Promoted Tweets by Dick Costolo, COO of Twitter at the AdAge Digital Confereance 2010.

Americans get hockey fever; unfortunately, it likely won't last through Spring

Steve Bonsignore — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:17:23 +0000

It’s hard to argue that, for the better part of a week, America got its worst case of hockey fever in…well, maybe forever. While the relative influence the blogosphere and social media played in the rampant spread of hockey fever is difficult to definitively gauge, those channels undoubtedly served as testament to the afflicted. ‘USA! USA!’ bellowed out across blog comments sections, ‘gold medal game’ and ‘USA Hockey’ hash tags torched Twitter and TV sets tuned in at record numbers.

As social media expands, don't forget where the audience is

Mike Manning — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:00:10 +0000

It’s getting difficult to stay on top of all the new social networking and digital communications platforms available today: Google Buzz, Foursquare, Posterous and Google Wave are seeking to match the more established communities like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. It wasn’t always like this; new media channels didn’t just sprout up every week. To say it’s changed the daily activities of PR professionals over the past ten years is a drastic understatement.

Thinking about value

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 02:34:42 +0000

Last Friday, during my first weekend residency at the Presidio Graduate School’s executive MBA program, I went for a walk with Peter Warshall. We walked in a small group through the Presidio, stopping every few minutes to look at the land, the trees, the animals. We started in a spot I have passed literally hundreds of times – an intersection near my former gym, down from my (green) dry cleaner and on the way to the swimming pool where my kids have lessons every Saturday afternoon.

Can new FTC regs protect PR’s stake in digital media?

James J. Wells — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:54:15 +0000

My colleague Katherine Axt and I attended last week’s PRSA New York seminar, "Regulatory Scrutiny of Social Media: The Impact on PR Communicators in 2010 and Beyond" where New York Attorney Michael Lasky walked us through the FTC’s updated guidelines concerning online Endorsements and Testimonials.

The power of a 'thank you' note

Steve Bonsignore — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:19:35 +0000

Sadly, extended middle fingers, temper tantrums and mindless Twitter taunts are becoming more and more “par for the course” with today’s professional athletes. It’s against this dreary backdrop that last week’s communication from Roy Halladay to the fans of Toronto stands in blinding contrast.

Catching up with The Consumerist

Francesco Paciocco — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:32:17 +0000

This past Wednesday, myself along with my Cohn & Wolfe Digital peers Jim Wells and Katie Greene, had the chance to attend The Consumerist’s first meetup at Botanica Bar. For those not familiar with The Consumerist, it’s a highly influential blog with more than half a million unique monthly visitors known for its witty and brutally honest commentary on consumer issues and activism.

Growing brands in the green market

Eric Litchfield — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:33:29 +0000

Despite all the attention being paid to economic concerns, healthcare reform, diplomatic stand-offs and everything else going on in the world, the environmental movement and efforts to combat climate change remain a priority with governments and people around the world. And sustainability remains a driving force in business, too, as many consumers remain devoted to green products and brands that commit to sustainable business practices.

Stream 09 discussion: Crowdsourcing creativity

Andrew Foote — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:02:35 +0000

I just wrapped up a trip to Greece for Stream 09. If you haven’t heard of Stream, it is WPP’s annual unconference focused on technology, innovation, and the future of digital marketing. The level of digital knowledge among attendees was one of the most impressive aspects of the event. Stream gathered 300 marketers, agency reps, technologists and venture capitalists from across the globe, all of whom contributed fascinating perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of marketing in the digital age.

How pharma can overcome FDA's social media challenge

James J. Wells — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:08:43 +0000

Speaking at last week’s Social Communications & Healthcare Conference (#BDI), Pfizer VP/Worldwide Comunications Ray Kerins said that Pfizer wants to have online conversations with its consumers. However, he thinks it is unfair to ask company employees to risk their job implementing a social media program that the FDA might later deem a violation, despite its refusal to issue guidance in this area. Nevertheless, the company just two weeks ago launched its corporate Twitter page (@Pfizer_News) and is starting to proactively communicate with its audience in real-time.

"Starbury TV": A PR slam dunk

Steve Bonsignore — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:01:10 +0000

I sat at my desk this past Friday and marveled as Stephon “Starbury” Marbury approached the double-digit mark. I’m not talking about points, rebounds or assists. I’m talking about hours. As in hours of all-access, unedited, filter-free Starbury coming to hundreds of thousands via live streaming video. Welcome to the “new world,” non-digital believers exit stage right. A soon-to-be-retired NBA point guard was giving a lesson in modern-day publicity, and everyone I know was tuning in to bear witness.

Book review: The Truth about Green Business, by Gil Friend

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:56:29 +0000

With his new book "The Truth about Green Business," Gil Friend, CEO of Natural Logic, has given us an invaluable gift – mainline access to his brain, which has been processing and storing sustainability and green business strategies for the last three decades or so.

Applying "porch rules" to marketing

Andrew Foote — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:13:22 +0000

If you live in NYC, you may have heard that Southwest Airlines recently opened Southwest Porch – a pop-up outdoor lounge located on the southwest corner of Bryant Park.

I stopped by after work yesterday and was impressed. The theme is clearly relaxation and the layout includes porch swings, Adirondack chairs and a selection of great food and Southwest Summer ale.

What's the right social media channel for specific patient groups?

James J. Wells — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:33:10 +0000

Nothing has had a greater impact on my view of social media more than the book Groundswell, specifically its Social Technographic Profile, a research tool helping brands to identify how its customers use social media technologies. So I became intrigued when I heard that imc² adapted Forrester’s technographic profile tool for healthcare.

Shaq to Cleveland opens up marketing playbook for Cavs

Steve Bonsignore — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:26:08 +0000

The Phoenix Suns never achieved what they’d envisioned when the franchise traded for Shaquille O’Neal two seasons ago. They accomplished so much more. Sure, the Suns never made it to the NBA Finals (or the conference finals for that matter) during Shaq’s brief two-year stint in Phoenix, but that doesn’t mean his absence won’t be immensely felt within the organization. Shaq was an undeniable force in the valley of the Sun – a 300-plus pound marketing machine.

Reaching consumers online before they get in line at the grocery store

Theresa Bertrand — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:01:17 +0000

The recession affects every aspect of our lives, and in response consumers are cutting back, doing away with, and trading down across the board. Although consumers are eating at home more, CPG manufacturers can’t afford to sit idle. Food prices are increasing at their fastest rate in 17 years, and private and store label products are tempting consumers with lower prices and flashier packaging.

Bing vs. Google--a comparison for PR professionals

Francesco Paciocco — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:05:48 +0000

After reading a New York Post article on the emerging rivalry between Google and Bing, I’m glad to say my interest in Bing has certainly grown. The two have been fiercely pitted against one another to determine which engine is the most sophisticated, the most user-friendly, and most viable in today’s ever-changing sea of online content. In addition, bloggers have taken to comparing Google, Bing, and Yahoo search results using Blind Search, a nifty tool that allows you to gauge the effectiveness of each search engine’s results, asking you to choose the results you prefer, then revealing the search engine used.

Good employee communications will make the EFCA a non-issue for companies

Jim Martinez — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:19:37 +0000

The impending passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) means companies have just a few months left to make the case against union organization. If EFCA becomes law, companies will likely lose their ability to campaign against union organizing efforts – something that’s now possible in the weeks leading up to a formal union vote. Such votes would effectively be optional under EFCA.

Digital Exploratorium in Geneva

Andrew Foote — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:07:44 +0000

On Wednesday, June 24th, my colleague Rachelle Spero will be presenting a “Digital Exploratorium” in Geneva. The focus is on conversational marketing and how brands can: effectively build a listening infrastructure; identify market influencers and join the conversation; create engaging content and experiences, and much more.

Warm and fuzzy ads won't work for banks; dialogue will

Jim Martinez — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:50:17 +0000

A June 9 article in The New York Times suggests that banks and other financial institutions are betting they can reconnect with consumers by launching warm and fuzzy advertising campaigns. Their theory is that consumers are ready to “move on.”

Still plenty of hope for green brands (despite recession)

Eric Litchfield — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:56:42 +0000

I’ve been in Monterey, California this week at the Sustainable Brands ’09 conference, a fascinating and inspiring event that showcases the many people and companies pointing the way towards a greener, more sustainable, way of life for humanity.

Does it feel like the world is fraught with crises?

Jim Martinez — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:51:57 +0000

Swine Flu. Financial meltdown. Bankruptcy. Banks failing the government’s stress test. Excessive executive compensation. The nature of crisis hasn’t changed, but the way crises emerge has. And the way we counsel clients has, too. Bottom line: companies must aggressively anticipate problems before they draw public attention.

Technology for the Turnaround

Katie Greene — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:44:28 +0000

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending Technology for the Turnaround at my alma mater which brought together more than 170 digital media professionals and enthusiasts from around the country to discuss the future of the industry in education and beyond. The day-long event was put together by The University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and the New Media Institute. The goal of the event was to generate new ideas and insights for students, educators and professionals about this evolving industry we call Digital Media.

Turning the arc to an arrow

Rachelle Spero — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:57:53 +0000

Because of recent FDA and FTC rulings, now more than ever, understanding of the legal landscape is the overriding paradigm in digital communications. It’s where every program in every discipline must begin. Innovation will remain within reach, but simply (and perhaps bluntly) put, advertisers and marketers may have to start earning media the way public relations has earned it for years.

Glass half full: A sustainability lesson from Saul the waiter

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:30:23 +0000

One of the highlights from last week’s Fortune Brainstorm Green was during a morning breakout session titled “The Business of Water,” which was led by Jib Ellison of Blu Skye Consulting. While the panel participants were qualified and interesting, it’s almost impossible to have that big of a conversation in just an hour unless it has a defined focus.

Commenting communities: Welcome to the playground

Lindsey Boyle — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:03:18 +0000

In a digital world where blogs are proliferating with a speed matched only by the growth of social networks, it should come as no surprise that the two entities are breeding a hybrid beast of interpersonal communication.

Staying ahead of the game: Athletes showing sports marketers the way?

Brandan Orsatti — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:12:50 +0000

The world of sports, sports media and sports marketing are bigger now than they’ve ever been. The range and reach of digital media, branded play-by-play updates available directly on your cell phone and the recent emergence of Twitter have allowed brands – especially sports entities – and media to connect with consumers through new channels. And as the industry continues to grow (and sponsors continue spending millions in athlete endorsements), companies can utilize new mediums to maximize their marketing investments and further build brand affinity.

Five reasons to try CoTweet - a Twitter tool for business

Brooke Hovey — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:58:16 +0000

Over the past few months, we’ve spent a lot of time talking to companies about Twitter. Even our most skeptical clients find it tough to ignore given its phenomenal growth – a 1,382% year-over-year increase in unique visitors from February 2008 to February 2009, according to Nielsen Online and a significant spike after Oprah’s first tweet last Friday. How do we manage it all? Who is the right person to twitter? Enter CoTweet.

Creative detour

Jeremy Baka — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:30:28 +0000

During a detour around a traffic accident this weekend I discovered the problem with creativity. The guy in front of me decided that rather than crawling along on the main thoroughfare, he would zip down a side street. I watched as his car disappeared down the winding road. In an instant, I was faced with a quandary: to follow or not to follow.

Domino's online crisis report card

Andrew Foote — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:14:57 +0000

Much has been written about the Domino’s Pizza PR fiasco that erupted earlier this week.

Given the hideousness of the videos and velocity with which they spread, Domino’s Corporate Communications team deserves a B+ for how they handled it.

Worship at the temple of ideas

Steve Bonsignore — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:58:00 +0000

At times, we use the terms “media agnosticism,” “cross-channel creative” or “non-traditional” to convey the notion that ideas brought to the table by public relations need not be “standard” PR tactics. The concept is a good one and warrants repeating – particularly today. These catch phrases serve to articulate an even simpler truth – ideas rule.

Cloud proficiency: A new standard of workforce literacy

Bryan Pope — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:57:34 +0000

How often do you see this category on periodic performance reviews: “Proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel?” Many organizations still cite the MS Office triumvirate as the pillars of proficiency, but as cloud computing continues to grow, shouldn’t we start expanding the ways we measure tech literacy?

Who is responsible for content protection? A digital bill of rights for head-bangers, geniuses and spring breakers

Greg Dvorken — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:15:31 +0000

There is a concern among content creators that the Internet does not have a safety net to protect their assets. By content creators, I’m talking about artists of all flavors - from Metallica protecting their extensive library of head-banging genius, to Bill Gates protecting his latest version of Windows, to a college kid’s first keg stand photos.

Diagnosing digital

Rachelle Spero — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:33:05 +0000

There are many point-of-views (POV) on how pharmaceutical companies are engaging in digital and social media activities. One topic that is not discussed as frequently is how and where pharmaceutical companies should start when it comes to implementing a company-wide digital strategy that includes standard operating procedures and policies.

Big bill for a green revolution

Geoff Beattie — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:17:21 +0000

Reducing greenhouse gases and tackling global warming is a massive problem for society at large, and there a will be a big societal price tag for fixing it. Achieving that in a severe recession must be one of the thorniest issues on the government agenda for the rest of this decade and beyond.

Digital PR trends & hot topics in 2009

Andrew Foote — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:51:09 +0000

It was a breakout year for digital PR in 2008. Marketers, politicians, publishers and agencies delivered strong integrated communications programs with a heavy social media focus. The digital transformation of PR continues to accelerate as more audiences use the web as their primary news source. Here’s a quick look at the developments, trends, and the types of programs we are discussing with our clients this year.

Social media for a cause: charity: water

Katie Greene — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:41:46 +0000

It's pretty incredible how social media has the power to inspire social change by uniting and mobilizing people all over the world. Without tools like Facebook and Twitter, events just simply aren't as successful, and frequently these tools help generate enough buzz to make the evening news. Case in point – Twestival.

White House blog marks huge shift in presidential communications

Tony Obregon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:51:50 +0000

Coming off the heels of the most successful digital campaign in political history, President Barack Obama and his team are continuing their online communications with the launch of the official White House Blog. Macon Phillips, Director of New Media for the Obama administration, wrote the inaugural post on January 20 that emphasized communication, transparency and participation as the three guiding principles and priorities for all online media efforts from the team moving forward.

Future of corporate web video is live

Andrew Foote — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:31:45 +0000

Have you noticed that the web is looking a lot like TV lately? Networks, portals, and the major content sites are all serving up high-quality, full screen video of news, episodic content, and sporting events. CNN.com's broadcast of the inauguration was the best example I've seen of where web video is heading – live, interactive (featured Facebook integration), and flawless.

How social media-friendly are the major health sites?

Mike Presson — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:52:19 +0000

Being social media friendly is not simply about creating content that will interest a user, but rather using the content as a catalyst for user interaction. Sites like WebMD and MayoClinic will continue to draw users because of their credibility. However, will they continue to evolve as top health destinations that are social media friendly?

The PR battle over 'local jobs'

Geoff Beattie — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:25:16 +0000

It’s been widely reported that the UK is being hit by a series of unofficial strikes over the issue of employers using ‘foreign’ workers from other parts of the European Union, rather than from Britain itself. As the recession deepens, we are likely to see more of this kind of thing.

Hmmm... what to buy for $825 billion?

Jeremy Baka — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:57:26 +0000

Eight-hundred and twenty-five billion dollars ... (Place your right pinky finger to the side of your lip when you say that.) Lay 825 billion one-dollar bills end-to-end and they would stretch to the moon and back … and to the moon again … and halfway back. Forget black holes, these babies are green, complements of the U.S. Treasury.

When in doubt, rock out!

Chris Knight — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:42:12 +0000

As the old saying goes, “Rock ‘n’ Roll will save you.” In a somewhat commoditized market such as flash memory, it’s important to stand out from the crowd and build programs that drive brand loyalty based on human emotions – to connect a company’s branded products to a positive consumer experience.

Climate change issue not going away in recession

Geoff Beattie — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:16:56 +0000

President Obama’s announcement yesterday is the clearest indication yet that climate change will have more influence than ever before on national and international public policy in 2009. There was speculation, much of it around the European Summit in December, that tackling global warming would have to take a back seat to pulling the world out of a deep recession. Instead, Obama has presented the issue and the need for a ‘new energy economy’ as a massive opportunity for the United States, rather than a cost.

ProfNet vs. HARO….vs. Twitter?

Mike Manning — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:18:59 +0000

For as long as many PR professionals can remember, ProfNet was their sole source of journalist requests for interviews and other information for their stories. No PR workday was complete without scanning several ProfNet emails each day, searching for requests relevant to their client. Things have changed.

Welcome to Wolfe tracking

Geoff Beattie — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:16:12 +0000

Welcome to Wolfe Tracking, Cohn & Wolfe’s single, all-agency blog featuring observations, insights and ideas from a team of communications professionals across each practice and region in our global network. Like the wolf, the truth is elusive. But every one of our more than 25 bloggers is in dogged pursuit—and we are eager to share our experiences surveying this new media wilderness.