entertainment

The accolade-singularities Joel and Ethan Coen are playing it cool in the face of a recent PR mine. The trending #OscarsSoWhite is taking off in the eyes of a public. But they perceive the Coen Brothers’ new movie, Hail, Caesar! in a negative light. It seems a growing population is put off by the movie’s lack of diversity casting. In present day Hollywood, directors, writers, and actors know the importance of diverse representation in movies. Films about black lives like Straight Outta Compton and Creed received widespread recognition. Yet, all recognition went to only white writers of the former and... Read More >

In this age of modern technology innovations where people are able to complete almost any tasks with the click of a mouse button or a few keystrokes on a keyboard, new rules are being made and broken on a daily basis concerning copyright and trademark ownership. The Internet's Backlash One particular area where modern technology, copyright ownership, and trademark ownership are moving along a very blurred line of distinction is the Internet. The question of what is actual property ownership and what is for public consumption is being raised on a daily basis. Regarding copyright and trademark ownership rights involving... Read More >

One of the most hated men in America today didn't score himself any more points during his high-profile appearance in Washington, DC. Martin Shkreli has been hard at work losing friends and distancing people by constantly tweeting attacks against anyone who falls into his crosshairs. What some have called bravado in the face of major legal issues is fast becoming a major PR crisis for the already problematic Shkreli. The embattled and indicted former pharmaceutical CEO is currently facing criminal charges for securities fraud. Almost everyone with a cursory knowledge of the case seems to be of the opinion that the indictment is... Read More >

Ever since the third in the trilogy of original X-Men major motion pictures, the franchise has been trying to rebuild and reinvent itself. While the first movie is largely credited with motivating the current wave of successful superhero movies, and the second film in the series was largely well received … the third movie was … not. Then came X-Men First Class, a film even the most die-hard X geeks loved. A critical and box office success as well, First Class seemed to signal a resurgence in the brand. Meanwhile, the Marvel-produced superhero franchises: Iron Man, Thor, and Avengers, hit... Read More >

One mega brand on its own generates enough fizz to drive sales and brand loyalty. But a strategic alliance of two brands usually creates a force to be reckoned with. This was the original idea behind Pepsi’s sponsoring the Mets via Citi Field in 2009. Yet, the Mets failed to play their part in creating that force. In fact, the team lost six seasons in a row. Even though the Mets got their act together for 2015, Pepsi recently announced the decision to reinvest in other ways. Citi Field and the Mets brands lost one of their greatest sponsors with... Read More >

“Our Brand is Crisis” was a commercial failure, following its release over the Halloween weekend, on October 30. The comedy-drama based on the 2005 documentary of the same name following questionable American political campaigns used by Greenberg Carville and Scrum in the Bolivian Presidential Election of 2002. Despite including renowned actress Sandra Bullock in the star line-up, the film made a meager $3.4 million of the $28 million it cost to make. Chef drama “Burnt” also faced commercial failure over Halloween weekend, despite including a current favorite star in its lineup; namely, Bradley Cooper. The films are only two of... Read More >

Since 2000, video games seized their rightful place in the mass market, eventually outdoing motion pictures and television for entertainment, sales, and business. Also as an art form. As with any of its competitors, a solid marketing strategy becomes essential to the successful launch of new titles. For game developers to reach their desired gaming population, bold campaigns undaunted by creative tactics forge the way new games cut through the gamer market’s ubiquitous noise. What’s more, any video game campaign must convince customers to pay a whopping $59.99, the price of an average console title. Similar to a new movie... Read More >

The significance of maintaining healthy relations between employer and employee extends beyond hours, pay or contractual agreements. A$AP announced Rocky’s former manager (and publicist) filed a lawsuit against the young rapper. The plaintiff claims Rocky cheated him out of $850,000 in commission, and broke their contractual obligations. Rocky’s then manager, Geno Smith, originally entered into this contract with Rocky in November of 2011. The contract named Geno serving as Rocky’s exclusive and singular manager. This new suit argues Geno provided this service for two years advising and negotiating record and publishing deals, and assisting Rocky’s music production, PR, merchandising, etc.... Read More >

In a world where celebrity infidelity is the norm, Jay-Z and Beyoncé are known for their rock-steady relationship. So when rumors in 2005 were spread about an affair between Jay-Z and then hot new singer Rihanna, nobody was more surprised than Jay-Z. Due to the controversy, 17 year old Rihanna’s album earned stellar sales, and Jay-Z and Beyoncé actually split up for a year, all thanks to the lie started by Rihanna’s publicist Jonathan Hay. So how did a 2005 rumor start making headlines in 2015? The recently published unauthorized biography, Becoming Beyoncé actually details the process Hay used to... Read More >

[caption id="attachment_71633" align="aligncenter" width="649"] Sarah Snook on the left, Andrea Cunningham on the right[/caption] There aren’t too many public relations professionals portrayed in movies. Then again, there aren’t too many folks who worked alongside Steve Jobs for years. A PR flack, best known as a press agent, often creates the difference between an unknown start-up and a revolutionary brand. Andrea Cunningham managed to produce the latter result for several clients, including Steve Jobs.  The Work of a PR Flack PR flacks use their skills taking action on behalf of clients for any matter related to PR. Employed mostly by public... Read More >