communications

It’s been decades since tennis sensation Boris Becker made international headlines. In those days, he was a phenom on the court, capturing the attention of tennis fans the world over as he won multiple Wimbledon titles. The recent mention of Becker in the headlines paints a very different picture. Becker is embroiled in a bankruptcy case, and his attorneys are making what some are calling a highly unconventional argument: their client is immune to prosecution thanks to diplomatic immunity. The explanation for this argument hinges on how the courts view Becker’s time as an unpaid attache for the Central African... Read More >

People dreaming about advancing their career in the communications world might find themselves asking whether now the right time is to get a master's degree in the communications sector. Now that the job market is growing increasingly competitive for communications professionals, having something that gives you the extra edge on your resume could be a great way to set yourself apart from the other applicants in the pile. While there are plenty of other ways that a candidate can improve their chances of getting the communication job of their dreams, a master's degree may be a good way to start... Read More >

Jason Binn, the founder of several luxury magazines, is widely regarded as a publishing guru and is truly the king of high level relationships.  He’s smart, well networked and an entrepreneurial genius. Naturally, Binn is the recipient of various awards, including Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year. Reports show his publications earned millions in annual revenues. In 1998, Binn founded Niche Media, which operated magazines like Gotham, Hamptons, and Aspen Peak. The businessman later sold the media empire to the Greenspun Media Group before founding the Du Jour magazine, and many attribute Binn's success to his ability to connect... Read More >

Haute Living is a media company that is all about luxury and the top entrepreneurs and other movers and shakers in the world. They put out a bi-monthly magazine in New York, San Francisco, Miami, and Los Angeles – and their online property is international and covers mainly the four cities listed above plus Dallas, Las Vegas, Boston, Dubai, and London. The company is headquartered in Miami - and in a struggling media environment is a publication which is hitting growth and goals. Haute Living keeps winning. Haute Living Readership Information The magazine is found in high-end venues, and via... Read More >

One of the best signs of a good leader is how well they can effectively train new leaders within their organization, as well as how well they develop the leaders they already have on the team. Most companies say they have a training and development program, but how often are those protocols measured, and what happens if they’re found lacking? These are questions all CEOs must answer if they want to build a team that can lead in today’s fast-moving, quick-changing marketplace. Ken Kurson - Leadership Thoughts We recently spoke on this issue with a strong leader, Ken Kurson a Senior Managing... Read More >

Hope Hicks, the 29-year-old White House Communications director recently resigned to “pursue other opportunities,” receiving the President’s blessing in leaving. Hicks is the youngest person ever to fill this position, she did excellent work (clearly in a very hard role, for a very hard boss), and by all accounts was well-liked within the White House. Does Age Matter? While there’s been reports the veteran of multiple Public Relations agencies, including Zeno Group & Hiltzik Strategies is considering crisis communications gigs, I think she’d do great at this (or any other role) she takes on. Can she possibly have any more... Read More >

You’ve heard it before: “Correlation does NOT equal causation.” Just because it follows, doesn’t mean it connects. The same can be true in public relations and marketing. And, if we fail to respect this, we can easily confuse our audience and delude ourselves. How easily can this get out of hand? Consider the following correlations courtesy of the site, “spurious correlations”: Using data from the U.S. Office of Management and the Centers For Disease Control, you can create a graph that “shows” the correlation between U.S. investment in STEM and space initiatives and suicides by hanging. Another popular example of... Read More >

For those interested in a career in financial communications, it’s time to up your game with numbers, percentages, ratios, and so much more. Of course communications skills need to be great too, but the better you get along with numbers, the more likely you’ll find success in this sector. Dealing with Consumers and Employees As you start out in financial communications, you may spend more of your time working with your client’s staff members and their customers. One of the main focuses at this level will be learning how to engage the employees in the financial happenings of the company... Read More >

  Dunkin’ Donuts is being updated, and not just the logo. In an effort to keep up with the competition and respond to customer preferences, Dunkin’ is changing a lot about how it does breakfast. Recently, the company cut the ribbon on a concept store that represents the future of what Dunkin’ could be. That store includes digital kiosks, as well as more Grab & Go options and the opportunity for online ordering customers to cut the line at the drive-thru. More innovations included beverages on tap, so customers don’t have to wait. Branding Changes Then there are the branding... Read More >

The metaphorical shootout between Google and Amazon is getting heated up, and it appears consumers may become collateral damage. Recently, Google announced it would be removing YouTube from Amazon FireTV and Echo Show. When Fire and Echo owners went up in arms about the announcement, Google countered by saying the move was a way to get back at Amazon for that company’s refusal to sell certain Google products. Amazon makes similar products, and they don’t want to give their competition a forum to outsell them. War Between Fire TV & Google At the heart of the issue is the war... Read More >