recognition

Verizon has always been big on marketing and PR. A couple of years ago their campaign, then on the verge of becoming annoying, featured a guy moving about the country into unlikely places and asking  – “Can you hear me now?” He’s become the Sprint spokesman in yellow these days, presumably after a non-compete period, but since Verizon did such a great job with that campaign, it’s now working against them as Mr. Red has now become Mr. Yellow – a man well recognized because of all his map-covering ads for Verizon. So now, after taking a lot of hits... Read More >

So far, AI has not garnered a good PR reputation. Both Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking believe that AI may be on a collision course with humans, and government organizations seem to feel much the same way, including The Committee on Legal Affairs of the European Parliament (part of the EU in Brussels). The UN, and the US Defense Department also have “Stop Killer Robot” movements regarding opposition to the possible use of autonomous weapons in war. The EU would like intelligent robots to be registered so they can assess their ethical character. It might be because of all those... Read More >

Pam Newsome Edstrom attended both the University of Minnesota and Portland State University, studying criminology, but when she left college she went to work at Tektronix Inc, doing technology PR. Later she became a pioneer in high-tech communications, working for Microsoft as their PR director. She died after losing her four-month fight with lung cancer on March 28th. She worked for nearly 30 years with Microsoft in their firm and later helped found WE Communications (previously Waggener Edstrom). According to her founding partner Melissa Waggener Zorkin, “She leaves this indelible imprint on our people. So many of our people, she... Read More >

Andrew Rabinowitz Says Hedge Funds Need More PR Representation Marathon Asset Management’s president, Andrew Rabinowitz feels the likability of the hedge fund industry could use some serious work, and that PR teams managing the outreach of funds would go a long way. While sitting on a panel at the Absolute Return Symposium in NYC, he said: “Hedge funds should hire the same PR firm that private equity firms did because private equity has completely nailed it on the PR perspective.” Though financial media outlets cover some charity events, those sponsored by hedge funds don’t get much credit. Rabinowitz’s fund has... Read More >

It’s not that Disney hasn’t had characters with some gay subtext before. They have; in fact, several of their villains seem to nod to a less than straight life, but LeFou, Gaston’s somewhat prancing and foolish (his name actually means the fool or madman) sidekick is the first character that is openly gay and making his debut in the newest release of Beauty and the Beast. The show recently aired in Russia and was almost banned because of the character and negative PR associated with the movie. The problem, well, LeFou is not a “full” character but rather a parody... Read More >

5WPR, one of the 20 largest independently owned PR firms in the US, is pleased to announce the addition of Wendy Williams to its diverse roster of clients. Wendy Williams is a media mogul, actress, comedian, entrepreneur, designer, and New York Times best-selling author, who is best known for her long-running Daytime Emmy® nominated talk show, “The Wendy Williams Show.” “We are thrilled to be working with Wendy Williams and her team. As a force of creativity, the Wendy Williams brand is a pioneer, and we are excited to partner with her,” said Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5W Public Relations.... Read More >

As the adage goes, you build NFL teams through the draft, and you plug holes through free agency. If you’re a team on the verge, but you just need one or two new assets, free agency can mean the difference between a losing season and a playoff run. But, the same team can turn a handful of free agent busts into a bottom-tier losing streak. You only have so much cap room, and you can only stretch your scheme so much to accommodate that incoming superstar. These concerns grow even further when you come up on a light or slim... Read More >

A new Global Fintech PR Network, Vested, was launched in November with eight fintech PR specialty agencies from five different countries. They have since added another agency to their group. The network started with Norfico, based in Copenhagen, and a dream of putting together a network in support of providing “high-quality PR, communications, and strategic advisory services to clients in the fintech industry around the world.” Member agencies are found in Copenhagen, London, Sao Paulo, Sydney, Singapore, Tel Aviv, New York, and Austin. The plan is to add more agencies and expand to more countries. Norfico – run by Kristian... Read More >

In today’s on-demand economy, travelers have the choice to book anything from cars, boats, home rentals and now, private jets. Some wealthy people who are maximizing their lifestyle worldwide are joining JetSmarter, the country club of the sky. Launched in 2013, JetSmarter is a mobile marketplace that offers its members a platform to browse and choose from thousands of private jet options, from chartering their own jet, to hopping on a scheduled, shared jet with other members in various cities across the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Now, the company is expanding its on-demand services and providing luxury home... Read More >

Processed foods globally should see a year-over-year growth of about 1.6% moving from the 2016 value of $4.6 trillion to $4.675 trillion in 2017. Though from one type of food to another growth patterns can differ widely. We all know that food can be about a lot more than sustaining the body; for many it’s a social experience, a comfort when hard times happen, a way to celebrate or commiserate…and of course sustaining our need for energy. That’s not going to change but look for some of those items to take on more importance to many consumers. Healthy Choices A... Read More >