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AIG blunders with lawsuit flirtation

January 25, 2013

The Onion hit the nail on the head with its January 9 headline, "AIG nearly blows all the goodwill built up by Wall Street in recent years."
 

Small business day a winner for AmEx

December 20, 2012

Black Friday, the unofficial kick-off of the holiday shopping season, has become as much of a tradition to some deal-hungry US consumers as Thanksgiving itself, spawning other sale-heavy "holidays" such as Cyber Monday and Lazy Sunday.
 

Power of Duracell aids Sandy victims

November 30, 2012

There's no fine line between offending people after a crisis or natural disaster and helping consumers most affected by adverse events. It's mostly a matter of common sense.
 

Apple's CEO makes Maps app apology

November 01, 2012

Apple CEO Tim Cook's apology to customers for the failings of its new Maps app was a departure from the firm's usual tight-lipped communications.
 

Samsung's blogger relations failure

September 26, 2012

Nearly a decade after bloggers first gained prominence as a more flexible alternative to mainstream media reporters, some companies are still clueless about how to deal with them.
 

Papa John's voter approval drops

August 29, 2012

Maybe John Schnatter, the CEO of pizza chain Papa John's, was embracing transparency when he said the Affordable Care Act will force his company to raise prices - or maybe he was making an overt political statement.
 

Wal-Mart embraces rally by pranksters

July 26, 2012

Inviting consumers to participate in a campaign is a great way to build brand awareness, but when the initiative is hosted somewhere as unpredictable and uncontrollable as the Internet, things don't always go as planned.
 

Mayor's Doughnut Day sugar slip-up

July 01, 2012

Large quantities of soda are bad; doughnuts are OK. Unfortunately, that's the message New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg sent with the city's latest proposal to tackle obesity.
 

Yahoo complicates its CEO transition

June 01, 2012

Interim Yahoo CEO Ross Levinsohn has his work cut out.
 

'Kony' sequel can't match the original

April 25, 2012

Sequels rarely generate the public interest or critical acclaim of the original.
 

Thousands join in to take on 'Bully'

April 01, 2012

Seemingly every week, there's a teen bullying case in the news.
 

McDonald's effort leaves a bad taste

March 01, 2012

In theory, McDonald's strategy for a recent Twitter marketing campaign made sense: tell the story of where your products come from, the people who grow them, and the good times consumers have at your restaurants.
 

Google succumbs to 'evil' tendency

February 01, 2012

Google's self-prescribed motto is "don't be evil," which puts more pressure on it to follow the rules.
 

Zynga discovers a friend in Baldwin

January 01, 2012

Reporters and PR pros alike are familiar with the "quiet period" - the months-long stretch when a pre-IPO company doesn't share much of anything with the public - and doesn't get much positive publicity in return.
 

Jay-Z should not Occupy All Streets

December 01, 2011

Jay-Z just wanted to lend spiritual support to Occupy Wall Street when his Rocawear clothing label debuted "Occupy All Streets" T-shirts last month.
 

Netflix fixes what was never broken

November 01, 2011

Take a company with a stock price north of $300 a share and millions of new subscribers every year.
 

Kindness of Cox overpowers Irene

October 01, 2011

After Hurricane Irene spread its wrath along the East Coast, millions of people were left without power.
 

Seattle cops guilty of Twitter misuse

September 01, 2011

The Seattle Police Department sought to improve its perception and increase public engagement by showing the wide range of challenges officers have to face.
 

Royal couple nets 'regular' response

August 01, 2011

The royal couple made a point of experiencing the decidedly unaristocratic side of life during their stay in California.
 

Grand Rapids kills 'dying city' stigma

Matthew McGevna July 01, 2011

When Newsweek ran a syndicated article that included Grand Rapids, MI, on a list of "Dying Cities," the magazine had no idea the viral pushback that would ensue on behalf of the besmirched town.
 

Faulty judgment by Planet Fitness

Matthew McGevna June 01, 2011

Planet Fitness' "Judgment Free Zone" slogan is nothing new.
 

McDonald's takes on unemployment

Matthew McGevna May 01, 2011

It would take massive hires from a major corporation to put a dent in the US' unemployment numbers, but McDonald's might do just that after it announced its intention to hire 50,000 people in a single day.
 

THQ causes anger on the 'Homefront'

April 01, 2011

There is nothing that puts a damper on a celebration like the potential death and harm of innocent turtles, whales, sea lions, and other wildlife.
 

Intel taps will.i.am in innovative hire

March 01, 2011

The Black Eyed Peas' Super Bowl halftime performance is a warning sign to Intel that even the most innovative and creative intentions can fall very short without the right support.
 

Ken doll effort has genuine problems

February 01, 2011

BREAKING NEWS: Barbie develops strategic behavioral experiment enlisting genetically perfected human beings to compete as Ken-testants for the title of "Great American Boyfriend," as well as for eternal life via doll form.
 

A digital death is not in the stars

December 31, 2010

PRWeek salutes your tenacity, creativity, and word play, Alicia Keys. The only problem with your Digital Life Sacrifice campaign is that you really can't generate awareness these days by sacrificing digital life.
 

Timing of comic strip is not funny

December 01, 2010

A Garfield cartoon that ran on Veterans Day is proof that timing is everything.
 

Risk is rewarded for 'The Simpsons'

November 01, 2010

It was like watching an abortion story line on Glee. Either Fox is having an identity crisis or it's just a simple case of tie loosening, as seems the case with the majority of corporates these days.
 

Kitties give IKEA a good feeling inside

October 01, 2010

What would you do if someone unleashed 100 cats in your house? Now what if someone unleashed 100 cats in your house and started filming a documentary with the cats' owners? Now what if your house was Ikea?
 

New MAC makeup can't cover blemish

September 01, 2010

Finding inspiration in female murder capital Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, is like choosing to start smoking after watching the American Legacy Foundation's "Shards of Glass" campaign.
 

Conan continues to look good 'Tonight'

August 01, 2010

The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien was nominated for four Emmy Awards last month, including "Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series."
 

British Airways' ticket to criticism

July 01, 2010

British Airways recently included an image of a fake boarding pass for Osama Bin Laden in an issue of LHR News, its employee magazine for London's Heathrow Airport. The image was in reference to an article about the airline's new boarding pass system for mobile phones - and it caught global media attention.
 

Phoenix rises to honor diversity

June 01, 2010

On May 5, Cinco de Mayo, the NBA's Phoenix Suns wore jerseys that identified the team as "Los Suns," in response to the recent immigration law from Arizona.
 

Brown-bag lunch provides Net gain

May 01, 2010

The New Jersey Nets were close to breaking a record in March, but not the kind you'd want.
 

A sweet start for same-sex couples

April 01, 2010

The Superior Court of the District of Columbia began accepting applications for marriage licenses from same-sex couples on March 3.
 

Ann Taylor Loft gift gaffe annoys media

March 01, 2010

How many social media mistakes can a company make with one event? Ann Taylor Loft may have been trying for the record with its "Exclusive Blogger Preview" event for the summer 2010 collection on January 26.
 

Brands travel high and low for buzz

February 01, 2010

Many of us dream of being courageous and adventurous. Maybe that's why "expedition marketing" is such a popular tactic. The point is to try and inspire us, or at least deliver on our delusions of grandeur.
 

Muscle Milk makes its rebranding sexy

January 01, 2010

New Year's has champagne and sparkly things, Christmas has mistletoe, and Halloween the proverbial sexy costume.
 

Nike misfires with Pro Combat event

December 01, 2009

Over several weeks this fall, Nike rolled out its new lightweight Pro Combat uniforms for its sponsored college football teams, including Virginia Tech, Texas Christian, and Ohio State.
 

Homeless doll is hard to embrace

November 01, 2009

If you're the parent of a young daughter, no doubt you've gotten a wish list that includes an American Girl doll.
 

'Glamour' image scores big points

October 01, 2009

Many women can pinch an inch around the middle, but many women aren't models.
 

Sandwich says a lot about people

September 01, 2009

If you and your significant other aren't seeing eye-to-eye, you might want to compare notes on what you're eating for lunch.
 

Scorned flier doesn't sing United's praises

August 01, 2009

Passengers expect little from air travel nowadays.
 

Live Nation hits sour note with hidden fee

July 01, 2009

Concertgoers hummed a happy tune June 1. On that day, Live Nation announced "No service fee Wednesdays."
 

KFC cooks up smart PR after free meal disaster

June 01, 2009

Three things are universally true: Everyone loves Oprah; recession or not, everyone loves a free meal; and people love the Colonel's chicken.
 

Giant offers free cure for financial ills

January 08, 2009

Are you sick of the incessant depressing economic news? Head to Giant Food stores where, with a prescription of course, you can get yourself some free drugs.
 

Pirates reveal new side with spokesperson

October 01, 2008

Years of stories that depict pirates as villainous brutes have caused some serious reputation damage to the pirating business as a whole. So when a call came from The New York Times, pirate spokesperson Sugule Ali stepped up to offer a 45-minute interview and a never-before-seen level of transparency from the pirate community.
 

Blaine always endures, even if he does not

September 24, 2008

No matter what you call David Blaine - stuntman, magician, or idiot - he merits some respect for being an "endurance artist." Really, you couldn't hang upside down over Central Park for 60 hours straight. So stop being such a hater.
 

Consumers shorted at the grocery store

September 18, 2008

Customers are purchasing less at the grocery store these days, and it's not just because finances are tight at home.
 

Republicans weather first night troubles

September 04, 2008

News of Hurricane Gustav making its way to the Gulf Coast on Labor Day weekend sent a chill down the spines of those who recall New Orleans residents stranded on their rooftops after Hurricane Katrina.
 

Denver's pre-DNC moves rocky at best

August 28, 2008

Denver has prepared for its big moment in the spotlight for months. The Mile High City's goal was to be nothing less than spic-and-span when it hosted the Democratic National Convention. After all, with all those delegates and international journalists walking around, how embarrassing would it have been if a panhandler, desperately in need of a haircut, was seen begging on the street?
 

Placement of products can be bad news

July 23, 2008

There are some things that TV news viewers (the few of them that are left) have gotten used to over the years: awkward banter between the anchors, overenthusiastic sports newscasters, in-depth meteorological explanations when a simple umbrella symbol would do.
 

Italian 'Vogue' touts different side of beauty

June 25, 2008

The fashion industry often is criticized for its singular portrayal of women: long-limbed, scary skinny, perennially adolescent, and, say some, overwhelmingly "white."
 

Ashanti's new e-cards leave a bloody mess

June 19, 2008

For most people, opening their inbox and seeing a warning that gruesome revenge awaits them is an unpleasant experience.
 

Svedka's ad delivers idea in poor taste

June 11, 2008

Svedka, one of seemingly a million vodka brands trying to stand out with eye-catching marketing (wasn't the Absolut flub just a couple of months ago?) recently added a new element to its "Join the party" campaign.
 

Tube creator has new use for canister

June 04, 2008

EGYPTIANS BURIED pharaohs in elaborate sarcophagi with gold and jewels to take to the afterlife. Fancy indeed, but when you're Fredric Baur, creator of the nifty Pringles potato crisp container, an empty snack tube seems a much cozier place to spend eternity.
 

Dunkin and Ray make fashion - and political - faux pas

May 29, 2008

Who knew the coffee business could be so controversial? Rachael Ray, the average person's Martha Stewart and Dunkin' Donuts spokes-eater, recently appeared in an iced coffee ad for the company sporting what she and her stylist thought was a fine looking scarf.
 

Nas' retitling helps to slow racial slur use

May 21, 2008

In a culture lacking taboos, one that persists is "the N-word." Hip-hop star Nas promised to stir that pot when, back in the fall, he proclaimed that his upcoming album would be titled "N*****."
 

Chrysler deal tries to pump up US drivers

May 15, 2008

At a time when gas hovers at an astronomical $4 per gallon, $2.99 would seem like a gift. Chrysler wants to give this present to its customers - for three whole years - through its Let's Refuel America campaign.
 

Nobody fairs well in Miley photo uproar

May 01, 2008

The land of Disney is not the happiest place on Earth these days. A photo of its teen princess Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Hannah Montana), shot for the May issue of Vanity Fair, has been making the rounds on the Interwebs and causing an uproar with parents, some who threatened to build Hannah-Montana-paraphernalia bonfires.
 

Skyy seizes opportunity to toast US

April 16, 2008

Caramba! A RARE advertising blunder by Absolut, which perhaps has garnered more praise for its iconic marketing than its vodka, has opened the door for a cheeky Skyy campaign.
 

Yanks play a game that truly counts

March 20, 2008

Spring-training games don't mean much, many opine, unless something occurs that has an impact on the regular season. Last Tuesday in Blacksburg, VA, baseball's most storied team shattered that theory.
 

Valve's free offer can be real turn-on

March 12, 2008

Making popular video games is something Valve, a 12-year-old Bellevue, WA-based software and tech company, has down cold.
 

Rocawear keeps rebel spirit alive

February 27, 2008

Last week, the Jay-Z-co-founded clothing line, Rocawear, unveiled a new ad campaign featuring Nicole Paultre-Bell, the former fiance of Sean Bell, who was gunned down in a hail of police bullets outside of a nightclub in Queens, NY.
 

Insulting ad necessitates quick U-turn

January 17, 2008

It used to be selling cars involved nothing more than selling cars. You talk up the engine, the paint job, and the tires. You toss in some chrome tailfins and fuzzy dice, and you have a deal.
 

Pundits just don't know what's right

January 11, 2008

Who says the media and PR are so different? If you consider "pundits" to be part of the media - and they damn sure consider themselves as such -then both sides are full of self promotion, factual manipulation, and an eager willingness to say any old crazy thing in order to get on television.
 

Pettitte able to overcome a huge error

December 19, 2007

If you're a beloved star athlete who has just been outed as a growth hormone-slamming cheat, you have essentially two choices: Either fess up, apologize, and ask for forgiveness; or keep your trap shut, ignore the growing public outrage, lie and deny, and punch walls while shooting yourself up with more steroids and kicking adorable puppies.
 

Panties ploy is latest low at Wal-Mart

December 12, 2007

No matter how you feel personally about Wal-Mart, you can't accuse them of making stupid mistakes.
 

Spirit denies an innuendo behind offer

December 05, 2007

Admit it. When the weather's cold outside and you're home alone, you've had a few daydreams about MILFs.
 

Write makes wrong in the case of Daly

November 29, 2007

Perhaps Carson Daly has not thought things through.
 

Sydney asks St. Nick to lose his 'hos'

November 20, 2007

Who knew the urban US slang for a prostitute had made it to the other side of the world?
 

Musharraf uses words very wisely

November 07, 2007

Say what you will about Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf being a power-crazed autocrat, an undemocratic military authoritarian who rules by force alone, a swaggering and pompous man who thinks nothing of suspending a nation's rule of law in order to reassert his own tenuous hold on political control.
 

Public eats up free Taco Bell offering

October 31, 2007

If there is one thing that unites us all as Americans, it's this: We will do anything in exchange for a taco.
 

This attack on the right was wrong

October 17, 2007

Liberals have a lot of problems with what they hear on right-wing talk radio. They find it ignorant, loudmouthed, demagogic, and prone to wild plunges into unfounded conspiracy theories.
 

Mitt catches criticism for forced reply

October 11, 2007

In a crushing blow to his manufacturers, it appears that a flaw has been discovered in the interpersonal relations algorithm of Mitt RomneyBot V2008.
 

Radiohead pleases fans at any cost

October 04, 2007

The music business is a tough one these days.
 

O'Reilly is amazed at 'civil' rights

September 27, 2007

It could happen to any white, middle-aged fascist: After a pleasant meal at a soul food restaurant with Al Sharpton, you feel compelled to share your delight with the civilized behavior of African Americans.
 

Ecko places ball's fate in fans' hands

September 20, 2007

In the days leading up to Barry Bonds' historic, record setting, cheater-ific 756th home run, many baseball fans fantasized about catching the golden ball, and then tossing it back on the field in an act of defiance.
 

A Web site hoax makes true impact

September 17, 2007

Kyra, a 14-AND-a-half-year-old brunette in the Southeast, "is bright and funny and full of life, and while she has little direct experience with the opposite sex we have made sure she is aware of everything she needs to know to be a good wife and mother." And she can be yours for only $27,995!
 

Passengers enjoy Delta pizza party

September 03, 2007

We've all learned that rage is useless when it comes to airline delays. We can wail all we want about being stuck in a crowded plane parked on the tarmac for hours on end, but all that gets us is a visit from the Sky Marshal.
 

The court is no haven for RU hoopster

August 17, 2007

Heroes in America never stay heroic forever.
 

Selig covers all his bases with Bonds

August 13, 2007

It was clear from the get-go that baseball commissioner Bud Selig had no desire to be present when Barry "Yes please, more steroids would be great!" Bonds broke Hank Aaron's iconic all-time home run record.
 

Music group should listen to reason

August 02, 2007

You have to give the music industry credit for going out of its way to prove not only that it is incompetent at selling music, but also that it will not hesitate to viciously punish others for that fact.
 

Cyclists do not go along for the ride

July 26, 2007

It's pretty funny that "cycling" is the name of the technique people use to take steroids. Cause, you know who else has a performance-enhancing drug problem? Cycling! Ha ha.
 

'Simpsons' stunt crosses religious line

July 19, 2007

Just try to imagine, for a moment, the possible consequences of pissing off the Pagan community. You could be subject to all types of, well, you know, rituals and whatnot.
 

AJE looks for answers on YouTube

July 10, 2007

When Al Jazeera English (AJE) launched last year, a lot of Americans hoped that it would be a big moment in television history.
 

McAllen, TX, move borders on brilliant

June 20, 2007

McAllen, TX, is a dusty border town fueled by the rivers of NAFTA-encouraged money that flow between the US and Mexico.
 

NCAA drops the ball with blogger boot

June 14, 2007

Ah, college baseball: the ping of the aluminum bat, the dozens of family members making up the entire crowd, the field of dreams for schools that can't afford to be good at the other sports. It's the place where college scholar-athletes come to understand the valuable life lesson: If you had played football, sorority girls would like you more.
 

Stewart has a trademark on narcissism

May 31, 2007

It may be that Martha Stewart really just doesn't care.
 

Keep 'stuff' to yourself, Mr. Giambi

May 24, 2007

Poor Jason Giambi. Well, "poor" isn't really the right word. The New York Yankees slugger has more than $100 million in his pocket.
 

New ark is a clever idea in any language

May 17, 2007

Round up your pets, strap on a life preserver, and wail to the heavens, all you environmentally concerned Turkish activists. I have news: Greenpeace agri dagi'nda nuh'un gemisi'ni insa ediyor!
 

Producers of Cocaine must be on drugs

May 10, 2007

PR pop quiz: The FDA has just pulled your edgy (read: irresponsible) product from shelves for being a little too edgy (read: dangerous). What do you do?
 

A top voice for hip-hop says nothing

April 25, 2007

Russell Simmons, the elfish fashion and music mogul, was long ago appointed "CEO of hip- hop" by the media, although few could actually tell you what he does ("Um... owns some stuff?").
 

Indian truck drivers give Gere kiss-off

April 19, 2007

Richard Gere and Hindi trucker sex are two things that are naturally related in the minds of most people. So it was predictable that the Buddha-loving star of The Mothman Prophecies would be the man that India sought to educate its hardworking truck drivers about proper condom use.
 

Suspensions score points for Goodell

April 11, 2007

The NFL has not always been known as a strict enforcer of codes of conduct. As long as players perform well on the field, who cares if they assault people, drive drunk, use drugs, shoot guns, crash cars, cuss, steal, and rape off the field? That's not what the fans care about.
 

Knut bears fruit for the Berlin Zoo

April 04, 2007

Are you addicted to Knut?
 

'Model' shoot a true crime, say feminists

March 28, 2007

It's very shortsighted to take the position that the concept of murdering models appeals to only a small demographic.
 

The Roanoke Times takes a failed shot

March 21, 2007

Sunshine Week is a cute little time once a year when newspapers all over the country do little newspaper-type things to celebrate the fact that, in the US, people are allowed to look at many types of government records.
 

Hagel gives press nothing to talk about

March 14, 2007

If you give an important press conference and nobody comes, it's a tragedy. If you give an unimportant one and nobody comes, it's a comedy. But if you give an unimportant one and everybody comes, it's a farce, and your name must be Chuck Hagel.
 

Playing both sides is loss for Ashcroft

March 07, 2007

Please sit down for this announcement, loyal American citizens. It has come to our attention that shadowy ex-political figures who go into the high-priced corporate consulting business may in fact be for sale to the highest bidder.
 
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