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Strategic Public Relations

Focused on public relations strategy within integrated marketing communications. Hosted by Kevin Dugan since July 2002.

Motrin Moms and the Monday Morning QuarterbacksNovember 17

People reading this on Monday are in one of two camps regarding Motrin Moms – in the know or 2.0 slow. But first some background.

Motrin’s latest commercial is seemingly trying to be casual and humorous. Instead it has snowballed into an ire avalanche for the brand – completely online and over a weekend.

Within 12-24 hours of the initial/negative response, Kathy Widmer, Vice President of Marketing for McNeil Consumer Healthcare, responded to several mommy bloggers who were insulted by the ad.

Some are saying Motrin took too long to address this situation. I disagree. From all of the conversation I see on this topic, I think this all started this weekend. Based on the type of issue, the time in which it unfolded and who was responding personally to people, I think this is a fast initial response. It will be interesting to see Motrin’s follow up over the coming weeks.

So if you were online this weekend, you may have seen this unfold and perhaps you were as amazed as I was at how fast folks got organized around the topic. From the #Motrin Moms Twitter tag to the cottage industry of gawkers, er, p

Creative Ad FAIL(s)November 5

Maybe I’m reading FAIL blog too much lately. But when this seemingly creative ad execution hit my desk, FAIL quickly became the caption for it.

The picture shows what looks to be your average belly band. This type of ad has been around for years and now is even seen online.

The print version wraps around the outside of a magazine and it might even contain editorial content. The format is expensive as it guarantees exposure and usually comes with a free ad inside the magazine.

What sets this belly band apart is that it doesn’t wrap around the magazine. It wraps around to a spread ad in the magazine -- ensuring the reader sees the ad. Call it intrusive, but it gets your attention.

The belly band copy is short, sweet and sets up the reader. The payoff is in the spread ad which includes the obligatory, dram

VOTE! | Friday Flickr Fix | 10.31.08October 31

Vote. That’s it. That’s all I’m saying.

Not pointing you to all the voting-related applications on iTunes.

Not pointing you to non-partisan to find out about YOUR polling place and all the smart, widgety ways nonpartisan folks are enabling bloggers to get the vote out.

I’m just asking you to please vote on November 4th. Not voting in this election is scarier than anything Halloween can churn up.

Rock the Vote! uploaded by prblog

tags | vote | election

Twitter Gets (More) MainstreamOctober 15

Jim Borgman is a great, Cincinnati-based cartoonist…one I've linked to before

His latest effort gives a nod to Twitter.

Fun to see the mainstream weigh in on the shiny new tools.

via Daniel Johynson Jr.

Help a Reporter OutSeptember 9

Peter Shankman’s Help a Reporter Out service has been getting more attention and, as a result, more members. Nearly 30,000 people get emails from Shankman filled with media requests.

Specific media requests are what sales people would consider a qualified lead. Unfortunately PR people are still not closing the sale. The problem? (Really) bad pitches.

As a co-author over at the Bad Pitch Blog, Peter asked me to join him on a teleseminar to help folks improve their pitching skills. In an hour. Hey, you have to start somewhere.

One thing we’ll cover is basic media relations rules. Some of the rules seem obvious, but they bear repeating. Like, you know, make sure you actually have NEWS to pitch in the first place. Just sayin’.

More details are here. If you have any questions you want answered during the call, drop me an email.

tags | public relations |