The past few years, our recommendation to clients about company blogs has shifted from them being a “nice-to-have” to “no-you-really-need-one.” Public relations is becoming more about content creation, and as that happens, blogs are emerging as companies’ best way to showcase their thought leadership with well-produced content in a way that other channels like Facebook or LinkedIn don’t allow. But coming up with good content can take a lot of time, so once you hit “Publish” on that blog post, all the hard work is…
Read MoreA good opinion is a terrible thing to waste — after all, where else can you claim prime media real estate with 750 or so well-chosen words? Finding a home for your prose, however, isn’t always easy. Space often is tight. Your subject matter might be popular among other aspirants. And news breaks, often making your masterpiece a little less masterful. Here are a few guidelines to consider when trying to place an opinion piece. Do Your Homework/Be Realistic Regular readers of THP’s “The Gong Blog”…
Read MorePresident Obama made headlines the other week by appearing on Zach Galifianakis’ Between Two Ferns, a satirical Internet talk show on FunnyOrDie.com where Galifianakis poses aggressive questions and non-sequiturs to his guests — not the typical media appearance for a sitting president. While it appeared random and mocking at first, the President used the segment to pitch Healthcare.gov. Immediately following, many questioned the President for agreeing to go on the show. Something so irreverent undoubtedly diminishes the Office of the President’s reputation, right? Not really. Ultimately,…
Read MoreLast week, CVS made a bold move in deciding to no longer sell cigarettes in its 7,600 stores nationwide. The decision garnered CVS beaucoup earned media, including much praise and perhaps a little criticism. But some of that praise, including from CVS vendor and global PR powerhouse Edelman, blew right past hyperbolic, calling the decision courageous. In a guest column this week on The Future Buzz, our own Caroline Platt explains why this is a smart business move, not a courageous act of civil disobedience….
Read MoreWe’re big news buffs at The Hodges Partnership and we’re particularly fond of public radio. Our curiosity was officially piqued when the Community Idea Stations started promoting its new Virginia Currents radio program on WCVE-FM a few weeks ago. For years, the television version of Virginia Currents has been broadcasting intelligent, compelling stories about Virginia and its citizens, so we were thrilled to hear a radio version was in the works. We caught up with Catherine Komp, the producer of the new radio series to…
Read MoreFor good or for bad, lots of media relations is done by email. We need journalists and producers to open and respond to our email out of the hundreds that they receive each day – and beyond straight pitches, we’re competing against real life – stories they’re actively working on, demands from the boss, even emails from the spouse about home stuff. It’s tough to be seen among such volume, and so we media relations folks examine (read: obsess about) everything: What’s the best time…
Read MoreSo what’s new? I actually asked myself that question during my holiday hiatus. It’s the one time of the year that I actually have the time to ask that question of myself. And while it wasn’t a great epiphany, Richard Edelman, one of the leaders and giants in the PR industry answered my question. Not directly. He didn’t appear in a dream or anything. He landed in my Twitter stream in the form of a research report Edelman (the firm) released on the future of…
Read MoreIt’s time to talk apples — and not the iPhone variety. Cider is one of my favorite beverages — but it’s also a good opportunity to take a look at an industry that is finding popularity from a whole new group of followers and rebranding itself along the way. A recent Time article reports that hard cider sales increased 85 percent in 2012 from the year before. From an outside perspective, the industry is doing everything right. So, what can communications practitioners learn from the ascendant…
Read MoreBefore landing at The Hodges Partnership 11 years ago, I spent two years working for a business journal. Back then, I leafed through media kits that came in the mail and countless faxes and filtered emails and calls from PR professionals near and far. My take on the PR industry back then? I was amazed at how many things came across my desk that were irrelevant to our publication. And I always got a chuckle when I’d take a call about a new business opening…
Read MoreThis week marks the end of fashion week in Paris, a culmination of a month long global reveal of what we’ll be wearing next spring, or at least wishing we were. For those PR professionals representing fashion and luxury brands, as we do here at Hodges Partnership, the next few weeks will be spent pitching the newest collections to key editors, especially for long lead publications, as they plan their early 2014 books. When it comes to pitching fashion or luxury goods, the most important…
Read MoreLast week, Hodges made history as Sean Ryan, the last iPhone hold-out purchased the iPhone 5s. Everyone at the agency now has an iPhone, even Steve, who was once known for his sleek, sexy and T9-capable LG flip phone. What took you so long people? I recently wrote a blog on how the iPhone changed public relations. In it, I promised a post on the top iPhone apps for PR professionals. Check out some of my favorites below: Tastemade Don’t waste hours or days putting…
Read MoreBirmingham, Ala. and New Delhi, India are two places you wouldn’t think have anything in common. But lately, we’ve been pitching like it’s our job (read: it is our job) and I’ve been corresponding with hyper-local reporters across the United States and international reporters in India. Through this firestorm of media pitching, I learned that some of the basic rules of media research apply when pitching media anywhere in the world. Take a lesson in geography Google Maps can be your best friend when pitching…
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