While there are numerous examples of companies handling issues and crises poorly (read some of our blog posts about them here, here and here), we also like to recognize those companies that respond swiftly and appropriately to a potential PR catastrophe. Recently there have been two such instances, one involving Royal Caribbean and the other Papa John’s. Early on Memorial Day, a fire broke out on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas...

On a typical day, we use our cell phones to read and respond to email, check social media profiles and access bank accounts, but what have become routine tasks only scratch the surface of what these small but powerful tools provide. Our reliance on technology has grown to the point that personal communication devices are not luxuries, but necessities and the difficulties one encounters when a device isn’t working can be an inconvenience...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by social media? Not just the time and effort it takes to make sure your brand is represented on the leading social media channels, but the sheer – and ever-growing – number of sites where potential customers might interact with your brand? Although a website has for some time been considered a necessity for any business – regardless of what it might sell and to whom – Facebook and Twitter are now...

A few months back I wrote a post about the power of Why. Today I was reminded of the power of another of the five Ws – When. I just launched a Facebook ad campaign connected to Tropical Storm Isaac. Isaac is a notable guy these days. He’s getting more press than the average tropical storm because of the potential threat he poses to next week’s GOP convention in Tampa. (And the fact that he shares a name with the bartender from The...

Where do you get your news? Now think about where your parents – or grandparents – got theirs. The answers are likely very different. My parents watched the local TV evening news, followed by a national broadcast. Each morning, my dad brought in the Charleston Post & Courier from our driveway. The Sunday morning edition was a particular treat, calling for at least an hour of reading and a cup of coffee. Today, I continue that one...