How far will a press agent go for his client?
My pal Bill Grantham sent me this cutting from Variety this morning. His message to me was See how far a publicist will go for his client I am not sure I would go this far. But hey never say never. Neil Simon (76) underwent kidney transplant surgery Tuesday in New York. His wife, thesp […]
Naming and shaming?
I have just rattled off a feature for Marketing on the Dasani disaster. Stand by for the fall out.
Theatre is a freak show
My pal Adrian Bryan Brown, the fantastic Broadway theatre publicist sent me the following email this morning. The UK Press Association website “Ananova” has replaced its “Theatre” wire with a link called “Showbiz quirkies.” Yes, we are now officially a freak show! http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/ I have been banging on about how theatre marketing and PR needs […]
Sexy tap water: it was my idea
My first book launch was for a brilliant and funny book called Glad to Be Grey by Peter Freedman. It was a glorious celebration of everything dull. Frankly it’s time to reprint the book, but I digress. On the week of its publication I staged a number of stunts to generate column inches to try […]
Twin Towers Shock
I’m always on the look out for potential PR disasters. The Manhattan Coffee Company might be heading for a fall: I saw the above at the outlet next to the ITN building, and I couldn’t help thinking that a couple of things were wrong with the logo.
Tamworth Two the real deal
The cover feature of the Media Guardian yesterday was about the Tamworth Two. Remember the tale of the two little pigs that escaped from an abattoir in Malmesbury? The story is to be turned into a comedy film. I am utterly outraged that my central role in the drama will merit no attention whatsoever. The […]
Their dark materials
I love watching the counter spin being created around the popular image of John Kerry in his attempts to win the democrat ticket. The PR giants on huge retainer to muddy the waters are using all the dark powers in their armoury to tackle Kerry’s popularity. If its not thrusting into the limelight via Drudge […]
Hey man, like this is so cool
I hear on the grapevine that a company is going round the block claiming it’s blowing orthodox PR apart with a whole new publicity concept it has invented called “Buzz”. I might be inclined to say yo, ma man! this is so cool cos it’s like the word on the street, get what I’m saying, […]
My Greatest Mistake
My company has always been known for maverick, edgy promotions, and campaigns that have been banned. We represented the Malcolm McLarens of this world and were known for being very rock’n’roll. So, when Carlsberg-Tetley approached us about eight years ago, at the beginning of the alcopop boom, they wanted a wild, rock’n’roll campaign for their […]
Trouble in Stoke On Trent
Watching Peter Hain on Question Time last night wriggling and spinning around the semantics of the debate on WMD conjured in my mind a mental picture of King Canute trying to hold the sea back. The fundamentals of PR centre on trust and belief in the virtue of a product. The painfully loyal Tony Toady […]
RADIO HOST AXED FOR CRITICIZING BUSH ON IRAQ
This is scary and post Hutton should remind us all to be vigelent Leftists aren’t the only dissenters from the war in Iraq to feel the consequences of the Clear Channel’s pro-war tilt. Radio talk show host Charles Goyette, a Goldwater Reaganite, has been bumped from his slot and expects to lose his job because […]
Ahead of the Pack
The current issue of PR Week has a front page story that reveals the multi millionaire Irish racehorse owner John Mangier has employed Brian Maclaurin, to spin for him in his battle against Alex Ferguson. I would like to point out that our fantasy PR league, PRSM, found on this site, broke this news week […]
SAVE ME FROM LEAFLET MOOKS
Walking to work this morning I was accosted by a small skinny man dressed as a boxer complete with a head guard. He thrust a flyer for a new fitness centre called Gym Box into my empty hand . The bright leaflet was a manifesto declaring the virtues of this happening jointI I put in […]
STUNNING TWATS AND MIGHTY MIDGETS
I hear that ever so pass� sales guerrilla marketing company Cunning Stunts have changed their name and are moving to New York. Suspect that might mean they have employed a geezer with a pony tail to man a phone. I might be wrong! The trouble with those that peddle guerrilla marketing is that its all […]
Time for a return of new, improved, souped up Campbell's skills?
So triumphant Tone is on a roll. It looks as if Hutton has given him a frightening faith in the mighty power of the God of Independent Enquiry. But be warned: perhaps this false idol will be a propaganda twist too far. The pre-emptive groundwork is underway, with the “we needed to get rid of […]