Choosing to pursue a career in public relations wasn’t my original plan. I decided to attend Indiana University because of its outstanding journalism program; I was set to become a feature reporter. However, after taking a journalism ethics class, I knew that a newsroom wasn’t going to be the right fit for me. The idea [...]
In 2005 U2 came to Chicago for a series of four shows at the United Center. Fresh off a new album, the aging band of Irish rockers was hot again. Their hit single, “Vertigo,” came to recall Apple’s resurgence with the iPod, since the song soundtracked the company’s popular iPod commercial. Greg Kot, the Chicago [...]
Headlines are abuzz this morning with talk of Microsoft’s $8.5 billion Skype buy – their largest purchase to date. While CNET describes Microsoft as “still a laggard on the internet,” they are hoping to capitalize on Skype’s 170 million connected users to broaden their reach. But it’s already apparent that this bold business decision is [...]
So how do you know if you’re ready to work with a PR firm? How can you be a good client and get the most out of the relationship? While it certainly depends on the type of company, the current state of the industry, and other factors, there are some general best practices for what [...]
As a PR person, I’m always intrigued by what people find interesting and newsworthy. And leading up to last Friday, almost nothing was as “newsworthy” as the royal wedding. Nearly 23 million Americans set their alarms bright and early to watch Will and Kate tie the knot. I was not one of them. The debate about the importance of the royal wedding has been going on for months, and I am more in the “I could care less” camp, but I’m curious about these 23 million people who are in the “I really care about this” camp. What is it about a wedding taking place between two people we don’t know in a country an ocean away that gets people so excited?
Individuals and organizations are harnessing the power of social media for disaster relief efforts more than ever before.
Many of us social media aficionados thrive off of our online communities, sometimes thinking about our next move hours in advance. Well, I am here to pose the question: at what point does it cross from mere entertainment – to addiction… You know you are a social media addict when: You start texting/thinking in #hashtags [...]
South by Southwest is the annual gathering of the biggest names in digital strategy, emerging technology, and new media. This year Walker Sands will be sending Account Executive Jackie Lampugnano to SXSW Interactive to meet with some of these leading minds and to bring back key knowledge to share with our clients.
You’ve no doubt heard the public relations phrase that there is no such thing as bad publicity. The theory is that attention (whether through good or bad press) can increase awareness and lead to eventual success. We’ve all certainly seen examples of this phrase proving true but usually it centers on celebrities. Everyone has known [...]
Google has just rolled out a major “algorithmic improvement”, designed to improve its search results. Search Results Changing for Some Search Queries The company indicates that 11.8% of search queries have been “noticeably” updated. In other words, if you were ranking in the top of the search results for a given phrase earlier in the [...]
