When writers send me pieces to edit, they all seem to come with an apology. Your apology is meaningless to me. “I’m sorry this is so long.” “I’m sorry this isn’t better organized.” “I’m sorry this seems to wander around a bit.” I have one client who doesn’t apologize, but submits every piece with a…
Yesterday, we learned about two promotional stunts, one executed and one planned. Elon Musk launched a Tesla Roadster into solar orbit and word leaked that Donald Trump and the U.S. military were planning a massive military parade. These are both branding exercises. What do they say about the brands they reflect? Sports cars in space…
On the melodramatic NBC show “This Is Us,” a fire started by a slow-cooker burns the house down. This forced Crock-Pot, the iconic slow-cooker brand, to defend its reputation. Unlike most brands under attack, its response shows restraint. A little more wit would be even better. Crock-Pot defends its brand In the show, a second-hand…
“What am I going to write about?” That’s the content marketer’s constant challenge. In fact, the number of sources is endless. You just have to have the right mindset. Let’s remember what content marketing is. While there are any number of definitions out there, I think of it very simply: Content marketing is sharing something…
I thought I’d seen everything in sexual harassment apologies . . . until I saw one from celebrity chef Mario Batali that actually came with a recipe. Last week the Washington Post published an article about Batali that included a slew of documented instances of the chef making lewd suggestions to employees and others, and…
President Trump thinks the Russia investigation is pointless. If you have any doubt, look at the statements of his lawyer, Ty Cobb. No, not the content — the font. After Lt. General Michael Flynn pled guilty and became a cooperating witness, Trump’s lawyer Ty Cobb released this statement: Today, Michael Flynn, a former National Security…
My eyes glaze over when I see Black Friday advertising. The louder you shout, the more I shut it out. The commercialism sickens me, and I don’t give a crap about deals. That’s why this flyer made me grin so hard. Take a close look at the copy — it’s worth it. Great…
On Papa John’s most recent earnings call, its CEO and founder John H. Schnatter blamed poor results in part on controversies surrounding the NFL, which the restaurant chain sponsors. Stepping into the middle of a political controversy was a mistake. So was clumsily trying to walk it back on Twitter. What Papa John’s said on…
Game company EA is about to release Star Wars Battlefront II, but you won’t get to play Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader right away. On Reddit, the company defended of its policy to require payment or many hours of gameplay to unlock those characters. Reddit users responded to the EA statement with a record number of…