14 Sep, 2017

What the demise of Juicero tells us about good (and bad) storytelling A great vision without facts is just a dream. The demise of Juicero is a great illustration of a brand that failed to follow the key steps in telling a compelling, sustainable story – and instead became a punchline in a larger story of Silicon Valley largesse and technology innovation run amok.

31 Aug, 2017

While it is often claimed the impact of PR is impossible to quantify, that adage is insufficient in today’s world where businesses of all kinds are expected to account for every dollar spent. Although it is true that there isn’t an exact science to how we measure PR influence, most agencies rely on a set of tools which basically measure what we like to call “coverage generated.” But that approach is undergoing a rapid transformation right now. As noted in this recent article in Axios, for

15 Aug, 2017

In the last two blog posts, we looked at some of the key trends currently influencing the PR industry, focusing on how changing work models are forcing a rethink of the traditional PR agency structure. We also looked at the growing need for senior-level subject matter expertise, which is creating opportunities for niche agencies to compete effectively against larger PR firms. Today, I want to dive deeper into this topic by looking at the convergence of these two trends and what it could mean

03 Aug, 2017

In my previous blog post, we talked about whether it was time to rethink the traditional PR agency structure to reflect an evolving media landscape and changing work models – all enabled by technology. Today, I want to expand on that theme, inspired in part by a recent Axios article around a growing trend in Washington: small public affairs firms “taking business from NY agencies and the big traditional PR shops.” According to Axios, these small agencies are attracting potential clients on

28 Jul, 2017

An opinion piece in PR Week caught my attention recently. Written by the founder of a UK-based PR consultancy, the piece took a critical look at traditional agency models and called for a total rethink. As the founder and CEO of an agency that has operated on a ”virtual” model for several years, this is a topic that’s important to me – and one where I have some experience from both the agency’s perspective and the client’s perspective. When I first started Plat4orm PR it was apparent to me –

21 Jul, 2017

Last week, news emerged that U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington has circulated draft legislation to create a board that would provide advice to the federal government on a broad range of issues related to artificial intelligence (AI). This is the first legislative foray on the topic of AI and its aim is to initiate some form of government oversight of AI technologies, including analysis of their potential impact on the work force. According to the draft version of the bill, the advisory

11 Jul, 2017

At this point, almost everyone in legal technology should be aware of the recent global cyberattack known as “Petya.” In particular, they should be acutely aware of the fact that one of the world’s largest law firms, DLA Piper, was a target. DLA Piper is a multi-billion-dollar firm with one of the most impressive – and expansive – client rosters anywhere, including more than half of the Fortune 250 and almost half of the FTSE 350 or their subsidiaries. The attack, which occurred on June 27,

29 Jun, 2017

Public relations and journalism are two very separate disciplines and industries, yet they are inextricably intertwined. One could not exist without the other – although some on both sides may occasionally differ on that one. As a result, PR practitioners need to understand and remain informed on the constant changes happening in the media landscape. Just as the emergence of the internet and news sites changed the process of pitching and delivering stories, so too did the creation of social

19 Jun, 2017

This month, the Digital Citizens Alliance issued a report entitled Trouble in our Digital Mist: How Digital Platforms Are Being Overrun by Bad Actors and How the Internet Community Can Beat Them at Their Own Game. As the title suggests, the report’s findings point to a growing lack of faith in online platforms such as Facebook, Google and Twitter among the American public. According to the report: 64% said their trust in digital platforms has dropped in the last year 75% said digital platforms