Posts Categorized: Government

Election Outcome 2020: Your Legislative Agenda and the Communicator’s Role

There’s just over a month to go until Election Day, and whether you’re counting down the days for an incumbent win, looking forward to a change or just want it to all be over, don’t be caught flat footed on what the outcome could mean for your organization, cause or company. Ask yourself a few questions to help sift through the potential scenarios and their impact. If there are or are not shifts in power close to home or nationally, how will that mesh with your organization’s short-term and long-term goals? Could you face more stringent regulations or perhaps have more... ⇢ read more

Election Day and beyond: Running for office in the Digital Age

It’s time to vote! Perhaps you ran to the polls this morning to help the candidate you love become our next president. Or, maybe your vote just celebrates your right to do so and the end of a very long ad season. Either way, there’s no denying the Trump/Clinton race has been particularly intense. Dominated by unprecedented levels of mudslinging and scandals—the effect may last longer than Election Day. A sky-high level of controversy is characteristic of this year's election. But, it begs a question about whether Trump and Clinton are that much more controversy worthy than candidates in the past. Could this level of... ⇢ read more

Uber and Lyft botch $8.6 million campaign, suspend service in Austin

Uber and Lyft just lost an $8.6 million game of public affairs. In a case billed as Silicon Valley money versus Texas public servants, the two giant rideshare companies have suspended service in Austin after voters turned down Proposition 1 on Saturday, bringing to a stunning conclusion the most expensive campaign in the city’s history. So, why did Proposition 1 fail? Lyft and Uber totally botched the campaign. The rideshare companies used bullying tactics, a threatening tone, and aggressive advertising to promote their agenda. Needless to say, Austin residents weren’t receptive to the way the message was communicated. Uber and Lyft, through their five... ⇢ read more

Launching the Common Sense Communications Revolution

There have been a few events/circumstances that occurred recently, which have prompted me to consider starting a new movement. Who's with me? “What is it?” you are asking? Well, I would like to propose a new direction/focus to the practice of Public Relations and call it…Common Sense Communications. I think it might better explain what we do and how we personally approach the discipline as it relates to our clients and life in general. A client called recently with a potential crisis at its facility, which was brought to their attention by a customer. Without providing all the important information to us,... ⇢ read more

Media Training – Yes, you need it!

By Brian Knox, Vice President, Zeppos & Associates, Inc. – Milwaukee, Wisconsin As a former television reporter and anchor, it continues to amaze me at how many people just don’t take the time to think things through before a media interview or plan how they’ll respond if confronted by reporters on an issue.  As PR professionals, you’ll find many firms like ours offer their own unique counsel and proven techniques to help prepare clients for a variety of media situations.  Lessons learned from media training programs can help an individual for a lifetime.  Yet, there remain those who scoff at the... ⇢ read more

If A Quarter of a Million Dollars Isn’t Enough to Make You Behave…

This blog post originated on PRSAY, a forum for PRSA members and other public relations professionals to engage in a dialogue with PRSA leaders, exchange viewpoints, and share perspectives on issues of concern to the Society and the public relations industry as a whole. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of PRSA. With all of the noise the FTC’s “blogger rules” made when first introduced in late-2009, you would think that most marketers and agencies would have gotten the point by now the FTC is... ⇢ read more