Public Relations

Image and Reality in Zimbabwe

by Diane Farsetta — June 25, 2008 - 12:44pm

"Horrified directors of global marketing giant Young & Rubicam have begun a sell-off of their holdings in Zimbabwe, after learning the company's head was behind Robert Mugabe's election campaign image makeover," reports Rowan Philp.

Main Source: 
The Times (South Africa), June 25, 2008

Sweeting Corn Syrup's Public Image

by Diane Farsetta — June 23, 2008 - 1:46pm

The Corn Refiners Association launched an 18-month, $20 to $30 million public relations and advertising campaign "to convince consumers that HFCS [high-fructose corn syrup] isn't the evil it has been made out to be." The industry group is running ads in major newspapers -- under the banner "time for a little food for thought" -- that say HFCS has the "same natural sweeteners as table sugar and honey." The campaign, which was created by the

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), June 23, 2008

Pakistan Taps PR Lobby Firm for Help

by Judith Siers-Poisson — June 19, 2008 - 10:49am

The government of Pakistan awarded a one year, $900,000 contract to Locke Lord Strategies (LLS), a division of Locke, Lord Bissell & Liddell. LLS's responsibilities under the contract are to publicize "the country’s recent political, social and economic developments." It will communicate these changes through both earned media (favorable, free publicity gained through promotional efforts) and paid advertising.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyers PR Daily (sub req'd), June 19, 2008

Gay Times for California's PR Industry

by Diane Farsetta — June 18, 2008 - 3:15pm

California is a hotbed for political messaging, as same-sex couples get married and conservative groups try to stop them with a November ballot initiative. Equality for All, a coalition supporting same-sex marriage, has hired Ogilvy PR Worldwide, the Democrat-leaning firm Dewey Square Group and the polling firm Lake Research Partners.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), June 17, 2008

China's Online Persuaders

by Diane Farsetta — June 16, 2008 - 5:00pm

China's webspace is infamous for censorship, but increasingly, public relations firms there are helping their clients "manage" online conversations. China-based firms such as Daqi, Chinese Web Union and CIC "charge $500 - $25,000 monthly to monitor postings and squelch negative information or to create positive buzz," reports BusinessWeek.

Main Source: 
BusinessWeek, June 12, 2008

French Flacks Want Their Information in First Place

by Judith Siers-Poisson — June 13, 2008 - 9:22pm

The largest PR and communications firm in France is asserting that "Wikipedia cannibalizes the image" of the biggest French corporations and their CEOs. Euro RSCG 's complaint is that Wikipedia articles score exceptionally high in search engine rankings -- often ahead of the corporations' own websites.

Main Source: 
ZDNet.fr, June 11, 2008

Weber Shandwick Bowls over the Army

by Diane Farsetta — June 13, 2008 - 5:08pm

How can you counter "daily stories and blog entries that portray the negative aspects of joining the military"? That was PR firm Weber Shandwick's job in the lead-up to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January 2008.

Main Source: 
PR Week, June 3, 2008

Shipshape Spin for Japan

by Diane Farsetta — June 12, 2008 - 1:06pm

Concerns about safety and the impact on the local fishing industry have led residents to protest the U.S. Navy's stationing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan. Some 48,000 residents called for a public referendum on the deployment of the USS George Washington, but the Yokosuka assembly rejected their plea.

Main Source: 
The Guardian (UK), June 5, 2008
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