Three reasons to attend Counselors Academy Conference
Since 2005, as many of you know, PRSA Counselors Academy has been my annual must-attend PR event. In fact, I get so much out of the conference I volunteered to be its 2012 conference chair.
This year #CAPRSA is being held in Austin, Texas June 9 to 13, and in addition to the programming and people, it’s a chance to experience Austin without all the hullabaloo of SXSW.
My good friend Dana Hughens, who was last year’s co-chair, steps into the CEO role – that’s Chair Extra-Ordinaire 
– and, along with the team of volunteers, has assembled a W.E.I.R.D.* and wonderful line-up of content that’s bound to be thought-provoking, creative and fun. (more…)
Is PR going through the social media motions?
Earlier in the year, I wrote a story for PR News (subscription required) about why public relations agencies are lagging behind in our social and digital world. It’s still timely, so I thought I’d share an updated version with you.
Many PR firms approach social media the way ad agencies approach PR. That is equating PR with publicity…for the ad campaign.
Unfortunately, we can draw a similar analogy when it comes to PR and social media. Too many firms claim they understand it yet simply add blogger outreach or Facebook page management to their standard toolkit.
They look at social and digital communications through a publicity and not a publishing lens. (more…)
On the road – fall conference highlights
Thought I’d share a list of events I’ll be attending over the next few months:
PRSA International Conference, San Francisco (October 14 to 16) – The largest gathering of PR professionals in the world and a first class line-up of speakers including a keynote by Twitter founder, Biz Stone. This is the second year Inside PR has partnered with PRSA and we’ll be there to interview some of the presenters and reconnect with old friends. Also, I’ll be presenting my Social Media Barometer on Sunday. Hope to see you there. You can follow the conversation at #PRSAIcon. (more…)
Should campaigns move from centre stage to a supporting role?
For many years, marketers and communicators segmented projects into campaigns. Contests, sweepstakes, promotions, sampling events – initiatives with a distinct beginning, middle and end.
That's how we organized the world for our clients and they were on board with this process. Years passed and all was good.
That is until social media turned the way businesses deal with their customers on its head.
What’s wrong with advertising?
It’s too by the book.
I mean if what I witnessed last week is any indication, the ad industry is more reluctant than ever to adapt to the new communications landscape. Maybe more so than PR, which has plenty of issues of its own.
I was slightly out of my element to be seated around a board table with senior ad creatives and suits – the leaders! – talking about one of Canada's successful college ad programs and how it could reposition itself and update its offerings. Aside from me, there was only one other PR person in the room.
