It can’t be good to be Speedo right now. The company’s LZR Racer high-tech body suit has set swimming records and created buzz well beyond the competitive swimming community. (Read more…)

Everyone has heard about KFC’s major Oprah goof where so many people requested a free two-piece meal of the fast food company’s new grilled chicken, it simply wasn’t able to meet demand. Local news outlets aired footage of people being turned away from stores. (Read more…)

In the world of public relations, press leaks can be damaging affairs. Sensitive internal information being sent to journalists can wreck a company’s reputation, cost it customers or clients, or even land it in legal hot water. But how can public relations consultants prevent press leaks, or at least clean up the damage they wreak? (Read more…)

It’s time for another dip into the PR Fuel mailbag. This time we answer some questions from PR Fuel readers, including public relations professionals, who are dealing with some serious issues: a threatening ex-employee, a shaky merger, a recalcitrant journalist, and a strange resume request. All this, plus some public relations web sites to add to your browser’s bookmarks. (Read more…)

Part of protecting your company’s brand is ferreting out which public relations opportunities are being presented by questionable companies. Recently, I turned down the opportunity for one of our company analysts to give an interview to MN1.com, an online video company that covers the stock market. By weighing, and rejecting, this opportunity for seemingly easy publicity, I saved our company from a public relations nightmare. (Read more…)

Recently, a helicopter crashed into the East River in New York City just moments after takeoff. It was the second helicopter crash in four days. The aftermath of the second crash presented public relations professionals with further evidence of two PR maxims: 1.) that your employees can be one of your best public relations assets and 2.) that to deal with a disaster, you need a season public relations team that understands what’s really important. (Read more…)

One of the watershed public relations moments for the organic and natural foods industry came in 1989, after 60 Minutes produced a report criticizing the Food and Drug Administration’s oversight of chemicals used in foods. The segment featured a chemical called Daminozide, a food growth regulator used on apples and marketed under the name Alar by the Uniroyal Chemical Company. (Read more…)

From CEOs to bartenders, resumes containing lies cost employees their jobs, and embarrass employers. Delving into the psychology of a resume liar is difficult. Just because someone has lied on their resume does not mean that they lie in other aspects in their life. (Read more…)

I recently received a breathless call recently from a former colleague. My friend explained that an entry on Wikipedia concerning his company had been “vandalized” and that the company was scrambling to come up with new copy. Wikipedia is a wonderful resource, a starting point for daily research. (Read more…)

The Vermont Teddy Bear Co., known for its array of themed teddy bears, became the subject of much public scorn when the company began selling a “Crazy For You” bear. The bear came complete with a straitjacket and commitment papers, and it riled advocates for the mentally ill and the governor of Vermont, among others. Under normal circumstances, this story would not be too odd, but the Vermont Teddy Bear Co.’s public relations response was anything but normal. (Read more…)