Here, There and Everywhere – Even Media Superstars Get Overexposed

Like many Americans, I watched President Barack Obama’s appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” last week. I also watched his interview with “60 Minutes” this past Sunday, checked out his NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament picks on ESPN.com last week and listened to his press conference on Tuesday night. Over the past week, the President has been here, there and seemingly everywhere. That’s not necessarily a good thing. (Read more…)

Avoiding Public Relations Nightmares: Put an “Alar Scare” to Work for You

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…)

Grading ExxonMobile’s PR Gambit

I don’t own a car, but historically high oil prices are taking their toll on me.

My airfare for a recent trip was 25 percent higher than I normally pay, and taxis to and from the airport cost me at least 20 percent more than I’ve paid in the past. High oil prices also impact my life because petroleum derivatives are used in thousands of products, including food (plastic containers and pesticides), beverages (plastic and glass bottles), clothing (polyester and rayon), consumer electronics (plastic), home furnishings (carpet) and utilities (gas-powered plants). Even the government is feeling the pinch (which means my tax dollars are wasting away), because petroleum is central to everything from government-owned transportation to government-sponsored works projects. (Asphalt is a petroleum product, and asphalt prices are up about 20 percent over the past year). (Read more…)