Denver PR Blog

The former Rocky Mountain News reporters’ ambitious plans to launch a subscription-based online news site to compete with the Denver Post just got harder. After failing to reach their goal of 50,000 subscribers, the projects financiers have pulled out. But business reporter David Milstead hasn’t given up, and he told the Post, “The take-away is that (managing editor) Steve Foster, myself and others who are committed to this venture will continue to pursue the concept, and we are now looking for new backers.” Joey Bunch at the Post has the details.

Taylor Herring compiles the list.

Nearly 90% of respondents to a recent PR Leaders’ Panel said that ideas they pitched to clients in proposals had been used by the client without the agency being hired or receiving any compensation. As PRNewser notes:

“This is food for thought about on the age-old question of how much detail to include in a new business pitch. It’s tough to prove theft unless the company in question hires no firm and immediately implements a program. The inclusion of detailed strategy should be weighed against how well you know the client contact, and what the odds are of landing the account.”

One of the heartbeats of Denver’s public relations community – the Common Grounds coffee shop in LoDo – has moved.

File this under “Clients You Hope You Never Get:” 11 percent of respondents to a Business Wire poll said it takes “weeks” to get a press release drafted and approved.

VolumePR’s Elizabeth Robinson was among the PR Week award finalists who participated in the ceremonial NASDAQ opening bell ring earlier this month.

Bad Pitch Blog compiles the list.

Wal-Mart apparently heard about AIG and its four PR agencies, and decided it could do one better. Take that.

Last agency to get hired by AIG is a rotten egg.

Happy sixth anniversary to Ryan May and his Minnesota Public Relations Blog, the site that gave me the inspiration for the equally cleverly named Denver Public Relations Blog.

We have a new candidate for this week’s “Most in Need of PR Help” award. Joining the list that includes Michael Phelps, Wells Fargo, Alex Rodriguez and Chris Brown is Joaquin Phoenix, who “appeared” on David Letterman’s show last night.

It was a tough day for Wells Fargo. The banking giant got “caught” planning a luxurious 12-day employee-recognition event in Las Vegas just weeks after accepting a taxpayer-funded $25 billion bailout. Every PR person in town knew immediately how it would end, but it still took five hours (and a nearly infinite number of Internet/blog/twitter news cycles) to play out: 

“Recognition events are still part of our culture. It’s really important that our team members are still valued and recognized.”
     – Wells Fargo spokeswoman Melissa Murray, quoted in an AP article, 1:50 am MST
 
We are “reconsidering the event.”
     – Wells Fargo spokesman Kevin Waetke, quoted in a Reuters article, 5:04 pm MST

“In light of the current environment, we have now decided to cancel this event.”
     – Wells Fargo statement, 6:34 p.m. MST

Considering that most of the money professional swimmers make is through corporate endorsements, Michael might want to be a little more careful where he lights his bong. 

Former Post/News business reporter and current Colorado Media Matters editorial director Bill Menezes will show off his charisma and brainpower on Jeopardy tonight (6 p.m, Channel 7), and he even gives a shout-out to West Highlands in his promo (select the link on the bottom left). So how did he do? Menezes tells Bill Husted, “My 30 minutes of fame were well spent and I didn’t embarrass the town.” Since I know PR people rarely leave the office before 8 p.m, have someone Tivo it for you.

“Engage in PR” compiles the list.

PBS’s Charlie Rose shows Corporate America (and countless media companies) that compassion and transparency can make you look stronger, not weaker.

Being a tech agency in the Southwest is the hardest PR gig going, according to a study of client turnover by StevensGouldPincus. Overall, client turnover was 22% in 2008, while technology firms experienced a 30% client turnover rate and Southwestern states averaged 33%. The full report is here.

You know that little voice in your head that tells you to hit delete before you send that angry email? Lois Whitman doesn’t have one of those.

Another staple of public relations – the ghostwritten article – has come under fire after pharmaceutical giant Wyeth used ghostwriters to author medical journal articles that were favorable to Prempro, a female hormone replacement therapy.

With all the reality TV shows peppering the airwaves these days, you knew it was only a matter of time before a PR agency became the backdrop for one. I always assumed that Lizzie Grubman would be the first reality PR star, but fashion PR guru Kelly Cutrone has instead won the honor. All of which leads me to wonder: Which Denver PR agency would make for the best reality show?

Time magazine is out with its annual 10 Best of Everything lists.

A survey conducted by a PR firm says using a PR firm makes you more successful. We all know that, of course, but why can’t it ever be a Harvard Business Review or McKinsey & Company case study that proves it instead of some dodgy survey from a PR outfit like BIGfrontier Communications.

Nothing says “We understand the gravity of the situation and humbly request your help” like flying to Washington, D.C., in three separate private jets.

Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family has released its annual list of naughty and nice Christmas retailers. Those retailers headed to heaven include Cabella’s, Kohl’s and Wal-Mart, while Barnes & Noble, Best Buy and Dick’s Sporting Goods will have to settle for purgatory. Those destined for hell include Banana Republic, Old Navy and Lane Bryant. See the entire list (and FOTF’s rationale) here.

You make the call:

• McStain Neighborhoods — Denver Examiner Reporter ProConnect’s Steve Caulk is spinning a tale that McStain is abandoning its headquarters building so that the company can be “more nimble (and) efficient” (rather than because the company is in such a dire financial situation that it has reduced headcount from 155 to 20 employees over the past year).
  (UPDATE: Here’s the Rocky’s article on the news)

• 90octane — Announced it is “going green” by implementing such cutting-edge steps as having employees turn out lights, and recycling paper and cans (and, apparently, press releases other companies issued 10 years ago).

Starbucks quickly went from offense to defense and back to offense again with its free coffee promotion. Better hurry if you want your free cup.

Peter Shankman’s HARO generates revenues of $800,000 per year (and, you had to know this, he picks off the best leads for his clients before you ever see them).

Update: Peter emailed us to say, “Don’t believe the hype.” And if you haven’t signed up for HARO, you can do so here: http://www.helpareporter.com/

Congratulations to PRNewser, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary today.

Bad Pitch Blog lists its Top 20 posts:

Ready to Pitch a Blog? Take This Quiz First 
PR People Suck! 
An Open Letter to US Netcom Corporation 
Typos Are A Big, Hairy Problem 
Long Tail, Bad Pitch 
Angryjournalist.com — Things Are Tough All Over 
BusinessWeek Redesigns, Still Gets Bad Pitches 
Times’ Hansell Turns to Bad Pitch For a WTF! 
What Does The Bad Pitch Blog Look Like? 
Dudes, stop your belly aching 
The Secret of The Bad Pitch Blog 
Fast Five Q&A with Adweek’s Digital Editor, Brian Morrissey 
PRSA Drops an Anvil on The Bad Pitch Blog 
Celeste Dufault is Outed in 10 Words or Less 
It Takes More than Media Map 
The WKRP in Cincinnati Pitch 
Google’s News Release Catch 22 
Down(load) New Comm Road 
It’s a Boner! 
Facebook Can Improve Your Media Relations

A survey funded by the Colorado Environmental Coalition finds that … (GASP!) … a majority of Coloradans have “negative feelings toward the oil and gas industry.”

What’s better: print or online coverage? A survey from London-based PR firm Parker Wayne & Kent finds that 53 percent of PR people say print. Details are here.

Drew Kerr offers alternatives to the Eight Most Overused Phrases in Public Relations.

Another example of the scintillating conversations we miss by not being in San Francisco/Silicon Valley. The only question is whether it was a CEO or a VC who uttered it.

Finally, an automated way to grade press releases.

The Council of Public Relations Firms calculates that firms averaged a 7.5 percent increase in first quarter revenues over Q1 2007. 

If you, like me, spend an inordinate amount of time trying to explain to family and friends that public relations is not the same thing as advertising, maybe this will help (courtesy Neutron LLC via Media Bistro):

Denver entertainment agencies can stand down … Eliot Spitzer’s hooker has officially selected PR representation.

Amid the Olympics torch run debacle, The New York Times praises the pro-Tibet forces for their public relations savvy:

“Soon after China was awarded the Olympic Games seven years ago, a series of public relations strategy sessions were held. But it wasn’t the Chinese government holding the sessions: it was grass-roots Tibet support groups in the United States and abroad. The protesters quickly established a communications plan, focused their message and ran camps where they taught members interview skills and even rappelling — as they showed off last week in hanging banners on the Golden Gate Bridge. As a result, the protesters have pulled off a publicity coup.”