Specialized Thinking

It is distressing that a publication with the stature of The New York Times would slam the term “public relations” as a pejorative at best and a phony empty suit at worst… Read more...

We have yet to hear in a major way from the CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines regarding the shipwreck of the Costa Concordia, despite the fact that Carnival owns the Costa Line. Read more...

On New Year’s Day, after failing to come to terms on a new contract, Time Warner Cable blacked out all MSG Network channels, leaving approximately 1.7 million Time Warner customers in the Greater New York area unable to watch their beloved Knicks, Rangers, Devils and Islanders on television. Read more...

There is quite a bit that communications pros can learn from the Republican debates. Read more...

I am anything but an economist, but Standard + Poor’s recent credit rating downgrade of France and eight other eurozone countries got me thinking about this development from a communications angle. Read more...

Recently, I happened upon a young lady seated in our lobby area. As I passed by, she looked up, her face brightening, and said, “You’re Gene Marbach.” Read more...

Despite many companies in North America anticipating a decline in shareholder value in '11, a majority expect to pay executive bonuses that are as large as or larger than last year’s awards. Read more...

GMI recently released its annual CEO Pay Survey 2011, identifying changes in total annual and total realized compensation paid to CEOs for fiscal year 2010. Read more...

We have a brand new year.  I was tempted to add “to mess up” to that sentence, but I wanted to keep this positive (and for a curmudgeon like me, that’s no mean feat). Read more...

My readers may remember that last year around this time, we launched “The Boney Awards” to honor  excellence in boneheaded communications. Read more...

‘Tis the season for family, friends and festivities, not to mention, food. Read more...

It’s a question that has been asked for decades. Read more...

GMI recently released its second report in its Say on Pay series identifying 42 companies in the S&P 500 at risk of a failed advisory vote in 2012. Read more...

According to a recent survey by Ernst & Young LLP can expect to spend, on average, an additional $2.5 million annually post IPO, excluding the one-time costs related to executing the IPO. Read more...

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What weight hath an apology? Read more...

 A new book about an old problem:  Has the internet become an “artistic wasteland” where content has been devalued by distributors who get a free ride? Read more...

 On November 9, Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno announced his retirement, effective at the end of the season, and added an eloquent apology to the children and families devastated by the repeated instances of child sexual assault allegedly committed by former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Read more...

National advertisers are pulling out of Penn State. Read more...

“I’d never want a woman for a boss!” “Women are too competitive with each other!” Read more...

Just a few months ago, the venerable Oxford English Dictionary (OED, to you logophiles) added a number of new entries to its lexicon. Read more...

At one time or another, most people wonder how they will be remembered. Read more...

In recent years, corporate boards of directors have increasingly sought to dissuade accounting errors and fraud by tying executive compensation to behavior. Read more...

It was the greatest baseball game I have ever seen, and one of the most inspiring experiences I have ever had. Read more...

“It’s all about the individual!” noted Robert Gibbs, former press secretary to President Obama. Read more...

There’s an ad currently running for Microsoft that utilizes the tagline:  “It’s a great time to be a family.” Read more...

While it seems like Proxy Season ’11 just ended, it is now time to get ready for next year. Read more...

 At the 2011 annual meeting of shareholders of Cincinnati Bell Inc., approximately 66% of shareholders voted against the 2010 compensation of the company’s named executive officers disclosed in the proxy statement. Read more...

The demise of green energy company Solyndra should serve as a reminder that the US government would be better served allowing the private sector to make investment decisions. Read more...

The demise of green energy company Solyndra should serve as a reminder that the US government would be better served allowing the private sector to make investment decisions. Read more...

When we think of communications, what generally comes to mind is the printed or spoken word.  Read more...

“We like to buy companies with people who love their businesses,” said legendary investor Warren Buffett at a gathering to honor Business Wire’s 50^th Anniversary. Read more...

Integrated marketing? Says who? Read more...

Public relations thrives on change.  It focuses on communicating a client’s point of view, thereby creating a better understanding of the client or changing the targets’ behavior. Read more...

As we’ve written about in the past, companies that have become public via a reverse merger transaction have come under increased investor and regulatory scrutiny of late. Read more...

At a recent Swedish American Chamber of Commerce luncheon in New York, Jonas Prising, President of Manpower Americas addressed the workforce challenges facing the U.S., in particular, and some other parts of the world in today’s fragile economy. Read more...

In the world of business, there are great entrepreneurs and great corporate executives. Read more...

The first plane struck.  One of my colleagues was alerted to it via cell phone by his secretary. Read more...

Some years back during my days as a reporter, I covered a food service company that had a revolving door in its C-suite.  Read more...

  Every now and then, one sees a near flawless communications effort from leadership. Like him or not, Obama — the candidate — was a great communicator. Read more...

There is nothing that I love more than marketing — that is, if it is appropriately applied. Read more...

I had the good fortune of hearing Richard D. Parsons, Chairman of Citigroup, talk about CEO behavior in trying times at an Arthur Page conference I attended several months ago. Read more...

One of the great anthems of my youth was the Rolling Stones’ song: “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Truer words were never sung. Read more...

Before you know it, you’ll be sitting for your annual review. Read more...

One of the first things a good PR person learns is “appearances can be deceiving.” Read more...

How do you feel about Standard & Poor's decision to lower the U.S. debt rating from AAA to AA+? Read more...

The US-India Business Council is dedicated to building commerce between our two nations. Read more...

Federal securities class action lawsuits in the first half of 2011 were filed at the second highest semi-annual rate in eight years, according to NERA Economic Consulting. Read more...

My son, Evan, challenges the recent survey conducted by CareerCast.com that I ran in my July 21 blog, which noted that PR was the 2nd most stressful field among a group of ten cited. Read more...

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For those readers who have been out of the news loop for the past few weeks, media mogul Rupert Murdoch shut down News of the World because of widespread public outrage over revelations of phone hacking, political corruption and bribery. Read more...

Having come up through the journalism side, words and phrases have always intrigued me. Read more...

Judging by the terrific response it appears that I touched off a firestorm for it seems that many of you have words and phrases that drive you crazy. Read more...

A few months ago, Andrew Marshall, a senior Reuters editor based in Singapore, was punished for a stupid remark he made in a company messaging/chat room. Read more...

What is the origin of language? When I was a kid, I was told that Sanskrit — which originated in India — was “the mother of all languages,” including English and most European languages. Read more...

Mental_Floss blogger Adrienne Crezor recently came up with a list of “Ten Things You Didn’t Know Had Names.” Read more...

What with all the recent media stories about LulzSec and other hackers breaching major corporate websites you should know about the website, “Should I Change My Password?” Read more...

As the 2011 proxy season winds down, GovernanceMetricsInternational compared the shareholder proposals on proxy statements this year to those in prior years. Read more...

While the summer season tends to be slow in terms of news and developments, I couldn’t help but notice a few items of interest all of which provide cautionary tales. Read more...

Judging from the overwhelming and wonderful response to my blog entitled, “A Rant: ...”, it appears that I touched a nerve. Read more...

I will never forget this sight: a forlorn professional man, out of work and looking a bit desperate, telling his story. Read more...

Median CEO compensation rose by 28 percent in 2010, the independent leader in global corporate governance and ESG. Read more...

Annika Falkengren, the president of SEB — at over 150 years, the oldest privately held bank in Sweden — spoke recently at a Swedish American Chamber of Commerce luncheon, on the new financial landscape for banking in a globalized world. Read more...

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In times of market volatility, companies, particularly small cap companies, can be victimized by a “bear raid.” Read more...

The Network, Inc. recently released the Q1 2011 findings of its Quarterly Corporate Fraud Index™. Read more...

Not long ago, I received an email solicitation to join an expert network.  Read more...

Years ago, Hal Rosenbluth, the head of a leading travel agency, wrote a book titled: The Customer Comes Second. Shock effect? Read more...

I had the good fortune last week to hear Henry Kravis describe, to Columbia University’s graduating class of MBAs, the principles he lives by. Read more...

A recent survey by the Rotterdam School of Management reveals some interesting findings about one-on-one meetings with investment professionals. Read more...

One of the world’s leading public relations firms agreed to represent the world’s leading social network, Facebook, to surreptitiously criticize its competitor, Google, by convincing reporters to write negative stories about Google’s service, Social Circle. Read more...

An interesting article by the securities group at the law firm Mintz Levin caught my eye and sheds considerable light on the perils of the practice of retaining a “finder” to assist in locating potential investors. Read more...

When involved in a “media-magnetic” litigation, here are 10 rules you need follow: Read more...

“Engagement is expanding beyond financial and strategic issues and ‘traditional’ governance topics to include more environmental and social issues,” according to a recent report... Read more...

Morgan Spurlock, with his new film, "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold", takes product placement to a new level giving POM Wonderful, a popular pomegranate drink, title sponsorship and even inspiring Altoona, PA to change its name for 60 days to make some money off the film’s premiere. Read more...

I often think about the culture at Makovsky + Company… what it is and what I want it to be Read more...

We often read that exporting training and educational materials to change people’s perspectives on democracy and improve their organizational skills is a lot more effective than exporting guns and military programs— and a lot cheaper. Read more...

We’d all like to be more productive, wouldn’t we? Read more...

All company CEOs are expected to communicate to their constituencies, but even more pressure is put on the public company’s CEO, where there is a partnership with the shareholder and investment community. Read more...

The best of client relationships are imperfect! The reality is that — whether a relationship is business or personal— negative issues may arise which, for a variety of reasons, one party may avoid telling the other. Read more...

While this time the government shutdown was averted, the fact that it reached this point — going down to the wire — makes you want to be a fly on the wall, listening to these guys communicating. Read more...

The cell phone seems so obvious, it’s easy to forget how totally revolutionary an invention it was less than 40 years ago. Read more...

 Last Thursday I wrote Crisis Response 'On a Dime' about the masterful crisis response executed by Sony CEO Howard Stringer in the recent Japanese disaster. Read more...

If you’ve been following the Galleon trial you’ll know that what’s said in the boardroom can sometimes find its way to outsiders who in turn can make lots of money with that information or at least that’s the accusation … Read more...

Twenty-something web entrepreneur Alex Tew writes: “I had been thinking how we spend every waking minute of the day with access to an unlimited supply of information, to the point of information overload. Read more...

Back in January, we wrote about an interesting case before the Supreme Court involving Matrixx Initiatives. Read more...

“The food is terrible and the women are not very attractive.” Read more...

It was thought that “Poison Pills” or shareholder rights plans as a takeover defense mechanism were going the way of high button shoes and buggy whips Read more...

It’s Daylight Saving Time (DST) … which only adds to the confusion of PR people trying to schedule meetings, phone calls and/or teleconferences that involve people from multiple locations all over the world. Read more...

Social media is having a major impact on the speed of information delivery to patient communities and health advocacy groups. Read more...

There is no loud “hit-you-in-the-face” slogan. But CVS, a national pharmacy chain, according to CBS-TV’s show “Sunday Morning,” has made its message clear by changing many of its stores to respond to the aging Baby Boomer generation. Read more...

Inanimate things communicate too. Read more...

Some of the world’s greatest inventions and ideas have been the result of competitions: a tool frequently used in public relations campaigns to bring out the best in people. Read more...

Sometimes we reject new ideas because they seem goofy. Read more...

More proof of the power of words! And proof, too, that sometimes their value is so great — and historic — that to change them is a “constitutional violation.” Read more...

This one is for Twitter writers – who are often challenged by concisely getting across a complex thought in just 140 characters without the use of “internet abbreviations.” Read more...

It’s still early enough in the year that people are continuing to make predictions. Read more...

Thought leadership brings an array of rewards. Read more...

“Someone’s going to get smashed to ‘bytes’ for this,” emailed a waggish colleague of mine, an IR veteran. Read more...

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Every now and then, situations arise among people in business that make me feel they’ve forgotten what they’re there for: Read more...

I’ve had an interesting few days. Read more...

Here’s a suggestion for Research In Motion (RIM), the folks who make Blackberry phones. Read more...

Recently, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Matrixx Initiatives, Inc. v. Siracusano. Read more...

There was a story last November inThe New York Times that said that the lure of devices like cell phones, PDAs and computers may be creating “a generation of kids … Read more...

“Today’s action reveals disturbingly corrupt arrangements,” said Robert Khuzami, Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. Read more...

Law firm Fried Frank has shed a little light on “stealth stock acquisitions.” Read more...

In light of rising compliance costs, a number of publicly traded companies have opted to “go dark.” Read more...

According to Merriam-Webster, publishers of the famous dictionary, the “Word of the Year” was “austerity.” Read more...

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Not long after the launch of Commpro.biz, I approached Fay Shapiro and Brian Pittman about creating an awards program. Read more...

Holiday wishes from Makovsky + Company. Read more...

Obama's visit to India delivered a message to business communities in both India and the U.S. Read more...

Less than a tenth of charitable donations last year went to colleges and universities. Read more...

Is shareholder activism on the rise? Read more...

There are synonyms for almost every word in the English language, except for this one. Read more...

A recent case involving Office Depot highlights the need for companies to codify its disclosure policies. Read more...

Public disclosures that detail a company’s future business plans may lead to potential antitrust liability. Read more...

Over time, most people forget the occasional negative news they read or hear about a company. Read more...

Failing to recognize its ethical responsibilities puts a company at extreme risk. Read more...

Gabby types have found one of the secrets to a happier life, according to a study. Read more...

Commendable actions by past presidents. Read more...

How vast is Google? Read more...

Why the number of singles among young adults passed the number of marrieds for the first time in a century. Read more...

Communications at its best? Read more...

t’s people with Type D personalities that are the ones most likely to have cardiovascular disease. Read more...

Stephen Dishart, former long-time head of communications for Swiss Re, a global reinsurer, and now executive director of Blue Ocean Institute, addressed the Makovsky team on key PR lessons he has learned in 25 years of crisis management experience. They include the following: Read more...

The past few weeks have been disturbing ones — what with all the media furor surrounding the “ground zero mosque,” attacks and vandalism on other mosques across the country and the hateful proposal by the pastor of an obscure church in Florida to burn Korans.  Read more...

In the light of Rosh Hashanah, my recent visit to Copenhagen’s Danish Resistance Museum is top of mind. Read more...

The fact that 64% of CEOs recognize that consumers perceive value in a company’s reputation is indeed news. Read more...

Contributing to IR Alert enabled me to return to a first love, namely journalism. Read more...

A New York Times writer's advice for emergency situations. Read more...

Recently, I stumbled upon a little statistical gem on the Official Google blog. Read more...

More corporations should employ a “stop-take a breath-think” approach before filing a lawsuit. Read more...

34% of employed Americans plan to look for a new job when the economy gets better. Read more...

So much of social media is still evolving, there are pros and cons to this possibility. Read more...

With such a high rate of CEO turnover, succession planning has become increasingly of interest to investors. Read more...

Retail investors should not be missed when planning your company's investor relations activities. Read more...

Learn the essence of the answer to just one question in five minutes. Read more...

New tools are born, others are just as rapidly being relegated to the trash heap of history. Read more...

One of the most interesting specialties in public relations is litigation PR. Read more...

If you’re not a writer, you may never have heard of the “editorial ‘we.’” Read more...

George Steinbrenner's rich lessons for corporate leaders. Read more...

Why are we not reading about plans to increase the number of physicians and medical services? Read more...

The key provisions of Senator Dodd’s previous bill passed by the Senate on May 20, 2010. Read more...

In all the excitement about the content it’s easy to miss the brilliant marketing. Read more...

A clever use of an old medium can deliver a message just as effectivey. Read more...

Why not use the other people’s already highly ranked content as scaffolding to build your own web? Read more...

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A search engine’s algorithm can mean more to a company’s success than an editor at the Wall Street Journal. Read more...

David Rosen will publish posts all week on the intersection of thought leadership and Search Engine Optimization. Read more...

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The Declaration remains the defining document for political discourse to this very day. Read more...

There’s much that we in the communications business can learn from General McCrystal's situation. Read more...

Communications made between a corporate client and its legal counsel are subject to the attorney-client privilege under Delaware law. Read more...

Change is inevitable — and good graphic design inevitably triumphs. Read more...

It seems like every time you turn around somebody is apologizing for something. Read more...

Many of the most famous corporate names were developed by the companies’ founders. Read more...

Watch the full "Forbidden Dance? B2B & Social Media" event video coverage. Read more...

Did Mylan Inc. disclose confidential earnings information to a group of investors last September? Read more...

A wake up call for PR agencies trying to sell B2B services. Read more...

Today, a stock trades in 250 microseconds, prices can change rapidly and a crash is felt more rapidly. Read more...

We encourage you to tweet, blog, Flickr, YouTube and use whatever other app you’ve turned into a verb that you’d like. Read more...

What PRSA-NY panel discussion participants had to Tweet. Read more...

For many B2B companies, social media remains a mystery and/or threat to their corporate branding and marketing efforts.  Many organizations are understandably hesitant to participate in this relatively new area due to various influences such as industry regulations, legal concerns, and perceptions that social media only reaches consumer audiences. Read more...

How can a company that drills for oil, such as BP, not have a crisis plan? Read more...

According to Renaissance Capital, there have been 51 IPOs completed thus far this year. Read more...

It started when I saw GE’s 15-story wind turbine blade at the American Wind Energy Association conference last week. Read more...

We’re a week away from what will be a stellar event, but the conversation has already begun! Read more...

At a Makovsky-sponsored breakfast, Komansky fielded questions about the current financial crisis. Read more...

I’ve set about to collecting words and phrases we could dispense with. Read more...

S&P 500 CEO compensation is declining for second year in a row. Read more...

When the Romans were upset they put salt their enemy’s fields so that nothing could grow again. Read more...

Crowdsourcing can be a bit chaotic, so this model could be quite appealing for business professionals. Read more...

One of the biggest reasons B2B executives don't like social media is the weird behaviors of its communities. Read more...

Google moves away from the traditional press release. Read more...

It’s a small thing. But it might make a big impression. Read more...

A recent study of investment applications for The Corporate Library’s governance ratings shows outperformance in 2003-2010 for three hypothetical portfolios benchmarked to the Russell 1000. Read more...

Scientists ultimately hope to find a nutritinal intervention as a way to stop carcinogen development. Read more...

The answer to that question? Everything. Among the people who know you, when they hear your name, they think of everything about you. Read more...

As the credit markets begin to ease, mergers and acquisitions will likely accelerate this year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a leading global auditing firm. Read more...