Book Description

In a market cluttered with big and small companies competing for the consumer’s attention, public image becomes more critical than ever to the success of any business. Veronica Napoles’s Corporate Identity Design provides a practical tool for designing and implementing a successful, comprehensive corporate identity program. It is an invaluable resource, since fashioning a powerful and accessible identity is a company’s best bet for capturing the attention of consumers. Napoles explains the difference between corporate image—how a company is actually perceived by the public—and identity—how it wants to be perceived—and shows how to close the gap between the two. In doing so, she goes beyond previous books on the subject and anticipates the needs of consumers by incorporating elements of behavioral psychology into the design process. Corporate Identity Design is not merely a picture book or an anthology of symbols, but a comprehensive, detailed examination of all factors that lead to the choice and refinement of a corporate identity. Napoles’s concise, step-by-step overview looks at all phases of the corporate identity design process, including:

• recognizing the need for corporate identity adjustment
• selecting a basic symbol category from which to choose
• deciding on and refining a chosen symbol
• implementing a careful, intelligent program for phasing in the new corporate identity and ensuring its acceptance by the public.

Reviews (4)

great book but needs to be updated
This is a great book for the ones who need to learn identity design process. It provides very useful information about establishing an identity program.

The reason I gave 4 stars is that it's an old book so are the identity programs described are. On the other hand, most of the identity design programs described in the book are the ones which are still used by those companies owning them. So, the chosen examples are really good examples.

I suggest anyone who's interested in corporate design to buy the book without hesitation.

primer to learning design & client business considerations
Most books on logo design and corporate identity design are image heavy with examples and case studies instead, Veronica's book is very informative of the design process. I have taught graphic design for over 20 years at the university level and this book has always been on my recommended reading list and is one that I bring out to help explain how students should develop a concise design brief (the appendix includes a sample client questionnaire). Chapter 5 on methodology (lots of marketing analysis) appears too logical and counter intuitive but because artistic decision making has always been view skeptically by business, designers need to know how to problem solve in a manner that appears rational to business professionals. The introduction's section on "Image versus Identity" defines the two with good common sense advice. This book does not require any advanced academic studies to be comprehensive. I would give this book five stars if it were in color and updated with more contemporary examples.

A Good Introduction
Napoles text provides a good overview of the branding topic by mixing visual examples with instructional text which in turn support the text to create a step by step approach. I would thoroughly recommend the book for those seeking information on small scale projects. What is lacking is a strong strategic section dealing with large scale corporate issues. Studio designers working on small scale projects will benefit, but anyone looking for instruction on large scale consultancy type brand creation might be a bit disappointed.

Great Information!
I think this book is very usefull and descriptive. Is very difficult to find today graphic design books with information you can use in your everyday work.Usually there are a lot of books with images and graphic examples, but what about theory?! I highly recommend this one. ... Read more

Book Description

Presenting more than 70 tools, The Reinventor's Fieldbook includes hundreds of practical "lessons learned," "do's and don'ts," "steps to take," and "pitfalls to avoid" in public management and governance. Based on dozens of case studies from five countries, it covers the waterfront of high-performance public organizations, including: customer choice and customer service standards, performance measurement, and performance budgeting; employee empowerment and labor-management partnerships; managed competition and asset privatization; partnerships with communities; culture change strategies; and administrative system reform. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Therapy
The only thing this book is missing is a guide to the therapy you'll need when you fail to succeed. Many of the successes have turned to failure--you can succeed for a year or two, then you're out of businesses. These folks are charlatans of the worst kind. They encourage you to take great risks, come around to get your story, but are no where to be found when the governor or mayor or vice president leave office.

One Of A Kind
For most people government means bureaucracy. Not anymore. The Reinventor's Fieldbook lays out a new organization that will grab your imagination and focus it on performance. The book describes "how to" build a high performance government organization. It is filled with tools, stories, and references from all over the world. The hard research has been done for you.

Frankly I didn't think you could compile this much information and make it manageable. But the extraordinary research provided in the Reinventor's Fieldbook is presented in an easy to use format. Tools and methods are tied to issues of governing. The Reinventor's Fieldbook is one of a kind. It is the "how to" guide for delivering high performance government service.

Wow! Compendium works.
Wow! I was pleasantly surprised to find that this collection of how-to's for reinvention is very accessible. Having worked with David Osborne I knew there was a ton of good information for this book, but I was concerned that it could be made useful. David and Pete have found a format that works.

What reinvention is REALLY like
"The Reinventor's Fieldbook" is a great resource for anyone trying to reinvent/reform/transform/reengineer a government organization. It tells human stories that illustrate how your counterparts have tried, stumbled, and succeeded, at least partially.

It makes vivid the issues of serving customers, winning compliance, and changing culture. I felt like I had lived through Osborne's and Plastrik's stories.

Be forewarned!
I'm not objective because David Osborne is one of my business partners. Yet, I'm confident almost anyone who is serious about making government work better will find this reference book worth ten times its price. Osborne and Plastrik are giving us an amazing compendium of the knowledge and experience of thousands of reinventors. It is beautifully organized and cross referenced so that you can find everything from helpful little tips to comprehensive strategies. You name the problem, and the Fieldbook will give you multiple approaches to solving the problem.

Reinvention is inherently exploratory. Explorers need good maps. The Reinventor's Fieldbook is the best map available. ... Read more

Book Description

Using a clear, straightforward approach, this book provides a patient-oriented approach to complaint handling that can be used by all staff in an office, clinic, or system. Readers will learn how to develop a system for documenting patient complaints and comments, as well as strategies for monitoring and analyzing the information documented by patient claims. Other tools include a mechanism for changing behaviors of health care providers and improving delivery systems, strategies for dealing with difficult and abusive patients, and sample scripted transcripts for dealing with the most common types of complaints heard by health care practitioners.

With a solid service recovery system in place, health care organizations and practices can meet accreditation agency standards for grievance processes, and, as a result, greatly reduce risk management claims. ... Read more

Book Description

This handbook provides detailed crisis communication procedures for organizations that could confront any type of crisis, whether terrorist-related, violence in the workplace or a transport accident. With expert input from emergency first responders and the public and private sectors, the handbook outlines how to work with the media to inform, direct and calm the public, employees and stakeholders before, during and after emergencies. This handbook outlines how to create communications treams and effectively communicate "your message" during the media storm surrounding any critical incident

Contents include:
forming a Crisis Communications Tream and strategy
response procedures for natural disasters, human-caused hazards and mechanical malfunctions
public and private sector cooperation
creating a Joint Information Center with partners
stakeholder relations including guidance on the psychological effects of a crisis
fostering relationships with the media
interview do's and don'ts
press releases and press conferences
managing media pools
arranging anniversaries ... Read more

Book Description

This new series of fifteen books - The Food Service Professional Guide TO Series from the editors of the Food Service Professional are the best and most comprehensive books for serious food service operators available today.

These step-by-step guides on a specific management subject range from finding a great site for your new restaurant to how to train your wait staff and literally everything in between. They are easy and fast -to-read, easy to understand and will take the mystery out of the subject. The information is "boiled down" to the essence. They are filled to the brim with up to date and pertinent information.

The books cover all the bases, providing clear explanations and helpful, specific information. All titles in the series include the phone numbers and web sites of all companies discussed. What you won’t find are wordy explanations, tales of how someone did it better, or a scholarly lecture on the "theory". Think of them as "Cliff Notes TM" on the subject matter.

Every paragraph in each of the books are comprehensive, well researched, engrossing, and just plain fun-to-read, yet are packed with interesting ideas. You’ll be using your highlighter a lot! The best part aside from the content is they are very moderately price. You can also purchase the whole 15 book series the isbn number is 0-910627-26-6. You are bound to get a great new idea to try on every page if not out of every paragraph. Do not be put off by the low price, these books really do deliver the critical information and eye opening ideas you need you to succeed without the fluff so commonly found in more expensive books on the subject. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Worked for me!
I bought this guide because I needed some innovative ideas for public relations without spending a fortune. Lambert really made it an easy read and I saw more results using her ideas than I have my own the past 10 years. Buy the book! Then don't be afraid to try out even the most insane sounding measures she suggests.

Great Book
Great Book! I Found These step-by-step guides easy-to-read, and easy to understand! The books are packed with information. They reminded me of "cliff Notes" from my college days.The information is comprehensive without the fluff you find in so many of the more expensive books out there on the subject. The books are also packed with resources such as phone numbers and the web sites of the companies they are discussing - there is no "theory" just great information. ... Read more

Book Description

This enlightening book describes and explains the new industry that has evolved to help achieve "visibility" in one's professional life. Students will learn the marketing techniques used to separate the leaders from the followers.

High Visibility unlocks the mysterious enigma of celebrityhood, with examples from all walks of life, for a thorough understanding of the subject matter. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An excellent book on celebrityhood
First, I read the 1987 edition of this book. Saying it is pretty much the same and just mildy updated...

This isn't a nuts-n-bolts how-to book on becoming a celebrity. For that, you'll have to read elsewhere. HOWEVER, this is an absolute must-read for all wannabe, current, and former celebrities and those that make people celebrities. I've never come across a book that has exposed the foundations of celebritydom as this book has. It's "Audience Intensity Ladder" alone is worth picking up this book. Since 1987, I've regularly re-read my highlights of this book and I commonly recommend it to the posters of the four business newsgroups I co-moderate. Those being misc.business.marketing.moderated, misc.business.moderated, misc.business.consulting, and misc.entrepreneurs.moderated.

Good book but the reference of his research are not valid!!!
This book is a fundamental to the Celebrity Industry!!!
All Celebrities should know about that book.
Nonetheless I have tried to trace the references of the book and I could not.
There some interesting studies conduct by Northwestern University. I have tried to call them and read them but I end up in dead end.
Moreover there are some referwences that supposed to be direct interviews to a celebrity that I would like to read and this is no possible at all.
Last but not least the book binding is terrible and it is follinng apart after the first month...
I might be using it often????
Anyway I recommed this book to anyone interested in the Celebrity industry!!!

Good Stuff
I always wanted to know how some celebs are still around and others aren't. Everyone still talks about Marilyn! And James Dean, and he made, what, 3 movies? So, I thought Rein could answer my questions. He did, but I found Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired better. Mike covers the how-tos. Irv just does the overall stuff. Still fun to know for Jeopardy, but *how?!* That's what Irv didn't do as well, the down-and-dirty details.

High Visibility In The Making .....For Novice PR Persons
"High Visibility" sheds light in to the sometimes opaque world of publicists and celebrity marketing. Case studies from many different people from all walks of life (atheletes to porn stars)who sought to be in the lime-light are examined throught this book. Why are certain personalities still being sought after since 20 years while others fade away from our memories after only one week? There are many answers but not detailed enough.

I found the most interesting part to be "The Technique of Transformation". Here the authors discuss and show different examples of how a "dying star" made a comeback by redefining their personality and what they represent. Some people are forced to change after a scandle or a peak in performance and must exploit the media in order to thrust their client back on center stage. How the publicist propaganda machine works to take advantage of both print and visual media is explained but I feel it should have been much more detailed. They stopped right when it was becoming very interesting. Then again, maybe this was part of the marketing plan to create more demand for the "High Visibility II".... just joking.

It is a book that all marketing people should read as almost all of the concepts from marketing personalities can be transfered to all products in any industry.

Very Disappointed
I was very disappointed in this book and would not recommend it to others to read. Alot of the book was common sense and basic general reading. If you are looking to create high visability this book will not be very helpful in helping you set a plan to create high visability or anything else for that matter. The book doesnt get useful until near the end of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

State-of-the-art methods for finding, securing, and retaining the best corporate sponsors
The authoritative guide to creating and closing deals with irresistible ROIs
Event Sponsorship provides step-by-step guidelines for attracting, signing, and keeping sponsorship for any event, including festivals, conventions, expositions, sporting events, arts and entertainment spectaculars, charity benefits, and much more. This hands-on resource presents successful strategies and tools for staying competitive in today's market by offering corporate sponsors the highest return possible on their investment. Leading experts give real-world advice for researching and targeting prospective companies, developing a sponsorship marketing plan, creating an effective proposal, selling the sponsorship, and negotiating a deal.
Learn how to bring increased sponsorship dollars to any event by:
* Placing value on sponsorships
* Expanding the value of a sponsor
* Creating the best image for an event
* Networking with other event professionals worldwide
With complete coverage including case studies, legal issues, the Internet, the sophisticated corporate customer, non-sports sponsorship opportunities, and an international view of sponsorship, Event Sponsorship is a powerful tool for event managers and other event professionals.
THE WILEY EVENT MANAGEMENT SERIES-Series Editor, Dr. Joe Goldblatt, CSEP
THE WILEY EVENT MANAGEMENT SERIES provides professionals with the essential knowledge and cutting-edge tools they need to excel in one of the most exciting and rapidly growing sectors of the hospitality and tourism industry. Written by recognized experts in the field, the volumes in the series cover the research, design, planning, coordination, and evaluation methods as well as specialized areas of event management. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Enlightening
There's so much to learn about event sponsorship. It was interesting to see the various views of the industry, including how to expand the value of the sponsor, as well as the image of the actual event. ... Read more

Book Description

No industry has been affected more permanently and positively by the Internet than public relations. Winning PR in the Wired World brings everyone from the CEO to the director of marketing up to cyberspeed by teaching them everything they need to know about PR in the new digital economy. Readers will learn how to implement communications guru Don Middleberg¿s four fast ¿rules¿ to successful PR: 1) Speed Wins, 2) Everyone Is Now an Entrepreneur, 3) The World Ends Every 120 Days, and 4) Buzz Is Everything. Middleberg then breaks his rules down in detail and expands on them, offering his keen insight into the marketplace of today and tomorrow. Winning PR in the Wired World analyzes how traditional PR has changed¿discussing what¿s new, what works, and what doesn¿t¿and provides insight and advice on how to make offline and online PR work together for effective campaigns. This groundbreaking guide takes a practical look at powerhouse companies that have implemented effective PR campaigns on the Web, including Amazon.com, Britannica.com, Victoria¿s Secret, Nike, and CDNow. Don Middleberg is the chairman and CEO of Middleberg Euro, the fastest-growing public relations agency in the country for the past two years, with offices in New York, San Francisco, and Boston. A leader in public relations and marketing, Middleberg is widely considered to be among the elite communications professionals in digital public relations. A noted author and lecturer, he is coauthor of the groundbreaking Middleberg/Ross Media in Cyberspace Study. Middleberg is regularly called upon for commentary by numberous magazines and newspapers and has appeared on CNBC, C/Net, CNN, and National Public Radio. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The Brave New World of Communications
The whole world of advertising, marketing, public relations is in a chaotic state. Old rules just don't apply. Lines, hard cut in the corporate and consumer landscape are blurring and for the first time in a century we find ourselves scrambling to define who we are and what we do.

I run a firm that provides tactical creative services to the corporate world. Don Middleberg's book makes one thing clear: This is a new millenium for any communications business. Any company that hopes to be heard above the din needs to understand the concepts illustrated in this book.

"Winning PR in the Wired World" sounds a bell... a wake up call.
Agile, smart, awake and aware companies can ride the wave or be left behind. Get this book.

If there was useful info, I couldn't find it under the hype
The most shameful part of public relations writing is the tendency to sacrifice quality for quantity ... to write something far too long about a very simple key message. (Ask any editor who has been approached by a feature-story-bearing Account Executive). Alas, in this respect Don Middleberg hasn't progressed beyond the low-tech hacks of yesteryear.

I had high hopes for this book, which by all rights should have been the defining text of this era. What I found was a moderate amount of useful information totally obscured by repetitive slush. Some variation of "Companies today need to rethink their strategies to compete in the new economy" appeared on nearly every page. I wish Don had summarized the results of his research in a pamphlet.

Adding insult to injury, the text seemed time and time again to have been doctored at the last minute to cope with the dot-com crash. These PR strategies are not for the Wired World we are now entering, but for the short-lived Net Bubble.

Strong and Engaging
Middleberg's work is about using the Internet to achieve the communication goal of an organization. He hardly stands alone in writing about this area. The real trick to success lays in the techniques discussed and how applicable they are. While they're quite useful, I found Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired to be more effective.

That said, Middleberg's work has plenty of useful ideas. Given his reputation, though, I expected far more. It's a good book, but it fell a bit short of my expectations.

Letdown ... big letdown
I purchased this book because of Don Middleberg's good reputation in the PR field. Put simply, it would be an understatement to say that this book is terrible. Three main reasons for my drawing this conclusion: 1. outdated anecdotes and examples to illustrate ideas, 2. the thrust of the book (i.e., what value you get out of it when finished) is bland and generic at best, and 3. poor writing. Middleberg is definitely a successful PR professional but this book is a stinker for certain - and a big waste of money.

Outstanding
Don Middleberg has a winning book here. Having done internet pr and developed web sites, he has put into words many of the techinques learned from on-the-job training. Now as a college professor teaching communications, this is a must read for the students as it gives them a background on how the internet has changed the communications landscape. ... Read more

Book Description

Through good and bad, few companies have been so prominently and constantly in the public eye as AT&T. Unblinkingly honest, Tough Calls is an insider's firsthand account of how AT&T tried to cope with fierce competition, economic turmoil, and intense media scrutiny. Tough Calls sheds new light on some of the telecom and media industries' most high-profile leaders as well as watershed events in AT&T's recent history, including:* the 1996 layoff of 40,000 employees* CEO succession gone awry* ongoing battles with the Bells* more than $100 billion in acquisitions* AT&T's second break-up in five years A cautionary tale that all businesses should heed, Tough Calls takes readers behind the scenes to show:* how the media decide what is business news on any given day* the outsized influence of small groups with big interests* how hardball public relations tactics can backfireTo be sure, AT&T retains its position as a key player in the ever-expanding telecommunications industry. But it has had to struggle to remain competitive. Tough Calls draws valuable business lessons from AT&T's experience, and illuminates paths to take as well as those to avoid at all costs. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Competing for Capital

"An indispensable guide for investor relations and communication counselors alike. With more individual investors in the market than ever before, this book makes navigating the new regulatory playing field much more possible—and makes clear the path to victory."
—Michael W. Robinson
Director, Levick Strategic Communications; Former Director of Public Affairs and Policy, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Director of Media Relations, NASD

"More than simply writing a textbook on IR, Bruce Marcus shares his wealth of experience and critical viewpoint with those seeking to understand a fast-changing profession."
—June Filingeri
President of Comm-Partners LLC, Investor Relations Consultant, and Educator

"Bruce Marcus puts some solid ground under the shifting landscape of being an investor relations professional. A must-read primer for public companies."
—Robert C. Roeper
Managing Director, VIMAC Ventures, LLC

"As the song lyrics go, 'everything old is new again,' but this time with a vengeance.Disclosure has always been the touchstone of securities laws, but now more disclosure is required on a real-time basis with heightened accountability. Competing for Capital is a must-read for those in the securities industry, providing insights into securities markets, the information age and technology, and their impact on the job of investor relations professionals. Investors come in all shapes and sizes from around the globe, and investor relations personnel have their work cut out for them to provide clear, comprehensible, and comprehensive information, accessible to the novice and sophisticate alike. Competing for Capital shows them the way."
—Donna L. Brooks, Esq.
Partner, Shipman & Goodwin, LLP

"Competing for Capital puts our recent turbulent financial marketplace in context, provides solid information for both new and experienced investor relations practitioners, and offers insights into the future of IR—all in Bruce Marcus's easy-reading style."
—Dixie Watterson
IR consultant, Communica Partners

"Competing for Capital aptly illustrates how investor relations has become a major corporate responsibility in generating trust, and how the profession must realize now more than ever that the needs of investors have changed because of technology, regulation, and globalization."
—Mark Kollar
Managing Director, Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is a GREAT book . . .
. . . and I was particularly impressed with Chapter 4, "A funny thing happened on the way to unbridled wealth," Chapter 6 covering what analysts really want and much of the insight on investor trust, corporate responsibility and compliance found throughout the text.

Now, okay, I admit it . . . I'm biased. I happen to like Marcus's writing and I think that he has clearly outdone himself with Competing For Capital. If you're an IR officer, an analyst, a banker, or a corporate executive like me, I believe you will find a wealth of information in this book.

Alternatively, you might see Redhawk's review of this book and then note that all of his other reviews have been about sports books. Now what does that tell you?
... Read more

Amazon.com

Sure, many of us in this modern world are cynical. The most cynical may even suspect that the news is manipulated and massaged by sponsors, that corporations act in their best interests, that political campaigns are determined not by votes, but by bucks, and that we don't get "all the news that's fit to print" but instead, "all the news that gets the ink". But even the most media-savvy amongst you will be awed by the behind-the-scenes descriptions of the Public Relations industry in action so masterfully described in this book.If you want your eyes to be opened, open them upon the pages of this book. (But remember:there are some very important people counting on you, and they really would prefer that you didn't ever hear about this book, much less buy it.) ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Sometimes interesting, but obviously biased.
This is a somewhat interesting book...some interesting facts and comments. I enjoyed reading it, up until the point they started defending Saddam...they sort of lost me there. Rather transparent in their intent to incite (PR men and women are usually called "flacks" and they never "say" anything, they only "boast" or "brag"). Seemed like they were trying to do to the reader what they were bashing in the book. Despite the obvious bias, there were some excellent questions and issues brought up. There are problems in the PR and media industries. The authors think they are the devil himself...I think they are latching onto an easy scapegoat, without looking at the REAL problems and issues facing our society. They certainly don't credit the typical American with much intelligence or common-sense. I was also left with the feeling that much of the information was incomplete...so they appear guilty of "spin" like the PR industry they despise. Still...taken with a grain of salt and a little skepticism, it's a fun and sometimes insightful book.

If only this book were standard curriculum in the schools!
This book is one of the most eye-opening things I have ever read, and given how much I read that is saying a lot! As a person who has worked in PR as a lobbyist (in my case for a state university), I was already somewhat acquainted with, and disgusted by, the general processes used by the industry. This book, however, put a whole new spin on things. The concrete examples of some of the PR fiascos that have been used on the American people were depressingly explicit. Yes, this book is one-sided. It never pretends not to be. It is also a must-read for anyone who views the media. If you read this book, you'll never read a newspaper the same way again. Does the book add to one's cynicism? Yes, but sometimes cynicism is a preservational force. This is one of those times.

These Guys Are Good, and Fighting the Good Fight!
Where oh where do I begin? Toxic Sludge... takes a jaded look at the public relations industry, and exposes more than a few objectionable practices perpetrated on behalf of (mostly) corporate America's pursuit of the Almighty Buck.

I say 'mostly' because, however distressing it may be to informed and intelligent citizenship, even the United States Government and more than a few foreign regimes solicit the services of these most nefarious snake oil salesmen. Let's face it, you really do not consume the services of PR firms in order to foster good relations with your customers, you go to them when you have done something bad, and you want it covered up, or at least 'spinned' in the 'right' direction. You solicit the help of PR flacks and keep them on juicy retainers in order to look good, and not to be good. When the doo-doo hits the fan, whose a corporate ne'er do well gonna call? The PR company, that's who.

Toxic Sludge... contains twelve chapters of absorbing reading. From countermeasures directed at censoring information thoroughly in the public domain, keeping books off the bookshelves and dissenting voices from being heard, to infiltrating shoe-string activist organizations, fomenting criminal insurgency and subverting (and ultimately perverting) any and all attempts to relay the facts, the authors provide example after example of very well-financed government and corporate interests actively frustrating (and quite often foiling) intelligent and inormed democratic participation in the political and economic process. As Mark Dowie, the author of the introduction says, in an environment rife with PR, facts can not survive, nor can the truth prevail.

Some of the strategies and tactics PR firms used with giddy abandon on often unsuspecting targets truly shocked me, for many tools and tricks from the PR Playbook share an eerie resemblance to CIA methods and operations. In fact, more than a few PR players and heavy hitters get their inspiration from millitary strategists such as von Clauswitz, and cross-fertilization between PR firms and the upper levels of government and corporate America impart a uniquely acidic aggressivity and practiced slickness to their campaigns against their opponents. Some of their more colorful operations reminded me of the FBI's use, via its infamous COINTELPRO initiative, of agent provocateurs against student groups, anti-Vietnam war protestors and civil rights activists during the late sixties and early-mid-seventies. This unholy alliance between government, corporations and PR firms, combined with their incestuous linkages to the ad industry, make for one formidable and thorougly intimidating opponent.

The book contains a veritable smorgasbord of eminently quotable quotes and delightful (and very distressing) anecdotes. In this vein, my personal favorite is the story of how PT Barnum, of circus fame, got his start. He put on display an old, black slavewoman, and billed her as 'George Washington's childhood nursemaid', and get this- he claimed that she was one hundred and sixty years old. Barnum made certain that he got the woman in the news as often as he could, and it did not matter what the papers said, as long as his name was spelled right. Of course, Barnum made a killing, the woman died, an autopsy was performed for the benefit of more than a few skeptics, and gee whiz, it turned out that she could not have been more than eighty.

Barnum, of course, handled the situation like the PR pro he was. When the truth was finally revealed, he went public, and said he was shocked, truly shocked, at the way the woman had deceived him!

And that anecdote, in essence, describes the modus operandi of the PR professional. PR pros turn the truth inside out. While they greatly prefer subtlety, they will stoop to other, more brutish tactics in service of their cause. PR groups can obtain favorable coverage of their worldview, much like Barnum did, and can readily obtain the willing cooperation of government agencies, as well as current and former high ranking government officials and politicians to do their questionable bidding.

The PR firm has proven itself to be at times a sinister, vicious octopus with many tentacles in some of the most unlikely places. As such, it behooves any concerned citizen to read this book and take notice of this beast as he or she participates in the marketplace of ideas.

I have three words: beautiful, researched, moving.
See, long ago (how long? More than one hundred years...) advertising, and not circulation (that small fee you pay when you buy a magazine or daily newspaper) was already the number one source of income for most newspapers. Is it too difficult to predict that advertisers can exert power over publishers?
And when you learn from this book that 10 out of the top 15 Public Relations firms (already back in 1994) are owned by advertising firms, and you do the math, I believe you'll then find easy to understand why some unpleasant news don't find their way through the "free" press...

This book is extremely well researched; it pushes you to think twice at problems; it is a good handbook on how to spot deceit; it is a source of hope.
It is also somewhat scary and somewhat difficult as well (many quotations save the authors from lawsuits but slow the reading speed; there are topics on international politics; there's some reasoning about chemistry...) so I don't recommend it to the average reader (choose "Trust us, we're experts" by the same authors and "Influence" by Robert Cialdini first, then come back and dig this one).

Quotations follow:
"The radioactive waste from nuclear power plants contains the deadliest substances known. It consists mostly of spent fuel which, although it is no longer suitable for generating power, will remain radioactive and lethal for over 100,000 years."

"The business class dominates government through its ability to fund political campaigns, purchase high priced lobbysts and reward former officials with lucrative jobs."

"When an issue is actually coming up for a vote, [this direct-marketer] turns to his phone banks: 'Phones are for speed. Another advantage of phones is that it's really flexible. You test mail, get results in three weeks, and make adjustments. With phones you're on the phones today, you analyze your results, you change your script and try a new thing tomorrow. In a three-day program you can make four or five different changes, find out what's really working, what messages really motivate people, and improve your response rates'. "
Everybody hates junk mail and junk phone calls. Problem is, this stuff works...

"Every day 20 million Americans tune in and turn on to the Limbaugh talk radio show, which is aired on 650 stations across the United States. However, few people realize the degree of technologically sophisticated orchestration behind Limbaugh's power. [Someone] explained how his coalition used paid ads on the Limbaugh show to generate thousands of citizen phone calls urging legislators to kill health reform. First, Rush would hip us his 'dittohead' fans with a calculated rant against the Clinton health plan. Then during a commercial break listeners would hear a anti-health care ad and an 800 number to call for more information. Calling the number would connect them to a telemarketer, who would talk to them briefly and then 'patch them through' directly to their congressperson's office. The congressional staffers fielding the calls typically had no idea that the constituents had been primed, loaded, aimed and fired at them by radio ads on the Limbaugh show, paid by the insurance industry, with the goal of orchestrating grassroots opposition to health reform".
One wonders (might I add?) how naive and unfit for the job American congresspersons are! They just don't know a trick played on some 20 million fellow citizens!?

Do you know SLAPP lawsuits? They are Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, their goal is to force the defendant to run up huge bills: and shut up, of course. And what happens if lawsuits fail?
"And if lawsuits fail, some anti-environmentalists urge even stronger tactics. Former Interior Secretary James Watt (who in 1996 pleaded guilty to trying to influence a Federal grand jury) told a gathering of cattlemen in June 1990, 'If the troubles from environmentalists cannot be solved in the jury box or at the ballot box, perhaps the cartridge box should be used.' ".

There are tens of quotable lines in this book, I just think those above are enough to give you some clue about its relevance.

I tried to imagine how to describe a country where less than half the citizens bother to vote, politicians get massive amounts of money from corporations (why? and what's the compensation?), consumers lemmingly follow what the media tell them. I have three words: apathy, greed, gullibility. This book is a very effective antidote.

open up and say ahhhhh
an enlightening collection of articles that expose the PR scandals and ongoing campaigns of misinformation that cover our brains like so much toxic slime.

The information is intelligently presented and serves as a primer on knowing exactly what is going on. Like the "War on Drugs," we unfortunately buy into way too much propaganda and yet we still call ourselves a "free" society.

Libertarians and Ralph Nader wannabes everywhere should seriously consider ordering and reading this thorough and strangely entertaining work of illumination.

It misses a point for being kinda pricey for its size (compare with "Everything You Know is Wrong.") Ironic - given its subject matter of being duped.

I'm glad I got it, though.

Just say Know!!! ... Read more

Book Description

This engaging and highly effective guide is one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date PR writing books available. This book thoroughly integrates new communication technologies-the Internet, World Wide Web, Webcasting, etc.-and shows the many techniques on the horizon and currently in use to reach a variety of audiences. An abundance of real-world examples and illustrations showcase outstanding work by public relations professionals and provide models for readers. Clearly-written and well-organized, this book places emphasis on the "nuts and bolts" of daily work in public relations, providing step-by-step procedures for creating and distributing a variety of successful public relations materials.For public relations writers learning or honing their trade, and people with an interest in public relations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

great for reading in class
I had to read this book for school and I was completely bowled over because I was expecting it to be the same boring snoozer that most of my text books were. and irrelevant. But it wasn't. It was totally cool and got me a great grade in that class. The only other book I liked enough to read more than once for class was Guerrilla PR Wired by Michael Levine. The way it broke down all the little steps was really useful.

One of the Best Overall PR Books
Wilcox and Jackson take on a huge topic--pr--and manage to digest and regurgitate it in a well-written and easy-to-understand style for students and newcomers, yet still retaining enough impact for experienced hands.

Unlike many peers who fail to take their subject into today's wired world, Wilcox and Jackson are fully aware and embrace the fact that a book that ignores the Internet is a book that is only half-complete, not complete with a future edition to create tomorrow. In that, they are similar to Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired, which focuses on low-cost methods to use the Internet to attain the organization's public relations goal.

Fundamentally, while Wilcox and Jackson cover various techniques step-by-step and explore the importance of good writing in general, one truth must be distinctly understood--for all their own skill in writing, Wilcox and Jackson cannot teach good writing. But, that is a fault common to all public relations and business books.

I teach using this text--the learning curve is very hgh!
I teach PR for Drexel University in Philadelphia. My non-traditional students are employees in a very large corporation who are earning a special degree in Customer Service Operations. This book enables them to work with me in taking on a non-profit "client" for whom we do a complete PR/marketing plan in just five weeks. I'm continually amazed at how well they learn all the basic premises from the book, augmented by my teaching and lectures from experts. The authors are members of my national PR group, Public Relations Society of America, which also pleases me very much--it works, gentlemen! Rosemary Rys, APR ... Read more

Book Description

THIS IS PR: THE REALITIES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS is now available in a new paperback format providing the same great coverage at a value price for students. This authoritative text was written to provide information and guidance that will be useful to the experienced practitioner as well as to the beginning student. Students are introduced to the world of public relations through a strong emphasis on public relations fundamentals, such as history and research, as well as emerging issues, such as technology, ethics, and the international aspects of public relations. With numerous examples, strategies, tactics and case studies, students are sure to engaged and prepared! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good Textbook
Okay, I had to get it for a class. Now, I'm not saying it's a bad book. But, it's a text--lots of useful info written in the most insomnia-defeating way possible.

You'll find out everything you ever wanted to know but never knew would be on the final. But, it's weak on the 'Net. For that, a friend loaned me her Guerrilla PR: Wired by Michael Levine. Wow! Totally deals with the Internet and how to use it to your advantage.

Like I said, This is PR isn't bad or anything. In fact, it's actually pretty good. I wish it were a bit cheaper, though, but it's a text--ever find a new text for under $100?

Good Book
This book gives you a general view of public realtions that is good for those who are curious about the industry. However, I would read Michael Levine's Guerilla PR Wired to gain a more thorough view of Public Relations.

Solid, well-written textbook
Though it could use an updated edition, This is PR is a terrific textbook. It doesn't get the respect or attention that Cutlip's Effective Public Relations text gets, but it's nearly as good. ... Read more

Book Description

A corporate campaign is an organized assault on the reputation of a company that has offended some interest group. Although corporate campaigns often involve political, economic, and legal tactics, they are centered around the media, where protagonists attempt to redefine the image-and undermine the reputation-of the target company. It is a strategy most frequently employed by unions but is also employed by special interests such as environmental or human rights groups. Sometimes it is even employed by one corporation against another. It is a rapidly growing phenomenon that is still unknown to the general public, to most academics and journalists, and is rarely understood by the corporations that find themselves on the firing line.

The Death of a Thousand Cuts argues and demonstrates that corporate campaigns are a distinctive phenomenon whose manifestations are today ubiquitous in both the marketplace and the media. This volume examines, in considerable detail, the history, strategy, tactics, effects, consequences, and likely future directions of the corporate campaign and of its non?labor?based cousin, the anti?corporate campaign. The book is based on ample sources and methods, among them an extensive review and analysis of media coverage, news releases, previous scholarship, union publications, campaign materials, interviews and conversations with individuals who have experienced corporate campaign, public presentations by labor leaders and others, correspondence, Internet postings, case law summaries, documents, videotapes, and other materials. Through original data and interpretation, this book adds context and integration to these materials thus giving them meaning.

Key features of this outstanding new book include: * A thorough and clear explanation or what a corporate campaign is and how it differs from other more mundane "public relations" campaigns. * A detailed examination of strategies and tactics that includes their historical development. Some of the more high profile target companies in recent years include Coca?Cola, Microsoft, Catepillar, Campbell's Soup, Federal Express, General Dynamics, Home Depot, International Paper, K?Mart, Nike, Texaco, Walmart, Starbucks, and UPS. * Hundreds of examples that help explain such contemporary events as the anti?sweatshop movement on college campuses, the living wage movement, and the protests against the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. * A lengthy appendix contains abbreviated descriptions of nearly 200 corporate campaigns waged by labor unions and various advocacy groups since the idea of the corporate campaign was first developed in the 1960's. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A book that deserves to be read
I picked up Manheim's book by chance during a visit to the United States and it was indeed a revelation.

As a Ph.D student in communications, I have read my fair share of books but Manheim's volume is a standout.

It is an extradordinary piece of scholarship the way he has tied all the different threads of this growing phenomenon together to give us a fairly sophisticated, yet extremely readable analysis of what we are seeing today.

Though there have been the occasional article or monograph written on this area before, no one has traced the evolution of this concept so thoroughly or assembled such an impressive number of case studies about corporate campaigns.

Apart from this, Manheim's book has a number of other strengths that make it quite compelling.

As a communications scholar of some note,Manheim understably, devotes considerable time and attention to analysis of the communications strategies employed by the antagonists of a company. His discussion of the activist need to define "the moral high ground" is fascinating.

Another strength is his discussion of codes of conduct and how activists use them against companies. Codes of conduct based campaigning by activists is not a terribly well understood phenomena within the corporate sector which is surprising given the proliferation of these charters, codes or compacts.

The space that Manheim devotes to shareholder activism is also intriguing given the growing efforts of activists to target companies through key stakeholders such as institutional investors and the like.

All of this marks Manheim's book as a must-have for anyone working in a corporation who is in a corporate affairs, public affairs, human resources, investor relations, marketing and especially higher management function. ... Read more

Book Description

Crises have no boundaries. Any company, organization and institution is vulnerable. A shooting or other violence in the workplace. An explosion. Product recall. Release of toxic substance. Natural disaster.This book is the complete guide to crisis communictions.The better a management team is prepared, the better it will be able to communicate and contain and incident before it becomes a crisis.This should be required reading for anyone running a successful enterprise in today's crisis-prone environment. For a senior manager, it could be job insurance! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This book is simplistic
The author provides case study after case study with practically no analysis himself. He spends an entire chapter promoting himself and lambasting a client who didn't heed his advice.

Is this a good book for newcomers? Possibly. If you're a student and don't know much about public relations this book will probably interest you. If you're a practioner and this book is anything other than remidal reading, it may be time to consider finding a new career.

To his credit, the author does present case studies that run the gamut from non-profits, to disasters, to educational instituions, to criminal clients. He does provide a wide array of different situations.

I have no doubt that the author is an excellent practioner of the art of public relations. As a journalist and an instructor, the book leaves something to be desired.

An excellent resource
I found this to be one of the best books out there on risk and crisis communication. The author succinctly presents a wealth of practical information and tips. This book is as useful for newcomers to the field, as well as those who have weathered many a crisis. In addition, its universal advice applies to all organizations--whether you are in industry, government, education, sports, or non-profit. I've bought copies for all my staff! ... Read more

Book Description

This student workbook is a supplement to Crisis Communications: A Caseboook Approach. It is a step by step process in doing the crisis communications plan. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Excellent Overview of How PR Crises Are Handled
I anticipated that reading a book about my profession would be rather dry, but was actually quite riveted by this book. It goes into excellent detail about the way a wide variety of crises are handled and offers common sense and explicit guidlines about how to deal with crisis communications.

Such a variety are included that it is likely to cover an area familiar to any PR professional.

She includes detailed interviews with those in charge of dealing with the media and several crisis communications plans. From NIKE to the postal service shootings, the book takes an inside look at how different PR professionals reacted to the variety of circumstances.

It is always useful to look closely at what others in your business are doing and this book does an excellent job of conveying that. This book consolidated many things I knew but had not put together completely. ... Read more

Book Description

Building on the success and high standards of its previous two editions, the updated and expanded third edition of On Deadline: Managing Media Relations maintains its status as the foremost book on media relations in the corporate and nonprofit sectors. From hosting news conferences on the Internet to responding to reporters' queries in an emergency, from creating a media program to sustaining good relationships with journalists, from coaching spokespersons on interview techniques to providing bottom-line measurement and evaluation of media programs, the authors give practical advice based on decades of real-world experience. All aspects of media relations are included, beginning with basic definitions of news and how it gets to the public and building to more sophisticated evaluation and counseling sections. Ethics, media events, and crisis communications all have separate chapters. As well, this edition includes a new chapter on how changes in the media world are changing the media relations job, greatly expanded coverage of international media relations, emphasis on more sophisticated measurement tools focusing on changing opinions and behaviors, new information on how the Internet has affected the practice of media relations, and new and more case histories than ever before. With a clear and fast-moving style, the third edition of On Deadline is a practical guide to effectively managing media relations programs that will help achieve your organization's business goals and make you a valued counselor to management. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Building a better Media Relations Plan? This book can help!
Do your press releases result in news coverage? Do reporters return your phone calls? If not,"On Deadline" is THE book you need to be successful in building relationships with the media.

The fundamentals I learned in ON DEADLINE helped me create a successful media relations program. I liked this book because it helped me organize my efforts and target the appropriate audiences. Media Relations is a challenging job, and ON DEADLINE breaks it down into easy steps.

Whether you are new to this field or are on old pro, you can take away valuable tips from this book. From getting started to building trusting relationships with reporters to ethics to media events and through crisis planning, Mathews and Howard walk the reader through the challenges and rewards faced by media relations professionals.

Being on a journalist's "A" List is no accident...if you want to have a solid relationship with the media, you have to work at it. ON DEADLINE speaks to the virtues all media relations professionals must have to get the desired results for their companies. An effective media relations plan is more than a mound of newspaper clippings, and ON DEADLINE details the significance of strategic media relations planning. In Chapter 3, "Tools of the Trade," ON DEADLINE provides a no-nonsense approach to writing effective press releases that are worthy of news coverage. In addition, the main ideas from Chapter 6, entitled "Ethics - The Golden Rules of Media Relations," should be posted in the office of every media relations professional. Of course, what good is a media relations program without measuring the results? Chapter 10, "Evaluation," details methods that can be implemented to measure the effectiveness of any media relations effort.

If you want to be a successful media relations professional, ON DEADLINE is the only book you will need to succeed in this business.

Good, practical advice
I read this book after I had joined one of the nation's top PR firms. Had I read it earlier, I could have avoided some early mistakes since I did not have an extensive PR background. This book has plenty of practical advice that is on track to help you succeed in the PR world. ... Read more

Download Description

The New PR Toolkit delivers proven strategies and tactics for using today's most powerful new online communications tools to strengthen any brand and every stakeholder relationship. Drawing on detailed case studies, the authors offer no-holds-barred asses ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fantastic Tool
This book is a great tool for those looking to better understand the world of online pr. A step by step approach to maximizing this essential tool in today's fast paced business environment. Provides excellent case studies, blueprints and direction in an informative conversational style. An excellent tool for a college PR course, or professionals looking to get the most out of the web. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! ... Read more