There were many takeaways from the 2024 presidential election that can be used by account execs on non-political accounts. And I have detailed more than a few of them on this site over the past few months. But if there is one that stands out, it is the importance of...
PR lessons from the 2024 election that can be applied to non-political PR accounts
There are many lessons from the just concluded election that apply to non-political PR accounts. The most important lesson, in my opinion, is not new—it dates back to before either of the candidates, or even American elections, was born. It was stated by the Scottish...
Election Day PR insights: Strategies to prevent a client’s comments from being misused by the opposition
The Republican’s use of President Biden’s “garbage” comments couldn’t have come at a worse time for Vice President Kamala Harris. It overshadowed her highly regarded “final message,” as defined by pundits, even though it was hardly her “final message,” because there...
Political PR fallout from Trump rally comic shows the importance of controlling your spokesperson
During Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on October 27, stand-up comedian Tony Hinchcliff unleashed a wave of insults and vulgar statements about Jews, Palestinians, Latinos and African Americans. Even though Mr. Trump and other Republicans said they...
A PR lesson from Kamala Harris’ campaign that all practitioners should learn
As I write this essay on October 23, unlike the pundits on cable TV, or the print pundits known as columnists, I don’t know who will be elected president. But at this juncture I know two things: It doesn’t look good for Ms Harris. Her once former lead over the former...
The Presidential PR textbook: 2024 political campaigning examples with lessons for PR
There are many valuable PR lessons that are not taught in communications classes that can be learned by keeping up with the news—and the current presidential election provides quite a few. A non-partisan review shows that vice president Kamala Harris provides lessons...
PR lessons to be learned from Trump’s ‘not my fault’ strategy
Former President Donald Trump has been using an old PR strategy in his bid for reelection. His tactics are to blame Kamala Harris and anyone else except himself for every problem in our country. Blaming someone else is a tactic that some entities in crisis situations...
Recent political happenings show why PR practitioners should be careful of how they handle other confidential information
Arguably, the two most important lessons that PR practitioners should have learned (so far) from the 2024 political scene concern the use of cell phones and emails. Emails containing derogatory remarks about Mr. Trump that JD Vance sent before he became a supporter of...
How to turn a short-lived crisis story into a marathon—Trump’s response to the incident at Arlington National Ceremony is a perfect example
Many PR crisis specialists believe that not replying to a negative news article is tantamount to an admission of guilt and that it must be answered. I’ve never agreed with that. I’ve always believed that it depends on the circumstances. If the article is about a major...
The recently concluded Olympics Games provided important lessons for PR people that should never be forgotten
I’ve long said that the IOC’s claim that the Olympics brings people together doesn’t hold water. On September 11, my contention was confirmed when French officials said, “French authorities foiled three plots to attack the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris and...
PR lessons learned from the Harris-Trump debate—and did media training pay off?
I’m a big believer that many important PR lessons can be learned by following the news. Thus, I watched the Harris-Trump debate with two things in mind: 1) to see if any PR lessons from it could be applied to non-political accounts, and 2) if intensive media training,...
How thinking outside the box helped convict Donald Trump—and how it can help you advance at your agency
Former president Donald Trump's sentencing day has been delayed from September 18 until after the election. But PR practitioners don't have to wait for him to be sentenced to learn PR lessons from the situation. What’s relevant on September 18 is also relevant on the...