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Gary Frisch

Gary Frisch
Gary Frisch is founder and president of Swordfish Communications, a full-service public relations agency in Laurel Springs, N.J. He is also the author of “Strike Four,” a novel about minor league baseball. Visit Swordfish online atwww.swordfishcomm.com.
Can the Brits save face after torpedoing “Boaty McBoatface”?

Can the Brits save face after torpedoing “Boaty McBoatface”?

The Internet has spoken, and “Boaty McBoatface” won the Natural Environment Research Council’s naming poll by an overwhelming margin. So bring on those children’s storybooks featuring an anthropomorphized arctic exploration vessel, the school science teaching aids,...

PR takeaways from Boaty McBoatface

PR takeaways from Boaty McBoatface

When an agency of the British government put the name of its new polar research vessel up to an Internet vote, it was probably counting on something like the Shackleton, the Endeavor or something paying homage to a great scientist or ship of the past. What it wound up...

Is Apple’s stand against the FBI putting the brand at risk?

Is Apple’s stand against the FBI putting the brand at risk?

I used to work in a video rental store (remember those?). In later years, we had software that kept track of all our customers’ rental histories, in part so we could learn their tastes and recommend other titles. Back then, the employees and customers understood that...

Volkswagen crisis: Sometimes an apology just isn’t enough

Volkswagen crisis: Sometimes an apology just isn’t enough

I offered some thoughts this week on the PR value of an apology, to a reporter with The Chicago Tribune. That got me thinking…when won’t an apology suffice? A sincere mea culpa has always been one cornerstone of any crisis communications plan, but there are times when...

Jared’s guilty plea: Vindication for Subway, a PR nightmare, or both?

Jared’s guilty plea: Vindication for Subway, a PR nightmare, or both?

I was as disgusted as everyone else by the news that former Subway spokesguy Jared Fogle pled guilty to child pornography charges, including paying for sex with two minor girls. Looking at this through the prism of public relations, this development either potentially...

Relentlessness: why “Whiplash” strikes a chord with PR pros

Relentlessness: why “Whiplash” strikes a chord with PR pros

An important PR issue has come to my attention, and I felt compelled to share it here. PR pros loved the movie Whiplash. Or at least the majority featured in the Daily ‘Dog’s PR PROfile did. Of 24 spotlighted professionals who answered the question, “Favorite movie...

Newsjacking and the power of the Offer

Newsjacking and the power of the Offer

“Leave it to a public relations agency to make a good PR move.” That’s what NBC10, the Philadelphia NBC affiliate, wrote in covering some news I recently put out for my agency. I offered free PR services to any retailer selling an absurd handgun-shaped iPhone case,...

Political PR: Rand Paul should fire his communications manager

Political PR: Rand Paul should fire his communications manager

Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul has a problem with female reporters, that seems pretty clear. But the fact that he has repeated his condescending behavior during what he calls “contentious” interviews is a bigger issue. The Jheri-curled candidate most...