Flack's Revenge

Draper & Company Do PR

I finally got around to watching the first episode of the new Mad Men season, which aired on Sunday.  I was even more eager than usual to welcome the return of one of my favorite TV shows, as this episode was entitled: "Public Relations." The title served it justice, as the theme of PR was pretty dominant throughout.

The episode opens in a restaurant, and it quickly becomes clear that Don is being interviewed by a reporter from Ad Age. Draper is true to his character and prefers to remain tight lipped and enigmatic rather than pour on the charm and carefully crafted messages (a little media training, Don?).

Of course, this gets reflected in the piece.  When they see the article, Sterling, Cooper, etc. are all chagrined that it is more about the cipher called Don Draper than the stellar work of the agency.  Who in PR has not had the experience of a much anticipated article disappointing when it finally appears?

Maybe the team at the new ad shop (those who watch the show will recall that pretty much everyone had jumped ship from Sterling Cooper at the end of last season to start a new agency) is tiring of advertising as it is clear they want to freelance it with PR (with nary a real PR person or agency in sight to support their efforts). In a sub-plot, the team pulls a PR stunt by staging a fight over hams at a supermarket (part of a campaign for their client, to show a shopping craze there). The stunt gets coverage in the Daily News, although there are consequences of course.

Spoiler alert: Don gets his chance to rectify the Ad Age blunder at the end.  Bert Cooper has worked his contacts to get Don interviewed with the Wall Street Journal (one might reasonably wonder why not put someone who actually has a personality, like Roger Sterling, for example, in front of the Journal). Anyway, Don goes on the offensive for this interview, although it is hard to see how this will result in a better story.

The Mad Blog, from MediaPost, does an awesome wrap of the show every week, and I am almost as eager to read these posts and the ensuing comments as watch the actual show.  Of the closing scene, it says that a newly slick Don:

came out with guns blazing for his interview with The Wall Street Journal guy. The metamorphosis, signaled by a dynamic combination of sound interspersed with each line of his new verbal self-promotion, was kick-ass, and a delight to watch.

OK, but does effective media relations need to be "slick?"

Time out for Fun (and Orientation) at Old B.U. Stomping Grounds

This week we took our eldest daughter to Boston for orientation at Boston University, which she will be starting as an undergrad in just a few short weeks.

It was a real blast for me on a number of levels (or wicked pissah, as they say in Boston).  First, I am very proud of her in general - she had a great academic record in high school and is now ready for the big leagues.  She is a very well rounded kid, serious yet fun (OK I'll stop gushing now).  It is a big step, going to college, but she is ready for it.

Second, I am pleased that she selected my alma mater.  I attended B.U. as an engineering student in the early 80's, before somehow winding up in P.R. 

My post Age Regression via the College Tour documented my feelings and experiences about our visit to B.U. in my daughter's junior year of high school.  This time, it really was like going home again - my (soon to be ex) wife and youngest daughter (also a source of great pride) stayed in the dorms.  We visited many of my old stomping grounds - Newbury Street, Faneuil Hall, Copley Square, etc.  I stopped in at Newbury Comics - which was still there, in the same place.  I perused the displays at the famous Condom store, right next door to Newbury Comics, also still there (it was kind of surreal, condom shopping with my soon to be ex, but we get along OK so it was not that big a deal, we actually had a good laugh about it).

During some down time I ran some laps around  the track at Nickerson Field, the same stadium that hosted my graduation in '83 - I used to run there as an undergrad.

Some B.U. kids took us around town and kept us busy in-between lecture sessions, activities that seemed designed to keep the parent and siblings busy while the incoming students got the info they needed (scarcely saw my older daughter during the three days, that was fine, she was having fun, learning and meeting people).

I was thrilled that four of the six kids were Communications school students, and three of these are studying P.R.  One of the kids is an engineering major.  So I had a lot fun talking to these kids, and comparing notes about my time there.

I also felt a little like a VIP, as my name tag clearly identified my as an alum.

Crisis Management in The Office

The Office, one of my favorite TV shows, once again dabbled in my profession as yesterday's episode revolved around crisis management, PR and social media. It was another misguided episode in DIY gonzo PR (see this link for the wrap on an earlier show on the same topic).

In an updated twist, there was a lot more talk about social media this time around.  Just like last time, their collective efforts rendered crisis management an oxymoron.

It all started when word got out that the printers the company now sells spontaneously catch fire (this has been a running sub plot).  Michael confides to the camera that he has indulged in a little DIY "PR," and spoke with a reporter regarding the product quality issue.

It was funny watching the CEO, played by Kathy Bates, try to find out who was behind the leak(s). Michael played along, and hilarity ensued as he, Joe (the new flunky from corporate) and the CEO conducted an inquisition. It was a a real whodunit, a kind of fear and loathing meets The Office as the management team grilled the employees:

• The lawyers and IT came in to do a search of the computers in an attempt to find the leaker 
• Michael said "smash all the computers!"
• Eyes were on Kelly because she tweets, blogs, Woofs (as Ryan said, Woofing is the last word in social networking)
• The IT guy fingered Andy (having caught him taking a video of the printer catching fire for YouTube and writing a letter to an editor) and stormed out flipping a pix elated finger as he quits in disgust

This was not quite how we handle crises in the real world, but it was fun to watch nonetheless.

In Comedy and Interviews, it's all about Timing and Segues

Jokes.com
Doug Benson - Working on Segues
comedians.comedycentral.com
Futurama New Episodes Funny Demon Zombie TV Show Funny TV Comedy Blog

I enjoy listening to Slacker Radio on my BlackBerry when I go running.  While some like to workout to music, I enjoy listening to the Slacker comedy channel.

One night recently, while running along the beautiful Croton River gorge in the scenic Hudson Valley village where I live, Doug Benson (a Last Comic Standing star) came on, and did a bit on comic segues.  Here's some text from it, and the video (see above).

A lot of comedians work really hard on their jokes, which I think is really awesome.  But, what I've been doing lately is working on my segues.  Those are the transitions between jokes that let the audience know that you've changed topics.  It's very important.  So I hope you enjoy my jokes tonight... but I hope you really enjoy my segues...

I am getting too old for this sh-t

Pigs like sh-t, did you know that in your lifetime you are more likely to get attacked by a domesticated pig than by a shark?  Especially if you swim in pig-infested waters.

Dingos can swim.  I used to have a pet dingo - but the most ironic thing happened: a baby ate my dingo!

Babies love Vegas!

Pretty funny, and reminded me of the instructions we give during media training: know your key messages, stick to them and BRIDGE (another word for segue) to your messages.  Also, in both comedy and media interviews, timing can be important, and you need to put up with some heckling.

So I thought I would combine the two and envision what a tech interview in Doug's bizarro world might sound like, an interview that might happen if the client watched Doug's video in lieu of media training:

Tech Exec: Our databases and system are the MOST scalable

Reporter: Sounds great, what are your annual revenues?

Tech Exec: Revenues, scalability, it's all good, either way we are kicking some serious butt, but seriously, folks....

Reporter: Yea, OK, right, who are your customers?

Tech Exec: Customers?  The biggest, the most impressive, a who's who of the Fortune, and fortunately they all really love that scalability I was telling you about...

Reporter: This is getting tiresome, can't you give a straight answer?

Tech Exec:  Straight answers? The road to the truth can be straight and swerving...

Reporter:  Is there any chance that you will you tell me about your profits?

Tech Exec: Absolutely, our Pro version is a great Fit for all types of companies

Reporter: Alright already, go ahead and tell me about your scalability

Tech Exec: It all starts at the application layer...  we layer all this tech talk so we can sound very impressive....  the numbers are indeed impressive, it all gets down to the number of CPU cores... and that is core to our scalability and our value prop... so make sure you give us some props in that damn article

Tech PR, The Reality Show

I got the chance to watch SPINdustry, the new show on E!, and thought "big deal - one  more reality show about PR that gives everyone the wrong impression of what the field is really about."

In saying this I don't mean to criticize the entertainment PR field.  And I get the fact that we are in a celebrity-driven culture.  Hollywood is great and so are attractive people and flamboyant personalities.  I could see how some might find all this to be very entertaining.

On the other hand, does the show really do the broader PR field any favors?

The good people at E! hope to make money on this show, and it is excellent PR for the agency Command PR.  My Flack's Revenge gig , on the other hand, is to examine issues about the industry (PR in general and tech PR very specifically), pull back the curtains and educate.

In that vein, let me humbly submit that the field of tech PR could be good fodder for a reality show and provide its share of fun moments, while helping to educate people about the profession and showing another side of it.

There are parts of the business best left to the imagination - all the back office administrative stuff, for example - but other parts that would be great fun to watch (or maybe I am partial).  We've experienced many "fly on the wall" moments that have been entertaining and funny (often unintentionally). Some of the most outrageous ones occurred in the dot com years, granted, but lots of frivolity still ensues.

Here is what the ad copy might say for some fictional reality show for Tech PR (I am accepting proposals to produce this, serious offers only please).

Tech PR, the Reality Show! (OK not the most creative, I am still working on the title - how's about Tech Reality Bytes?)

• See the rock star CEOs of tech exert their Svengali effect and entrance the media!
• Enjoy brainstorming sessions in which we devise ways to make a chip or circuit board seem exciting
• Gaze at the trade show booth babes - yes, sex sells even in tech!
• Laugh at the confused looks on journalists faces as spokespeople string buzzwords and acronyms together with nary a real word in between!
• Delight in our campaigns and stunts, which have featured everything from neutered bunnies to drinking shots on tricycles at trade shows!
• Watch the tap dancing and delight in the smoke and mirrors as software demos hilariously go off the rails!
• Laugh as the tech PR peeps take a break from daily business to do team building in the form of bowling - scores will be settled!

Flack's Revenge Goes 3D

Hold onto your seats, folks: Flacks Revenge is going 3D.

Yes, you heard it right: a 3D blog!  Starting next month, you will need special glasses to view my blog.

Some may call this a crass attempt to draw attention. Others will recognize it as a groundbreaking effort that is sure to propel my blog to the next level (see my earlier posts Flack's Revenge Relaunching as Cloud based Service and Flack's Revenge is opening up to Developers).

Regardless, I am proceeding with my plans to introduce a 3D blog concept.  And what will I use to promote this blog? A 3D press release, natch.

Call me crazy.  Well maybe, just maybe, I am crazy like a $1B Avatar.

The social media release will have nothing on this new format, as the 3D press release will literally jump off the screen, instantly transforming otherwise mundane news into something that grabs the eyeballs and pulls viewers in.  Actually, if you are not careful it may poke you in the eyes, so go easy on the hype in those headlines please. (One kink that remains to be worked out is the "hurl factor" - the blog and 3DPR can make your news so dizzying that - well, you know).

With this development, my musings and your news can now be enjoyed via all available viewing form factors including the nascent but rapidly growing 3D TV market, and on-demand services like Vudu, Hulu, Shmulu and Polamalu (OK I just threw that last name in there but others are real).

iPad?  We got that covered.

It is a brave new 3D world and I am truly excited to bring Flack's Revenge and my readership to the next level in PR and blogging.

Best practices in trash talking: Crush the competition and make grown men cry, in 3 easy steps

So, who knew that there's a proven formula for trash talking, and that someone has spent time studying and cultivating this fine skill? The NYT sports section had a story yesterday that reported on NY Jets linebacker Bart Scott's trash talking skills and how he hones them.  As the article says:

A Jets linebacker, Scott views trash talking as an art, or science. He has developed and refined his method. He has studied loquacious athletes from years past. And he has practiced, from the first day he tugged on a uniform all the way to Sunday, when he will unleash another torrent of mostly unprintable barbs on the Atlanta Falcons.  His mouth runs 365 days a year....

In PR we are supposed to make nice and play diplomats,  But you never know when you might have to mix it up a bit with friends or colleagues (also we have a foosball table at Fusion PR, and the competitive play sometimes goes into over drive).  The tips could come in handy for our clients, for when they are walking those trade show expo floor "mean streets" or rubbing shoulders with the competition at conference panels.

Over the years Scott has gotten inspiration from professional wrestlers, and by studying trash talking titans of yore like Muhammad Ali.  He boils the formula down to 3 steps:

1 Research - to better understand opponents, especially any Achilles heel they might have

2 Mix Fact with fiction, exaggerate (in a clinch, can always use Yo Mama! jokes)

3 Know your audience, save best stuff for last

Flack's Revenge Relaunching as Cloud-based Service

I am pleased to inform my readers that Flack's Revenge will be relaunching as a cloud-based service.

I can no longer put off this move as the clamor for all things cloud-based has become just too great to ignore.  My focus through the years has been tech marketing and PR; tech clients seem to be increasingly all about the cloud, and I need to adjust and conform to client needs.

This may cause confusion for some, who have perceived Flack's Revenge as simply a blog and not a technology or a service that can be delivered from the sky. 

Rest assured, I will find a way to do this (for those who doubt me, please see my post Flack's Revenge Opens to Developers)

After all, what is PR if it is not about floating above the noise? Or about finding silver linings in events, people and products?  Or weathering the occasional storm?  About praying for attention to rain down?  About fluffy and lofty imagery?

There may be some who see this move as a cheap ploy, a PR stunt if you will.  To those I say, don't mess with clouds, dude, especially PR clouds.  We can muddle just as easy as we can enlighten.  We can rain on your parade.  We are Thor, catch this thunder bolt.

Solving Geller's I/O Dilemma (Why I sometimes Go Radio Silent)

In reviewing the latest round of input/output (I/O) acceleration offerings (technology that works in the data center to speed the flow of data in and out) it became painfully aware to me that I have an I/O problem of my own.

You can draw a direct analogy in the IT world.  There you can have server virtualization, which enables pooling of data center resources (which is generally good), and solid state storage, which enables screaming storage performance (also quite good). Servers are getting faster all the time via multi-core processors. The networking technology that connects these components is also constantly improving.

Which means that the brains, memory and connective tissue of data centers are nothing short of brilliant each in their own right.  However, depending on how the data center is architected, and the specific combination of tech you use, things can get royally hosed in the process of ensuring fast and efficient movement of data in and out of the data center, meaning that you are not getting the most performance you can and indicating the need for I/O acceleration.

I have been struggling to understand all this and think I finally got it. However, in the process I have developed serious concerns about my own I/O challenges.

Namely, my brain often comes up with ideas which are not half bad if I must say so myself.  So I guess you could call it a high performance storage and processing device (please indulge me here).

My various personae - husband, father, tech PR pro, blogger - merge online, creating a virtualized resource. I have no shortage of output devices as I am active on Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, my own blog, agency blog, etc.

The problem is that the middleware in terms of my actual work and personal lives gets in the way and gums everything up in terms of my ability to generate, OK, why not, often brilliant commentary on my many and varied output channels.

In short, my ports get oversubscribed, fabric gets saturated (which can can get messy), and my CPU utilization gets shot to hell, creating a serious I/O issue and preventing said brilliance from being expressed to the extent that it could be.

Calling all entrepreneurs, I sense I am not the only one with this problem - there is potentially a vast untapped market -and encourage innovative solutions to this dilemma.

Is this Jiminy Glick's Second Act?

I finally caught Fox commentator Glenn Beck on TV.

I had wanted to see him for a while now due to the buzz he has been getting.  The Left portrays Glenn Beck as some kind of bombastic, nutty Howard Beale type (of the 70's  movie Network - the one who raged: "We are mad as hell and we are not going to take it anymore!").

It all sounds very entertaining. 

There was really nothing that outrageous that he said or did in the short time I watched.  However, I could not help but think of the Martin Short talk show host alter ego Jiminy Glick as I watched (OK, Jiminy has a few more chins).

They both have the same look, and the voice that threatens to break as they become exercised.

So tell me, have you ever seen the two together at the same place and time?  Are they indeed not one and the same?  Is this Jiminy Glick's second act?