Amazon challenged on gender pay gap
When you think of Amazon, likely one of the last things that come to mind is “gender pay gap.” But that’s the issue that could become a national PR crisis if the massive mail order retailer can’t figure out how to answer the gauntlet tossed down by a U.S. securities regulator. Arjuna Capital, a subsidiary of Baldwin Brothers Inc., is demanding that Amazon, along with eight other tech companies including eBay and Intel, allows shareholders to vote on a proposal related to gender pay equality. Read More +
ACLU weighs in on Apple’s fight with the FBI
The American Civil Liberties Union just entered the battle between Apple CEO Tim Cook and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Not surprisingly, they came in on Apple’s side. The ACLU sent a brief to the federal court looking into Apple’s case against the FBI, basically saying the FBI cannot force Apple to do its job. Here’s the crux of the commentary: “Law enforcement may not commandeer innocent third parties into becoming its undercover agents, its spies, or its hackers … If the government prevails, then Read More +
Best Buy is the latest big box feeling the heat
First it was Sears. Then even mighty Walmart felt the sting of losing sales. Now it’s Best Buy’s turn. Some might call it a tired topic, but it’s a very real fear for major retailers. What can they do about drastically falling consumer demand? It seems a lifetime ago that upstart Best Buy stood toe to toe with Circuit City, trading punches until the red brand closed its doors. Soon, Best Buy was opening 50 stores a year, popping up on street corners and in Read More +
Safety still a touchy topic in NASCAR
Fifteen years ago this month the world of NASCAR was rocked to its core by the death of racing legend Dale “The Intimidator” Earnhardt. Since that time, the sport’s governing body has taken some steps to improve driver safety. But some NASCAR pilots are saying the measures to date are not good enough. The suggestions are specific, and they are coming from the top names in the sport. Multiple-time champion Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR’s reigning golden boy, wants to see the grass near the tracks replaced Read More +
What is Kohl’s Thinking?
A few weeks ago Kohl’s announced their Q4 earnings – for retail and online stores alike, this is the quarter that should soar, Kohl’s didn’t. They reported a measly 0.4 percent increase in comparable sales over the holiday quarter. This would not be good news, no matter what, but this also places them nearly $2 billion short of their 2015 year-end goal. They saw only a one percent sales increase for the year. The day they announced their 2015 Q4 results, stock (KSS) prices dropped Read More +
Fiorina shifts to her new career
Her doomed POTUS career has been over about a week, but Carly Fiorina is already launching a new career. Credentialed public speaker for hire. Not on politics, but on economic and business strategy. Could this be a shift for a potential cabinet position or is Fiorina simply biding her time before making another presidential run? Read More +
Will GoPro come crashing down?
GoPro blasted onto the scene in one of the earliest and most successful interaction social media marketing campaigns. It dared users to do amazing things and send in their videos or post them on YouTube. Users did, thousands upon thousands of them. For a time, it appeared that GoPro would rule the prosumer video market forever. The brand made superstars of YouTube personalities and allowed anyone to establish a following for their video-based antics and adventures. But the party could not last forever. These days Read More +
Keep your best PR employees longer
Hey manager, pop quiz! When do you ask your people “what can I do to get you to stay?” Most people will answer: “when they are getting ready to leave.” Why? At that point, it’s too late. They’ve already gone through the process and made their peace with leaving. Think about it, you have a team member who is either unhappy and actively looking for a new opportunity, or you have a team member who hears about another opportunity. Regardless, their decision to pursue that Read More + Read More +
Bloomberg editor quits over his boss’ rumored POTUS run
In a fit of journalistic ethics, Bloomberg Media’s Washington news director at Bloomberg Politics, Kathy Kiely, has tendered her resignation. The storied editor said she simply could not maintain her ethics while covering the Big Boss and his potential run for President. Kiely said if she could not cover a POTUS candidate “aggressively” she could not do her job. Bravo, Kathy. Read More +
Quality SEO Benefits The Public Relations Industry
With the advent of Google’s Penguin and Panda algorithms, search spam and lower quality content have rightfully disappeared. While some may think that this means search engine optimization (SEO) is going the way of the dodo, the reality is that Google now rewards good content. This, is a gift for talent public relations pros. Content matters – and PR firms can help a lot and win as a result. The “Good Ole Days” For ages, good SEO meant filling a bag with tactics and tricks Read More +
