Why I dig the Economist and More Intelligent Life and other odds and ends this New Year's eve

Happy New Year!

My favourite news magazine is the Economist, a weekly "newspaper" focusing on Politics and the Economy, every current affairs junkie should read it. I prefer to get a "big picture" view of issues facing Politics and the Economy and the Economist has a no BS slant I value. The Economist is great for in depth features on technology, industries and countries or regional blocs. This is a must read for any PR person looking how the big picture will affect their employer/client's world.

Now the other publication, sister to the Economist is More Intelligent Life. Unlike the Economist, MIL looks at arts culture and life in depth from the same independent opinionated slant. It can be accessed online through the link I posted on the side and if you are passing through the UK or Europe, it's available at the newsstand level. I like MIL because it is a smarter arts and culture magazine on a global level. Where else will you read an article by the Mail on Sunday's editor David Bennun on Why Canada Rocks and American pop is in the doldrums. MIL is cool read for the PR practitioner because all work and no play makes you a dull person.

Finally, Happy New Year! Overall 2008 was great for me, I Completed my PR certificate, worked on a community relations contract and made some good friends. I think 2009 is going to be a better year despite what is said in the media. Let's stay optimistic gang, pessimism is not an option.

Regular Feature in the Friday Globe and Mail Report on Business Section

There is a feature in the ROB section of the Globe and Mail section called Persuasion which covers off the marketing scene in Canada. Jennifer Wells has a great column today that covers off the problem faced by marketers and PR people, the dreaded budget cut when times get really bad. There must be some institutional amnesia, everytime the economy goes down the toilet anything tied to promoting the business and it's brands get the axe while accounting, finance and legal survive.

Part of the problem is if you will pardon the film reference,"We have a failure to communicate here." PR and marketing people are great at promoting the brand but when it comes to promoting ourselves within the organization especially when the cash gets squeezed, all of sudden we develop a speech impediment when it comes to getting the budget we need to make things happen.

Sounds counter intuitive but it makes sense to ramp up PR marketing budgets as to keep relationships between the brand and customers going. Developing an organizational speech impediment or worse being struck mute for six months to save money on the balance sheet is short sighted and damaging to organizational brands.

The big call to action is to explain ourselves and why what we do is important to the organization's bottom line both near and long term. Legal and finance do it really well, time we got our act together and push back because our efforts facilitate sales in the near and long term

The link to the ROB story is below, you may have to cut and paste as blogger's link function does not seem to like me for some reason.

http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081218.wadhocracy1219/BNStory/robMarketing/home

Old School is sometimes better: why I use a fountain pen

I write with a fountain pen. I was taught cursive writing (becoming a lost art) with one as boy growing up in Montreal at Elizabeth Ballantyne Elementary School, moved over to a ball point when my family re-located to Toronto. My handwriting suffered and I pity anyone who had to read it. I re-discovered the joys writing with a fountain courtesy a former girlfriend nine years ago and have not looked back.

Aside from the tactile pleasure of putting a proper pen to paper, I find I think differently drafting communications pieces on paper than on say a LCD computer screen. It is my rebellion against the disposable society we live in, yes fountain pens can get insanly expensive, more reason not to lose them and the ink is water soluable. A well cared for fountain pen will outlast me and will be handed down to the next generation.

I think also writing with fountain pens opens rapport, turns out my first Public Relations instructor at Ryerson David Turnbull has the same fascination for fountain pens I did and we wound up comparing collections. Fountain pen people tend to wind up in the most unlikeley places. Yes, I have a collection and rationalize along with my other hobbies, it's cheaper than owning and racing a late 1960's Porsche 911. I co-chair the Toronto International Pen show which is held every fall and you meet a wide cross section of people.

I am partial to my Pelikans and Parker 51's which I talk more of later on. My ink colours of choice are deep blue and blue-black but then Blue is my favourite colour.

Book Recommendation: On Brand by Wally Olins

Here is a book worth looking into for those of us in the PR and marketing world. It's called On Brand by Wally Olins. I stumbled apon him in a panel discussion on TVO's current affairs program the Agenda about six months ago on the subject of branding countries.

The book On Brand is an easy read, Olins is very british and unlike North American Communicators who write books, he keeps in a conversational tone. The book explains branding, why it is important for any organization to be aware of it and realize that they don't own their brand (or brands) but act as stewards. the case study on the evolution of Volkswagen's brand over the past decades was very interesting.

On Brand in a way also ties in with Reputation Management and how organizations have to be very proactive in protecting it.

I recommend On Brand as a read for PR and marketing people because I think Olins has the track record to speak on the subject, he writes well and I like his no B.S. attitude.

Welcome to the re-boot of Freshprprofessional.blogspot.com

I am done my public relations certificate at Ryerson University as of last weekend. I feel a lot lighter all of a sudden, like a huge load is off my shoulders.

A lot of things have changed in the past few months and I thought it was time for a re-boot for this blog. I have to come up with a better mousetrap for my writing samples in an online context, that will be one of my holiday projects along with sending off resumes.

So what's going on this blog? It's my new soapbox for things related to PR and marketing subjects, current affairs, and my non photography personal interests. Few people know I have an interest in mechanical watches and fountain pens. For those looking for my photography blog funwithcameras.blogspot.com, there is a link on the margin that will take you there.