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Home > Blogs > The Cycle
The Cycle

NYT looks at drug ad confusion among marketers

Posted April 17, 2009

The New York Times with drug makers, a consumer watchdog group, the FDA, and Google about how a lack of specified rules for Internet marketing conflicts with the print and TV rules that the FDA currently applies to new media.

Fourteen pharmaceutical companies were warned by the FDA earlier this month for failing to include risk information in search ads. The consensus among communications professionals who spoke with PRWeek is that the FDA needs to develop a clear policy for digital communications. Search ads are used, in part, by pharmaceutical companies as part of a reputation management strategy.

The same sentiment was echoed in today’s story.

Mary Ann Belliveau, health industry director at Google, told the NYT that “… the sense in the industry was ‘that the F.D.A. sent letters about ‘you shouldn’t do this, you shouldn’t do that,’ as opposed to issuing clear digital guidelines that the companies should follow.’”

Now, companies will only use “generic-sounding Web addresses that redirect users to the brand’s site,” an allowance only made for pharmaceutical companies, and are questioning the FDA to evaluate the difference in online marketing techniques.

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Filed under: Advertising, Corporate Reputation, Healthcare, Marketing, New Media, Public Relations, Social Media, Web sites

Tags:FDA,

Dell launches social media solutions site for healthcare IT

Posted April 14, 2009

With technology changes on the horizon for the healthcare industry, Dell launched a social media site to generate ideas and solutions that would improve the improve the “delivery, efficiency, and quality of healthcare using IT,” the company said on April 6.

The site, called IdeaStorm for Healthcare and Life Sciences, is a branch of IdeaStorm, a brainstorming site which was launched in 2007.

Kerry Bridge, head of digital media communications for Dell, told PRWeek that the site is targeted at large healthcare organizations as well as influencers and key stakeholders in the healthcare blogging industry.

“It’s a huge social media community, specifically looking at healthcare IT,” she says. “And these are the people we want to be talking to, share ideas with. Dell would like to be a valuable member of that community.”

Dell plans to promote the site within healthcare social media communities, on its blog and company Web site, and through the newsletters that the sales force distributes.

“It’s definitely a stake in the ground,” she says. “…[to show] that we’re committed to the healthcare industry.

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Filed under: Blogs, Healthcare, Marketing, Social Media, Technology, Web sites

Tags:Dell

Yoox introduces Earth Day comms initiative

Posted April 14, 2009

YOOX, a Milan-based Internet retail platform for a number of luxury fashion brands, as well as its own e-retailer Yoox.com, is launching a green initiative on – wait for it… – Earth Day. The “Yooxygen” campaign includes a microsite featured on Yoox.com which will sell limited edition eco-friendly fashion, design, jewelry, and music, including products by influential fashion icons via Leny, an eco-brand that aims to fund Al Gore’s eco association, The Climate Project.

What’s unique about this initiative is a) the name Yooxygen, b) eco-friendly shipping, and c) the overarching green corporate initiative which aims to position YOOX as an eco-friendly company. The company, working with C&M Media, is promoting the internal effort via traditional media relations in conjunction with the Yooxygen consumer initiative. Corporate activities include educating employees on the separation of waste and recycling; introducing a car share program; and adopting renewable energy at the Milan-based office.

So while the green movement may be dying on the consumer front, there may still be effective ways to leverage the trend as part of a corporate comms strategy.

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Filed under: Branding, Consumer, Corporate Communications, Green, Internal Communications, Web sites

Tags:C&M Media, fashion, Green, Yoox, Yoox.com, Yooxygen

#amazonfail

Posted April 13, 2009

Blogs and Twitter are abuzz with , the coined after several books were removed from the ranking system on Amazon.com. The books, largely with homosexual themes, included Brokeback Mountain, Ellen DeGeneres: A Biography, and Heather Has Two Mommies. It seems ranks have now returned to some titles, but some blogs are keeping track of those that were affected.

Mark Probst, the author of gay romance book The Filly, first noticed that his book was de-ranked and contacted Amazon. After receiving a response saying it was due to a policy where “adult” materials were not included in rankings, he blogged about it. But when consumers pointed out that some heterosexual “adult” materials were still included in rankings, Amazon said the original de-ranking was due to a .

The news has quickly spread through social media like Twitter, and some groups are urging a of the retailer. Amazon does not have a press release up on its Web site and representatives from the online retailer and its PR agency OutCast Communications have not yet returned PRWeek’s calls for comment.

UPDATE: Patty Smith, director of corporate communications for Amazon, replied to PRWeek with a statemtn via email, saying “This is an embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error for a company that prides itself on offering complete selection.”

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Filed under: Arts & Entertainment, Blogs, Corporate Reputation, Crisis Communications, Diversity, Social Media, Technology, Web sites

Tags:#amazonfail, Amazon.com, LGBT, OutCast Communications

Blog rally aids ‘Boston Globe’

Posted April 10, 2009

Paul Levy, president of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, tried to improve the prognosis of The Boston Globe on April 6 by organizing a blog rally in support of the newspaper. The Globe’s owner, The New York Times Co., has threatened to shut down the outlet if its unions don’t agree to concessions.

About 30 Boston-area bloggers participated in the rally, said Levy, who blogs at runningahospital.blogspot.com.

“Those of us who are involved in civic affairs in this town understand that unless you have a vibrant investigative entity in the community, the government and the corporations will not be held accountable,” he tells PRWeek.

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Tags:Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Globe, Paul levy, The New York Times Co.

‘Star Tribune’ employees launch SaveTheStrib.com

Posted April 10, 2009

Newsroom employees of the Star Tribune of Minneapolis and St. Paul launched SaveTheStrib.com on April 5, a Web-based effort supporting the newspaper, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January.

The site features testimonials on the value of the newspaper by regional VIPs, employee profiles, and an area for comments.

The group of about 25 participating journalists considers prospective new owners and the public its two main target markets. Graydon Royce, theater critic and fine arts reporter, tells PRWeek. “We’re trying to raise awareness. We don’t run the business; we work for the business…and we know there are going to be new owners,” said Royce, also a cochairman of the employee guild. “We are trying to show a new ownership group that there are people who are dedicated to doing everything they can to move forward and move the Star Tribune forward.”

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Tags:Graydon Royce, SaveTheStrib.com, Star Tribune

Gershon Kekst rubs elbows with Martha Stewart

Posted April 8, 2009

Vanity Fair did a piece about the heavy-hitters who frequent The Four Seasons, which turns 50 years old. Martha Stewart, Tom Brokaw, and Liz Smith are among those featured in a photo taken in the restaurant’s Grill Room. Standing on top, fourth from the right, is PR’s own Gershon Kekst. Click for video as well.

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Tags:Four Seasons, Gershon Kekst, Vanity Fair

Phoenix Suns get Twackled

Posted April 7, 2009

The Phoenix Suns, which has been a leader in social media in the NBA, launched its own Twitter-based platform, which will collect Tweets from fans and Suns players and staff and display them on its Web site.

The new platform, Suns Twackle, was developed in partnership with Octagon Digital and, in addition to fans, will pull in Tweets from Shaquille O’Neal (@The_Real_Shaq), Steve Nash (@The_Real_Nash), the Suns Dancers (@SunsDancers), various staffers, and Alvin Gentry (@AlvinGentry), the NBA’s first head coach to join Twitter.

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Tags:NBA, Phoenix Suns,

Kayak.com nearing end of review

Posted April 3, 2009

Kayak.com’s review for an AOR is nearing completion, with two agencies set to present on Tuesday, April 7, according to Kellie Pelletier, Kayak.com’s VP of communications. Stay tuned for more exclusive coverage the week of April 6.

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Tags:AOR, Kayak.com, review

Times Co. rebrands ‘International Herald Tribune’ site

Posted April 1, 2009

Visitors to the International Herald Tribune’s Web site, whether checking for the latest on the markets or updates from the in London, are surely wondering if they clicked on the wrong bookmark.

Parent organization The New York Times Co. rebranded the publication’s Web site “The Global Edition of The New York Times” on March 29, combining the content created by its staff on the page with that of Times journalists. It also has a new URL: global.nytimes.com.

The Times Co. is also promoting the reorganized page, which visitors to IHT.com are automatically transferred to, at the top of .

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Tags:G20, IHT.com, International Herald Tribune, NYTimes.com, The New York Times, The New York Times Co.

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For both journalists and communicators, the news cycle never ends. At The Cycle, PRWeek’s editorial team offers commentary and viewpoints on how the latest marketing, business, political, and cultural news impact the PR industry.

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