Author: rssmasher

There are no superheroes in real life, and the best we’ve got for watchmen in the war on so-called “fake news” is Snopes. People still seem to believe in Snopes. I have no idea why.

Not so long ago, we’d only initiate a conversation with a brand if something had gone wrong, but we’re now starting to use conversation to do much more: to explore options, to make purchases and even to investigate medical issues. Whether it’s in the form of instant messaging or voice-user interfaces, conversation is becoming an…

The best way to survive a brand crisis is to start planning before the crisis hits. Get your plans in order Each crisis may come as a surprise, but your response should not be. Smart organizations have a crisis management plan in place that involves every aspect of the organization–including HR, legal and technical. “Ninety-five…

When it happens, it moves so fast that your initial feeling is disorientation. That quickly flips to nausea, fear and then panic. I’m of course talking about a brand crisis unfolding before the world, supercharged by social media and shared and commented on into oblivion. You’ve been dragged. It’s a tough position for both individuals…

ABC’s surprise revival of American Idol, which had ended its run on Fox in 2016 after 15 seasons, dominated last May’s broadcast upfront week. While ABC touted the pickup as a great fit for its network, its rivals publicly questioned the economics of the move. “The price is so expensive, you need a 35 share…

It was a chicken joke of epic proportions, but it took a while for the punch line to land. For nearly two weeks last month, nearly 900 KFC franchises in the U.K. were unable to obtain fresh chicken parts thanks to a cock-up with the company’s new delivery firm. KFC U.K. needed to acknowledge the…

What will cities of the near future look like when buildings, cars, people and a whole slew of other things can communicate with each other? Earlier this month, tech companies and telecoms at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, tried to answer that question, showing off their plans for 5G–a next-generation wireless network that will…

These days, if you’re going to successfully market goods or services to digitally savvy consumers, you better be skilled at using the latest technologies and hippest channels to forge meaningful messages that delight and inspire. Toward that end, “It’s a tremendous competitive advantage to have a leader who can survey the confusing and rapidly changing…

Nearly 20 percent of U.S. households now contain 10 or more connected devices, and as consumers increasingly work new communication tools into their daily lives, they are also demanding multichannel options when they need customer service and expect it to be faster and easier to use than ever. Not all companies, however, are meeting those…

For its 2018 activation at South by Southwest, Facebook is showcasing its products-Instagram, Oculus, and Messenger-in a way that will help educate marketers on how best to navigate them all. Working with agency Magnetic, Facebook set up a series of experiences for marketers in its Austin office, including three mini sets where marketers can create…