Why Shelter Books Are Getting Shuttered

Norman Birnbach — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:47:45 -0500

With the news that Hachette Filipacchi Media is shuttering Metropolitan Home magazine,
we've come to a turning point, I think, in what used to be known as the "shelter books" -- magazines focusing on interior design for the home.

In an environment where home foreclosures continue to mount up, the
potential readership for decorating tips has other things on their mind.

Problems at the US Chamber of Commerce -- and what we can learn about managing a crisis of confidence

Norman Birnbach — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:11:05 -0400

The US Chamber of Commerce, which proclaims itself to be "the world's
largest business federation representing more than three million
businesses and organizations of every size," has a big problem on its
hand.

High-profile companies have been quitting the Chamber, a
virtual Who's Who of top businesses, including Apple, PG&E, Nike,
and Exelon.

The reason: the US Chamber's opposition to the Waxman-Markey climate change bill.

The

Comment on Node ant

Norman Birnbach — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:11:09 -0400

Thought this was an interesting article. While I can see the benefit of being your own client, I also think there are reasons why it might not be a good idea:

* It's is a big distraction to ongoing client work.
* Clients may wonder: are they working for me to putting their best efforts into their product?
* You may get specialized insight into the category, yet it also prevents you from taking on from competitors in the same category.
* Your partners in the development and manufacturing of your product may represent a conflict with a future prospective client.

Tips for Small Businesses from Marcy Shinder, American Express

Norman Birnbach — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:43:08 -0400

In an interview in BtoBObline, Marcy Shinder, VP of Brand Strategy and Marketing at American Express OPEN, offered up these tips (in a different format);

Do We Really Want Our News to be Fair & Balanced?

Norman Birnbach — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 07:28:20 -0400

I think the news should always be fair.

But I think the news-consuming public, to a significant degree, is saying that it doesn't really want balance.

That's especially true when it comes to blogs, with people self-selecting those whose views validate their own.

If News Embargoes are Dead, What about Press Releases?

Norman Birnbach — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:35:48 -0400

There have been separate discussions about whether the news embargo is dead.

Does Managing Your Corporate Reputation Have to Drive You Mad? Four Points to Consider

Norman Birnbach — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:52:02 -0400

Recently, Circuit City made news because of an employee's reaction to a spoof published in Mad Magazine.

You can check out the faux ad here.

I read Mad Magazine as a kid, years ago -- the exact number of years ago is not relevant; most of the usual gang of idiots from when I read it are still alive and still writing for it. (How's that for a career plateau?) And now they have a website.

Funeral for a Friend: The End of the Line for Cassette Tapes

Norman Birnbach — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:02:23 -0400

According to today's New York Times, "Say So Long to an Old Companion: Cassette Tapes," the cassette tape is dead. Though long anticipated, the end came quickly.

The cassette is survived by the CD (which is not doing well) and the LP
(which has recovered because audiophiles prefer their sound).

The death of the cassette follows the death of 8-track tape in the 1970s, and the 45 in the 90s.

With Limited Resources, Should You Spend Them on Social Media or Media Relations?

Norman Birnbach — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:09:24 -0400

Organizations aren't just writing about Twitter -- they're using it as a publishing resource for readers and journalists.

Check out this article, published in 2007, Experimenting with Twitter: How Newsrooms Are Using It to Reach More Users. It makes this point clear.

Jason Calcanis Claims Blogging is Dead; Here's Why Email is on Life Support

Norman Birnbach — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:11:32 -0400

I think Jason Calcanis' now-famous proclamation that blogging is dead is wrong for one specific reason: he thinks the replacement for blogging is an email distribution list.

Here are reasons I think email is dead: