Process Matters

Strategic Planning

Stanton Communications has enjoyed wonderful new business success in recent weeks. With each new client engagement, we take time to assess why we were chosen, what factors or attributes made a favorable impact on the decision makers, and what we might learn that would help us do even better the next time. Lately, we find […]

Who am I to Judge?

Silver Anvils

Borrowing a line from Pope Francis, the answer, at least as far as the Public Relations Society of America is concerned, is that I am someone to judge, but only so far as the annual Silver Anvil award competition.  Whether I actually am qualified is a question for a higher power, but having done this […]

40 Years On, the Unchanging Field of Public Relations

40 Years On, the Unchanging Field of Public Relations

This marks my 40th year in the practice of public relations.  Over the course of these four decades, much about the field and the way it is practiced has changed.  Today, we almost cannot pass a day without a new article, email or blog post discussing the radical innovations altering the course of our industry. […]

Steps for 4th Quarter Planning

It’s that time of year when corporate communicators get serious about year ahead planning.  It’s a regular routine and an utmost priority both for firms and in-house communication teams. Yet, while much is written on strategy and planning, for many the process remains daunting and difficult. It doesn’t have to be. With the right focus […]

It’s About the Clients, Stupid

With the announcement of the Publicis-Omnicom merger, the first thought that comes to mind is “What about the clients?” That does not seem to be the first thought in the minds of either CEO.  Maurice Levy of Publicis stated blandly that “…size will matter.” Omnicom chief executive John Wren said the merger would enable the […]

The Old Rules on Crisis Don’t Apply

The Obama Administration found itself this week the subject of criticism unparalleled since it first came into office.  If a perfect storm is the confluence of three events, this was the combination of four controversies unfolding concurrently and all in different directions.  Perhaps we can call it a plus-perfect storm. While the White House talking […]

The Choppy Seas of Reputation Management

Reputation Management

Quick – Name a company long considered a pioneer and one of the world’s most innovative organizations in its industry. Hint – it’s not a technology service provider, social media giant or electronic device manufacturer. In fact, the company in question is Carnival Cruise Lines. Yes, the same Carnival Cruise Lines plagued with operational failures, […]

Changes at EPA Pose a New Series of Challenges

The February issue of O’Dwyer’s featured the following article by Peter Stanton on the departure of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. The prospect of a new Administrator signals forthcoming changes for Obama’s environmental policies and creates the potential for renewed environmental debates on several intensely controversial issues such as hydraulic fracturing, greenhouse gas emissions, clean water, soot […]

The Strategy Imperative

Let me begin with the obvious:  The election is over.  We know who won. The reason I bring this up is that until November 6, America’s business leaders and the economy as a whole seemed stalled in neutral.  It wasn’t as if we collectively were doing nothing at all, but uncertainty about the outcome, or at least […]

SWAT Team PR

Public relations professionals often speak about crisis communication, but when a real crisis strikes, we all have a tendency to act on impulse. Strategy is something that happens on the fly. Decisions are made as conditions dictate. Surprisingly, this works reasonably well most of the time, but clearly it is not a sound or prudent […]

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