North Carolina
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Gov. Bev Perdue has hired an outside group to conduct a financial appraisal of North Carolina's liquor system, including studying the option of privatizing sales. The latter sounds like a good idea to me. Face it – while the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission might have worked well regulating booze sales years ago, it now acts more like somebody creating a cushy job for himself.
1 comment | 03/08/2010
In case you missed it, check out this WRAL clip from Friday's evening broadcast, where I grade Tiger Woods' press conference. School is now in session!
comment | 02/23/2010
When your company is known for producing vehicles that move really fast without having to step on the accelerator and, oh, by the way, your accelerator now is known to stick as well, and you have defective brakes on some models, you have a PR crisis on your hand. This is what Toyota has been faced with recently, and it blew it. Toyota’s reputation has been considerably damaged by its bungling.
1 comment | 02/16/2010
I have some opinions about recent items that struck me as prime examples of good and bad public relations ...
comment | 02/01/2010
I applaud Gov. Bev Perdue for her recent announcement that North Carolina state government is the first in the nation to have a social media policy (links to PDF).
Beyond the policy itself, I particularly like the numerous Twitter accounts started for state offices – not just for the governor, but also everything from the N.C. State Fair to the N.C. Department of Commerce.
comment | 01/25/2010
A new year brings with it the annual duty for experts to offer their opinions on what to expect over the next 12 months. With the disclaimer up front that I am neither a member nor follower of the Psychic Friends Network, here are my best guesses for what to anticipate in terms of public relations.
comment | 01/11/2010
When I announced this year that I refused to participate in the recession, my staff agreed with that attitude. The result was a very productive 2009 for MMI. And no, it was not just from me gaining fame for wagging my finger at President Barack Obama at a town hall on health care reform – although that was a big moment personally.
comment | 12/23/2009
Unless you were thoroughly consumed with food and shopping this weekend, you probably heard about Tiger Woods crashing his car at his home in Orlando around 2:30 a.m. Friday, followed by allegations that prior to the accident he had fought with his wife about having an affair. In golf terms, bad PR like that is like hitting your ball into the lake.
comment | 11/30/2009
Why are Carolina Hurricanes fans such fair-weather fans? The Canes are Raleigh’s own hometown, national sports team. Sure, they are having kind of a hard time this season, but where’s the love?
comment | 11/20/2009
In case you wonder where I stand, let me make myself clear: I am all for health care reform. But I think we need the process to occur in little pieces, not in one fell swoop as being proposed by the Obama administration and other backers of the current bill.
comment | 11/16/2009
Richard Heene, the father of the child in the Colorado balloon event last week (otherwise know as the “Balloon Boy” incident), seems to think that “Any PR is good PR.” However, in this case, this statement could not be further from the truth. In his efforts to secure media attention, Heene’s actions have led to police investigations, potential federal and local charges, questions about his child’s welfare, and a large amount of time and money spent—not positive coverage by any means.
comment | 10/22/2009
During last year's election, Obama's campaign PR far surpassed that of his opponents, leading him to win the election and begin his presidency with higher public opinion ratings than any president in recent years could have hoped for. My question is: "Has his administration lived up to those high expectations for excellent PR?"
comment | 10/16/2009
Obama has never shown a lack of passion in his actions as president and this trip is no different. I believe that he is focusing on the potential benefits that an Olympiad could bring not only to the Chicago area, but the spirit of all Americans. However, he might be sending the wrong message to the American public about what is a priority.
1 comment | 09/30/2009
When President Obama delivered his recent address to Congress, he presented his most high profile effort to gain public and Congressional support for health care reform. As I noted in a previous blog , Obama has not had a strong public relations strategy when it comes to the new health care plan.
comment | 09/22/2009
In recent weeks, I have been privileged to serve as a spokesperson for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, representing the chamber’s views on health care reform and its effect on small businesses.
I support the U.S. Chamber’s Campaign for Responsible Health Reform in North Carolina. There is a real need for a respectful dialogue with a focus on what is good for American businesses and our health care system. Small businesses are critical to our nation’s economic infrastructure and should be at the table in any discussion that will have such a sweeping impact on businesses, health care and our economy as a whole.
comment | 09/15/2009
The News & Observer’s Triangle Troubleshooter recently assisted a local resident, David Charboneau, in trying to iron out a problem with the Mattress Warehouse store near the Streets of Southpoint. While it was largely a “he said, she said" situation, the point is that the customer said they received a product of lesser value than they ordered and for which they paid. When the Mattress Warehouse management did not take Charboneau’s complaint seriously and refused to put him in touch with higher ups, he took his story to The N&O. This is where the bad PR officially turns into a PR disaster.
1 comment | 09/08/2009
As I consider President Obama’s health care plan, I not only have trouble understanding how the plan affects me and my small business, but I see an opportunity for improvement from a public relations standpoint. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I consider myself an informed citizen, but I am not clear on how the new health care plan will work. From a PR perspective, the presentation of the new health care plan is a disaster.
comment | 09/01/2009
I consider myself to be an informed citizen, especially when it comes to issues that directly affect my small business, but the Obama health care plan is an issue that keeps changing course and I am beginning to feel uninformed. I know I am not alone in asking the question: “What IS the public option plan and how will it affect me and my small business?”
comment | 08/25/2009
I had my fifteen minutes of fame on Wednesday when I attended President Obama’s speech on health care. I was able to ask the president my question of choice on the issue. My question was this: What current long-term social program created and run by the government should we look to as a model of success and one that we as taxpayers should be confident that a new government-run health care system would be better than the current system in place? In other words, what are you going to do differently?
4 comments | 08/04/2009
The highly anticipated Google Wave may well turn into a tidal wave of support and interest before its official testing begins on September 30, with a reported 100,000 invites being sent out. Touted as the Google product that has the power to bring Microsoft to its knees (alongside Google Chrome OS), Google Wave is the next generation of online communication.
So What Is It?
2 comments | 07/27/2009
