Peak News
Respecting your bloggers
Categorizing for organization - not for interaction
Crowdsourcing car design. A risk worth taking?
Can feedback gathered through consumer relations backfire on a brand?
FedEx caught on camera
A FedEx issue went viral thanks to YouTube. How well did the company handle it?
New Year's resolutions for PR pros
Media mogul or PR pro, the start of a new year is a great time to think about new approaches to make us more effective at what we do.
PR predictions for 2012
Does content remain king in 2012? What's the best way to reach media? Will the public pay to read story exclusives? Here's our list of what will trend in PR in the next 12 months.
Separating your PR from your GR
The practices of public relations and government relations (GR) can at times be so closely linked that they overlap. In BC, there are specific laws governing lobbying that all communications practitioners – whether in PR or GR – should familiarize themselves with.
Is Google+ the next MySpace graveyard?
Last month, Google+ announced they were rolling out pages for brands and business. Is the time and effort it takes to set up a new page on a new social network worthwhile?
How to capitalize on PR this 'Silly Season'
Use Silly Season to give your client the best Christmas present possible.
15 Minutes of Celebrity PR Fame
Working at a public relations agency gives you a great variety of experience. Clients span many industries and you get a taste for something you might not if you worked in-house. One such opportunity is that of being a celebrity publicist.
Will the reputation of Penn State coach Joe Paterno ever recover?
The reputation of legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has taken a massive beating in recent weeks. Will it be possible for him to rehabilitate his image at this point?
Lesson in reputation management found in university scandal
As Penn State undergoes a damaging public relations crisis as a result of Jerry Sandusky’s sex abuse scandal, a university closer to home is facing some image problems of its own.
PR gets real time access to news making agenda
Will real time access to The Province’s morning news meeting make story pitching even more competitive?
What PR professionals can learn from Steve Jobs' legacy
While Steve Jobs was a visionary in the world of technology, his strategic use of PR to build hype for Apple products was equally as impressive.
Message lost in #OccupyVancouver
Did Occupy Vancouver fall flat because the vast majority of Vancouverites are content with our system and do not want to hear the opposition? Or is it because we allow ourselves to be seen as troublemakers?
Reputation managers need to remember their own public relations
There is no such thing as a totally private life when you work in PR. Everything you do and say can live on the social web. A tweet or a blog post about a public cause or politics can come back to bite you...hard. So follow the same rules you do for your client and focus on staying neutral.
PR Boost for Alberta
The changing face of Alberta’s political landscape may turn out to be the best image makeover and public relations campaign the province never thought of.
The growing influence of mommy blogs within PR
The rising influence of mom bloggers have caused PR professionals to sit up and take note of their important role in the media. Learn how to approach this growing group of influencers.
NEWS RELEASE: New Poll Reveals a Shift in Riot Blame
Three months after Vancouver’s hockey riot, a new poll finds respondents are placing an increasing amount of blame on the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police Department.
How Web 3.0 can target PR campaigns
Learn why every choice we make on the social web spells opportunity for PR.
How social media builds B2B relations
Despite social media's widespread use for internal and external corporate communications, there are still a fair number of business owners and C-level executives who fail to understand its value.
Is NHL blackout on social media taking the fun out of sports?
To expect that the world’s elite athletes concentrate on the game while they are at the arena asking too much in a digital world?
The message behind the controversy
Bad publicity is not always good publicity. To pull off an edgy stunt, make sure it reflects your brand.
How to pitch yourself
Peak’s office manager shares her tips on how to land an interview at a PR agency.
How Jack Layton's mustache became an Internet meme
Sometimes a visual is all it takes for a PR campaign to go viral.
Lack of crisis planning reason for London's falling
How a crisis communications plan could have salvaged London’s reputation.
Social Reporting: When numbers matter in PR campaigns
Knowing where your stakeholder socializes is more often important than the size of a social network. Think niche community, and forget the Google+ popularity wars.
London is burning, but did Twitter really start the fire?
The recent UK riots highlight the challenge inherent in trying to control social media. How does this lack of control, either real or perceived, impact PR professionals?
Why the media needs subject experts
Why are some people media darlings, while your organization doesn’t get a sniff?
Pitching: The Missing Ingredient
3 things I learnt from NY Times David Pogue’s pitching seminar including how to be human.
Why every company needs a social media policy
3 tips for protecting your online reputation.
Pulling out all the stops: A case study in successful event execution
As part of our role as public relations professionals, we often co-ordinate and manage events for clients. Regardless of involvement or size, it’s important to remember that no detail should be spared.
Short-term scandal or beginning of the end for news industry?
As the News of the World scandal unfolds, what's most interesting is how this debacle will affect the global media landscape.
PR tips from Star Wars
George Lucas’ classic offers useful lessons for the PR industry. Here are some pearls of wisdom discovered in the rich dialogue of the Star Wars Trilogy.
Margie Gillis vs. Krista Erickson: Why media training matters
After Sun TV's flat out rude interview with Canada's iconic dancer, here are some PR tips for anyone about to face a combative interview.
Stanley Cup riot fuels political issues
Before the cars had finished burning, aspiring politicians were already pointing fingers in an attempt to gain public favour. These opponents should tread carefully or they may come across as political profiteers.
NEWS RELEASE: Survey Shows Most Vancouverites Believe Committed Agitators Caused Riot
NRG Research Group and Peak Communicators completed 400 random telephone surveys in the City of Vancouver on June 20th on public’s beliefs concerning last week’s hockey riot.
Vancouver’s Stanley Cup Riot #2
Whether it is O.J. Simpson leaving town in a White Bronco or the 9/11 tragedy, nothing is more compelling than a drama unfolding live on TV. Here's how the post-Stanley Cup riot story broke, and who covered it best.
3 PR Strategies to Sell the HST
Taxes are a hard sell, especially one as poorly implemented as the HST. Kurt Heinrich provides three PR strategies to help extend the pro-tax message beyond the boardrooms of West Georgia.
Media Coverage Makes Bono and NHL Myth a Fact
Did you hear the one about the rock star, the NHL millionaire, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs? The proof is in the print: how international headlines can turn a story from our city's backyard into fact.
Vancouver Car Dealer Cashes in On Canucks Fever
How a legal letter from the NHL gave a local car dealer publicity money can't buy.
How to Handle a Crisis Call
At Peak, we specialize in helping firms develop crisis communication plans. I recently read an article entitled “Why Your Receptionist Needs Media Training” and recognized the points that our media training sessions cover for front line personnel.
How to Keep Your Cool When Social Media Monitoring
With 500M+ users on Facebook and 155 million daily tweets, monitoring the social web is a must for all companies. Here are some time saving techniques to use when you’re protecting your online image and tracking conversations.
5 Tips to Spreading the Truth
PR folk walk a fine line between promoting goodwill and spreading ideas. How do you know when you've stretched the truth too thin?
How Social Media Changes Everything
Since founding her agency in 1995, Mat Wilcox has managed communication strategies for high profile crises including the avian bird flu epidemic. Last June, she announced she would close her agency, noting that social media played a role in her decision.
Election Campaigns 2.0: Are we there yet?
Have we entered a new age of election campaigning? With less than a week until Canadians vote, only one-fifth of us are discussing political issues online.
Pitching Persistence: When to Resort to Plan B
Pitching isn’t easy. Journalists can be rude, your story can be less than newsworthy and your ego can take a beating. But have no fear, you have a secret weapon: persistence.
Election PR: Do Laughs win Votes?
Which is more effective in convincing people to vote – fear or humour? A recent slew of Facebook and YouTube videos may be enough to sway the youth vote to the left.
How to Help Your Client Generate News
PR practitioners are often referred to as “rainmakers.” We tell stories and sometimes this means we create them. Although it can be challenging, interviewing your client is the first step to generating news.
How a Phone Call Earns Media Coverage
One of the most effective PR tools is neither a media list service nor a social media app. It’s the phone – tried, true and critical to the success of any campaign.
3 Secrets to PR Event Management
True or false? Event management PR involves sipping champagne and blowing air kisses. Learn what's really involved in running a successful event.
Why the Best PR is Invisible
While PR work involves getting a good story recognized by the media – it doesn’t end there. Preparing for change and its impact on others is a key role of issues management.
CPRS Event: New York Pro Shares PR Predictions
Simply put, every time we have the opportunity to hear PR pro Ken Makovsky speak it changes the way we think of public relations and the way we do business.
5 Ways to Boost the Profile of Your CEO
Martha Stewart. Richard Branson. Oprah. These household names demonstrate the power behind promoting a person in order to brand a company or product. Learn 5 ways to boost your CEO's profile right now.
PVRs Turn Marketing Challenges into PR Opportunity
Millions of North Americans can bypass their obligations to advertisers on TV, zipping past commercials with the press of a button. It's a trend that's sticking and throwing the ad world into turmoil. Find out why public relations is PVR-proof.
Case Study: Quattro / Tien Sher
When Peak heard its client's real estate development in Surrey – Quattro – was on fire, Peak's team immediately travelled to the scene. Assisting with on-site media relations and issues management, Peak liaised with the distraught developer, fire department, RCMP, Salvation Army, neighbours and concerned buyers as well as organized multiple impromptu news conferences.
Developing Social Media Trends
Although 2010 saw an increase in brands using social technologies, most posts on Facebook Pages and Twitter accounts were merely announcements or redirects to a corporate website. 2011 will hopefully see a truer form of engagement between business and consumer.
Issues Hijacking 101
Getting the media to listen can be a challenge. How do you make your pitch relevant? Issues hijacking can give you the angle you need to propel your client's story forward.
Twitter, the Ultimate Media Monitoring Tool
If you aren't social media savvy, you might think Twitter is a waste of time. Read on to discover the benefits of using Twitter as a monitoring tool.
Social Media as a Career Path
Social media jobs are becoming ubiquitous, and it is expected that this occupational sector will greatly increase in popularity in 2011. Find out what it takes to make it in this new career field.
Twitter: The First Stop for Real-Time Anything
Less than five years old, Twitter continues to change how information is disseminated and stories are told.
Investor Relations Thriving on Social Networks
Social media's influence on the practice of investor relations is growing dramatically. In fact, adoption of digital technologies for IR purposes is nearing a tipping point.
Why ROI metric misses value of Social PR
As director of social media for a busy PR agency, rarely a day goes by without a C-level exec asking me to prove the return on investment of social media. What they hate to hear is the truth: business metrics can’t measure the value of a communications tool.
Spreading the news: How we do what we do best
One of the greatest challenges in PR is finding the right news hook for your story. Read how Peak Account Manager Lindsay Marett found the nugget of news for client Theatre Under the Stars.
Thoughts on BP’s Gulf Oil Spill
When I’m with others in Vancouver’s communications industry, the topic of BP’s Deep Horizon oil spill often comes up. The daily news images of tainted water in the Gulf may not be in our back yard, but they hit us hard every day. Read on for a list of just a few of the PR issues in this ongoing tragedy.
An Interesting Mix: Fine Art Auctions and PR
One of the secret weapons to art auction success? A strong media relations campaign.
Top 10 Tips to Earning Media Coverage
PR is one of the most effective methods of getting your message out to the public. Read Alyn Edwards' top ten tips on how you can find the best news in your organization or company.
“Kash Heed Affair” shows why it pays to do your homework
The "Kash Heed Affair" provides a lesson in doing background checks and homework.
NDP’s New Language Says a Lot
For the first time in a long while, the BCNDP’s new language removes them from old school trade unionism and towards a more inclusive progressive coalition. If this is true and this messaging finds its way into speeches, TV ads, and other member communications, the BCNDP will find a growing number of activists and voters eager to join their side and topple the BC Liberals.
How to Keep a Corporate Blog Active
How do you keep your blog active and interesting? Kurt Heinrich shares his top tips on blogging.
Federal Liberals Strategy Backfires in Ottawa: A Communications Post Mortem
The Liberal Party provides an example of smart communications strategy spoiled by lack of planning and internal consultation.
