Party City’s New Commercial Makes Local Mom Cry

Scene: Two 30-something women stand behind a table of party food, in a Party City commercial. And … action! Mom 1: This is incredible! Mom 2: Right. Mom 1: Yes! Mom 2: What is that? (pointing to a lone plate of crackers a few feet away) Mom 1: Those are some gluten-free options. Mom 2: […]

A Lesson in Crisis Communication, Delivered on the Subway

When I hopped on the MBTA (our subway) recently, I wasn’t expecting to attend a master class in crisis communication. But that’s just what happened, courtesy of a congenial conductor. We’ve all been there before. You’re stuck on the airplane runway for no apparent reason. Or a line at the grocery store that hasn’t moved […]

The Mysterious Allure of the Hot Mess Sandwich

Another new product name has cracked us up this week: The Hot Mess, brought to you by everybody’s favorite Halloweentown nightmare, Jack in the Box. If you are unfamiliar with the Mess, here’s all you need to know: Gooey jack cheese, onion rings, jalapenos, beef. Not necessarily in that order. Okay, so it’s messy. But […]

You Mean the Advertising Industry Existed Before Sterling Cooper?

Yes, it’s true: Madison Avenue was cranking out advertising well before Donald Draper et al. were doing their thing. The glorious proof comes in the form of The High Art of Photographic Advertising, an exhibit running through Oct. 9 at Harvard Business School. The website includes the back story: “The 1934 Art and Industry Exhibition […]

Bats Looking for PR Boost Could Learn Lesson from Squirrel Community

A strange illness is devastating bat populations throughout the Northeast, and few people seem to care. Some wildlife experts believe the lack of research dollars going toward the problem is due to the fact that, well, people generally don’t like bats. In a recent Boston Globe article, Beth Daley writes: Despairing bat biologists want to […]