One of the most widely read and consumed stories in any media is the ‘correction’. They draw attention in the way only schadenfreude and imagined ferocious conflict can. Even small ‘apology’ stories are well known to get a lot of attention. A recent example involved the SMH / Age coverage of former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke’s …

When does a media apology do more damage to reputation than restore it. Read More »

Every business (and every individual) occasionally does or says something they regret. Sometimes it’s just doing the wrong thing, sometimes its expressing something poorly and sometimes it’s just poor timing. When it gets into the public domain or the media it’s what happens next that matters. Do you admit a mistake and apologise or do …

Recovering from a blunder – Corrs Vs Minter Ellison Read More »

Last week NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet went head-to-head with one of Australia’s true masters of media manipulation, Australia Rugby League Commission and Racing NSW head Peter V’landys. Probably not a great idea at the best of times, but very questionable with an election a little over six months away. At stake is a $250 million …

When spin goes too far Read More »

Last month Deutsche Bank in Germany was raided by law enforcement on a suspicion of fraudulent advertising for sustainable investment funds by its DWS unit. The allegation is that the retail money management business engaged in ‘greenwashing’ in which its environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds were sold under false claims. Such allegations are becoming an …

Will hypocrisy and cynicism be the exception or the rule for ESG? Read More »

Love him or loath him, there is little doubt that Prime Minister Scott Morrison is one of Australia’s most skillful media spin masters. While he spun his way through the election of 2019, spin has a time limit and whatever the election outcome, ScoMo’s media manipulation may have reached the end of the road. A …

Will the master of spin triumph? Read More »

It may be a re-work of news-wire style journalism, but US start-up Axios Media is getting attention and success in what could be a future model for traditional media. Last week the New York Times reported that in under five years Axios had grown to over 400 employees and 34 national and global newsletters, all …

Is the future of media by bullet point? Read More »

If the Vietnam war was the first war to be brought into the living rooms of middle America by television, then the Ukrainian war may be the first to be placed in the palms of our hands by social media. From its opening salvos the dramatic clips of bombings, planes, broken down tanks, brave locals …

The Fog of War Read More »

With a Federal election likely in early May we will probably face a long summer of political campaigning. Most pundits seem convinced that after the electorate rejected a policy heavy pitch from Bill Shorten at the last election, we won’t be seeing much of policy substance this time around. So, if it’s a ‘froth and …

Scottie from Marketing Vs Hot Albo Vs the invisible man Vs Fat Clive Read More »

This month one of the Big Four accounting / consulting groups introduced a new title to its senior ranks,  Chief Purpose Officer. What a CPO actually does is anyone’s guess, but in making the appointment it joins the ranks of the vast ‘creative’ work titles in the corporate world. Titles such as Brand Evangelist, a …

It’s never been easier to join the C suite Read More »