... someone who with a straight face calls the new corporate podcast "slightly irreverent," the new employee video "kind of fun" and the CEO's blog "a bit edgy."
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April 16, 2009
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Oh, I just thought of another:
... someone who declares in print or in person that he or she is "passionate about branding."
Posted by: David Murray | April 16, 2009 at 02:48 PM
... and someone who thinks you can analyze public relations without getting into politics.
I'm on a roll!
Posted by: David Murray | April 16, 2009 at 02:58 PM
Who gave you a wedgie today? My, my, my!!
I don't suppose you'd care to elaborate and provide details on what/who has got your knickers in a such a knot, would you?
Posted by: Kristen | April 16, 2009 at 03:02 PM
Well, Kristen, I suppose it goes back to my childhood ....
The PR comment refers to the hysterical, and I don't mean funny, goings on here:
http://www.ragan.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=5AA50C55146B4C8C98F903986BC02C56&tier=4&id=761E196C90244ED388C76E519FA2D358&AudID=3FF14703FD8C4AE98B9B4365B978201A
Posted by: David Murray | April 16, 2009 at 03:05 PM
Measurement - say something about the compulsive need to measure everything, David. Surely you have some thoughts on that topic...
Posted by: Rueben | April 16, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Holy freakin shit!!! (I would have commented at Ragan, but I can't say "shit" on there, and really - it needed to be said!)
My absolute favourite thing about that whole kerfuffel is two things that one or two people commented on and that were also what I thought as I read through:
1) I love how the very commenters who are enraged about the author's exercise of his free speech rights mention that they were at the "free-speech exercising" tea parties [can you say "ironic"?],
2) All these idiots swearing they're going to cancel all Ragan subscriptions because of this article make me laugh! If you had any intelligent rebuttals other than stamping your widdle foot, how bout you let us have em?? But, no, the conservatives choose to ignore those who disagree with them rather than demonstrating how much more "accurate" and "wise" their own perspectives are. Gee, I wonder why that is???
Posted by: Kristen | April 16, 2009 at 03:34 PM
@Reuben: Oh yes: A corporate hack will talk incessantly about how the purpose of his or her flaccid prose is to create "behavior change." Yeah, that'll happen, asstard.
@Kristen. Yes, the canceled subscriptions are hilarious. Ostensibly, their employer is paying the Ragan freight because they justified it as a budget item as a crucial business expense. And now they're canceling because a Ragan editor had the gall to doubt the effectiveness of their little tea parties. (Hint, guys: The folks at the original Tea Party had more intellectual integrity.)
For the record, I do think the article was overly dismissive and unnecessarily divisive, and if I'd been editor of Ragan.com I think I wouldn't have put it up. They also should label their opinion pieces "Opinion" WITHIN the piece once you've clicked on it (not just on the website), so that incredulous readers can look up and realize this isn't a "news" story before they actually drop a load in their pants--and get it all over us.
Posted by: David Murray | April 16, 2009 at 04:14 PM
"Asstard" really is a word you don't see used often enough. You have inspired me to use it on a more regular basis, David. Thanks.
Posted by: Rueben | April 16, 2009 at 05:26 PM
Hacks are people who say, "Everything is about the brand." They are people who call themselves "communication strategists," but can't write a simple sentence.
Posted by: Amy | April 16, 2009 at 05:28 PM
Score, Amy. Hacks in general use the word "about" all the time.
"The BLAH-BLAH isn't about SUCH-AND-SUCH, it's about SO-AND-SO."
I just tell 'em to prove it.
Posted by: David Murray | April 16, 2009 at 05:35 PM
Uh oh...I think I have some of them working for me...
Posted by: rueben | April 16, 2009 at 09:32 PM
Hacks talk about adding 'the wow factor'.
Posted by: Lizard | April 17, 2009 at 02:51 AM
Lizard: Thank you for that value-add.
Posted by: David Murray | April 17, 2009 at 07:07 AM
Hacks describe their writing as "working their magic."
Posted by: Eileen B. | April 17, 2009 at 11:30 AM
No. Seriously? As a writer, I've been told by clients to work my magic. But if I ever heard a writer talk about working his or her own magic on something, I would fire him or her.
I take that back. Him. Not to be sexist, but no "her" would ever say such at thing.
Would she?
Posted by: David Murray | April 17, 2009 at 11:34 AM
... someone who wonders if "asstard" should be one word, two or hyphenated.
Posted by: Chuck B | April 17, 2009 at 01:13 PM
No, Chuck, that's not a hack. That's a copyeditor.
Posted by: David Murray | April 17, 2009 at 06:45 PM