We are pleased to announce that a new book, by our very own Phil Hall, comes out today! “The New PR: An Insider's Guide to the Changing Face of Public Relations” is a provocative examination of major shifts happening within our industry. It's a must read.

Look Around: As you are aware, few industries have ever (EVER) experienced as much poor PR as, ironically, our business. C'mon! The imagery of the sleazy spinmeister seems now ingrained in the minds of the general public; and questions of efficacy plague practitioners on the corporate front. Arrrgh, terrible.

Ask Yourself: How did we get ourselves into this mess? More importantly, how can PR reassert its value?

That, my friends, is the whole megillah.

Through a whirlwind combination of case studies, original interviews and even a wild history ride that traces modern PR tactics back to the Boston Massacre of 1770, “The New PR” examines how the public relations industry needs to take a more aggressive and proactive approach in order to survive. Hall examines where traditional media relations is giving way to an approach that places greater value on experiential marketing strategies. The book details the intricacies of D.I.Y. digital media, the effectiveness of event promotions, and the challenges of getting the C-Suite leadership to understand and appreciate the value of The New PR.

“The New PR” brings together the most imaginative and controversial thought leaders in today’s PR world to chart a future that the industry traditionalists cannot seem to grasp.

Buy it. Read it. Come back here and let's talk about it.

- Amanda

A Crisis Communications Primer: 10 Tips for Managing the Interview

Well, as you know, this week started off perhaps a little TOO. Important issues yes, but back to back, God! I imagine we’ve caused a few intellectual hernias. I mean, this is PR!

As such, we thought we’d take a moment and offer something of a lighter fare. Here’s a nice sorbet to refresh the palate in between courses. Here we want to take a moment to present a little homage to our many suitors. This is dedicated to all of you who’ve expressed interest in getting to know us. Special thanks to Spanky and Our Gang and Eggman for the inspiration. Enjoy.

Arrivederci amore, ciao.

- Amanda

PS Tomorrow we're back to work. Be sure to check back for a compelling byline from our friend Roberto Zangrandi, Head Corporate Social Responsibility for Enel, one of Europe’s leading energy companies. Roberto discusses how Enel is using web tools to facilitate "one-with-one" constituent dialogue. It is not one to miss.

This just in from our correspondent on the ground in remote Manacapuru, Brazil... 

A rabid band of tambourine-toting Hare Krishnas has stormed and overtaken a small Xingu Indian village deep in the Amazon rainforest. Preliminary accounts are that hostages have been taken. However, the Krishnas' demands have yet to be communicated.

No. Actually, "'Cult' Invades Amazon" is about a book. The much talked about "The Cult of the Amateur" goes on sale today and is now available on Amazon.

Here's the deal: If you’re a serious business person and want to read the tea leaves as to what the Internet is doing to our culture and subsequently your livelihood... BUY "CULT" TODAY!

ABOUT

In his new book, "The Cult of the Amateur: How Today’s Internet Is Killing Our Culture," Silicon Valley insider Andrew Keen argues that Web 2.0 threatens our culture’s moral and aesthetic standards. Turns out this deluge of free, user-generated content is threatening the very viability of our cultural institutions. It's as simple as this: Awash now in opinion posing as fact, we, as a society, are quickly losing the ability to discern what's valuable; AND THAT... has the potential to disrupt everything you hold dear.

"Cult" paints a grim picture:

Our newspapers, magazines, music and movies are all being overtaken by an avalanche of amateur, user-generated free content. Advertising revenue is in free fall, being siphoned off by free classified ads on sites like Craig’s list; television networks are under attack from free, user-generated programming on YouTube; file-sharing and digital piracy have devastated the multibillion-dollar music business and threaten to undermine our movie industry. Worse, our “cut-and-paste” online culture threatens over 200 years of copyright protection and intellectual property rights, robbing artists, authors, journalists, musicians, editors, and producers of the fruits of their creative labors.

Yikes! Add it all up and the populace movement that is Web 2.0 is rapidly eroding the very under-girding of our democracy.

NOTE TO THE CULTISTS

To all the zealots who have bought into the Web 2.0 Movement hook, line and sinker... I am going to ask that you at least for the moment stifle your intellectual prejudice. 

If you're one of the many vocal Web 2.0 cultists who, true to stereotype, groused incessantly about this book before it was even released... here's your chance to actually show some intellectual integrity and consider an opposing viewpoint.

For the record, I totally understand and empathize with those that approach the topic with bias. Personally, I was first similarly inclined to dismiss Weinberger's new book "Everything is Miscellaneous." But in the spirit of intellectual integrity, I forced myself to read it and did so with pencil in hand. Where it took me a few hours to read Keens book... I worked on "Miscellaneous" for three days. And my conclusion? Although I am diametrically opposed to Weinberger's wild theories, like Keen's "Cult," I recommend it highly. Open your mind and consider the BIG picture.

CONCLUSION

 "Cult of the Amateur" is a must read. It's important. It's something that should be discussed broadly ASAP.