For public relations professionals, building strong relationships with reporters is the best way to collaborate on story ideas. However, PR pros are occasionally tasked with getting exposure in a completely new area, one in which they cannot rely on their current contact list. In these situations, it is best to do a thorough background check [...]

There’s nothing I love more than a good sweat session, and Lululemon (LULU) allows their customers to do so in style. The Vancouver-based retailer has made it mainstream to pay $100 for a pair of yoga pants. But the company recently came under fire after it announced a recall of its wildly popular Luon bottoms for [...]

I recently stumbled upon a new survey of what institutional investors look for in their hedge fund managers. The survey, from fund administrator SEI, was particularly interesting because it covered what investors think about a particular firm’s “brand” identity and how that factors into their decision to invest in the fund. Not surprisingly, the results were mixed [...]

The New York Times’ Nicole Perloth wrote a disturbing piece last week describing the repeated hacking of the paper’s computers and emails, purported to be conducted by the Chinese government. This highlights yet another foreign cyber attack carried out against U.S. financial and communication systems. In fact, last week the Pentagon announced that it is increasing fivefold the size [...]

The following blog post is geared towards all journalists visiting our site. This article also appeared recently in TalkingBizNews, a web site targeted to the media community. Most reporters think PR agency executives are pests, either bothering them on a daily basis to write about their clients or blocking access to sources. But that doesn’t [...]

As the President and Congressional leaders deliberate over a solution to avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff,” another debate has emerged: whether the term “fiscal cliff” is even accurate. Some journalists have begun questioning the validity of this now commonplace term in describing the looming crisis. It’s not so much the end result they dispute. Rather, [...]

As a long-time Nets fan (beginning with the ABA with Dr. J, and continuing through to NJ and the Jason Kidd era and into Brooklyn), I’m thrilled the Nets have an improved team and I even bought season tickets for the first time in my life (for any sports team). I also like their new [...]

Clients of Dukas PR regularly appear on CNBC to offer informed commentary on a variety of financial issues that affect the market and the larger economy.  Frequent appearances on CNBC—and other networks—are a great way for financial and asset management firms to build stronger brands. Stealing a page from the PR playbook, CNBC has embarked [...]

We tell our financial public relations clients not to publicly take sides in the presidential race. Our rationale is quite simple: given that the country is basically split down the middle in their political leanings, any portfolio manager, investment banker or CEO who goes on CNBC and supports, say, Governor Romney’s across-the-board tax cuts or President [...]

Despite news reports earlier this month that the Securities and Exchange Commission was poised to delay important changes to marketing rules for hedge funds and other alternative investment funds, the S.E.C. published proposed rules yesterday that will have a significant impact on how hedge funds speak to the public and market themselves to prospective investors. Both public relations professionals [...]

Hedge fund managers are a rare breed.  Not only are they some of the highest paid professionals in the world, but they also tend to be the most secretive and reticent about speaking to the press. I’ve heard all the reasons why managers want to fly below the proverbial radar, including: “lawyers”, “I don’t want [...]

According to a recent Associated Press survey conducted by Northeastern University, approximately 54% of new college graduates are either jobless or underemployed, usually finding themselves saddled with mounds of debt. The weak economy certainly is the primary factor behind this grim fact. That said, there’s another reason why so many of them are out of [...]

As a keen observer of Facebook’s IPO, I was amazed, dismayed and also glad with the torrent of media coverage the listing received this past week. “Amazed” because, quite honestly, I didn’t think people cared about it as much as the press coverage would lead you to believe. Sure, I get it: FB is the [...]

Congratulations to DPR client, Venture for America (VFA), on its recent visit to the White House to meet President Obama! VFA is a recently launched not-for-profit designed to do for entrepreneurship what Teach for America has done for education—bring young, talented grads to disadvantaged communities for at least two years. The first group of 50 [...]

“You never want a crisis to go to waste.” Those were the now-infamous words of Rahm Emanuel, the current mayor of Chicago and former chief of staff for President Obama, in 2008. In this election cycle, the private equity industry has been cast in a negative light by the media largely because of Mitt Romney’s [...]

At long last, an arcane S.E.C. rule that has impeded PR people and reporters for some time appears to be on its way out. The rule, known as 502(c) of Regulation D, prevents anyone raising capital for a private investment fund, such as a hedge fund or private equity vehicle, to market or advertise to [...]

Earlier this month, rumor of an oil pipeline blast in Saudi Arabia surfaced and sent investors into a frenzy, underscoring just how much power new media has in driving up prices—especially in an already finicky and nervous oil market. Originating on Facebook and Twitter, the story was quickly picked up by the state-owned Iranian press, [...]

There’s been a lot of talk recently about pension funds being drastically underfunded. Some studies peg the funding gap for state and local pensions at more than $1 trillion. To make up the gap, pensions either have to force their members to contribute more, cut back on benefits or make it up by earning returns [...]

I am no economist, but I do believe that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is absolutely doing the right thing.  Is it because he is working to keep interest rates low until 2014?  Or because he’s taking the historic step of setting a 2% inflation target, or because he’s managing the public’s expectations by lowering [...]

Since we’re in an election year, more than ever I am realizing the similarities between PR campaigns and political campaigns.  Campaign managers for President Obama, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul, take note! In PR, you have to not only react to breaking news, but also anticipate it. You need to make sure that [...]