Admin - Mahony Partners

Dec

2013

When Lawyers Advertise

Have you ever seen a really effective, memorable ad for a law firm? Didn’t think so. The ads usually reinforce the most negative impressions about lawyers – long-winded, self-absorbed, aloof. Good advertising should do the opposite. Will law firms ever get it right? (more…) Read More

Dec

2013

The Virtues of Declaring Victory

Crisis

Sometimes the best communication strategy is to say you’ve won and move on. That’s just what the Obama administration did, announcing on Sunday that the federal healthcare website was working well for “the vast majority” of users. The strategy worked brilliantly. Here's why. Read More

Nov

2013

More Bad Headlines at Bloomberg News

Media, Taking & Managing Risk

Bloomberg News has landed in an unusual place: the front page of the New York Times, in an article saying Bloomberg pulled back on a controversial story to avoid angering China’s leaders. Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief Matt Winkler denied it, but the Times ran the pi... Read More

Nov

2013

The New York Times Spoils the IPO Party

Financial Services

You can count on the editorial page of the New York Times to spoil a good party. With Twitter's IPO poised to raise nearly $2 billion, the market is looking healthier than it has in years. But a Times editorial Read More

Oct

2013

The Future of News is Local

Media, Taking & Managing Risk

It’s not easy to be in the news business today. Reuters said recently it will cut its newsroom staff by five percent – a sharp turnabout from two years ago when it was boldly hiring talent from rival news organizations. There are bright spots in the business, but they happen to be far ... Read More

Oct

2013

The Short-Lived Joy of Blaming Someone Else

Crisis

Metro-North, New York’s commuter railroad, has for years shuttled its cargo in unglamorous but reliable fashion between New York City and its northern suburbs. That was until a power failure halted service for more than a week, creating scores of angry passengers and ugly headlines. The company has struggled to explain the cause of the problem but recently unveiled the answer: It blamed someone else. Read More

Oct

2013

Elon Musk and the Art of the Outrageous Prediction

Taking & Managing Risk

Elon Musk, entrepreneur and PR genius, has done it again. He boldly predicted that the arrival of a self-driving car was just three years away. The press took note, and Mr. Musk found himself on the front page of the Financial Times. His gambit shows that an outlandish statement... Read More

Sep

2013

A Cheer for Ben Bernanke

Taking & Managing Risk

There’s something to be said for surprise. It keeps us on our toes and makes life interesting. That’s especially true in financial markets, where we’ve grown accustomed to apparent certainties – from “consensus” earnings estimates to interest-rate forecasts. So it was good to see Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke remind everyone on Wall Street that Fed policy, like life itself, isn’t so easy to pred... Read More

Sep

2013

Risky Business: Monitoring Employees on LinkedIn

Taking & Managing Risk

Do companies go too far by trying to control what their employees post on LinkedIn? A guest post by LinkedIn expert Bruce Segall looks at the issues. (more…) Read More

Sep

2013

Jeff Bezos Wows the Washington Post

Taking & Managing Risk

Jeff Bezos scored a big win on his day-long visit to the Washington Post this week, brilliantly playing against his image as a guy who’s been shy around reporters his entire career. His visit holds lessons for every chief executive. (more…) Read More