Don’t End Up Eating Your Own Words

A Twitter post from Lady Gaga about her diet and exercise regime has sparked a backlash from fans and eating disorder campaign groups.In a tweet to her nearly 23 million followers the singer wrote: ‘Just killed back to back spin classes. Eating a salad dreaming of a cheeseburger #PopSingersDontEat #IWasBornThisWay’With social media at our fingertips, anything can go viral before …

One of the C’s of Communication: Charisma!

In Forbes magazine last week, our East Coast colleague, Joyce Newman of the NewmanGroup was quoted on how to be charismatic. She would know. Everyone can be charismatic. We are not born charismatic – we cultivate it in many ways. One way is by observing and learning from people whom you think are charismatic. You don’t need to copy them, …

You Can’t Muzzle the Media

Even in countries where the 1st Amendment, Freedom of Speech, is not in play; the media reigns. Reporters won’t be ignored. So you must choose to work with them in balancing the story with your side, too. Or, try to control them at your peril. Case in point. According to a recent Australian Financial Review afr.com, Australian billionaire Solomon Lew …

Conciseness is the name of the Media Game

Winston Churchill: “I am sorry for such a long letter. I didn’t have time to write a short one.” Take the time to craft your thoughts into a sentence or two before addressing them to media questions. Media training lets you practice until you’ve perfected your short, concise soundbites.

Silence is Golden

It is certainly expected of a US president to know better than to make a careless media mistake when cameras and microphones are present.  However, President Obama’s Red-faced moment came when he was recorded telling President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more ‘flexibility’ after November’s elections to deal with petulant issues such as missile defense. This comment came during …

Santorum Peruses Romney’s Policies on Etch A Sketch

Looks like Mitt Romney’s senior campaign adviser could have used some serious media training before he commented on CNN that the campaign will “hit a reset button” to take on President Barack Obama in the fall if Romney wins the GOP nomination. Adding “it’s almost like an Etch A Sketch — you can kind of shake it up, and we start …

Humperdinck Still in a Boy Band?

British political commentator Dr. Anthony Seldon should know better than to venture out of politics after this Red-faced media moment. The gaffe came when the headmaster of expensive Wellington College in Berkshire was asked to comment on the decision to name Engelbert Humperdinck the UK candidate for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. According to the DailyMail, Dr. Seldon replied on …

Jeremy Lin’s “Chink in the Armor”

In the midst of America’s sports Lin-sanity, two ESPN employees used the phrase “chink in the armor” once too often to describe Jeremy Lin’s performance against the New Orleans Hornets. ESPN’s headline writer Anthony Federico made the faux pas when he posted this headline on ESPN’s mobile website: “Chink in the Armor: Jeremy Lin’s 9 Turnovers Cost Knicks in Streak-Snapping …

Social Media Mistakes Not to Make

This week is the one-year anniversary of Fashion Designer Kenneth Cole’s Social Media Mistake of trivializing a revolution in a tweet to 8,000 followers. “Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online – KC” It triggered a series of angry complaints from users who tweeted responses such as, “You should …

Presidential Readyness?

Departing from our usual Red-faced media moments, we must compliment Mitt Romney on a very Ready soundbite after his win in the Florida primary. “A competitive primary will not divide us, “he told his cheering Republican supporters. “It prepares us. And we will win.” This, after exit polls showed that nearly half of the exclusively Republican-registered primary voters said the …