Laughter: the Best Medicine

“Start with a joke,” many speakers are advised. And that’s exactly how Saturday Night Live head writers and Weekend Update hosts, Michael Che and Colin Jost began as hosts of Monday night’s 70th Primetime Emmy Awards. Diversity, a major topic for the entertainment industry, in general and award shows, in particular, was gris for their mill.         …

Nike Just Did It

Nike reveals that Colin Kaepernick, American football quarterback and activist, will lead their 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. Colin Kaepernick has been widely known for initiating the trend of kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. It caused him to surrender his role as starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers and become a free agent. However, …

A Brand By Any Other Name

To paraphrase Shakespeare, what’s in a brand name? Pretty much everything! But the Dunkin’ Donuts brand you once knew is going. In its place is the newly reformed “Dunkin.”  And loyal customers are upset. USA Today writes:  We buy Cokes, not sodas; Starbucks, not coffee; iPhones, not mobile phones. Typically, brands make us feel like an item is of higher quality …

What’s in a Headline? Everything!

Print journalists know from the inverted pyramid that the lead paragraph requires the 5 W’s and H … What, When, Where, Who, Why and How. And  a good headline tells the whole story. Like this: Trump treats politics like a knife fight. Democrats can’t pretend it’s a garden party. An effective headline says it all and this headline does just …

Don’t Hold Your Future Hostage

As hip-hop artist LL Cool J (Ladies Love Cool James) often says, “You can’t let your past hold your future hostage.” And  sometimes, past communication mistakes can more than tie up your future. Milwaukee Brewers’ relief pitcher Josh Hader, 24, found himself in a bind when past racist and homophobic tweets resurfaced at this summer’s All-Star Game in Washington D.C. After …

Periscaping … into Virtual Reality

Periscape, the brainchild of Founder & CEO, Lynn Rosenthal, means to “escape within.” That’s exactly what today’s international travelers can do at JFK’s International Terminal 4. Boasting the most foot traffic of any U.S airport, it was the ideal place to launch this worldwide consumer attraction. Relieving travelers from hours of “dwell” time at this busy, crowded airport, this virtual reality …

Let Freedom Ring

Protected under the First Amendment, the Freedom of Speech refers to “the right to express any opinions without censorship or restraint.” Yet, time and time again, there have been many attempts to limit or restrict certain forms of expression. Recently, the California Supreme Court ruled that Yelp, the business review forum, could not be ordered to remove negative reviews about …