Small Agency Diary

Remember That Zappos RFP? Here's What Was Wrong With It

Agencies That Don't Want to Be Treated Like Cattle Shouldn't Act Like Cattle

Posted by Eric Webber on 07.23.09 @ 03:47 PM

Eric Webber

Much has been made lately about the mad scramble by agencies to get into the Zappos review (prior to the most recent news about Amazon buying the company).

What happened wasn't anything new -- a cattle call, spec creative review. Clients have been holding them for years. And agencies have been griping about them just as long.

I Have Seen the Future, and It Is Snuggie

Be Prepared to Defend the Need for Quality Creative

Posted by Eric Webber on 02.06.09 @ 01:41 PM

Eric Webber

I'm a creative snob. Never mind that I don't actually work in the Creative Department at an agency (and never have). I've been around enough great creative work to feel like I know what is and what isn't.

You Can't Quantify Everything

Measuring, or Not, the Value of PR

Posted by Eric Webber on 09.09.08 @ 03:38 PM

Eric Webber

In a recent issue of Ad Age, Jack Neff wrote about some interesting developments in the area of measuring advertising effectiveness. No need to recap it; you can read it here.

I almost missed it because I'm building up immunity to claims of the latest, most definitive systems for measuring such things. They seem to be everywhere, like golf magazines that trumpet yet another cure for the slice in every issue. Or Cosmo's monthly "greatest sex tip you'll ever read." I've never been helped appreciably by either of them, by the way.

All Atwitter in Austin

PR People Have to Understand the Mob Now Uses BlackBerries

Posted by Eric Webber on 03.18.08 @ 12:36 PM

Eric Webber

Last week was spring break in Austin, which means South By Southwest. SXSW started in 1987 as a music festival. It has now grown into an internationally known entertainment industry event and conference. More than 500 bands from around the world playing all day and night for four days. In addition, there are also highly regarded film and interactive festivals in the early part of the week.

The keynote of the interactive conference this year was Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg interviewed by BusinessWeek tech writer Sarah Lacy. If you are at all geeky, you heard about this. There's a good rundown here.

On Kissing Frogs

Some Clients Will Never Be Prince Charming

Posted by Eric Webber on 11.12.07 @ 09:00 AM

Eric Webber

The good news for small agencies is that there are a lot of new-business prospects out there. The bad news is there are a lot of new-business prospects out there.

A Few Thoughts on Crisis Communications ...

Or, Would I Want to Be Michael Vick's Publicist?

Posted by Eric Webber on 08.31.07 @ 12:56 PM

In the PR business, a crisis is something you plan for but hope to avoid. We all share the pain of our colleagues who have clients in tough spots.

Want to Put the Meat Back in Meetings?

Then Quit Having So Many of Them

Posted by Eric Webber on 08.20.07 @ 11:25 AM

When I was at a big agency, I had a recurring nightmare. I'd died and gone to hell, which turned out to be a windowless room with a big table in the middle. I was seated at the table, bound to a chair.

Big Agencies Could Learn a Thing or Two From Us

Small Can Be Good for Creativity

Posted by Eric Webber on 07.30.07 @ 05:43 PM

I'm not really the reflective type, save for the occasional daydreaming about some past "what-might-have-beens," like the day years ago when I found myself alone with Elle McPherson in an elevator at Nordstrom. (She was checking me out, but I chose to play it cool by becoming keenly interested in my shoes.)

Communications 'Professionals' a Disgrace to Our Language

Drop the Thesaurus and Nobody Gets Hurt

Posted by Eric Webber on 05.25.07 @ 04:25 PM

There's a website I visit on occasion called www.engrish.com. It's a collection of photos of signs, packaging, t-shirts and other things that all have in common the mangling of the English language. Most of the examples come from Asia (hence the less-than-politically correct domain name) -- like a send-off letter from a hotel, wishing the guest "A bong voyage" or a welcome sign outside a public garden that says "Trees and flowers await your love."

Seriously, Karl. Did You Not See This One Coming?

Political Mastermind Walks Right Into PR Trap

Posted by Eric Webber on 04.24.07 @ 05:47 PM

Whether you agree or disagree with Sheryl Crow or Laurie David and their take on the global warming issue, you've got to give them credit for pulling of a slick PR stunt at the expense of presidential advisor Karl Rove at the recent annual White House Correspondent's Dinner.