The Public Relations Blog

Forget TV. Just stream it, baby. The Internet has nudged many viewers to seek programming on their time and from whatever device they choose. Recently, a company called Aereo began offering network television programming to consumers over the Internet. But it’s not that simple, and it involves a pending Supreme Court lawsuit case. What will the implications be for ad revenues and PR campaigns?

News releases can be like a bungee jump: Once the leap has started, there’s really no going back. You may feel somewhat jerked around and endure quite a bumpy ride if that news has gone out without proper permissions ahead of time.

Even ultra-clever commercials with catchy drum beats can’t distract millions of consumers from wondering, at least a little, if they can still shop safely at Target.

Many of us have had a laugh over “the toddler’s rules for possession.” Many of us may have experienced these rules in action during the holiday season, such as “if I saw it, it’s mine,” “if I let you have it, it’s mine,” and, of course, “if I had it a little while ago, it’s still mine.”

Arguments over the nation’s minimum wage laws have been ongoing for years. There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, and people taking sides on the issue are certainly doing their best to sway the public.

If you’re Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Olympus cameras or J.C. Penney, your fortune cookie for 2014 might read, “Big changes at next full moon in 2014, not good,” or, “Hey, you’re on the list of businesses predicted to tank this year.”

When you are a child, there is an undeniable sense of magic to Christmas. From Santa’s jovial laugh to the presents magically appearing under the tree on Christmas morning, it is a fantastic experience that makes the holiday unlike any other. As people get older, the magic tends to fade because of the stress of life and the fact that their wallets fund this magic for everyone else. WestJet brought that feeling of magic to children and adults alike, and that’s what made its “Christmas Miracle” PR campaign so great.

Remember the Magic 8 Ball fad? Ask it a question, give it a shake and wait for the prophetic truth to appear. Rather than offer you a year-end list of all the trends from 2013, let’s play some Magic 8 Ball to see what trends will help shape the PR and social media industries next year.

(Editor's note: Our PR firm helps corporations and their CEOs/leaders get on TV and TV shows like Undercover Boss. We are unable to help employees nominate their companies for Undercover Boss. CEOs and marketing/PR chiefs should call us if they'd like to be on the show.)