In Sports and Business, A Simple Narrative is Often More Complex
It’s natural to feel sympathy for an athlete who has worked hard and doesn’t want to quit, but we all have faced situations beyond our control, and we don’t jeopardize others’ health and well-being in service of our ambition.
Vocatus Wins for Best Marketing Campaign and Ray Hennessey Wins for Best Marketing Individual at Inaugural WealthBriefing Innovation in Marketing Awards
Vocatus Wins for Best Marketing Campaign and Ray Hennessey Wins for Best Marketing Individual at Inaugural WealthBriefing Innovation in Marketing Awards BOCA RATON, FL | Sept. 18, 2026 Vocatus, a leading communications and marketing firm serving the financial services industry, announced that it earned two inaugural WealthBriefing Innovation in Marketing Awards: PR Agency, Marketing Campaign, […]
Vocatus Wins for Best PR Campaign for Second Year in a Row at the 2026 Wealth Management Industry Awards
Vocatus Wins for Best PR Campaign for Second Year in a Row at the 2026 Wealth Management Industry Awards BOCA RATON, FL | Sept. 12, 2026 Vocatus, a leading strategic communications firm serving financial services companies, today announced it has been awarded the 2026 Wealth Management Industry Award for Client PR Campaign of the Year. The […]
Why We Remember Tommy John Instead of Dr. Frank Jobe
People remember stories about people. And the simpler the story, the better.
That may explain why millions of sports fans know the term “Tommy John surgery” but far fewer recognize the name Dr. Frank Jobe, the orthopedic surgeon who actually pioneered the procedure. The operation repaired a torn ulnar collateral ligament, but the brand belonged to the patient.
That’s a lesson in how reputations are built.
Institutions of Higher Learning are Getting an ‘F’ in Marketing. Are You Making the Same Mistake?
The first rule of marketing is: Know your audience. If you’ve spent any time with a teenager, you know that they’re perpetually online. I can’t remember the last time that my daughter opened a piece of mail. So, what are all these schools hoping to achieve spending hundreds of thousands on marketing? Do they think parents will read them and add the college to their lists? Maybe, but most parents are busy and would be more inclined to consult U.S. News & World Report or speak to friends and family, not read a brochure.
Bernard Arnault Just Rewrote the Crisis Communications Playbook
Bernard Arnault offered a masterclass in how the old rules of crisis communications no longer apply.
The Lettuce Outbreak Wasn’t About Lettuce. It Was About Trust.
Salad has never been my jam, but, like everyone else, I’ve been watching the national cyclospora outbreak closely and using it to justify not eating healthy (after all, truffle fries never hurt anyone, right?)
But, in addition to personal fascination, the whole incident was for me a timely reminder of a fundamental truth about crisis communications: stakeholders pay far more attention to what people or companies do than to what they say.
As Publishers Walk Away from Google, the PR Landscape Is Shifting Dramatically
For years, public relations has followed a similar playbook: You get the story. You land it in the right outlet. And then you let Google do what Google does, namely surface it, amplify it, keep it working long after the ink is dry. (Well, when we used to use ink, at least.)
That’s been the deal, but now that deal may be breaking.
When It Matters Most, a Brand Shows Its Heart
There are moments when the conversation around brand purpose stops being theoretical and becomes deeply, unmistakably real.
The devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela in late June did exactly that. Two powerful shocks rocked the northern part of the country, leaving widespread devastation, thousands dead or missing, and communities scrambling for safety and support.
When Companies Like SpaceX Stop Spreading the News
SpaceX recently said it will release financial results and other material news only through its own website and its account on X, bypassing traditional wire services altogether. That’s a tactical decision, signaling that the infrastructure behind how news starts is changing in a very big way.