There’s an expression: “tragedy plus time equals comedy”, and when a guy who portrayed the Marlboro Man in advertising died this year from a smoking-related illness, it was tragic, and also seemed like a punch line to a sad joke. Eric Lawson had smoked since he was 14, and he smoked most of his life.…
Did the Marlboro Man Go “Up in Smoke?” Read More »
Once a person expresses his or her true feelings on a subject, it’s impossible to take those words back, and the consequences become more extreme in the media.That’s a lesson Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart probably learned when he spoke to student journalists. Brian Slodysko in the Chicago Sun-Times reports Dart told the students, “Most of
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart Misses the Mark Read More »
Trials are hard enough, but attorneys get even more frustrated and disappointed when the verdict isn’t in their favor. They can even become angry and have lots of problems with their clients, like Drew Peterson and his lawyer, Joel Brodsky, when Peterson was convicted of killing his wife.Brodsky went on TV after the verdict and
Would a Lawyer Ever Say Something Unkind? Read More »
The swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated is popular for the same reason Playboy is: the pictures. They appeal to men’s desires and fantasies (and not the good ones). Now Mattel has gotten in on the action by creating the Barbie Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Doll. It was made to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the magazine,
Is Barbie Lust Right for Your Daughter? Read More »
Often, it seems attorneys wished judges would get bad press and get scrutinized by the public, when they make a “bad” decision against their client. Well it looks like Cook County jail is helping them achieve that. The Chicago Sun-Times has an article by Robert Herguth and Dane Placko about judges getting upset because they have to show their
Do Lawyers or Judges Get the Last Laugh? Read More »
You never know what will work with the media. Usually people think of using groundbreaking technology to create attention-grabbing publicity, but here’s something that tremendous national and local attention that has nothing to do with tech: goats. Heather Cherone in DNA Info says that’s how O’Hare took care of its weeds. Actually, llamas, burros, sheep, and camels helped the goats
Publicity that Gets my “Goat” Read More »
McDonald’s is a huge, established company, but it’s still making public relations mistakes that you would expect from a start-up business. The latest is its internal website for employees, where several posts talked about the negative effects of fast food, the same kind of food that McDonald’s has been selling for years. If the company had
McDonald’s Is Now Serving “Egg on Its Face” Read More »
Recently, prominent Pittsburgh defense lawyer James Ecker passed away. Usually attorneys don’t get so much media coverage, especially if they’re just known locally. However, Ecker had a long relationship with the media because of the way he communicated with reporters and how he described his high-profile clients who were accused of horrible crimes. He was
What Can Attorneys Learn from “Ground Up Cow on a Bun?” Read More »
McDonald’s doesn’t always get a break. It’s been criticized, mocked, and has had its share of controversy, especially when it was featured in the documentary film Super Size Me, which followed Morgan Spurlock’s failing health as he only ate fast food every day. Well they seem to be doing a good job trying to counter the
Does McDonald’s Derserve A Break Today? Read More »
The legal website Above the Lawcan make lawyers laugh about their stories or cry if they’re in there when they get bad coverage. The site got my attention when I saw “Red Bull Gives You…Cardiac Arrest?”because of the title and what appeared to be an absurd lawsuit. A man drank a Red Bull then died of a heart
Is a Red Bull Law Suit Full of “Bull”? Read More »
