
Our 2021 Predictions Turned Out… Sorta…
One year ago we fielded eight predictions for 2021. How did we do? Not great, honestly. Let’s look at each.
One year ago we fielded eight predictions for 2021. How did we do? Not great, honestly. Let’s look at each.
In an SWMS spot check, journalists weigh in on whether CES 2022 is now safe to attend and worth attending, now that show organizers announced that all attendees will need to prove they are vaccinated against Covid-19.
Whoever thought this would ever be a beat? Well, strictly spreaking it’s not a beat but part of a broader swath of territory patrolled by journalists covering the path forward from the catastrophe that is Covid-19. Here’s a short list of those who are covering apps that will help detect infection.
As the Covid-19 crisis moves well into its second month, we’ve noticed a dwindling number of new story approaches to try. Roundups, with their low-payoff SOV, still rule, especially in B2B. This week did spot a few emerging approaches — pretty much special reports — but still providing paths for most tech companies and agencies.
[PR pro Amanda Orr writes:] Like much of the country, communications teams both in-house and at PR firms have been in a holding pattern. As we look at the Johns Hopkins tracker on a daily basis, watching the numbers of infections and fatalities climb, we knew (at least I hope most of us knew) that this wasn’t the time to send emails or make cold calls…
Last week we polled B2B contributed content gatekeepers, nearly all of whom wanted the same kinds of pitches they received before the Covid-19 nightmare. Our research echoed what we heard last month from reporters and editors.
“Pitch the reporters but study the analysts” has been our mantra for a while now. In that spirit, we recently checked in with Constellation Research founder R “Ray” Wang, who has been busy presenting to clients — and listening to them, too.
David Strom says: “My inbox is overflowing with a virus: all Covid, all the time, with pitches and experts offered from all walks of life. It isn’t just the infosec vendors, either: I’ve gotten pitches from genealogy vendors, and how sports reporters are coping now that there are no professional games being played.”
With few exceptions, contributed content gatekeepers are operating the way they always did before Covid-19 — serving the readers who buy products, manage teams and have projects to deliver. Here’s what nine of them said this week.
Last week at this time we saw strategic content from levels high above the reporter level, on “What will it take to get past this coronavirus thing?” Here’s what’s coming this week, and how you can get a piece of it.
YOUR ACCOUNT
FRIDGE NOTES
Somewhere along the line, Cambridge, Mass.-based Devo Technology rebranded as Devo. Warner Music Group apparently has no objection.
Here’s how Mike Isaac presents himself. A single perfunctory paragraph doesn’t cut it anymore in a world of disinformation and synthetic, AI-generated content where no one really knows the agenda. The NYT wants to get out in front of that, especially before the 2024 elections heat up. Read the background behind this in Vanity Fair.
Legendary journalist Louise Story reveals how the smartest edit shops are using AI. Here come the flexicles.
Sara Fischer of Axios nails another scoop: Time is merging its Time Ideas section into a new one, called Time100 Voices. It doesn’t promise big opportunity for tech PR — it aims so high that only the Benioffs and Nadellas stand a chance.
Recent research from Semrush, a data partner of ours, reveals the most searched societal issues based on average monthly Google searches between January 2019 and June 2023, and how they rank across 35 countries. Searches related to mental health are skyrocketing.
It is now called AI Time To Impact, and if you care about what’s real in AI and when we need to care about it, AI Time To impact is a must-read.