February 19, 2006
shut up and get your checkbook out
Congratulations to PR maven Steve Rubel on his new job. At another large New York PR agency, no less.
A marketing professional just sent me the following note:
Something I've noticed about the newest class of PR/marketing bloggers- most of them are in the bowels of big agencies and their writing and point of view show it. It's a lot of "Here's how to use blogs as tools for our wonderful PR programs", and not at all about what blogging IS. Agencythink in new clothes; that's all it is.Well, I don't think Steve Rubel is a hack [No worse than me, anyway]. I have nothing but respect for the guy. And not everybody likes being on their own. Some people are far better suited working for big companies. Different strokes etc.Rubel can't ever truly be Rubel until he's on his own- going from one overlord to another means more of the same commentary on business as usual. The sad thing is I don't think he realizes that.
Then again, my nameless friend makes a good point about some of the business blogs I've been seeing around.
I suppose any hardcore professional blog evangelist will invariably end up with the same pitch, like it or not:
"Blogs will disrupt and transform everything about your business. Except for the part where you pay me lots of money".Nice work if you can get it. Posted by hugh macleod at February 19, 2006 11:19 PM | TrackBack
Some writers just like to blog on their free time, and aren't looking to generate revenue. They just want to be heard or write. They may be experts in their industry or just great writers or have insight because of some reason or another. I think these people make great blogs. People who aren't looking to live off of their blog, but still are worth reading as much as those who cover their blogs with ads or, worse, require pay-to-read (like some blogs on searchenginewatch or nytimes's timesselect).
Posted by: Bjorn at February 20, 2006 12:54 AMMarketing is a Disease.
http://theheadlemur.typepad.com/ravinglunacy/2006/02/marketing_is_a_.html
But you are the cure. Don't worry though, it will be a long time before those guys catch on.
Blogging IS what you want it to be. You define it. There IS no single definition.
To me it's push button publishing.
Posted by: David Burn at February 20, 2006 3:55 AMI agree with you, Dave. Which is why I like it.
Posted by: hugh macleod at February 20, 2006 8:51 AMLOL here. Who knows how some of us are going to make our money with blogs... because they are so disruptive. What I know is the business I've gained has come in unexpected ways. Maybe I should just keep space in my wallet and hope for the best.
Posted by: Johnnie Moore at February 20, 2006 9:10 AMThis doodle is too good. That guy is such a mean suit.
Posted by: Suhail Kazi at February 20, 2006 9:33 AMI remember when I had a job, I was 14 years old. At age 16 I bought the company. Now I'm in charge of the entire Internet and nobody tells me what to blog about.
Posted by: Boss of the Internet at February 20, 2006 3:23 PMNot *all* of the bloggers at agencies simply blog about PR. I find it pretty tedious, at best. (yes, I end up throwing PR-related stuff on my dinky personal blog, but mostly to throw rocks at PR bloggers...I just find outlets elsewhere)
Posted by: Mike Krempasky at February 20, 2006 4:38 PMI think we should stop blogging about blogging about blogging. Blogging about the power of blogging is like . . . well . . . it's no better than comments on blogs about blogging and blogging. And if anyone comments on my comment about blogging on blogging, well we might never get anywhere.
Posted by: Walt Kania at February 20, 2006 8:09 PMMaven sounds so ... feminine.
As one of those people that have jumped from indy to corporate hack and slave ... it depends on the personality. I don't think Steve ever had the besos to go out on his own, and blog what he really thought because he was always caught up in the sucking up to others, and trying to be an A-lister. I never caught any honesty on his blog, nor any transparency or ability to respond to criticism.
I expect more of the same (or should it be less). It will be interesting, though, to see if he can play in a large firm. He's never been at one, and it's a whole new can of worms.
BTW, what's it cost to get a personal cartoon?!
Posted by: Jeremy Pepper at February 21, 2006 2:51 AMAh, the koolaid evangelist crowd can go on about "blogs" and their "New PR" revolution. Guess I'm guilty of blogging about blogging in PR, too, however ... even if it is for the sake of my students. I certainly don't tout blogs as a panacea, though. Just another tool/tactic. And we don't talk about 'billable' value, either.
One thought on the above, "At another large New York PR agency, no less." ???
I think he is 'now' at a large firm. The last one was boutique - at best. Quite a leap.
Cooper-Katz: Employees: 20. Founded: 1996.
Edelman: Employees: 1800. Founded: 1952.
(Source: http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/pr_firms_database/)
Posted by: Robert French at February 21, 2006 3:04 AMblogs are essentially personal branding.
When a person who comes from a business background or a certain area of society and blogs about it, are they not just mixing business with pleasure?
Posted by: Lev at February 21, 2006 12:02 PMCooper Katz is 10 times the size of English Cut. So I guess that's "large" to me ;-)
Posted by: hugh macleod at February 21, 2006 2:50 PMYou know... You *can* go to a large company, leave the so-called "independent" life and yet maintain your independent voice. "I know," as Ron White would say. "I've seen me do it!"
Posted by: Phil Gomes at February 21, 2006 5:50 PMBut Phil, you, me and Krempasky are special cases: we have the intergrity to be true.
Posted by: Jeremy Pepper at February 21, 2006 6:08 PM