Former model and TV personality Nigel Barker also happens to be a photojournalist, which is why he spent much of his recent Salon.com interview discussing his website and his new venture selling prints of his photographs through Art.com.

But we were more interested in his constructive criticism of the industry that helped make him rich: fashion.

It’s ironic to watch a dress on a mannequin or a model on a catwalk who’s not anything like the person that’s gonna buy it. And we buy into that. I think the true test for a designer is to send a collection of women down a catwalk, of all different sizes and shapes and colors, and say, “Look, I’m as good as I say, because look how wonderful my dresses look on you and the women who are gonna buy them.” And I’m afraid it’s never really been done.

It’s true: while industry pros have discussed “plus size models” for some time; top designers occasionally include them in shows and some of the world’s biggest agencies now include entire plus size divisions. But a show like the one Barker describes would get quite a bit of attention in both fashion-focused and mainstream media outlets, no? What journalist wouldn’t take that pitch?

A question for fashion publicists: what do we think of Barker’s suggestion? Would such a show amount to blockbuster PR for a major house, or would competitors call it a stunt and laugh the brand out of the club?

*Photo via Oxygen/Lorenzo Bevilaqua

What’s more important: quality content or the distribution of that content? PR pros know the answer: distribution strategies don’t really matter if no one wants to see what you’re pushing.

We don’t have cable, so haven’t been directly affected by the ongoing snafu between Time Warner Cable and CBS. But we do hear that we should watch Under the Dome, and we can’t do it online right now because TWC is the only Internet provider that serves our area, and they’re currently engaged in a bitch-slapping contest with “the most-watched cable network.”

Time Warner’s decision to kill CBS broadcast and streaming services in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, et cetera threatens to create a big PR fail for both brands—and it certainly hasn’t made us miss that monthly cable bill. So let’s check out their crisis comms efforts…

.@CBS has declared “war” and is blocking @TWC customers from its free online programming: pic.twitter.com/d4PpmMimik

— Time Warner Cable (@TWC_NYNJ) August 7, 2013

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Everyone agrees that CSR efforts are extremely important for big-name corporate clients, right?

No, seriously: we don’t know the answer to that question, and it all comes back to the biggest challenge in the industry: drawing a solid line between point A and point $.

First: The results from data king Nielsen’s latest Global Survey on Corporate Social Responsibility have already inspired headlines about CSR cementing its place as a crucial element of the big name PR equation.

Its basic finding: 50% of consumers surveyed in 58 countries say they’re willing to pay more for goods and services from companies that have “implemented programs to give back to society.” That number increased in ¾ of the countries surveyed, rising 5% in total since 2011. And the “yes” votes were highest in the crucial under-30 demo.

No surprises there. The only finding that we didn’t expect is the 12-point increase in pro-CSR sentiment among the 40-45 demo. Seems like CSR’s value has become clearer to all parties, no?

Maybe.

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Celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten was no doubt pleased with the New York Times’ two-star review of his latest New York restaurant, abc cocina, on July 31. But whoever wrote the description on the restaurant’s website may have cringed, since food critic Pete Wells questioned key passages. The review serves as a reminder why concise wording usually makes better business sense.

Here’s the abc cocina website content that Wells parsed:

abc cocina & michelin star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten welcome you to our modern global exchange celebrating local craft and international culture, a fusion of tradition and innovation uniting yesterday and tomorrow. Experience the vision of abc home curation, a romantic and mystical atmosphere and succumb to a dynamic love affair with an eclectic and enchanting cuisine.

Here are excerpts from Wells’ reaction to that description:

“If that gives you a vivid picture of what’s in store for you at this three-month-old establishment, stop reading and use the free time that now stretches out before you to do something nice for a stranger. If, on the other hand, you found a few passages somewhat hazy, I’ll be happy to do my job.”

“This “modern global exchange” is what we critics like to call a “restaurant.” “International culture” must refer to the menu. I could see how it might be romantic and mystical if you are sexually attracted to gelatinous sea creatures. As for “dynamic love affair,” you are going to have to ask Google. I have absolutely no idea.”

Writing in a “can you top this?” style isn’t unique to the restaurant industry. Overuse of buzzwords also appears to be the rise, and we see frequent evidence across categories, from media to design to travel. Yet clear, simple language is preferred for these five reasons:

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Please note that this post contains possible spoilers for Pixar’s upcoming film “Finding Dory.”

As we reported a few weeks ago, Magnolia Pictures’ documentary “Blackfish,” which makes the case that orca whales in captivity suffer physical and mental distress, prompted SeaWorld Entertainment to launch a full-fledged PR campaign. Now, it seems, the publicity surrounding the film and the theme park has inspired Pixar to re-think the storyline for “Finding Dory“, its sequel to ‘Finding Nemo.”

“The script for Finding Dory, which is still in the early stages of production ahead of its planned 2015 release, initially had an ending that involved a marine park, according to a Pixar employee,” reports the New York Times. “But as a result of the sometimes harsh Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, and the resulting publicity battle SeaWorld has had to fight, Pixar decided to restructure that part of the story so that the fish and mammals taken to its aquatic center have the option to leave.”

So… it’s more like a fish hotel than an aquatic theme park? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

We do wonder, though — just as we did when SeaWorld launched its no-holds-barred PR battle before “Blackfish” was even released — if such a preemptive move was wholly necessary. Read more

The Washington Post: Research Shows Twitter Can Predict Various Outcomes

The New York Times: Hotels Follow Airlines in Charging Service Fees

Chicago Tribune: The Public Really, Really Wants to Go to Mars

Advertising Age: Yoplait Offers Less Sour Taste to Compete in Greek Yogurt Space

Los Angeles Times: Honda Initiates Campaign to Save Drive-in Theaters

The power of suggestion is alive and well on the Internet. A new survey offers some level of legitimate proof that “likes” on social media platforms such as Facebook do, in fact, encourage more “likes.” The same can’t be said for “dislikes.”

It appears haters just do not have the same digital clout as positive people. And that’s probably a good thing. We all know some people like to rant online when in a foul mood. Others just have terrible attitudes every day of their lives—and the Internet has been their dumping grounds for far too long. It appears the public is well aware of this, and that has to make us feel good about being in public relations. We’ve known all along that deep inside the public is all about good mojo. Read more

In case you missed it, the PR world agrees to disagree with ZDNet’s click bait freakout headline “Did Google just kill PR agencies?”

OK, so what did the big guys’ changes to webmaster rules on links and keywords do? They forced PR pros to change their SEO press release strategies—and this is not a bad thing.

See, Google really doesn’t like what they call “link manipulation schemes” which provide “unnatural boost[s] to the popularity of a piece of content” via tactics like the dubious repetition of certain hyperlinked keywords/phrases which all go back to the same client’s address as well as the placement of press releases on numerous sites to improve search placement and “game [Google’s] algorithm.” According to ZDNet’s Tom Foremski, Google sees these PR practices as the equivalent of the “keyword stuffing” tricks that they hate so very much.

Their warning to publicists pushing clients’ content: If you continue doing this, your client company may well be penalized or even blacklisted.

Bad news, right? Not really…

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This week, the National Association of Professional Women is hiring a marketing copywriter, while New York-Presbyterian Hospital is seeking a senior communications specialist. Oregon Catholic Press needs a marketing copywriter, and Ocean House is on the hunt for a communications manager. Get the scoop on these openings and more below, and find additional just-posted gigs on Mediabistro.

• Marketing Copywriter National Association of Professional Women (Jericho, NY)
• Senior Communications Specialist New York-Presbyterian Hospital (New York, NY)
• Marketing Copywriter Oregon Catholic Press (Portland, OR)
• Communications Manager Ocean House (Westerly, RI)
• PR Account Executive Trent & Company, Inc. (New York, NY)

Find more great PR jobs on the PRNewser job board. Looking to hire? Tap into our network of talented PRNewser pros and post a risk-free job listing. For real-time openings and employment news, follow @MBJobPost.

Say you’re one of the least popular governors in the country. Say the local papers have run several unflattering reports about conflicts of interest among your staffers. Say someone at a publicity event gives you an open-ended question while you’re sitting in a fighter jet simulator. What would you say?

Here’s a hint: do NOT say that you’d like to “blow up” the Portland Press Herald’s offices.

Maine Governor Paul LePage is a proudly outspoken political figure taken to insulting his opponents with crude sexual comments and telling students that newspapers are his “biggest fear”; political advisors call that “red meat for the base,” but we wonder about the wisdom of his media relations strategy.

@PressHerald Threatened? It was a joke, folks!

— Paul R. LePage (@Governor_LePage) August 9, 2013

Well, duh. But it won’t win you any of the new fans you need for re-election.

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