Public relations is a tricky industry because perception evolves. Whenever a celebrity is caught with cocaine and a prostitute or a brand is accused of using exploited labor to manufacture products, the public has a tendency to become lost in the emotion of the moment. We are outraged or sad or elated or euphoric, and then days pass and reality sets in, and the long-haul truth of life begins to settle in. We gain perspective.

Much of public relations is about establishing a narrative that tempers the ephemeral fluctuations of emotions and hastens the call to reasonable, informed and sober thinking. That is exactly what Pulbix Super Markets, where the winning $590.5 million Powerball lottery ticket was recently purchased in Florida, is doing. And good for them. The brand did not exploit the exciting moment by going public with a statement such as, “Publix is very honored that one our valued and thrift-conscious customers has been so lucky as to purchase the winning lottery ticket at one of our many modern stores that offer the lowest prices.”

Instead, here is what Maria Brous, Publix spokeswoman, had to say. “We’re excited for the winner or winners. We don’t promote or endorse the lottery, we offer it as a convenience.”

That’s it. That’s all. No opportunism or salesmanship there, just an acknowledgement of the facts. Well played, Publix. This is a mature and savvy public relations response. Publix knows that the lottery is a political hot potato for many communities, and that the winners of otherworldly sums of money often lead miserable and painful lives. Read more

Lindsay Lohan has a hard working publicist. So does Charlie Sheen. So, surely, someone in the PR industry must be willing to take on the poor snakehead fish as a client. Ever since making an inglorious splash in American headlines for being a marauding invasive species indigenous to Asia and Russia, the public has both hated and feared the snakehead fish.

Scientists, reporters and TV personalities have inundated the public with scary facts detailing how the snakehead fish is a voracious predator that can decimate entire species of indigenous fish and wildlife, upsetting the precious ecological balances of entire ecosystems. Oh, and did we mention the snakehead fish can slither—well, more like wiggle—on land and breathe air via suprabranchial chambers? Well, it can. So load your guns and lock your doors. Snakehead fish are coming after your daughters.

Snakeheads do pose a serious and ecologically costly threat to our communities. They’ve proliferated in the Washington, D.C. area, and have even been spotted in New York City’s beloved Central Park as well as in Florida and California. So the public has every right to be both intrigued and concerned. Snakeheads are spreading. Naturally scientists, anglers and environmentalists are all asking the same question: What should we do now?

This is where public relations can play an important role. The snakehead fish, also known as Frakenfish or Fishzilla, has a horrible reputation. And there is no un-ringing the bell on this ecological development. The snakehead is here, and we must deal with it. Perhaps a savvy PR strategy can help contain the snakehead’s expansion by motivating its only natural predator: the public. However, people aren’t too keen on eating anything with “snakehead” in the name. It doesn’t really read well on a menu.

So can public relations help integrate the snakehead into our cultural palate? With a new name, can the snakehead fish be the next Chilean sea bass?

What would you rename the snakehead fish? Let us know.

It’s only 15 seconds long, but the brevity of this Lucky Charms spot only seems to intensify the “Whoa, what the hell just happened?” effect.

The commercial, which mixes footage from both current and vintage ads for the “magically delicious” cereal, is an explosion of colors, shapes and sparkles, all set to the tune of the classic jingle, which has been auto-tuned almost beyond the point of recognition.

The ad aired during big TV shows this week like the season finales of American Idol and The Voice. So in the event that people were watching those programs high off their gourds, we’re confident this spot either inspired them to eat nothing but pots of gold and rainbows throughout the duration of their trips, or sent them spiraling into a really, really bad place inhabited by T-Pain-sounding leprechauns.

On a planet divided by violent political, sectarian, and international rifts, it’s nice to know that sworn enemies can share a deep admiration for one historical figure who was so much more than a man. Years ago, this misunderstood prophet dared to buck the tide and bring humanity together in the name of an all-encompassing love—the love of crispy, delicious fried chicken.

That man, of course, was KFC founder Colonel Harland David Sanders, and this week the trusty fourth estate brings us multiple stories about residents of Palestine’s volatile Gaza Strip region going above and beyond for a little taste of his special sauce.

Finger lickin’ good PR? Yeah…no.

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Coke has long associated its brand with happiness — even dedicating entire websites to the philosophical meaning of the word, and calling the contents of a can of cola “140 happy calories.”

Now, the company is taking advantage of a happy coincidence — the fact that part of its logo happens to look like the Danish flag — to welcome people to Denmark, recently voted the “happiest country in the world” by the United Nations.

In honor of the Danish tradition of greeting arriving visitors by waving flags, Coke’s local agency, McCann Copenhagen, created an interactive airport ad that dispenses flags. Coke says it’s purpose is to “let Coca-Cola and Denmark spread happiness together.” The below video of a case study shows people’s reactions to the machine.

Little kids and elderly people jubilantly waving flags as loved ones rush to greet them, all made possible by Coke. We’d categorize this as a highly creative branding win.

The public is evolving faster now than ever, and the public relations industry needs to keep pace. With the direct and instantaneous impact of digital technology and social media, the public receives information sooner, faster and in greater volume than it did mere years ago.

The public no longer religiously consumes the evening news, deposits checks during banking hours or eats according to the same routines. We’re simply different people than we used to be. These cultural shifts impact our behavior in many important ways, especially in regard to our eating habits and schedules. Breakfast isn’t just for breakfast anymore, thanks in part to the Egg McMuffin.

If you have ever heard a friend or family member say “McDonald’s should really serve breakfast all day” it is because the Egg McMuffin owns a space in our collective idea of breakfast that no other fast food product parallels. It’s the hamburger and fries of breakfast, and now it’s going to compete with those very products during afternoons and evenings.

Regardless of your personal opinions on the Egg McMuffin’s dietary limitations or the business practices of the McDonald’s empire, the brand’s recent decision to serve breakfast all day long makes sense. It’s been a customer favorite for 40 years.

Today’s public is dynamic, fluid and open to a new, 24/7-world that is no longer defined by the regiments of time zones. Global communications have erased the psychological boundaries and physical borders that once dictated our lives, so if you can hold a conference call via Skype with your Japanese clients at 2 AM, the idea of an Egg McMuffin at 4 PM doesn’t seem odd at all. Read more

We told you on Monday about the FDA‘s investigation into foods with added caffeine, the organization’s  main concern being that the current proliferation of caffeinated foods on the market (drinks, energy shots, candy, snack mixes, etc.), may be causing people, especially children, to consume unhealthy and potentially unsafe amounts of the stimulant.

Wrigley‘s newly released Alert Energy caffeinated gum, which contains roughly 40mg of caffeine per piece, found itself in the hot seat in light of the new FDA probe. The company initially insisted that its product was intended for (and marketed to) adults, saying, “Millions of Americans consume caffeine responsibly and in moderation as part of their daily routines,” but after discussing the issue with the regulatory body, Wrigley has changed its tune.

“After discussions with the FDA, we have a greater appreciation for its concern about the proliferation of caffeine in the nation’s food supply,” Wrigley North America President Casey Keller said in a statement to the AP. “There is a need for changes in the regulatory framework to better guide the consumers and the industry about the appropriate level and use of caffeinated products.” Read more

“Mount Gay is made with a rhythm and style that hasn’t changed in 310 years” according to Erin Newby, head of strategy at Radical Media, the brand’s agency charged with its repositioning. Sir John Gay introduced the rum in Barbados in 1703 (B.C.), that’s before cola, or even ice. So the liquor had to stand on its own merits rather than being part of a mixed cocktail.

Newby appeared on a Creative Week panel along with Mount Gay’s global brand director and others from Radical Media’s team on Tuesday in New York to discuss the repositioning strategy and launch of its Black Barrel product. The multimedia effort included new graphics, print ads, video and redesigned website that brought the brand’s history to life. Their brand ambassador program is now spreading the word about Black Barrel.

Strategic evolution: Mount Gay’s earlier print ads featured product shots with the tagline “the rum that invented rum”. The agency tapped further into the brand’s history as the world’s oldest rum, which became a natural strategy, Newby said. The new line, “There’s a time and a place” captures the brand’s provenance and its slow double distillation process in copper stills. Mount Gay’s M.O. is “rum is ready when it’s ready, not before.”

Competition: “Everyone else focuses on flash and beach scenes”, said Justin Wilkes, Radical’s president of media and entertainment. Their biggest competitors include Bacardi and Captain Morgan. Added Fannie Young, Mount Gay’s global brand director. ”We wanted to position the brand in a more premium space.”

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How are people supposed to associate Diet Coke with thinness when the vending machines are so darn hefty?

At least that seems to be the thinking behind Coke’s new Slender Vender, the thinnest beverage-dispensing machine the weight-obsessed world has ever seen. The new design, meant to demonstrate that Diet Coke is “fit and elegant,” not only encourages soda drinkers to think thin, but even brings the beverage to places it’s never been before. In the promo below, we watch as the dainty, sleek machine is wedged delicately between park benches, hair salon tables, treadmills and, of course, bulky vending machines.

Oh, and cans? Forget cans! Those shapeless cylindrical containers are doing nothing for you — the Slender Vender appears to deal only in shapely bottles.

Pretty and accessible (and willing to dole out the sweet stuff to just about anyone that pushes the right button)? Add a cheerleading uniform to the mix and this vending machine is the girl we all hated in high school!

Once upon a time, when a person needed a morning jump-start or a midday pick-me-up, they reached for a cup of coffee. These days, though, coffee has some serious competition; weary folks can now choose from an array of amped-up foodstuffs, including gum, concentrated energy shots, candy, and even caffeinated Cracker Jacks.

Michael Taylor, the FDA‘s deputy commissioner of foods, said that the only time the FDA explicitly approved the practice of adding caffeine to a food or drink was in the 1950s when it allowed the stimulant to be included in cola. The current prevalence of caffeine-filled foods is “beyond anything FDA envisioned,” Taylor said. “It is disturbing…We’re concerned about whether they have been adequately evaluated.”

The governing body is especially concerned when it comes to the effects of such foods on children; while kids aren’t likely to seek out a boring cup of joe, they may be more apt to grab a bag of jolt-inducing jelly beans. The American Academy of Pediatrics has linked caffeine to harmful effects on young people’s still-developing neurological and cardiovascular systems. So, while the FDA is already investigating the safety of energy drinks and energy shots (thanks to consumer reports of illness and death), the organization has decided to go a step further and look specifically at the foods’ effects on children.

Companies that manufacture and market caffeinated foods say that their products are intended for — and marketed to — adults. Wrigley, which recently released Alert Energy Gum (40 milligrams of caffeine per piece), pointed out that packages of the gum are labeled “for adult use only.” A spokesperson for the company said, “Millions of Americans consume caffeine responsibly and in moderation as part of their daily routines.”

While that may be, critics say it’s not enough for companies to say they are marketing the products to adults, who are capable of making more informed decisions about the amount of caffeine they consume, when the foods themselves are clearly attractive (and readily available) to children. In a letter to the FDA, Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said of such foods: “One serving of any of these foods isn’t likely to harm anyone. The concern is that it will be increasingly easy to consume caffeine throughout the day, sometimes unwittingly, as companies add caffeine to candies, nuts, snacks and other foods.”

In acknowledgement that the consumption of one caffeinated item may not cause adverse effects, the probe will focus on the effects of added caffeine in its totality, and whether the increasing number of caffeinated products on the market might mean more adverse health effects for children.