Mark My Words Blog
Welcome to ‘Mark My Words,’ the digital sanctuary where insight meets intrigue, and commentary sparks contemplation.
Delve into the dynamic world of PR maverick Mark Borkowski as he unravels the threads of media, culture, and communication. Mark’s blog is a treasure trove of industry wisdom, offering a backstage pass to the inner workings of publicity and the ever-evolving landscape of modern media.
Things Fox News doesn't want to hear, part 1
Fox News has just called wanting some thoughts on the BBC. “Isn’t the corporation’s reputation trashed, and its future utterly compromised by Hutton and the subsequent resignations?” Well no, I disagree completely. I explain why. The line goes fuzzy, they say there’s a problem with the connection, and they’ll call me back. Twenty minutes later they do. “Thanks for the time, but we won’t be needing this at this point. Goodbye”.
Waiting for a word on Hutton, Dyke, Davies, Campbell, Hoon and Blair?
Check out Stuntwatch tomorrow: it’ll take more than 30 seconds to knock this into shape.
Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells writes: this is shameful, outrageous, disgusting etc …
Knighthoods are there for the taking at the moment. Mr (soon to be Sir?) Trevor Kavanagh of The Sun crowns a glorious career in the service of Her Majesty’s Government today by casually leaking The Sun’s version of the Hutton Report’s conclusion. At a stroke, the government’s message (sorry, The Sun’s message) has set the agenda. This pre-emptive strike muddies the issue (Who leaked the report? How did they get it? What action must be taken against the perpetrators?), totally biases coverage, and completely undermines any focus on the detail. It’s an utterly cynical, shameful piece of media manipulation by…
Bedford bites back
In a vain attempt to seem trendy, Mike listens to Radio 1. He tells me that OFWHATEVER regulates these things (or maybe it was the Broadcasting Standards Commission) has upheld David Bedford’s objection against 118 118’s advertisers for using the image of a straggly moustached, long-haired, seventies style runner with red socks, and then pretending that it wasn’t an allusion to him. What amazes me is that the creatives missed such a major trick by not drawing Bedford into the process in the first place. If they had done, they’d have generated acres of positive coverage, instead of a slew…
The PR Stock Market has opened for business
Evening Standard Londoner’s Diary, 27.01.04
But what about trading of Mark Borkowski shares?
View image FT Creative Business 27.01.04
Just Taking Part is Not Good Enough
View image Page 9, Media Guardian 26.01.04
PR over-ruling the proper responsibility of politicians
And following on from that: politicians are hypersensitive to the way in which the party might be criticized should an individual express a personal opinion. They respond by stripping an offender (such as Jenny Tonge) of her office. But when Geoff Hoon is criticized for failing in his job and imperiling the lives of servicemen, he merely says he is “extremely sorry”, and carries on as usual. Dismissing Jenny Tonge is an example of PR over-ruling the proper responsibility of politicians (which is to discuss social/political problems); Geoff Hoon’s apology is an example of PR finessing a failure to take…
J-Lo and Ben
On the celebrity front, J-Lo and Ben are to be congratulated on the collapse of their engagement. Their respective careers have benefited from this classic romance on/romance off PR trick. So much paper has been used up promoting the cause of their celebrity that they need to consider repaying the debt by planting a rainforest.
ROCK AND KROLL PR
As rumours fly back and forth about Ferguson, Magnier, the Rock of Gibralter, and city investigators Kroll, anyone betting on the outcome might like to consider that Magnier has appointed a real force to be reckoned with as his PR: one of the gentlemen spin masters of the business, Brian McClaurin. Expect some interesting developments.
Borkowski likes to get it off his chest
View image PR Week, 23.01.04
From punk to primetime
John Lydon doesn’t need fame, he doesn’t need fortune and he doesn’t give a flying. He has no flagging career to revive, he has no desire to persuade people to love him, and he thinks I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! is mainstream rubbish. His persona is sneering and arrogant, and everything he does he does on his own terms entirely.
Rocky Ryan has died
Sorry to see that the great pankster and media mischief maker Rocky Ryan has died. Given his record, there’s always the possibility that reports of his passing have been greatly exaggerated. Apparently, one of his aliases was Rocco Salvatore. Not the most common of names. Strangely, there was a Rocco Salvatore in my class at school.
SPOT THE BOAR
Click to view A Life in the Day: Sunday Times Magazine
A changing world puts public relations in a spin
Never mind Nick Davies’s suggestion that overworked ‘churnalists’ are being hoodwinked by PRs, Mark Borkowski says flaks and hacks are both struggling to cope with the news cycle. So the media world is flipping over and over like a gigantic overdone pancake because of the ethical fix caused by publication of Nick Davies’ book Flat Earth News. I have to declare an interest as I did spend an enjoyable couple of hours with Davies about two years ago in a down at heel coffee bar in central London when he was researching the thing. I made sure that I had…
Spin me baby one more time
Louisiana, as I’m sure you well know, is a community property state. Which means that in the absence of a pre-nuptial agreement, the bride and groom are entitled to share equally the earnings amassed as of the start of the marriage. According to the marriage licence, both Britney and Jason are residents of the state.
Rising above the celebrity scrum
The vacuous celebrity pack is being challenged by a team of genuine sporting heroes – but can the rugby team’s victory in Australia prove a media watershed?
A right royal PR mess
Clarence House’s hasty denial of as yet unprinted allegations involving Prince Charles is a panic response that merely serves to arouse public and media curiosity further.