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.
Pukka Pies
An email sent this morning from a Bristol City fan in the Czech Republic put my scam radar on high alert. A pal pointed out an interesting post on the BBC 606 forum – a rather transparent attempt by a marketing or PR company to start a bit of a pie revolution in the lower leagues. I suggest that it’s a pseudo row to create a foundation for a bigger campaign for Pukka Pies. The food company has a history of punching over its weight when drawing attention to itself. There is a part of me that hopes that this…
The McCan's hire new PR advisers
According to Brand Republic the McCann’s have decided to bring in more PR muscle. I suggested in my blog that they needed a PR heavyweight, I am not sure that this is the outfit for the job. Hanover – according to their website is a corporate communications and public affairs outfit with 27 consultants and 40 high profile clients. They seem to work with FTSE100 companies and public sector bodies. My goodness Hanover have a tough job but if they can turn the media it will make their public reputation
Now the McCanns face trial by dinner party
IN THE first days after Madeleine McCann vanished, well-wishers from across the country descended on Rothley carrying cuddly toys, written prayers and yellow ribbons to express their sympathy for the McCanns. But visible signs of support have ebbed away in the family’s home village. A single candle flickered below a yellow bouquet where there had previously been a makeshift shrine. Only a few messages were left behind. “Everyone has an opinion on the case, and now it has become acceptable to voice criticism of the McCanns,” said Mark Borkowski, a media commentator. “The parents are now facing a middle-class trial…
Facebook angst
Can anyone provide me with an answer to the rather puzzling predicament that I have found myself in? Sitting in my friends request box on my Facebook site, I have 33 requests from various individuals that I have never met ALL asking me to be their friends. This ragbag of humans has one thing in common and that’s that it’s made up of people who have just established PR companies and are keen to tell me about their nascent businesses. Why on earth would I want to be their friend? By not making them friends, have I made a fatal…
Media Glare on The McCanns Won't Subside
Whatever we are now being led to believe or not to believe about the McCanns, one thing is sure – the level of success achieved by their PR adviser, Justine McGuinness, is now being analysed from a new perspective. Her clients have to face a cruel new reality as recent events have begun to turn media opinion. Over the past two months, the campaign to find Madeleine McCann has been brilliantly masterminded by Ms McGuinness, a 37-year-old former Liberal Democrat parliamentary Prior to Ms McGuinness’s arrival in Portugal, the McCanns’ media relations were handled by a team from the British…
Has Britney killed off her career?
By now, you will know that Britney Spears’ much-vaunted comeback appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards was nothing short of a shambles. The singer, out-of-shape and seemingly dazed by the bright lights, stumbled through a lip-synced performance of her forthcoming single, Gimme More, in front of a perplexed showbusiness audience. PR expert Mark Borkowski argues that it is the TV network, not the singer, which has come off worst from the debacle. “You can’t use the media as Britney has and not expect to be crucified if you’re not up to scratch,” he says. “But what the hell was…
iPhones and plastic surgery
I have been approached by a UK plastic surgeon who wants to discuss publicizing his new treatment. The phone call was a bit of a long ramble but essentially he wants to be the first British practitioner to surgically alter thumbs to make using an iPhone easier. I hope he is not a prankster reacting to this post. http://www.markborkowski.com/?p=7088
Has Britney killed off her career?
By now, you will know that Britney Spears’ much-vaunted comeback appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards was nothing short of a shambles. The singer, out-of-shape and seemingly dazed by the bright lights, stumbled through a lip-synced performance of her forthcoming single, Gimme More, in front of a perplexed showbusiness audience. PR expert Mark Borkowski argues that it is the TV network, not the singer, which has come off worst from the debacle. “You can’t use the media as Britney has and not expect to be crucified if you’re not up to scratch,” he says. “But what the hell was…
MTV on the slide?
Britney Spears – Gimme More [Live Vma’s 2007] Uploaded by Wonderful-Life Britney Spears was the star of the MTV Video Music Awards last night in what the channel hyped as the fallen pop princess’ long-awaited comeback. Comeback – personally, I am still waiting for her to go away. It’s sad to think that the mighty MTV needed the high profile showbiz casualty to generate the global media interest in its once illustrious and uber trendy awards. The channel seems to be showing signs of desperation. Is it losing traction with the big trendy brands who no longer think it’s essential…
The fickle showbiz world
Spending as much time as I have with the ghosts of movie publicity whilst researching my book, I have recognized that they all understood or had the bitter experience of the fame cycle. I stumbled upon this scrap of wisdom that perhaps the faded Britney Spears should have known. “Success is ephemeral, failure is inevitable and woe to those who don’t bow before the fickle gods”
Wispa campaign evaluated
Still the innuendo flows that our Wispa campaign was a hyped fake. The cynical business pages of the Sunday Telegraph did its own evaluation. Read the results http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money
Cabbage crates coming over the briny
The RAF is missing a fantastic PR opp. The Russian military are proving to be much cleverer on the PR front that the dusty Air Staff. Yesterday British fighter jets were scrambled to intercept eight Russian “Bear” reconnaissance aircraft in the second such incident in recent weeks. Four Tornado F3 planes took off from various bases around the UK to head off the bombers. In a Pythonesque response, the MOD issued some limp pictures and let the media down. Where was the Top Gun action? We want to see some real heroes going into action. Where were the images and…
I smell a stunt.
“The laughing Lotus Louts; Pair vandalise sports car and then put film on MySpace!” screams the headline in the Evening Standard. The story is about two hooligans – or as one blogger colourfully describes them – “retarded knob jockeys”, who filmed themselves wrecking a £30,000 Lotus Elise parked in a London street then posting the film on MySpace last month. Allegedly, the clip has instigated a nationwide hunt for the perpetrators as well as a huge amount of brand chatter. I am suspicious. It feels like a clever viral stunt created by the car company The story has generated coverage…
Spinning of Wikipedia
Lets support the SourceWatch campaign to out the spinning of Wikipedia http://www.prwatch.org/node/6391 In the current issue it highlights the deeds of the dark forces of ” big PR” So far they have logged several attempts at spin into the respective SourceWatch profiles, including: * Chevron deleting the article on “Biodiesel” *Military contractor Raytheon deleting information on them spying on their competitors and the U.S. Air Force *Republican-friendly broadcaster Clear Channel adding allegations of plagiarism to Democratic Senate Candidate Al Franken’s profile * Hill & Knowlton removing descriptions of the political repression by the government of the Maldives, an H&K client;…
Ice and nipples
I am currently researching the studio PR men that created Jean Harlow. It’s an extraordinary story that would make a contemporary star maker blush. Harlow knew the power of her sexuality and manipulated it to great effect. One of her many tricks to create an entrance was to put ice on her nipples right before shooting a scene in order to appear sexier. The current wannabes should take some time out and study the old masters.
Veet pain in the PR neck
Ben Goldacre of the www.guardian.co.uk neatly summarises why irrelevant surveys – a tool used by countless lazy PR companies are a useless device. Read on… http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/sep/01/1 I wish we could cut out the virulent cancer of incompetent PR execs.
Inventive industrial relations
The chaos caused by the tube strike should have inspired a creative opportunity for industrial relations innovation, as well as a PR coup. Once again, lurid headlines condemning the union leaders who had organised the strike did little to communicate the issues and the heart of the dispute. In general, the Great British unwashed have a negative attitude towards the concept of strikes. If the unions want to win the PR war and get their broader issues addressed, they will need to make us – the commuters – put away personal agendas. If the punters are subjected to hardships, they…
Bite it and believe the hype
Trevor Beattie the god of creativity in ad land has recognized our work on Wispa in this mornings Independent. “Shout it from the rooftops. Wispa is back. And the campaign behind its return has been a joy to behold. The oldest, subtlest and most effective form of advertising known to mankind is word of mouth. The Bring Back Wispa campaign has harnessed this most ancient of techniques, dipped it in liquid nostalgia and married it with every new trick in the (Face)book: public relations, blogging, online petitions, social networking and even a pair of mud-caked herberts draped in a Wispa…
Big Brother winner revealed but show is the loser
From the Scotsman 1st September 2007 Last night, Brian Belo was voted this year’s winner. The 20-year-old data clerk, who claimed he had no idea who Shakespeare was, pipped the favourites, twins Sam and Amanda Marchant, 19, to claim the £100,000 winner’s cheque. Mark Borkowski, a PR adviser, said the show had proven effective in capturing the target youth market, but questioned the career potential for the housemates. “We are seeing five-minute wonders – the Big Brother evictees,” he said. “They float around and they will end up on some backwater satellite channel, they will do the odd personal appearance…
Bloggers Paradise
I joined (late) a motley crew of bloggers who had decamped to a North London eatery the other night, gathered together by “Don’t Panic” to twitter on the subject of social networking. The posse included Stuart Bruce – Wolfstar http://www.stuartbruce.biz/ Simon Collister – Edelman http://simoncollister.typepad.com/ Stephen Davies – Webitpr http://www.prblogger.com/ Ian Delaney – NMK http://twopointouch.com/ Simon Wakeman –http://www.simonwakeman.com/blog Neville Hobson http://www.nevillehobson.com/There’s a worry that bloggers don’t get out enough – so I suppose the encounter proved that a bunch of pasty faced geezers can indulge in interesting exchanges on life, death and the bitchy warblings of the blogosphere and have…