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.
Essex Man, this is your biggest challenge
PROFILE: Andy Coulson: David Cameron believes he has pulled off another dazzling coup in appointing Andy Coulson, the street-smart former editor of the News of the World, as the Tories’ director of communications. Sceptics wonder if it is a stunt that will backfire like Cameron’s bicycle. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1875732.ece
Santa's Ruin
The great Jim Moran was offered a fine sum to take on the publicity for a toy shop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and he at once came up with an amazing stunt to promote the store. Christmas was looming and as thousands of children were awaiting the descent of Santa down their chimneys, Moran decided to let Santa visit early via a parachute. Moran hired a B movie actor who wasn’t afraid of heights to don the parachute and simply drift down from the sky to the waiting children below who had been herded from the neighbourhood and who were…
Little Brother's Big Kidney
I was approached late yesterday afternoon by a contestant on this year’s Big Brother – civilians that is, not celebrities. I cannot even remember which series this is; it has been going for so long. After all the race row shenanigans, I hope the new series has a change of zest; its reputation is finely balanced and it certainly requires a new dimension. I am confident that C4 will have pressurized Endemol into culturally tuning it’s offering to ignite the Great British unwashed. How much more can be written about BB? Surely the new depths of programming depravity are more…
Golden CEO Tickets
In today’s competitive society, where anyone can get their fifteen minutes of fame, everyone has their price. Large bags of cash to buy opinion are likely to turn “gamekeepers into poachers” as we see today in the case of Alan Milburn. Of course PepsiCo UK would want to get Alan Milburn, the former health secretary, to sit on its newly created nutritional advisory committee. As Milburn has previously called for tough Government action against Junk Food marketing, PepsiCo may feel it’s a score to get him on board. But isn’t this just a junk food company using Milburn as a…
The role of marketing in growing audiences for experimental theatre
A recent interview I gave for “Programme Notes: Case Studies for locating experimental theatre” about the role of marketing in growing audiences for experimental theatre.
The Cute Factor
We continue to see the heroic efforts made by the McCann’s to keep up Maddie’s public profile, so their daughter’s disappearance doesn’t fade into obscurity. Undoubtedly, the “cute” factor helps to perpetuate her media presence and without it, I fear she wouldn’t have so much attention. Maddie is cute and very photogenic which always helps in media situations, and particularly in that of Victoria Hart, the 18 year old who was plucked from obscurity last week and on the verge of signing a 1.5 million recording contract. Victoria was on a £7 an hour wage as a waitress in a…
Still streets ahead after half a century
by FERGUS SHEPHERD It was launched at the end of 1960, and one reviewer dismissed it for “its dreary signature tune and grim scenes of a row of terraced houses and smoking chimneys”. But Coronation Street, the world’s longest-running television soap opera, which gave the world Ena Sharples, the Rover’s Return and Ken Barlow, has again demonstrated its astonishing capacity for reinvention – achieving a near clean-sweep at the British Soap Awards, picking up seven gongs to just one for its ailing arch-rival, EastEnders. http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment.cfm?id=826592007
The Maddy McCann media campaign
There is still no news of the missing toddler Maddy McCann. Here is an extract from BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast. I comment on the success of the campaign to date and the pressures that it will face over the coming weeks, as the media loose interest.
When stunts go bad
I am often sent PR disaster tales this one from New Zealand, underlines the danger of staging a stunt without realising the risks. I am sure that it was a great success on the day, alas there is usually a huge hangover after the best party. The Warehouse, New Zealand’s largest general merchandise retailer, says it deeply regrets a 25th birthday publicity stunt which has turned into an environmental nightmare. It celebrated its birthday earlier this month by releasing 13,000 red balloons. But two weeks later, hundreds of the shrivelled remnants washed up on Great Barrier Island, causing fears for the…
Grey Power
The Zimmers “My Generation” Released: 28/05/07
A Pharmaceutical High
There is another row over the pharmaceutical industry and EU reforms, in today’s Guardian. With drug companies being faced with declining sales, they seem to be making headway with their plans to enlist the patients themselves, their greatest allies, in the struggle to make more money. After drug companies were given permission to advertise their prescription medicines on TV, radio, magazines and newspapers in the U.S., their sales soared. Now they want to be able to do the same in the UK and are strongly challenging the current ban on direct consumer advertising in the EU. In 2002, an attempt…
Mars apologies to Veggies
Mars apologies to Veggies Mark discusses the PR issue on BBC Radio 5 Worricker on Sunday. Broadcast on Five Live – Sun 20 May – 10:00
Best PR stunt so far in Cannes
Cannes has sometimes been seen as a vehicle to gain publicity for movies that aren’t quite finished, and Cannes goers have witnessed some doozy stunts in the past. This year, Jerry Seinfeld reigned as the king of all stuntsters when he went to the top of the Carlton Hotel, dressed as a bee, to promote the upcoming “Bee Movie.” After about 30 minutes of checking his gear, Seinfeld latched himself to a wire and slid down eight stories, across the Croisette, to the beach below. Then he went back up again and came down again. Chris Rock, who voices a…
A Pharmaceutical High
There is another row over the pharmaceutical industry and EU reforms, in today’s Guardian. With drug companies being faced with declining sales, they seem to be making headway with their plans to enlist the patients themselves, their greatest allies, in the struggle to make more money. After drug companies were given permission to advertise their prescription medicines on TV, radio, magazines and newspapers in the U.S., their sales soared. Now they want to be able to do the same in the UK and are strongly challenging the current ban on direct consumer advertising in the EU. In 2002, an attempt…
Mark Borkowski on Breakfast TV 18 May 07
Mark Borkowski talks about the campaign to raise awareness for Madeline McCann
Chocolate billboard goes global
When a stunt works it goes global, even the Russian media are talking about the chocolate billboard. Weeks after the stunt.. View enlarged image
Jodie Marsh v Una White
This link arrived in my inbox today. http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/120293.html. I was astonished at the stupidity of this naïve PR stunt. “Celebrity Jodie Marsh is looking for a husband – and if you think you’re up to the job, you can apply online. Marsh, who in her own words is “very demanding”, is planning to hold auditions to find her perfect man. However, if you cannot make it along, you can fill out an application and submit a photograph online. If she is interested, she promises to let you know. The former page three girl is keen to emphasise that she genuinely…