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.
GOOD PARENTING
Kate Winslet will “knife” anyone who calls her a bad mother. The actress, who has a five-year-old daughter Mia and two-year-old son Joe, has warned people never to question her parenting skills. “People can throw anything they want at me, and be as mean as they like. But don’t mess with me as a mother, because I will get out a knife and come after you!” she said. I’m a very good mother and if you say I’m not I’ll stick a knife in your ribs and hope your blood doesn’t clot I’ll baste you and roast you in a…
Developing messages for the 24 hour news cycle
I notice that a leaked memo that fell into the hands of the Associated Press tells of The Pentagon instigating a public relations operation like a political campaign. Allegedly they are building a war room as Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld faces escalating criticism over the Iraq war. The public affairs and news teams will “develop messages” for the 24-hour news cycle and “correct the record” in the digital hemisphere.
Gluebound Glory
Jim Moran was sought out once again for his skills in publicising the most extraordinary of things. The Gluewise Company PLC in Boston found themselves at the bottom of the glue league tables, amidst a wash of other adhesive companies that had flooded the market. Moran set to work immediately and decided to join forces with the pilot and then owner of the plane City of Chicago. The pilot had once risked his own life in order to keep his plane in the air and was a well known figure in Massachusetts Moran thought it would be a great publicity…
THE HOWLING
A celebrity-driven Halloween fantasy by the Borkowski poet in residence. A loopy young celeb called Tom Cruise surfed sofas in search of his muse. He found her consuming a reporter called Blooming in search of some headline news. It was of course Halloween and Tom had been a year off the screen after the Paramount lot got decidedly hot, but he didn’t expect to see what he’d seen. That fame has a price we all know; only practices strange make it grow but Blooming was lunch because Tom’s muse had a hunch that she had that bit further to go….
THE HIRST BUBBLE
Brit artist Damien Hirst has been accused of plagiarizing a design by Robert Dixon. The Borkowski poet in residence has suffered similar difficulties… “The problem is not Damian Hirst’s borrowing from others, but his own loss of originality,” Jonathan Jones, The Guardian, Wednesday October 25 This poem has been copied by Damien Hirst. It’s been forged, faked and framed, then been dispersed as the genuine article although not one single particle was versed by Damien first. This poem has been copied by Damien Hirst and there’s no hope the poet will be reimbursed. It’s the lot of a poet to…
The Original Dog Wedding
I had a letter from a Mrs Alan Gilzean, I suspect no relation to the Tottenham and England footballer, who said that her uncle, back in 1949 staged the original dog wedding, (which we recently staged for Harrods) which caused outrage in his Parish Church, St Peter’s in London.
I am told in Jane magazine that there is all change in the house of Simpson, Jessica not Homer, that is!
I am told in Jane magazine that it’s all change in the house of Simpson, Jessica not Homer! It seems that she has fired her publicist and has taken control of her brand. “I am my own publicist right now.” I’ve called all the heads of the tabloids. I don’t want anyone else to speak for me now. It felt good to call them, but it was hard to find forgiveness. But that’s one of my best qualities, I’m very forgiving.” The forgiving Simpson has undertaken the hugely emotional work involved in being one’s own publicist. When the tide begins…
THE E.T. CAFE
Destination Moon, directed by Irving Pichel was released in 1950. Its claim to fame was that it starred Grace Stafford who was better known as the voice of Woody Woodpecker. It was a low budget movie where you could see all the studio lights reflected in the visors of the actors helmets, but despite this, it still won an Oscar for the best special effects which were devised by Lee Zavitz, who later went on to work on the Pink Panthar. It had a poor reception in the U.S. and Jim Moran was hired to make it a success in…
Even lawyers fear for their reputation in Macca divorce
This is London – London,England,UK … Public relations expert Mark Borkowski said the leaking of the court papers – which may have been intended to depict Ms Mills as the victim of an abusive
New palace guard
Another new character has joined the cast of the McCartney, Mills soap opera. Just like a new player breezing into the Rovers Return, this one is not there to up the viewers. It’s not a ratings battle here but more of a reputation battle that continues to mesmerize a global audience of gawkers, all pushing and shoving at the bomb blasted keyhole. Today’s turn of events in the divorce feud is that it is now influenced by a far more corporate and cautious figure. Journalists were told this morning that certain aspects of Mills’ media relations are now being handled…
WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO KNOW
Sir Paul McCartney has furiously refuted allegations by his estranged wife Heather Mills that he was physically abusive towards her. The former Beatle is furious over the claims made by Heather in leaked divorce documents, and has vowed to “vigorously” contest the allegations in court. What we really want to know is that money got the better of both of them What we really want to know is that the breakdown of the marriage was Yoko Ono’s fault What we really want to know is that Paul McCartney after years of thumb-raising cheeriness finally lost his rag tore off Heather’s…
The stench of dead rat behind the headlines?
Is there a stench of dead rat starting to percolate as the latest high profile drug row hits the headlines? The National Centre for Clinical excellence is once again vilified and demonised as the bogey man. It wasn’t so long ago that the highly emotional argument about Herceptin, the breast cancer drug, was raging with equal force. News coverage told how the drug was being held back rather than being openly available to sufferers in their fight against the evil disease.
THE BABY IN THE BASKET
“Whatever Madonna’s original motives were for adopting 13 month old David Banda, from the mission run Home of Hope orphanage in Malawi, are now irrelevant. The backlash has suffocated the original motivation.” The baby in the basket the mother in the press the father back in Africa the balance to redress. The baby in the basket the quality of spin the torn veil of secrecy the good name wearing thin. The poverty, the emptiness in Africa and the West everyone is desperate and doing their selfish best. The paucity of charity the inability to mask it the general lack of…
Empty bottle washed up West Street
I think some poor sod has been bamboozled in throwing away a lump of cash on this “new business” guerrilla marketing exercise. Many of the punters gong into the Ivy(yup you guessed it) failed to notice this enormous bottle stuck on the corner of West Street. Perhaps there is a bigger plan unfolding?
Punchdrunk 2
Looks like Lyn Gardner agrees that Punchdrunk is a cool night out here is her 5 star review from this mornings Guardian Punchdrunk’s latest piece of immersive theatre takes you to places you have never been before. Step through the doors of 21 Wapping Lane – a vast disused warehouse in the original Tobacco Dock – and suddenly London is very far away. Behind these doors lurks a strange parallel universe, a secret deep-south bar where the blues – the devil’s music – is played, and a place where a preacher raises hell, and Faust raises the devil. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/critic/review/0,,1925545,00.html Wander…
Celebrity Pride, Followed By A Fall
Top PR’s View’s on Madonna The London Paper: Wednesday 18th October 2006 by Mark Borkowski It appears she has broken every rule in the PR book, every rule in the bible of of dos and don’ts built up over decades of celebrity disasters.
All over bar the shooting
In 1925, the German government issued an order that all police officers in Berlin should wear bulletproof vests in the city. This was not a welcomed decision as the police felt it would increase insecurity amongst existing officers and any would be potential converts to the force. In an attempt to avert argument, the government brought in none other than Jim Moran to create a publicity drive to turn the unwelcome decision around. Moran, in his inimitable style, came up with a stunt that both stunned and entertained not only Berlin, but the whole of Germany. The German manufacturer of…
Punchdrunk and legless
In a forgotten part of the East End is an enormous warehouse which houses quite an extraordinary piece of theatre. The space was once a data warehouse whose corridors and floors have now been transformed with a vision which would delight even the most jaded of theatre goers. The National has a huge word of mouth hit on its hands; the show, Faust, staged by Punchdrunk www.punchdrunk.org.uk has sold its six week run in a matter of days. Last night, my old pal Tom Morris took me along to see this visual delight. It’s a promenade show which assaults all…
Bravo gets publicity in via circuitous route
The papers are filled with the news this morning that Dr Curry from the LSE has predicted what the human race will be like in ten thousand years time. According to the good Doc it will be lean, long limbed, blessed with good health intelligence and creativity. I have just realised that the reason for this report was to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Bravo. Is this an example of effective brand PR?
CHAMELEON BOY
The Madness of Boy George, a documentary following the mercurial ex-front man of Culture Club through his period of community service for drug-related offences, airs on Channel 4 tonight. The Borkowski poet in residence marks the occasion with a poem… Chameleon boy is happy and sad a twisted, curmudgeonly acid-mouthed cad or joyful and spirited, loving and kind depending on how he has altered his mind. Chameleon boy keeps karma in check by living his life like a train set to wreck whilst slagging of rivals with happy abandon. If he’s falling he’s hoping it’s them that he’ll land on….