Connecting the Dots on Facebook’s Smear Campaign

Perhaps you’ve probably heard: Facebook and Google are at war, and Facebook’s not afraid to play dirty. Thursday’s revelation that the social networking site hired PR firm Burston-Marsteller to plant a negative story about Google’s privacy settings raises a number of questions. Like, “Who at Facebook thought this was a good idea?” The company isn't responding to the question right now. Until they do, it helps to look at the players involved. There’s Burston-Marsteller, the global PR firm run by CEO Mark Penn. There’s Jim Goldman, the former Silicon Valley bureau chief for CNBC (and frequent target of high school-style ridicule). He’s become the fall guy for Burston-Marsteller. There’s Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s universally praised COO. And then there’s Elliot Schrage, Facebook’s VP of communications and public policy. Penn, of course, is a Washington heavy hitter: he worked as a pollster to President Clinton during both of his terms and the Washington Post noted how “thoroughly integrated into the policymaking operation” he’d become. Penn’s also no stranger to criticism from Washington observers: he gained notoriety for missteps as chief strategist to Hillary Clinton during her 2008 Presidential bid. He eventually stepped down after feuding with other aides, and for reportedly offering Clinton some of her worst advice (like, emphasize Barack Obama’s foreignness). Penn’s also no stranger to the tech world—he’s credited with making Microsoft into one of the country’s most... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2011-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #googles head #silicon valley #focus attention

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New-Media Powers Say They'll Be Profitable Soon. Don't Ask About That Facebook Plan

New media titans have shown they can attract investors' money, raking in millions in venture capital funding, but they have not answered clearly whether they can show a profit.At South by Southwest, sales chiefs for three heavily-funded digital publishers said they can do that too, or can soon,... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Report: Alabama investigating possible elder abuse in connection with Harper Lee’s new novel

The news last month that Harper Lee would be publishing a second book was met with a brief blip of exultation followed by skepticism from fans of To Kill a Mockingbird. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2015-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #elder abuse #harper lee


MIA Connections Makes A Huge Impact In The Travel Industry

[Sponsored Content] Miami International Airport and HCP/Aboard Publishing takes a cutting-edge approach to engaging travelers while they are en route. The post MIA Connections Makes A Huge Impact In The Travel Industry appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #huge impact #travel industry #en route


Facebook, Twitter, YouTube? How ‘@TheBuzzer’ decides where to post its videos

"@TheBuzzer," a Fox Sports network show that exists almost entirely on social platforms, has reduced its output on YouTube over the past several months in favor of publishing videos directly to Facebook and Twitter. In doing so, it has found that Twitter is best for videos about breaking news... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #social platforms


Clinton Foundation Ad Campaign Erases Women From Billboards, Conde Nast Magazines

A 90-second video features the voices of celebrities including Amy Poehler, Cameron Diaz, Sienna Miller and Jenny Slate while playing on the fact that they do not actually appear. The ads and video direct viewers to the Not There website, which houses the No Ceiling Full Participation report --... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media brands #collective stand #21st century


Facebook Focus for IPG Day One

Facebook was a focus of the first day of the IPG spring conference in Chipping Norton yesterday (4th March), which saw Perseus reveal the inside story on having a book selected for the Facebook Book Club, while publishers told they are "too nice" and need to develop more attitude if they are to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google, Beware: Facebook to Open Ad Exchange Powered by LiveRail

Facebook continues its campaign to invade Google's ad-tech turf.Facebook is building an ad exchange that would automate the sale of other publishers' ads, according to people familiar with the matter. LiveRail, the online video ad-tech firm that Facebook bought last summer, will be the one... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #display ads #publishers sell #ad exchange #facebook continues #facebook bought #people familiar


5 of the most popular UK outlets on Facebook tell their secrets

U.K. publishers are employing a number of tactics to garner Facebook traffic. Digiday spoke to five of the UK publishers in the top 10 to receive traffic from the social network -- and learned a few tricks. Having engineered its sites for mobile -- and consequently, social -- six of Trinity... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trinity mirror


Kennedy to be Connect Group chair

A former banker will become the new chairman of The Connect Group in May. The Connect Group, formerly Smiths News PLC, which owns Connect Books, formerly Bertrams, has hired Gary Kennedy [pictured] as chairman-designate and non-executive director from 1st May 2015. He replaces the current... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #connect group #non-executive director


Facebook's Most-Shared Publisher to Start Paying Its Quiz Makers

Even if you've never heard of PlayBuzz, you've probably come across its end product. Its platform is behind such Facebook quizzes as "Which Disney Mom Are You?" and lists like "18 Photos That Prove That Online Dating Is Terrifying." The company, thanks to the virality of such content, has become... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook -- #editorial staff


WSJ vs. Bloomberg: A tale of two marketing campaigns

It's a tough time to be an old-school business publisher, with upstarts like Quartz and even Yahoo Finance muscling in. To combat this, WSJ has launched a new consumer-focused ad campaign featuring will.i.am and Tory Burch that shows how these busy people make time to read the Journal. This,... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post wsj #marketing campaigns #tough time


Not just quizzes: News is gaining on Facebook, too

A look at the top shared stories on Facebook can be a depressing exercise, unless you're a big fan of quizzes and listicles. But it's not all bad for traditional publishers. As Facebook has tweaked its algorithm and publishers get more savvy about social, news outlets are also showing... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news outlets #traditional publishers #big fan


Facebook’s Audience Network puts native ads everywhere (and publishers are on-board)

Just ask Bilbo Baggins — there’s something very appealing about having one ring to rule them all. So it goes with the Facebook Audience Network, which was launched in 2014 to help digital marketers place ads across all mobile apps — not just Facebook’s — using a single platform while making it... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post facebook #single platform


How Bleacher Report is Facebook-proofing its traffic

While other publishers are trying to maximize their Facebook referrals, the site for sports fans goes for a diversified approach. The post How Bleacher Report is Facebook-proofing its traffic appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traffic appeared #bleacher report #facebook referrals #sports fans


Here Is the Captivating Ad Format Facebook Hopes Wows Its Users

What if there were an ad that you just couldn't draw your eyes from? It's oddly captivating, almost hypnotic, and it would halt your thumb from scrolling farther down your Facebook feed.  There's one such creative format that is only now catching on as the digital world's equivalent of the... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2015-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #phone interview


Geek Physics: The Dot Physics Book

Here is a quick review of my soon to be released book, Geek Physics. The post Geek Physics: The Dot Physics Book appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why local papers count - one story launches a care home campaign

A newspaper story on Marion Brown’s plight fuels a grassroots campaignA speech last week by the BBC’s head of news, James Harding, was badly received by newspaper publishers, as I reported, because he thinks the corporation needs to fill a reporting vacuum created by a dwindling industry.This... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #james harding #newspaper publishers


Facebook's Mobile Revenue Climbs to $2.5 Billion as Ad Prices Soar

Facebook continues to do what few digital publishers can pull off: Over each of the last five quarters, the social network has been able to boost revenue even as it sells fewer ads.The ability to raise prices has rocketed Facebook's overall revenue to $3.85 billion in the most recent quarter. In... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital publishers #raise prices #recent quarter #year earlier #make money


Snapchat Does What Facebook Couldn’t: Get Publishers To Trust it with Their Content

Snapchat has introduced a new feature which allows its users to view articles, images, and videos from a variety of publishers inside the company’s messaging application. It’s called Discover, and it’s a major depar ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #messaging application


Turkey to Facebook: ban pages that insult the Prophet Mohammad or we'll block you

Over the weekend a court in Turkey told Facebook to block several pages that had been deemed to insult the Prophet Mohammad. A court order was delivered to the social network with the threat that if Facebook failed to comply, the site would be completely blocked in Turkey. Turkey's banging of... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2015-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook failed #court order