Last month’s comments by Frank Quattrone at a Silicon Valley conference are of ongoing interest for market watchers and communications professionals alike. Now Entrepreneur Quattrone (formerly known as Banker Quattrone), who endured years of investigation over obstruction of justice charges (eventually dropped), argued that the enforced separation of investment banking from stock market research needs to be ended because it denies small companies access to research analysts and therefore impairs American competitiveness. Current restrictions prohibit investment banks ... Read More

Week after week the news media report on the latest medical studies that identify some new and unexpected risk to our health. Do cell phones cause brain tumors? Do overhead power lines lead to childhood leukemia? Does exposure to common chemicals increase the risk of breast cancer? We see the scary headlines, but few of us notice the inevitable follow-up stories that put these newly apprehended risks into perspective and often debunk the initial reports altogether. A ... Read More

In another sign that companies are increasingly using the Web to solicit their customers for creative ideas, Crest toothpaste is asking YouTube fans to develop the slogan for its new wintergreen ice flavor. From September 15 through October 17, consumers are invited to submit videos featuring their take on the brand in 10 words or less. The winning phrase will be used in late fall and winter television spots advertising the new flavor. And to pique ... Read More

Say it ain’t so! Whole Foods Market, the top U.S. organic foods retailer, has announced a recall of all the fresh ground beef it sold between June 2 and August 6 due to potential E. coli contamination. This significant event threatens to undermine the promise of the Whole Foods brand – that is, consumers may pay more for its products but can expect food that is fresher, healthier, and safer in return. Whole Foods said the ... Read More

With everyone putting down their daily newspapers and turning to the Internet as the primary source for news and information, world leaders, celebrities and corporations alike must find new avenues to capture people’s attention. Simply put, a high-profile placement in The Times is no longer enough to shape stories and change perceptions. It seems that Jordan’s Queen Rania has learned this lesson well – as she is the leading world leader in utilizing new media to ... Read More

The latest wave of disappointment in Apple’s iPhone 3G saga came with the launch of MobileMe a few weeks back. As users reported server outages and lost e-mails, Apple remained quiet – issuing a terse, one-sentence statement online and eventually sending an apology e-mail to subscribers a few days later. To date, the company still has not answered the increasingly angry demands for information from its loyal customers and has stiff-armed inquiring news media. As a ... Read More