The landslide election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States was a watershed moment in American history – and one that demonstrates just how radically the communications paradigm has shifted in 2008. The rules are changing before our very eyes. Americans have voiced their frustration with business as usual and the bitter partisanship that was beginning to define 21st Century politics. They are hungry for answers to our most pressing problems, ... Read More

With the grandeur and pageantry of the Beijing Games in the rearview mirror, observers are once again fearing it’s back to business as usual in China. The U.S. State Department is blasting the nation’s lack of progress on human rights and environmental issues are once again in the news. Perhaps most disturbing for consumers, yet another product safety crisis of epic proportions is shaking the world’s confidence in China’s products. The news that four infants have ... Read More

As Chinese state-owned funds step up their global investment initiatives, they may very well face a xenophobic backlash in the U.S. and elsewhere. Americans are already apprehensive about Chinese ownership of so much national debt – and the idea of increased Chinese ownership of American assets could compound that anxiety if the proper inroads are not established. While protectionist messages will likely figure prominently in the public relations strategy employed by opponents of Chinese investment, such ... Read More

While there is little expectation that a capitalist rush will soon return the Cuban economy to its prosperous past, there are indications that Raul Castro is initiating subtle changes that could eventually soften the Cuban government’s iron grip on its economy. Many geopolitical observers see some of the reforms Cuba is promulgating as moves that could one day morph the nation’s economy into a hybrid Chinese model – capitalism, not officially recognized, but not completely stamped ... Read More

With the July 4th weekend just around the corner, Americans can still rely on the old saw: “This Bud is for you!” – at least for now. Two weeks ago, we examined InBev’s offer to buy Anheuser-Busch and the public uproar that was brewing as a result. With last week’s announcement from Anheuser-Busch Chairman Patrick Stokes that A-B has formally rejected the $46.3 billion offer, A-B now stands on the threshold of taking back control of ... Read More

Last month, Shell CEO Jereon van der Veer offered the public a rare opportunity to directly question an energy industry leader when he participated in an online chat facilitated by the Times of London Online. The issues covered ranged from skyrocketing fuel costs to climate change. But no matter the question, and no matter the tone, van der Veer’s responses were polite, comprehensive, and non-evasive – to the point that one commenter among the largely hostile ... Read More