Any avid reader of Bulletproof knows about product recalls. We write about them all the time. But have you ever heard of a recipe recall? Such was the case three weeks ago when a chef in the United Kingdom mistook the name of an edible weed for that of another herb that is, in fact, poisonous. What’s worse is that the name of the publication that published the embarrassing and potentially deadly mistake is Healthy & ... Read More

With the Democratic Convention in full swing, I’m reminded of a New York Times op-ed published by Michael Kinsley a few weeks back that gently pokes fun at the empty words and doublespeak found in political party platforms. Kinsley’s criticism is aimed at politicians, but it should be taken seriously by anyone facing a high stakes communications challenge. We let politicians get away with this kind of “spin” in part because we no longer hold them ... Read More

In an opinion piece published in yesterday’s Washington Post, environmental lawyer Dusty Horwitt proposed the idea of a “progressive” tax by which energy prices would be “kept at a consistently high level” in order to “make the technologies that overproduce information more expensive and less widespread.” Why is an environmental lawyer making a tangential case for new energy taxes by targeting information technologies? Because, as Horwitt opines, an information overload created by blogs and other online ... Read More

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