Sometimes brands go through moments of crisis that damage their reputation and surround them with an atmosphere of negative opinions. And we all know that a bad opinion tends to have more impact than several positive ones, often making it difficult for a brand to recover from hard times. But the good news is that rebuilding your reputation is not impossible and there are ways to change the perception about your brand through communications. Our approach to changing opinions,

Why do brands matter? A brand is more than a logo, a tagline or a slogan. It is who you are, and what you want to be perceivedas. It is a space in the mind, that you put there, and you own. Your brand will be as good as your ability to connect your mission with your image – and if you don’t create this identity, others will do it for you. From a branding standpoint, an organization has to strive to have everything under control, because everything it does will reflect on the

Culture is the essence and hope of humanity. It encompasses language, architecture, cuisine, social habits, music and the arts. It molds how

When you stay cool, you show a willingness to cooperate with reporters and convey an impression of candor.

In today’s world of short attention spans getting your reader interested from the first sentence or glance is crucial. If you’re a small business owner, you are probably struggling with coming up with ideas for the next social media post. Creating attention grabbing, consistent, and valuable content is not a walk in the park. However, as with any other challenge, your best option should be taking it one step at a time. So, what type of content should you post on your social m

Today’s challenge is to find out what people like, and then reach out to them with information that will get them to plan a trip.  So, resea

Things are changing – while the essentials of marketing remain the same, tactics have matured. Here’s a blueprint for a new PR approach to s

Marketing in the online world has evolved a lot over the last few years. The parameters to measure success have changed and what worked a ye

Set goals for every appearance Keep thinking O-S-T-A: objective, strategy, tactics and audience Hammer home your key messages For interviews, keep answers - especially for TV or radio - to about 10 seconds each. Remember the Key Message! Nothing is 100% off the record Whatever you say - anywhere - can follow you around endlessly and perhaps disastrously. If you don't know the answer to a question, say so. Then later on, be certain to get back to the reporter with an answer. D

News is the unusual, controversial, the new. If the airplane lands, it’s not news. News is local and topical. That’s what readers/viewers/listeners want to know about. News tells a story. Every good story needs controversy. Think good vs. evil. You want to be the good guy. Research indicates that readers/viewers/listeners prefer to consume “bad news” over “good news” by a 7 to 1 margin. News is a business as well as public service. The news media would not exist without adver

today’s travelers are too sophisticated, and travel is too expensive for that. And the new rules have to drive marketing and PR. I mean if y

Hello 2018 – we look forward to the changes you will bring. Here at Louis Karno we love to predict the future – and sometimes we get it righ

We did that and so much more, thank you to all our clients new and old – and here’s wishing you a great 2018!

To be honest, I never met Louis Karno. I know he was a Polish immigrant, whose last name was Karnowsky. He died long before I was born. So, why is this firm named Louis Karno & Company? Well, the answer goes back to 1905 when my grandfather, Max Siegel and his family came to the US fleeing pogroms near Kiev. My grandfather was just 5 years old, and other than their samovar, they had few belongings. My grandfather went to public school in Chicago, where he was ridiculed for n

I recently gave a talk on branding and tourism. I offered the group examples of great tourism brands, places like Hawaii, California, New York, Maine – and of course Italy, France and Spain. My point was simple – if you could add the word “Hawaii” to a product – not only will it sell for more; it will evoke the power of the brand. Think Italian shoes, French wine, Spanish almonds, and even Hawaiian-style shampoo. But making that jump from destination to brand is tricky. It

Portugal is having a big year for travel and tourism from the US. The European nation is set to have a 27% increase in American guests for 2017, making it the fastest growing inbound market for visitors to Portugal, according to TVI. And spending by American guests, per capita, far outpaces other nations. And in the past months Travel + Leisure named Portugal its Editors Pick Destination of the Year. Fodor’s included the Northern Minho area in their 2017 “Go List.” Condé Nas

The benefit to any business is simple: Training, recognition and good service can often make up for other things.

Surely the truth of great products will find its way out sooner or later – but it makes more sense to control that brand by linking it to ev

Culture defines a place, and New Hampshire is no exception. We are the state of Saint Gaudens, Frost, Peyton Place, John Irving and a long list of musicians, artists, watersports, sculpture and more. Every summer the music festival blossoms across the Granite State, attracting people from all over to experience great music. We have an unequalled tradition of summer theatre in our towns and villages. Our League of New Hampshire Craftsmen is a huge driver of visitors, as are th

Louis Karno 2017 Travel Forecast