Making Turkish Pita: The Ramadan Way
I’ve spent parts of Ramadan all over the Middle East including Lebanon, the Sultanate of Oman, and Syria. Without creating serious debate, one of the best places for anyone to be during the holy month of Ramadan is in Turkey. Here, the solidarity of the holiday reaches its peak while honoring many of centuries-old traditions […]
ANCESTRY.COM: You Should Have Called The Media Guy!
Okay, so where am I? Well, it’s been a long wait. Over two weeks to be exact and I’m still waiting by the phone awaiting a call from either Margo Georgiadis, CEO of Ancestry, or senior VP of U.S. Marketing Caroline Sheu…or both. Perhaps it will be a conference call, who knows? So, why should […]
Hong Kong Tourism Board: You Should Have Called the Media Guy!
Okay, so where am I? I’m phone watching once again, half-heatedly expecting Dr. Peter Lam, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, or their executive director Anthony Lau, to call me to sort out this mess created by their sexist and creepy “Treasures of the Heart” tourism commercial. Before I go on my whimsical rant […]
Hail the Public Relations King of the Middle East
Okay, so where am I? No I’m not on vacation—more on that later—right now, I’m hunkered down, barricade-style, on a mission to finalize my Clio submission. Yes, it’s awards season in the ad world and fresh off my Telly Award wins (hate to brag, well, no, it’s nice to be able to…), I felt it […]
Twitter, mwitter!
Let’s get this straight: Politics aside, I love Turkey. But when I see a juicy media story, I have to pounce. I’ve been peddling media, media campaigns and the like for nearly thirty years – geez, if I wasn’t having so much fun I would say I’m getting pretty old. Let me tell you this, […]
They Didn’t Make the Cut…
“He who never made a mistake never made a discovery. ” I love this quote quite frankly; it says it all. I hope this past weekend, I didn’t make a mistake with my forthcoming book. In the weeks after two wildly lucky winners in Missouri and Arizona divvied up the $600 million Powerball jackpot, I found myself […]
Travel & Adventure Show: Skepticism Eliminated
Okay, so where am I? No, not underground writing my latest screenplay or those two book projects that are nearing deadline. Believe it or not, the 2012 L.A. Travel and Adventure Show called to me like the North Star in the dead of night. I know. I know. I was skeptical too. But off to […]
World Portraits: Escape
Maalula Village, Syria—According to legend, Saint Tekla was stalked by an unforgiving, scorned fiancé who tried repeatedly to kill her for her religious beliefs. Eventually she sought refuge in a grotto in the cliff around the bend where a convent — now named in her honor — was built. She used this escape route to move […]
Ethics
Lately, I’m traveling different. I used to roll in some jeans and comfy shoes. Kind of a grunge-under-the radar-look that really doesn’t sit well if you are labeling yourself the “Media Guy.” Now I rock in all black with Armani slacks and a pin stripe Hugo Boss blazer with a purple scarf that doubles as […]
Syria as a Viable Tourism Destination?
Okay, So where am I? I just returned from another trip to Damascus planning the 2011-13 Media and Communications Plan for Syria and things couldn’t have gone better. I mean I don’t usually pat myself on the back, but here is a case where I am compelled to do so. I mean it’s not often […]
