“[B]rands have never been more fragile. The reason is simple: consumers are supremely well informed and far more likely to investigate the real value of products than to rely on logos.”

— James Surowiecki, “Twilight of the Brands,” The New Yorker

“Unfortunately, the PR function continues to generate executive quotes with the stiffness of plywood.”

— Lou Hoffman, Ishmael’s Corner

“Our subprime lenders proved, in the final analysis, too big too fail; and now, certain of our name-brand financial writers are too big to practice journalism.”

— Alex Pareene at The Baffler on “Wall Street’s most valuable flack,” New York Times writer Andrew Ross Sorkin

"My read is CEO confidence is improving, but it's still fragile. The environment is looking better, but I wouldn't call it boom season in M and A."

— George Sard, CEO of Sard Verbinnen & Co, via Entrepreneur’s Patti Domm

“Lehane had wanted to pass out gas masks to reporters but couldn’t assemble them in time.”

— Adam Nagourney’s New York Times Magazine profile of PR/crisis manager Chris Lehane