An oldie, but goodie. Here’s a snapshot of what some of America’s best and brightest PR professionals had to say back in 2008 when interviewed in this video for PR Week Magazine‘s ‘Next’ Conference:

“What we do for a living is we tell stories that move people,” – Christopher Graves, Ogilvy PR.

“We’re going to be what I call direct content creators and have an opportunity to actually tell the story very directly to audiences,” – Paul Bergevin, Intel.

“Communications advisors have got to know research, some experience in crisis, how to understand a rapidly changing communications environment,” – Mark Penn, Burson-Marsteller.

“I think a really high level of aptitude around all of the new applications that are emerging…understand how you can fit those in with your PR programs,” – Andy Lark, Dell.

“You actually have to apply the internet and web 2.0 and social media to your life to be able to really understand how it can apply to your clients’ life” – John Bell, Ogilvy PR.

“The PR professional of the future needs to transform PR from public relations to personal relations,” – Ted Smyth, H.J. Heinz.

Visual artist Olivier Lefebvre made this Steve Jobs portrait out of real apples.

Photo courtesy of Darren Rovell

If you do a Twitter search for “Michael Jordan” you won’t find who you’re looking for. Who you will find is writer, Michael B. Jordan. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia. That’s all I know about him. But, his avatar grabbed my attention immediately. As you can see, he’s obviously a pretty creative and savvy guy. With marketing and branding smarts like this, I’d say he’s worth a follow, but he hasn’t tweeted since January 2011. Looks like someone’s missing a hell of an opportunity.

Now THIS is a web series to get excited about. Blue Motion Productions in Winter Park, Florida has put together a new show chronicling the lives of Michael Jordan’s sons, Marcus and Jeffrey. Watch the princes of the MJ brand over at Heir-Jordan.com.

I like to imagine this is what it was like when God and Steve Jobs met at the Pearly Gates.

What does this image say to you? What can the golf industry learn from the legacy of Steve Jobs? How can we “think different” and innovate the sport of golf?

Major progresss comes from love. You can bank on that. If you want to start a movement or a revolution (business, technological, religious, social, political, etc.), it’s got to come from a place of pure, unbridled passion. And it’s a complete focus on that passion that should drive your every thought and guide your every move. THAT’S how you make a difference and impact people.

Bored in school, failing classes, at odds with peers: This child might be an entrepreneur, says Cameron Herold. At TEDxEdmonton, he makes the case for parenting and education that helps would-be entrepreneurs flourish — as kids and as adults. (via ted.com)

Let’s face it – golf is boring. The excitement Tiger Woods brought to the game in 1997 has dissipated. It’s time we open the sport up to fans and usher in a new and diverse audience. The NASCAR model doesn’t work for all sports. It works for golf. In a sport driven by individuals, it’s critical for the governing bodies within the sport to recognize this and highlight the personalities and characters within the game. We all know plenty about Tiger and Phil, however there’s a plethora of other incredibly talented, engaging and endearing athletes out there that no one knows about.

Golfers are independent contractors. We don’t have teams or owners or upper management to answer to and appease. It’s the fans we need to worry about. Therefore, we should be embracing the viral web and using it to grow the sport. With the emergence of interactive new media channels like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and UStream, we have the ability to showcase the sport like never before. Now fans can reach out and practically touch their favorite players and players can control their own brand and message while giving fans an inside look at their lives. But, that’s old news. How can these platforms be used to elevate the sport to new levels of excitement? How can the PGA and LPGA Tours capture an X-Games level of excitement? How can the PGA of America and the R&A (Royal and Ancient) take a cue from NASCAR and create *real* fan loyalty? I’ve outlined a few key ways:

Photo by Jessica Hill/AP

Photo by Caryn Levy/PGA TOUR

I’m a sucker for a good nerdy t-shirt. They’ve got some really creative and artistic designs over at hideyourarms.com. It’s definitely one of the coolest new sites I’ve stumbled across as of late. Hide Your Arms (@hideyourarms) is a very unique t-shirt and hoodie blog! They cover all aspects of the independent clothing industry, providing news on many clothing styles, with a focus on long-sleeved goods.

This goes to show that there is a place for everyone in the blogosphere. No niche is too taboo and you shouldn’t be scared to narrow your focus and target demographic. There are a variety of untapped markets out there and you always have the opportunity to become a category creator. Identify a need, fill that need with quality content, and the audience will come to you.