Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few days, you’re well aware of the death of pop icon Michael Jackson. Regardless of your opinion of the embattled singer, one thing is for certain: his death has sparked renewed interest and demand in all things MJ.

Photo Credit: The Washington Post

Not long after news broke of Jackson’s death, both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble sold out of his CDs. Demand for any and all Jackson merchandise soared. At press time, his songs dominated seven of the top 10 single downloads on iTunes.

But now that Michael Jackson the man is gone, what happens to Michael Jackson the brand?

In recent days, many have compared Jackson’s fate to that of another cultural icon, Elvis. But like Jackson, Elvis’ music is only part of the story. The incredible marketing of the Elvis brand for more than three decades has decidedly fixed the King into American culture. Many would argue Elvis became bigger in death than in life. And many are banking on Michael Jackson to do the same.

Yesterday, tour operator AEG announced it would give refunds for Jackson’s “This is it” tour. But it's also offering would-be concertgoers a chance to opt instead for the actual ticket, with Jackson-designed graphics, as a little piece of history. There are tribute concerts in the works, memorabilia for auction and, as with many legends, a layer of mystery surrounding Jackson’s life and death.

It’s too soon to speculate on the longevity of the Michael Jackson brand. But I think we can all agree on one thing: the King of Pop hasn’t quite left the building.

--Jennifer George, Account Supervisor

Looking for a fun weekend activity?

Join the Lemelson-MIT Program for its third annual EurekaFest, and help celebrate the inventive spirit! A few weeks ago, Chrissy Redmond discussed how the Lemelson-MIT Program was re-branding science, transforming it into a cool experience for the world’s future technological innovators. Now, you have a chance to see that in action.

EurekaFest is a multi-day celebration designed to empower a legacy of inventors through activities that inspire youth, honor role models and encourage creativity and problem solving. Today, at MIT’s Stata Center, you can observe a nationwide high school invention showcase and see renowned inventors present on the MIT campus.

Saturday, I'll be at Boston's Museum of Science to cheer on more than 200 high school students in an all-day wind-powered design challenge; their families will also have the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning activities.

All events are free and open to the public, so come join me!

I must admit, I am a reality TV fan. I grew up watching MTV’s Real World and then moved on to Survivor, The Osbournes, and now I watch Jon and Kate (Gosselin): Plus 8. At the heart of the show, parents and non-parents can find the humor of raising sets of multiple children and silly arguments about kid’s off-the-wall antics. However, recently, the reality show got a strong dose of unwavering paparazzi and negative publicity.

Granted, both TLC and the family are reaping the benefits by going through a crisis. After all, it’s human behavior to watch something dramatically unravel like the Gosselin’s marriage; unfortunately, it leaves eight young children in its wake. They may be wealthy, but that surely doesn’t buy happiness.

The saga continued this week when Jon and Kate announced their divorce in front of the TV cameras and received the show’s highest ratings ever. TLC said the show will be on hiatus for a couple months. During that time, here are some media suggestions to help the Gosselins heal quicker and provide more positive fodder for the media once the wounds heal.

• Both parties need to stop talking to the press. Each week Jon and Kate take turns being on the cover of People magazine. Take time away from filming, conducting magazine interviews and from public places where you can be easily photographed.
• Grant one exclusive interview after you have the chance to live through this new transition in your life.
• Hire a publicist that cares about your well-being, not making money off the situation.
• Develop a long-term plan to leverage your family’s fame to better serve others, perhaps families that are in similar predicaments.
• Work with reputable media outlets to help cultivate a more positive vision of your family instead of the mud-slinging rumors that each party is alleging.
• Both parties should partner with a special charity or cause close to their hearts and become passionate advocates for that cause. Helping others only makes you feel better and will help improve the public’s perception of you.
• Since it’s time to move on, take down all associated websites that show the family in sunnier times. The media like to dwell on the past, so give them less ammunition to create stories.

-- Jenn DeBarge Goonan, Senior Account Supervisor

Brand—a word often associated with large, consumer-facing companies whose products fill supermarket shelves or suburban shopping malls. But, a brand is just as important to nonprofit organizations, too. After all, a solid brand identity tells an important story. It sets expectations, gains attention, fosters relationships and ultimately helps ensure long-term survival.

In our latest research, The Cone Nonprofit Power Brand 100, conducted in collaboration with Intangible Business, we looked at the relationship between nonprofits’ brand images and their revenues. What we found might surprise you. Nonprofit brands can contribute millions, and sometimes billions, of dollars to organizations’ revenues!

Check out our sister blog, What Do You Stand For?, to find out more.

And tell us, what do you think are the major differences between for-profit and nonprofit brand management?

Apparently, it’s not all gloom and doom for the newspaper industry. Amid continuous news of long-established papers being forced to fold, the city of Detroit is actually gaining a daily—The Detroit Daily Press.

This might be welcome news for media relations practitioners well-versed in the art of pitching traditional news outlets, but it hardly signals a return to business-as-usual for a media sector once dominated by newspapers. The landscape has changed. Newsrooms are cutting staff, closing bureaus and more and more, transitioning to “online-only” outlets.

Here are some quick tips for securing print coverage in these turbulent times:

• Don’t wait until Monday morning: The 24/7 online-news cycle means stories don’t have to wait for the work week to start
• Take advantage of news wires: Newspapers are losing staff and are often pulling stores right from the wire services
• Connect with reporters through new channels: Follow a reporter’s blog or Twitter page to see another side of the person you’re trying to pitch
• Consider paid PR content: Fewer staff doesn’t equal less news, meaning media may be more inclined to run with packaged content like a MAT release or satellite media tour (SMT)
• Have video content and b-roll available: Despite your efforts, not all stories will make it to print, but having video can improve chances of an online story