There is an interesting feature in today’s WSJ on the year’s PR crises. They’re the obvious, very public developments — many which we covered in Topaz posts and podcasts during the year — but I thinks it’s worth recalling these as we face the new year. BP’s oil spew was spotlighted, of course. Toyota’s sticky gas pedal and other quality problems was another no-brainer. HP’s management miscues were included, as was Facebook privacy control changes. Apple “antennagate” was one I had forgotten about. No mention of non-business crises around sports figures LeBron James, Tiger Woods and Brett Favre…and entertainers like Mel Gibson. Some lessons to be learned in all these as we look ahead to 2011. There’ll be more crises — let’s hope the PR world does it’s job when it comes to managing communications around them.

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Analyzing customer information to identify marketplace trends. Presenting a glossary of technical terms to spotlight a company as a problem-solver. Commissioning a survey to validate a company’s competitive differentiators. Using years of forgotten usage reports to take the lead in describing different types of consumers. Tapping a company’s technology experts to outline tips for users. Repositioning a white paper as a report on technology dynamics shaping a market segment.

These are all recent examples of a strategy that has emerged as a staple of PR programs in 2010 – data-driven PR. No longer are we dependent on the often too-scare new product announcement, referenceable customer or relevant editorial opportunity to provide a springboard for media outreach or placements. But data-driven PR is more than just another channel to deliver a company’s story – it’s a channel PR people can control and one into which we can have more creative input. And data-driven PR is proving to be a important element in thought-leadership initiatives, particularly when the data is repurposed beyond a media pitch — as an article abstract, a speaking submission, a blog post, a news release and/or an issues-expert alert (repurposing is another important PR trend…but that’s a subject for another post).

Data-driven PR is nothing new – it was one of the first strategies Topaz used with its early clients who had little “real news” to offer – but it is an approach to PR that has taken on a new life in 2010. And one we expect to drive in even more directions in the year ahead.

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In PRobecast episode #102, Topazers Joanna DiTrapano, Evan Siff and Renatta Siewert join me in talking about AT&T’s $2 billion dollar wireless spectrum purchase, restocking and baggage fees, smartphones trumping GPS sales & more.

AT&T spending $2 billion on wireless spectrum – AT&T is spending almost $2 billion to buy wireless spectrum to improve its mobile services. The news of this new purchase comes shortly after Consumer Reports named it the worst mobile service. Is it too little too late? And, most importantly, when will this even be incorporated?

Are smartphones taking GPS sales away? – The sale of navigation devices are down 9% this year, according to NPD Group’s retail tracking service. Are smartphones and mobile phones crushing the sale of GPS devices?

Baggage fees – are consumers getting ripped off? – When the recession hit, it hit airlines pretty hard and forced them to include baggage fees as an additional cost to flights. More people are flying again, yet these fees are still around. A Gadling article shows that Delta Air Lines made $733 million dollars in baggage fees this year. At this point, should these airlines still have these fees?

Best Buy drops restocking fees – Best Buy is permanently dropping their 15% restocking fee for opened electronics in response to feedback they received from their customers. Those who paid the fee between mid-Nov and mid-December can go back and get reimbursed. Right in time for the holidays!

Bidding adieu to those we lost – Looking back at 2010, there have been a lot of people, brands and products that said their goodbyes. An article on Wallet Pop goes through – and some of them named we discussed on this very PRobecast. I’d like to take a moment to give a tribute to the McRib and Microsoft Kin.

Now it’s time for the PRobecast PR Power Ranking – which is when we go around the room and pick the story that we think ranks the highest PR-wise – meaning any aspects of PR could be the reasoning behind the pick. Is it the story itself, good data that was used, what’s getting the most pickup, was it a good PR move the company made, etc.

This week’s winner is Best Buy! Listening to customers is key to making them want to do more business with you – and it’s a good practice in general. Look, it even got them some press!

Who do you think should have won?

MP3 File

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