Comments on: Don’t be like Andy Marken / Marken Communications

By: Ryan Block

Ryan Block — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:41:17 +0000

Tim: I didn’t say a word that wasn’t factual.

By: Tim

Tim — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 05:02:26 +0000

Just curious… When you call someone out so specifically by name and put the person in such an unfavorable light, aren’t you also putting yourself at risk to some respect? If you just stuck to the facts regarding what he did, then you’d be on firmer ground, I’d think.
Then again, it has been well over a year since you posted this, and the post is still up, so I guess either he didn’t care, or it was so true and publicaly known that he couldn’t do anything about it. :-)

By: ex-Marken employee

ex-Marken employee — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:49:36 +0000

There are hundreds of us who once worked for Andy Marken. He has been in business for about 3 decades, and has survived by sheer force of will, and by having unsophisiticated clients who don’t know anything about PR, and pay him to run roughshod over the editorial community. Marken is a physically repulsive, serial womanizing, chain-smoking, Obsession-for-Men-wearing, PR dinosaur whose tactics are rooted back in the 1970s and 1980s when PR was a much different business. Believe you me when I tell you that you DO NOT ever want to meet this man in person, and if you have, you will know what I am talking about. Marken is a blight on this earth and the world will be a much better place when he passes on.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:51:08 +0000

This post make me feel better about myself: I thought I might be the only person who did not understand what Marken says in his e-mail message…either I was missing something, or (which is quite possible) didn’t have enough time to try to read and discern what information he attempts to convey.

By: bud

bud — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 10:59:21 +0000

hehe I met him in 1987 when I was an editor at a tech publication. He blew smoke in my face (literally) and tried to blow it up my butt (figuratively). I was still a young guy then, and have never forgotten the indelible impression he made on me as to what not to do as a PR person or human being.

By: Derek

Derek — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:54:26 +0000

Marken Communications was my first job out of college–for all of six weeks in 1991. Andy and his wife Jeanine (who oversees all text editing!) are bullies and hacks. In just those six weeks, they shattered my confidence, as they have with countless other entry-level hires over the years–bright people with PR degrees. And it’s always the same old story in the end; they wonder “why are all these young people SO immature??”–it’s never, ever THEIR fault. The Markens represent the worst of a shady industry…I marvel how they’ve stayed in business with such sloppy practices as you’ve decribed. TRUST ME–they’ve made plenty of enemies.

By: Snack Lover

Snack Lover — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:41:49 +0000

Hey Ryan,

As a former PR person turned quasi journalist I’ve already been a victim of the random totally unrelated release bomb and definitely feel for you.

Also, just noticed you (fittingly) have /ryan on twitter, impressive.

Hope all is well,

David Cohen

By: Jay

Jay — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:52:48 +0000

Where can I find some of these guys articles? I want to know what not to do.

By: Ryan Block

Ryan Block — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:41:40 +0000

Susanne, sorry, just have very little time to write these days!

By: Susanne Arbeit

Susanne Arbeit — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:29:20 +0000

Hi Ryan,

are you seriously letting your website down? Everytime I come here, hoping for some brilliant remarks on whatever, I find the don´t be like the marken guy – post.
Young, brilliant and good looking, as you are, there should be more interesting content here. Anyway, keep on the good work!

yours sincerely
Susanne A.
(Berlin, Germany)

By: Pappaous

Pappaous — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:17:58 +0000

I haven’t read-up on this Andy but he looks like the “A-typical” MaigicJack (TM) actuary that seems to sit in the pyramid scheem of the “Cartel/Mafia” International investers (Amer-Europeen). The ring has some significance to Solomon’s ring?… interesting…

By: Ecommer

Ecommer — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:06:36 +0000

Bling bling! What a pose! That picture should go right there with that blog post.

By: Ryan Block

Ryan Block — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:29:37 +0000

Looks a little more like the living dead if you ask me.

By: Rick

Rick — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:11:58 +0000

Oh man, Andy looks like an old rock star. Look at his bling-bling!
http://img525.imageshack.us/i/snap20100205164922004.png/

http://www.berkeleyabc.org/2009/images/Andy%20Marken.jpg

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:02:03 +0000

I used to work for the guy about 25+ years ago (before email). Sounds like not much has changed.

By: The Guy

The Guy — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:30:25 +0000

Don’t stick to the old ways..Businesses change year round!

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:29:21 +0000

I’ve been working with Andy recently and thought I was replying emails to a 10 year old with a keyboard. Excessive use of exclamation marks and poor/humorous attempts at using slang.

But totally agree, I get an excessive amount of emails from the man about random video encoding tools and other products that no one really cares much for. I only realized that he’s in his 80s or something after I tracked down his LinkedIn page to find out more about him.

It’s impressive and surprising that he’s been able to keep his agency running for a couple decades. Most of these PR agencies are all targeting the “social media” audience instead.

Anyways, I haven’t had any problems with him per say, but hope he can change a few practices.

By: Ian Bell

Ian Bell — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:47:23 +0000

I have asked him a hundred times to remove me from his list and he never has. I don’t even get mad anymore, it’s that sad haha.

By: Anton

Anton — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 23:34:12 +0000

Haha, that was a classic slap.

Beleive me, Markens exist on all local markets. I’d retweet you on that but I’m too much afraid to hurt as here in Russia Andy Marken’s spirit happened to be reborn in a sensitive and somewhat naive 25 yr old girl.

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:33:23 +0000

As a college student hoping to enter the tech world someday, things like this are helpful.

Thank you.