BurrellesLuce Daily Briefing

Study Shows Social Media Slowly Replacing Face-to-Face Customer Interaction

23 May 2012 15:45:47 GMT

IBM sat down to talk one-on-one with 1,700 CEO�s in 64 countries to discuss changes in how they do business. First, let�s marvel at the logistics behind that. All those busy people. All those languages. All that data. Seriously, I don�t think we appreciate the effort that goes into these things. Now, let�s move on to the results. To the right you see a chart with a surprising message. The CEO�s were asked how they engage with their customers. The top line represents where they are today, the bottom line where they expect to be in 3 to 5 years. Right now, social media came in dead last but it�s expected to climb to the second spot in the coming years. At a glance, I would say that these results relate to B2B companies, but the report doesn�t say one way or the other. I understand B2B being heavily face-to-face. I don�t see it in business to consumer. But again, the study doesn�t specify one or the other so I have to assume it�s a mix. Technology in general came up as the aspect most likely to impact business in the coming year. Their second choice was “People Skills.� It�s not well defined in the report, but I�m sure old school CEO�s are worried that technology is erasing our ability to connect one-on-one.

OMG! BuzzFeed to Open D.C. Bureau

23 May 2012 15:42:03 GMT

The buzz around BuzzFeed opening a Washington bureau is true. Political Editor Ben Smith confirms to FishbowlDC that the LOL-laden site is shooting to bring on new blood by summer to get the cat pic operation up and running. Will he poach from his former stomping ground of Politico where he still writes a column? “I�m aiming to hire a talented, heavyweight player-coach as bureau chief, someone hungry and well sourced to do great original reporting on the Hill, and to send a reporter or two down after the campaign to cover the new, or continuing, administration,� Smith told FishbowlDC. “They�re going to be some of the great jobs in DC, because it�s going to be all about original reporting. Hoping to do the hiring over the summer � not immediately.�

Time Warner Cable Head Sides With TV Networks Over Ad-Erasing Technology

22 May 2012 16:39:32 GMT

BOSTON � The head of one of the country�s biggest cable companies voiced his disapproval of the Dish Network�s ad-erasing technology on Monday, aligning himself with television networks that are trying to squash the technology, called Auto Hop. Glenn Britt, the chief executive of Time Warner Cable, said Monday that something like Auto Hop could damage the existing ecosystem of television programming and distribution, which depends in part on advertising revenues and in part on subscriber revenues. “I don�t think we want to destroy one of those revenue streams,� Mr. Britt said at a cable industry conference here.

TV Everywhere�s Counting Problem

22 May 2012 16:14:31 GMT

“TV Everywhere� is supposed to let the traditional TV business hang on to the status quo, by promising viewers they can watch whatever they want, whenever they want it. As long as they keep paying for TV. But even if consumers go for that deal, the TV guys need to make sure that advertisers buy in, too. And that won�t happen until the TV guys can get some basic stuff right. Like counting eyeballs, no matter where they watch a show.

Cheezburger�s Ben Huh says news organizations should think like teenagers if they want to survive

9 May 2012 16:56:19 GMT

If the Internet has taught us anything, it�s that people are really into anthropomorphized cats. They�re good for a chuckle, sure, but their popularity gets at the more interesting question of why and how we share online, and what that means for the changing ways in which we engage with all kinds of information, from lolcats to hard news. Self-described Internet culture connoisseur Ben Huh is probably best known as CEO of Cheezburger, the hub for sites like I Can Has Cheezburger, FAIL blog, and Know Your Meme. He�s also a co-founder and board member of the hyped startup Circa, which bills itself as “news, re-imagined,� but has so far kept quiet about how it�s doing the re-imagining. (The site�s expected to formally launch this summer.) For now, there�s this, from its landing page: “Our vision is to create the best possible news experience by optimizing for truths, encouraging diversity, and empowering readers.�

How Are The Visually-Impaired Using The iPhone?

9 May 2012 17:12:38 GMT

The iPhone has had a great impact on the lives of visually-impaired users. Although the flat-screen lacks buttons and means relying on audio cues, a number of its apps and the accessibility feature provide useful functions and can help the blind find their way around independently. There is an interesting article on The Atlantic about this subject: Blind people use their iPhones slightly different than the sighted because, well, they can�t see what they�re tapping on. So instead of pressing down and opening up an app, they can press anywhere on the screen and hear where their finger is. If it�s where they want to be, they can double-tap to enter. If it isn�t, they�ll flick their finger to the right, to the left, towards the top or the bottom, to navigate themselves. The same for the simple “slide to unlock� command.

Edelman And Ketchum Triumph At SABRE Dinner

9 May 2012 17:24:56 GMT

NEW YORK�It was a good night for Ketchum and Edelman at the North American SABRE Awards dinner, with the former taking home six Gold SABRE Awards and picking up the Platinum SABRE for the best public relations campaign of 2011, and the latter adding Agency of the Year to its haul of five Gold and Diamond awards. Other multiple winners included Weber Shandwick, which took home five Gold and Diamond trophies; and Burson-Marsteller and Citizen Paine, who took home four apiece. On the client side, IBM and its agencies won three Gold awards. Ketchum�s “IBM at 100� anniversary campaign for IBM was selected by the SABRE judges as winner of the Platinum SABRE Award for the best public relations campaign of 2011, ahead of four finalists: the Starbucks Brand Transformation (Starbucks with Edelman); the Fighting Fire crisis communications effort conducted by Ogilvy Public Relations for the Mexico Tourism Board; the Old Spice “Mano a Mano in el Bano� campaign (Citizen Relations); and Weber Shandwick�s “Closing the Perception Gap� campaign for General Motors. Edelman, our Large Agency of the Year, beat out Citizen Relations (Midsize Agency of the Year), Mitchell Communications Group (Small Agency) and Catalyst (Boutique Agency) to win our Agency of the Year award for the Americas region.

USA SWIMMING FOUNDATION RECEIVES PR RECOGNITION

8 May 2012 16:43:43 GMT

The USA Swimming Foundation and its media partner, Ground Floor Media, were recognized last Thursday for their public relations efforts surrounding Make a Splash, the Foundation�s national child-focused water safety initiative. The Foundation and Ground Floor Media received a “Gold Pick� Award from the Colorado chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). PRSA is the premier industry association for PR professionals. PRSA�s Gold Pick Awards were created in 1966 to honor the region�s best work in public relations and today has become the state�s most prestigious award recognition program for PR practitioners.

How to use social media monitoring to keep tabs on your competition

4 May 2012 15:49:22 GMT

By now, most savvy companies have launched blogs, Twitter accounts and Facebook pages, mindful that actively engaging online audiences is essential to the survival of any business. But social media (BRIAN SNYDER - REUTERS) offers a major benefit that is too often ignored: the ability to monitor the online space to glean information about your customers, your competition, and even your own company. Twitter, for example, allows businesses to quickly detect a problem with a service or product before that problem turns into a full-blown crisis. But social media monitoring is not limited to keeping a lookout for sudden online developments. It also involves tracking data that are both quantifiable (the number of times your information is shared or retweeted) and qualitative (the tone of the conversation surrounding your brand). Here are just a few of the benefits of social media monitoring, as the practice is called:

Leslie Aun, Susan G. Komen V.P. Of Communication, Resigns

4 May 2012 15:47:17 GMT

Another key executive at Susan G. Komen for the Cure�s national headquarters is leaving the organization after a public relations debacle regarding funding to Planned Parenthood of America. Leslie Aun, who as vice president of marketing and communications served as the lead spokesperson for the organization, will leave Komen May 15 to become vice president of communications at Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP). She will become at least the sixth executive to leave the organization, either at headquarters or at the affiliate level, since the Planned Parenthood controversy exploded four months ago. In an announcement released today, Washington, D.C.-based VPP said Aun will lead communications efforts as it begins “a new phase of work to improve the lives of children and youth in the National Capital region.� Komen has had its challenges in recent months, but Aun said the situation regarding Planned Parenthood funding did not play a role in her leaving the organization. “It�s still a wonderful organization,� she said, and is re-focusing back on its mission and great work, adding that she still plans to participate in the Walk for the Cure next month�s Walk for the Cure event in Washington, D.C. She cited the “great opportunity� that was presented by VPP, as well as its extensive work related to children as the primary factor in leaving.

How Summer Hours Make Employees More Productive

4 May 2012 15:45:00 GMT

Just the idea of summer creates thoughts of palm trees and pool sides. Many parents take off during the season to vacation with their kids, and employers lose productivity. In an effort to thwart the summer doldrums at work, many employers are starting to offer their employees alternate work schedules during vacation season. Here's more about the perks being offered and how they benefit employees: What Summer Hours Look Like Summer schedules vary by company. For catalog company QCI Direct, employees in the production department come in early and stay late to rack up hours. They can also work half a day on Fridays, says QCI copywriter Kyra Mancine. Other companies offer employees the option of working from home one day a week. This helps cut commuting time and costs and gives workers more flexibility in their schedules. Which Benefits Are Available for Companies Does a flexible schedule mean more productivity? Sixty-six percent of those who have summer schedules say yes, according to a survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for AOC Marketing Research. They feel they have a better handle on work-life balance during the summer, which frees them up to spend more time with their families. "Summer hours give my people that extra boost of energy to be more productive," says Jeanne Wind, vice president of merchandising at QCI Direct. "We've found it to be a perk that employees really look forward to." Many employees take fewer vacation days as a result of having longer weekends and more flexible schedules, which means more productivity for employers.

Dukas Public Relations Promotes Mary Dubuss to Senior Account Supervisor

2 May 2012 14:55:29 GMT

NEW YORK -- Dukas Public Relations (DPR)-a fast-growing public relations firm specializing in the finance, asset management and technology industries-announced today the promotion of Mary Kate Dubuss to senior account supervisor, and the hiring of Stephanie Dressler as an account supervisor. The moves follow strong year-over-year growth and the addition of several high-profile clients across all of the firm's key practice areas. In her new role, Ms. Dubuss will be responsible for helping lead the firm's asset management practice group, which consists of large and emerging hedge fund managers, ETF and mutual fund companies. She has been at DPR for more than two years, most recently as an account supervisor, responsible for day-to-day client and media relations activities for several of the firm's marquis asset management accounts, including BlueMountain Capital Management and Old Mutual Asset Management.

Penn State spends millions on public relations, hires new firms

2 May 2012 14:46:38 GMT

enn State University hired two new public relations firms this week to navigate “corporate communications, media relations and stakeholder engagement� in the midst of one of the biggest higher education scandals in history. Penn State has already paid $5.3 million to several firms, including Ketchum and Kekst public relations, to conduct an internal investigation and handle crisis communications, according to the university. Officials announced on Wednesday that they had retained two new firms, Edelman and local shop La Torre Communications, for the next year for $2.5 million. “Retaining these communications firms puts us more firmly on the path toward accountability, openness and preserving our reputation as one of the world�s leading research universities,� Penn State President Rodney Erickson said in a statement released Wednesday.

Edelman Named Large Agency Of The Year In North America

24 Apr 2012 15:31:48 GMT

Large Agency of the Year: Edelman Edelman last won our Large Agency of the Year award in 2005, which looks like an extraordinary oversight. In the intervening years, no firm has enjoyed better overall growth or made such an impressive contribution to the positioning and thought leadership of the industry. It�s no exaggeration to say that Edelman could justifiably have won the award in any (perhaps even all) of the years since then, and so this year�s Large Agency of the Year award is long overdue. It is also well-deserved not only on the basis of the firm�s accomplishments over the past seven years, but on the basis of a stellar 2011. At a time when the public publicly-held PR agencies that make up Edelman�s peer group were growing on average in the mid-single digits, the only truly global independent saw fee income growth in the region of more than twice that level, ending the year with US revenue in excess of $380 million, with a team of 2,200 serving clients such as adobe, eBay, GE, Heinz, Merck, Microsoft, Shell, Starbucks, and Unilever. New business in 2011 came from AstraZeneca, GE, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Novartis, and many more. And no firm has made more of a contribution to the soaring standing of the public relations industry. Edelman was a pioneer in the digital and social media realm, and remains an industry leader; its Trust Barometer, now a decade old, has become the most quoted piece of intellectual property in the industry; it has produced groundbreaking research on cause-related marketing and developed new planning and measurement tools; and established itself as one of the industry�s employers of choice. Honorable mention: GolinHarris, Ketchum, Ogilvy Public Relations, Weber Shandwick

Wagg Ed, Text 100, rbb, Revive Win Best Workplace Honors

24 Apr 2012 15:24:54 GMT

Best Large Agency to Work For: Waggener Edstrom Worldwide The third largest independent in the US market, Waggener Edstrom has around 800 employees and has long prided itself on its ability to attract and retain top talent, having been named Best Large Agency to Work For in North America by this publication more times than any other firm. Says one survey respondent, “WE puts its employees first. Management and colleagues always have each other's backs, no matter what the circumstances are. WE also has a strong emphasis on creating your own work-life balance and the agency respects each individual's �place� in life.� A recent addition to the team adds: “I have only been at the agency for a month and I am just blown away by the amount of time and energy that is invested in the employees here. Everyone sticks around forever because it is a truly great place to be. I am approached as a partner by not only my boss and team members but even people on other teams!� The formula success includes a well-rounded approach to talent acquisition (including heavy social media usage); a paid internship program; robust benefits (a 401k with employer match, reimbursement for mobile and internet usage, AAA membership, even pet and nanny services); a professional development program that includes more than 250 trainings (employees completed 9,000 hours last year) and a Leadership Forum developing future leaders; a commitment to diversity including support for the Lagrant Foundation; and a corporate citizenship program that encourages employees to donate 16 hours volunteer time a year and gives back 1 percent of fee income to in pro bono work and donations. Honorable mentions: GolinHarris, Edelman, Weber Shandwick, APCO

5 companies turning your data into dollars

24 Apr 2012 15:10:59 GMT

Big data and the marketing world go together like peanut butter and jelly. Marketers want to present their brands in the most-effective manner possible and always put the right ad in front of the right person. In theory, big data makes that possible at a whole new level. Today�s analytic techniques and technologies can tell marketers not only what campaigns are working, but also where to spend next and � in some cases � the very language to use on their web sites. Here are five companies you�ll likely be hearing a lot more about if you�re not already a user.

Corporate Blogging Declines As Twitter, Facebook Take Over [STUDY]

23 Apr 2012 14:59:10 GMT

A new study has shown that blogging amongst brands and businesses is in decline as corporations turn to social media to engage with and inform customers. Since 2007, The Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has looked at social media usage amongst corporates in the Inc. 500, how that compares to those in the Fortune 500, and to previous years. The latest report, which presents data from 2011, showed that blogging has declined for the first time amongst the Inc. 500, with just 37 percent now using a blog amongst their marketing arsenal, compared to 91 percent who use social media. Facebook is the most popular social network amongst Inc. 500 companies, with 74 percent using it, a fraction ahead of LinkedIn (73 percent), with Twitter (64 percent) rounding out the top three. Both Facebook and Twitter have shown growth within the Inc. 500 in the past three years.

Kaplow hires WE�s Guglielmetti as SVP

23 Apr 2012 15:25:56 GMT

NEW YORK: Kaplow has hired Nadina Guglielmetti as SVP of digital, social media, and consumer strategy

PR Accounts on the Move

17 Apr 2012 20:48:23 GMT

New business at RF|Binder, MWW Group, Affect, Bullfrog & Baum, The S3 Agency, Swordfish Communications, The GRI Marketing Group, Clapp Communications, Blick&Staff Communications, AutoCom Associates, Weber Shandwick, 202 Communications, McGrath/Power PR, The Pollack PR Marketing Group, Driven PR...

Survey finds majority of Wikipedia entries contain factual errors

17 Apr 2012 20:38:29 GMT

PR professionals cite issues with Wikipedia's accuracy and editing process NEW YORK (April 17, 2012) � Sixty percent of Wikipedia articles about companies contain factual errors, according to research published today in the Public Relations Society of America's (PRSA) scholarly publication, Public Relations Journal. Findings from the research will help establish a baseline of understanding for how public relations professionals work with Wikipedia editors to achieve accuracy in their clients' entries. The research was conducted by Marcia W. DiStaso, Ph.D., co-chair of PRSA's National Research Committee and an assistant professor of public relations at Penn State University in State College, Pa. DiStaso surveyed 1,284 public relations professionals from PRSA, the International Association of Business Communicators, the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, the Institute for Public Relations and the National Investor Relations Institute to assess their working relationship with Wikipedia. The Arthur W. Page Center at Penn State's College of Communications funded the research. "It does not surprise me that so many Wikipedia entries contain factual errors," said DiStaso. "What is surprising, however, is that 25 percent of survey respondents indicated they are not familiar with the Wikipedia articles for their company or clients. At some point most, if not all, companies will determine they need to change something in their Wikipedia entries. Without clear, consistent rules from Wikipedia regarding how factual corrections can be made this will be a very difficult learning process for public relations professionals." Results of the survey indicate a gap exists between public relations professionals and Wikipedia concerning the proper protocol for editing entries. When respondents attempted to engage editors through Wikipedia's "Talk" pages to request factual corrections to entries, 40 percent said it took "days" to receive a response, 12 percent indicated "weeks," while 24 percent never received any type of response. According to Wikipedia, the standard response time to requests for corrections is between two and five days. Only 35 percent of respondents were able to engage with Wikipedia, either by using its "Talk" pages to converse with editors or through direct editing of a client's entry. Respondents indicated this figure is low partly because some fear media backlash over making edits to clients' entries. Respondents also expressed a certain level of uncertainty regarding how to properly edit Wikipedia entries. Of those who were familiar with the process of editing Wikipedia entries, 23 percent said making changes was "near impossible." Twenty-nine percent said their interactions with Wikipedia editors were "never productive."

Georgian billionaire storms K Street

12 Apr 2012 15:28:10 GMT

A Georgian billionaire has taken Washington by storm, hiring more than half a dozen lobbying and public relations firms over the past three months. Bidzina Ivanishvili wants to become an official candidate in the country�s first prime minister race and he hopes that U.S. pressure for free and fair elections will help, since that could be a step toward Georgia�s long-held goal of being recognized by NATO. The lobbying push is massive � going beyond what most countries spend trying to influence Washington lawmakers, much less an individual. Venerable firms like Patton Boggs, National Strategies, Downey McGrath Group, Parry Romani Deconcini & Symms and BGR Group have all signed on to lobby for Ivanishvili. KL Global and Democratic communicator Peter Mirijanian have also recently done proactive press outreach for him.

Study: Young Consumers Switch Media 27 Times An Hour

9 Apr 2012 15:48:45 GMT

It's every advertiser's worst nightmare: consumers so distracted by a dizzying array of media choices that they no longer notice the commercials supporting them. And its time might be closer than you think. A recent study found that consumers in their 20s ("digital natives") switch media venues about 27 times per nonworking hour�the equivalent of more than 13 times during a standard half-hour TV show. The study of consumer media habits was commissioned by Time Warner's's Time Inc. and conducted by Boston's Innerscope Research. Though it had only 30 participants, the study offers at least directional insight into a generation that always has a smartphone at arm's length and flips from a big TV set to a smaller tablet screen and back again at a moment's notice. The study's subjects were split evenly between natives and "digital immigrants" (consumers who grew up with old-school technologies, such as TV, radio and print, and adapted to newer ones). Immigrants switched media venues just 17 times per nonworking hour. Put another way, natives switch about 35% more than immigrants.

Maryland May Become The First To Ban Employers From Requesting Facebook Passwords

11 Apr 2012 15:33:39 GMT

Maryland could become the first state in the U.S. to prohibit employers from requesting current and prospective employees� Facebook passwords. Both houses of the state legislature passed a bill to this effect and sent it on to Maryland Governor Martin O�Malley, according to The Baltimore Sun. His office staff told the newspaper that he has “hundreds� of bills to go through in addition to the one concerning Facebook passwords. We can only assume that means he might not sign this particular piece of legislation into law right away, unless the media spotlight turns the issue into a priority. Lawmakers in Illinois and California are debating similar legislation, while a federal amendment to the U.S. constitution was shot down in the House of Representatives. It�s possible that the Senate could introduce its own proposal on the matter, either as a bill or another amendment � or even the House might reintroduce the issue in the form of a bill. The issue of employers requesting Facebook passwords has only been gaining visibility since the American Civil Liberties Union wrote a letter condemning a Maryland employer that demanded an employee�s Facebook password in February of 2011. Then a case this year revived the issue when a school demanded that a 12-year-old student surrender a Facebook password and the parents sued. Still more recently, Facebook�s own Privacy Chief Erin Egan posted a note on the site telling users not to surrender their passwords to employers, adding that the social network might take legal action against this practice. Petitions supporting her stance have circulated on the site, amassing significant support. Most likely the password privacy issue will continue to make headlines until a federal law is passed or a U.S. Supreme Court case decides the matter one way or another.

Popular Apple iPad the latest item to toe line of being �genericized�

9 Apr 2012 16:08:53 GMT

NEW YORK � Apple is on the verge of doing what few others have: change the English language. When you have a boo-boo, you reach for a Band-Aid, not a bandage. When you need to blow your nose, you ask for Kleenex, not tissue. If you decide to look up something online, you Google instead of search for it. And if you want to buy a tablet computer, there�s a good chance there�s only one name you�ll remember. “For the vast majority, the idea of a tablet is really captured by the idea of an iPad,� says Josh Davis, a manager at Abt Electronics in Chicago. “They gave birth to the whole category and brought it to life.� Companies trip over themselves to make their brands household names. But only a few brands become so engrained in the lexicon that they become “genericized� - synonymous with the products themselves.

Video: Viral Marketing Makes Films Stand Out, Gershon Says

9 Apr 2012 16:10:20 GMT

Apr. 2, 2012 - April 2 (Bloomberg) -- Andy Gershon, a partner at Wonderland Sound and Vision, talks about marketing plans for the summer movie season. Gershon speaks with Stephanie Ruhle and Scarlet Fu on Bloomberg Television's "InsideTrack." (Source: Bloomberg)

Michael Frohlich Appointed Managing Director of Ogilvy Public Relations UK

3 Apr 2012 20:08:11 GMT

LONDON, April 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After joining Ogilvy Public Relations in January 2012, the agency announced today that Michael Frohlich will take on additional responsibilities as Managing Director for the UK office. In this role, Frohlich will be responsible for managing all aspects of the UK office, including client service, financial oversight and personnel development. He will also sit on the Ogilvy & Mather UK Board. Stuart Smith, CEO EAME of Ogilvy PR said, "The past 12 months have been tremendously strong in both EAME and the UK. We've added many new clients to our roster, made big strides in social media, internal communications and sustainability and brought in some great fresh talent at all levels. In his short time with us Michael has made a great start as EAME MD for the Consumer Marketing practice. Michael is highly creative, fun to work with and extremely well qualified to take the reins having held a number of P&L roles and run his own agency." Frohlich added, "Ogilvy PR UK is enjoying great success and I've already been impressed by the quality of the work and the passion of the people. The office now has the scale to drive influence across a broad audience reach and deep into multidiscipline expertise, making it a powerful player in the UK and global marketplaces. The momentum is infectious and the future is a hugely exciting one for everyone involved in the Ogilvy PR family."

Who's paying for the attacks on MADD?

28 Mar 2012 18:40:39 GMT

Who else but Richard Berman would argue we need to better protect drunk drivers? Sarah Longwell, the “managing director� of the American Beverage Institute (ABI) is credited with Today's MADD drives dangerous new policies, but Longwell�s real job is vice president at Berman�s public relations firm, Berman & Company, and ABI is just one of Berman�s many industry front groups. With a title like managing director of the American Beverage Institute, you might think Longwell is an expert on sometimes conflicting goals of the hospitality industry, which both wants to ring up sales and, at the same time, ensure patrons drink responsibly. She�s not. Rather, she�s a paid flack trying to undermine the influence of Mothers Against Drunk Driving � a nonprofit that enjoys high public confidence � at the behest of corporate interests that don�t want their own fingerprints on such a dirty game. According to ABI�s website, the group is “a restaurant trade association dedicated to protecting the on-premise dining experience � which often includes the responsible consumption of adult beverages.� As a representative for ABI, Longwell decries the inhumanity that, one day, alcohol detection technology may be installed in all vehicles. Sure, this technology would crack down on drunk drivers, but Longwell claims this also would inhibit the personal freedom of anyone who opts to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking responsibly. Never mind that even the facts she cites in her post do not support her claims. But the truth doesn�t interest Longwell.

How I Created a Ghost Town on the Web

27 Mar 2012 18:56:26 GMT

One of the most satisfying experiences is having a website take off in popularity. People are linking to you and sharing your stuff, responding to your emails, spending time and leaving comments, and in some cases opening their wallets. It�s a love train of feel-good moments, back-patting, fist bumps and fist pumps. I�ve been lucky enough to be part of this a few times. ghost-town Image by Allie Caulfield But I�ve also been on the other side of the proverbial digital media tracks. In the area where you roll your windows up, put your head down and wait for it to be over. In a ghost town on the web. It happened again on a recent lark of a side project where I didn�t take my own advice and ended up making some stupid mistakes. Fueled (and blinded) by my own idea, I killed my last blog before it truly had a chance to live. Here are the lessons I learned: I made decisions too quickly, and didn�t think about their long-term impact. Fools rush in and I was right behind. It�s best to map out ideas, wireframe concepts, storyboard the user experience and think logically about your approach. I underestimated the amount of resources it would require. Building digital traction takes and patience. I put too much emphasis on launching and not enough on the marathon march that comes after. With a broad market to cover, I quickly became overwhelmed with trying to keep up with posting and coverage was a mile wide and an inch deep. No one was visiting because:

INFOGRAPHIC: Facebook Engagement Resembles Email

27 Mar 2012 18:12:26 GMT

Consumers� choices to interact with businesses and nonprofits are very similar on Facebook and via email, according to a new study from engagement marketing firm Constant Contact and market research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey. The study of 1,481 U.S. consumers 18 and older found parallels between why consumers like Facebook pages and opt-in to email lists, including a tendency to interact more with local businesses than with national companies. Here are some key findings from the study:

Graduate School Applicants Use Social Media to Bypass Admissions Offices

26 Mar 2012 15:41:30 GMT

With the proliferation of social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, graduate school applicants can gain unfiltered insights on graduate school life. With that ease of access through free and increasingly sophisticated technological tools, graduate students say they've charted new routes to understanding the culture and academic merits of prospective institutions without the aid of admissions offices. "If you really want to learn about individual programs, aside from the university as a whole, I think you have to go straight to the current students and alumni," says Rheanne Wirkkala, a client executive at the global public relations company Burson-Marsteller and a 2011 alumna of Yale University's graduate international relations program.

Washington area appointments and promotions for the week of March 26

26 Mar 2012 15:37:45 GMT

Choice Hotels International of Silver Spring appointed Robin Pence vice president of public relations. The American Association for Homecare of the District appointed Julie Driver senior manager of marketing and communications. Appraisal Logistics of Annapolis appointed Dennis H. Ashcroft vice president of sales and marketing. JackBe of Chevy Chase appointed Stacey McDowell worldwide vice president of sales and Elizabeth Edwards chief marketing officer. The National Park Foundation of the District appointed David French, former vice president of communications for MTV, senior vice president of marketing and communications. Media/Communications The Arnold Agency of the District appointed Mike Fulton president of the D.C. branch. C-SPAN of the District appointed Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain co-chief executives. National Journal Group of the District appointed Jessica Perry digital vice president and general manager. New Media Strategies of Arlington appointed Imani Greene, former executive at Ogilvy Washington, vice president of media. Washingtonian Magazine of the District appointed Cliff Chet president of the custom media division.

Helping out: Company�s giving focuses on workforce skills

26 Mar 2012 15:36:40 GMT

Charitable giving highlights: The company has given $30,000 to local nonprofits. Tell me about your corporate philanthropy. I initially liked the idea of partnering with professional societies in ways that could help them build better professionals in our field and also build identity for Professional Solutions. I started sponsoring Washington Women in Public Relations because I really felt it had been my connection in Washington and helped me launch my business. We�ve sponsored the Public Relations Society of America and the local chapter of the Association for Women in Communication�s events and scholarships. But eight years ago, I began looking for projects where we could promote the best in our field and it would be exclusively supportive of Professional Solutions rather than being one of several sponsors. I approached the Association of Business Communicators and asked them if we could become the exclusive sponsor of their senior communicators council.

Former Amgen CCO Joins APCO

21 Mar 2012 16:38:18 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC--Phyllis Piano, former CCO at Amgen, has joined APCO Worldwide's International Advisory Council (IAC) as a senior counselor. Piano was VP of corporate communications and philanthropy at Amgen, the world's largest biotechnology company. She also served as a member of the Amgen Foundation board of directors. Prior to joining Amgen, Piano was VP of public affairs at Cooper Industries. She later became VP of corporate affairs and communications for Raytheon Company. Piano began her career in the medical-systems business of General Electric. Throughout her 17-year tenure with the company, she held multiple leadership roles in communication, public relations and philanthropy. "Phyllis brings 30 years of experience in the medical equipment, biotechnology, defense and electronics industries that will significantly strengthen APCO's strong bench of expertise in the high-technology sector," said APCO CEO and founder Margery Kraus. "Her deep understanding of global corporate communication and reputation management will be a valuable resource to our clients who are looking to enter new markets and strategically engage with stakeholders around the world."

Hype, marketing meet in �Sneakerhead� fervor _ raising price of �the brand called Me�?

21 Mar 2012 16:32:08 GMT

CHICAGO � They are lined up in the freezing rain, waiting patiently, stubbornly. All night. All for a few pairs of shoes. Sean Rivera is among the 60 or so die-hards on this sidewalk along Chicago�s Magnificent Mile shopping district. He looks a little crazy, smiling and squinting through fogged glasses. But the 28-year-old college counselor doesn�t care. He�s used to being judged like that, used to “being criticized by peers and family members and neighbors,� he says, laughing. It�s all part of the life of “sneakerheads,� people who spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars on shoes, many of which carry the name of professional basketball stars, past and present. Chicagoans proudly point out that it started here with Michael Jordan and his Nike Air Jordan brand. Rivera figures he has about 50 pairs of sneakers at home in his closet. His parents bought him his first pair of Air Jordans when he was a toddler. He carries a picture on his cell phone of his pint-sized self, wearing those very shoes. “You can see the striking resemblance,� he jokes, holding the phone with the photo next to his cheek. In the 1990s, he and many fledgling sneakerheads used to scrape together whatever money they had and then cut class to go buy the latest pair of Jordans. Back then, news reports occasionally surfaced, telling of people who were mugged for their shoes.

Adobe Beefs Up Its Facebook Marketing Software

21 Mar 2012 16:30:43 GMT

Adobe is upgrading its Facebook marketing software in a big way. Adobe Social, available in late 2012, incorporates technology from Context Optional and Efficient Frontier. Adobe acquired Facebook advertising-management platform Efficient Frontier in November. Six months earlier, Efficient Frontier had acquired Facebook page-management platform Context Optional. The new offering from Adobe positions the vendor to compete with the likes of Buddy Media and Involver, allowing digital marketers to:

PR firm for social causes tells its story with a book

19 Mar 2012 14:57:05 GMT

When Gwen McKinney decided to give up journalism to start her own public relations firm in 1990, bringing awareness to the social issues she once reported on was paramount. Public interest marketing was a common practice within many of the large communication firms in the District, but McKinney felt activists should have a company solely dedicated to their needs. McKinney & Associates has since become a go-to for clients committed to human rights and equality, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the AFL-CIO.

Airborne Media Group, Inc. Announces First Distribution Partner, SEVA Direct of Fort Lauderdale, Florida

15 Mar 2012 15:50:32 GMT

Durango, Colorado based Airborne Media Group, Inc. announced today from the floor of the Night Club and Bar Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada that it has reached agreement with its first distribution partner for its new nationwide Audioair Partnership Program. Airborne introduced the new program earlier this week at the South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas. SEVA Entertainment, Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida will represent Airborne Media Group, Inc., and its revolutionary new Audioair technology throughout the Southeast and north into Virginia and the District of Columbia. SEVA Entertainment, Inc. has represented Direct TV in the same region for over seventeen years and it will first present Audioair to its roughly five thousand customers--primarily Sports Bars and Restaurants beginning April 1, 2012.

Goldman Sachs Plays Damage Control After Scathing Op-Ed

15 Mar 2012 15:32:09 GMT

The Wall Street Journal) - Goldman Sachs Group said it will examine claims by an employee who quit Wednesday that executives "callously" talk about "ripping their clients off" in order to make more money for the securities firm. The pledge was part of a scramble by the New York company to contain potential damage from the public attack. The employee, 33-year-old Greg Smith, wrote in The New York Times that he decided to walk away from his 12-year career at Goldman because of the firm's "toxic and destructive" culture -- a 1,270-word denunciation that ricocheted around the world in sharply divided tweets, Facebook comments and blog posts. Unlike previous incidents in which Goldman seemed to be caught flat-footed, company officials quickly launched a public relations counteroffensive Wednesday that minimized Smith's role at the firm. In a memo to employees, Goldman chairman and CEO Lloyd C. Blankfein and President Gary D. Cohn wrote that Smith was one "of nearly 12,000 vice presidents" among more than 30,000 employees at the company.

Corbett: Don�t Kill the Public Relations Messenger

15 Mar 2012 15:31:10 GMT

The Senate�s investigation into government use of public relations services is detrimental to restoring the public�s trust in politicians. When faced with a tough re-election battle, what is the easiest path to winning over John Q. Public? Proposing proactive solutions that benefit your constituents or taking on an industry you deem to have too much influence? In the case of Sens. Claire McCaskill (D�Mo.) and Rob Portman (R�Ohio), the answer appears to be the latter. As Roll Call reported Feb. 29, the pair is trying to appease cost-conscious voters with a “wide-ranging investigation� of the federal government�s use of public relations and advertising services. As chairman of an organization that represents 32,000 public relations professionals in the United States, I share the Senators� concern that the government prudently spends taxpayer dollars. What I question, however, is their motivation and seeming interest in using the PR industry as a punching bag for America�s dysfunctional political system. In an era of disastrously low trust in government and politicians, McCaskill and Portman�s investigation may be missing the proverbial boat. It disregards public relations� central value to government: its ability to engender a more informed society through ethical, transparent and honest communications between the government and its citizens.

HBO�s �Game Change� promoted by same PR firm that represents Sandra Fluke

13 Mar 2012 15:59:36 GMT

Last week Fox News host Bill O�Reilly revealed that Georgetown Law student and contraception advocate Sandra Fluke, perhaps known for her ill-advised portrayal by conservative talker Rush Limbaugh, had secured the services of SKDKnickerbocker, a public relations firm with offices in Albany, N.Y., New York City and Washington, D.C. The public relations firm has close ties to president Obama, with one of its managing directors being former White House Communications Director Anita Dunn. But Fluke isn�t the only high-profile client the firm has represented in recent days. As first reported by Betsy Rothstein of FishbowlDC, SKDKnickerbocker was involved with the initial rollout of the HBO film “Game Change,� a film which has been criticized by many on the right for its negative portrayal of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Emily Lenzner, also one of the firm�s managing directors, confirmed its involvement with “Game Change� to The Daily Caller. She said her firm worked with HBO to put on Thursday night�s Washington, D.C. premiere at the Newseum, which was attended by various influential members of the media. “We were working with HBO, specifically by managing the red carpet and the press attendance at the screening last Thursday,� Lenzner said.

To create brand attachment, tell your origin story

13 Mar 2012 16:05:40 GMT

The media frenzy surrounding the sudden rise of New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin may be cooling, but it offers important branding lessons on how small businesses can raise their profiles. Lin�s surge to fame primarily reflected through social media and traditional media coverage alike has given marketers and advertisers an opportunity to leverage a trending phenomenon. Furthermore, it provides an example of an age-old marketing tactic. “Lin-Sanity� stands as an example of how a person, concept or product can catch-a-fire (in terms of popularity) and create an immense amount of buzz quickly. In addition, marketers have capitalized on the awareness of trending sensations like Lin and attached their brand to his. As marketers and advertisers, we are witnessing a free lesson of a traditional marketing tactic � emotional attachments. Communications experts would refer to this as an appeal based on “pathos� or emotion. Lin�s rapid rise to fame reintroduces this notion and reinforces the idea that consumers still crave a feel-good storyline. The most important lesson is that Lin-Sanity serves as a call to action for marketers and advertisers to evaluate their methods and understand that emotional attachment to brands still exists. Properly leveraging this notion can add significant return on investment, especially to products that have existed for a long time.

�Kony 2012� offers businesses lessons on viral marketing

13 Mar 2012 16:03:14 GMT

This is now becoming more than a trend � viral is, in large part, the future of marketing. We�ve seen the physics of viral, most recently with “Tebowmania� and then its maturation with “Lin-sanity.� But individuals, companies and now social causes are harnessing the exceptional power of viral for significant marketing gain. They are doing so to push their message and grow awareness with speed and reach that simply cannot be matched through other channels. It is now well-understood that social media, including video sharing on YouTube and similar platforms, is not just simply on the upswing, but changing the way we experience our world. Enter “Kony 2012�and Invisible Children, the advocacy organization behind the 30-minute documentary film and accompanying campaign.

Tin Cup� Selects Buffalo Communications to Manage Public Relations Program

7 Mar 2012 15:31:26 GMT

Tin Cup Products, LLC has selected Buffalo Communications (Buffalo) to create and execute a public relations program for its patented, Made in the USA golf ball marking stencils. Constructed from 100 percent stainless steel, Tin Cup stencils ($19.95) are ideal for any golfer and make perfect gifts for tournaments, corporate outings, wedding parties, holidays and events. The entire personalization process takes just seconds, as players simply place the Tin Cup of their choice over a golf ball and trace the design using an ultra fine point permanent Sharpie. Since being named “Best New Product� at the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show, the company has grown rapidly. Its collection now features more than 90 designs, including officially-licensed collegiate logos. “The tremendous response to our unique system is evidenced by our strong relationships with golf�s best green grass and off-course retailers,� says Cabell Fooshe, Vice President of Tin Cup. “Following our 300 percent growth in 2011, it�s the perfect time to partner with Buffalo to drive even greater awareness and sales for Tin Cup.� Complementing popular styles like Luck of the Irish, Five O�Clock Somewhere and Jolly Roger, Tin Cup introduces new stencils each month. It also offers an affordable customization program that�s trusted by well-known corporations, charities, media outlets, celebrities and many others.

Agency People News In Brief (March 5, 2012)

5 Mar 2012 15:04:01 GMT

SEATTLE�APCO Worldwide�s Seattle office is strengthening its stakeholder engagement expertise with the addition of Rachel Bianchi as a senior associate. Prior to joining APCO, she was a partner in Bianchi/Hatley, a Seattle-based lobbying and public affairs firm that specializes in helping businesses, nonprofits and individuals work with local governments. Most recently, she worked with the National League of Cities� Institute for Youth Education & Families to design and implement a national series of institutes for large-city mayors focused on youth and education policy. WASHINGTON, DC�UK crisis management specialist Regester Larkin has appointed John P. “Pat� Philbin as director of its crisis practice in the Americas. Philbin has managed high-profile crises including the loss of the space shuttle Challenger, oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and several aircraft accidents during a 21-year career in the US Coast Guard where he held a range of operational afloat and management assignments, which culminated in his appointment as chief of public affairs. He will divide his time between Regester Larkin�s office in Washington, DC, and its new operation in Houston. WASHINGTON, DC�Ann Marie Hauser has joined public affairs firm JDA Frontline as a vice president of public affairs, based in the firm�s Washington, DC, office. Hauser most recently served as communications director for the Tim Pawlenty for President campaign, running press operations from campaign headquarters in Minneapolis. Prior to serving Governor Pawlenty, Hauser worked in corporate communications for JPMorgan Chase in New York City. RALEIGH, NC�French/West/Vaughan has added Craig Becher as media director. Becher most recently was manager of strategic planning and buying for Mindshare, a leading New York media planning and buying firms. Becher was also a member of the firm�s digital investment team and account lead on its Unilever hair product clients. FWV also welcomes Melissa Rivera, previously PR director at Rubberneck Media, as group account director. NEW YORK�GCI Health has added Andrea Pellicciari, whose experience spans therapeutic categories including vaccines, neurological diseases, infectious diseases and women�s health, as senior vice president. Her past experience includes work with clients ranging from Pfizer�s Animal Health Division to the American Lung Association. In addtition, Mary Kate Watkins has joinedas a vice president and Jennifer Gordon has been named senior media specialist.

PEJ: Newspapers are losing $7 in print revenue for every $1 in digital gained

5 Mar 2012 14:44:08 GMT

PEJ Revenue is just one of the problems facing American newspapers, says a new Project for Excellence in Journalism study. The culture at newspapers, and not just on the editorial side, is as much an impediment to publications finding their way out of the mess they�re in. The study, called “The Search for a New Business Model,� looked at “highly granular� data from 38 newspapers of various sizes. The data was verified through site visits and interviews, then anonymized and shared with executives at seven more companies. The frankness of the newspaper executives is striking. On revenue: � Digital revenue continues to stymie executives. The papers brought in about $1 in digital advertising for every $11 in print. To get to the mythical “crossover point,� at which digital dollars would overtake print, one executive said “was reducing the annual print losses to somewhere between 6% and 8% and growing the digital revenue at a minimum of 30% annually. Another said he thought the rate of digital growth would need to be close to 50%.� One executive fretted about how much time they spent on digital versus what it brought in: “We spend 90% of our time talking about 10% of our revenue,� he told PEJ.

Blueprint IT Solutions Welcomes Karla Tetreault as Communications Director

1 Mar 2012 16:40:55 GMT

Blueprint IT Solutions is proud to announce Karla Tetreault as the company�s Communications Director. Tetreault graduated from Concordia College with degrees in Print Journalism, Spanish and Business and has over four years of experience working with editorial communications, public relations and IT. She will strengthen the Blueprint ITS team by organizing marketing campaigns, managing and branding social media and the company�s websites, briefing the public through press releases, and reaching out to potential customers and educating them about services offered.

Red Banyan Group Provides Strategic Public Relations Support at Client Events Across America

1 Mar 2012 16:38:45 GMT

During recent weeks top South Florida PR firm Red Banyan Group has provided PR services at a wide range of fascinating events all across the country. That trend will continue with major conferences on the calendar in March in Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. Red Banyan Group, which is considered one of the best South Florida public relations firms, last week coordinated the unveiling of a pair of SXLiquors art concept cars. The two vehicles are a 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine and a 1957 Lincoln Premiere Convertible, both of which were covered completely with psychedelic art that incorporated imagery of the young SX brand, notable South Florida landmarks and historical iconography from 1959 and 1957, respectively. The cars were designed by highly-regarded artist Laurence Gartel, who is widely considered the father of the digital art medium. The SXLiquors art concept cars were among the most popular attractions at a party held outside two hangars of the Boca Raton Airport. Guests had the opportunity to view dozens of the world�s most exotic automobiles, as well as step inside a variety of private planes which were parked on the tarmac nearby. Later this week, SXLiquors will introduce its female-friendly brand of tequila and rums to fashion-conscious women attending the It Girl Lifestyle Shopping Expo in Miami. During the first week of March Red Banyan Group will help coordinate a major foreign policy conference in Washington which is expected to attract over 13,000 delegates. In addition to assisting with the communications efforts in the run-up to the grand affair, Red Banyan Group will ensure that the production runs smoothly and that the staging of the event is professionally executed and high-impact. Later in March, Red Banyan Group will help South Florida startup SXLiquors unveil a remarkable new product line at the Nightclub and Bar Convention and Tradeshow in Las Vegas. SXLiquors appears poised to make a huge impression at the gathering, where it will seamlessly combine its art concept cars, fashion, art and music to help introduce its brand and products to the nightclub and bar industry. “Our clients know that when they retain Red Banyan Group we are going to help them accomplish their goals,� said Red Banyan Group founder Evan Nierman.

Tallahassee Advertising Agency Does It Again, Wins Best of Show at ADDY Awards!

28 Feb 2012 17:31:58 GMT

For the second consecutive year, Do! Design, a Tallahassee, Florida based Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations firm, took home the Best of Show award at the Tallahassee ADDY Awards. The Best of Show winning entry was a multi-media campaign to promote colonoscopy services for Southern Regional Medical Center, a 331-bed hospital located in Riverdale, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. In all, the agency won an incredible 17 awards, including Best of Show overall, Best of Show in the print category, nine Gold awards and six Silver awards. The work will now advance to the regional stage at the American Advertising Federation's 4th District ADDY Awards. “It is a big honor to be recognized for our work,� says Doug Oakes, president of Do! Design. “It has always been our goal to create work for our clients that not only meets the highest standards of creativity, strategic thinking and advertising excellence, but drives business and helps them grow.� AAF Tallahassee presents the ADDY Awards for advertising creative excellence each year. This year, a panel of judges from Orlando and Bryan, Texas chose the winners, based on creativity, originality and creative excellence.

Circuit of the Americas� Continues to Expand Staff with Management and Sales Team Additions

28 Feb 2012 17:33:45 GMT

Circuit of The Americas welcomes several team members this week, including Julie Koenig Loignon as vice president of Public and Community Relations, Regan Holley as vice president of Marketing, Fenorris Pearson as vice president of Human Resources, Jason Asci as director of Ticketing, and six senior sales representatives. Julie Koenig Loignon � vice president, Public and Community Relations Julie Koenig Loignon joins Circuit of The Americas after serving as vice president of Corporate Communications for Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI). In her previous role, Loignon managed strategic, financial and crisis communications, media relations and employee communications while providing communications counsel, training and support for the company�s businesses. Loignon was also a founding member of the company�s brand development and marketing team, formed to develop innovations and revenue opportunities around Churchill Downs� marquee racing events. As vice president of Brand Development and Marketing, Loignon oversaw multiple innovative marketing campaigns and initiatives, such as the Kentucky Derby® Red Carpet program and celebrity hospitality, the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks® event websites and the Derby Nation social media network.

Leading foot care retailer retains Trevelino/Keller

27 Feb 2012 15:22:40 GMT

FootSmart FootSmart Latest from The Business Journals Reducing Risk Follow this company , the country's leading retailer of foot health products and comfort footwear, has retained Trevelino/Keller as its first public relations agency of record, according to a statement released by FootSmart. FootSmart offers more than 3,000 comfort, health and pain-relieving products to help alleviate nearly 65 unique foot and lower body conditions, including bunion and toe discomfort, heel pain and general foot pain, according to a statement released by the company. "With extensive experience in e-tailing and consumer products, vertical markets and the ability to elevate national brand awareness and provide thought leadership for its clients, Trevelino/Keller proved to be a natural fit," Alan Beychok, president and CEO of Benchmark Brands Benchmark Brands Latest from The Business Journals Sole men: KLAS Shoes finds footing in niche marketNo. 41-No. 50Reducing Risk Follow this company , parent company of FootSmart, said in the statement. "We have a number of exciting initiatives in play, and it's the right time to engage a partner like Trevelino/Keller as we work to gain a stronghold on our position as the 'expert foot comfort outfitter.'" Trevelino/Keller Trevelino/Keller Latest from The Business Journals Snapfinger retains Trevelino/Keller for public relationsMedical Justice taps Atlanta firm for PRStartup engine gaining horsepower Follow this company is headquartered in Atlanta.

The Access Group Expands Staff, Business Accounts

27 Feb 2012 15:18:11 GMT

The Access Group, a health care communications network, announced the hiring of 8 employees, including Bryan Horveath, Executive Vice President and Practice Lead for S3 Strategic Selling Solutions, the firm's managed markets sales training business entity. In addition, the Access Group announced the promotions of 2 of its leadership team members: Eric N. Bishea to Managing Partner and Patricia Wolfangel to Partner. "This remains a very exciting time for the Access Group as we continue to invest in strategic resources in growth areas and recognize professionals who have clearly differentiated themselves and our firm through their performance," says Dave Gagliano, President and Chief Executive Officer. S3 said strategic sales training executive Bryan Horveath, formerly of inVentiv Health, has joined the firm to provide overall leadership and direction as S3 advances its core training business.

Pittsburgh Resident Launches Writing, Public Relations Business

27 Feb 2012 15:11:55 GMT

A new public relations business, based in Pittsburgh, launched today. Heather Holtschlag Public Relations specializes in providing freelance writing and public relations support to the health, wellness and fitness industries. “I have nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare public relations field, working in a wide array of areas, including writing, editing, media relations, and special event planning,� Holtschlag said. “My passion for these areas stems from college courses and internships I enrolled in and fueled my career working as a public relations specialist for major medical centers both in Pittsburgh and Atlanta.� Holtschlag has a wide array of skills and areas of expertise that she put to use during the course of her career. While working in the marketing department at Magee-Women�s Hospital of UPMC in Pittsburgh, Holtschlag served as the primary media spokesperson for the family of the city�s first set of sextuplets, who received local, regional and national press coverage. In addition, she coordinated media interest in the opening of the hospital�s new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Holtschlag also served as part of a two-person team to coordinate the publicity surrounding the opening of the country�s first robotic operating room at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. On a smaller, but just as important, scale, Holtschlag has proactively pitched stories to appropriate media, responded to media inquiries, served as an on call representative for the media, and coordinated media interviews. “My main goal with media relations activities is to strategize with the client on the best angle for the story � the angle that is going to get the most amount of attention,� Holtschlag noted. In addition to her media relations campaign management, Holtschlag has extensive experience writing and editing numerous marketing materials, including patient, consumer, and physician-to-physician newsletters, patient and consumer brochures, and website content. “I enjoy working with clients on marketing strategies that are going to work,� Holtschlag said. “Whether it is a simple monthly newsletter or a more complex, intricate marketing brochure, I want to know that my clients are going to be pleased with the outcomes.�

Agency People News In Brief (February 20, 2012)

22 Feb 2012 16:08:14 GMT

LOS ANGELES�Edelman has named Marie Kennedy as executive vice president, serving as group head for Edelman Los Angeles' corporate practice, as well as US lead of DJE Science's life sciences group. He will report to James Williams, general manager of the LA office and Lynn Hanessian, president of DJE Science. Prior to joining Edelman, Kennedy served as director of global communications for Baxter International, and earlier was vice president of corporate communications for Amgen and president of the Amgen Foundation. CHICAGO�GolinHarris has appointed Margaret Shubny as executive director in the healthcare practice at its Chicago office. She will lead and manage several client relationships and report to Farah Speer, executive director and leader of the office�s healthcare practice. Prior to joining GolinHarris, Shubny served most recently as managing director of the healthcare practice at Burson-Marsteller in Chicago. Earlier, she was with Baxter Healthcare Corporation, working at the business unit, group and corporate levels on internal and external communications. CHICAGO�Weber Shandwick has added Jim Paul (pictured) as executive creative director. Paul has nearly two decades of experience and joins from Leo Burnett/Arc Worldwide, where he served as creative director and vice president. At Weber Shandwick, he will be responsible for designing multi-platform campaigns for the firm�s global client base, advising on brand�s creative approaches and providing guidance to clients as they develop creative strategies. He will be based in the firm�s Chicago office. SAN FRANCISCO�WCG has added Leslie Wheeler, as practice leader; Courtney Walker, group director; Cira Montreys, group medical director; and Shelley Parsons; group director, creative. Wheeler joins WCG from DNA Medical Communications, a division of Weber Shandwick, where she served as general manager and executive vice president and led the Celgene account. Walker was most recently with Edelman. Montreys was previously with Evolution Medical Communications, where she served as chief medical officer. And Parsons has 20 years of experience as an art director. WASHINGTON, DC�Allison+Partners has named Trudi Boyd general manager of its Washington, DC, office. Boyd joins following nearly 14 years at FTI Consulting, where she was most recently managing director of the health and life sciences practice. In her new role, Boyd will leverage her expertise in public affairs consulting, legislative and regulatory program planning, crisis management, coalition management and media training to expand the firm's public affairs practice.

Gaylord Hotels Helps Spread the Word about Autism Speaks

22 Feb 2012 15:58:53 GMT

Gaylord Hotels knows what it means to give voice to a good cause. The hotel group has been working to support charities through its Rooms for Good program for the last year, and today announced Autism Speaks as its March/April partner. Gaylord hotels will donate 10 percent of proceeds raised through a special package rate available at all four Gaylord Hotels resorts throughout March and April to Autism Speaks. “Gaylord Hotels� Rooms for Good program has allowed us to help some wonderful organizations,� said Amy A. Atkinson, vice president of marketing and public relations, Gaylord Hotels, “and we are very appreciative of this opportunity to lend another voice to the Autism Speaks campaign. We are excited to be able to work with them again this year to help raise awareness and funds.� The world�s leading autism science and advocacy organization, Autism Speaks works to change the future for all who struggle with autism spectrum disorders by funding biomedical research into the causes, prevention, and treatments; raising public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families and society; and bringing hope to all who deal with the hardships of this disorder.

Kitchen Designer Reports To Marketing Quotes That PR Campaign Was A Success After Just Two Months

22 Feb 2012 15:57:52 GMT

Public Relations has long been known to be a powerful form of marketing, as outlined in a report from PR Week and supported by numerous businesses around the world. One Marketing Quotes client (a kitchen design business) gave feed back that after just 2 months, they had achieved good media coverage resulting in an increase in enquiry numbers. PR agencies in the UK have the power to take small companies and to transform them into big successful businesses. Marketing Quotes considers the feedback from a kitchen design business that found that PR was very effective for them and advises small businesses to consider using PR for media exposure. As stated on PR Week recently 'PR is one of the most powerful forms of marketing' there are many well known businesses that have found PR to be an effective and powerful marketing tool. Considering the example of 'Innocent' (the smoothie producer) that started up in 1998, they have used PR very effectively to create a really strong brand. PR was also used to ensure that the right message was communicated about the merger of Innocent Smoothies into Coca Cola Enterprises in April 2010. Bill Gates is known for commenting, 'If I was down to my last dollar, I'd spend it on public relations'

The U.S. Army�s Guide to Pinterest (Really)

21 Feb 2012 15:13:44 GMT

Maybe you�ve had a very, very long nap and missed the last few weeks. So you haven�t heard of Pinterest. No shortage of ways to catch up, including this nice meta-explainer from our corporate cousins at The Wall Street Journal. For the advanced class, check out the site�s attempt to quell growing copyright questions. But if you�re in a hurry, you might consider this no-nonsense guide from the U.S. Army, which has a couple dozen boards of its own (via the Atlantic). Social Media Roundup � Introduction to Pinterest View more presentations from U.S. Army As I�ve noted before, the first instinct when you see military institutions writing about Pinterest, or Twitter, or offering flowcharts that explain how to comment on blogs might be a giggle. But once you actually look at the stuff they�re writing, it seems much more reasonable. Unrelated: I have had a weird twinge of nostalgia for the �80s vintage “Be All You Can Be� campaign. Maybe some kind of madeleine thing triggered by those Will Ferrell Old Milwaukee ads.

Advertising's Shock Troops

21 Feb 2012 15:11:27 GMT

Legal disputes over advertising seldom get much public attention, but a recent decision out of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia was an exception: It made headlines. In a controversial preliminary injunction, Judge Richard Leon blocked the Food and Drug Administration from forcing cigarette brands to place gruesome photos of blackened lungs and cancer-riddled corpses on its packs�a mandate that was to have gone into effect this September. Warning labels were one thing, the court said, because they were statements of empirical fact. But the proposed images, emotional and deeply disturbing, constituted “commercial speech� and as such were an effort to force a brand to advertise against itself. The FDA has since appealed, and some legal experts say that this case may well end up in the Supreme Court. Until it does, however, the case has resurrected a larger issue that�s one of marketing�s most enduring hot potatoes: the use of explicit images to get consumers� attention�also known as “shockvertising.�

FTC on Mobile Apps: Will Android, Apple Please Think of the Children?

20 Feb 2012 16:29:36 GMT

The Federal Trade Commission has released the results of a staff report complaining that mobile applications for children lack privacy policies and disclosure. FTC staff examined offerings in the Apple App Store and Android Marketplace, evaluating the apps specifically marketed for children, ranging from books, memory games and stories to flash cards and puzzles. There were kiddie apps aplenty. Searching for the term "kids," it found more than 8,000 results in the Apple App Store and more than 3,600 in the Android Marketplace. The study compared the top 480 results in each store, ranging from alphabet and word games, math and number games, and memory games to books and stories, flash cards, and puzzles. While these apps can capture a wide amount of information, the FTC found little information for parents contemplating a download. The report, Mobile Apps for Kids: Current Privacy Disclosures Are Disappointing, said that neither app stores nor the app developers provide the information parents need to determine what data is being collected from their children, how it is being shared, or who will have access to it. The report is timely. According to a survey released by Nielsen, in Q4 2011 seven out of every 10 children in tablet-owning households put their sticky fingers on the tablet. Fifty-seven percent of parents said their children used the tablet to access educational games, while 77 percent said kids played downloaded games. The majority used the portable gadget as a digital babysitter to keep children quiet while traveling or in restaurants. In August 2011, W3 Innovations, LLC, doing business under the less-than-encouraging moniker Broken Thumbs, settled with the FTC on charges that it violated the Children�s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the FTC�s COPPA Rule by illegally collecting and disclosing personal information from children under age 13 without their parents� prior consent in games including Emily's Dress Up & Shop and Emily's Girl World. Announcing today's report, the FTC warned that in the next six months, it will review whether other mobile apps are violating COPPA.

R&J Public Relations Promotes Leann Moczydlowski to Account Executive

20 Feb 2012 16:38:59 GMT

R&J Public Relations, LLC, a leading brand-building public relations agency based in Bridgewater, N.J., announces the promotion of Leann Moczydlowski to Account Executive. In her new position, she will play a vital role in the development and execution of strategic public relations programs designed to meet and exceed the needs of R&J�s growing business-to-business client base. Moczydlowski joined the agency in February 2011 as an Account Coordinator. “Leann has proven to be a very effective and thoughtful practitioner, and has grown within her position throughout the course of her year here at R&J,� said John Lonsdorf, President of R&J. “Her communication skills continue to impress, and she has shown herself to be more than just a terrific tactician, but also a strategic resource for her clients. She has already effectively guided a number of important projects and initiatives through the agency, and we are supremely confident that her growth as a professional will continue.� Moczydlowski, a South Plainfield, N.J. resident, graduated summa cum laude from Monmouth University in January 2011 with a Bachelor�s of Arts degree in English and a minor in Public Relations. A member of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, she received recognition upon graduation for having the highest GPA within her department.

F.C.C. Bars the Use of Airwaves for a Broadband Plan

15 Feb 2012 14:28:12 GMT

WASHINGTON � A proposed wireless broadband network that would provide voice and Internet service using airwaves once reserved for satellite-telephone transmissions should be shelved because it interferes with GPS technology, the Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday. The F.C.C. statement revokes the conditional approval for the network given last year. It comes after an opinion by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which said that “there is no practical way to mitigate the potential interference at this time� with GPS devices. The telecommunications and information agency oversees telecommunications policy at the Commerce Department. The news appears to squash the near-term hopes for the network pushed by LightSquared, a Virginia company that is majority-owned by Philip Falcone, a New York hedge fund manager.

Oprah Tries to Boost OWN Ratings, Broke Nielsen Rules in the Process

14 Feb 2012 14:35:13 GMT

While most of the tweets that turned up on our feed last night were about the #Grammys, I remember one in particular from my (imaginary) friend @Oprah that was not: “Every 1 who can please turn to OWN especially if u have a Neilsen box.� Because we�re (imaginary) friends, I took a quick look and remember thinking, “Hey, now, that�s a pretty strange tweet.� Then I quickly returned to the Grammys. Bruno Mars!! Some fans and the Nielsen company weren�t quite as dismissive as we were. Followers called the tweet “desperate� and “unethical.� After a discussion with Nielsen, Oprah has deleted the message and issued a statement apologizing for any offense caused. Nielsen will make a note of “possible biasing effect� next to the ratings for that episode of Oprah�s Next Chapter. It�s no secret that OWN has struggled. But everyone, even the mighty Oprah Winfrey, must be careful about how they use promotional muscle to turn things around. These days, particularly with social media, it�s far too easy to overstep.

SCS Sets Details for Expansion

14 Feb 2012 14:53:17 GMT

The university is seeking a site in downtown D.C. to become a new home for its School of Continuing Studies, according to the university's latest financial plan. "The new location is needed to consolidate its programs in Virginia and Georgetown in a single footprint, thus enabling SCS to grow its programs and meet its strategic goals," the document states. In the past three years, the SCS has increased its enrollment by about 360 percent. The school's center in Clarendon, Va., houses the university's Center for Continuing and Professional Education and the master's degree programs in Technology Management, Journalism and Public Relations and Corporate Communications. In a letter introducing Georgetown University's Financial Plan 2013-2016, COO Chris Augostini wrote that the new downtown location will be more accessible to prospective students who work downtown. He added that the new site would allow for the expansion of the SCS in fields such as emergency management and urban and regional planning as well as programs that would prepare students for biomedical industries and related government agencies.

Penn State discloses $3.2M in legal, other expenses in wake of child sex abuse scandal arrests

14 Feb 2012 14:51:31 GMT

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. � Penn State says it has spent $3.2 million on lawyers, consultants and public relations firms in response to child sex abuse allegations against a former assistant football coach arrested in early November. The university posted a breakdown of its related costs Monday as it unveiled a new website, part of an effort to provide more information to the public. Through December, the university had spent $2.5 million on crisis communications and an investigation led by an independent firm. It also reports spending $470,000 on university legal services and $210,000 for the legal defenses of a former vice president, a former president and an athletics director on leave.

Why "sell" is not a four-letter word in social media

13 Feb 2012 16:37:07 GMT

Public relations and marketing professionals often live in a box. There is value in their work as brand-oriented communications activities enhance awareness and third-party credibility. This creates an environment where a government contractor can more successfully execute its growth strategy. Yet, the return on investment of a public relations and promotional spend is inherently difficult to measure. This is why in challenging economic times there is typically an across the board cut in public relations budgets, as well as other hard-to-measure marketing tactics such as advertising and brand promotion. Thorny conditions have swept into the District, and other government-centric towns like Virginia Beach, Huntsville, Colorado Springs and Dayton. The fiscal squeeze choking federal dollars has led contractors and systems integrators to recast their own growth expectations.

Finn Partners Becomes International Public Relations Partner for Israeli Presidential Conference

13 Feb 2012 16:33:15 GMT

Finn Partners, a Ruder Finn Group company, has been selected as Debby Communications' international public relations partner for Facing Tomorrow 2012, the Fourth Annual Israeli Presidential Conference under the auspices of President Shimon Peres. According to a release, Finn Partners will work in tandem with both Debby Communications and Ron Shelly of Megaphone, who has been selected by Debby Communications to manage the conference's digital media. The conference is scheduled for June 19-21, in Jerusalem, and will be held in partnership with Hebrew University. Finn Partners' Israel office will lead the account.

Youths Are Watching, but Less Often on TV

9 Feb 2012 14:50:41 GMT

Television is America�s No. 1 pastime, with an average of four hours and 39 minutes consumed by every person every day. But more and more young people are tuning in elsewhere. Americans ages 12 to 34 are spending less time in front of TV sets, even as those 35 and older are spending more, according to research that will be released on Thursday by Nielsen, a company that tracks media use. The divide along a demographic line reveals the effect of Internet videos, social networks, mobile phones and video games � in short, all the alternatives to the television set that are taking up growing slices of the American attention span. Young people are still watching the same shows, but they are streaming them on computers and phones to a greater degree than their parents or grandparents do.

Privacy Group Sues FTC to Stop New Google Privacy Policy

9 Feb 2012 14:56:04 GMT

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is suing the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in the hopes of stopping the new Google privacy policy, which is set to become effective March 1. The complaint was filed today in a Washington, D.C., federal district court. EPIC alleges that the changes to Google�s privacy policies, which will allow Google to combine user data across all of its properties “without user consent,� violates a consent order Google signed with the FTC last year related to Google Buzz. "Google�s recent announcement that the company intends to consolidate users� personal information without individuals� consent violates the consent order and threatens to harm consumers," according to the complaint. "The FTC is required to enforce the consent order. But the Commission has failed to due [sic] so." The suit also alleges that the privacy policy change will "make it possible for advertisers to gain access to personal information which was previously unavailable to them." A Google spokesperson told Bloomberg this isn't true: “We are not collecting any new information or sharing it with third parties.� Google announced plans to consolidate more than 60 policies into one “simplified� easy-to-read privacy policy, that Google said “makes clear that, if you�re signed in, we may combine information you've provided from one service with information from other services. In short, we�ll treat you as a single user across all our products, which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience.� In the hours after the new privacy policy was announced, the lack of an “opt out� became the big issue, and many accused Google of going evil (yet again). With growing pressure from lawmakers, Google reminded everyone that you don�t have to log-in to use all of Google�s services (e.g., you don�t have to sign into a Google account to search or view videos on YouTube). Executives went to Washington, D.C., to defend the privacy policy changes, though it didn�t seem to solve much. Meanwhile, the EU asked Google to hold off on implementing the policy, though Google wasn�t receptive to that idea. Google also dealt with public attacks by Microsoft. Google has not yet commented on the lawsuit. You can read the full complaint (PDF) here.

How to Get the Most Out of an Internship

7 Feb 2012 16:22:04 GMT

In a difficult job market, having internship experience can often be the single thing that separates you from other job applicants. But you get what you put into an internship, so make the most out of the opportunity. Take Learning Upon Yourself Being an intern gives you the rare opportunity to learn on the job, rather than from a textbook. Your internship job description will detail what you'll experience, but don't limit yourself to just that list. Always stretch for more knowledge. Ask questions and ask your supervisor to provide suggestions for resources you can use to learn. [See The 50 Best Careers.] Treat Your Internship Like a Job "Don't think of your internship as 'just an internship,'" suggests Katie Barrow, senior manager of public relations and communications for the nonprofit organization Fair Trade USA. "Think of it as an incredibly valuable opportunity in your path to beginning a career. Dress up for work, double-check all of your work and make sure to complete all assignments to the best of your ability."

Nationals media relations manager Bill Gluvna leaves for Boras Corporation

7 Feb 2012 16:20:30 GMT

For all the connections between the Nationals and super-agent Scott Boras, the most unique came most recently. Last week, Nationals media relations manager Bill Gluvna resigned in order to take a job working for Boras Corporation., where he�ll serve in a variety of roles, including marketing and public relations. He will be based in Washington but work with all of Boras�s clients. The Nationals have a large stable of them, including Stephen Strasburg, Edwin Jackson, Jayson Werth, Danny Espinosa and Rick Ankiel in the majors along with high-profile prospects Bryce Harper, Brian Goodwin, Alex Meyer and Anthony Rendon in the minors. With the Nationals, Gluvna was a go-between for players and media, also producing weekly minor league updates, writing press releases and assisting frequently with daily game notes. He had been working for the Nationals since late 2005.

Metro hires more people for communications team

6 Feb 2012 20:28:15 GMT

The team of people responsible for representing Metro to the world is expanding with the recent hire of two new people to fill existing vacancies. It�s the latest chapter in a period of severe turnover for the regional transit authority�s media team. Metro�s Managing Director of Public Relations Lynn Bowersox said the transit authority has hired two Washington journalists. They include: ?Caroline Lukas, who Bowersox described as a “producer in the Washington bureau of Canadian Broadcasting.� Lukas will be the media relations manager reporting to Metro�s chief spokesman and director of communications, Dan Stessel, Bowersox said. ?Philip Stewart, who is a reporter for News Channel 8 and WJLA. Stewart will be a public information officer. According to Bowersox, Lukas and Stewart will begin their positions in February.

Washington area business diary for week of Feb. 6

6 Feb 2012 16:50:36 GMT

Short takes on the week's announcements and deals. Rockville-based advertising, marketing and public relations agency Redman Communications said it has been hired by District-based cigar bar Shelley�s Back Room to provide public relations and special event support; Rhode Island-based Embrace Home Loans to promote the mortgage lender�s 10 Washington area offices;