Tag: Thanksgiving

This Is Not A Grammar Error: Is Your PR Firm Doing Good?

Posted on by Marijane Funess

As the east digs out of dueling storm systems, Veteran’s Day will be upon us, followed by Thanksgiving and the holiday season. Each provides a unique opportunity for PR companies (and all businesses) to dig deep and find ways to give.

It is often easiest to write a check, and in 2011 Americans did, to the tune of nearly 300 billion dollars. But we are in PR, people! This begs the question, what creative ways can we find to give of ourselves?

Write

Providing a not-for-profit or other worthy organization with professionally written materials is the ideal way for PR pros to lend assistance. The benefits are multi-fold: the organization will benefit, your company will make some great contacts and future business could be in the offing!

Mobilize

Who better than the companies behind countless press conferences and special events? Put your heads together and think of a drive that you and other agencies can mount – supplies; food; clothing. Handle all the particulars from call for donations to delivery. Again, some great rewards will come your way; camaraderie and contact with agency brethren; the gratitude of those in need and credit for a terrific idea.

Advocate

PR pros spend half their lives pitching media on clients – why not use those skills to promote the efforts of a cause you and your company are supporting? Your own heartfelt passion and spirit can be infectious (even with harried media types!)

Create

Don’t know of an existing cause or organization that is a perfect fit for your company? Create one! Gather input from colleagues and come up with a cause and a donation platform that perfectly meshes with your company culture.

Got any other ideas on creative giving for PR pros? Let us know here.

A November To Remember

Posted on by Dave

In addition to the traditional Thanksgiving bounty of food and family, this month has offered its share of embarrassing political viral videos.  This cornucopia of candidate catastrophes demonstrates how powerful and influential social media has become.  Online social sharing is now as common, if not more, than reading the newspaper, and celebrating the successful is not nearly as crucial as mitigating the miserable. What can be learned from this month’s mishaps?

“Rick Perry’s Drunken Speech” video has over 500,000 views on Youtube and shows a loopy Governor giggling and yelping through a campaign stop.  Perry’s communications and press people had to have known that even if a silly speech isn’t televised, it’ll still be all over the Today Show the next morning.  It’s just how today’s media works.  What kind of damage control would have worked best here, if any?

The Texas governor needed a rebound after the “drunken” video debacle, and his handlers rightly assumed a national debate would be a great platform to change the Rick Perry storyline.  It’s simple:  know the talking points, stay on topic, and get the appropriate message across.  Mr. Perry failed miserably at the debate on November 9th with his now infamous “Oops” moment.  How much message training is really enough?

Next up:  Herman Cain. When asked if he agreed with President Obama’s handling of Libya, he seemed comically confused.  Thanks to the power of social media, the non-televised interview has been everywhere (Jon Stewart even professed his love for Mr. Cain over it).   Was the “lack of sleep” excuse a credible one? Who thinks up these things?

While you mull over these incidents, a few lessons from the modern media world:
     The cameras are always rolling. (even an iPhone in the audience)
     With message training, one size does NOT fit all. Some folks will always need extra prep and notes.
     “Snark is the new black“ (to quote The Good Wife)  No matter how innocuous the gaffe, it will be twisted and tweaked     for maximum (negative) media appeal.

Share your observations and lessons here.

Things We’re Thankful For As PR Professionals

Posted on by Dorothy Crenshaw

It’s that time again. The season of lists. So, we made one. Once again, it doesn’t include the big, obvious stuff, like good health, friends and family, and very fact of having a job and/or business, so consider those implied. The items below are ordinary things that we may have overlooked or taken for granted all year. Please feel free to add to it.

1.   Last-minute client events (because who needs sleep?)

2.   Afternoon coffee runs powered by Starbucks 2-for-1 holiday offer. (see #1)

3.   The holidays. Still a story angle…and occasional blog topic.

4.   Interns! Especially our very own rockstar, Andrew.

5.   A better economy (at least compared to last year.)

6.   Facebook friends who “like” things just because you ask.

7.   Misbehaving celebrities, the gift that keeps on giving for reputation and PR experts.

8.   Eataly! Amazing lunchtime entertainment.

9.   Airplane flights with Wi-Fi.

10. Flights without Wi-Fi.

11. Social media tools. What did we do before Social Mention, backtweets, PostRank, etc.?

12. LinkedIn. Because you should always be recruiting.

13. Twitter lists, especially the private ones, for stalking leads and foes!

14. Our shiny new office, with exposed brick and cool TV monitors.

15. Our clients, who make us proud to be their partners. 

15 Things PR People Have To Be Thankful For

Posted on by Dorothy Crenshaw

It’s that time of year… when we sit in traffic so we can stuff our faces and argue catch up with family members whom we haven’t seen all year, to gather energy for a weekend of crazy shopping – or vigorous procrastination.

But, it’s also a good occasion to consider what we appreciate in our everyday lives and careers. So, we made a list. It doesn’t include the big, obvious stuff, like good health, friends and family, and very fact of having a job, so consider those implied. Our list is more about the ordinary things that we may have overlooked or taken for granted all year. Please feel free to add to it.

Things We’re Thankful For As PR Professionals
1.  Desktop shopping (though of course we’d never do it at work.)
2.  A last-minute creative challenge right before a holiday weekend
3.  The ability to lie to ourselves (see #2)
4.  Interns
5.  Our deluxe on-site office spa (scheduled for completion in 2012, by the Mayan calendar)
6.  HARO (Thanks, Peter)
7.  Those three extra hours when delivering a proposal to the West Coast
8.  Roll-up-your-sleeves client meetings
9.  Catered leftovers from #8
10. That there are nearly two years left to pitch Oprah
11. That there are only two years left to pitch Oprah
12. The agency holiday bash
13. Facebook privacy settings (see #12)
14. Social media. If it hadn’t happened, we’d have had to invent it.
15. A heartfelt “thanks” from media, colleagues, and our clients, who are amazing.