public relations

Ever since I started in this business, almost 20 years ago, I've noticed that the intensity of our world has dictated the need for a strong morning coffee and a relaxing social glass of wine in the evening. Now, admittedly, I've largely operated in the types of scenarios where drinks are part of the scene, though when working an event it is always a “no no” to imbibe. But when you start running your own business, as I did a few years ago, your health becomes even more of a focus, and shifting between the two adrenal draining vices can start to cause problems. While that incredible caffeine rush is not easily replaced, and that relaxing moment with a glass may be all you're looking forward to all day long, it's often a good idea to take a break from the two and find a way to recharge "in health." Nothing like a good green tea, an elderflower sparkler or a walk in the park to produce a moment of calm. My advice this new year is to take a break from the vices – oh, if only I could only take my own advice!

I’ve always been a big believer in over communication. In the world of public relations that is our job, after all. To be good at what we do we need to create strategic pathways to communicate our client’s messages – whether to the consumer or to other businesses. In a vacuum I’ve learned that people always assume the worst, so finding a clear way to keep interested parties “in the loop” is critical to any successful pr plan, program or campaign. I’ve recently gotten married and I know my lovely husband wishes I wouldn’t communicate as much as I do. Just this morning, walking along the promenade in Brooklyn Heights, I asked if he wouldn’t please be present in this beautiful moment for me. Over communication, or just plain redundancy… He thought my communication was going a bit too far. But as a publicist I will always believe that over communication is your best ticket for keeping all the right people in the know, including your clients. So go for it, open up and let ‘em have it!

This is a week of memories… I remember when. Well I do remember when I saw my first pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. Beverly Hills, Oscar week, L’Ermitage Hotel. One of my colleagues popped out to buy a pair because they “looked great and are SO comfortable.” The look then was sling back, not so high heel and yep, kinda fabulous.

I’ll tell you something, I don’t think making a name for yourself in the shoe department is the easiest thing to do. From a PR standpoint, getting great press on shoes can be a challenge, because they are on the feet after all. When we get one of our fashion clients shot on the red carpet, it’s all about the dress. We work pretty hard to make sure our jewelry is covered. But shoes. Wow.  

We did a big to-do a few years ago when our client, Kwiat, partnered with Stuart Weitzman and did a pair of “million dollar” slippers for the Academy Award red carpet. I give his PR people credit, they did an incredible job getting press, and it’s just not easy. BUT here’s the thing. Of all our personal fashion items I think it’s safe to say that shoes rank pretty darn high. And Jimmy Choo broke out and made it happen, on the red carpet and off. They are a success story that other brands should consider studying. And now they are partnering with H&M to bring fabulous to the masses (not unlike other brands that have gone before, Stella, Karl Lagerfeld and Matthew Williamson). I think it’s a good thing. I’m a fan!

I am a “Good Morning America” nut. I watch every single morning. I follow Chris and Sam on Twitter. You get the idea. And while GMA feeds my soul on a daily basis, it seldom feeds my work—alas, stories about three-year-olds surviving a week alone in the woods outfitted only in flame-retardant PJs aren’t as applicable to fashion as one might think.
 
So imagine my surprise when Diane announced during this morning’s show that the Olsen twins were stopping by to make an announcement—causing me to recalculate my morning routine to allow for lunch making as well as Olsen twins news. Turns out those wily twins are launching a tween fashion line with J.C. Penney’s set to hit floors in February nationwide.
 
Now, I must admit, when Penney’s opened up their Manhattan flagship store this summer, I cringed at the amount of money they were dumping into such a grand venture during the worst retail climate in a long time. I mean, I think Target’s move to introduce the GO International program was nothing short of brilliant. But J.C. Penney’s celebrity diffuse lines have fallen short for consumers and me as well. A quick gander at the I ‘Heart’ Ronson line, by wunderkind Charlotte Ronson, shows a hefty number of markdowns. That said, I must say that I’m impressed with Penney’s ability to cajole Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen into launching a line for them. The kids that grew up watching Ash and MK on television and video are now credit card carrying teens and young adults—a fact I’m sure the big wigs at JCP are banking on (pun intended).
 
Select styles of the "Olsenboye" line — named for the twins' family in Norway — will be offered for a limited time online and in some stores from Nov. 6 until the official launch in February. Prices range between $20 and $50. Marketing support leans heavily on social-media buzz and "guerrilla" street outreach via pink ice cream trucks turned mobile shops that will travel around New York City today, with the Olsen sisters aboard. Ultimately, if this venture doesn’t end in a landside retail success (which it just might) it’s already a resounding PR success. As Michelle on “Full House” would say: J.C. Penney’s, you got it dude!
 

Gosh, now Obama is getting a Nobel Peace Prize. His role keeps getting more interesting by the minute. First, pedaling the Olympics, now this. Well, admittedly, he knew nothing about this pending honor.  I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it, but I can tell you this, based on what I do for a living, too much too early is not good for anyone, especially the President of the United States. I'll just bet he knows that...

I remember when Bush was doing his thing, all I could think was WAKE UP and smell the coffee! Your image SUCKS! I wondered, “Wasn't there SOMEONE in Washington that could tell him the truth?” For instance, instead of flying OVER New Orleans just after Katrina, STOP in for a visit. Honestly, most of the big mistakes this man made were manmade. All he had to do was handle some things differently and his overall image wouldn't have been half as bad as it was. The guy put more money toward Africa than any other president and yet you would never ever know it. BAD PR. Who the heck was helping him?

And now this. Mr. President, I know you had nothing to do with it, but really be careful here. The bigger they are the harder they fall. Keep it real.

Source: carolyneweldon.com
 

It seems to me that now a days blogging is the only way to go. Whether it's micro blogging, the normal blogging or status updates, we no longer reach for our phones to make a phone call but rather to update our social media profiles. Should we no longer ask for people’s phone number, but instead their Facebook and Twitter user names? With all these new platforms emerging, I often wonder how we will ever have enough time to keep up with them all. Heck, our company devotes an entire division to managing this for clients.
 
Although my bread and butter is made from telling clients they NEED to be in the social media realms, I strongly believe that face time is much more important than Facebook time. Yes, it's important to have a social media presence. And yes, you should keep your virtual "friends" and followers informed, but at the end of the day, how many of these people are really your friends? If you can't make the face time, at least make the phone call. Maybe Twitter is onto this idea also since they just launched the new (but when you're reading this, probably not the latest) application allowing you to make phone calls via Twalkin. Oh Twitter, you're always on top of the trends!

I know we’ll most likely be using this new application for our campaigns, so go ahead and give us a call. But, to be honest, it’s probably easier to get in touch online ☺ Someday I’ll practice what I preach.

Source: weblogcartoons.com

Someone asked me to do a blog on creativity. They are in a similar industry, so I'm sure they were hoping I would shed a little light on the process, or at least offer up my take on how to tap into creative juices - within context, of course. Well, as you do when you riff, I went off track a bit, landing somewhere on Pollock and how the seeming chaos of his splatter art was actually pure and pleasing order (there is a computer program that can back this claim).

Creativity. I believe EVERYONE is creative, it's just expressed in different ways for different people. Creativity is something everyone needs because the process helps you solve problems and everyone has a problem to solve. Moms need to know what is giving their little ones gas. Kids need to know how to bend the rules and stay up late. PR agencies need to know how to get their clients coverage in the media. Media companies need to know how to position their titles to advertisers. And yes, visual artists need to find something new to paint (or sculpt or whatever.) So, since creativity is something we all can do, why not own it more. Declare yourself people! YOU are the creatives!

Source: ideachampions.com

So, it looks like Chicago is vying for Olympic style status. Apparently, there are two cities in contention for the 2016 games - Chicago and Rio. Hmmm... Which city would I be most like to visit for the games? Sorry Chicago, Rio wins out, but that isn't because you aren't amazing in your own right, it's just...

I guess having a president go to bat for your city isn't a bad thing (I understand he's out there making the case for his hometown to host.) I guess he wants to bring ALL that business to the U.S. (and that is definitely not a bad thing). Not sure I like to see our prez spending his VALUABLE time on this venture, not sure he is, but...

Anyway, being president of the free world means you have to play a lot of pr games (and that's why this subject is in this blog). Public relations may be a good 50 percent (if not more) of any president's job.

So, go for it Obama. Fight for your country's right to PARTY!
 

Source: odeo.com

Our agency reps jewelry and fashion brands that year on year vie for red carpet exposure. And year on year we show up, thanks to the tireless efforts of our team. It's always a bit of a struggle as you wrangle temperamental stylists (they are artists after all) and compete against the BIG brands with BIG budgets who PAY for their spot on the carpet. It's all a white knuckle experience as the E! pre-show airs and the team scans the celebs, especially the ones they've been negotiating with. Will they or won't they???

We've been doing this for years, and the anticipation and general freak out never gets that much better. But a little better, with a long line of success in your wake (January Jones, Jessica Lange, Olivia Wilde, Natalie Portman) does make it a less painful experience. So, as we move past Emmy and toward Oscar (not to mention our golden friend) I started wondering, will Emmy ever catch up to Oscar in terms of desire and panache? What separates them? TV vs. Film. Is film really that much more glamorous? Maybe. But maybe it's also the crush of award shows and all the build up that makes Oscar so exciting.

Oscar has been getting a bit tarnished these last few years, mainly in the ratings game. They've tried to spice up the proceedings, and last year was a great new step forward, but not sure if things will continue to slip. I sure hope not, that red carpet has spelled gold for several of our clients. But back to Emmy vs. Oscar. Here's what I think: Emmy has been gaining over the years and I think our golden boy may need to watch his back. It will be interesting to see how things shape up. I'm watching. Are you?

Source: thewrap.com
 

I write a lot about how to run a business. I also write a lot about how to handle your people. I have learned over time that it is a lot harder to practice what you preach than you think. And I’ll tell you why. We live in a crazy, dynamic world. I think you have to be a saint to always keep your head and not lose it. Well, anyone who knows me knows I’m NOT a saint. And I don’t try to be one, because that’s crazy talk. But I do advocate for trying to remember what is important to you, what your values are. And if things don’t go the way you hope or expect, try to keep your head straight so you can handle your disappointment gracefully.

So, what do I think is a key factor in making this happen for you? BREATHE. Yep, breathing is something we don’t do often enough. We take breathing for granted, of course we do. But of all the things that can help you make better decisions, not lose your cool and generally live a more relaxed life, it would be breathing. Just try it. Instead of yelling (oops, do I do that?) BREATHE. Yep, that’s better. Guess it’s time to practice what I preach, LOL!

Source: madmanicmamas.blogspot