PR Week (US) articles from December 2005

PR Week (US) archives from December 2005

DDB helps former FDA director spread her morning-after message.(DDB Issues & Advocacy )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... WASHINGTON: When Dr. Susan Wood resigned as director of the FDA's Office of Women's Health in August, she became the face of the frustration around the morning-after-pill controversy. DDB Issues & Advocacy is now working with Wood to keep...

US military's placement of paid stories draws debate.
December 5, 2005... WASHINGTON: The US military's alleged combination of public affairs and psychological operations in the war on terror - including its use of independent PR firms - has become a heated topic in mainstream media and the subject of a potential...

Former PR agency founder hears his sentence for fraud.
December 5, 2005... CLEVELAND: Ron Watt, once one of Cleveland's top PR professionals, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison last week for defrauding local banks out of dollars 1.5 million. Watt was the former head of Watt, Roop & Co., which was...

MWW Group helps Federated handle its investigations.
December 5, 2005... EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: For the past two years, MWW Group has been working with Fede-rated Investors to handle communications surrounding the recently settled probe of the company by the SEC and New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer. Last...

'Team Omnicom' to head BoA account.
December 5, 2005... CHARLOTTE, NC: Bank of America's PR duties are being handled by a leadership team pulled out of Ketchum and incorporated into a BoA-dedicated unit referred to as 'Team Omnicom.' Team Omnicom is independent even to the extent that the agency...

Israel seeks firm to attract secular American tourists.
December 5, 2005... NEW YORK: The Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMT) is looking for an agency as it helps promote 'modern Israel' to secular American consumers. The tourism department sent an RFP to 17 agencies nearly a month ago. It expects to pick a firm...

Website teaches word-of-mouth ethics.
December 5, 2005... CHICAGO: A new website from the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) is dedicated to teaching the ethics of such marketing. Called Word of Mouth Basic Training (WOMBAT), the site offers original content in blogs, podcasts, and e-mail...

Mozilla puts users' faces on new Firefox campaign,.
December 5, 2005... MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA: The Mozilla Foundation is putting a new face on marketing efforts for its popular web browser Firefox. Mozilla just released Firefox 1.5, the first major upgrade since the browser debuted late last year. In that time,...

MS&L set to help boost awareness for Lyme disease.
December 5, 2005... BOSTON: The national Lyme Disease Association (LDA) and local Connecticut affiliate Time for Lyme have selected MS&L to increase disease awareness, raise funds, and rally support for impending legislation. The effort will include media...

News Brief: Trevelino/Keller Communications Group forms a global network.
December 5, 2005... ATLANTA: Trevelino/Keller Communications Group has formed a global network of boutiques under the Atlas Alliance brand. Members include Trevelino/Keller, The Lanza Group, The Word-Shop, and ActivePR.

News Brief: Appointment at Rubenstein Associates.
December 5, 2005... NEW YORK: Christopher Giglio has joined Rubenstein Associates as a VP. For the past nine years, he has been an investigative producer for Dateline NBC, reporting and producing news segments for the prime-time newsmagazine. Previously, he served...

News Brief: Appointment at MWW Group.
December 5, 2005... EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: MWW Group has promoted Joseph Cohen to VP. In this role, Cohen will continue to provide counsel and lead PR initiatives for several of the agency's flagship accounts, including Bally Total Fitness, Sara Lee, and The Palm...

News Brief: Business Wire and Agence France-Presse expands the scope.
December 5, 2005... PARIS and NEW YORK: Business Wire and Agence France-Presse have expanded the scope of their cooperation deal to include AFP's comprehensive pan-European network, which provides for full-text distribution to more than 30 countries. In addition,...

News Brief: Sterling Communications selected as the AOR for BT Exact.
December 5, 2005... LOS GATOS, CA: Sterling Communications, an independent, full-service PR agency, has been selected as the AOR for BT Exact, the IT operations unit of global communications provider BT Group.

News Brief: Dr. Ludolf von Wartenberg named as a member of APCO.(APCO Worldwide International Advisory Council)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... WASHINGTON: Dr. Ludolf von Wartenberg, acting MD of the Federation of German Industries, has been named as a member of the APCO Worldwide International Advisory Council. The council advises APCO on its global strategy and business development....

News Brief: Floor & Decor Outlets names its AOR.
December 5, 2005... ATLANTA & SAVANNAH, GA: Flooring retailer Floor & Decor Outlets of America has named Hauser Group as its AOR to manage its dollars 6 million marcomms efforts, which include media planning and buying, strategic research, creative print and...

News Brief: NJBankers partner with Lubetkin & Co.
December 5, 2005... CHERRY HILL, NJ: NJBankers, a trade association representing the New Jersey banking industry, has partnered with Lubetkin & Co. Communications to offer audio broadcasts of selected seminar programs to its members over the internet via...

News Brief: Tommy Hilfiger Europe B.V. appoints Ketchum.
December 5, 2005... AMSTERDAM: Tommy Hilfiger Europe B.V., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tommy Hilfiger Corp., has appointed Ketchum to lead its European PR strategy for licensed product categories. The program is to be delivered across the key European markets for...

News Brief: Bruster's Real Ice Cream chooses Dio.
December 5, 2005... YORK, PA: Bruster's Real Ice Cream has chosen Dio as a strategic consultant for its 240 stores throughout 16 states. Dio will work with Bruster's to develop and implement marketing, advertising and communication strategies for its expanding ice...

News Brief: Peppercom Europe joins forces with HotHouse Integrated Marketing.
December 5, 2005... LONDON: Peppercom Europe has joined forces with HotHouse Integrated Marketing, a fully integrated Midlands marketing agency, to launch HotPepper Public Relations, a new PR agency based in Birmingham.

News Brief: Appointment at Biophysical Corporation.
December 5, 2005... AUSTIN, TX: R. Craig Parks has been named VP and CMO at Biophysical Corporation, which makes a blood analyzer that can detect the presence or risk of potentially life-threatening diseases. He was most recently EVP and GM of the Austin office of...

News Brief: Seawright Holdings hires 360JMG.
December 5, 2005... WASHINGTON: Seawright Holdings, an American producer of fresh drinking water, has hired strategic communications firm 360JMG to handle its PR. - For more briefs, see PRWeek.com.

Coughlin departs as comms leader in Gregoire's office.(Kerry Coughlin, Christine Gregoire )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... OLYMPIA, WA: Kerry Coughlin, communications director for Gov. Christine Gregoire (D-WA), is leaving after just five months on the job. '(Gregoire) didn't previously have a communications director, and I accepted the appointment without...

Regan Media taps Loeber from rival Simon & Schuster.
December 5, 2005... NEW YORK: Justin Loeber has been named SVP, executive director of marketing and publicity for Regan Media, a unit of HarperCollins. He will begin on January 3, reporting to CEO and publisher Judith Regan. Since August 2004, Loeber has...

Medicare benefit spurs groups into action.
December 5, 2005... WASHINGTON: Medicare's new prescription drug benefit goes into effect January 1, and groups are in full swing to help beneficiaries navigate the program. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has created a toolkit for community...

Anti-smoking group offers teens another dose of Truth.
December 5, 2005... WASHINGTON: The American Legacy Foundation today will launch the next phase of its ongoing Truth campaign against youth smoking: Truth Found. In print and broadcast ads as well as virally on the web, teens will be confronted with the...

Chamberlin splits from Chase to join Edelman in China.(J.P. Morgan Chase and Co., Edelman Financial Services Inc., David Chamberlin)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... NEW YORK: JPMorgan Chase is experiencing some turnover as the head of external communications for the Chase card division departs to become head of Edelman's Shanghai office. David Chamberlin, who was at Bank One until it merged with Chase...

Ogilvy helps Atlanta with 'proactive' tourism push.
December 5, 2005... ATLANTA: Brand Atlanta and its AOR, Ogilvy Public Relations, have ramped up communications in front of a national 2006 advertising campaign to rebrand the city with the tagline, 'Every day is an opening day.' Mayor Shirley Franklin (D),...

Breaking stories on prweek.com.
December 5, 2005... New Orleans PR firms rebound: Agencies begin moving back to the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina Nokia targets blogs: Nokia unveils a separate press room geared toward bloggers for its new N90 phone Group presses Ohio politician:...

Ex-LaForce SVP to direct the new PR division at Vincent.
December 5, 2005... NEW YORK: Vincent Partners, a brand marketing firm, has opened a PR division that will be led by former LaForce & Stevens SVP Brooke Smith. Smith said Vincent decided to launch the new division 'to offer the clients they're working with,...

Hurricane aid pays off in image surveys.
December 5, 2005... NEW YORK: Involvement in relief efforts for recent disasters has helped the reputation of corporations and nonprofits, according to two recent surveys. Wal-Mart earned the top spot in Delahaye's Media Index of Corporate Reputation, which...

CRT Tanaka runs press for Sprint Nextel NASCAR push.
December 5, 2005... NEW YORK: CRT/Tanaka spearheaded media outreach for Sprint Nextel during last week's NASCAR Awards Week, arranging interviews with senior company executives, as well as with top NASCAR drivers. Agency officials, for instance, arranged for...

CooperKatz wins insurance group's outreach account.(CooperKatz and Co.)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... KANSAS CITY, MO: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has selected CooperKatz for a consumer outreach campaign. The agency bested more than 30 firms, including incumbent Fleishman-Hillard. Terms were not...

Program seeks to feed seniors' animals.
December 5, 2005... NEW YORK: Hill's Pet Nutrition, maker of the Science Diet brand of pet food, is partnering with Meals on Wheels to help feed the dogs and cats of homebound senior citizens. The company launched the pilot program in Topeka, KS, with longtime...

UltraPet appoints Howard Merrell its agency of record.(Howard, Merrell and Partners Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... ANDERSON, SC: UltraPet, a marketer and manufacturer of pet- and Earth-safe products for dogs and cats, has selected Howard, Merrell & Partners (HM&P) as its AOR. The firm will develop a dollars 10 million national branding campaign that will...

Effort blames immigrants for US job losses.
December 5, 2005... PITTSBURGH: An immigration-reform coalition has launched a public education campaign challenging President Bush's contention that foreign workers are only taking jobs Americans won't do. The Coalition for the Future American Worker (CFAW)...

H&K helps community service group inspire boomers to volunteer.
December 5, 2005... WASHINGTON: Hill & Knowlton is working with the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) on a national campaign to inspire retiring baby boomers to become more involved with volunteer efforts in their communities. The new...

Ruder Finn opens ethics practice to guide businesses.
December 5, 2005... NEW YORK: Ruder Finn is launching a new practice to help its clients handle ethical quanda-ries that occur during the course of business. Emmanuel Tchividjian, RF SVP and ethics officer, will lead the practice. 'It made sense to...

Dunlop Sports taps Dezen lead agency for N. America.(Dunlop Sports Group America )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... GREENVILLE, SC: Dunlop Sports Group America has selected Jeff Dezen Public Relations (JDPR) as its North American AOR as the company severs most of its licensing arrangements and begins to market its brands. JDPR will provide brand...

FD links to National Journal Group site for political survey.(Financial Dynamics, Hotline publication)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... WASHINGTON: Financial Dynamics has entered the political-polling business through a partnership with the National Journal Group's Hotline publication, a relationship that the agency hopes will boost its profile in public policy circles. ...

Editorial: Ford's new commitment to comms is a start, but it won't work if staffers will not buy into it.(Ford Motor Co.)(Editorial)
December 5, 2005... Bill Ford issued an ultimatum to employees of the automaker last week that they either climb on board the innovation bandwagon or find new jobs elsewhere. But according to The Detroit News, it wasn't just the message, but the way it was...

Editorial: Reciprocity introduces PR to a new audience.(Editorial)
December 5, 2005... At the behest of Lou Capozzi of Publicis and Kathy Cripps of the Council of PR Firms, I recently met a great woman with a compelling mission. Taz Tagore is executive director of the Reciprocity Foundation and its sister organization, The...

Op-Ed: Pharma must brace as its 'gas pump' moment nears.
December 5, 2005... The oil companies are currently taking a PR beating. Consumers have been feeling the direct consequences of gas price increases, which, in turn, they associate with news items such as the war in Iraq, global warming, and the drain of energy...

Analysis: Digital Rights Management - Sony BMG case could clarify digital-music rights debate.
December 5, 2005... The controversy over Sony BMG's malware-enabled CDs has brought attention to digital rights, making a technical issue more accessible to consumers. As Sony BMG faces criticism for anti-piracy software, music industry critics seize the...

DanGillmor: When companies come under fire, a prompt, honest approach is always the best response.
December 5, 2005... Consider two recent corporate PR challenges. One involved Sony, the consumer electronics and entertainment conglomerate. The other hit a weblog-publishing start-up in its first official week in business. I'm sure you've already guessed which...

Analysis: Corporate Case Study - JetBlue forges ahead with one-of-a-kind message.
December 5, 2005... Despite a glut of competitors and high fuel prices, JetBlue Airways still manages to best its rivals by remaining open and accessible to media, and by showcasing its differences. David Ward reports. One of the more remarkable business...

Analysis: The Agency Business - Preparing good employees to transition into good managers.
December 5, 2005... When staffers rise up through the ranks, it can be difficult to adjust to a new set of challenges and circumstances. But as Erica Iacono discovers, many firms are offering training to help pros learn how. No one can dispute the value of...

Media: Media Roundup - Credit issues receive due coverage.
December 5, 2005... While many think of the holidays as a time to spend and ponder their credit, debt-related issues are of year-round interest to reporters and consumers. As US families embark on what has become a national spending spree over the holiday...

Media: Journalist Q & A - Steve Outing.(Interview)
December 5, 2005... Name: Steve Outing Outlets: Editor & Publisher and The Poynter Institute Titles: Columnist (E&P); Senior editor (Poynter) Preferred contact method: steve@poynter.org Website: editorandpublisher. com; poynter.org PRWeek: How have...

Media: Media Watch - GM seeks recovery from a brutal 2005.
December 5, 2005... After suffering nearly dollars 4 billion in losses in 2005, GM hopes that closing nine plants and cutting 30,000 jobs in North America will put it on the road to profitability. Wall Street is worried that GM's plan is insufficient, while the...

Media: Inside the mix - Marketing to Generations X and Y is vital, but some find it easier than others to do.
December 5, 2005... Figuring out how to reach Generation X and Y occupies the minds of not only a huge number of marketers, but also the minds of media owners who are facing increasing challenges in trying to prove that the advertising space they are selling is...

Profile: Business Roundtable re-emerges under Schneider.(Johanna Schneider)(Biography)
December 5, 2005... Johanna Schneider's resume includes work as a journalist and press secretary. At the Business Roundtable, she uses that know-how to garner lawmakers' respect for the group of top CEOs. During her nearly quarter century as a Washington...

Healthy competition.
December 5, 2005... Hospitals are branding themselves in a bid to attract patients. Beth Herskovits reports. At New York's Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the sports medicine group treats the all-stars of the country's college and professional teams. ...

Regional Focus: Philadelphia - A city of its own.
December 5, 2005... Philly's PR community is proving that the city is no also-ran to Washington and New York. When The New York Times published an article this summer proclaiming Philadelphia as the 'sixth borough' of New York City, the only people more...

PR Technique: Long-distance relationships - Out of sight, but not out of mind.
December 5, 2005... Clients no longer need firms to be near. They now prioritize expertise over geography to pick agencies. Craig McGuire finds out how to make such relationships work. The internet and other technologies have made it possible for PR...

Campaign: Tourism PR - WA hoists tourism by showcasing its activities to press.
December 5, 2005... PR team: Washington State Tourism (Olympia, WA) and Bombar Public Relations (Kirkland, WA) Campaign: Washington State Tourism Time frame: July 2005 to present (ongoing) Budget: dollars 520,000 And although the Lewis and Clark...

Campaign: Event PR - NMAI amplifies its outreach to entice powwow visitors.
December 5, 2005... PR team: National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, DC) Campaign: National Powwow 2005 Time frame: January to August 2005 Budget: dollars 124,000 In September 2002, the museum held its first powwow inside a big tent on the...

Campaign: Crisis Comms - Touro reconnects with patients and staff after Katrina.(Touro Infirmary )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... PR team: Touro Infirmary (New Orleans, LA) and Star/Rosen Group (Cherry Hill, NJ) Campaign: Eye of the Storm Time frame: September 2005 to present (ongoing) Budget: dollars 750,000 'Employees didn't know how they were going to get...

The Publicist: Baseball caps, the Grand Canyon are America's best ambassadors.
December 5, 2005... Our elected leaders are doing such a lousy job of enhancing the US's image abroad, it's up to private citizens to act as Uncle Sam's personal publicists. With that in mind, I invited a friend of mine, a journalist from Eastern Europe, for a...

PR Play of the Week: Black Monday puts retail group in spotlight.
December 5, 2005... Until last week, Black Monday referred to October 19, 1987, the day the stock market plunged almost 30%, signaling the end of the 'go-go' '80s and the dawn of the 'I used to drive a much better car' '90s. But seemingly out of nowhere, the...

Toy Box: Sleeptracker is alarmingly ordinary.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 5, 2005... Admittedly, any product that promises to wake you up successfully can only be described as bittersweet. But the Sleeptracker watch promises to wake you up at the optimal moment, by tracking your sleeping patterns and determining when you'd be...

Book Review: 'Martha' guilty of offering nothing new.(Martha: On Trial, In Jail, and on a Comeback)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
December 5, 2005... It's unclear whether a book that provides even more exposure for Martha Stewart is really necessary, given how much she already gets. Still, this book tries, in painstaking detail, to offer some insight into her recent troubles and how she...

Euro RSCG appoints Margaritis to oversee its worldwide PR group.(John Margaritis )(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... NEW YORK: Euro RSCG Worldwide has hired John Margaritis as executive director of the company's worldwide PR group, effective immediately. In this newly created position, Margaritis is responsible for the growth of the holding company's...

Burson hires pollster Penn to become firm's next CEO.
December 12, 2005... NEW YORK: Mark Penn, founder and principal of WPP research agency Penn, Schoen, & Berland (PSB), has been tapped as the next worldwide CEO of Burson-Marsteller. Burson staffers were notified last week of the appointment, which is effective...

PRWeek diversity survey describes agencies' efforts.
December 12, 2005... NEW YORK: Efforts to diversify the ethnic and racial makeup of agency staff are 'ad hoc' or 'nonexistent' at almost 37% of the firms surveyed in PRWeek's third annual diversity survey, sponsored by Hill & Knowlton. 'I just think that...

Boston Scientific turns to JFWBK for Guidant proposal.
December 12, 2005... NATICK, MA: Boston Scientific has tapped Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher (JFWBK) to work on communications surrounding its proposal to acquire medical device maker Guidant. The biotechnology company proposed the purchase of all...

McCann taps sister WS for Army work.
December 12, 2005... NEW YORK: McCann Erickson last week was awarded the contract for the US Army's five-year, dollars 1.35 billion recruitment account. Fellow Interpublic Group agency Weber Shandwick, which participated in the pitch, will lead the PR portion. ...

Special Olympics helps to promote new Farrelly flick.
December 12, 2005... NEW YORK: At first glance, The Ringer may look like a film that pokes fun at the expense of intellectually disabled athletes competing in the Special Olympics. The movie features Johnny Knoxville as a non-disabled man who pretends to have...

Biz360 adds Feedster blog monitoring.
December 12, 2005... SAN MATEO, CA: Biz360 has forged a partnership with Feedster, an internet search engine and ad network for RSS feeds. The partnership will provide Biz360 with active blog feeds, helping it to track more than 15 million blogs and wikis for...

McKinney lands contract to promote voters' rights.
December 12, 2005... WASHINGTON: McKinney & Associates has won a one-year contract from a coalition of civil rights groups to raise awareness about the need to bolster the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965. The agency, which won the account after a competitive...

Wash. Mutual taps Macrie to become its comms leader.
December 12, 2005... SEATTLE: Sari Macrie has joined Washington Mutual as SVP of corporate communications. She replaces Bill Ehrlich, who left in July 2004 and is currently working as a consultant. Macrie joins from Cardinal Heath, where she was SVP of...

News Brief: Appointment at Allstate Insurance.
December 12, 2005... NORTHBROOK, IL: Allstate Insurance has confirmed a PRWeek story that Joan Walker has joined the company as SVP of corporate relations. She joins from Qwest Communications, where she served as EVP of corporate communications.

News Brief: Appointment at Aldo.
December 12, 2005... NEW YORK: Alison Brod Public Relations has been named AOR for Aldo's US initiatives. This appointment will include all PR efforts for men's and women's shoes and accessories, including jewelry and handbags, along with all store and advertising...

News Brief: Computerworld selects Trylon Communications.
December 12, 2005... NEW YORK: IT publishing company Computerworld has selected Trylon Communications as its AOR. The agency will handle PR for the magazine's print and online editions, as well as events and conferences.

News Brief: Vocus announces the pricing of its IPO shares.
December 12, 2005... LANHAM, MD: Vocus has announced the pricing of its IPO of 5,000,000 shares of common stock at dollars 9 per share. The stock will be quoted on the Nasdaq under the symbol VOCS.

News Brief: Appointment at Euro RSCG.
December 12, 2005... CHICAGO: Brian Nienhaus has joined Euro RSCG Chicago to lead the Citigroup account. He joins from Grey San Francisco, where he developed Nokia's first business-focused global branding campaign.

News Brief: YPB&R tapped by Grabow Properties.(Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell )(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... ORLANDO, FL: Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell has been tapped by Richard Grabow, owner of Grabow Properties, to manage PR for the Quality Inn Maingate Four Corners hotel in Davenport, FL. YPB&R will assist the newly renovated hotel with...

News Brief: Phelps Group to handle PR and advertising.
December 12, 2005... SANTA MONICA, CA: The Phelps Group, an integrated marcomms firm, will handle PR and advertising for PSI, a provider of workforce testing services, and Cedarlane Natural Foods, which makes frozen food products.

News Brief: Appointment at Porter Novelli Canada.(Trevor Campbell)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... TORONTO: Porter Novelli Canada has appointed Trevor Campbell as president following the resignation of current president, CEO, and partner Sheila Corriveau. Campbell, who was promoted from the post of director of Porter Novelli Canada, will...

News Brief: Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt names The Frause Group.
December 12, 2005... SEATTLE: Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt has named The Frause Group as AOR for the entire law firm, after hiring the agency in February 2005 to handle PR efforts for its Seattle office.

News Brief: Appointment at Horn Group.
December 12, 2005... BOSTON: Horn Group has appointed Len Dieterle as MD of its Boston operations. He joins after nearly nine years with Porter Novelli, where he served as SVP in the agency's tech practice, running global PR programs for clients such as BMC...

News Brief: Appointment at Burson-Marsteller.
December 12, 2005... WASHINGTON: Chris Foster has returned to Burson-Marsteller to serve as MD of the global healthcare practice. He will report to practice chair Ame Wadler. He rejoins the firm after stints as SVP and MD at CarryOn Communications and as a VP at...

News Brief: Appointment at Phillips Academy.
December 12, 2005... ANDOVER, MA: Michael Strysick has been named director of communications at Phillips Academy, a coeducational independent high school. Prior to joining Phillips, Strysick served as director of communication at Wake Forest University in...

News Brief: Appointment at APCO Worldwide.(Barie Carmichael)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... WASHINGTON: APCO Worldwide has named Barie Carmichael, Dow Corning's former top communications person, as a senior counselor in the firm's DC headquar- ters. Prior to working at Dow, she served as a partner with the Brunswick Group, an...