PR Week (US) articles from February 2006

PR Week (US) archives from February 2006

Exxon buoys PR amid oil industry backlash.
February 6, 2006... IRVING, TX: Exxon Mobil Corp., whose 2005 profits were the largest of any company, is launching efforts to educate consumers and media about the inner workings of the oil industry, and the costs of producing, shipping, and refining crude. ...

Harris returns as head of comms at General Motors.
February 6, 2006... DETROIT: General Motors has rehired Steve Harris to help hammer out the dents in the corporate nameplate after the company's beating by the press last year. Tom Kowaleski, 54, president of global communications, will step down March 1....

WS working with Pfizer on inhalable insulin launch.
February 6, 2006... NEW YORK: Pfizer is working with Weber Shandwick to launch Exubera, the first inhalable insulin for both juvenile and adult-onset diabetes. The Food and Drug Administration approved Exubera last month, and Pfizer is planning a mid-year...

Media prepare as tech shows plan for '07 duel.
February 6, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO and LAS VEGAS: Two of the biggest events in the technology industry are facing a head-to-head collision next year. In 2007, the Consumer Electronics Show and Macworld will both be held during the second week of January. The...

Adobe taps Text 100 for mobile technology work.(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... SAN JOSE, CA: Adobe Systems has chosen Text 100 to manage PR for its mobile technology in North America. The hire comes on the heels of Adobe's acquisition of Macromedia, a Text 100 client. The software developer, moving deeper into the...

News Brief: Sochi 2014 hires support.
February 6, 2006... SOCHI, RUSSIA: Sochi 2014, Russia's bid to host the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, has hired Weber Shandwick and IMG to support the bid, only four months after initially selecting Burson-Marsteller and Helios Partners for the task....

News Brief: Smoking campaign.
February 6, 2006... WASHINGTON: The American Legacy Foundation is working with the African American Partners for a Tobacco-Free Society, a coalition of six national groups, to launch a public awareness campaign about the importance of smoking cessation. An...

News Brief: Starbucks chooses GFM.
February 6, 2006... DENVER: GroundFloor Media (GFM) has been chosen by Seattle-based Starbucks as its regional agency for Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. GFM will manage local efforts, media relations, product launches, community outreach, and sponsorships.

News Brief: Tamara Wilson adds to roster.
February 6, 2006... SEATTLE: Tamara Wilson Public Relations has added several restaurants to its roster, including McCormick and Schmick's, Morton's Steak House, Fork, and Boka. It has also added engagement ring store E.E. Robbins, fashion retailer Mario's of...

News Brief: Edelman retained.
February 6, 2006... MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA: WiMAX company Aperto Networks has retained Edelman's Silicon Valley office for strategic counsel, media relations, and corporate branding in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the US.

News Brief: PRSA website.
February 6, 2006... NEW YORK: The PRSA's New York Chapter has unveiled a new website at NYPRSA.org, which lets both members and nonmembers register online for events and programs.

News Brief: McCain retains Berkman.
February 6, 2006... VISTA, CA: McCain Inc., which makes hardware and software for traffic management, has retained Berkman Communications to develop and execute a global marketing campaign including branding, advertising, collateral development, and public...

News Brief: Lane adds to roster.
February 6, 2006... PORTLAND, OR: Lane has added three clients to its agency roster: Whole Health Management, which operates onsite health clinics and fitness centers for large self-insured corporations; premium beer brewer Henry Weinhard's; and wiki software...

News Brief: 3 Roads Communications tapped.
February 6, 2006... WASHINGTON: The National Women's History Museum has tapped 3 Roads Communications for strategic communications as the non-profit seeks a permanent site to house its collection.

News Brief: Ogilvy PR new clients.
February 6, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO: Ogilvy PR has two new technology clients. Square Enix has retained the agency to support the expansion of its mobile phone content business, as well as for corporate branding. Able Planet, which makes technologies for people with...

News Brief: Matter InfoMedics AOR.
February 6, 2006... NEWBURYPORT, MA: InfoMedics, which develops tools to improve communications between patients and physicians, has named Matter Communications as its AOR.

Sponsors step up efforts as Olympics approach.
February 6, 2006... NEW YORK: As the Olympic Games in Turin near, corporate sponsors are reaching their own finish line for PR and marketing efforts around the Games. Michael Sherman, VP of corporate communications for Top Olympic Program (TOP) sponsor Visa...

Mercedes launches PR push.
February 6, 2006... MONTVALE, NJ: Mercedes-Benz will increase its PR activity this year, as it aims to promote the first new S-Class in eight years, which rolls into showrooms this week, and the new GL SUV on sale later this year. Geoff Day, director of...

Mayo inks ethnic doll debut.
February 6, 2006... LOS ANGELES: Younique Gemz Dolls has tapped Mayo Communications to launch one of the first dolls for children of multi-ethnic backgrounds. The Toronto-based toy company hired its first agency ahead of this month's American International Toy...

Launch Pad: Frigidaire building up Affinity with celebrity, charity efforts.
February 6, 2006... OBJECTIVE: To build awareness for its new Affinity Front Load laundry products and position itself as the leader in the washing machine market, Frigidaire teamed with the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation for a charity event held at this year's...

PR Play of the Week: Sheehan soldiers on against war.
February 6, 2006... Thus far, the protests against the Iraq War have simply not grabbed American society in the same way that the Vietnam protests did a generation ago. But Cindy Sheehan is doing her best to take us back to the days when peace was a party. ...

RIM keeping quiet amid BlackBerry patent case.
February 6, 2006... WATERLOO, ONTARIO: BlackBerry devices - which allow for wireless access to e-mail and other programs - are so addictive that they're often referred to as CrackBerry. But users might soon find themselves going through withdrawal if parent...

TNS picks Peppercom as its AOR.(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... NEW YORK: TNS, a market information provider, has selected Peppercom as AOR. GolinHarris previously held the account. Katie Zurita, international PR manager for TNS, said the company was looking for an agency to help position all of its...

Woodruff, ABC recovery.
February 6, 2006... Two weekends ago, ABC 'World News Tonight' co-anchor Bob Woodruff was critically injured in Iraq, along with ABC cameraman Doug Vogt. Both are back in the US receiving treatment, but ABC is also trying to recover from the shock. The network,...

Video goes DTC.
February 6, 2006... NEW YORK: Broadcast PR providers are adapting to the changing media climate with tools aimed at bringing video content directly to consumers. Medialink last week announced that it has begun to offer such content on public databases like...

Hagel-Smith enlists MGP.(Mike Paul hired by MGP & Associates PR)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... NEW YORK: Jennifer Hagel-Smith, whose husband disappeared during a Royal Caribbean honeymoon cruise last summer, has hired Mike Paul, president of MGP & Associates PR. 'Any high-profile case like this needs crisis PR, reputation...

Chipotle leads IPO in-house.
February 6, 2006... DENVER: Chipotle Mexican Grill, the McDonald's-owned restaurant group, handled communications in-house for its eagerly awaited late-January IPO. Chris Arnold, whose title with the offbeat chain is 'director of hoopla, hype, and ballyhoo,'...

Confectioners bump up PR brand-building efforts.
February 6, 2006... DALLAS: A slew of confectioners are seeking to build brand awareness through PR this year. Brach's Confections has selected Dallas-based BlueCurrent Public Relations as its first AOR since the company relocated from the Chicago area to its...

News Analysis: Agencies look inside for diversity efforts.
February 6, 2006... Internal units aimed at multicultural consumers are growing in line with the markets they target. The 2000 US Census created a chain reaction in the volatile world of marketing. After it made marketers realize there were more than just...

Analysis: Newsmaker - Ververs helps CBS build credibility in public eye.
February 6, 2006... CBS News suffered a huge blow to its credibility after a story about President Bush's service in the National Guard was considered specious by some critics and disingenuously politically motivated by others. In a controversy dubbed...

Companies: Corporate Profile - GE realizes the value of philanthropy.(Company Profile)
February 6, 2006... GE underscores the bottom-line impact of Ecomagination in order to sell it to stakeholders. Companies are often disparaged for CSR efforts that lack teeth. Critics peg them as an afterthought, or a haphazard Band-Aid on an ailing image....

Companies: The Agency Business - Thought leadership can put firms top of mind.(awarness seminar )
February 6, 2006... Although agencies use thought-leadership events to promote clients, they're also finding that sponsoring these forums can yield high dividends for the firm. 'We do a variety of small events where the objective is to create awareness around...

Editorial: Bush's speech puts oil company PR on notice.(Editorial)
February 6, 2006... State of the Union addresses are ritualistic and often insubstantial. Still, oil company communicators must assume they'll have to respond if their companies and clients are in the line of fire of the President's mission. The spotlight,...

Op-Ed: Davos puts PR firmly on the map.
February 6, 2006... The World Economic Forum's 36th annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, last week again offered a snow-framed setting for passionate engagement among business titans, activists, government officials, media, and celebrities. Those in PR can...

Opinion: Citibank is not on the money with 'Live Richly' campaign.
February 6, 2006... This morning I caught sight of a Citibank ad on a billboard near the East River, which says something about how one never loses a friend between sofa cushions. The illusion of intimacy is what attracts the eye - Citi is relating to me, wants to...

Paul Holmes: Addressing credibility issues key to grasping PR's potential.
February 6, 2006... A little more than four years ago, I was invited to contribute my thoughts to PRWeek on a weekly basis. Since then, I've penned 200 of these columns. Sometimes it was difficult to come up with something new to say every week. More often - as...

Fact File: Markets take stock of Federal Reserve as Greenspan exits.
February 6, 2006... In the news Alan Greenspan last Tuesday stepped down as chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve. The influential Greenspan ended his fifth term by raising the US interest rate for the 14th consecutive time. He achieved...

Media: Analysis - 'Journal' rewrites its traditional image.
February 6, 2006... The Wall Street Journal wants to be your friend. Very much so. It's becoming a little creepy, in fact. The paper is like your boss at work - smart, well-connected, highly respected, passing judgment from afar - who suddenly asks you to hang out...

Media: Journalist Q&A - Bobby Cuza, NY1.(Panel Discussion)
February 6, 2006... Title: Transit reporter Preferred contact method: bobby.cuza@ny1news.com Web site: www.ny1.com PRWeek: How did you get started covering transit? Bobby Cuza: I started covering transit when I was at Newsday, and I was recruited to...

Media: Research - Online viral marketing.
February 6, 2006... Conducted by: SharpePartners Sample: 1,071 US adults over the age of 18 Goal: SharpePartners wanted to gain insight into online consumers' involvement with viral marketing 63% share content via e-mail at least one time a week 75%...

Media Roundup: Family life finds a home in all outlets.
February 6, 2006... Whether it's excessive boasting about your kids, the impact of cheating on US schoolchildren, or the age-old challenge of juggling work and home responsibilities, the media can't seem to find enough family-life topics to write about these days....

Media: Media Ups and Downs.(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... Christine Amanpour has her 'Cronkite' moment and calls the war in Iraq a 'disaster' after ABC News co-anchor Bob Woodruff is injured by a roadside bomb. Oscar nominations reward movies with smaller budgets and controversial social and...

Media: Inside Information - Smart agencies are waking up to the wiki's advantages.
February 6, 2006... A wiki is a web site that allows users to collaboratively add and edit content. From the Hawaiian word meaning quick, fast, or to hasten, it can do just that to the most mundane PR tasks, from editing press releases to updating media lists....

Media: Critical Hit - TraceSecurity captures NBC's eye.
February 6, 2006... What were TraceSecurity's media goals? David Splivalo: TraceSecurity is a Baton Rouge, LA-based supplier of security-compliance software and services that helps midsize banks and credit unions protect sensitive data and adhere to government...

Feature: Lessons learned from Brussels.
February 6, 2006... The EU proved its might a few years ago by vetoing a megamerger. Now, public affairs pros are adapting to a new world. More than four years ago, many in American business awoke to the power of the European Union, when the proposed...

Cover Story: When research made a difference.
February 6, 2006... Research is an integral part of any communications program, and smart agencies have built proprietary tools to help inform and shape PR programs at every stage. Craig McGuire reports. Once dismissed as mere 'pitch toys,' the proprietary...

PR Technique: Getting the numbers in the news.
February 6, 2006... Newswire companies can help clients avoid the pitfalls of disclosing financial details. When it comes to disseminating a public company's financial information, getting it right will earn a light pat on the back. But thanks to Securities...

Campaign: Sun conveys its cultural impact.
February 6, 2006... STRATEGY The company did an 'incredible' amount of soul-searching, adds Kahn, spending six months honing the messaging that eventually became 'The Participation Age.' Sun sought to raise awareness of the evolution of its technology...

Campaign: RI domestic violence group boosts budget, awareness.
February 6, 2006... STRATEGY Thanks to partnerships and more concentrated fundraising, RICDV's Domestic Violence Awareness Month campaign budget grew by dollars 170,000. Two years ago, its AOR, The Link Agency, crafted a campaign that 'was image-based...

Campaign: Visual appeal gets pizza show bigger slice of airtime.(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... STRATEGY The objective was twofold: Draw attention to a trade show that would attract pizza owners, and generate awareness that demonstrates PMQ's commitment to the pizza industry. 'Our strategy was to take advantage of the public's...

Careers: Expert Advice - Donna Renella, HR director, Weber Shandwick.
February 6, 2006... What resources help you find a mid-level employee with a culturally diverse background? A: Personal connections are the best ways to find employees with any level of experience. The best way to get people is to already have people. There...

Careers: People Moves - Edelman.(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... NEW YORK: Edelman has hired Kenneth Dutcher as EVP and global CFO. He will be responsible for Edelman and Zeno Group's global financial operations. Dutcher joins from Euro RSCG, where he was SVP and CFO. He replaces Meredith Mendes, who left...

Careers: People Moves - The National Center for Lesbian Rights.
February 6, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO: The National Center for Lesbian Rights has named Calla Devlin as communications director. She joins from Landis Communications, where she was an SAE. Devlin has also worked for Chronicle Books and HarperCollins.

Careers: People Moves - YouTube.
February 6, 2006... SAN MATEO, CA: Julie Supan has joined video-sharing start-up YouTube as senior director of marketing. She joins from YouTube's agency Zeno Group, where she was a VP.

Careers: People Moves - The American Society of Travel Agents.
February 6, 2006... ALEXANDRIA, VA: The American Society of Travel Agents has hired Ayanna Canty as its director of communications. Canty was previously a communications manager at the United Negro College Fund, where she managed media relations outreach for the...

Careers: People Moves - Booms Research & Consulting.(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... ALEXANDRIA, VA: Jason Booms, former SVP and director of research for Edelman's StrategyOne arm, has started his own agency, Booms Research & Consulting. The firm will combine the 'science of polling with the art of strategic communications,'...

Careers: People Moves - Yamaha Marine Group.
February 6, 2006... KENNESAW, GA: Martin Peters, manager of corporate communications for Porsche, is leaving the automaker after a six-year tenure. He will take a position as communications and dealer education manager for Yamaha Marine Group, a new department...

Careers: People Moves - Weber Shandwick.(Jeremy Pepper appointed as group manager)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO: Jeremy Pepper has joined Weber Shandwick's Northern California team as a group manager, focusing on online communications strategies for clients including Cisco Systems, BEA Systems, and Hitachi America. Pepper was previously...

Careers: People Moves - Chamberlain Communications Group.
February 6, 2006... NEW YORK: David Kyne has joined Chamberlain Communications Group as SVP to lead the agency's global efforts for Prexige, a COX-2 pain reliever from Novartis. He joins from GCI Group, where he was SVP and global relationship manager for the...

Careers: People Moves - Hass MS&L.
February 6, 2006... ANN ARBOR, MI: Hass MS&L has made two senior level hires. Chris Poterala, a former senior technologist at TEKGroup, will serve as director of MediaQuotient, the agency's online media monitoring division. Steve Moazami, who was previously a...

Careers: People Moves - Weber Shandwick.
February 6, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO: Katie Huang Shin has joined Weber Shandwick as an SVP in the technology practice. She joins from the Horn Group, where she was MD of the San Francisco office.

NEI effort aims to build support, nuclear plants.
February 13, 2006... WASHINGTON: The nuclear energy industry is launching its largest national PR campaign in years next month in an effort to build support for nuclear power as a clean energy. The push follows the Bush administration's January announcement of...

Circumstances unclear in exit of Tyco comms SVP.(Charles Young leaves)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... PRINCETON, NJ: Tyco confirmed Wednesday that SVP of marketing and communications Charles Young left the company. Tyco VP of media relations Sheri Woodruff would not comment on the reason for Young's departure or say whether he was fired....

Edelman to handle Pfizer's smoking-cessation drug.
February 13, 2006... NEW YORK: Pfizer has selected Edelman to handle US and global outreach for Champix, a smoking-cessation drug touted as a possible blockbuster. Chandler Chicco Agency (CCA) previously held the account for the drug, known generically as...

Critics blast Apple for ignoring iPod problems.
February 13, 2006... CUPERTINO, CA: Apple Computer's stunning success with the iPod may have finally hit a bad note. Apple easily dominates the digital-music market. The company has sold 42 million iPods, 76% of them in 2005 alone. The skyrocketing sales...

Rooftop assists Christian coalition's outreach effort.(Rooftop MediaWorks and Evangelical Climate Initiative)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... WASHINGTON: The Evangelical Climate Initiative (ECI), a coalition of 85 prominent evangelical Christian leaders, last week launched a three-pronged PR and ad push targeting the religious, political, and environmental media and communities. ...

News Brief: Obituary - Kevin Olchawa.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
February 13, 2006... CHICAGO: Kevin Olchawa, an SVP at Edelman, died of cancer on February 2 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Olchawa, 33, worked on such accounts as Axe Deodorant Body Spray, Microsoft's Encarta, Harley-Davidson, and 'Got Milk?' His son Gavin was...

News Brief: 'PR Professional Experience'.
February 13, 2006... NEW YORK: The US Postal Service is launching an effort, 'PR Professional Experience,' in which teams of college students from the area vie to create the best campaign touting the USPS's online products NetPost, Click-N-Ship, and Direct Mail....

News Brief: KCSA Worldwide AOR.
February 13, 2006... NEW YORK: Real Torino, an Italian food retailer best known for creating Grissini breadsticks, has selected KCSA Worldwide as its AOR. KCSA will help launch new pastas, sauces, desserts, and appetizers, as well as promote the company's pasta.com...

News Brief: Neopublic Porter Novelli.(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... NEW YORK: Porter Novelli has formed a partnership with Prague-based PR firm Neopublic, part of PN's efforts to extend its presence in central Europe. Now branded Neopublic Porter Novelli, the firm is a sister agency to a same-named firm in...

News Brief: Nicholson Kovac retained.
February 13, 2006... MINNEAPOLIS: Lawn-Boy, one of the US' oldest lawn-care companies, has retained Nicholson Kovac to promote its mowing products this spring.

News Brief: Hamilton LPGA agency.
February 13, 2006... NEW YORK: The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) has tapped The Hamilton Group as its principal PR agency. The firm, which has worked with the LPGA on a project basis since February 2004, will focus mainly on raising the profile of...

News Brief: Chen adds clients.
February 13, 2006... WALTHAM, MA: Chen PR has added two clients: Meridio, which develops electronic-document and records-management software for Microsoft platforms; and Viola Networks, which develops voice-over Internet protocol management technology for...

News Brief: Trylon selected.
February 13, 2006... NEW YORK: RedDot Solutions, an enterprise content management software provider, has selected Trylon Communications as its AOR.

News Brief: PepperDigital launch.
February 13, 2006... NEW YORK: Peppercom has launched PepperDigital, a service intended to help clients understand the interactive marketing and new media landscape. The offerings include corporate blog and podcast development, mobile (text message) campaigns,...

News Brief: Brodeur operations.
February 13, 2006... BOSTON: Brodeur is expanding its operations in India through a strategic alignment with sister Omnicom agency TBWA's PR operations there. The move rebrands the ad agency's PR division Brodeur India and will allow Brodeur to move into six...

News Brief: Ogilvy PR clients.
February 13, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO: Ogilvy PR has added three clients in the security and enterprise technology markets: Biometric Security, AlertSite, and PortAuthority Technologies.

Edelman, Ketchum feel burn of exec turnover.
February 13, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK: Two large agencies are witnessing turnovers in their senior ranks that speak to the difficulty of keeping top-level spots occupied. Just five months after joining Edelman, Warren Egnal has stepped down from his...

Dowie amends claim in suit.(Doug Dowie)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... LOS ANGELES: Doug Dowie, former GM of Fleishman-Hillard's LA office - and one of three former executives indicted on federal charges of overbilling LA's Department of Water and Power on a PR contract - earlier this month filed an amended...

Hard Rock Hotels taps DKC.
February 13, 2006... NEW YORK: Dan Klores Communications has picked up an account to help boost the image of Hard Rock Hotels worldwide. The agency won an RFP late last year and began work in January, according to DKC's EVP of hospitality and lifestyle, Diane...

Launch Pad: Effort aims to increase national taste for Washington wines.
February 13, 2006... Organization: Washington Wine Commission (WWC) Campaign: Surf & Turf PR Team: WWC and Edelman (advertising only) Other marketing: Advertising, event marketing Launching: February 2006 Budget: dollars 385,000 IDEA: WWC selected...

PR Play of the Week: Kristof wins latest round vs. O'Reilly.
February 13, 2006... For just pennies a day - less than the price of a cup of coffee - you can help the poverty-stricken, war-torn nation of Sudan - By sending Bill O'Reilly there. Whether such a trip would benefit us or the Sudanese more is debatable. But...

CDC set to hire roster of agencies.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... WASHINGTON: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to hire a roster of agencies under a seven-year health marketing communications contract. The RFP is expected on or around February 16. There are no incumbents on the...

Who's missing in this shot?(Jack Abramoff )(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... Photos exist with both Jack Abramoff and President Bush, which the White House acknowledges, but refuses to release to the media. Last week, a blog called ThinkProgress reported that Abramoff sent e-mails to Washingtonian editor Kim Eisler...