PR Week (US) articles from January 2008

PR Week (US) archives from January 2008

'Waterboarding' videos put CIA in crisis mode.
January 7, 2008... WASHINGTON: The CIA has sought to counter criticism in the media in connection to the video-tape destruction scandal, with the Justice Department having launched a criminal investigation last week. The crisis began last month when it was...

Cone wins Timberland task.(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... STRATHAM, NH: Timberland has selected Cone as its AOR for corporate communications after a competitive review for the six-figure account. Cone EVP Mike Lawrence said the firm will focus on developing strategy and communications for the...

PRN purchases Hispanic media services for dollars 5.5m.
January 7, 2008... NEW YORK: PR Newswire has acquired Hispanic PR Wire, LatinClips, and Hispanic Digital Network for dollars 5.5 million. The deal unites two long-time newswire-service competitors. x 'We have been arch rivals with (PRN) for years,' said...

Lifetime unveils broad media blitz for 'Naked'.
January 7, 2008... NEW YORK: Lifetime Television's publicity department began a multi-week media effort to generate buzz for its new show How to Look Good Naked. The network pointed out that the run-up to the January 4 premiere is its largest ever for any...

Wikimedia launches new open-source search engine.
January 7, 2008... SAN MATEO, CA: Wikia, the for-profit counterpart to the Wikimedia Foundation, has debuted an open-source search engine that hopes to eventually compete with industry heavyweights like Google and Yahoo. Bite Communications is working with...

Karisma Marketing selects Formula.(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... SAN DIEGO: Karisma Marketing has selected Formula to promote its line of resorts and hotels throughout Riviera Maya, Mexico. The agency will be charged with running a national PR effort designed to build awareness in the US and Canada for...

Sybase shareholders challenge.
January 7, 2008... DUBLIN, CA: Sybase has tapped Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher to work on communications issues surrounding a challenge it faces from shareholder Sandell Asset Management. The software company's second largest shareholder is challenging...

Business wire opens full-service office.(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... TORONTO: Business Wire has opened a full-service office in Toronto's financial district. BW has been serving the Canadian market since the early 1980s through affiliations with other service providers The new office will now provide Canadian...

Visan selects Thomas PR as AOR.
January 7, 2008... PHILADELPHIA: Visan, the California-based creator of digital imaging technology, has selected Thomas PR as its AOR. Visan is the creator of RocketLife, which uses a patent-pending Web application, 3D Digital Merchandising, to create and share...

FaceTime Stratergy opens in Washington.
January 7, 2008... WASHINGTON: FaceTime Strategy, a new full service agency focusing on online communications, has opened its doors in Washington. Todd Mason is the firm's CEO and Christopher Yoko will serve as MD of DC operations

Stanwood & Partners acquired by Carmichael Lynch Spong.
January 7, 2008... MINNEAPOLIS: Carmichael Lynch Spong has acquired Jackson, WY-based Stanwood & Partners for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition gives CLS 11 new staff members, as well as new offices in Jackson and Boston Stanwood president Carson Stanwood...

JS2 Communications announces three new clients.(Paperfish)(The Prime Rib)( Literati II)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... LOS ANGELES: JS2 Communications has announced that it has added three restaurant accounts to its food and beverage division: Paperfish in Beverly Hills, CA; the original Beverly Hills location of Lawry's The Prime Rib; and Literati 2 in...

John Bailey & Associates adds two new clients.
January 7, 2008... TROY, MI: John Bailey & Associates has added two new clients to its roster: Saleen and T-Systems. The clients are industry leaders in the automotive specialty vehicle and information technology sectors

FD acquires K Capital Source.
January 7, 2008... DUBLIN: FD has acquired Irish financial communications and IR advisory firm K Capital Source, whose clients include Aer Lingus and Independent News & Media. K Capital also has clients located in global markets and advises quoted companies in...

The Common Ground Alliance taps MGH to promote 811.(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... BALTIMORE: The Common Ground Alliance has tapped MGH to promote 811, the national 'call before you dig' number and its complementary Web site. The number was launched to help protect people from accidentally hitting underground utility lines...

New LCV push targets TV political journalists.
January 7, 2008... WASHINGTON: The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has launched a grassroots campaign directed at television political journalists the group claims have mostly ignored the issue of climate change during the 2008 primary season. The LCV...

Wal-Mart group goes in-house.
January 7, 2008... BENTONVILLE, AR: Working Families for Wal-Mart (WFWM), the Edelman-run group designed to serve as a positive public face composed of supporters of the retailer, is shifting to a completely in-house endeavor. The company characterized the move...

Don King lends Komen a hand.(Susan G. Komen for the Cure)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... NEW YORK: Don King is lending his celebrity to the cause of breast cancer as the boxing promoter, along with fighters Felix Trinidad and Roy Jones Jr., have teamed up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to raise awareness around the disease in the...

Launch Pad: Crowne Plaza looks to drive its brand with Mickelson meeting.(Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... OBJECTIVE: Looking to build on the momentum generated by last year's 'The Place to Meet' marketing campaign, this year the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts launched the 'A Meeting with Phil (Mickelson)' initiative. Gina LaBarre, VP of brand...

Opinion: Huckabee's ad 'debut' tests definition of news.(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... The election year is officially upon us. With it, come the dirty tricks and games that politicians inevitably play in their mutual massage with the national media. The first example of 2008 came from Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor...

Op-Ed: Getting the most out of your e-mail.
January 7, 2008... Among the most essential tools for PR pros today is e-mail Unfortunately, too many of them are unaware of basic steps that can increase the delivery rate, improve campaign success, and beat the junk-mail folder. Most importantly, e-mails...

Opinion: The media is doing the public no favors by overplaying Iowa.
January 7, 2008... The knives are out for one of the most established entities this political season. Both key members of the media and much of the populace have apparently turned against an organization that seemed destined for four more years of the status quo....

Opinion: Messages go long way toward predicting candidates' success.
January 7, 2008... Happy New Year! As you read this, you already know the winners of the Iowa caucuses, but, as I write it, those caucuses are still a week away. So, using this column to make Iowa predictions would be rather foolish, don't you think? Instead, let...

Fact File: HarperCollins, MySpace book a place on teen readers' radar.(MySpace.com Inc.)
January 7, 2008... In the news HarperTeen, a HarperCollins Publishers unit, has teamed with MySpace to launch the interactive page MySpace/HarperTeen. The page targets teen readers seeking to connect through message boards and forums, read author blogs, and...

Editors' Choice 2008 Da Vinci Project: The change agent.(WPP Group PLC)(Company overview)
January 7, 2008... Dell's expectations for the new super agency Da Vinci are quite high, meaning the marketing world is going to be watching very closely to see if the WPP firm can actually succeed. Profiles and analysis by Keith O'Brien, Erica Iacono, and PRWeek...

Editors' choice 2008: Who to watch.
January 7, 2008... PRWeek's staff looks to the future to pick the agencies, individuals, and companies that will be making news in the upcoming year. AGENCIES Burson-Marsteller In 2007, Burson-Marsteller seemed to be the go-to agency for...

Market Focus: A true test for financial firms.
January 7, 2008... A strong communications function and solid messaging is crucial for all companies in the sector - even those not directly affected by the sub-prime meltdown. In July, two of the nation's oldest financial institutions merged: The Bank of...

PR Technique: Working with a group of influencers.
January 7, 2008... It requires a nuanced, well-crafted approach to connect with the newspapers' editorial boards. Consolidation, competition, and declining readership may plague newspapers, but the editorial page still influences opinion leaders and...

Campaigns: PAMA study revives awnings.(Professional Awning Manufacturers Association)(Risdall McKinney Public Relations)
January 7, 2008... PAMA The Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA) seeks to establish its 300-plus businesses as preferred awning sources. PAMA knew the general public viewed awnings as old-fashioned. So in 2006, 181 members funded a...

Campaigns: FLW's Fantasy Fishing site lures thousands of players.
January 7, 2008... FLW OUtdoors PR Team: FLW Outdoors (Benton, KY) and Carmichael Lynch Spong (Minneapolis) Campaign: FLW Fantasy Fishing Duration: August to Dec. 2007 Budget: Less than dollars 150,000 The company wanted to build awareness for its...

Campaigns: Health Alliance screenings reach beyond expectations.(National Alliance for Hispanic Health )(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... Hispanic health alliance PR Team: National Alliance for Hispanic Health; The 2050 Group; Edelman (all Washington) Campaign: 2007 Summer Hispanic Heart Health Campaign Duration: May to November 2007 Budget: About dollars 120,000 ...

PR Toolbox: Government-targeted efforts, college-market outreach, more.
January 7, 2008... Government outreach What do I need to know about creating a successful PR campaign for companies targeting the government? The US federal government is one of the world's largest customers, particularly when it comes to technology...

Careers: Expert Advice - Steve Seeman, VP Makovsky & Company.
January 7, 2008... As you bring in candidates for posts at various levels, do you require them to take writing tests?. A: Based on my firm's practices, it's good to ask candidates from entry level to VP to take writing tests. The tests differ based on level,...

People Moves: Englander & Associates.(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... LOS ANGELES: Englander & Associates has named Ruben Gonzalez as a partner at the firm. For the past 19 months, Gonzalez has worked as SVP at Englander, providing strategic counsel in the areas of public, government, and media affairs. As a...

People Moves: FEMA.
January 7, 2008... WASHINGTON: Jonathan Thompson, previously deputy assistant defense secretary for public affairs, has been named director of external affairs at FEMA, succeeding John 'Pat' Philbin. The FEMA public affairs department had been temporarily under...

People Moves: Allen & Overy.
January 7, 2008... NEW YORK: Jaime Bruck, the former manager of PR at law firm Thacher Proffitt & Wood, has joined Allen & Overy as its new US PR and communications manager

People Moves: Watts Partners.
January 7, 2008... WASHINGTON: Holly Pitt Young has joined government and corporate affairs firm Watts Partners as a partner. Young will be responsible for building advocacy programs and fundraising for political action committees, non-profit organizations,...

People Moves: WeissComm Partners.
January 7, 2008... NEW YORK: WeissComm Partners, an independent agency focused on healthcare, has hired Tony Esposito as its CFO. Esposito joins the agency from Ruder Finn, where he served in the same capacity for a decade

People Moves: Euro RSCG Worldwide PR.
January 7, 2008... NEW YORK: Euro RSCG Worldwide PR has promoted Andrea Morgan to EVP, MD of consumer brands for North America. Morgan had previously served as SVP in the brand consumer group

People Moves: Tribune Company.
January 7, 2008... CHICAGO: Dennis FitzSimons, CEO of Tribune Company, has left the company upon completion of billionaire Sam Zell's purchase. Zell, who is taking the media conglomerate private, will become chairman of the board. The new CEO has not yet been...

People Moves: Taylor.
January 7, 2008... CHARLOTTE: Kurt Culbert, former manager of marketing PR for Sprint Nextel's NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, has joined Taylor as an account director. He will work with the firm's various motorsports clients, as well as several business development...

People Moves: Porter Novelli.
January 7, 2008... SAN DIEGO and BOSTON: Porter Novelli has appointed Lynne Brum to EVP in the Life Sciences division. She will report to Carin Canale, president of Porter Novelli Life Sciences. Previously, Brum spent 13 years at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, most...

Many happy returns.(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... In a move that lifted spirits far more than Carson Daly's early return, David Letterman's show came back last week without having to cross picket lines; his company reached an exclusive deal with striking writers. He even had some read out a...

HP selects Edelman to spearhead PSG comms.
January 21, 2008... PALO ALTO, CA: Hewlett-Packard has selected Edelman to handle the majority of communications for its personal systems group (PSG) as part of the division's strategy to expand into the social media sphere and target college-aged consumers. ...

GM lauds tech features in outreach push for OnStar.
January 21, 2008... DETROIT: GM's communications team is increasing outreach to tech audiences after CEO Rick Wagoner unveiled potential updates to its OnStar feature at the Consumer Electronics Show. Plans are underway to develop the technology so the...

AstraZeneca chooses firm for its respiratory franchise.
January 21, 2008... NEW YORK: AstraZeneca (AZ) has chosen Edelman as PR agency for its respiratory franchise. AZ heard pitches from multiple agencies in early December before picking Edelman, an agency it already works with on a number of fronts. Michele...

AAA touts car safety seats in national effort.
January 21, 2008... WASHINGTON: Many AAA chapters nationally are launching events and conducting media outreach this month to promote the importance of car safety seats and to advocate for stronger laws within individual states. At a press event scheduled for...

NexCen appoints Ogilvy for multiple comms tasks.
January 21, 2008... ATLANTA: Brand acquisition and management company NexCen has named Ogilvy PR Worldwide corporate AOR and lead agency for all of its franchise management brands, which include MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery, Marble Slab Creamery,...

The Brunswick Group works with Tommy Hilfiger.
January 21, 2008... NEW YORK: The Brunswick Group has been working with clothing-design company Tommy Hilfiger both in the US and Europe for several months, according to sources. Last week, news about Tommy Hilfiger's plans for a forthcoming IPO in Amsterdam...

Maroon Public Relations adds new clients.
January 21, 2008... MARRIOTTSVILLE, MD: Maroon Public Relations has added four new clients. The firm will serve as the AOR for USA Football, Ultimate Baseball Online, Ripken Quickball, and Renegade. Maroon will conduct media relations, social media campaigns,...

Alison Brod AOR for Tasti D-Lite.
January 21, 2008... NEW YORK: Tasti D-Lite has named Alison Brod PR as AOR. The firm will support all PR for Tasti D-Lite's upcoming expansion, new product launches, celebrity programs, and other corporate initiatives

MacKenzie Agency AOR for Lundberg Family Farms.
January 21, 2008... SONOMA COUNTY, CA: Lundberg Family Farms, a producer of sustainably farmed and organic rice and rice products, has named MacKenzie Agency PR AOR. The firm will raise awareness of Lundberg's history as a family-owned brand and its environmental...

Rubenstein Public Relations retains accounts.
January 21, 2008... NEW YORK: Rubenstein Public Relations has retained the following new accounts: Capstone Equities, Mareazul, Angsana Samana Bay, and Prodigy International. Capstone is a real-estate investment firm Mareazul is a residential real-estate...

Cece Feinberg to represent Magnes Sisters.(Brief article)
January 21, 2008... NEW YORK: Cece Feinberg PR will represent Magnes Sisters, a New York-based line of designer handbags. Beginning this month, the firm will launch an ongoing media campaign to promote Magnes as a leader in the fashion accessories market. The new...

Dukas PR expands with new clients.
January 21, 2008... NEW YORK: Dukas PR has expanded its tech practice with four new clients: Auctionblip, Buy At, Sepaton, and Zeta Interactive. The firm also recently signed two emerging, but unidentified, tech startups

Solazyme hires Peppercom.
January 21, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO: Solazyme, a biology company specializing in renewable energy, has hired Peppercom to conduct its national media relations campaign, create new positioning and messaging for the company, and provide event planning and logistical...

Eldorado Stone expands relationship with Merlot Marketing.
January 21, 2008... SACRAMENTO, CA: Eldorado Stone, a manufacturer of architectural stone veneer, has expanded its relationship with Merlot Marketing to include PR. Eldorado has previously worked with Merlot for ad campaigns Merlot will introduce and advance the...

Northlich launches new corporate practice.
January 21, 2008... CINCINNATI: Northlich has launched a new corporate sustainability practice to help clients create, communicate, and manage the potential opportunities and pitfalls of socially and environmentally responsible programs. This practice offers...

HealthCentral Network launches interactive site.
January 21, 2008... WASHINGTON: The HealthCentral Network has launched Healthcare08, an interactive Web site designed to help users make sense of where the presidential candidates stand on health-related issues. The company, a provider of Web sites geared towards...

S&S creates educational tool.
January 21, 2008... NEW YORK: Simon & Schuster (S&S) Children's Publishing has paired with Ball State University to utilize the college's Electronic Field Trips program, bringing the publisher's authors to the Web and US classrooms. The program, dubbed...

MoD unveils rebranding push.(March of Dimes)(Brief article)
January 21, 2008... NEW YORK: The March of Dimes (MoD) has kicked off 2008 by launching a branding campaign to remind the public just what the organization does. Last week, the baby-health-focused nonprofit announced the effort by unveiling its new logo and...

Launch Pad: FunkySexyCool brings more romance to America's youth.
January 21, 2008... OBJECTIVE: FunkySexyCool (FSC) is taking on one of the most potent, yet subtle drivers behind the social networking craze - young people seeking romance. Established social networking sites don't actively enable romantic relationships and...

UNCF outreach points to different school role.
January 21, 2008... FAIRFAX, VA: The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) on Thursday unveiled a new logo and accompanying branding campaign intended to convey the continuing importance and relevance of the nation's largest provider of minority scholarships. ...

CH introduces site.
January 21, 2008... COLUMBIA, SC: Collexis Holdings (CH), developer of search and knowledge discovery software, has joined Dell Health Care and Life Sciences (DHCLS) to create a social media network for the life sciences. BioMedExperts launched on January 11...

WS picks up added work for Sylvania.(Weber Shandwick)(Brief article)
January 21, 2008... DANVERS, MA: Osran Sylvania is expanding the relationship it began with Weber Shandwick last year by awarding the agency a six-figure account to lead consumer and trade PR for 2008. Stephanie Anderson, chief corporate spokesperson at...

DC 100 years from now?
January 21, 2008... Rubenstein Associates assisted The History Channel in promoting its series City of the Future: A Design and Engineering Challenge, whereby eight architectural teams competed on January 15 at DC's Union Station to build models of how the city...

PR Play of the Week: Insulting ad necessitates quick U-turn.
January 21, 2008... It used to be selling cars involved nothing more than selling cars. You talk up the engine, the paint job, and the tires. You toss in some chrome tailfins and fuzzy dice, and you have a deal. Now, it seems the car-sales business is going...

NBC, MSN team up on 'Loser' push.
January 21, 2008... NEW YORK: NBC has launched a cross-promotional Web site, city tour, and contest in an effort to unite thousands of Americans, urging them to lose a million pounds while following its show The Biggest Loser. NBC - working with Microsoft's...

Animal Planet presents new face to the world.
January 21, 2008... SILVER SPRING, MD: Discovery Channel programming staple Animal Planet is launching a major rebranding effort in February, shedding its soft and furry side for programming and an image with more bite. Facing stagnant ratings, the 11-year-old...

News Analysis: Blu-ray takes the lead on HD DVD loss.
January 21, 2008... Scuttling of HD DVD deal by Warner Bros. places long format fight onto imbalanced terrain. Earlier this month, Warner Bros. announced its decision to withdraw its support of Toshiba's HD DVD format in favor of Sony's Blu-ray disc. The...

Newsmaker: Thornton helps Unify to weather the storm.
January 21, 2008... Unify Corporation in 2000 became one of the earliest companies to be entangled in this decade's spate of accounting scandals. But the enterprise software firm stabilized by 2003 and last year posted its highest financials since the crisis. ...

Companies: Corporate Profile - Hormel's outreach bridges old and new.(Hormel Foods Corp.)(Company overview)
January 21, 2008... From its iconic Spam to new Web sites, the 116-year-old company's PR plans continue to evolve. SPAm, the blue-tinned, canned meat is a familiar sight to many customers. Introduced in 1937, it is just one of many brands that have become a...

Companies: The Agency Business - It pays in many ways to be part of a network.
January 21, 2008... Multinational PR firms have long used their geographic reach and breadth of services as a key tool in winning competitive pitches. In fact, while some would rather not say it, the generic 'dots on a map' approach has won many a pitch by...

Editorial: America's TV viewers a challenge for tech stars.(Editorial)
January 21, 2008... Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's 23-year-old CEO, is a star in tech circles. The Web site he founded as a student is considered one of the hottest properties on the Internet, with one of the most demographically desirable user bases to be found...

Op-Ed: Take media training a step further.
January 21, 2008... Once upon a time, 'PR land' citizens had actual journalistic experience. That changed as communications schools flourished, turning out thousands who entered PR with diplomas in hand. Lacking 'field experience' in the news business, these...

Opinion: In changing broadcast climate, influence must trump numbers.
January 21, 2008... Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with sales executives from a broadcast PR firm. We discussed the trends they are seeing from clients and across the industry as a whole. It certainly is not a secret that the broadcast PR industry has...

During crises, leaders have to provide company perspective.
January 21, 2008... When it comes to crises, most would prefer Henry Kissinger's sentiment, 'There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.' Those were the cheeky good old days. Now, life for communicators consists of full schedules due to the...

Fact File: Steroid scandal gains steam upon entering hip-hop arena.
January 21, 2008... In the news Professional athletes aren't the only celebrities receiving scrutiny over their use of illegal steroids, a new investigation revealed. Hip-hop and R&B entertainers such as 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige (pictured below), Wyclef Jean,...

Media: Analysis - Getting less from more primary debates.
January 21, 2008... Though sad for fans of Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Duncan Hunter, and other no-hopers in the race, the winnowing down of presidential candidates as the primary season progresses is probably good news for fans of TV debates. Along with...

Media: Journalist Q&A - Connie Swaim, Antique Week.
January 21, 2008... Name: Connie Swaim Title: Managing editor Outlet: Antique Week Preferred contact method: connie@antiqueweek.com Web site: www.antiqueweek.com PRWeek: Did you have a background in antiques? Connie Swaim: I do, yes. My parents...

Media: Research - Economic freedom of nations.
January 21, 2008... Conducted by: The Heritage Foundation and Dow Jones Sample: 157 countries worldwide Goal: To rank the relative economic freedom of each country KEY FINDINGS: 17 countries worldwide enjoyed high 'investment freedom,' ranking over 80%...

Media: Roundup - Job market still keeps the press busy.
January 21, 2008... The business media may currently be focused on fears of a potential economic slowdown, but one area where a slump is not being felt is in the coverage of employment and the job market. 'We may be in a slight recession, but the job market is...

Media: Critical Hit - Montreal explores 'Nylon' lifestyle.
January 21, 2008... Who is your client and what are their media goals? Lisa Caruso: We've been working with Tourisme Montreal since January 2007, and their primary goal is to get their coverage off of the travel pages and into more lifestyle feature stories,...

Media: Ups and Downs.(Brief article)
January 21, 2008... London tabloid The Evening Standard introduces a touch-card system that readers will now be able to use in order to purchase the newspaper from newsstands Former New York Times editor Howell Raines begins writing a media column in...