PR Week (US) articles from March 2006

PR Week (US) archives from March 2006

AOL, advocacy groups at odds over Goodmail.(America Online Inc.)
March 6, 2006... NEW YORK: AOL and advocacy groups are increasing communications efforts as they go head to head over AOL's Goodmail certified e-mail push, which opponents dub an 'e-mail tax.' Advocacy groups, including the Gun Owners of America (GOA),...

Tyco pulls internship funding.(Tyco International Ltd.)
March 6, 2006... PRINCETON, NJ: Tyco International is canceling its final year of commitment to a minority internship program with the Lagrant Foundation and asking the foundation to pay back dollars 70,000 that would have been spent on the program this year....

WPP PR sector up 18.7%, totals 10% of '05 revenue.
March 6, 2006... LONDON: WPP's PR business grew 18.7% in 2005, representing 10% of the holding company's overall revenue. Deals like its March 2005 acquisition of Grey Global Group also helped boost overall growth, but organic growth in the sector also grew...

Merger with Jericho to bolster Lime's business.
March 6, 2006... NEW YORK: Lime Public Relations & Promotion, a division of Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners, is merging with Jericho Communications. The new group will operate under the Lime name. Claudia Strauss will remain president of Lime, while Eric...

Red Hat taps Greenough to build beyond Linux core.
March 6, 2006... RALEIGH, NC: As open-source company Red Hat moves beyond its roots as a developer of Linux operating system software, it has chosen Greenough Communications as US AOR. Red Hat previously worked with Racepoint Group, a union that ended in...

News brief: Reynolds chooses AOR.(Reynolds Consumer Products, authorised organizational representative)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2006... CHICAGO: Packaged goods company Reynolds Consumer Products, a division of Alcoa Consumer Products, has selected Manning Selvage & Lee as its AOR. MS&L will work on a number of brands, including Reynolds Wrap, Reynolds FunShapes Baking Cups and...

News brief: InfoSpace gets reorganization.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2006... SEATTLE: InfoSpace has merged corporate communications and PR for its search engine and mobile content divisions into one business unit and has promoted Jeff Hasen to director of global PR. As part of this reorganization, it has selected Weber...

News brief: Brandware PR tapped for campaign.
March 6, 2006... NEW YORK: Brandware PR, which specializes in automotive and powersports, has been tapped to provide industry and media relations around the 100th anniversary of the New York City taxi cab in 2007. As part of the campaign, which is spearheaded...

News brief: Decision One Mortgage retains Corder Philips Wilson.
March 6, 2006... CHARLOTTE, NC: Decision One Mortgage has retained Corder Philips Wilson for integrated marketing communications around its residential mortgage program. The agency will kick off the campaign with market research to prepare a strategic PR...

News brief: LoJack Corp chooses agency.
March 6, 2006... BOSTON: LoJack Corp. has selected Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications for public affairs counsel and support. In addition, MasterCard International has renewed its contract with the agency. On behalf of LoJack, Rasky Baerlein will provide...

News brief: Tori Alamaze retains News Wave PR.
March 6, 2006... ATLANTA: Singer/songwriter Tori Alamaze has retained Next Wave PR. Alamaze wrote Don't Cha, a song recorded by the Pussycat Dolls.

News brief: Herbalife chooses Velocity.
March 6, 2006... LOS ANGELES: Herbalife, a provider of nutritional supplements, has selected independent marketing firm Velocity Sports & Entertainment to handle its lifestyle outreach efforts. The Norwalk, CT-based agency will assist in the development of...

News brief: Coherent selects Edelman as AOR.
March 6, 2006... SANTA CLARA, CA: Laser technology company Coherent has selected Edelman as its AOR. The dollars 516 million company develops lasers, laser instruments, and optical devices for commercial and scientific uses. Edelman's Silicon Valley office will...

News brief: Fotolia selects AOR.
March 6, 2006... NEW YORK: Fotolia, a global online marketplace for digital stock images, has chosen Connors Communications as its AOR. Connors will create an integrated online and offline campaign that will combine traditional PR strategies with an organic...

News brief: Altair Nanotechnologies selects The Aker Partners.
March 6, 2006... WASHINGTON: Altair Nanotechnologies has selected The Aker Partners for a national media relations and marketing communications program. Nanotechnology, the study of anything that measures less than 100 billionths of a meter, is a rapidly...

BMW goes on tour to market motorcycle line.
March 6, 2006... WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ: BMW Motorrad USA is launching a PR and traditional marketing and promotional effort to showcase its new dual-purpose R 1200 GS Adventure motorcycle, and the GS line. The effort, 'Make Tracks,' which will employ...

Wal-Mart battles health bill.
March 6, 2006... BENTONVILLE, AR: In speeches, interviews, and opinion pieces, Wal-Mart is stressing that the so-called Fair Share Healthcare bills that are pending in several state legislatures won't increase access to medical insurance. Those bills,...

Microsoft hype feels heat.
March 6, 2006... REDMOND, WA: Microsoft recently launched a teaser campaign for a product code-named Origami, which is rumored to be an iPod-competing, handheld computer. But the loudest critics of the effort have been its employees. The online community...

Launch Pad: Sinclair courts journalists to pique interest in 'Better Sex'.
March 6, 2006... Company: Sinclair Institute Campaign: Better Sex/Sexplorations PR Team: In-house and Trone Public Relations Other marketing: In-house print advertising Launching: February 2006 Budget: Undisclosed IDEA: The campaign mixed...

PR Play of the Week: Young: out of left field to Wal-Mart.
March 6, 2006... Wal-Mart, a company once considered among the least press-friendly operations, has just gotten a lot savvier. As its foes have started extensive online movements like 'Wal-Mart Watch' and 'Wake Up Wal-Mart,' the retailer has started its own...

US division of HCL hires Cunningham.(Citigate Cunningham)(HCL America Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2006... SUNNYVALE, CA: HCL America, the North American division of India-based IT services and outsourcing company HCL Technologies, has selected Citigate Cunningham as its firm in the US. The agency's Cambridge, MA, office will manage the account....

Blogs go Dutch.
March 6, 2006... AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: The Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions chose bloggers instead of traditional media to take on a President's Day weekend jaunt to Amsterdam this year. Now Amsterdam is paying a visit to the bloggers' Web...

Publicis' Denuo agency to tackle media trends.
March 6, 2006... NEW YORK and PARIS: MS&L CEO Mark Hass said he expects to have a collaborative relationship with new Publicis Group sibling Denuo. Launched February 22, Denuo will target the digital, interactive, and mobile communication environment. ...

A stern response to lawsuit.
March 6, 2006... Last week, CBS filed a suit in the New York State Supreme Court charging radio shock jock Howard Stern with breach of contract and fraud, among other things, for spending his last months at CBS radio stations promoting his new deal with Sirius...

Home Depot brings on PN.
March 6, 2006... NEW YORK: The Home Depot has hired Porter Novelli for a year to handle a national media relations campaign corresponding with the company's merchandise calendar. David Sandor, VP of PR for Home Depot, declined to discuss the nature of the...

Lewis launches expansion.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2006... LOS ANGELES and CHICAGO: Lewis PR has ambitious growth plans for 2006, looking to more than double the five US offices the UK-based tech agency already has. The agency is opening an LA office this month to work with digital media...

Delta governors back dollars 1m RFP for diabetes outreach.
March 6, 2006... CLARKSDALE, MS: Governors of eight states in the country's Delta region have put almost dollars 1 million behind an RFP for a diabetes education and outreach program. The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) is trying to reduce the incidence of...

Analysis: News analysis - Faith groups offset film with PR crusade.
March 6, 2006... Religious groups are changing tactics and finding ways to capitalize on faith-based films. Last month, the conservative Roman Catholic order Opus Dei launched an effort to distance itself from its historical association with Silas,...

Analysis: Newsmaker - Weiskopf's composure guides Chiron from crisis.
March 6, 2006... When David Weiskopf joined Chiron in March 2005, the biotech company was in a crisis. Six months earlier, it had announced the grim news that production problems at a UK facility in Liverpool had left officials unable to provide roughly...

Companies: Corporate Profile - Chevron initiates oil industry discussion.
March 6, 2006... As its rivals step back, Chevron stands out by welcoming dialogue on industrywide issues. The oil industry is not exactly the toast of the town these days when it comes to public opinion. Record profits in 2005, spurred partly by...

Companies: The Agency Business - Tech firms must prepare for churn in M&A era.
March 6, 2006... Tech companies have a ravenous appetite these days, gobbling up rivals and competitors with gluttonous abandon. Research firm IDC recently noted that the number of mergers and acquisitions among enterprise software companies jumped from 144 in...

Editorial: Don't pinch pennies on corporate philanthropy.(Editorial)
March 6, 2006... Last Monday was National Corporate Philanthropy Day. The Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) was in New York to ring it in at the NYSE, and later, to laud the philanthropic works of companies like Cisco Systems, Grand...

Op-Ed: PR must return to its sales roots.
March 6, 2006... From the very beginning, PR and sales were connected. Edward Bernays' campaigns were designed to help sell everything from cars to soap. Over the years, however, PR's connection to sales has been questioned. Not surprisingly, PR's value...

Opinion: PR blogs need to dig deeper than mainstream headlines.
March 6, 2006... To the PR bloggers who have taken to issuing e-mail alerts to let us know each time their blog has been updated, please take note: This has to stop. An alert to direct people to a blog posting flouts the very essence of what defines a...

Opinion: Microsoft proves adept at building a new kind of buzz.
March 6, 2006... Could Microsoft, which sometimes introduces products half a decade before they're real, have decided to copy Apple again? As industry analysts suggested, according to last Monday's New York Times, it seems 'Microsoft, which has traditionally...

Opinion: Fact File - Samsung Z5 takes on Apple's iPod in battle of MP3 players.
March 6, 2006... In the news In January, Samsung introduced its YP-Z5 flash-based MP3 player at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The audio player, which was to hit US stores March 5, has been launched to rival the iPod Nano. Samsung hired...

Media: Analysis - Networks taking a hard look at anchors.
March 6, 2006... 'Wanted: Fearless, telegenic forward thinker to give a 'shot in the arm' to a fading art form. Ability to seamlessly switch from wisecracks to serious faces required. Media experience preferred, but stand-up comedy or celebrity commentary...

Media: Journalist Q&A.(Panel Discussion)
March 6, 2006... Name: Betsy Rothstein Outlet: The Hill Title: Capital Living editor Preferred contact method: betsyr@thehill.com Web site: www.thehill.com PRWeek: What are some of the challenges of covering Congress? Betsy Rothstein: I don't...

Media: Research - Media usage.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2006... Conducted by: Harris Interactive Sample: 2,985 adults in the US GOAL: Harris Interactive wanted to determine how Americans use various media sources to get their news KEY FINDINGS: 88% of Americans age 59 and older watch local...

Media: Roundup - US-based foreign press hold global key.
March 6, 2006... China and the Far East may be emerging as an economic rival, but when it comes to international influence, the US is still number one. As such, major media outlets around the globe continue to send reporters to America to cover the country and...

Media: Critical Hit - Miggle Toys scores on ESPN.com.(Interview)
March 6, 2006... What were the client's media goals? J.T. McWalters: Our client is Miggle Toys, which bought the rights to a lot of classic games, including Electric Football, from Tudor Games back in the early 1990s. They wanted us build their brand...

Media: Media ups and downs.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2006... Telenovelas go mainstream as NBC Universal announces plans to adapt the Spanish soap operas for English-speaking audiences on Bravo and USA MTV, Fox, and CBS jump on the content-via-cell phone bandwagon in three separate deals The New...

Media: Inside Information - Guaranteed placement can balance broadcast strategy.
March 6, 2006... Guaranteed placement is becoming a more popular distribution option as news holes continue to shrink and news directors remain leery of VNRs. Ed Lamoureaux, SVP of sales and marketing at West Glen Communications, says guaranteed placement...

Feature: Sold on teamwork.
March 6, 2006... Partnerships between PR and sales help both sides, and the company most of all. Michael Bush learns how cooperation boosts the bottom line. Eight months ago at the quarterly meeting of Aflac's strategic advisory council, the company's sales...

Regional Focus: Canada - Looking up in the North.(Illustration)
March 6, 2006... With a new prime minister, new media players, and the 2010 Winter Games in sight, possibilities abound for Canadian PR. Chris Daniels reports. On January 23, Canadians ended 12 years of Liberal rule. Voters had punished the Liberals after...

PR Technique: The funny thing about speechwriting.
March 6, 2006... Humor can be a key to a speech's success. Hamilton Nolan explores knowing when and how to use it. It was Fashion Week, and an American Heart Association representative had to give a speech during an event at the New York Public Library....

Campaigns: NASA touts science to students.
March 6, 2006... NASA AND HONEYWELL PR Team: NASA (Washington) and Honeywell International (Morristown, NJ) Campaign: FMA Live! Where Science Rocks Duration: Twice per year, since 2004 Budget: dollars 35,000 per tour for PR Unfortunately, while...

Campaigns: ADP electronic payment effort targets employees.(ADP Employer Services)(Illustration)
March 6, 2006... ADP EMPLOYER SERVICES PR Team: ADP Employer Services (Roseland, NJ) and Cohn & Wolfe (New York) Campaign: Show Me the Money Duration: July to September 2005 Budget: dollars 56,500 'Some people fear electronic payment options,'...

Campaigns: Publisher uses 'Narnia' to push beyond Christian core.
March 6, 2006... BROADMAN & HOLMAN PR Team: Broadman & Holman Publishers (Nashville, TN) and BookPros (Austin, TX) Campaign: Narnia Book Launch Duration: September to December 2005 Budget: dollars 22,500 STRATEGY The goal: differentiate the...

PR Toolbox: The need for media training, presentation skills, and more.
March 6, 2006... Media training Some of our key managers are reluctant to go through media training. How can they be persuaded to do so? Key managers are more likely to consider media training when they understand the necessity and value of it in...

Careers: People moves - Ruder Finn.
March 6, 2006... New York: Diane Slaine-Siegel has joined Ruder Finn as VP in the global issues group. She has been a journalist with NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN. A recipient of two Emmys, she was senior producer for 'Good Morning America,' '48 Hours,' 'Nightline,'...

Careers: People moves - American Eagle Outfitters.
March 6, 2006... WARRENDALE, PA: Kathy Savitt is leaving Amazon.com to join clothing company American Eagle Outfitters as CMO. She was VP of strategic communications at Amazon, a post she had held since October 2003. At American Eagle, Savitt will be...

Careers: People moves - Hill & Knowlton.
March 6, 2006... WASHINGTON: Tim Warner has joined Hill & Knowlton as SVP and Washington healthcare practice director. He was previously a VP at APCO Worldwide. Warner has also served as director of corporate communications of Immunex during the launch of...

Careers: People moves - Zeno Group.
March 6, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO: Ana Burke has joined Zeno Group as CFO. She joins from MRM Worldwide, a division of McCann. She has also worked for Landor Associates.

Careers: People moves - Dukas Public Relations.
March 6, 2006... NEW YORK: Dukas Public Relations has hired Todd Barrish as SVP and head of its tech practice. He joins from Connors Communications, where he worked for clients like Vonage, Priceline, and Education Testing Services.

Careers: People moves - Revolution.
March 6, 2006... WASHINGTON: Brad Burns has joined Revolution, America Online co-founder Steve Case's new company, as SVP of corporate communications. Burns joins from MCI, recently acquired by Verizon, where he was SVP of PR. Revolution is an investment and...

Careers: People moves - Potomac Communications.
March 6, 2006... WASHINGTON: Potomac Communications has added four new team members to strengthen its capabilities in media relations and trade association PR. Ed Greenberger, former director of communications and school initiatives for the Washington...

Careers: People moves - The Investor Relations Company.
March 6, 2006... DES PLAINES, IL: Ted Gage has joined The Investor Relations Company as an SVP. He was previously an SVP at The Financial Relations Board.

Careers: People moves - Fleming & Company.
March 6, 2006... NEWPORT, RI: Kara DiCamillo has been named PR and events director at Fleming & Company. She joins the firm from Newport Harbor Corporation, a hospitality company that owns properties such as The Mooring Restaurant and Castle Hill Inn & Resort,...

Careers: People moves - Marx Layne & Company.
March 6, 2006... FARMINGTON HILLS, MI: Marx Layne & Company has named Michael Szudarek a partner at the agency. He previously served as VP.

Careers: Expert Advice - Maryanne Rainone, SVP/MD, Heyman Associates.
March 6, 2006... When moving from an agency to the client side, what are the key things to do in preparing for an interview? A: While there are many factors to consider, it is especially important to research the company and be prepared to discuss many...

AT&T buys BellSouth, comms impact unclear.
March 13, 2006... SAN ANTONIO: AT&T's gargantuan acquisition of BellSouth last week was a major first-quarter boost for the financial communications firms involved in the deal. But the companies said that the impact of the dollars 67 billion purchase on internal...

Pro-choice groups prepare responses to abortion ban.
March 13, 2006... WASHINGTON: The passage of new legislation in South Dakota banning nearly all abortions is being challenged by pro-choice advocates because of its potential to reverse Roe v. Wade. Besides mulling national campaigns, groups are working to...

DP World enlists APCO amid US port controversy.(Dubai Ports World acquires APCO Worldwide and P&O Ports)(Brief article)
March 13, 2006... Dubai: In the same week Dubai Ports World (DP World) retained APCO Worldwide in a quest to retain control of six major US ports owned by UK-based P&O Ports, Sen. John Warner (R-VA) took the Senate floor to read an announcement from DP World...

Samsung agency search aims for eventual AOR.
March 13, 2006... RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ: Samsung Electronics America is in the midst of an agency search for four of its divisions: corporate communications, consumer electronics, IT, and telecommunications. HWH PR currently handles PR for consumer electronics...

Biogen Idec taps H&K for Canada MS drug portfolio.
March 13, 2006... TORONTO: Biogen Idec has expanded its relationship with Hill & Knowlton into Canada as the biotech company answers questions about the safety of its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri. Biogen Idec, which markets Tysabri with Elan Corp.,...

News Brief: DeKuyper backs launch with PR efforts.
March 13, 2006... Deerfield, IL: DeKuyper, the cordial and liqueur brand of Beam Global Spirits and Wine, is backing the launch of DeKuyper Pucker Strawberry Passion Schnapps with PR efforts by DC-based Qorvis Communications. The effort for the new flavor, which...

News Brief: AGC Australia names AOR.
March 13, 2006... NEW YORK: Luxury footwear maker UGG Australia has named Harrison & Shriftman AOR to help create a US fashion brand. Converse and designer Peter Som have also tapped the firm as AOR.

News Brief: Bulletin News wins contract from NASA.
March 13, 2006... McLEAN, VA: Bulletin News has won a dollars 160,000 news clipping contract from NASA, which is seeking to track issues relating to the agency, as well as to aerospace, aeronautics, earth and space sciences, human space flights, space shuttles,...

News Brief: LaunchSquad adds new clients.
March 13, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO: LaunchSquad has added MediaZone, a consumer broadband video company, 1-800-FREE411, and TimeBridge as new clients.

News Brief: Socratic Solutions hires AOR.
March 13, 2006... CRANFORD, NJ: Socratic Solutions, a Miami-based supplemental education company, has hired Jaffe Communications as its AOR.

News Brief: DPR Group chosen by IDEAlliance.
March 13, 2006... CARY, NC: DPR Group, a tech PR firm, has been selected by IDEAlliance to manage outreach efforts for XTech 2006, a European conference for XML developers. IDEAlliance is an industry organization supporting publishing and information technology....

News Brief: Key Venture Partners chooses Boldbrook.
March 13, 2006... WALTHAM, MA: Key Venture Partners a venture capital firm covering the tech sector, has selected Westborough, MA-based Boldbrook as AOR. Boldbrook will assist Key Venture Partners in further building its brand position and awareness in the...

News Brief: Sterling Communications spins out Voxus.
March 13, 2006... GIG HARBOR, WA: Tech agency Sterling Communications has spun out Voxus, a boutique firm focused solely on emerging technology startups. Sterling will continue to work with established tech companies, as well as more mature startups. Voxus...

News Brief: Hoffman Agency expands European and Asian operations.
March 13, 2006... PARIS and TAIPEI: The Hoffman Agency has expanded its European and Asian operations, with new offices in Paris and Taipei. Christelle Moraga will run the Paris office, Belinda Ma the Taipei office.

News Brief: Susan Magrino Agency signs roster of new clients.
March 13, 2006... NEW YORK: Susan Magrino Agency has signed a roster of new clients, including the Harry Slatkin collection of Bath & Body Works, Sharps, One Hanover, Gifts.com, Wedgwood, 550Q, and The Stanhope luxury residences.

News Brief: Corecubed opens Pacific Northwest branch.
March 13, 2006... LOUISVILLE, KY: Corecubed has opened a Pacific Northwest branch in Silverton, OR, just south of Portland. Account director Tirza Wibel will lead the branch.

News Brief: PR Newswire provides online media monitoring.
March 13, 2006... NEW YORK: PR Newswire is providing complimentary online media monitoring to users of its national newsline, US1, for 30 days after a news release is issued. The newswire service is using its media monitoring service, eWatch, to track more than...

Cuervo embarks upon its first hip-hop effort.(Jose Cuervo S.A. and RL Public Relations and Marketing)(Brief article)
March 13, 2006... NEW YORK: Tequila maker Jose Cuervo is running a national hip-hop lifestyle talent search, Cuervoton National Hispanic Urban Music Competition. The five-month effort, ending in May, features Hip Hop artists Chingo Bling, DJ Tony Touch,...

Wal-Mart blog row lingers.
March 13, 2006... WASHINGTON: While recent news reports suggest Edelman's 'netroots' efforts are geared mostly to Wal-Mart-sympathetic, conservative bloggers, the firm said it is also trying to reach those critical of the retail giant. 'There is a...

Court TV widens outreach.
March 13, 2006... NEW YORK: In an effort to extend its brand beyond television, Court TV has hired independent firm The Morris & King Company (MKC) to handle PR for its off-channel public affairs initiatives, the firm said. 'It's a different spin on working...

Launch Pad: Victoria's Secret has designs on putting everyone in the Pink.(Victoria's Secret Stores Div.)(Brief article)
March 13, 2006... Company: Victoria's Secret Campaign: Extension of 'Pink' launch PR Team: In-house and Alison Brod PR Other marketing: Davie-Brown Ent. for film and TV placements Launching: March 2006 Budget: Undisclosed IDEA: The effort will...

PR Play of the Week: No love for Valentino on Oscar night.
March 13, 2006... The Oscars are the most glaring symbol of our world's bizarre celebrity fixation and our keening tendency to worship at the altar of the fashion gods. On the other hand, those celebrities are so glamorous! The competition among designers to...

WS alliance breeds suite of products.(Weber Shandwick)(Brief article)
March 13, 2006... NEW YORK: The five-month-old Weber Shandwick-Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve alliance has borne a suite of products called InCulture Communications. First up are two modules: InCulture Consumer Connection, a service focusing on improving a...