PR Week (US) articles from March 2008

PR Week (US) archives from March 2008

Political parties rushing to ready '08 conclaves.
March 3, 2008... DENVER, MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: The organizers of the 2008 Democratic and Republican national conventions are working closely with local area PR agencies, businesses, and civic leaders, who see the events as a way to promote their respective...

Xerox corporate taps OutCast.
March 3, 2008... NORWALK, CN: Xerox has hired OutCast Communications to handle its corporate PR following a competitive review. This is the company's first agency to handle work in this capacity; Xerox previously conducted its corporate PR in-house. ...

WS helps Genentech with FDA approval of new drug.
March 3, 2008... WASHINGTON, DC: Weber Shandwick aided Genentech on communications work leading to approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Avastin, a drug used in treating metastatic breast cancer, sources told PRWeek. On February 22, the FDA...

RWJ Foundation tackles influential health factors.(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... WASHINGTON: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has launched a nonpartisan commission to address the various influences on the health industry. The commission was announced last Thursday in Washington DC, and its work is expected to carry into...

NCIS taps Ogilvy in farm insurance funding effort.(National Crop Insurance Services)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... WASHINGTON: National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) has selected Ogilvy PR to lead a campaign to educate lawmakers and members of the agricultural community on the importance of federal farm insurance funding. Ogilvy will provide media...

News brief: Morris & King Company appointed.
March 3, 2008... NEW YORK: Documentary director Jamie Johnson, heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, has hired The Morris & King Company (MKC) to promote 'The One Percent,' Johnson's Emmynominated documentary exploring the disparity of American fortune. MKC...

News brief: Edelman appointed.
March 3, 2008... SEATTLE: Edelman is providing services to Getty Images, a provider of photos, multimedia, and digital content. The company is in the process of being acquired by Hellman & Friedman for dollars 2.4 billion Abernathy MacGregor is working with...

News brief: Kekst and Company partner with Beazley.
March 3, 2008... CHICAGO: Kekst and Company has partnered with Beazley Group, an underwriter of liability insurance for major US law firms. The two will work together to offer law firm clients reputation management advice in the event of a claim

News brief: Fleishman-Hillard sign deal.
March 3, 2008... ST. LOUIS: Fleishman-Hillard International Communications has signed an affiliate deal with Fleisher Communications and Public Relations of Israel. The agreement will allow Fleishman to represent clients across the Middle East

News brief: Sitrick and Company appointed.
March 3, 2008... LOS ANGELES: Sitrick and Company will provide services to private equity firm, The Gores Group (TGG). TGG recently acquired Sagem, a French technology company specializing in broadband communication and convergence activity. The Gores Group has...

News brief: NRDC signs with Medialink.(The Natural Resources Defense Council)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... NEW YORK: The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has signed on with Medialink to build and manage a digital newsroom through their Web-based content management platform, Mediaseed. The offering will provide NRDC with video, rich media...

News brief: New clients for MassMedia.
March 3, 2008... LAS VEGAS: MassMedia Corporate Communications has three new clients - Tyco Electronics M/A-COM, Sempra Energy, and Your-Buyer Worldwide MassMedia will provide PR and community outreach for Tyco, crisis communications for Sempra Energy, and...

News brief: Blanc & Otus appointed as AOR.
March 3, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO: StreetWise Concepts & Culture, a social-networking site specializing in the youth market, has named Blanc & Otus as its AOR. Blanc & Otus will help to build StreetWise's leadership position in providing youth marketing solutions...

News brief: Tara Ink adds clients.
March 3, 2008... MIAMI BEACH, FL: Tara Ink has added 10 new clients. The agency will handle US representation for retailer Brookstone; national and regional representation for the Armaan watch line, the club Rokbar, MySpa at InterContinental Miami, and Septimo...

News brief: Correction.(Correction notice)
March 3, 2008... In the caption for the February 25 back-page picture, it was omitted that Pepsi had partnered with the Philadelphia Eagles and Metropolitan Choppers in order to create the team's 75th Anniversary motorcycle. We regret the error

Hotwire taps Atomic to tout its 'opaque' position.
March 3, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO: Hotwire. com, the popular discount travel Web site, has selected Atomic PR as its AOR, following a competitive bid. The company selected Atomic after conducting two rounds of reviews that included finalists Edelman and Shift...

Hertz begins search for AOR.
March 3, 2008... PARK RIDGE, NJ: Car-rental company Hertz has issued an RFP for an AOR, PRWeek has learned. Hertz is looking for an agency to continue the positioning, outreach, and Hertz Local Edition (HLE) work, as well as perform other PR functions. The...

State Farm boosts campaign.
March 3, 2008... BLOOMINGTON, IL: The principals behind a State Farm Insurance-sponsored, weight-loss Web site are behind the launch of a grassroots push to coach Americans, especially blacks, into losing a collective 50 million pounds. The social...

Launch Pad: Freshbooks hits road in drive to get closer to its customers.(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... OBJECTIVE: FreshBooks, an online invoicing and time-tracking service, wants to further connect with customers and raise brand awareness by embarking on a road trip, Road Burn 2008. The trip will take CEO Mike McDerment and the company's...

PR Play of the Week: Rocawear keeps rebel spirit alive.
March 3, 2008... Last week, the Jay-Z-co-founded clothing line, Rocawear, unveiled a new ad campaign featuring Nicole Paultre-Bell, the former fiancee of Sean Bell, who was gunned down in a hail of police bullets outside of a nightclub in Queens, NY. The...

Bloggers aid Visit Florida tourism push.
March 3, 2008... TALLAHASSEE, FL: Florida's official tourism marketing corporation, Visit Florida, has launched a new nationwide campaign featuring online media outreach. The 'Sunshine' campaign features 10 bloggers, each of whom were hired to write on the...

Biofuel concept takes off.
March 3, 2008... Amidst a crush of global media, a Virgin Atlantic plane took off from Heathrow Airport in London flying on biofuel derived from coconut and babassu oils picked from the Amazon rain forest. The Amsterdam-bound flight left critics and supporters...

Alessi touts 'Face'.
March 3, 2008... BEVERLY HILLS, CA: California cosmetics company Alessi Skin Care has kicked off a campaign to help promote its new domestic violence foundation. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the problem and help rehabilitate victims. Dubbed...

Sale could spur change for Reed Elsevier titles.
March 3, 2008... NEW YORK: The 80-plus titles put up for sale by media conglomerate Reed Elsevier could see significant changes, including mergers and closures, when the Reed Business Information (RBI) magazine division is sold, industry experts have said. ...

Media drive gives boost to AIDS film.
March 3, 2008... NEW YORK: Two filmmakers are promoting their new documentary, Please Talk to Kids About AIDS, as a helpful tool for parents to learn how to talk to their children about the virus. The filmmakers' own media relations efforts have helped the film...

Times adds to readers' content-sharing options.
March 3, 2008... NEW YORK: The New York Times Co. has launched the beta version of ShifD, a program that duplicates saved content between computers and mobile devices via a personalized account. Launched in beta on February 25, ShifD allows readers to move...

ASA hires Brodeur to tout its programs.(American Student Assistance)
March 3, 2008... BOSTON: Federal student loan guarantor American Student Assistance (ASA) has selected Brodeur as its AOR. Communications messaging and tactics have yet to be determined, but Brodeur will help ASA promote its new 'Financial Wellness'...

NB taps CarryOn.
March 3, 2008... BOSTON: Athletic products company New Balance (NB) has hired CarryOn Communications to assist global brand platform efforts, after a competitive review. '(NB) was seeking a strong, mid-sized firm with significant service or headquarters in...

Chase credit card division puts out RFP.
March 3, 2008... CHICAGO: Chase Card Services, the credit card division of JPMorgan Chase, has issued an RFP, PRWeek has learned. Sources say Chase is searching for a firm to handle all PR responsibilities for its consumer card arm. Chase would neither...

News Analysis: McCain brand remains under microscope.(John McCain)
March 3, 2008... Though he has survived it thus far, The New York Times article could still prove to be an albatross. Though a decorated Vietnam veteran, John McCain once chose to wear his joint McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform as his badge of honor,...

Analysis: Newsmaker - Savage guides XBRL US into the mainstream.
March 3, 2008... In Washington, a new language is being devised that will be spoken across US companies. The new lingo is Extensible Business Reporting Language, an XML data tag system that, while still adhering to US accounting principles, will set a standard...

Companies: Organizational Profile - KKI gets Americans tuned into autism.
March 3, 2008... Through podcasts and news shows, Kennedy Krieger and Spectrum spread autism awareness. Three years ago, the Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI), a Baltimore-based institution for children and adolescents with pediatric developmental...

Companies: The Agency Business - Financial skills affect recruiting in global market.
March 3, 2008... Economic pressures are redefining agencies' approach to financial communications, thus posing new challenges and opportunities for recruitment within a firm's financial practice group. External market factors, including increased regulatory...

Editorial: Crisis responses should be conveyed to all staff.(Editorial)
March 3, 2008... Recently, an unknown party at a company embroiled in a crisis misrepresented himself to a PRWeek reporter. The person, claiming to be someone he is not, spoke at length about the company's situation, assailing the response of partners. We...

Opinion: Op-Ed - How to keep clients in a recession.(Viewpoint essay)
March 3, 2008... If Abraham Lincoln was alive today and advising PR executives how to stave off recessionary budget cuts, he'd probably suggest taking a big picture perspective. And, I'd like to think he'd call it, 'of the client, by the client, and for the...

Opinion: Op-Ed - PR failing to reach 'baby boomers'.
March 3, 2008... We're a unique generation. We ended a war (or so we think); we were foot soldiers in the civil rights, women's rights, and environmental movements. We've never acted our age (in fact, we refuse to age) and now we're starting to retire, but not...

Media: Analysis - Girls Gone Wild tries tamer approach.
March 3, 2008... On April 15, an unexpected player will enter the magazine world: Girls Gone Wild. The launch of the Girls Gone Wild Magazine is not without its risks, as the controversial brand is seeking to appeal to a large audience in a visible way,...

Media: Journalist Q&A.
March 3, 2008... Name: Kristin Finan Title: Features writer/video blogger Outlet: Houston Chronicle Preferred contact method: Kristin.Finan@chron.com Web site: http://blogs.chron.com/kristin2go Finan talks to PRWeek about her newspaper's...

Media: Research - Social media monitoring.
March 3, 2008... Conducted by: Aberdeen Group Sample: More than 250 enterprises (from Dec. 2007-Jan. 2008) Goal: To identify emerging best practices for social media monitoring KEY FINDINGS: 42% of high-quality brands have processes in place...

Cover Story: Spreading the truth.
March 3, 2008... The American Legacy Foundation uses a variety of creative tactics in its quest to reach teens with a message about the dangers of smoking Marc Longpre reports. Sometime this summer, in a number of US cities, a freshly trained advocate for...

Market Focus: Front and center.
March 3, 2008... Slim-Fast's 'channel agnostic' approach to marketing gives PR a chance to take a leading role. David Ward reports. In mid 2006, the key marketing executives for Unilever's Slim-Fast weight loss brand began to notice a new mindset developing...

PR Technique: Monitoring conversation is a good start.
March 3, 2008... A product launch is a prime opportunity to track online dialogue. In an increasingly digital world where more purchasing decisions are being influenced by Internet postings, effective monitoring is an indispensable component of the product...

Campaign: Playground builds buzz for Shire - Shire Pharmaceuticals.
March 3, 2008... PR team: Shire Pharmaceuticals (Philadelphia) and Porter Novelli (New York) Campaign: Project Playground Duration: Feb.-August 8, 2007 Budget: dollars 600,000 When Shire Pharmaceuticals got FDA approval for its newest ADHD...

Campaign: NCP finds alternatives to promote unauthorized bio - New Chapter Press.
March 3, 2008... PR Team: New Chapter Press (New York) Campaign: Release of The Roger Federer Story: Quest for Perfection Duration: June-December 2007 Budget: dollars 1,500 STRATEGY New Chapter Press (NCP) would have to work with only Stauffer's...

Campaign: PCLive utilizes viral videos to enter crowded help field - PCLIVE.COM.
March 3, 2008... PR Team: PCLive.com (Cedar Rapids, IA), Tech Image (Chicago), and Liggett Stashower (Cleveland) Campaign: PCLive.com launch Duration: October 2007-present Budget: dollars 130,000 The company wanted a way to reach its core market...

PR Toolbox: Online media value, in-store customer outreach, more.
March 3, 2008... ONLINE MEDIA Are online newspapers good outlets for my print campaign? By the end of 2007, the number of first-time visitors to newspaper Web sites climbed to 62.8 million, according to the Newspaper Association of America. With such...

Careers: Expert Advice - Michael Olguin, president, Formula.
March 3, 2008... How do I build a great client relationship in the first few days to establish a long-standing partnership? A: During the 'romance phase,' nurturing the bond between agency partner and client is crucial. The first few months are key to...

Careers: People Moves - The FedEx Corporation.
March 3, 2008... MEMPHIS, TN: The FedEx Corporation has hired Diane Terrell as the new VP of strategic communications. She will oversee teams seeking to coordinate stakeholder-outreach initiatives, as well as coordinate efforts to tap emerging Gen Y and...

Careers: People Moves - Charles Schwab.
March 3, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO: Charles Schwab, one of the US' largest financial services providers, has hired David Weiskopf as VP of corporate communications. Weiskopf previously worked at Wells Fargo as VP/communications manager of the consumer credit group

Careers: People Moves - NCR.
March 3, 2008... DAYTON, OH: NCR, a global technology company, has named Michael Webster as chief strategy and communications officer. Webster will be responsible for driving the development and implementation of the company's business and branding strategy....

Careers: People Moves - Porter Novelli.
March 3, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO: Porter Novelli has named Bob Wynne as EVP in its San Francisco office. Wynne was previously VP of corporate communications at Oracle

Careers: People Moves - WeissComm Partners.
March 3, 2008... NEW YORK: WeissComm Partners has hired Tom Jones as MD. Jones was formerly executive director of communications for Novartis Pharmaceuticals. He was VP at Ketchum prior to that

Careers: People Moves - Shadow PR.
March 3, 2008... NEW YORK: Fashion, beauty, and lifestyle agency Shadow PR has hired Liza Bychkov as director. She will lead such accounts as Intermix, MySpace, Armani Exchange, Atelier, and Four Hundred. Bychkov was most recently associate VP of the fashion...

Careers: People Moves - Morrissey & Co.
March 3, 2008... BOSTON: Morrissey & Co. has promoted VP Scott Emberley to CEO and associate Sarah Gerrol to director. In his new role, Emberley will oversee the agency's direction and expansion opportunities. As director, Gerrol will support clients and guide...

Careers: People Moves - APCO Worldwide.
March 3, 2008... BRUSSELS: APCO Worldwide has hired David Bushong as its Brussels-based director and senior counselor. Bushong was previously VP of international affairs for Altria and head of Boeing's Brussels office

Careers: People Moves - Ketchum Interactive Communications.
March 3, 2008... NEW YORK: Ketchum Interactive Communications (KIC), the digital arm of the PR firm, has added two new VPs: James Andrews, director of the Atlanta practice; and Scott Kilroy, director of the New York practice Andrews, a blogger for...

Careers: People Moves - Fleishman-Hillard.
March 3, 2008... KANSAS CITY, MO: Warren Dudley, director of operations for Fleishman-Hillard's Kansas City office, will serve as interim GM until the company names a replacement for Anne St. Peter, who recently left the company to start her own business

Bear for president.
March 3, 2008... Clinton and Obama may have sighed with relief when spoiler John Edwards dropped out of the Democratic primary, but another contender has put his paws in the presidential honey pot. Last week, the National Parks Conservation Association...

PRWeek promotes Hood and O'Brien.(Julia Hood appointed at Haymarket Group Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK: Haymarket Media has promoted Julia Hood to the role of publishing director of PRWeek and Keith O'Brien to editor-in-chief of PRWeek. Hood, who was previously editor-in-chief, will report to Lisa Kirk, Haymarket managing director,...

DKC wins Topps task.(Company overview)(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK: The Topps Company, a leading US manufacturer of Major League Baseball cards, has hired DKC as its AOR. The Tornante Co., an investor group founded by ex-Disney CEO Michael Eisner, purchased Topps in 2007 with a plan to transform...

Comstock's comeback to GE signals increased digital focus.
March 10, 2008... Fairfield, CT: Beth Comstock has returned to General Electric as SVP and CMO, with the goal of helping the company pursue a more integrated digital strategy. As CMO, Comstock's main duty will be to assist CEO and chairman Jeff Immelt on...

Cash giveaway proves costly.
March 10, 2008... There's nothing quite like a PR stunt gone awry. For Cashtomato, a new video-sharing company, it all went pear-shaped when the company tried to host a money giveaway in Union Square. The event, due to mark 'leap day' at 2:29pm, was marred...

Supima spurs branding boost with pop-up store.
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK: Luxury cotton brand Supima is launching a pop-up store in an effort to build brand awareness, as well as develop and solidify long-term relationships with designers. Supima hired Think PR to build buzz about the store, slated to...

Ziff Davis taps Joele Frank for Chapter 11 filing work.
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK: Ziff Davis Media, which filed for bankruptcy protection this past Wednesday, is working with Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher. The firm will help the tech publisher communicate to stakeholders that the filing is the most...

News brief: Cheapflights.com selects Allison & Partners to handle PR.
March 10, 2008... Boston: Travel search engine Cheapflights.com has selected Allison & Partners to handle PR for the launch of its newly designed Web site, which debuts this month. The firm will implement a strategic national campaign incorporating media...

News brief: Gen Art hires 5W Public Relations as AOR.
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK: Gen Art, a national fashion, filmmaking, and music incubator, has hired 5W Public Relations as AOR. Gen Art, which has a mission to provide greater access to artists in the film, fashion, art, and music worlds, chose 5W a month before...

News brief: Adidas hires The Jeffrey Group PR services.
March 10, 2008... MIAMI: Adidas has hired Miami-based The Jeffrey Group to oversee pan-regional media relations and experiential marketing for Latin America. With offices in Sao Paulo, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires, The Jeffrey Group has provided PR services in...

News brief: Abernathy MacGregor Group to help WHNT-TV respond to allegations.(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK: Abernathy MacGregor Group is helping Huntsville, AL-based CBS affiliate WHNT-TV respond to allegations that it 'blacked out' a February 60 Minutes report because of pro-GOP bias. Abernathy MD Michael Pascale said his firm has a...

News brief: Sahale Snacks hires Publicis Consultants Pr as AOR.
March 10, 2008... SEATTLE: All-natural gourmet-snacks producer Sahale Snacks has hired Publicis Consultants PR as AOR after a competitive review. With major offices in New York and Seattle, the firm also assists packaged-food producer Nestle and pharma company...

News brief: Edelman merges its 3 digital businesses into one global unit, Edelman Digital.(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK: Edelman has merged its three digital businesses - Edelman Interactive Solutions (EIS), me2revolution, and Edelman Mobile - into one global unit, Edelman Digital. The unit currently has more than 120 global staffers and expects to hire...

News brief: Mauboussine taps Susan Magrino Agency as its AOR.
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK: Parisian jeweler Mauboussin has tapped Susan Magrino Agency as its AOR, citing the firm's strong network of press and contacts in the US market. Mauboussin plans to launch the international brand stateside with the opening of its...

News brief: Swiss Re selects CJP Communications as its North American AOR.(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK and STRATFORD, CT: Global reinsurer Swiss Re has selected CJP Communications as its North American AOR. CJP will support external communications to drive awareness of the brand, the reinsurance group, and other domestic core...

News brief: Correction.(Correction notice)
March 10, 2008... In the caption for the March 3 backpage picture, the National Parks Conservation Association planned and executed the Teddy for President campaign, not Young & Rubicam, Chicago. We regret the error

NBC Olympics creates a site to follow athletes.
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK: NBC Olympics has teamed with Johnson & Johnson and iVillage to host 'The Family Room,' a Web site and multimedia experience that follows the journeys of eight athletes as they attempt to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Games. ...

IPG, WPP Group grow in '07.
March 10, 2008... NEW YORK, LONDON: Holding companies Interpublic Group (IPG) and WPP Group both posted healthy earnings growth in 2007. IPG, which owns PR agencies Weber Shandwick, GolinHarris, and MWW Group, among others, reported that yearly revenue grew...

Payless launches 'I Love Shoes'.
March 10, 2008... TOPEKA, KS: Payless ShoeSource has launched a communications component to its 'I Love Shoes' campaign. The company launched the campaign, which involves contests on iloveshoes.com, in an effort to capture the spirit of its key demographic...

Launch pad: JDMedia uses search engine to raise breast cancer funds.
March 10, 2008... Company: JDMedia Campaign: SearchTheCure.com PR Team: In-house Launch: February 29 Budget: Undisclosed IDEA: By planting SearchTheCure.com as the homepage on public computer terminals at large colleges, such as the University of...

Don't miss out.
March 10, 2008... Logging on to prweekus.com/web-exclusives. Only on PRWeek.com: YouGovPolimetrix analyzes Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts. 'Starbucks will need to execute consistently at an improved level to achieve a longer-term, meaningful impact on the...

News Analysis: Acquisitions call for hostile comms tactics.
March 10, 2008... As a recession looms, communications must prepare for proxy battles amongst companies. With talks of a recession, experts say hostile acquisitions are expected to rise, as well-positioned companies take advantage of the slumping stocks of...

Newsmaker: Lee grabs reins to help save NYRA franchise.
March 10, 2008... John Lee held the New York Racing Association's (NYRA) image together during a nail-biting race that went down to the wire. On February 13, John Lee sat in his office in Ozone Park, Queens, as noon came and went. As director of...

Companies: Corporate profile - Excitations reinvents gift-giving norms.(Company overview)
March 10, 2008... Adventure-gift company is implementing a comms plan that is as unique as its portfolio of presents. This year for your birthday, how about you and a guest learn how to mix the perfect martini? Excitations, founded in 2004, specializes...

Companies: The Agency Business - New media helps firms connect with clients.
March 10, 2008... Don't feel obligated to use new media tools like blogs and podcasts just because everyone else seems to use them, agencies often tell their clients. But while the same advice holds true for agencies themselves that want to use Web 2.0 tools, a...

Editorial: Industry uses the term 'transparent' too loosely.(Editorial)(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... Last year's PRWeek Book of Lists got a lot of feedback. The annual feature that dissects the industry, as well as examines the state of politics and pop culture, often provokes plenty of discussion. One of the elements that elicited the...

Op-Ed: What would happen in a PR strike?
March 10, 2008... Everyone seemed so intently focused on the recent strike, where our favorite shows were delayed or pushed back as the writers waited for a better deal (or a fair one, depending on your position). Finally, the strike has ended. So that got...