In the Loop

Crossroads of PR, Integrated Marketing and the Midwest.

April 9th, 2013Comments (0)

Taking an Agency First Date with the Summer Insiders Challenge by Katie Patterson

Have you ever wished you could have a ‘first date’ with a job before saying ‘yes’ to that next career move? Anyone with a few years of professional experience has come to cross-roads in their career where they seek affirmation to make a change. The unknown is scary, right?

Last week MSL Chicago provided a sneak peek into PR agency life during its Summer Insiders Challenge. This annual, agency-wide initiative operates as a win-win: providing college students a high-energy, valuable learning experience and giving PR managers at MSL Chicago a day to meet (and evaluate) the next generation of PR pros.

The students engage in several sessions where they work as teams to deliver ‘real-time’ recommendations. This includes everything from coming up with media strategy and pitch angles, to development of a creative brief to interviews. It’s like a first date – PR agency style!

Last week’s activities found me reflecting on the anticipation felt by both sides of the recruitment (or dating) stage: the potential intern and the hiring manager.

I found similarities between this trial process as an intern similar to the early stages of dating. And, who doesn’t love comparing work situations to dating? Here goes:

First Impressions Last.

Think of how much debate goes into the attire, the opening line and the level of information sharing on a first date. You should consider this same level of detail as you prepare for an interview, or first, second or third internship position.

Tell Stories Not Laundry Lists.

Have you ever told a date: “I’m a great leader, I do so many activities and I am a total ‘people person’…”? Probably not. Providing a laundry list of skills does not demonstrate your value and why you are prepared to be an intern. Tell a story about your experience and professional pursuits, not a verbal recap of your resume.

Be Professional, But Real.

Similar to the first point – nobody forgets a first impression so keep it professional, but don’t hesitate to give a sense of what gets you going. You wouldn’t send a template email (or more likely text/phone call) to follow up a date; you would talk about something that sparked your interest in the person and why you want to see them again. Think about the same personal connection on the job. Finding the balance of personable and professional is difficult, but possible.

On the hiring manager side, we always hope we make the right decision on who we select, like dating. I’ve hired many interns during my career, and gone on a few first dates too. I won’t speak to what I look for in a dating relationship here. Instead, here are thoughts from a manager’s perspective:

Look for Learners.

You want teammates with a desire to dig into their work. People who like to learn new things and quick! A hunger for learning can’t be taught. Things that can be? Cision skills, media list formatting, and even writing and pitch styles.

Resumes Are Only a Starting Point.

A piece of paper cannot summarize someone. In a dating context, this compares well to online dating. I doubt people pay for online dating with the objective to ignore profiles that don’t meet all the needs they have for this ‘perfect person.’ I try to consider resumes in the same light – focus on a few core criteria and factor in other information sources such as writing samples, references and what you can find online (we cyber-sleuth people we’re dating, right?).

Focus on Fundamentals.

Similar to the desire to learn, you want people with strong, fundamental PR and communications skills. Can they write? Do they enjoy learning new things? Are they news-minded and a solid communicator?

And, in post-‘first date’ fashion, there has been lots of buzz around the office since we met our impressive 13 potential interns last week! The excitement reminded us all of what we love about PR – the pursuit of new relationships, opportunities and shared ideas.

It will be a tough decision to determine which three interns join MSL Chicago for the summer. Thanks to all the candidates who participated, truly an impressive 13.

April 5th, 2013Comments (1)

PR Internship Survival Guide: Advice for the Summer Insiders Candidates by Jacqueline Jones

Our intern candidates brainstorming during our Summer Insiders Challenge.

Today at MSL Chicago, we are hosting our Summer Insiders Challenge – a crash course in all things PR designed to help candidates learn more about their potential role at our agency. While I am excited to meet all of our candidates – I am a little jealous that they are being provided this “sneak peek” into the agency lifestyle.

When I entered my first post-graduate internship, I was unaware of what was really going to be asked of me. I spent my first day nodding along as I was onboarded to my various accounts, hoping that once I actually began working, things would just click into place. Luckily, weeks later, they eventually did. While, I was not extended an offer at my first agency, the experience prepared me to enter my internship at MSL Chicago more confidently. I came to the agency, knowing not only what would be expected of me, but also how to work with my various team members to provide the best client support that I could.

To help out soon-to-be grads who may not be offered the opportunity to learn about their future internships in as much depth as those who will be participating in the Summer Insiders Challenge, I wanted to share some key takeaways to help them prepare for their new roles:

Connect with a Mentor. While most internships will assign a formal mentor to help facilitate weekly or monthly check-ins as well as your performance evaluations- it is a good idea to seek out a peer to connect with on a less formal basis. At my first internship, I was a little afraid to raise my voice about issues I was experiencing. Luckily, I had connected with someone who I felt comfortable with that helped me prepare for more formal conversations with my assigned mentor and direct supervisor.

Avoid Doing a Project by Trial and Error. As an intern, your main job is simply to learn. However at the same time, your team will put faith and trust in the fact that when you accept a project, you have the ability to see it through in a timely fashion. So if there is ever a point in time when you are unsure about what you are being asked to do, don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions. Make sure that you understand the project in full before you begin a task— it not only shows thoughtfulness but will help increase efficiency by reducing the need for future edits.

Offer Solutions. While your supervisor is always going to be there to answer questions and provide guidance, taking initiative goes a long way. Before you approach your supervisor, take a few seconds to think about how you could address the problem you are facing. Even if you are wrong, this type of creative thinking and the willingness to problem-solve illustrates that you may be ready for increased responsibilities.

Every Task Matters. One of the most valuable things I learned as an intern was to look at the bigger picture. No matter how small of a task you feel that you are working on, someone has to do it and I guarantee that it is important in helping your team reach a larger goal. If you stay positive and take your assignments seriously your work ethic will get noticed.

Just Keep Learning. There is no experience comparable to your first agency internship. You will be asked to think in new ways, you will learn to meet deadlines that you never thought were possible, and you will be surrounded by skilled professionals with years and years of experience. So take advantage. Listen to and take advice from your superiors, stay positive and be realistic regarding your areas of improvement, and most importantly, take each and every assignment as an opportunity to grow as a professional.

March 20th, 2013Comments (0)

The Experience Economy Rules by Laura Chavoen

Beyond the actual SXSW festival, where the planned and serendipitous meetings drive, surprise and inspire, the value of attending has always been the insights into ‘what’s next’. SX has been the launch pad for many influential technologies, including Twitter in 2007, Foursquare in 2009 and Highlight and GroupMe in 2012.

Over the last year or so, a new approach began to establish dominance, a strategy where brands launch the product BEFORE the festival and use SX to activate, driving mass awareness and adoption. This year, it was obvious, with no real ‘tech’ break-outs, and the majority of the Brand activations were parties and lounges with RSVPs required (Twitter at #FEED, SalesForce at #CloudLounge, Klout at #KloutKrib, Mashable at #MashBash) and interactive experiences for Nike FuelBand, Leap Motion and the Ouya gaming console.

The keynotes often offer insights into upcoming trends, and this years’ focus on entreprenuralism indicates the slowing of the incremental shifts to technology, user experience and channels, and is a harbinger of an upcoming sea change, rooted in immersive multi-channel, user-directed and powered, deeply integrated experiences.

From community-driven space travel to open-source game development and shared personal data, the future is currently changing and shifting, and it is an incredibly exciting time to be in this universe!

February 8th, 2013Comments (0)

A Roadmap to Content Marketing Success: Chicago AMA Recap by Jen Tatro

This week, eMarketer published an article titled “Content Vaults to No. 1 Marketing Priority for 2013.” At MSL Chicago, we’re also seeing content strategy as a focus for many marketers.

On January 31, MSL Chicago sponsored a workshop hosted by the American Marketing Association on content marketing. The session was titled “Growing Your Business Through Content Creation, Curation and Conversation.” The presentation took place at 1871 in the Merchandise Mart (conveniently located for us), a community hub for digital designers, engineers and entrepreneurs.

Our SVP of digital strategy, Laura Chavoen, kicked off the presentation discussing a number of case study examples of companies using content marketing effectively. She then dove into a high-level overview of how to develop a content marketing strategy. Laura discussed the importance of identifying your business objectives first, then auditing your customers, competitors, channels, existing content and creators before creating a content plan. She also shared a few examples for execution and measurement.

Andy Crestodina from Orbit Media Studios presented the second half of the workshop and discussed a number of tools and tips for brands to develop and optimize content for search engine optimization.

More photos are posted on the AMA Facebook page. Almost 150 guests attended the event and there were several follow-up questions after the presentation. It’s definitely a sign that more brands are seeing the value in content marketing and the importance of developing a robust content strategy.

How is your company planning on integrating a content strategy into your marketing plans in 2013?

January 30th, 2013Comments (0)

Content Marketing: Where Companies Go Wrong, and Who Gets It Right by Laura Chavoen


This Thursday, I’ll be leading the first half of a workshop for the American Marketing Association on content marketing. Over the past several years, more clients and companies have developed or increased their investment in content marketing strategies. It’s no surprise—content is the fuel of marketing, and has even been called The King.

We’ve seen many fundamental shifts in marketing over the last decade. The ‘linear age’ where brands distributed their messaging to their audiences became the ‘social age’, where brands encouraged and welcomed their audiences to reach out to them. Today, we’re solidly in the ‘continuous age’, where brands see themselves as media companies. Businesses are curating, creating and distributing content to entice, engage and expand their reach and relationships. Many CPG and B2B companies understand this is a critical area for growth—as much the creation and distribution of products or services.

We’ve seen healthcare and financial services companies doing this with great success – creating and sharing resources, tools, calculators and subject matter expertise with their customers with the intention of driving affinity as well as product/service growth.

Red Bull also does this to great acclaim – the Red Bull games, the Flugtag, and Felix Baumgartner’s space jump—all examples of branded content, developed specifically with the purpose of marketing the brand and selling product, hand in hand.

Content marketing is a long-term commitment that can produce significant results when executed thoughtfully. Critical to that is a strategic plan, with a priority focus on business objectives and audience… but two things often neglected in the planning.

A success content marketing strategy is clearly tied to business objectives and shows ROI against those objectives. This takes commitment, both in time for planning as well as the ongoing execution. Consistency is important for content program to be successful – you can’t just dabble in distributing content and expect to see ongoing results. Too many companies dive in without a clear strategy and ties to business objectives, and when they cannot show how the program has contributed, they abandon it. Content hasn’t failed them – a lack of a strategy has.

Having an understanding of your audience – both current and target customers— is a necessary first step in developing a strategy and plan. Understanding their preferred channels and media, what they’re interested in, what drives their loyalty, their brand expectations, and their appetitive for engagement is all critical information when creating an effective content marketing strategy.

On Thursday, I’m going to focus on the challenge, approach, and key learnings of several B2B and B2C companies who are successfully using content marketing to drive different business objectives. I’ll also share our content marketing process framework and a model for developing content strategies and identifying key metrics.

If you haven’t signed up for the event, you can register through the AMA website. I look forward to hearing how different companies are leveraging content marketing to meet their business objectives. If you aren’t able to attend, please email me at laura.chavoen@mslgroup.com or ping me @chavoen.

November 7th, 2012Comments (0)

Home Building and Design #MSLIdeas Onsite @ChicagoIdeas with Christiana Schaefer by Jeffrey LeFevre

Our VP, Consumer Marketing, Christiana Schaefer, shares her takeaways from the CIW Water Talk and speaks to the opportunity for the home building and design industry to make their brands and products a platform for change.

“For the building industry, the opportunity for them is to consider not just the impact of what they do…but to think of it more holistically,” says Christiana. “So, for every product that’s made…they can use their expertise and their position to help shape the way others use [their] products.”

About Chicago Ideas Week
Chicago Ideas Week (CIW) brings together some of the world’s top innovators and thinkers for one week every year to share their ideas and engage with the vibrant Chicago community. In 2012, MSL Chicago teamed up with CIW as a program sponsor and its communications and engagement agency partner.

October 29th, 2012Comments (0)

Consumer Brand #MSLIdeas Onsite @ChicagoIdeas with Joan Cetera by Jeffrey LeFevre

Our SVP, Director of Consumer Marketing, Joan Cetera, shares her takeaways from the MSL Chicago-sponsored CIW Identity Talk and speaks to the significance of understanding the identity of your brand’s consumers and target audiences.

“The best public relations campaigns tie into that identity of who we [the consumers] are and what really matters to us,” says Joan. “…Linking a brand to that makes [that brand] that much more impactful, and leads your consumer to give back to you again and again.”

Stay tuned into our #MSLIdeas Onsite @ChicagoIdeas video series for more from the CIW Talks about key takeaways, PR implications and inspiring change.

About Chicago Ideas Week

Chicago Ideas Week (CIW) brings together some of the world’s top innovators and thinkers for one week every year to share their ideas and engage with the vibrant Chicago community. In 2012, MSL Chicago teamed up with CIW as a program sponsor and its communications and engagement agency partner.

October 26th, 2012Comments (0)

AMA Ferris State Regional Conference: The Future of Social ROI by Jake McClure

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to present at the 2012 AMA Ferris State Regional Conference, which brings together college students from various universities across the Midwest. Stemming from the interactive content and emerging media theme of the conference, I elected to take an analytical and predictive approach to social media.

Today, social in the complex environment of marketing communications has become an accepted and arguably mandatory means of engaging consumers and extracting consumer data. Even with the presence of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tumblr, social is still projected to grow by 19.5 percent in the next five years (Duke University 2012).

With this social expansion, the challenge for marketers to provide a means of quantifying this mass amount of data becomes ever more crucial when making business decisions. Marketing professionals of the future will need to extract valuable insights from this data to drive brand strategy and to provide measureable results, thus defining social ROI.

Although there are many fantastic cases of brands pushing the envelope of social ROI, digital marketers have yet to bridge the gap from online discussion to offline results. However, in leveraging realistic applications of social analysis such as consumer voice (e.g. Klout), technological resources, customer point of sale (POS) data, and open application programming interface (API) content as Chevrolet, IBM, and Target have employed, marketers can begin to fine tune social ROI practices to reach future business objectives.

October 24th, 2012Comments (0)

The Intersection of Politics and Business by Christiana Schaefer

As with many polarizing topics – including sports, the flavor of cilantro and religion – it’s natural for people to get so caught up in their own convictions that they have a hard time understanding how any belief other than their own could be right. That’s why, generally speaking, I prefer to keep my political views separate from my personal and professional relationships.



But this time around discussing the upcoming U.S. presidential election with friends, family, colleagues and even semi-strangers has become somewhat of a hobby of mine. The conversations have been stimulating! I attribute this shift, at least in part, to a new, and, dare I say worldlier, perspective of how the outcome of the election may impact global business.

For the past year, I’ve been working closely with one of our clients to develop a global communications plan and activate programs in growth markets around the world, including Brazil, China, India and the Middle East.  It’s really quite timely. Global business and manufacturing are important topics in this presidential election. They are also lynchpins to many of the issues that hit closer to home – including the state of the job market, tax reform and our growing national debt.

For most Americans, the upcoming election is an opportunity to stand behind the candidate who they believe has the better plan for our country. Some voters will elect the candidate that offers immediate benefit – whether tax cuts, job opportunities, healthcare, etc. – to them and their families. Still others will put personal gain aside and vote for who they think will help their company, the economy and our American culture in the long run.

I can’t tell you which of the options is “right,” but whatever your position or party, don’t be a bystander in the upcoming election. The 57th quadrennial U.S. presidential election on November 6th represents your chance to use all the information available to you – including your real-life and business experiences – to influence governmental decision making for at least the next four years and affect change. Exercise that opportunity and make sure your voice is heard!

October 22nd, 2012Comments (0)

Digital #MSLIdeas Onsite @ChicagoIdeas with Laura Chavoen by Jeffrey LeFevre

Our SVP, Director of Digital Strategy, Laura Chavoen, shares her digital takeaways from CIW and challenges the PR industry to go beyond their standard business goals by asking, “what is the customer who chooses to engage with this brand, product or service looking to solve?”

Stay tuned into our #MSLIdeas Onsite @ChicagoIdeas video series for more from the CIW Talks about key takeaways, PR implications and inspiring change.

About Chicago Ideas Week

Chicago Ideas Week (CIW) brings together some of the world’s top innovators and thinkers for one week every year to share their ideas and engage with the vibrant Chicago community. In 2012, MSL Chicago teamed up with CIW as a program sponsor and its communications and engagement agency partner.