Archive for May, 2011

Recognition Recap: MSL Chicago Accolades

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

Joan Cetera, Christiana Schaefer, Joel Curran and Jenny Sherman at the PRSA Chicago Skyline Awards Ceremony last night.

 

MSL Chicago had a great month on the awards front in May…which means that our clients had a great year in 2010. The accolades keep coming, but here’s where we’re at so far:

Publicity Club of Chicago Awards:
Golden Trumpet Winners
· Pepto-Bismol won in the Marketing category
· DeVry University won in the Marketing category
Silver Trumpet Winners
· Brizo won in the Marketing category
· Kellogg School of Management won in the Special Events & Observances category

The Holmes Report SABRE Awards:
· Pepto-Bismol is a Gold SABRE Award Winner in the category of Special Events
· SABRE Finalists included DeVry University and Brizo

The Hermes Creative Awards:
· Brizo is a Gold Hermes Award Winner in Social Media
· Delta Faucet Company is a Gold Hermes Award Winner in Research
· DeVry University is a Platinum Hermes Award Winner in the Communication Campaign and Company Branding categories
· Pepto-Bismol is a Platinum Hermes Award Winner in the Communication Campaign, Event Marketing, and Product Branding categories

The PRSA Chicago Skyline Awards
· Delta Faucet Company won in the Research/Evaluation category
· Brizo won in the Blogger Campaign category
· Pepto-Bismol won in Events and Observances
· Kellogg School of Management won in Events and Observances (Seven or Fewer Days)

We take a lot of pride in what we do. Sure, everyone likes to bring home hardware (the awards certainly dress up the trophy shelf in the lobby of our office), but it is a truly great feeling to deliver the client results that we set out to accomplish, and get recognized for it by our peers.

Congrats to all our award-winning account teams, clients and finalists! Stay tuned for updates on our June results from the PRSA Silver Anvils, the IABC Chicago Golden Quill Awards, and the American Business Awards!

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Posted in Midwest News, PR Careers, PR Industry | No Comments »

It's All a Part of The Job

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

There are many facets of the PR profession. There are also many interpretations of the job from people who aren’t “in the business.” Television has given most people a sense that PR is nothing but restaurant openings and red carpet photo ops, however most PR professionals will say their job is not that glamorous and about 90 percent writing.

Depending on the time, day and person, both of these descriptions can be correct. Yes, there are events. Yes, there is a lot of writing involved. But in-between these ends of the PR spectrum are little moments that make even the most seasoned PR practitioner think, “What in the world am I doing?” However, being the professionals, PR pros will just smile and say, “It’s all a part of the job.”

Here’s a sample of MSL Chicago’s wackiest PR moments:

“I appeared on NBC Chicago’s morning news wearing a hard hat and holding a shovel with Ronald McDonald”
– Diana Rostkowski, Assistant Account Executive

“When I was working with a Chicago real estate developer I had to pretend to be a homeowner for an advertising opp they were filming that day (the real model didn’t show). I had to take a fake tray of cookies out of the oven about 10 times until they got the perfect shot (which they didn’t even use)!”
-Sarah Marseille, Senior Account Executive

“I judged a doggie costume contest for Halloween for an outdoor shopping center client, ruined a great pair of heels standing in the mud in the middle of a garden in Lincoln Park for a photo shoot that was part of a new business pitch, and modeled a dress on ABC7 when a model was a no-show for the taping.”
– Susie Schreiber, Senior Account Executive

“For a client, I basically spent the summer as a handyman and it put me in the hospital.”
– Matt Koppelman, Account Executive

“During my tenure as an intern at MSL, I was required to dress up as a lemon to help promote our Metamucil Pink Lemonade product. I was up bright and early around 4 a.m. to make a scene at Chicago’s NBC studios, accompanied by a lemonade stand. The great news is that we made the air — but I never thought my first TV appearance would consist of me dressed in a lemon costume!”
- Angél Hakim, Account Executive

“When a hotel lost my client’s reservation, I let her stay with me in my hotel room. It was an awkward business trip.”
– Joan Cetera, Senior Vice President, Consumer Practice Leader

Do you have any wacky PR moments?

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Posted in PR Careers, PR Industry | 1 Comment »

Business Marketing Association Event Recap: Managing the Online Conversations

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Last month, Nancy Brennan, senior vice president of corporate branding, spoke at the Business Marketing Association (BMA) Breakfast Seminar on a panel discussing social media. The event was the fourth seminar in a five-part series entitled “Creating the Blueprint to Bring Social Media into Your Organization.”

In the panel discussion, Nancy presented a case study on DeVry University and discussed how MSL Chicago works with the school to develop a brand narrative and leverage integrated social media and PR channels to manage conversations to protect the brand. Watch a clip from her presentation:

Thanks to the Business Marketing Association of Chicago for inviting MSL Chicago to participate in the event!

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Posted in Brand Recognition, Digital and Social Media, PR Industry, Reputation Management, Social Media | No Comments »

Being a Stressed PR Professional and What Makes it All Worth It

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

As the HR manager at MSL Chicago, I get to hear a lot of stories from the account teams in the trenches: Waking up at 3 a.m. to be sure the monitoring report is complete and detailed before deadline, pulling an all-nighter to put the finishing touches on a top-notch new business pitch, and managing expectations across several client needs and programs. As PR professionals, folks are pulled in a lot of directions, manage a ton of relationships and are on call 24/7. But should the PR profession be listed as the second most stressful career?

According to the annual survey completed by CareerCast, PR officers hold the second most stressful salaried position. Over the past month, folks in the industry have been responding to the survey and subsequent follow-up articles. PR careers can be demanding and many PR professionals struggle with the challenge to achieve work-life balance– however, after reading the comments, it seems several people agree that the PR industry shouldn’t be listed as the second on the survey.

I think we can all admit that the industry is fast-paced, deadline-driven and demanding. But what about the excitement that comes with the client wins and successful implementation of programs? These are definitely experiences that make the profession fulfilling, and here are just a few examples of what leads to congratulatory cheers around the office:

• Winning new business. The rush and excitement of pulling together a successful pitch.
• Opportunities to work on an array of clients, on a local, national or global scale.
• Working on programs that bring communities together, like our efforts with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.
• The thrill that comes with every media hit you receive and building those relationships with reporters, bloggers and influencers.
• The team environment. Let’s face it, the majority of PR professionals love being around people and are always looking to drive a conversation, get the latest news or gossip and work together to produce results.

It’s easy to see that the PR industry never has a dull moment. Being strategic, dedicated and diligent are definitely must-haves when it comes to the PR professional—these are qualities that I look for when I’m reviewing resumes. And, although the job can bring with it long hours, quick deadlines and intricate relationships, these can also lead to gratifying placements, award-winning programs and initiatives that can have a wider positive effect on communities, organizations and individuals.

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PR With a Purpose

Friday, May 13th, 2011

The ever-changing and ever-growing field of PR is one of excitement, shrewdness, quick-thinking, multi-tasking, real-time engagement.

As a result, I have acquired a unique skill set and some rare knowledge. I could probably identify the faucet you have in your bathroom, in addition to how many Facebook “Likes” the company has to date. I can name the top reads for a hotel owner and/or facility manager. I can tell you the components of your mattress, and statistics of what people really do in bed. When new business comes in, I may quickly need to understand the chemical components of your table salt. I read up on digital blogs so I am aware of the latest advancement, and I stalk the greatest professionals on Twitter.

Not a day goes by that I am not learning something new, or acquiring a new skill. I’m continuously advancing my career—that is why I love it.

One client has not only provided me with a learning opportunity in the non-profit sector, but has also touched my heart and allows me to feel satisfaction in a different way: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. If you are unfamiliar with the organization, check out this video (have tissues handy). Chicago holds homage to hosting the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House, right in Streeterville. Planned to be completed in 2012, this will be the newest “home away from home” for families of children under treatment at the new Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. The house will also serve families from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Prentice Women’s Hospital.

This has allowed me the opportunity to assist in managing media at the groundbreaking ceremony, coordinate a tour of the model house in significant Chicago hotspots, and brainstorm best ways to publicize this year’s Glamorama, Macy’s annual fundraising event showcasing the hottest in fashion and music.

Working with RMHC-CNI has shown me how good and kind-hearted members of this great city are, dedicating time, money and other resources to help make this happen for those families and children in need. It has truly been a privilege and an honor to be a part of this monumental project.

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Posted in Experiential Marketing, Midwest News, PurPle (Purpose Marketing) | No Comments »

Blogger Swag: Top Five Ways to Get Your Fair Share

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

SXSW Swag. Picture courtesy of Advertising Anarchy blog.

 

Everyone loves free stuff. But if I had to pick one single group who love free stuff the most, it would be bloggers. I would bet good money a significant portion of the 100 million or so blogs out there were started specifically just to get free stuff. 

There are even blogs dedicated to spreading the word about free stuff on other blogs. There are professional “sweepers” who enter hundreds of blog giveaways every week. There are so many freebies handed out at blogger conferences, FedEx has set up booths to make it easy to ship home the multiple swag bags attendees ravenously fill; and let’s not forget the mommy bloggers. That crowd takes it to a whole new level. It’s to the point where some mom bloggers feel the need to declare that they aren’t “that kind” of blogger. Bloggers get all this free stuff for posting reviews or talking about the products they receive. Because blogs are proven to be highly influential in purchase decisions, advertisers have no problem spreading the freebies around, sometimes to some highly obscure but very specific niche blogs, to connect with a hard-to-reach audience. 

But there’s only so much product to go around. As a PR professional and digital marketer, feeding this back scratching daisy chain is part of my job. If you’re a blogger, here are the inside secrets to making sure you get your fair helping of the gravy train. 

1. Build and engage your audience
If you have less than 1,000 monthly unique readers most marketers are not that interested in you unless you are someone really special or your audience is hard to reach otherwise. That said, it’s not just about numbers. Your ability to influence your audience is also evaluated. More than 100,000 Twitter followers are worthless if they do not click, re-tweet or comment on posts. The tools to evaluate influence range from free tools like Klout to the robust Sysomos which require a substantial subscription fee to access. 

2. Check your SEO
If you are not watching your site analytics, it’s time to start. The referrer logs will reveal which keywords your readers are using in search engines to find your site. If you want to receive complimentary mountain bikes to review, your blog better rank in the top 10 Google results for “Best Mountain Bike Blogs”. In an informal poll of my colleagues, it was surprising (80 percent or more) how often the very first thing pros do is type “best blogs for X” to start their search. For more information on how SEO works, Google’s guide is a great place to start. 

3. Ask for it!
Fortune favors the bold. For some companies and brands every like, follow, tweet, comment, share and @ is tracked and cataloged. If you want a product, get into a relationship with the company. Tell them why you like their products, how to improve them or funny stories that involve the product. Do it enough in public forums and you will be noticed. Once you have got their attention, request a sample to review. If you are seen as an engaged influencer, that is a rare find. Chances are you will get some nice treatment. 

4. Get listed
The next stop after Google for PR executives looking for influencers is usually a syndicated database of some sort. These companies employ media researchers who track who is blogging what and where. Here are a few places to register with: 

5. Be nice, and follow the rules!
PR pros are like everyone else. They tend to work with people they like. We share the names of good influencers. Be polite and respectful and PR professionals will share your name. And be sure to adhere to the FTC guidlines. 

Any other tricks or tips? Let us know.

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Posted in Digital and Social Media, Influencer Marketing, PR Industry, Social Media | 1 Comment »

In the Loop News Roundup

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

What does PR look like today? Is it really that stressful? What about the Osama bin Ladin news and the Royal wedding? These are just some of the topics that have been crossing our RSS feeds this week.

AdWeek, “Bin Laden and Royal Weeding Break Online Records: Osama Had the Bigger Audience” – Data shows that while the Royal Wedding was far more captivating with more Twitter mentions, while Osama Bin Laden’s death attracted more attention online overall.

PRWeek, “Is PR the Second-Most Stressful Occupation?” – PR professionals reflect on their industry, after CareerCast names PR the second-most stressful occupation.

The Holmes Report, “A 21st Century Definition of Public Relations?” - The industry reevaluates PR today, including advertising as a process under the PR umbrella.

Bulldog Reporter’s Daily Dog, “What are Companies Doing – and Not Doing – About Social Media Workplace Compliance” – A new study shows that social media usage is on the rise in and outside of the workplace. So how are companies responding to this?

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Posted in Digital and Social Media, PR Careers, PR Industry, Social Media | No Comments »

Word of Mouth and Reaching the Masses Today

Friday, May 6th, 2011

News, especially big news, has always had its way of permeating to reach the masses – it’s kind of the reason the group as a whole is called “mass media” in the first place.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave (What? Too soon?), you may have heard that Osama Bin Laden was killed in a raid by United States Navy SEALs this past weekend… but HOW did you hear about it?

Odds are it wasn’t from a traditional news source, a newspaper or a newscast, at least not initially.

Tyler Gray, deputy editor of Fast Company, posted to the site that a single Tweet preempted the President’s official announcement – and by a significant margin since all three appeared the same day.

While Urbahn later said that he received his information from a TV news producer, and told his Twitter followers to wait for the official announcement from the POTUS himself, that cat got out of the bag and wasn’t going to go back in.

Across the country, Dan Shulman was calling the ninth inning of ESPN’s Sunday night Mets-Phillies game when his colleague in the booth, Bobby Valentine held up a text message on his cell phone.

The text was simple, according to Shulman, reading only “Bin Laden is dead.”

After confirming the news, Shulman told ESPN viewers – but the Philadelphia crowd had already begun chanting, “U-S-A, U-S-A,” as fans were receiving text messages and checking emails/Twitter/mobile news.

So we have, in essence, literal word of mouth (WOM) from the producer to Urbahn, a Tweet (consider it digital WOM) and a text message (mobile WOM). While The Huffington Post may have their list of 13 Strangest Ways People Found Out Bin Laden Died, WOM (traditional, mobile and digital), is directly responsible for some of the most powerful imagery in terms of the speed of information we have seen in a long, long time.

While it can be said on anecdotal evidence alone that mobile/digital WOM has already become an important factor in news, the PEW State of News Media 2011 report delivered this past March confirms it.

In 2010, every news platform saw audiences either stall or decline — except for the internet.

We can clearly see the shift from static news sources to more dynamic ones, but the report also included information from the survey. Released with the report (produced with the Pew Internet & American Life Project, in association with the Knight Foundation) PEW found that nearly half of all Americans (47 percent) now get some form of local news on a mobile device. What’s more, the report also found that mobile news is only likely to grow.

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Posted in Digital and Social Media, MSL Compass (Media Relations), Mobile Marketing, Social Media | 2 Comments »