Firms wait out retainer freeze from clients

Here's an article that was posted on PR Week's website. As an agency owner, I can definitely relate to this.

With an expected 2-million-plus US jobs lost in '08, some clients are putting PR firms on hold

A number of PR firms are reporting that clients are asking them to take a hiatus from full-time work as the country enters 2009 with a sense of trepidation.

The effect appears to be spread across verticals given the global impact of the financial slowdown that produced results like an expected 2-million-plus shedding of US jobs in 2008, and an 11-day work stop order in Japan at Toyota.

“You hear the same thing: ‘We still want you to be our agency of record. We don't want you to go anywhere. We just need you to hang on for a little while,” explains Aaron Kwittken, CEO and managing partner at Kwittken & Co. Two clients recently requested that the agency take a temporary hiatus from their retainer, he says.

In California, Morgan/Dorado Public Relations' founder and principal Josh Morgan says that within a six-week period, three clients put marketing programs on hold.

“It's been unprecedented, from what I've seen, that type of immediate reaction from so many people,” he adds.

Agencies are responding to the requests in different ways. New York-based Kwittken began handling project work for both clients during this time.
FULL STORY

Confessions of a Shopaholic Comes Out Next Month!

Do you speak Prada? Declined...REALLY Declined! LOL
Click the bag to watch the trailer.

French/West/Vaughan Wins WaterBrick International Account

French/West/Vaughan (FWV), one of the nation’s largest independent public relations, public affairs and brand communications agencies, today announced that it has been named agency-of-record by WaterBrick International, Inc. FWV will provide public relations counsel and support to raise awareness of WaterBrick’s unique first-response product serving the needs of humanity in times of crisis and dire need. FWV will be responsible for implementing a comprehensive public relations and marketing program that will include proactive media relations, governmental communications and event coordination. The agency will work to raise WaterBrick International’s brand recognition in the domestic and worldwide markets, further establishing the organization as a logical solution to help victims in disaster zones, the poor in developing countries and for use in military applications.

SOURCE

My Letter to the Editor

One more thing...I recently wrote a Letter to the Editor to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in response to an article that touched my heart. The letter was published in the newspaper on Christmas Day. Well, my Google search (see the previous post) also showed me that a woman wrote a letter in response to my letter and hers was published as well. Pretty cool! Both letters are below: My letter is on top and hers is on the bottom.

MENTAL ILLNESS
Prison not a solution
LINK
Have prisons become the asylum of last resort for those with mental illness? The Dec. 19 article "Woman who killed baby gets 5 years" saddened me. According to the article, Arkisha Johnson is a suicidal woman who suffers from bipolar disorder and attempted suicide after drowning her 5-month-old son. She's only 30 years old, yet she has attempted suicide numerous times and has had 30 contacts with the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex since she was 12. Her mental health issues were so severe that the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare ordered caseworkers not to leave her alone with her son unless she was taking all of her prescribed medications.

Despite her mental health issues, now she will sit in prison for five years, where corrections officers will be responsible for her mental health and safety. It's as if prisons have become the asylum of last resort for those with mental illness, and that is very unfortunate. The reality is that Wisconsin prisons are understaffed, underfunded and have a dangerously dysfunctional health care system.

A recent study by the American Civil Liberties Union found that women at Wisconsin's Taycheedah Correctional Institution suffer medical neglect and receive worse mental health care than men. Furthermore, the ACLU said the lapses in mental health care occur against the backdrop of a prison system that has a suicide rate twice the national average.

I lost a loved one to suicide in 2007, and that is why my heart goes out to Johnson - and yours should, too. I pray that she receives the mental health services she so desperately needs while she is in prison. But the odds are clearly stacked against her.

Nepherterra Estrada
Milwaukee

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MENTAL ILLNESS
Society needs to do a better job of helping
LINK

This is in response to the Dec. 25 letter by Nepherterra Estrada, "Prison not a solution" about mental illness. I agree with all she said. Why can't we build more special facilities to house those with mental illness who have committed crimes?
Now, they are all thrown in together with little or no treatment. The jails are overcrowded, and we need more housing for inmates. Why not build more institutions for people with mental illness? Illness is the operative word here. These people are ill. Most would have not committed the offenses had they been in their right minds. Too many people ignore the needs of those with mental illness while going out of their way to treat those with physical illness.
It's just not right. We're not in the dark ages anymore. We need decent treatment facilities for people with mental illness, not like the "snake pits" of yesterday.
Please, let's work on it, people in power. We need a leader to get the ball rolling

Maureen Quin
Greendale

Have You Googled Yourself Lately?

I am always amazed when people tell me they have never Googled themselves. Maybe that's because I've been Googling myself on a regular basis for years now. If you have never done it, or haven't done it in a while, I strongly suggest you do. So, I Googled myself tonight and learned that I am on Youtube. I gave a marketing presentation back in October at the Ways to Work Annual Meeting and they recently uploaded it on Youtube (I am so proud of them!). Ways to Work,one of my favorite clients, is doing great things in the community by providing low interest loans to working families with challenging credit histories. I thought I'd share the video with the blogosphere...

Apple Founder Steve Jobs Reveals His Hormonal Imbalance

This is a good first step for Apple. He should have addressed this a while ago in my opinion.

After a year of concerns about his gaunt appearance, months of rumours about his declining health and a flurry of speculation a week ago that he may even be at death's door, Apple founder Steve Jobs has broken his silence to insist he remains firmly at the helm of the consumer gadgets giant.


He is suffering a "hormone imbalance", he said in a letter to the Apple faithful gathering at the annual Macworld conference in San Francisco yesterday. That is causing him to lose weight, he said, but he has already begun treatment.

SOURCE

Charlotte PR Agency Retained by Case Handyman & Remodeling

CHARLOTTE – My Team of Experts, Inc. has been retained as public relations agency of record by the Charlotte-area franchise Case Handyman & Remodeling, which specializes in home remodeling and repair services.

My Team of Experts, Inc. has been helping small businesses to establish and promote their expertise through effective public relations since 2001.
SOURCE

Are You On Twitter Yet?

I deleted my Myspace page back in October in honor of my 31st birthday. When I clicked the delete button the message "ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DELETE YOUR PAGE" instantly popped up on the screen. I hesitated for a moment because I had so many pictures, connected with so many people and enjoyed my time on Crackspace, I mean Myspace. LOL. But when I clicked "YES!" and deleted my page, at that moment, I decided it was time to do something new. So I decided to join Linked In (boring), start blogging again (yippee!) and to join Twitter (different).

So that leads me to my next question, are you on Twitter yet? If not, I highly recommend you consider it. Or at least visit my Twitter page. For those of you who may be considering Twitter or wondering what all the buzz is about, I thought I'd share this article. According to this Wall Street Journal story, some people are Twittering themselves into jobs...

Twitter Yourself a Job

By JONNELLE MARTE
Looking for a new job, Alexa Scordato didn't email or call her contacts about possible openings. Instead, she messaged them via the social-networking Web site Twitter.com.

Her brief message: "Hey there! Looking for a Social Media job up in Boston. Are you guys doing any entry level hires?"

Within a week, she had an interview. Within two weeks, she had a job.

The site, which lets users publish supershort updates of what they're doing, is a virtual meeting ground where a range of communities -- from moms to media professionals -- come to converse informally.

It's been criticized as a site for sharing mundane details about everyday activities. But people like 22-year-old Ms. Scordato, who used Twitter to privately message some people she'd met at a conference, show the site can be more than that.

"I would guess that if I had just sent them a long email with my résumé, I might not have gotten a response as fast as I did," says Ms. Scordato, who was hired by Mzinga, a Boston-area company that helps businesses use social technology.

The Basics
Users, known as Twitterers, post short updates that appear in their online profiles. They can choose to follow each other's updates, called tweets, and respond either publicly through posts or privately via direct message. All entries must be 140 characters or less.

Twitter doesn't release user numbers, but most public estimates put the user base at around four million to five million, with about 30% or more being very new or limited users.

To get started, build a profile that shows your interests and start Twittering. Because you have no more than 140 characters to describe yourself in your bio, use key words that reveal your goals. Make more information accessible by linking to your Web site, blog or profile on a professional networking site like LinkedIn.

Amy Ziari, a 24-year-old looking for a public-relations job in San Francisco, links to her blog on her Twitter profile and lists her Twitter alias on her résumé to show recruiters she is "not a faceless résumé -- there's somebody behind it."

You'll find major companies and recruiters on the site, and should follow the big names in your industry.

Most users get emails alerting them about new followers, and may choose to follow you as well if your biography and tweets get their attention.

Initiate conversations with other users by responding to their tweets. You can share updates you find useful by reposting them on your profile.

Stay Focused
Never twitter about anything you wouldn't want your boss or mother to see, and tell your friends to keep their tweets to you appropriate.

Be careful about publicizing your job hunt on Twitter if you don't want your boss reading about it. But if you're unemployed, sending an occasional tweet that explains the kind of job you're looking for could yield responses from recruiters. You can also seek jobs being promoted on the site by searching for phrases like "job opening."

Twittering about your personal life is fine, to an extent -- it's something most Twitterers do. But keep it to a minimum.

"I would rather see someone who posts good-quality information than what they had for lunch," said Lindsay Olson, who uses Twitter to recruit for Paradigm Staffing, a staffing agency that focuses on public relations and marketing.

SOURCE

Recession stealing PR and ad agency jobs

Recession steals PR and ad agency jobs, But some firms are still hiring as downturn strikes uneven blows

David Ranii - Staff Writer
Published: Fri, Jan. 02, 2009

The recession is hitting Triangle public relations and advertising agencies, which have been cutting jobs as clients reduce their spending.

In the past month, Raleigh's Capstrat laid off six workers, and Durham's McKinney, the Triangle's largest ad agency, let go of eight. "The economy is affecting everybody, and we have to adjust for that," said David Chatham, senior vice president at Capstrat. The firm now has 87 employees.

Chatham said 2008 was Capstrat's "best year ever" in terms of revenue, but business slowed during the past three months as the economy soured and clients cut their spending budgets.

SOURCE

New Year, New Image, New Book: Where's My 15 Minutes

Public Relations Is Not Just for Celebrities Anymore; Learn How to Handle Your Image

Jan. 2, 2009 — Howard Bragman is the founder of FifteenMinutes.com, a strategic media and public relations agency with offices in Los Angeles and New York and is well respected for his work as a crisis counselor.

In his new book, "Where's My 15 Minutes," he talks about how he's helped some of Hollywood's most famous and infamous step from pitfalls to stardom and how those same techniques can be used for anyone's life. Read a few excerpts of his book below.


Howard's 10 Commandments of P.R.
1. All press is not good press

2. Perception is reality

3. Create a brand

4. The truth seeks its own level... eventually

5. Energize your base

6. The media will not wait for you

7. There is no wall between public and private

8. The medium is still the message

9. They're only building you up to knock you down

10. Everyone has a second act

SOURCE

Charles Hamilton's Brooklyn Girls Video

I'm not from Brooklyn, but I've been addicted to this song for two weeks. I hope you enjoy it as much as me...

Milwaukee's Best?

Ok, I know this is random but I'm up late watching The Bad Girls Club on Oxygen and just realized that one of the girls on this season's show is from my hometown Milwaukee. Her name is Sarah and according to her "back home in Milwaukee I was 'THE HOT GIRL'" Alrighty then. Just trying to support hometown talent. LOL





This last episode was quite eventful. Here are the highlights...

The Irony of Beyonce's Single Ladies Song & Her Snobish Comments About the Jacksons

Am I the only one in the universe that finds it IRONIC that Beyonce sings the new single woman's anthem "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It), even though she is VERY married to JAY Z? I admit I love the song. You might even catch me doing the little "Single Ladies" dance (you know the one that Beyonce does in the video where she turns her left hand from side to side. Still don't know what I'm talking about? Then reference 1:51 on the video below LOL)



Speaking of Beyonce, I ran across this article on Access Hollywood's website . I wanted to post it for two reasons: 1) I thought it was interesting that Beyonce opens up about the power struggle between her and her hubby. 2)I thought what she said about the Jacksons at the end of the article was very rude. Almost snobish. I'm sure her publicist will be sending out a statement regarding that comment in the near future. BONUS: Did any of you catch the typos/grammatical errors in two of her quotes? I haven't seen the actual Elle article, so I'm hoping they were just typos!

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Beyonce has been married to rap superstar Jay-Z for just nine months and it appears the couple is still adjusting to life betrothed.

The singer told Elle magazine in their January issue that her prior relationships have taught her “that the worst thing you can do is press [someone].”

“I’m satisfied with myself, things that are supposed to happen will happen” Beyonce continued.

For the “Cadillac Records” star, a successful love life is found by “[finding] somebody who make you a better person.”

“You are who you’re around,” Beyonce continued, “And if I don’t want to be like you, I don’t want to be around you.”

As for the relationship dynamics for Beyonce and Jay-Z, who are both heads of their own entertainment empires, the singer told the mag it’s all about give and take.

“It’s a power struggle, I’m finding out,” she said of their marriage. “But if I didn’t respect someone and they didn’t have that strength, then I would be bored. I wouldn’t be attracted to them. But at the same time, I’m not looking for someone to dominate me.”

And when the topic of having kids comes up, Beyonce is quick to let her feelings on the matter be known.

“No way! I’m terrified of delivering a child because I saw my nephew born. That traumatized me,” she said of sister Solange’s 2004 birth.

After taking a moment to relax, the singer admits that her fears of childbirth may not last forever, adding, “I’m only 27, I’ve got time.”

And more relaxation is exactly what Beyonce is focusing on.

Despite releasing her third solo album, “I Am…Sasha Fierce,” and recently playing the iconic Etta James on the big screen, the 27-year-old told the mag her current life isn’t about the limelight.

“Being this huge pop star is not my focus right now, " Beyonce added. “I’ve done that. I wanted to sell a million records, and I sold a million records. I wanted to go platinum, I went platinum. I’ve been working nonstop since I was 15. I don’t even know how to chill out.”

Despite being a part of a successful family in the music industry, Beyonce told Elle that people often confused her upbringing with the life of the Jackson family.

“I grew up upper-class,” she said. " Private school, My dad had a Jaguar. We’re African-American and we work together as a family, so people assume we’re like the Jacksons. But I didn’t have parents using me to get out of a bad situation.”

SOURCE

Top Tips for Pitching Media

I usually think people's top tips for pitching media are SO LAME, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a tip list earlier today that I actually agree with (for the most part). My personal favorites are: copy and paste your release in the body of the email, personalize your pitch and know the audience. Amen, amen and amen! Check the rest out HERE

Are Lobbyists & PR experts spinning the Gaza Attack?

My Two Cents: Who cares about the "PR war" when people are losing their lives?

Israel uses the 'perfect time' to fight the PR war

The rocket-pocked zone surrounding Gaza is not only one of the biggest political fault lines in the Middle East. It is also the front line of the desperate propaganda war being waged by Israel and its Palestinian foe, Hamas.

Within hours of Israel launching its offensive against Gaza, lobbyists, spin-doctors and public relations experts were mobilised to head off critical reaction around the globe.

“The problem is that the numbers are not very flattering,” one pro-Israel lobbyist said, commenting on the huge disparity between the 360 Palestinians and four Israelis killed in the conflict.

Hamas, whose leaders have been driven underground by Israeli attacks, has relied on the shocking images of civilian casualties in Gaza, taken by local media workers, to rally support for its cause, and looked to the fury of the Arab street and firebrand preachers to mobilise grassroots support.

Source

VH1's I Love Money 2 Cast Revealed

I admit I am not perfect. One of my character flaws is I easily get sucked into ridiculously stupid reality television shows. It all started with the Real World when I was in college. Puck changed my life. Oh and Lately I've been addicted to Rock of Love Charm School 2 and Real CHance of Love on VH1. The one show I didn't like was I Love Money. And of course VH1 is bringing it back for another season. They recently announced the new cast. Some of the well known characters are Buddah, Buckwild, It, Cali, Heat, Myamme and Leilene.

Barack the Magic Negro: I Think It's Funny

Why is everyone getting their undies in a bundle about the Barack the Magic Negro song? I'm black, I voted for Barack and I think the song is FUNNY!! Furthermore, it's REALLY old. I saw the video, which Youtube recently removed, and heard the song months ago. So why suddenly is it an issue? The song is posted HERE if you haven't heard it.

It's just as funny as the Sarah Palin skits on SNL. Isn't this political satire???

What's the big deal--Am I missing something?????

*sigh*

Have You Heard About CheapOAir?

As most of you know, I came home to Milwaukee to spend Christmas with my family. Despite the cold weather, it was a great holiday...until it was time for me to fly back to Charlotte yesterday. Although I travel between Milwaukee and Charlotte at least once a month for business, because I fly on a companion pass (with an airline that shall remain nameless),I am always listed as a stand by passenger. Well yesterday was NOT a good day to fly stand by! I was the 16th person on the stand by list for my flight yesterday. I ended up staying an extra night in Milwaukee. A few minutes ago I bought a ticket that leaves at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning. Thank GAWD!

But as I was researching tickets I ran across a website that I hadn't heard of before: www.cheapoair.com . They have some good deals too! I found a ticket on CheapOAir for $175 (not including taxes and fees) leaving tomorrow from Milwaukee to Charlotte. Unfortunately, I had already purchased a ticket on Northwest for $214 (not including taxes and fees), but I thought I'd share the site with the blogosphere just in case anyone is looking for travel deals! Consider it my gift to you this holiday season.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Sharon Osbourne Beat Up Megan at the Charm School Reunion

Wow. This is great! I have a feeling this might be a PR stunt to create buzz for Megan's new VH1 Show called Trophy Wife.

According to TMZ:

Megan Hauserman claims Sharon went ballistic during a taping of the show's reunion special Saturday night -- accusing Osbourne of running across the stage, grabbing Megan by her hair and refusing to let go.

Hauserman claims Sharon (who is the host of the show) continued to pull and scratch until security eventually separated the two. Megan went to the hospital Sunday afternoon and filed a report with the LAPD on Sunday night.

According to Megan, the whole thing started after Sharon took a verbal shot at her, and the Charmed School" contestant responded by telling Sharon she is only famous for managing a brain dead rock star -- and then all hell broke loose.

SOURCE

PR Pillow Talk Dangerous for Wall Street

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street's top public relations firms have long supplied grist to a mill hungry for tips about financial deals, but revelations in an insider trading case could lead to that stream of information slowing down.

U.S. authorities have accused former Lehman Brothers salesman Matthew Devlin of tipping friends and relatives about 13 impending mergers with confidential information he got from his wife Nina, a partner at Brunswick Group, an international financial communications firm.

While Nina Devlin is not charged in the case, and Brunswick has said the information was obtained without her knowledge, the breach of client trust is immense, PR experts said.

Brunswick said on Monday it has suspended Devlin pending the outcome of an internal review by outside counsel, saying it was an "appropriate course of action in this situation".

Experts said the case shows the danger of "pillow talk" between PR professionals and their spouses, or gossip with friends.

The Devlin case involved some of the biggest deals in the last four years including Alcoa Inc's $27 billion hostile offer for Alcan in 2007 and Dow Chemical's $15 billion acquisition of Rohm & Haas this year.

There will likely be a crackdown at PR firms with such sensitive news, not only on who has access to information but where and when they have access.


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