Daily PR Brief - December 7th, 2016
Good morning. Here are today's top clips -
PR firm cancels holiday party after Trump win (Page Six - December 6, 2016)
Choice Hotels names Lorri Christou VP of PR, external affairs (PR Week - December 7, 2016)
Procter & Gamble names Hill+Knowlton Strategies first global corp comms AOR (PR Week - December 7, 2016)
Millennial Employees More Likely to Recognize Workplace Discrimination (O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016) [Infographic]
Chief Storyteller: The Newest Member of the C-Suite (O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016)
Hawkins Tops in Social Networking (O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016)
Delta Books Walker for Return Flight as CCO (O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016)
Adding Purpose-Driven Partnerships to Your Game Plan (O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016)
How to write a captivating bio (Ragan - December 6, 2016)
4 actions that public speakers should avoid (Ragan - December 6, 2016)
2016 PR People Award Winners Take Stage at PR News’ Winter Awards Luncheon (PR News - December 6, 2016)
Diversity & Inclusion in PR Leaders Share the Spotlight at Winter Awards Luncheon (PR News - December 6, 2016)
2016 Rising PR Stars 30 & Under Celebrated by PR News (PR News - December 6, 2016)
2016 Top Places to Work in PR Honored by PR News at Winter Awards Luncheon (PR News - December 6, 2016)
PR Industry News: Business Wire and Agility PR Solutions Partner to Enhance Media Outreach and Analytics Options (Bulldog Reporter - December 6, 2016)
Jonathan Wilson Named CEO of Spectrum Science Communications (Bulldog Reporter - December 7, 2016)
Give Your Food and Beverage Brand a Face People Can Trust with Influencer Marketing (Cision - December 6, 2016)
Public Relations lessons from my blended family (Public Relations Society of America - December 6, 2016)
6 Tips and Tactics to Humanize Your Content (Mention Blog - December 6, 2016)
Look beyond your corporate headquarters to see real opportunities for your company (Axia Public Relations - December 6, 2016)
PR in the Not-Too-Distant Future (Gould+Partners - December 6, 2016)
Summary Section:
PR firm cancels holiday party after Trump win
By Richard Johnson
Page Six - December 6, 2016
Manhattan fashion p.r. company LaForce — which reps Target, Banana Republic and Williams-Sonoma, to name a few — has canceled its holiday party because of Trump’s victory. James LaForce and his husband, Stephen Henderson, had booked Irving Plaza for a thousand guests on Dec. 19 and designed an invite showing Hillary Clinton as an American flag-waving Santa with the words, “Make America Merry Again.” Instead, LaForce sent out a letter stating, “We envisioned an extra-cheerful celebration of Hillary Clinton’s presidency . . . Alas, Election Day did not go as we’d hoped. So it’s with deep regret that we are canceling this year’s party.” LaForce sent the money that would have been spent on the party to Planned Parenthood, Housing Works and the Stonewall Foundation.
Choice Hotels names Lorri Christou VP of PR, external affairs
By Sean Czarnecki
PR Week - December 7, 2016
Choice Hotels has hired Lorri Christou as VP of PR and external affairs. She will oversee external communications for the company’s corporate brand and its portfolio, which includes hotel chains such as EconoLodge and Quality. She was most recently SVP of strategic marketing and communications at the Cruise Line International Association for two years. Christou has also held senior roles at Edelman and FleishmanHillard and was VP of integrated comms at Dairy Management Inc., according to her LinkedIn account.
Procter & Gamble names Hill+Knowlton Strategies first global corp comms AOR
By Diana Bradley
PR Week - December 7, 2016
The agency will focus on P&G’s global corporate comms strategy globally and in the U.S. Its responsibilities include message and content development, internal comms, issue prevention, crisis management, and corporate media relations. Earlier this year, P&G consolidated its PR work with five agencies: Citizen Relations, DeVries Global, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, MMK+, and MSLGroup. The firms are tasked with providing global PR support to P&G brands at a category level in global business units including baby, feminine, family, fabric, home, skin, hair, grooming, oral, and personal healthcare.
Millennial Employees More Likely to Recognize Workplace Discrimination [Infographic]
By Jon Gingerich
O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016
Diversity’s role in the workplace maintains a far higher priority among Millennials than older generations, and members of this demographic place a premium on this factor when searching for prospective jobs, according to a December report issued by Weber Shandwick and the Institute for Public Relations. Research also found that nearly six out of every 10 U.S. employees (58 percent) has witnessed some form of discrimination or bias occur in the workplace. According to the study, the most common of these incidents involved racial or ethnic discrimination, followed by gender discrimination and age discrimination. The study also found that fewer than half of all U.S. employees — 44 percent — believe their employer is doing a good job communicating workplace diversity and inclusion goals.
Chief Storyteller: The Newest Member of the C-Suite
By Rachel Spielman, Head of storytelling at Ruder Finn
O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016
Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the power of storytelling, seeing it as a way to more deeply engage with consumers. A major brand such as United Airlines tapping a media and digital expert really shows how companies are recognizing the intrinsic importance storytelling is to their success. Interestingly, Reinglass was also named MD of digital engagement, showing United Airlines’ dedication to sharing their story in innovative, forward-thinking ways. The stories that matter are memorable; they live on in your connection and loyalty to a brand, company or an individual. And the more of these meaningful stories you tell, the stronger that connection becomes. Connected storytelling combines authenticity and relevance, thereby creating that all-important emotional connection that turns a good story into a great one.
Hawkins Tops in Social Networking
O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016
Hawkins International Public Relationsrecently picked up top honors from PR News for its promotion of the spring 2016 reopening of the InterContinental New York Barclay in New York City. HIPR’s work with The Barclay was also recognized with a Gold HSMAI Adrian Award in the digital marketing category. HIPR comes in at #8 in O'Dwyer's ranking of the top travel PR firms with $3.9 million in net fees for 2015.
Delta Books Walker for Return Flight as CCO
O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016
Ned Walker, who retired as chief communications officer of Delta Air Lines in 2014, will return to the Atlanta-based carrier in January in its top communications role. He will fill a post being vacated by Kevin Shinkle, the former Associated Press business editor who is stepping down to return to the Northeast after nearly three years in Atlanta.
Adding Purpose-Driven Partnerships to Your Game Plan
By Steve Mann, Vice President of Beehive Strategic Communication
O'Dwyer's - December 6, 2016
Sports fans, like most consumers — particularly younger consumers — are consciously choosing brands that support their needs, values and beliefs. Brands need to meet those rising expectations and create partnerships, campaigns and communication strategies that demonstrate they share common ideals and principles. As the rules of sports marketing evolve, with fans expecting — and receiving — more engagement and access to their favorite teams and athletes than ever before, teams and leagues have made looking for new ways to engage with and please their fans a priority. Identify and clearly articulate your brand’s values. Once the right partnership is in place, properly communicating the magnitude and scope, as well as the specific details and engagement opportunities along the way, to media and fans, is critical. Maybe instead of utilizing that hour you have with one of the players for a photo op or big-check presentation, collaborate on a grassroots community effort like refurbishing a dilapidated playground or feeding the hungry, lead a fundraiser to benefit young athletes with disabilities or encourage reading through a partnership with local sports publications and writers.
How to write a captivating bio
By Elaine Andrus
Ragan - December 6, 2016
1. Think for a moment. Before you start, consider where the bio will appear and the appropriate tone for the audience. 2. Start with the basics. 3. Highlight how you got started. 4. Say what you actually do. Beware of industry jargon and confusing or vague buzzwords. 5. Say how you do it. To get some perspective, ask a friend or co-worker about your professional strengths or attributes. 6. Keep it updated.
4 actions that public speakers should avoid
By Christina McKenna, Founder and president of Bluestone Executive Communications
Ragan - December 6, 2016
1. Speaking directly to any one member of the audience. Every audience member is making you the focus of their attention. Make sure they feel you're returning the favor. 2. Clapping. 3. Scolding bad actors. Stay authoritative, and let someone else assume the role of "mall cop." 4. Managing the logistics. It's the speaker's job to awe the audience with great content, not to make sure the mic levels are recording studio perfect or that seats are re-arranged to accommodate latecomers.
2016 PR People Award Winners Take Stage at PR News’ Winter Awards Luncheon
By Sophie Maerowitz
PR News - December 6, 2016
The dedicated PR and communications professionals behind the best PR and marketing campaigns of the past year were honored on Dec. 6, 2016, at PR News' Winter Awards luncheon, held at the historic National Press Club in Washington, D.C. At the luncheon PR News announced the winners of its 2016 PR People Awards in categories that included Brand Marketer of the Year, Spokesperson of the Year, Social Media Professional of the Year, Intern of the Year and Public Affairs Professional of the Year, among others. PR News also inducted five new members into this year's PR News Hall of Fame, asking each to name a mentor and a piece of advice they impart to their own mentees. Robert Mathias of Ogilvy Washington cited "learning the carrot is stronger than the stick, and always loving what you do" as his most valuable advice, received from his own mentor. Debra Silimeo of Hager Sharp's words of wisdom included giving women a seat at the table and ensuring one's team is as diverse as possible.
Diversity & Inclusion in PR Leaders Share the Spotlight at Winter Awards Luncheon
By Ian James Wright
PR News - December 6, 2016
The Diversity & Inclusion Awards highlighted various agencies, brands, nonprofits and individuals who are doing the important work of creating diverse and inclusive workplaces at all levels of the organization. The winners shared some advice about attitudes toward diversity in the workplace and how to make diversity and inclusion a reality throughout an organization. "Knowing your communities, where you live and work...and being able to effectively communicate the value of your corporation's diversity is key to successful campaigns," said Victoria Morales of CITGO.
2016 Rising PR Stars 30 & Under Celebrated by PR News
By Sophie Maerowitz
PR News - December 6, 2016
The young PR professionals behind some of the best PR and marketing campaigns of the past year were honored on Dec. 6 as part of PR News' Winter Awards luncheon, held at the historic National Press Club in Washington, D.C. At the luncheon, PR News celebrated the winners of its 2016 Rising PR Stars Awards 30 & Under awards, a group of hardworking and highly creative young PR professionals representing a diverse array of agencies, corporations, nonprofit organizations and professional associations from around the country.
2016 Top Places to Work in PR Honored by PR News at Winter Awards Luncheon
By Ian James Wright
PR News - December 6, 2016
Where would you work in PR if it were entirely up to you? Ask around and you'll find several different PR pros with different answers: a large agency like Ketchum, a more focused shop like Exponent PR, perhaps in-house at a brand like MasterCard or Aflac. These are some of the organizations that—through their commitment to mentoring, work/life balance, opportunity for advancement, perks and benefits and more—have set themselves apart as some of the very best places to work in PR.
PR Industry News: Business Wire and Agility PR Solutions Partner to Enhance Media Outreach and Analytics Options
Bulldog Reporter - December 6, 2016
Business Wire and Agility PR Solutions have announced a new strategic partnership to provide communications professionals with enhanced distribution, monitoring and media analytics capabilities. This move expands Business Wire’s already wide set of communications tools by offering clients a seamless and cost-effective solution to integrate media outreach and multi-outlet monitoring into their communications campaigns. Since 2003, organizations have trusted Agility PR Solutions, now a subsidiary of Innodata for their media database, monitoring, and analytics needs.
Jonathan Wilson Named CEO of Spectrum Science Communications
Bulldog Reporter - December 7, 2016
John Seng, founder of Spectrum Science Communications, announced that Jonathan Wilson will succeed him as Chief Executive Officer following two consecutive years of high double digit growth in fee revenues. Wilson joined Spectrum as president in 2014 and assumed management of the firm that Seng founded in 1996. Earlier in 2016, Spectrum received public relations industry recognition as Healthcare Agency of the Year and was selected among the Best Places to Work. Earlier this year, Seng appointed Wilson as president of GLOBALHealthPR, the largest independent public relations network dedicated exclusively to health and medical communications worldwide. Prior to joining Spectrum, Wilson succeeded Richard Chamberlain as president of Chamberlain Healthcare PR.
Give Your Food and Beverage Brand a Face People Can Trust with Influencer Marketing
By Sarah Clark, President of Mitchell
Cision - December 6, 2016
Wellness influencers are viewed as “real” people — approachable and authentic. Rachel Mansfield is one healthy living blogger and Instagram influencer who has promoted food and beverage brands on her platform. The most successful influencers deliver honest and credible resources in a way that’s easy to access online. To earn consumers’ loyalty and trust, you need the right person advocating for your brand. Know your celebrities from your social influencers. Pay attention to your audience. Don’t focus on fame.
Public Relations lessons from my blended family
By Angela Hayes, Managing Director, Communications Strategy Integration American Cancer Society
Public Relations Society of America - December 6, 2016
Resist the temptation to judge. "For a brands to embrace inclusiveness, they have to be willing to set aside judgment about their audiences. Sometimes market research can lead planners and creative types to embrace consumer group stereotypes that don’t fully reflect the complexity of the audience they seek to reach. The only way for a brand to avoid this pitfall is for them to have a relationship with the audience. Acknowledge the differences across your audience, and seek to understand them. Most importantly, resist the temptation to make assumptions based on your values. And stay committed. Consumers know when you don’t genuinely value them."
6 Tips and Tactics to Humanize Your Content
By Kenneth Waldman
Mention Blog - December 6, 2016
1. Emotions are key. Try to incorporate your emotions into your writing and start developing a real relationship with your viewers. Incorporate a story that everyone can relate to. 2. Use smart content creation tools. CoSchedule Headline Analyzer: Hemingway App, Piktochart. 3. Find professional proofreading. The best thing you can do for your content is hiring a professional proofreader or editor who can ensure that your text is 100% free of such mistakes. 4. Seek inspiration and ideas. Explore and discover what other people are talking about. 5. Build content marketing pyramids. The content marketing pyramid is an important strategy for every marketer and content creator. 6. Organic call-to-action. Humanizing your content is of the utmost importance. You may write an error-free and educational piece of content, but just because an automated editor says it’s great doesn’t mean you audience will feel the same. Understand human relations and interaction before creating content.
Look beyond your corporate headquarters to see real opportunities for your company
By Lisa Goldsberry
Axia Public Relations - December 6, 2016
Three benefits of having localized PR: 1. Finding the local story angle. Customers are most interested in issues that affect their lives right now in their own little corner of the world. 2. Building relationships. If you are planning events or corresponding during a crisis, it’s important to have boots already on the ground that know venues to use, whom to talk to and how things get done quickly in each area where your company has a presence. This knowledge comes from developing the right relationships and being visible long before you need assistance, and you can’t do it sitting in some corporate headquarters many miles away. 3. More reach and visibility. Multiple locations can mean a multitude of news stories to share, and if you are not capitalizing on that, you are missing out.
PR in the Not-Too-Distant Future
By Matthew Schwartz
Gould+Partners - December 6, 2016
PR executives from both the agency and client sides are optimistic about the industry’s future and believe that within the next five years they’ll be expected to deliver more strategic communications, more media channels and sharper measurement. But questions remain about the industry’s ability to attract the right talent, adapt to new technologies and boost the level of investment required to capitalize on these opportunities. That’s the major takeaway from the Global Communications Report, which was released earlier this year by The Holmes Report and the University of Southern California’s Center for Public Relations. According to the report, writing (89 percent) ranked as more critical than strategic planning (84 percent), social media expertise (76 percent) and multimedia content development (76 percent). Writing skills were far ahead of business literacy (62 percent), analytics (62 percent), research (48 percent), search engine optimization (41percent) and behavioral science (32 percent). Those results strongly suggest that the obituaries for traditional PR have been greatly exaggerated. Almost all agency respondents expect change in their business models (98 percent) in the future and 47 percent anticipate an extreme or complete amount of change. Prospects for measurement, which for years has hampered PR executives’ ability to win bigger budgets and land a seat at the proverbial table, seem to be improving.
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