Ari Seth Cohen and his grandmother in the header image from his blog.

By Joan Schneider

I had the pleasure this week of attending the Hebrew SeniorLife College of Retirement Series at Orchard Cove in Canton, MA to hear Ari Seth Cohen talk about his favorite subject—Advanced Style—which is also the title of his book and his blog. He talked about how his stylish grandmother—a librarian from New York and a Columbia graduate—profoundly influenced his life. She and her stylish friends paved the way for his passion to convince women of all ages that you can be expressive and creative, no matter what your age.

Ari, single handedly, is helping the fashion industry understand that women from 65 to over 100—can have the type of style and grace that are perfect for fashion ads and magazine covers. The women in the short video he shared were so stylish, articulate and wise—that I have captured some of my favorite quotes below:

“Dressing up is an exercise in creativity, it makes you feel better.”

“You’re treated nicer when you dress up, try it.”

“Don’t be afraid to not look like everyone else.”

“If you go into a store and the sales person says everyone is wearing it, put the dress immediately back on the rack.”

“When asked how old you are, say somewhere between 50 and death—that stops people from asking again.”

“If you don’t have a dress code, why adhere to someone else’s?”

“I may be old, but I think young!”

“If someone doesn’t like what you are wearing—tell them you don’t give a (expletive deleted)!”

On the eve of Mother’s Day, I am reminded of my own grandmother, Rose, who was my muse. She was a true non-conformist. She had three husbands, one of whom was the chauffer of Dutch Shultz, the NJ mobster. She owned a bar in Jersey City, NJ and wore white go go boots, a magnificent mink coat and the trendiest clothes you could buy at Lane Bryant.  She never cared what people said about her—she did her own thing and always bragged that she was the most educated person in her family—she graduated 8^th grade. She was a true original and had her own type of style that could not be duplicated.

To me, the Hebrew SeniorLife seminar was a true testimony to REAGE—the organization’s philosophy that how we deal with aging is changing.  That we are not getting older, we are getting better. That style and vitality are ageless and that you are as young as you feel.  All I have to say is Ari Seth Cohen and I agree.

To learn more about Hebrew SeniorLife’s upcoming College of Retirement Living events visit: www.hslindependentliving.org

Joan Schneider, President and Creative Director

She could have easily landed a job in PR.

Here’s why. Beyoncé has proven her ability to build trusting relationships with her fans, and she’s successfully handled the opportunities and challenges that have come with her life in the spotlight.  Arthur Page, the former vice president of public relations for AT&T, developed seven management principles for public relations practitioners. Using these principles, I’ll show why Beyoncé makes a great public relations practitioner.

1.       Tell the truth.

In her documentary “Life is But a Dream” that debuted Feb. 16 on HBO, Beyoncé offered a rare peak into her life off stage.  The candid style of the film, which featured narration from an unadorned Beyoncé, offered her fans the chance to view the personality behind this star.  Critics may have said the documentary was not revealing enough, but it was insightful and a good PR move  because it helped to build a mutually beneficial relationship between Beyoncé and her fans.  She provided them with an inside look at her life in return for all of their support throughout her career.

2.      Prove it with action.

When Beyoncé was accused of lip synching at the inauguration, she truthfully explained why she did not sing live in front of President Obama, and then she supplemented her words with actions.  In a move that any PR crisis practitioner would be proud of, she proved her critics wrong and belted out a live rendition of the national anthem for all of her media critics to hear at a Super Bowl press conference.

3.      Listen to the customer.

In her documentary, Beyoncé described the public’s obsession with celebrity.  Her BeyHive blog caters to this habit.  Named after her top fans, the blog offers insights into the music and lifestyle trends that inspire Beyoncé, while also providing information about upcoming tour dates.  It’s a way for her to communicate directly with her supporters and to build a sense of community with them.

4.      Manage for tomorrow.

Beyoncé has proven that she’s more than just a singer.  She’s made Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 most powerful women not only because of her musical talent but also for her work in entrepreneurship (she has a clothing line and a string of endorsement deals) and charitable campaigns like “Get Moving.”

5.      Conduct public relations as if the whole company depends on it.

For Beyoncé, this means thinking about the messages she communicates and the impact those words will have on her fans.  In her documentary, she reveals that this is something she constantly struggles with.  She wants to give back to her fans without giving up too much of her privacy.  By being conscious of her audience, Beyoncé proves that she is a thoughtful communicator who thinks before she speaks or sings.

6.      Realize a company’s true character is expressed by its people.

If Beyoncé were a company, her fans would be the employees. In public relations, what employees say about a company matters, and the relationship between Beyoncé and her fans is no different.  She has cultivated a fan base of loyal brand ambassadors who spread the word about her and her music.

7.      Remain calm, patient and good-humored.

In the face of a PR crisis, we saw Beyoncé keep her cool.  More than that, Beyoncé has shown that she recognizes the good hand that fate has dealt her.  In the documentary, she addressed the fact that she has been blessed with success, and emphasized her gratefulness.  Crisis or no crisis, she seems to keep a level head, which is something every public relations practitioner must strive to do daily.

I doubt Arthur Page ever expected his seven principles to be applied to the world of pop music, but I believe this comparison shows that public relations is not just a profession; it’s a way of life.  For Beyoncé, public relations is about how she relates to her fans and the media.  We can all learn from her tactfulness and her grace under pressure, and we can appreciate the struggles she faces as she considers what to reveal about her life and what to keep private.

Just as Beyoncé is judged by her fans and the media, our performance as public relations practitioners is judged by our clients and colleagues, and we can only hope that, under pressure, we will apply these seven principles to survive and thrive.

By Carolyn Tillo, Account Coordinator with the Corporate, Education and Non-Profit practice

Public relations is all about putting the right message in front of the right people at the right time.  Traditional media is one of the main channels we use to drive our clients’ messages, but, while a great tool, articles can often dilute the clients’ messages.

Enter the byline.  Byline articles, guest columns and op-eds are great ways to get your clients’ messages directly to their audiences without any third party interference.  Bylines are a great tool for PR, but they can also be stressful for practitioners who may not have a journalism writing background. By following a few simple tips you can successfully write and place a byline and position your client as a leader in their field.

1.    Have a target in mind

Choose a publication before you draft anything.  The outlet will help drive the content of the byline, while providing guidelines for length and style.  If you don’t decide where you want to place a story before you write it, it may end up collecting dust rather than reaching your audience.

2.   You aren’t the expert – your client is

Tap into your clients’ expertise for bylines.  Hop on a call to chat about the subject, email them questions to pick their brains or include prompts in a draft of the piece.  This will improve the byline’s content and lessen the chance of massive edits on the client’s end.

3.   Be mindful of length

One of the first things a paper’s editor will tell you is the word length.  Pay attention to it.  You can say a lot more with 1,500 words than you can with 500, so knowing from the beginning will help you get your points in without going over the limit.  Also, save room for your client, who may add 100-200 words during the editing process.

4.   Don’t be afraid to censor the client

While the client is the expert on the topic, you are the expert on the media, so don’t be afraid to share your opinions.  If something doesn’t fit in the byline, say so, but be sure to offer an alternative solution, such as a blog post or video on the new topic.

5.   Do your research

Make your byline as timely as possible by connecting it to breaking news, current events or holidays.  This will make your piece more interesting to your target audience and up the chances of them reading the byline.

Once you’ve written and placed a byline, the work isn’t quite over!  To get the most bang for your buck, make sure you’re sharing the placement through all of the client’s social media channels, writing a blog post on the topic, exploring other outlets for additional coverage or recording a video of the client discussing the topic.  This placement is your opportunity to get the right message across to the right audience – so make sure you’re getting the word out there!

 

Register FREE ($60 value) with shareable code: 2012TopTen 

It’s never been more difficult to launch a new product. Consumers are more fragmented than ever.  With 40,000 products launched each year, how can marketers make sure their launch will stand out?Join us in this Google+ Hangout with brand experts from the 11^th Annual Most Memorable New Product Launches who will share how they leveraged earned, owned and paid media spend to create a launch that captivated consumers and led to incredible sales.

Launch Expert and Author, Julie Hall, Behavioral Research Expert Aaron Reid, and moderator the Founder of The CMO Club Pete Krainik and brand representatives from Taco Bell, Pepsi, and McDonald’s will talk about the 2012 Most memorable new Product Launch findings, like:

• How “Men Are The New Women’ on Madison Avenue
• Why “Made in the USA” is more important than ever
• How social media may not be considered “earned media” anymore
• Don’t launch your new product in an election year, and
• A look back on the best launches of the past decade what marketers can learn from them

It’s the middle of your junior year and you and a friend are looking for that one great internship to complete your nearly perfect résumés. You have the grades, the work ethic, and the writing chops, and you’ve whisked cover letters and CVs into the inboxes of every internship coordinator in a 50-mile radius. Your friend is called in for an interview, but you’re still waiting for a response. What gives? It could be something as simple as your Facebook photo.

As the Intern Coordinator at Schneider Associates, I told my current interns, “When I hired you, I wanted to know you before I met you.” Internships are an investment by the company and the student and it’s important for both parties to be sure the investment is worthy, which is why both company and intern should check each other out. A candidate may have the chops, but their social media activity can be the deciding vote when it comes to being picked out of the position-seeking crowd.

We’ve asked our staff and star interns to recommend their best social media practices, which include:

The Good:

• Inquiry is the best form of flattery. Send a private LinkedIn message or utilize your university’s alumni database to connect with those in your target career field. Don’t post publicly on a potential employer’s personal pages. Ask to meet for coffee and come prepared with thoughtful questions.
• Be one with your surroundings. Share current events and industry-specific news on your active social pages. When trying to land an interview, frame a company’s struggle or success within a current event or find some interesting industry news and speak to your insight on the topic in your inquiry. This will help you stand out from the crowd and peak their interest.
• Use privacy settings, but don’t shut us out. When we look at your profiles, we should have an idea of your personality, interests and what you’re talking about, but we don’t need to see the photos from your friend’s 21^st. If you do keep your profiles (especially Facebook) open, keep it PG.

The Bad

• Personal space. Only connect on social channels with hiring managers if you’ve interacted previously. If you are going to reach out, stick to LinkedIn or a company email address; we like to keep our personal and professional lives separate, too.
• Research is a two-way street. Hiring managers can research you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find them. Do some digging to identify the right person and avoid using “Dear Sir or Madam.” Also avoid the “one-size-fits-all” approach by ensuring your cover letter is personalized for the company to which you are applying.
• Don’t be a fair-weather fan. You may follow a company on multiple platforms, but are you retweeting, sharing and commenting on their content? Show you’re involved before you join the team.

The Ugly

• Typos. We expect you to proofread and use correct grammar in the office, but it’s always a bummer to find sum1s profile dat luks lyke dis. Your profiles and materials represent your first test, so use spellcheck and proper grammar and go through word by word – “if” looks like “of” looks like “off,” but none will trigger that little red line.
• Say my name, say my name. If you’ve found the hiring manager’s name, be sure you spell it correctly. This seems obvious, but I (Jamie) have been called everything from Jaime to Jaimie to Janice.
• If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it. It’s frustrating to be turned down for that dream position, but keep it off social media. Taking unfortunate developments in stride is a benchmark of professionalism, and you never know – maybe you’ll meet the intern coordinator again down the line. Don’t set yourself up for an awkward situation.

Don’t be afraid to get creative. One of my favorite examples of savvy social media use is Rachael King’s living resume. If you’re just starting out, you may still be working up to your own personal living resume, but these tips and tricks will give you the necessary head start.

Jamie Berman, Account Coordinator, Consumer Group

(Photo courtesy phandroid.com)

Yesterday, USA Today featured the results of the 2012 Most Memorable New Product Launch (MMNPL) survey in a snapshot on the front page of the Money section. The snapshot announced the top five most memorable new products of 2012 according to our  survey. Amazon’s Kindle Fire topped the list with a surprising 30% of respondents remembering the product launch, even though it had been almost a year since the Kindle Fire first hit the market. Taco Bell’s comeback was solidified by the Doritos Locos Taco coming in at the number two spot, followed by Tide Pods, a launch whose huge marketing budget clearly made and impression on consumers. Pepsi Next, the reduced calorie soda, and the Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone rounded out the top five, showing that soda can still compete with big tech products when it comes to making a connection with consumers.

Stay tuned for the release of the full results of the 2012 MMNPL survey, including key consumer purchasing behavior insights.

(Photo courtesy of NY Times, CNN, LA Times)

By Carolyn Tillo, Account Coordinator

With a presidential election and debates over topics like abortion and same-sex marriage, 2012 proved to be a year of drama and controversy. At the center of much of this controversy were PR scandals that could and should have been avoided.

Recently, PR Daily posted a list of the top 10 public relations disasters of 2012. Let’s dig into five of them and see what key takeaways there are:

SUSAN G. KOMEN FOR THE CURE

Background: In February, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which works to end breast cancer throughout the world by funding research and community outreach, announced that it would stop giving money to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings and education programs. Critics of the decision interpreted it as a political move against Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider. As a result, Susan G. Komen’s social media channels were flooded with backlash against the decision to pull funding.

Mistake: Susan G. Komen did not anticipate the tsunami of controversy this decision would make—nor did it do market research to determine how its donors would feel about this decision not to fund Planned Parenthood. It also waited 24 hours before responding to these critiques. When it did respond, the response was ambiguous about its stance on grant funding. Three days after pulling its funding, Komen then reversed its decision and announced it would start funding Planned Parenthood again.

Lesson: Do scenario analysis before your organization makes a major policy reversal. If your research shows that public opinion is against the decision, think long and hard before embarking upon a highly controversial political issue. And if you do, and it creates negative feedback, respond to a crisis quickly and clearly.

MITT ROMNEY’S 47 PERCENT COMMENT

Background: Mitt Romney did not expect anyone to videotape his comment that 47 percent of Americans are dependent on the government. After all, he was the speaker at a fundraising event for wealthy donors. But, the magazine Mother Jones secretly recorded the comment in May and posted it online in September.

Mistake: Romney may have been preaching to a wealthy choir, but, as a public figure, he should expect that his comments always have the potential to reach an unintended audience.

Lesson: In today’s digital society where everyone is a reporter, nothing is off the record. Think before you speak, and, if you are a public figure, always speak as though you are on the record or on camera. The media is quick to jump on and share mistakes instantly, and off the cuff remarks often make the headline instead of the intended content.

OBAMA’S FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Background: Late-night comedians may have loved Obama’s first debate performance, but public relations professionals—and the media—certainly found it to be lackluster. Next to the fiery Mitt Romney, Obama offered a less than stellar performance, characterized by a passive demeanor, during which he offered muddled explanations of his healthcare plan and tended to look down at his notes rather than making eye contact with Romney.

Mistake: Obama’s poor debate performance, which was missing his usual confidence and feisty responses, made his supporters worry that he had jeopardized the election.

Lesson: Politicians and public relations practitioners alike should learn to expect the unexpected. This means preparing for a tough interview or speech, even if you or your client does not expect a hard-hitting interviewer or an unruly crowd. Draft mock questions and answers, and practice reciting them. If your client is doing his or her first media interview, host a practice session and make sure he or she feels comfortable answering all possible questions.

CHICK-FIL-A

Background: Don Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A, told the Baptist Press in July that his company supported the “Biblical definition of the family unit.” Like Mitt Romney, Cathy may not have expected his remark to generate such fierce negative responses, but boycotts of Chick-fil-A restaurants ensued and major cities tried to keep Chick-fil-A restaurants from opening in their areas.

Mistake: Although Chick-fil-A promotes itself as a family-run, family-oriented company, the company’s president should keep in mind that his personal views about sensitive subjects like same-sex marriage will be associated with the views of the company. As a the leader of the Chick-fil-A brand, Cathy alienated many of his customers with this statement, even though it implied rather than directly stated his opinion about same-sex unions.

Lesson: Stay neutral on subjects that do not relate to your business or the products you sell. This may mean not offering negative comments about competitors during a crisis. Or, it may mean declining an interview with a journalist who is known to stir up unnecessary drama. Avoid alienating specific demographics or audience groups, as you never know what the ramifications of being partisan will do to your business or public image.

#FAIL

Background: McDonald’s had good intentions when it launched a Twitter campaign in January 2012 highlighting the hard work of its potato suppliers and employees using the hashtag “McDStories.” The campaign went horribly wrong when the company’s Twitter followers began using the hashtag to talk about their bad experiences with the fast-food chain.

Mistake: McDonald’s did not expect this hashtag to create a PR crisis, so it was not prepared when the issue escalated.

Lesson: Even fast-paced social media campaigns with the best intentions require advanced planning and consideration.

Before launching a campaign or a hashtag, conduct a SWOT analysis of the campaign and its messages. Think about all the possible strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the messages you are conveying and the emotions they might stir up—for or against your brand. Have a crisis plan prepared in case something does go wrong, and constantly monitor your social channels to check for any campaign backlash.

Based on these lessons, there are several things we can take away as we prepare to start the New Year:
1) Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Have a crisis plan ready, even if you expect your campaign to be a huge success.
2) Think before you speak – you never know who is listening.
3) If you do make a mistake, apologize and respond quickly to criticism.

We cannot predict the public relations crises that will occur in 2013, but we can strive to avoid the mistakes of 2012. Here’s to a year of following these tips and avoiding the PR Daily 2013 list of public relations disasters.

Carolyn Tillo, Account Coordinator

By Joan Schneider, President and Creative Director, Schneider Associates

At Harvard Business School, they always talk about managing by walking around.  It’s hard to have new ideas when you are constantly sitting in the office—talking to the same people, looking at the same scenery, thinking about things in the usual way.

I’ve found that travel is one way to do this, as well as an excellent way to bring color to my work life. Recently, I attended Art Basel in Miami, the global art fair where in one tent alone were featured $2 billion of art.  Painting, sculpture, experiential works—anything you can think of was exhibited at Art Basel.

Art lovers from around the world gathered to see what’s happening in the art world and to be part of the “in crowd” attending this bi-annual event (also held in Switzerland, where the fair began).

The coverage of Art Basel in The New York Times and the Miami Herald focused as much on the fashion, shoes and people-watching at the fair as they did on the art.  It was a scene.

The biggest takeaway for me is how viewing the art inspired me to create art.  I saw this statue that I fell in love with…it was originally a garden statue that had been re-engineered to have a smooth surface in bright green. When I innocently asked how much it costs, I learned there were only two in the world and each costs $325,000—only slightly out of my price range. The good news is this wacky statue inspired me to buy a small statue (from Homegoods at $39, reduced from $100), plus some bright pink paint to create my own art.

Most importantly, I came back to work feeling energized and full of colorful ideas to launch because of three days spent looking at one of the world’s largest exhibits of first class art.  I believe the art of business can be enhanced and enlightened by the business of creating art.

But next year, I am going to spend more time ‘creating’ my outfit, since fashion is an important aspect of the visual experience at Art Basel.  The smarter your outfit, the more people talk to you—the more people that talk to you—the more you will learn and that’s why one makes the pilgrimage to Miami—to shake up the creative molecules in your brain.

Here’s a picture of the statue I created as a result of Art Basel. Her name is Artemesia and she formerly was beige, but after Art Basel, she’s hot pink.  There’s no doubt she’s way more exciting in fuscia.

Joan Schneider, President and Creative Director

By Shannon Watterson, Account Executive, Corporate/Nonprofit Group

Communicating the right message is what public relations is all about.  That’s why we write detailed message guides to prepare our clients to succinctly convey their stories, media train them so they can artfully handle any question and counsel them on what topics are in the news so they can relate what’s happening in the world to their content.  But, once a client steps into a studio or sits down for an interview, a story can travel in a myriad of directions and can result in unplanned detours.

Enter the op-ed, a life saver in terms of providing a “safe” way for PR pros to successfully disseminate our clients’ messages.  Often confused for “opinion editorial,” op-ed is actually short for “opposite the editorial page” and gives subscribers and PR people alike a chance to share their opinions with a publication’s readers.  The op-ed places control in the hands of the writer, whether a PR person, a client or a combination of the two, and the message can be as simple as, “I am the authority on this subject” supported by three to five things the client knows that others may not.  Or, it can be, “This program deserves funding and here’s why.”  The op-ed allows us to convey our clients’ carefully crafted messages to readers directly and encourage them to take action, whether that’s supporting legislation, donating time or money or simply considering a different point of view.

The op-ed also offers a great opportunity to be creative.  Compared to a press release, the op-ed has the power to tug at the reader’s heart strings, provide humor or use real world examples to support a position and demonstrate to readers why they should feel the same way.

If we as PR pros can present editors with a solid idea on a timely topic that matters to their readers, there is a good chance that a well-written piece will run, especially given the trend towards local newsroom consolidation.  Better yet, if we can form relationships with editorial page editors and demonstrate the depth of expertise we can bring them from financial experts, attorneys, social workers and everyone in between, we can secure multiple op-eds and become a valuable resource to newsroom teams.  Whether clients write an op-ed themselves or work with their PR team to carefully shape its content, it’s one of the best and safest ways to get a message across – and it’s far more effective than paid advertising.

Shannon Watterson, Account Executive for the Corporate Nonprofit Practice