Trends in the News

Wed, 21 May 2008 13:52:00 GMT

The media is providing significant coverage of what’s happening in the ever-changing, challenging world faced by communicators. Working with Fleishman-Hillard’s DC office, we have identified some media reports worth sharing:

Marketer of the Year

Fri, 09 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

At the M Awards gala, hosted by the American Marketing Association’s DC chapter, Williams Whittle and Imre Communications tied for top honors as Marketer of the Year – indicating that their entries received the highest scores from all the entries submitted in this year’s M awards competition. Williams Whittle won for a campaign for the USO, while Imre won for a campaign for the American Institute for Architects.

Julia Roderique and Martha Wilcox
Wiliams Whittle
Photo Credit: Robert Merhaut Photography

Cathy Austin
Partner, Emre Communications
Photo Credit: Robert Merhaut Photography

Catherine Meloy, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater Washington, was honored as this year's recipient of the chapter’s Hall of Fame award. Previously, Meloy had a successful 20-year career in the radio industry. And, Tom Egly, director of marketing and business development at TGD Communications, was named Member of the Year. AMA-DC, with more than 1,000 members, is the third largest chapter in the American Marketing Association. For a full list of winners, visit www.mawards.org.

Catherine Meloy
President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater Washington
Photo Credit: Robert Merhaut Photography

Tom Egly
Director of Marketing and Business Development,TGD Communications
Photo Credit: Robert Merhaut Photography

Employment Outlook

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

If the local communications community is in a recession, it would be news to the experts we contacted. That’s the finding of our unofficial and unscientific survey we conducted this month. That’s not to suggest these are boom times, in fact we heard that companies are being cautious in hiring, but we heard that business has been firm for much of the local communications community. Perhaps, as one person suggested, since the Washington, DC, area has a relatively small retail base, we’ve been spared significant setbacks. In fact, said one expert, those communicators with skills in new media and with health and “green” expertise still are in demand. Regarding people being more cautious, we did hear that some projects are taking longer as clients are taking longer to launch new initiatives.

Behind the Scenes

Wed, 07 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

WTOP radio, for years, the ratings radio powerhouse here in DC, helps set the news agenda in the Nation’s Capitol. The Capitol Communicator toured the station to provide you with a behind-the-scenes video – including the basics of getting your story on the air.
If you want to get a behind-the-scenes look at how public service announcements can generate millions of dollars in free airtime, the Capitol Communicator is hosting a PSA seminar at noon, June 4, at Interface Media Group, Featuring John Quinn from WJLA-TV and experts from Interface Media Group and West Glen Communications, this seminar will discuss production, distribution and tips for getting your message on the air. Following the session, attendees can tour Interface’s facility and get a behind-the-scenes look at how videos are produced. To sign up for this free seminar, send an e-mail to prabin@westglen.com. Space is limited, so sign up now. Interface Media Group is at 1233 20th Street, NW.
If Washingtonians know nothing else about Al Neuharth (which is unlikely, since he’s the guy who founded DC-area-based USA Today), they may know this: He throws a really good party, reports Carol Clurman Duning, Senior Editor at USA Weekend Magazine. She was lucky enough to score an invite to the glittery opening bash of the glittery new Newseum, operated by Neuharth’s Freedom Forum, and provided us the following report:
“Despite the Wolfgang Puck food that was set up throughout the place (lobster!), the live music, the famous names, the stunning modern surroundings and, oh, yes the great exhibits, the real scene-stealers of the night were the “party-vators” — three glass elevators that each contained a glow-in-the-dark bar and bartender.
“The place was jammed with boldface names from print and TV. Spotted among the hundreds who showed up at the black-tie event: Neuharth, in his signature white suite greeting people at the door and catching a call on his cellphone, Ben Bradley, patiently passing along drink to someone waiting at the other end of the bar; Wolf Blitzer chatting with the competition, Tim Russert; John Seigenthaler, founder of the Freedom Forum’s First Amendment Center, posing in front of plaque that bears his name; Bob Novak and two newspaper publishers, New York Times’ Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. and the Washington Posts’ Katharine Weymouth. Talk about pack journalism!”

Trends in the News

Tue, 06 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

May 2008 - Trends in the News

Issue II | May 2008 | Printer Friendly

The media is providing significant coverage of what’s happening in the ever-changing, challenging world faced by communicators. Working with Fleishman-Hillard’s DC office, we have identified some media reports worth sharing:

Speakers at a major advertising conference urged executives to stop wallowing in self-pity and meet the challenges of new media head-on, reports the New York Times. The remarks, delivered at the leadership conference of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, underscored the need for the industry to change the way it does business, recalibrate itself and respond aggressively to profound shifts in media, consumer behavior and technology that are remaking the advertising landscape. "We should just stop talking about what was," said Tom Carroll, the "Four A's" chairman. "You're not sure what's ahead of you but you have to keep driving." Lee Clow, TBWA's Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, said, "Stop whining." Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO, told the audience that digital media will "create new opportunities for advertisers and new opportunities for information, which will come in the form of developing new forms of stortytelling, adding, "The scale of this is underappreciated."

Proctor & Gamble, a longtime leader in TV advertising and sponsorships, has been shifting its marketing focus to the Internet, reports Promo Magazine, producing its own online video programs and launching niche Web sites that obliquely plug the company’s products. Last year P&G launched is own online soap opera, "Crescent Heights," that included product placements of Tide in its three-minute Webisode segments. Capessa.com, a topic-driven Web site aimed at women, and Petside.com, for animal lovers, are aimed at niche audiences.

Corporate blogging has hit the mainstream, reports Financial Week. Coca-Cola, Marriott and Kodak are among the companies appointing "Chief Bloggers" to help tell their story and engage consumers. Today more than 11% of Fortune 500 companies have corporate blogs, and the number is increasing.

The handbag designer Coach came under fire, reports AdWeek, after funding a university project featuring "Heidi Cee," a fake online personality, designed to generate word of mouth about the brand. Students in a Hunter College PR course created "Cee," a purported female student who used a series of fabricated online and blog postings to enlist help finding her lost Coach purse. More than 15,000 online users accessed "Cee's" text and video postings in which she detailed research regarding criminal activity, child labor and terrorism associated with counterfeit goods before the class went public that Cee wasn't real.
To stay abreast of developments that impact communicators, check out our home page daily for updates provided by BurrellesLuce.

In The spotlight

Mon, 05 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

May 2008 - In The spotlight
Issue II | May 2008 | Printer Friendly

Eleanor Clift, contributing editor at Newsweek, regular panelist on "The McLaughlin Group" and author, was honored with the Matrix Award by the Washington, DC chapter of the Association for Women in Communications during its 2008 Matrix Awards Luncheon at the National Press Club.

Rochelle T. Gray, president of TGD Communications, has been named “Woman of the Year” in design, advertising and marketing by the National Association of Professional and Executive Women.

Gloria Rodriguez, founder, president, and CEO of comunicad, has been selected to receive IABC/Washington’s 2008 Pinnacle Award. The award recognizes a senior-level business communicator who has a consistent record of achieving exceptional results and exemplifies the highest standards of professional excellence and ethics.

Matt Smith of SmithGifford was given the 2007 Pillar of the Community Award by the Falls Church City Chamber of Commerce at its annual dinner event.

Nine DC-area agencies that won ADDYs and Citations of Excellence at the Ad Club of Metropolitan Washington’s 2008 ADDY® Awards went on to garner additional awards at the next level of ADDY competition. Congrats to Adworks, Arnold, GMMB, Design Army, Hirshorn Zuckerman Design Group, Lam Design Group, LM&O Advertising, Rosenthal Partners, and SmithGifford.

The ADDY® Awards competition is a three-tiered national competition conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation. It is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition for creative excellence.

And, finally, a tip of the hat to Rick Pagliaroli, senior colorist at Interface Media Group, who read a flyer that more children in this country die from cancer than from any other disease, and decided to show his support for childhood cancer research by shaving his head and encouraging donations which, so far, has raised more than $600.00.

Higher Education

Sun, 04 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

May 2008 - Higher Education
Issue II | May 2008 | Printer Friendly

May 20 and 21 are the dates for this year’s VCU Brandcenter’s Portfolio Review and Recruiter Session. The Recruiter Session in Richmond is set up like an open house where each student has a table where his/her work is displayed and they can meet prospective employers. This year, VCU Brandcenter will have 85 graduates. The Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter formerly was the Adcenter, which was the top-ranked graduate advertising program in the country by Creativity magazine in 2005 and one of the world's 60 best design schools by Business Week magazine in 2007.

The American Association of Advertising Agencies launched a partnership with Howard University’s John H. Johnson School of Communications to establish a Center to address challenges, eliminate barriers and identify opportunities to achieve a more diverse and inclusive advertising industry workforce at middle- to senior-management levels. The AAAA pledged to provide industry leadership and financial support in developing the Center for Excellence in Advertising at Howard University for curriculum, research and programming and assisting the university in raising an additional $750,000 annually to support the Center.

Arnold DC has completed a hands-on learning partnership with Howard University. The partnership was established by members of Arnold’s A.M.E.N. group (Arnold Multicultural Employee Network), an internal committee dedicated to fostering a culture of support, inclusion, development and retention for employees of multicultural heritage. During the semester-long program, members of Arnold’s A.M.E.N. worked with the Capstone Communications class at Howard to participate in case brand team teaching. Students were tasked with managing a client and coming up with a PR or advertising campaign that would deliver results. (Photos: Arnold Multicultural Employee Network)

Arnold Multicultural Employee Network

Arnold Multicultural Employee Network

Ned Lundquist’s The Job of the Week network is working to obtain communication resources - books, manuals, CDs, DVDs - to expand the materials available at the Population Media Center resource center in Ethiopia. This resource center is open to any professional communicators in Ethiopia and so would be serving the general business community in Addis Ababa. PMC's mailing address is: Population Media Center – Ethiopia, P.O..Box- 672, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Heard On The Street

Sat, 03 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

May 2008 - Heard On The Street
Issue II | May 2008 | Printer Friendly

Brand Resources Group adds the Heart Rhythm Society, an international leader in science, education and advocacy for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients; and The National Center for Healthy Housing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to decreasing children’s exposure to biological, physical and chemical hazards within the home.

Blattner Brunner has been retained by amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, to develop an online marketing strategy; and the agency also will develop a new sales support communications program for Nutricia North America’s infant formula products line.

The Glover Park Group is providing PR support to the Alliance for Climate Protection.

Stanton Communications adds ICO Global Communications, Fourth & Goal and MorganFranklin. The firm also worked with the Archdiocese of New York on the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to NYC.

SmithGifford adds Apptix, which provides hosted email and VOIP services to small businesses, and Sourcefire, a provider of network security services. The firm also adds Kevin Richards as art director.

Strategic Communications Group adds Callis Communications, a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) and provider of hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, and GovDelivery, provider of government-to-citizen communication solutions.

Imre Communications adds four national clients: Boral, Mannington Mills, Beazer Homes and United Industries.

warschawski has been retained by Remarriage LLC, publisher of reMarriage™ magazine, as its PR and marketing agency. reMarriage™, a quarterly magazine with initial circulation in the mid-Atlantic region with plans to grow nationally, is billed as the first and only magazine for the growing remarriage community. Also, David Warschawski, agency founder and CEO, is a contributing author to the newly released book, Inside the Minds: Building Customer Relationships through Public Relations, published by Aspatore Books.

Laughlin, Marinaccio & Owens Advertising adds a PR division headed by veteran communications executive Jim Boyle. Boyle, national spokesman on higher education issues as the president of College Parents of America, was formerly with Sallie Mae, Discovery Communications, Inc., National Cable Television Association and NBC.

The McGinn Group has become TMG Strategies. Last year, Manning Selvage & Lee acquired a majority interest in the Washington, DC area–based firm, which now operates as a part of the MS&L Consultancy Group.

Andrea Koppel joins M+R after spending 14 years as a foreign correspondent, State Department correspondent and most recently, Capitol Hill correspondent for CNN.

Ruder Finn adds Joe Reblando and Amber McCracken as VPs. He was director in the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America’s policy and research department; she was director of communications for the National Women’s Health Resource Center.

Qorvis Communications adds a number of new people including Sol Levine, former CNN, NBC News and ABC News producer, as senior director. Levine was most recently the executive producer for the Broadcast Center of the Americas at Al Jazeera English, where he was a member of the senior management team that devised and established policies, procedures and editorial standards for a worldwide network launch. In addition, the firm adds Rick Silipigni, managing director, who was hired to manage Qorvis’ new business development. He was most recently the founding director of sales and business development for Red Zebra Broadcasting, a fully-integrated multi-media marketing platform for the Washington Redskins. Also joining is Laura Wooster Baldwin, who joins as senior director and held in-house communications roles at Appian, Cybertrust and AMS; and Jessica Ferko and Shane Colella who join as directors.

Widmeyer Communications adds Stefan Hankin as VP and deputy director for the firm’s research and polling practice. Hankin was a pollster for Sen. Obama’s presidential primary campaign.

Felicity Feather Clancy has been named VP/communications at the American Physical Therapy Association. She had been VP/communications and marketing at the American Chiropractic Association.

Gretchen Schaefer joins the Consumer Specialty Products Association as VP/communications. She had been with the American Tort Reform Association and College of American Pathologists.

Erin Shannon West joins Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C., an intellectual property law firm, as communications and marketing manager.

Crosby~Volmer International Communications adds Maria F Echeto as an account executive.

Dr. Teresa Flannery has been named to the newly created position of executive director of communications and marketing at American University. Flannery comes from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she was assistant VP of university marketing and communications.

Scott Ward launches Fifth Estate Communications (www.FifthEstateCI.com). Formerly with Widmeyer Communications, he also is an adjunct professor at American University and a regular trainer with the Social Action and Leadership School for Activists.

Sparkman + Associates changed its name to Sparkman Hazelton, Associates, Inc., reflecting the fact that David Hazelton has become a senior partner.

TheWadeGroup adds Paul Clark to its public affairs consortium. Clark was a senior VP at The Walker Marchant Group and, before that, had spent nine years with Hill & Knowlton. In addition to being an associate and senior VP with TheWadeGroup, he is the principal of Paul Clark Communications.

MGH adds Dennis Cashen as senior planning supervisor. Cashen comes from Planit Advertising where he served as media director. He also had worked for GKV, The Campbell Group and The Davis Media Group. The firm also launched a Partnership Marketing division that will offer new ways to connect with consumers through cause-related promotions, sports marketing and other creative sponsorship-based programs.

Brenda C. Siler joins the Independent Sector as VP/communications and marketing. She was most recently with UNCF (the United Negro College Fund), where she oversaw the production of a new national public service campaign, helped produce the nationally televised education awareness program, “An Evening of Stars,”® and oversaw UNCF’s rebranding efforts around the organization’s iconic motto: “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”

Strat@comm has produced a public service announcement to be premiered on the soon-to-be-launched Rock and Roll Forever Foundation website, rockandrollforever.org. The organization was created to bring rock-and-roll history and music appreciation into classrooms. A centerpiece of this mission is the goal to bring rock and roll history into every high school and middle school in the United States. The PSA will also be used on social networking sites and for fundraising efforts.

Prevent Cancer Foundation produced two PSAs – one related to colon cancer and the other related to skin cancer - FYI, May is skin cancer awareness month.

R2i was asked by Kal Kallaugher, the political cartoonist for the Economist, to design a dedicated YouTube channel for his political cartoons. His channel is located at http://www.youtube.com/politicalcartoons and his most recent animation, The Debate We'd Like to See, is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_3QYV9cZd8

Rohit Bhargava, senior VP and founding member of the 360 Degree Digital Influence group at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, has published a new book, PERSONALITY NOT INCLUDED: Why Companies Lose Authenticity and How Great Brands Get it Back. - described as different from other business books because it goes from theory to action.

Jill Tanenbaum, president of Jill Tanenbaum Graphic Design & Advertising, will be teaching a graduate course at Johns Hopkins University this Fall called Branding and Advertising. This is a new course offered at the Johns Hopkins University Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences in Washington, DC.

O’Keeffe & Company commemorates its 11-year anniversary with a celebration this month that includes Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who will attend as the agency’s special guest.

Equals Three Communications celebrated its 25th anniversary with 100 friends, clients and staff at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

John Arundel has been named editor and publisher of The Alexandria Times, a metro weekly serving Greater Alexandria, with 57,000 readers.

James H. Mayes, president of ColorCraft in Sterling, hosted the president of the United States during a recent visit to ColorCraft. Mayes said is was “one of the highlights of my life. It was great for our industry and for our employees." President Bush toured the professional printing plant and spoke on the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008.

Mac Mannes, Inc. promotes Scott Gibson, James Gross, and Kathy Siciliano to the positions of VP/sales; and Patty Schlesinger to VP/operations.

Marketer of the Year

Fri, 02 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

WestGlen Communications launches its next generation of its online multi–media audience development and promotion services. Geared towards assisting organizations in targeting video and audio to consumers directly through promotion via social media networks, bloggers and online communities, SocialPRo 2.0 combines numerous earned and paid media tactics with promotional and evangelical online efforts to connect marketers and their messages with key audiences and online communities.

CARMA International launches a new, intuitive, online media measurement tool called CARMA NewsAccess, which will help companies and communications professionals stay abreast of daily media coverage that affects their business, issues and interests. NewsAccess provides basic, automated access to clients’ relevant coverage in traditional, non-traditional and social media and generates related metrics that measure their impact.

Calendar / Free Tickets

Thu, 01 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Young MC

On April 29th, about 20 people gathered for the inaugural Young MC Happy Hour. Young MC is a new group for PR, marketing and advertising professionals under 35 working in or around DC. The goal of the group is to bring folks together who share common professional interests and may otherwise never have the chance to meet. The invite-only crowd had a great time meeting new people, talking shop and enjoying some cocktails. To be included in future events, please visit: http://youngmcdc.wordpress.com/ or email youngmcdc@gmail.com. All events will be posted on the Capitol Communicator. For a full list of calendar items, check out the calendar tab on this website.

Free Tickets

We have two free tickets to a preview performance of The Mystery of Irma Vep at the Arena Stage. To enter our drawing, send an e-mail to phil.rabin@capitolcommunicator.com and the winner will be notified by May 28.

Archive

Trends in the News

Marketer of the Year

Employment Outlook

Behind the Scenes

Trends in the News

May 2008 - Trends in the News

In The spotlight

May 2008 - In The spotlight

Higher Education

May 2008 - Higher Education

Heard On The Street

May 2008 - Heard On The Street

Marketer of the Year

Calendar / Free Tickets

Free Tickets