Williams Whittle forms division to focus exclusively on online marketing; Ogilvy PR is working on “New York 400

This year’s Environmental Film Festival, which runs from March 11-22, marks its 17th year in Washington, D.C. with an astounding diversity of films that capture the majesty of our world and address the ever-increasing threats to life on earth.

Changes at the top of LM&O Advertising; The American Peanut Council signs on with Ogilvy PR; Crosby Marketing will assist The Foundation for the Future of Aging: Design Army wins more awards; and, Parsons Outdoor Advertising now allows companies to advertise their products and services on Parsons’ fleet of over 50 trucks.

Arnold DC opened its doors on Jan. 29th to celebrate their totally new, totally open and almost-totally white space in the Court House neighborhood of Arlington, VA.

A successful DCDesignBabes’ event was held last Thursday, Jan. 29.  They had their usual mixer housing about 315 area creatives, coupled with an interesting sculpture competition created from mundane objects — Change the Way You See Things — a concept inspired by the Dutch Design Week and President Obama! 

Washington Women in Public Relations announced its 2009 Board of Directors: Women in Technology announced its call for nominations for the 10th Annual Women in Technology Leadership Awards; and Terry Prime has been named VP/director of technical services and chief technology officer at Virilion.

The Washington Business Journal held its 2009 Book of Lists party this week at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.  The event was attended by about 800 people, including a contingent from the communications community.

R2integrated has been selected by Forbes.com to revamp the site’s Video Network Program Guide and player;  Brunner Digital has launched a site for amfAR; MDB has launched a campaign for the DC Lottery; Ogilvy PR named global communications partner of the Lance Armstrong Foundation; Environics has been retained by ProLiteracy; Crosby Marketing Communications has been retained by PinnacleCare; and Stanton Communications has won a short-term contract to assist Maryland’s Office of Tourism Development.

In keeping with their mission to bring you the best of all things photographic, FotoWeek DC and The Newseum have launched fotobamaweek, an international photography contest celebrating the presidential campaign and inauguration of Barack Obama.  

Three upcoming events, scheduled before the end of January, should appeal to a wide range of area communicators: Jan 22 it's Twin Tech III (which already has 1,823 RSVPs); and, on Jan 28, PRSA-NCC presents “PR Employment Environment as we Enter 2009” and DC Ad Club celebrates its 90^th birthday.

Merritt Group launches digital services unit; TMP Worldwide Advertising & Communications launches new government unit; Qorvis Communications finalist in PRWeek contest; and, TGD Communications wins gold in Association Trends contest.

Qorvis Communications will be doing work for the Society for Human Resource Management; Crosby Marketing Communications adds Brightview Senior Living; Exemplar Strategic Communications adds three clients; Environics Communications launches a Sustainability & Clean Energy practice; and Hisaoka Public Relations and Flash Communications merged.

Lane Bailey named president of GolinHarris Public Affairs, and Susan Corsini, deputy managing director of GolinHarris/DC, moves up to managing director…Chris Foster, Burson-Marsteller's US Healthcare Chair, named to PRWeek's list of the top-40 professionals under the age of 40....MDB Communications promotes Kathryn Graham McNally and Cady Loftus ...&

Two recent items brought into focus one of the downsides of today's communications environment, where speed can kill you … or almost kill you! 

If there were two trends that marked 2008, they would be the explosion in usage of new communications tools and the concern that a recession in 2009 would impact jobs - although some would argue that we should have listed the second trend first.

MDB Communications released a pro bono 30-second TV spot highlighting homelessness ... and a number of PR firms are helping the Capital Area Food Bank.

The DC Ad Club issued a call for entries for its 2009 ADDY Awards; The Washington office of Arnold Worldwide moved to Arlington from McLean; RTC Relationship Marketing opened a new Georgetown office; and, Silicon Valley-based Google has had the official opening event for its Reston office.

We've been hearing it for months: "Capitol Communicator! Set up a Twitter account!" And now we have. 

It's that time of the year that many guys really dread and for them, Satchi and Satchi in NY captured this spirit of the season with a viral video for JC Penney called “The Doghouse”.

Shonali Burke will be adjunct faculty at Johns Hopkins University; Pava Cohen joins Sage Communications as VP; Daniel Drummond, head of the DC office of Allison & Partners, profiled in The Washington Post; and Felix Laboy<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 11 Read More »

Digital agency iStrategyLabs and DC’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer held a contest last month with the goal of "visualizing DC’s public data" designed to benefit the DC government, citizens, visitors and businesses .

No one can truly predict the future in this volatile economy. What really matters for marketers is consumer behavior today -- what and how people are spending, or not, in reaction to the economic crisis - and Porter Novelli offers 10 key holiday shopping trends. 

What’s the latest employment update?  The answer is that it depends on who you talk to.

What’s the latest employment update?  The answer is that it depends on who you talk to.

Johnson & Johnson’s Motrin apologized for an online and print campaign that angered mommy bloggers ... Journalists’ usage of new media technologies – such as online newsrooms, blogs, RSS and social media – is extensive ... Butterball goes online.< Read More »

Emilio Pardo, AARP’s Chief Brand Officer, led a discussion with about 50 members and guests of the local chapter of MENG this past week in AARP’s new media center. The topic: Boomers, their size, influence and how marketers can better reach this demographic.

Why is brainstorming for new ideas often so disappointing? Sixty-plus members of the Ad Club got the answer at the November lunch meeting from Sheila Campbell of Wild Blue Yonder.

PRSA’s National Capital Chapter kicked off the holidays with a Nov. 20^th reception filled with networking, fine food, prizes and laughter at Elizabeth’s on L, a hip, converted DC row house.

Fleishman-Hillard promoted Martha Boudreau to president, U.S. Mid-Atlantic ... Joyce Bosc, president of Boscobel, was a finalist for the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Stevie Awards ... Peter Corbett, CEO of iStrategy Labs named "one to watch" by BOT ... Virilion adds Kelly Colbert to its Board of Directors.

Brunner changes name, management & focus of its D.C. office; GolinHarris selected to handle Cool Earth's U.S. launch; Strategic Communications Group adds TARP; Low + Associates wins awards for two PSA campaigns; CreatiVerge wins ...