Organizations that don’t dedicate resources to social media can face risks that have a ripple effect well beyond the marketing department, according to presenters at a seminar totaled "Social Media: Navigating the Legal Minefield". 

The Technology Marketing Alliance (TMA) - a forum for technology marketers in the D.C. area - has announced its board of advisors for 2010-2011. The TMA board volunteers its time to the community of senior-level technology marketers, and contributes valuable insight into speaker selection, membership development and promotion.

Social media represents a powerful opportunity for marketers to multiply their messages amongst self-expanding pools of prospects. But specific sharing behavior can be difficult to generate and sustain. Next in R2integrated's “Social Media for Profit” webinar series, r2i discuss how to generate the right type of content, deliver it to the right people, and combine it with the right sharing mechanisms.

When the snow was pelting the D.C. area, the staff at Equals Three decided to spend time, in part, developing a short cookbook

Shaun Quigley has been promoted to vice president, digital practice director at Brunner. Quigley, who joined Brunner in 2008, previously served as interactive practice director in the agency’s D.C. office.

Arnold Worldwide announced that Euro RSCG veteran Andrew Benett will join the communications agency as its global CEO. He will lead the worldwide Arnold micronetwork, which delivers creativity, strategy and integration to clients including Amtrak, McDonald's, Hershey's, Volvo, Ocean Spray, Carnival Cruise Lines,< Read More »

WWPR’s Executive Communicators and Professional Development Committees held a Brown Bag Lunch Feb. 17 titled: “Mind the Gap”

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation has launched a national public service campaign titled “Two Main Causes of Asthma.”  The goal of the campaign is to communicate a message to the millions of Americans

Microsoft hired Christina Pearson as senior director for public relations in its D.C. office, reports National Journal's Tech Daily Dose.  Pearson most recently worked for Fleishman-Hillard,

Battered by the recall of eight million of its cars for faulty accelerator pedals, states odwyers.com, Toyota hired "Democratic powerhouse firm Glover Park Group to deal with its image mess"; Ogilvy PR

Cynthia Powell received the following message on Facebook on Jan. 27 from a former APCO Worldwide colleague: “an urgent request for a field communications officer in Haiti, working on behalf of an international NGO. He/she must be experienced in writing, media liaison and speak fluent French. It is a one-two month assignment, beginning asap.”

Capitol Communicator’s Sourcebook showcases companies and organizations serving the Greater DC business community, the nation and the world.

Jones Public Affairs adds Kathleen Wahlbin as a senior vice president; West Glen Communications adds Allison Langfelder Hamilton as account director; Widmeyer promotes two; PRWeb announces a first-of-its-kind partnership with blogging application Zemanta; and, IPRA announces its 2010 Board.

Beckerman, one of the largest independent PR firms, is opening a D.C. office, which will be led by newly appointed Senior Vice President for Crisis, Litigation and Legal Services Naomi Decter. Most recently, Decter - who brings to the position more than 15 years of experience in corporate crisis and litigation communications, public affairs, and media - 

Draftix has signed on with RP3 for marketing services.  Draftix is the world's first web site dedicated to facilitating the sharing of sports season tickets. RP3 will help launch the brand, create awareness, engagement and grow the subscriber base within the sports marketing industry.

EFX Media has been awarded a $3.5 million contract from the United States Census Bureau to provide video production and other audio/video services.

Michael Brunner, CEO of Pittsburgh-based Brunner, announced that his agency has assumed the clients and staff of D.C.-based marketing services firm AXIS after the firm’s founder and CEO, Karen Work, decided to relocate to Arizona.

As we enter 2010, an unscientific survey of the DC communications community finds that the worst may be behind us when it comes to the economy.  While no one expects 2010 to be a great year, there clearly is a sense there’s more business opportunities out there. 

MVI Post will handle post production for "In Performance at the White House", a high-profile program to be broadcast nationally next Thursday on PBS - and they'll have less than 18 hours to edit the show.

Vocus, Inc., a Lanham-based provider of on-demand software for public relations management, announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2009.

Burson-Marsteller, in partnership with the Black Public Relations Society of Washington, DC, presented a panel discussion to more than 45 BPRS members and others on Jan 28.  Burson provided light refreshments and wine for the evening event, which provided a great environment for networking and the panel discussion that followed.

By Tracy Schario Johnson

More than 150 public relations professionals joined the 2010 PRSA National Capit

We have updates from Chris O.Communications, RP3 Agency, Merritt Group,  Carousel30, Quinn Gillespie & Associates and Jill Tanenbaum Graphic Design and Advertising,

Some members of the local ad community will get a chance to enjoy breakfast and coffee this Sunday with the ADDY judges, the day following the judging of the local DC ADDY competition. It will be a casual event where attendees will have the chance to meet the judges and talk about the local ADDY competition, the latest industry trends and the future of advertising.

The Collingwood Group announced its acquisition of Indelium LLC and the formation of Collingwood Communications. David Jeffers was appointed president/CEO of the new company, which primarily will focus on serving the public relations and public affairs needs of organizations in financial services, housing and the mortgage industry.

Ad 2 DC, an affiliate of The DC Ad Club, helps young marketing professionals (32 and younger) network, socialize and gain leadership experience so they can kick the pants off the advertising world. Each year, Ad 2 DC selects a local, non-profit organization and executes a public service campaign as a way to give back to the community. With hundreds of non-profits in the DC metro area, Ad 2 DC has the advantage of helping various non-profits for years to come.

The Online Marketing Blog by Lee Odden lists 25 women that “rock social media” and the list includes two women from Washington, DC:  Shonali Burke and Debbie Weil.

Donna Vincent Roa launched Vincent Roa Group, LLC, a Maryland-based company that will provide strategic communication, brand management and public relations services.  A news release on the launch said the firm will specialize in communication about the earth and its people—science, environment, sustainability, energy, LEED^®, public health, technology, and lifestyle communications.

To help our community of 10,000 professionals position themselves as experts within their niche, Capitol Communicator has launched our Sourcebook directory. Built on a social media platform, Sourcebook allows communications professionals concentrated around Washington, D.C. to build their profile and share content for the purpose of highlighting their personal brand and organizational presence.

The current healthcare reform negotiations are an issue with high stakes for the Obama administration, Congress, interest groups, citizens and media, all trying to make sense of a dizzying array of lingo, updates and challenges.  And it’s all happening in the midst of a communication climate that has changed dramatically, from the way reporters cover stories to the changing face of online and grassroots communication.