On the Radar Screen
Where There's Smoke, There's Fire
The Blaze Company, a California-based PR firm, made the most of its overages of over-sized matchbooks in a Fourth of July campaign promoting the company. Blaze frequently uses the fire theme and the recent promotion also included recipes for summer cooking, entitled, "Hot Fun in the Summertime," says John Giurini, VP.
"We over-ordered match books for a previous campaign and wanted to get rid of them," Giurini says. "But we also wanted to do a summer promotion surrounding the holidays and correlating with fire."
The campaign targeted 1,200 former and prospective clients. Many Blaze clients are in the tourism, food and hospitality industries, so the recipe book theme fits well. And adding the Fourth of July barbecue allowed them to use the matchbooks, adds Giurini. The promotion possibilities for The Blaze Company are endless. Even their letterhead is burned at the edges. (John Giurini, 310/450-4345).
Fun in the Sun With Digital Island
Digital Island, a venture-funded company that serves as an alternative to the Internet, recently sent 21 framed photographs and certificates to editors across the country in its "Maui by the Inch" campaign.
The certificates, made by the company, Maui Buy the Inch, guarantee editors one inch of land in Maui. The Hawaii-based company thought the gift was a perfect way to thank the editors who met with Digital executives on its East Coast press tour last month.
"It's a great way to spread the word if the reporters hang the frame in their office to proudly show their colleagues," says Irwin Greenstein, director of public relations.
The price? "Affordable," says Greenstein without elaboration.
And yes, the editors who received the frames really do own the piece of land in Maui. The bad news is an inch is not big enough for a beach chair....or even a towel. ( Irwin Greenstein, 415/228-4100)
New Business Moves
- First Call Corp., Boston, launched its analyst coverage, the latest feature of its Web-delivered products for the financial community. Financial institutions use First Call services to get a range of data, including earnings estimates and corporation background.
- The new service, which can be accessed once a user logs onto First Call, allows customers to search by criteria to find the brokers and analysts who cover particular industries and companies. (First Call, 617/856-2500)
- Schwartz Communications won the Lycos, Inc. account last week, but wouldn't disclose how much the coveted client will pay for the Waltham, Mass.-based high-tech PR firm's guidance. (Schwartz, 781/684-0770)
- The corporate communication management of PPG Industries, Inc., Pittsburgh, has been reorganized with the retirement of David C. Green, corporate communications director. He left July 1 after a 35-year career with the global manufacturer of coatings, flat glass, fiber glass and chemicals.
Linda C. Murphy, director, business communications, is responsible for external business and marketing communication; Arthur J. Marino Jr., who previously managed PR, is manager of business communications; Wendy L. McAfoose, manager, internal communications, is responsible for employee communication; and John S. Ruch is manager of corporate public information and is responsible for news, media relations and coordination of related business unit and facilities activity. (PPG, 412/434-2445)
Clarification
PartyLite Gifts is not conducting a review of its PR relationship with Lou Hammond & Associates, says Bob Rosenberger, director of communications at the candle manufacturer in Plymouth, Mass. "At one time, we were looking at a business analysis," he adds, but have since decided to stay with Hammond of New York." In our July 13 issue we reported that the account was under review.