New Alliances/Ventures
Media Distribution Services, which manages a database of print and broadcast outlets categorized by 3,500 classifications, has partnered with West Glen Communication Inc., a producer and distributor of video, audio and multimedia programs for PR and ad agencies, corporations and associations. The alliance is supposed to give you a more fluid way of figuring out who should get your video news releases, B-roll packages and satellite media tours. (MDS, 212/279-4800)
New Web Site About Employee Communication
Trying to work top-notch employee communications onto your to-do list may appear a little less cumbersome with the advent of this new Web venture: http://www.davishays.com. The URL is devoted to employee communications and offers a bevy of tips. Some are no-brainers, but here are a couple we liked: To help managers communicate:
Provide the tools: a communicator's kit with talking points, a few slides and a Q&A form - that let managers translate corporate jargon into news employees can use; and use charts, graphs or visual aids to drive home complicated concepts. (Davis Hays & Co., 201/342-7288)
H&K's Legal Partnering
Public affairs and PR practitioners are beginning to rely on legal eagles as much as they do savvy media relations and investor relations execs. Case in point: Hill and Knowlton entered into a partnership Nov. 4 with San Francisco attorney Bonnie Cohen so H&K can provide litigation communication. Cohen will work with H&K's New York-based litigation support group to round out H&K's expertise. Being effective in high-profile cases, especially those that involve class-action lawsuits, requires looking beyond the courtroom and into the court of public perception, according to Cohen. (H&K, 213/966-5700)
Duffey Works with Press Club
This is PR that's both smart and customer-driven: The Atlanta Press Club and Duffey Communications hosted the city's mayoral debate at the http://www.atlpressclub.org site Nov. 2 and has archived the event and related information. Using a search engine, visitors can perform a keyword search to determine if a candidate addressed a particular topic. The site relies on Real Audio servers or technology provided by Duffey (for users without Real Audio, a telephone number and a touch-tone code are provided). (Duffey, 404/266-2600)
Obituary: Howard Charbeneau, PR Veteran, Dies
Howard Charbeneau, 54, a long-time International Association of Business Communicators member, died Oct. 25 of lung cancer. During his 25-year membership, he served on the IABC executive board and on the IABC Research Foundation board. Contributions can be made to the Dayton/Montgomery County Scholarship Program, c/o Roosevelt Center, Room 118, 2013 West 3rd Street, Dayton, Ohio 45417. (IABC, 415/433-3400)
Corporate Positioning: Hotel Schooled on Philanthropy
As philanthropy becomes one of the ways customers and audiences use to discern which companies they like, we give a nod of approval to Grand Hyatt Washington for its $20,000 elementary school library book donation and establishment of a library fund to benefit Washington, D.C., public schools.
Hyatt hit on the real merit of philanthropic efforts: programs need to be implemented on the community level for them to have lasting impact, but they also have to tie into a national and/or current issue: Via funding cuts nationwide, libraries have taken a real financial beating and the quality of schools in D.C. is still a topic of debate. (Hyatt, 202/637-4797)
Alternative Messaging: Campaign Finds Roundabout Way of Reaching Leo Burnett
Having alternative ways of delivering your message should a snafu arise is part of what you need to stay on top. Case in point: When the Chicago Tribune refused to run an ad - designed by Slack Barshinger & Partners and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids that challenged Leo Burnett to resign the Philip Morris account it had held for more than 40 years - the duo found another way of courting constituents.
Volunteers handed out leaflets to an estimated 1,900 LB employees as they filed into the Chicago Theater for a company-wide meeting.
Although Leo Burnett hasn't nixed its alliance with Philip Morris, the endeavor netted some press and attention, including coverage in Advertising Age, Crain's Chicago Business and the Chicago Reader; a live news segment on WMAQ-AM; online coverage on adage.com; and 417 viewings of the ad at http://www.slack.com. (Slack Barshinger & Partners Inc., 312/527-5243)