Stories by Mark Renfree

The work of public relations typically happens behind the scenes, but at yesterday’s 2019 PR People Awards and Rising Stars 30 & Under Awards PRNEWS put the spotlight on the communicators behind some of the year’s most impactful work. While the awards honored individuals, many of the recipients emphasized the importance of their colleagues in their success throughout the year and in their careers.

The privilege of pulling the data can sometimes cost thousands of dollars. With top-flight offerings requiring a significant buy-in, it’s easy to believe that SEO requires deep pockets. With a little effort, what’s freely available online can give you the same results as the heavy hitters in the industry. The expensive tools will do all the analysis for you, taking all the disparate data points presenting them in one place. But if you’re willing to do the work, you can avoid the big spend.

When it comes to pitching reporters, the more things change, the more they stay the same. While Twitter and contacts saved to your phone replace Rolodexes, much of the work to land impactful placements remains developing solid relationships with reporters. Software offerings can give you a list of potential media contacts in a few minutes, but seasoned pros still caution against blasting reporters with generic emails.

Winner: Teresa White, Aflac It was unlikely for a woman with Teresa White’s background to beat the odds. Having grown up in low-income housing and raised by a single parent, the statistics that haunt the… Continued

Winner: HP Inc. – Bringing HP’s Culture of Diversity and Innovation to Life Women, who will control two thirds of consumer wealth over the next decade, continue to face challenges around equality in the workforce—especially… Continued

Winner: Imprenta Communications Group – Plastic Pollution Awareness Campaign Communities of color make up a majority of California’s population, yet they remain largely unrepresented in the state’s mainstream environmental movement. The long-term strength of California’s environmental… Continued

Winner: Lubrizol Corporation – Rebrand Lubrizol Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) The Lubrizol Corporation is a technology-driven company that combines complex specialty chemicals to optimize the quality and value of its customers’ products while reducing their… Continued

Winner: Mastercard – Launch and Implementation of the PRIDE BRG Mexico and Central America Chapter of Mastercard MasterCard set out to leverage diversity in 2016 by promoting awareness and inclusion for all MasterCard employees, fostering… Continued

Winner: Maxine Williams, Facebook Since joining Facebook three years ago, Maxine Williams and her team have encouraged and supported the entire company as Facebook works hard to increase diversity within its culture. Williams developed a… Continued

Winner: Moet Hennessy USA – Women @ MHUSA Initiative In 2015, Moet Hennessy USA formed Women @ MHUSA, an employee-based initiative with the goal of providing positive and uplifting resources for women within the organization.… Continued