On The Radar Screen
Company Doesn't Pull the Wool Over Their Eyes
Cindy Crawford might be a favorite celebrity spokesmodel, but what do you do when you want to deliver a PR message in the fashion industry and don't have millions to spend? Textile giant, Woolmark Company, recently found a way through a campaign that proved the company wasn't sheepish when it comes to getting a shot of brand adrenaline.
Models dressed in lightweight wool garb took to 5th Avenue with leashed sheep (not dogs) in tow to debunk the myth that wool is a fabric for cool weather and climates. Stephanie Garbarini, GM/marcom, admitted the "sheepwalk" was meant to get passersby to stop and take notice, but the real ROI was education.
Onlookers were given prepaid phone cards from Woolmark offering tips and information about wool. (Woolmark, 804/644-2200)
Kudos to The Hawthorn Group, the Washington, D.C., public affairs firm that puts together an impressive newsletter. "The Hawthorne Focus" adds fresh perspective to issues such as the impeachment trial. Not an easy feat.
Focus is chock full of stories that are both informational and cheeky. In the issue we saw, stats ran the gamut, including data culled from the Global Strategy Group for the National Association of Police Organizations and gleanings from the Opinion Research Corporation for The Soap and Detergent Association. (THG, 703/299-4499)
Business News
- Respected companies know that contributing time to a cause can help key publics get a sense of what motivates a firm and its principals. Joseph R. Cerrell, founder, chairman and CEO of government affairs and public relations firm Cerrell Associates, was elected president of the National Italian American Foundation, underscoring his commitment to promoting contributions of Italian Americans. Cerrell Associates is based in Los Angeles and is in its 33rd year. (NIANB, 202/387-0600)
- Savvy companies are finding new sounding boards to measure client issues. A case in point is Crosby Marketing Communications, which hired Dana Mayer as VP and leader of its new division, Strategic Advisory Group for Employers, to examine client issues in supplier, employee and customer relations. She was previously a consultant for national associations and Fortune 500s, such as DuPont and AT&T. (Crosby, 410/626-0805)
- More evidence that alliances are a hot ticket in the tech corridor? America Online partners with the Financial Times to give AOL members FT content. The virtual buzz includes daily breaking news, exclusive features and links to FT.com. (AOL, 703/265-3284)
- With Elizabeth Dole out of the loop, the American Red Cross taps Carter Ryley Thomas Public Relations & Marketing Council to develop a PR and marketing plan to launch its new positioning theme: "We'll Be There." (CRT, 804/343-2317)