media

So, I guess our favorite lady of fashion, Anna Wintour, and our runway critic extraordinaire, Michael Kors, are making news these days debating, or maybe agreeing, (can't keep it straight) on whether or not 16 years of age is an appropriate cut off time for runway models. First of all, is it ever a good age to be a model? Maybe that's the real question. Tough life, ultimately, bad on the ego, generally. But that's another story...

16, what was I doing when I was 16? What wasn't I doing when I was 16 is more the question. Honestly it being the 80's in Miami and me being your normal teenager, I'm sure I was doing more than I should have been doing.

Which gets to the point (at least sort of) here. 16 is actually both very young and quite mature in today's society. With access to just about everything thanks to the internet and a general sophistication in terms in what these kids know and are often exposed to (think proliferation of media and relaxed "standards") 16 really is like going on 40, not to mention 13, 14 or 15.

If you're under 16 and your parent consents to your involvement in a runway show have at it. BUT PARENTS BEWARE you may be setting your young one up for a future of insecurity, bad body issues, etc. Oh gosh, was I a runway model and didn't know it? Lol...

Best age yet? 47! 

2010 has come in like a freight train for me and mine. In our world things have changed, and maybe they've changed forever. Since we are media centric the dwindling of the press, one magazine and newspaper after another are folding (if you haven't noticed), has certainly put a new pressure on finding ways to get our clients covered. The regional media tour has been turned on its head. If your client doesn't advertise they had better be worthy of a spread... Forget about the friendly morning show perk. BUT are we feeling down and out? Of course not. Because when we say we're creative and agile, we mean it. So that's where the freight train part comes in. We're on a roll!

In a new media landscape a good pr agency had better be able to work in a few worlds all at one time. You had better be agile, for real, and ready to carve a path that is at once strategic and a bit on the edge. That's what we do. And when I say we, I mean WE. The team at BBC is top notch, incredibly smart, incredibly dedicated and a lot of fun to be around.  

Now I'm plugging "us" but why not, why shouldn't I? This team is hot!

Someone asked me to do a blog on creativity. They are in a similar industry, so I'm sure they were hoping I would shed a little light on the process, or at least offer up my take on how to tap into creative juices - within context, of course. Well, as you do when you riff, I went off track a bit, landing somewhere on Pollock and how the seeming chaos of his splatter art was actually pure and pleasing order (there is a computer program that can back this claim).

Creativity. I believe EVERYONE is creative, it's just expressed in different ways for different people. Creativity is something everyone needs because the process helps you solve problems and everyone has a problem to solve. Moms need to know what is giving their little ones gas. Kids need to know how to bend the rules and stay up late. PR agencies need to know how to get their clients coverage in the media. Media companies need to know how to position their titles to advertisers. And yes, visual artists need to find something new to paint (or sculpt or whatever.) So, since creativity is something we all can do, why not own it more. Declare yourself people! YOU are the creatives!

Source: ideachampions.com

People often tout the importance of smiling. When we media train our clients for television we always stress it. On television, even if your face is in a neutral position, it will look like you’re frowning. So SMILE! But that also goes for basic life.

Last night I was watching a GUILTY pleasure “My Antonio,” a reality show featuring Antonio Sabato Jr. (HOT!) and 12 sexy babes. His Italian mother plays prominently in the show, and though everything about her is disapproving (“You can’t marry a girl in a silver bathing suit Antonio, get rid of her.”) she smiles throughout and it softens her somehow, gives her a measure of likeability.

When we are in a meeting with clients, no matter how bummed we might be about various things, I always encourage my team to smile. Honestly, the one that smiles the least is probably me, and that’s because I’m always thinking about the bottom line and how will this meeting impact our business (it’s always there…) But when I remember to put on that smile it does change the way I feel and I know it changes the way I’m perceived. So, go ahead and smile, it might not have the power to change your destiny, but it can certainly change your day.
 

Source: realestateradiousa.com

For most of us in the communications/pr world, Cision is THE go-to destination for insider info, great media lists and a wealth of archival press placements. Look, someone had to do it, and Cision did. They have their own blog dedicated to helping communications professionals navigate the evolving media landscape. Honestly, this might feel a bit “insidery” (not a word, I know), but this blog is GOOD. Great writers, great insight, and great cross-section of viable references and resources. If you’re in my business, or anything vaguely related I strongly suggest that you check it out!

If you are reading this than you know that we publish several blogs weekly on our Web site. We started this for a variety of reasons. Firstly, if we are encouraging our clients to do a blog than why wouldn’t we, for goodness sake? Plus, it creates excellent organic SEO. My blog? Maybe not so much. (I just write about whatever is percolating in my world as a biz owner and there isn’t always a lot of link love involved in these types of missives.)

But two of our VPs write about more topical and hopefully interesting topics. One of our VPs is an ex-journalist. She’s a fabulous writer and a smarty. She really sees things through that lens and that is one of the many reasons I think she is so valuable. In her blogs the journalist often comes out, and it’s quite an interesting experience. She recently wrote about a publication, that will remain nameless, and I thought, oops… Great blog entry, but potentially damning from a publicist’s standpoint. Now, that doesn’t mean I think what she said doesn’t have merit, it’s just that we are in the business of promoting things not critiquing them. Well, of course we critique things, we do that all the time. But that’s generally when we are in the strategy phase and we are considering options. Anyway, it just got me thinking this morning about how the blog “format” has blurred these lines. And how thankful I am that I have such an incredible, smart gal working for me. Even when she’s bad, she’s good!
 

As a communications agency that does a whole lot of things that could be called marketing (and always has, even when it wasn’t popular), I started thinking about changing the way we positioned ourselves. Should we be a “marketing” agency? With the advent of WOM and the launch of our Consumer Engagement Marketing division and the various ways in which we help our clients build their brands, not only through awareness but also via business development strategies, it just seemed a natural evolution. Until I started really thinking about it… In the IMC process, the agency lineup generally includes advertising, pr, digital, cp and media buying. Not marketing, so much. To re-position your company as a marketing firm might just make it difficult to pitch yourself.  Today, specializing might be the best thing to do. But specializing doesn’t mean you have to only do one thing, not really. If you are a communications agency you can add in business development when needed, or brand alliances, or even online viral marketing and content ideation. If you’re a media-buying agency you can come up with brand building platforms that reach well beyond what is considered your scope of work. Advertising agencies are definitely dipping down into digital in way they haven’t in the past. It’s all a big mix, which makes the case that a “marketing” agency could encompass all of these things and have a great place to live. But, I still think it just might be a case of all things to all people, but still a master of none…

Just a thought. We’re sticking with communications, albeit pr on steroids.
 

Publicists in the inner media/marketing circles have been a-buzz this week with news of a formal statement from a mommy blog network—Momdot—challenging their network to blackout out all publicists, pitches, press releases, review requests, etc for one week in August to re-focus on their core passion—family.

As a long-time publicist and Internet marketer, my initial gut reaction was not a good one… “Are they kidding, who do they think they are?” “Don’t bite the mouth that feeds you, it will burn you later.” “See how much content you have without media experts sharing news with you on a daily basis,” and the likes.  After the initial sting, I took a step back and read deeper and understood the plan is more about allowing time for each blogger to get back to their roots—sharing insights on family life—and less about being upset with PR and publicity as a practice.  I myself am a mom, so I understand figuring out the balance of career and family.

So now I actually support the opportunity for our favorite mommy bloggers to take a break to look inward, to make sure they are using their popular platforms to communicate their real perspective.  But I do throw out a word of caution: A good publicist only makes a blogger (or any media outlet for that matter) look better by giving them relevant, fresh and interesting stuff to talk about.
 

Source: momdot.com, happi.com