Sep. '12 Beauty & Fashion PR Magazine (PDF) - Odwyerpr.com

THE FASHION ISSUEWHY FASHION REQUIRESA STORYTELLING ANGLEWHEN FASHION MEETS ETHICS,CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITYHOW MOBILE INFLUENCESSHOPPING BEHAVIORS e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 2 | w w w . o d w y e r p r . c o mBLOG CONFERENCE’S NEW SIZEREVEALS INNER TURMOIL

Vol. 26, No. 9September 2012EDITORIALThe numbers-crunching game behind 6validating political beliefs.PEOPLE TRUST BUSINESSOVER GOVERNMENT 8A recent survey shows mostAmericans don’t want corporationsinvolved in politics, but most also placegreater trust in private business than government.PINTEREST UNINTERESTINGAMONG MARKETING PROS 8Almost 50% of marketing executivespolled in a new study claim theyhave no plans to participate in rapidlygrowing social networking site Pinterest.AUTHORITIES DELAY ATTEMPTTO CREATE “BUZZ” 9A plan by a U.S. condom manufacturerto give away thousands of complimentarysex toys was postponed by theMayor’s office.10STORYTELLING APPROACHREQUIRED FOR FASHIONIn order for a fashion campaign towork, it must be thoroughly integrated witha litany of digital platforms and connectwith multiple audiences.12VISIBILITY, AWARENESS INETHICAL FASHIONWhen it comes to the growingissue of ethical fashion, visibility is just asimportant as awareness when educatingconsumers to making a choice.13MOBILE INFLUENCINGSHOPPING BEHAVIORA new study by Deloitte foundsmartphones now influence an increasingnumber of sales at retail stores in theUnited States.13PR SUPPORT FOR GROUPTARGETING OBAMAA group criticizing the Obamaadministration over national securityleaks is getting PR support from GOPalignedPR shop.14FINNBENEFITS WITH FASHIONAND RESPONSIBILITYHow corporate social responsibilitycampaigns not only help philanthropiccauses, but are successful means ofimproving a company’s image.15CONGLOMS BUCKUNCERTAINTY WITH Q2 GAINSAgainst prevailing economic uncertaintyand global volatility in the market, manymedia conglomerates with PR units postedstrong revenue gains in the second quarter.16INDUSTRY OBSESSION WITHROI IS HURTING PROne of the biggest challenges the PRindustry now faces is the prospect of professionalsjustifying their work in an industry increasinglyfocused on measuring return on investment.1718202732COLUMNS2829303134PEOPLE IN PRBLOGGING CONFERENCE TAKESON GROWTH, DIVISIONThe 2012 BlogHer Conference showed amajor increase in attendees, but this growth resultedin complaints that the conference has grown toobig for its own good.PROFILES OF BEAUTY &FASHION PR FIRMSRANKINGS OF TOP BEAUTY &FASHION PR FIRMSWASHINGTON REPORTPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTFraser SeitelFINANCIAL MANAGEMENTRichard GoldsteinGUEST COLUMNArthur SolomonGUEST COLUMNCereen WintersPR BUYER’S GUIDEJanuary: Crisis Comms. / Buyer’s GuideFebruary: Environmental & P.A.March: Food & BeverageApril: Broadcast & Social MediaMay: PR Firm RankingsJune: Global & MulticulturalPARTNERS......................................................................5KAPLOW....................................................................................7KEF............................................................................................3LOG-ON...................................................................................111012EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2012www.odwyerpr.comDaily, up-to-the-minute PR newsCover and insert photos byMichael O’SheaJuly: Travel & TourismAugust: Financial/I.R.September: Beauty & FashionOctober: Healthcare & MedicalNovember: High-TechDecember: Entertainment & SportsOMEGA TRAVEL.....................................................................23PREMIERE TV.........................................................................19RUDER FINN.......................................................BACK COVERTV ACCESS.............................................................................14NAPS.................................................................INSIDE COVERZING..........................................................................................9O’Dwyer’s is published monthly for $60.00 a year ($7.00 for a single issue) by the J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc., 271 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. (212) 679-2471; fax: (212) 683-2750. Periodical postage paid at New York, N.Y., andadditional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to O’Dwyer’s, 271 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. O’Dwyer’s PR Report ISSN: 1931-8316. Published monthly.

MEDIA REPORTPAC: Americans trust business over governmentAmericans don’t want corporations involved in politics but place greater trust in private businessthan government in urging the private sector to take on more responsibility in society,according to a survey by the Public Affairs Council.By Greg HazleyPolling 1,750 adult Americans onattitudes toward lobbying, politicsand the private/public sector split,PAC found 72% saying business shouldrun food banks and job training, while68% said business should help improvehealthcare and 66% said the same ofeducation.More people said federal regulation(52%) is a greater threat to the middleclass than corporate power (40%). Butthe public also thinks corporate executivesare being overpaid (71%) andmany want the government to ramp upregulations in areas like environmentalprotection.Doug Pinkham, president of the PAC,said Americans have “serious doubts”about whether the federal governmentcan handle the nation’s challenges. Hesaid, “As a result, the public is turningto the business sector and saying, ‘Thegovernment can’t seem to manage thesethings, so what can you do to help?’”PAC found that support of big companiesrose from 61% last year to 67%(or two-thirds) in the latest survey,although concerns about corporateNearly half of marketing executuves say they have no plans forPinterest, the rapidly growing social networking site.By Greg HazleyThe fast-growing social networkingsite Pinterest, which is generatingbuzz among PR pros and marketers,is not in the business plans of mostmarketing executives, according to astudy by The Creative Group.Menlo Park, Calif.-based TCG polled500 marketing execs via telephone, findingthat only seven percent said they’recurrently using Pinterest for business,while another 10 percent said they intendto log on to the site. The firm queried adagency, PR, design, interactive and othermarketing pros.Pinterest allows users to pull itemsfrom the web and “pin” them to theirpages on the social network in a type ofvirtual scrapbook. Some research haspower and profits linger.[Edelman’s annual TrustBarometer earlier thisyear found business supportat 47% and governmenttrust at 38%.]Pinkham, who discussedthe results of thesurvey in a lengthyappearance on C-SPAN,said the fact that thePublic favorability views toward corporations, small businessand government.Pinterest uninteresting for marketing proseconomy improvedslightly over the pastyear may account for therise in corporate support, which is alsobuoyed by steadfast support for smallbusiness.The largest support for corporateAmerica came from Generation X (ages36-47) with 71% favorability, followedby the 18-35 demographic (68%) andBoomers at 64%. While many see topexecutives as overpaid, 56% said companiesdon’t pay other workers fairly.The public also showed some wearinesstoward outside lobbyists and corporationsthat get involved in the politicalprocess. Fifty-four percent saidthey think more unfavorably of a companythat hires lobbyists, but largemajorities support lobbying by businessto protect jobs (81%), open new markets(78%), level a playing field (71%),or reduce costs (63%).A solid 57% said they would feel lessfavorable about a company that paid foradvertising in support of a politicalcandidate.The survey, which Pinkham said isintended to gain understanding of howAmericans see the relationship betweenbusiness and the federal government,was conducted for PAC by thePrinceton Survey Research AssociatesInternational. shown its users are more inclined to buyproducts shared on the network than onothers like Twitter or Facebook.Seventeen percent of marketing execssaid Pinterest had “caught their eye” butare still hesitant about using it for businesspurposes. Forty-four percent saidthey had no business plans for Pinterest,while another 18% had never heard of it.Donna Farrugia, executive director ofTCG, said the network has attracted a“huge” following quickly, but noted companiesmay be waiting to see if its popularitywill last and how its potential businessuses play out before incorporatingPinterest.Pinterest in June hired Google andFacebook PR vet Barry Schnitt to headcommunications and public policy followinga $100 million venture round thatput its valuation around $1.5 billion. TheOutCast Agency handles PR. PR news briefsPOLL: LOCAL TV IS STILLTOP SOURCEDespite an array of choices, local TV news is theone source that a majority of registered votersturned to on a daily basis, according to a nationalpoll by USC Annenberg and the Los Angeles Times.Fifty-eight percent said they watched local TVnews daily, more than 39% who say they read alocal newspaper each day. After newspapers,national network news broadcasts are viewed regularlyby 35% of voters, followed by Fox NewsChannel (33%), network morning shows (28%),Facebook (25%), aggregators like Yahoo (25%), CNN(21%) and MSNBC and NPR (19%).More than half of voters in the 18 to 29-year-oldgroup (52%) get news from Facebook, followed bylocal TV at 37%.Asked to rank partisanship, 70% of Republicanscalled the media too liberal, while only 40% of independentsand 16% of Democrats agreed.8SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

Authorities halt Trojan’s attempt to create ‘buzz’U.S. condom manufacturer Trojan in August plotted a streetsidePR campaign to give away thousands of complimentarysex toys in Manhattan. The event was postponed by theMayor’s office, citing permit issues.By Abby Rose DaltoTrojan intended to give away 5,000of its Tri-Phoria and Pulse intimatemassagers from speciallydesigned“Pleasure Carts” modeled afterNYC hot dog carts. On August 8, minutesafter the publicity stunt began inManhattan’s Flatiron District, the eventwas shut down by New York City MayorMike Bloomberg’s Office.Allegedly, the company had failed tosecure the proper street activity permitsrequired for such a commercial promotionalactivity. A spokesperson for themayor’s office issued a statementexplaining that the event did not have apermit and “impeded pedestrian andstreet traffic.”Some of the women and men, who hadwaited on line for vibrators but wenthome empty-handed, complained aboutthe way that the company handled theincident. According to spectators quotedin Gothamist.com, the company’s PRreps did not announce that the giveawaywas being postponed until they couldacquire the proper permits. Instead they“just drove away”, said bystander KristiEvans.The giveaway resumed the evening ofAugust 9 in the Meatpacking Districtafter official NYC permits had beenacquired.According to Trojan’s VP of marketing,Bruce Weiss, the goal of the giveawaywas to make sex toys more commonplace.“What we’re doing is takingsomething like a hot dog cart that is soeveryday and we’re showing people thatvibrators are mainstream,” he told theNew York Times. Weiss cited researchfrom the Center for Sexual HealthPromotion at Indiana University that53% of women and 45% of men haveused a vibrator in their lifetime.This wasn’t Trojan’s first attempt at amass vibrator giveaway. Last year theylaunched a successful Trojan VibrationsTruck Tour hitting nighttime spots acrossManhattan and August 2-4 they gaveaway 4,000 free vibrators to womenbloggers at the Hilton New York, as aSilver level sponsor of the seventh annualBlogHer Conference.“I thought it was highly interestingsince in my opinion BlogHer is anextremely conservative conference,”wrote blogger Kitty Bradshaw (kittybradshaw.com)who received 20 freevibrators from the company for her ownsmall scale giveaway at the conference.“Of course they have another adult toybrand that has been a part of the conferencefor the last couple of years… butthat brand is much more discreet. I thinkonce it was deemed ‘cool’ to go up andreceive a vibrator, that’s when the frenzybegan.”Trojan and Trojan Vibrations areowned by Church & Dwight Co., Inc.Edelman was the PR agency for thecampaign. Edelman representativesdeclined to make a statement toO’Dwyer’s regarding this story. SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 9

FEATUREFashion’s message requires storytelling approachFashion PR can no longer exist in a silo. With media relations,product placement and celebrity outreach ruling the day, fashioncampaigns must instead be thoroughly integrated with digitalplatforms and consider multiple audiences.By Crosby NoricksWe’re experiencing a revival ofone of the core tenets of successfulPR strategy: the story.In today’s digital world, the approach tobuilding brand awareness and developingaffinity and loyalty among customerscomes from delivering valuable, remarkablecontent. It’s also where some of themost innovative fashion and beauty campaignsare happening.To kickstart creative thinking withinyour organization, here are a few companiesleading the charge:Begin with a brand manifestoInstead of a traditional business plan,Holstee Cofounders and brothers Daveand Mike Radparvar, along with PartnerFabian Pfortmüller wrote a manifesto, atypographical “reminder of what a successfullife could be in non-financialterms.” And then they went about the businessof making their first products.However, it was the manifesto thatlaunched the brand into public awareness,as the founder’s feel-good maxims aboutlife and the pursuit of personal happinessspread across the Web and resulted inmedia interest and coverage in top publicationslike Inc, Forbes, and FastCompany. Results? Holstee quickly soldout of their first run of products as well asa poster of the manifesto, which accountedfor about 50% of revenue in 2011.Co-create with customersFashion designer Rebecca Minkoff is atthe center of content-driven commercethat mimics the brand’s eye for style. Itsengine is a website called Minkette drivenby a group of bloggers and loyalistsreferred to as the “Minkettes.” The designer’slong list of digital integration includesTumblr, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,Polyvore, LookBook, Chictopia, MYFDBand Instagram, where one lucky fan’s photoswere chosen to appear in Minkoff’sfirst print ad campaign.Turn quirkiness into a campaignAnother powerful approach is to createstories by taking action and creating them.Instead of focusing a campaign around itsproducts, indie & vintage inspired ecommerceretailer ModCloth launched GeekWeek; a week-long celebration of itsemployees obsessions, quirks and hiddentalents that crossed every platform fromPinterest to Instagram, as well as videoand partnerships with Refinery29, BenefitCosmetics and Polyvore to extend thecampaign. Customers responded withtheir own stories of geek-dom and astronger relationship between customerand ModCloth employee was born.Repurpose existing contentIndependent Fashion Bloggers is a dailyread for aspiring and established bloggersalike, and its biannual fashion week conferencealways sells out, attracting sponsorshipsfrom big brands eager to be a partof the conversation and connect with risinginfluencers. Much more than just ablog, IFB is a resource center, and usesimage-share platforms like Instagram andPinterest to drive traffic, communitygrowth and brand awareness, snappingpictures of press coverage to share onInstagram and posting intriguing headlinesof blog articles to images on Pinterest.Lead with lifestyle, uncover partnershipsAccording to Tory Burch’s CMO, thefashion designer has “not bought traditionaladvertisements in U.S. magazines,”relying instead on an aggressive digitalfirststrategy that generates more revenuethan any physical store. Example? ToryBurch is perhaps the only fashion brand tohave an editor-in-chief position within thecompany.A beautiful marriage exists between thecreators of Wildfox Couture and youngadult author Francesca Lia Block. At theepicenter is Magicalcreature.com, a blogthat tells a story of friendship and hopebetween three girls. Together, the designersand author have illustrated a collectionof dreamy T-shirts based on these characters.The emotional attachment gleanedfrom Block’s words connects beautifullywith the gorgeous images on the shirts.Invest in influencersIn March 2012, when most brands werestill on the fence about joining Pinterest,Calypso St. Barth tapped mega-pinnerChristine Martinez, a fashion blogger whowas, at the time, the fourth most-followedPinterest user in the world, to act as bothbrand ambassador and pinner on an actualtrip to St. Barts. According to coverage inMashable, the brand wanted to“piggy[back] on Martinez’s success on thesocial network to attract more attention toits boards and website.” Currently, the luxurybrand has more than 6,000 followers.Educate, entertainCapitalizing on the nail-polish trend aswell as its 15th anniversary workingdirectly with designers at Mercedes-BenzFashion Week, Red Door client CreativeNail Design (CND) created “The Historyof Nails at Fashion Week,” an infographicthat combined factsabout fashion weekwith CND’s own historyand evolution,including the revolutionaryproductrelease of Shellac.While infographicsare widely used inmany verticals, fashionand beauty brandshave been less likelyCrosby Noricksto produce and promote information inthis way. As a result, the content piece wasa valuable resource for journalists andbloggers as they competed for views duringfashion-week coverage.Jump on existing trendsSuccessful branded content must balancebrand awareness and education withentertainment and timeliness. One of theways to do this is to jump on an existingtrend, the way that mala jewelry companyTiny Devotions did with its Holsteeinspired“Boho Manifesto,” availablewhen you sign up for email. Or, how casualfootwear brand Sanuk and luxury fashionbrand Oscar de la Renta did with theircompletely different, yet perfectly onbrandindividual takes on the “Shit GirlsSay” meme.The great news about content strategyfrom a public relations perspective is thatpublicists are already talented storytellerswith the ability to identify and carry outmedia-rich, media-worthy campaign concepts.Those brands that effectively develop,refine and optimize brand journalismwill find their efforts rewarded with anongoing place in the customer’s considerationset.Crosby Noricks is Founder of onlinefashion resource PR Couture and authorof “Ready to Launch: The PR CoutureGuide to Breaking into Fashion PR.”Portions of this article appeared as “TheBest Brand Content, Fashion Edition,” onFastCompany.com 10SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

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FEATUREIncreasing visibility, awareness with ethical fashionWhen it comes to the growing issue of ethical fashion, visibilityis just as important as awareness when educating consumers tomaking a choice.By Ceri HeathcoteIf consumers aren’t aware of ethicaland sustainability issues in the fashionindustry and the products andchoices now available to them, theycan’t change their behaviors. For ethicalfashion to become mainstream, we needto see ethical fashion brands everywherewe look, from magazines to websitesand blogs, to social media and searchengine listings. Celebrity endorsementand street-side presence are also important.Here are some of the key themes foronline marketing I see as being particularlyrelevant to ethical fashion brands:Perception and identityA key point of discussion at theEthical Fashion Forum Source Summit(which occurred in London, in July)was how ethical fashion can becomemainstream. In order for this to happen,it needs to deal with some of the issuessurrounding perception. For many people,ethical fashion is perceived asbeing boring, expensive or lacking inchoice. The very term evokes negativefeelings of guilt. For this reason, I thinkwe should use different words todescribe clothing made with minimalimpact on the environment and with theaim of helping to reduce poverty andsuffering in the clothing industry.Instead, it should help people feel howfantastic the clothes are. My personalfavorite term is “feel good fashion” butgenerally, I think we need to move awayfrom feelings of guilt and towards thekind of language that describes some ofthe great benefits consumers canenjoy which include high qualityclothes, unique timeless styles, artisandetails, beautiful fabrics and fresh,innovative designs.How we are perceived, either as individuals,brands or an industry as awhole, comes down to how we portrayourselves to others and the informationwe put out there. We’re completelyresponsible for this perception. In orderfor sustainable change to take place, Ithink we need to instigate change at anidentity level. This mean looking at whowe are and why we are doing whatwe’re doing. Any business needs to becommercially viable to make a difference,and this means making productsvisible and desirable. If we want tobecome mainstream then we need tothink of ourselves as mainstream now.In the future, hopefully we won’t needto talk about “ethical fashion’” as it willbe the norm, but right now we need toget into this mindset and start making ithappen.For example, I recently looked atsome of my favorite ethical fashionbrands and which search engine keywordsthey were targeting on their websites.Interestingly, almost all targetedterms including “ethical fashion,” “ecofashion” and “fairtrade clothing.” Yetwhen I analyzed how many people weresearching for these terms in comparisonto some other key fashion terms thenumbers were comparatively very small(see the chart to the right).As these results show, there are relativelyfew people searching on Googlefor terms like “ethical fashion,” so perhapsethical fashion brands need to findnew ways to describe themselves thatnot only fit with what they have to offerbut also what people are looking for?CollaborationCollaboration was a theme thatseemed to be consistent throughout theEFF Summit, being discussed in everyvenue from sourcing to marketing.My interest in collaboration withregards to marketing focuses on thecompetitive advantages that smaller ethicalfashion brands can gain by groupingtogether and the potential collaborationsoffer for giving ethical fashion brands awider reach beyond the ethical fashiondevotees. By collaboration I’m referringall sorts of joint efforts, including workingwith other ethical fashion brands,with conventional and high street fashionbrands, even with celebrities andbloggers. I think the key thing toremember with collaboration is that thepartner should not only fit well withyour brand’s identity and values butshould also increase your reach and visibilitybeyond where it currently lies.There are already many excitingcollaborations happening at themoment, not least at the Ethical FashionTerm AverageU.K. monthlyGoogle searchesEthical Fashion 5,400Fairtrade Clothing 5,400Organic Clothing 14,800Sustainable fashion 2,400Dresses 11,100,000Skirts 673,000Maxi Dresses 301,000While the idea of ethical fashion has grownmore popular in recent years, there are stillrelatively few searching on Google for thisinformation compared to other popularsearches related to fashion.Forum. I would love to see more collaborationswith pop-up shops to increasestreet-side presence and visibility, or PRcampaigns targeting mainstream websitesand publications.CommunityCommunity is a really key aspect tomany ethical fashion brands and theyinvest heavily in communities withregard to manufacturing products, so itseems obvious that marketing andincreasing visibility should centeraround building communities. A communitymakes people feel part of somethingbigger and makes them more likelyto share information with family andfriends.The online environment is perfect forbuilding communities. At its simplestlevel, this can mean building a communitythrough a social media platform likeFacebook or Twitter. But the most innovativebrands are facilitating their ownbespoke platforms which integrate withtheir websites and facilitate communitieswhich are completed intertwinedwith their brand identity and values.These brands are not just marketing toconsumers but building movements. Justa few examples include forums, socialsharing buttons and on site productreviews, outfit making and sharing communities,sites which connect consumerswith those who make their clothes andthe chance to record thoughts, feelingsand experiences to a unique serial codeassociated with a piece of clothing thatwill be preserved for its whole life span.It is possible to integrate some of thesesolutions to a website using off-the-shelfsoftware.Ceri Heathcote is Founder andDirector of Heathcote Communicationsin Wiltshire, England. 12SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

Mobile increasingly influences shopping behaviorBy Laura KudiaTake your preconceived notionsabout mobile and scrap them.Deloitte Digital recently released anew report on how consumer behaviorhas changed profoundly — particularlydue to the ways mobile is being used aspart of the consumer’s shopping experience.According to Deloitte’s findings, “thebiggest impact of smartphones isn’t thedirect sales generated through the mobilechannel, but rather the influence theyexert over traditional in-store sales todrive in-store conversion and in-storeorder size.” In other words, mobiledevices are the new in-store sales assistantsfor consumers.Previously, many retailers placedemphasis on sale transactions throughmobile phones (otherwise known asmCommerce). However, now retailersmust shift their focus towards how mobileinfluences in-store sales. It’s not enoughthat your website is mobile-optimizedwith basic product information and transactioncapabilities.The Deloitte analysis found that smartphonesinfluence 5.1% of all retail storesales in the United States (translating toabout $159 billion in 2012 sales). Thatprojection trumps the $12 billionmCommerce sales forecast for 2012. Andwith the expected growth of smartphoneusers, Deloitte predicts its influence togrow 17-21% of total retail sales or $628-$752 billion in mobile-influenced storesales by 2016.As a retailer, before evaluating yourcompany’s investment in mobile, here arefour key questions to consider:• How can mobile drive value and incrementalrevenue for your business?• What market impact is mobile expectedto have — now and in the future?• How quickly do you need to move?For instance, what are your competitorsdoing with their mobile strategy? Thismight impact your entry speed.• How do mobile-related opportunitiesstack up against other potential investmentsthat are competing for your company’slimited resources?How can your store retain control of thein-store consumer experience withmobile? Dedicated retailer apps. Withapps, you can have customer support foreach stage of their shopping experience:finding retailers with geo-tagged storelocators, assisting with customer servicefeatures (e.g., the Apple Store app letsshoppers book Genius Bar appointments),suggesting looks and trends and even providingcoupons and deals. These are allexamples of dedicated retailer app experiences,and retailers should figure out whotheir customer is and how to help themshop within specific product categories tofit their needs.The conversion rate for in-store shopperswho use a dedicated retail app is 21%higher than those who don’t, according toDeloitte. This is because these apps contributeto the immediate buying decisionof the consumer. Not only does this helpthe consumer throughout each step ofhis/her shopping experience, it also buildssustainable long-term customer loyalty.And these smartphone shoppers are in itto win it. Once consumers start shoppingwith their mobile devices, smartphone usefor store-related shopping increases by40% after the first six months of deviceownership. Also, smartphone shoppers are14% more likely than non-smartphoneshoppers to convert in store. For retailers,those are significant numbers while consideringhow mobile can drive value andincremental revenue for your business.As a consumer, do you use dedicatedretailer apps to help you shop in-store?Retailers, are you finding that maximizingyour mobile marketing makes a differencewith your consumers?Laura Kudia is a social media strategist,and currently works in mobile strategyat Vogue. Group targeting Obama on leaks gets PR supportBy Greg HazleyAgroup that says it is comprisedof former special operationsand CIA officers which is criticizingthe president and Obama administrationofficials over national securityleaks and the raid that killed Osama binLaden is getting PR support from GOPalignedPR shop HDMK.Chad Kolton, an HDMK partner andformer public affairs staffer in theOffice of the Director of NationalIntelligence and FEMA, is Spokesmanfor the group, called the SpecialOperations OPSEC Education Fund.D.C.-based HDMK is also led by formerBush-Cheney CommunicationsAdvisor Terry Holt and Bush WhiteHouse Spokesman Trent Duffy.Kolton told the Wall Street Journalthat the group had raised close to $1million as of August to run ads in sixbattleground states.Although it claims to be a nonpartisaneffort, its CEO, Scott Taylor, a formerNavy SEAL who ran for Congressas a Republican in 2010, has saidPresident Obama is responsible forsecurity leaks and is taking too muchcredit for the bin Laden raid.CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien grilledTaylor Aug. 17. “You’re Republican,”she said. “You ran for Congress in 2010in Virginia’s second congressional district.You have a rep in your group whoworked for the Bush administration.You share office space with Republicangroups.”OPSEC has released a 22-minutevideo, “Dishonorable Disclosures,”criticizing the President and his administrationover leaks.The Journal reported that the grouphas registered as a nonprofit social welfareentity, not a political action committee,and therefore does not have todisclose its backers.The Obama campaign said thegroup’s approach was an example of“Swift Boat tactics.” Media BriefsGANNETT GETS SOCIALGannett has acquired four-year-old social mediamarketing firm BLiNQ Media, pitching the deal aspart of the broadcast and newspaper company’s“transformation.”Gannett said New York-based BLiNQ will boostits digital marketing services unit as the companypitches advertisers that want to reach local consumersin the digital space.Facebook ad campaigns and other social mediamarketing efforts are among BLiNQ’s services.AdMedia Partners advised BLiNQ on the deal.Dave Williams, CEO of BLiNQ, reports to Gannettdigital marketing chief Vikram Sharma.Terms of the deal were not released.BLiNQ’s sales/finance and marketing units are inAtlanta, while sales offices are located in SanFrancisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and London.Gannett bought marketing and database companyShopLocal in 2008 and said BLiNQ will workclosely with that unit.SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 13

REPORTBalance, benefits of fashion and corp. responsibilitySuccessful corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns notonly help a litany of philanthropic and humanitarian causes, butare equally successful means of improving a company’s image.By Andrea DoyleYou don’t have to look far to findexamples of companies engaging inthis model successfully. Take philanthropicsponsorships like Avon’s BreastCancer Awareness Crusade or Tom’sShoes, the Calif.-based company thatemploys a “one-to-one model” in which apair of shoes is given to a child in need forevery pair sold.Purpose is purchase “trigger”Global PR firm Edelman undertakes anannual “goodpurpose” study, whichexplores consumer attitude around socialpurpose. According to its 2012Goodpurpose study, when quality andprice are equal, the most important factorinfluencing brand choice is purpose. Infact, the prominence of purpose as a purchasetrigger has risen 26% since 2008.There had also been a perception thatprofit and purpose don’t mix. According toLarry Koffler, Executive Vice President ofBusiness + Social Purpose at Edelman,these attitudes are changing. Seventy sixpercent of global consumers believe it’sacceptable for brands to support goodcauses and make money at the same time,up 33% from 2008, according to Koffler.“Corporate social responsibility or purposecampaigns do improve the image of acompany,” said Koffler.A recent Gallup poll supports this data.The survey reports that socially engagedorganizations have 3.9 times higher earnings-per-sharegrowth than same-industryorganizations with lower engagementscores. Clearly it’s those companies thatare truly committed to leaving a legacy intheir communities that are the most successful.Corporate social responsibility isbecoming increasingly important to success.Part of this is due to the fact that therenow exists a greater expectation that businessesand brands look at the bigger picture.Koffler said 87% of consumersbelieve business should place at least equalemphasis on social interests as businessinterests. One example he shared is theDove brand, an Edelman client that hasbroken through the sea of sameness andcontinues to be relevant to key stakeholders.In 2004, Dove sparked a global conversationwith an integrated campaign,grounded in research, centered on debunkingbeauty stereotypes.The “Campaign for Real Beauty” hasevolved from “a campaign to a conversation”with the brand focus on inspiring allwomen and girls to reach their full potential.The brand recently created the “DoveMovement for Self Esteem” and developedconfidence building educational programsand activities that encourage,inspire, and motivate girls around theworld.Through the effective evolution of thecampaign, Dove has continued to drivestrong brand affinity and has reached morethan 8 million girls with self-esteem buildingprograms, setting a goal of reaching 15million by 2015.Social media fuels causesMany companies that are doing goodhave legions of supporters. Of course,authenticity is central to building such arabid fan base. Paul Klein, Founder ofImpakt Corp., a Toronto-based advisoryservices firm that helps corporationsincrease business value through positivesocial change, says that a month-long campaignmay not have the meaning an ongoingcommitment to a cause will have. Kleinmentioned the ubiquitous pink ribbon andthe many companies that have jumped onthe bandwagon although their products arenot appropriate to be aligned with breastcancer initiatives.This is easily demonstrated daily acrossFacebook pages from around the world.Nina Zapala, Director of Public Relationsat Orlando-based Anson-Stoner, agreeswith Klein and believes that authenticitycan also be illustrated using social mediachannels.“Social media now gives companies aplatform for conversation, education andreal-world calls to action. There is no betterway to engage new supporters, discussthe issues of the day, and keep consumersabreast of late breaking and ongoingnews,” said Zapala. “Advertisements supportone-way messaging and are onedimensional, while social media supportsthree-dimensional, two-way engagements,”said Zapala. 14SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

Congloms buck uncertainty with PR gains in Q2Fighting headwinds and economic uncertainty, Interpublic and Omnicom posted PR revenuegains in the second quarter while Publicis and PR Newswire noted “resilience” in the U.S. andNorth American markets. But M&A-dependent FTI got roughed up and executives warned thatglobal volatility shadows the marketing communications sector.By Greg Hazley and Kevin McCauleyInterpublic reported second quarterorganic growth in the U.S. declined 3.2%amid “headwinds” from losses in 2011and fell 0.8% across the ad/PR conglomerate,but its PR operation bucked that trendwith strong gains for the quarter.IPG sees PR gains amid ‘headwinds’Overall IPG revenue for Q2 fell 1.4%over 2011 to $1.7 billion, including a 3.7%drop in the U.S. to $950.9 million. Netincome slid 3.1% to $105.5 million in Q2.But IPG’s Constituency ManagementGroup, which includes PR units like WeberShandwick and GolinHarris, saw organicrevenue climb 8% (8.7% overall) duringQ2. Its advertising-laden IntegratedAgency Networks unit fell .5% organically(-3.3% overall) to $1.4 billion.PR on its own saw organic growth of5.7% (7.2% overall) during the quarter andan increase of 4.2% organically for the firstsix months of the year.Harris Diamond, CEO of the CMG unit,singled out Weber Shandwick, DeVriesand GH for strong performances in thequarter and told O’Dwyer’s PR is capitalizingon opportunities it didn’t have in thepast to pitch against other disciplines forbusiness.Diamond said PR showed continuedstrength across the board with only “softness”in public affairs, a typical dropoffahead of a presidential election whichcame earlier than in previous cycles.Chairman and CEO Michael Roth saidthe global economic situation remainsuncertain and will require “vigilance”through the rest of 2012, but he maintainsIPG’s goal of 3% organic revenue growthfor the year.“Once again, we demonstrated the abilityto effectively manage the business so asto improve profitability, despite theseheadwinds,” he said.Latin America and Asia Pacific boostedearnings with organic growth of 27.2% and14.3%, respectively.OMC PR up 2.2%Omnicom on July 17 reported a 2.8%rise in Q2 net income to $282.7 million ona 2.1% advance in revenues to $3.6 billion.Its Fleishman-Hillard and Ketchum-dominatedPR group rose 2.2% to $322.2 millionduring the period.That performance trailed the 3.4% rise inadvertising revenues to $1.7 billion, buttopped the 2.1% rise in CRM revenues to$1.3 billion and the 5.7% decline to $260.5million for OMC’s specialty sector.The auto group showed the biggestgrowth rate, up 20 %. That was followed byretail (+12.7%), consumer products(+7.0%) and technology (+4.5%).Sector laggards were telecom (-9.9%),travel and entertainment (-6.1%) and financialservices (-3.1%).CEO John Wren shelled out $113.2 millionfor acquisition outlays so far this year.Publicis growth slows in Q2Publicis said second quarter revenue rosemore than 15% to 1.6 billion euro, althoughorganic growth inched along at only 1.6%.For the first half, Publicis saw a 2.8%climb in organic growth to revenue of justunder $4 billion.Net income climbed 9% to 275 millioneuro for the first half.CEO Maurice Levy said the conglomerateexpected a drop off in organic growth inQ2 because of the global economic slowdown,but he expects it to pick up in Q3.“The world economic situation is bothvolatile and uncertain,” he said. “We needto maintain the greatest possible vigilanceregarding our costs and investments.”Levy said North America showed“resilience” as Publicis lost GM’s mediaand search account and healthcareremained sluggish.Publicis said its flagship PR unitMSLGroup picked up key new businessfrom Walmart (Hong Kong) and Taitra(Taiwan) during the first half of the year.M&A slump: FTI PR revenue divesFTI Consulting’s strategic communicationsrevenue fell 12.9% in the secondquarter to $46.6 million as the M&A andfinancial PR powerhouse saw declines in“one of the worst environments for capitalmarkets activity and M&A transactionssince 2009 and ’04, according to presidentand CEO Jack Dunn.FTI said pricing pressures and retainerfees in North America and fewer projectsin Asia Pacific, among other factors, hurtits PR revenue. Fewer high-margin projectengagements cut into profit, as well,despite lower compensation costs.FTI led M&A PR advisers for the firsthalf of 2012 by number of deals (97) butranked fourth by value of the transactions,according to mergermarket.Overall FTI revenues at its five businessunits fell one percent to $396.2 million asnet income was halved to $7.7 millioncompared with Q2 of 2011.FTI last month cut three percent of its3,800-member staff and took a $27 millioncharge for the quarter mostly centered onwhat it said it were two most underperformingunits. Strategic communications(-12.9%) and technology (-16.5% to $47.7million) posted the highest declines forQ2.Dunn said based on Q2 performanceand “subject to the uncertainty created bythe political elections in the US and thecontinuing credit concerns in Europe, weexpect our activities to continue at similarlevels for the remainder of 2012 and tobenefit from the cost reduction movesmade in the quarter.”Across its other units, corporatefinance/restructuring revenue was up10.2% to $112.3 million, economic consultingrose 5.3% to $99.5 million, whileforensic and litigation consultingdecreased 3.5% to $90.1 million.PR Newswire’s first half profits climbUnited Business Media said first halfrevenue at its PR Newswire operation rosemore than 3% to £100.1 million ($158 million)while adjusted operating profitclimbed 9% to £22.3 million ($35.2 million).UBM said its “resilient” U.S. distributionbusiness, along with an increase in the averagerevenue per message and a boost innewer products were among factors contributingto the solid gains at PRN. UBMexpects underlying growth for the unit inthe range of 3-5% for the year.Overall, revenue at UBM’s four businessunits (events, data services, marketing services,PRN) rose 6.5% for the period to£508.7 million while adjusted operatingprofit was up 12.5% to £103.4 million.UBM said $40 million of its U.S. distributionrevenue is now contracted revenue,a significant increase from 2009, when thefigure was around $5 million. About 31%of PRN revenue comes from public sectorclients, 30% on the agency side, and 28%private companies. SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 15

FEATUREIndustry obsession with ROI is hurting PROne of the biggest challenges the PR industry now faces is theprospect of professionals justifying their work in an industryincreasingly focused on measuring return on investment.One of my favorite lines about publicrelations comes from BridgetJones’ Diary: “I thought with thecompany being in so much trouble andall, you wouldn’t really miss the personwho waltzes in a see-through top and fanniesabout with the press releases.”Unfortunately, that’s the perception toomany people have of PR professionals.We just fanny about with press releasesall day, sending them to reporters in somesecret Rolodex we have. Or, we throwparties and events every night with thecoolest celebrities at the hippest restaurants.Unfortunately, this isn’t reality formost of us. Instead, we spend our daystrying to really understand our companiesand clients, their new products or services,the pains their customers have, competitors,the ever-expanding media landscape.Public relations has its roots in war.Following World War I, officers that hadbeen part of the Committee on PublicInformation decided if propaganda couldbe used for war, it could also be used forpeace. Of course, “propaganda” had negativeconnotations, so the practice wastermed “Public Relations.” The idea wasorganizations needed professionals tohelp them talk and listen to their audiences.Of course, the latter part of thatdefinition, listening, has more or lessbeen abandoned today.In 2011, the changing media landscapedriven primarily by the web forced a discourseabout creating a new definition forPR. The point is that PR has always beenhard to define. It is rarely concrete orvisual like an ad, website, or marketresearch. A media event or placement canbe seen and felt, but the intended outputof those things, conversations, are stillvery hard to measure and track.Which brings us back to ROI. It’s easierthan ever to track many of the differentmarketing tactics. Ads can integrate customURLs or phone numbers, and we canmeasure how often people interact withthose mediums. That information, whilenot perfect — due to a variety of factorslike the influence that ad had on a personeven if they did not follow the traceablepath of action — is very much welcomedby many CEOs and CMOs.Cassandra M. OrylNew technology is making this eveneasier. QR codes and Near FieldCommunication (NFC) are requiringconsumers to do less and less while givingmarketers more. Just holding a smartphone near an ad now creates an interactionthat can be fully captured, measured,and analyzed. While these things are stillbeing tested and has yet to come close tomainstream adoption, marketers arechomping at the bit for them. Trackingdevices can also be found on billboards,in-store promotions, events, direct mail,and pretty much anything people look ator touch.Web analytics has become a full-timejob that is really setting the standards fordata collection and ROI measurement.Social media is beginning to work in lockstep as Facebook makes more and morecommunity insights available to developers.And, of course, there’s the burgeoningfield of big data that requires marketingand IT to work together to collect,store, and mine billions of pieces of datafor actionable information.PR is once again on the outside lookingin on the ROI party. Like the redheadedstepchild it has been for so long, PR isstruggling to keep itself relevant andcredible. Old standards for measurement— impressions and ad equivalencies —are being used for fuzzy math and blackmagic. Have you had this conversationwith the PR team? An article is placedthat is 12 column inches, multiplied bythe ad rate, multiplied by nine (it wasreally positive except for one paragraph)equals an ad equivalency of one billiondollars. And since the daily circulation isten million and we know people sharenews stories, a multiple of three makessense — 30 million people! During theweek following the media placement,there were millions of widgets sold. ThePR team will take credit for that too.This no longer flies. The disparitybetween this “measurement” and realdata collection that other marketing fieldsprovide has grown to such an extent thatwe must do something different.There’s a lot we can learn from others.It’s not easy and it’s generally not in ourtraining or practice — but we must if weare going to survive. First and foremost,we need to at least start thinking of wayswe track the outcomes of our activity.This starts with a link. Readers and viewersshould be able to click a link to ourcompanies’ websites while they’re consuminga story. It is a simple step, but acritical one. In most cases we just have toask; and reporters across the board, fromtechnical trades to mainstream TV, arewilling to oblige. This will help us measurehow much traffic was referred to thewebsite from that media outlet — a measurementthat demonstrates action. Fromthere, we can measurehow much time wasspent on the site andif a conversion (generallya purchase orcontact) occurs. Thisrequires we knowsomething aboutwebsite analytics. Butthere it is — provableROI.Cassandra M. OrylIntegrating withsocial media also holds a lot of possibilitiesfor measuring PR ROI. For instance,the number of times an article was tweeted,posted to Facebook or picked up byaggregators is an indication of conversationsthat can be measured. Commentsfollowing the item are also a good thingto measure, though those seem to bemoving off the news websites and intothe social channels. A further dive intothe web analytics will tell us how manypeople visited and clicked on the newspage on the company website for a givenstory. We can also measure the searchengine rankings we’re able to naturallyinfluence by generating incoming content-basedlinks from high-quality websites.The good news is that as PR people, wehave expertise and experience that othermarketers are seeing as increasinglyimportant. Content marketing — creatingconversations about things that actuallymatter to people — is gaining value.Meaning, relevance and value to theaudience are at the heart of what PR isabout. We should take the opportunity toshow other marketing disciplines how itis done, but we should also learn fromthem and find simple ways to integratemeasurement. It might not come naturally,but with a little bit of education andeffort we can prove that PR is effectivefor achieving goals and delivering ROI.Cassandra M. Oryl is Principal atSlice Communications in Philadelphia. 16SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

PEOPLE IN PRB-M’s Heinonen to AvonBurson-Marsteller’s Cheryl Heinonenmoved to Avon Products Aug. 1 asGroup VP-Global CorporateRelations and Chief CommunicationsOfficer.She reports to CEO Sheri McCoy, whojoined the struggling cosmetics company inApril from Johnson & Johnson. McCoysucceeded Andrea Jung.At B-M since2008, Heinonencounseled consumerclients on branding,international and reputationissues.Earlier, she wasHeinonenSenior VP-GlobalCorporate PR at VisaInternational, whereshe managed PR forits restructuring andre-branding.McCoy said in a statement that Heinonenis a key addition to her team becauseAvon’s “ability to communicate effectively,both internally and externally, is critical,” asit seeks a corporate turnaround.Avon’s first-half net tumbled 75% to$88.1 million on a six percent sales declineto $5.1 billion.The New York-based direct sales companyhas opened negotiations with the JusticeDept. and Securities and ExchangeCommission to iron out a settlement oncharges that it violated the Foreign CorruptPractices Act.In May, Coty withdrew a $10 billion bidto acquire Avon. Zing spins off McEwenMcMahonPR veteran Bob McEwen, who tookthe helm of Australia’s Zing USA inNew York last year, has formedMcEwen McMahon to concentrate on corporate,crisis management and issues PR.He’s joined by Preya McMahon, founderof Zing, which will focus on its consumerstrengths.Prior to Zing, McEwen was MidwestCEO for Burson-Marsteller, Executive VPat Fleishman-Hillard and Detroit Chiefand Industrial Practice Group Leader forShandwick.He counseled United Airlines on themorning of 9/11, handled patent litigationbetween Kodak and Polaroid and managedPR during Sara Lee’s meat recall, which isthe nation’s biggest and resulted in 15McEwen, McMahondeaths.McMahon, an Edelman alum, foundedZing and Bang, which she sold in Januaryto M&C Saatchi Worldwide.She has advised Coca-Cola, Nestlé,American Express, Johnson & Johnsonand McDonald’s.The partners said in a statement that MM“will be more of a high-level consultancy,advising C-suite executives on internaland external strategic communicationsissues.” FTI Consulting’s Nevillemoves to F-HBetsy Neville, who was AmericasCorporate CommunicationsPractice Leader at FTI Consulting,has joined Fleishman-Hillard as Co-Chairof its Corporate Reputation team withMarjorie Benzkofer.Earlier, Neville was General Manager ofthe Ogilvy PR Worldwide’s Chicago outpostand head of herown firm for 13years.Based in NewYork, Neville reportsto Robert Dowling,president of theOmnicom unit’seastern region.He laudedNeville’s ability to Nevillebuild and protectcorporate brands. Pfizer’s Cino shifts to HPMaria Cino has joined HewlettPackard in Washington as VP forAmericas and U.S. GovernmentRelations. She reports to Gregg Melinson,VP-Global Government Relations.Cino was at Pfizer, where she held theExecutive VP-Federal GovernmentRelations spot since 2008.Previously, she served as President/CEOof the 2008 Republican NationalConvention, Deputy Chairman of theRepublican National Committee, Depts. ofCommerce/Transportation staffer and politicaldirector for Bush Cheney 2000.Cino takes command of HP’s governmentrelationships in North and South Americaand will partner with companies, associationsand coalitions to further HP’s interests.Melinson called the new hire a “reaffirmationof HP’s commitment to Washingtonand our businesses across the Americas.Cino took the post effective Aug. 1. New GM ousts HawksPR chiefThe NBA’s Atlanta Hawks aresearching for a new PR head afterfiring the team’s media relationschief, a 23-year veteran.The Hawks confirmed that ArthurTriche, VP of Media Relations who joinedthe team in 1989, has been let go.Triche previously said he was the firstAfrican-American PR director in theNBA.Danny Ferry, a player turned NBA executive,was named General Manager of theHawks in late June. He was previouslywith the San Antonio Spurs and ClevelandCavaliers.The team’s PR staff includes JonSteinberg (Director of Media Relations),Jason Roose (Senior Manager, MediaRels.), and photographer ScottCunningham.The Associated Press reported thatTriche’s protected Twitter account carriedthe message “It’s been real folks” onAug. 8.Ailey Penningroth, Senior VP andChief Marketing Officer, oversees communications.Triche did a year-long stint as AssistantDirector of Media Relations for the NFL’sDetroit Lions before moving to theHawks. He started out in sports PR postsat his alma mater Tulane University. Morrissey dies at 59Peter Morrissey, who foundedBoston’s Morrissey & Co. in 1999,died from complications of braincancer on Aug. 3. He was 59.Morrissey worked at PrudentialInsurance in sales promotion and advertisingbefore shifting to Clarke & Co. in1979, where he rose to CEO spot beforelaunching his own firm.In his PR career, Morrissey counseledblue-chips such as IBM, Johnson &Johnson and Miller Brewing Co. SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 17

REPORTBlogging conference takes on growth, divisionThe eighth annual BlogHer Conference, one of the world’s largestconferences for women in social media, was BlogHer’s largestconference to date, with more than 5,000 registered attendees.However, the increase in numbers has some bloggers complainingthat bigger isn’t always better.By Abby Rose DaltoMartha Stewart and BlogHer Co-Founder Elisa Camahort Page speakduring BlogHer’s keynote address.Photo: Danielle Tsi & Manhattan Group PhotographersHeld August 2-4 at the Hilton NewYork in Manhattan, BlogHerremains a who’s who for thefemale blogging community. The conferencebrought attendees together for aseries of workshops on a variety of subjects— from affiliate marketing to podcastingto pitching media outlets — aswell as the opportunity to network withbrands and online peers.At the center of the conference wasBlogHer (blogher.com), the leading theleading participatory news, entertainmentand information network and publisherfor women online, which reaches morethan 43 million women each monthaccording to a July 2012 Nielsen SiteCensus. This year, BlogHer was alsoranked by comScore Media Metrix as oneof the Top 100 Web Properties in the U.S.and has the highest concentration ofwomen visitors among the top 100 websites.Although general sentiment regardingthe conference was positive for most,some attendees spoke out about overcrowdingand other inefficiencies thisyear. Some of the most common complaintswere that of being turned awayfrom popular sessions due to lack ofspace, inadequate seating at keynoteaddresses and long lines at meals.“BlogHer conferences have grown at aphenomenal rate over the past severalyears,” wrote blogger and social mediaconsultant, Robyn Wright on her blogRobynsOnlineWorld.com. “This can beseen in a really positive way — there is anaudience for the conference and the mediais also understanding that women bloggershave a powerful voice. This was mythird year attending BlogHer and honestlyit was too big for me.”“Unfortunately, many of the sessionswere totally over capacity and people,including me, were not able to attendthem,” she continued. “BlogHer needs toaddress this issue before next year’s conference.Many others confirmed this andwere displeased at the amount of moneythey spent to attend the conference andwere not able to attend the actual sessionsto learn.”However, when asked where she feltthe organizers went wrong, she said, “itreally is not so much that things wentwrong, but more that the conference ischanging and growing.For those of uswho have been multipletimes, thisgrowth was substantiallynotable thisyear. The BlogHerconference will continueto be extremelyimportant in theblogging and socialmedia communitybut will change andgrow in answer tothe industry.”“BlogHer stillworked in the factthat they are able tobring together alarge group ofwomen who want toshare their voice.The conferenceobviously was ableto show that we are influencers” she said,citing the fact that this year the speakerswere also “bigger” such as business iconMartha Stewart, Katie Couric andPresident Barack Obama.President Barack Obama officiallyopened the conference on Thursday,August 2 via live satellite. “Women makeup more than half of our country andnearly half of our workforce,” headdressed the crowd. “You, women,should have control over the decisionsthat affect your health, your lives, yourcareers.”“This was an amazing year forBlogHer in every respect,” said BlogHerCo-Founder Elisa Camahort Page. “Tokick off with the sitting President of theUnited States addressing our community... well, I’m not sure another, particularlynon-partisan, conference can say that!”Other featured keynote speakers includedSoledad O’Brien, Christy TurlingtonBurns, and Malaak Compton-Rock.Also making a noted appearance were132 brand name sponsors, includingPfizer, Jimmy Dean, and Samsung. Whilethe primary focus of the conference hastypically been hands-on-learning, discussions,and networking opportunities, thesponsors’ presence each year simply cannotbe ignored. Throughout the weekendbloggers were given the opportunity tostop in at the Expo Hall to meet with representativesfrom every company.“The biggest issue, for me, this yearwas the lack of engagement on the part ofsponsors and PR,” said Wright. “Thisdoes not apply to all of them, but a majoritythis year. For women who are in thisbusiness full-time this is an industryevent. Too many of the brands treated thisyear as a consumer event and wanted tomake us aware of their product but didnot want to talk business with bloggers inattendance. Brands also need to realizethat not everyone wants promotional‘junk’ shoved at them as we walk by theirbooth in the Expo Hall. While there areboth professionals and hobbyists at theconference, I think the balance was tiltedmore toward hobbyist this year.”According to BlogHer’s official registrationstatistics, 57% of attendees saidthis was their first time at a BlogHer conferenceand 40% said it was their firstblogging conference ever.“Our community is growing so fast thatit can be overwhelming at times. Not badContinued on next page18SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

y any means, I mean, we want to grow,right? It was just a different experiencefor me this time, with the size and a fewinteractions with bloggers,” wrote bloggerand social media consultant AmyBellgardt on her site Momspark.net.“Right now I am evaluating what I personallyneed and can give to blogging/socialmedia conferences in thefuture.”“For the first time since BlogHer ’09, Iam not sure that I will be attendingBlogHer next year,” wrote Bellgardt.“This may be due to post-conferenceburnout, but maybe not. BlogHer mayhave outgrown me.” She later stressedthat she did have many positive experiencesat the conference this year and feltit was “worth every penny”.Although this was the Hilton NewYork’s second year hosting BlogHer,some felt that the hotel was ill-preparedfor such a large conference this timearound and complained that the venuewas overcrowded and understaffed.“We booked the Hilton about a yearand a half out, just as we bookedChicago for 2013 early this year,” saidCamahort Page. “When we had a bigrush in tickets in just the last couple ofmonths, we were concerned about the’12 venue capacity, but in addition tobeing locked in contractually, we alsohoped that, having hosted us before, theHilton would be equipped to not onlyaccommodate any event this size (whichwe know they have indeed done), butone like ours, where we have admittedlyhigh/unusual demands in certain areas.There were definitely staffing and capacityissues, and I think it’s likely the annualevent will never again be housed allunder one hotel roof.”There were also allegations made thatcertain areas within the Hilton were notadequately accessible to guests who usewheelchairs. “When BlogHer attendeesobtain a conference pass, they areassuming to be treated on an equal levelas all the other attendees,” said LauraTellado, who has spina bifida and blogsat HoldinOutForAHero.org. “The HiltonNew York sent BlogHer attendees themessage that they are both unpreparedand unwilling to cater to the needs ofguests with disabilities.” She alleges thatshe was forced to ride a freight elevatorwhen there was no alternative wheelchairaccess to one of BlogHer’s eveningevents. “Riding an elevator that is notintended for guests is a far cry from thesense of equality and solidarity that oneusually feels at BlogHer. And for theHilton, it is a blatant and unapologeticviolation of the Americans withDisabilities Act.”“Allegations that the Hilton New Yorkis not ADA-compliant is false,” saidMark Ricci, Director of CorporateCommunications, Hilton Worldwide.“We are in full compliance with ADAbrand standard guidelines and procedures.”“While the Hilton New York drew ametaphorical dividing line between aminority group (those with disabilities)and the rest of the group, the BlogHercommunity didn’t hesitate to cross thisvery same line in their support of me,”she said. “I felt very proud to know thatmy fellow bloggers didn’t see a distinctionbetween ‘my problem’ and ‘theirproblem.’ When one blogger is slighted,the entire community stands beside herin solidarity.”Bellgardt echoed these sentiments anddescribed BlogHer as “a place to gowhere people get me, which is somethingspecial.”The 2013 BlogHer Conference willtake place on July 25-27 at McCormickPlace and the Sheraton Chicago Hoteland Towers. “We look forward to leveragingthe space and capacity of theMcCormick Center and the intimacy andall-inclusiveness of the Chicago Sheratonto maximum effect, so that we can live upto our mantra to get bigger, but feelsmaller,” said Camahort Page. SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 19

ProfilesO’Dwyer’sGuide to:BEAUTY & FASHION PR9.12Coyne PR was charged with launching a new Mary Kay waterproofmascara ideal for hot summer months. The swimwear shows atMiami SWIM Fashion Week offered the perfect opportunity to makea splash with the brand’s contemporary demographic. Mary Kayoffered the complete “Miami look” to attendees, providingmakeovers with Mary Kay Glam Squad members. Celebrity makeupartists offered the perfect Mary Kay makeup look, while stylistschose fashion items that would complement each woman’s beautifullook.ALLISON +PARTNERSTwo Pyramid Plaza505 Sansome St., 7th Flr.San Francisco, CA 94111415/277-4933Fax: 415/217-7503scott@allisonpr.comwww.allisonpr.comThe Allison+Partners beautyand fashion practice breaks thesystemic beauty and fashion PRmold, bringing the reach andresources of a global leaderpaired with the responsivenessand expertise of a boutiquegroup. With years of experiencegrowing some of the world’sleading skincare, fragrance, cosmetics,personal care, apparel andaccessories brands, our seasonedbeauty and fashion PR expertscreate breakthrough campaignsthat are never one-size-fits-all.We are uniquely positioned tointegrate traditional media tacticsinto 360 degree programs includingevents, sampling and promotions;digital and social media;retail marketing; sponsorshipsand strategic alliances; and corporatesocial responsibility andcause marketing programs thatreach consumer audiences andbuild market share. Our brandexperience includes Julep Nail,JOICO, Sexy Hair, LaseResults,philosophy, L’Oréal USA,GoodSkin Labs, Bobbi Brownand more. We are committed tocreativity and innovation —developing brand-specific programsto captivate audiences andget messages heard.BEEHIVE PR1021 Bandana Blvd. E., Suite 226St. Paul, MN 55108-5112651/789-2232Fax: 651/789-2230www.beehivepr.bizLisa Hannum, CEONicki Gibbs, VPAyme Zemke, VPBeehive is a strategic PR boutiquelocated in Saint Paul, Minn.We help our clients find creativepaths from where they are towhere they want to be. Our inspirationcomes from listening towhat their key audiences need,then engaging them when andwhere it matters most.Beehive has extensive beautyand fashion experience, and hasrepresented brands like6PM.com, Christopher & Banks,Dayton’s, Dressbarn Stores, JuutSalonspa and J.R. WatkinsNaturals.Our team of savvy strategistsdoes our best work for clientswho are ready for game-changingthinking and eye-popping resultsin brand positioning, corporatecommunication, executivethought leadership, social mediastrategy, media relations, employeecommunications and crisismanagement.COYNE PR5 Wood Hollow RoadParsippany, NJ 07054973/588-2000www.coynepr.com1065 Avenue of the Americas28th FloorNew York, NY 10018212/938-0166Tom Coyne, CEORich Lukis, PresidentDeborah Sierchio, VicePresident, Beauty & FashionCoyne PR is a creative powerhouse.Some of the world’s mostprominentbrands look to CoynePR to create high-profile publicrelations programs that deliversignificant results and help themachieve their marketing communicationand business goals.Coyne PR’s Beauty & Fashionteam represents clients across themass and prestige sectors, withaccounts including Mary Kay,Casio Timepieces andNaturalizer. The team knows thatthe measure of success is basedon the ability to impeccablygroom the client’s image. Fromproduct launches and specialevents, to social media campaigns,the Beauty & Fashionteam thinks bigger and acceleratesbuzz for its clients, alwayskeeping a finger on the pulse ofthis fast-paced industry.The Coyne PR Beauty &Fashion team goes beyond standardbeauty agency practices.Through proprietary processeslike “Loop,” “Sequel” and“Persona,” Coyne PR Beauty &Fashion combines strategy andcreativity to generate the bestpossible results for our clients,taking each and every clientexactly where they want to be …and beyond.FILM FASHIONA Division of Rogers & CowanPacific Design Center8687 Melrose Ave., G684Los Angeles, CA 90069310/854-8195Fax: 310/854-8138carla.blizzard@filmfashion.comwww.filmfashion.comCarla Blizzard, Senior VicePresidentFilm Fashion, an exclusivedivision of Rogers & Cowan,specializes in matching fashionand accessory brands with prominentcelebrities to provide heightenedbrand awareness. This specialtyPR firm creates customizedsolutions to match clients andtheir latest fashions with the“right” celebrities and trendsettersthat embody their brand andpromote the desired image.The firm leverages theseHollywood associations intomedia coverage through the executionof strategic media relationscampaigns targeting key fashion,lifestyle, and entertainment press.Media activities for their roster offashion designers, fine jewelers,luxury goods, and specialtyretailers may include designerprofiles, collection launches, andfashion shows. Film Fashion’sunique showroom space providesan optimal location to introducemedia, stylists and celebrities toour client’s brands by housing anedited collection of samples.Recent projects have includeddressing celebrities for magazinephoto shoots and red carpetappearances, securing editorialplacements and coordinatingproduct placement working withtalent such as Angelina Jolie,Kate Winslet, Jennifer Lopez,Taylor Swift, Penelope Cruz,20SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFILES OF BEAUTY & FASHION PR FIRMSBlake Lively, Kate Hudson,Carrie Underwood, Beyonce, andKaty Perry.Clients include A Pea in thePod, Catherine Malandrino,Chopard, David Meister, JayGodfrey, Georges Chakra, JennyPackham, Pamella Roland, PedroGarcia, Romona Keveza,Swarovski, Tadashi Shoji andZuhair Murad.FRENCH | WEST |VAUGHAN112 E. Hargett StreetRaleigh, NC 27601919/832-6300www.fwv-us.comRick French, Chairman & CEODavid Gwyn, President /PrincipalNatalie Best, Executive VicePresident / PrincipalFrench|West|Vaughan (FWV)is the Southeast’s leading publicrelations, public affairs andbrand communications agency,independent or otherwise.Founded in April 1997 inRaleigh, N.C. by agencyChairman & CEO Rick French,FWV now employs 70 publicrelations, advertising and digitalmarketing experts among itsoffices in New York City,Tampa, Dallas and Los Angeles.Ranked as the #5 firm forbeauty and fashion PR byO’Dwyer’s, FWV helps clientsbuild retail and consumerdemand for their product linesthrough media coverage, linereviews, fashion previews,celebrity product placement,cooperative retail promotionsand high-visibility trade showsupport.FWV’s present and past beautyand fashion clients includeWrangler and Riders jeans,Justin Boots, Arena USA,SKINS, Gemesis DiamondCompany, Lily of France andVanity Fair lingerie, Speedo,Vidal Sassoon, Givenchy,Ferragamo, Bob Mackie, Celine,Escada, La Prairie, JoannaMastroianni, That’s So RavenFragrance and WranglerFragrance for Men, VincentShoes, Dearfoams, DianaVincent Jewelers, Fossil,The October issue of O’Dwyer’s will profilePR firms that specialize in healthcare. Ifyou would like your firm to be listed, contactEditor Jon Gingerich at 646/843-2080or jon@odwyerpr.comSwatch, Monet, Marithe &Francois Girbaud, Kasper A.S.Lsuits and sportswear, Susan Gailhandbags and Joe Boxer.In addition to its portfolio offashion and beauty PR clients,FWV works with many of theworld’s leading companies andbrands, including internationalutility provider ABB, SAS, RBCBank, Melitta Coffee, Moe’sSouthwest Grill restaurants,spirits company Hood RiverDistillery (Pendleton Whisky,Pendleton 1910, Yazi GingerVodka, Broker’s Gin and SinFireCinnamon Whisky) and the U.S.Polo Association. The agency’sfully integrated creative and digitalteam provides award-winningadvertising, graphic designand digital and social mediaservices for a wide range ofclients.HUNTER PUBLICRELATIONS41 Madison Avenue, 5th FloorNew York, NY 10010-2202212/679-6600www.hunterpr.comsmormar@hunterpr.comGrace Leong, Jason Winocour,Jonathan Lyon, Claire Burke,Mark Newman, Donetta Allenand Gigi Russo, PartnersHunter Public Relations is acertified woman owned, toprankedmarketing communicationsfirm specializing in consumerand lifestyle public relations.Whether it’s a cure for whatails you or the latest way to lookyour best, Hunter PublicRelations’ Health & Beautyteam has a strong track record ofreaching consumers in anincreasingly competitive marketplace.The Hunter PR Health &Beauty team works with some ofthe most trusted and recognizablebrands across a wide array ofcategories in this space, fromoral hygiene with Arm &Hammer Spinbrush and Orajel,to allergy care with Zyrtec, tobody sculpting with Zerona.From revitalizing maturebrands to creating buzz for newproducts or building awarenessamong key influencer groupsand celebrities, we know how toeffectively reach health & beautyconsumers in a meaningfulway — at the newsstand, ontheir iPads, and through socialmedia.Hunter Public Relations hosted an intimate cocktail party on behalf ofclient ARM & HAMMER Dental Care to launch the brand’s new productline for 2012. During the event, editors learned how to maintain aperfect smile with ARM & HAMMER toothpastes and indulged inother must-have beauty treatments, like manicures. The event tookplace in March 2012 at the London Hotel Penthouse in NYC.JANINE GORDONASSOCIATES11 East 26th Street, 19th floorNew York NY 10010212/831-3020jgordon@jgordonassociates.comwww.jgordonassociates.comJanine Gordon, President & CEOAlvin Schechter, Chairman andDirector of BrandingJohn Donofrio, CFOEstablished in 1993 by JanineGordon, former head andfounder of Saatchi & SaatchiPublic Relations, JGA is a cutting-edgeNew York City PRboutique with sophistication,know-how and energy.Chairman Alvin Schechter, formerlyCEO of Interbrand,brings world-class brandingskills to JGA clients.Our work is characterized byingenuity in thinking and transparencyin style. We are expertin the full range of digital andtraditional communicationstools. Our goal is to delivershrewd brand strategy, high profilemedia coverage, A-listevents, compelling celebrityendorsements, social mediacontent with viral appeal andhigh-impact strategic alliancesContinued on page 22CARGO Cosmetics make-up artist Renee Ryan demonstrates productapplication to Jade Moore of Janine Gordon Associates prior todeskside meetings with Marie Claire beauty editors.ADVERTISING SECTION SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 21

PROFILES OF BEAUTY & FASHION PR FIRMSThis year, Kaplow helped Shiseido celebrate its 140th anniversary.JANINE GORDON ASSOCS.Continued from page 21— always within the context ofa fully integrated marketingstrategy.We expand connections forpremium health and beautybrands through big ideas andflawless execution. We areespecially focused on luxuryproducts. We understand thechallenges of building brandsand promoting intent-to-purchaseamong high net worthindividuals. As long-term publicistsfor the annual AmericanExpress Publishing-HarrisonGroup Survey of Affluence andWealth in America, we are privyto the most up-to-date findingson what drives the behavior ofthe wealthy.In addition to Kiehl’s Since1851 and CARGO Cosmetics,we have helped build some ofthe cosmetic industry’s best recognizedbrands: BareEscentuals, Make Up For Ever,Shiseido Cosmetics and Johnson& Johnson, among them.If you want to expand yourbrand’s connections, start by visitingour website.KAPLOW19 West 44th Street, 6th FloorNew York, NY 10036212/221-1713email-liz@kaplowpr.comwww.kaplow.comAs an independent, award-winningpublic relations firm,Kaplow helps best-in-class companiestell their stories andchange conversations.For more than two decades, thefirm has cultivated brand identitiesand reputations that nurturehappy, loyal consumers.Kaplow’s holistic communicationsprograms leverage the bestof traditional media relations anddigital/social campaigns toensure that our clients’ brands arefront and center with their targetconsumers and the influencerswho matter the most.With a world class media relationsteam, and in-house socialmedia and video production divisions,Kaplow exists for a singularreason: to create emotionalconnections between brand andconsumer.Some of our best-in-classclients include: Target, Skype,CVS/Pharmacy, Avon mark &Avon Foundation, Timex,Unilever (Nexxus & St. Ives),Shiseido, Gurwitch (LauraMercier and RéVive), Case-mate,Ulthera, Kellwood and CEW.LIPPE TAYLOR215 Park Ave. SouthNew York, NY 10003212/598-4400mlippe@lippetaylor.comwww.lippetaylor.comMaureen Lippe, Founder & CEOGerald Taylor, General ManagerJessica DiPietro, ManagingDirectorLippe Taylor is an integratedmarketing communicationsagency that specializes in motivatingwomen to buy. Whetheryou’re marketing to the workingmother or the single twentysomething,the teen with dreamsor the empty nester, we knowhow to connect with her betterthan anyone.Founded by Maureen Lippe, aformer Beauty and FashionEditor at Vogue and Harper’sBazaar, brand spokeswoman andTV personality, she’s been studyingthe total woman — physically,emotionally and spirituallyand their purchasing power forover 25 years. Lippe Taylor iscommitted to delivering superiorROI. Our areas of expertiseinclude beauty, fashion,health/wellness, home andlifestyle. In addition to PR, wespecialize in digital/social marketing,trend-forecasting andgraphic design. We bring innovativeinsights to life with an integratedapproach, considering alloptions and using whatever marketingtactics best serve the ideaand drive business results.We know that women rule! Ifyou aren’t connecting with themthey will rule you out. LippeTaylor has cracked the code onunderstanding this target audiencevia our proprietary DTW:Direct-to-Women ® , DTM: Directto-Moms® and DTT: Direct-to-Teens ® methodologies. And ouragency research findings are keyto the creation of effective andaward-winning client solutions.From strategic media outreachto social marketing, multiculturalinitiatives to experiential events,Lippe Taylor breaks through toengage and capture the attentionof the media and the consumer.Former editors, producers andbloggers lead our teams so ourmedia relationships and resultsare unparalleled. Through day-todaycontact with media and criticalinfluencers, we shape trendsand ignite buzz.At Lippe Taylor, we abide bythe simple principal of mutualtrust and respect and believe thatthe best work comes from thosewho are happy and given thetools and incentives to succeed.Our open, home-like office environmentfosters creativity andcollaboration, and allows our talentedteam to deliver exceptionalclient service. Therefore, ouremployee and account turnover isvery low, which allows us todeliver unsurpassed, consistentresults for our clients.Lippe Taylor is committed toexcellence and has received multipleindustry awards, including2011, 2010 and 2009 SabreAwards, and the 2008 PR WeekContinued on page 24RANKINGS OF PR FIRMS SPECIALIZING IN HOME FURNISHINGS1. EdelmanNew York $39,725,5142. Zeno GroupNew York 4,968,9423. L.C. Williams & Assocs. Chicago 3,078,6324. Gibbs & SoellNew York 2,798,9695. KaplowNew York 1,431,0006. Luckie Strategic PR Birmingham, AL 1,3224177. Hunter PRNew York 1,054,4788. Lou Hammond & Assocs. New York 829,9289. CRT/tanakaRichmond, VA 702,00510. Formula PRSan Diego 679,46211. Fahlgren Mortine Columbus 676,21012. Finn PartnersNew York 246,00013. Gregory FCAArdmore, PA 195,50014. Rosica Comms.Paramus, NJ 164,68215. CJ Public Relations Farmington, CT 119,37816. Schneider Associates Boston 115,35217. Trevelino/KellerAtlanta 100,00018. Shelton GroupDallas97,69019. Allison+PartnersSan Francisco 51,00020. Seigenthaler PRNashville 17,000© Copyright 2012 The J.R. O'Dwyer Co.22SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM ADVERTISING SECTION

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ORDER PR’S MOST USEFUL DIRECTORY!Only $95 for the 340-page2012 O’Dwyer’s Directoryof Public Relations FirmsO’Dwyer’s Directory gives you quick access tolarge, medium-sized, and small PR firms and evenexperienced freelancers who work out of theirhomes. Whether you seek a long-term, worldwiderelationship or need extra help on a project,O’Dwyer’s Directory is the place to shop.Listed firms have expertise in:• Public Relations• Social Media• Branding• Investor Relations• Employee Communications• Internet PR• Product Publicity• Crisis Communications• Integrated Marketing• Corporate Advertising• Lobbying• Proxy Solicitation• International PR1,600 FIRMS LISTED IN 2012 DIRECTORY“O’Dwyer’s Directory of PRfirms is the finest source ofinformation on PR firms.”- Howard Rubenstein, President,Rubenstein Assocs.“The first source we turn to whendoing an ad agency search.”- Stan Beals, Jones Lundin Beals“The O’Dwyer Directory is anexcellent tool when searchingfor outside PR counsel.”- Art Stevens, Managing Partner,StevensGouldPincus LLC“Up-to-date, indispensableresource. Saves time and money.Every PR pro should have one.”- Robert L. Dilenschneider, TheDilenschneider Group“A phenominal job-seeking aid.”- Marie Raperto, The CantorConcern“Single most important sourceof information on PR firms.”- Thomas L. Harris, Author,Choosing and Workingwith your PR firmWhy O’Dwyer’s Directory ofPR Firms is so popular ...̌̌̌̌̌̌̌̌Has brought billions of dollars inbusiness to PR firms.Authoritative industry rankings, based onCPA statements, tax returns.Separate rankings for independent andad agency-related PR operations.Firms ranked by 16 geographical regions inthe U.S.Leaders ranked in 12 specialized categories:agriculture, beauty & fashion, entertainment,environmental/PA, financial, food & beverage,healthcare, home furnishings, professionalsvcs., sports/leisure, technology and travel.Easy-to-use, PR firms sorted geographicallyand by 21 types of PR specialties. Firms listedalphabetically.Articles on how to hire and use a PR firm byindustry experts Jack O’Dwyer and FraserSeitel.7,000+ clients are cross-indexed. O’Dwyer’sDirectory of PR firms is the only place youcan look up a company and determine itsoutside counsel.

PROFILES OF BEAUTY & FASHION PR FIRMSPIERCE MATTIEPUBLIC RELATIONS62 West 45th Street, 3rd FloorNew York, NY 10036212/243-1431joshua@piercemattie.comPierce Mattie, CEO & FounderPierce Mattie PublicRelations remains the industryleader in communications forbeauty, fashion and lifestyleconsumer brands. It is the onlyPR agency with a modular eventspace for the press located inTimes Square that features afashionshowroom,spa/treatment room, multimediacapabilities and lounge. AtPierce Mattie Public Relationsour team is innovative, clientfocusedand has solid relationshipsin the editorial world ofNew York. Pierce Mattie PRhas a proven track record of collaboratingwith its client partnersto deliver consistent outstandingresults.ROGERS &COWAN8687 Melrose Ave., 7th FloorLos Angeles, CA 90069310/854-8117Fax: 310/854.8106inquiries@rogersandcowan.comwww.rogersandcowan.comFran Curtis, Executive VicePresident (New York)Maggie Gallant, Executive VicePresident (New York)Carla Blizzard, Senior VicePresident (Los Angeles)Rogers & Cowan treats eachone of its Fashion and Beautybrands as a celebrity — becauseevery brand has a distinct personalitythat sets it apart. Withmany of the top brands inFashion and Beauty under ourbanner, we were among the veryfirst PR agencies to leverage theexplosive marketing power offashion and celebrity.The agency is located in NewYork and Los Angeles, two ofthe largest fashion capitals inthe world. We offer extensiveexpertise in the fashion, beautyand luxury categories providingpublicity and marketing campaigns,social media strategies,special event support, celebrity/influencerseeding, promotionsand product placement.Our commitment is illustratedin the work we do in promotingmen’s, women’s andchildren’s apparel, eyewear,handbags, shoes, jewelry, timepieces,beauty/skincare products,celebrity brands, designersand fashion-related events.Clients have included RosiePope Maternity, Estee LauderCompanies, Glo Science, KateWalsh Boyfriend Fragrances,Kohl’s Jennifer Lopez and MarcAnthony collections, AvonVoices, Pastry by Angela andVanessa Simmons, Miche Bag,TW Steel, Swarovski, SunglassHut, Ray-Ban, Clinique, Coty’sBeyoncé Pulse and DavidBeckham Fragrances, WrinkleFree Eyes, Origins Earth MonthConcert and Glamour ReelMoments.RUDER FINN, INC.301 East 57th StreetNew York, NY 10022212/593-6400Fax: 212/593-6397www.ruderfinn.comKathy Bloomgarden, CEORachel Spielman, Global Headof Corporate CommunicationsJean-Michel Dumont, Chairman,Ruder Finn AsiaElan Shou, Managing DirectorChina and Senior Vice President,Ruder Finn AsiaRuder Finn works with theworld’s leading luxury brands infashion, lifestyle and beauty tobuild corporate reputation andenhance brand awareness andvisibility through integratedcommunications programs inmarkets across the globe.Ruder Finn’s expertise lies inhelping luxury brands enhancetheir positioning in a competitivemarket as well as connectwith and gain understanding oftheir customers. For example,in China, one of the world’sfastest-growing luxury markets,the agency annually releases theChina Luxury Forecast, whichanalyzes consumer perceptionsand spending behavior in China.Ruder Finn works with luxuryclients on corporate reputation,brand awareness, stakeholdermapping, global media relations,consumer relations management,event management,marketing communications,corporate social responsibility,thought leadership, onlineengagement and communitybuilding to establish consistentbrand communications andbuild awareness with consumers,thought leaders, journalistsand other key stakeholders.WEBERSHANDWICK919 Third AvenueNew York, NY 10022212/445-8000www.webershandwick.comLisa Sepulveda, President,Global Consumer Marketing212/445-8179LSepulveda@webershandwick.comBuffy Hersly, Senior VicePresident, Beauty & Fashion212/445-8133bhersly@webershandwick.comJill Murphy, Chief BusinessDevelopment Officer212/445-8339jmurphy@webershandwick.comWeber Shandwick has extensiveexperience in the beauty,personal care and fashion category.The beauty and fashiongroup represents top-tier brandsin the industry ranging fromskin and hair care to intimateapparel and outerwear.We offer a strategic approachto beauty and fashion with anexperienced, passionate team ofexperts who know how to breakthrough the clutter of competitive,fast-paced and dynamicmarkets. Expertise includesbrand building, product launches,social media strategy andexecution, editor and bloggerevents, celebrity spokespersonacquisition, event and fashionshow planning, grassroots marketing,branded entertainmentincluding integration and sponsorships,celebrity and influencerseeding, retailer support,cause marketing and issuesmanagement.The team’s style-savvy, coupledwith strong relationshipswith key influencers includingbeauty & fashion editors, producers,celebrity stylists, makeupartists and Hollywood A-listersenable us to produce awardwinningresults for clients.From the beauty and fashionpages to national morningshows and entertainment mediato the most influential blogs,Weber Shandwick gets beauty& fashion brands noticed — bythe right audiences, in the rightvenues and at the right time.ZING230 Fifth Ave., Suite 704New York, NY 10001212/633-6301www.zingusa.comRobert McEwen, President &CEO, bob@zingusa.comStephanie Channell, Sr. AccountMgr., 212/633-6301,stephanie@zingusa.comKelly Taylor, Sr. Account Mgr.,310/664-6494,kellytaylor@zingusa.comSophia Powe, AccountCoordinator,sophia@zingusa.comZing represents beauty andfashion clients in the UnitedStates, the United Kingdom, andAustralia, building their brandsby consistently winning editorialexposure for their apparel,swimwear, cosmetics, and bath& body products in the world’sleading beauty, fashion, lifestyleand entertainment publications.In 2012 Zing was honoredwith an American BusinessAward honor in the “Best NewProduct Launch Event” for theintroduction of Katy PerryLashes by Eylure, a well-orchestratedappearance by the popstar before hundreds of her fanswho were able to try on the newlashes at a nearby ‘pop-up’salon.With offices in New York Cityand Los Angeles, two of theworld’s leading beauty and fashioncapitals, we are well positionedto help lifestyle companiesengage their key stakeholder audiences.Our core competencies includeprint, broadcast and online mediarelations, celebrity spokespersoncampaigns, boutique distribution,event management, experientialmarketing, product launches andpromotions, social media optimization,and cause-related marketing.Current or recent clientsinclude Church & Dwight(Batiste), Original Additions(Eylure, Elegant Touch), Seafolly,Mi Ola, WISH, Pure Fiji,Revision Skincare, Jan MariniSkin Research, Hills, Tara Smithand Isoki. View and download entire issues of O’Dwyer’smagazine in PDF format, as well as hundredsof company profiles in our searchable onlinedatabase.WWW.ODWYERPR.COM26SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM ADVERTISING SECTION

O’DWYER’S RANKINGSTOP BEAUTY & FASHION PR FIRMS1.EdelmanNew York$40,204,7782.Ruder FinnNew York4,504,7993.KaplowNew York4,200,0004.M Booth & Assocs.New York3,723,2905.French | West | VaughanRaleigh3,138,1786.5W Public RelationsNew York2,800,0007.Black Twig Comms.St. Louis1,350,0008.Hunter PRNew York1,230,4369.Coyne PRParsippany, NJ1,154,00010.O'Malley Hansen Comms.Chicago1,100,00011.Finn PartnersNew York771,00012.Linhart PRDenver618,93713.Zeno GroupChicago406,39014.Allison+PartnersSan Francisco330,00015.Rosica Comms.Paramus, NJ278,49916.Gregory FCAArdmore, PA277,30017.TransMedia GroupBoca Raton250,00018.Formula PRSan Diego172,26519.Beehive PRSt. Paul154,62420.Seigenthaler PRNashville150,00021.J Public RelationsSan Diego60,70422.MaccabeeMinneapolis55,53723.Schneider AssociatesBoston53,50024.CJ Public RelationsFarmington, CT52,04025.Luckie Strategic PRBirmingham, AL47,200© Copyright 2012 The J.R. O'Dwyer Co.

OPINIONTo be or not to be a “spokesperson”By Fraser SeitelSamsung is having a tough month.First, the technology company lost abillon big ones to everybody’s archenemy Apple, whenthe jury in its landmarkcase foundthat many ofSamsung’s phonesand tablets copiedApple’s iPhone andiPad.Second, theFraser P. Seitel hasbeen a communicationsconsultant, author andteacher for 30 years. Heis the author of thePrentice-Hall text, ThePractice of PublicRelations.Samsung publicrelations departmentand its agency,Weber Shandwick,were raked over thecoals in an August18 article by NewYork Times writerDavid Segal, who pens a column called“The Haggler,” which airs complaint lettersfrom disgruntled product buyers.The particular Haggler item in question,titled “A Printer Freezes Up, andthe Maker Does, Too,” concerned aSamsung printer that went defectiveright after the expiration of the warranty.When “Haggler” Segal followed upwith Samsung, he got a public relationsperson named Rachel Quinlan, whoworked for Weber Shandwick. Quinlan,as a good public relations representative,was polite and agreed to research Segal’sinquiry. She asked, however, that she bereferred to in print as a “spokesperson.”And that’s when the Haggler wenthaywire.As Segal put it in his column, “Really?A spokesperson — a person who speaksfor a living — who wants to be anonymous?Not only does this sound ridiculous,it also makes Samsung seem tineared.Actually, that is unfair to tin whichis far more supple than Samsung in thiscircumstance.”Now clearly, Segal is not the secondcoming of Chris Rock, his attempt athumor only slightly funnier than MittRomney’s recent knee slappers. Butthat’s understandable.What is less understandable is hisinstant revulsion at the use of“spokesperson” by a public relations personwho, hopefully, is trying diligently toget answers to a journalist’s query.PR people desire the anonymity as“spokespersons” for numerous bureaucraticreasons, some of which may ormay not make sense to reporters. Thecompany has policies that the agencycan’t speak for it. Their boss is a jerk,who doesn’t like seeing your name inprint. Whatever.The real point is that as long as the PRperson provides the reporter with a fairand accurate and truthful answer to hisquery — who cares who gave him theinformation? The fact is that PR peoplecan be a lot more candid if they knowthey can trust a journalist to honor theirrequest for some degree of anonymity.In this case, the fact that Quinlan agreedto be quoted as a “Samsung spokesperson”should have been perfectly acceptableto SegalIt wasn’t.Here is Segal’s cockamamie logic toexplain his chagrin at the anonymousterm.“What consumers and the Hagglerwant when products break is some sensethat human beings are trying to fixthem.”The question that follows, of course,is what does Quinlan’s request foranonymity have to do with “humanbeings” fixing the product? As savvy asQuinlan might be, I suspect that she isnot a trained fixer of printers. But onewould hope that as Samsung’s PR representative,she would attempt to have“human beings” at the company investigatethe problem and indeed, try to “fixthem.”At the very least, she should follow upwith Segal and try to satisfy the customerwho lodged the complaint in thefirst place.Which, as it turned out, is exactlywhat Quinlan did.As quoted by Segal in the column, theWeber Shandwick executive promisedto call the customer and send a technician— also presumably a “humanbeing” — to investigate the problem.When the technician’s visit didn’tresult in success, Quinlan reported,again as quoted by Segal, that the customer“has accepted our offer of anexchange unit so that we can bring thisprinter and cartridge to our labs and conducttests to investigate the problem.”Now if I were a Samsung customerand the company made that offer to me— especially after it just lost $1 billionclams to Apple — I’d be ecstatic.But not Segal. “The Haggler detects aProfessional Developmentlawyerly quality to the wording here,”he wrote, and he went on with additionalquestions about additional models,which had nothing to do with the originalcomplainant and his original complaint.Quinlan ended the correspondencewith a terse, “At this point we havenothing more to share.”And who can blame her — besides, nosurprise, Segal?Alas, the issue of PR anonymity hasbeen around for decades.It’s unlikely that any holier-than-thoureporter will ever understand why a PRperson might prefer to be referred to as“spokesperson.”And it’s probably equally unlikelythat any unsophisticated, mouth-breathingPR creep will ever understand why alearned journalist would choose to callhimself “the Haggler.” PR news briefsSARD, ICR FEND OFF ADNETWORK BIDLookSmart, a once high-flying San Franciscobasedpay-per-click and search advertising company,has bolstered its PR defenses amid a hostiletakeover bid proposed by an investor group.Sard Verbinnen and Co is working the PR beatfor LookSmart while ICR is supporting investorrelations for the company under Senior VP andCFO Bill O’Kelly.The company went public in 1999 on thestrength of a deal to provide web search resultsto Microsoft’s MSN portal but has struggled sincethe deal was not renewed in 2003. Its Nasdaqlistedshares are currently trading around $0.85.[Shares peaked at $348.10 in March 2000.]LookSmart last week said Aug. 2 that its boardunanimously rejected a unsolicited $1-per-sharecash offer from the group, PEEK Investments, as“financially inadequate” and not in the best interestsof shareholders.CEO Jean Yves Dexmier said the online admarket is rapidly growing and there is “significantdemand” for an independent ad platform like hiscompany’s.PEEK, which was formed for the purpose of thetakeover bid and claims to represent a consortiumof LookSmart shareholders via Snowy AugustManagement and Platinum Management, wentpublic with the bid June 29.Michael Onghai, Principal of Snowy Augustand a chartered financial analyst, has a backgroundin digital media and online advertising. Hewarned that whether or not the tender offer isconsummated, the PEEK group intends to monitorLookSmart and threatened a proxy fight if “directorsare unable or unwilling to hold managementaccountable.”Sard Managing Director Matt Benson in SanFrancisco is handling PR for LookSmart. JohnMills, a Senior Managing Director for ICR in LosAngeles, is supporting IR.28SEPTEMBER 2012WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

Gauging Obamacare’s impact on taxesBy Richard GoldsteinLast month’s column discussed theroad to profitability. This monthwe will take a side trip as a resultof the Supreme Court’s decision on the“Patient Protection and AffordabilityCare Act of 2010” hereinafter referredto as the “Act” or “Obamacare.”As a result of theRichard Goldsteinis a partner atBuchbinder Tunick &Company LLP, NewYork, Certified PublicAccountants.Court’s decision,new taxes will beimposed to help payfor the provisions ofthe Act.3.8% surtaxA 3.8% surtax on“investment income”will be imposedwhen adjusted grossincome is more than$200,000 ($250,000for joint filers).Starting in 2013,all or a part of your investment incomewill be hit with an additional Medicarecontribution tax. Investment incomeincludes the usual interest income, dividendincome, capital gains, gross incomefrom passive business activities, rents,royalties to name a few. Thankfully, itwill not include the gain on the sale ofyour principal home to the extent thegain is not taxable because of the$250,000/$500,000 home gain exclusion.If you sell your second home (forexample a vacation home), the entiregain will be considered part of netinvestment income.If you are a shareholder in an Scorporation in which you “materiallyparticipate” and receive dividend distributions,the distributions will not beincluded in net investment income, norare gains from the sale of a partnershipor S corporation in which you materiallyparticipate. Social Security benefitsand distributions from tax-favoredretirement accounts will also not besubject to the new tax.Some caution on trusts. The tax willbe imposed to the lesser of: (1) undistributednet investment income or (2)the amount of AGI in excess of thethreshold amount for the top trust federalincome tax bracket. For 2013, thatthreshold will probably be about$12,000. Lots of trust will probably besubject to the new tax.Medicare surtaxThe Medicare tax is currently 1.45%and is paid by your employer and you.If you are self-employed, you areresponsible for the entire tax. Nextyear, your Medicare bill will be 2.35%.This will be charged on employee compensationand/or net self-employmentincome above $200,000 if you are marriedor $125,000 if unmarried or married,filing separate. Unfortunately, theadditional Medicare tax will not qualifyfor the 50% self-employment taxdeduction.Flexible spending account and medicinecabinet taxMany companies have a healthcareflexible spending account. Employeeselect to have money set aside from theirsalary to be reimbursed to them for outof pocket medical costs includingdrugs. Currently there is no limit to theamount that can be set aside on a pretaxbasis to pay for medical expenses.Next year however there will be a limit.The maximum that can be set aside for2013 will be $2,500. Also, the FSA is alose it or use it account. Make sure thatyou use up your 2012 contributionbefore the deadline. Check with youremployer for the date for doing so. Inmost cases it should be March 15,2013.The Medicine Cabinet Tax eliminatesthe ability to pay for over-the-countermedicines from a pre-tax FSA. In caseyou were not aware of this, the changestarted in January 2011.Tax rates for 2013The following are the maximum taxrates for 2013:1. You may recall that the current capitalgain tax rate is 15% for long-termcapital gains in excess of short-termcapital losses. This will increase to20% in 2013 unless Congress makes achange. For those subject to the 3.8%Medicare contribution tax, the capitalgain rate will be 23.8% (20% plus the3.8% Medicare tax).2. 43.4% on short-term capital gainsin excess of long-term losses (versus35% for 2012). The rate consists of thehigher rate on ordinary income of39.6% plus the Medicare tax of 3.8%.3. 43.4% on ordinary income frominterest, dividends, rental activities,Financial Managementroyalties, and annuities not derivedfrom an active business. Currently thetax rate on qualified dividends is 15%and 35% on other types of income.4. 43.4% for ordinary income frompassive business activities.Observation: You may want to considerselling appreciated assets in 2012instead of in 2013. You may also wantto review your investment portfolio tosee if investing in tax exempt municipalbonds makes sense. You may also wantto do things to increase your AGI thisyear instead of next, for example, aRoth IRA conversion. You should speakto your tax advisor before doing anythingand by all means do not sellstocks just for the sake of taxes.Medical devicesStarting in 2013, medical device manufacturerswill have to pay a 2.3%excise tax on medical equipment.While this sounds like a tax on themanufacturer, it is really a tax on all ofus because medical procedures willsurely go up in price.Medical itemized deductionNot too many of my clients are able todeduct medical expenses because theyhave to exceed 7.5% of adjusted grossincome. For example, if your adjustedgross income is $100,000 and you incur$7,501 in medical expenses, only $1 isdeductible. This is the advantage of amedical FSA account: the ability todeduct what would otherwise be nondeductiblemedical expenses.Starting in 2013, the threshold fordeducting medical expenses will beraised to 10% of AGI. If you or yourspouse will be 65 or older as ofDecember 31, 2013, the 10% rule willnot take effect until 2017. If you oryour spouse turns 65 in any year 2014-2016, the 7.5% rule will apply for theyear you turn 65 thorough 2016.Starting in 2017, the 10% rule appliesto all.If you can accelerate elective qualifyingunreimbursed medical expensesinto 2012, considering doing so.Consider prepaying medical costs in2012 even if the service will be performedin 2013. Also, consider using acredit card. Time of payment is whenthe charge posts, not when you pay thecharge account bill. SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 29

OPINIONDebates and questions without meaningBy Arthur SolomonNow that the Republican gatheringin Tampa is over, and theGOP has ratified Mitt Romneyand Paul Ryan for the top spots on theirpresidential ticket, a question one mightask would be: How much did we learnfrom the 20 debatesand the plenteouspundits’ analysis?Despite enduring aseries of vitriolicdebates, in my opinion,the nation didn’tlearn much,except that the GOPArthur Solomon, aformer newsman, wasa senior VP at Burson-Marsteller.establishment wasfearful that a NewtGingrich Presidencywould termite-likedestroy the Housewhere the GOPrules; Romney has trouble saying whathe might mean; Ron Paul has the most“aw-shucks” personality, and RickSantorum has the “who wants a religiousfanatic as President” problem(except the extreme right wing religiousfanatics).But the shortcomings of the candidatesare miniscule when compared tothe debates and TV political reporting ingeneral.The debates were nothing more thanreality sitcoms. Like many TV shows, itleft viewers who wanted specificanswers with unfilled feelings, in thiscase a lack of details on how candidateswould deal with problems they bloviateabout.That is because all of the candidates,except Paul, gave answers that are rightout of the Big Red Book of Politics 101,whose most important message is “talkin generalities and never be specific.”(And Paul’s answers, while soundingreasonable, are scary when you think ofthe consequences of his positions.)The reason that candidates can getaway with nothing answers is because ofthe lack of preparation, keep it simple,no hard questions asked by the media.What was missing from all debateswere reporters who are well schooled inthe fine print facets of policy that oftenare most relevant, even though they askquestions as if they were experts.Questions were asked in a fashion thatallowed candidates the opportunity togeneralize. That is why if a person reallywants to know specifics about a candidate’sstance on economic and foreignpolicy matters they will not learn it fromwatching the debates of 2012 or thecampaigning that followed.The debate questioners and pundit followersremind me of instructors in anundergraduate college survey course(but better paid), where students get asmattering of information, but will notreally learn the subject in depth untilthey advance to specialized classes.What masquerades as political newson cable shows is mostly GOP andDemocratic propaganda that even mostPR people, I hope, would be ashamed tocall authentic “news.”If a major publication like the WallStreet Journal, New York Times orBusiness Week wanted to interview acandidate about tax policy, the nationaldebt or entitlement programs, theywould assign a reporter who is a specialistin those fields, so that when candidatesspeak untruths or give a wronganswer the reporter can challenge thecandidates. That was missing during thedebates and other political TV shows.As a former journalist turned PR practitioner,what annoys me about TV politicalreporters is their lack of follow-upquestions. It’s as if the reporters have aprepared list of questions, based on aproducer’s story line, and a pre setamount of time to ask them (which, ofcourse, they do) and just go down thelist, regardless of the answers theyreceive. This makes for bad journalism.The superficiality of television newsreporting is evident by this often heardinterviewer-to-interviewee phrase:“This is a very important question andwe’re running out of time. You have 15seconds to answer it.”It’s no secret that television haschanged journalism and politics. Andfor the worse.The best I can say about TV debates isthat they exposed which candidateswere slick talkers and which are not faston their feet. (But glib talkers do notnecessarily mean they would make agood president.)What is amazing to me is how oftencandidates seem not to be able to giveanything but general answers, eventhough it’s not a state secret which questionswill be asked. A reasonable personmight think they are afraid to be specificbecause they want to keep their realGuest Columnagendas from being scrutinized and thuslose favor with some voters.Watching pundits who analyzedebates explains why they never have tosay they’re sorry. It’s easy to explainwhat happened if your job is safe nomatter how often you are wrong.If anyone of those “wise people” eversaid anything prescient or out of theordinary, please provide me with examples.(The only pundit during thisnever-ending, echo-sounding electionseason that I have heard who occasionallyprovides interesting “inside politics”analysis, soon parroted by others,is Ari Fleisher.)Instead of spending hours watchingdebate analysis, similar assessments canbe heard in only a few minutes on thehard news network programs after thedebate’s perfunctory questions andanswers.My unscientific survey revealed thatthe most used phrase by TV pundits duringthe primary season was: “his victorywill give him the momentum going intonext week’s primary.” Closely followingwas, “hasn’t captured the hearts andminds,” “stay on the message,” and“battle ground states.” Of course thecandidate’s name would change eachweek depending on the primary outcome.A USA Today story on February 8showed I’m not the only individual whobelieves watching the preliminarydebates and Groundhog Day analysis,where the script remains the sameexcept for substituting one candidate’sname for another, are a waste oftime. Citing a Pew Research Center poll,the story said “… independents who arethe coveted voting bloc in every presidentialcampaign are tuning out.”And the same paper reporting onanother Pew poll on July 6 said that “amajority of Americans believe the campaignis a snooze.”In her Wall Street Journal column ofFeb. 11, Peggy Noonan wrote that bothcable and broadcast political shows arenot as relevant to viewers as in the past.On the June 10, “Reliable Sources”CNN program, a panel of journalistsagreed that the never-ending cable newscoverage of the campaign was turningoff viewers.The Arizona debate highlighted anoccurring problem: Accepting the candi-Continued on next page30SEPTEMBER 2012WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

Top three social CEOs – what they can teach usBy Careen WintersThere are some CEOs who not onlydemonstrate their use of socialmedia for effective thought leadership,but also demonstrate social mediabest practices in general.Let’s lay some groundwork here. In myopinion, a socially effective C-suite is indicatedby:• Engaging, trustbuildingstakeholderdialogue (versus pushmonologue).• Relevance to audiences,with qualitycontent that addsvalue — indicated byCarreen Winters isexecutive VP-crisiscommunications atMWW Group.an engaged response— rather than noise• Frequency andconsistency.In no special order,below are my top picks.1. The Transparent Engager — SirRichard Branson, CEO, Virgin GroupBranson gives the appearance of selfmanaginghis active social engagement,tweeting and blogging personal musings aswell as thought leadership.Across platforms (including Facebookand Google+), he gives stakeholders a“peek behind the curtain” of his businessempire, discussing R & D and businessdecisions. He’s blogged about the possibilityof buying back Virgin Records, anddirectly invites followers to ask him questionson Twitter.By being a (mostly) open book aboutbusiness decisions, even if the proverbialsausage is still in the process of beingmade, Branson achieves transparency andtrust. However, keeping a consistent, personalvoice is what allows Branson to stayrelevant. By default, his company gainstrust and relevance from these humanizingstakeholder connections.2. The Targeted Publisher — MichaelDell, CEO, DellContrasting with Branson, Dell usessocial — including Twitter and Google+— to provide stakeholders with companynews, rather than personal opinions, andpositions himself as an authority on thetech industry in general.His engagement is a great example offishing where your fish are. In the case ofDell’s “tech-y” community in which heaims to thrive, Google+ is an effectiveplatform — even if it isn’t the most relevantplace for other audiences.3. The (Local) Dark Horse – JohnPepper, CEO, BolocoAlthough he is not yet a Fortune 500CEO, Pepper — Founder and CEO ofNew England and D.C.-based burritorestaurant chain, Boloco — is exemplaryGuest Columnin intertwining his own social presencewith that of the brand. Although he uses@BolocoCEO as his Twitter handle, healso engages with those who tweet@boloco, personally thanking them forbrand advocacy or constructive criticism.Pepper also demonstrates a clear understandingthat identifying with existinglocal communities (for example, postingvideos on Google+ of Patriots game outingswith his Massachusetts-based family)can help a smaller business stay relevant.Time will tell how big Boloco will get.But by making social media engagementa habit, Pepper gives me the confidence tosay that he’ll likely continue to maintainthis consistent, personal engagement.The above CEOs each use social mediato build trust, and accelerate relevance.We know it can be done. But social mediaengagement is unfortunately still theexception in the C-suite, rather than therule. The good news is, because mostCEOs have not yet caught up, the opportunitystill exists for yours to get socialand stand out.As communications professionals, weoften look to compelling case studies toinspire our business strategies and getthem right. So, why should our approachbe any different when it comes to advisingour leaders on their own communicationsstrategies? DEBATES AND QUESTIONSContinued from previous pagedates’ answers and quickly movingon. When the issue of illegal immigrationswas discussed, moderator JohnKing never followed up with a questionabout how to solve the situation confrontingfarmers in Alabama, Georgiaand other states who are having difficultyhiring sufficient workers to harvestcrops before they became spoiled. Theanswers given by the debaters remindme of what consumers and PR clientsshould be wary of when listening to thesales spiels before signing contracts.Viewers should remember the devil isin the small print, and on TV peopledon’t have the opportunity to read theagate size font. True, the debates didprovide viewers with the broad strokesthinking of the candidate’s policystances. But did we have to hear it adinfinitum during the debates, as well ason the incessant TV coverage of theirstump speech rallies and also on interviewprograms?The apparent lack of specificity of thewaffle ball-type questions pitched to thecandidates is not limited to the lack ofpreparation by the media. There areother reasons: it’s difficult to embarrasssomeone who you know personally byasking a question that will humiliate theperson and, perhaps, socialize with, livenear, and whose wives and children arefriends.So, my advice to family members andfriends is when the discussion turns topolitics, watching TV debates can serveas a good survey course. But if you reallywant to know how the candidates feelabout issues, TV is not the place to learnspecifics.But there is a danger. Reading thepolicy beat reporters on a daily basismight inform you how the candidate thatyou support really feels about specificissues. That might disappoint you. Nobig deal. Chances are that even if yourcandidate is elected president, you’ll bedisappointed in how he governs.Shortly, the baseball playoffs, footballand basketball overage will be floodedwith pundits’ “expert analysis,” butthat’s harmless fun. As certain as a hugedaily intake of cheesecake, ice cream,fried food and alcoholic beverages willharm your health, the preliminary TVdebates will be with us again in fouryears.And the political addicted televisionviewers will tune in and think they arelearning how the candidates really feelabout issues. And when the same questionsare asked in debate after debateand the same answers are given indebate after debate, the viewers will stillwatch them.After all, history shows that televisionviewers like sitcom re-runs.Oops. A cynic said there’s no need towait four years. The re-runs will beginon October 3, at 9:00pm under a newtitle: presidential debates SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 31

WASHINGTON REPORTHeimowitz exits Porter forBurson in D.C.Mike Heimowitz, Senior VP and an 11-year veteran atPorter Novelli in D.C., has moved over to Burson-Marsteller as a Managing Director in the firm’s Issuesand Crisis Group.Heimowitz, an 11-year PN staffer, handled clients includingMonster Worldwide and the American Television Alliance.He was previously Senior Manager forCommunications and Advocacy for theAmerican Chemistry Council in 11 years forthe trade group.B-M’s issues and crisis unit has also addedS.C. Johnson’s Chris Beard in Chicago.Beard was Director of Global ReputationManagement, handling crisis and publicaffairs issues for the consumer cleaning productscompany. Earlier, he was at Kraft Foods,Heimowitz Phillip Morris USA and Arthur Andersen.Jano Cabrera heads the issues and crisispractice at B-M, which is part of WPP. Convenience stores tradegroup shops for PRVenn Strategies has a $300,000, six-month pact to promoteMongolia as a “stable target for direct investment withreliable rule of law and investor protections,” according toits contract with the Mongolian Investment Institute.NACS, which was known as the National Association ofConvenience Stores until 2007, is interviewing PR firms asactivists in the fight against obesity take aim at the quick-stoppurveyors of junk food.Jeff Lenard, VP of Industry Advocacy of the Alexandria, VAbasedgroup, told the National Journal, that NACS has an importantstory to tell about healthy options.He says the PR search has nothing to do with either recentpolice crackdowns on C-stores used as club houses by gangs orraids on outlets for allegedly selling “bath salts.”Founded in 1961, NACS represents more than 2,100 retail and1,600 supplier company members that operate almost 150,000stores across the U.S. In 2011, they posted $682 billion in revenues,of which 72% of that amount stemmed from the sale ofgasoline. Qorvis hires GOP digital guruQorvis Communications, which is the second biggest D.C.-based independent firm, has hired Archie Smart to head itsdigital and interactive media practice.The 15-year digital veteran served as Chief Technology Officerat Targeted Victory, the interactive shop that counts Mitt Romneyfor President, Republican National Committee and Karl Rove’sAmerican Crossroads as clients.Prior to Targeted Victory, Smart worked at NJI Media andYoung & Rubicam, working on clients such as AmericanExpress, Elizabeth Arden, Universal Music Group, Diageo andthe Dept. of Indian Affairs. Giffords Chief of Staff headsHomeland Security PAChief of Staff and Spokeswoman for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords(D-Ariz.) through the 2011 Tucson shooting has beennamed to the top public affairs slot at the U.S. Dept. ofHomeland Security.Pia Carusone was Giffords’ top staffer forthree years before and after the January2011 shooting that killed six, including aGiffords staff member, and injured 19.Carusone was appointed AssistantSecretary for Public Affairs to adviseSecretary Janet Napolitano on strategic andinternal communications and oversee thePA operation which serves as the lead informationoffice during national emergenciesand disasters.Matt Chandler, who had been actingCarusoneAssistant Secretary for PA at the DHS, was named Director ofCommunications.Sean Smith, a former aide to Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.),resigned from the top PA slot for a senior VP post at PorterNovelli in April 2011. ADM taps PPGAgricultural products giant Archer Daniels Midland hasretained Burson-Marsteller’s Prime Policy Group to dealwith trade with Japan and ethanol matters as the company’sbioproducts unit struggles with a market oversupply and theend of the 45-cent per-gallon tax credit that expired Jan. 1.ADM reported a 25% drop in Q4 profits to $284 million as itsbioproducts unit posted “negative ethanol margins.”The bioproducts division posted a $61 million operating loss inthe period compared to an $111 million profit a year ago. For thefull-year, profit tumbled from $749 million to a $74 milliondeficit.Standard and Poor’s today revised its outlook on ADM to “negative”from “stable,” believing the nation’s drought across mostof the nation’s farm belt “could also result in lower volumes forthe company's ethanol facilities (which are currently not profitable),possibly leading to an extended period of weak earningsin that business.”PPG CEO Scott Pastrick handles the ADM business. 32SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

H+K fronts China’s grab forCanadian energy companyHill+Knowlton Strategies is fronting China’s audacious allcash$15.1 billion bid for Nexen Inc., one of Canada’sbiggest energy companies, as its mounts its biggest forayinto the North American market.The acquisition bid by 70% state-owned-China NationalOffshore Oil Corp. is bound to trigger heated political opposition inWashington over Nexen’s properties in the Gulf of Mexico.The Democratic and Republican tandem of Bob Ludke and JohnUllyot are H+K staffers who rep Cnooc in D.C. Ludke is formerlegislative assistant to Sen. Tom Harkin (Iowa) and Senior Policyanalyst for the Senate Democratic Policy Committee.Ullyot was Communications Director for Republican SenatorsJohn Warner (VA) and Arlen Specter (PA).Cnooc’s $18.5 billion bid in 2005 for California’s Unocal fellapart after a political uproar. The Chinese were largely interested inthe southeast Asia holdings of Unocal, which was ultimatelyacquired by Chevron.Cnooc CEO Li Fanrong said in Calgary that Cnooc learned valuablelessons from the Unocal failure, and noted that the current dealis a friendly acquisition that has the full support of Nexen’s boardof directors.Cnooc promises that Nexen’s U.S. assets will continue to purchasematerials from local suppliers and be managed by currentmanagement.Under the acquisition agreement, Cnooc will receive a $425 milliontermination fee if either Nexen nixes the deal or it collapsesdue to regulatory pressures. FARA News NEW FOREIGN AGENTS REGISTRATION ACT FILINGSBelow is a list of select companies that have registered with the U.S. Department of Justice, FARA Registration Unit, Washington,D.C., in order to comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, regarding their consulting and communications work onbehalf of foreign principals, including governments, political parties, organizations, and individuals. For a complete list of filings,visit www.fara.gov.Glover Park Group, LLC, Washington, D.C., registered July 30, 2012 for Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to provide strategiccommunications counsel and government affairs services in the execution of a public relations program.Gray Global Strategies, Inc., Washington, D.C., registered July 23, 2012 for Moroccan American Center for Policy, Washington, D.C., to provideservices related to MACP's activities to positively affect relations between Morocco and the United States.Strategy XXI Group, LLC, Washington, D.C., registered August 3, 2012 for Azerbaijan America Alliance Corporation Board of Directors,Washington, D.C., for planning and executing effective strategies to encourage research and advocacy about the Azeri people and provideinformation broadly about such people, including issues related to their country, culture and international relations..Lobbying NewsGPG reps NigeriaInternational PR NewsGlover Park Group has inked a $30,000 a-month contract withNigeria, Africa’s most populous country.The pact, which runs through the rest of the year, covers strategiccounseling, government affairs work and outreach to the media andU.S. government/non-governmental organizations.GPG’s Robert Harris and Brett O’Brien work the Nigeria account.O’Brien also handles Abu Investment Authority and TaipeiEconomic and Cultural Representative Office.WPP is parent of GPG. Angola taps CAP for image workOil-rich Angola, which is eager to increase its visibility in theU.S., is using Collins Anderson Philp, a RepublicanPA/government relations shop, to run a reputation managementand branding campaign for the southwestern African state of19.6 million people.Angola has been rebuilding its infrastructure since the 2002 endof a 27-year civil war that killed 1.4 million people and displacedanother 4M.CAP is doing its work via through an entity called ProgressiveAngola, which is bankrolled by Angola’s national energy companySonangol SA.It’s in line for a fee of $520,750 to be paid in quarterly installmentsof $130,187. The effort began in February, according to theagreement between CAP and PA. NEW LOBBYING DISCLOSURE ACT FILINGSBelow is a list of select companies that have registered with the Secretary of the Senate, Office of Public Records, and the Clerkof the House of Representatives, Legislative Resource Center, Washington, D.C., in order to comply with the Lobbying DisclosureAct of 1995. For a complete list of filings, visit www.senate.gov.The Gibson Group, Washington, D.C., registered August 14, 2012 for Radio Music License Committee, Brentwood, TN, regarding competition inmusic licensing.Patton Boggs LLP, Washington, D.C., registered August 14, 2012 for Facebook, Washington, D.C., for issues related to technology andInternet policy, including personal privacy, protecting children, advancing online security, and tax policy issues.National Shooting Sports Foundation, Washington, DC, registered August 13, 2012 for National Shooting Sports Foundation, Washington,D.C., regarding legislation and regulation pertinent to firearms and ammunition.Policy Integration Partners LLC, Washington, D.C., registered August 15, 2012 for Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., NewYork, NY, regarding legislation related to energy, cyber security, and tax treatment of dividends.SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 33

PR Buyer’s GuideTo be featured in the monthly Buyerʼs Guide,Contact John OʼDwyer, john@odwyerpr.comCAMERA-READY RELEASESMEDIA & SPEAKER TRAININGSPECIAL EVENTSNorth American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415Madison Ave., 12th flr., New York, NY 10017.800/222-5551. freeproposal@napsnet.com;www.napsinfo.com. Dorothy York, President.GET 100 to 400+ placements fromU.S. dailies and weeklies. We cover10,000+ newspapers. We send in avariety of formats including CDs,repro proofs, e-mail and RSS Feedsvia our www.napsnet.com Web sitefor editors.Complete satisfaction with the resultsof each release or another one free.NAPS is used by most Fortune 500companies, nearly all the 100 largestnational advertisers, all top-20 PRfirms, over 100 associations andmany government agencies.Impact Communications, 11 Bristol Place,Wilton, CT 06897-1524. (203) 529-3047;cell: (917) 208-0720; fax: (203) 529-3048;JRImpact@aol.com. Jon Rosen, President.BE PREPARED! Impact Communicationstrains your spokespeople tosuccessfully communicate criticalmessages to your targeted audiencesduring print, television, andradio news interviews. Your customizedworkshops are issue-drivenand role-play based. Videotaping/critiquing. Groups/privately. Faceto-face/telephoneinterviews/newsconferences. Private label seminarsfor public relations agencies. Makeyour next news interview yourbest by calling Jon Rosen, ImpactCommunications, Your Presentation& Media Training Solution.National Press Club, 529 14th St., N.W.,Washington, DC, 20045. 202/662-7580.www.press.org. Joshua Funk. Dir., Bus. Dev.The National Press Club, a privateclub for journalists and communicators,has been “Where News Happens” formore than a century. Each year, theClub hosts over 250,000 visitors atmore than 2,000 events that areconveyed to global audiences in print,television and online. Our journalistmembers work with the NPC staff tocreate an ideal facility for newscoverage – from a full service broadcastoperation, to fiber and wirelessconnectivity, to audio-visual services.PR JOBS - http://jobs.odwyerpr.comAccount Executive26-year old publicity agency looking foraccount executive to bring in new publicitybusiness. Experienced reps who actually makephone calls or meet people in person. Not lookingfor just another emailer or social networker. Oldschool. Straight commission but open to reasonabledraw against commission if needed.Our specialty is booking guest clients on Talk Showinterviews. That is 90% of our business. We do itvery well. We book on The Today Show, O'Reilly,Hannity, and hundreds of radio talk shows. Theother portion of our business is producing videoswhich is a growing sector of our business. We areextremely competitive at pricing, charging only$100 per minute per video.If you are able to find clients who want to be on TalkShows, we are probably a good fit.We have two billing options for clients. They caneither pay per interview with no charge unless webook them on shows. Or we can take a flat monthlyrate (minimum of $2500/month; preferably $5000or more) for all the bookings we can deliver.To the best of our knowledge we book more guestson more talk shows than any other independentagency. Despite the fact that we are not listed inOʼDwyersʼ top 100 PR firms, we still enjoy one ofthe top 10 Alexa.com ratings of all independentagencies in the U.S.Work from home. Have fun.Jerry McGlothlinjerry@specialguests.com630/548-930034SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

Get O'Dwyer's Newsletter, Magazine & 2012 Directory of PR Firms plus ayear's access to all the content on odwyerpr.com for $295/yearYou'll get the news first in the eight-page weekly OʼDwyer letter, the “bible” ofPR according to the New York Times--tips and stories that can lead to jobs, newaccounts, media placements--sent as a PDF to your inbox every Monday afternoon.Plus, youʼll have access to all the news and commentary posted daily on PRʼs#1 website, odwyerpr.com, which has over 10 years of searchable content andOʼDwyerʼs exclusive database of RFPs for PR services.Easily research past issues of OʼDwyerʼsnewsletter on odwyerpr.comGet the latest RFP announcements andpick up new businessO'Dwyer's magazine, now in its 26th year, examines a different area of PR eachmonth. Issues include practice-area specific feature stories as well as profiles of PRfirms with strengths in the focus area. The agency profiles constitute the ideal startingpoint for companies beginning their search for PR counsel.Editorial Calendar:January, PR Buyer's Guide/Crisis Comms.February, Environmental PR & Public AffairsMarch, Food & BeverageApril, Broadcast Media ServicesMay, PR Firm RankingsJune, Multicultural/DiversityJuly, Travel & TourismAugust, Prof. Svcs. & Financial/Investor Rels.September, Beauty & FashionOctober, Healthcare & MedicalNovember, TechnologyDecember, Sports & EntertainmentContact magazine editor Jon Gingerich toprofile your firm in an upcoming issue:jon.gingerich@odwyerpr.comOʼDwyerʼs 2012 Directory of PR Firms gives you quick access to large, medium-sized,and small PR firms and even experienced freelancers who work out of their homes.1,600 firms are listed. 7,000 clients are cross-indexed. O’Dwyer’s directory is the only placeyou can look up a company and determine its outside counsel.Listed firms have expertise in:• Public Relations• Social Media• Branding• Investor Relations• Employee Communications• Internet PR• Product Publicity• Crisis Communications• Integrated Marketing• Corporate Advertising• Lobbying• Proxy Solicitation• International PRO’Dwyer’sDirectory ofPR Firms hasbrought billionsof dollars inbusiness toPR firmsSign-up online at odwyerpr.com or call toll free: 866/395-7710