Mobile Version Subscribe Issue Archive Contact Us About Us Advertise

May 05, 2003 Issue of PRWeek

Neuman hired by CARE as Iraq relief activities resume

ATLANTA: CARE, one of the world's largest private humanitarian groups and a major force in Iraqi relief, has named Debra Gottheimer Neuman its new SVP ...

Impact of art illustrated before Dallas vote

DALLAS: Supporters of the arts performed PR pirouettes in Dallas recently in an attempt to convince voters that there's money in Mozart, and revenue in ...

Burson introduces tool for analyzing web crisis comms

NEW YORK: Many corporations, particularly those in the throes of a crisis, fail to understand the power of their website as a way to communicate. ...

Brunswick's Smith opts to open firm for Russian clients

LONDON: Martin Smith, former partner at the Brunswick Group, has established his own firm, West Bridge Consulting. The firm will be focused primarily on reputation ...

PR vets launch new firm Brown & Raleigh

SAN FRANCISCO: Jeff Raleigh and Mike Brown are putting the "senior" back in "senior consultants" with a new agency.

IL governor draws ire over poll's language

Springfield, IL: Opponents of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich are heaping scorn on his efforts to use a public-opinion poll to demonstrate voter support for his ...

Cone to help AHA build ties with private corporations

BOSTON: The American Heart Association (AHA) has hired cause-related marketing specialist Cone to help augment and strengthen its corporate partnerships.

Promotions group formed to get EMI artists on the radio

LOS ANGELES: EMI Recorded Music North America has started a centralized radio-promotion unit aimed at generating airplay for niche EMI artists across different radio formats. ...

Secret Service interest advances Marlins' 10th anniversary PR plan

MIAMI: It's not every day that a PR campaign leads to a visit by the Secret Service. But that's what happened because of a 10th ...

Titan to help Cherokees in OK casino expansion plan

CATOOSA, OK: Cherokee Nation Enterprises (CNE) CEO David Stewart has announced plans for a $60 million expansion of its gaming operations in Oklahoma. CNE has ...

Worldcom decides against changing telecom-like name

Santa Clara, CA: WorldCom the phone company may have changed its name to MCI, but the Worldcom Public Relations Group has decided to keep its ...

Virgin campaign trying to bring back music's singles

LOS ANGELES: As part of an effort to spark lagging retail music sales, Virgin Entertainment is mounting a campaign to revive a music format many ...

Environmental PA practice opens in Golin's DC outpost

Washington: Golin/Harris International is launching an environmental public affairs practice based in its DC office. The group has already nabbed the US Green Building Council ...

Esselte hires Ruder Finn for global push

STAMFORD, CT: Office-supply manufacturer Esselte has selected Ruder Finn to implement a global PR program.

AMA looks for support of patients in liability reform

LOS ANGELES: As part of its ongoing effort to promote medical-liability reform, the American Medical Association (AMA) has launched a grassroots PR campaign targeted at ...

News briefs

Edelman picked to help honor UNICEF star ambassadors

LOS ANGELES: The US Fund for UNICEF has chosen the LA office of Edelman to promote the upcoming 50th anniversary of its Celebrity Goodwill Ambassador ...

Salt Lake Tribune lays out facts about Smart story

SALT LAKE CITY: The Salt Lake Tribune held little back last week in explaining to its readers a journalistic scandal that cost two reporters their ...

NYSE explains investigation after Journal stories pile up

NEW YORK: Under scrutiny after several Wall Street Journal stories reported on what appeared to be a budding scandal, the NYSE fought back by posting ...

Nasdaq agrees to push Market Wire as top preference

NEW YORK: The Nasdaq Stock Market has entered into a pact with LA-based Market Wire that will see the stock market promote the company as ...

Cohn quits GCI with two principals for new $1.5m agency

ATLANTA: Bob Cohn, founder of Cohn & Wolfe, has resigned as chairman of GCI Group Atlanta, and is opening a new agency this week.

Real-time finance outlets announce news partnership

NEW YORK: Three financial-news providers last week announced a partnership designed to provide a more affordable alternative to business newswires like Reuters, Bloomberg, and Dow ...

Cruise industry sets up protocols for SARS

WASHINGTON: The cruise industry adopted strict new guidelines last week to insulate their ships, passengers, and reputation from the international outbreak of severe acute respiratory ...

Wal-Mart takes on media as lawsuit picks up steam

Bentonville, AR: Wal-Mart has gone on the PR offensive as it faces what could become the largest employee discrimination suit ever filed in the US.

DuPont conducts online auction as part of full-service agency review

Wilmington, DE: At least two PR firms are playing a role in the unusual full-service agency review currently underway at chemical company DuPont.

Coke consolidates its domestic PR units

ATLANTA: Coca-Cola has merged its corporate and North America communications functions as part of the continued integration of its domestic operating units. According to Bill ...

Ben & Jerry's taps M. Booth for media outreach initiative

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT: Ben & Jerry's has appointed M. Booth & Associates as its PR agency of record to carry out media relations for new ...

American Legacy Foundation review down to four firms

WASHINGTON: The American Legacy Foundation (ALF) is entering the final stages of its agency review. Five shops were invited to give capabilities presentations in the ...

EDITORIAL: Companies that stubbornly fail to admit in-house problems are true PR knuckleheads

Good PR work will not always get a company out of a mess. But it can help expedite healing from the reputational damage, both internally ...

OP-ED: Don't underestimate advocacy groups' media influence

One thing I've learned over the years is that many corporate PR departments underestimate the power of advocacy groups, resulting in situations that are far ...

ANALYSIS: Wi-fi looks to create lasting connection with the public

Creating initial buzz for wi-fi was easy. The real PR challenge lies in avoiding over-hype while ensuring the new technology's staying power with consumers.

PAUL HOLMES: The intensifying scrutiny over CEO severance packages is a topic PR pros must eye closely

Want to get rich quick in corporate America? Sure, you could work to build a world-class company, increase shareholder value, and eventually reap the rewards. ...

CORPORATE CASE STUDY: Internal voices combine to deliver Oracle's message

Frustrated at how poorly Oracle was being treated in the media, CEO Larry Ellison gave the green light to expanding the company's PR efforts to ...

MEDIA WATCH: Trial by media gets underway with arrest of Scott Peterson

The Laci Peterson case has been widely covered by the media since her Christmas Eve disappearance. Even so, the mid-April identification of her remains and ...

MEDIA ROUNDUP: Growing teen sector finding room for more than fluff

As competition in the teen space heats up with established magazines trying teen versions, more PR opportunities arise - even for serious subjects like politics ...

MEDIA PROFILE: A distinct look at corporate America is DiversityInc's bottom line

DiversityInc focuses on diversity's impact on business results, not feel-good stories. As such, the new title has no patience for hype, and only considers precise ...

PROFILE: Grabowski takes back seat in GMA's lauded PR team

By giving his staff near autonomy, Grocery Manufacturers of America's VP of comms Gene Grabowski has raised the group's PR efficiency while freeing himself up ...

Give and take

Even in the current climate, corporate philanthropy has not waned. But a more strategic approach to giving is adding greater business value to efforts.

MARKET FOCUS: Scaling the resume mountain

The biggest challenge for both job seekers and recruiters is the sheer volume of applications to overcome.

PR TECHNIQUE: Communicating the departure of senior execs

When the senior management of a company leaves (or is forced out), keeping employees informed so they can continue to do their jobs is top ...

CAMPAIGNS: Sun-Times pushes Red Streak out to Windy City's youth

PR Team: PR21 (Chicago) and the Chicago Sun-Times (Chicago) Campaign: Red Streak launch Time Frame: October-December 2002 Budget: $12,000

CAMPAIGNS: FreshDirect public outreach registers a hit in NYC market

PR Team: FreshDirect (New York) and The MacKenzie Agency (New York) Campaign: Launch of FreshDirect Time Frame: January-September 2002 and ongoing Budget: $1 million (total annual marketing budget)

CAMPAIGNS: Watch line yields timely results for lymphoma grant

PR Team: Presents for Purpose (New York) Campaign: Time to Cure Grant Time Frame: Spring 2002 - ongoing Budget: Approximately $2,500

THE PUBLICIST: Universal gets a big hand for its Hulking promotion efforts

After my April 21 column on Disneyland's PR operation, a member of the opposite camp asked me why I hadn't checked out the Universal Studios ...

PR PLAY OF THE WEEK: Blue Jays have just the ticket for SARS fears

TORONTO: Outside the Far East, no other city has been more consumed by SARS-induced fears than Toronto. It didn't help matters when the World Health ...

TOY BOX: LightWedge is a bright idea for readers

I tested the LightWedge in our windowless boardroom with the lights turned off. Perhaps it was the contrast between the pitch-black room and the white ...

BOOK REVIEW: Outing Nazi internal comms mistakes

What Hitler Knew explores internal communications in Nazi Germany's foreign policy establishment in the years prior to WWII. Broken lines of internal communications produced uninformed ...