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November 11, 2002 Issue of PRWeek

PA officers make their case as Army considers privatizing PR work

WASHINGTON: The US Army is considering a proposal to privatize more than 200,000 jobs, a move that could displace thousands of public affairs officers worldwide ...

Golin/Harris wrenches Visa USA account from Ketchum

SAN FRANCISCO: Visa USA has selected Golin/Harris International as its new agency of record, severing its ties with longstanding AOR Ketchum.

BSA taps Dittus for ongoing fight with film lobby groups

WASHINGTON: Dittus Communications emerged as the tech industry's choice last week to lead the fight against Hollywood and its continuing campaign to pre-empt internet movie ...

PRWeek adds new speakers for first pharma congress

NEW YORK: New speakers have been added to the roster of PRWeek's first healthcare conference, Pharma's PR Diagnosis.

CEOs report greater reliance on comms

NEW YORK: Facing intense media scrutiny and regulatory challenges, CEOs in the US are spending more time on both internal and external communications than they ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Hoffman Agency

SAN JOSE, CA: Former HP external communications director Judy Radlinsky has joined the Hoffman Agency as a VP. She will help enhance Hoffman's corporate PR ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Golin/Harris signs agreement

CHICAGO: Golin/Harris International has signed an affiliation agreement with Perception Management, making the firm its Malaysian affiliate. The two firms will provide referrals for each ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Appointment at MultiVu

NEW YORK: MultiVu, PR Newswire's broadcast company, has appointed Marc Newman to the position of divisional VP. Based in Dallas, he will be responsible for ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Warschawski named agency of record

BALTIMORE: Warschawski Public Relations has been named the agency of record for Under Armour Performance Apparel, the official supplier of performance apparel to Major League ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Synaptics retains Edelman

SAN JOSE, CA: Synaptics has retained Edelman Public Relations Worldwide for PR services. Edelman's Silicon Valley office will help shape PR programs for Synaptics, a ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: AuctionPay selects Maxwell PR

LAKE OSWEGO, OR: AuctionPay, an electronic payment processing company that helps nonprofit organizations meet auction fundraising goals, has selected Maxwell PR as its AOR. Maxwell ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Appointment at Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)

CHICAGO: The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has hired Anita Liskey as its director of corporate communications. Liskey will oversee media relations, broadcast and financial/shareholder communications ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Porter Novelli to extend brands

BELLEVUE, WA: Fullplay Media Systems has selected Porter Novelli to extend the company's brand and increase awareness of its products. Fullplay designs embedded software and ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Strauss Radio opens New York office

NEW YORK: Strauss Radio Strategies, a DC-based firm founded by former Clinton radio director Richard Strauss, has opened an office in New York City. The ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Appointment at Kupper Parker Communications

ST LOUIS: Kupper Parker Communications has hired Christy Newland as MD of its Louisville office. Newland will work with healthcare clients such as Pharmacia and ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Appointment at Wilhelm & Conlon Public Strategies

CHICAGO: Heather Shadur has become an MD at Wilhelm & Conlon Public Strategies, a public affairs consulting firm. Shadur had been working on fundraising for ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Travers Collins selected for PR

BUFFALO, NY: Travers Collins & Company has been selected to handle all advertising and PR in support of One Summerlong Sensation, the collaborative Buffalo-Niagara tourism-promotion ...

Ziff Davis pitches PR pros to help up recognition of titles

NEW YORK: In a reversal of roles, PR firms are finding themselves on the receiving end of a pitch from a magazine publisher.

Study shows PR's key role in hi-tech startups' budgets

SAN FRANCISCO: Hi-tech startups spend more on PR than any other marketing channel, according to a new study from hi-tech marketing firm Launch Pad and ...

Jupiter brings on Trylon to raise its media presence

DARIEN, CT: Jupiter Media has selected Trylon Communications to handle its research division's brand development. Prior to hiring the firm, all PR responsibilities were being ...

US Holocaust Museum unveils 10th anniversary PR push

WASHINGTON: The US Holocaust Museum will commemorate its 10th anniversary next year with a worldwide campaign to raise awareness of its mission and its message. ...

Duke takes steps toward shifting focus away from energy trading

CHARLOTTE, NC: Duke Energy's new IRO Greg Ebel is focused on reminding Wall Street about the diversity of the company's energy businesses.

Ozmun leaves PSI to revive own firm

AUSTIN, TX: Kristy Ozmun is reforming her own PR firm after leaving Public Strategies (PSI).

Ford vet resigns to take top SIRVA role

IRVINE, CA: Ford veteran Jim Trainor has resigned as Lincoln Mercury public affairs manager to take a new post in Chicago as VP, PR and ...

NYC campaign to play host to Olympics wins over USOC

NEW YORK: Two years ago, when now-Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff began pushing the idea that New York City should attempt to lure the 2012 Summer ...

AIMR taps Citigate to handle PR in US

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA: The Association for Investment Management and Research has taken on Citigate Communications to handle a mid-six-figure annual US PR assignment. Citigate replaces Fleishman-Hillard, ...

GMA prepares for 2003 comms push

WASHINGTON: The Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA) has hired a new director of communications, Michael Diegel, as it gears up to increase communications with members ...

Raytheon restructuring boosts PR's role

LEXINGTON, MA: Raytheon's recent restructuring has been a boon to its communications department, taking its involvement in the company to unprecedented levels.

EC seeks awareness ahead of expansion

LONDON: The European Commission's UK base will launch a public affairs push next year in a bid to raise awareness of European Union expansion.

Edelman appoints new execs in Asia

HONG KONG: Edelman made three high-level Hong Kong-based appointments in its Asia-Pacific operations last week.

Goodrich gearing up for Asia launch

SINGAPORE: Tire giant Michelin will soon finalize several pitches across Asia-Pacific before it launches US brand BF Goodrich in the region next year.

McDonald's to review PR strategy in UK

LONDON: Fast-food giant McDonald's is reviewing its UK PR strategy with agency hires looming early next year.

Jeffrey Group to help Toshiba small-business unit in Latin America

IRVINE, CA: Toshiba Americas Business Solutions (TABS) has chosen The Jeffrey Group to help promote its business products in Latin American markets.

Beverly hires new VP to help improve company's health

FORT SMITH, AK: Beverly Enterprises, a provider of healthcare for the elderly, has named Blair Jackson VP of corporate communications. He will report to James ...

Blue Cross and Blue Shield to clarify healthcare costs

CHICAGO: As drastic cutbacks within companies has led to employers passing on healthcare costs to employees, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) has embarked ...

Fashion promoter 7th on Sixth to try its NY model in LA

LOS ANGELES: New York fashion-show organizer 7th on Sixth announced last week that it will begin hosting runway shows during LA's fashion weeks, offering more ...

Del Monte selects Bravo as it targets Hispanic markets

SAN FRANCISCO: The Bravo Group has been chosen as the Hispanic agency of record for the Del Monte Foods Company, the largest producer and distributor ...

Toy-industry body offering web quiz to promote safety

NEW YORK: The Toy Industry Association is adding a new twist to its annual holiday toy-safety PR campaign, offering consumers an online toy-safety quiz in ...

Sleep associations seek PR assistance

WASHINGTON: The Better Sleep Council (BSC) and two of its sister associations are in the midst of an expansive search for a new firm - ...

PRSA uses forum to raise its profile in DC

WASHINGTON: The PRSA gathered a handful of foreign-policy experts at the National Press Club October 31 to ponder the causes and effects of rising anti-American ...

Marlins hire RBB for effort to win back fans

MIAMI: The Florida Marlins have hired a Miami-based PR firm, RBB Public Relations, to refurbish its image with South Florida baseball fans.

Eckerd hires Gallagher to push focus on pharmacy

CLEARWATER, FL: Eckerd, a major drug-store chain owned by J.C. Penney, has hired a VP of public relations.

Maybelline makes internal shuffle to push hair-care line

NEW YORK: Maybelline-Garnier has promoted Greta Mendelsohn to be PR director for its Garnier hair-care product line. Formerly a PR manager, Mendelsohn is now responsible ...

McDonald's starts PR push for global kids fundraiser

CHICAGO: McDonald's has begun a major international media effort to publicize World Children's Day at McDonald's on November 20.

EnviroMedia helps website touting energy conservation at the border

AUSTIN, TX: Tuerff-Davis EnviroMedia has helped the Western Governors' Association (WGA) redesign and relaunch a website to help businesses along the US-Mexico border save energy ...

EDITORIAL: PR pros need persistence and conviction to earn a truly significant seat at the CEO table

Respect for the corporate communications function has grown, according to PRWeek's annual CEO Survey, now in its fourth year. But do in-house PR professionals see ...

THOUGHT LEADER: A measurement firm should be part of a company's cadre of outside PR help

Many of you have been there - a communicator afloat in a sea of engineers. It is an ongoing battle against the tide to bridge ...

ANALYSIS: Midsize agencies: Tech firms were noted by absence from HP's roster

HP's decision to consolidate its PR with three big agencies raises the question as to whether midsize tech firms can compete. But size may not ...

PAUL HOLMES: When creating institutional ads, corporations must put more focus on substance over style

Okay, I know product ads can be terrible. Any medium that offers a forum for the McDonald's chicken man or Carrot Top has forfeited the ...

CORPORATE CASE STUDY: WellPoint offers healthy perspective on ailing industry

Embracing the IR-PR convergence and a desire to educate the public about itself and its industry have earned WellPoint something rare in the healthcare sector ...

MEDIA WATCH: Job security at forefront as media stays on AOL Time Warner's Case

Back in September, you couldn't pick up a paper without seeing some headline calling for the removal of AOL Time Warner chairman Steve Case. Coverage ...

MEDIA ROUNDUP: 'Best of' lists prove to be among finest PR avenues

Best-of and other top lists, be they annual or even more frequent, continually grow in both importance and popularity. David Ward looks at some of ...

MEDIA PROFILE: Real Simple's mission is making life easier for its audience

Whether it's sharing everyday tips to make a reader's life easier, or being among the more responsive magazines to PR pitches, two-year-old Real Simple has ...

PROFILE: Sheldon gets down to the boutique business

After two decades in large pharma companies and large PR agencies, Phil Sheldon is embarking on a new PR life at healthcare boutique Lippe Taylor.

MARKET FOCUS: Business publications: Business mags go back to basics

Business titles are being forced to broaden their focus in an age defined by little good news and even smaller ad budgets.

PR TECHNIQUE: New CEO: Telling the press, 'Meet the new boss'

Introducing a company's new CEO to the media is laden with dangers. Aleksandra Todorova digs up tips for avoiding catastrophe.

CAMPAIGNS: Cork industry puts the screws to tainted-wine theory

Fears of 'cork taint' have prompted some winemakers to opt for screw caps. In turn, the cork industry has begun a PR push to tell ...

CAMPAIGNS: Long Island looks to cultivate its vintage reputation

Eric Arnold looks at how the Long Island Wine Council handled the challenge of bringing together local winemakers to help position them as credible successes.

CAREERS: Pandora's Problem Page

Q I do media relations for a wireless telecoms company, and I've developed a very good relationship with the tech editor of a national magazine. ...

CAREERS: MY BIG BREAK - Tracy Yen

Perseverance is the key. In my brief career, I've had a few breaks, but I've been broken just as often.

CAREERS: Where I Work - Lindsey Braem, Account coordinator, Magnet Communications

How long have you been working there? Just over four months.

TALES FROM TINSELTOWN: When ad folks take over a trailer, publicists are left out in the cold

We publicists like to think the most important marketing aspect of a feature-film release is the publicity campaign. It isn't. When it comes to convincing ...

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Stephanie Houser

Meet Stephanie Houser, president of tech boutique agency Digital Clarity.

LAST CALL: PR pro summons up his best barbs in Anna Nicole feud

Court is now in session in the case of David Granoff PR v. Anna Nicole Smith and her lawyer, Howard K. Stern. Granoff, a New ...

LAST CALL: Did Gasparino go hungry due to the Folly of his ways?

Won't anyone sit with Charlie?

LAST CALL: Winona can't get free ride in court of public opinion

As if Winona Ryder's publicists didn't have enough on their plates at the moment, now they've stoked the ire of Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist C. ...

LAST CALL: Clients are swept off of their feet by Eastwick witches

Everyday is Halloween at Eastwick Communications, which sent us this lovely card to mark the firm's favorite holiday. The Redwood City, CA-based firm has also ...