He is being inducted into the Colorado Blacks Hall of Fame Saturday, joining the likes of Wellington Webb, Penfield Tate, and Daddy Bruce Randolf.
Month: January 2008
Top PR Gaffes of 2007
Bruce Goldberg’s column in this week’s Denver Business Journal includes a list of the Top PR Gaffes from Story + Welch’s Jeremy Story. On the list are The Cartoon Network, Microsoft, J&J and Boulder’s own John Mackey. If you are not a subscriber, the list is on his blog here.
Hey KOA, I Hear Scott Cortelyou’s Salary Demands are Quite Low
One of the great truths in Corporate America is that any memo from management that begins, “I know you are keenly aware that the economy is a major issue facing our country” is going to suck. And the good folks at Clear Channel Communications (CCC) — KOA, KHOW, KBPI, KRFX, KTCL, KBCO, KKZN and KFMD — are learning that lesson firsthand. CCC Market Manager Lee Larsen is softening the ground with employees now, so if you were planning to pitch any of your friendly local radio news anchors/producers, you’d better hurry. And then point them to The Jump.
The 48th Street Journal?
Rupert Murdoch plots to move The Wall Street Journal from Lower Manhattan to a News Corp. building in Midtown.
Edelman Releases 2008 ‘Trust Barometer’ Report
The report is here, and Bela Lugosi look-a-like Richard Edelman provides context here.
Denver (and Cleveland) PR Jobs
Among those hiring this week are Crocs, Catapult, Arapahoe Library District, Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee, Passantino Andersen Communications, Western Resource Advocates and the Cleveland Clinic (yes, the one in Cleveland. No, we’re not sure why its being advertised here either.)
‘Preparing to Launch’
Having finally dumped its interminable “14 Days to Launch” banner, the VisiTech Web site has retreated and now is in week 2 of “Preparing to Launch.” And this is a tech agency?
And before you get smug, Pete Webb, we’ve noticed that you’ve been without a real Web site for a couple of months. Remember the good old days when companies created a new Web site and then pulled down the old one to replace it?
Upcoming Events
- Flint Whitlock and flack emeritus Terry Barnhart will discuss their new book, “Capt. Jepp and the Little Black Book: How Barnstormer and Aviation Pioneer Elrey B. Jeppesen Made the Skies Safer for Everyone” at noon this Thursday at the Denver Press Club.
- Ex-LeGrand Hart employees are planning a “reunion” at 6 p.m. this Thursday at The Corner Office Bar.
- The True Spin Conference, which bills itself as bringing together “flacks from progressive advocacy groups around the country to exchange ideas and learn new and creative PR tactics runs this Thursday and Friday at the Curtis Hotel downtown.
- The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Junior Achievement are sponsoring the Colorado Business Hall of Fame black-tie dinner at 6 p.m. on February 7 at the Marriott City Center.
- PRSA and Qwest are sponsoring an event titled “Tackling Tough Hits: Notoriously Anti-PR Journalists Share Breakthrough Pitching Tips” at 11 a.m. on February 14. No word yet on who the journalists are, but the other details are here.
Stephen Baldwin to the Rescue … (Has Anyone Ever Said That Before?)
Crocs’ SolesUnited program, which recycles and distributes old Crocs in impoverished countries, will be featured on this week’s episode of Celebrity Apprentice (Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC). The celebrities will create an awareness campaign for the company’s charity program. Because when your stock price has fallen 63 percent over the past three months, who better than Stephen Baldwin, Gene Simmons and Marilu Henner to develop the marketing strategy to turn things around.
Great Moments in Journalism … I
Okay … If We All Agree Not to Renew, It Might Be Free by Summer
If you have been dragging your feet on renewing your online subscription to the Wall Street Journal because Rupert Murdoch had been hinting that it might soon become free, prepare to be disappointed. Not only will it not be free, but the online subscription cost is expected to increase starting in March. Read the details at the WSJ (and note the irony that this article was free to the general public).
Graffiti Removal Hotline
Colorado Education Lobby Unveils Viral Video Campaign
Great Education Colorado is launching a series of what it hopes will become viral videos to create awareness for the lack of funding for public education in our state. Among the facts they are highlighting: Colorado is well below the national average in student-teacher ratios and funding per pupil. Watch the first video and sign the petition to encourage greater funding here.
Fortune Finds 2 Colorado Companies Among Best 100 to Work For
Fortune has released its annual rankings of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, and two Colorado-based companies — CH2M Hill and PCL Construction Enterprises — made the list.
Layoffs and Downtown Rents Both Go Up
More than 5,000 Coloradans filed for unemployment benefits due to mass layoffs last year, and approximately half of those received their pink slips in the fourth quarter. With those kind of numbers, you would think office rents would be stable or decline slightly. But rents in downtown Denver actually rose 26 percent in 2007, which represented the nation’s seventh largest jump.
Chipotle Looks to New York for Lead Advertising Firm
Chipotle has dropped Boulder-based TDA as its lead advertising agency, replacing it with New York City-based DeVito/Verdi.
Post Editor: Stop Gossiping About the Rocky Shutting Down
The rumors sweeping through the Denver Post yesterday speculated that the Rocky Mountain News is in such dire shape that it will either shut down or move to an online-only format soon. How pervasive were the rumors? So much so that Post editor Greg Moore had to distribute a memo to staff telling them to knock it off.
Students Fear CSU/Gannett Deal Would Erode Independence
Rumors in Fort Collins have media conglomerate Gannett discussing a partnership or even acquisition of the Colorado State University student newspaper, the Rocky Mountain Collegian.
‘They died doing what they loved to do — they were drinking, they were (driving) fast and they were together’
The Boulder Daily Camera is taking heat for its article covering the spectacularly horrible car crash that killed three men who were in their early twenties. Westword has the details on reader reaction that accuses the paper of glorifying the men’s behavior, including this quote:
“The thing that really makes me feel much better about this is they died doing what they loved to do — they were drinking, they were going fast and they were together,” (one of the dead men’s sister) said. “It gives me comfort, it does, to know those three things.”
UPDATE: The Boulder Daily Camera editor responded to the readers’ reactions.
Unleash the Inner “American Gladiator”
No one is tougher than PR pros, and here is your chance to prove it. NBC will be on the CU-Boulder campus on Feb. 2 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) auditioning contestants for the new American Gladiators.
Whole Foods Dumps Single-Use Plastic Grocery Bags
Whole Foods announced it will only offer customers 100-percent recyclable paper grocery bags, in a move designed to bolster the company’s green credentials. The Boulder Daily Camera reports, “As part of the effort to cut out single-use plastic bags — which are petroleum based and can take more than 1,000 years to break down in a landfill — Whole Foods stores will sell canvas bags and a new reusable plastic sack for 99 cents.”
Turner PR Lands Two New High-End Resort Clients
Turner PR has added two new high-end resort and real-estate clients, Viceroy Anguilla and Viceroy Mayakoba, to its client roster. Turner PR will build the Viceroy brand and create greater visibility for the two communities using strategic media relations programs.
Denver PR Jobs
Among the Denver-area companies hiring this week are Catapult, Turner PR, Children’s Hospital, Colorado Veterinary Medical Foundation, Comcast, Denver Business Journal, Kaiser, MX Logic and Noodles & Company.
From The Kenney Group to the Colorado Crush?
The Rocky Mountain News profiles former Mullen High School and University of Miami Quarterback Ryan Clement as he takes what may be his last chance at playing pro football. Clement, who earned a law degree, currently works for The Kenney Group, a Denver firm that specializes in strategic political and government communications services.
KUSA/Channel 9’s Kirk Montgomery Inks 4-Year Deal
KUSA/Channel 9 entertainment reporter Kirk Montgomery has turned down an out-of-town job offer and instead re-upped with the NBC affiliate for four years. He hopes to expand his role to include hosting a show on KUSA’s sister station, My20. Now if someone could explain to us how he won Westword’s “Best Hair on a TV Personality.“
DIA to Offer Carbon Offsets to Flyers
Denver International Airport hopes to have carbon-offset kiosks installed by August to help guilty flyers feel better about the environmental effects of their travels. Under the plan, passengers could input their flight information to calculate how much in offsets would be required to erase their carbon footprint.
Colorado Lags in Venture Capital Growth
Venture capital investments in Colorado dropped by almost $100 million in 2007, according to a David Milstead piece in the Rocky Mountain News. The 15 percent Colorado decline runs counter to the national trend of a 10 percent increase in venture capital funding.
3M Campaign Puts its Money Where its Mouth is
BusinessWire: Lost in MySpace?
BusinessWire is sponsoring a free Webinar (Friday, Jan. 25, at 11 a.m.) on how to apply Web 2.0 tactics to press releases. According to BusinessWire, “You’ll learn how to ‘Digg’ your releases (and if you even should), how to save them on del.icio.us, and get them into an RSS feed — all in the quest of maximizing Google juice.” Get more information and register here.
The “Broomfield Chamber Serving Broomfield and the Greater Broomfield Area” Was Their Second Choice
“The Chamber Serving the Broomfield Area” has officially changed its name to “the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce” to, in the words of its president Jennifer Kerr, “make it more identifiable as a Broomfield organization.” Local print shops specializing in business cards and letterhead reportedly applauded the brilliant decision.
NBC’s Russert to Be Honored with DPC’s Damon Runyon Award
The Denver Press Club will honor NBC political analyst Tim Russert with its 14th annual Damon Runyon award. The banquet is Sunday, April 13, at the Denver Marriott City Center. Tickets presumably are going fast and can be found here.
Target Ad Offers Surprising Bullseye
Target has a reputation as being slightly upscale and wholesome, so many were surprised when the store’s traditional target logo featured an unexpected bullseye (see below). But what would have likely been an under-the-radar issue exploded when Target dissed a complaint from a blogger, citing its policy of “not participating with non-traditional media outlets.” Ouch.
Greeley’s Finest Leaves them Gasping
You know the National Western Stock Show officially is underway when a Greeley bumpkin throws out the first embarrassing racial remark. And extra points for doing it in a venue that allowed Mayor Hickenlooper, Gov. Ritter and Sen. Salazar to all race to the nearest reporter to denounce the comments.
PR Week Salary Survey
PR Week’s annual Salary Survey is underway, and you can participate here. The survey provides an interesting benchmark for public relations practitioners on both the corporate and agency sides. Results will be released on Feb. 25.
PR Newswire Fires Staffer for Offensive Slugline
A PR Newswire staff member was fired for using “loony bin rally” as the slugline on a press release announcing a Mental Health Association rally. Gawker offers some perspective.
Recent PR Moves
- Crocs named Shelley Forslund public relations manager. Forslund formerly was with LeGrand Hart.
- SHiFT named Michelle Crisci Shauf (say that three times fast) account supervisor. Shauf joins SHiFT from Anna’s Angels Foundation for Down Syndrome Research. Her resume also includes IBM, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Ernst & Young.
- The Cherry Creek Arts Festival named R. Tony Smith business and communications director. Smith formerly was finance and operations director for the festival.
- Celestial Seasonings named Michael A. Bloom vice president of marketing. Bloom joins Celestial from Nestle.
Schenkein Goes Viral for Stapleton Campaign
PR Week has the details of Schenkein’s viral video campaign for Stapleton. A sample:
Anonymous Blogger Seeks Same
Never underestimate the amount of work and sarcasm that goes into “helping Denver suck less, daily.” To help shoulder the load, The Denver Egotist is looking for a few good co-bloggers.
Bronson Hilliard Finds Yet Another ‘Teachable Moment’ at CU
If you have any pro bono PR work left in your budget, you might want to give Buffalo Chip a call.
Editors of ‘The Onion’ Coming to Boulder, Denver
Get drunk with the editors of The Onion on your to-do list? Good news! They will be in Denver and Boulder in late January for an audience discussion and book-signing for their latest work, Our Dumb World: The Onion’s Atlas of the Planet Earth, Seventy-Third Edition. And the Denver event includes a 21+ after party where they are sure to answer the questions you so desperately want to ask (What’s The Onion?, Why don’t you ever use any of the press releases I send you?, Do you mind picking up the tab tonight?, etc.)
Boulder Event
Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m.
Old Main building on the University of Colorado Campus
Contact: Jon Bennett at (303) 492-6165
Denver Event
Thursday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m.
Neighborhood Flix Cinema & Cafe (co-hosted by The Tattered Cover Bookstore)
2510 East Colfax Ave. in Denver
Contact: (303) 777-3549
After Party (21+) at Rockbar, 3015 East Colfax Ave. in Denver
Linhart, WhiteWave Finalists for PR Week Awards
PR Week announced the finalists for the 2008 PR Week Awards this morning. Congratulations to Linhart PR for being a finalist for the “Small PR Agency of the Year,” and to WhiteWave Foods for being a finalist for the “Crisis or Issues Management Campaign of the Year.”
Coors’ Lawyers Working Overtime on Super Bowl PR Campaign
The Denver Post has the latest on Coors’ consumer-generated content campaign tied to the Super Bowl (previous post is here). Apparently the Coors lawyers are working overtime to try to prevent another public relations debacle.
Post, News Report Circulation Drops of 12 Percent
The Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News reported sharp declines in their paid circulation, largely due to a cutback in their practice of distributing free or sharply discounted copies to boost sales numbers, according to the Denver Business Journal.
Winter X Games ‘Rumor Alert’
How do you break through the clutter when promoting an annual event that has lost some of the general public’s (and the media’s) attention? You aggressively respond to intriguing rumors about the event. What if no one is spreading rumors about you? No problem. Become a one-stop shop to create, spread and respond to the rumors.
Changes at Factory Design Labs
Tracy McInnes has been promoted to president of Factory Design Labs, effective immediately. Before joining Factory in 2005, McInnes was at Karsh & Hagan Communications and Young & Rubicam in Chicago.
Coors Super Bowl Campaign Uses Consumer-Generated Content
PR Week has the details of Coors’ latest campaign.
’14 Days to Launch?’
Would someone please wake up the IT staff at VisiTech? The unveiling of their Web site redesign has been “14 days” away for weeks now.
Staff Departures Continue at Post, Rocky
Westword has the latest scoop on the continued departures of staff from the Post and Rocky. Among them:
- Julia C. Martinez, reporter, Denver Post
- Ivan Moreno, reporter, Rocky Mountain News
- Fernando Quintero, reporter, Rocky Mountain News
- Sarah Huntley, assistant city editor, Rocky Mountain News
Turner PR Continues to Grow
Turner PR has announced three new hires and a promotion:
- Amanda Conti joins as an account executive; she previously worked at New York boutique firms Marina Maher Communications and Bratskeir & Company.
- BrieAnn Fast and Jordan Blakesley have been hired as account coordinators. Both join Turner from LeGrand Hart.
- Jill Neumann has been promoted to writer/research analyst.
EchoStar Wins CES ‘Best of Show’ Award
EchoStar won a “Best of Show” award at CES for its TR-50 High Definition DVR. EchoStar’s press release is here.
Upset Brewing …
The Denver Post’s Bill Husted pulls ahead of the Rocky’s Penny Parker in the “Most 2008 Wendy Aiello Mentions” horse race this morning. Sure, he tried to sneak it by us by referring to her as Wendy DeHaven, but we all know who she is. To date, that puts Husted on pace for a staggering 67 “Wendy” mentions in 2008; Parker, who was the heavy favorite to win the award, is only on pace for 33.
Upcoming Events
“The Fine Art of Small Talk” — Register here to attend the PRSA Colorado event offering a refresher course on “carrying on a simple conversation.” As a side note, are there really people who need this class? And if someone is so inept that they can’t carry on a “simple conversation,” is one class going to help? January 16 at the Curtis Hotel, $45.
“DBJ Book of Lists Awards Luncheon” — Register here to attend the Denver Business Journal’s annual luncheon celebrating its Book of Lists. “Generation Why?” expert Eric Chester keynotes. January 24 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, $70.
“True Spin Conference” — Register here to attend the conference that brings together “flacks from progressive advocacy groups around the country to exchange ideas and learn new and creative PR tactics.” January 31-February 1 at the Curtis Hotel, $350.
Ex-LeGrand Hart Employees Plan Reunion
Word on the street is that ex-LeGrand Hart employees are planning a “reunion” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31, at The Corner Office Bar.
ManiaTV Dumps Denver
After laying off nearly a quarter of its Colorado employees last week, ManiaTV announced it is relocating to Los Angeles.
Shares of Newspaper Publishers Fall To 52-Week Low
According to the Associated Press, shares of several newspaper publishers fell to 52-week lows following a Goldman Sachs report downgrading forecasted advertising revenues. Expect continued pressure on local media to cut jobs, especially at the Denver Post.
“Pssst … Ogilvy Clients Are Good. Pass It On.”
Ogilvy demonstrated it is taking buzz-marketing seriously by becoming the first PR agency to “formally partner” with word-of-mouth network BzzAgent. The deal will give Ogilvy “special rates and preferred slotting” for the firm’s campaigns.
If a news anchor says something, but no one is there to hear it …
The Rocky Mountain News reports that Comcast begins carrying the Fox Business Network (channel 130) in Denver today. Before you start pitching clients for it, you may want to be aware that no one is actually watching the channel.
Ride ‘Em, Chipotle
The Denver Egotist has a post about how Chipotle accidentally discovered an ad campaign that has resonated well with the gay community. Never underestimate the power of being edgy … or the fight clients will give you to avoid being edgy.
Any pictures of Matt Wagner in a Speedo?
Carmichael Lynch Spong’s Matt Wagner was co-organizer of the 2008 Polar Plunge at the Boulder Reservoir. Pictures of the event that benefitted Alzheimer’s research are here.
Report Says Colorado Falling Behind in the Region
A new economic development report released yesterday by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. indicates that Colorado is falling behind other states in our region due to a lack of investment in higher education, transportation and health care. The risk, according to the report, is that lucrative, high-paying jobs may land in Utah and New Mexico rather than Colorado, limiting future growth in our state. Coverage today of the report is in the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post.
Denver’s Tech Crowd Heads to Vegas
Denver Post technology reporter Kimberly Johnson is blogging from CES in Las Vegas this week, as is Jeff Smith at the Rocky Mountain News. Both can expect to see a number of fellow Denverites from tech companies such as Case Logic, Hopscotch and Pentax Imaging, as well as from tech agencies such as VisiTech.
Chalk One Up for Linhart
Jandie Jams Music co-founder Julie Scott gives a shout out to Linhart PR for its public relations work.
Denver PR Jobs
Among the Denver agencies hiring this week are 104 West, Catapult, GroundFloor Media, VisiTech and Peter Webb.
PR Week: Who to Watch in 2008
PR Week offers its annual “Who to Watch” list for 2008. Agencies to watch: Burson-Marstellar, PBN, Levick Strategic Communications, Bite Communications and A&R Edelman.
Staff Cuts Continue at KMGH/Channel 7
KMGH/Channel 7 sportscaster Steve Gottsegen was let go after nearly a decade, part of a larger round of staff cuts at the ABC affiliate.
VolumePR Helping Launch NASCAR Candy Bar
If you have ever wanted to combine your twin loves of NASCAR and candy bars, nirvana is a mere six days away. Thursday, Jan. 10, is the official launch date for Dale Earnhardt Jr’s “Big Mo” candy bar. Denver-based VolumePR is handling the public relations for the launch.
MGA’s Julin Takes Helm of National PRSA
MGA Communications President Jeff Julin has started his one-year term as chairman and CEO of PRSA.
What is the Paparazzi Rate at JW Marriott?
This news may interest you if your agency represents celebrities … or if your law firm represents train-wrecks.
Aiello, Redux
Denver Post columnist Bill Husted recaps his gossip highlights of 2007, and Wendy Aiello is the only flack to make the list. The Denver PR Blog over/under on Bill Husted’s “Wendy” mentions in 2008 is a mere five, considerably fewer than certain other Denver columnists.
Triangulating the McClain Finlon Layoffs
The Denver Egotist has the latest rumored number — somewhere near 75, which is more in line with the percentage of business that Qwest represented. Previous ballpark estimates had placed the number of layoffs at more than 100 and as high as 120.
CLS Acquires Wyoming-based Stanwood & Partners
Looks like Gwin Johnston‘s competition for the Wyoming PR market just got a bit tougher.
Who will be the King of Denver PR?
We are a little more than three weeks away from the release of the Denver Business Journal’s 2007-2008 Book of Lists. As we get ready to see which agencies grew and which contracted, here’s a recap of 2006-2007 DBJ Book of Lists rankings:
- GBSM, $2.62 million (2005 gross income)
- Schenkein, $2.61 million
- JohnstonWells, $2.40 million
- Linhart, $2.18 million
- Pure Brand, $2.14 million
- GroundFloor , $2.10 million
- LeGrand Hart, $2.09 million
- PRACO, $2.07 million
- MGA, $2.06 million
- CTA, $1.50 million
- Peter Webb, $1.33 million
- Wall+Aiello, $1.14 million
- Alyn-Weiss, $1.10 million
- Turner, $1.10 million
- CLS, $1.08 million
- Metzger, $1.05 million
- VisiTech, $1.05 million
- InterMountain, $1.01 million
- Corporate Advocates, $0.88 million
- Catapult, $0.80 million
Note: While these figures appeared in the 2006-2007 DBJ Book of Lists, the data used was from a year earlier.
Penny Parker on Pace for 365 “Wendy Aiello” Mentions in 2008
Rocky Mountain News columnist Penny Parker‘s love affair with “PR princess” Wendy Aiello continues. Denver PR Blog has set the over/under on Penny’s “Wendy” mentions at 25 for the year.
Denver Public Relations Blog 