Denver PR Jobs

Among those hiring this week are A Precious Child, Aspen Skiing Company, Ball Corporation, Barokas Public Relations, Catapult PR-IR, Center for Work Education and Employment (CWEE), Clyfford Still Museum, Highlands Ranch Metro District, Investment Management Consultants Association, National Endowment for Financial Education, Penton, Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank, The Denver Post, University of Colorado and University of Denver.

Denver PR Jobs

Among those hiring this week are Ardent Mills, Arkansas Valley Publishing Co., City of Commerce City, Colorado Community Media, Colorado Regional Health Information Organization, Communication Infrastructure Group (internship), CSU College of Engineering, Denver Health, Denver Kids, Echostar, Financial Planning Association, The Fletcher Group (consultant), Level 3, RTD (internship), Summit Professional Networks, University of Colorado at Boulder and Zlux.

BMW Championship Names Volume PR AOR

Volume PR has been selected as the agency of record for the BMW Championship 2014, the PGA Tour FedExCup Playoff event that will be held at Cherry Hills Country Club in September. The agency also is representing the organizing body, The Western Golf Association, and its charity, the Evans Scholars Foundation.

Volume PR also has announced its “Cognitive PR” services that integrate neuromarketing and cognitive science principals with public relations. The services – “Your Master Plan” and “Corporate Fuel” – are available to clients with existing partners or in-house communication teams.

Denver PR Jobs

Among those hiring this week are the E-470 Public Highway Authority, American Rivers, Customer Communications Group, Environment Colorado, Financial Planning Standards Board, Judi’s House, Lockheed Martin, Reuters, SendGrid, SolidFire, The Leadership Program of the Rockies, and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.

Thread Summit Announces Keynote, Panel Speakers

The Thread Summit has announced its list of speakers. Keynote speakers include:

  • Aaron Kennedy, founder of Noodles & Company and chief marketing officer of the state of Colorado
  • Shawn Amos, founder and chief executive officer of Freshwire
  • Jason Lankow, chief executive officer and co-founder of Column Five and author
  • Ben Edwards, vice president global communications and digital marketing for IBM
  • Dave Senay, chief executive officer of FleishmanHillard
  • Helen Clark, head of corporate marketing for Chevron
  • Katherine Yip, chairman and founder of KYG International

Additionally, the conference announced the list of panel participants:

  • Ken Lund, executive director of the Office of Economic Development
  • Ramonna Robinson, president of GroundFloor Media
  • Eric Brown, director of communications for Governor John Hickenlooper
  • Stephanie Donner, Governor John Hickenlooper’s senior deputy legal counsel
  • Jennifer Nealson, chief marketing officer for Denver Center for Performing Arts
  • Perry Evans, founder and chief executive officer of Perch;
  • Marcus Jimenez, founder and chief executive officer of StickyDocs
  • Luella Chavez D’Angelo Chief Communications Officer at Western Union
  • Maril MacDonald, CEO and founder of Gagen MacDonald
  • Bill Myers, vice president of communications, marketing and CSR at DaVita

GBSM Promotes Two

GBSM has promoted Andrea Cunningham and Miles Graham to the position of Senior Associate. Cunningham joined the firm in 2011 and has worked with clients such as RTD, the City and County of Denver, Google, Colorado Children’s Campaign and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado. Graham joined GBSM in 2006 and works with clients including Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Over the River, Delta Dental of Colorado, the Delaware Division of Public Health, Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District and the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network.

Turner PR Named AOR for JayBird

Turner PR has been named public relations agency of record by JayBird, a premium sports brand known for its innovations in the wireless premium headphone category. Turner PR will lead all public relations efforts and work to drive sales and consumer engagement surrounding current and new product categories. The agency also is supporting JayBird’s recent entry into wearable tech following the debut of its Reign wireless activity tracker at the International Consumer Electronics Show this month.

Colorado Poll Finds Tight Budgets Are Elevating Social Media

Tightening budgets are causing Colorado marketing and communications executives to lean more heavily on social media and content marketing , according to a new poll by The Thread Summit and the Business Marketing Association of Colorado (BMA Colorado).

Among the findings:

  • Most senior-level marketers believe social and digital channels are delivering the biggest bang for their marketing buck, followed by public relations activities, sponsorships and advertising.
  • The top three external marketing/communication challenges in 2013 were competition, technology and innovation.
  • LinkedIn is the social media platform used most often to engage with customers, followed by Facebook and Twitter.
  • About half of the respondents indicated “big data/analytics” is of medium importance to them.
  • The favorite marketing buzzwords of 2013 include “content marketing,” “integration” and “engagement.”
  • The least favorite buzzwords from 2013 include “big data,” “social media” and “content marketing.”

Results of the poll are being used to guide themes, speakers and panels at The Thread Summit in Denver, Feb. 19-20, 2014.

Turner PR Acquired by Columbus, Ohio-based Fahlgren Mortine

From the announcement today:

Fahlgren Mortine, one of the nation’s largest independent marketing and communications agencies, and Turner PR, a boutique public relations and digital communications firm, announced today that Fahlgren Mortine acquired Turner PR as a wholly owned subsidiary, effective January 1, 2014. Under the agreement, Turner PR will operate as an independent boutique agency, preserving its brand, leadership, employees, New York and Denver offices, and global client portfolio. Financial terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

CPR Names Open Air’s Corey Jones as Arts Reporter

Corey Jones, previously a host and producer for Colorado Public Radio’s OpenAir, is transitioning to the role of reporter for CPR’s new arts bureau and online arts hub. Jones will cover a wide range of topics including museum exhibits, the theater, concerts and new-music collaborations. He joins Arts Editor Chloe Veltman and fellow arts reporter Ange-Aimee Woods, officially completing the bureau that is funded by a three-year, $900,000 grant from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation.

Early Registration Open for Denver’s Thread Summit

The Thread Summit — hosted in Denver on February 19-20, 2014 — is a unique gathering designed for marketing and communications leaders based in the Rocky Mountain region. This day-and-a-half Summit, features seven distinct, but related modules led by some of our profession’s most respected leaders.

The summit is designed to share ideas, exchange knowledge and build relationships – without having to fly to New York or San Francisco. The agenda is designed to address topics of interest to organizations that are large, medium or small and concepts that are applicable across industry sectors.

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‘Troubleshooter’ Tom Martino Arrested After Allegedly Punching Wife

Tom “The Troublemaker Troubleshooter” Martino was arrested this weekend after allegedly bloodying his wife’s nose with a punch, according to Jordan Steffen at The Denver Post. It apparently has been a tough few months for Martino, who in October was cited for harassment after an incident at a Douglas County restaurant. Prosecutors dismissed that charge, although they may be having second thoughts following this weekend’s events.

CSU Suspends Defensive Line Coach for Anti-Gay Slur

Colorado State University has suspended defensive line coach Greg Lupfer for two weeks without pay for shouting an anti-gay slur at a Washington State player during the teams’ bowl game Saturday. The slur – reported to be “F… you, you f…..” – embarrassed the university when it made headlines nationally. It also took attention away from the team’s dramatic comeback win.

Bawmann Group Adds Seven Clients

The Bawmann Group has added seven new clients: Temple University’s National Responsible Fatherhood Research Network, Detroit’s Frankel Jewish Academy, The Mothers’ Milk Bank, Porter Memorial Hospital, Congregation Bonai Shalom, Community Health Services and Rocky Mountain Gastroenterology Associates. TBG’s work includes brand development, website creation, advertising, marketing, PR, social media and community engagement.

2013 PR Disasters – The Finalists

I will be joining April Zesbaugh on 850 KOA tomorrow morning to share my official list of the year’s biggest PR disasters, but in the meantime here is the list of finalists:

Cinemark re-opens the Aurora Shooting theater despite protests from families of the victims.

CBS apologizes after football commentator Brent Musburger, who is approximately 120 years old, ogles a college coed on national TV.

“So, are you a duplicitous liar or just the world’s biggest chump?” is a tough question to answer. Just ask Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o.

Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong finally admits using PEDs and lying to the world for years.

Subway claims that “footlong” was never intended to imply a specific length when it is sued for subs that don’t quite measure up to their name.

The Boy Scouts of America manage to piss off everyone by punting on a decision to allow gay scouts instead of just ripping off the band-aid one way or another.

When courtroom battles don’t go their way, CBS executives get even with Dish Network’s ad-skipping DVR technology the old-fashioned way: passive aggressively.

Amazon is forced to apologize and pull T-shirts with the slogan, “Keep Calm and Rape a Lot.”

Gallows humor in the public relations world holds that there is no bad situation that you can’t make worse, and Rutgers University proved this point this spring.

Media coin the term “Poop Cruise” to describe the latest tragecomedy that is a Carnival cruise.

Harvard is caught snooping on faculty members’ email accounts.

CNN offers sympathy for convicted rapists whose “promising futures” were stunted by the convictions.

Google chooses to honor Cesar Chavez instead of the Easter holiday. FoxNews goes bitchcakes.

The Pac-12 Conference’s head of officiating puts a bounty on one of its coaches, then tries hard not to resign.

Butter-laden recipes and down-home charm weren’t the only Old South affectations celebrity chef Paula Deen used.

Who knew a reality show about a bunch of rural West Virginia hillbillies could go so wrong? Clearly not MTV.

Dear Reebok: Vicarious street cred can turn on you. Quickly.

CNN‘s coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings set a new low for cable news coverage, which is saying something.

If Elvis Dumervil could punch Fax machine buttons as fast as he chases quarterbacks, he’d still be a Denver Bronco.

The Associated Press learns that “password” is a bad password after someone hacks its Twitter account and falsely claims the White House has been bombed.

AOL CEO Tim Armstrong shows the world how tough Donald Trump-wannabes fire someone: live on a conference call with hundreds of other employees.

Fox31 finds out what it feels like when 9News turns its investigative team on you.

If you didn’t already love sorority girls, you will after reading this epic rant from a University of Maryland Delta Gamma.

The Obama Administration: Take your pick of Benghazi, government shutdown, IRS , AP Wiretaps, Obamacare, NSA spying, etc.

JC Penney finds that Hitler is marketing gold when it comes to unloading crappy teapots.

Ohio State President Gordon Gee proves he’s the most interesting college president ever, right up until they made him resign.

Dear Men’s Wearhouse: This is why you don’t let your company chairman star in every commercial you’ve run for decades.

San Francisco’s KTVU and the National Transportation Safety Board fight to see who can look worse after this racist and ridiculous report.

The Denver Broncos front office shows its not just entitled athletes who can make an organization look bad.

Johnny Football became Johnny Autograph.

Rolling Stone reminds everyone it is still publishing by putting the Boston Marathon bomber on its cover.

If Geraldo Rivera can’t convince you that a selfie is a bad idea, nothing will.

Miley Cyrus shows us what a prepubescent girl would look like grinding on a 1940s gangster. You can’t unsee that.

Dear Von Miller: It shouldn’t be this hard to outsmart a guy who collects urine for a living.

The worst PR crises are often self-inflicted, as Barilla Pasta and last-minute-entrant “Duck Dynasty” showed us. Both were unforced errors.

Peter Boyles. Again.

When did the University of Denver start to think it is to college hockey what the University of Alabama is to football?

AIG’s CEO compares criticism of Wall Street bonuses to Jim Crow-era lynchings.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk really is the basis for Tony Stark, judging by his wild, frenzied responses to media questions about the electric car company’s safety.

ESPN reminds us the the “E” stands for “Entertainment” when it pulls out of a documentary examining the devastating effects of concussions after its partner, the NFL, asks it to.

You will never win a PR battle against a blind guy with a cute dog, US Airways.

Timing is everything, a point that was momentarily lost on Connect for Health Colorado’s Patty Fontneau.

GoldieBlox creates a brilliant parody of a Beastie Boys song, then ruins it all by taking it one step too far.

This is not the kind of media coverage retailers like Target want heading into the last shopping weekend before Christmas.

Broncos’ Press Box Named for Saccomano

Congratulations to Denver Broncos Vice President of Communications Jim Saccomano, who had the press box at Sports Authority Field named after him in a ceremony Sunday. Saccomano has been with the Broncos for 36 years, and he will retire at the end of this season.

 

Tributes to Saccomano have been offered by many in the media, the latest from Peter King of CNNSI and NBC Sports:

“I think of all the media-relations professionals I’ve worked with in 30 seasons covering the NFL, none has been more professional than Jim Saccamano…. You always knew who Saccamano worked for, but the mark of a good PR guy—I’ve always thought—is he understands those sent to cover the games have pressures on them, too, to come back with unique takes and insight, and he was always prepared to go as close to the line as he could without going over it to help us do our jobs. I’m grateful for the help he’s been to me, and SI, over the years.”

Boom Adds Two Clients

Boom Broadcast and Media Relations will again assist the March of Dimes Foundation with the announcement of its annual March of Dimes 2013 Premature Birth Report Card. Boom also has added the Joyful Heart Foundation as a pro-bono client to help it launch the NO MORE PSA campaign – a ground-breaking celebrity-driven PSA campaign featuring more than 40 celebrities and public figures saying NO MORE to domestic violence and sexual assault.

Denver PR Jobs

Among those hiring this week are Amelie Company, Catapult PR-IR, Pivot Communication, Boulder County CareConnect, Colorado School of Mines Foundation, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Frontier Airlines, Janus, Jeppesen, Johnson & Wales University, Pinnacol Assurance, Regis University, Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Network, Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, St. Mary Parish and School, The Cable Center, Weld County Government, Xcel Energy, GBSM (intern), Denver Business Journal (intern), Colorado State University (Fort Collins), The (Fort Collins) Coloradoan, Focus on the Family (Colorado Springs), Rocky Mountain Health Care Services (Colorado Springs) and Clovis Media  (New Mexico).

 

Who had it first?

Ben Kunz of Mediassociates took great offense in a Digiday column at having his website plagiarized. In that spirit, I took a look at some Denver area websites, and I quickly found one – Linhart PR – that appears to be the victim of some online theft.

If you need a website, I bet Jennifer Wezensky at JW Public Relations can cobble one together for you pretty quickly.

Linhart Public Relations vs. Indiana’s JW Public Relations

Both firms use: “We realize there aren’t always silver-bullet solutions to client challenges. That’s why we always bring together a mix of services and formulate a customized approach for each client.”

Kismet Promotions vs. Indiana’s JW Public Relations

Both firms use: “In this crowded marketplace, communicating the right message about your business or organization is crucial to building and maintaining a strong brand. It is imperative that you establish meaningful relationships with any audience that impacts your image and business customers, prospective customers, the media, employees, the community and others.”

Sherman Communications & Marketing vs. Indiana’s JW Public Relations

Both firms use: “Positive media coverage lends your business invaluable third-party credibility. Public relations can be one of the most cost-effective means of gaining positive exposure and building your brand.”

SSPR vs. Indiana’s JW Public Relations

Both firms use: “We provide every client with a focused plan to reach the right media and the right target audience. PR is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.”

Evan Carmichael vs. Indiana’s JW Public Relations

Both firms use: “Social media over the Internet has rapidly claimed its place as an essential piece of a public relations campaign. It is the new form of spreading the news by word of mouth. Call it word of web.”

Google News Submit vs. Indiana’s JW Public Relations

Both sites use: “A press release is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of getting your message out when you have something to announce regarding your business. But to be effective, a press release must focus on the most newsworthy, interesting and unique element to emphasize the news angle.”

CPR Adds Digital Editor, Arts Reporter

Colorado Public Radio has added Digital Editor Jay Keller and Arts Reporter Ange-Aimée Woods. 

Keller, who managed the digital assets of some of the country’s top newsrooms including U.S. News & World Report and The Washington Post, will lead the newsroom’s digital expansion, helping CPR launch a more robust online presence and build a four-person digital news team. And Woods will cover all aspects of the Colorado arts and cultural community.She has worked in public radio for almost a decade as both an arts and social media reporter.

Goldberg Leaving the Denver Business Journal

Congratulations to Bruce Goldberg, who is leaving the Denver Business Journal to be the first franchisee of Louisville-based One Business Connection. 1BC operates networking, leads and referral groups in Denver and along the Front Range, which are an alternative marketing chamber of commerce made up of local and national businesses, entrepreneurs and sales professionals sharing referrals, ideas and business expertise.

A farewell event for Bruce will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 8, at the Denver Press Club.

Great Moments in Photojournalism

The last year has been a bloodbath for photojournalists as newspapers across the country continue their cost-cutting measures. But, really, who needs professional photographers when Renaissance men like Chuck Fieldman can snap a photo while also reporting a story?

And can someone please convince the National Press Photographers Association to create an anti-Pulitzer award that recognizes photos taken by reporters like this one?

Castle Pines PR Fight Continues

Castle Pines council member James Einolf figures he earns “about $1.23 an hour making guitars” at his day job, so you can imagine his response to Aguilar Public Relations’ contract that pays the firm $81 an hour.

“I’m sorry, but we’re now paying more for public relations than we’re paying for (our) attorney. … Einolf said in an interview later that he thinks spending the money for a public relations firm ‘is a terrible waste of money.’ Einolf said, ‘These days’ you just need email and good website to communicate.”

Because who knows more about marketing and public relations more than a guy making what the minimum wage was in 1963?

COHN Named AOR, Hires One

COHN has been named agency of record for Centennial-based Playtime, Inc., the largest creator and fabricator of soft play areas found in places like malls, shopping centers, fast food restaurants and aquatic parks.

COHN also announced it has hired Hannah McCaffrey as an account executive. McCaffrey previously was an account manager for Factory Design Labs, and she will support COHN clients Mont Blanc, Brew 1, GoodDrinks, Water Tech and Payreel.

JW Adds Social Media Team Member

JohnstonWells Public Relations has added Serr Her to manage social media strategies for the firm and its clients. Serr’s experience includes managing social media for Denver Hmong Alliance Church and for the SALT young adults conference at Wheaton College. He graduated from the University of Colorado Denver in Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in marketing. He also received a public relations certificate from the Communication school at UCD.