Archive for July, 2010

Here’s input from a PR consultant and entrepreneur who is doing things right.  Dana Humphrey from Whitegate PR in New York shares some insight for southern California readers on networking and building smart campaigns for clients in the booming pet industry. 

How are you successful in getting linked in with so many social media groups like Small World?  ASmallWorld.net is an invitation only social media Web site. I love to connect virtually with friends and colleagues on as many platforms as possible. Internations.com is another great tool for the globally minded!

 

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Zenzi Communciations Hired by Chiquita for Sticker Contest Design Publicity

Zenzi Communications has been retained by Chiquita Brands to launch and manage media relations efforts for the Chiquita Banana Sticker Design Contest. 

Chiquita Brands is inviting consumers to visit www.EatAChiquita.com and put their own spin on the company’s iconic brand image as part of the Chiquita Banana Sticker Design Contest. Eighteen participants will be awarded the ultimate satisfaction and recognition of personalizing an old classic, and having their winning design featured on millions of Chiquita® bananas nationwide.
Chiquita has taken a rather unique approach when it comes to their beloved logo – one that is collaborative and more accessible to fans than ever. For the first time ever, Chiquita is giving consumers the opportunity to create their own sticker design based on the iconic blue Chiquita sticker or vote for their favorite design by visiting the Silver Addy Award-winning www.EatAChiquita.com website. Read the rest of this entry »

San Diego News Network will not continue operations, according to this San Diego Union-Tribune article. Many PR and media pros began discussing what this post on their website meant — apparently it announced its closure without actually saying it. The site does say that the Southwest Riverside News Network will continue.

Dave Rickards of the “Dave, Shelly, and Chainsaw” radio show gives a revealing interview to sdradio.net about their return to the local airwaves on August 2. That’s when they will be heard on San Diego’s JACK FM (KFMB-FM) weekday mornings from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Well, everyone but Shelly Dunn, who is still under contract with Clear Channel Communications. Dunn may join the show as late as January 2011. Read the article here.

CBS 8’s Larry Himmel gave them an official on-air welcome earlier this week. Read the rest of this entry »

Allison & Partners is one of the largest nationwide PR agencies and has a number of openings in its San Diego office. We have a range of clients, from global burger chains to technology providers, boutique hotels, national park concessioners and non-profits.

We are looking for a number of experienced travel and tourism/hospitality PR rock stars to work on our rapidly expanding roster of consumer and hospitality clients. You must have a great grasp of travel trends and have relationships with editors at all key publications. Ideally, you’ll have worked with tourism boards as well. Spanish language skills are a bonus. Please email your resume and cover letter to Tim Wheatcroft.

I had the opportunity recently to try BuzzStream, a tool created for PR professionals to help track activity and conversations with key online media and bloggers. It’s sort of a combination of super-powered database with a dash of Cision and a splash of project management. The idea is to make it easier to for PR people to track relationships with online influencers to make for more effective interaction.

What I love about BuzzStream is that it makes it simple to bookmark information from the Internet – from articles and posts you find important, to information about the authors, using an intuitive tool that automatically fills in all the details it can grab. Talk about a time saver – no searching for contact and manually filling in information, outlets etc… You can also add your own notes and even rate influencers to prioritize future outreach.

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Food writer Caron Golden and food blogger Alice Robertson are spearheading the second annual fundraising event for the San Diego Food Bank’s “Food 4 Kids” Backpack Program this summer. The Food 4 Kids Backpack Program exists to provide food in a backpack for chronically hungry kids to take home over the weekends.

The San Diego Food Bank launched its Food 4 Kids Backpack program in 2007 to provide food for chronically hungry elementary school students through the weekend. Every Friday, participating children receive a backpack filled with child-friendly foods. They need this weekend bag because while they receive free or reduced cost meals in school, food may not be available to them on weekends or school holidays. To qualify, students must attend a school where at least 80 percent of the population receives free or reduced cost lunches, and receive a teacher referral. During the 2008-2009 school year, the program served just 200 children in eight schools throughout San Diego County. With our help, they are now serving 550 children in 19 schools and are looking to expand that to 850 children this year. Read the rest of this entry »

KCD PR Lands Rose Greene Financial Services

KCD PR, a boutique PR agency in San Diego representing financial services firms all across the US, has recently been hired as the agency of record for Rose Greene Financial Services in Santa Monica, Calif. Rose Greene Financial Services manages over $57 million in client assets and provides unbiased investment advice and services including wealth management; retirement planning; college planning; life, health and long-term care insurance services; Medicare planning; estate planning and charitable giving. Her client base is highly diverse with a concentration in the baby boomer market, gay and lesbian community and entertainment industry. Kevin Dinino of KCD PR heads the account and will focus on building the firm’s profile in the local and national media, while promoting Ms. Greene’s progressive roots and forward-thinking blog, www.moneymattersblog.com.

SoCalPRBlog Contributor Sandy Young Lands Gig at JWalcher Communications Read the rest of this entry »

July 8, 2010 will go down as one of the most memorable days in PR history. Why is that you ask? It was a huge day in American professional sports as NBA superstar LeBron James turned his back on Cleveland, Ohio and took his supersized name, basketball skills, and personal entourage to Miami, Florida. Most importantly, it was the day that the tone of PR forever changed in mainstream media.

Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert unleashed a personal attack on LeBron James, one of his former employees, that was both astonishing and entertaining at the very same time.

The viewpoint you accept is certainly open to interpretation. For those of you unfamiliar with LeBron James or the situation that unfolded late last week, I will try to get you up-to-speed on things. Read the rest of this entry »

Saba Shirazi, an account executive with Q&A Marketing, passed away from injuries sustained in an auto accident on July 1 in San Diego. The Cardiff-by-the-Sea resident and popular publicist of the Newport Film Festival was just 32 years old. In addition to the film festival, Shirazi worked for Cirque du Soleil and many San Diego area clubs, restaurants and nightlife spots. Prior to Q&A Marketing, Shirazi was integral in launching Riviera Magazine.

A memorial was held on July 11 in Solana Beach. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Surfrider Foundation, where a memorial has been set up in Shirazi’s name. Read the rest of this entry »