April Meeting: Meet the Press Part 1: Extra, Extra! Pitching the LA Times

This month, join YP as we explore the secrets behind the perfect pitch and how to capture the attention of print media. Reporters from the LA Times will be sharing their thoughts on pitches and how PR professionals can adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the news industry.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007
6:00 – 6:30 P.M. – Networking
6:30 – 7:30 P.M. - Program

GolinHarris
601 W. Fifth St., Fourth Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
GolinHarris’s Website

Jean Guccione joined the Los Angeles Times as a staff writer in 2000. She has written about the Blake murder trial and the clergy sexual abuse scandal. She currently covers transportation. Before joining he Times, Guccione worked as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Daily Journal, the state's legal newspaper, and was an assistant bureau chief at the Times-Picayune in her hometown of New Orleans. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Randy Hagihara is senior editor for recruitment and director of the summer internship program at the Los Angeles Times. He has worked at a number of other California newspapers, including the San Jose Mercury News, the Oakland Tribune and the Peninsula Times Tribune in Palo Alto. A native of Los Angeles, he attended Cal State Northridge and Los Angeles Trade Technical College.

Parking:
Parking is readily available at the Pershing Square parking structure on Olive Street, between Fifth and Sixth Streets. Cost is $6 after 6 p.m. for parking.

Building Access:
Exit Pershing Square parking structure through the Olive Street exit. Go toward 5th Street, turn left and walk uphill until you get to Grand. You will see the Mellon Bank Building on the opposite corner and that is your destination.

Check-in at the security desk in the main lobby and ask them to buzz you up to the third floor for the YP meeting at GolinHarris.

Cost (pay by cash or check at the door)
$10 for YP Members; $15 for Non-members; $5 for PRSSA Members

RSVP:
To RSVP, please reply to this email by Monday, April 16. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Phyllis Hu at phu@iwgroupinc.com or Bonnie Berkes at bberkes@jmprpublicrelations.com.

We hope to see you there!

Phyllis Hu & Bonnie Berkes
Program Co-Chairs, PRSA LA’s Young Professionals

Tips for PR Pros: April

Branding In Cyberspace: Panel experts agreed that with so much information available to the consumer today there is a unique opportunity for a brand to define itself as an authoritative voice in the consumer experience

• iMedia Connection - Created for brand marketers to advance the business of interactive media and marketing, the site covers topics including wireless technology and its effects on brand marketing, recent internet campaigns and the latest Nielsen NetRatings

• Wylie’s Writing Tips - Wylie's Writing Tips is packed with tips, tricks and trends to help you get the word out in print and online

In Case You Missed It: March Meeting Recap

Breaking News - Effectively Using Emerging Media

Over twenty young professionals attended the March 21 meeting at MWW Group, which focused on how to integrate new media into PR campaigns. The expert panelists defined the most popular forms of new media, shared their experiences on how to effectively use each medium and discussed the future of new media in the PR industry.

Jennifer Dekel of Schwartzman Public Relations agency presented an introductory overview of new media being used by PR professionals:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – The process of making Web pages readable to search engines and emphasizing key topics within Web pages. Example: A Southwest Airlines press release distributed via a wire service included three phrases throughout the release, such as “discount air fares.” This increased the likelihood of the press release appearing at the top of Google and other search engines when consumers entered “discount air fares.”
• RSS Feeds – Subscription-based “feeds” (distribution or syndication) of Web content, such as news headlines and podcasts, from an online publisher to Web users. Example: The RSS feed used for one of Jennifer’s client’s podcast was used by The Hollywood Reporter Web site. Visitors to that website could click on the link to listen to the podcast.
• Social Bookmarking Web sites – Sites in which people can store, classify, share and search links. Example: Popular social bookmarking sites include Del.icio.us, and Digg.
• Blogs – A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links. The three most popular blogs currently are Engadget.net, BoingBoing.net and Gizmodo.com. Each has more unique visitors than USA Today and Wall Street Journal.
• Mobile Marketing - Marketing on or with a mobile device, such as a mobile phone.

Mike Hudson of JMPR and Michael Ball of IPG Emerging Media Lab offered other practical tips on how new media can attract consumers to your company or brand:

• Creating a company blog is great for creating buzz about your company. For example, several corporations have successfully maintained a blog designed for their CEO's messages.
• Your PR team needs to align with a top blog that focuses on your industry. Form relationships with the top bloggers and keep them informed, offer an exclusive interview or consider becoming a sponsor of the Web site.
• Always remember that successful online PR campaigns invite consumers to participate. For example, Nike used mobile marketing to send text messages to Brooklyn young adults to invite them to join a scavenger hunt. Participants had to follow instructions then text back to find out their next destination.
• Your company’s messages on the Web space should reflect its messages in the marketplace.

Company Profile: GolinHarris

Web site: www.golinharris.com
Los Angeles Office: Downtown Los Angeles

Areas of Expertise:

• Consumer Products
• Consumer Electronics
• Technology
• Food and Beverage
• Automotive
• Travel and Leisure
• Health care
• Insurance
• Non-profits
• Toys
• Entertainment

Client Highlights:

• Toyota
• Nintendo
• Mattel

Distinguishing Factors:

• After winning nine awards at PRSA's annual awards banquet, the Los Angeles office of GolinHarris won The President's Award, the highest honor of the evening
• The Los Angeles office was responsible for all public relations related to the general market launch of Nintendo's award-winning Wii gaming system - the campaign generated more than 10 billion consumer impressions through media relations alone
Company Overview

GolinHarris is a leading public relations agency, offering a distinctive combination of global resources and world-class expertise in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. Clients include Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Dow Chemical Company, McDonald’s Corporation, Nintendo of America Inc., Orange, Texas Instruments and Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. GolinHarris celebrates 50 years of commitment to its clients, its values and its employees. The agency is headquartered in Chicago and is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies.

March Meeting: Breaking News - Effectively Using Emerging Media

Last month we learned that consumers use a mix of traditional and emerging media to get their news. This month we will get a crash course on new media and how public relations professionals can utilize these outlets – including blogs, podcasts and social networking sites – to communicate their messages. We have invited three new media experts to share their tips on how to effectively integrate these media targets into PR campaigns.

March 21, 2007
6:00-6:30 P.M. - Networking
6:30-7:30 P.M. - Program

MWW Group
660 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 1400
Los Angeles, CA 90017

As Account Lead for the Interpublic Emerging Media Lab - focusing specifically on the mobile marketing space - Michael Ball works with partner agencies to help clients build their brands and strategic position in new media. His experience includes interactive projects for Acura / Honda, Girl Scouts, Lexus, PNC Bank, Amgen, Anheuser-Busch, Benjamin Moore, FedEx, Dell, Proctor & Gamble, Unilever, Accenture and Nestle. An active writer and speaker, Michael has published two career books for recent college graduates, and serves as a media expert on entry level jobs for sources including the Washington Post, Minneapolis Star Tribune, CareerJournal.com and the Globe and Mail in Canada.

As Supervisor, New Media and Marketing, at JMPR, Public Relations, Mike Hudson, oversees the new media activity for JMPR’s internal account teams and internationally recognized accounts. Prior to joining JMPR, Hudson served as an editor at Edmunds.com, where he was News Editor of Inside Line, Edmunds’ auto enthusiast online magazine. Here Hudson designed the Web site’s new filtration system and live publishing capabilities.

Jennifer Dekel is an Assistant Account Executive at Schwartzman & Associates, a Los Angeles-based agency specializing in integrating blogs, podcasts and other new media platforms into conventional PR campaigns for corporate entertainment, media and technology clients. Dekel is responsible for news media research and agency account support and has worked on supporting clients including Associated Production Music, Ecast, GenCon, Hidden City Games and Rearden Companies. She is also the assistant producer of the award-winning PRSA podcast, “On the Record...Online.”

Parking:
Public parking lot on right side of Figueroa Street, right after you pass 8th Street (located behind Bank of America and across street from Ann Taylor). Cost is $5 (CASH ONLY) after 4 p.m. for parking.

Building Access:
All meeting attendees will need to enter the building at the 7th street entrance and use the intercom to the right of the doors to request access to building. They can tell the security attendant they are here for the YP meeting at MWW Group in Suite 1400. Once inside, take the elevators to the Sky Lobby (button in elevator is marked “SL”), where they will check in and present photo ID to the security guard who then give them access to our floor.

Cost (pay by cash or checks at the door):
$10 YP Members; $15 for Non- members; $5 for PRSSA Members

RSVP:
To RSVP, please reply to this email by Monday, March 19th. If you have any questions, please contact Bonnie Berkes at bberkes@jmprpublicrelations.com or Phyllis Hu at phu@iwgroupinc.com.

We Hope to See You There!

Phyllis Hu (IW Group) & Bonnie Berkes (JMPR, Public Relations)
Program Co-Chairs, PRSA-LA's Young Professionals

email: yp_prsala@yahoo.com
web: http://www.prsa-la.org

Tips for PR Pros: March

Blog Readership Report

A new study released by AdAge and Vizu Answers investigates blog readers’ usage patterns and selection processes. Key findings: blog readers are loyal, like to be entertained and trust recommendations.

Study: 72 percent of PR pros don’t monitor the blogosphere

Preliminary results from a Kent State University/BurellesLuce survey show that 72 percent of PR professionals do not have a formal system for monitoring the blogosphere.

Blogging for dollars raises questions of online ethics

Payments by advertisers to bloggers for writing about their goods, critics say, blur the line between opinion and product placement.

Leverage User-Generated Content to Boost Brands

Some of the best brand advocates can be found online and their influence can be tapped via social networking sites.

Facebook Extends Lead as Fave Young Adult Site

A quarterly survey from Youth Trends explores consumer usage of online media.

Social Networking’s Next Phase

The New York Times takes a look at who is entering the social networking game.

Where Old and New Media Collide

Two worlds collided at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival this week. The event aims to bring together new technologies and their practitioners to spur innovation.

Need a Mentor?

PRSA-LA’s Young Professionals is excited to launch its annual Mentorship Program. This free program connects students and those just beginning a career in public relations with professionals of all experience levels who want to share what they've learned about the industry.

Mentors and mentees are matched according to their interests and experience within the public relations industry. YP looks to connect mentees with PR practitioners who are eager to provide professional development tips and tools by bringing tangible skills and expertise to the relationship.

Plus, mentoring allows both parties the opportunity to become more self-aware, learn, grow, expand perspectives and build a larger network of industry contacts.

All mentorship applications are due by Saturday, March 31, 2007. Mentors and mentees will be notified by email of their match ups no later than Monday, April 30, 2007.

For questions/applications/information contact:

Kristen Rockwell
Collegiate Outreach Chair
krockwell@mww.com