Annual Report
AMERICAN LEGACY FOUNDATIONR, STORY OF THE YEAR: 2006 ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE AMERICAN LEGACY FOUNDATION -- The American Legacy Foundation continued its efforts to educate the
public about tobacco by releasing its first annual report, filled with both personal stories and information. To further make the brochure reader-friendly, stories were
accompanied by color photos and it was printed in a large format, making it very easy to read and digest.
MASTERCARD WORLDWIDE, MASTERCARD 2006 ANNUAL REPORT "ADVANCING COMMERCE FOR EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE" -- Releasing a document with five spreads to appeal to both journalists and
consumers, MasterCard Worldwide also used its new structure to its advantage. Featuring the first ever photography of its new, independent board of directors and a letter from its
chairman, it showed its structure to be fresh and prepared to deal with new issues.
THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION, 2006 SCHWAB ANNUAL REPORT: WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN DIFFERENT -- To combat the view that it is stuck in the past, The Charles Schwab Corporation
decided to change its image in its annual report. Focusing on real people in real situations in the images in its report, it cemented this new view of its purpose by nearly
simultaneously updating its Vision & Values statement to reflect the report.
BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA, YOUR PLAN FOR BETTER HEALTH -- BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina wanted to enhance its image when releasing its annual report, to
show itself as an advisor and philanthropist as well as a healthcare company. By emphasizing pictures of families playing and using bullets and bold type to make reading the
report easier, they created a friendlier image.
THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY 2006 ANNUAL REVIEW -- To promote interest in its brand, The Coca-Cola Company used one of its most marketable mysteries on the
cover of its annual review: "What is our secret formula?" Comparing its workers and practices to the closely guarded list of ingredients that goes into the soda, consumers and
shareholders alike were drawn into the report.
Anniversary Campaign
TRIMEDIA HARRISON COWLEY, FINDING A NEW VOICE FOR THE BT SPEAKING C-- LOCK WITH BBC CHILDREN IN NEED -- To update the aging Speaking Clock and to celebrate its 70th anniversary,
BT hired Trimedia Harrison Cowley to figure out a way to attract more attention. To find a new voice, an "American Idol"-like contest was launched, with the result of not only
drawing in new voices for the Speaking Clock, but attracting the attention that a popular contest garners.
IMPACT COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIA, CELEBRATING 300 YEARS OF TWININGS TEA -- Celebrating 300 years as a tea maker, Twinings called upon IMPACT Communications Australia to
capitalize upon the anniversary for marketing. They took advantage of the company's age, emphasizing that 300 years as a tea mixer has made the company experts, while
simultaneously showing off new blends to show that the company was not stuck in the past.
WEBER SHANDWICK, THE AADVANTAGE OF FREQUENT FLYING: AMERICAN AIRLINES AADVANTAGE PROGRAM CELEBRATES 25 YEARS -- To honor 25 years of its frequent flyer program, American
Airlines, with the help of Weber Shandwick, gave away free miles and 25 days of sweepstakes and special deals. However, the campaign was also carefully crafted so that it would
not simply focus on the anniversary, but that each promotion would also show the benefits of the program as a whole.
Blog
YAHOO!, YODEL ANECDOTAL -- With the launch of Yodel Anecdotal, Yahoo!'s corporate blog, the Internet giant sought to provide a more personal view of the company. The blog has
featured employees from interns to co-founder David Filo posting, as well as regularly inviting outside guests to post their thoughts, giving a very community-oriented feel to the
campaign.
OGILVY PUBLIC RELATIONS WORLDWIDE & LENOVO, LENOVOBLOGS.COM -- Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide was approached by Lenovo to help create a two-way blog for their consumers.
Ogilvy found the most passionate of their employees and executives, and had them not only post in the blog, but regularly respond to customer feedback, helping bring in new
customers who may have had questions previously.
PEPPERCOM, REPMAN BLOG -- Noticing an increase in interest in corporate blogging, Peppercom decided to launch its own blog, dubbed "Repman." Headed by Peppercom co-founder
Steve Cody, the blog not only offered advice on reputation management, but offered coverage on a variety of topics from business to sports and entertainment, giving it a human
face rather than just being a collection of corporate thoughts.
Branding
WAGGENER EDSTROM WORLDWIDE, T-MOBILE SIDEKICK: BUILDING AN INFLUENTIAL USER COMMUNITY -- T-Mobile called in Waggener Edstrom Worldwide to help their Sidekick cell phone stick
out from the rest with a unique identity, and the Sidekick Wiki was born. Tech-savvy Sidekick owners were encouraged to sign up for wiki, which was driven by a combination of
user- and company-created input.
CONE, THE YOPLAIT CHAMPIONS, YOPLAIT'S BEST BRAND EVANGELISTS -- To raise awareness about breast cancer and their initiative Save Lids to Save Lives, Yoplait called in Cone to
help market a new campaign. This resulted in Yoplait Champions, where Yoplait recognizes activists by donating money to their cause and hosting an event in their honor, promoting
their own efforts while helping others.
COHN & WOLFE & COLGATE-PALMOLIVE, LADY SPEED STICK "MY 24/7 LIFE" -- Colgate-Palmolive hired Cohn & Wolfe to get people thinking about their deodorant, not
something people normally do. With the "My 24/7 Life" campaign, an image was created of an active, healthy woman, which was then carried over to represent their Lady Speed Stick
deodorant.
WEBER SHANDWICK AND SIEMENS CORPORATION, BUILDING AMERICA'S 21ST CENTURY INFRASTRUCTURE -- As technology has changed the way people live, Siemens Corporation sought to become a
major provider of infrastructure, and hired Weber Shandwick to help. Their campaign concentrated on a few central areas, gaining as many opportunities as possible for Siemens
executives to speak out on them in the press, building a reputation as experts in those fields.
Cause-Related Marketing
ENTERGY CORPORATION, ENTERGY CORPORATION'S LOW-INCOME INITIATIVE PROGRAM -- With a significant portion of their clients under the poverty line, Entergy Corporation set out to
help their low-income customers rise to better things. Through summits held throughout the area they serve, Entergy senior executives and employees met local community activists,
learning first-hand how to better solve the area's problems while giving their company a human face.
VOLLMER AND TRAVELOCITY, BE A HERO - GO ZERO -- Travelocity hired VOLLMER to show consumers that it is becoming more environmentally conscious. They traveled to mass transit
stations in several major cities, where tree seedlings were handed out to be planted, each with a tag explaining Travelocity's campaign. The effort showed dedication to
conservation while also informing potential customers about Travelocity's services.
Community Relations
NESTLÉ (MALAYSIA) BERHAD, SPICING UP THE COMMUNITY -- Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad worked with poor farmers in Malaysia raising chilies, offering them an assured buyer at a fair
price in addition to education on how to best raise the plants. Nestlé worked with established government programs to reach out to the poorest farmers who need the opportunity the
most, doubling the number of participants in 2006 from 300 to 600.
MWW GROUP, ROCK THE SMOKE: HIGH SCHOOLERS COMPETE FOR MTV SPOT -- To help their anti-smoking initiative, Montgomery County, PA, brought in MWW Group to increase interest. To
get teens engaged, MWW Group bought a TV spot on MTV, and advertised to students to create anti-smoking commercials, the winner of which would be aired. By combining a popular
channel with the anti-smoking message, the initiative surpassed all goals.
MITCHELL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP & TYSON FOODS, TYSON FOODS POWERS THE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER -- Working to improve their hunger relief strategy and public image, Mitchell
Communications Group and Tyson Foods expanded their donation efforts. Tyson made the largest donation of protein ever given to fight hunger in the United States at an event
featuring Senator Blanche Lincoln, chair of the Senate Hunger Committee, generating stories and helping the community at the same time.
Crisis Management
SOLOMON MCCOWN & COMPANY, HEALTHY PROGNOSIS AFTER MEASLES OUTBREAK -- When a measles outbreak occurred in Beacon Capital Partner's John Hancock Tower, Solomon McCown &
Company (SM&) made sure that the company's good name was not harmed by coverage. SM& monitored the media constantly through the crisis, making sure they got the
information they needed while ensuring that Beacon's name did not need to be used in reports.
KEANE INC., WALKING THE CORPORATE TIGHT ROPE TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE CHANGE -- Plagued by a CEO resignation, the dismissal of its President and several lawsuits, Veronica Kido of
Keane Inc. helped the company pull through with its reputation intact. By forming the "Office of the President," consisting of several major executives, the company showed
continuity despite the resignation. Media coverage of its successful work for clients further eased the company's problems.
AMERICAN LEGACY FOUNDATIONR, PUBLIC HEALTH DAVID VS. GOLIATH -- A tobacco company challenged the legality of the American Legacy Foundation's truthr anti-smoking campaign, and
the public needed to be informed without wearing out its message. By focusing on how it was the only independent national anti-smoking campaign, media coverage conveyed the
urgency of the story without drawing attention to the unrelated smoking debate.
Editorial/Op-Ed Columns
GOLINHARRIS AND NINTENDO, NINTENDO REACHES THE MASS MARKET -- To help promote Nintendo's Wii, GolinHarris designed an Op-Ed piece in the voice of Nintendo's president,
comparing the video game industry's evolution to that of the movie industry. By avoiding a purely promotional piece and including comparisons of other forms of entertainment, a
broader range of consumers was reached, as the message appealed to people outside of video game players.
DELOITTE CONSULTING, CALL FOR PAPERS -- To educate stakeholders while simultaneously building their employees' ability to innovate, Deloitte Consulting created the Call for
Papers contest, encouraging workers to submit papers on current topics. The winners were then published on Deloitte's Web site, giving them exposure to the media at large.
NEIMAN GROUP, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH "SWITCHERS" -- In an attempt to lower tobacco use, the Pennsylvania Department of Health hired Neiman Group to research and
combat the problem. They simultaneously capitalized on controversy over smoking bans and people's New Years' Resolutions by writing an Op-Ed piece, then staggered its appearance
across publications through fall and winter 2006.
Employee Relations
GOLINHARRIS, "SOUL SEARCH" - PIEDMONT HOSPITAL'S EMPLOYEE REFERRAL CAMPAIGN -- Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia and GolinHarris sought the best way to bring in new nurses.
Rather than offering incentives to new employees, they performed a survey of their staff, discovering that such incentives are unattractive while simultaneously insulting to long-
time staff. Using this and other knowledge gained from the surveys, a campaign was launched and its goals exceeded.
KETCHUM, OPPOSITES ATTRACT: AN ACQUISITION-INTEGRATION SUCCESS STORY -- When Cadbury Shweppes America Beverages acquired Dr Pepper/Seven Up Bottling Group, they called in
Ketchum to help integrate their two very different workforces. By making sure that all managers met face-to-face with their employees company-wide, nearly 100 % in 3 days, and
launching a newsletter to encourage togetherness, turnovers were kept to a minimum.
MCDONALD'S CORPORATION & DG&A, USING STRATEGIC INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS TO COMMUNICATE THE MCDONALD'S RESTAURANT OF THE FUTURE -- McDonald's sought to change the image
of their restaurants, and dg&a was called in to help devise strategies. By creating a Web portal and populating it with toolkits for managers consisting of "quick-hits" that
could be implemented quickly as well as developing their 10-year plan, a noticeable impact was made in the restaurants in less than six weeks.
Event Marketing
RBB PUBLIC RELATIONS, NICE GLASS: FAIRCHILD TROPICAL GARDEN BUILDS MEMBERSHIP THROUGH CHIHULY GLASS EXHIBIT -- When David Chihuly gave Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
permission to display his glass sculptures, RBB Public Relations was called in to draw attention to the event. In addition to launching a bilingual campaign in the heavily
Hispanic county, creative tactics were used such as offering Chihuly-inspired cake-decorating classes and mentioning other exhibits in the area to attract more people.
SPRINT, SPRINT AT SUPER BOWL XLI -- Sprint, as the NFL's official telecommunications provider, used its position to capitalize on its Super Bowl coverage. Giving members of the
media loaner phones with GPS navigation to guide them to NFL venues, Sprint got coverage of their products' service and reliability in real-time.
ROCKET SCIENCE, FINENODE: FAME & IMMORTALITY -- Looking at the stuffy, boring state of governments courting Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, Rocket Science decided to take a
new approach when they were hired to market the U.S.'s intellectual resources. To do so, they hosted a contest to make a business plan, with a prize of speaking to top officials
at Nokia, an attractive prospect to Silicon Valley engineers.
MALL OF AMERICA, WORLD'S LARGEST GINGERBREAD HOUSE -- To draw holiday shoppers, the Mall of America decided to cook up the largest gingerbread house in history. Inviting Roger
Pelcher, creator of the previous largest house, and a Guinness Book of World Records holder, the Gingerbread House was announced the largest ever before being opened to the
public. This generated huge amounts of traffic for the mall's unveiling.
External Publication
LATHAM & WATKINS LLP, LATHAM & WATKINS 2006 ANNUAL REVIEW -- To impress potential clients with their annual review, Latham & Watkins decided to focus on praise they
received for being a much more innovative firm than most others. Creating two special sections that displayed their forward thinking attitude and unique approaches to management,
the firm set itself apart from its competitors.
WEBER SHANDWICK & I2 TECHNOLOGIES, SUPPLY CHAIN LEADER -- i2 Technologies recovered from a period of problems in 2006, and with Weber Shandwick published a magazine for its
stakeholders to revitalize its image and regain trust. The magazine features articles from both i2 Technologies staff and other experts, displaying expertise in the area of supply
chains.
THE ALBERTA TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION, PARENTING THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEARS -- The Alberta Teachers' Association was charged with creating a publication that would provide tips and
information for parents. Rather than print a series of booklets, they opted to print a single book, causing parents who might initially be interested in a single topic to browse
through others, increasing the number of people getting each bit of information.
KETCHUM PUBLIC RELATIONS & AETNA, NAVIGATING YOUR HEALTH BENEFITS FOR DUMMIESR BY PLAN FOR OUR HEALTH -- Finding that people have trouble understanding health benefits,
Aetna partnered with Ketchum to develop, "Plan for Your Health," an external publication that would clarify confusion and speak in laymans terms. Ketchum executives then turned to
Wiley "Publishing's For Dummies" series to simplify the complicated topic in a fun, useful and readable way. By using the well-known brand, the guide was able to trigger
significant consumer interest.
Financial/Investor Relations
WEBER SHANDWICK WORLDWIDE, PUTTING MASTERCARD AT THE HEART OF COMMERCE: PRICELESS -- When MasterCard Worldwide went public, Weber Shandwick Worldwide was called in to advertise
its readiness. By emphasizing its unified corporate structure worldwide, a major difference between Mastercard and its competitors, the campaign was able to gain confidence from
the company's investors.
NII HOLDINGS, INC. -- In its rise from obscurity to a top NADASQ company, NII Holding Inc. concentrated on a thorough analysis of what the investment community sought from the
company, and how they saw it. The research was used to attract the best analyst coverage, and draw investors who valued the approach NII Holding has taken to being profitable.
RCN CORPORATION, RCN CORPORATION INTEGRATED INVESTOR RELATIONS -- After rising from the ashes of bankruptcy, RCN Corporation sought to redefine itself and attract new
investors. By carefully targeting potential investors to make sure they'd be fully comfortable with the company, while following up on investors' needs, the company was able to
see a rise in revenue after several flat years.
Global PR Campaign
METALDYNE & ASAHI TEC & THE MILLERSCHIN GROUP, METALDAY/ASAHI TEC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN -- When Japanese auto parts maker Asahi Tec bought the American Metaldyne, there
was a need for worldwide coverage of the event. Due to Asahi Tec being publicly traded, leaders of the company could not be given detailed information until mere hours before the
campaign begun, but thanks to a specially made toolkit on a Web portal, everything went smoothly.
THE NEWSMARKET, GEORGE CLOONEY/SAVE DARFUR -- After George Clooney visited war-torn Darfur in secret, The NewsMarket was hired to get the footage he taped to the world. With
only two weeks of planning, The NewsMarket pre-arranged exclusive airings to build hype, then released streaming video and a press release on its Web site to get the video
quickly, and keep it available as the story developed further.
CISCO SYSTEMS, INC., CISCO TELEPRESENCE: FOLLOW THE SUN -- When launching their new TelePresence video technology, Cisco Systems used the best tool they had: the TelePresence
system itself. By briefing members of the media worldwide using the very product they wanted to introduce to the public, they were able to simultaneously release their press kit
and give reporters a taste of their new technology.
TEKTRONIX CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS, GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER PROGRAM -- When Tektronix Corporate Communications refocused into two businesses, they needed a way to keep
them together with the voice of a single company while retaining focus on their specific needs. They created the global partners program, where they hired two experienced
professionals to work with both businesses, helping retain the single voice of the company and improve customer relations worldwide.
Internal Publication
ROBERT BOSCH LLC, BOSCH IN THE UNITED STATES: THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS -- To celebrate its centennial anniversary, Robert Bosch LLC released a brochure detailing its history in
the United States to its 17,000 associates. In just 8 months, with only a project manager and 5 freelancers, a completely error-free brochure was ready for their celebratory gala,
impressing associates and guests with its accuracy and completeness.
RBC FINANCIAL GROUP, EXTREME MAKEOVER: REVAMPING THE ROYAL ADVISOR NEWSLETTER -- In late 2004, RBC Financial Group, one of Canada's largest banks and one of North America's
foremost diversified financial services companies, saw that its newsletter, which lacked coherence and a vision, needed a makeover. The team players redesigned the newsletter and
elevated the editorial standards. They also streamlined the production process to make sure it would run more effectively and efficiently. With a budget of $8,500 (approximately
$3,500 for research, $2,000 for editorial, $3,500 for the redesign), the new and improved newsletter was unveiled in the January/February 2006 edition.
CONSORTA, INC., THE SOURCE: STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS FOR SUPPLY CHAIN SUCCESS -- Serving a diverse clientele of multiple health system professionals and suppliers, Consorta
Inc. had to develop The Source magazine carefully to reach its entire audience. By including intriguing photos with in-depth stories that affect the entire health industry,
Consorta Inc. created a publication that contained the content of a journal while still drawing readers in.
Marketing Communications
COHN & WOLFE & COLGATE-PALMOLIVE, LADY SPEED STICK "MY 24/7 LIFE" -- Colgate-Palmolive hired Cohn & Wolfe to get people thinking about their deodorant, based on the
idea of a busy, 24/7 life. By recruiting author Joni B. Cole to kick it off, women were encouraged to submit a "day diary," a 24-hour look at their life, for a chance to be in
Cole's next book, an attractive prize for potential customers.
MWW GROUP, MWW GROUP DELIVERS BIG RESULTS FOR SAMSUNG'S WEP200 HEADSET -- Samsung hired MWW Group to bring them recognition in the crowded field of Bluetooth headsets. Rather
than flood the media with information about every accessory, MWW Group researched the competition, picked out the one model that was most different from theirs, and focused their
campaign around that one unique product, attracting attention without overloading consumers with unneeded information.
Media Event
CLEAR!BLUE COMMUNICATIONS AND JEEP, NAIAS 2006: JEEP BREAKS FREE! -- The Jeep Wrangler has a rugged image, so, for the "Jeep Breaks Free!" media campaign, Clear!Blue
Communications executives capitalized on this. They constructed Jeep Mountain, a glacier-like structure, and hosted a media event during which a Jeep was driven through an exhibit
hall's front window and then up to the top of Jeep Mountain. In dramatic fashion, the team was able to illustrate the Jeep brand's capabilities in an unexpected and attention-
grabbing way.
GYMR PUBLIC RELATIONS AND AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS, "VOTE FOR AMERICA'S HEALTH" CAPITOL HILL RALLY -- The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) called upon
GYMR Public Relations to help them hold a rally on Capitol Hill. By encouraging members of AAFP country-wide to attend and providing them with white clothes to emulate the well-
known image of doctors' lab coats, more than 2,500 members from all 50 states attened the rally. Their presence created a "sea of white coats" that was impossible to ignore, and
the media capitalized on the photo op accordingly.
EDELMAN, BIONIC WOMAN MEDIA CAMPAIGN -- When the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago performed surgery to place the first bionic arm on a woman, Edelman had to generate media
interest by showing how this was different from the previous application of similar technology. By emphasizing the advances in the new arm and the need for treatment for war
veterans, they were able to achieve this goal.
DAN KLORES COMMUNICATIONS, THE SECRET LIFE OF HOUDINI -- Called just two weeks before the book's publication, Dan Klores Communications had their hands full to promote The
Secret Life of Houdini. After gaining some media attention, they focused on creating a media event to announce a call to exhume Houdini's body to check whether he was murdered, as
theorized in the book.
Media Relations
GOLINHARRIS, NINTENDO TURNS GRANDPARENTS INTO GAMERS -- Video games are generally not considered a pastime for adults, but GolinHarris and Nintendo sought to change this
perception with the release of the game Brain Age. The campaign creatively showed that the game was not just for kids, utilizing advertising such as the first ever grandparents
gaming tournament, and giving a copy of the game to President Bush for his 60th birthday.
MWW GROUP, NIKON/KATE MOSS ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN INTRODUCTION -- With support from Kate Moss as their main weapon, MWW Group was called in to help Nikon's new COOLPIX cameras
make a splash. Starting by spreading information about the campaign in select media outlets, MWW Group then "leaked" behind-the-scenes photographs and footage of the campaign to
the internet, causing a much larger amount of buzz than a normal release would.
D S SIMON PRODUCTIONS, INC., PARADE: WHAT PEOPLE EARN -- D S Simon Productions was hired by Parade to promote their annual "What People Earn" issue in 2006, and concentrated on
what people find most interesting: how the salaries of the average American compares to that of a celebrity. By providing a very small sampling of this information, people's
interests across the country were piqued.
Multicultural Campaign
PG&E CARE PROGRAM, PG&E CARE PROGRAM MULTICULTURAL CAMPAIGN FOR 2006 -- The PG&E CARE Program is devoted to its multicultural community in all respects. It prints
its applications in bilingual form for a variety of languages, offers a toll-free help line in four languages and participates in community events across PG&E's service area.
Its efforts helped it exceed its customer goal, drawing from all communities, no matter the ethnicity.
RENNA COMMUNICATIONS, LLC, INTRODUCING LGBT-HEADED FAMILIES TO AMERICA - HOW WE CAPTURED THE WHITE HOUSE EGG ROLL PHOTO-OP -- Renna Communications was hired by Family Pride to
help them get a White House Egg Roll photo opportunity featuring gay and lesbian families in April 2006. They fought opposition from anti-gay groups, and kept in close contact
with the press corp, resulting in The New York Times running a photo of a lesbian and gay couple as their picture for the story.
MINDSHARE, NUESTRAPHRMA -- Seeking to reach out to the US's Hispanic population, PhRMA, a trade association of pharmaceutical companies, brought in MindShare to help. They
studied already-existing healthcare sites in Latin America and Mexico, and recruited Mayte Prida, a breast cancer survivor with a syndicated show on Telemundo, as a spokesperson
to help gain the community's trust and give them information.
FLOWERS COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, 2006-2007 HONDA BATTLE OF THE BANDS -- Flowers Communications Group was called in to promote Honda's Battle of the Bands, which features marching
bands from historically black universities from across the country. They utilized African-American focused media briefing, giving access to spokespeople and select band members,
and brought attention to the Invitational Showcase, the finale event in which the top 10 bands perform.
Online Communications
GENERAL ELECTRIC & EDELMAN, GE'S NEXTFEST BLOG -- Interested by WIRED magazine's NEXTfest, General Electric (GE) made itself a source of information on technology by
blogging live at the event. By inviting other bloggers to meet GE staff and using word-of-mouth advertising, the company simultaneously made itself a voice on innovation and
improved its employees' relationship and skill in dealing with the media.
FLEISHMAN-HILLARD, INC., CINGULAR AND FLEISHMAN-HILLARD ENGAGE YOUTH IN VMTV'S VIRTUAL LAGUNA BEACH -- Taking advantaged of internet technology, Fleishman-Hillard created a
presence for Cingular in MTV's Virtual Laguna Beach, a 3D virtual world. In addition to placing Cingular kiosks, the avatar "TonyFresh," was created, giving out freebies such as
instant messaging skins and new emoticon gestures, while mentioning he was being "hooked up" by Cingular, garnering a largely positive reception.
STEVENS FKM, 2006 SHINER "BOCKTOBERFEST" -- To promote "Bocktoberfest," Spoetzl Brewery's October one-day concert, Stevens FKM turned to internet social networks such as
MySpace. First, a profile was created for Bocktoberfest, and then the profile was linked with the bands playing in the concert, gaining more readers than in the past and coverage
from online music sites for cheaper than previous campaigns.
MWW GROUP, NIKON'S ONLINE PRESS ROOM IS THE DRIVES PUBLICITY 24/7 -- MWW Group helped Nikon Inc. make their online press room as media friendly as possible, paying special
attention to common complaints and adding features that help reporters and bloggers alike. By improving search functions, adding a customizable RSS feed and making product
pictures and sound bytes easily accessible, the effort resulted in a 700% increase in blog mentions.
MEDIALINK, MAN VS. MACHINE -- Medialink was called in to advertise Nuance Communications' Mobile Diction, a new technology for text messaging that uses voice. Tight shots were
taken of the Nuance system in a live contest, displaying it crushing previous text message speed records. The video was then broadcast on YouTube, using the popularity of the
medium to reach tech savvy consumers.
Online Communications and Web Site
WAGGENER EDSTROM WORLDWIDE & MICROSOFT, VIRTUAL CES -- Waggener Edstrom Worldwide and Microsoft improved the classic International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) by making
it virtual. Through their Web site, customers found easy access to information from booth maps to product videos, extending the influence of CES to beyond only those who attended,
reaching 103,451 unique visitors.
YAHOO! INC. & OUTCAST COMMUNICATIONS, YAHOO! TIME CAPSULE -- Yahoo! celebrated the launch of its new front page in a unique fashion - an online time capsule in the form of
a globe to which people all over the world could contribute stories, movies and other art. Available in 10 different languages, the site attracted media coverage world-wide,
demonstrating Yahoo!'s innovation and global recognition.
CHEVROLET & WEBER SHANDWICK, CHEVY AVEO LIVIN' LARGE CAMPUS CHALLENGE -- Teams of two from seven college campuses lived out of a Chevy Aveo for a week while filming and
blogging about their adventure, allowing Chevrolet to reach the student demographic they desired. These students, who scammed meals, hosted parties, and rallied support through
Facebook, created more attractive advertising for students than any company could do on its own.
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY, MICROBEWORLD.ORG -- Offering a podcast, streaming videos and up-close-and-personal photos of microbes, MicrobeWorld, created by the American
Society for Microbiology, makes even tiny organisms look cool. A 2006 redesign of a 2001 site, new internet technology makes exploring the world of a microbiologist much more
interesting.
Podcast/Video
ATWOOD PARTNERS, INC., BAIN & COMPANY AND ATWOOD PARTNERS RECRUITING PODCAST -- Opening new offices in India, Bain & Company sought to recruit the country's top
business students. Atwood Partners, Inc. created a series of podcasts of audio interviews and distributed them to students, who then spread word, causing even more to be
downloaded. The campaign received highly positive feedback for being innovative and helping Bain stand out from its competitors.
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY, MICROBEWORLD RADIO -- To take advantage of the new technology, the American Society for Microbiology started releasing daily podcasts just
one month after their incorporation into iTunes. Their podcasts have been quite popular, seeing 4,000 to 6,000 downloads a day and having ASM staff asked to do podcasting at
numerous events.
HONEYWELL, NOBEL MOMENTS PODCAST SERIES -- In an effort to increase interest in the fields of math and science, Honeywell partnered with Nobel Media AB and Nobel Web AB to form
the Honeywell-Nobel Initiative, giving students worldwide a chance to learn from Nobel Laureates. Podcast interviews with laureates, complete with visuals, were distributed for
free through a Web site and Apple's iTunes, maximizing exposure.
SCHWARTZMAN & ASSOCIATES, INC., ON THE RECORD... ONLINE -- Schwartzman & Associates has launched the podcast iPressroom, assembling journalists and bloggers to speak
about the challenges the modern media faces. The podcasts features the newsman PR executives are interested in most, use professional voice talent to establish credibility, and
are kept easy to find by internet search engines thanks to carefully crafted notes about each show.
Pro Bono
OFF MADISON AVE, EXPEDITION TO MT. KILIMANJARO -- When Darol Kubacz, a parapalegic veteran and founder of Freedom For Life, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Off Madison Avenue was
called in to help spread word of his incredible feet. They worked to reach out to other people with disabilities, including recently wounded veterans, to show the outdoor
lifestyle that a disabled person can lead.
SPECTRUM SCIENCE COMMUNICATION, PROGERIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION CAMPAIGN -- Spectrum Science Communications developed a campaign to help secure coverage for The Progeria Research
Foundation (PRF). Spectrum Science Communications has greatly increased the organization's media coverage, generating coverage in such outlets as The New York Times Magazine, and
increasing awareness so that in 2006 every national story and two-thirds of local stories about Progeria also mentioned PRF.
Product Launch
MALONEY & FOX & GOLDEN LODER ASSOCIATES, SMALL IS THE NEW BIG: SMALL WONDER ZOOMS TO THE TOP -- Launching the Small Wonder digital camcorder, RCA hired Maloney &
Fox and Golden Loder Associates to help it stick out in the crowded camcorders market. The camcorder targeted its primary demographic, women 26-44, through publications such as
Good Housekeeping as well as general advertising such as securing product placement as an audience giveaway on the Dr. Phil show.
PADILLA SPEER BEARDSLEY & GENERAL MILLS, AMERICA BURSTS INTO SONG FOR YOGURT BURST CHEERIOS -- Creating the tenth extension of a brand is not easy, so Padilla Speer
Beardsley had to get creative in advertising General Mills' Yogurt Burst Cheerios. A "Cheerioke" karaoke contest was held nationwide, and a Web site was created so consumers could
watch the entries, then advertised on food product and karaoke sites.
GOLINHARRIS, WII LOVE IT! NINTENDO TAKES GAMING TO THE MASSES -- GolinHarris had its hands full, hyping the Nintendo Wii against Sony's Playstation 3, which was being released
two days prior to its launch. Using a grassroots campaign spread through a "How Wii Play" profile on MySpace.com, and holding parties where people try out the console before
release to tell others about it, GolinHarris was able to drown out even Sony's buzz.
Public Affairs
UNITED HEALTH FOUNDATION & TUNHEIM PARTNERS, AMERICA GETS ITS ANNUAL CHECK-UP -- Tunheim Partners was hired to help the United Health Foundation release its American Health
Rankings(tm) report, generating interest across the country. Through early e-mails sent to specific reporters to build interest before the release, followed by a campaign of
satellite and radio media tours in both English and Spanish, the 2006 campaign generated five times the Web traffic of the 2005 report.
BURSON-MARSTELLER, VOTEXAS -- In response to the low voter turn-out of the 2004 elections, Burson-Marsteller was hired to help Texas reach out to voters. Through a combination
of humorous and serious broadcast spots, Texan celebrities, and a strong focus on minority groups with low turnout, VOTEXAS greatly exceeded theirs goals for improving citizen's
recognition of the brand and desire to vote.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, LEGACY OF A DISASTER: HEALTH CENTERS AND KATRINA ONE YEAR LATER -- For its 2006 National Health Center Week, the National
Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) concentrated on the role health centers played in aiding victims during Hurricane Katrina. With little hard data readily available
due to the chaos of the storm, NACHC used anecdotal reports and other organizations' statistics to create a full report and press conference after starting with almost no
information.
CLAREDON GROUP, THE VOTE YES ON 9 CAMPAIGN -- HousingWorks Rhode Island created an affordable housing referendum, called Question 9, and brought in Claredon Group to advertise.
Volunteers traveled to events across the state and cards reproducing the actual ballot while drawing attention to the section Question 9 would reside in were distributed, along
with more traditional means such as advertising in local newspapers and television networks being used.
THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND CONE, AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S POWER TO END STROKE -- Having identified stroke as a major health risk to African Americans, the American
Heart Association and agency partner Cone raised awareness through strategic alliances and partnerships with churches, local ambassadors and influential organizations within the
African American community. By recognizing the cultural nuances and sensitivities, the team was able to create an authentic and culturally relevant campaign that effectively
reached its target audience, in turn giving them the "Power to End Stroke."
Public Service Announcement
OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, CONTACT YOUR LENDER PSA -- Five federal agencies, led by the Office of the Comptroller of Currency, sought to reach victims of
Hurricane Katrina with loans so that they would know to contact their lenders for assistance. Through a carefully directed campaign, they were able to stretch a budget of $34,000
to generate an ad equivalency value of more than $78,000.
ILLINOIS ELECTRIC COUNCIL & PRAIRIE PRODUCTION GROUP, PLAY FAIR, PLAY SAFE -- The Illinois Electric Council's Safe Electricity Program, along with Prairie Production Group,
created a series of television and radio public service announcements warning against tampering with electrical equipment. They appealed to both children and adults with an easily
understood but still serious message.
CARTOON NETWORK, RESCUING RECESS CAMPAIGN -- With kids as its main audience, Cartoon Network's GET ANIMATED, which encourages children to go outside and exercise, had its
audience built in. Upon launching the Rescue Recess campaign, they extended their reach further by recruiting media and health and children's organizations across the country to
help spread their message, generating 1,200 news stories country-wide.
Re-Branding/Re-Positioning
GIRL SCOUTS OF THE USA AND CRT/TANAKA -- Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) sought to reinvent itself for the modern age, and CRT/tanaka was there to help. After researching the
changes that GSUSA desired, CRT/tanaka helped organize press coverage to allow speaking points on the issue to reach local Girl Scout councils, and helped GSUSA's become named one
of the top 100 leadership programs for 2006 by Leadership Excellence magazine.
WEBER SHANDWICK, KOMEN RE-BRANDING LAUNCH -- For the 25th anniversary of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Weber Shandwick helped strengthen its image. Among the developments was
the introduction of the Promise ring, one of which was worn by Hugh Laurie during his 2007 Golden Globe acceptance speech, giving the organization a recognizable symbol as well as
fund-raising item.
Research and Measurement
EMC CORPORATION & IDC, THE EXPANDING DIGITAL UNIVERSE: A FORECAST OF WORLDWIDE INFORMATION GROWTH THROUGH 2010 -- EMC and IDC, along with OutCast Communications, worked
with a variety of media outlets and blogs to release their report on the amount of digital information projected to exist in 2010, a growth large enough to be nicknamed the
"Digital Big Bang." Their efforts blanketed over 95 broadcast stations, 422 radio stations, and over 450 print and online media outlets worldwide.
WAGGENER EDSTROM WORLDWIDE, MICROSOFT WINDOWS LIVE ONECARE RETAIL ANNOUNCEMENT: WEXVIEW -- Waggener Edstrom Worldwide measured the media coverage of Microsoft's Windows Live
OneCare, a security suite for Windows, in its co-marketing agreement with Best Buy. Making the partnership public was vital, with only 29 news stories before Best Buy's
announcement and 177 in the first week afterwards.
ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN INVESTMENTS & TILLER, LLC, THE COLLEGE SAVINGS CRUNCH -- Following a research program on college debt, AllianceBernstein Investments and Tiller, LLC,
sought to educate the general public on the problems causing debt to become such a widespread issue. The company utilized a Web site, consumer brochure, and a press kit to target
several audiences at once and reach the widest audience possible.
Satellite Media Tours
WEBER SHANDWICK, 25TH ANNIVERSARY BRAND LAUNCH SMT -- In an effort to spread breast cancer awareness with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Weber Shandwick launched a satellite
media tour that garnered 23 interviews in 6 major cities, and offered Promise Rings as a fundraiser, creating a busy schedule but achieving maximum impact for the campaign.
MULTIVU, SIX FLAGS AND MULTIVU LAUNCH OF THE TATSU ROLLER COASTER -- THE SMT -- When Six Flags Magic Mountain opened TATSU, the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world,
they turned to MultiVu to help promote it. MultiVu arranged for unique speakers to be available to the media, including an astronaut and a roller coaster historian, both on-site
and live via satellite to achieve coverage nationwide.
D S SIMON PRODUCTIONS, INC., MORRIS' ONE MILLION CAT RESCUE SMT -- Coburn Communications hired D S Simon Productions, Inc. on behalf of Del Monte Foods for their "One Million
Cat Rescue Initiative" for cat adoption. Utilizing American Idol judge Randy Jackson and Morris, 9Lives brand cat food's mascot, 14 live interviews and a set of generic interviews
for the stations who couldn't participate were aired in cities across the country.
Speech
MARC USA PR, URBAN LEAGUE STATE OF BLACK PITTSBURGH SPEECH -- Through the Urban Leaguer of Pittsburgh's annual State of Black Pittsburgh Speech, MARC USA PR was able to raise
awareness of the disparity of wealth between minorities and Caucasians. Through historical references to land ownership, along with relevant statistics, the speech not only
increased knowledge but helped teach listeners how to become financially empowered.
SOLOMON MCCOWN & COMPANY, JERRY RAPPAPORT JR. REFA "NORTH STAR" SPEECH -- Solomon McCown & Company was hired to write the first speech for Jeffery Rappaport Jr., CEO of
New Boston Fund, Inc., since the company had a wholesale revision of its messaging. The speech reflected Rappaport's personality and values while still conveying his company's new
messaging, a success in all regards.
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, AMA CAMPAIGN -- In 2006, the American Medical Association (AMA) sought to expand its operations beyond its traditional audience to include think
tanks, service organizations, and national organizations. By arranging multiple appearances across the country to a wide variety of audiences, the AMA has seen a significant
growth in awareness and public perception of the value of healthcare investment.
Web Site
WAGGENER EDSTROM WORLDWIDE & MICROSOFT, VIRTUAL CES -- Waggener Edstrom Worldwide and Microsoft improved the classic International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) by making
it virtual. Through their Web site, customers found easy access to information from booth maps to product videos, extending the influence of CES to beyond only those who attended,
reaching 103,451 unique visitors.
YAHOO! INC. & OUTCAST COMMUNICATIONS, YAHOO! TIME CAPSULE -- Yahoo! celebrated the launch of its new front page in a unique fashion - an online time capsule in the form of
a globe that people all over the world could contribute stories, movies and other art to. Available in 10 different languages, the site attracted media coverage worldwide,
demonstrating Yahoo!'s innovation and global recognition.
CHEVORLET & WEBER SHANDWICK, CHEVY AVEO LIVIN' LARGE CAMPUS CHALLENGE -- Teams of two from seven college campuses lived out of a Chevy Aveo for a week while filming and
blogging about their adventure, allowing Chevorlet to reach the student demographic they desired. These students, who scammed meals, hosted parties, and rallied support through
Facebook, creating more attractive advertising for students than any company could do on its own.
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY, MICROBEWORLD.ORG -- Offering a podcast, streaming videos and up-close-and-personal photos of microbes, MicrobeWorld, created by the American
Society for Microbiology, makes even tiny organisms look cool. A 2006 redesign of a 2001 site and new internet technology makes exploring the world of a microbiologist much more
interesting. PRN