TCC Insights

Google+, The Other Facebook

 By: Lisa Cialfi, Account Coordinator

After just a few days on Google+, I’m really impressed. The new social media site is Google’s answer of the widely popular Facebook, and I think it has a lot to offer users.

A Disappointing Finish

 Carolyn Human, Account Manager

This past weekend, three of us at Travers Collins made the trek down the I-90 to run the Cleveland half marathon. Despite the blog title, we did not have a disappointing finish – in fact all three of us earned a PR (personal record) at the race.

However, one company trying to sell a product at the race expo set a PR for the most misleading and disappointing packaging in my book. For those out there trying to get into social media, this is a perfect example of what NOT to do.

Giving Buffalo a Real Brand

 

 By: Joe Sweeney, Associate Creative Director

Yesterday, Visit Buffalo Niagara (formerly the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau) unveiled a new brand for our city, during a classy, no-frills presentation at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center. Anchored by the tagline “Buffalo. For Real,” this campaign attempts to encapsulate the spirit of the Queen City, in a bid to attract “cultural tourists” (aka history buffs, art geeks, architecture dweebs, etc.).

Simply put: I love Dash’s Market.

 By: Lisa Cialfi, Account Coordinator

I live in walking distance to the Tonawanda/Kenmore location and visit the store about five times a week. With four locations total in western New York, it’s a true mom ‘n pop shop, which is why I choose to shop at Dash’s over larger grocery stores.

As an avid Foursquare user, my check-ins at Dash’s earned me the Mayorship of the store. Because of this I receive free coffee, daily from the SPoT coffee that’s attached to Dash’s.

Still Mad, After All These Months

By Joe Sweeney, Copywriter/Associate Creative Director

The cover story of Sunday’s Buffalo News involved a pair of decaying properties owned by local developing giant and 2010 gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino. But what really interested me was a sidebar piece about a billboard that’s been on one of said buildings for months. Greeting drivers on the Niagara Thruway, it screams in bold yellow type, “Spineless Stan Lipsey & The Buffalo News threw WNY under the bus.”

Stepping Up to the Lectern

   By Jeff Bucki, Copywriter


Editor's Note:  TC&C's own Jeff Bucki was featured in the "My View" column in The Buffalo News on June 12.  His column is re-posted below.

This spring, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching a public relations class at my alma mater of Fredonia State University. It was something I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m really glad I received the opportunity. As I expected, it has been a really unique and enjoyable experience.

There’s something really neat about being able to interact with and influence young people. I remember what it was like being in their shoes. For me, a lot it is sharing what I’ve learned along the way, what works and what doesn’t.

In my class, I have a mix of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. I told my students the first week that I was going to give them the inside story on PR. If they were looking for theory, they could get that from the textbook. My goal was to give them the reality of today’s marketing communication world. It’s the real-world insight that adjunct professors bring to the table that serves as our point of difference.

Bla, Bla, Bla

By Kate Torok, Account Manager

Woe is you, Tiger Woods.

It’s good to see you though, even if it’s about three months too late.

Admittedly, I, along with several colleagues, tuned in to Tiger’s 11:00 a.m. press conference (which started a few minutes late, by the way.) We were undoubtedly only some of the millions who did.

8 Pounds of Perfectness

By Brittany Frey, Assistant Account Manager

Nope, it wasn’t my first born, or even a human at that, but rather my dog. Olive is an 8 pound toy Australian Shepherd and the cutest thing in the whole entire world (or at least I think so!) I rescued her from a puppy mill a couple of years ago after the “breeder” told me that she would “throw her in with my order.” I took that as my cue that Olive was destined to be mine.

Little did I know that she would become obsessively attached to me and act as the Apartment Warden by not allowing anyone to enter the house. She is also very good at barking incessantly until I pick her up and end my conversation with the humans.

My boyfriend will attest that I created the monster that is Olive by allowing her to sleep with me, sit on furniture and apparently I constantly refer to her as “Mommy’s little baby.”  Oh well. Live and learn. I won’t do this with my offspring.

This blog really isn’t about my dog. It is about pitching the media. As a PR professional, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to pitch and secure solid media interviews. Media outlets have significantly downsized their staff and many TV reporters are now shooting and editing their own segments. Media pitches have to be unique and we need to think out-of-the-box to grab and entice a reporter’s attention.

I’m Facebook friends with a reporter at Channel 2. She posted on her wall that she was looking for someone with a small dog to do a product test. Of course I wanted Olive to make her television debut – I’m almost positive this will lead to a PetSmart commercial down the line. But, by the time I had the opportunity to even provide details about Olive’s breed there were 26 other people that thought they had the perfect dog for the test.

I quickly read the other wall posts – there were dachshunds, puggles, poodles, chihuahuas – all small dogs that would fit very nicely into a Puppy Snuggie. I was almost positive that I wouldn’t be able to break through the clutter and put Olive into the limelight by posting yet another comment.

So, I posted a picture. I just happened to have a picture of Olive in a raincoat (yes, I know ridiculous) and included a caption that said, “You know you want this dog.” 

And, I was right! Olive will be making her television debut on Channel 2’s Daybreak with Mary Friona this week (pending she doesn’t bite the photographer, Mary or eat the Snuggie.)

I suppose you can walk away with this thought – do something different and creative. There may have been a better, cuter dog (doubtful) that would have been a stronger fit, but no one included a photo in their “pitch.” Time is of the essence with the media, so get your pitch out quickly and effectively – and it might just work.

*Unfortunately, due to conflicting schedules, Olive never made her TV debut. The media rarely have the luxury of time (as previously noted) and you need to jump when an opportunity arises! I'm still confident that Olive will be seen in a series of PetSmart commercials in the not to distant future.

PR Skills to the Rescue

By Kayla Hogan, PR Intern

After compiling the “PR 101” PowerPoint for the Brown Bag Presentation last week, I started thinking of how often I incorporate the basic elements of public relations in my day-to-day life, particularly in my job at Shorty’s Ultimate Sports Bar & Grill in Niagara Falls, NY. I waitress and tend bar at Shorty’s in between school and interning, and even when I’m not scheduled to work, I’m usually there fixing something, training someone, or finishing up side work others have left behind. I arrive early and always stay later than scheduled, because to me my shift isn’t done until all of my work is. I take great pride in the restaurant and the work that I do there, which is why I have frequently put my PR skills to use in order to maintain the strong relationships we have with our customers.

On several occasions, I’ve been faced with minor crises that called for PR action. Specifically, a few weeks ago I was waitressing on a Friday night. The patio was open, a popular live band was playing, and the place was packed. Around seven o’clock, the hostess informed me that I had a 6-top (which in the restaurant business translates to “a party of 6”) of middle aged men. As I approached the table, I recognized a few faces. They were regulars for my Saturday afternoon shift. I greeted them enthusiastically, welcomed them back, and rattled off the specials. I got their drinks, took their order, and brought them their dinner salads. After about five minutes, I went back to check on them and noticed one of them was sitting back, arms crossed, glowering at me.
    “How’s everything going, gentlemen?”

Bursting Falcon’s Balloon Bubble

By Kate Torok, Account Manager

According to Wikipedia, a publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause.

To Richard Heene, it’s a planned event that puts your own kids into potential danger, designed to attract the attention of media across the country and executed just right to spend thousands of dollars on emergency services.