May 5, 2009
Well, happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone out there. Tough to call this a blog when we only update it once every five months or so.
Plenty of good reasons for our failure to update. We've been really busy with a lot of exciting projects and clients and have ignored ourselves ... for too long. Well, that's got to stop. As Stuart Smalley would say (um, Senator Smalley?), "we're good enough, we're smart enough and doggone it, people like us."
The economy is doing its thing around here and we can certainly sense unease but we've been pretty pleased that, for the most part, our clients are committed to the public relations programs we have developed and are implementing for them.
Keep posted to this space for some news about our new site on Facebook and a few other cool surprises.
I promise another update before the next major holiday (which would be Memorial Day so I've got to get going).
As always, drop me a note with your thoughts and, of course, accolades.
December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and a Festivus for the Rest of Us to everyone! Looking back on the year over the next few days and am planning to post a sort of year in review. Looking forward, I know that 2009 will be our most challenging and most exciting yet. Look for changes to our website and this blog. Also, we have some (much anticipated, slightly delayed) big news to announce early next month.
But, for today, on this sloppy Christmas morning with a belly full of Sushi, let me thank everyone who reads this for your continued support of me and Pierce Communications. Here's hoping that the coming year brings us all some welcome good news and more serene times.
Finally, here's a moment from my past. The infamous 1978 Star Wars Christmas Special. Here's Cooking with a Wookie. I wonder why this is never repeated on TV? Oh, that's why...
November 24, 2008
Just two quick things today:
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There's still nothing better than this. (although winning one of the last two national championship games would have been nice...)
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Even though I have seen it more than 1,000 times (and put in this space before, as well), this still makes me laugh. "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." Kills me. Happy Thanksgiving!!
November 21, 2008
Today, we celebrate the fifth anniversary of Pierce
Communications. From small
beginnings, I’m proud of how we’ve grown and continue to thrive, even in
these challenging times.
Our success is a direct result of the accomplishments
of our clients and the value of our work together.
Last week, Pierce Communications was presented with
an Empire Award for Best Public Relations Campaign – Non-Profit at the
Capital Region Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America’s
first awards program, recognizing our work with United Way of
Northeastern New York and United Way of Schenectady County to
communicate the creation of the new United Way of the Greater Capital
Region. PRSA’s new awards
program recognizes outstanding achievement in the practice of public
relations in the Capital Region and beyond.
We were thrilled to receive this honor and to share it with Kathy
Pelham and
In addition, our work for Price Chopper’s Fabulous
Fourth of July Celebration was honored as a finalist in the For-Profit
category and, as I communicated last month, Jo Ann LeSage
It has been quite a week – quite a five years -- for
us!
Many thanks to you for your
help and support as we’ve made it to this five year milestone.
We look forward to many more years providing our clients with the
counsel – award winning counsel! – to help them achieve their
organization’s objectives.
And, as always, and perhaps
even more importantly, Go Buckeyes! Beat
October 16, 2008
Dear Friends and Clients:
President
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October 10, 2008
It sure has been a bumpy (economic) ride for the last few weeks. I know that our clients are feeling the pinch and, in the end, we all will. For now, I'm pleased that things here are continuing to go well and we head into the last quarter of the year expecting to see revenues increase again.
That doesn't mean that I'm not still nervous about things. I think we've entered into a new age of communications. We're all looking at new economic realities today, I know. But the challenge for many will be how to get people's attention and motivate them. And, not just because people are short on cash and looking at longer until they can retire. People are bordering on depression right now. Everywhere you go, folks are talking about how bad the economy is. In coffee shops. In the stores and restaurants. Online. It is topic #1, #2 and #3.
So, in addition to trying to get people to spend more money, we're now dealing with a new American Psyche. We're trying to communicate to people who no longer want to hear from us ...or maybe from anyone. Breaking through this funk -- this psyche -- will be another communications challenge as we move into 2009 and beyond.
Finally (and without any editorializing), I'm not quite sure if this article is good or bad for the profession. Seems like Governor Sarah got good value for that contract, though.
You betcha'!
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September 22, 2008
Yes, Ohio State lost another big game. I think they've put me out my misery for the year ... no national championship game to lose this year!
And, as of this moment, your Vanderbilt Commodores are ranked #21 and are 4-0. How weird is that? I remember 1984. We were also 4-0 and ranked in the top 20 (like #16 or something). We had beaten Alabama ... and then proceeded to finish the year 5-6. Our last winning season was in 1982. Current Vanderbilt students weren't even born then. So, forgive this momentary glee. We deserve it (and I still have doubts that they will finish the year with a winning record). Go Gold!
I spent part of last week in New Orleans with my colleagues from Manning, Selvage & Lee and the affiliate network. Our firm is a member of the MS&L affiliate network, which gives us access to resources and expertise in virtually every worldwide market and throughout North America. We had some fun and also were able to share stories of how the current economic climate was impacting our business and our clients'. (That economic situation certainly worsened even while we were away). It's always good to know that we're not the only ones confronting these challenges and that there are some good ways to get around them.
New Orleans was odd. Many who evacuated from Gustav had yet to return to the area. Many Katrina evacuees simply never returned, The city felt empty last week, a fact confirmed by cab drivers and restaurant workers. The gloom over the city has lifted somewhat (I was also there in the Spring of 2007) but the hangover remains and each subsequent storm seems to awaken the same old fears and move some people to further abandon the area ... if not physically and financially, then emotionally.
The people who remain are steadfast supporters of the community. Most of the people I spoke with (especially the younger staff at our affiliate office, Keating, Magee) were walking Chamber of Commerce ads. My thanks to all of those folks who spoke with me and my best wishes to all of them as this year's storm season begins to wind down.
August 14, 2008
RIP Sawchuk, Brown Associates. Best of luck to the new entity and to all of the folks left there. I'm proud that we're one of the few remaining locally-owned public relations firms that have stuck true to our roots and continue to provide clients with sound counsel and effective and cost-efficient work delivered by seasoned professionals.
July 22, 2008
Summer normally means a bit of a business slowdown as clients and others (even reporters) begin to take their vacations, etc. Not so much for us here at Pierce Communications. Oh, don't worry, we're going to get our vacations in (we may have to work through parts of them but at least we'll be away...) but in between those all too brief excursions of enforced family togetherness, we're busy working away making the world safe for our clients and doing what we can to attract new folks to our ever-growing client list.
Today, I have two issues with which to launch discussions:
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Check out this article about product placements ... during news segments on the local news. That's almost hard to believe. When I got into the business (both PR and journalism), we were always told about the so-called "Chinese wall" between the editorial (or content) side of the the business and the sales side. It sure appears that that wall is slowly eroding. Yes, we place stories about our products on the news all of the time. Just earlier this month, we got a local TV station to do a wonderful segment during their midday news on the wonders of Bilinski's all natural (and organic) chicken sausages. But, the segment was clearly labeled as a cooking demonstration and it was a part of the show. What if, instead, the anchors were just shown enjoying some (delicious and nutritious) chicken sausages as they went out to break or came back from a commercial and never mentioned that Bilinski is a sponsor or advertiser on the show. (Which, incidentally, they are not). The times. They are a changing.
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Issue two. You've been put in charge of creating a new website for your client. And, your client wants to get some traffic at that site since the product is a little, how do we say it, delicate to discuss. You think about what you can do to get people to keep coming back to the website. You have a brainstorm. No one disagrees with you. You're going to use the site to offer consumers a benefit if they have a certain (again, delicate) medical or digestive issue. Everyone will love us! They'll keep coming back to our site to get this information! Sales will skyrocket! Promotions! Bonuses! Hooray!
And that is likely how we got to this. A public bathroom locator on the Immodium website. I can't disagree with the strategy although I do wonder how traffic has been. I guess if you can punch that site up on your iPhone while you're stuck (sweating and clenching) in traffic, there's some value. Of course, if you had taken Immodium already you wouldn't need to know the location of every bathroom between here and Boston but I guess that is better left unsaid.
So are many of the other jokes that I had planned to put into this blog entry.
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April 7, 2008
I'm giving up making public predictions or picks for athletic contests. Congratulations to Siena for beating Vanderbilt. I'm, at least, glad to see them win.
On to bigger and better topics...
We'd like to welcome some new clients in this space:
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New York Business Development Corporation
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American Public Power Association
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Bilinski's Sausages
More news to come!
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March 21, 2008
Happy spring to everyone. It's like 30 degrees outside with a blustery wind bringing it down to about 15 degrees with the wind chill. Don't forget to your sunscreen...
I had thought that Governor Patterson was confronting his allegations of infidelity and trysts properly by holding his press conference earlier this week, admitting to the affairs and, hopefully for him, putting the matter to rest. Of course, the only way that could work is if he fully disclosed everything. By holding the news conference, he was, in effect, daring the media to find something else.
And, it looks like they are. Which means that the goal of making this a short-lived story is out the window.
The first rule of PR: tell the truth or don't tell them anything.
On another note ... this won't make me the most popular guy in the Capital Region, but:
GO VANDERBILT!!
I'd root for Siena against pretty much anyone except Vanderbilt and Ohio State. Oh well, the Saints will have a good shot of getting back next year.
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March 12, 2008
Oh.
My.
God.
Let's take a deep breath and welcome in our new Governor and reflect on the brief and tumultuous Spitzer regime.
I told a group of clients on Tuesday morning (about 15 hours after the Spitzer story broke and 27 hours before he resigned) that if, 24 hours previously, I had bet anyone that by the end of the week, Governor Spitzer would have resigned and we would be looking at a whole new political landscape, 100 out of 100 would have taken the bet.
There are a lot of PR implications to discuss here but let's put them off until next week. For now, please people, a little decorum and respect. I'm talking to the politicians not the blog readers.
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January 24, 2008
Not much to say today. Just cleaning up a few things here and there on the website and thought I'd stop in and post something.
We're in the middle of one of the busiest times that I can remember and sometimes I get the feeling that it's a good thing that the windows in the office remain painted shut. I've definitely seen Ms. Nelson looking at them...
I wrote this the other day and posted it in the news section (which needs a dramatic update ... someday). Just a quick thought about the fourth year anniversary of Pierce Communications which passed without much fanfare a few months ago:
In 2007, we celebrated our 4th anniversary. It's been quite a ride. We're growing, but never losing our focus. We're busy as heck, but still having fun. We're doing great and important work for really great people, but we still stop every day to laugh ... frequently at ourselves.
That's a pretty cool place to work.
I'm still looking for the Penn State kid who called me looking for an internship. I accidentally deleted your message. Please email me so we can, at least, talk.
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January 14, 2008
I'm here. I'm ok. It's taken a week to recover from another national championship loss. I guess it's better to make it to the championship game and lose than to never make it there. And, a couple of things go differently and we'd be national champions. Instead, I'm constantly fending off Buffalo Bills jokes now.
So it goes...
Luckily, things here at Pierce Communications world headquarters are humming along and keeping me busy and my mind off of college football for a while. I think we'll have some pretty cool announcements coming in the next few weeks. Stay tuned.
A public service announcement: if you're the kid from Penn State who called my office on a Sunday afternoon looking for an internship. please contact me. I accidentally deleted your voice mail. (Now I can expect a deluge of email from State College).
And, finally, I ran across this article earlier today. I can't imagine anything worse. I also can't imagine a more difficult story to write nor a better article about it. Go home tonight and tell someone that you love them. Please.
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January 2, 2008
Ok. Back in business. The preceding service interruption was the direct result of a software error on my part (user error) which disabled my ability to update this here site. It looks like I've fixed it for now.
So, what have we missed since Halloween Eve?
Happy New Year to everyone. As we enter into 2008, things at Pierce Communications are really looking up. I think we're going to have some more exciting announcements in the next few months that should really demonstrate our growth and strength. Hopefully, we'll be able to release some of this news in the first quarter of this year.
What else? Oh yeah, ho hum, the Buckeyes have beaten Michigan again (for the fourth year in a row), Pierce Communications has celebrated it's fourth anniversary, the Buckeyes are going to play in the National Championship game (again ... no predictions this year) and the Presidential election season hits high gear this very week.
There will be no (public) New Year's resolutions this year. Looking back on last year's resolutions are too much of a slap in the face. I think I'll just keep them to myself this year and hope to do better than last year.
So, to all of our clients, friends, partners and readers, here's to healthy, successful and prosperous 2008 that will bring us all peace, happiness and another football national championship!
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October 30, 2007
Well, Happy Halloween to all of you.
It's hard to believe what a huge holiday this has become. Times have changed a lot. Billions are spent on decorations, costumes and candy. Further proof that the terrorists haven't won...
Growing up, Halloween and Beggars' Night were two different nights to discourage shenanigans. Each town also had their own begging hours so that homeowners weren't subjected to four hours of legalized candy-grubbing. Ah, simpler times. It's hard to believe how easy things were back then.
I loved this story.
Anyone in PR who tells you that they've never had a press conference where no media has shown up is either lying to you or hasn't been doing this very long. I've had press conferences with no media for good reasons (once, because as the reporters were driving to the press conference they had to pass a guy who picked that exact moment to decide to jump off a bridge and kill himself and another time because the media was stuck in a horrific car accident on the highway which became the story) and other times because what I (or my client) was newsworthy, just wasn't to them. (By the way, I'm more often wrong on the other end of the equation ... last month we held a press conference for a client that I thought would get little attention and all five TV stations plus two newspapers covered it. I guess my Dad was right: better to be a pessimist and pleasantly surprised when things go right than an oft disappointed optimist.).
Now, with all of that said, I will confess that I have been tempted to have friends come to a press conference and pretend to be reporters to make a client feel better ... but I've never done it. And, I've never had the thought to fake a whole news conference.
No matter what your political stripes might be, you've got to admire the effort and chutzpah that FEMA went through (kidding, of course). Wow, you would think those folks would know something about disaster management by now.
Caution! College football note: It is unbelievable to me that Ohio State is #1 again. Unlike my Halloween recollections, I can emphatically tell you that these are the good old days for Ohio State fans. Yes, I do think we're a bit overrated but (as my brother said), it's better to be undefeated and overrated than beaten and underrated.
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September 19, 2007
And, we're back with more updates...
Lots of new clients to mention:
Welcome to Pierce Communications family to Compensation Risk Managers, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and United Way of the Greater Capital Region.
We're working on some really cool stuff with these folks and many others.
I haven't shared any literary recommendations with my faithful readers in a while so here's three quick mini-reviews:
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The Tipping Point -- A really interesting approach to persuasion and the use of social forces to affect change. I know I'm a little behind the times on this one, but I'm glad that I've read it. Trying to find ways to use it to impact our business and clients.
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The Exile -- Total escapist novel that was perfect for a recent vacation. Not at all realistic but I enjoyed it. (It's not all serious around here).
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Patron Saints -- With the onset of the NFL season, I heard this author recently on the radio and went out and bought this book. It's a really moving read which goes to prove how much sports can mean to a community. All proceeds from the book go to a News Orleans charity, too. Go buy one or two. (Even though as I write the Saints have yet to win this season...)
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September 4, 2007
Wow. What happened here? We really haven't updated our blog since April? Who's to blame for this travesty?
Oh, me.
All right, following is my list of excuses for not updating the blog in over four months (please note, square bullets):
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The sun got in my eyes.
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We've been really really busy in the office updating everyone else's website and brochures and neglected ourselves. (We're so neglected!)
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The dog ate my website.
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We weren't convinced that the whole internet fad thing was going to last...
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Computer (or maybe user) errors. Never name your laptop Hal and expect it not to turn on you.
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We decided to take the summer off...
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"Update our website? That's just what they would expect us to do."
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I've been a bit depressed in the wake of Ohio State's tragic losses in the football and basketball national championship games. Seeing the University of Michigan lose to a I-AA team shook me out of my funk.
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It's all Lindsay Lohan's fault. (No, we do not provide public relations counsel to Ms. Lohan, although if you are reading this and happen to represent her, we would be happy to discuss...)
O.K. We have no excuse. We've been busy. Lots of new clients to discuss (look here and the news section for more updates over the next few days).
Welcome Jess Rowlands to the Pierce Communications team!
And, (a few months later...), farewell to Jess Rowlands from the Pierce Communications team. Best of luck on your move to Boston. We'll miss you!
More soon... (really, I promise)
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April 26, 2007
I can't believe I haven't updated the blog in so long.
Winter has come and gone ... and come and gone again.
Lots happening here in the Capital city and in our offices. We're getting very very busy again. That's good.
But, rather than give you a chatty update on our lives here, I have a meaty issue to delve into ... media ethics.
I'm not here to talk about Don Imus. Good lord, that one has been done to death and I've always been more of a Howard Stern fan anyhow. But, that's a topic we may revisit in the near future.
(As my accounting teacher in business school would say): "Let me tell you a story" (I hope it's more enthralling than the stories that my accounting professor would tell...)
We have a client embroiled in a pretty good national controversy (again, not Don Imus ... or Alec Baldwin). A story ran on the CBS Evening News that was very negative to my client. But, on closer inspection, a lot of the claims in the story were false or based on faulty information or testimonials. The story ran on the Evening News and was posted on the CBS website later that night or the next morning.
So, in the light of (the next) day, as CBS was confronted with their inaccuracies, they began to change the story on their website ... without noting that they were changing their story! To be fair, this was pointed out to them and after a few days, they noted on the website that their story was evolving and even showed where some of the edits were.
We have an interesting couple of issues to confront. In the old days -- say pre-2004 -- if a TV news show did a story, it pretty much disappeared into the ether. If people saw it, they saw it. If they missed it, they missed it. Now, such stories live on for years on various websites, YouTube, etc.
But, do you think CBS would have given my client a chance to correct a misstatement? And, if they did, I'm pretty sure they would have noted it somewhere. Does CBS get a free pass on this one because at least they corrected the story?
The real question is: when did a story on the CBS Evening News have the same credibility and integrity as a Wikipedia entry?
The times, they are a changing...
(Oh, and yes, I was depressed about Ohio State losing the NCAA championship in basketball. I got over it much quicker than the football loss which still has me reeling.)
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February 14, 2007
One of the advantages of this bloggy thing is that I can now go back a year plus and see what was happening to us at Pierce Communications, to our community or in my family.
So, a year ago on Valentine's Day, I was out of town on a business trip. And, today, I was headed out of town too except that Mother Nature got in the way. The good news: I stayed in town. The bad news: I came to the office instead of staying home with the family during the blizzard. Here's the view from my office window as of 12:30 this afternoon (not a great picture but, trust me, we're getting caught up for the nice December and January we had):
Well, we're lucky that we've avoided the storms that have hit Oswego but today is still pretty bad. Best of luck to all of you in the storm and Happy Valentine's Day!
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February 5, 2007
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February 2, 2007
I've written a lot about how difficult it is these days for good communications people to find innovative methods to break through the clutter and reach targets. I've sat in a lot of brainstorming sessions where some of the wildest ideas you can imagine are thrown out there (e.g., "let's hire a blimp", "Maybe Bill Clinton would endorse our product", etc.). Most of the time those ideas get shot down because of impracticality, cost, etc.
So, I can only imagine the brainstorming session that went like this:
Creative Guy #1: "This will be so cool. We'll hide little electronic devices around Boston and no one will know what they are and just when they are getting to the point of really being confused, we'll put out a press release that tells them about the cartoon."
Creative Guy #2: "That's so awesome. Then everyone will want to watch our show and we'll be millionaires like that guy who dreamed up The Simpsons."
Creative Guy #1: "This will be like the biggest thing since New Coke. We're going to be so famous. Everyone will want to hire us. But, don't compare us to The SImpsons ... they're such sell outs."
Voice of Reason: "Uh, fellas, this idea of burying unknown electronic devices around Boston might not work. I mean, what if no one gets it? And, who's gonna do it?"
Creative Guy #2: "Dude. You are a buzzkill. And, besides that's why we hired interns."
Creative Guy #1: "Yeah, loser. We've been thinking up ideas for three hours. All you've come up with is ads in the subways. We're geniuses and it's time to go."
And, thus, a marketing debacle was born. I can't condone it. But, I can understand how they got there. And, besides, they certainly got people talking about them, didn't they? Nice to have been working with you, Interference, Inc. Cool website, though.
January 24, 2007
Yes, it's been a while since I posted. Yes, I was depressed after the OSU football loss but that's not the only thing going on. We've been really busy for the last few weeks trying to get some new projects off the ground and getting ready for what promises to be a very busy Spring.
I loved this article.
I've read through to about #30 so far and we're not in there so I think things are going well.
January 9, 2007
Well, that was ugly.
I thought it might be close but I never thought I'd see an Ohio State team under this coaching staff be so outplayed and outcoached. I'll be in mourning for a couple of days. Please feel free to send flowers, fruit baskets, etc. to the office...
I din't even bother to call my Dad last night. And, now, my son truly knows what it feels like to be a Buckeye fan.
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January 8, 2007
This is going to be a non-work related post so prepare to scroll on by if you don't care that ... tonight, for the second time in four years, THE Ohio State University will be winning a national championship in college football.
It occurred to me that not everyone has a good sense of what this feeling is like (or how interminable today will be for me...). I was born a Buckeye fan. My Dad was getting his PhD at OSU when I came into being. In 1968, the Buckeyes won a national title. I was three and remember nothing (although I am sure that my Dad celebrated in his own inimitable manner including complaining about Woody Hays...) but I still feel qualified to talk about that team as one of the national championships that I lived through. And then ... there was quite a drought until the 2002 Buckeyes beat Miami in Arizona.
We lost chances to win championships in every conceivable way and most of them involved the University of Michigan (but sometimes the University of Southern California). Even when we had the best talent, we lost because of our coaches (see Cooper, John), a guy slipping, etc. etc. My sports loyalties were formed during these formative years. I loved my hometown (or homestate) teams and learned to resent the teams that always seemed to be winning .. the Yankees (which the Reds beat in 1976 but they gave us so many reasons to hate them over the years .. see: Steinbrenner, George), Michigan (which we hated anyway), Notre Dame, USC, the Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers.
And now, have I become what I hated as a kid? Has my team become for legions of young folks the team that always wins? Is some kid in Wyoming rooting for Florida to win tonight simply because the "Buckeyes always win"? I have to find this Wyoming-ite (Wyomingan?) and tell him about the pain of losing for more than 30 years and how I (at least me and hundreds of thousands more) deserve to win a few times. I have to find this cowboy in Wyoming and explain to him that my guts were ripped out of my chest more times than he can imagine.
My son has never had to experience such torment. He's mostly lived in a world where his teams win (even his newly adopted Bengals won last year). To my great dismay, he is a huge Yankees fan, though. (One of the hardest things I have to do as a parent is take him to Yankee games and not overtly cheer against the home team so that he's not embarrassed and I don't get beer poured on me).
So, some people (and apparently all of Wyoming) can hate us but I know in my heart that we're the good guys and that good guys win every once in a while (© Buffett, James) and that's ok.
I won't lie to you. I cried that night a few year ago that they won the championship. Called my Dad (my Buckeye mentor) and brother at midnight and had goose bumps for weeks. I'm looking forward to reliving it again tonight. Get ready for my call, Dad.
Go Bucks.
December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas to all. And, to all a good night.
(Off to the movies and eat Chinese food...)
December 19, 2006
Well, first of all, happy holidays to each and every one of you taking time from your busy days and nights to peruse this site and this blog. I know that sometimes I get too busy (a good thing, generally) to update it regularly and when the updates are sporadic, people tend to tune out. My 2007 resolutions include a heightened attempt to provide more insanely witty and insightful updates on -- at least -- a weekly basis. I also want to lose 25 pounds. This might be easier.
Do you hate spam as much as I do? Lately, we've been deluged with spam emails, so much so that the person who manages our mail servers has put in place a very strong scanning program. The end result has been less spam ... and, with the law of unintended consequences firmly in place, some legit emails never making it through to me.
Here's what happens now: someone sends me an email and it is rejected by our mail server (or, worse still, it is not rejected and still never reaches me), they then call me to tell me that they are trying to send an email but it is not getting through. I then email our mail server person who fixes the problem for their domain. I email the original emailer and tell them to resend the email. They email me. I respond. Everyone is happy because we can communicate without actually talking.
Smoke signals may have been faster. (Although the risk of forest fires as a result of email is considerably less).
One last question/comment about spam. Has anyone ever -- in the course of human events -- clicked on one of those emails truly believing that they could get rich, increase the size of their genitalia, grow hair, meet lonely men or women or both in their area or refinance their homes for some ridiculously low rate? If you have, please let me know. And, shame on you for adding to this problem.
One final final note: congratulations to Jo Ann LeSage Nelson. Not only did she recently get married but she has also set the record for the most capital letters in a non-hyphenated name. Mazel Tov!
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December 1, 2006
Ok, enough with the self-congratulatory stuff about growth and anniversaries ... on to the self-indulgent stuff about business, life and society.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the growing phenomena of reporter blogs. Often, these blogs are places that reporters can stretch a little bit and write a bit more creatively, etc. That's a good thing.
At the Times Union, a lot of the reporter blogs are up-to-the-minute news bites along with links to other sites, etc. Some are really well written and interesting. Others, are simple rehashes of the day's print articles.
But, what happens when a reporter writes something in a blog that calls into question his or her objectivity on an issue that he or she might be covering in the future? For example, what if a reporter writes in a blog how much he dislikes a political candidate and then finds himself covering that candidate in the near future? Certainly, we don't want to impinge anyone's right to free speech but if the blog is sponsored by the media outlet, doesn't that content become a part of the media outlet's "record" on the story.
I have a real example. A reporter covering one of our clients (who, by the way, has done a pretty good job of covering the story and would certainly not be someone that I would accuse of mishandling the issue to-date ... certainly not compared to some other esteemed members of the fourth estate) wrote an entry in his newspaper's blog that attempted to be a tongue-in-cheek spoof of the story. The author clearly has strong negative feelings about my client and the blog entry was pretty vicious in its attacks (unfortunately, it wasn't very funny either so there was, from my perspective, no redeeming value).
Now what? Now that the reporter has shown his opinion (mind you, this is a reporter who is supposed to TRY to write objectively, not a columnist or editorial writer), how can my client work with him in the future? He's compromised his -- however fragile -- veil of objectivity. On the other hand, it's always good to know how people really feel so that we can deal with them appropriately.
I would think that after a few more instances of this (and in some larger markets than where this occurred), media outlets might start cracking down on some of these blogs. They often make compelling reading and are certainly directing more eyeballs to the media outlet's website, but are they willing to accept that at the cost of their objectivity? We'll see.
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November 22, 2006
Three years!
Three years ago yesterday, Pierce Communications was launched and, for me, nothing has been quite the same. (I hope that we've had some impact on some of you, as well). In three years, our client list has grown, our impact has increased, we've moved offices and hired new people. From the attic of my house to the fourth floor of 915 Broadway. From me and a laptop to more people and more laptops (and wires and monitors and routers and things that I don't understand). Most importantly, we've had the opportunity to do some really cool things for some wonderful clients who have benefited from working with us. What could be better?
A few months ago, one of my clients asked me, "What do you want this thing (Pierce Communications) to be?" I had a few flip answers but nothing really rang true. I know what I don't want this to be and so far, we've steered clear of becoming a firm that focuses so much on its own profitability that it loses site of the goals of sustaining creativity and producing client results.
I think I may have hit on the answer the other day in the shower (I do my best thinking in the shower. It's not pretty but it's clean and effective...).
We want to do great work with good people.
I want to make sure that we work with people (as colleagues, clients and partners) that share our values and beliefs. I want to work with people that are able to have fun, even when faced with difficult circumstances. I want our clients to value their relationship with us as much (or more) as we value the relationship. Most importantly, I want everyone that works with us to enjoy the experience. I want to do great work with good people.
Three years! So much has happened to me personally over that time and that's all inexorably intertwined with the history of Pierce Communications. Certainly, my family has faced its share of trials and tribulations over this time. Today, things look good. Everyone is healthy and recovering and in remission so I have nothing to complain about and everything to be thankful for. One of the ways that I know that I'm working with good people is the unbelievable kindness, understanding and caring that so many of our clients showed during my wife's most recent health crises. Thanks to all of you from the bottom of my heart.
Three years! At first it was just me. And, now, there are several more people in and out of Pierce Communications' world headquarters. To everyone that has helped (or continues to) out around here, thank you. I'm amazingly blessed that I get to work with one of my closest friends, Jo Ann LeSage. Jo Ann has kept things running around here during some difficult times for me and has been a huge part of our success as we move out of toddler stage and head for pre-school.
Three years! And, two victories over Michigan for Ohio State (five out of the last six in case I haven't reminded you lately). One more game to go for the national championship for my beloved team.
Finally, since it is Thanksgiving eve and I'm from Cincinnati. I have to direct you to maybe the 10 funniest minutes in television history.
November 15, 2006
Next week marks our third anniversary officially (November 21) but this week again marks the true anniversary of the beginnings of Pierce Communications as it marks a crucial date -- Michigan week. Expect to see a massive and monumental anniversary post next week. For today, I have more important things to comment on...
Growing up as an Ohio State fan, I dreaded this week. Michigan week was, more often than not, the week that left a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the winter, the week that marked the end of another great college football season and punctuated it with bitter disappointment.
Luckily, not so much anymore (the good guys have won four of the last five).
If you didn't grow up in the Midwest, or didn't have the privilege of attending THE Ohio State University (or, of course, the disadvantage of attending "That School Up North"), it would be hard to explain what this week is like in Columbus or what this game means to people affiliated with the schools or States. And, this year, you have the #1 team (that would be the good guys) battling the #2 team.
I've been in Columbus many times during this week but the hype and importance of this year's game is at an all-time high. I imagine the general productivity of the entire state has been diminished this week. Trust me, there is nothing bigger than this and there is nothing like this in our corner of the country. Yankees/Red Sox would be the closest thing except imagine that it only happened once a year and usually impacted the league -- or in this case, national -- championship. And, then, throw in the fact that that one game will be in front of 100,000+ people, many of them crazy and inebriated and you may get close to the feeling.
Drinking. Fighting. Celebrating. Cheering. Crying. Cursing. Yelling. Singing. Elation. Bitter and humiliating disappointment.
Kind of like election day in Albany.
Go Bucks! Beat Michigan!
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October 22, 2006
Ok, we had one lucky winner in our "guess the big Pierce Communications news" contest. She'll be properly notified and rewarded with a month's supply of paperclips and whatever else we can find sitting around the back room.
The big news? We've moved into new offices to allow us to grow and be closer to many of our clients. Our new offices, located at 915 Broadway, are darn near palatial compared to our digs the last few years (consider, also, that three years ago Pierce Communications was born in an office over the garage of my house).
Some PR firms become enamored with their office space. To steal a phrase from a fundraising executive I know, they develop an "edifice complex." Why? Well, for one thing, I think that so much of what we do is soft that the only way that some PR execs can prove their credibility to clients or prospects is to have beautifully appointed offices with plush conference room chairs and salmon colored walls. Eventually, the firms put so much resources into their office space that their overhead rates price them out of some jobs.
We're not going to commit that many resources into our offices. We've moved into a small space (though immeasurably larger than our old one room office) that is comfortable and, most importantly to me, conducive to the kind of creative thinking and hard work that our clients have come to expect of us. Our offices will augment our ability to think, grow and achieve results. Nothing more. There's nothing wrong with comfortable office, I just feel that our clients would rather we invest in them right now and not too much fancy new furniture.
Paradoxically, if we are doing our jobs right, we should be spending more time in our clients' offices than our own so who cares what our space looks like...
Drop us a line and we'll schedule a tour for you!
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October 6, 2006
If you're a regular reader here, you may have picked up on the fact that I'm a big Ohio State football fan (#1 team in the country as of this writing). Being from the Cincinnati area, I also grew up a Cincinnati Bengals fan. It has been much tougher being a Bengals fan. Take the futility of being a Cubs fan and couple it with the anguish of being a Red Sox fans and mix that up with the feeling of rooting for the Washington Generals to someday beat the Globetrotters... That's what it feels like to be Bengals fan.
Nonetheless, I digress...
Many different media are delving into blogging now. Nearly every story in the Albany Times Union now comes with its own online forum and feedback section. Some reporters really get it into it and the blog has become a vital adjunct of the daily paper. (My favorite TU blog in this vein is the Capital Confidential blog which is written by several of the TU's statehouse reporters. It's updated frequently throughout the day and often contains a more caustic wit and sarcasm than the paper would probably allow in a printed version.)
Other media blogs provide us with information about the newsgathering operations (the local NBC affiliate had a daily blog during the Porco trial which included such tidbits as what everyone at the trial was eating for lunch...).
I also enjoy the blogs which allow some reporters to expand on their beats and write some really great pieces which probably are too personal or wouldn't make it into their print or broadcast versions. Today I found two great examples of this kind of writing in a blog from a Cincinnati Enquirer reporter who covers the Bengals. Even if you're not a football fan (or bless your soul, a Bengals fan), I recommend reading this blog and especially the non-football related entries from 10/6/06 and 10/3/06. You have to believe that if one of the goals for media blogs is to make the news consumer feel closer to the reporters and media outlet, it is writing like this that will accomplish those goals.
Big announcement coming next week...
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September 20, 2006
About time we start updating this here bloggy thing more often...We're also going to update the website over the next couple of weeks. Maybe put up some pictures of our smiling faces and happy clients.
Looking for something fun to do and to benefit a great cause? The Pink Ball is coming up next month. It's a fun evening in Saratoga with music, drinks, dancing and lots of pink dresses. It also benefits an organization near and dear to us, To Life! (Disclosure: To Life! is also a client ... and a very nice one, at that).
Call To Life! at (518) 489-8573 for more information on The Pink Ball.
Boy, that's a lot of exclamation marks!!!!
An acquaintance of my wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer. I don't really know these people but my heart goes out to them. She has had trouble talking on the phone since she found out; trouble even getting out of bed and the house. It seems like he's searching for answers and help.
I understand.
It was a little more than two years ago when my wife received a call from her doctor asking us to come talk to him about the biopsy results. I had just returned from taking my new intern out to lunch on her first day of work. We pretty much knew that this wasn't going to be good news. Doctors are fine telling you good news over the phone but would rather tell you the bad news in person.
I can't tell you that I remember an awful lot after that. We drove home in shocked silence. From the car, my wife called To Life! founder Mara Ginsberg to ask her opinions about what we should tell the kids. I called the intern and told her that I wouldn't be back to the office.
A lot of really awful things and thoughts happened in those first few hours and days. My wife -- my whole family -- learned what it is like to live with cancer in your house. The kids were on edge. Imagine being four or eight or ten and having to deal with mortality and the possibility of losing one's Mother.
I'd wake up in the middle of the night and my wife would be wide awake, staring at the ceiling, trying to hear the cancer cells in her body. Trying to make the whole thing go away.
The story gets longer and more painful and difficult but that's for another time. Most importantly, the story is still being written and it looks to be a happy ending.
Today, we're two years past that awful first day. My wife is a two year survivor. My kids are two grades older. My hair is two shades greyer and thinner.
As many of you know or have read below, the last few months have been pretty tough on Jo Ann and me. We're lucky to work with some really exceptional people who have become more than clients, more than partners. They're our friends. And, when you get to work with friends and do great things together, there is really nothing better.
We've got some more big news coming up in the next few days. Stay tuned!
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August 2, 2006
Please allow me to answer some questions from my faithful readers:
Yes, my wife has been in the hospital again.
No, it is not cancer-related per se.
Yes, she is going to be ok ... it will just take some more time.
Thanks for your concern. We'll be fine. Back to business...
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July 29, 2006
Today's posting infrequency excuse is a combination of personal and professional. We're busy (that's good) and our staff is facing a set of personal issues (including -- for different people -- a wedding and honeymoon, a death in the family and two surgeries). I think those are all good excuses...
Early in my professional career, I worked in the marketing department of a large university hospital (try to guess which one by reading the rest of this website). One thing that I was responsible for was analyzing our patient satisfaction questionnaires. I had done something similar much earlier in my career while working for a large Wendy's franchisee.
First of all, you had to remember that most people only complete such self-select research mechanisms when they are somewhat displeased or extraordinarily pleased with their service (we're talking about the Wendy's experience, now) so the range of good scores was actually quite low. The simple fact is that most people will only take the time to complete these mechanisms if they are displeased. If they got their burger right and quick, they would leave the restaurant happy but not tell anyone about it. I guess we just like to complain, not praise.
Now, take that same phenomena to the patient satisfaction scores for a hospital. The only time people are happy to go to a hospital is when they are giving birth (or, perhaps, for some plastic surgery). Even though most people who go to the hospital get better, they (1) hate the experience and (2) expect to get better. So, while they certainly appreciate getting better, they expected to and subsequently rate the rest of the experience -- especially the supplemental issues such as parking, food service, elevator wait time -- poorly. There is just no love for the hospital food service department.
So, with that experience, I have to tell you that during my latest trips to hospitals, I have tried very hard to appreciate those ancillary services. And, it's been quite tough. One hospital we visited was undergoing renovations in their parking garage and the parking situation is a disaster. I was so mad, in such a bad mood (and, realize that I wasn't happy to be at the hospital in the first place) that there was nothing else that hospital could do to make me happy for several hours (except treat my family well, which they did). Lesson learned. The little things contribute just as much -- maybe more depending on expectations -- as the principle business venture.
My quote of the day comes from my youngest daughter. As my wife was trying to explain a medical issue to someone else, she chimed in with this gem:
"Mommy, you don't have kidneys, you have grown-up knees."
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July 5, 2006
Hope that everyone had a very happy Independence Day celebration. What a country!
I once worked for a guy who took a month off in the summer and called it his time to "think strategically". This guy was one of the few people that I've met in my life that I consider to be true geniuses. (Not just because he figured out how to take the summer off). He really tried to spend some time thinking every year about his business, industry and company. Sometimes, just finding thinking time is pretty tough.
I really miss summer vacations...
I've been trying to do some more reading and, again, not to get too Oprah Book Club on you folks, I heartily recommend reading The Kite Runner. Not the kind of book that I would typically read but I really enjoyed it and was moved by it ... and I learned something about history and different cultures.
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June 23, 2006
Sorry for the sporadic posting this spring. We've been swamped (with only good things) and I've had the added pleasure of some people who are unhappy with a client project using my company website to gain information about me and our clients and trying to create trouble for me (I have no idea what possible good could come to them as a result of that, but...). Happily, our clients have responded well and I hope that cooler, more rational heads have prevailed.
Not much time to write much here but I've been doing a lot of thinking and research into new creative marketing distribution systems. Trying to think past the normal distribution media (newspapers, television, radio, etc.) and see how else we can impact audiences.
I'll try to write more next week.
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May 26, 2006
More than a month since my last post. Where to start?
Pierce Communications continues to thrive. Look for some news shortly about some great new client projects and some hugely successful projects we've done for our clients.
We're working -- as many of you already know -- on a very large and highly controversial issue which has consumed whole weeks of time for virtually everyone. I'm lucky that we've been able to keep our other client work going. For now, anyways, things are settling back into a more routine pace.
I have so many topics buzzing around my head that I'd like to write about that I don't quite know where to begin.
The apparent dearth or death of civility in modern dialog?
The wisdom of Johnny Cash?
How hard it is to find a decent cup of coffee in some upstate New York towns?
No. I think I'll focus today on what public relations is.
And, to start, here's what public relations is not: a euphemism for lying.
I was at one of those contentious public meetings a few weeks ago and people kept screaming (literally screaming, see the question above about civility) every time that a question was answered, "That's just public relations. We don't need PR."
By that, I believe they were implying that the answers were untrue (which they weren't but that's not important right now). As ticked as I was that they didn't believe the answers, I was really upset that they used "PR" as a synonym for being untruthful.
Public relations is a process that allows one entity (organization or individual) to communicate better with another. We usually use credible media to assist that effort such as media and community relationships. What we don't do is lie (well, I did just tell my daughter that there is such a thing as the tooth fairy but I don't think that's really important right now either).
Is the truth absolute? Not always. But, lying is. And, PR has nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with lying.
Lesson over. I'll try to write more later this weekend.
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April 20, 2006
Well, I had a surreal experience today that illuminated for me the changing nature of work in today's day and age.
And, it all started with Bugs Bunny.
I took my family this afternoon to the new indoor waterpark in nearby Lake George. Unfortunately, several issues were breaking as I tried to make my departure from the office. While traveling up the highway, I was in contact with the office and several clients via cell phone.
By the time we checked in, I knew that I needed to sit down, get online and finish up some projects. Unfortunately (again), our room wasn't available. So, while the rest of the family enjoyed the lazy river and water slides, I sat in the lobby of the hotel with the luggage scattered about me, cell phone pressed to my ear and my laptop precariously balanced on my knees, banging out a press release and coordinating a few other issues. I was the picture of a loser.
I was on the phone with a reporter when all of the sudden there was a burst of music and a huge commotion. A parade was coming through the lobby.
"What's going on there?" asked the reporter.
"Nothing. Just Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck marching by. They'll be gone in a minute." I responded.
Probably not the first time that a reporter hasn't believed a PR guy.
Anyways, thanks to the magic of the internet and wireless connections (and the enormous effort of the rest of the Pierce Communications team -- both of them), all is well for the time being and I even had a chance to try out the lazy river myself.
Without my laptop.
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April 11, 2006
Well, last week's post was a bit of a downer. I guess you're gonna get the good with the bad in this blog, the happy and the sad, etc. etc.
Two thoughts and recommendations tonight:
- I just finished reading The Smartest Guys in the Room, the story of the Enron debacle. I found it relatively easy to read although some of the more complicated accounting schemes were a little tough to follow. (Apparently tough for the SEC to follow, as well). The obvious question one asks, especially in light of the ongoing criminal trial of Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, is "How would I respond if I witnessed such fraud?"
It's probably easy to say that if we were there, we would have blown the whistle. I'm not sure that's as simple a statement to make as we would like it to be. I once watched a superior in a PR firm change some numbers in a research report that I had prepared so that it appeared to the client that the community was madder at them than they apparently really were. (Presumably leading to more lucrative PR work). I questioned him but he somehow convinced me that it was justified. To this day, nearly 20 years later, I still regret not stopping him. If it happened today, I'm much more sure that I would not allow something like that to happen.
The Enron story is of particular interest to me because I once worked for a natural gas trading company that was purchased by Enron and became a basis for their trading business. I could have been there!
- We saw the movie Thank You For Smoking Friday night. Not quite as good as the book but I highly recommend it. There's about a million funny and a little too close to the truth moments in it. My favorite quote: "Michael Jordan shoots baskets. Charles Manson kills people. I talk."
Two thumbs up. One small problem with the movie, though. They keep referring to the main character as a lobbyist when he's clearly a spokesperson or, at least, in PR. Nonetheless, I guess since he's such an unsympathetic character, I shouldn't complain.
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April 4, 2006
I spent most of last weekend with a good friend of mine who is dying.
He knows it. His family knows it. All of our friends know it. And, he's really the only one that can talk about it. As the cancer eats him away from the inside out, he's maintained the same happy disposition, same calming demeanor and same friendly smile. He's never changed once since I've known him. He's not going to let a little thing like death force him to be a different person.
I can only imagine what his family is going through as he goes about his days, some of his last. He'll talk to you about his upcoming funeral and his plans to take care of his family and his business associates as calmly as though he were discussing the weather (or, more likely knowing him, the latest political outrage perpetrated on the masses and reported by Fox News). He takes each test and doctor's appointment in stride. Each day, even the most painful ones, are reasons to celebrate. Each week is another week he has cheated his death sentence and can continue doing the things he enjoys with the people he loves.
My friend (David) spoke at a dinner Saturday night to honor a group of young men who have formed a chapter of our fraternity at Bentley College. Nothing, other than his own family, has ever made David happier than to see something like this. And, as the evening wore on and David finally rose to address these young men, it was clear that even in these days, David continues to find joy from other people's success.
He's a great man. I wish him and his family peace during the next few weeks. God bless you, David. You deserve it.
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March 26, 2006
Well, as you can tell by my last post, things here have been very crazy. Good crazy. Be patient, faithful readers. More news is coming.
I did take a few minutes this weekend to try to relax (actually, I think I was in between fares on the parent taxi service and my wife was out with the kids). Planning to take an afternoon nap (is there anything in the world better than being in a quiet house on a Saturday afternoon with an hour to kill?), I laid down on the bed and turned on the TV to help me sleep.
Unfortunately, one of my favorite movies, Rudy, was on TV (Note: Um, we're talking about the movie here, not the Mayor. I'm shocked I have to provide this explanation.). There went my nap. (I know. The movie is full of clichés, bad acting and stilted dialogue. I dare any male -- at least -- to try to click past it in my circumstances).
An hour later, I'm riveted. Tears streaming down my face. Cheering for Rudy. Trembling with excitement.
I've seen this movie -- and particularly the ending -- approximately 157 times. And, I hate Notre Dame football. It still gets me every time.
Anyone who says they're not impacted by the media is not being truthful. Most of us refuse to publicly admit that ads or articles or TV shows or something else impacts us enough to make behavior changes. It's almost like admitting a weakness. And yet, when we utilize resources on well executed campaigns, we're able to get results. People buy stuff. Vote for people. Go to the Dentist twice a year and change their oil every 3,000 miles.
It's a curious phenomena. Why do so few of us want to admit that we're influencable? (Let's see if that word gets past the spell checker). I think that as the public become more cynical and difficult to reach, we're going to have to keep exploring new ways to influence people ... without being as blatant about it.
Hey, a stupid movie can almost make me a Notre Dame football fan. Almost.
My favorite scene from the movie (other than the ending, obviously)? Charles S. Dutton as Fortune is talking sense to Rudy: "You're 5 foot nothin', 100 and nothin', and you have nearly a speck of athletic ability. And you hung in there with the best college football team in the land for 2 years. And you're gonna walk outta here with a degree from the University of Notre Dame. In this life, you don't have to prove nothin' to nobody but yourself."
By the way, here's a copy of the recent article in the Colonie Spotlight about this blog.
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March 16, 2006
MARCH MADNESS HITS PIERCE COMMUNICATIONS
There's been more than a little madness going on here at Pierce Communications the last few weeks. I thought I might as well share some of it with you.
Last week I was in Miami with my colleagues from the Manning Selvage & Lee affiliate network. It was a great couple of days sharing ideas with leading PR firms from around North America as well as having the opportunity to meet the dynamic new leadership team from Manning. I always try to measure such meetings by the number of good ideas I'm able to walk away with that will impact our ability to better serve clients and grow. As you'll soon see, I definitely got some good ideas from this meeting. And, since it was in Miami, I got sunburned too!
We've begun the heavy lifting on a very intense project for a confidential client this week and our entire staff (all of us...) has been swamped getting things off the ground while trying to keep up with our other clients. This is a really exciting project for us and we're going to (we already are!) do a great job for them.
Our new Vice President of Client Services, Jo Ann LeSage, has dived right in and become an invaluable member of our client teams. It's really great to work with such a talented and competent person and even better to work closely with a good friend.
Jo Ann has been especially helpful as we've picked up a lot of new business projects and (hopefully) long term clients over the last few weeks. More on this later.
By the way, if you're looking for a fun event in April that benefits a great cause, please check out the upcoming Great Northeast Chocolate and Flower Festival. Sorry for the crass commercial message but, hey, this is America...
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is the real March Madness. Here's a promise to you: If #2 seed Ohio State wins the NCAA tournament, I'm hosting a reception at a local establishment for all clients, friends and loyal readers.
More later...
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February 28,2006
Wow! What a week we're having here at the palatial offices of Pierce Communications! First, welcome to the many new readers of this blog thanks to the publicity recently in the Colonie Spotlight (Did you see that front page picture of me? I'll have to scan it and link. Did I really used to have that much hair and weigh that little?), Troy Record and Albany Jewish World. What can I say? I've got a good PR firm working for me.
More importantly, the big news is out. My good friend Jo Ann LeSage has joined Pierce Communications as our new Vice President of Client Services. Here's an article in the Capital District Business Review about her.
Jo Ann is truly one of the nicest, most sincere and hard working people I've had the pleasure of meeting and collaborating with over the years. And now, we get to see each other every day! While we'll probably be ready to brain each other within three months, our clients are truly going to benefit from Jo Ann's dedication to client service and results. Here's a little bit more about our new addition. What a bundle of joy!
Who knows? Maybe I can get her to guest author a blog entry or two in the near future.
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February 14, 2006
It's Valentine's Day and being the hopeless romantic that I am, I will be leaving town for the next several days on business instead of celebrating with my darling wife (who, if truth be told, is deservedly more concerned that she will be solely responsible for the transportation, nutrition and sanitation of our family than in cuddling with me).
I can't say it any better than Lyle Lovett (from the song Here I Am) although I am quite sure that I have no idea what this means:
If Ford is to Chevrolet
What Dodge is to Chrysler
What Corn Flakes are to Post Toasties
What the clear blue sky is to the deep blue seaWhat Hank Williams is to Neil Armstrong
Can you doubt we were made for each other?
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February 13, 2006
Dealing with Boredom (Part II)
Not a lot to say here today except to direct you to this LA Times article about one creative implementation method to reach people when they're not bored.
Does this mean that ET doesn't really like Reese's Pieces?
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February 10, 2006
On Being Bored
I had to take my kids on a trip to New York a few weeks ago. A little less than three hours in a car. We got in the car and immediately my son wanted to know why I hadn't brought the DVD player so they could watch movies on the way (to be honest, I just forgot, it would have been easier to let them watch the movies and be quiet). "It's so boring!" he pouted. Now, mind you, all three of my little cherubs had packed bags filled with video games, MP3 players, books, coloring utensils, etc. My wife also had enough snacks to feed an army. They could have easily munched their way down and back while plugged into their own electronic worlds without even noticing that we had left the driveway.
But, no, they wanted to watch movies, too. And, as many of you know, there's nothing worse than three bored kids in a car.
I tried to tell them that "in my day, we didn't have videos in cars, we had books and license plate games and sometimes, to break the monotony, we had a little car sickness." My lectures to my kids never get me anywhere. They only serve to make me feel older.
So, somewhere on the New York State Thruway, it occurred to me that kids today may be the first generation never to experience boredom. Today, we have 200 channels on our TV, a satellite radio with another 150 channels, a truckload of DVDs, two video games per kid (or more) and so many more things that it is almost dizzying. When a TV show gets boring, we zap over to another show. Instead of listening to a whole album and getting the good with the bad songs, we just download the hits.
Now, I don't pine away for the old days like some people. I enjoy being able to lay on my couch and find something I want to watch on TV no matter what time of day. And, as a parent, I also appreciate my kids' ability to find entertainment in the more remote corners of the house whenever they wear out their welcome on me.
But, there have to be some impacts to a whole generation going through life without boredom (and, if you've read this far, you obviously have no problems with being bored). I'm not an alarmist who thinks we're going to see the end of imagination. Look at what's out there today in terms of music, video, and technology. No one is lacking for imaginative thoughts.
I think the bigger challenge for us is that the boring parts of life are where we used to try to communicate with people. Whether it was in between the good parts in a soap opera, between songs on the car radio or while standing at the urinal, finding bored audiences and entertaining them with persuasive messages was an important component of the marketing mix.
So, what now? If no one is willing to be bored, how do we reach them? How do we get them to change their attitudes and behaviors?
One thought: We need to reinvent creativity.
Creativity in terms of the message.
Creativity in terms of the medium.
Creativity in terms of how we evaluate what we do.
Our big news is still embargoed, so you'll have to continue on the edge of your seats for a little while. Stay tuned.
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February 2, 2006
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry that I've been negligent in feeding you the witty -- yet insightful -- comments, you have come to expect from me.
I'm sorry that after my last post I left you with a bigger cliffhanger than Dallas and I still can't reveal any news. (First one to email me with their guess as to what's up, wins an autographed Pierce Communications business card ... suitable for framing).
I'm sorry that it is now 11:30 at night and I don't think I can post much more at this time. I do have a really good idea for a post and if I have time during this weekend's Super Bowl (my prediction: Steelers in a blowout), I promise to write more.
So, for tonight, I'll make a book recommendation to all of you. I just finished reading a really good autobiography; and that's rare praise for me. Most autobiographies -- especially those of business or political leaders -- seem so self-indulgent (well, I guess they would have to be in some way) that they leave me disliking the author by the end.
Recently, though, I've become interested in trying to understand different people's creative processes. As I continue to search for creative public relations ideas and implementation methodologies, I've found myself wondering how others, in other very different professions, get their creative thoughts. Rather than trying to find "The Idiot's Guide to Being Creative", I've been seeking out books written by artists, performers, etc. which may help me to find new insights into creativity.
One of the best such books I've read recently was Joe Jackson's A Cure for Gravity. You don't have to be a fan of Jackson's music to appreciate the book (I've been a fan since his first album came out in 1979 as much for the music -- which I enjoy -- as for the wildly different genres he has tackled throughout his career) because the book isn't so much about the music he made (or makes) but about everything the artist did and endured to get to the "creative parts." While I enjoyed the descriptions of his early days as a struggling musician, for me the educational parts were in trying to understand how an artist comes up with the ideas and how those ideas are translated into his product. Jackson's journey was probably not much different than many of his peers at the time but how his mind took those experiences, processed them, and turned them into fodder for later creativity is really interesting.
I've found that the more time I spend thinking about how to be creative, the more likely I am to find creative solutions for our clients. And, that, as Martha Stewart would say, is a good thing.
If you've read this book (or after you rush out to buy it and read it), let me know what you think. Oprah better watch out! There's a new book club in town!
Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter.
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January 12, 2006
First of all, Happy New Year! I certainly hope the holiday season wasn't too stressful for my faithful readers. I know we were overwhelmed with end of the year things at home and lots of projects that clients wanted completed before the end of the year.
I'd like to say that one of my resolution is to update the blog more often but I've found that putting such things in this space only leads to snide emails from readers (or my Dad) about my diligence. So, I'll refrain from making such a promise and only commit to trying to update often with even more insightful and witty posts.
2006 is getting off to quite a start. Check back here shortly for some very exciting news about Pierce Communications. (How's that for a tease?) I'll write again soon with a better post and, hopefully, some more news.
In the meantime, please sign up for our newsletter or send me some feedback!
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December 12, 2005
I don't want to detract from my monumental anniversary post below but I couldn't let this news story pass without comment.
I'd like to thank my first mentors in the business (Sandy Harbrecht and Marilyn Marr, especially, for their intense editing) for impressing upon me the importance of proofreading or, failing that, finding people who are good proofreaders and having them look at everything.
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Comments/Questions/Complaints?
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November 25, 2005
This week marks Pierce Communications' second anniversary. What an exhilarating, exhausting and rewarding time the last two years have been! If you're reading this blog and have not received our latest newsletter, please click here to subscribe to the Pierce Communications' newsletter.
So ... please excuse the somewhat introspective nature of this entry as I look back over the last year or two and give you some thoughts.
Two years ago when this venture started I had no idea where I would be at this time. I was more than a little scared about the riskiness of such a new endeavor. Today, while there are still plenty of sleepless nights, things are humming along. New clients are being added on a regular basis and, most importantly, our clients are being well-served and achieving their goals with our help. I can't thank my clients, partners, colleagues, friends and family enough for their trust and support.
The Most Important Thing?
I was sitting in a meeting last week listening to a client trying to convince some Albany business owners about a new venture they were proposing (more details to come) and it occurred to me that there is nothing I would rather be doing professionally than what I am doing right now (personally, I could use a nap followed by a drink served to me on the beach but that will have to wait).
When you have the opportunity to do something that you love to do ... on your own terms ... there is nothing better.
Even More Important?!?
You've got your Roman calendars and your Lunar calendars but the one that I use to mark the anniversary of the firm is the college football calendar. And, while the Ohio State/Michigan game has always been a highlight for me and my family, for the last two years it has added significance as it marks the weekend of the birth of Pierce Communications. And, for the second year in a row (and fourth out of five), the good guys won.
A year ago, my wife was battling breast cancer with bi-weekly chemotherapy treatments and I wasn't sure what my life -- personal or professional -- would be like. Today, she's in recovery (still fighting, though) and my professional life couldn't be better. What a year. Again, my thanks to everyone who has helped us grow.
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October 28, 2005
Sometimes the role of a public relations consultant is to assist clients in building better relationships with local audiences which may have a direct or indirect influence over some actions (e.g., sometimes the public can vote on a proposition and other times the public's opinion and input may influence a decision by elected leaders or regulators). We work with clients to do a better job communicating with these important audiences and to build bridges where they can be built.
Unfortunately, these are often very emotional issues (we handle a lot of environmental and siting issues) and communicating at such times can be difficult.
I often moderate discussions (forums or public meetings) with clients and these publics to provide an unemotional buffer (ask my wife...) and attempt to do a better job of communicating real facts and real concerns. In that role recently, I was confronted by a very distraught woman at a public meeting who demanded that my client was trying to "guilt" the public into approving their issue. Her concern related to some cost figures on a slide we had shown. The funny thing is that we were showing those figures in response to other community members' inquiries.
Dammed if you do ... dammed if you don't.
Despite my best efforts, I simply could not get this citizen to understand that we were merely responding to others' questions. And -- I'm not proud of this -- I ended up cutting off the dialogue by saying that I apologized that she felt my client was doing something unsavory but sometimes "you see what you want to see" and she clearly wanted to "see" something untoward coming from my client.
Later, when I was retelling the interchange to someone else, I commented, "I look at a cloud in the sky and see a clown and you look at the same cloud and see turtles ... neither one of us is right or wrong. It's a cloud."
I haven't lived that one down...
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October 11, 2005
Boy, our Capital Region sure has been in the news a lot lately. Between the Geisel case and now the tragedy in Lake George, we've had an awful lot of national and even international exposure.
One old saying in the public relations industry is "there's no such thing as bad publicity." Others add "...as long as they spell your name right." That's often true (especially for politicians and used car dealerships) but I'm not sure that even proper spelling is helping anyone around here right now (except maybe the hotels and restaurants which are providing services to the CNN trucks).
We often get clients who come in and say something to the effect of, "We want to be in the New York Times and we're willing to pay you once we make it in there."
My response: "Great. I'll blow up your building tonight and you'll be front page news." We need to realize that public relations requires some sort of comprehensive strategy to be effective.
I have another funny story about that but I'll have to hold it until next week.
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September 13, 2005
Since we last spoke, I've been to Washington for a week of meetings and to Charleston, SC for a week of the beach. On the whole, the beach was nicer but not nearly as productive. Washington is scary, not just because it was hot enough to melt the polyester in my shirt but also because of all the changes that have taken place there over the years in response to terrorism concerns. I had a meeting at the Israeli Embassy one evening and the amount of security surrounding the building -- on a normal weeknight -- was heart wrenching. (For example, try to find that embassy on a map. Most mapmakers are prevented from even showing the location).
September 11 was this past Sunday. It's incomprehensible that it's been four years since that dreadful day. Many in our profession have extensively lauded the disaster response in New York City and Washington on that day, especially from the communications perspective. Contrast that situation to the tragedy in New Orleans and the botched communications there. I'm sure it won't be long until we have a case study comparing and contrasting.
You learn a lot about people when you see how they respond to disasters and behave in a crisis. I think you see the "truer" side of people when they don't have time to think about the appropriate reactions and, instead, just act. On 9/11, for example, I was working in an office and, like most Americans, sat glued to the TV and computer screens watching the tragedy unfold. As the monumental impact and devastation became known, someone in the office went to our boss and asked him/her (I don't want to give the person's identity away) if the staff could go home to be with their families. His/Her response: "No. It's not like anyone is going to bomb Albany. Tell everybody to get back to work." (Now, to be fair I was not an eye witness to this exchange so it may be apocryphal ... but knowing the people, I don't think so). I learned a lot about people during those days. Some bad, most of it very positive. (Ed. Note: Update: I've spoken to the person who actually participated in this exchange and have had it confirmed. In addition, my boss also said -- when asked if the staff could go home early -- "Why? All they are going to do if I let them leave is just go sit in a bar and watch." Unreal.)
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Just so we're not taking this whole blog thing too seriously ...
I saw a bumper sticker on a car this afternoon that, for some reason, has made me laugh all day. It said, simply, "Talk Nerdy To Me". I'm not sure why I can't stop laughing at that.
So, I ask, in my best Nathan Thurm voice, "Is it just me?"
It's a Minkman!
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A company called Interland (which, I think, provides web hosting and similar services, so take it with a grain of a salt), asked owners of small and midsize US businesses which marketing techniques are "critical to driving business". The answers were interesting (and good for our business!):
| Community Relations | 55% |
| Website | 47% |
| PR/Media Coverage | 31% |
| Direct Mail | 26% |
| Yellow Pages | 23% |
| E-Mail Marketing | 21% |
| Newspaper Advertising | 21% |
| Search Engine Keywords | 18% |
| Telephone Marketing | 10% |
| Outdoor Advertising | 10% |
| Magazine Advertising | 6% |
| Print Coupons | 6% |
| Radio Advertising | 6% |
| Web Banner Advertising | 5% |
Hurrah for PR!
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A blog of my own!
Look to this space to be updated regularly with comments about current events in our lives, our client's lives and the upstate New York communication industry. Hopefully, I'll keep this witty and light and provide you with some insights into how we think, work and live. If you have comments on anything I post here, please let me know.
I can remember working in a PR firm when we got our first fax machine and how excited we all were that we'd never have to again send out form letters to reporters and editors. Today, we have email, blogs, podcasting, smoke signals ... you name it. You know what? Unless your PR professional can identify a good story and the right person to whom to pitch it, it doesn't matter how we communicate.
But, still, blogs are cool. Look for more in this space soon.
--Jon