food! - o'dwyer's pr newsdwyer's... · a first-of-its kind study may finally confirm...

M a r c h 2 0 1 0 | w w w . o d w y e r p r . c o m

Communications & new media March 2010 I Vol. 24 No. 3

Rankings of top food&beverage PR firms

Pg. 33High-fructose cornsyrup: PR poison

Pg. 17New social mediaoutlets for restaurants

Pg. 15

We love it.We need it.

SO why are the most affordable foodS always the ONES that

ARE BAD for US?

Food!Food!

MITATED OFTEN IMITATED OFTEN

EQUALED NEVER EQUALED NEVER

Electronic Publicity Solutions

WWW.KEFMEDIA.COM

CONTENTS

O’Dwyer’s is published monthly for $60.00 a year ($7.00 for a single issue) by the J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc., 271 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. (212) 679-2471; fax: (212) 683-2750. Periodical postage paid at NewYork, N.Y., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to O’Dwyer’s, 271 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. O’Dwyer’s PR Report ISSN: 1931-8316. Published monthly.

www.odwyerpr.comDaily, up-to-the minute PR news

EEDDIITTOORRIIAALL CCAALLEENNDDAARR 22001100

January: Crisis Comms. / Buyer’s Guide

February: Environmental & P.A.

March: Food & Beverage

April: Broadcast & Social Media

May: PR Firm Rankings

June: Global & Multicultural

July: Travel & Tourism

August: Financial/I.R.

September: Beauty & Fashion

October: Healthcare & Medical

November: High-Tech

December: Entertainment & Sports

Vol. 24, No. 3MARCH 2010

AADDVVEERRTTIISSEERRSS

PPRROOFFIILLEESS OOFF FFOOOODD && BBEEVVEERRAAGGEE PPRR FFIIRRMMSS20RRAANNKKIINNGGSS OOFF FFOOOODD && BBEEVVEERRAAGGEE PPRR FFIIRRMMSS33WWAASSHHIINNGGTTOONN RREEPPOORRTT38

COLUMNS

18

15Insert photos by Robert Cole.

Fleishman-Hillard....................................................................................5FoodMinds LLC......................................................................................15JSH&A...................................................................................................13KEF..........................................................................................................3Log-On...................................................................................................27M Booth & Associates.............................................................................11NAPS...............................................................................INSIDE COVER

Omega World Travel..............................................................................29Padilla Speer Beardsley........................................................................17PIMS...................................................................................BACK COVERPollock Communications..........................................................................9Ruder Finn.............................................................................................23TV Access..............................................................................................16Zeno Group..............................................................................................7

PPRROOFFEESSSSIIOONNAALL DDEEVVEELLOOPPMMEENNTTFrasier Seitel

FFIINNAANNCCIIAALL MMAANNAAGGEEMMEENNTTRichard Goldstein

MMEEDDIIAA MMAATTTTEERRSSJon Gingerich

GGUUEESSTT CCOOLLUUMMNNArthur Solomon

MMEEDDIIAA WWOORRKKSSHHOOPPGeorge S. McQuade III

34353637

4243

PPRR BBUUYYEERR’’SS GGUUIIDDEE

PPRR MMAARRKKEETTPPLLAACCEE

41

40 PPRR SSEERRVVIICCEESS NNEEWWSS

EEDDIITTOORRIIAALLMedia needs to separate itself from blog sensationalism.

6SSTTUUDDYY LLIINNKKSS FFAACCEEBBOOOOKKFFAANNSS TTOO PPRROOFFIITTSSA new study found that customerswho are fans of a business’ Facebook fanpage spend more money on the business.

8

FFAAIIRR WWAANNTTSS PPRR OOFFFF TTHHEE AAIIRRFairness and Accuracy in Reportingis circulating an online petition asking cable news networks to divulge pundits’ corporate affiliations.

9

PPRR//SSEERRVVIICCEE FFIIRRMMSS SSAAYY‘‘GGOOOODD RRIIDDDDAANNCCEE’’ TTOO 22000099Publicly traded firms reveal dismal4th quarter numbers and say they look forward to a steady recovery in 2010.

10

SSTTUUDDYY:: CCOONNSSUUMMEERRSS WWAANNTTBBEETTTTEERR FFOOOODD GGUUIIDDAANNCCEERecent studies show Americacould be on the verge of a new “food temperance” movement.

12

CCOOMMMMUUNNIICCAATTIIOONNSS DDIIEETTFFOORR CCOONNUUMMEERRSS GGOONNEEHHEEAALLTTHH--CCOONNSSCCIIOOUUSS O’Dwyer’s sat down with Margaret Boothto discuss food & beverage PR in a health-crazed world.

14

NNEEWW SSIITTEE LLIINNKKSS MMEEDDIIAA,, PPRRTTOO RREESSTTAAUURRAANNTTSSThe Restaurant Section is a one-stop social network for restau-rants, food writers and publicists.

15

PPOOGGUUEE RRAAPPSS SSOOCCIIAALL MMEEDDIIAAAATT CCOOKKEE HH..QQ.. CCOONNFFEERREENNCCEEPopular Times’ technology contribu-

tor David Pogue discussed the pros and consof the Twitter revolution.

16

CCOORRNN SSYYRRUUPP BBLLAAMMEEDD FFOORRUU..SS.. OOBBEESSIITTYY WWOOEESSProducts that use high-fructosecorn syrup are taking a beating in

the media and at a policy level due to newinformation regarding health risks.

17

AAMMEERRIICCAA’’SS EEAATTIINNGG PPRROOBBLLEEMMAmericans want to eat healthier,but current policy and a skewed

pricing structure at our grocery stores hasmakes it increasingly difficult to do so.

18YYEELLPP FFAACCEESS SSUUIITT OOVVEERR AADD SSAALLEE EEXXTTOORRTTIIOONNA lawsuit filed in U.S. District Courtalleges Yelp asks businesses for ads inreturn for deleting negative reviews.

8

She votes with her thumbs,and her social network follows her lead.Where does she stand on your issues?

We can get you there.

www.fleishman.com

be there.

EDITORIALMedia needs to dissociate from blog sensationalism

EEDDIITTOORR--IINN--CCHHIIEEFFJack O’[email protected]

AASSSSOOCCIIAATTEE PPUUBBLLIISSHHEERRKevin [email protected]

EEDDIITTOORRJon [email protected]

SSEENNIIOORR EEDDIITTOORRGreg [email protected]

CCOONNTTRRIIBBUUTTIINNGG EEDDIITTOORRSSFraser SeitelRichard GoldsteinChristine O’Dwyer

AADDVVEERRTTIISSIINNGG SSAALLEESS

John O’DwyerAdvertising Sales [email protected]

Joshua FiermanNational Advertising [email protected]

Jack FogartyNational Advertising [email protected]

O’Dwyer’s is published monthly for $60.00 a year ($7.00 for a single issue) by the J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc., 271 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016.(212) 679-2471Fax (212) 683-2750.

© Copyright 2010J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc.

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Our top news networks are co-opting the lowest, most sensationalistic denominatorsof celebrity and gossip news in a desperate attempt to lure viewers, resulting in anaesthetic that lies somewhere between a performance art installation and the lost

scenes from a Felini film.Recent media clunkers like “Snowmageddon,” a failed series of attempts to hype the win-

ter weather as something akin to a Michael Bay movie, was a predictably stupid follow-upfrom seeing our nation’s talking heads chase an empty balloon around the Colorado country-side this fall. Reports of a salacious New York Times exposé on NY Governor David Patersoninitially became a bigger story than the scandal itself, putting the Governor in crisis modebefore he knew what the damage was (disappointing the gossip-hungry masses, the scandalended up involving a member of his staff, though Paterson’s association led him to step downfrom reelection). The day after a devastating 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Chile on Feb. 27,cnn.com’s third-top headline was “Dog the Bounty Hunter Evacuated” in relation to Hawaii’snon-existent tsunami. How is this news?This stray-bullet journalism got bad enough with the creation of a 24-hour news cycle, but

it’s only gotten worse now that the media is forced to compete with the unfathomably messysignal-to-noise ratio perpetuated by blogs. Gawker’s Nick Denton has publicly promised tobreak stories before the facts have been confirmed (a philosophy reiterated by TechCrunch’sMichael Arrington). Wired magazine Founder Kevin Kelly famously stated that all booksshould be melded into a “single book.” These are just a few examples of the rampant idiocypermeating the technocracy’s sorry excuse for “journalism.” The mainstream networks needto stop aping these tactics while they still maintain a narrow lead.Simple math shows if you create a bottomless

news hole, you’re bound to end up with a lotof garbage. We’ve always had a habit ofturning to outlets that parrot our ownpreconceived beliefs. Now there’sa limitless supply of ignorant,irresponsibly conceived channelstuned to our subjective tastes, itscollective output forming ahomogenized mish-mash withdiminishing returns, accountabili-ty be damned. Quantity trumpsquality. Time is more important thanthe facts. Got the news wrong? Who cares— all that matters is you got the story first.One has to wonder: If “print is dead,” why don’t even the biggest blogs break news in

2010? The Huffington Post still relies primarily on editorials and gossip links, leaving thenews-breaking business to “dinosaurs” like the New York Times. Of course, a typical responseto anyone who dares question the technocracy is that you’re a Luddite, that you don’t under-stand new technology. Obviously. This sort of smugness has become a commonplace reac-tion from dedicated followers of Web 2.0’s totalitarian crowd-think. The Internet is a wonder-ful thing, capable of connecting people across the globe, giving individuals access to a diversespread of information and allowing companies unlimited brand reach. Technology is sup-posed to work for us, you see; it should aid our development and facilitate our quest for infor-mation, not conflict with it. When technology is programmed to leave wisdom to the controlof crowds, we all suffer for it.There is an underlying habit to believe technology will eventually solve these problems,

that things will “work themselves out,” a claim akin to free market enthusiasts’ responseswhen the stock market crashes or a religious person’s admonitions when tragedy strikes. Thebiggest problem with technological determinism is that it undermines humans’ role in all this.Science is millennia away from understanding human concepts like “quality,” so why do wepresume our still-nascent machines could do so? Computers can’t determine the value offriendships, so why think the number of our Facebook friends has any bearing on our realworld social skills? How about art, loyalty or trust? Finally, how about privacy? Technologyunderstands none of these concepts, yet has made an indelible impact on each. It is our jobto ensure that the Internet continues to harness our human potential without interfering withit. As long as we remain in control, quantity should never trump quality. �

— Jon Gingerich

6 MARCH 2010 � WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

Afirst-of-its kind study may finallyconfirm Facebook’s potential as amarketing powerhouse. Conducted

by Rice University’s Jones School ofBusiness, the study found that patrons whoare members of a business’ Facebook fansite spent more money at that business,made more frequent visits and revealedhigher brand attachment than patrons whoaren’t in-touch with the business’ socialmedia base. The data could be the lastpiece of proof marketers need to convinceclients that social media is an effective toolfor communicating with customers — or atleast with its die-hard fan base.The study picked a local retailer (in this

case, it was Houston-based café chainDessert Gallery) and set up a Facebook fanpage for the company. They then surveyedmore than 1,700 patrons over a period ofthree months (the contacts were culled fromDG’s mailing list). Among the findings: patrons who are fans

of the company’s Facebook page made 36%more visits to the store each month than itsreal-world counterparts, spent 33% totaldollars more at the chain (and 45% of theirtotal “eating-out” dollars), reported 14%higher emotional attachment to the brandand 41% more “psychological loyalty.”

It goes without saying that individualswho take the time to track down and join abusiness’ Facebook fan site are probablybigger fans of the brand than the casualcustomer, and as such, are more likely tospend more on a brand’s products or serv-ices. Utpal M. Dholakia, a Jones Associate

Professor of Marketing who conductedresearch for the study, said the results arehelpful in showing that Facebook fan pagesoffer an effective, affordable means toreach out to existing loyalists. As such,Dholakia said a Facebook marketing pro-gram might work especially well for icon-ic, larger brands, and erred against jumpingto conclusions in believing the medium’spower to be a marketing panacea.“Social media marketing must be

employed judiciously with other types ofmarketing programs,” he said. Currently home to more than 350 million

active users, Facebook is the word’s largestsocial media site. In February, web analyt-ics research firm Compete reported thatFacebook is now the second most popularWeb site in the U.S., beating Yahoo andonly slightly behind number-one siteGoogle.Facebook remains unmatched when it

comes to quality metrics. The site compris-es about 67% of total global social media

time, with average daily usage of about sixhours. With 329.6 billion display ad salesplacements in 2009, the site still plays a sec-ond (though increasingly narrow) fiddle toNews Corp.’s MySpace, which took in367.6 billion ads, according to a FebruaryComScore report. Most analysts agree theseslots could switch later this year. Marketers focus on mobileSocial media — and Facebook in partic-

ular — has been the apple of marketers’ col-lective eye for some time. Now due torecent growth and increased technologicalcapabilities, marketers and researchers haveturned an increasing amount of attention tosocial media’s power in the mobile arena,where many feel the next evolutionary stepin marketing interaction will take place. Facebook in February announced that the

company now claims 100 million mobileusers, a 35% increase since September. Thismeans nearly 25% of total Facebook usersnow regularly connect to the site via phone.A February study by Ruder Finn revealed

that Americans are now spending 2.7 hoursper day on mobile Internet connections,with 91% using their mobile connections tosocialize, compared to 79% of users whorely on desktop computer connections. Perhaps the most telling piece of data in

the study: 43% of mobile Internet users aregoing online for the sole purpose of con-necting with others on social networkingsites, and 45% are going to these sites sole-ly to post comments.“Younger people are trying to stay con-

nected while maintaining a very busylifestyle,” said Marty McGough, Directorof Ruder Finn’s RF Insights division.“They’re using this as a primary source ofsocial interaction. This becomes a socialconversation and they use the technology asa tool for keeping in touch.”McGough said he was initially shocked

to find that “transitory devices” wereresponsible for so much online socializing,as well as for online activities that “requireeffort”: uploading and downloading photos,going to chat rooms, or leaving commentson message boards.In terms of demographics alone, the nas-

cent niche is a goldmine. If marketers canbetter understand mobile users’ online des-tination, aspirations and intent, they havebetter guidance upon which to harnessFacebook’s existing power as a marketingtool, be it for giant retailers or cafés inHouston.“I think there’s a great deal of market

potential,” McGough said. “It seems thatthese devices provide a unique opportunityfor marketers because we know wherethey’re going to socialize. There are uniqueopportunities to get into that space.” �

MEDIA NOTES

Study links Facebook fans to profitsBy Jon Gingerich


Two law firms have filed a class-action suit against Yelp, accusingthe online user review site of

extortive ad sales practices. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court by

Beck & Lee in Miami and The Weston Firmin San Diego, alleges that Yelp sales repscontact local businesses and ask for moneyin the form of advertising contracts. Inexchange, Yelp promises to remove com-ments disparaging the business on the pop-ular review site.In this case, the lawsuit alleges that Yelp

tried to coerce $3,600 out of a Long Beachveterinary hospital over the course of 12months in return for the deletion of negativereviews of the business on the site, a prac-tice attorney Jared Beck referred to as“high-tech extortion.”“The victims tend to be small businesses,

such as our client, who often have no choicebut to pay Yelp exorbitant sums in order to

prevent further harm to their livelihoods,”he said. This isn’t the first time the San Francisco-

based Web 2.0 company has been accusedof the practice. Last year, Yelp was thefocus of an in-depth exposé from Oakland-based East Bay Express that likened thecompany to an online extortion racket. Inthe article, “Yelp and the Business ofExtortion 2.0,” East Bay Express inter-viewed local business owners who saidthey received calls from Yelp employeesoffering to hide negative customer reviewsin return for ad sales. “Several business owners likened Yelp to

the Mafia, and one said she feared its retali-ation,” the article said. “To these mom-and-pop business owners, Yelp’s sales tactics arecoercive, unethical, and, possibly, illegal.”Yelp was founded in 2004 by former

PayPal employees Jeremy Stoppelman andRussel Simmons. The company’s pageviews recently surpassed that of long-timerival Citysearch. Yelp’s 2009 revenues werean estimated $30 million. �

Yelp faces suit over ad sale “extortion”By Jon Gingerich

Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting(FAIR) is circulating a petition topress cable news channels to iden-

tify the corporate ties of pundits whopontificate on affairs of the day.“Scores of pundits appearing on cable

news networks are paid corporate lobbyistsand PR flaks — and the networks aren’t dis-closing their corporate ties,” says the organ-ization on its website. The move follows a report in The Nation

(March 1) that found at least 75 registeredlobbyists, PR pros and corporate officialsappeared on CNN, Fox News, Fox BusinessNetwork, MSNBC and CNBC to promotethe financial or political interests of a clientwithout being identified.The petition calls for “clear guidelines

regarding conflicts of interest for contribu-tors and guests — and that you enforcethose rules to ensure that viewers aren’tbeing exposed to corporate PR masquerad-ing as ‘analysis.’’’

The Nation’s Sebastian Jones takes spe-cial umbrage with MSNBC for allowingformer Public Strategies Inc. executiveRichard Wolffe to serve as fill-in host forKeith Olbermann on “Countdown.” Thatseat was later taken by former VermontGovernor Howard Dean, who does consult-ing work for drug companies.FAIR also takes issue with loophole-rid-

dled guidelines such as MSNBC disclosingcorporate ties on its website rather than on-the-air. Founded in 1986, FAIR is a New York

City-based progressive media criticismgroup that describes itself as a “nationalmedia watch group” that calls on structuralreform to break up the “dominant mediaconglomerates.”On the FAIR website, the organization

defines its mission as working to “invigo-rate the First Amendment by advocating forgreater diversity in the press and by scruti-nizing media practices that marginalize pub-lic interest, minority and dissenting view-points.” �

By Kevin McCauley

MARCH 2010 � WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 9

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FAIR wants PR off the air

The New York Times Company postedfourth quarter 2009 net of $90.9M, up from$27.6M in ’08, as the print and digital com-pany eked out a $19.9M profit for the yearamid an improved digital ad climate. It lost$57.8M in 2008.Ad revenue fell 15 percent in the fourth

quarter over ’08, including a 20% drop inprint ads which was offset by 11% growthin digital. Total revenue for Q4 was$681M, down 11.5% from ’08.For the full year, the Times’ $19.9M prof-

it compared with a $57.8M loss in 2008.President and CEO Janet Robinson saidadvertisers increased their rate of spend-ing across its print and digital properties,while restructuring, new products andincreased reach also contributed to gains.She said “visibility remains limited for

advertising” and expects the rate ofdecline for print ads to improve modestlyin 2010 from Q4 of 2009. Digital ads areexpected to continuing growing.The Times Co. said it slashed its debt

under the $1B mark by more than $290Mto stand at $769M.Its About.com property saw an operating

profit gain of 80% in Q4 to $18M and totalInternet revenues for the company were up10.3% to $102M.Robinson noted the company’s plans to

introduce a paid model for NYTimes.com in2011, which she sees as an additional rev-enue stream that will preserve the compa-ny’s “robust” ad business.The company cut operating costs by

$475M in 2009, a more than 17% cut.

Media Briefs

NNYYTT ssqquueeeezzeess oouutt pprrooffiitt ffoorr 22000099

REPORT


Publicis Groupe CEO Maurice Levy,who instituted a pay and hiringfreeze, says he’s ready to invest in

talent as the ad/PR conglomerate embarkson a new phase of profit margin growth.The Frenchman does warn of a few “dipsand bumps” ahead.Publicis said the “first signs of recov-

ery” appeared in the fourth quarter of 2009as it reported revenue of 1.26B Euro,down 7.6% from 2008.The company said, in U.S. dollars, its

2009 revenue would be $6.29 billion,down 8.9% from last year.Profit slid nearly 10% for the year over

’08 to 403M Euro (about $555M).Levy called ’09 a “paradox” for Publicis

as the ad market was slammed with a dou-ble-digit downturn from 12-14%, while hiscompany gained some market share on newbusiness and limited its decrease to 6.5%.He’s banking the future on digital andemerging markets, both of which will addup to 60% of Publicis’ revenue down theroad.Publicis, which owns PR units like

MS&L and Publicis Consultants, took a hitfrom General Motors’ bankruptcy last year,but the company said the North Americanregion held up on a high proportion of dig-ital services (34.6% of its revenue) infalling 4.2% overall to 2.09B Euro. Publicisacquired Razorfish last year and ownsDigitas.Like its competitors, Publicis worked to

slash cuts last year and personnel costswere down nearly 5% from 2008.OMC PR slid 8.5% in Q4“As economies improve, we believe the

worst of the recession and its impact isbehind us,” said Omnicom’s CEO JohnWren in a conference on Feb. 10, adding thecompany anticipates many clients will “atleast modestly” increase spending in thesecond half of 2010.Omnicom’s profit fell 15.3% to $229.6M

in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared withQ4 of ’08 as global revenue slipped 3.1% to$3.3 billion. OMC all-time high of $53.10— $107.21 before a two-for-one split —was in December 1999.PR revenue among its units like Ketchum

and Fleishman-Hillard was down 8.5% forthe fourth quarter to $277.3M and down14.8% for the full-year 2009 to $1.1B.

“Results in the quarter improved whencompared with the previous three quarters,but still reflect the reductions in annualadvertising and marketing spending initiat-ed by clients in the first and second quartersof last year,” Wren said.For the year, revenue fell 12.3% to

$11.7B. In the U.S., revenue fell 10.3% to$6.2B while global revenue dropped 14.3%in the tough environment to $5.5B.OMC’s debt fell to $2.3 billion in 2009

from more than $3 billion in ’08. It acquiredDubai-based Impact BBDO with 13 officesin the fourth quarter after an associationwith its BBDO unit since 1979.Earn-out payments totaled $158M in

2009.IPG posts 38% dropInterpublic posted a 38% decline in

fourth-quarter net to $129.4 million as therecession battered Michael Roth’s ad/PRcombine. Revenues slipped 5.3% to $1.8billion.IPG's “organic revenues” took an 8.2 %

hit in Q4, and a 10.8% decrease for the full-year as clients such as General Motorsreeled in spending. The firm owns PR firmslike Weber Shandwick, MWW Group andGolinHarris.Roth says a “strong focus on cost disci-

pline” helped IPG steer through the eco-nomic mess. Salaries and related expensesdropped 8.8% to $4B for ’09. Office andgeneral expenses dropped 14.5% to $1.7B.The New York-based firm spent $214M

during the last five quarters to cover the cutof 6,400 people, 14% of overall workforce.Looking ahead, Roth sees more stablized

economic conditions as “clients are begin-ning to re-focus on their brands and the toneof the business is one of cautious opti-mism,” according to a statement. The firm had cash/marketable securities

of $2.5B at yearend ’09, compared to $2.3Bfor the earlier year. Total debt stood at$1.95B vs.$2.12B in ’08.Cision revenue down 35% in Q4Sweden-based Cision said North

American revenue fell nearly 17 % in Q42009 compared with ’08 while continuedmalaise in its European units and the globalrecession made for an “intense” 2009.Cision’s board also announced a rights

issue to raise 250M SEK (about $34.8MU.S.) in capital from shareholders.Revenue for the fourth quarter, reported

in Swedish Kroner, was down more than35% in 2009 across its global operations

compared with Q4 of ’08 — 315M SEK, orabout $43.8M, vs. 487M SEK. Loss widened from 17M to 30M SEK. In

North America, revenue slipped about 17%to 187M SEK.CEO Hans Gieskes said Cision remains

“cautious” about the near-term and notedQ4 of 2009 was similar to Q3 in that thecompany was “significantly impacted” bythe global recession. He was cheered byorganic growth (minus goodwill, restructur-ing and other one-time costs) of 20% inNorth America for Q4, down from 23.4% inQ4 of ’08.For the year, revenue fell more than 17%

from ’08-09 to 1.5 billion SEK.The company remains bullish on so-

called media intelligence in the long-termhowever, noting the value of brands contin-ues to increase making monitoring and PRsoftware crucial for companies in tradition-al and new media. Because such tools areexpensive to develop, Cision sees the mar-ket consolidating over the next few years.Havas cheered by narrow lossesHavas kicked off the ad/PR conglomer-

ate earnings season in February by postinga 7.8% slide in fourth quarter 2009 revenuefrom Q4 of ’08 — 415M euros comparedwith 450M — as the company said it’s opti-mistic over a “strong recovery” in organicgrowth.OG, which is growth minus acquisitions

and currency movements, narrowed to -4.4% in Q4, an improvement over -9.2%over the first three quarters of 2009.Havas said media and corporate commu-

nications — it owns Euro RSCGWorldwide PR — returned to positivegrowth for the first time in a year in Q4.Full-year revenue was down 8.1% in 2009to 1.4B euros.Havas took its biggest lumps in Europe

as organic growth there plummeted 14.3%in the U.K. and 9% in the rest of Europe,excluding France, where it more than dou-bled its U.K. revenue at 97M for only a 2%slip. North America was flat at 118M in Q4.The company highlighted digital growth

and said revenue in that sector grew from9% of its business in 2006 to more than16% in 2009. It projects nearly 20% of itswork in digital this year on the strength ofbusiness with IBM, Heineken USA andEDF.Healthcare was also singled out for posi-

tive growth, in addition to the solid returnof media and corporate communications. �

PR/service firms say “good riddance” to `09Publicly traded PR firms and service providers happily closed the financial books on amiserable ’09 and look forward to slow but steady recovery for the remainder of this year. By Greg Hazley


SSttuuddyy:: ccoonnssuummeerrss wwaanntt bbeetttteerr ffoooodd rreegguullaattiioonnss

Although less extreme and restric-tive than the alcohol temperanceand prohibition movements of the

1800s and 1900s, we find ourselves at atipping point in food regulation, character-ized by government’s steps to exert greatercontrol and restriction of the marketingand distribution of “unhealthy” foods,especially among children and other at-risk populations.With the obesity epidemic as the unify-

ing call to action, a confluence of factors isdriving and defining this temperancemovement: widespread food label reformincluding the first-ever multi-agencyalignment among the Food and DrugAdministration (FDA), Federal TradeCommission (FTC), Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention (CDC) and UnitedStates Department of Agriculture(USDA); scrutiny of health claims acrossthe board; increasingly vocal and powerfulspecial interest pressures; and a generalmistrust of the food industry when itcomes to science and self-policing. While food industry executives and

communications specialists are closelymonitoring this environment, a naturalquestion arises: what about grocery shop-pers? Are they following and do they careabout government efforts to label theirfood options as “healthy” and“unhealthy?” According to a new survey conducted

by FoodMinds, two-thirds of primary gro-cery shoppers are not only aware, butmany are paying close attention to issuesand actions related to food policy. Theopinion poll, fielded in January throughGreenfield Online’s Omnibus using a sam-ple of 1,045 adults balanced by age, gen-der and region, analyzed the opinions ofprimary grocery shoppers to measureawareness and reactions to governmentactivities related to classifying foods ashealthy and unhealthy. The study also examined a carefully

defined subset of opinion leader shoppers— grocery decision makers who are regis-tered voters likely to exert their opinionsthrough political, social and economicactions. The idea was to better understandwhether these groups think Americans

need help from the government in select-ing healthy foods, or if they think weshould all be left to our own devices.Consumers want guidanceAccording to a new survey, the majority

of consumers find value in nutritional label-ing. Consumers don’t just want informa-tion, they want front-of-pack nutrition guid-ance. Consumers think all nutritional label-ing on packaging is useful — from nutrientcontent to health claims to methods of pro-duction.The strongest

interest is for directinformation con-tained in nutritionfacts panels and frontof pack informationthat calls out levels ofkey nutrients such asfat, fiber and calories.However, consistentwith the food temper-ance mindset, amajority of con-sumers (and in partic-ular, opinion leaders)are even interested ina “warning label”that overtly identifiesfoods that have“empty calories.”The grocery shop-

ping public, and inparticular most opin-ion leaders, showsupport for a range ofpotential policyactions includingmore overt guidanceon healthy andunhealthy foods ingovernment nutritioneducation programsand a ban on market-ing food to childrenthat does not meetstrict criteria fornutrient content. Theonly potential gov-ernment act notfavored by a majorityof either opinionleaders or primary

grocery shoppers is the taxation of foodshigh in sugar and calories but low in nutri-tional value.A warning label could convince con-

sumers to ditch their favorite foods, accord-ing to the study. A “traffic light” symbolcurrently in place in the UK has receivedmuch attention from FDA in its efforts todevelop a uniform approach to front-of-pack nutrient claims. When exposed to awarning label, 64 percent of consumers

FEATURE

Recent studies tracking the evolution of food policy and communications lend to thetheory that we’re in the middle of a growing “food temperance” movement. Expertsbelieve this will have a major impact on what choices consumers make at the grocerystore, as well as food label reform within the coming years.

�Continued on next page

By Grant Prentice


indicate they would either eat less of theirfavorite foods, or switch to a healthieroption. This should be a real wake-up callfor manufacturers – one of the potentialoutcomes from this food temperancemovement is the possibility of the govern-ment mandating that manufacturers featurethis type of labeling on products they feelwarrant an additional level of nutrient con-tent information.The year of food temperanceSignificant food label reform is expected

in 2011-2013, including a government-mandated front-of-pack system, an over-haul of the Nutrition Facts Panel, updates tothe Daily Values for a number of nutrients,and tighter regulations on health and struc-ture/function claims. So where does that leave food marketers

and manufacturers? Food manufacturershave proven they can and will react quicklyto consumer and government demand.While government bodies gather to reviewavailable science and discuss solutionsthroughout 2010, a window of opportunityhas opened for strategic action. Data suggests that consumers are looking

for real assistance in helping them makebetter choices at the grocery store.Americans still believe it is their personalresponsibility to make the right choices, andstill want to make the decision for them-selves. However, they also seem to be indi-

cating that, if theindustry isn’t able orwilling, then groceryshoppers are happyto have the govern-ment step in andhelp.In this dynamic

and evolving foodenvironment, it willbe more importantthan ever for foodcompanies to contin-ually evaluate andrefine their innova-tion efforts toimprove the nutri-tional quality offoods offered, aswell as cre-ate/improve (andspread the word on)initiatives to betterequip consumerswith simple, under-standable nutritioneducation.These efforts

should be based oninformation that helps consumers takeadvantage of the array of healthy foodoptions available, while retaining a balance— a balance that includes not getting too

focused on seeing foods through the lens ofa bright red or green stoplight.

Grant Prentice is the Director ofStrategic Insights at FoodMinds, LLC. �

MARCH 2010 � WWW.ODWYERPR.COM14

A communications diet for health-conscious consumersINTERVIEW

On Feb. 22, Reader’s Digest Associationannounced it has officially recovered fromChapter 11 protection it filed in August.

The publishers filed for bankruptcy protec-tion six months ago after it was reported thecompany was $2.2 billion in debt, partially aresult of a 2006 takeover by private equity firmRipplewood Holdings. Officials said they havesince reduced this debt by 75% through amassive restructuring initiative that includedbonds refinancing.

In June, the company announced it wasreducing its U.S. frequency from 12 to 10issues a year and scaling back its rate base torespond to consumers' “changed mediaappetite.” Reader's Digest was founded in1922 and currently has a circulation of morethan 8 million in the U.S.

Media Briefs

RReeaaddeerr’’ss DDiiggeesstt eemmeerrggeess ffrroomm bbrriieeff bbaannkkrruuppttccyy

Everyone’s trying to eat right thesedays. How is this affecting your work?

Booth: It’s just a big concern across theboard with all our food and beverageclients. They realize consumers are increas-ingly more aware of the ingredients in prod-ucts and this affects their purchasing deci-sions.We have a special practice area known as

“Better4You” set up to advise clients in thefood, nutrition and consumer health arenason how to effectively communicate well-ness and health benefits to consumers. It consists of an advisory board of 10

nutritionists, registered dietitians, pediatri-cians and fitness, weight and diabetesexperts. They’re available to work with ourclients to check messaging and even serveas spokespersons. The board also looks at the products of

prospective clients and helps us gaugewhether we can help them.When I go shopping, it seems every prod-

uct is touting something like, “No TransFats,” “Gluten-Free,” or “No High FructoseCorn Syrup.” What’s the deal?Rich: Consumers want healthier, less-processed options and alternatives to ingre-dients that are known to be harmful. Trans fats are formed when liquid veg-

etable oils are processed with hydrogen tomake them more solid. They are proven topromote heart disease and have been linkedto diabetes and other health problems. Forward-thinking companies are replac-

ing trans fats with more natural, lessprocessed vegetable oils, and also findingways to further improve products by addinghealthy omega-3 fats and other beneficialingredients to foods. High fructose corn syrup is a refined

sweetener made by processing cornstarchinto fructose and glucose. It is pervasive intoday’s food supply — from sodas and fruit-flavored drinks, to cereals and baked goods. Some brands are now replacing high fruc-

tose corn syrup with more natural productssuch as Stevia, a sweetener derived from anative South American plant. Brown ricesyrup and evaporated cane juice are otheralternatives.Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye,

and barley that causes serious health prob-

lems for many people. It’s estimated thatone out of every 167 children and one out ofevery 111 adults is allergic to gluten, a con-dition known as gluten intolerance or celiacdisease. Growing numbers of consumers are opt-

ing to avoid gluten, and companies areresponding with many new and improvedgluten-free foods entering the marketplace. Another consumer concern is

the high sodium found in manysnack foods. We’re working with Pirate’s

Booty, a puffed rice and cornsnack that comes in flavors likebarbeque, sour cream & onion,and even New York pizza. Theproduct is low in sodium, bothtrans fat and gluten free, and has50% less fat per serving thanpotato chips. Are brands extolling the health

aspects of their products on theweb?

Booth : Definitely, take a lookat the website for Pirate’s Booty(piratesbooty.com). There’s moretransparency than ever, especiallyfor products that have a healthadvantage. Companies are increasingly

using their websites to educateconsumers about health benefits of certainfoods or ingredients and provide consumerswith information on how to incorporatehealthful foods into their daily lives throughmenus, recipes, and practical tips. What kind of outreach have you done

recently to extol the health benefits of aclient’s product?

Booth: We created a consumer eventnear city hall this past fall where couplesfrom around the world were invited to gethitched or renew their vows to celebratethe launch of Sun Crystals, a naturalsweetener with only 5 calories that marriespure cane sugar and Stevia, a naturallysweet plant native to South America thathas been around for centuries.The event was billed as “a Sweet and

Solar Powered Wedding,” meaning every-thing from the band’s amps and lighting tothe ovens on-site used to prepare food forthe guests were powered by solar cells.Two dozen couples celebrated nuptials

as thousands of New Yorkers came bythroughout the day to join in the celebra-tion and sample Sun Crystals.How will Michelle Obama’s initiative to

fight childhood obesity affect the work youare doing for clients?

Booth: It’s too soon for anything con-crete yet to happen but I can tell you that weand our clients are thinking about how best

to support the First Lady’s cam-paign. Companies are offering manyexcellent foods that are naturallynutritious, low in calories, andoffer health benefits. These can certainly complementhealthy lifestyles for both childrenand adults and help consumersmore easily manage their weight.How’s business in general?Booth: We managed to finish2009 with total net fees up almost5%. In the last half of ’09 the RFPs

we were responding to were muchmore robust compared to the pre-vious year. We’re still waiting fordecisions on the multi-million dol-lar RFPs but clients are definitelyspending more money. �

Margaret Booth has been running her own firm for 25 years in New York City, focusing on consumer,lifestyle and corporate brands. A Matrix Award winner for public relations, Booth is recognized as oneof the 50 most powerful women in the PR industry. Rich Goldblatt is Senior VP & Director of ConsumerProducts, and helped create and co-direct the firm’s “Better4You” practice, which advises clients on howto communicate the healthy aspects of their products.

Margaret Booth

Rich Goldblatt

By John O’Dwyer


The Restaurant Section(www.therestaurantsection.com)launched just several months

ago, but already features 350 restaurantsand 80 wineries in 10 cities across thecountry. The site gained 1,000 membersin the last month alone, and doesn’t showany indication of slowing down.It’s the brainchild of Cliff Bramble,

Co-owner of Atlanta-based establish-ments Rathbun’s and Krog Bar.Bramble said he decided to create asocial site for restaurants because whilethe potential was always there, he feltthe food and beverage industries havebeen slow to take advantage of socialmedia.“What hit me on the head was that it’s

very difficult to promote your business,but at the same time the tools availablejust aren’t enough. Facebook is great,Twitter is great, but they don’t breakinformation down like a niche-drivenwebsite that could help the restaurant

industry,” he said. “We’ve definitelygotten busy very quickly.” The Restaurant Section is different

from your standard social media sitebecause it’s designed specificallyaround the branding and marketingaspect of a restaurant.Restaurants and wineries can create

profiles highlighting their establishmentwith photos, menus, press clippings,chef and winemaker bios and an option-al customer review section. Vendors, food publicists and food

writers can also create profiles, attach-ing articles, blogs, client lists and pressreleases that highlight their core prac-tice. The aggregated content of all member

profiles is streamlined so users cansearch and view all member restaurantsin their area. Like Facebook, the siteallows members to link to other profilesas “friends.” It also allows members toconnect with Twitter RSS feeds andFacebook pages.“A Restaurant’s profile page has all its

press information. It’s not limited to an

address and a name. Publicists can findnew restaurants to market to, and publi-cists can find out about the food writersin their community,” Bramble said. “Alot of journalists tell me the site is greatbecause they get to network with publi-cists and other journalists and meet withother professionals in the industry.” Bramble came up with the idea of the

Restaurant Section just 18 months ago.In the past two months, it has receivedits largest surge in traffic yet, and is nowone of the top 200,000 searched sitescurrently on the web.Bramble said when the site launched

he initially charged $50 a month forrestaurants to maintain a profile on thesite. Subsequent advertising interesthowever, caused Bramble to change hisstrategy. Becoming a member on thesite — or creating a profile for yourrestaurant, winery, publicity practice orwriter’s beat — is now completely free.“I had so many advertisers who were

interested in this I thought ‘I’m going togive everyone a break,’ so I made thewhole thing free for everybody.” �

Tell a better story.

www.foodminds.com

3085_FoodMinds_Ad_ODwyers_v1_actual_size.qxd:FoodMinds_half_page 2/9/10 12:22 PM Page 3

New site links restaurants with publicists, mediaA free, ad-driven website now connects restaurants and wineries with publicists, patrons, journalistsand vendors, serving up something between a consumer review site and a niche social media homefor the restaurant industry.By Jon Gingerich


REPORT

Twitter might be an “ego-massagingtime-drain,” but New York Timescontributing technology writer

David Pogue said social media serves ahigher purpose than a glorified chatroom. Pogue was key speaker at the third

Annual Social Media for Communicatorsat Coca-Cola World Headquarters inAtlanta, GA., February 22-24. Hedescribed social media as a “unique newchannel, combining real-time, two-waypublic and private communications”where “no middleman separates thecelebrity from the fan ... or the companyfrom its customers.”A 10-year contributor of the Times and

author of one of its most popular blogs,Pogue’s Posts, Pogue was there to give hisopinion and keen insight regarding theTwitter evolution. Does Pogue have aproblem with a Twitter user being limited to140 characters in each submission?Basically, he thinks it’s both limiting andwonderful. But a microblog it’s not. “It forces you to be concise and clever.

It’s a challenge that you have to rise up to

meet,” he said. “It lends itself to certainkinds of conversation such as jokes,thoughts, observations, questions, greet-ings, headlines, jokes and riddles.”Pogue said the syntax constraints also

make Twitter much easier to consume.“When you have a minute and you’re onthe receiving end of these things they aren’tdaunting at all,” he said.“You can sit down and duck in and read

a few and then duck out,” he continued.“It’s not like e-mail where each one can bepages long, just like an albatross aroundyour neck.”Pogue compared Twitter to more dis-

cussed recent technological advents such asGoogle Buzz, Gmail’s social networkingapplication that allows users to postFacebook and Twitter status updates viaemail.“They’re just two different things ... like

should you use a spoon or a fork. Twitterremains great for lightweight, fast and wittysubmissions whereas Google Buzz doesn’tforce people to be as concise,” he said.How exactly has social media’s ubiquity

impacted printed media, and to what extentwill it continue? Pogue lamented the “fastdecline” of print but stated that “there arepros and cons for either way and ... with

each having its place.” “You would be hard-pressed to find a

college student who has a subscription to anewspaper or magazine. The reason isbecoming quite obvious. You can go onlineand many are just free. They’re in yourphones and in laptops,” he said.Pogue hopes that newspapers will contin-

ue, both as news-gathering organizationsand a lens through which to understand andfilter the world. “They’re going to always be there, but in

probably different delivery formats,” hesaid.Each week, Pogue

contributes print and e-mail columns and anonline video. He alsois an Emmy award-winning tech corre-spondent for CBSNews, a frequent gueston NPR’s “MorningEdition” and a regularon CNBC.He’s also one of the world’s best-selling

how-to authors. He wrote or helped writeseven books in the “For Dummies” series.In 1999, he launched the “MissingManual,” a line of humorous computerbooks that includes 60 titles.Ragan Communications and PRSA were

sponsors of the three-day Atlanta confer-ence, where tickets drew a cost of $1,195(or $945 for Ragan “members”).Top billing was given to Coca-Cola,

which hosted the meeting. Coke SVP-PAClyde Tuggle discussed how Coke usessocial media to enhance its reputation,build brands and engage employees. �

Pogue raps social media at Coke h.q. conferenceBy Richard Braker

Google’s total display ads sales shouldaccount for about $1 billion of the company’srevenues in 2010, an increase of more than40% from the previous year, according to aFebruary estimate by Barclays Capital, asreported in Business Week.

Barclays analysts posit the majority ofGoogle’s display ad revenue would come froman estimated $700 in video and banner ads onYouTube. According to a February ComScorereport, U.S. Internet users saw a record 4.3trillion display ads in 2009, with Yahoo! stillleading in the display advertising category.

In February, Google launched Google Buzz,a social networking application that allowsusers to post Facebook and Twitter statusupdates through the company’s Gmail service.

Media Briefs

GGooooggllee aadd ssaalleess ttoo hhiitt $$11 bbiilllliioonn

David Pogue


Corn syrup is difficult to break downin the human body. According tomany of today’s leading nutrition-

ists, corn sugar is stored as fat, and it sits inthe bloodstream while the pancreas pumpsinsulin to break it down. The pancreas canthen become inflamed from overwork, canhemorrhage and can even become cancer-ous.These conditions also make users suscep-

tible to cardiovascular diseases.Moreover, if the pancreas stopsworking efficiently, the personcan become diabetic, which isthe inability to convert sugar toglucose, the only sugar that cellscan utilize. This can lead to thedestruction of the vascular sys-tem including heart, arteries, eyeretinas and the body’s ability toheal itself.All sodas today are sweetened

by high fructose corn syruprather than real sugar. Otherfoods using corn syrup aremarshmallows, Milky Ways, MarsBars, Coffeemate, Good N’Plenty,Gummie Bears, most children’s cereals,most ice cream and anything that says,“caramel.”Adam Bordes, nutritionist author of

“Lighten Up! Daily Reminders to Having aLighter, Happier, Healthier Life,” said thecorn syrup in sodas does not increase bloodsugar like “real” food and results in peoplestaying hungry and eating more.Americans could rid themselves of dia-

betes by changing their eating habits, saidBordes. He is especially critical of the pow-erful Cola companies that use advertising tohook people on their products includingchildren.PepsiCo, when asked about the dangers

of HFCS, provided the website of theAmerican Beverage Association for theanswer. The ABA says that high fructosecorn syrup is a “common natural liquidsweetener that is very similar in composi-tion to table sugar (sucrose) in sweetness.”Mayo Clinic has looked at criticisms of

HFCS, finding arguments on both sides.Pepsi rebrands with ‘real sugar’PepsiCo recently marketed “Pepsi

Throwback,” made with cane and beetsugar as opposed to high fructose cornsyrup.The drink is being touted as “refresh-

ingly retro” on Pepsi’s pepsithrowback-hub.com website. BevReview.com, which critiques

sodas and other non-alcoholic bever-ages, says that “When stacked up againstPepsi made with high fructose cornsyrup, frankly, you just want to spit outthat stuff and run away.”

The extensive review, whichgoes into the history of sodacompanies switching decadesago from cane and beet sugarto the cheaper corn syrup,says the soda companies arenow in a bind because theirmarketing of sodas with “realsugar” raises the question ofwhat had they been putting intheir products?BevReview feels that “nineof ten” consumers would pre-fer Pepsi Throwback to cur-rent Pepsi products.Pepsi marketed the product

through Feb. 22 as well as “real”sugar-sweetened drink Mountain Dew.BevReview says the best way to appreci-ate Pepsi Throwback is to have a groupof friends taste-test both Pepsis.Nutritionists, on the other hand, say

there is too much sugar of any kind inthe American diet. Obama Admin. targets ‘sweet’ purveyorsFirst Lady Michelle Obama said she

feels children — who she has stated“drink way too much soda” — are specialtargets of soda giants and wants all sweet-ened beverages removed from schools.The First Lady has launched a $10B

“Let’s Move” campaign against child-hood obesity.New York State and New York City

officials are advocating a tax on sodas.The NYS tax would be a penny-per-ounce and would raise the cost of a 12-pack of Coke from $2.99 to $4.43.The possibility of a soda tax was

explored by the Feb. 14 New York Times.It said Americans drink about 50 gallonsof soda yearly plus other sweetened bev-erages that use HFCS. �

By Jack O’Dwyer

Health and nutrition experts say the substitution of cheap cornsyrups like high fructose corn syrup for sugar in sodas and otherprocessed foods is a leading cause of obesity in the U.S., creatinga PR nightmare for food manufacturers who use the products.

Minneapolis | 612.455.1700New York | 212.752.8338www.psbpr.com

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Corn syrup blamed for U.S. obesity woes

COVER STORY

It was the sort of news we didn’t want tohear. As fate would have it, most of usdidn’t. A study published by the

International Journal of BiologicalSciences in December determined that ratsfed three of the most popular geneticallymodified feed and consumer grade cornson the market developed Hepatotoxicity,or chemically driven liver damage. One of the products tested, NK603, is

the Glyphosate-tolerant strand of seed bet-ter known as Roundup Ready, manufac-tured by agricultural giant Monsanto. It’sestimated that Monsanto’s geneticallymodified patents have been inserted into80% of all corn grown in the U.S. and asmuch as 95% of all soybeans. BecauseGM foods don’t require any labeling in theUnited States — and because corn is nowa staple in every American food fromsodas and sauces to breads and cookies —it’s not much of a stretch to consider our-selves unwitting lab rats in a biotech gam-ble where the outcome is anything but cer-tain.The next month, Monsanto CEO Hugh

Grant was gracing the cover of Forbes,stoically leaning over the sycophantic ban-ner “company of the year,” a nod toMonsanto’s valiant efforts in gaining a vir-tual monopoly of the seed market. It’s anapt paradox given the state of the foodindustry, an enterprise built on satisfyingmultiple financial and regulatory objec-tives which often results in a blurred mis-sion of double standards, like a productionsystem that favors high volumes of poorlymade foods, or a nation of citizens whoremain fed but for all purposes nutritional-ly malnourished.Food is everywhere in America, and it’s

a good thing. There’s a higher demand forit than ever, though we still manage tospend only about 15% of our take-homeincome on food — a worldwide low. As aresult, we’ve always held the expectationthat food would be cheap. But these lowprices have come at a greater cost. Thenumber of Americans living with Type 2diabetes doubled between 1990 and 2005,now accounting for nearly 24 million peo-ple — or about 8% of the population.Obesity is the standard; heart disease is theleading cause of death. Soil damage fromdangerous pesticides, as well as the loss ofbiodiversity from patented-seed takeover,has had an indelible impact on our nation’sfarmland.

We’re also paying for it literally.America’s current Federal agricultural pol-icy is designed to reward farmers who pro-duce high yields that can only be met withpesticide-heavy crops, making it cheaperfor manufacturers to implement cost-cut-ting preservatives or introduce geneticallymodified ingredients that seamlesslybypass the regulatory and labeling lines. The result is a skewed pricing system

that favors processed, poor quality foodsover healthy ones, and it’s for this reasonthat it’s cheaper for a struggling family toeat at McDonald’s than it is to buy andprepare a meal at home, or why it’s cheap-er in many cities to buy soda than milk.Choose organic foods for your family andyou can expect to triple your costs.Unhealthy choices are the default; theunderlying policy that manages our foodindustry has had a direct affect on our con-sumption habits. The ultimate irony is thateating healthy foods in the most agricul-turally abundant country in the history ofthe world is now limited to those who canafford it. “The price at the supermarket only

includes a small portion of the costs we’repaying that aren’t included on the stickerprice,” said Chris Hunt, Research andPolicy Analysis Director for nonprofitfood organization GRACE. “Part of thequestion you have to ask when addressingthese costs is how we’ve managed to inter-nalize these negative externalities generat-ed by America’s agro-business. There’sdefinitely a chance that we can change, butit takes a grand acknowledgement thatthere’s something wrong with our foodsystem today.”The cost of choiceStudy after study shows that Americans

want to eat healthier. For the averageAmerican family however, these desiresare met with economic obstacles at everyturn. Retail food prices typically climbbetween 2% and 3% each year, but recentfuel prices, handling costs and weatherwoes sent food prices soaring at a timewhen the American public couldn’tchoose to be frugal. Food costs went upnearly 6.5% in 2008, the fastest hike since1990. Concurrently, a recession, highunemployment rates and record bankrupt-cies loomed, creating conditions whereconsumers were expected to spend moremoney on less. The sharp decline of con-sumer food spending in 2009 was con-trasted by the skyrocketing demand forfood banks. Getting by was hard enough.

Making healthy choices was seen as a lux-ury.New York-based PR firm Hunter PR

reported in an annual food survey that twoof the three most popular food stories of2009 involved food cost (the third wasfood safety). Many consumers went togenerics in 2009, and this put marketers ininstant crisis mode, pleading with manu-facturers to drop superfluous packagingexpenses and initiate bold cost-cuttingcampaigns, even as their costs went up.“It’s a no-win situation,” said Hunter PR

President Grace Leong. “Manufacturersare told to keep their prices down, so theyuse cheaper ingredients, and then they getbeat up on their carbon footprint for ship-ping. If they start looking to save costs byoutsourcing, they’re basically killing theindustry. Why pay the guy in SouthFlorida when they can do it in SouthAmerica without all the regulation?”“There’s such pressure to keep prices

down because of the culture we live in,”Leong continued, “but the politics of foodinvolves supporting a very costly indus-try.”The Consumer Price Index reported a

climb of only about 0.5% for food costs in2009, hinting that many manufacturerspushed to keep prices low even when ithurt. Predicting economic turnaround,some companies have begun raising pricesin recent months. Marketers now predictmanufacturers will have to rely on adver-tising and marketing campaigns to bringshoppers back from the world of generics.Similarly, some industry experts believecreating an armory of healthy alternativescould be a viable alternative to regain thatdedicated consumer base.“Consumers know exactly what’s going

on. Every grocer wants to have locallygrown, locally produced food to showthey’re in-touch, but in the back they’llstill carry your foreign produce,” she said.“It’s hard to eat healthy, but this is a bigopportunity for food companies. Theydon’t want to go down with the ship.”

Children of the cornWhy did it become so easy for manu-

facturers — and us — to make such badchoices? It’s hard to know exactly whereto point the finger, but much of America’scurrent food problem began from a well-intentioned revolution in the corn industrywaged by President Nixon’s Secretary ofAgriculture, Earl Butz. In decades prior,we’d actually paid U.S. farmers to limittheir corn production in order to keepinflation on the crop down. By the 1970’showever, the size and scope of America’s


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obert C

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America’s eating problemBy Jon Gingerich


palate had changed. Higher food outputwas desperately needed, and we’d alsobegun exporting vast amounts of it. Inresponse, Butz designed a bold Federalagricultural expansion that gave massivesubsidies to farmers to produce as muchcorn as possible. The result was a nationalcorn boon that altered our farming land-scape forever.Due to a vastly devaluating surplus the

price of corn soon dropped, and farmersfound they had to produce constantlyhigher yields to make a profit. With theadvent of high-tech herbicides, it was nowpossible to output up to 100 bushels anacre, a feat unfathomable 50 years ago. Inthe course of doing so, many farmers hadgrown increasingly indebted to the gov-ernment, as their yields were being sup-ported by federal subsidies as opposed tothe market.It wasn’t too long before food manufac-

tures found ways to use this newly deval-uated crop to lower their costs. Simply put,they began putting corn into everything.Japanese scientists developed a way torend cornstarch into a liquid sweetenerwith the aid of chemical enzymes, devel-oping High Fructose Corn Syrup, a fruc-tose/glucose disaccharide that became acheap alternative to sucrose, or table sugar.HFCS became the de facto sweetener ofsodas, cookies, breads, salad dressings,sauces and juices. Decades later, we dis-covered that unlike sucrose, the complexchemical bonds in HFCS are metabolizedin the liver, where they possibly contributeto fatty liver disease. There are also harm-ful carbonyl compounds, and studies showhigh levels of HFCS can disrupt insulinproduction levels, leading to diabetes.Arguably, the news came too late:Americans’ intake of the ubiquitoussweetener increased more than 1,000%between 1970 and 1990.Meanwhile, cattle farmers, wary of the

market shift, moved their livestock’s dietfrom a grass staple to that of corn, a foodthe animals aren’t biologically designed toeat. Feeding them “distiller’s grain,” acorn byproduct made from ethanol, cattlebegan exhibiting massive weight gain,much to the delight of cattle owners.Because cows can’t digest corn properlyhowever, they began experiencing ulcersand major stomach ailments, causingfarmers to preemptively load them up withantibiotics. Fecal contamination is com-mon, and E. coli outbreaks in the U.S.have boomed since the pathogen’s initialdiscovery in 1982.Seattle-based law firm Marler Clark

LLP PS, which specializes in E. coli litiga-

tion, shared data with O’Dwyer’s showingnearly 48 million pounds of beef wererecalled between 2007 and 2010 alone.“From 1993 to 2002 almost every case I

worked on was E. coli linked to hamburg-er meat,” said attorney William D. Marler.“Now it’s routine to see millions ofpounds of recalled meat on a yearly basis.”If the numbers aren’t harrowing

enough, consider the physiological impli-cations. Corn is not just the main pillar inour agricultural economy; it’s not just themain ingredient in our diet; it’s not just themain ingredient in our livestock’s diets.We’ve been eating it for so long that itnow literally makes up who we are. If youwere to take DNA extraction analysis ofyour hair, chances are you would findlarge amounts of corn in it. We are whatwe eat, literally.Who regulates the regulators?If we know the looming health risks

associated with America’s eating habits, ifwe know Americans would eat healthier ifthey could afford it, if we know the currentsubsidy system favors the production ofbad food and if we know the aisle betweenwellness and affordability is too wide —why can’t we make healthier foods moreaffordable? Why can’t the governmentoffer similar subsidies to farmers whomanufacture healthy foods in the sameway that it has guaranteed a paycheck forthose who produce pesticide heavy cornand soy?“It’s not impossible, but I think it’s very

challenging due primarily to the power ofagro-business,” Hunt said. “They have anexceptionally large lobby and the farm billis so entrenched in our current policy itdoesn’t look like it will budge any timesoon.” Washington’s current power structure

seems to reiterate this dismal outlook.FDA Senior Advisor Michael Taylor is aformer Monsanto lobbyist. In 1996 hefought to allow the use of potentially can-cerous pesticides in genetically modifiedfoods. Former Pennsylvania Departmentof Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff,who championed legislation in his state toremove consumer labels on dairy productsengineered with Bovine GrowthHormone, is currently Obama’s top pick totake the Agriculture for Food Safety’s roleof Under Secretary. Moreover, any bottom-up alternatives

seem bleak. The organic community hasbeen notoriously stubborn in its refusal tointegrate genetically modified crops intothe organic fold, though it could lower de-weeding costs by as much as $450 an acre. “There will be many who will always

be skeptical of it, and for good reason.There hasn’t been sufficient testing onhuman health and what testing has beendone have been on behalf of the industry,”Hunt said. This position isn’t made any easier by

the bureaucratic FDA-USDA-EPA trifectathat currently regulates our foods, whereregulatory grey areas can foster giganticindustry loopholes. For example, becauseMonsanto’s Roundup Ready corn isgenetically modified to be immune to thecompany’s herbicidal spray, smallresidues of the herbicide exist in the corn.The EPA has never established a limit ofthe amount of residues that can exist in thecorn because it enters the food via a genet-ic process instead of a chemical spray, andthus, falls outside of EPA jurisdiction. GM food companies are not presently

required to consult the FDA, and if they dothey don’t have to take the agency’s sug-gestions. Therefore, GM food containingunknown amounts of herbicide are free togo into our crops, where they are passedinto our foods, our livestock, our sweeten-ers, and into our bodies — all completelyunregulated and completely unlabeled. It’s ironic that the most essential com-

modity in human survivability has beendelegated to a stalemate on the fulcrumwhere science and policy meet. America’ssilent food crisis is perhaps only abettedby the fact that we are also a reactionarysociety: we love a fad, we love a goodcasuse, we love to go on puritanical crashdiets, from “fat free” to Atkins to SouthBeach, finding boogey foods to lynchalong the way like High Fructose CornSyrup. When regulations don’t help us,we’ve always been quick to help our-selves. We can take this energy and channel it

into proactive consumer choices thatdemand an alternative to the bad policiesand equally bad habits that have shapedour food landscape. Some common sense,and an appeal to moderation and a demandfor political oversight could go a long way. “Food news has become front-page

news. The idea has always been there: ifbig government is not going to do it forme, if I can’t trust them to police foodsafety, I’ll do it myself,” Leong said.“Food regulation is a massive, huge job

that can’t be accomplished by one agency.Someone needs to go in there and bust itup. If you look at the way food was pro-duced back at the turn of the century — ifyou look at the books that came out expos-ing the corruption — it broke the cycle andimproved our food quality. There’s hopefor that to happen again.” �


Profiles

FOOD BEVERAGEPR FIRMS

3.10

ODwyersGuide to:

ALLISON & PARTNERS

505 Sansome StreetSan Francisco, CA 94111415/[email protected]

Scott Allison, CEO

Clients with a passion for foodturn to Allison & Partners formarketing and public relationsprograms that drive trial, prefer-ence and sales. Whether it’slaunching products, reaching thecrème-de-la-crème of influ-encers, maximizing sponsorshipROI, or making a restaurant theplace to see and be seen, ourteam of consummate foodiesbring fresh ideas to influencers inthe media and beyond. Withexperience growing some of theworld’s leading food, restaurant,beverage, wine and spirits, nutri-tion and CPG brands and ninefull-service offices across theUS, our capabilities include:product launches, positioningand branding; publicity andmedia tours; events and promo-tions; restaurant openings; sam-pling and tasting events; socialnetworking; retail marketing;sponsorships and cause market-ing programs.

BLAZE PR225 Santa Monica Blvd., 3rd Flr.Santa Monica, CA 90401310/395-5050Fax: 310/[email protected]@blazepr.com

Craig Rexroad, PresidentKaren Gee-McAuley, Exec. VP

BLAZE is a nationally recog-nized Silver Anvil award-winningPR firm that attracts compelling andaggressive consumer brands thatneed to win.For two decades, BLAZE has

produced integrated, pragmatic,bottom-line responsive campaignsfor food, beverage, travel and con-sumer clients, such as The Habit,Ruth’s Chris, Original Road HouseGrill, 7-Eleven, Mimi’s Café,House of Blues, Hiram Walker andmore. BLAZE also provides fullyintegrated, in-house social mediacapabilities and utilizes this medi-um with traditional strategies tohelp our clients meet their goals,whether it is filling a restaurantmid-week, increasing distributionchannels or increasing cateringbusiness.We succeed for our clients becausewe realize that public relations isthe effective and strategic use ofmedia and other communicationschannels to realize our clients’

goals. Our integrated approachallows our clients to find their“voice,” determine the correct“channel” and realize their businessobjectives through a mix of com-munications tools and creativestrategies. BLAZE is headquartered in

Santa Monica, CA with offices inSanta Barbara and New York.

CARMICHAELLYNCH SPONG

110 North Fifth Street Minneapolis, MN 55403612/375-8500www.carmichaellynchspong.com

Douglas K. Spong, APR, Pres.Grete Krohn Lavrenz, Principal,Chair, Food and Beverage

If you can no longer stomach thesame stale, tasteless ideas, perhapsit’s time for some fresh thinking.Carmichael Lynch Spong leads thefood, beverage, nutrition and well-ness arena — representing some ofthe biggest brands. Our list of envied food and bev-

erage clients includes: retail(Noodles & Company); packagedgoods (Jack Link’s Beef Jerky);ingredient brands (Martek); foodprocessing (Cargill) and cookware(Calphalon).We work with food industry

leaders, consumer groups, chefs,nutritionists, commodity groups,regulatory organizations andexperts in general, on a regularbasis. Our relationships go beyondmedia. We know the right people totarget with the right program, prod-uct, campaign or cause. And theyknow us.

COHN & WOLFE

292 Madison AvenueNew York, NY 10017212/798-9700www.cohnwolfe.com

Stephanie Marchesi, Pres., NYMichael O’Brien, President,Global Consumer MarketingDonna Fleishman, Pres., Atlanta,Food & Beverage SpecialistBarbara Cohen, SVP, Food &Beverage Specialist

Cohn & Wolfe, a subsidiary of

WPP, is a leading communicationsfirm with an impressive food andbeverage offering led by talentedprofessionals who have represent-ed clients in every aisle of thesupermarket as well as some ofAmerica’s favorite foodserviceestablishments. We’ve launchedhundreds of new products, devel-oped nutrition education programsfor consumers of all ages andknow how to engage media, influ-encers and consumers on andoffline whether promoting pantrystaples or the latest premiumorganic products. Cohn & Wolfe’sfood/beverage clients include:J.M. Smucker Company, Jif,Crisco, Pillsbury, Hungry Jack,Green & Black’s OrganicChocolate, Olive Garden, RedLobster and Taco Bell.

CONE

855 Boylston StreetBoston, MA 02116617/227-2111Fax: 617/523-3955www.coneinc.com

Bill Fleishman, ManagingDirector & Executive VicePresidentPeggy O’Shea Kochenbach,MBA, RD, LDN, Vice PresidentJill Tobacco, MPH, RD, Director

For almost three decades, Conehas earned a reputation for build-ing strong brands in the food andbeverage industry. We providebest-in-class communication strat-egy, talent and creativity to drivebusiness growth for leadingbrands, such as Nestlé WatersNorth America, Lindt and GeneralMills. We understand that extraor-dinary results must begin withexperts who possess a keen under-standing of your business, yourbrand and its connection to society.With two registered dieticians onstaff, we can communicate the dis-tinct attributes of your brand,including the health and nutritionalbenefits of foods and beverages.The depth of our experience inworking with associations andmarketing boards and our carefullytailored approach to your commu-nications allow us to deliver cam-paigns that are authentic, credibleand relevant.

Members of the Carmichael Lynch Spong Food and BeveragePractice Group manage celebrity spokesperson relationships withhigh-profile chefs such as Alton Brown and Michael Symon.Pictured are team members with Michael Symon (second from left)at an event sponsored by Calphalon.

&’ ’


We are ready to share our cre-ativity, passion and commitmentalong with a full range of services.We specialize in food and beveragenew product launches, influencerprograms, media events, newmedia executions, promotions andcelebrity campaigns.

COYNE PUBLICRELATIONS

14 Walsh DriveParsippany, NJ 07054973/316-1665www.coynepr.com

1065 Avenue of the Americas28th FloorNew York, NY 10018212/938-0166

Tom Coyne, CEORichard Lukis, PresidentLisa Wolleon, Vice PresidentMeghan Flynn, MS, RD, Directorof Food and NutritionStacy Becker, Assistant VicePresident

Coyne PR is one of thenation’s leading independentpublic relations agencies withextensive experience in the foodand beverage category. CoynePR combines sound strategiccounsel with cutting edge cre-ative elements to achieve superi-or communications goals for itsclients. The agency representssome of the world’s largest foodand beverage companies andbrands, including General Mills,the Hershey Company, theCampbell Soup Company, AMPEnergy Drink (PepsiBeverages), and Old Bay. Inaddition to the consumer pack-aged goods work, the agency hasgrown its Nutrition and Wellnesspractice, most notably with thearrival of Meghan Flynn, MS,RD. The Coyne PR team is com-prised of experts in productlaunches, brand building cam-paigns, tradeshow support,events, sponsorships, contests,promotions, cause marketing,influencer outreach, crisis man-agement and social media. Theagency has also worked withGeneral Mills to create an exten-sive blogger network,MyBlogSpark, which helps con-nect brands with bloggers. In2009 Coyne PR was named2009 Midsize Agency of theYear by PRWeek and PR News,as well as 2009 ConsumerAgency of the Year and 2009Best Agency to Work For inAmerica by The Holmes Report.

CRT/TANAKA, LLC

320 West 13th Street, 7th Floor New York, NY 10014212/229-0500Fax: 212/229-0523www.crt-tanaka.com

Patrice Tanaka, Co-Chair, ChiefCreative OfficerEllen LaNicca Albanese,Executive Vice President /Consumer

CRT/tanaka is an award-win-ning public relations and market-ing firm known for itswhatcanbeSM workplace cultureand approach to business.Headquartered in Richmond, Va.,and New York, with offices in LosAngeles, Washington, D.C. andNorfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka special-izes in four practice areas —Consumer, Health, Corporate andInteractive/Social Media. Theagency has been recognized withmore than 300 national andregional awards for its strategiccounsel, creativity, workplace cul-ture and community service.Clients include Wines from Rioja(Spain), the Federation of QuebecMaple Syrup Producers,Performance Food Group, AirNew Zealand, Cambria Suites(Choice Hotels), BISSELLHomecare, Charles Schwab &Co., Girl Scouts of the USA,Council for Responsible Nutritionand Sprint Nextel.Other food and beverage brands

that CRT/tanaka has representedinclude Atkins Nutritionals,Godiva Chocolatier, WalnutAcres, Newman’s Own, Cocktailsby Jenn, De’Longhi, LiptonRecipe Secrets, Maille Mustard,Lea & Perrins, ConsorzioPecorino Romano, Hostess SnackCakes, Coors Brewing Co.,Stolichnaya Russian Vodka,Korbel Champagne, Noilly PratVermouth, Krispy KremeDoughnuts, Eskimo Pie and TheSwitch Beverage Company.

DUBLIN & ASSOCIATES

3015 San PedroSan Antonio, TX 78212210/227-0221www.dublinandassociates.com

Jim Dublin, CEOMary Uhlig, President

Dublin & Associates is a full-service strategic communicationsfirm with extensive experienceserving food industry clients. We

have worked with food and con-sumer companies includingPioneer Flour Mills, Pace Foods(Campbell Soup Co.), the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of theSouthwest, NatureSweetTomatoes, Luby’s Cafeterias,Taco Cabana, the CulinaryInstitute of America, the NewBraunfels Smokehouse, and food/ entertainment promotional firmssuch as Hispano USA. We pro-vide national and regional mediacoverage, special event planningand Hispanic market outreach.We work closely with clients todevelop strategic initiatives andpublicity campaigns that focus onclient marketing goals and bot-tom line results.

EDELMAN

200 East Randolph StreetChicago, IL 60601312/240-3000www.edelman.com

Janet Cabot, President, CentralRegion & U.S. Food & NutritionPractice Lead

Food is about much more thannourishment. It is about the con-

vergence of good health, greattaste, values and beliefs, and pol-itics. With more than a decadeof proprietary research, Edelmanoffers its clients deep expertiseand multifaceted strategies thatengage today’s continuum ofstakeholders along the foodchain. On staff Edelman coun-selors include noted expertsSusan T. Borra, RD, formerPresident of the InternationalFood Information CouncilFoundation and Mary K. Young,MS, RD, former Vice Presidentof Nutrition at the NationalCattlemen’s Beef Association,12 Registered Dietitians, andhealth and digital communica-tion practitioners who addressfood communication needs withall constituents from food policyopinion elites to health profes-sionals and ultimately, con-sumers.Edelman’s deep food, nutri-

tion and wellness expertise hascreated longstanding client rela-tionships with Starbucks, DairyManagement, Inc. (DMI), Kraft,Butterball, American Egg Board,Quaker, the American HeartAssociation and the MushroomCouncil among others.

PROFILES OF FOOD & BEVERAGE PR FIRMS

The Coyne PR Food and Beverage Team didn’t skip a beat when itcame to garnering media coverage for the Cheerios Circle of HelpingHearts campaign. The team put their hearts into generating aware-ness and raising money for women’s heart health and delivering themessage about the importance of having a cholesterol test.

FINEMAN PR

330 Townsend Street, Suite 119San Francisco, CA 94107415/392-1000www.finemanpr.com

Michael Fineman, PresidentLorna Bush, Vice PresidentHeidi White, Vice President

Fineman PR, founded in 1988,specializes in Brand PR and crisiscommunications for food and bev-erage clients. Our strength is build-ing strong and appealing brandidentity for our clients. Our award-winning public relations programsare creative, strategic and consis-tently exceed client objectives.

Our experience includes workwith Foster Farms Poultry, FosterFarms Dairy, Nunes Company /Foxy Foods, Diamond ofCalifornia, Fantastic Foods, FreshExpress Farms, Clif Bar, Odwalla,Nancy's Specialty Foods and TheRepublic of Tea. The agency alsoworks with wineries and wine-related companies, including amarquee wine client list during thelast several years that includeDerenoncourt California,Montesquieu, Stag’s Leap WineCellars, Hanzell Vineyards,Chateau Montelena, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates,Constellation Wines U.S.,Landmark Vineyards, WineInstitute and Seguin Moreau.

FLEISHMAN-HILLARD

200 North BroadwaySt. Louis, MO 63102314/[email protected]@[email protected]@fleishman.comwww.fleishmanhillard.com

Practice Group Leaders:Janet Greenlee, AustinShelly Kessen, SacramentoMelissa Novak, Kansas City

Communicating within the foodand agribusiness industries hasnever been more challenging.Globalization and demographicshifts are ushering in an excitingnew world of foods and flavors.The explosion of chronic healthissues caused by aging and obesitydemand a better understanding offood’s roles in health and wellness.Our desire for a safe, secure foodsupply is bringing greater scrutinyabout how our food is produced,

packaged and shipped.Fleishman-Hillard’s Food &

Agribusiness practice has a unique“farm to fork” perspective and isdedicated to help identify, under-stand, and manage the increasinglycomplex trends and issues affectingbusiness. The practice offers a fullrange of integrated communica-tions services — including publicrelations, public affairs, digitalcommunications, advertising andevent marketing — on a globalscale. The practice is integratedwith the firm’s Sustainability prac-tice to build communicationsaround this increasingly importantoperational focus. Clients include: Bumble Bee

Seafoods, California Table GrapeCommission, California RaisinMarketing Board, ConAgraFoundation, Desert Glory, Dow,AgroSciences, Fisheries Council ofCanada, Flour FortificationInitiative, Gatorade, GLG LifeTech, Hamdi Ulukaya,IHOP/Applebee’s, Kansas BeefCouncil, Kubota TractorCorporation, Mars, Maple LeafFoods, Midwest Dairy Association,Mirassou Winery, National MangoBoard, Nutrients for LifeFoundation, PepsiCo, PerdueFarms, Sunsweet Growers, TexasSweet Citrus, Tri-Lamb Group,Tropicana, U.S. Potato Board.

FOODMINDS, INC.

One Tower Lane, Suite 2610Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181630/571-4150Fax: 630/[email protected]@[email protected]@foodminds.comwww.foodminds.com

Laura Cubillos, RD; BillLayden; Sue Pitman, MA, RD;Partners

A food and nutrition companythat harnesses science, public affairsand communications, FoodMinds’vision is to be a trusted partner inproducing novel food and nutritionpositions and programs that shapethe future for its clients. We applyknowledge, critical thinking andindustry connections to help ourclients tell a better story that makesa difference. We pride ourselves onthe right mix of talented, seasonedand motivated professionals — reg-istered dietitians, consumer mar-keters, media strategists, PhDs, sci-ence writers and policy experts —to challenge the status quo andachieve great things for our clients. 2010 clients include: Applegate

Farms, Bush Brothers andCompany, Distilled Spirits Councilof the United States, DairyManagement Inc., Hass AvocadoBoard, Kashi Company, KelloggCompany, National ConfectionersAssociation, and Welch Foods Inc.

FRENCH / WEST /VAUGHAN

112 East Hargett Street Raleigh, NC 27601 919/832-6300 www.fwv-us.com

Rick French, Chairman / CEO David Gwyn, President / PrincipalJack Glasure, Executive VicePresident / Principal Natalie Best, Senior VicePresident / Principal

French/West/Vaughan (FWV) isthe Southeast’s largest independentpublic relations, public affairs andbrand communications agency, andis the nation’s 17th largest inde-pendently-owned PR firm. Foundedin 1997, the agency is headquar-tered in Raleigh, N.C. and also hasoffices in both New York City andTampa. FWV is home to one of the

nation’s largest Food and Beveragepractice areas. As a national leaderin launching head-turning, results-driven marketing campaigns,FWV’s work inspires consumersand influences them favorablytoward the world’s leading compa-nies and brands, including theCoca-Cola Company (NESTEA,Gold Peak, Minute Maid, severalDASANI products and SimplyOrange).Client experience includes work

for Celebrity Chef Lorena Garcia,the North Carolina Beer and WineWholesalers Association, BrinkerInternational (Maggiano’s LittleItaly restaurant chain), ConAgra(Slim Jim, Pemmican Beef Jerky),Nabisco Foods, Brown-Forman(Jack Daniel’s), Diageo NorthAmerica (Bulleit Bourbon brand)and many others. Product launches have included

NESTEA COOL, Diet NESTEA,Gold Peak, DASANI Plus, ArborMist wines, Dolphins & Friendssnack crackers, various OrvilleRedenbacher’s popcorns andPemmican Beef Jerky. FWVlaunched these products in key mar-kets across the U.S. with hospitalitycoordination, strategic planning andcomprehensive media outreachcampaigns. The agency also exe-cutes multi-faceted programs tostimulate product trials and aware-ness.

HANNA LEE COMMUNICATIONS,

INC.

575 Madison Avenue, 8th floorNew York, NY 10022212/527-9969 Fax: 212/721-2091hanna@hannaleecommunications.comwww.hannaleecommunications.com www.unwindwithwine.com

Hanna Lee, President

Hanna Lee Communications,Inc. is an award-winning, boutiquePR agency specialized in the spirits,food, wine, travel and lifestyleindustries and event management.The agency only represents prod-ucts and companies about which itis passionate. This philosophydrives the agency’s well-acknowl-edged excellence.The agency’s services include:

strategic PR planning; national andlocal media outreach; long-termbrand building; press trips; pressconferences; media training; tradeand consumer show support; spon-sorship management; and, co-mar-keting promotions.Current clients are Leblon

Cachaça, The Manhattan CocktailClassic, Terra Andina ChileanWinery, Goats do Roam SouthAfrican Winery, G7 PortugueseWine Consortium, Bar CelonaTapas and Cocktail Lounge,Gourmet Latino Festival, LowellEuropean-Style Yogurts andKyochon Restaurant Group(Korea’s #1 chicken brand).The agency’s work on behalf of

its clients has earned national andinternational recognition. Its break-through “Truth in Vodka” PR cam-paign for Sobieski Vodka won firstrunner-up in PRWeek’s “BestConsumer Launch of the Year” andwas a finalist for a SABRE Award,given by The Holmes Report basedin London.

HOPE-BECKHAM,INC.

17 Executive Park Dr., Suite 600Atlanta, GA 30329404/[email protected]

David C. Van Voorhis, Dir.,Business Dev. & Client Relations

From launching new food andbeverage products to the grand



�Continued on page 24

T h e A m e r i c a s • E u r o p e • A s i a P a c i f i c • M i d d l e E a s t w w w . r u d e r f i n n . c o m

rfrelate@ruderfi nn.com

socialstorytelling

socialnetworking

socialactivation

openings of quick serve, casual orfine dining establishments, Hope-Beckham has done it all.Hope-Beckham Inc. excels in

public relations, experiential mar-keting and business consulting.The agency provides a variety of

services to its clients on a local,regional and national level. In2007, 2008 and 2009, Hope-Beckham was awardedO’Dwyer’s Top Independent PRFirms in Food & Beverage. How does public relations

relate to the food and beverageworld?Communication, as with any

food or beverage, is only as goodas the ingredients that make them

up … Hope-Beckham has theperfect blend of experience in avariety of communications strate-gies to create the perfect recipefor success.Why choose Hope-Beckham?Imagination Speaks… Let

Hope-Beckham be your CreativeVoice!

HUNTER PUBLICRELATIONS

41 Madison Avenue, 5th FloorNew York, NY 10010-2202212/[email protected]

Grace Leong, Jonathan Lyon,Claire Burke, Mark Newman,Partners

Hunter Public Relations is a top-ranked marketing communicationfirm specializing in food, beverageand spirits. The 65-person, inde-pendently owned and operated firmoffers strategic marketing PR serv-ices including creative brainstorm-ing and facilitation, traditional andsocial media relations, specialevent production, product introduc-tions, anniversaries, nutrition andrecipe initiatives (led by dietitians),contests, local market events,spokesperson tours and crisis coun-seling. Revitalizing mature brands, cre-

ating buzz around new productsand building awareness among keyinfluencer groups (including theepicurean, medical and dieteticcommunity) are among the firm’sspecific areas of expertise. Clients include some of the

strongest and most respected brandnames in food and beveragesincluding Kraft Foods, E&J GalloWinery, Diageo, Kellogg’s,Campbell’s, Wrigley, Arby’s, Malt-O-Meal, Apple & Eve, McIlhennyCompany and Signature Brands.

JB CUMBERLANDPUBLIC

RELATIONS

135 W. 27th Street, 10th FloorNew York, NY 10001646/230-6940Fax: 646/[email protected]

Cluttered categories and over-stocked retail shelves — in a mar-ket flooded with competing prod-ucts and messages, companies facethe challenge of standing out, sell-ing-in and selling-through: this iswhat we are hired to do!

For more than 25 years, JBCumberland Public Relations (JBCPR) has been helping clients distin-guish themselves from competitorsand imitators, while helping themachieve their ultimate goal: sellingproducts!We achieve this goal through

strategic media campaigns, con-stantly leveraging our outstandingcontacts with key editors in theindustry; through social media andonline projects; through specialevents, seminars and TV appear-ances — always adapting our strat-egy and tactics according to theclient’s needs.We understand our clients’ mar-

kets, their businesses and theirproducts — whether beverage,specialty food or housewares — somuch so that one client’s wholesalebusiness has tripled since our part-nership began, and another client’swholesale business has quadrupled.This is what we have done and

continue to do for brands as diverseas Australian Lamb, ZeroWater,Bodum Coffee, iSi EspumaCuisine and Whippers, Starfrit,Curious Chef, CMA, the GermanFood Marketing Association,Twinings Tea, St. Dalfour FruitSpreads, Dr. Andrew Weil HealthyKitchen Products and SanPellegrino.

JS2

661 North Harper Ave., Suite 208Los Angeles, CA 90048323/866-0880Fax: 323/866-0882www.js2comm.com

41 E. 11th St., 11th FloorNew York, NY 10003212/905-6260Fax: 212/905-6264

Founded by Jeff Smith and JillSandin in 2001, JS2Communications is an award-win-ning bi-coastal PR agency dedicat-ed to strategic solutions, candidcounsel and tangible results. Thelargest of its four practice areas, theF&B division boasts the west coastdivision of the Patina RestaurantGroup, which includes more than30 award-winning locations such asPatina, Nick+Stef's and Café Pinot,Chicago-inspired bar and restaurantRush Street and farm to fork andfast casual regional restaurantchain, Tender Greens. New clientsstretch from Las Vegas toHollywood and include the re-sign-ing as AOR for the Coffee Bean andTea Leaf, the oldest and largest U.S.based, privately held, global spe-cialty coffee and tea retailer, d.vinoand Dragon Noodle Company



Hunter PR celebrated the 20th anniversary of Jell-O Jigglers by engag-ing the Jelly Mongers – two architects-turned-caterers – to createworks of art in Jell-O gelatin. On a nationwide media tour, the Mongerscreated the world’s largest map of the United States made from Jell-Oand unveiled it live on the CBS Early Show. The Mongers built a repli-ca of the castle and were featured on Access Hollywood. The programgenerated over 83 million media impressions which helped drive Jell-O sales during the back to school season.

Corton Chef Robert Truitt uses the iSi Creative Whip, a JBCumberland client, at the Sugar and Whips event in summer 2009.

Photo Credits: Jeff Elkins

HOPE-BECKHAM, INC.�Continued from page 22


restaurants at the Monte CarloResort and Casino in Las Vegas,Morels and the three So Cal loca-tions of the The Grill on the Alley.

JSH&A

2 TransAm Plaza Drive, Ste. 450Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181630/932-4242www.jsha.com

Jonni Hegenderfer, CEO, CVO& FounderJim Kokoris, Pres. & GMLaura Dihel, SVP, ConsumerLifestyle

Celebrating its 20th anniversarylast year, JSH&A has built its repu-tation on innovative consumerlifestyle marketing PR campaignsfor industry leaders such asMcDonald’s, The Hershey Co.,Beam Global Spirits and Wine,ConAgra, Edible Arrangements,and Purina. The agency’s trade-marked LIF™Style PR and SocialLIF™ strategies drive the award-winning 360degree campaigns usedto launch new brands and supportmarketing promotions with excitingonline and offline programs thatcreate buzz and generate purchase. Whether working with celebri-

ties, sports stars, mommy bloggersor science experts, JSH&A under-stands how to break through thenoise and make an impact with con-sumers. We’ve conducted GreatWhisk(e)y Debates, fashion shows,Smithsonian lock-ins and cookieexchanges held in 1000 homes dur-ing the same week. Our clientshave appeared on “Rachel Ray,”“Martha Stewart,” the “TodayShow,” “Fox & Friends,” “SquawkBox,” HGTV, E! and a long list ofpopular TV programs. They’vebeen featured in the dailies, theweeklies, the women’s magazines,the business pages and, of course,they’ve engaged in unending con-versations in the Blogosphere. As a member of the IPREX net-

work, JSH&A has partner agenciesthroughout the U.S., in Canada,Europe, the Middle East, and AsiaPacific allowing us to provide best-in-class PR capabilities for ourclients around the globe.

KAPLOW

19 West 44th Street, Suite 601New York, NY 10036www.kaplowpr.com

Liz Kaplow, President and CEO

An award-winning, full-servicePR agency founded in 1991 withvast experience in the consumer

sector, Kaplow changes conversa-tions building brand momentumand producing measurable resultsthat impact the bottom line.Kaplow’s Retail, Food and Wine

practice has developed and execut-ed strategic programs for major,best-in-class brands, including:Constellation Wines — RobertMondavi Private Selection andWoodbridge brands, to Newman’sOwn, to our long-standing work forTarget’s diverse collection of pro-prietary consumable brands fromArcher Farms to Choxie Chocolate.In a changing media landscape,

Kaplow and our K:Drive specialtydivision take clients’ brands beyondthe edges of traditional media intosocial media, blogs, and otheremerging platforms.Kaplow intimately connects

clients to the people, industries, andopinion influencers who count.We’re not just sparking conversa-tions; we’re changing them.

LANE PR

905 SW 16th AvenuePortland, OR 97205503/221-0480Fax: 203/[email protected]

Wendy Lane Stevens, President

LANE PR is a nationally rec-ognized PR agency focused on ourclients’ business success. Weunderstand what’s compellingabout a company and know how tospread the word.We are a team of passionate,

curious foodies. And while ourenthusiasm is contagious, we real-ize it takes more than enthusiasm tobuild brands. We are a group of 25skilled communicators and strate-gic planners who understand howto raise awareness and build con-sumer allegiance.The secret to our success? In our

20-year history, LANE PR hasdeveloped unparalleled knowledgeof the industry and establishedmeaningful relationships with themedia and key industry influencersthat help drive sales results for ourclients.

LEE & ASSOCIATES

145 S. Fairfax Ave., #301Los Angeles, CA 90036323/938-3300www.leeassociates.com

Howard Pearlstein, Principal

Lee & Assocs. offers strategic

planning, program evaluation,media relations, product launches,consumer education, recipe devel-opment, special events, crisismanagement and corporate PRservices to its food & beverageclient roster.Founded in 1950, the agency is

proud of its Western ResearchKitchens division, which featureshome economists, nutritionists,dietitians, chefs and medical doc-tors. The firm has representedPepsiCo, Del Monte, AmericanHome Foods and Suntory Int’l, aswell as brand names like JohnMorrell, Florida’s Natural FruitSnacks, Morehouse Mustard andMrs. Cubbison’s Foods (stuffingand croutons — a client for 60years). Additional clients includetrade associations and marketingboards, from California apples,eggs, figs, prunes, seafood andtomatoes to Hawaiian papaya,Oregon potatoes and the NewZealand Trade Commission.

MARINA MAHERCOMMUNICATIONS,

INC.

Member of the Worldcom PublicRelations Group830 Third AvenueNew York, NY 10022212/485-6800Fax: 212/355-6318www.mahercomm.com

Nancy Lowman LaBadie, EVPDeLisa Harmon, ManagingDirector, Consumer BrandsKanchan Kinkade, VP, Food and Beverage Practice

Marina Maher Comms., Inc.

(MMC) Food and BeveragePractice creates delicious popculture and lifestyle relevance forfood and wine brands whichresults in high profile media cov-erage rarely seen in the category.Headed by a certified sommelier,the team regularly works withindustry insiders, such as celebri-ty chefs, mixologists, and nutri-tionists to craft five-star commu-nications programs. MMC builds strategic partner-

ships with tasteful brands.Currently, MMC works withBimbo Bakeries USA, the largestbakery company in the U.S., onbrands such as Thomas’, Boboli,Arnold and Orowheat Bread.Also in the food category, MMCpartners with Post Cereals sup-porting both adult and children’sbrands such as Post ShreddedWheat, Post Raisin Bran, PostGrape Nuts, Post Pebbles andPost Honey Bunches of Oats.For Terlato Wines International,MMC represents SantaMargherita, the #1-selling PinotGrigio in America, MarkhamVineyards and Two HandsWines. MMC’s experience alsoincludes work for WeightWatchers licensed food products,Ronzoni, Godiva and the Chaînedes Rôtisseurs food and winesociety.MMC offers 26 years of

expertise in marketing-to-womenand a Media Connections teamfeaturing experts in the fields oftraditional and social media, andspecial events. MMC alsodeploys a proprietary tool, theTrendscaster, which identifiesand leverages trends to benefitour partner brands in the foodand beverage industry.


Los Angeles Trade Tech Culinary School Director, Steve Kasmar (farright) and Ron Parque, President of Mrs. Cubbison’s Foods (far left),congratulate the student chef winners in the school’s 12th AnnualMrs. Cubbison’s Thanksgiving Stuffing Cook-Off, created and pro-duced each year as a major media event by Lee Associates, Inc.Mrs. Cubbison’s has been a client for 60 years.

MARX LAYNE & CO.

31420 Northwestern Highway #100Farmington Hills, MI 48334248/[email protected]

Michael A. Layne, Partner

Marx Layne has been providingcost-effective marketing and publicrelations services on a local, region-al and national basis to the food andbeverage sector since 1987.Services offered to clients

include media relations, productpublicity, crisis and issues manage-ment, internal communications,special events planning, directmail, e-blasts, graphic design, Webdevelopment, brochure andnewsletter production, social net-working and marketing, and digitalmedia.Clients include fine dining

restaurants, quick service restau-rants, supermarket chains, and foodmanufacturers and suppliers.

M BOOTH & ASSOCIATES

300 Park Avenue SouthNew York, NY 10010212/481-7000www.mbooth.com

Margaret Booth, PresidentRich Goldblatt, SVP, DirectorJoyce Yaeger, SVP, DirectorJosh Rosenberg, SVP, Director,Wine & Spirits

M Booth’s Better4You practice,launched last year, served up some

robust campaigns in 2009. Thepractice helps food/nutrition andhome brands communicate innova-tions, functional benefits and prod-uct revitalizations to the market-place. As part of the offering, thepractice launched a blog,www.better4you.com, which postsand comments on trends and newsin the health, wellness and nutritionarenas that brand and marketingmanagers will find useful.Complementing M Booth’s sea-

soned staff of communications pro-fessionals is a nine-memberBetter4You advisory board of med-ical and health experts that spannutrition, fitness, weight, cardio andpediatrics. M Booth’s breadth anddepth in the area of “better for you”brands includes work for mar-garines, salad dressings, pasta,frozen food and low carb products,as well as nutraceuticals and eyecare.To launch the Sun Crystals All-

Natural Sweetener from McNeilNutritionals, M Booth held thesweetest event of the century. Tomark the marriage of Sun Crystal’stwo natural ingredients — Steviaand cane sugar — Sun Crystalshosted a “Sweet & Solar” wedding.Bells were ringing for couples fromas far away as the U.S. VirginIslands who were married eco-friendly style in the heart of NewYork’s Foley Square. The event cre-ated international buzz, garneringbroadcast and print coverage, andcontributed to a sweet launch atretail stores nationwide. M Booth added a plateful of new

clients to its roster. The agency willassist Schwan’s Home Service, oneof the largest distributors of frozenfoods, and Pirate Brands, makers ofPirate’s Booty with public relationssupport in 2010.

Things are also stirring for MBooth in the beverage category. Theagency’s dedicated wine and spiritsteam added to its top-shelf portfoliowith Nolet Spirits USA, introducingHARLEM® Kruiden Liqueur. Asagency of record for six years repre-senting The Macallan® Single MaltScotch Whisky, the team continuedto reach key influencers throughluxury brand partnerships and spe-cial events amplified through tradi-tional and social media channels. MBooth also began working for TheMacallan globally with the launchof The Macallan 1824 Collection —a global travel retail exclusive lineof single malts.

M&P FOOD COMMUNICATIONS,

INC.

33 N. Dearborn, Suite 909Chicago, IL 60602312/201-9101Fax: 312/201-9161www.mpfood.com

Brenda McDowell, PrincipalJessie Vicha, Sr. AccountManager Liz Rytel-Mudroncik, Sr. Advisor

Whether telling a nutrition story,driving Web site traffic, developingrecipes, or connecting with influ-encers, M&P creates successful,strategic, on-budget programs.Our ideas move audiences to

action, drive trial and build loyaltyfor current and past clients includ-ing Wilton Enterprises,Dreamfields Pasta, Seneca Foods,Quaker Oats, Good Humor-Breyers, Jolly Time Pop Corn,National Cattlemen’s BeefAssociation, and the Federation ofQuebec Maple Syrup Producers.Our M&P Everyday

Foodologists consumer panel pro-

vides in-depth insight on products,trends, recipes and more.M&P has provided public rela-

tions/communications services toconsumer food and beverageclients for 20+ years. We are food-focused, consumer-connected, andclient-centered.

MWW GROUP

One Meadowlands PlazaEast Rutherford, NJ 07073201/507-9500www.mww.com

Michael W. Kempner, Pres. & CEOAlissa Blate, EVP, GlobalConsumer Marketing PracticeLeader

MWW Group represents someof today’s most prolific food, bev-erage, nutrition and restaurantbrands. Our team has decades ofexperience with media relations,product launches and marketing,branding and re-branding, celebrityendorsement, digital and experien-tial marketing. We are able toexpand media coverage beyond thefood pages and into influentiallifestyle outlets, creating lifestylerelevance and developing emotion-al connections to culinary brandsthat drive trial, brand loyalty, andpatronage. Our team of profession-als is comprised of some of the bestminds in the business who under-stand the crucial nuances of thefood and beverage industry in away that captures the media’s atten-tion and imagination. Our experi-ence includes: The HersheyCompany, Sara Lee, Jimmy Dean,Ball Park Franks, Nutrisystem,Gallo Salame, The PalmRestaurants, McDonald’s,Freshdirect, Gardenburger, XanGo,Hard Rock Café, CiCi’s Pizza, andThe Restaurants at Newport.



Nearly 2,500 people registered for the Dreamfields Pasta webcast,launching the “DFF” program (Diabetes Friends Forever), a first-of-its-kind contest that pays tribute to the special people who help make liv-ing with diabetes a manageable experience. The panel was client-moderated and included the Dreamfields Advisory Board of registereddietitians and certified diabetes educators. M&P Food Communicationshas managed the Dreamfields campaign for three years.

Shirley and Ryan Weir exchanged wedding vows in New York City'sFoley Square at the Sun Crystals “Sweet & Solar Wedding” event. Thecouple, who met three years ago on the subway, joined more than adozen others at the eco-friendly wedding. The event, powered by solarpanels and featuring recyclable wedding decorations, marked the intro-duction of M Booth client Sun Crystals, a new all-natural sweetener.

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M. YOUNG COMMUNICATIONS,

INC.

77 Fifth Avenue, Second FloorNew York NY 10003-3031212/620-7027Fax 212/[email protected]@myoungcom.comwww.myoungcom.com

Melanie Young, PresidentDavid Ransom, Director, Events

M. Young Communicationsrepresents an internationalclientele of wine, spirits andfood accounts. The firm pro-vides marketing promotion,media outreach and specialevent production, from educa-tional wine tastings and mediadinners to wine conferences,trade and consumer events,restaurant and retail promo-tions, media tours and brandand image building publicitycampaigns. With our extensiveconnections among the food andbeverage industry trade andmedia, we connect our clients toinfluencers throughout the U.S.Recent activities have includedmedia management for VINO2010-Italian Wine Week, launchof the Italian Wine Masters pro-gram for the Consorzi Brunellodi Montalcino, ChiantiClassico, Nobile diMontepulciano and ProseccoConegl iano-ValdobbiadeneSuperior (New York/Chicago), a“Peace, Love and BeaujolaisNouveau” promotion forGeorges Duboeuf (NewYork/Miami), media/trade pro-grams for the Spanish wineregions of Navarra, Manchuelaand Madrid and the launch of arecipe contest for chefs onbehalf of Australia’s CleanseasTuna Ltd.

OGILVY PRWORLDWIDE

The Chocolate Factory636 Eleventh AvenueNew York, NY 10036212/[email protected] www.ogilvypr.com

Bill Reihl, Executive VicePresident, Global ConsumerMarketing

Ogilvy PR has deep andunparalleled expertise in foodand beverage. During a time of

rapid lifestyle and health shifts inthe category, we specialize increating dynamic and game-changing programs that impactconsumer perceptions and drivebottom-line results. Our combi-nation of research-based strategy,breakthrough creativity, andflawless execution deliver mean-ingful media results, talkabilityand buzz, and product sales. Inaddition, we have a staff of sea-soned communications profes-sionals — including in-housefood and nutrition experts and anational network of RD consult-ants — that is in-tune with cur-rent and future trends in food andbeverage. Our roster of foodclients includes Fage, Unilever(Lipton, Slim-Fast, Knorr,Bertolli), Tropicana, NakedJuice, MaggieMoo’s Ice Creamand Treatery, Marble SlabCreamery, PretzelMaker,PretzelTime, Great AmericanCookie Company, JohnsonvilleSausage and Produce for BetterHealth Foundation.

PADILLA SPEERBEARDSLEY

1101 W. River ParkwayMinneapolis, MN 55415612/455-1716www.psbpr.com

Tom Jollie, Senior VP,Consumer ProductsMike Greece, Senior VP,Managing Director, NYTina Valek, Director, Food

Padilla Speer Beardsley is amulti-specialty marketing com-munications and public relationsfirm with offices in Minneapolisand New York City. We launchnew products, create and reener-gize brands, craft social-mediacampaigns and handle crises andproduct recalls. We engageproven planning methodologiesthat provide insight, guide strat-egy and generate measurableoutcomes. Our award-winningprograms have driven businessresults for clients nationally fornearly 50 years. Our experience includes work

for Betty Crocker, CaribouCoffee, Cheerios, Cub Foods,Fiber One, Frito-Lay, GE, GoldMedal Flour, Golden ValleyMicrowave Foods, Jim Beam,Land O’Lakes, Lloyd’sBarbeque Company, The Malt-O-Meal Company, NatureValley, PepsiCo, Pillsbury,Progresso, SUPERVALU, Totaland Trix.



Omega World Travel is a service-oriented company. Our goal is to be your #1 resource for every aspect of travel, including online services. Our professional team is dedicated to making every travel experience an easy, secure and successful one. Let us guide you on your way, all the way!

212-563-3500 • OmegaNewYork.comWorld Headquarters • 3102 Omega Office Park, Fairfax, Va., 22031• 703-359-0200

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• Over 100 Offices Worldwide Headquartered in the Washington DC Area

Omega Makes the Difference


Gloria BohanPresident & Founder

M. Young Communications helped Georges Duboeuf celebrate Peace,Love and Beaujolais Nouveau in New York to commemorate the wine’sofficial November release with a Beaujolais Love Bus touring the citycontaining a group of tie-dyed dressed hippies. Activities included a sit-in to count down the wine’s arrival, a sip-in tasting and media lunch, anda food drive benefiting Food Bank for New York City.

Photo: Jennifer Mitchell Photography.

Padilla Speer Beardsley helped DecoPac, the world’s largest cake dec-orating supplier, promote its cakes.com Web site, with the world’slargest cupcake for SpongeBob’s 10th anniversary. The event drew thou-sands and garnered massive television placements and Web traffic.

Omega World Travel is a service-oriented company. Our goal is to be your #1 resource for every aspect of travel, including online services. Our professional team is dedicated to making every travel experience an easy, secure and successful one. Let us guide you on your way, all the way!

212-563-3500 • OmegaNewYork.comWorld Headquarters • 3102 Omega Office Park, Fairfax, Va., 22031• 703-359-0200

Celebrating37 Years

888-333-3116


Find out about cruises sailing from New Yorkand other worldwide destinations

• Business Travel

• Vacation Travel

• Meetings & Incentives

• Convention Planners

• Government & Military Travel

• Consultation Services

• Global Network

• International Services

• One of the Largest Travel Companies Worldwide

• Over 100 Offices Worldwide Headquartered in the Washington DC Area

Omega Makes the Difference


Gloria BohanPresident & Founder

PEPPERCOM

470 Park Avenue SouthNew York, NY 10016212/931-6100www.peppercom.com

Steven Cody, Managing PartnerEdward Moed, Managing Partner

Peppercom is a mid-sizedcommunications agency thatspecializes in developing strate-gic and creative PR programsfor food and beverage compa-nies.In addition to PR campaigns,

services include a positioningprogram to differentiate a clientfrom its competitive set, a crisismanagement program calledCrisisRx, Pain-Based Selling toidentify the gap between whatclient sales forces think cus-tomers are thinking and whatthey actually are, and ways toleverage existing partnershipsor develop new ones.PepperDigital and GreenPepperconcentrate on digital and greeninitiatives, respectively, whilePeppercommotions focuses onevents and leverages sponsor-ships. Peppercom is ranked among

the top 20 largest independentPR firms in the U.S. byO’Dwyer’s. Current and pastclients include FreshDirect,Wilbur-Ellis Company, Malibu-Kahlua International, Dr.Praeger’s Sensible Foods,Procter & Gamble’s MillstoneCoffee, Diageo, and Quiznos.

PIERSON GRANTPUBLIC

RELATIONS6301 N.W. 5th Way, Suite 2600Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309954/776-1999www.piersongrant.comwww.highimpactdigital.com

Maria Pierson, CEOJane Grant, President

Pierson Grant PR is a full-serv-ice agency with offices in FortLauderdale, Fla. and Raleigh,N.C., serving a wide range ofclients with strategic and tacticalplanning, media and communityrelations, superior Web-based andsocial media, crisis communica-tions and special events.Restaurant clients include

Dairy Queen, Olive Garden andMorton’s The Steakhouse.The firm’s fresh thinking helps

clients build brand identity, gen-erates publicity for openings andfood and beverage introductions,brings creativity to special eventsand community relations, andleverages the power of Internetmarketing through its HighImpact Digital division.

POLLOCK COMMUNICATIONS

665 Broadway New York, NY 10012212/[email protected]

Louise Pollock, President

Pollock Communications, is anindependent PR and marketingcommunications agency that offerscutting edge expertise for foodand beverage clients. Founded in1991, Pollock pioneered the func-tional food movement, creatingsome of the major food trends ofthe past 10 years including makingtea the healthy drink of the newmillennium and making chocolatea healthy indulgence. We knowhow to capitalize on emerginghealth and wellness trends in acredible way, with media, con-sumers and health professionals. This knowledge of the latest

research and science in the health& nutrition arena enables us todeliver actionable consumer andmarket insights and practical health& lifestyle wellness benefits forbrands and commodities. PCI hasan unsurpassed understanding ofmedia that cover food and nutritionnews and trends. Our staff includescredentialed registered dietitianswith on-air and editorial experiencewho can address the health & nutri-tion issues that are top-of-mind fortoday’s editors and reporters —including those who serve as trust-ed “watchdogs” for family gate-keepers. We have developed andexecuted innovative social mediaprograms to reach the key health &nutrition influencers online, includ-ing blogging initiatives for a globalcheese brand and a new juice bev-erage for children.The company represents

Committee for Promotion ofHoney & Health, CranberryInstitute, First Juice, GourmetGarden Herbs & Spices, PresidentsBrand Cheese, Sorrento BrandCheese, Tea Council of the USA,Unilever Promise, Country Crock& I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butterbrands, the USA Rice Federation,Wish-Bone and Friendship Dairies.

RF |BINDER PARTNERS

950 Third Avenue, 7th FloorNew York NY 10022212/994-7600www.rfbinder.com

Amy Binder, CEOGeorge Drucker, CMOAtalanta Rafferty, ExecutiveManaging Director

With the advent of the FoodNetwork and celebrity chefs on theone hand and increasing scrutiny ofhealth and nutrition from regulatorson the other, the food industry isfacing new challenges as well as

new opportunities as a result ofconsumers’ growing interest inknowing more about the foods theyeat and the products they buy.Competition for the consumer is asstrong as ever, and consumerexpectations and the grocery shop-ping experience are rapidly chang-ing. Concern for nutrition and diet-ing are a permanent dimension offood and beverage marketing.Social media is well established asa powerful source for both con-sumer information (about recipes,nutrition, and safety) as well asmarketing. RF|Binder has worked in every

aspect of food and beverage mar-keting and public relations fromDunkin’ Donuts to Cargill, fromthe 100th anniversary of the FigNewton to Wines of Germany.RF|Binder brings market andindustry insight, research-basedand creative programming, andaccess to the key influentials whoshape public opinion. We providethe wide array of services fromconsumer promotions, influenceroutreach, issues management andtrade relations to investor relations.Our staff has extensive experiencein promoting prepared foods,imported foods, ingredients, sup-plements, grocers, restaurants,quick service restaurants, wine,beer, liquors, and coffee amongother categories.As well as being experienced

communications professionals, theRF|Binder staff includes profes-sionals who have been trained andworked in the culinary arts andwine industry, who have studiedhealth and nutrition, who workedas industry/security analysts in thefood sector and who are also foodand nutrition bloggers. We pro-mote products, but we also routine-ly deal with the most challengingissues — recalls, labeling, FDAactions, organics, ingredients,health and nutrition, safety, andregulation.Current and recent clients

include ARAMARK / 1st & FreshCatering, Atkins Nutritionals,Breyers Yogurt Company, BobEvans, Cargill’s Truvia™ naturalsweetener, Chilean SpecialtyFoods, The Culinary Trust,Dunkin’ Brands, the EuropeanUnion (European Rieslings),Hershey’s Scharffen BergerChocolate, Kayem Foods, TheMalaysian Trade Association(Malaysia Kitchen for the World),Miller Brewing (Pilsner Urquel),The Pantry, Readers’ DigestAssociation/Food & EntertainingAffinity, Tillen Farms, Wegmans,Wines of Chile, Wines of Germany,Wines of Israel, and YoCrunch.



Pierson Grant Public Relations handled the media tour for Morton’sThe Steakhouse locations in South Florida and Central Florida as TylorField III, Vice President of Wine & Spirits and Co-Author of Morton’s“The Cookbook: 100 Steakhouse Recipes For Every Kitchen,” traveledthrough the region on a book tour benefiting Feeding America.



RUDER FINN

Global Headquarters301 East 57th StreetNew York, NY 10022212/593-6400New York: 212/593-6343Chicago: 312/329-3916www.ruderfinn.com

Alicia Young, Dan Pooley

The food and beverage industryis undergoing tremendous change,in terms of the proliferation ofchoices, emerging issues and fac-tors driving consumer prefer-ences. Taste still reigns supreme, but

health and wellness, functionalbenefits, packaging, portability,organics, the obesity epidemicand variety are impacting thefoods we eat every day both athome and away. Brand trial, purchase and loyal-

ty are being influenced by factorslike corporate social responsibili-ty and reputational issues, dis-tance to market, wellness, func-tional benefits, supernutrients,packaging, sustainability, addi-tives and portion size.Ruder Finn food and beverage

expertise is a key part of ourcross-office Life+Style specialty.Our food and beverage expertswork with clients to understandtoday’s complex food and bever-age landscape and the drivers ofdecision-making to help clientsnavigate this landscape and findthe right voice for brand commu-nications and reputational oppor-tunities for the corporationsbehind them. Food and beveragecommunications is much more —it’s about connecting, finding andexploring relevance and ignitingadvocates who can help add cred-ibility and reach new audiences.Among the food and beverage

clients we have championed areKellogg’s, Perdue, BolthouseFarms, Everpure Beringer,Castello di Gabbiano wines, WolfBlass (Foster’s WineEstatesAmericas); Good Earth OrganicCoffee; Atkins Center; PriceChopper, Sweet ‘N Low (productand corporate); Snapple; ModMixOrganic Cocktail mix, Seagram’sand Gerber (product and corpo-rate).

SCHNEIDER ASSOCIATES

Member of the Worldcom PublicRelations Group2 Oliver Street, Suite 901Boston, MA 02109617/536-3300Fax: 617/[email protected] www.schneiderpr.com

Joan Schneider, President &Creative DirectorJulie Hall, Executive VicePresident/Partner, ConsumerGroupPhil Pennellatore, ExecutiveVice President/Partner,Corporate/Public Affairs Group

Schneider Associates is a fullservice public relations and mar-keting communications firm. Wespecialize in Launch PublicRelationsSM — a proprietarymethod of launching products,services, companies and commu-nities. Types of PR handledinclude: consumer products,launch public relations, food &beverage, social media, retail,public affairs, corporate commu-nications, real estate, and finan-cial and professional services.Additional agency servicesinclude social media, messaging,media training, special events,crisis communications andspokesperson training.

Clients Include: Baskin-Robbins®, Foods of Québec, andNew England ConfectioneryCompany®.

TAYLORThe Empire State Building350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3800New York, NY 10118212/714-1280www.taylorpr.com

Tony Signore, CEO & ManagingPartner

Taylor partners exclusively withcategory leading consumer brandsthat utilize lifestyle, sports, andentertainment platforms to engageconsumers and drive businessgrowth.

The Holmes Report’s“Consumer Agency of theDecade,” Taylor has more than 100employees with headquarters inNew York and offices in LosAngeles, Chicago, Charlotte andLondon. The agency provides a fullarray of marketing communica-tions services including: propri-etary research and competitiveintelligence, program planning and

development, strategic media rela-tions, digital and emerging media,measurement and evaluation, eventproduction, Hispanic / multicultur-al marketing communications, andspokesperson procurement andtraining. Taylor develops strategic mar-

keting communications programsfor category leading food and bev-erage brands, designed specificallyto engage their target consumer and

create business impact. Partneringwith Diageo — the world’s leadingpremium drinks business — theagency has successfully launchednew products, reinvigorated iconicbrands and sustained momentum inthe marketplace for adult beveragefavorites such as Crown Royal,Jose Cuervo, Guinness, Smirnoffand CÎROC ultra premium vodka,

Schneider Associates’ Joan Schneider, President and CreativeDirector (left), and Julie Hall, EVP/Partner (right), engage withfriends and colleagues at an industry event.

�Continued on page 32

The April issue of O’Dwyer’s will profilefirms that specialize in social media, aswell as video. If you would like yourfirm listed, contact Editor Jon Gingerichat 646/843-2080 or [email protected]

Taylor partners with category leading, iconic brands such as CÎROCultra premium vodka to drive and support brand marketing objectives.One of the many initiatives Taylor spearheaded in 2009 was a socialresponsibility campaign where street teams distributed prepaid debitcards in Times Square for taxi and subway usage as a way to remindNew Year’s Eve revelers to get home safely on the big night.



among others. In addition to pro-gram development and brandawareness for Diageo, the agencyis charged with integrating a socialresponsibility message throughoutall activities, highlighting theimportance of making responsibledecisions when drinking. ManyTaylor programs executed onbehalf of Diageo in the U.S. havebeen implemented around theworld.Taylor’s portfolio of client part-

ners includes MasterCard, Diageo,P&G, Gillette, Allstate InsuranceCompany, Coca-Cola,GlaxoSmithKline, BRP, Mars,Staples, Guinness, Jose Cuervo,Kimberly-Clark, T. Rowe Price,and IAC\ask.com.

TRANSMEDIAGROUP

240 West Palmetto Park RoadSuite 300Boca Raton, FL 33432561/750-9800www.transmediagroup.com

Tom Madden, CEO and FounderKim Morgan, Senior VPLynn Lewis, Director of PublicRelations

As a leader in public relations forthe past 29 years, TransMediaGroup is the oldest and largest inde-pendent firm in South Florida withextensive experience in the culinaryindustry representing chefs, restau-rants and food product launches

that have garnered international,national, regional and local mediaexposure for a wide variety ofclients.Senior Vice President Kim

Morgan and PR Director LynnLewis have spearheaded the grandopenings of such notable restau-rants including the Florida locationsof McCormick & Schmick’s inBoca Raton, Naples and West PalmBeach, Copper Canyon Grill inBoca Raton, New York Prime andDurango Steak House, also in Boca,LaCigale Mediterranean Restaurantin Delray Beach, New York StripSteakhouse & Cabaret in FortLauderdale, and others. According to Chipp Lewis,

General Manager of McCormick &Schmicks West Palm Beach, “Wehad one of the strongest grandopenings in the company’s historyand tremendous media attentionfrom the front page of the PalmBeach Post to great coverage on allthe local networks. It was a realtreat to have the Miami DolphinsCheerleaders at our signature fishtoss too!”

TREVELINO/KELLER

King Plow Arts Center949 W. Marietta Street, X-106Atlanta, GA 30318404/214-0722www.trevelinokeller.comwww.prstarbase.com

Trevelino/Keller has becomeone of the most sought after foodand beverage agencies in the coun-try for emerging and establishedcorporate and franchise multi-mar-

ket concepts. Specializing in pub-lic relations, social media andbrand communications, the firmworks closely with its clients onbrand positioning, store experi-ence, industry relations, nationaland local media relations, execu-tive visibility, mobile and webapplications, social networks, ningcommunities and crisis communi-cations.Experienced in fine dining, casu-

al, fast casual and quick service, thefirm also works directly with foodand beverage packaged goods andretailers.In 2009, the firm released its first

wine from Crushpad, a GristVineyard Dry Creek ValleyZinfandel. All new clients receivetheir own private stash.

WEBER SHANDWICK

676 North St. Clair, Suite 1000 Chicago, IL 60611312/988-2300www.webershandwick.com

Gail Heimann, Vice ChairCathy Calhoun, President,North AmericaJanet Helm, MS, RD, Chief Foodand Nutrition Strategist, NorthAmerica

Weber Shandwick is immersedin the food business from farm tofork, with clients representingevery part of the food pyramid.Weber Shandwick has provenexpertise in nutrition communica-tions, consumer education, foodpolicy, health influencer outreach,alliance building, issues manage-ment and crisis counseling. The agency’s experience ranges

from crafting nutrition messagesand leveraging scientific researchto food safety and sustainability.Weber Shandwick has a uniqueexpertise in creating nutrition-related education campaigns, fromobesity and heart disease preven-tion to youth fitness, childhoodobesity and health promotion. Whether launching a new prod-

uct or repositioning a brand,Weber Shandwick uses an insight-driven approach to build advo-cates in this new era of engage-ment. Weber Shandwick’s food and

nutrition practice is staffed bysome of the industry’s most strate-gic senior counselors, includingregistered dietitians, food scien-tists, former and current journal-ists and trained chefs. WeberShandwick has a proprietary net-work of nutrition professionalsacross the country that is deployed

on behalf of numerous clients.Weber Shandwick works with

many of the world’s leading foodand beverage companies, brandsand associations, includingCampbell Soup Company, KraftFoods, McCormick, Ocean Spray,Yum!, Unilever and the CherryMarketing Institute. The agencyleads strategic integrated commu-nications for category marketingprograms such as the MilkMustache “got milk?” campaignand “Pork. The Other WhiteMeat,” as well as for brandedproducts and programs, includingthe launches of the Oreo DoubleStuf Racing League and creatingthe first-ever “face from space”for KFC.

ZENO GROUP

A Daniel J. Edelman Company200 Park Avenue SouthNew York, NY 10003212/299-8888Fax: 212/462-1026www.zenogroup.com

Barby K. Siegel, CEO

At The Table. Zeno Group isthe marketing communicationsagency committed to helpingclients make the most of the newrealities of audience engagementand the evolving role of PR. Our teams have worked with

some of the world’s leading food,beverage and nutrition brands,helping to navigate the changinghealth and wellness landscapeand the new ways consumersconsume information to maketheir brand choices.One, senior led team — The

most experienced minds at thetable. Our most senior teammembers work on business (notspreadsheets) because that’s whatwe love to do and that’s what’sright for our clients.Across our four offices, we

operate as one, easily enablingthe right talent for the job regard-less of geography. Insights to ideation — Our

dedicated planning capabilityensures our recommendations areanchored by relevant insights anda research-driven strategy. Fromthere, we work to find the ‘right’big ideas that will drive clientsbusiness forward in new andinteresting ways.The Real Moms of Zeno — To

help our clients engage with thishighly influential target audience,we listen to our proprietary group of50 moms to understand whatREAL-ly matters to them and howbrands can best fit into their lives.�

TAYLOR�Continued from page 31

Missy Barrickman (Miami Dolphins Cheerleader), Ashton Landgraf(Miami Dolphins Cheerleader), Doug Schmick (Co-Founder ofMcCormick & Schmick’s), Chipp Lewis (GM McCormick & Schmick’sWest Palm Beach), Fabiola Romero (Miami Dolphins Cheerleader), andLilly Robbins (Miami Dolphins Cheerleader) at the grand opening ofMcCormick & Schmick’s Fresh Seafood Restaurant in West Palm Beachat CityPlace. The seafood restaurant is a client of TransMedia Group.

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Edelman New York $54,712,795

Hunter PR New York 5,773,991

APCO Worldwide Wash., D.C. 5,620,000

Taylor New York 3,855,000

RF | Binder Partners New York 3,777,022

5W Public Relations New York 3,650,000

CRT/tanaka Richmond, VA 3,188,000

M Booth & Assocs. New York 3,111,139

Coyne PR Parsippany, NJ 2,447,000

French|West|Vaughan Raleigh 2,166,125

Charleston|Orwig Hartland, WI 2,018,950

RL PR & Marketing Los Angeles 1,904,891

Linhart PR Denver 1,404,043

Padilla Speer Beardsley Minneapolis 1,388,510

Qorvis Comms. Wash., D.C. 1,312,963

O’Malley Hansen Chicago 1,296,450

Zeno Group New York 1,272,082

Shift Comms. Brighton, CT 1,223,369

The Kotchen Group Hartford, CT 1,177,683

Kohnstamm Comms. St. Paul, MN 1,004,417

PainePR Los Angeles 930,656

Lane PR Portland, OR 922,680

Allison & Partners San Francisco 850,000

JS2 Comms., Inc. Los Angeles 827,900

Pierson Grant PR Ft. Lauderdale 750,000

zcomm Bethesda, MD 700,746

Lee & Assocs. Los Angeles 663,000

VPE PR S. Pasadena, CA 561,504

Morris + King Co. New York 516,997

Seigenthaler PR Nashville 503,172

Gregory FCA Ardmore, PA 500,000

Trevelino/Keller Atlanta 450,000

Dudell & Assocs. Oakland, CA 443,000

Morgan & Myers Waukesha, WI 427,837

Levick Strategic Comms. Wash., D.C. 410,602

McGrath-Power Santa Clara 382,080

Kaplow New York 353,000

Richmond PR Seattle 352,956

The Castle Group Boston 341,750

Blaze Santa Monica 281,000

rbb Public Relations Miami 272,824

Widmeyer PR Wash., D.C. 259,000

Luckie Strategic PR Birmingham, AL 239,134

Bader Rutter Branford, WI 200,000

M/C/C Dallas 200,000

Vollmer PR Houston 196,130

Travers, Collins & Co. Buffalo 179,256

Hope-Beckham Atlanta 172,529

Maccabee Group Minneapolis 169,198

TransMedia Boca Raton 150,000

Rogers Group Los Angeles 146,896

JohnstonWells PR Denver 136,000

JB Cumberland PR New York 125,800

Rosica Strategic PR Parsippany 118,100

Peppercom New York 115,000

McNeely Pigott & Fox Nashville 106,701

Landis Comms. San Francisco 76,000

The Phelps Group Santa Monica 64,780

OPINION

Afriend of mine has been conducting“media training” for PR peopleand business and government offi-

cials for 40 years. (He’s old.)Over that period, as local news and

public affairs pro-gramming expand-ed, three televisionnetworks morphedinto dozens of cablenetworks and sta-tions, and publicrelations increasedin stature, the mediatrainer, himself,began to appear reg-ularly in the media,particularly on tele-vision.And in the process,he found that muchof what he had been“training” people to

do in regard to media interviews was flatout wrong! Indeed, it turns out that there are a host

of media training “myths” that you can’tknow about unless you, yourself, occa-sionally leap into the often-icy TVwaters. For example, here are six typical recom-

mendations that simply shouldn’t be fol-lowed by interviewees eager to make animpression.

Myth #1. Arrive early.Media trainers suggest getting to the stu-

dio early, an hour or so ahead of the sched-uled “hit time,” to get acclimated to the cul-ture shock that is TV. The more comfortableyou become with the new show biz sur-roundings, the logic goes, the more at easeyou will be during the interview.Don’t buy it. Early arrivals are dumped in the Green

Room, plastered with makeup, and then leftto experience one of two uncomfortable cir-cumstances:They sit, awkwardly, in the midst of sev-

eral other poor saps, waiting for their ownstar turn. No one talks to anyone. Thesilence is deafening and most unnerving. Or...They encounter a chatty Cathy — or

Carlos — who talks non-stop, usually at another-worldly decibel level, about whatshows they’ve been on, whom they’ve met,and how much they know about everything.

This is even more unnerving. So get there a half hour before your

scheduled appearance, no mas.Myth # 2. Chat up the interviewerThe theory here is that meeting and

engaging the interviewer in a conversation,before you hit the studio, will break the iceand enable a more pleasant TV tête-à-tête. Fuggedaboutit. A pre-air conversation is the last thing an

experienced interviewer desires. Pre-inter-views suck all the air out of the spontaneityof the on-camera interview. Broadcasterscall the exercise, “leaving it in the GreenRoom.” So don’t even think about more than a

cursory greeting from your interviewer,before doing battle in the studio.

Myth #3. Lean forward.Media trainers correctly encourage inter-

viewees to “appear eager” during the inter-view, to express their desire to share theirknowledge. To do this, many say, “leanforward” in your chair. No.Leaning forward makes you slouch and

look crooked. And perfect posture is animportant factor on television. (Just look atall those straight-backed anchors.) So the much better advice is to balance

yourself squarely on your — pardon theexpression — haunches. And keep your derrière balanced thusly

throughout the interview, gesturing fromthe waist up.

Myth #4. Be polite and wait your turn.Media trainers warn interviewees not to

come across as a “bully.” They argue thatviewers will object to some fat cat corpo-rate type, for example, throwing his weightaround. And they are right. But ...Today’s TV interviews are more often

than not free-for-alls, frequently featuring“camera hogs,” who refuse to relinquishthe stage without a fight. These cretins, rel-ishing their 15 minutes in the spotlight,keep talking and talking – often withouttaking a breath.So ... if you want to get a word in edge-

wise, you must jump in, interrupt, and keeptalking. The camera will automatically follow

whoever has the floor at a given moment.So as soon as you win back the micro-phone, you’ll be back in charge.

Myth #5. Strike back if attacked. On the other hand, media trainers tell

you that if you are being attacked, strikeback, as Samuel L. Jackson once famouslysaid, “with great force and furious anger.”

Not a good idea. An experienced TV guest or host will

make mince meat of a novice who dares tocome at him directly in rebuttal. Don’t for-get, it’s their sandbox, not yours.So what do you do if attacked?Keep your cool. Take a deep breath, and

don’t refer to the fusillade that’s just beenunleashed against you. Rather, speakobjectively about why what has just beensaid is so off base. Stated another way, go after your accus-

er with logic and fact, without ever men-tioning him or the heresy he’s just uttered.

Myth #6. Adopt a compromise.Media trainers, in the words of the late

Rodney King, wonder “why can’t we alljust get along?” Accordingly, they instructpotential interviewees to “go with the stu-dio flow” and acknowledge that one’s ideascan always be modified. Nah.While it’s certainly true that “compro-

mise” should be the spirit of positive pub-lic relations, in TV interviews, it’s a badidea. Media interviews are neither “conversa-

tions” nor exercises in intellectual thought.They’re all about putting across the partic-ular messages you have come to deliver. So in TV, it’s my way or the highway.

You’ve got to convey a confidence in yourpoint-of-view. That means no compromise. Sorry Rodney. �

Fraser P. Seitel hasbeen a communicationsconsultant, author andteacher for 30 years. Heis the author of thePrentice-Hall text, ThePractice of PublicRelations.

The myth of media trainingBy Fraser Seitel

Professional Development



Is the recession over? Our current polit-ical leaders are telling us that we areturning the corner to prosperity. While

this may be true, your best indicator ofthe recession is your clients. Are they stillcutting back on your services? Are you

still finding it diffi-cult to cover operat-ing expenses? Areyou using the bankcredit line? Planning is crucialIt is now March2010. If you havenot done so, youneed a budget for2010. It is not toolate to do this. Abudget can helpidentify potentialproblems in achiev-ing specified orga-nizational goals

and objectives. By quantifying potentialdifficulties and making them visible,budgets can help stimulate managementto think about ways to overcome thosedifficulties before they are realized.Participating in the budget processhelps produce a spirit of cooperation,motivate employees, and instill a feel-ing of team work.ProfitabilityA PR firm’s target pre-tax adjusted

profit goal should be 25 percent with astretch goal of 33-38 percent. In look-ing at this goal, subtract excess com-pensation and perks that may be takenby principals of closely held independ-ently owned PR firms. Managementshould stress to staffers how criticalhourly billings are to the bottom line.Though the amount of hours that astaffer may bill varies depending on theclient, a target goal should be 80 per-cent to 85 percent of 1,800 hours duringa 40-hour work week in a year minusvacations, holidays, personal days andcontinuing education, etc.Expense reductionIf the result of the budget process is

that overhead is too high, cuts mayneed to be made. So, how do you goabout cutting costs? Believe it or not,there is a right and wrong way to goabout it. Along with strategies to raise rev-

enues, management must devise strate-

gies to reduce expenses. Similar to theongoing process used to monitor andachieve revenue goals, a cost-cuttingmentality must be instilled throughoutthe agency. Once a firm’s owners andmanagement truly become seriousabout cost-cutting, the attitude ofemployees will soon follow if the pro-gram is properly presented to them. Thecost emphasis will breathe new life intothe organization and help balance thefirm’s revenue efforts.Cost-cutting ideas and strategies

come from various sources. Sometimethey are driven by the CEO, whereas inother cases they come from the con-troller, operations manager, departmenthead, and employees. Even consultantsand outside CPAs can assist agencies infinding and implementing cost savingstrategies. In the better programs,appropriate blends of all these individ-uals work as a team to develop cost-cut-ting strategies. Although each of these individuals

has a different focus or approach to costcutting, there are generally some com-mon traits motivating factors. They allseem to have a knack for spotting over-spending and then finding ways to savedollars. It often goes against their verynature not to speak up when potentialways to increase agency profits are dis-covered.Requirements for cost-cuttingTwo essential requirements of any

cost-cutting effort or program includeobtaining the support of theowner/CEO and participation of rank-and-file employees. Although both filldifferent roles, they both should bepresent for the program to reach its fullpotential. If you haven’t figured it out,a successful cost-cutting program isnot a one-person show. The process hasto involve principals, account manage-ment, financial management, rank-and-file, and possibly your CPA firm.The owners must be fully supportive

of the cost cutting efforts. If they aremerely lukewarm to the efforts, theprogram will generally die within ayear or so. The owners’ support shouldbe enthusiastic and visible to the entirecompany. The owners’ enthusiasm willcause the cost-cutting “seed” to spreadand grow at all levels of the agency. Ifmanagers see that cost cutting is a toppriority with the owner(s), they willnaturally make it their top priority.

Similarly, if managers become enthusi-astic, employees will adopt the sameenthusiasm.There are two reasons why rank-and-

file employees can be significant con-tributors to any cost-cutting effort.First, they are in the trenches day afterday performing the activities andduties that generate many of theexpenses. Thus, they are in an idealposition to recommend ways of doingthings more efficiently — if onlysomeone who is interested will ask.Second, the sheer number of rank-and-file employees also explains theirimportance to a cost-cutting effort.Even one or two suggestions each fromthe rank-and-file can quickly add up tobig savings for the agency.To properly tap into the wealth of

ideas and insight contained with theseemployees, an appropriate environ-ment must be created and nurtured bymanagement. As mentioned previously,the employees must see visible enthu-siasm from the owners and other man-agement members. Closely tied to thisenthusiasm is recognition. Employeeswill respond generously to cost-cuttingrequests if they are recognized for theirefforts. There are several ways to recognize

and reward employee contributions.Agencies should consider the follow-ing when deciding how to rewardemployees for cost-cutting participa-tion:

So how do you begin the programand tackle which expenses to tackle? Tofind out you need to come back nextmonth. �

Financial Management

Richard Goldsteinis a partner atBuchbinder Tunick &Company LLP, NewYork, Certified PublicAccountants.

Expense reduction for PR firmsBy Richard Goldstein

1. Acknowledgment. Each employ-ee’s suggestion should be acknowl-edged and responded to, even if thesuggestion is rejected. Otherwise,that employee will be unlikely tocontinue making suggestions.2. Recognition. Recognize employ-ees whose ideas are adopted by theagency. The recognition may be ver-bal or written, such as posting theirnames and ideas on a bulletin boardor agency newsletter.3. Reward. Consider rewardingemployees. Rewards are notabsolutely necessary, but they areoften helpful. Rewards can be mon-etary, extra days off, expense paidtrips, and token gifts (such as coffeemugs or watches with the companylogo).

OPINION

As expected, the 37th ConservativePolitical Action Conference(CPAC) in Washington, D.C. was a

huge success this year. What was once amodest gathering of core party thinkers has

since mushroomedinto a who’s who ofthe conservativemovement, showcas-ing stalwart partyspeakers such asGlenn Beck, MittRomney, NewtGingrich and AnnCoulter. The turnout also

revealed a surprisingdiversity among CPAC

habitués, drawing factions that typically lieon the conservative periphery, assortedwingnuts like the prodigious Tea PartyMovement, the Oath Keepers, the FreeState Project and 25-year-old Ron Paul sup-porters who live in their parents’ basements.For the most part, CPAC’s riled-up recla-

mations against “socialized” governmentretained its predictable dog-and-pony showformat, but the unified anathema of any-thing “big government” should be noted forits ability to bridge conservative camps thisyear, from east coast politicians to the gar-den variety Tea Partier.As much as Tea Partiers romantically

envision themselves as Rooseveltian van-guards of small government, they’vebecome uncharacteristically obsequious totheir beltway counterparts, and it’s for thisreason they can be seen as new pawns in anold game for conservatives. There is a rea-son why Republican Party leaders havebegun courting the Tea Party in recentmonths after treating them like ugly cousinsfor the better part of a year prior. The fact is, “small government” has

never been a particular concern forRepublican Party leaders. Though thephrase has been used repeatedly for its pop-ulist tenor, the Republican leaders’ M.O. ofthe past 35 years has been to expand thepresence of government at virtually everyimpasse, and a brief historic of party policyshows the rallying cry to be a meaninglessclause with mythological roots. We can start with Nixon, whose penchant

for “socialized” services dwarfed Obama’sby a hilarious degree. Nixon established“big” agencies like the EPA, the CPSC andOSHA, and drastically expanded the pow-

ers of existing agencies like the Office ofManagement and Budget.He introduced the Section 8 housing

voucher program and implemented affir-mative action predecessor The PhiladelphiaPlan. He increased direct Medicare andSocial Security payments to individuals by2.6% and pumped up pay for federalemployees. He introduced a health insur-ance plan where employers had to buyinsurance for their workers. He even imple-mented wage and price controls.He signed the Equal Employment

Opportunity Act and to further corporatechagrin authorized the Clean Air Act.Nixon revolutionized America’s agricultur-al policies by giving massive federal subsi-dies to farmers. Food aid and public assis-tance rose during Nixon’s reign by $2.5 bil-lion. Defense spending decreased by 3.3%.In today’s Tea Party terms, Nixon was as“socialist” as they come. Next we have Reagan, who history has a

funny way of remembering because he ini-tially cut taxes during his first year in Officebut continued to raise them each year forthe remainder of his two terms. Reagan’stax hikes hit $1 billion within three years(when adjusted for inflation, they even beatClinton’s tax hikes of 1993). He imposed aheavy tax on gas, removed tax loopholesfor businesses and introduced giant payrolltaxes. During his second term, he signed thelargest corporate tax increase in history —$120 billion over the course of five years.Reagan wrote the blueprint for contem-

porary Republicans’ “small government”creed, an illusory practice of “shrinking”government by decentralizing internal (re:“closet socialist”) agencies, while effective-ly doubling the ones that further their polit-ical agenda. Federal spending balloonedunder Reagan, from $590 billion in 1980 to$1.14 trillion in 1988. The number of feder-al employees grew by 8%, or by 61,000 (bycomparison, these number fell by 373,000under Clinton). Meanwhile, Reagan expanded the Earned

Income Tax Credit and gave Social Securitya $165 billion bailout. Small governmentindeed.George H.W. Bush picked up where

Nixon left off, raising unemployment bene-fits and pumping up welfare funds to his-toric highs. He signed what is typicallyviewed as one of the biggest civil rights billsin history, the Americans with DisabilitiesAct. He reauthorized Nixon’s Clean Air Actand increased funding for our highways.Faced with the unsavory task of cleaning upReagan’s irresponsible deficit, he drew fire

from his own ranks when he famouslybackpedaled on his “no new taxes” pledge.It’s hard to know where to begin with

George W. Bush. From the early days of hisadministration, Bush was poised to reviveReagan’s 1981 tax cuts but in the course ofdoing so managed to add $345 billion to thefederal budget, a record only paralleledwhen he added another $290 to it during hissecond term. By the end of his presidency,the national debt had increased 100% fromwhen he took office. He increased funding for the National

Science Foundation and the NationalInstitutes of Health, and he signed a $7 tril-lion Medicare drug benefit program. Hebuffeted state funding on education serviceswith No Child Left Behind. Bush also continued the Republican

practice of increasing the presence of “biggovernment” vis-à-vis swaps with the pri-vate sector, a trend that began when Reaganappointed former Merrill Lynch CEO DonRegan to Treasury Secretary. Bush’sTreasury Department staff roster lookedlike a yearbook for big bank executives, andthe benefits became instantly obvious:under Bush historic bailouts were engi-neered for banks, financial institutions andautomakers.Bush mandated increased regulation of

private enterprise, he oversaw a Federaltakeover of stockholder-owned FannieMae. He gave the NSA the authority to spyon Americans without a warrant. He dis-abled marketplace competition by givingno-bid handouts to corporate ties during hisconquests in the Middle East.By outsourcing Tea Partiers’ “white bur-

den” as a cause célèbre, the RepublicanParty has hitched a ride on the mentality oflynch mobs and driven it to critical mass.Where were the Tea Partiers when ourRepublican leaders were spending tax dol-lars to bail out the banks? Where was thepredictable patter comparing the Presidentto Adolph Hitler when Reagan installed thelargest tax increases since World War 2?The fact is, Republicans endorse a model

of small government when it suits theirneeds. Republicans are all-too-quick to usegovernment to interfere in the lives of oth-ers when it comes to pro-life legislation,abolishing same-sex marriage, dissolvingthe lines between church and state, enactinglegislation that prohibits the sale of genericdrugs or jerry-rigging federal subsidies pro-grams to give payouts to corporate interests. Republicans love the idea of expanding

the presence of government, they just don’tlike the idea of paying for it. �

Jon Gingerich isEditor of O’Dwyer’s.

Since when have Republicans been for small government?By Jon Gingerich

Media Matters



It’s easy to be a Monday morning quar-terback as was evidenced by the bevy ofPR people who jumped through hoops

to be quoted about giving advice to TigerWoods.

What was alsoobservable was thatthe great majority ofadvice-givers weremouthing the samewords, althoughsome louder thanothers. (It must benice to be so self-assured that youbelieve that onlywhat you say is cor-rect.)Where was the origi-

nal thinking that people in our business arehired to provide? It makes me wonder if PRhas too many people who graduated fromCookie Cutter University.It’s too late in the Tiger situation, but

there will be many other crises situations.The best way to handle one is to try and pre-vent it.During and after a nearly 25-year career

at Burson-Marsteller, I always believed thatprotecting a client from media controversywas more important than the “big hit.” It’scalled “precautionary public relations” —meaning crisis prevention — when plan-ning or implementing an agenda.Like a toothache, a PR crisis doesn’t give

much advance notice (although in Woods’case he showed naïveté to think his off-course hobbies would always remain in thedeep background category).So to paraphrase Rogers and

Hammerstein, let’s start at the very begin-ning. It’s very easy to do.Some crises arise unexpectedly. But

some are self-generated by clients duringinterviews. Normally, these are easy to pre-vent. But once a client agrees to meet thepress, it’s necessary to have a client willingto tell the truth. Here are several general rules (general

because I believe that each situationdeserves original thinking):

• Know your media before arranginginterviews.• Correct a reporter’s or your client’s error

immediately.• Tell your client not to freelance. If

he/she doesn’t know the answer to a ques-tion say so.

• It’s okay to tell a reporter the informa-tion wanted is proprietary.• Don’t fall for the, “I’m on deadline rou-

tine and need an immediate answer.” It’sokay to say, “I’ll get back to you.”

• Don’t let an interviewer interrupt ananswer. Insist on completing it.• Nothing is ever off-the-record. • Even when the notebook is put away

and the tape recorder or video camera isturned off, what is said is on-the-record.• Prepare a list of tough questions that

may be asked; have members of your teamplay reporters interviewing the client. Afterthe mock interview, write three stories todemonstrate how the same story can bewritten differently. Also, videotape an inter-view and do the same. Use the mock inter-views to refine the client’s answers.• Critique each actual interview so your

client can be better during the next one.• Read the major dailies each morning

and on weekends, also the business maga-zines and trade pubs. Notify a client imme-diately if there is a story that may result inquestions from media.• Prepare a client for an interview by bon-

ing up on the subject and deciding messagepoints. Re: message points. Instead of writ-ing them on your hands, use index cards.(Got that Sarah?)• Monitor the Internet and web sites of

major dailies at least several times a day tosee if there is any breaking news that mayrelate to your client.• If you’re aware of a flash-point that may

attract media attention, prepare severalstatements in advance that can be usedwhen needed.• Prepare, for foreign clients coming to

the U.S., a briefing book containing possi-ble tough questions and suggested answers;also, for U.S. clients, if the interview sub-ject is controversial.

• When an unsolicited media call isreceived, ask the nature of the call and say,“I’ll try to find the proper person and getback to you.”• After speaking to a reporter, e-mail the

answer provided, thus having a writtenrecord of what you said.• You don’t have to give in to the media

pressure of “coming clean immediately.”But never lie to or mislead a reporter.• Press conferences can be embarrassing

and deadly. Round-table discussions withseveral hand-picked journalists and individ-ual interviews are usually a safer route.• If a crisis develops, a senior individual

with significant media experience shouldbe the lead person in speaking to the media.

• Always have a prepared crisis commu-nication plan, covering different situa-tions, so you don’t have to start fromscratch if you need one.• And remember: Even your best media

friend can’t protect you if a big nameclient messes up during an interview. Toomany eyes are watching.Yes, I believe that in most cases if

there’s negative news it’s best to get out infront of the story so it doesn’t dribble outday-after-day. But it depends on the typeof crisis.And in this 24-hours news cycle, which

thrives on scandalous revelations, that issometimes impossible. The Tiger Woodssituation was, is and will be covered as ifthe end of time has arrived. Even if Tigermade a mea culpa standing on his head thesensationalism of the coverage wouldhave continued.In my opinion, every crisis situation

deserves original thinking, even if it meansdelaying a statement for a day or two orsometimes three. Analyzing the mediafallout only can help a PR practitioner givebetter advice.But eventually the media spotlight will

fade from Tiger. Sure to happen, anothersex scandal will emerge featuring a well-known sports, show business or politicalfigure.That will put the “new” back into news

and the media will have another individualto torment and PR “crises specialists” willrender the same tired boilerplate advice asif it was the 11th commandment. �

Arthur Solomon is aformer Senior VP forBurson-Marsteller.

Preventing crises should be PR’s primary goalBy Arthur Solomon

The SCG Legal PR Network, New York, hasbeen set up by a network of nearly 1,000lawyers to help reporters with legal aspectsof their stories.

Journalists can post queries on the SCGnetwork and receive comments withoutcharge from lawyers or legal professionals.

Legal experts are available on subjectssuch as copyright, trademarks, estate plan-ning, tax law, divorce, workplace injuries andissues, franchising whether domestic or inter-national, contract and securities law, realestate and many other areas.

Journalists post queries on the SCG web-site where communications personnel willcontact them. If a journalist does not havetime to submit a query or wait for replies, heor she can look up promising experts on theSCG database and contact them directly.

Media Briefs

LLaawwyyeerrss hheellpp jjoouurrnnaalliissttss

Guest Column

The Republican National Committee has filled its top com-munications slot ahead of the 2010 mid-term elections withthe appointment of Hill vet Doug Heye as Communications

Director.He fills the post vacated by Burson-Marsteller veteran Trevor

Francis in a November shake-up. Ad man Alex Castellanos hadbeen filling the role as an unpaid advisor to RNC chair MichaelSteele.Heye, who appears regularly on cable news and in print, was

Communications Director for Steele’s failed 2006 Senate bid inMaryland. He backed a winner in 2004 as CommunicationsDirector for Sen. Richard Burr’s (R-N.C.) election campaign andon his Senate staff.The RNC has also promoted Katie Right to Deputy

Communications Director as press secretary Gail Gitcho exits forthe staff of newly elected Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.). �


Battered by the recall of more than eight million of its carsfor faulty accelerator pedals, Toyota has hiredDemocratic powerhouse firm Glover Park Group to deal

with its image mess. GPG is the firm of Joe Lockhart, President Clinton’s former

speechwriter, and Carter Eskew, chief strategist to Al Gore’sPresidential run. The GPG hiring comes as Members of Congress promise

lengthy probes into the Japanese automaker’s safety record.Toyota has already reached out to Robinson Lerer &

Montgomery, a WPP unit, for crisis work and hired QuinnGillespie & Associates in D.C. �

GOP fills top PR slotWASHINGTON REPORT

Firms win Florida census PR

Five agencies and a non-profit group of broadcasters wonportions of a $2.1M account to inform Floridians aboutthe 2010 census, following a highly competitive RFP in

the Sunshine State.An RFP issued by Gov. Charlie Crist’s office in November

divided the campaign into 12 demographics, essentially creat-ing a dozen accounts up for grabs.A partnership between Tallahassee’s Moore Consulting

Group and Ketchum won the most categories — five — includ-ing two regions of African-American outreach, col-lege/university students, rural areas, and part-time Florida res-idents. Ketchum confirmed that its D.C. office collaboratedwith MCG on the pitch.Ron Sachs Communications of Tallahassee edged competi-

tion in three sectors in the RFP, including outreach to AmericanIndians, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, and migrantfarm workers.The work includes grassroots outreach, integrated PR and

media services. Any advertising used will be from the federalcensus effort. �

Toyota tags Glover Park Group

Fleishman-Hillard Senior VP Christina Pearson has moved toMicrosoft in D.C. as Senior Director of PR.

Pearson joined F-H last April to handle healthcare public affairsafter working both terms of the Bush adminis-tration, finishing up as Assistant Secretary ofPublic Affairs at the Dept. of Health & HumanServices.

She previously handled media relations atthe American Hospital Association and startedout as a Deputy Communications Director forthe Senate Finance Committee during the mid-1990s.

Pearson also spent a year at Policy ImpactCommunications, the firm set up by top GOPoperatives Ed Gillespie and Haley Barbour.

Washington Briefs

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Christina Pearson

Naomi Decter, a Partner in Brunswick Group’s Washington, D.C.,office, has moved to Beckerman to heads its new capital outpost.

Decter takes the title of Senior VP for Crisis, Litigation and LegalServices for the growing firm based in Hackensack, N.J. S h ewas previously a VP for Powell Tate and earlier was an editorialwriter for the Washington Times. She is the daughter of prominentconservative writers Norman Podhoretz and Midge Decter.

Washington Briefs

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Shell Oil, the sole oil major remaining in the U.S. ClimateAction Partnership, is using Akin Gump Strauss Hauer &Feld for global warming issues and other matters.

The Partnership, a venture of corporate and environmentalgroups, was rocked with news Feb. 15 that ConocoPhillips, BP(British Petroleum) and Caterpillar (heavy equipment maker)decided not to renew membership.Jim Mulva, ConocoPhillips CEO, took a swipe at USCAP,

saying that its plan for climate and energy legislation thatpassed the House, “left domestic refineries unfairly penalizedversus international competition.” Akin Gump’s duties include climate change, CO2 manage-

ment, carbon capture and sequestration, economic stimulus andother oil and gas company concerns.USCAP members are General Electric, Natural Resources

Defense Council, Deere, Environmental Defense Fund,DuPont, Pew Center for Climate Change, Honeywell andGeneral Motors. �

Shell takes Akin for climate change

Capitol Law & Policy Group, PLLC, Washington, D.C., registered Jan. 7 for President of the National Assembly, Republic of Gabon,Libreville, Gabon, regarding advising and assisting in scheduling meetings with members of Congress, including the preparation of back-ground information and documents.

Cassidy & Associates, Inc., Washington, D.C., registered Jan. 15 for Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, Washington, D.C.,regarding providing advice and consultation to the principal and various Korean companies concerning the U.S. government procurementand contracting process.

Gephardt Group Government Affairs, LLC, Washington, D.C., registered Jan. 22 for Government of Georgia, Tiblisi, Georgia, regardingproviding lobbying and government relations services.

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FARA News

Below is a list of select companies that have registered with the U.S. Department of Justice, FARA Registration Unit,Washington, D.C., in order to comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, regarding their consulting and commu-nications work on behalf of foreign principals, including governments, political parties, organizations, and individuals.

� NNEEWW LLOOBBBBYYIINNGG DDIISSCCLLOOSSUURREE AACCTT FFIILLIINNGGSSBelow is a list of select companies that have registered with the Secretary of the Senate, Office of Public Records, and the Clerk of theHouse of Representatives, Legislative Resource Center, Washington, D.C., in order to comply with the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.For a complete list of filings, visit http://sopr.senate.gov.

Akerman Senterfitt, Washington, D.C., registered Feb. 15, 2010 for Village of Bald Head Island, Bald Head Island, N.C., regarding main-tenance of beach and shipping channel sand affected by erosion and status of endangered species.

Capital Hill Strategies, LLC, Washington, D.C., registered Feb. 4, 2010 for National Football League, Washington, D.C., regarding laborissues, including player safety issues, and antitrust issues related to a pending Supreme Court case on licensing NFL trademarks.

Fidelis Government Relations, Fairfax, Va., registered Feb. 12, 2010 for American Bail Coalition, Fairfax, Va., regarding bail issues andpre-trial release regulations.

Quinn Gillespie & Assocs., Washington, D.C., registered Feb. 16, 2010 for Hilton Worldwide, McLean, Va., regarding healthcare reform,immigration reform and corporate sustainability.


International PR News

Ketchum/U.S. received $3.5M in fees/expenses in workfor Russia and its Gazprom energy operation during thesix-month period ended Nov. 30, according to fresh fed-

eral records.Much of the Russia activity focused on the first anniversary

of its war with Georgia, President Dimitri Medvedev’s trip tothe G20 summit in Pittsburgh, and outreach to the businesscommunity.Ketchum also handled the visit of Russian ambassador

Sergey Kislyak and consul general Vladimir Vinokurov to FortRoss, Calif., Russia's easternmost settlement in the 1800swhich is in dire need of preservation funding.Ketchum got a $1.8M payment for Russia from its British

unit. The remaining $1.7M payment was received fromDiversified Energy Communications, another U.K. affiliate. �

Ketchum hauls in $3.5M from work with Russia

Weber Shandwick to guideIsrael’s Shanghai debut

President Barack Obama is rebranding “Operation IraqiFreedom” to “Operation New Dawn” to reflect his mis-sion of withdrawing the bulk of American forces that are

occupying Iraq, according to a memo from Defense SecretaryRobert Gates.Effective Sept. 1, the new moniker is to coincide with the

“change of mission for U.S. forces in Iraq,” says the memo thatwas obtained by ABC, and then posted on its website.OND is to be a “strong signal” that OIF as launched by

President George Bush in 2003 is over, as the number of U.S.

Obama ‘rebrands’ Iraq missionforces is scheduled to drop to 50,000 before being given a newmission.Gates believes OND provides PA/propaganda benefits by

presenting “opportunities to synchronize strategic communica-tion initiatives.”The new banner, writes Gates, “reinforces our commitment to

the Security Agreement, and recognizes our evolving relation-ship with the Government of Iraq.”The seven-line memo was sent to General David Petraeus,

commander of the U.S. Central Command. �

Weber Shandwick is to oversee media outreach andplan special events for Israel, which is debuting onthe World Expo scene in Shanghai. The show will run

from May 1 to Oct. 31. It is expected to attract 70M people. The country has allotted $6M for the exposition, which will

carry the “Innovation for Better Life,” theme. Israel’s pavilionwill consist of a “Whispering Garden,” an orchard that will beequipped with trees that whisper in English and Chinese when aperson walks close to them; “Hall of Light,” a room coveredwith PVC/glass to symbolize transparency and technology, and“Hall of Innovation,” where an audio-visual show will link vis-itors to hundreds of Israeli doctors, scientists, and inventorsdescribing their work and efforts for a bright future.The Interpublic unit also will handle General Motors’

Shanghai pavilion. �


SERVICES NEWS

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AdFarm, a PR and advertisingagency focused on the agriculturalsector, has defeated nine other

firms with California operations in acompetitive pitch process to help “reconnect” Golden State consumerswith growers.

A coalition of agriculture groups led bythe Western Growers Association issuedan RFP in December for the three-year,$357,500 account and received 10 proposals. Managing director BobWilhelm, based in St. Louis, andKathryn Pinke in AdFarm’s NorthDakota outpost, lead the account,according to a WGA official.Also vying for the work were Nuffer, Smith, Tucker (San Diego),Precision PR (Sacramento), Fleishman-Hillard (Sacramento); Saint SomewhereMarketing (Jamul), DVBE Communica-tions; Huntington Marketing (SanMarino); Brown Miller Communications(Martinez); Stacey Doss Doherty PR(Irvine), and The CommunicationsDepartment (Watsonville). The group, which calls itself theCalifornia Agricultural CommunicationsCoalition, was looking for a firm withexperience in handling diverse coalitionsand guiding, crisis, consumer, and traditional and new media campaigns.

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The Thomas Collective, a NewYork-based consumer PR firm, haspicked up Wines of Chile USA's

PR account after an RFP process.RF|Binder Partners handled theaccount since 2005.Six-year-old TTC, which has extensiveexperience with liquor brands likeGlenlivet and Jameson, is charged withmanaging PR for the group's 81 memberwineries and supporting its wine tourismefforts for the U.S. That includes press trips, virtual blog-ger tastings, and culinary educationamong other PR counsel and media rela-tions activities.Chilean wines have grown from U.S.obscurity in the early 1990s to becomewidely consumed in this country.Exports to the U.S., Chile's No. 2 winemarket behind the U.K., surpassed$188M in 2009.

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California's Orange County is look-ing for a firm to run its "RethinkYour Drink" social marketing

campaign aimed to encourage people tochoose "healthy" beverages.The county's Health Care Agency hasissued an RFP for an agency to propose aplan to reach its three million residents,which includes different ages and"diverse communities" in English,Spanish and Vietnamese media.The tagline was developed by theCenters for Disease Control andPrevention to highlight low-calorie alter-natives to common unhealthy beverages– i.e. skip the 20-ounce soda and go witha bottle of water or diet soda; seltzer witha splash of fruit juice rather than a glassof ginger ale.Similar campaigns are run throughout

the country, including in California'sNorthcoast region (Napa, Sonoma,Humboldt…) and Los Angeles County.The RFP says key messages willinclude how to choose a healthier bever-age, as well as messages that influenceindividuals to do so.The county anticipates a two-year con-tract for the campaign. Proposals are dueby April 1. Download the RFP (PDF).The county also has an RFP out toevaluate its overall efforts aimed at obe-sity prevention, from a media campaignto phsyical education in the region.

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Florida has begun a review processfor its $2.5M international PRaccount to support its Department

of Citrus that includes work in the U.S.,Europe and Scandanavia.The state issued an open RFP on Feb.18 calling for pitches by March 24. GolinHarris has worked with thedepartment for more than a decadedomestically and abroad. It last won areview in 2007 to handle PR in the U.S.,Canada and Europe.Karen Mathis, PR director for theDept. of Citrus, told O'Dwyer's that theRFP has been issued as required by theForeign Agricultural Service of the U.S.Dept. of Agriculture, which mandatesthat international contracts go out for bidevery three years. She said GH's contract expires at the endof June and the DOC anticipates that thefirm will participate in the RFP process.To pitch, firms must have offices orexisting affiliates in the U.S., Canada,France, U.K., Belgium, the Netherlands,and Sweden. A strong consumer packagedgoods background is sought, as well as cri-sis management experience with overseascountries. The work ranges from mediaand community relations to events,research and measurement.

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DNA13 has released an upgraded version of its flagshipmedia monitoring and PR management software andexpanded its availability through a partnership with

Thomson Reuters.The revamped software monitors both traditional and socialmedia, including microblogging services like Twitter, and addsthe capability to register RSS feeds and similar content.The dna13 software also allows for multiple users to collab-orate on projects and share assets like media lists and otherinformation from a single source. News coverage is provided in graphical and tabular formatand can be sorted by issue, campaign, region or business line,the company said. (www.dna13.com) �

Screen capture from dna13 software shows social media hits.


MEDIA WORKSHOP

Social media requires targeted, intel-ligent audience engagement. Thiswas the overriding message at a

sold-out February workshop of socialmedia experts hosted by the EntertainmentPublicists Professional Society (EPPS) inHollywood.Some panelists noted that 60% of mar-

keting campaigns are now spent on socialmedia strategy, versus 40% on PR andMarketing. “It is one more layer of clientmanagement, but for a restaurant the goalis to get people in the door,” said CarolineRustigian Bruderer, CEO of K-LINE 7 Co.in Orange County.“It is possible to measure ROI,” but

according to Panelist Sally Falkow ofExpansion Plus, campaigns take four to sixweeks of research and strategyand can cost from several thou-sand dollars to millions. “We don’t go by retainer, but

more by the project, because itreally depends upon how muchtime is involved and how longyour project runs,” she said.“Movie fans and visitors

love behind the scenes market-ing of movies,” said VicePresident Wayne Bennett ofMovieset, based in Vancouver,B.C. The free membership sitehelps market movies viaimages, on-the-set interviewsand constant blogging. Bennet,a 20-year TV and movie pro-duction veteran, uses his social media skillsto assist television production and publici-ty departments.“You have to type what’s going on

behind the camera for fans all over theworld,” Bennett explained. “It might be thedirector of photography on how he lit theshot, or in the case of Peter Jackson in KingKong, before Facebook, YouTube andTwitter; he was literally posting photos ofprop guys, costume fittings with actors, onthe scene location scouts activities andvideo blogs. Jackson built this buzz thattopped a million fans, who were alreadyengaged in the process and the movie bythe time he finished it for distribution.” “Every movie or TV project has a core

audience, and the Internet is the moststrategic way to get to those people,”explained Bennett. “This allows you to dothe EPK and other advertising much later.The Concept is the production, and the

sooner you engage your audience the soon-er they are going to grab onto it, and followthe different phases to the point where youget to your last news release or airing.There will be much more information thatsurfaces to the top of Google than therewould be in putting out a release over sixweeks.”The panel also talked about the advan-

tages of Widgets, and recommended thepractice of funneling all your social mediasites such as Facebook, Myspace,LinkedIn, Twitter on one portal such aswww.tweetdeck.com, where you canorganize feeds and tweets.Entertainment companies and filmmak-

ers are leveraging the power of socialmedia by marketing their films to interna-tional audiences and building loyal audi-ences and communities around their work.Another tactic mentioned are RSS feeds,

which in layman’s terms stands for realsimple syndication or officially “rich sitesummary” for delivering regularly chang-ing web content. All agreed that to increaseweb traffic PR pros need an RSS feed ontheir client’s website or blog to whoeversubscribes or wants the content.Publicists using social media morePublicists who battled endless, specu-

lative chatter of 24-hour cable — some-thing that publicists of old never had tocontend with before — are now similarlyoverwhelmed with social media, accord-ing to a January EPPS mixer in CulverCity, CA. When asked a year ago at an EPPS

mixer in Hollywood, more than 90% ofpublicists admitted they were not usingsocial media as they had hoped to,because it was either something theywere afraid of or didn’t yet understand. When asked this year if they used

social media, the responses were quitedifferent.“I am using social media, because it

brings in new clientele we did not haveaccess to previously, and it’s inexpen-sive,” said Ann Simley ofCommunications Interchange, Inc.,Beverly Hills, CA.“Social media is very important,

because you’re getting the word out,making people more aware of your prod-uct and new services,” said TiffanyYoung, Director of Sales and Marketing,Radisson Hotel in Whittier (CA). “Itbrings additional revenues and awarenessfor the entire brand of hotels.”“Even if you don’t get as many follow-

ers as you want on something likeTwitter, the fact that you can follow peo-ple who you want to follow to make itwork for you says it all,” said Dave

Malacrida, Buzz Master PublicRelations, Westlake Village, CA. “With the changing of new media inLos Angeles you can’t afford toignore the latest and greatest insocial media trends,” said CameraOperator Jonathan S. Abrahm, SOC,LA. “Stay on top of it and you willbe ahead of the game. I useFacebook to network and sometimesLinkedIn, and I can’t afford to gowithout the Internet job sites.” “I use Facebook, but get friendedconstantly, because there so manyother people with same name, so Irely on my website,” said actressSean Young, who played Rachael inthe hit 1982 movie Blade Runner. “I’m always checking blogs, emails,

eZines, social sites, Facebook andTwitter,” said Independent Film PublicistGlen Anderson. “I’m always gettingrequests to be my ‘friend’ or be my ‘fol-lower.’ It’s a fun way to do movie market-ing.”“It’s incredibly important, and it’s almost

90% of what I do now, and I’m recom-mending it to everybody,” saidEntertainment Publicist Carol Eisner.“It’s truly part of getting the word out; it’s90% of it,” she said.“Publicists cannot keep up with it,” said

Leslie Stoddard, Regional Sales Director,VMS, a national video monitoring service,Los Angeles. “That’s why PR firms hire usto track their online reputation with socialmedia, and it could be Facebook, LinkedIn,Twitter or whatever, we have to find andmonitor those conversations. It’s criticaltoday for clients.” �

Publicists slowly learn the art of social media

Social media experts speak at the February EPPS panel inHollywood.

Photo by George S. McQuade III

By George S. McQuade II

North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.,Empire State Bldg., 350 Fifth Ave., 65th flr.,New York, NY 10118-0110. 212/867-9000.Dorothy York, Pres. [email protected].

NAPS sends Nielsen encodedVideo Feature Releases (VFRs) invarious tape formats according toeditors’ specifications. We cover1,000+ TV stations. Each VFR getsplaced on 100 to 150 U.S. TV sta-tions and includes impressive colorusage reports.GUARANTEE: Complete satisfac-

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MEDIA & SPEAKER TRAINING

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dna13 Inc., #300, 283 Dalhousie St.,Ottawa, ON, K1N 7E5. 866/842-1723; fax: 613/562-1584. [email protected];www.dna13.com.dna13 is the premier web-basedapplication for print, TV, online andsocial media monitoring and PRmanagement. With unlimited moni-toring search terms, real-time alerts,clip book wizards, and in-depth ana-lytics, you have real-time visibility intoyour brand and reputation, markettrends and competitive activities.

LOG-ON Computer & Mailing Services,Inc. 520 8th Ave., New York, NY 10018.212/279-4567; fax: 212/279-4591. www. logon.orgMDS, the leading service provider to

the PR community, is now part of the Log-On familyWith over 95,000 sq ft of space Log-On

is the city’s largest and most technologi-cally advanced PR/Marketing direct mail,digital printer, packaging & distributionservice. We assist agencies, corpora-tions, non-profits, large and small. Wemail, fax and e-mail news releases andpitch letters. We use your lists or oursmedia database. We assemble presskits, print marketing material and fulfillproduct requests. We reproduce CDs.And we maintain private lists. There’svery little we can’t do for you.WE DELIVER ON YOUR DIRECT

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MAILING SERVICES

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Tap into the benefits ofO'Dwyer's job board!http://jobs.odwyerpr.com

PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR

The Bond No. 9 Public Relations Director position will help developand implement the strategic vision worldwide. In this capacity, this per-son will work very closely with the founder, Laurice Rahme. This posi-tion is critical to sustaining the growth and momentum of the brand.

•Create and execute ongoing integrated programs and launch initiatives.•Strategize to develop programs and initiatives that will provide measura-ble results in achieving the brand’s global communications objectives.•Work closely with Laurice Rahme in the execution of product launchesbased on guidelines provided.•Build and maintain relationships with key national press (i.e., beauty,fragrance and lifestyle print and broadcast media); work to secure fea-ture and exclusive stories in national print and broadcast outlets; estab-lish strategic media relations plans for new product launches.•Develop and maintain relationships with key business and nationalnews weeklies in order to garner additional corporate features on thebrand.•Create, identify and implement integrated programs•Serve as primary team liaison for third-party partners to ensure properproject management•Strategize new and creative ways to garner media Bond No. 9Qualifications•Position requires 5+ years’ public relations/communications.•Good managerial skills to develop and coach direct report.•Must possess excellent oral and written communication, analytical, cre-ative and computer skills.•Flexible in terms of adapting to changes or shifts in priorities.•Team-player.

[email protected] or fax: 212/228-1938

PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR

Village Green is in search of a Dynamic, high energy professionalfor our Public Relations Manager position in Metro Detroit. The PublicRelations Manager is directly responsible for the development of strate-gic communication plans and direct public relations programs that will bothcreate and maintain a favorable public image for our national company.

•Executing PR strategies and collaboratively developing strategic mediarelations plans •Event planning for current and upcoming projects •Crisis communication management •Planning media exposure •Coordinating company events •Complete miscellaneous projects necessary for department heads.

Requirements:•Four-year degree from an accredited institution with emphasis in PublicRelations, Marketing or Communications or Journalism. •Minimum 4+ years employment experience in Public Relations.•Experience in business-to-business environments considered a plus •Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, andInDesign (or Quark Xpress) software required •Fluent with PC platforms •Positive media contact relationships •Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Social Networking andMedia Wires required •Must be able to conduct work in a self-directed manner with limitedsupervision •Flexibility to adjust project and work schedule according to departmen-tal priorities •Creative Writing Skills and Effective Communication•We offer an outstanding benefits package including 401K, medical,dental and optical insurance, bonus program, exceptional training pro-grams and numerous opportunities for advancement

Holly Wendt, [email protected]; 248/932-2760Apply URL: http://villagegreen.com


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