In the Mix...Contigo Wins Over Editors at the IHA Preshow Event

As we prepare for the IHA show this week, we are excited that we've already gotten the word to editors about Contigo's latest products. In January, we gave a "first look" to influential media at the IHA media preview show in New York, meeting with more than 25 media representatives from the biggest names in consumer magazines, including All You, Real Simple, Parents, and Ladies’ Home Journal, among others. Additionally, Contigo’s popular spill-proof capabilities and several products shots were featured on the New York City FOX-affiliate’s 5 o’clock news in a segment highlighting exciting new products launching in 2015. The event was a successful preview that enticed media to learn more about our client Contigo, we look forward to generating more placements and exposure for them at the show this Saturday! 

Favorite Finds

It was another informative and unexpected week online. My favorite finds this week:

• Llamas and Dresses – The Federal Communications Commission may have decided the future of the Internet in its Net Neutrality decision on Thursday, but the Internet was more concerned with llamas and dresses. The Washington Post had seven reporters covering the story of two loose llamas in Phoenix, according to Poynter.
• Mason Jar Cocktails – Pinterest is expected to hit 50 million active users next year, according to new research from eMarketer. The research firm says Pinterest has added more than 12 million active users since 2013.
• Fly on the Wall – The management team behind the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com shared a slideshow intended to educate their reporters on how to generate Internet traffic. The slideshow includes guidance on writing Internet-friendly stories, and how to write a buzzy headline. It’s great insight for PR professionals into the workings of today’s media.
• #I’veMadeaHugeMistake – The Conservative Political Action Committee, commonly known as CPAC, tried to hold a Twitter Q&A during its annual convention. Every use of the corresponding hashtag was a joke or criticism – proving once again that groups under fire should proceed with caution when developing their own hashtags.
• All Kitten Videos – YouTube released a new, kid-friendly version of YouTube for mobile devices. TechCrunch points out that parents have been asking for this service for a long time.

In the Mix…Snow Joe Gives It Away on TODAY with Kathie Lee & Hoda

After the record-freezing temperatures and devastating snow across the Northeast and Midwest, nothing could be more timely than a snow blower giveaway. The LCWA/Snow Joe team secured and coordinated the first spot on the TODAY Show with Kathie Lee & Hoda “Give It Away” Sweepstakes in honor of Kathie Lee & Hoda reaching one million fans on Facebook. The powerful and cordless Snow Joe iON made a fabulous appearance on set, as both Kathie Lee and Hoda excitedly picked five viewers from over 11,000 entries to receive a coveted snow blower prize. It was a great day for Snow Joe with over 2.1 million viewers and five new iON owners to advocate for the battery-powered technology!

Favorite Finds

The temperature may have dropped below freezing for most of the country this week, but social media news was hot this week! Check out my favorite finds below:

• New Marlboro Mascot? John Oliver created a new mascot recently for the Marlboro tobacco company: "Jeff the Diseased Lung in a cowboy hat." Its hashtag #JeffWeCan has been a trending topic on Twitter since the episode aired earlier this week.
• Siri 2.0. Viv Labs, a startup launched by a team that helped build Siri, just pulled in $12.5 million to finance a digital assistant that is able to teach itself.
• Stick it to Your Facebook Photos. Yesterday, Facebook debuted its latest sticker sensation - now you'll be able to add stickers to your photos from Facebook's mobile app on iOS and Android. 
• The ‘Gram Continues to Grow. Instagram, the popular photo-sharing network, is projected to generate about $700 million in revenue this year and $5.8 billion in revenue in 2020, and continues to bolster support for Facebook’s stock since it bought the social media app in 2012.

In the Mix…Trex Mixes with Media in Munich

With distribution in 42 countries around the world, Trex – the world’s largest manufacturer of high-performance composite decking – is no stranger to the global marketplace. To support Trex’s presence at the 2015 BAU Trade Faire in Munich, Germany, LCWA teamed with our international PRGN agency partners to promote the brand and its latest composite decking products and outdoor living solutions.

Thanks to the collective efforts of the international Trex PR team, the Trex booth at BAU hosted editors representing more than 25 print and online publications from throughout Europe. Media outlets in Germany, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom all were eager to share the Trex story with resulting media coverage already exceeding four million impressions – including features in the U.K.’s Building News and Switzerland’s gplus magazine.

Next stop, Paris, where LCWA and our agency partners will be promoting Trex at Batimat 2015.

In the Mix...Howling PR Success with First Alert for Pets Bark Genie

Here’s further proof that public relations provides return on investment. In the January issue of Pet Age, a business-to-business magazine for

the pet industry, LCWA client First Alert for Pets is quoted in a marketing-related column attributing sales and awareness of the Bark Genie product directly to the PR team’s efforts:

“Positive online reviews and buzz created by our public relations team has certainly helped drive the sales and the brand awareness.” 

Last year the PR team worked with the brand to launch the Bark Genie product and used a variety of media tactics to drive PR coverage through consumer and trade channels. The product was well-received by media and the campaign ended with tens of millions of impressions. Ultimately the product, which initially was available only in select Walmart stores, picked up full distribution with the retail giant.  

Favorite Finds

In a week in which some of the biggest news WAS the news – below please find my favorite finds for the week:

•  A tale of two news anchors. Jon Stewart announced his retirement from “The Daily Show” – prompting dismay among millions of news satire lovers, but ensuring he goes out on top. Another loved anchor, Brian Williams, faced a much different kind of departure when he was suspended from NBC Nightly News for six months without pay in the fallout of his exaggerated story as a reporter in the Iraq War. Amidst all of this, the tragic news of the unexpected death of CBS News Correspondent Bob Simon shook the media world.
• More Twitter hacks.  Another week brings more Twitter hacks for brands and celebrities. Among this week’s victims were Delta and Newsweek.
• Facebook leaves a legacy. Facebook announced this week that it’s letting users choose a legacy contact who can partially control their Facebook profile after they die – a sort of power of attorney for your digital life.
• Press release lessons. We love this infographic from pr.co that highlights data from more than 50,000 press releases.