In the Mix… New Electrolux Technology Makes a Big First Impression

Our client Electrolux has recently launched an exclusive technology that’s making life easier for vacuum owners, and we couldn’t be more excited to “roll” out the news to media! The company's innovative Brushroll Clean Technology removes tangled hair from the vacuum’s brushroll with just the touch of a button – offering consumers a mess-free solution to the common problem of clogged brushrolls. The Electrolux Ergorapido Brushroll Clean and Electrolux PrecisionBrushroll Clean are the first vacuums to have a self-cleaning brushroll, and they’re already making a big impression with media. This month, Ergorapido Brushroll Clean received the prestigious Good Housekeeping “Very Innovative Product” award and also was featured on the “Today” show and “Anderson Live.” Precision Brushroll Clean is featured in the current issue of House Beautiful and also appears in SheKnows.com’s 2013 “Most Efficient Vacuums” round-up. 

Favorite Finds

Despite the cold temps here in Chicago, it was a hot week for social media. Following are some of the stories that caught my eye: 

• Social Senators: NBC News reported this week that Twitter use by the U.S. Congress has hit an all time high with all 100 members of the Senate and more than 90% of the House of Representatives now actively tweeting.
• Social Power Influencers: Forbes released a list of the Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers. Strangely, @JustinBieber didn’t make it!
• Alternatives to LinkedIn Answers: With LinkedIn Answers shutting down at the end of this month, many have found themselves questioning, “Where do we go now?” PR Daily compiled this helpful list of alternate online tools and destinations worthy of a visit.
• Online Communities for PR Pros: Many thanks to digital blogger Arik Hanson for aggregating this great list of 14 Google+ Communities for PR Pros to Join. Whether you’re seeking ideas, resources or like-minded contemporaries, there’s a place for everyone in the PR/Marketing field.
• Lessons Learned from “Beer”: Okay, so this one doesn’t have to do with social media. I just loved this clever post which teaches presentation design skills through a simple (yet beloved) subject. Cheers!

In the Mix…Trex NYC Editorial “Deck-Sides”

Just in time to help with summer outdoor living projects, LCWA and Trex hosted a series of “deck-side” meetings in New York City. Over the course of two busy days, we met with 11 editors to show off Trex’s latest products – from decking to railing, furniture, lighting and pergolas – and brainstorm possible partnerships. Editors loved Trex’s inspirational imagery and appreciated the opportunity to chat one-on-one about outdoor living trends. As a result of these meetings, we look forward to seeing Trex products grace the pages of shelter and consumer publications over the next several months. Let the countdown to summer begin! 

Favorite Finds

It's been anything but a slow week when it comes to sports PR. From Lance and Oprah to Te'o, there's been plenty of reading and discussions to keep us busy. Luckily some other topics got through as well!

• The Te'o Hoax: Lots of great stories out there about Manti Te'o and his role in the hoax of his "girlfriend's" death. But we also like this article discussing Notre Dame's Reaction.
• Why Now, Lance? That's the question around the office for Lance. This article from Bulldog Reporter doesn't answer that, but it does have a unique PR perspective on the situation.
• Facebook Gives Links Love: Facebook changed the way links are displayed. And like everything else Facebook does -- it matters!
• Best Cover Letter Ever? Not sure we agree it was the best cover letter ever, but there's something to be said for honesty.
• Go Team! Finally, with a bunch of journalism majors roaming the halls at LCWA, of course we were interested in this list of the largest journalism programs in the country. (Go #33!)

In the Mix…New Year, New Legislation

As a part of our work with client First Alert, the LCWA team is tasked with helping to raise awareness about new legislation as it pertains to fire and carbon monoxide safety.  In early 2013 two West coast states – California and Washington – enacted legislation to further the level of carbon monoxide protection.  The LCWA team has been proactively educating residents in both states for the past few years and as this last tenet of the public acts take effect, which primarily requires multi-family dwellings to be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms.  We are kicking off the year and the first month of the new laws with state-specific Facebook sweepstakes.  The team is using geo-targeted posts to get the word out.  The month-long sweepstakes aims to raise awareness among the general public, and informal polling tells us that we’ve educated 30% of those who have entered – they didn’t know about the law before the sweepstakes.  If you know someone in California or Washington – be sure to direct them to First Alert for a chance to “get alarmed” – www.Facebook.com/FirstAlertSafety. 

Favorite Finds

January is off to a busy start at LCWA!  This week, articles focusing on career improvement piqued our interest the most.  But never fear, we also got our social media fix!  Here are the stories that caught our attention:

• A Career Boost. This no-nonsense list on 10 ways to advance your PR career in 2013 doesn’t mince words. My three favorite tips: stop complaining, avoid drama and get over it!
• Female Leaders. I’m proud to be an employee of a company with a female CEO. This article from the Harvard Business Review on challenges female leaders face is a must-read for aspiring women.
• Transitioning a New CMO. This article from Forbes discusses the trickle down effects of the 46 percent of new marketing leaders that will struggle in their new positions.  Four transition types can help make the company change a successful one.
• The non-Instagram photo app? Who knew!? PR Daily outlines three great photo apps for PR pros, and not a single one is Instagram!
• Women ≠ Loyal Consumers. According to this article from Social Media Today, most female consumers don’t have a loyal bone in their body when it comes to brands – getting deals is the name of the game.

In the Mix...A Healthy Start to the New Year!

LCWA is proud to announce the addition of Life Fitness, a global leader in commercial fitness equipment manufacturing, to our client roster!  We kicked of our relationship this week, when we helped Life Fitness get blood pumping with an exciting announcement for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).  As the first fitness equipment manufacturer to open portions of its product platform to allow for third-party app development, Life Fitness has proven it’s on the frontier of fitness technology.  For CES, LCWA announced two mobile apps that will integrate with the company’s cardio equipment to help user’s automatically log workout statistics such as time, distance and calories burned when their mobile device is connected to Life Fitness equipment.  We’re just at the starting line of this new partnership, and can’t wait for the marathon ahead!

Research Advice in Forum Magazine

Heidi Tarr Terlap and I co-authored the cover story in the current issue of the Association Forum of Chicagoland’s Forum magazine. “How data can help you shatter performance plateaus” is a quick review of the researcher’s toolkit and how it can be used to guide successful organizations. As we note in the article, “the most forward-thinking organizations leverage research techniques to guide development, execution and evaluation of their activities for stakeholders.” The Association Forum of Chicagoland has 3,000-plus members who represent more than 44,000 association professionals from nearly 1,600 Chicago organizations serving 27 million individual members. Read the full article here. 

Favorite Finds

Welcome to 2013! Resolutions and advice were everywhere this week as we all strive to start the year off right. Here are some of the pieces that stuck with us.

• Stick to Resolutions. Did you make New Year's Resolutions? So did we! Check out these tips from Health.com to stick with them.
• Stop Stressing. Military, firefighters, airline pilots...PR executives? Once again, public relations is listed among the most stressful occupations in this article from Business News Daily.
• Smart Phone Attachment. Two out of five Gen Y'ers in the U.S. cop to looking at their phones at least once every 10 minutes. This article from PR News gives tips on how to reach this smart phone-centric age group.
• Leadership Lessons. I love these six tips from SpinSucks on improving communications to be a better leader, and think they can apply to just about anyone.
• Modern Brand Building. Building a brand today is hard work! Here are some essential ingredients from MarketingProfs.