In the Mix….Eureka’s Crowdsourced Videos

Sometimes life hands you a messy day and when you get home, an urge overcomes you to just Let Loose and Throw Things. That’s exactly what you’ll see through the dancing in three new videos from Eureka – all crowdsourced with the intention to convey visual power for the brand and a surprise to viewers who don’t expect to see a Eureka connection. Over the next few weeks the LCWA is charged with spreading the videos all over the web and creating buzz for the brand. Viewable on YouTube, the videos already are receiving thousands of views and we’re excited to share them even further. Be sure to watch – and more importantly share – how you want to #LetLoose and #Throwthings if you agree that Life is Messy.  

In the Mix...Trex Steps Up at DeckExpo

At LCWA, we love a good trade show! Whether it’s in our hometown Chicago, or a plane ride away in Orlando, Las Vegas, Baltimore or San Francisco. These shows give us an opportunity to meet with media in-person about our clients’ new products and initiatives, and allow us to get some industry perspective. 

Most recently, LCWA coordinated media appointments for our client Trex, manufacturer of wood-alternative outdoor living products and leader of the composite decking category, at the 2013 DeckExpo at McCormick Place in Chicago. At the show, we met with editors and reporters from priority building and remodeling trade publications and introduced them to Trex’s top products for the 2014 decking season.

Amid the sea of products on display at trade shows, companies have to pull out all the stops to stand out. To do that this year, we strategically timed the announcement of Trex’s newest product offering, Trex Spiral Stairs, a first of its kind offering from a composite decking manufacturer, on the first day of the trade show. This helped to attract attention and coverage from attending editors who knew they were some of the very first to see the new system.

With this show under our belts, we’re now gearing up for the biggest building show of the year, the 2014 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas. See you there!

Favorite Finds

There was a little bit of everything making headlines this week. Here are a few noteworthy news items we uncovered:

• PR Trends – Public relations is a dynamic field, and we must adapt strategies to help our clients stay relevant. Check out 4 Trends Affecting PR Departments, which identifies challenges of some tried-and-true tactics to reach consumers.
• SeaWorld Versus #Blackfish – CNN Films premiered Blackfish this week, an anti-captivity documentary that tells the compelling story of the plight of captive orcas – or killer whales – around the world. The premiere event trended worldwide on Twitter and generated significant audience engagement, mostly negative words for SeaWorld, the main aquatic park featured in the film. While the film portrays SeaWorld as ranking ticket sales above the well-being of its animals, the film provides a platform for SeaWorld to promote its conservation efforts, tell its side of the story and potentially help shape the global captivity debate.
• Teens Prefer Twitter – Twitter’s steady growth reached a milestone this week – it became the most important social platform for the all-important teen demographic (surpassing Facebook). The coup could be short-lived, as Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, has nearly doubled its popularity with teens in a single year.
• Holiday Plans? It’s not too early to begin planning social media initiatives around the holiday season. So make a (to-do) list, and check it twice – after you read these Tips for Holiday Social Campaigns.

In the Mix...Life Fitness Personal Trainer to Watch Named at London Event

1,500 entries. 43 countries. 10 finalists. One winner. Recently, our client Life Fitness, named Kim Ingleby of Bristol, England, the winner of the 2013 Life Fitness Personal Trainers to Watch program.  In early September, we announced the top 10 elite finalists from all corners of the globe. Since then, LCWA planned and led the event’s live judging competition held just outside of London.  From coordinating arrangements with the finalists, judges, hotel, gym, media and many vendors – it was a busy fall for the Life Fitness team at LCWA!  At the event, judges observed as finalists shared their best practices and demonstrated their training expertise and, in the end, the trainer that rose to the top was announced at the evening awards dinner. Congratulations to Kim and all of the finalists on this outstanding career achievement!  To find out more about the event and to view the finalists’ video biography’s, event highlights and the live winner announcement, visit www.lifefitness.com/pttwevent.  

Favorite Finds

Whenever I comb my Twitter feed, I am always amazed by the amount of advice that’s available. There are so many developments to keep up with on a daily basis (media, social, current events), and with a little help from friends, we’re able to stay up to speed through a few scrolls each day. Here’s some of what my favorite Tweeple had to offer this week:

• Survey Says: Jeff Bullas is one of my favorite social media bloggers and this week, he talked about Facebook surveys and the features they offer. Definitely appealing to PR’s research interests!  
• Powerful Presentations: One of my go-to resources when it comes to blogging and content curation is Heidi Cohen. This week she featured a handy 17-step guide to creating a killer presentation.  
• Tuning out the Television: Mark Scott is a social media strategist and often shares helpful tips. One that caught my eye this week: YouTube now reaches more adults than any U.S. cable network.
• Business Bits: It’s nice to have a resource that is focused on marketing specifically as it relates to B2B audiences, and we often find great nuggets from Steve Sipress. I gained a few tips on content marketing this week.  
• Social Savvy: I always appreciate someone with an eye out for the latest tricks with the social tools our clients use every day and Shona Mackin shared great advice for Instagram.

In The Mix…Contigo Shakes Things Up With Bloggers

With the launch of our client, Contigo’s AUTOCLOSE™ Shake & Go Tumbler, we’ve ramped up efforts for our “Shaken Not Stirred” blogger campaign to get products into the hands of on-the-go moms. Contigo is dedicated to continuous, meaningful innovations with the brand new Shake & Go Tumbler which lets consumers shake-to-mix or shake-to-chill their favorite beverages without spilling a drop. The tumbler features AUTOCLOSE technology, which seals the lid for shaking as soon as the straw is removed, making for a convenient one-handed drinking solution. For the past month we’ve been coordinating tests of the Shake & Go Tumbler with bloggers, and we’ve already seen many great testimonials and reviews highlighting the tumbler’s leak-proof technology that Contigo products are known for.  Take a look at what bloggers are saying about Shake & Go on 2 Wired 2 Tired, From Dates to Diapers and more!

In the Mix…Eureka Spotlights 10 Fans with Powerful Stories in Facebook Contest

Our client Eureka is all about power, and its latest contest – “The Most Powerful Experience” Contest on Facebook – continues to spotlight and celebrate fans’ most powerful moments. During the contest submission phase from September 5^th to 30^th, Eureka collected more than 8,000 entries from fans who shared with us the most powerful moments in their lives. We truly enjoyed reading these unique and powerful essays – from babies being born and children overcoming obstacles to heroic acts and once-in-a-lifetime trips, Eureka fans know power! Now, the entries have been narrowed down to the 10 most powerful, personal and unique moments! Through October 24, fans can view the top 10 entries and vote on their favorite. The winning entry will receive a brand new Mazda Miata MX-5 Sport! 

To view the finalists and read some truly powerful stories from our fans, visit the Eureka Facebook contest app and help us choose the most powerful moment!

Favorite Finds

Even with the government still shut down, life goes on in the social sphere. In fact, it’s been a great week for social media activity and advice! Following are some of the stories and tips that caught our attention:

 

• You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide: Facebook tweaked its privacy settings this week and will no longer allow users to completely hide from others searching for them on the site. In other words, with few exceptions, we’re all now searchable.
• Deep Pockets: Since filing its IPO, Twitter has solidified its position as one of the leading social media sites, second only to Facebook in terms of popularity and daily active usage. However, in a faceoff between Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, you might be surprised by which company wins the revenue race.
• Social Media and Sales: Did you know that social media generates nearly double the marketing leads of trade show, telemarketing, daily mail or PPC? This informative info graphic by Digital Insights reveals some fascinating facts, figures and stats related to social media and sales.
• Cool Tools: We’re constantly trying out new resources for identifying trends, researching media and sharing information. Thanks to Mike Lizun @PRDaily for posting this terrific list of lesser-known but valuable digital tools for PR Pros.
• Inbox Zero: The end of the week is a great time to clean out your inbox. Many thanks to the folks @Mashable for these 5 Tricks to Finally Achieve Inbox Zero.

 

LCWA Wins Seven Public Relations Global Network Best Practice Awards

Congratulations to our LCWA account teams for winning seven PRGN Best Practice Awards – one gold, two silver and three bronze.  In the gold category, we won for the First Alert "Carbon Monoxide (CO) Legislative Outreach Campaign."  We were awarded two silver awards for our work with  the American Association of Dental Sleep Medicine for “AADSM Unveils Dental Treatment for Sleep Apnea” and  Merit School of Music for “From Pilsen to Matsumoto:  Merit School of Music Represents Chicago and the U.S. at the 16^th Annual Suzuki Method World Convention."  The bronze awards were given to us for “Frigidaire Makes the Gift of Time Legendary,” “Millions of Impressions for Secret Millionaire” and “Trex Outdoor Living Season Facebook Sweepstakes.”   It is wonderful to be recognized by our peers in this worldwide network of public relations firms representing nearly 50 countries.

Favorite Finds

With the official shutdown of the U.S. government being the major story of the week, there were a few important social media related moments that need to be called out. Here are some of the stories that gained attention this week:

• Apple overtakes Coca-Cola as most valuable brand. According to a recent report released by Interbrand, Coca-Cola fell from its top spot on last year’s list to No. 3, and Google jumped from No. 4 to No. 2. The full top 100 brands list can be found on Interbrand’s website.
• A new way to quit your job. A Next Media Animation employee took to YouTube to announce that she was quitting. Chicago-native Marina Shifrin created a video dancing to the Kanye West song “Gone” to announce that she would be leaving the company. The video has received more than 4.6 million views.
• Brands get in on the shutdown action. With the U.S. reeling due to the Government shutdown, a few brands took to social media to parody this momentous event. Brands such as Denny’s, Red Bull, and of course, Kenneth Cole all had humorous remarks. The question is, will this help or hurt those brands’ image?
• Twitter is going public. It’s official, Twitter just filed for its IPO. The company is looking to raise $1 billion in its initial offering.

In the Mix…Find Your Safety Style with First Alert

October is Fire Prevention Month and to kick off festivities, our client First Alert launched the “Find Your Safety Style” Facebook sweepstakes! In a continuous effort to promote fire safety with style, First Alert is helping fans channel their inner designer with a fun personality quiz that reveals if you are a Modern Sophisticate, a Futuristic Decorista (or Decoristo) or Traditional Trendy.  For a chance to win one of the trendy and high-tech Maximum Protection Smoke Alarms, participants answer 10 questions and enter their personality to win an alarm that best reflects their style. Ten winners will be selected daily throughout the entire month of October and a grand prize winner will receive a whole home of alarms, security camera system and year-long subscription to WhimseyBox. So, what’s your safety style?  Find out by visiting the First Alert Facebook page!