tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31846304856830670132024-03-14T04:17:13.769-05:00L.C. Williams & AssociatesShannon Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07565769571443199775noreply@blogger.comBlogger974125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-81437505248474358772021-08-18T09:30:00.003-05:002021-08-18T10:55:23.204-05:00Weil-McLain Wins Top Product Design Award<p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wEDeA5PQhVU/YRwz4AKC3BI/AAAAAAAAATI/C-ptDJkZfnkmqX7UfKGeKplcwg2_hVA6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s659/wm-eco-tec-main-angle.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="659" height="243" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wEDeA5PQhVU/YRwz4AKC3BI/AAAAAAAAATI/C-ptDJkZfnkmqX7UfKGeKplcwg2_hVA6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/wm-eco-tec-main-angle.jpg" width="320" /></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif">One of the most
effective marketing tools to rise above the competition is seeking out and
winning awards in your industry. We recently helped client Weil-McLain do just
that with their recent recognition </span><span class="markedcontent" face="Arial, sans-serif">for product design
excellence and efficiency in the 18th annual Dealer Design Awards Program
sponsored by The Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Newsmagazine.
The award entry, submitted by LCWA, was chosen by an independent panel of
contractors out of 117 total entries.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="markedcontent"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">The
company’s </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://www.weil-mclain.com/eco-tec?utm_source=ECO%20Tec%20Dealer%20Design%20Award%20LCWA%20Press%20Release&utm_medium=ECO%20Tec%20Dealer%20Design%20Award%20LCWA%20Press%20Release&utm_campaign=ECO%20Tec%20Dealer%20Design%20Award%20LCWA%20Press%20Release">ECO<i><sup>®</sup></i>
Tec</a> premium residential gas boiler <span class="markedcontent">was the silver
winner in the HVAC High Efficiency Residential Equipment product category – the
top award presented to any boiler manufacturer for 2021. The </span></span><a href="https://www.achrnews.com/articles/145270-2021-dealer-design-awards-hvac-high-efficiency-residential-equipment"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">ACHR News</span></a><span class="markedcontent"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"> is the
leading trade magazine in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and
refrigeration industries.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The
Dealer Design awards recognize the outstanding research and development efforts
that go into many of the products serving the HVACR industry and the awards
issue gives the publication's readers – an integral target audience for
Weil-McLain – an opportunity to read about innovative installation and service
solutions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="markedcontent"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">Winning
entries in the Dealer Design Awards were featured in the July 26, 2021, issue
of The ACHR News, which is distributed nationally to over 27,000 HVACR
contractors, wholesalers and distributors, and other industry professionals. </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Our team is proud to have helped our
client gain this important industry recognition with one of the most well-known
magazines in the HVAC arena.</span></p>Ben Arenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684237199597096420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-50648459859335978762021-07-26T11:45:00.000-05:002021-07-26T11:45:50.004-05:00LCWA Wins Three “Awards of Excellence” at the PRSA Chicago Skyline Awards<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Three very different and successful LCWA campaigns were
honored by the <a href="https://prsachicago.com/">PRSA</a>’s Chicago Skyline
Awards earlier this month, when work for <a href="https://www.trex.com/">Trex</a>, <a href="https://www.firstalert.com/">First Alert</a> and the <a href="https://aasm.org/">AASM</a> received “awards of excellence” from the esteemed
organization. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dp9j1DpraB0/YP7kN2bCLPI/AAAAAAAAAWw/_F-kAYW-kTAa8GdzPCAhfgMvuxdjb73VQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1393/PRSA%2BTrex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="1393" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dp9j1DpraB0/YP7kN2bCLPI/AAAAAAAAAWw/_F-kAYW-kTAa8GdzPCAhfgMvuxdjb73VQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PRSA%2BTrex.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Trex</span></b></u><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Trex’s <a href="http://blog.lcwa.com/2021/02/trex-leverages-influencer-dream-deck-to.html">Brand
Ambassadors Inspire Consumers to “Do It”</a> campaign was awarded in the<br />
Influencer Marketing category. The campaign drove awareness and engagement by
partnering with two influencers. They reached fan bases focused on DIY (do it
yourself) and DIFM (do it for me), helping those stuck at home to keep busy and
focus on projects they may have been putting off in pre-pandemic times.<br /><br /> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-family: arial;">First Alert</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-psnX1u3YR2E/YP7kIjZ54UI/AAAAAAAAAWs/H1_NvnE67HglqHRl9oc-ZPs-n8g1Q1HmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1396/PRSA%2BFirst%2BAlert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1396" height="178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-psnX1u3YR2E/YP7kIjZ54UI/AAAAAAAAAWs/H1_NvnE67HglqHRl9oc-ZPs-n8g1Q1HmwCLcBGAsYHQ/w312-h178/PRSA%2BFirst%2BAlert.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">First Alert’s <a href="http://blog.lcwa.com/2020/10/be-ready-for-unexpected-this-fire.html">Be
Ready for the Unexpected</a> campaign was awarded in the Integrated
Communications – Consumer Products and Services category. With more people
staying at home than ever before, First Alert’s campaign aimed to provide fire
safety guidance and support to the 91% of consumer households that said their
families’ safety was at the top of their priority lists.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: arial;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: arial;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">AASM</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yB5My1myh0o/YP7j2y45nWI/AAAAAAAAAWg/9fqrWxLqCo8aeHkTQHbnNiTQoBVDV9CwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1410/PRSA%2BAASM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1410" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yB5My1myh0o/YP7j2y45nWI/AAAAAAAAAWg/9fqrWxLqCo8aeHkTQHbnNiTQoBVDV9CwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PRSA%2BAASM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">AASM’s <a href="http://blog.lcwa.com/2020/10/inaugural-student-sleep-health-week.html">Student
Sleep Health Week</a> campaign was awarded in the Events and Observances
category. Getting the right amount of sleep is crucial to students’ health and
success, which is why this campaign virtually encouraged students, parents,
coaches and teachers to have conversations about the importance of healthy
sleep. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s an honor to earn recognition by the PRSA Chicago, and
we thank you for your support of our work. Congratulations to all of the
winners at the Skyline Awards!</span></p>Kim Blazek Dahlbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01404342686161535753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-90801589251722561282021-07-13T10:50:00.001-05:002021-07-13T10:50:58.841-05:00AASM Expert Interview Featured in The New York Times<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgpB8VV_Ggo/YO21uSKtSfI/AAAAAAAAAFw/p24R9OKvcrY8kZvECJ-cqCRq_1qsZinjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/New%2BYork%2BTimes%2B3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgpB8VV_Ggo/YO21uSKtSfI/AAAAAAAAAFw/p24R9OKvcrY8kZvECJ-cqCRq_1qsZinjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/New%2BYork%2BTimes%2B3.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"> As a result of proactive media outreach for LCWA client the <b>American
Academy of Sleep Medicine </b>(<a href="https://aasm.org/">AASM</a>), LCWA
secured a timely interview opportunity with <b>The New York Times</b> surrounding
the pandemic’s effect on America’s sleep. AASM board member and practicing
sleep medicine physician, Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg was interviewed for the feature
story, titled “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/how-to-sleep-better.html?searchResultPosition=3">The
Pandemic Messed With Your Sleep. Here’s How to Feel Rested Again</a>,” which
published both online (June 8, 2021) and in print (June 15, 2021). In addition
to the original article, <b>The New York Times</b> published an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/09/world/more-than-a-year-into-the-pandemic-many-americans-are-still-getting-terrible-sleep.html">abridged
version</a> of the article online and also featured AASM COVID-somnia survey
results in their <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/10/well/live/10healthquiz-06102021.html">weekly
health quiz</a>!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The story leads with the AASM’s 2021 COVID-somnia <a href="https://j2vjt3dnbra3ps7ll1clb4q2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/sleep-prioritization-survey-2021-covid-somnia.pdf">survey
results</a>, which found that more than half of Americans (56%) are
experiencing an increase in sleep disturbances since the start of the pandemic.
In addition to comments from Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg throughout, the article
features guidance from a handful of experts and sources to present an in-depth
look at the current state of America’s sleep. To bring the story full circle,
Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg and other sleep experts answered direct questions from
readers on how to achieve healthy sleep. This expert-backed guidance for
readers was published in a separate story on <b>The New York Times</b>’ <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/well/sleep-questions.html?searchResultPosition=4">top
reader questions about sleep</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">For readers who are experiencing sleep problems, the article
concludes with a recommendation for readers to seek help by visiting the AASM’s
consumer-facing website, <a href="https://sleepeducation.org/">SleepEducation.org</a>.
Here, patients can find sleep tips and enter their ZIP code to find a board-certified
sleep physician at an AASM-Accredited Sleep Center in their area.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a good example of how meaningful conversations and
timely media outreach can help drive success for client interviews and bring
national media attention. In all, this one interview resulted in five separate
articles, each bringing light to our client’s essential messaging on sleep
health. </span><o:p></o:p></p>Anna Figyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09131416621428278422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-61365704046271635792021-06-18T13:42:00.006-05:002021-06-18T13:44:34.538-05:00LCWA Wins Top Technology Award from Publicity Club of Chicago<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qy4iEBLXg2U/YMzo-t_3OzI/AAAAAAAAAV4/T-tnB85rAUUm8XosxG2ROtQ-Rgi1PeBmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_7225.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qy4iEBLXg2U/YMzo-t_3OzI/AAAAAAAAAV4/T-tnB85rAUUm8XosxG2ROtQ-Rgi1PeBmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_7225.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Getting the right amount of healthy sleep is important for
students of all ages to be healthy<br /> and successful. That’s the main message LCWA
and client <a href="http://www.aasm.org/">AASM</a> conveyed via media, partner
organizations and online during <a href="http://blog.lcwa.com/2020/10/inaugural-student-sleep-health-week.html">Student
Sleep Health Week</a> in 2020. The campaign, which leveraged influential
students, parents, coaches and teachers online to drive conversation, was the
winner of the <b>Buell Patterson Technology Award</b> – one of the cumulative,
“best of the best” awards announced at the <b><a href="http://www.publicity.org">Publicity Club of Chicago</a> (PCC)
Golden Trumpet Awards</b> on Thursday night. The campaign also was honored with
a Golden Trumpet in the Healthcare Marketing category. This is the second time
the combined LCWA and AASM team has won the coveted Buell Patterson Technology
Award, having received it in 2015 for the “Sleep Well, Be Well” campaign that
was part of the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project in partnership with
the CDC. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">LCWA also was awarded two Silver Trumpets during the PCC
Awards. The </span><a href="http://www.firstalert.com/" style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">First Alert</a><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> team was
honored for its “Be Ready for the Unexpected” campaign in the Integrated
Marketing Communications category. And in the Business to Business and Business
Services category, our </span><a href="http://www.trexcommercial.com/" style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">Trex Commercial
Products</a><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> trade media program was honored.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you to the PCC for your support of our programs, and
congratulations to all of the winners!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Kim Blazek Dahlbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01404342686161535753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-5050269088615285362021-06-03T10:46:00.004-05:002021-06-03T10:46:53.972-05:00Trex Joins Panel of Top Designers to Help Consumers Achieve their Dream Decks<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d1_YEx5h5Fo/YLj5RDBWfXI/AAAAAAAAATQ/N1TNb28m4mYrbHsvI33mWPGbxa8Z5sZNQCLcBGAsYHQ/s974/Trex%2BBlost%2BPost%2BImage%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="974" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d1_YEx5h5Fo/YLj5RDBWfXI/AAAAAAAAATQ/N1TNb28m4mYrbHsvI33mWPGbxa8Z5sZNQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Trex%2BBlost%2BPost%2BImage%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">Now,
more than ever, outdoor living is in! The COVID-19 pandemic has prioritized how
we view and use our homes, with consumers reimagining how to maximize and enjoy
their exterior spaces. We leveraged this trend for our client <a href="https://www.trex.com/">Trex Company</a>,
the largest manufacturer of high-performance, low-maintenance, wood-alternative
outdoor living products, by collaborating with <b><span style="color: black;">Country
Living</span></b><span style="color: black;"> and <b>Good Housekeeping</b> on the first-ever </span><a href="http://www.makeovertakeoversummit.com/">Makeover Takeover Renovation Summit</a><span style="color: black;">,
a virtual DIY home improvement event hosted by the magazines.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The livestreamed, interactive event
served as a highly successful and engaging way to reach home-passionate
consumers interested in outdoor renovations during a year when homeowners are
expected to invest more time and money in their outdoor spaces. Trex’s Vice
President of Marketing Leslie Adkins joined a panel discussion featuring high-profile
design experts, including HGTV designer Brian Patrick Flynn along with Chris
and Peyton Lambton, co-hosts of DIY Network’s “Yard Crashers,” to help
attendees get their decks and yards ready for outdoor living season.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">From deck design considerations and materials to backyard
trends, outdoor living accessories and doable DIY projects, the panelists
covered a wide range of topics that allowed for an organic conversation about the
benefits of Trex products. In fact, every panelist personally endorsed Trex as
their go-to decking brand!</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: black;">Nearly 1,000</span></b><span style="color: black;"> <b>consumers from around the world tuned in to the “Great
Outdoor Spaces” session. </b>Following that discussion, attendees were invited
to connect directly with Leslie in a Zoom breakout room for a live Q&A
session. <b>More than 120 consumers joined to learn more about Trex outdoor
living products</b>. This was a highly engaged audience that came to ask
questions specifically about Trex! Leslie answered questions fielded by
moderator Lisa Bergamotto, style director for Good Housekeeping, while a team
of “Trexperts” (including Trex and LCWA team members) responded to questions in
the live chat. Throughout the breakout session, our client was able to directly
connect with consumers about designing their dream decks and outdoor spaces
with Trex products.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;">Looking for expert tips to spruce up
your backyard? You can check out the virtual Trex panel discussion on the </span><a href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/a36395754/renovation-summit-2021-recap/">Good Housekeeping</a></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> website!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Lindsey Lucentahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033495005153056167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-75810318454828107832021-05-18T12:21:00.004-05:002021-05-18T14:00:27.935-05:00AASM “More than a Snore” Radio Media Tour Brings National Awareness to OSA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ivasN10OaI/YKP3bYDoQ6I/AAAAAAAAAFU/gJPTeW1oYsI6jJfM8185hdY2fDjuR9cMACLcBGAsYHQ/s511/aasm%2Bblog%2Bimage.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="511" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ivasN10OaI/YKP3bYDoQ6I/AAAAAAAAAFU/gJPTeW1oYsI6jJfM8185hdY2fDjuR9cMACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/aasm%2Bblog%2Bimage.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Many patients are delaying or avoiding medical care due to
COVID-19 concerns, including delaying care for common, treatable sleep
disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). To help our client the
American Academy of Sleep Medicine (<a href="https://aasm.org/">AASM</a>) drive
awareness about the often-misunderstood signs, symptoms, diagnosis and
treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), we coordinated a radio
media tour (RMT) which took place on April 29, 2021. To promote the tour, we
developed a high-impact media alert, social media posts and schedule of local
market details for each station to ensure messaging aligned with each audience.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The tour featured expert insights from AASM board member and
practicing sleep medicine physician, Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg. Over the
course of a morning, Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg completed 14 total interviews
which aired online and on radio stations across the nation. RMT coverage
included a total of 447 radio segment airings with over 17 million impressions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Podcasts</b> included Business
Radio X – “The Mark Bishop Show”<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"> (</span><a href="https://businessradiox.com/podcast/tucsonbusinessradio/tmbs-e164-dr-fariha-abbasi-feinberg-on-snoring-feed/"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Listen here!</span></a><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Nationally
Syndicated Airings</span></b><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"> included:<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><ul><li><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Global
American Broadcasting Network – “Bill Martinez Live”</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Transformation
Talk Radio Network – “The Dr. Pat Show” (</span><a href="https://1150kknw.com/episode/ttr-network-the-dr-pat-show-39/"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Listen here!</span></a><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">)<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wilkins
Radio Network – “Let’s Just Talk”</span></span></li><li><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Radio
America – “The Passport Mommy” </span></span></li></ul><li><b style="font-family: arial;">Local
Airings</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> included radio stations in
Bluefield, WV; La Crosse, WI; Roanoke, VA; Pittsburgh, PA; Tampa Bay, FL;
Seattle, WA; New York, NY; Baltimore, MD; Charlotte, NC; and Providence, RI.</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The RMT helped drive</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> awareness to
the symptoms and treatment options for OSA, and familiarized patients with what
to expect when visiting a sleep center. With such a wide national reach,
I feel confident that we were able to enact positive action in many listeners
lives.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you think you or a loved one may have sleep
apnea, visit <a href="http://sleepeducation.org/">SleepEducation.org</a>
to find a board-certified sleep physician at an American Academy of Sleep
Medicine Accredited Sleep Center near you.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Anna Figyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09131416621428278422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-30418625014202914442021-05-05T15:40:00.002-05:002021-05-05T15:40:11.957-05:00Trex Recycling Efforts Capture High-Profile Media Attention for Earth Day<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5k7AvGYmJVc/YJMCjKBBXdI/AAAAAAAAAFA/eXlhXTL6Ny4QygFAVYAuOjN5lI3wjcp3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s833/Trex%2Btv%2Bimage.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="833" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5k7AvGYmJVc/YJMCjKBBXdI/AAAAAAAAAFA/eXlhXTL6Ny4QygFAVYAuOjN5lI3wjcp3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Trex%2Btv%2Bimage.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Did you know that LCWA client <a href="http://www.trex.com/">Trex Company’s</a> world-famous composite decking is
made from 95% recycled materials? To amplify the company’s “green” story in conjunction
with </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Earth Day (April 22, 2021), we pitched key media with the goal of pointing
eco-minded consumers in the right direction for turning their trash into treasure
in the form of Trex decking. We found success in our pitch strategy by offering
media a turnkey Earth Day package, including Trex stats and facts, along with educational
images and videos. We also provided local angles to consider and offered
interviews with corporate and local Trex spokespeople.</span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">Our proactive outreach resulted in a number of media
placements, including a broadcast TV segment with CBS Dallas-Ft. Worth
(KTVT-TV). The two-minute feature aired on the station’s 6 p.m. newscast on Earth
Day and focused on the <a href="https://recycle.trex.com/">NexTrex recycling
program</a> as a way to responsibly dispose of plastic bags and film. The
segment featured an interview with Dave Heglas, senior director of materials management
for Trex, who discussed Trex’s green values and noted the types of plastic materials
that can be recycled into Trex decking.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">For a local angle, we coordinated an on-site b-roll shoot
at a local participating NexTrex retail recycling location, where residents can
dispose of their plastic waste. Additionally, we shipped Trex decking samples
to the producer to show on camera and visually bring the story full circle from
recycling to finished product.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">The CBS segment can be viewed on the station’s website, <a href="https://dfw.cbslocal.com/video/5516430-what-plastic-bags-are-recyclable-and-where-do-you-take-them/"><b>here.</b></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b> </b></span>Other
high-profile coverage garnered for Trex on Earth Day included <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/life/2021/04/22/meadow-brook-hall-rochester-and-new-spring-tour-available/7285087002/"><b>The
Detroit News</b></a>, which featured a <a href="https://recycle.trex.com/view/educate#materials1">list of accepted
plastics</a> for recycling into Trex composite decking and linked to a list of
participating retail locations.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bonus Trex “Green” Fun Facts:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Trex uses more than <b>1.5 billion</b> plastic bags each
year to make its eco-friendly outdoor living products.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Trex has <b>never</b> cut down a single tree to make its
products.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">An average <b>500-square-foot</b> composite Trex deck may
contain approximately <b>140,000 recycled</b> plastic bags.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">A standard <b>16-foot </b>Trex composite deck board
contains recycled material from approximately <b>2,250 plastic bags</b>.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">LCWA looks forward to continuing to grow awareness of
Trex’s green story, sustainable values, and recycling programs as we work with
the company to celebrate Earth Day, every day!</span></p><p></p>Anna Figyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09131416621428278422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-73173992373052330122021-04-27T14:54:00.006-05:002021-04-27T14:54:33.218-05:00Rethinking Internal Communications After COVID<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDLTF85-0Bw/YIhr1qXjHaI/AAAAAAAAASQ/Jo_5plcSbGobDJHH-6Sq7quUYrgc-wLQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%25285%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDLTF85-0Bw/YIhr1qXjHaI/AAAAAAAAASQ/Jo_5plcSbGobDJHH-6Sq7quUYrgc-wLQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%25285%2529.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The way companies are
communicating with employees has changed tremendously over the past year because
of COVID-19. Almost overnight,
companies were forced to adopt new communication
tools and strategies in order to reach their people with vital and up-to-date
information. With so many employees continuing to work from home, the main
function of internal communications – to engage employees, share information,
create culture and impart purpose – has never been more important.</span><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Consistency is Key</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To ensure effectiveness, </span><span class="il" style="font-family: arial;">internal</span><span style="font-family: arial;">
communication channels must reach all employees at the right time and with
the right message and content. In today's setting, employees want to know
when and where they will be receiving communications and so it’s imperative to create
a regular cadence of communications and adhere to that timetable.</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Employees also seek a sense of connection to replace
the <br />face-to-face contact we were so used to experiencing before the pandemic.
Thus, business leaders must find ways to create a virtual watercooler that
supports social connection. One way to do so is through the adoption of new
digital collaboration and communications tools and methods of professional
growth training.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Effective Audits Drive Discussion</b></span></div>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial;">An effective method to gauge employee satisfaction is
by conducting a communications audit that surveys employees about how they are
handling work in the current environment and if they require any additional
tools. Other communications tactics to further engagement and collaboration include
training or wellness webinars, mobile employee apps, instant messaging tools,
podcasts, video messages, weekly digital newsletters, lunch conferences,
virtual coffee meetings, online games, contests or challenges, gamification for
remote onboarding and employee rewards.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The coronavirus crisis is far from over and meeting
the unique challenges it poses will require companies to plan new strategies
for <span class="il">internal</span> communications. While the pandemic has
changed the way we interact and engage, efforts aimed at uniting an organization
and fostering company culture can go a long way in improving employee morale
and engagement. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Ben Arenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684237199597096420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-4360162215105089132021-04-13T10:57:00.005-05:002021-04-13T10:57:25.970-05:00Influencers: The New Age of Marketing<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2c4Mzt4lJg/YHW_R3WUvEI/AAAAAAAAAG4/Jq5afSbzrYoPfI_2IL0cYci5dLAfem_qgCLcBGAsYHQ/s940/Influencer%2BImage%2B-%2BSara%2Bblog%2Bpost.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2c4Mzt4lJg/YHW_R3WUvEI/AAAAAAAAAG4/Jq5afSbzrYoPfI_2IL0cYci5dLAfem_qgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Influencer%2BImage%2B-%2BSara%2Bblog%2Bpost.png" width="320" /></a></div>It’s no secret that influencer marketing is
on the rise. In 2019 alone, brands spent a whopping <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/influencer-marketing-report#:~:text=Here%20are%20some%20of%20the,estimates,%20based%20on%20Mediakix%20data.">$8
billion on influencers</a> by way of sponsored posts, long-term partnerships
and commission. Whether you frequent YouTube and Facebook or prefer Instagram
and TikTok, you’ll surely find yourself as a target of influencer marketing and
may not even know it. However, as PR professionals, when it comes down to actually
working with influencers as opposed to being influenced by them, brands have a<br />
few things they should keep in mind before launching a campaign. First being, not
all influencers are equal. Ranging from the top tier influencers down to the
little guys, each has their own benefits:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Mega</b> influencers are usually celebrities with an explosive
reach. However, their large audiences may be misleading and do not always
equate to high engagement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Macro</b> influencers tend to be professional social
media personalities with a niche focus. They are adept at brand partnerships
and sponsored content comes across as organic and conversational.</li><li><b>Mid-Tier</b> influencers are professionals and subject
matter experts. They are often most effective because they are big enough to be
considered influential but small enough to still engage with their audience.</li><li><b>Micro</b> influencers are highly relevant, trusted and
more relatable individuals that garner higher engagement than larger tiers of
influencers.</li><li><b>Nano</b> influencers are the smallest of the bunch, but
still powerful when used correctly. Passionate brand advocates in niche spaces.
Often have the highest rate of engagement of all influencer tiers. </li></ul><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Before choosing which type of influencer to work with, be
sure to clearly define the goals and budget of your campaign. This will help
you to decide which type of influencer will be the best fit. Mega and Macro
influencers are best equipped to drive awareness to a campaign while Mid-Tier,
Micro and Nano influencers will get their audience clicking through to links,
existing relationships and doing more research. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Once you know which type will best meet your needs and you
have a few influencers in mind, be sure to vet them prior to making the
partnership final. Following the below criteria can help to ensure your
campaign gets you the most bang for your buck: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Check the influencer’s metrics to see how many followers or
subscribers they have and to check that their followers are genuine. </li><li>See if their content aligns with your messaging. </li><li>Take a look at their last few months of content to see if
their audience interacts with the content. </li><li>Check to see if their content seems authentic. </li><li>Consider the cost of the influencer partnership to ensure it
is within budget and will add value.</li></ul><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Once you’ve vetted the influencers and have picked who you
want to work with, be sure to clearly define and communicate your goals and
expectations with them. The best way to ensure all parties know what is
expected from them is to create a contract with all of the campaign details,
expectations, key messaging and price. Sharing a key messaging document is essential
so the influencer is clear on what main talking points to hit on and is aware
of any verbiage or topics to avoid.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, working with influencers is a great way to maximize
exposure for a campaign. Once the influencer posts the content, your work isn’t
done. Be sure to check and see how well the post performed and keep the metrics
in mind for the future. And, always leave the door open for future collaboration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>Sara Tatayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394919502263276590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-10909169758607837012021-03-30T10:05:00.007-05:002021-03-30T10:08:52.260-05:00Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Starts 2021 with Massive Media Month<p></p><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ASOHpK9_OY/YGM-FU857nI/AAAAAAAAAEk/Zb1qayjw8m4mgMj-laX0Y1QRAMF-aZgOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s417/PFF%2Bblog.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="417" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ASOHpK9_OY/YGM-FU857nI/AAAAAAAAAEk/Zb1qayjw8m4mgMj-laX0Y1QRAMF-aZgOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PFF%2Bblog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We helped our client the <a href="https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/">Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF)</a> bring
awareness to the devastating lung disease affecting more than 200,000 Americans
with a total of over <b>92.6 million impressions</b> garnered in January. Below
are a few stories and highlights from coverage secured throughout the month using
a multifaced media approach. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Feature Stories Drive Awareness<br /></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A byline article by Dr. Sonye Danoff, Senior Medical Advisor for
the PFF Care Center Network, shared advice on how patients can pinpoint pulmonary
fibrosis (PF) symptoms and talk to their doctors in the new year. The byline
article was published via </span><a href="https://hubpages.com/health/Resolve-to-talk-to-your-doctor-in-the-New-Year"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">HubPages</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and the
pitch was distributed via Newswise and to national consumer health media.
Outlets including </span><a href="http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/doctor0/Resolve-to-Talk-to-Your-Doctor-in-the-New-Year.shtml"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Health
News Digest</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and </span><a href="https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2138205389850/resolve-to-talk-to-your-doctor-in-the-new-year"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">News Break</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> published
stories on the guidance. In a </span><a href="https://player.siriusxm.com/enhanced-edp/page-name%3Dedp_show_enhanced&showGuid%3Dc5cc6932-7603-4ea1-9d6f-e7fab3525d98&channelGuid%3D97548371-5133-a4c6-373f-801a18dc3237"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">SiriusXM
Doctor Radio</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> interview, Dr. Danoff discussed PF signs and symptoms, with
emphasis on how a chronic cough can be a sign of something serious like PF.<br /><o:p></o:p></span>Later in the month, a story idea highlighting smoking as a PF risk
factor and leveraging the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Smoking Cessation
was distributed and pitched to national health media. The pitch generated
extensive coverage from outlets including <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-01-29/another-deadly-disease-for-smokers-pulmonary-fibrosis">U.S. News
& World Report</a>, <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-01-deadly-disease-smokers-pulmonary-fibrosis.html">Medical
Xpress</a>, <a href="https://consumer.healthday.com/b-1-29-pulmonary-fibrosis-smoking-could-put-you-at-risk-for-this-deadly-disease-2650141489.html">HealthDay</a>, <a href="https://thehealthcast.com/cancer/another-deadly-disease-for-smokers-pulmonary-fibrosis/">The
HealthCast</a>, <a href="http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Disease_420/Smokers-You-re-at-Risk-for-This-Disease.shtml">Health
News Digest</a> and <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=251548">MedicineNet</a>.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b>News Garners Coverage<br /></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A press release announcing United Therapeutics’ sponsorship of the
PFF Registry was distributed via PR Newswire and Newswise, as well as directly
to national health trade media. The announcement was shared by multiple
outlets, including </span><a href="https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/pulmonary-fibrosis-foundation-announces-sponsorship-by-united-therapeutics/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">BioSpace</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, </span><a href="https://patientworthy.com/2021/01/21/united-therapeutics-sponsors-pff-registry/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Patient
Worthy</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, </span><a href="https://www.clinicalhearts.com/pf-foundation-patient-registry-opening-to-those-with-secondary-ph/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Clinical
Hearts</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, </span><a href="https://pulmonaryhypertensionnews.com/2021/01/22/secondary-ph-patients-now-invited-join-pulmonary-fibrosis-foundation-registry-united-therapeutics-new-sponsor/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pulmonary
Hypertension News</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and the </span><a href="https://www.aarc.org/an21-industry-watch/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">American Association for Respiratory
Care</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span>An additional press release about the first patient enrollment in
the PRECISIONS study was distributed via PR Newswire, Newswise and directly to
national health trade media. Stories on the announcement were published by <a href="https://rtmagazine.com/disorders-diseases/chronic-pulmonary-disorders/pulmonary-fibrosis/studying-precision-medicine-for-pulmonary-fibrosis/">RT
Magazine</a>, <a href="https://ritzherald.com/first-patient-enrolls-in-precisions-study-for-treatment-of-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis/">Ritz
Herald</a>, <a href="https://psychiatryintel.com/first-patient-enrolls-in-precisions-study-for-treatment-of-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis/">Psychiatry
Intel</a> and <a href="https://www.stemcellsciencenews.com/pulmonary-cell-news/page/3/">Stem Cell
Science News</a>, among others. Dr. Kevin Flaherty, Steering Committee Chairman for
the PFF Care Center Network and PFF Registry, also completed a video interview
with <a href="https://acrpnet.org/2021/01/25/acrptv-spotlight-on-the-impact-of-precision-medicine-in-clinical-trial-development/"><span color="windowtext" style="text-decoration-line: none;">ACRPtv</span></a>, where he
discussed the role precision medicine played in developing the clinical trial.<br />We were thrilled to kick off 2021 with a fantastic month of media
coverage for the PFF, and look forward to another successful year of driving
awareness of this serious disease</span>.</div>Anna Figyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09131416621428278422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-26114682207474624552021-03-16T11:36:00.002-05:002021-03-16T11:36:52.927-05:00Adapting to Virtual Events<p>Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many physical
spaces have been replaced by virtual ones. Thousands of companies have
reinvented their in-person trade shows, meetings and conferences as virtual
programs this year. According to recent <a href="https://d.wildapricot.net/docs/e-books/virtual-event-research-report.pdf?nvk_fs=1&eid=aed1de5913ec42c07a98a7ba026a814b&nvk_nc=1&iid=117536&form_name=The%2B2020%2BVirtual%2BEvents%2BResearch%2BReport%2Bfor%2BMembership%2BOrganizations&rql_name=Pre-subscriber&contact_rql_name=Pre-subscriber">survey
data</a>, the number of organizations planning a virtual event doubled in 2020,
and 81% of event organizers said they plan to shift to digital events in the
future. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-embq_GPLQBw/YFDektsgbpI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/ThyapYl_I9EwwHXnjUXZm4-mBrtIFrnMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%25284%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-embq_GPLQBw/YFDektsgbpI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/ThyapYl_I9EwwHXnjUXZm4-mBrtIFrnMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%25284%2529.png" /></a></div><br />This dramatic shift has had a significant impact on PR professionals
who typically rely on large in-person events, such as trade shows, to generate
buzz for new products or corporate announcements and to build important media
relationships that will result in ongoing press coverage.<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Here are some events that will continue to be virtual in
2021 and beyond, with tips for how we can adapt as PR pros:</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Trade Shows</b> – Most trade shows took place virtually
in 2020 and early in 2021. In the absence of physically greeting and guiding
reporters on-site, we can adapt by creating a curated agenda based on their
beat and interests that can be shared with them virtually. This can include key
spokesperson meetings, speaking sessions and virtual booth activity links for
them to tune in and experience in real time.</li><li><b>Product Launches</b> – The pandemic may have largely
cancelled in-person events for the time being, but many companies are finding
that virtual product launches and social media events offer additional benefits
by allowing them to connect to a larger audience at a fraction of the cost – at
a time when people are hungry for new products and an escape from the news. A
virtual launch event can introduce your product to a global audience – a huge
advantage over physical events – and can then increase prospective customers,
while also allowing you to obtain measurable insights about the attendees and
enable you to conduct the event with low overhead. </li><li><b>Press Conferences</b> – Hosting a virtual press
conference allows information to be distributed and questions to be asked in a
remote setting, all while maintaining a face-to-face relationship with key
stakeholders and journalists. It also doesn’t require that media travel, which
can make it more likely that they attend, and virtual break-out rooms provide
the opportunity for private one-on-one follow-ups with executives and members
of the media in a far more manageable way than it would be in-person.</li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">While virtual events present new challenges, they also
offer new benefits. A 2020 <a href="https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2020/05/are-virtual-events-here-to-stay-infographic.html">survey</a>
found that 86% of the people who attended virtual events reported higher or
equal levels of engagement compared to in-person events, and 50% of virtual
events attendees engage using social media, compared to just 16% at in-person
events. With so many events occurring virtually, it’s essential that communicators
evolve our strategies to match the changing events landscape. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>Abigail Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11817025347891275739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-71703142783090442712021-02-23T09:38:00.007-06:002021-02-23T09:38:57.331-06:00Trex Leverages Influencer Dream Deck to Garner Consumer Coverage Amidst COVID-19<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAmH9ZAhcsc/YDUhWKCWZHI/AAAAAAAAAEY/IX1UlJquLBIdW0Nq4nzQTgbtMpr7YhpsgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/Trex%2BEvette%2BRios.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAmH9ZAhcsc/YDUhWKCWZHI/AAAAAAAAAEY/IX1UlJquLBIdW0Nq4nzQTgbtMpr7YhpsgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Trex%2BEvette%2BRios.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">We work with our client, Trex Company, to fill the media pipeline
with relevant and inspiring outdoor living content throughout the year. Keeping
the brand top-of-mind among homeowners, while reinforcing the brand’s position as
a leader among trade professionals, our PR program equips media with outdoor
living ideas, approachable DIY tips and aspirational imagery.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />An integral component of our program is partnering with
established influencers, entrusting them to confidently amplify and adapt Trex’s
brand messaging into approachable content for their followers. One such
influencer, Evette Rios, has provided unparalleled value to our program. A
proud Latina, TV personality, DIYer and lifestyle expert, her public persona and
relationship with home and lifestyle media directly aligned with Trex’s consumer
initiatives.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />To launch our partnership, we collaborated with Evette to
build the deck of her dreams – a modern addition to her vacation home in the
Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Complete with an outdoor kitchen, firepit,
swim spa and dining area, Evette envisioned a space where she and her family
could make the most of an extended outdoor living season, from early spring to
late fall. Partnering with TrexPro Garloff Carpentry, Evette detailed the
design and build process on her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwcy4eR8M3U">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCpN9P9AT8i/">social media</a> and <a href="https://www.evetterios.com/blog">blog</a>, providing her followers with
candid insights (and plenty of laughs!) along the way.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />The completion of Evette’s deck coincided with the beginning
of the coronavirus pandemic, as people reimaged how they spend time and
interact with their outdoor living spaces. Given her deck’s expansive spaces
for relaxing, cooking and socializing, we pitched Evette’s deck to consumer
media as the ultimate COVID-19 oasis, perfect for an outdoor office (featured
on <a href="https://www.today.com/video/how-to-move-your-home-office-outside-85144645792">TODAY</a>),
recess for her sons, and al fresco cooking and dining for her family.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />In addition to TODAY, proactive media outreach garnered the
attention of other national media outlets, including <a href="https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/home-makeovers/a34847840/evette-rios-deck-renovation/">HouseBeautiful.com</a><span class="MsoHyperlink">,</span> which called her deck renovation, “the ultimate
quarantine project,” highlighted Trex decking and Trex Outdoor Kitchens and reinforced
Evette’s synergy with the brand as being based in a passion for sustainability
– a critical message for Trex and eco-conscious consumers. Most recently, Evette’s
deck was featured in an 8-page spread in the Winter/Spring 2021 issue of <u>Rachael
Ray in Season</u> (available now in print). Showcasing the deck as an elevated,
“treehouse” space, Evette positioned Trex decking as a weather-resistant,
low-maintenance “game-changer,” while humorously noting that her indoor wooden
floors are often more problematic than her composite deck.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Our partnership with Evette has delivered a considerable ROI
for Trex, having secured print, digital, social and television placements
throughout the build process – from design to completion. We look forward to
cultivating relationships with more influencers, both domestically and internationally,
to expose Trex to a wider audience and further solidify the brand as the undisputed
leader in high performance, low maintenance outdoor living products.</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Nicholas Heimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865609815919696734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-33147155073380835992021-02-12T09:58:00.006-06:002021-02-12T09:59:12.554-06:00PR + Podcasts – A New Media Frontier <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgUHeqSb2NM/YCaleN_J19I/AAAAAAAAAEI/OwAFDzgJi5YuD9AZUE09ojGKu4SOiXoEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%25282%2529.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgUHeqSb2NM/YCaleN_J19I/AAAAAAAAAEI/OwAFDzgJi5YuD9AZUE09ojGKu4SOiXoEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%25282%2529.png" /></a></div>According to a 2020 survey conducted by Statista, 55% of
Americans state that they have listened to a podcast. Furthermore, 15% of
Americans actively listen to one or more podcasts a month. Clearly, the
platform of podcasts has become the auditory medium of choice for many. Able to
be accessed on-the-go, podcasts offer the same value proposition as many
streaming serv<br />ices and, in most cases, are free. As consumers choose what,
when, where and how they listen, the podcast medium provides unsurpassed
engagement and listener loyalty – as PR professionals, we’re taking note.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The medium of podcasts was invented by Dave Winer in 2004.
Dubbing it, “RSS-to-iPod internet radio,” users could download episodes of his
blog to their devices for later listening. Noticing the platform’s pickup,
Apple launched a “Podcasts” portal in iTunes in 2005, becoming the dominant
distributor of podcasts – a title it keeps to this day. Today, Spotify, Apple
and Stitcher have evolved to become the “Big Three” distributors of over 34 million
podcast episodes in over 100 languages.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There’s no doubt about it - podcasts are doing something
right. The success of the podcast platform is centered around integration. Podcasts integrate sponsorship segments into the natural
flow of the episode:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The host of the podcast often delivers the sponsored
segment, without a jarring transition to a commercial break (think radio, TV)</li><li>The host vets the products to ensure that they are relevant
to listeners</li><li>Ads are sold in quick-hit :30 and :60 second timeslots</li></ul><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Podcast integration with music streaming services provide
many touchpoints, conducive to listenership loyalty:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Phone notification </li><li>E-mail notification</li><li>Lock screen notification</li><li>In-app notification</li></ul><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The numbers speak for themselves. According to eMarketer,
listeners report greater trust in podcast advertisements (18%) than radio
(10%), higher brand and message recall in podcasts (18%) than radio (11%) and
greater enjoyment in podcasts (20%) than radio (11%).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, podcasts are able to provide potential sponsors
with vast listenership data, making possible a new frontier of niche content.
For example, consider welding. A pitch for a radio show based on welding would
not be successful – why would welding-specific advertisers back a show on FM
radio? On the other hand, a welding podcast can approach prospective sponsors
with concrete listenership and demographic numbers, demonstrating measurable
ROI while providing relevant content to the welding community.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Podcasts continually seek thought leadership from both
for-profit companies and non-profit organizations to fuel content creation.
While it can be hard to source podcast opportunities, we’ve enjoyed exploring
PodcastClout, a Cision-like software that’s perfect to start outlining a
podcast PR strategy. In addition, Facebook Groups, long known to be an
influencer-sourcing platform, are now abuzz with podcast opportunities, both
seeking guests and looking to be placed.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The golden age of podcasts is here – and we can further fuel
it. As public relations professionals, it is critical that we be the bridge
between our clients and such opportunities, and further integrate podcasts into
the larger PR strategy. </p>Nicholas Heimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865609815919696734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-9469688585572115702021-02-02T12:24:00.002-06:002021-02-02T12:24:17.085-06:00Celebrities Give the Gift of Outdoor Living to Deserving Friends<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b-YIw7E6wPM/YBmYiNThiJI/AAAAAAAAAF4/Tm-kIFQkb0MAil1AMv4DayyQW167iJ40ACLcBGAsYHQ/s590/lcwa%2Bblog%2Bpost%2Bhgtv%2Bceleb%2Biou.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="590" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b-YIw7E6wPM/YBmYiNThiJI/AAAAAAAAAF4/Tm-kIFQkb0MAil1AMv4DayyQW167iJ40ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/lcwa%2Bblog%2Bpost%2Bhgtv%2Bceleb%2Biou.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s never too early to begin planning for outdoor living
season and our client, <a href="https://www.trex.com/">Trex Company</a>, is on
the radar of many after being featured in two star-studded episodes of HGTV’s
“Celebrity IOU.” Fans of the Property Brothers, actor Justin Hartley of “This
is Us,” and Rainn Wilson, better known as Dwight Schrute from “The Office,”
tuned in recently to see their favorite stars renovate homes for their loved
ones, complete with outdoor oases.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">By providing their famous low-maintenance, high-performance
composite decking for the episodes, Trex was able to gain major exposure on
multiple media platforms, which is crucial at a time when outdoor living is
skyrocketing. Both episodes had a combined audience of more than <b>6.2 million</b>
<b>people</b> who learned about the benefits of composite decking and saw the
beauty it can add to an outdoor space. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">But Trex’s exposure wasn’t done there. For the viewer’s
convenience, “Celeb IOU” publishes a Resource Guide on the Property Brothers’
website which includes product details for each episode, making it easy for
viewers to replicate the beautiful spaces in their own homes. The Trex decking
used in both the <a href="https://thescottbrothers.com/episodes/celebrity-iou-203-justin-mat/">Justin
Hartley</a> and <a href="https://thescottbrothers.com/episodes/celebrity-iou-204-rainn-leslie/">Rainn
Wilso</a><span class="MsoHyperlink">n</span> episodes was featured in the
respective Resource Guides, giving the brand some extra love for supplying the
decking. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The cherries on top of this partnership were two social
media posts (see <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJpd6qIAsZn/">here</a> &
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJXcE5gJEei/">here</a>) that appeared on
the Property Brothers’ Instagram page, reaching an additional <b>1.8 million people</b>!
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Overall, this high-profile collaboration delivered
tremendous ROI by <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>garnering valuable
third-party endorsements and helping Trex to reach new audiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Sara Tatayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394919502263276590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-6162961493021713302021-01-27T14:58:00.005-06:002021-01-27T14:59:46.361-06:00Benefits of Social Listening Tools<p></p><p style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V4t8LUczIGk/YBHTcOstV3I/AAAAAAAAARk/f88PA-l7tC8OsYpV4q63QYRqtytDCNGzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%25281%2529.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V4t8LUczIGk/YBHTcOstV3I/AAAAAAAAARk/f88PA-l7tC8OsYpV4q63QYRqtytDCNGzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%25281%2529.png" /></a></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">As you’ve likely observed, </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://sproutsocial.com/social-listening/"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #111111; text-decoration-line: none;">social listening</span></a></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> is a growing trend. And, it’s
here to stay. Why? Because we’re capable of learning more than ever by tracking
consumers’ behavior online. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">By listening to the online
universe, brands can obtain insights from consumer conversations and collect
data on themes, trends and behaviors to accomplish a number of objectives.</span></div></span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #111111;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Social
listening” is the practice of tracking for online mentions of your brand and topics
important to your brand (via campaign hashtags or industry keywords, for
example), and then analyzing those comments and conversations for insights to identify
opportunities to act.</span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #111111;">To help with
this process, there are a number of social listening tools that have been
introduced to the market. The biggest advantage of using these tools is their
ability to capture posts and comments that mention a brand without directly tagging
it. According to Brandwatch, </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/marketing-dark-matter-social-media-and-the-number-96/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #111111; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">96%</span></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #111111;"> of conversations about brands happen outside
official brand channels and without tagging the brand in question. Without
tagging, these kinds of mentions will not be identified by standard monitoring
tools.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #111111; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial;">Here are
a few other key reasons you should consider employing social listening tools:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial;">Brand
Sentiment</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial;">Social
listening tools collate online chatter and provide an analysis – sometimes
called opinion mining – by digging into word choice and context, primarily
through algorithms or filters. Most tools group the search results into
positive, negative or neutral categories, and many will go further by providing
audience segmentation. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial;">As you
monitor online conversations over time, such as investigating spikes in
positive or negative sentiment, you will gain insights into how your messaging
can influence the way followers feel about and interact with the brand or
product.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial;">Let’s
say, for example, that you track overall positive social sentiment about the
technical specifications of a new product, but users often share negative
comments in feeds about the look of the product. This insight can be shared
with R&D to help revamp the design. Social listening can even help you
understand how moves you’re making offline are resonating in the social media sphere.
For instance, consumers may respond on Twitter to a TV ad (especially during
big events like the Super Bowl or Oscars), or post on Facebook about customer
service received at a brick-and-mortar location.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial;">Competitor
Analysis</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Beyond consumers, you can also learn what your competitors are
up to in real-time. Creating alerts to monitor competitors allows you to
measure sentiment for them the same way you would measure for your own brand(s).
You can, for example, keep an eye out for positive mentions to find inspiration
and negative mentions to generate sales leads. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-family: arial;">This is an area where different social listening tools can
really stand out depending on what your goals are. Are you focused on
particular platforms? Are you more concerned with social share of voice or who
has better SEO? Is your priority product development? Do you want to track
advertising campaigns?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial;">With most tools, you can analyze competitors’ profiles
on social platforms via metrics such as engagement, growth of fans,
interactions, popular hashtags and more. Downloadable, and sometimes
customizable, reports provide detailed charts and graphs to compare performance.
From an SEO standpoint, there are even tools that allow you to determine
competitors’ website referral traffic, backlinks and targeted keywords.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-family: arial;">User-generated
Content <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #111111; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) is an affordable and effective
approach that could mean less money spent on stock photos or asset creation,
and more budget for PR and marketing tactics. One key benefit of social
listening tools is that they make it easier to </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black;">find customer photos, videos
and testimonials.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #111111; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Several
tools allow you to easily invite your customers to share their experiences with
your products and brands, display that UGC on your website and social channels,
and even track performance metrics across all channels. If you are seeking
assets for use beyond the web in perpetuity, some tools will auto-generate
direct messages to request usage rights and notify you when the content creator
confirms.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Even more,
some social listening tools have advanced image recognition technology,
offering the ability to identify brand logos or other visual cues. Up to 80% of
images don’t mention the brand in captions or other text, so these AI
capabilities provide a great way to capture posted photos you may have
otherwise missed. Keep in mind that your product must have a strong visual
component, such as a brand logo that is front and center, like on a Starbucks
cup. While these features come with a bigger price tag, it can be worth the
investment if amassing quality visuals is important for your brand initiatives.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: arial;">Influencer
Engagement</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Social listening tools can help identify the users with clout
and audience followings in a given topic area and provide engagement features to
help turn them into brand ambassadors. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-family: arial;">But note, social listening tools are best for finding nano- and micro-influencers.
If you are looking for professional social media personalities with a niche
focus, there are alternative tools that focus specifically on influencer
vetting and management. When it comes to social media listening, you are
looking for brand mentions (tagged or untagged), and it’s rare to find professional
influencers mentioning a brand without a sponsorship.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #111111;">What you will find via social listening tools are organic </span><a href="https://blog.hootsuite.com/community-management-tip-brand-advocacy-program/"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #111111; text-decoration-line: none;">brand advocates</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #111111;"> – i.e. people who already love your brand and are saying great
things about you on social media. Basically, social listening tools allow you
to accelerate native searches. By setting up filters in advance, hashtag search
results are better organized and scalable to allow you to spend more time on
influencer engagement instead of searching.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">These four
benefits only scratch the surface on the many advantages that social listening
tools can bring to a PR or marketing campaign. The best tool for your brand
ultimately depends on your goals. Once you define your key objectives, you can determine
the best tool for the job.</span></p><br /><p></p>Lindsey Lucentahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033495005153056167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-64723320797653384302021-01-21T10:39:00.001-06:002021-01-21T10:49:29.726-06:00AASM Outlines the Impact of the Night Cap<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Find yourself pouring a nightcap to help you fall asleep?
You’re not alone – in fact, a recent <br /><a href="https://j2vjt3dnbra3ps7ll1clb4q2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sleep-prioritization-survey-2020-elimination-seasonal-time-changes-results.pdf">survey</a>
from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (<a href="https://aasm.org/">AASM</a>)
found that 68% of Americans have lost sleep due to drinking alcohol past
bedtime.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDyxfQv6xMQ/YAmwg8-cXEI/AAAAAAAAADk/Ar962ljCZIoFmByt8jkqQAUotufX85I0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s334/AASM%2BAlcohol%2Bgraphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="334" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDyxfQv6xMQ/YAmwg8-cXEI/AAAAAAAAADk/Ar962ljCZIoFmByt8jkqQAUotufX85I0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/AASM%2BAlcohol%2Bgraphic.png" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">As the holidays tend to be a time when alcohol consumption
rises, LCWA helped the AASM drive attention to this timely statistic in a pitch
which outlined the consequences of alcohol consumption upon sleep, which
include:</span><p></p><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The triggering
of new sleep disorders or exacerbation of existing ones, including
insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Excessive
relaxation of the muscles in the head, neck and throat, which may
interfere with normal breathing during sleep<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Frequent
need to get up and go to the bathroom, especially disruptive during the
second half of the night<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Increased
risk for parasomnias including sleep walking and sleep eating<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">To support these findings and encourage the public to kick
off the New Year right, the pitch also included tips to minimize alcohol’s
effect on sleep:</span></p><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Allow
three to four hours between drinking and bedtime: </b>If you have a
nightcap right before bed, you may not sleep very deeply because as
alcohol starts to metabolize, the sedative effect wears off.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Stay
hydrated and drink water: </b>Try and drink two glasses of water for
every alcoholic drink. This will help your system flush out the alcohol.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Avoid
bubbly drinks:</b> Bubbles can cause bloating and gas, so consider
avoiding fizzy and carbonated drinks.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Eat
a light snack before bed:</b> Food delays how quickly you absorb
alcohol, which can help lower your blood alcohol content (BAC).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">LCWA distributed the pitch via Newswise and pitched directly
to national consumer and health media. As a result of our outreach, coverage
garnered over <b>22 million impressions</b> with notable placements in <a href="https://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/hd/99787">Doctor’s Lounge</a>,
<a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-11-booze-americans.html">Medical
Xpress</a>, <a href="http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/alcoholism%20issues0/68-of-Americans-Lose-Sleep-to-Drinking-Alcohol-Survey-Says.shtml">HealthNewsDigest</a>,
<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-11-28/booze-robbing-many-americans-of-their-sleep">U.S.
News & World Report</a>, <a href="https://consumer.healthday.com/b-11-20-booze-robbing-many-americansof-their-sleep-2648954915.html">HealthDay</a>
and <a href="https://www.yourstephenvilletx.com/story/lifestyle/food/recipes/2020/12/01/food-thought-how-build-your-tolerance-spicy-foods/6465779002/">The
Empire-Tribune</a>.<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span>These results, compounded
with alcohol’s increased usage amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, suggest that
alcohol’s relationship with sleep is a topic of interest for the media and
American public.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Nicholas Heimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865609815919696734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-12154489666865657932020-12-09T14:51:00.005-06:002020-12-09T14:51:37.435-06:002020: Media Monitoring to Drive Business Direction<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YnAWBfGRacg/X9E4qhqYXiI/AAAAAAAAAMw/xk_aV5WX5NU8kSLdsBlkkVv1dQ_nK4eDwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/media%2Bmonitoring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YnAWBfGRacg/X9E4qhqYXiI/AAAAAAAAAMw/xk_aV5WX5NU8kSLdsBlkkVv1dQ_nK4eDwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/media%2Bmonitoring.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Media relations remains a key offering at LCWA. Over the
years we have keenly observed and adapted to the changing media landscape and
the many technologies that allow us to track media coverage from all over the
world. Long gone are the days of receiving hand-cut paper clippings, as we did
when I started my career. My, how times have changed!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Times changed again dramatically this year. As extensions of
our clients’ internal brand and marketing teams, we were called upon not only
to maintain our media monitoring and social listening, but also to observe and
report on the pandemic and its potential effects on clients’ business
operations. COVID-19 has disrupted personal and professional lives, of course,
and it also has taken its toll on supply chains and staffing, requiring large
and small companies alike to pay attention to data like never before. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">How
many hospital beds are available in the location where a major client
facility processes orders? <o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Will
the local, state or federal government shut down activity where our
client’s factory is located? <o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Can
people travel to/from a particular region?<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">How
will local shutdowns affect restaurants, events and destinations relevant
to our clients and audiences? <o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to extensive resources – including local departments
of public health, major media coverage, universities and our own Public
Relations Global Network (PRGN) partners on the ground, we have been able to
deliver extremely meaningful reports to clients as they navigate the COVID-19
crisis and pivot operations accordingly. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">This level of information has been of the utmost importance
to leadership and operations teams as they determine business strategies, and
the LCWA team is thankful for its ability to play a role in this effort. </span><o:p></o:p></p>Tim Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16057534011351146767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-12312946123419144242020-12-01T15:59:00.004-06:002020-12-01T16:01:02.177-06:00As Seen on @bookswithgail – A New Perspective on Influencer Marketing<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C5M5LpbMeBA/X8a8V21yQxI/AAAAAAAAADk/G0PZOSxn-cMQUivHxrbkQlAGqmyP9l6-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s826/bookswithgail1.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="446" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C5M5LpbMeBA/X8a8V21yQxI/AAAAAAAAADk/G0PZOSxn-cMQUivHxrbkQlAGqmyP9l6-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bookswithgail1.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve loved books for as long as I can
remember. A typical week for me includes reading </span><span style="font-family: arial;">anywhere between two to five
books, so I frequently receive requests for book recommendations from those
around me and happily oblige in sharing my favorites. Over the summer, as
quarantine boredom hit an all-time high, I decided on a whim to create an Instagram
account dedicated to sharing my book reviews. I named it “@bookswithgail” and
figured a handful of friends and family members would be interested in
following the account for a convenient way to find new reads. When I created
the account, I never imagined it would grow to have a following of more than 2,600
bookworms in just four months. </span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Managing </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bookswithgail/" style="font-family: arial;">@bookswithgail</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> has become a
hobby that I am so passionate about. Along with reaching thousands of
followers, I’ve received dozens of books gifted by pu</span><span style="font-family: arial;">blishers, and even started
a book club (virtually for now, of course) with some amazing fellow “bookstagrammers”
in Chicagoland. The account has not only allowed me to connect with other book
lovers, but also with some of my favorite authors. Many authors love connecting
with readers over social media and will often comment on and share my posts about
their books, which has been a huge highlight of the experience.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1IUHLHSyG8A/X8a8k4zZCVI/AAAAAAAAADw/gtbPg7eMDcMPodYJmeEeY2iRnWCjaSHtgCLcBGAsYHQ/s719/bookswithgail2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="435" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1IUHLHSyG8A/X8a8k4zZCVI/AAAAAAAAADw/gtbPg7eMDcMPodYJmeEeY2iRnWCjaSHtgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bookswithgail2.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />As an assistant account executive at LCWA,
I love working with influencers for our clients. Running my book Instagram has afforded
me valuable insight into the “other side” of influencer marketing. Usually, I’m
the publicist reaching out to influencers with whom we want to partner. But now
– thanks to @bookswithgail – I get to play both roles and I’m also on the
receiving end of those requests, working with publishing houses to review books
and post about them before they’re published.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">Running @bookswithgail provided me with a fun, creative
outlet during a global pandemic, and it’s also given me unique insights into
influencer relations. Getting to experience the partnerships from both sides
has made me better both as a PR professional and as a book reviewer. I look
forward to continuing to use this experience as a “boots-on-the-ground” way to
improve influencer programs I work on in the future! </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>Abigail Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11817025347891275739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-54681945286208463022020-11-17T15:24:00.006-06:002020-11-17T15:24:35.431-06:00AASM Experts Say Seasonal Time Changes are Losing Favor<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pJI8Hrr9pJA/X7Q_X_T-hQI/AAAAAAAAADI/yNlA0z1lyHcDYYoZuVXgIpP7i-V1GmsggCLcBGAsYHQ/s940/AASM%2Bblog%2Bpost%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pJI8Hrr9pJA/X7Q_X_T-hQI/AAAAAAAAADI/yNlA0z1lyHcDYYoZuVXgIpP7i-V1GmsggCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/AASM%2Bblog%2Bpost%2B2.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">On November 2 we turned our clocks back one-hour,
signaling the end of daylight saving <br />time. While most of us are accustomed to
the biannual time change, evidence suggests there are downfalls to the ritual
of “springing forward and falling back.” Which is why in September and October,
we helped our client the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (<a href="https://aasm.org/">AASM</a>) bring awareness to their position statement which
supports eliminating seasonal time changes for the benefit of public health and
safety. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.8780">position statement</a> outlined
the various effects of time changes, which range from increased risk of stroke
and hospital admissions to sleep loss and more, arguing that standard time more
closely aligns with the daily rhythms of the body’s internal clock.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p>T</o:p>o drive attention to the AASM’s statement, LCWA drafted
a pitch with highlighted results from the AASM’s July 2020 <a href="https://j2vjt3dnbra3ps7ll1clb4q2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sleep-prioritization-survey-2020-elimination-seasonal-time-changes-results.pdf">survey</a>,
which found that a majority of Americans (63%) are also in support of the
elimination of seasonal time changes in favor of a national, fixed, year-round
time.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">The pitch also touted that the AASM’s statement has been endorsed
by more than 20 organizations including the National Safety Council (NSC), the
National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the World Sleep Society. Legislators
have come out in support of a fixed, year-round time in recent months,
including Florida senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, who recently introduced
a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/4582?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22S.4582%22%5D%7D&s=5&r=1" target="_blank">bill</a> to keep daylight saving time in place through the
fall of 2021. The bill has been placed on the Senate calendar and remains a
timely and attention-grabbing angle as the AASM’s statement continues to gain
traction.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">LCWA distributed the pitch via <a href="https://www.newswise.com/articles/seasonal-time-changes-losing-favor-as-u-s-prepares-to-fall-back">Newswise</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"> </span>and pitched the AASM’s statement to national consumer
and health media. As a result of our direct-to-editor outreach, we secured high-impact
interviews for key AASM spokespeople with the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/sleep-daylight-saving-time-end/2020/08/28/213d3a0c-e8b8-11ea-bc79-834454439a44_story.html">Washington
Post</a> and <a href="https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20200901/sleep-society-calls-for-elimination-of-daylight-saving-time">Healio</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">The statement received extensive national coverage,
generating more than <b>280 million impressions. </b>Notable placements included: </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Online:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.insideedition.com/sleep-experts-call-for-end-of-daylight-saving-time-61686">Inside
Edition</a>, <a href="https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/936932">Medscape</a>,
<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/03/health/daylight-saving-time-sleep-wellness/index.html">CNN</a>,
<a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/ditch-daylight-saving-time-american-academy-of-sleep-medicine-urges/">CNET</a>,
<a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/steve-chapman/ct-column-daylight-saving-time-dst-november-chapman-20201007-bvl5hzv3obeutkm5bc7guwwwqq-story.html">Chicago
Tribune</a>, <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-make-case-against-daylight-saving-time-180975706/">Smithsonian
Magazine</a>, <a href="https://associationsnow.com/2020/09/daylight-saving-time-causes-more-than-grogginess-sleep-academy-says/">Associations
Now</a>, <a href="https://www.bustle.com/wellness/end-daylight-savings-time-sleep-experts">Bustle</a>,
<a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3azwzk/sleep-experts-officially-come-out-against-daylight-saving-time">Vice</a>,
<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-we-should-eliminate-daylight-savings-time-health-sleeping-habits-2020-11?IR=T&r=DE">Business
Insider</a>, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/falling-back-is-easier-than-springing-forward-heres-why">Healthline</a>,
<a href="https://www.prevention.com/life/a34329202/tips-easing-out-of-daylight-saving-time/">Prevention</a>,
<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/10/30/daylight-saving-time-2020-date-when-end-why-we-have/6076435002/">USA
Today</a>, <a href="https://consumer.healthday.com/sleep-disorder-information-33/misc-sleep-problems-news-626/most-americans-want-to-end-seasonal-time-changes-survey-762007.html">HealthDay</a>,
<a href="https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2020/10/28/21536323/daylight-saving-time-2020-ends-sunday-nov-1-falling-back">Vox</a>,
<a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/what-sleep-docs-want-you-to-know-about-turning-the-clocks-back-and-shorter-winter-days/">Everyday
Health</a> and <a href="https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20201023/most-americans-want-to-end-seasonal-time-changes-survey">WebMD</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><b style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -0.25in;">Print:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/19sjp41g2nzWRwpoUdlg0LHiBSh2Hbiqq/view?usp=sharing">St.
Louis Post-Dispatch</a>, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13pEOiP2V6g9tLT4ClW3om-S8iXjHxQyY/view?usp=sharing">The
Kansas City Star</a> and <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zajia_YPGmGIhhoKgC-RYdjrwb5l1S0C/view?usp=sharing">The
Des Moines Register</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><b style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -0.25in;">Television:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=ebd5687a-dbb2-402f-9be0-58b1f3796511">HLN</a>,
<a href="http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=87dd3164-301b-435c-96e5-3a137379fa55">WJBK</a>,
<a href="http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=a3c86b8c-22e9-4ae2-a014-2490fe162c72">KTTV</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">,</span></span> <a href="https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020/09/03/daylight-saving-time-sleep-experts/">CBS
Sacramento</a>, <a href="http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=79703cf0-3ba2-4e2f-9794-cd5d63285c3c">WGN</a>
and <a href="http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=5bea9a4e-b5ca-437e-a050-0de349e55a23">Good
Morning America</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><b style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -0.25in;">Radio:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=d014de97-97af-4c29-b337-4652a0f08658">KYW-AM</a>,
<a href="http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=82c25e44-be4f-4d3c-94de-b4e5cffb0c4d">WLS-AM</a>,
<a href="http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=6cb494ea-fabe-48d8-b49e-503001a13c3c"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">KPLA-FM</span></a><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and </span><a href="http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=ebb14e74-907c-42ac-9e66-7a3046c6c09a"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AM 900 Hamilton's News Talk
Leader (CHML)</span></a><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial;">These
results show that the debate for/against seasonal time changes continues to be
a hot topic of interest for the media and American public.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>Anna Figyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09131416621428278422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-82258998386315472642020-11-02T14:00:00.001-06:002020-11-02T14:00:02.710-06:00L.C. Williams & Associates (LCWA) Earns Spot on Forbes’ Inaugural “America’s Best PR Agencies 2021” List<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>CHICAGO (Nov. 2, 2020) – </b>Chicago PR agency <a href="http://www.lcwa.com">L.C. Williams & Associates (LCWA)</a> has been
named to <b><i>Forbes’</i> </b>first-ever ranking of the 200 best public
relations agencies in America. LCWA is a mid-sized communications and digital
marketing firm with specialties in <a href="http://www.lcwa.com/specialties/home-products/">home and housewares</a>, <a href="http://www.lcwa.com/specialties/healthcare/">healthcare</a>, <a href="http://www.lcwa.com/specialties/business-to-business/">B2B
communications</a> and <a href="http://www.lcwa.com/specialties/food-beverage/">food and beverage</a>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">In partnership with
market research firm Statista, <i>Forbes </i>identified the best PR firms in
America through a survey of more than 12,700 experts and 20,500 customers who
nominated more than 5,000 firms. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/martyswant/2020/10/27/meet-americas-best-pr-agencies-2021/#5be4329a3ef1">Click here</a> to see
the full list.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">“We are honored to be included in this inaugural list from Forbes,
which was created with input from industry experts and actual customers,” said Kim
Blazek Dahlborn, president and CEO of LCWA. “Reputation is such an important
factor in our business. We are thrilled that our happy clients continue to
spread the word about LCWA’s high-quality work and meaningful results.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">LCWA shares this honor with eight of its <a href="http://www.prgn.com">Public Relations Global Network</a> (PRGN) PR
affiliates: <a href="http://www.threeboxstrategic.com">Three Box
Strategic Communications</a> (Dallas), <a href="file:///C:/Users/David/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/8AFPRG30/thecastlegrp.com">The Castle
Group</a> (Boston), <a href="https://www.landispr.com/">Landis
Communications Inc.</a> (San Francisco), <a href="http://www.hoytorg.com">The Hoyt Organization</a> (Los
Angeles), <a href="http://www.conroymartinez.com">The Conroy
Martinez Group</a> (Miami), <a href="http://www.sacommunications.com">S&A
Communications</a> (North Carolina), <a href="http://www.buchananpr.com">Buchanan
Public Relations</a> (Philadelphia) and <a href="http://www.fearygroup.com">The Fearey Group</a>
(Seattle). PRGN is a leading network of more than 50 hand-selected public
relations firms servicing key markets around the world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">In making the announcement, <b><i>Forbes</i></b>
commented: “<span style="background: white;">As public relations
professionals look to navigate their clients through an uncertain, volatile and
noisy year. . . PR agencies have increasingly sought to integrate with their
clients to provide new types of information that help with both external and
internal communications.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">For more information, visit <a href="http://www.lcwa.com">www.lcwa.com</a>,
or follow LCWA Team on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LCWATeam">Facebook</a>,
<a href="https://twitter.com/LCWATeam">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lcwateam/">Instagram</a>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-family: arial;">About L.C. Williams & Associates (LCWA)</span></u></b></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;">L.C. Williams &
Associates is a mid-sized </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.lcwa.com/">Chicago PR Firm</a></span><span style="color: black;">.</span><span style="background: white; color: #a39382;"> </span><span style="color: black;">Founded in 1985, the company provides a full
range of services including brand building, media relations, social media,
influencer outreach and grassroots marketing. </span><span style="background: white; color: black;">LCWA </span><span style="color: black;">is one of the top 75 independent PR firms
in the country and one of the top ten in Chicago, according to </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/">O’Dwyer’s</a></span><span style="color: black;"> list of national, independent PR
firms. It also is ranked as one of the top three agencies specializing in </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.lcwa.com/specialties/#collapse-3">home products public
relations</a></span><span style="color: black;">, in the top 35 of
agencies working in </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.lcwa.com/specialties/food-beverage/">food
and beverages</a></span><span style="color: black;">, and the top 45 of
agencies working in </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.lcwa.com/specialties/">healthcare public relations</a></span><span style="color: black;">. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Kim Blazek Dahlbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01404342686161535753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-91928573091854953332020-10-29T15:36:00.005-05:002020-10-29T15:39:23.831-05:00Driving Awareness for Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hVCqZ6M49WY/X5snxsV8jGI/AAAAAAAAAIE/dsIWWF3R7X4b9By7MtKLuxfXou_KLegHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s684/PFF%2BPFAM%2BBlog%2BPost.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="684" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hVCqZ6M49WY/X5snxsV8jGI/AAAAAAAAAIE/dsIWWF3R7X4b9By7MtKLuxfXou_KLegHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PFF%2BPFAM%2BBlog%2BPost.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">In September, we helped our client the Pulmonary Fibrosis
Foundation (PFF) celebrate Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month to drive
awareness for this serious lung disease affecting more than 200,000 Americans. This
year presented a particularly difficult media environment, with health coverage
focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, but our team found creative ways to cut
through the clutter.</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">News Coverage<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">To kick off the month, we distributed feature articles to
media in both English and Spanish. We also sent out a <a href="https://www.newswise.com/articles/pulmonary-fibrosis-awareness-month-highlights-realities-of-rare-disease">press
release</a> about the common myths and misconceptions surrounding pulmonary
fibrosis (PF) causes, treatments, diagnoses and more. News coverage generated more
than 400M impressions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Top feature story placements included <a href="https://www.latimes.com/paid-posts/?prx_t=hxcGAoLZGA_EQQA&prx_ro=s&ntv_fr">LA Times</a>, <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/paid-posts/?prx_t=iRYGA4LBGABjQQA&prx_ro=s&ntv_fr">Chicago Tribune</a>, <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/paid-posts/?prx_t=iRYGA4LBGAeKIQA&prx_ro=s&ntv_fr">NY Daily News</a> and <a href="http://finance.azcentral.com/azcentral/news/read/40349016/know_the_facts_about_pulmonary_fibrosis" target="_blank">The
Arizona Republic</a>,
as well as pick-up in Hispanic outlets such as <a href="https://arizonahispanonews.com/consumidor-tips/20534000101/mitos-y-realidades-sobre-la-fibrosis-pulmonar/">Arizona Hispano News</a>, <a href="http://ahoranews.net/consumidor-tips/20534000101/mitos-y-realidades-sobre-la-fibrosis-pulmonar/">Ahora News</a>, <a href="http://diariohorizonte.com/consumidor-tips/20534000101/mitos-y-realidades-sobre-la-fibrosis-pulmonar/">Diario Horizonte</a> and <a href="http://laprensahispananewspaper.com/consumidor-tips/20534000101/mitos-y-realidades-sobre-la-fibrosis-pulmonar/">La Prensa Hispana Newspaper</a>.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Proactive
outreach highlighted PFF ambassadors and the importance of more awareness and
research, including placements in <a href="https://btgvoice.com/ep-133-tom-frey/">Bridge the Gap Podcast</a>, <a href="https://www.rtmagazine.com/disorders-diseases/chronic-pulmonary-disorders/pulmonary-fibrosis/pulmonary-fibrosis-awareness-month-celebrates-pf-heroes/">RT Magazine</a>, <a href="http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Disease_420/Pulmonary-Fibrosis-Awareness-Month-Highlights-Realities-of-Rare-Disease.shtml">Health News Digest</a>, <a href="https://responsumforpf.com/members/through-faith-and-attitude-a-pf-patient-and-pulmonary-fibrosis-foundation-ambassador-lives-life-on-purpose">Responsum for PF</a> and <a href="https://www.pulmonologyadvisor.com/home/topics/restrictive-lung-disease/pulmonary-fibrosis-awareness-month-spotlight-on-the-pff-care-center-network/">Pulmonology Advisor</a>.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Radio Media Tour</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">PFF medical expert Dr. Sonye Danoff got the word out
nationally in a series of radio interviews. She described the symptoms and risk
factors of PF and encouraged listeners to discuss the disease with their
physicians. Dr. Danoff completed 17 interviews, totaling 473 segment airings
with more than 29M impressions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: arial;">Web Blitz</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">For additional coverage, we submitted articles by the PF medical
team and patients to national websites, generating more than 21M impressions. Sample
articles included:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.empowher.com/community/share/my-journey-pulmonary-fibrosis">EmpowHER.com</a>:
PFF Ambassador Melissa Wheeler shared her first-hand experience with PF and her
lung transplant journey. She also encouraged women to be their own advocates and
speak to their doctors.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://patientslounge.com/conditions/My-Journey-with-Pulmonary-Fibrosis">Patient’s
Lounge</a> – PFF Ambassador Fred Schick discussed his unexpected PF diagnosis, as
well as symptoms and risk factors to look out for.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://thriveglobal.com/stories/pulmonary-fibrosis-awareness-month-shines-a-spotlight-on-largely-unsuspected-lung-disease/?utm_source=Newsletter_Transaction&utm_medium=Thrive&utm_campaign=Published">Thrive
Global</a> – PFF’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gregory Cosgrove discussed key
signs and symptoms of PF, along with how to get involved during PFAM.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://vocal.media/longevity/what-is-pulmonary-fibrosis">Vocal Media</a>
– PFF Medical Expert Dr. Joyce S. Lee defined PF and highlighted available
treatments.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://medium.com/@pulmonaryfibrosisexpert/pulmonary-fibrosis-the-unsuspected-disease-affecting-over-200k-americans-3aebcf93bb2f">Medium.com</a>
– PFF Medical Expert Dr. Sonye Danoff shared important facts about PF and ways
to spread the word in September.<br /></span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Digital Ad Campaign</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">To amplify our messaging even further, a digital ad campaign
in both English and Spanish reached key at-risk and general awareness
audiences. The ads – both in text and video formats – highlighted PF myths,
symptoms and risk factors, as well as portraits of PFF ambassadors to raise
awareness and fundraising efforts. The digital ad campaign significantly drove
clicks to AboutPF.org and AboutPF.org/Espanol, garnering 24,000 clicks and
nearly 2M impressions across Facebook and banner ads.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite a unique news cycle, we were still able to increase
awareness of PF during this important month. To learn more about PF, visit
<a href="http://www.AboutPF.org">www.AboutPF.org</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
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</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><o:p></o:p></p>Claire Vartabedianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05105798159520397960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-75134641542880342222020-10-13T11:32:00.001-05:002020-10-13T11:33:12.810-05:00Inaugural Student Sleep Health Week Paves the Way for Student Success<p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G29Mgh15AVY/X4XWHfqunMI/AAAAAAAAACs/X2Vi8eaUF6sGARYYd62xLro6l7Kxnz-1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s596/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-10-01%2Bat%2B10.44.57%2BAM.png" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="594" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G29Mgh15AVY/X4XWHfqunMI/AAAAAAAAACs/X2Vi8eaUF6sGARYYd62xLro6l7Kxnz-1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-10-01%2Bat%2B10.44.57%2BAM.png" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">From September 14 to 20, the LCWA</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><a href="www.lcwa.com" style="font-family: arial;">healthcare PR</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">team helped the</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><a href="www.aasm.org" style="font-family: arial;">American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">hold the inaugural</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><a href="http://sleepeducation.org/student-sleep-health-week" style="font-family: arial;">Student Sleep Health Week</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. Amidst a back-to-school season unlike any other, the observance amplified critical messaging surrounding student sleep health, powered by expert spokespersons, influencers, partner organizations – and even Congress!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">We kicked off the campaign by obtaining newsworthy statistics with a survey of 2,000 adults across the U.S. In the survey, over half (57%) of parents of school-age children said that they have a child or teen who does not get enough sleep on school nights. This stat, and others from the survey, were highlighted on the Student Sleep Health Week landing page and throughout content.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">To widen the campaign’s reach, we coordinated outreach to other organizations which have stakeholders in the student health and wellness arena. Signing on to support the week were <a href="https://www.schoolcounselor.org/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #0d5384;">American School Counselor Association</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">, </span><a href="http://www.ashaweb.org/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #ec7c3f;">American School Health Association</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">, </span><a href="https://www.nasn.org/home" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #ec7c3f;">National Association of School Nurses</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">, </span><a href="https://www.pta.org/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #ec7c3f;">National PTA</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">, </span><a href="https://www.nsc.org/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #ec7c3f;">National Safety Council</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">, </span><a href="https://project-sleep.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #ec7c3f;">Project Sleep</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">, </span><a href="https://www.shapeamerica.org/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #ec7c3f;">Society for Health and Physical Educators</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">, and </span><a href="https://www.sleepresearchsociety.org/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #ec7c3f;">Sleep Research Society</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Partners, along with state and county health departments, were provided toolkits including press releases, custom social media content and graphics, and copy for newsletters and websites.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">A press release highlighting the stats drove editorial media coverage, including <a href="https://www.chron.com/sponsoredarticles/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/How-healthy-sleep-can-set-students-up-for-success-15549895.php">The Houston Chronicle</a>, <a href="https://www.heraldnews.com/ZZ/sponsored/20200908/healthy-sleep-is-vital-for-school-success">The Herald News</a> and <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.seattlepi.com%2Fsponsoredarticles%2Fbusiness%2Feducation-careers%2Farticle%2FHow-healthy-sleep-can-set-students-up-for-success-15549781.php&data=02%7C01%7Ctheffron%40aasm.org%7C32e7f2a964e74b5e772d08d858ed9e75%7C046ae6d3d1b043e28584ffceeede71d5%7C0%7C0%7C637357124913917598&sdata=wV4ON%2Fxks48FfrC3pBlNzTGAMs2Dia1NPRK4ygOiDDY%3D&reserved=0">Seattle Post-Intelligencer</a>. We also placed byline articles by experts across a range of thought-leadership media outlets, including <a href="https://medium.com/@aasmsleepexpert/back-to-school-means-back-to-sleep-during-inaugural-student-sleep-health-week-350a9a46626b">Medium</a>, <a href="https://thriveglobal.com/stories/student-sleep-health-week-the-abcs-of-catching-healthy-zs/?utm_source=Newsletter_Transaction&utm_medium=Thrive&utm_campaign=Published">ThriveGlobal</a> and <a href="https://www.scarymommy.com/pediatric-sleep-specialist-your-kids-probably-arent-getting-enough-sleep/">ScaryMommy</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I9Np9030qDY/X4XVYGfeQwI/AAAAAAAAAEw/PN_J7JBuX-E83yqyZdi-90bgC9oK5yZLQCLcBGAsYHQ/s597/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-10-01%2Bat%2B10.44.44%2BAM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="594" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I9Np9030qDY/X4XVYGfeQwI/AAAAAAAAAEw/PN_J7JBuX-E83yqyZdi-90bgC9oK5yZLQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-10-01%2Bat%2B10.44.44%2BAM.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">To drive the buzz on social media, we had partnerships with 16 online influencers, who drove conversations about the benefits of student sleep with content on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/themoderndad/posts/3586691374716969">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFPYoqhl4Sq/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jjniemann/video/6873142219713432838?source=h5_m">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hMX8RV_b2E&t=315s">YouTube</a> and <a href="https://flymommychronicles.com/2020/09/18/student-sleep-q-a-with-board-certified-sleep-expert/">blogs</a>. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CFSQXs6laAP/">Instagram Live</a> interviews also drove buzz and covered a range of topics related to student sleep, from the benefits of melatonin to the importance of a consistent bed and waketime.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">This first Student Sleep Health Week will become a first annual -- Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and Congressman Rodney Davis introduced House Resolution 1103 to support that National Student Sleep Health Week be held annually during the third week of September.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">We look forward to working with the AASM to continue holding Student Sleep Health Week for years to come!</span></p>Nicholas Heimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03865609815919696734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-19513431153748184002020-10-05T12:26:00.004-05:002020-10-05T12:28:00.400-05:00Be Ready for the Unexpected This Fire Prevention Month<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMC-20sZekk/X3tXkEy8TSI/AAAAAAAAAEk/r68CaFFbaP0RD-DpvmOH9oRRDSo_TnY4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2020%2Btimes%2Bsquare%2B-%2BTK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMC-20sZekk/X3tXkEy8TSI/AAAAAAAAAEk/r68CaFFbaP0RD-DpvmOH9oRRDSo_TnY4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2020%2Btimes%2Bsquare%2B-%2BTK.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">While our client First Alert, the most trusted brand in fire
safety, works hard year-round to </span><span style="font-family: arial;">educate others about the importance of smoke
and carbon monoxide (CO) safety, First Alert’s mission becomes increasingly
important come Fire Prevention Month in October. Throughout the month, fire
departments, nonprofit organizations and other safety advocate come together to
educate the public about the importance of whole home safety.</span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The First Alert brand and PR team uses the month of October
as an opportunity to push First Alert’s smoke and CO safety messages to the
media and consumers alike. We work hard to saturate the media in a variety of
ways to deliver helpful and informative safety tips to people across the
country. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Media Relations <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">As a first step toward educating the public about the
importance of being prepared for the unexpected this Fire Prevention Month, we
issued a multi-media press release in both English and Spanish to complement a
bilingual broadcast media tour. In addition to the press release, the team also
distributed a syndicated feature story to coincide with Fire Prevention Week
but that includes tips to generate interest throughout the fall. Both releases
underscore the importance of whole home safety as we continue to spend more
time at home, and encourages readers to create an emergency preparedness plan
with their family. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Partnerships <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">October is an equally busy time for many of our non-profit
partners and media partners. Beginning in late September and throughout October
a variety of initiatives – many virtual – extend our whole home safety
messaging to audiences of all ages. Local media campaigns with TV and radio
stations reach audiences however they obtain content. And this year more than
ever our local partnerships have proven that creativity wins. The Aurora
Regional Fire Museum, DuPage Children’s Museum and other Chicagoland organizations
have worked with us to create and share content with their audiences. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Celebrity PSA<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">A cornerstone of First Alert’s Fire Prevention Month
campaign is a celebrity PSA intended to remind Americans to talk to their
families about fire safety and take key steps to help protect what matters
most. Actor Taylor Kinney, who plays a firefighter on television, as entered
millions of households with his compelling safety message. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">To learn more about First Alert and the importance of fire
safety, check out <a href="https://www.firstalert.com/firepreventionmonth/">https://www.firstalert.com/firepreventionmonth/</a>.</span></p>Sara Tatayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394919502263276590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-76769982845118240562020-09-11T15:29:00.006-05:002020-12-14T10:12:43.963-06:00LCWA Honored by PRSA Chicago and PCC<div class="separator"><p class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="937" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8EoaHX-TSE/X1vf6KsXsnI/AAAAAAAAATY/BNh2mnGKtH0GAU17t1ViRch1Lws__jSgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/pcc%2Bscreen%2Bshot%2B2.png" width="320" /></p></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: arial;">Like everything else, awards season looked quite different
this year. But Chicago’s <br />PR </span><span style="font-family: arial;">community is creative and resilient, and we were
proud to gather with our peers at two amazing </span><span style="font-family: arial;">virtual events. The </span><a href="https://prsachicago.com/" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chicago conducted its annual Skyline event earlier
this summer, and the </span><a href="www.publicity.org" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC)</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> held its Golden Trumpet
Awards last night. Adding to the fun? Winning some awards for our great client
work! We were lauded for three campaigns:</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;" type="disc"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="www.pff.org" target="_blank">Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s</a> “Not Everyone Breathes Easy” Campaign won a PRSA Skyline
Award for Integrated Marketing</span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="www.aasm.org" target="_blank">American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s</a> “Sleep Prioritization" Campaign won a PCC Silver Trumpet
for Media Relations <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="www.trex.com" target="_blank">Trex Company’s</a> “NexTrex
Gives Plastic New Life” won a PCC Silver Trumpet for Corporate Social
Responsibility <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you to these organizations for recognizing our
efforts, and to our teams and client partners for striving for excellence every
day!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Kim Blazek Dahlbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01404342686161535753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184630485683067013.post-88979877816596475772020-08-28T09:30:00.000-05:002020-08-28T10:43:24.783-05:00‘Tis (Always) the Season for Pitching<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mlx5LXpWD9g/X0gwa8WWLZI/AAAAAAAAAGI/1ji5-PnYwCYM2atUmxoFPiQ6Nbbuq5HmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Blog%2B8.27.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="793" height="166" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mlx5LXpWD9g/X0gwa8WWLZI/AAAAAAAAAGI/1ji5-PnYwCYM2atUmxoFPiQ6Nbbuq5HmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Blog%2B8.27.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We all know the goal for PR pros is to keep our clients top
of mind with reporters and editors, but it’s not as simple as blasting a general pitch every couple of weeks to the same media list. Planning is vital to
successful pitching – and a year-round seasonal pitching schedule is an
essential component of a successful media relations program. Having a well
thought out calendar of when to pitch, what to pitch and how to pitch is very
effective, and will help set you and your client up as a go-to resource for editors.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are a few tips
to help you launch a seasonal pitching program:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">What to pitch</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The goal is to have relevant and timely
pitches strategically planned throughout the entire year. Magazine editorial
calendars, typically found in the media kit or advertising section on the
publisher’s website, list topics that will be covered in each issue and can act
as a guide to crafting targeted pitches. Take note of any key focus points,
like trade shows, product launches
or events that will require media outreach. Finally, take a look at seasonal
opportunities including other recognition months and days, holidays and
important times of the year for your client’s brand or products.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">When to pitch</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Depending on the type of media outlet
you’re pitching, your lead time could range from days to weeks to even months
in advance. Make note of magazines editorial deadlines, then backtrack a few
weeks on your own calendar. While lead times vary by publication and writer, as
a general rule of thumb, our agency sticks to long lead times when pitching
media. Here’s an example: </span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Magazines: 5-6 months in advance</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Regional magazines: 3-4 months in advance</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Newspapers: 4-6 weeks in advance</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Online: 2-4 weeks in advance</span></li>
</ul>
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Whom to pitch</b><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s important to prioritize media opportunities.
If you work through all your valuable pitching opportunities for the year,
you’re bound to see some overlap. Take into consideration your goals for media
coverage for the year – whether it be national magazines, regional or local
coverage – and prioritize media opportunities based on the best fit for your
client’s news or product. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seasonal
pitching calendars can be a valuable roadmap to year-round media placements.
Keep these tips in mind while building out your calendar and you’ll have great
media opportunities and placements to share with your client in no time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Brittni Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633756753587175958noreply@blogger.com0