This post was fueled as many these days are by two things, a conversation with a client and our soon-to-be-announced new company. The client conversation was focused on her initial interest in creating a mobile app (iPhone, Droid, etc.) to help promote her organization, what it does, etc. Using this app would also help her consumers navigate her business. After doing a great deal of research in her industry, the client and her team decided not to pursue the app strategy but to instead put…
Read MoreSo you rush to meet your friends at your favorite coffee hangout and you feverishly look for your favorite mobile appendage so you can click on Facebook and check in with Facebook Places to tell them where you are so they can meet you at the table in the corner. Right? Wait, you're not doing that? Apparently you're not alone. An interesting article article from a business site out of San Francisco details all the reasons why younger folks are not using FB Places in…
Read MoreViral videos, they are the bane of the PR firm’s (yes and/or ad agencies, I admit it) existence. In this age of YouTube, Upstream, Justin.tv, etc. everyone wants to create an online video and send it into the vast viral universe. They dream that it will magically be blessed by the viral/social media gods and gain favor. They dream that each time they hit the “refresh” button the viewer numbers will be higher than the last. Then they wake up. Because the truth is for…
Read MoreMy dad died a little over a year ago, and to this day he really didn't know exactly what I did for a living. It's not that my dad wasn't smart, in fact as a small businessman he was one of the best marketers I ever met. It's just that it is very difficult to explain exactly what public relations is, especially to people who aren't marketers. Bottom line, is I'd love to have a dime for every person who after I explained to them…
Read MoreSo yesterday we had a "deck demolition." Okay, it was more of a "railing" demolition because the contractor said we needed to keep the deck intact so the real experts could take it down, but still. Here's the video of the demolition ceremony… As I've told you in past posts, we're about to add about 5,000 square feet of new and renovated space to THP to accommodate for past (four Hodgers are in a condo across the parking lot) and future growth. That demolition and…
Read MoreSaw this interesting article today as I trolled for the THP "PR story of the day" for our Facebook page. The story on Forbes.com point to the general increase of ad buys on social media platforms and specifically the increase in ad spending by major brands on Facebook. So the question is can you buy your way to "community?" It's tempting. The ability to REALLY target your audience given all of Facebook's targeting tools (age, education, keywords, etc.) is very effective. One of our clients…
Read MoreOn occasion the focus of my blog posts have been about growth, specifically about the growth of THP and where we are headed. Please indulge me on more time. Some of you in Richmond might be familiar with Steve Isaac, who himself has built a number of businesses and is currently doing the same in New Jersey. I got to know Steve briefly when he was in a leadership position at the Martin Agency and then became good friends as he helped in the growth…
Read MoreWe temporarily interrupt the regular social media-tilted programming on this blog to discuss old-fashioned media relations. I would like to introduce you to a media relations pros' best friend: The Bookstore. Most specifically, the magazine stands. You remember magazines don't you. Our old friend Sarah Marchetti (@sarahmarchetti) of Ogilvy's digital practice in D.C. chided me this week on Twitter by tweeting, "What are magazines? Are they like paper versions of blogs? Okay maybe I'm showing my age, but we all still have clients or…
Read MoreSo there I was a bachelor for the night (Kyra and the kids are in NOVA, their annual pilgrimage to the Price William County Fair) and I stumbled on a new production of Live from Lincoln Center. They were doing South Pacific with Kelli O’Hara and the closet Broadway freak that I am was ready to settle into “One Enchanted Evening.” One last Twitter check. A mad dash to the computer later and I was watching “Mark Z. and the FB’s” clad in their t-shirt…
Read MoreFrom time to time people ask me who I follow or read to learn more about the intersection of PR and social media. My answer always includes Jay Baer. Jay's "Convince and Convert" blog always has something of interest to me because he views social media through a public relations focus and always seems to be asking the same questions that I'm asking myself. The difference is Jay answers back. 🙂 Jay's latest post covers "The 8 wrong questions PR firms are asking about social…
Read MoreThe folks over at Foursquare and other geo-location applications are holding their collective breath today. It has been widely reported that tomorrow is the day that Facebook will officially announce that it will be getting into the geo-location business as well. This has been teased for months but the hope is further specific details will be released. So today is speculation day and here are some of the questions: Aside from being able to “check-in” on their mobile Facebook APPS, how will Facebook bring this…
Read MoreFull disclosure, I’ve been a Jets fan since birth. Dad had season tickets at Shea. I saw Joe Namath play. The family went to Miami so Dad could attend the Super Bowl. It’s been a long “sufferer” since then. Nuff said. So obviously, I’m hanging on every word of the very public negotiation between the Jets, owner Woody Johnson and GM Mike Tannenbaum on one side, and cornerback Darrelle Revis, the coach-proclaimed “best defensive player in the NFL.” The two sides are still miles apart…
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