Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York & Los Angeles

Jewelry Designers Look to the Past for Future Collections

2008-09-26T12:31:16Z

History Repeats itself with Archival Inspired Fine Jewelry Lines

Designers in general often look to their predecessors’ work for inspiration. This is clearly evident in a number of fine jewelry lines popping up around the world lately.

One example of this window to the past is Van Cleef and Arpels nod to a past collaboration with George Balanchine. Ballet master Balachine’s mystification by the Fifth Avenue Van Cleef and Arpels window display of rubies, diamonds and emerald was the jumping off point for collaboration between dance and precious stones in the 1960s.

New York City Ballet dancer Suzanne Farrell models Van Cleef - Arpels jewelry with Claude Arpels and George Balanchine in 1976

The result was a ballet designed by Balanchine in collaboration with Claude and Pierre Arpels called Jewels that was meant to evoke the quality of the precious stones Balanchine found so inspiring. “Jewels” now re-appears on the drawing board of inspiration for the luxury jewelry house with a line of bespoke pieces called Ballet Précieux, such as tiny ballerinas, all given the emerald, ruby and diamond treatment.

Read the complete post on our Jewelry PR blog.

Event Review: BagTrends Arm Candy Party

2008-09-26T12:17:39Z

Floating white curtains welcomed guests from busy Union Square into the tucked away handbag oasis that was the BagTrends Arm Candy Party this past Monday at the Union Square Ballroom.

The martinis were cold and the bags were hot at Pamela Pekerman's of BagTrends.com (a Pierce Mattie PR client), event; and nothing says martinis and handbags quite like Sex and The City.

Read the complete post on our Fashion PR blog The Fashion Rag.

Twilight Saga Promotes Economic Prosperity in Forks, Washington

2008-09-24T16:02:38Z

Stephanie Meyer’sTwilight series is contributing to the struggling economy in two ways: book sales and the revival of a rainy logging town called Forks, Washington.

The addictive four-book vampire love saga has been soaring the New York Times Best Sellers list for 58 weeks now and has elicited a cult-like following. Coming from someone who read the near 3,500 pages in about two weeks, these books are the perfect escape from the reality. Twilight is getting the silver screen treatment with a feature film adaptation of the first book expected in theatres in November.

The saga’s setting, Forks, Washington, is also one of the main characters in the story. Meyers’ vivid description of the town has made an estimate of 100 Twilight-obsessed tourists flock to the town each day to test the boundaries between fantasy and reality.

Before Twilight, Forks was a desolate logging town little known to many. Since logging is on the decline, businesses shut down and portions of the local high school have been condemned. Now the story of Bella Swan and her vampires and werewolves has breathed life into the town. Ironic considering vampires can’t even breathe.

Restaurants have named menu items in homage of the book and tour guides are making good money taking fans to various sites the characters in the saga visit. Bella burgers come with a side of vampire teeth (though Meyers’ vampires don’t have fangs) and hotels are seeing numbers they never imagined. A guest book holds signatures of twilighters from all over the globe including Europe, Asia, and South America.

I think it’s nice to know something as simple as words on a page can motivate people to travel despite airlines tacking on plenty of surcharges in light of this economic hiccup. Maybe there is something we can all learn from this example of economic stimulation.

Have you ever traveled to the setting of a book or movie? What is something you are so passionate about that economic threats won’t stop you from spending money on it?

Beauty PR: Real Women in the Media

2008-09-22T14:45:10Z

Branding Strategies Appeal to the Everyday Woman

As we all know, the aging baby boomers make up the majority of the consumer market. Therefore it should be no surprise that the media is chock full of messages positioned to the older or, more generally speaking, the “everyday woman.” That's why CoverGirl will be featuring comedienne Ellen DeGeneres, 49 and very “nontraditional” beauty, in an ad campaign starting January 2009.

Editor in Chief of More, a magazine for women over 40, Leslie Jane Seymour, agrees with this new positioning strategy when she told New York Times, "We don't need to see another ingénue rocking to the top--we're getting worn out by the Lindsays and Britneys, and I think we need a break."

She continued, "[Women] just want to be the best that they can be for the stage of life that they are in."

Ellen joins Queen Latifah and recent America's Next Top (Plus Size) Model Whitney Thompson in a line up of CoverGirl's quite different from the Nikki Taylor's of the 90s. These women each have characteristics more representative of the actual psycho/demographics of American women, excluding income of course.

That's where Dove takes a further step by featuring no-name women of all shapes, sizes, races and ages in their most recent integrated branding campaign. Dove skips the photoshopping portion of the editing process in ads and has a slew of events, charities, and messages etc. that affirm their “Campaign for Real Beauty.”

Dove, deliberately using the word "campaign" here, suggests that Dove is the initiator of this new found empowerment amongst women. Is it the companies and actresses who began this “everyday woman” revolution of sorts? Or did the disenfranchised women unite first causing marketers and publicists to scramble to take advantage of this sentiment? Which came first?

The first suggestion, that this is a branding-spawned positioning effort, could mean that once the media has seen enough of this strategy, unachievable ideas of beauty might resurface in an attempt to stand out amongst the soon-to-be prolific messages of "real" beauty. The second suggests that women are accepting the "skin they’re in" and changing the idea of beauty forever.

Beauty PR: YSL Launches Touche Eclat for Men

2008-09-22T13:46:23Z

Who said the metrosexual trend was dead? While the word metrosexual may be a tired and worn out term, the evolution of men using cosmetics and skin care more openly definitely is not going unnoticed by many of the leading beauty brands. Over the weekend, YSL re-launched their widely popular Touche Eclat and set their eyes squarely focused on our male counterparts. Touche Eclat, typically a cosmetic staple for women, will be fragrance-free, available in only one shade and designed for all skin types. Selfridges & Co., in the UK, will be the exclusive retailer for the product. We guarantee it will become a best seller (and rather quickly!)

Men utilizing makeup as a skin enhancer is catching on and beauty brands are cashing in. It'll only be a matter of time before the man in your life has a makeup bag of his own. And why not? Diminishing those dark circles under his eyes, hiding the crow's feet and concealing blemishes shouldn't be a beauty secret only women can keep in their arsenal.

What your viewpoint? Trend or something that will continue to catch on?

*Photo Credit: Selfridges & Co; Pictured: Stuart Pilkington of Big Brother 9

Pierce Mattie Careers: Motivating Employees Increases Productivity

2008-09-19T09:17:01Z

Recently Pierce Mattie was interviewed by Incentive Magazine on ways our firm maintains employee morale and motivates our team to give 110% to each and every client on our roster. Our Publicist of the Year award was the main focus of the interview. Read on for insight from Pierce:

Start Spreading the News: Public Relations Agencies Are Using Incentives to High Inspire Performance and Innovative Thinking from their Publicists.
Incentive Magazine September 2008
By Alex Palmer

Pierce Mattie Public Relations, based in New York City, elevates MVP-style awards to an annual event. A company of about 30 employees, specializing in fashion, jewelry and other lifestyle products, Pierce Mattie PR honors its top publicists at the end of each year for such distinctions as Best Media Placement, Best Media Event, Most Original PR Campaign, Highest Placement Frequency and the Ultimate Platinum Service Award (for the person who has throughout the year gone above and beyond the call of duty; according to CEO Pierce Mattie).

The winners are awarded American Express gift cards, iPods and, of course, recognition for having had an outstanding performance, as judged by the executive team. Mattie points out that to many of the publicists, it's this recognition that can have the longest-lasting value.

Read the complete article on our Pierce Mattie Careers blog

Runway to Change: Grassroots Effort or Total Flop?

2008-09-16T20:52:41Z

Runway to Change, a Fashion PR/Political PR type fund-raiser for Obama, took place at Charles Nolan Studios last Tuesday night. I attended and was in good company with handbag guru, Pamela Pekerman (pictured right), at what we hoped was going to be an amazing event. Prior to the event taking place, the broadcast press was covering it that morning and with the 26 incredible designers said to be taking part, we thought we were in for an amazing show.

About 400 fashion obsessed fans, some wearing "Obama Bling," stepped foot into the studio (packed like sardines) and about an hour from the original start time, Charles Nolan stood on a platform and welcomed everyone. Anna Wintour dazzled in diamonds and a gorgeous dress while Sarah Jessica Parker cheekily wore "Barack and Roll" pinned to the back of her jacket. Pamela and I made our way to the very front of the audience to hear each person speak, including Barack Obama's Deputy Campaign Manager, Steve Hildebrand. I began to (shakily) take video with my FlipCam until I was told to turn it off by someone who did not identify herself other than pointing to another young lady standing next to SJP and telling me, "She said you can't do that," (although I had cleared it with the event staff prior).

It was only once Anna Wintour and SJP spoke that I realized there would be no runway show, but that the designers involved created t-shirts and accessories that we were to purchase. I was disappointed to say the least. Fashion Week and "Runway" to Change seemed to be like a perfect fit and I was hoping to see collaborations from top designers not t-shirts and totes. Obama's grassroots efforts always seem to have a viral way about them, so it was also surprising to learn that the press was not invited to the event. With such a tight race and each speaker stressing the importance of getting people out to vote, I was floored that the importance of the media as a tool to communicate this was overlooked. Or was it?

Sometimes the best word of mouth is one of person to person and not something that is mass broadcast to both interested and non-interested parties. Perhaps the exclusivity of the event will have people buzzing and seeking out information and those that were able to attend will be telling their friends who in turn will be passing it on. So did Runway to Change create a grassroots buzz or was it a total flop? You decide.

*Photo Credit: SJP pic from Rose Apodaca (who I saw at the event in an amazing colonial flag inspired outfit--shoes included!; and Shannon Nelson

Positive PR: India's Upmarket Growth Can Benefit American Beauty Brands

2008-09-15T08:59:59Z

As I watched the news this morning about Lehman Brother's filing bankruptcy, Merrill Lynch being bought, gas prices rising and devastation costs due to Hurricane Ike and our stock market looking like it's about to hit the toilet--reading a story in Cosmetics Design Europe about India's upmarket growth in the beauty industry was a welcomed positive story. With so many foreign investors coming in and taking advantage of our down economy, why not turn the tables here and take advantage of the emerging trends overseas that can be a benefit to us here in the states?

Pierce Mattie PR loves the beauty industry and actually, if you are familiar with Pierce's bio, this is where our firm got its start in Beauty PR. So keeping up to date on emerging trends and forecasting future trends is something Pierce Mattie is well known for. In fact, at the beginning of August, Pierce was interviewed by Cosmetique News in Paris regarding Pakistan being an emerging market for men's grooming products. So I wasn't at all surprised when I read the story mentioned above from Cosmetics Design Europe reporting on India's upmarket growth potential in the personal care industry.

So how can beauty brands in the states take advantage of this potential?

]]> * Educate themselves on Indian culture and traditions.

* Learn more about why specific products have made big gains in the market there.

* Review your product line and work with your internal thinktank and PR team as the best way and which products would be most appropriate to enter the market with.

* Your company, as well as your PR firm, should be investing time into looking through the press and magazine publications that cater to this demographic to see how products are being positioned and the branding efforts involved.

Who says that because our economy here is lagging that there is nothing positive to be gained? Start casting your eyes to foreign markets, specifically Southeast Asia, to see if your business has potential for growth there.

Backstage at Style 360: Abi Ferrin

2008-09-12T13:35:30Z

Watch out New York Fashion Week, there’s a new girl in town and she’s ready to take on the city with her southern charm. I had the privilege of attending (and going backstage at) the Spring 2009 Collection for Abi Ferrin, a promising Dallas native with a great vision and immaculate execution. The show was a part of New York Fashion Week Spring 2009 Style 360 . The Elle fronted event highlights fresh design talent through runway shows that parade past a retailing suite of “innovative” brands. The event is enjoying its fifth year of success.

Read the complete post on our Fashion PR blog The Fashion Rag.

Fashion PR & Political PR Mix with Runway to Change

2008-09-05T09:08:43Z

New York Fashion Week begins today, something I certainly look forward to each season. With Mercedes Benz button-ladened site, it seems this season is all about flair. Flair in style, flair in attitude and this Tuesday night, flair for name-recognizable fashion icons supporting a Presidential candidate well known for his...flair. When I heard about Runway to Change, a major fashion event to support the Obama Victory Fund, I giggled with school-girl giddiness at the thought of being in one place with so many amazing fashion industry greats, but then I reflected more on how fashion and politics seemed to have coincided in a mutually beneficial PR effort.

Runway to Change will include special guests Anna Wintour and Sarah Jessica Parker, both obviously synonymous with style. While that alone may get the press to attend, some pretty incredible fashion designers are participating as well, such as Zac Posen, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, Isaac Mizrahi and Diane von Furstenberg (plus about 22 other designers); all headliners themselves. Specifically taking place during fashion week to draw out the hard core fashionista's (mainly due to the price tag), this fashion event is actually nothing less than what I would expect from the Obama campaign. With WWD and other fashion publications covering Michelle Obama's incredible style and the possibly wanted (but not) branding of Obama as a "rockstar," this fashion come political fund-raising event is killing two birds with one stone--PR for the designers, Wintour and Parker and PR for Obama's campaign. (Something we've been seeing more and more of lately with the fashion industry such as their love affair with reality television.)

Whether Obama wins or loses in November, one thing will be certain--he will have left an indelable mark on how future candidates will be creative in how they raise money for their campaign and seek out each and every person for their vote. We are already seeing this with his use of social media, his online presence and his PR outreach overall. Pairing up with Anna Wintour for Runway to Change is just another creative idea that further solidifies the fashionable aspect of his image.

I'll be attending Runway to Change and blogging about it further. Will you be there? And more importantly, what do you think of this fashion-political mix?

*Photo credit: MB Fashion Week

Stand Up to Cancer Fundraising Event

2008-09-04T20:40:15Z

Cancer Initiative Unites Separate Forces of Public Persuasion

Scenario: You are flipping through the channels on a Friday night and you think something is wrong with your remote as the same picture appears despite your less than ginger pressure on the channel button. If this Friday happens to be the frist one of September 2008, don’t try to replace the batteries in your remote. Stand Up to Cancer, a fundraiser for the Cancer Cure Initiative, will be appearing on CBS, NBC,and ABC. The collaboration is a first in television history.

The typical news that is worthy of a simulcast is exactly that—news. The networks are hoping simultaneously broadcasting a commercial free prime time hour of the Stand Up to Cancer fundraiser will add that same urgency and attention-grabbing quality that say, the State of the Union Address evokes (the original simulcast). The organizers of the event are positioning soft news as hard news to create awareness that starts a strong case of persuasion for the cause at hand.

Though the fundraiser doesn’t qualify under the technical definition of hard news, I do believe it is a hard piece of news to swallow when you realize each and every one of us has been touched by cancer in some way. It seems appropriate that a historic collaboration educates on a historic health epidemic.

Emphasis is being placed on the cause’s relevance and strength by bringing together many otherwise separated bold-faced names. Proving this is a cause that transcends the existing differences between public figures that are very publicly competitors:
-Fifteen of the top Divas across all genres of music (Carrie Underwood, Melissa Etheridge, and Mary J. Blidge, three of the features artists are from three drastically different music worlds) collaborated under two feuding producers to create a mega track called “Just Stand Up” that will have its live premiere during the event.
-Katie Couric, Brian Williams, and Charles Gibson might be used to sharing the same time slot but never the same frame. The three network anchors will host the event together.
Star-studded PSAs have been riding the donated airwaves of the three networks for this highly anticipated fundraising extravaganza.

The event takes place within this very busy week of presidential campaigns, New York Fashion Week, the NFL kickoff, the MTV Video Music Awards, season and series premieres, Fashion Rocks, America United: In Support of Our Troops…the list goes on!

The Olympics and the new television season squeezed Stand Up to Cancer with no other choice than the early September date. Hopefully the blitz of premiere programming will not take away each of the production’s value—specifically the pertinent importance of funding research for the leading cause of death.

PR Tactics: Reality Television Affiliation

2008-09-02T17:18:21Z

Our Favorite Fashion Pubs Double as Reality TV Stars

According to the weather related definitions of the seasons, spring is the season for newness. I would argue that fall is the real season of newness with everyone looking to make a fresh start. School starts, fall fashion reigns, Broadway shows debut and perhaps most exciting of all—television begins its season.

I must admit, I am the most excited about Vinny Chase coming back into my life at last with the return of Entourage this season BUT there are some newbies that have caught my attention as well. According to our Haute List - 90210 and Kath and Kim will be the new shows to watch out for.

As PR professionals we should be looking out for a new editorially affiliated reality show. Stylista, referred to as Devil Wears Prada in a reality show, will be hitting the airwaves for the first time this October. The show features “Andy” wannabees competing under the scrutiny of Elle’s fashion director Anne Slowey to become a junior editor at the magazine.

The presence of a fashion editorial in a reality show is hardly a new publicity tactic. We saw Teen Vogue’s presence in the plot of The Hills a few seasons in a row (People’s Revolution PR has picked up where they left off this season). Seventeen’s Editor in Chief always appears in a few challenges in America’s Next Top Model in addition to the portion of the ANTM prize being the cover and a 5-page spread in the magazine (as Tyra robotically reminds us each and every panel). And of course Elle has had a long time presence in Project Runway and now fronts Stylista.

Besides the obvious publicity received from the integration of the magazine into the show’s content, series contract’s often include other publicity measures for the magazine. Essentially the magazine becomes a part of the brand package the series conveys to the public whether it be through advertisements, release parties, special events etc. Sometimes magazines even hold the exclusive rights to ad space for the show. Sounds like a win-win situation, right?

Well, there are a few challenges that can arise with this type of exposure. Personalities cast to represent the magazine might be doing well on the show, but could lose their place on the magazine’s staff while the show is actually airing. Two words: Project Runway.

Runway’s long time editorial affiliation with Elle has been exhibited through Nina Garcia, former fashion director of the magazine. The likable Garcia effectively put Elle back on the map in the fashion cult series. Recent staff reconstruction at Elle left Garcia without a job. Runway felt Garcia was an integral part of the show’s success so they kept her on the show even prior to the news that she would be the fashion director at Marie Claire (starting today actually). Runway immediately picked up the mag as a future sponsor upon hearing this news. Because these shows aren’t broadcasted live, Garcia will still be representing Elle as an “editor-at-large” in the upcoming season. Does this very publicized debacle negatively affect the image of Elle? Add a positive one to Marie Claire? How does this influence the success of Stylista, fronted by Slowey?

Apparently, the repercussions of reality television participation are mostly positive. There are talks of a Runway spin-off that would feature Nina Garcia and the staff of Marie Claire somehow. How do you feel? Does it bode well for magazines to expose themselves through the medium of “reality” TV? Is TV presence going to determine the overall readership of a magazine?

We're on iVillage's Weekly Top 10: Transition Pieces

2008-08-28T15:31:55Z

Our Fashion PR Account Director, Real Hamilton-Romeo, has been featured on iVillage's Weekly Top 10 in Beauty & Style regarding transition pieces. Check out Real's fashion tip on page 4 of the 10 page spread!

Bideawee Gears Up for their 8th Annual Parade and Fair

2008-08-26T13:31:03Z

Love on a Leash

Bideawee, one of the nation’s oldest humane organizations, is presenting its 8th annual pet parade and fair, Love on a Leash. Welcoming all dogs and pet owners, the festival will take place on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 from 3:00-6:00pm, with a parade at 4:30pm, at The Village Green in Westhampton Beach.

Entertaining activities for crowds of all ages include kid’s games, face painting, a “doga” demonstration (yoga with dogs), and special shows with trainer Nadja Palenzuela and the high-flying Purina Incredible Dog Team performing extraordinary acrobatic tricks and amazing freestyle flying disc routines.

The Love on a Leash parade will feature the Little Red Wagon Contest, encouraging pet owners to decorate a little red wagon, walk in the parade with their pet, and compete for Best in Show.

Special celebrity appearances will include The Today Show’s Entertainment and Animal Rights Correspondent Jill Rappaport, General Manager for the NJ Nets Kiki Vandeweghe, Celebrity Pet Trainer Bash Dibra, Pet Author Arden Moore, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Max from Max and Ruby.

It will be a great event for a great cause! Find out more at www.bideawee.org

Public Relations Tactics in a Time of Recession

2008-08-24T23:31:23Z

Recessionista: n. A person who dresses stylishly on a tight budget; according to wordspy.com. According to me? A catch phrase to encourage fashionistas to continue their infrugality regardless of the economy by choosing less expensive versions of their favorite luxaholic products and services. It's making light of a situation that isn't so favorable for the consumer driven industries of our nation, spinning it 360, and delivering a luring message to the masses—PR 101 ladies and gentlemen.

What has turned into a large scale "recession chic" PR movement has benefited a number of familiar brands. A host of discount brands kneel graciously at the feet of recession and position their products and services not only as the smart thing to do, but the posh one. Target leads the pack with already-in-place "design for all" strategies that flourish even more now. Huge designers like Botkier and Proenza Schouler have participated in the past with leaks of a possible Alexander McQueen and Target venture in the future. Now THAT'S recessionista.

Small businesses have taken this positioning tool under its wing as well. I just read that Fresco by Scotto, a posh New York eatery known for its very "upscale comfort food", has opened an "on the go" version in the heart of the financial district that offers sharp suited bankers gourmet lunch options for under $10. (Yes it seems even the bankers are looking for a great deal with the joint's opening day lunch crowd wrapping around the block).

Some celebrities have even attempted to boost their own image by demonstrating, very publicly of course, recessionista ways. Kimora Lee Simmons, a die hard fashionista and luxaholic, proclaims her choice to travel commercially in place of her usual private jet-setting behavior to a gang of paparazzi as she waited in line at LAX in June. The 13 extra bags she brought along would rack up some serious extra charges so she may not be the beacon of saving money after all.

I’d love to hear your feedback on this growing positioning strategy. Where is the line that needs to be drawn between the educating of and the taking advantage of the consumer in these trying times we face? How long before consumers are no longer phased by the recessionista twist on ad campaigns and PR efforts?