Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York

“Will that be a breakfast sandwich or a roll with your coffee?” These are the words that Starbucks has recently added to their vocabulary as a way to keep their premium coffee company afloat. For decades Starbucks has spent an enormous amount of time and energy building and developing its luxury brand image, which has become more of a lifestyle for many. However, as our economy continues to decline they are having to reconsider this position by rebranding themselves as an "affordable luxury." The now recession-friendly coffeehouse is promoting their new $4.00 cup of coffee by adding value meals to their menu to cater to the downward spin of this economy. This puts Starbucks in direct competion with fast food chains, which leads me to wonder, will they lose their position as a luxury lifestyle brand when the economy starts striking up again?

Due to the print media's feet being on shaky ground, publications are struggling to find fresh ways to target readers. As many readers go directly to free, online sources to get their news and entertainment, asking them to pay for the same thing, especially in these times, is becoming a challenge. For this reason, many publications have failed to stay afloat in recent months, which has lead some magazines and newspapers to close their doors or fully transfer to the Internet.

To combat this issue, Time Inc. has set forth a 10-week, five-issue, experiment that allows readers to customize their own magazine. The magazine, appropriately dubbed "mine," will be free, and the first 31,000 to sign up will receive it through the mail, while another 200,000 people will be able to read it online. It's a brilliant PR strategy and I'm curious to see the outcome. So, will readers be more intrigued by this new, customized magazine or is there no hope for print media?

Anyone that knows me on a personal level has always giggled at my little secret: My love for the 80’s heavy metal bands. As we in New York launch Rock of The Ages, our love for this decade of decadence in our lives comes back full throttle. After all, American Idol had 80’s night this week and 80’s neon has been selling well in most mass retail channels for quite some time. So we can now be guilt free for a little while about our love for White Snake, Poison and Cinderella.

  My Mother and I in the 80's.

On that note, do you think big hair is here to stay, at least through 2010? Will we see the curls getting more volume with mousse and hair having body with aerosol hair spray? Consumers today will be looking to get that uber glossy look by applying more mousse over toweled dry hair, like we did in our youth. As consumer spending declines one may argue that women will show their financial confidence in other ways versus labels and handbags, but instead with big hair, which is more affordable. In 1982 the unemployment rate rose above 10 percent while today we sit at 8.5%, but will this prompt the come back of the banana clip?

Brands like Rave, LA Looks, Vidal Sassoon and VO5 may be able to capitalize on this trend (and our fond memories) to bring their products back to the forefront and drive sales. They are affordable for everyone's wallets right now and are so aligned in our minds as successful 80s brands, that one may take preference in purchasing from them if the marketing is done right.

Let me know your thoughts-- are you planning on the frizz look of the mid-80’s, the luscious messy curls or are you going to say to heck with it and just spray and clip? Will we see the re-emergence of trusted 80s brands?

One would think that beauty companies would be shifting gears down and out when it comes to paying the salaries of the celebrity elite--but think again. According to Forbes, consumer brands like Lancôme and CoverGirl are beefing up their usage of Ellen Degeneres and Anne Hathaway knowing that their products and personalities together have staying power and effectively drive sales.

Though we won’t find new brands launching in 2009 we will see a revival of the retail classics, especially in the world of fragrances. True, one right now may not be able to afford that house in the Hamptons, but for just a few dollars you can identify with Common for Diesel’s Only The Brave.

I admit I am not a big fan of Amazon; the books take forever to arrive, the shipping fees are insane and the used books often smell like they have been stored in someone’s barn. In recent years we have watched countless independent book sellers close up shop not because of Barnes & Noble, oh no, but because of Amazon.com. As a former librarian page it's even more upsetting to watch book publishers use Amazon.com as a tool to determine what titles, genres and authors are selling the most. Have you ever wondered if the ranking system seems a little out of sku?

In recent days the conversation on Twitter (and among bloggers) started getting into a well deserved uproar over Amazon’s catalog misplacing the gay titles into their adult category which prompted Amazon's public relations' to respond. Is this clean up a matter of good PR or a response to full online transparency in the world of social media? It’s interesting to note that in the virtual world you can’t get away with "glitches" such as this because your audience will call you out on it immediately. I am happy that Amazon's PR responded so quickly hopefully averting what could have surmounted to a much bigger PR crisis. Will the news that it was potentially a hacker help recover their reputation?

However, my bigger question is why rank gay subjects as adult, why not label it regardless of sexual orientation? If Ellen Degeneres' biography is a biography then label it as such, not as adult or gay. Her TV show is a talk show, not an adult show, and the list of examples goes on. I personally will be sticking to the NY Times Best Sellers list to get a view of what moves in the book world. What do you think about Amazon's "glitch?"

Photo Credit: Just Jared

Since last August, in an effort to boost sales, Procter & Gamble have come up with a giveaway that has been so secret that no one has really known about it. On every deodorant stick lies the chance of winning a $15,000 diamond. By entering the product SKU from a Secret Flawless deodorant at www.secretdiamondgiveaway.com, a person can find out if they have won one of the ten $15K diamonds that have been hidden (fake ones to be traded for the real thing) or another prize such as a $500 Visa shopping spree or dinner at a 5-Star restaurant. However, it appears that the campaign hasn't really gotten much buzz until recently which leads me to ponder about this unique promotion--has it really been a viable PR campaign?

Wendy Lewis is an international insider to the world of anti-aging, skin care, beauty and cosmetic surgery. She is also the author of 10 consumer health and beauty books, including two editions of America’s Cosmetic Doctors & Dentists and her newest title, Plastic Makes Perfect; The Complete Cosmetic Beauty Guide. Her contributions to the beauty industry are vast, of which you can learn more on her website www.wlbeauty.com.

Pierce Mattie: In a recent article on Health News Digest you raved about Lumixyl. Would you say that it even works better than Tri-Luma? What do you see as the biggest difference between the two?

Wendy Lewis: Lumixyl is a newly launched peptide based skin brightening/lightening cream that will sell for around $120 US for 1 ounce pump. I love Tri-Luma, which is a prescription drug from Galderma that is modeled from Kligman's Formula and contatins 4% Hydroquinone, retinoid and a mild steroid. Lumixyl is a hydroquinone alternative, and the results of studies conducted at Stanford showed great results, and it is gentle for all skin types. Lumixyl is an OTC product sold through professional channels, whereas Triluma is an Rx and requires a prescription from an MD. I foresee that some dermatologists may put patients on a regimen that contains both of these formulations in some cases. 

Pierce Mattie: There are many aesthetic consultants in Manhattan, Palm Beach and Beverly Hills but no one who executes it as well as you. I have always said it’s your skill to really match up your clients with the right physician. What kind of research goes into your work?

Wendy Lewis: I am flattered Pierce, especially coming from someone who is a guru in the beauty biz. I take my "Knife Coach" brand very seriously and care about my clients and the recommendations I give them. I do a ton of research, attend conferences in the US and Europe, routinely interview and visit doctors in all specialties and read trade journals online so I am up to speed on all the latest developments. I have never altered from my original business model, which differs greatly from other me too "consultants" I have come across; my independence and impartiality is paramount, I treat all clients with total confidentiality, and I am not in anyone's pocket.

When I suggest a product or practitioner for a client, it comes from the heart and from my personal knowledge and expertise. I am doing more phone and webcam consultations today with private clients than face to face, both from an economical point and for convenience for the clients who are busy, active, and international. It's not perfect, but it's pretty close, and I have been at it now for over a dozen years.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Kim Banks, the owner of The Pet Set, a luxury card and stationary company featuring the beauty of dogs. As a dog owner myself to a beautiful Shitzu named Toby, I absolutely love the look of The Pet Set social stationary.

Pierce Mattie: How did you start The Pet Set?

Kim Banks: After considerable research of the stationery market and the multi-million dollar pet industry, I determined that there were no high-end greeting card and stationery products. The Pet Set was initially started by modeling our business strategy modestly on Tiffany's.

Pierce Mattie: Who are some of your biggest clients?

Kim Banks: Our clients are predominantly high-end stationery and pet boutiques across the U.S. and Canada, now also reaching the U.K.

Pierce Mattie: What are some of your most popular breeds?

Kim Banks: While the entire line is very popular, we advise 1st-time clients to begin stocking their stores with the retriever varieties, as they follow the AKC registration list.

Borghese's publicity and social media strategies have really caught my eye lately. As a big fan of their skin care products, I wanted to get the inside scoop from their communications and publicity team on what they have been up to and what products we can expect to see this fall.

Pierce Mattie: Borghese sure has caught on to the develops of social media. You have a Facebook fan page, a twitter profile and a flickr page. How has online communication been working for the Borghese team?

Borghese: The social media has been amazing for us. We are connecting with customers from all over the US. We recently launched our Community Page; our customers are sharing stories with each other on when they first discovered Borghese, their favorite Borghese product, etc.

Pierce Mattie: I actually get announcements when to head over to Lord & Taylor for facials, has Facebook announcements like this in the past helped fill the chairs at the department store?

Borghese: It certainly has helped in the past although social media has made it easier for us. Instead of sending out invitations (whether a bounce-back card or email which may be forgotten) to our events by city and state, we are now able to just list all our events and have our customers see it all at once when they log onto their pages with reminders, a list of who else is going, notifications to their friends, etc.

Pierce Mattie: Borghese is doing something quite special because you are remaining true to your loyalty of retail but actually helping the department stores to garner more consumer demand by stimulating customers with your social media strategies, what other ways have you been exciting the shopper?

Borghese: We try to connect with our customers in different ways; a good example is the shopping event, Shecky’s Girls Night Out. We alternate between having a physical presence at this shopping event and just a gift bag presence. With the physical presence, we get to speak one on one, not just with existing customers but new customers and customers who we may have lost. Our R&D is always working on developing new products which use the latest technologies. Also, we sometimes include an invitation back to our retailers for a complimentary facial or makeover in the event gift bags.

This week Inc. Magazine came to us with a specific question that we get asked often, “can you get your client’s on The Oprah Winfrey Show?”   This is one of those questions that most publicists are hesitant to answer.  Yes, we have secured clients on Oprah before but, is it a reality for every client?   We were asked several questions by Inc. Magazine on the Oprah process, one quote made it. Here is one that did not:

Any thoughts about what needs to be special about a product or company to make it Oprah-worthy?

Oprah has to authentically and organically like you, your brand and know who your consumer is, it should be in-line with who her viewers are and relate to her philanthropic work as well as be competitive enough to be unique in an overcrowded marketplace. If you don't watch her show then you will not able to properly gage if your brand is the right fit for her program.

Questions to ask yourself are:

1.) How do I see myself or my product fitting into the format of the show?
2.) Why would Oprah put me on her show?

3.) Is my story new, unique, different - not yet covered?

Questions I like to ask:

1.) If your brand lands a spot on her show are you capable of meeting the demands of those consumers?

2.) Is your brand able to stand on its own without ever getting onto the show? Meaning, if the show were never to happen for your company, would your business still thrive?

3.) Is your reasoning to go on the show to share your story to benefit the viewers of her program?

* if you can answer yes to all three, then you would be a good candidate for the program

Our quote that did make the article (that we stand by)

“A business that appears on Oprah should be one that is sustainable and ready to do mega volume. For a business, it can be a benchmark of a success and can almost guarantee millions of dollars in new revenue," Mattie advises. "However after that one hit has passed, they must have solid legs to keep the momentum ongoing. We hear time and time again, ‘If I can only get my products to Oprah, I can be a success’ or ‘I will have a hit on my hands if I can just get this on Oprah.’ We typically shy away from those types of clients and advise brands to never build that into their strategy because you are playing with luck, not real planning.”

For a list of the six Inc Magazine companies that made it on The Oprah Show (Pierce Mattie included) go to: 6 Companies That Got a Lift from Oprah. 

Good Luck!

Inc. Magazine has released their Inc. 5000 list and we are proud to say that Pierce Mattie PR has made the list for a second year in a row! Our press release details are below:

Pierce Mattie Public Relations, a lifestyle PR firm, has been named One of the Fastest Growing Companies in America by Inc. Magazine for a second year in a row. Established in 2001 by wellness lifestyle editor and expert Pierce Mattie, the firm debuted its innovative Media Oasis in 2006, an event space designed for the editors to experience brands first hand. Pierce Mattie PR remains committed to its primary goal of partnering with brands to increase consumer awareness and support their key business goals. Pierce Mattie PR excels at securing maximum media exposure through traditional channels as well as the evolving world of digital and online media.

By partnering with our clients to deliver consistent results, we have stayed true to who we are as a firm. Innovation, creativity, superior client service and results that drive our client’s businesses are the foundation of our agency. Our proven track record and ability to adapt quickly to an ever shifting landscape have secured Pierce Mattie PR’s position as a leader in the industry,” notes Pierce Mattie, founder and owner of the agency.

What the report revealed is:

• Jewelry chain stores are having the worst impact in this economy by over 13%
• Sales at independent high-end retailers were down slightly but not as steep
• Mid-range retailers were down 5.5 percent
• 2008, the diamond category (loose and set) remained the majority, with 49 percent of sales
• Timepieces saw growth, up from 3 percent of sales in 2007 to 6 percent in 2008
• Repair sales remain an important category, bringing in 10 percent of sales

How does this translate to Jewelry Public Relations and Marketing?

Phew! New York Fashion Week is finally over, what a rollercoaster! The high point of my week was watching new menswear designer Miguel Antoinne, unveil his new spring/summer 2009 collection. The show was held at the two-story loft Studio 450, with the beautiful Manhattan skyline as the backdrop. The fact it was raining was a great help too, since Miguel’s collection was inspired by imagery of thunder and lightning!

My week leading up to the show was taken over by RSVPs, seating plans and trips back and forth to the designers show room. Celebrity publicists and editors’ assistants insured that my inbox overflowed with questions and inquiries on the upcoming show. There is so much buzz on this new designer, who season after season, has added unexpected elements of surprise to his collections.

Up next? Market appointments in the designers showroom. I only hope I can accommodate all the editor requests that I know will follow!

The results are in! The team at Pierce Mattie Public Relations has compiled their annual "What’s Hot, What’s Not" list for 2010 pertaining to all things beauty, fashion, lifestyle and media. What’s in? The stiletto heel, Jeggings, Minx Nails, diesel fuel and the use of condoms have made a major come back over the pill. And what’s out? Skinny jeans, Starbucks, Hybrid Technology and Zoloft just to name a few.

What’s IN:

Fashion –

Annabel Tollman
UNIQLO
Velcro
Navaho Prints
Stiletto Heels
Tie Clips
The Boyfriend Jacket
Jeggings

Beauty –

Blushing Nails
Bouncy hair that is air dried
neuLash & Latisse
Fresh Cut Cedarwood
Injectables
Goth inspired makeup
Violet/Carnation Scents
Minx Nails
Invisalign
Push-up Bra

Accessories –

House of Harlow
Metal Statement Necklaces
Bib necklaces
Alexander Wang handbags

Lifestyle -

How To and DIY stories
Blog stories
Brewing your own coffee
Berlin
Diesel Fuel
Condoms
Farm Weddings
Vampires
Pilates
Your real figure
Wine
Life Coach

Media -

Oxygen
Open source
Helpareporter.com
Real Housewives Washington DC
iRex
Wendy Williams
Glee
Megan Fox
Alexandra Wentworth (comedian)
David Baldacci (novelist)
Roberta Gellis (romance)
Taylor Lautner
Katie Cassidy

What’s OUT:

With traditional print media going the way of the dinosaurs, advertisers have been forced to adapt accordingly. With magazine subscriptions and newspaper circulation numbers steadily declining, advertisers are turning to interactive digital channels to raise brand awareness and connect with consumers.

Within the fashion industry, social media has been the next great frontier with brands, particularly luxury brands, utilizing outlets like Twitter and Facebook as a way to connect with their customer base. Once adverse to online endeavors, fearing that Internet exposure would cheapen their storied reputation, luxury brands are now eagerly embracing the digital sphere...possibly because they no longer have a choice.

An industry veteran last week got in a huff over an invitation they had sent someone on LinkedIn who rejected the invite with “don’t know.” They were upset by this and couldn’t understand how their invitation to connect could be rejected by someone in their same industry. After all, if you are looking to build your online social network shouldn't you just accept everyone's invitation to connect?

Not exactly! This example got me thinking about Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networks in regards to how people use them to create rolodexes that don’t really have any weight or metric value because they lack real authenticity. These are the people you haven’t really met, done business with or have any other real life connection with. Yet everyday we all have come into contact with these "list builders" and the trend only seems to keep growing.

The nosedive of the economy has made stories of brands going belly up and filing for bankruptcy as common as a can of hair spray in the bathroom of the cast members of The Jersey Shore. However, one thing that has changed brand restructure is the digital age that we find ourselves in, is in how the brand chooses to bounce back. Crabtree & Evelyn, an iconic 30-year beauty brand, is emerging from bankruptcy with a focus on ecommerce. Which, in my personal opinion, is a smart move, however there has to be more to it than ecommerce in and of itself.

It appears it is not only bloggers that are feeling the heat from the government in regards to their relationships with the brands they write about, but cosmetic dermatologists as well. Recently the FDA made an example of Dr. Leslie Baumann by sending her a warning when she was sourced for several beauty magazine articles regarding her positive praise of Dysport, the newly approved Botox competitor created by Medicis prior to such approval. The warning appears to have more to do with disclosure than anything else, which, mark my words, will be the buzzword of 2010 due in part to both the FTC and FDA.

We love to see a PR firm and client have a good laugh, especially in this new world where everyone seems to be taking everything too seriously. I always tell our team – we are pitching lipstick aren’t we, not strategizing for world peace! The coffee just about came out of my nose from laughing so hard this morning when I watched the video for AXE and read the latest pitch from Amy Nadler at Edelman w/ Heather Mitchell at Unilever.

For those of you PR pros who haven't yet seen the clip, take a look as it features Jaime Pressly playing a fictional tennis star, who is quoted in the release as saying; "I had a blast working with AXE on this video. The comedic undertones were hilarious and there were definitely a few laugh-out-loud moments on set, where I thought to myself …'only AXE.'"

To celebrate the launch of this new video and the updated Detailer, AXE held the AXECYB.com launch party, hosted by Khloe Kardashian Odom, at the Sky Lodge in Park City, UT during Sundance. Celebrities from film, television and music, including Malin Akerman, Adrien Brody, Wilmer Valderrama and Stephanie Pratt came out to the hottest party at Sundance to screen the AXE “Cleans Your Balls” video and enjoyed special performances by DJ Steve Aoki and DJ MomJeans (a.k.a. Danny Masterson).

But with a recall that is so far reaching into more than 60 countries, why would Toyoda wait so long to re-assure its consumers, retailers and shareholders that the automaker has the situation under control and re-assert that quality and consumer safety are its top priority? More importantly, how can Toyota recover from such highly publicized criticism and uncertainty over the safety of their vehicles?

But with a recall that is so far reaching into more than 60 countries, why would Toyoda wait so long to re-assure its consumers, retailers and shareholders that the automaker has the situation under control and re-assert that quality and consumer safety are its top priority? More importantly, how can Toyota recover from such highly publicized criticism and uncertainty over the safety of their vehicles?

But with a recall that is so far reaching into more than 60 countries, why would Toyoda wait so long to re-assure its consumers, retailers and shareholders that the automaker has the situation under control and re-assert that quality and consumer safety are its top priority? More importantly, how can Toyota recover from such highly publicized criticism and uncertainty over the safety of their vehicles?

But with a recall that is so far reaching into more than 60 countries, why would Toyoda wait so long to re-assure its consumers, retailers and shareholders that the automaker has the situation under control and re-assert that quality and consumer safety are its top priority? More importantly, how can Toyota recover from such highly publicized criticism and uncertainty over the safety of their vehicles?

But with a recall that is so far reaching into more than 60 countries, why would Toyoda wait so long to re-assure its consumers, retailers and shareholders that the automaker has the situation under control and re-assert that quality and consumer safety are its top priority? More importantly, how can Toyota recover from such highly publicized criticism and uncertainty over the safety of their vehicles?

But with a recall that is so far reaching into more than 60 countries, why would Toyoda wait so long to re-assure its consumers, retailers and shareholders that the automaker has the situation under control and re-assert that quality and consumer safety are its top priority? More importantly, how can Toyota recover from such highly publicized criticism and uncertainty over the safety of their vehicles?

But with a recall that is so far reaching into more than 60 countries, why would Toyoda wait so long to re-assure its consumers, retailers and shareholders that the automaker has the situation under control and re-assert that quality and consumer safety are its top priority? More importantly, how can Toyota recover from such highly publicized criticism and uncertainty over the safety of their vehicles?

But with a recall that is so far reaching into more than 60 countries, why would Toyoda wait so long to re-assure its consumers, retailers and shareholders that the automaker has the situation under control and re-assert that quality and consumer safety are its top priority? More importantly, how can Toyota recover from such highly publicized criticism and uncertainty over the safety of their vehicles?

I recall when Hyundai first entered the auto market here in the U.S. back in 1986. Both of my parents went out and purchased one due to its affordability (where are the days when you could buy a brand new car for $5K?) For years, Hyundai wasn't necessarily known for quality, not in the way Toyota has been branded at least, but the auto maker quickly became profitable making many in the automotive industry take notice and giving it staying power.

Previously, I would've only considered Kia to be their closest competitor (until they bought them out), yet with Toyota's recent PR Crisis over their massive recall and Hyundai ramping up production and an advertising blitz, Hyundai is beginning to emerge as real competition to the auto giant. Has Toyota's recall finally given Hyundai the opportunity to get an edge up on the brand? From a PR standpoint, my opinion is yes.

As mentioned in a previous post regarding Toyota's PR Crisis, Hyundai has begun the upwards climb of associating the idea of luxury with their brand. However, outright brand logo and trademark use have to be tread on lightly. For example, the newest State Farm commercial intentionally flubs Geico's "15 minutes can save your 15% or more" slogan by instead using the number 16 when they repeat the phrase.

Despite what you may have heard, the publishing industry is not dead. In fact, four new media groups are capitalizing on the industry, as their start-ups are profitable in this economy. Even more interesting is that these groups are all headed by four former CurtCo Media executives.

3 Digit Media, LLC is the only one of these groups to be headed by a woman. Carla Blanco launched 3 Digit Media in 2003 after the success of publishing “805 Living,” a Los Angeles lifestyle magazine and self-proclaimed “go-to guide for living the good life” in the area code. She co-founded the company with Lynne Andujar. While revenue has been down in the recession, the niche focusing of this group, which recently began publishing “805 Weddings,” will ultimately make it a stand-out in the economy.

Coram Publishing, headed by Arthur Coldwells, focuses on the advantages of print media, including capitalizing on advertisement revenue. “Ultimate Motorcycling” is the group’s primary source of revenue with over 50,000 readers. The former CurtCo magazine (“Robb Report Motorcycling”), it was acquired by Coldwells in 2008. The zine targets upscale motorcyclists, who are primarily baby-boomers. And on a positive note, Coldwells believes that after the recession magazines will see a huge boost. A promising statement for the journalist of the future.

Ever since the McCain-Palin ticket lost the Presidential election to Obama-Biden, Sarah Palin has branded herself as "rogue." It's an image that has stuck and one she has found great success in capitalizing on. And it appears as if Palin is going rogue again as the first politician with her eyes squarely focused on another Presidential bid in 2012 (if the world doesn't end, that is) to launch a reality television show. Sarah Palin's Alaska, a "travelogue" if you will, intends to give you a look at Alaska with Palin as host. The question here is, who will learn more about Alaska in this reality series? Palin or the rest of America?

She’s addicted to love. And she’s not afraid to admit it. Jennifer Love Hewitt’s new book “The Day I Shot Cupid: Hello, My Name Is Jennifer Love Hewitt and I'm a Love-aholic,” shares with the public what’s she’s learned from being a love addict. Her romantic affairs have been filling the tabloids since back in her “Party of Five” days, and now she’s using this book to help set the record straight on some of her love atrocities.

Filled with personal anecdotes, love insight, and JLH’s slang, the book is the cure-all for women who have a stack of self-help books lying next to their bed. JLH focuses on not depending on a man for happiness, whether that includes avoiding becoming a serial dater and using the three strike rule (rumored to have been created after her fling with John Mayer).

The number one reason companies have always deemed social media as the "wild wild west" is because they felt there is no semblance of order and a lack of control over their brand's image. Essentially, they can put the message out there, but relinquish a portion of control once it is in the hands of the end user. Nestle's recent social media PR crisis is one such example of how a brand's use of the space can quickly turn from fan adoration to an urgent case of reputation management. So what can a brand do to encourage discussion amongst true fans and those there to graffiti them with accusations?

While Nestle's first attempt to quell the fervor was to essentially demand good behavior on the fan page and establish rules for interaction, they did so under the assumption that clicking "become a fan" meant those 98,000+ people listed as fans were indeed true fans of their brand. Demands + Anti-brand = Defiance (as witnessed by folks using the Nestle logo in the manner Nestle told them not to.) In a sense, Nestle was trying to control what you cannot: human behavior.

So when you get bad press or called out for something publicly, how should it be handled before it gets out of control?

We just finished reviewing the Request for Proposal’s that came in from January 1^st to March 31^st. We do this every quarter to gage how business is trending. There was to say the least a lot more volume this past quarter than in the fourth quarter of last year. And they didn’t suck! Everyone must have read Tom Searcy’s book that came out last fall, right? We can only hope!

Here is what our report revealed:

• RFP’s were up by 35%
• Monthly retainer budgets for PR have increased by 20% from the previous quarter
• Retainer averages were around 10k to 15k a month
• Just over 20% that shopped us were just looking for “big ideas” where no agency was appointed after the proposal process. Good luck in doing those ideas in-house. (yes we mean that sarcastically)
• Almost everyone wanted to discuss social media and review programs that went above and beyond just a FaceBook page and blog strategy. The 2010 programs had to be tied into an ROI that would increase direct-to-consumer shopping online.

• The goal of sending out a message just to appease shareholders
• Big parties that are “just because” (thank God!) No more late nights.
• The craving for luxury, the “L” word is still a dirty one
• Schedule for annual ad buys in long leads
• Potential clients didn't ask to get on Oprah (since her show is closing) and the desire for exclusives with some of the persuasion publications also wasn't requested.

• Most teams are now flat
• Still willing to slash prices just to get the client in the door
• The big PR firms, the global ones - are still seeping over to where the niche players pitch
• Agencies are claiming to have areas of specialty in sectors that are new to them; celebrity seeding, social media, value and incentive communication and various media beats that are out of their stretch. Everyone is claiming to be a "social media" expert.  It may backfire!

Last week I watched a video interview of Richard Stacy, a social media consultant in London, on Cosmetics Design Europe. The headline that pulled me in was: "Small and medium-sized cosmetics players lead the way in social media." Before I even heard the interview, I nodded my head in agreement. It has been my experience over the years that smaller brands (regardless of niche) tend to be willing to try new things to expand their reach while larger brands have a tendency to "wait and see." Shoestring budgets often energize smaller brands to take creative approaches to marketing and publicity than a larger company would. Would you agree?

Here are some key points Stacy made regarding social media that I absolutely concur with:

The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) was established in March 1999 under the Provost Office at Columbia University. The mission of the Center is to enhance teaching and learning through the purposeful use of technology and new media. Pierce Mattie recently caught up with Marc Raymond, CCNMTL’s designer. Marc had left a comment on our blog a few weeks prior in regards to Nestle's Social Media PR Crisis.

Tell us a little bit more about Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL)

CCNMTL partners with Columbia University faculty to enhance teaching and learning through the purposeful use of new media. We support a wide range of efforts from basic course websites to advanced, custom-built projects. We are a group of more than 40 educational technologists, programmers, and designers who work with faculty at all schools and divisions of Columbia University, focusing on overlapping areas of innovation to support student inquiry and deepen understanding. Our 250+ projects include training environments, visualization and modeling tools, real-time data collection tools, data sharing programs, annotation and study tools, media archives simulations and multimedia study environments. We've also been the recipient of grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Mental Health, Centers for Disease Control, US Department of Education, Institute of Museum and Library Services, as well as the Ford, JPMorgan Chase, Hewlett, and Toyota Foundations, among others!

At Pierce Mattie we are all about beauty, fashion and wellness! We were excited to learn about your work with Tobacco Cessation. What has the feedback been?

The Tobacco Cessation project has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from both faculty and students at Columbia. For students studying to become dentists, understanding available tobacco cessation treatments and pharmacotherapies is extremely important to their practice. With the Tobacco Cessation's multimedia learning modules, students learn about the seven primary therapies for tobacco cessation and work through specific treatment scenarios. One of the most innovative components of this project is the 'virtual patient' activities in which students must conduct a patient assessment and recommend the best treatment plan for four fictitious patients. Learning activities such as this one seek to build students' skills and empower students to effectively encourage tobacco cessation in their future dental practice. Launched in 2009 by CCNMTL and David Albert, associate professor of clinical dentistry, the project continues to expand with new learning modules and may be offered to students in partnering universities in the future.

I can't help but think as SNL's popularity waxes and wanes, that the Facebook fans who petitioned Betty White as host, were onto something. All of the publicity and fan fare surrounding the 88-year old comedian's SNL debut this past Saturday was certainly not minimized in the NBC boardroom, I am sure. The petition and eventually White's actual hosting of SNL created so much buzz, it is the kind of viral PR that brands often dream of.

Forget Justin Bieber or any other "hot now" musical act or actor hosting SNL, forget recycling former hosts. What they need is to tap into the vein of the American people once again by way of iconic comedians and actors. The boost in ratings Betty White gave to SNL alone should be evidence enough that the current emotional state of the country looks to nostalgia as feel good medicine. And Ms. White delivered, with great success, her ability to make us laugh and stay tuned into SNL as she appeared in each skit throughout the night. SNL should thank White's petitioners because Saturday night was ratings gold.

I hear there is a new petition out there now for Carol Burnett, and SNL should pay close attention. Certainly that is another sketch comic I can get behind and would tune in to see. How about you? Will legendary actors and musicians hosting SNL give it the publicity it needs to be brought back to life?

*Photo Source: Carol Burnett for SNL fan page

Pierce Mattie PR client, Equmen, the underwear brand that created the Core Precision Undershirt, one of the first shapewear shirts developed specifically for men, and Precision Underwear, announced that they were traveling to Seattle for a big launch in Nordstrom. To support their launch, the spokespeople at Equmen wanted some local broadcast coverage while they were in the market. 

Now, we realize at times securing news segments can be difficult in this market where the people love everything coffee- and outdoor activity- related. How can we spin a store launch into something interesting enough that our phone will be ringing off the hook with news producers begging to book a segment with the brand’s spokesperson? 

First things first, we always start by building a strong media list that includes segment producers and guest contacts for appropriate shows. Next, we send out all of our media alerts via fax (yes we still use fax) and email and wait for the shows to contact our fashion dept. about booking a segment. We wish it was that easy, after a few days of no response and the client requesting a media update, we had to revert back to PR 101.

Smile and Dial J

So, we had to call every station in Seattle to nail down any producer who would listen to us pitch for more than 30 seconds. When a producer would tell us no, we then had to change our voice and call back 30 minutes later. We called every other day, until someone was willing to book our client. Persistence is key.

Mail and Prevail

For the stubborn producers who didn’t respond to our fax, email, or multiple phone messages, we decided to ship some of the products to the station to create some urgency in booking. 

Regroup and Research

If the response is not going as expected go to plan B. We reverted back to what a librarian taught us about researching and found every fashion, men’s interested blogger, writer, and radio talk show who published material in the last four weeks. Thank you ProQuest. This all combined with having authentic relationships that have spanned over the last decade with several segment producers in various parts of the country combined with the right contacts- made this happen. In all, the fashion team spent approximately 15 hours that week trying to secure segments. All of these tactics resulted in five minute segments on Q13 FOX News in the Morning, New Day North West (NBC) and a CBS radio segment on KIRO-FM.

Bottom line - have fun, don't stop pitching and most importantly win!!!

One of our medical clients at Pierce Mattie is well-known dermatologist Dr. Paul Friedman. Between brainstorming sessions, drafting PR calendars, and product sendouts, we had to concentrate on thinking outside the box.

We chose to focus on skin cancer myths – common misconceptions that lead people to believe that they are protected from the sun’s harmful rays.

Examples include:

• A base tan will protect your skin.
• You can’t get burned on a cloudy day.
• All clothing protects from sun.
• Only fair-skinned people get skin cancer.
• Tanning beds are safer than natural sunlight.   

All of these statements are false! And who’s better to debunk these myths and offer expert tips than my new client Dr. Paul Friedman – a media-savvy dermatologist with years of experience and author of Beautiful Skin Revealed, which hits shelves in September.You may be thinking that everyone probably knows the truth behind these common myths, but you’d be surprised! Recent studies show that there are now 3.5 million cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually, so the message must not be getting through to the public.

It seems that more and more products coming out of China are not only becoming synonymous with the words cheap, but also toxic. And so here we go again as recent reports about children's jewelry retailer Claire's and Miley Cyrus' Hannah Montana jewelry line for Walmart are being pulled from shelves due to being made with cadmium. Cadmium, as you might recall, is toxic to both bones and kidneys. As stated in the Pocono Record sometimes, "A low price comes at too high a cost."

So what PR strategies can Claire's and Walmart do to regain parent's trust when it comes to their jewelry products?

I like to think of social media as a chameleon. Over the last few years it has shown us how unique it can be yet still be adaptable to almost any situation we utilize it in. Print magazines are now found online in blog format, blogs are now used for SEO, microblogging for social sharing and customer service, live streaming to bring behind the scenes, local and non-local events directly to you and social networks to build relationships with customers. I'm talking social media from a business perspective, of course, and now more businesses are looking to incorporate the ability to sell direct to the consumer. Not just tweets from @DellOutlet with exclusive deals, I'm talking jumping onto Facebook and seeing more than "We just launched a new lipstick" on your favorite cosmetics brand's fan page. Instead you find actual storefronts set up making it easy to read about said newly launched lipstick and simply clicking a tab to purchase it...all without ever leaving the Facebook fan page.

Good customer service has always been the sure fire way to land the best publicity on earth. When economic times were good, many companies bypassed emphasis on this principle and strictly built value based on which publications featured their products. Certainly if they had a showcase of magazine hits here and broadcast hits there, that certainly was enough to make people buy (and repeat buy), enough to make people trust and enough to get people talking about their brand...right?

Maybe this was the way before, but in a want-it-now generation coupled with a troubled economy, there is a shift back to the "old school" principles of listening to what your customers want, then delivering. Or in other words, putting the customer first again. And honestly, I for one, love retro business standards. We could argue that the fervor around social media + business along with the demise of our economic stability created the perfect storm.