By Ray Hancart, Account Director

Integrated.

The word used to bring up visions of long, drawn out messaging and creative sessions designed to show cohesiveness throughout different pieces and parts of a marketing plan. Repeat after me: “Everything has to be integrated. The message won’t reach consumers if it isn’t integrated.” It was drilled into our heads until we could repeat it in our sleep.

Years later, the focus on integrated consumer marketing campaigns hasn’t necessarily changed, but the rise of consumer-generated media has added a new wrinkle. Now, not only do we have to make sure our ducks are in a row as marketers, we also need to ensure we’ve provided consumers with the right tools to get in on the action - making the consumers themselves part of a truly integrated team.

At first this daunting challenge seems a bit overwhelming because it requires marketers to do something we’re not always comfortable with - let go. Add in the number of consumer-generated vehicles - blogs, Twitter, online forums, video sharing sites - and it’s enough to cause a meltdown.

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By Jenny Fuerst, Director, Corporate Communications

A special holiday greeting from your friends at Fahlgren and Fahlgren Mortine

By Julie Russo Carpenter, Associate Vice President

Fahlgren Mortine is located at Easton Town Center, above West Elm and Baby Gap (so cute).

It feels like we work on a movie set. Two weeks ago: no trees on the sidewalk in front of our offices. Then, one day, big square holes in the sidewalk. Next day: trees. Next day: the holes were bricked in and I’m walking around a guy with a leaf blower on my way to Starbucks for a Salted Caramel Latte.

Did the trees come with dead leaves? Did they die in transit? Weird, but not the point. What I’m more interested in is, did Easton plan for the leaf blower guy before the leaves were on the ground? Probably so, because these aren’t the only trees at Easton. Admittedly, this would be more interesting if that weren’t the case.

We’re launching a thought leadership campaign for a client next week. It’s the second wave of what’s been a much talked about issue. We’ve been trying to anticipate and plan for any “dead leaves.” More importantly, we’ve tried to line up all the third-party supporters we could track down in case the best happens – reporters love the story and want to get opinions from others in the industry.

More to come on the campaign once it’s out of the staging area and on the stage.

Until then, anyone want to run with the Easton as a movie set theme?
 photo credit: Kamal H

By Paul Vetter, Vice President

These are tough times for the print industry. 

“Clearly, the sky is falling. The question now is how many people will be left to cover it,” wrote David Carr of the Times.  

All I can add is that I read it in the online edition - who picks up a newspaper these days? Here’s a rundown of some recent carnage:

• 600 layoffs at Time, Inc.  No magazines are closing, but big changes ahead. 
• 75 more layoffs in the newsroom at the LA Times, leaving the staff about half what is was seven years ago.
• The Newark Star-Ledger (15th largest daily in the U.S.), cut 40 percent of its editorial staff.

I was somewhat encouraged by news that one of my favorite daily national papers, the small but mighty Christian Science Monitor, is going to a web strategy that sounds workable.  I fell for the Monitor back in journalism school for its first-rate international coverage. The Monitor has won seven Pulitzers in its 100-year history – it’s good to see it carry on into a 21st century format.  Of course, the Monitor is a bit of an odd duck — it’s run by a non-profit with subsidies from a religious organization.

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By Lara Kretler, Associate Vice President

By now, you may have read Paul Vetter’s post about why students should get into agency life. You may be wondering “how do I get started?” Well, here’s a great opportunity.

We are accepting applications for the Fahlgren Mortine Founder’s Award. Created in 2000, the award is named in honor of Walt Seifert, founder of the Public Relations Student Society of America. Each year, Fahlgren Mortine selects one college student as the recipient of the Founder’s Award Scholarship/ Internship, a premier program for public relations students. This award provides a paid, full-time summer internship and a $1,500 scholarship.

Although the Founder’s Award application process requires more than submission of a resume and cover letter, the application is not intended in any way to be intimidating. Think of it as an opportunity for you to display your outstanding creativity and talent. If selected, the return on your investment will far exceed the work you put in beforehand.

You can read more information about the award on the online application. If you’re curious about what it’s like to intern with Fahlgren Mortine, check out our Fahlgren Mortine PR Interns Alumni group on Facebook. Our intern alums can give you a sneak peak into what’s in store for you.

Good luck and we hope to see you this summer.

By Aaron Brown, Associate Vice President

I’m wrapping up media relations reporting and measurement for the close of a client’s fiscal year. We look at our own results monthly (using a proprietary 10-point analysis scale) and then go in-depth quarterly to compare ourselves against our top three competitors, so I’m not expecting anything too surprising when I look at the year as a whole. Although, I am expecting a really strong finish to the year thanks to my great b2b media relations team that secured several placements that are surely driving some industry discussion.

I’ve found that the Share of Discussion analysis from VMS is a particularly useful and affordable tool for measuring media relations campaigns well beyond clip counts. Using this tool, we’re looking at the value of our coverage and the issues that are generating industry discussion. If we see an area picking up steam, we’re going to be sure to adjust issue-based pitching to capitalize on that topic. If we see a part of the business that isn’t generating much discussion, we’ll look to find out why and see if we can do anything to get some influencers talking.

Ultimately, the impact of media relations is tough to gauge but easy to scrutinize for many organizations. Big results are desired with tiny budgets available to measure success. I’m fortunate to work with a client organization that invests in measurement so we can accurately gauge performance. It’s our responsibility as account managers and media relations experts to not stop with the results reporting; rather, we must strive to deliver a return on the investment in the form of results analysis and campaign adjustments. Check out how Ed Moed of the Measuring Up blog describes his take on this role.

While everyone likes to win (however you measure, just please don’t let it be clip counts), the best campaigns seek learning just as much as, if not more than, winning. If you use this approach, then the scrutiny from executives is welcome as you can talk strategically about your campaign and where you’re headed. That’s the language they speak.