Maine Journal - Maine Public Relations Council

Maine
WINTER 2012-13
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming
Professional Development Events
Journal
A N O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N
OF THE MAINE PUBLIC
R E L AT I O N S CO U N C I L
BY AMY LANDRY, HEALTHINFONET
Our 2013 Professional Development schedule is taking shape! Here are a
few events to put in your calendar. We’ll be adding at least one event in
Bangor and a number of webinars to the line-up as well.
The Ah-Ha Moments in Project Management—
From Initiation to Close
Linda Varrell of Broadreach Public Relations
Connect with
MPRC Online!
Join the conversation on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/MainePR
on Twitter @MainePRCouncil and at
our members only LinkedIn group.
Haven’t been on the MPRC website
lately? Stop by and check it out at
www.meprcouncil.org and don’t forget
to fill out your profile!
January 11, 8 - 10am, University of New England Campus, Portland
Even with the latest in technology and collaboration software, key
fundamental truths still exist for getting projects done on time, within
budget, and with the least amount of stress. In this session, you’ll learn
the project management process, tips and pitfalls, how to properly scope
projects, and why communications is key to your project’s success.
Across Departments, Across Platforms, and Toward Goals
Kristen Levesque, Director of Public Relations, Portland Museum of Art
Will Cary, Director of Individual Giving and Membership, Portland Museum of Art
Caitlin Brooke, Coordinator of Brand Strategy, Portland Museum of Art
February 13, 8 - 10am, Portland Museum of Art, Portland
You’ll hear how the PMA used a combination of media relations, events and
fundraising, and online engagement to promote strategic goals and build
audiences across platforms.
Living Your Brand – When Who You Are Drives What You Do
The importance of matching internal and external values, brand and
communications.
Inside this issue:
Judy Katzel, KDK Consulting Group
1, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Upcoming Professional
Development Events
March 15, 8 - 10am, Location TBD, Portland
2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Letter from the President
3-5 . . . . . . . . Annual Conference Highlights
6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power of the Media and
My Trip to Greece
The key to true success and growth is getting the “inside story” of your
organization to match the “outside story” – to identify and articulate your
core values and deliver them first to employees and then to your key
external audiences via advertising, marketing, sales, public relations, web
and online outreach.
Continued on page 9.
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Non-Profit PR: Messaging
8-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Look at Our Golden
Arrow Winners
www.meprcouncil.org
[email protected]
2013 MPRC Board
OFFICERS
President
• Alisa Conroy Morton, APR
Unum
Vice President
• Kelly Barden
MEMIC
Secretary
• Diana Dionne
Maine Credit Union League
Treasurer
• Deb Nelson
Deb Nelson Consulting
BOARD MEMBERS
Accreditation
• Linda Varrell, APR
Broadreach Public Relations
Annual Conference:
• Nancy Fendler, APR
Fendler Communications
• Tami Kennedy
Shipyard Brewing Company
Awards
• Kate Bachman
Kemp Goldberg Partners
• Cynthia Faulkner
Faulkner Consulting
Communications - Press Releases
• Open Position
Communications - Newsletter
•
Debra Tenenbaum
gBritt Public Relations
Communications - Website & Social Media
• Myra Warner
Ronald McDonald House of Portland
Immediate Past President
• Tami Kennedy
Shipyard Brewing Company
Membership
• Linda Sheehy
Scholarship
• Cynthia Faulkner
Faulkner Consulting
Continued on page 7.
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Letter from the President
Naturally, the anticipation of something new often
leads to reflecting on what has passed. As we move
into 2013, the board and I are actively assessing
the activities and initiatives of 2012. This PR
Journal takes a look back, with highlights from the
Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony – and a
retrospective piece on the power of media.
Many may agree that the ability to succeed in
changing times is in the DNA of public relations.
Whether you are a new practitioner just setting out on unchartered territory or
are standing at the helm of a long-standing career in PR, we are all navigating a
dynamic and ever changing professional landscape.
As PR practitioners, it is our ability to assess and adapt to changing environments
that enables us to gain a perspective unique from other fields. This insight offers
with it the opportunity to better understand and relate to our key stakeholders.
Even more importantly, when coupled with creativity, we can convey our
messages in a manner that breaks through the noise and truly resonates.
The onset of a new year lends with it a renewed sense of vigor – the chance
to step back and assess situations from new angles. It provides a platform to
get creative, to explore and to possibly even redefine as a result. It is from this
platform that I invite you to enjoy this issue of the PR Journal and to consider
how the golden nuggets sprinkled throughout can be applied to your own
professional path.
Committed to building on the successes of 2012, the board and I are taking a
similar approach as we plan and prepare for the upcoming year. We are exploring
creative ways to further advance the organization and add value for our members.
It is in the midst of this process, that I find myself excited for all that 2013 has in
store for the Maine Public Relations Council. Thank you for your involvement – I
wish you all a very prosporous new year.
Fondly,
Alisa Conroy Morton, APR
MPRC President
[email protected]
Annual Conference Highlights
A Look Back at Some of our Favorite Parts of the MPRC Conference
Annual Conference Recap:
Everyone Can Be Creative
BY DEBRA TENENBAUM
GBRITT PR
There were a few parts of the MPRC Annual
Conference that stood out to me as great
changes. The first was the request that
we all get out of our seats, and go meet
someone we didn’t know and talk to
them for a bit. This really kicked off the
networking aspect of the conference and
was a great way for people not to slip into
their usual habits and usual friends.
4. Your imagination needs to be warmed
up. Start with a scribble and then see
what you want to see from that and go
from there.
5. Chaos is a good starting point because
we’re wired for order when given
chaos. If you start with a scribble, you
can build into something real from
there.
6. Just when you think you can’t learn
anything new, you learn how to make
Halloween monsters.
The second was having Jay Piscopo do a
presentation on how to draw comics. While
at first, this might not make a whole lot
of sense for a public relations conference;
upon taking a deeper look, it was a great
way to put all the attendees in the mindset
of changing things up a bit.
Here are a couple of the takeaways from
this session - some you can apply to your
public relations career, others you can
apply to your life.
3. Create guidelines to have consistency
in your characters.
“At my next strategy meeting,
I’m going to make everyone
draw a squiggle, trade with their
neighbor and draw what they see
in it. What a great exercise to get
the creative juices flowing!”
Amy Landry
HealthInfoNet
Susan’s experience includes 25 years
as a professional journalist at The New
York Times, The Washington Post and
Congressional Quarterly, and as a senior
communications adviser at the Brookings
Institution. Her resume also includes
time in New York City, where she worked
for Rolling Stone magazine. She drew
on these experiences to share three
successes and three flops when it comes
to communications strategies. She cited
the success of the “No Nukes” concert
series as an example of getting a message
across in a creative way. She said the key
to any successful strategy is having the
united support of a team behind the effort
- a factor that was missing in what she
considered to be “flops” such as a welfare
survey that failed to generate any interest
from the media.
Kellam also shared her former colleagues’
and other current journalists’ favorite ways
to be pitched. “Much has changed, but
much has stayed the same,” she said. “It’s
about targeting the right audience, at the
right time, with the right format.”
1. It’s not how well you draw, it’s how well
you get your idea across.
2. Circles are friendly. Triangles, not so
much.
and, “Don’t stare at an empty screen – any
‘gray matter’ is always better than nothing!”
Annual Conference Recap:
Keynote Speaker Susan
Kellam
BY DIANA DIONNE
MAINE CREDIT UNION LEAGUE
From Capitol Hill to the USM campus,
Susan Kellam, sole proprietor of her
communications firm, Word Sharpener,
shared tips, stories and lessons learned
as the keynote speaker of MPRC’s Annual
Conference. She began by referencing Jay
Piscopo’s discussion on handling creativity
or writer’s block by adding her own advice.
“Don’t start at the top – try the middle,”
For example, while one journalist admitted
to disliking being contacted via phone,
another said a phone call should always
be the first point of contact. However, one
theme resonated throughout the advice
given: “It’s a relationship business.”
Continued on the next page.
3
Annual Conference Highlights Continued
A Look Back at Some of our Favorite Parts of the MPRC Conference
Continued from page 3.
Kellam added her own insight to
connecting with the media, saying,
“A personal touch goes a long way, if
done the right way.” She encouraged PR
professionals to know a reporters’ work,
and try to offer a unique twist when
presenting a pitch. She also shared one
important tip – “No matter how good your
contact or story, never call a reporter near
deadline!”
She closed the interactive session by
offering a key piece of advice to anyone
in the business of working with words.
“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity,” she said.
“Always focus on integrity of message.”
Annual Conference Recap:
Steps to Producing Creative
Digital Media
BY MICHELLE SMITH
GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF NORTHERN
NEW ENGLAND
Attendees of the MPRC 2012 Annual
Conference had the opportunity to attend
a workshop with Kyle Hockmeyer and
Stephanie Koetzle of Fieldstone Media,
based in Augusta. In the hour-long session,
Hockmeyer and Koetzle outlined the steps
needed to create impactful digital media,
whether for your nonprofit fundraising
campaign or corporate video.
Here are the top five takeaways from the
session:
1. Develop a Storyline. How do you want
to tell your story? What is your end
goal? Do you want a narrator or do you
want several individuals to share their
point of view?
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2. Identify Your Audience. Who needs to
see your production? Are you trying
to target donors for a fundraising
campaign or consumers to purchase
a product? If you are hoping to have a
large impact, consider hiring a media
production company to produce
your video. If you are creating short,
minute-long videos to use on your
website or YouTube, you can use a
camera or even your iPhone.
3. Capture Emotion. Testimonial based
video can often be more authentic
than simply having a narrator. Try
using both. Share personal stories to
create an emotional impact on the
viewer (Check out Fieldstone’s video
about the Children’s Center in Augusta
for a great example: http://vimeo.
com/17900636).
4. Planning. Create a detailed production
schedule, particularly if you hire a
media company to produce your
digital feature. The longer they need
to work with you, the more it’s going
to cost.
5. Distribution & Sharing. How do you
want to share your digital feature?
Do you want to host it on a site like
YouTube or Vimeo or host it on your
own website? Do you want to share
the video with potential donors or use
it to accompany grant submissions?
Be sure to work with your website
developer to assess your organization’s
web capabilities.
Annual Conference Recap:
Socializing the Online
Newsroom
BY KATE BACHMAN
KEMP GOLDBERG
We were fortunate this year to have
Steve Momorella from TekGroup speak
to attendees about socializing the online
newsroom during one of our breakout
sessions, here are some key takeaways
from the session and top tips.
The concept of Brand Journalism - All
of our social networking and sharing
ability has created an environment
where everyone is capable of producing,
curating, and amplifying content. This
has led to the concept and development
of Brand Journalism. Organizations can
now take an active role is sharing their
own news directly with their customers
while simultaneously assisting traditional
media outlets with finding sources and
information for earned media. One of the
simplest ways to start is by having a social/
online optimized newsroom.
Online Newsroom- Some Key Components
and Tips
1. The Social Press Release- Although
there are many ways to create a
social press release, Steve noted that
there are two main components to
transforming a traditional release into
a social one: the use of multimedia
(video, photography, sound) and the
ability to easily share information on
various social and online outlets.
Continued on the next page.
Annual Conference Highlights Continued
A Look Back at Some of our Favorite Parts of the MPRC Conference
Continued from page 4.
2. PR/Media Contacts- Probably
the most important feature of an
online newsroom is the PR contact
information for journalists. Steve
recommends going beyond phone
number and email address to provide
twitter, Skype, LinkedIn and Facebook
information as well.
3. Shareable Multimedia- Using photos,
videos, podcasts or other multimedia
is a great way to engage audiences
with an organization’s content. For
optimizing a newsroom, this content
must be easily shareable. Use share
widgets, connect multimedia to social
networks (YouTube for videos, Flickr
for photos, etc.), and make sure that
the content is well organized and
formatted for sharing.
4. Bios/Background Information- An
online newsroom is a great place
to put executive bios, company
background information and other
facts for media use.
5. Searchable- A website, especially
an online newsroom, needs to
be searchable. Add a search bar
and ensure that all content uses
appropriate keywords and tags so
that visitors can easily track down the
information they need.
6. Analytics- Steve stressed the
importance of metrics and analytics
during his presentation. Every
organization wants to know if their
efforts are contributing to the
bottom line, so make sure to set up
measurement tools and benchmarks
to track success and areas of
improvement. Steve recommends
using Google Analytics to track views,
downloads, traffic, and conversions.
7. Community building- Incorporating
chat features, email alert options,
forums and similar features in your
newsroom allows target audiences to
take the next step in connecting with
your organization.
MPRC’s 2012
Professional
Achievement Awards
During the presentation, Steve also
noted some great examples of social
newsrooms and companies to look
at, including Ford, Siemens, GE, Getty
Images, and PitneyBowes. Check out the
online newsrooms of these companies for
inspiration and best practices.
Congratulations to President’s
Award recipients Amy Landry and
Deb Nelson, and Rising Star Award
recipient Kate Bachman.
Email [email protected] to get the
full presentation.
“It was nice to have all of the
A special congratulations
to Edward L.
Bernays Award
winner Susan
Tompkins. Upon
receiving the award, she shared 5
lessons she has learned about herself and her job:
meeting, break, and lunch
rooms close together and plenty
of convenient parking. The
young energy from the many
college students who attended
was also nice.”
•
She loves a good story.
•
She loves her job because she’s
able to get people to feel good
about their jobs.
•
Always ask the reporter why she
or he is calling first.
Art Marcoux
Services Four
•
Always say thank you to the
reporter and people who
participate in the story.
•
Always know when to stop
talking.
We want YOU to submit an article to the Maine PR Journal!
Best practices, book reviews, PR jokes, “Other Duties as Assigned,”
or anything you’d like to read about! Contact Deb Tenenbaum at
[email protected] with questions or to submit an article.
5
Power of the Media and My Vacation to Greece
BY AMY LANDRY, HEALTHINFONET
No violence, no gas shortages, no ferry
strikes, no problems. Don’t believe the
media and go on vacation. Let me explain.
As public relations professionals, we all
know the power of the news media. Just
one story can lead to a 500% increase in
product sales, another can move millions to
march on a nation’s capitol, while another
can swiftly end a lengthy political career.
And the farther away we are from the
source of the story, the more we depend
on the media for information. That’s what
I’d been doing for the last couple years as
I continued to postpone a vacation to the
Greek islands.
I briefly visited the mainland 15 years ago
on a combined trip with Italy, and vowed I
would return. It was my instant favorite (it
still is), steeped in history, with a stunning
landscape, and friendly people. But as I
thought about going back, all this was
overshadowed by reports of angry violent
protesters, transportation strikes, and
imminent economic collapse. The media
6
coverage of Greece seen in the States and
across Europe (according to the other
foreign tourists I met there) has soured
traveler opinions of the country, leading
to a huge decline in visitors. For a country
in which tourism accounts for 18% of GDP
and employs one fifth of the workforce, this
is only exacerbating the problem.
So I figured what better way to help Greece
out of their economic crisis but ignore
the media and book a vacation. So I did.
What I found was happy welcoming locals,
on time ferries, one of the most efficient
airports I’ve flown through, and the best
vacation I’ve ever had. Every Greek person
we spoke to was thankful we’d come.
They know
how the media
coverage has
portrayed their
country around
the world and
they blame that
coverage for the
steady decline
in tourists. “Tell
your friends to
come and not
to listen to the
newspapers.
It is safe here
and everything
(especially in the
islands) is operating fine.” I heard this again
and again.
I learned the greatest drop is in the number
of Germans visiting the islands. Like the
Greeks, the one German couple we met
also blamed the media for the decline. They
said the intense political tension between
the two nations’ governments dominates
the press in Germany and that these media
reports have left many Germans afraid they
will be targets of anger and even violence
in Greece. But like us, they didn’t believe
the hype and found nothing but smiles and
open arms their entire two weeks on the
Greek island of Milos.
Of course many of the reports are true
– Greece is in economic crisis, there are
protests (mostly scheduled and easy to
avoid) in Athens, and there is frustration
with the Eurozone leaders, especially
German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But
contrary to other reports, the ferries are
running, the locals are welcoming (also to
the Germans), the trash is being picked up,
the gas stations are open, the islands are
safe (safer than Portland, Maine even) and
on and on.
So the power of the media kept me away,
but my first-hand experience will surely
lure me back. Perhaps it will be social
media that brings back the tourists. Time to
write some TripAdvisor reviews and update
my blog.
Yamas! (Cheers in Greek)
Nonprofit PR: Messaging
2013 MPRC Board
Continued from page 1.
BY AMY SAFFORD, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AT COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INC.
The competition for donations among
nonprofits is fierce in today’s economic
climate. With so many nonprofits
competing in a smaller donor pool, only
those with a successful public relations
strategy will float to the top.
presented itself when one of our caregivers
(Direct Support Professionals) was in the
news for rescuing a woman who drove her
car into Portland harbor.
For example, our mission is to
provide home support services and
day programming to people with
developmental disabilities so they
may become more involved in their
communities, live as independently as
possible, and reach their full potential.
All of our media messages tie back
to strong care-giving, community
involvement, and independent living. If we
try to do anything else, we are watering
down our message. Keeping the message
clean and concise will help the public, and
our constituents, know exactly who we are
and why they should donate.
There are many low-cost public relations
tools. Press releases, PSAs, e-newsletters,
agency websites, YouTube videos,
Facebook pages and blogs are all vehicles
for strengthening your message.
Nominating
• Linda Varrell, APR
Broadreach Public Relations
Universal Accreditation Board
• Judy Katzel, APR
Kdk Consulting Group
What is the difference between donor
relations and public relations? Donor
relations involves direct contact with your
constituents; it’s face time and the direct
ask. Public relations, on the other hand, is
what happens in the background.
Crafting concise and consistent media
messages is imperative to a successful
strategy. At Community Partners, we have
several media messages included in our
marketing plan, all tied to our mission
statement.
Media Directory
• Open Position
Members at Large
• Tina Clark, APR
Tri-County Mental Health Services
• Nancy Roberts, APR
New England School of
Communications
The rescuer, Katie Nelson, was honored
as a Good Samaritan in the news and her
employment at Community Partners was
mentioned. Even though this was not
a story about Community Partners, the
media attention helped to reinforce our
mission of providing excellent support
services.
I included a story about Katie in our e-news
and, for the first time, received e-mails
from subscribers telling me how much
they enjoyed the issue. The human interest
story just happened to reinforce what we
do every day: provide excellent care in the
community.
The strategy of your public relations
message can make or break your donor
relations. Keeping that consistent message
in the background is like treading water – if
you tread with strength and consistency,
your donor pool will grow.
Professional Development
• Amy Landry
HealthInfoNet
• Andrew Russell
Time Warner Cable
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
•
Art Marcoux
Services Four
If you are interested in volunteering to
work on any of the MPRC committees
or in filling any open board positions,
please contact:
MPRC’s Nominating Committee Chair:
Linda Varrell, APR
Broadreach Public Relations
(207) 846-3826
[email protected]
We use all of these tools to reinforce how
important our care-giving service is to the
community. Recently a media opportunity
7
A Look at our Golden Arrow Winners:
The 2012 Golden Arrow Winners represent a diverse group of agencies,
non-profits and businesses. While they may have quite a few differences,
what they have in common are their creativity, skill, and talent. We’ll
feature several of the winners in upcoming issues of the PR Journal.
Our first one featured is Denise Beck’s “We Go METRO” Campaign which
received the Golden Arrow in Communications Campaigns.
“We Go METRO” Campaign Encourages Commuters to Ride
the Bus
BY DENISE BECK, GREATER PORTLAND TRANSIT DISTRICT METRO
While large transit systems are convenient and offer
frequent scheduling -- if you miss the bus or train,
another is usually a few minutes away -- smaller
systems cannot offer the same convenience. Patience
and advanced planning are required. Plus, traffic is
not comparable to large cities where taking public
transit can save time. The majority of commuters
throughout the Greater Portland region depend on
their cars.
Yet, there are positive messages and incentives
for taking the bus. METRO’s eight routes provide
access throughout Portland, Westbrook, Falmouth
and the Maine Mall area of South Portland with
connections to Amtrak, the Portland Jetport,
Casco Bay Ferry and other regional transit
options.
Bus commuters can save on car maintenance,
gas prices, insurance costs and parking fees (it
can cost $100 monthly to park in downtown
Portland). It is possible to save thousands of
dollars annually by taking the bus instead of driving.
The growth in sustainable practices and messages has also increased interest
in using public transit. In addition, some businesses encourage public transit through
subsidizing employee bus passes. With all the incentives, some commuters are making
the decision to take the bus to work and forgo a second car for their family.
The primary objectives of the “We Go METRO” campaign were to increase public
transit ridership and work toward changing perceptions about riding the bus by
featuring testimonials from people who choose to ride the bus. The target audiences
of this campaign were commuters and employers (who were encouraged to consider
subsidizing bus transit as a benefit for their employees).
Continued on the next page.
8
The 2012 MPRC
Golden Arrow
Award Winners
We are proud to showcase our
2012 Golden Arrow Award Winners.
Congratulations to all for your excellent
work!
2012 BEST OF SHOW AWARD:
Vreeland Marketing & Design for the
Rancourt & Company website
ANNUAL REPORTS - NON-PROFIT:
Silver Award: Cancer Community Center,
2010-2011 Cancer Community Center
ANNUAL REPORT:
Gold Award: Maine Community
Foundation, Invest in Maine: 2011-2012
Report to the Community
NEWSLETTER:
Silver Award: Vreeland Marketing &
Design, Trend Reports
TECHNOLOGY:
Gold Award: Vreeland Marketing &
Design, Rancourt & Company Website
Redesign
Silver Award: Broadreach Public
Relations, Cornerstone Financial
Planning Website.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Silver Award: Garrand, Hood New
England Dairy Cook-Off Highlight Reel.
AUDIO VISUAL - NON-PROFIT:
Gold Award: Acadia Hospital, The Road
Back
MEDIA RELATIONS:
Silver Award: Broadreach Public
Relations, Ashley Lauren Kerr Visibility
Campaign
MEDIA RELATIONS - NON-PROFIT:
Silver Award: Nancy Marshall
Communications, Rangeley Moose
Lottery Festival
2012 Golden Arrow
Award Winners
A Look at our Golden Arrow Winners:
CITIZENSHIP:
Silver award: Broadreach Public
Relations, Maine Center for Creativity
Visibility
The “We Go METRO” communications
campaign focused on testimonials and
images of bus commuters from the Greater
Portland region. The campaign featured
print ads, bus signage, radio spots,
brochures highlighting commuter benefits
(which targeted businesses with 50+
employees) and other creative elements
while working within the parameters
of a small marketing budget. To save
on expenses, I shot photos, designed
ads (print and bus ads) and included campaign elements in a monthly email newsletter
(distributed through Constant Contact) and on the METRO website (gpmetrobus.com).
A video, produced through a community television membership, featured the same
commuters, explaining their reasons for taking the bus to work.
Continued from page 8.
Continued from page 8.
CITIZENSHIP - NON-PROFIT:
Gold Award: Vreeland Marketing and
Design, Spannocchia Foundation 10th
Anniversary Appeal
Silver Award: Portland Public Schools,
Another Outstanding Graduate of the
Portland Public Schools
COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN:
Gold Award: Greater Portland Transit
District Metro and Denise Beck, We Go
METRO
COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN NON-PROFIT:
Silver Award: Broadreach Public
Relations, Mercy Hospital Visibility
Campaign
SPECIAL EVENTS:
Gold Award: Garrand, Dunkin Donuts
Iced Coffee Day
Silver Award: Garrand, Third Annual
Hood New England Dairy Cook-Off
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Gold Award: Garrand, Heluva Good!
Beer Bloggers Conference
ODDS AND ENDS:
Gold Award: Rinck Advertising, Up
Team Street Team & Sampling Vehicle
Silver Award: Vreeland Marketing &
Design, Toy Stories
ODDS AND ENDS - NON-PROFIT:
Silver Award: Girl Scouts of Maine,
Annual Appeal Card
Since the campaign began, requests from employers asking for information about
subsidizing bus passes have increased. Ridership for 2012 is also up (year to date) from
2011 as are monthly visits to METRO’s website (gpmetrobus.com). While public perception
can’t always be measured, inquiries and conversations “about the bus” seem to be on the
rise, and plans are in the works for regional transit agencies to join forces in branding and
marketing efforts to increase public transit awareness and ridership in the Greater Portland
region.
Upcoming Professional
Development Events
Continued from page 1.
The Viral Video Manifesto: Why Everything You Know is
Wrong and How to Do What Really Works
Stephen Voltz and Fritz Grobe, “a.k.a. the Coke and Mentos guys” EepyBird Studios
May 1, Location TBD, Portland
3:30 - 5:00pm, Professional Development Session
5:00 - 7:00pm, Happy Hour Networking Event!
Successful viral videos often do the same kinds of things right, and the
legions of unsuccessful viral video attempts that most companies put
online almost always make the same kinds of mistakes. In this presentation,
Stephen and Fritz explain what works, what doesn’t, and why.
9