I am sure there are a lot of people that are tired of hearing about the oil spill, others that are constantly intrigued by the daily updates, and those people that are actually suffering the devastation that President Obama has called the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced. Regardless of where you stand, here is an initiative that FWV was able to accomplish on behalf of our client Security Point Media in an effort to assist in any way we can.
Before the oil had even hit Florida’s beaches, the negative effects on the tourism industry began washing ashore. Of all the threatened states, Florida has the most to lose. Tourism is its economic lifeblood, its largest industry, generating $60 billion in spending from more than 80 million visitors a year, bringing in 21 percent of all state sales taxes and employing nearly 1 million Floridians. Tourism is already experiencing signs of suffering even in areas as yet unaffected by oil on the beach.
As the innovator of airport security checkpoint advertising, Security Point Media has the ability to engage with an elusive but highly coveted group of consumers: people who like to travel. By enlisting the support of the American Advertising Federation and along with Zappos.com, the company conceived the “Champion a Cause” Creative Challenge hoping to leverage the creative juices of over 40,000 AAF members nationwide. The challenge is to design a SecureTray® campaign advertisement reminding travelers that the Sunshine State is open for business. The goal is to keep Florida-bound flights full.
The 1st place winning design will be produced and featured in select airports across the country compliments of SecurityPoint Media, and will also receive $1,000. Prizes will also be awarded to 2nd and 3rd place. All winners will be featured on the AAF website, the SecurityPoint Media website and in a press release announcement.
Besides recognition, I hope that AAF members all around the country see the unique opportunity they have to contribute their creative talent in a way that will ultimately help the state of Florida in this time of crisis. And, I certainly am looking forward to viewing the designs and being a part of such positive project in light of this disaster.
SecurityPoint Media works in compliance with the Transportation Safety Administration and has successfully streamlined airport check-in processes in 22 airports nationwide. For more details, visit http://www.securitypointmedia.com.
Curious about the latest buzz in the world of coffee? Look no further than the pour-over.
All the rage in New York coffee bars and hip, happening restaurants throughout the city, coffee drinkers have discovered a new appreciation for the centuries old manual drip method of brewing coffee – pure and simple. Coffee connoisseurs have rechristened the technique as “the pour-over,” and say there is no better way to make a cup of coffee.
Preparation consists of a cone – lined with a filter and filled with ground coffee – sitting atop a coffee cup. Water is poured manually and slowly over the grounds and coffee drips into the cup below. A pour-over is made in front of the customer, often right at the table. The result? A fresh, perfectly brewed single cup of coffee any time of day.
The pour-over may be the latest coffee obsession, but the method dates back over 100 years when a German housewife named Melitta Bentz resolved to improve the taste of coffee (at the time, a gritty, murky beverage). She devised a paper filter, set it in a brass cup in which she had punched holes, and filled it with ground coffee. She then poured water over the grounds, and coffee – clean and clear – dripped into a drinking cup below. And thus, Melitta, the world’s first mega-brand in coffee, was born.
Serious coffee bars like NYC’s Abraço and Third Rail feature pour-over bars, and recently, Starbuck’s announced it will be doing the same. Pour-over coffee bars are showing up in restaurants like Maialino, the newest eatery from famed New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer.
Divi Resorts, a collection of nine premium resorts on six stunning Caribbean islands, recently held the 10th annual “Taste of St. Croix” at its Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort. Inarguably the island’s most anticipated, exciting, attended and delicious affair, the annual tasting and competition highlights the delectable cuisine of St. Croix.
The beachfront soirée, held April 15, 2010, brought 1700 guests to the property for this year’s culinary celebration. More than 50 restaurants vied for “Best Of” awards in a range of categories, including Best Local Fare, Best Presentation and Best Vegetarian dish. Vintners from around the world also participated, offering event goers a sampling of their wines.
Celebrity judges for this year’s competition included Kevin Rathbun, known as the “Sultan of Steak,” whose three Atlanta restaurants have been given top honors by Details, Esquire and The Atlanta Constitution; Robert Trevino, an Iron Chef America contender and famous for his Nueva Latina cooking at his superb restaurant in San Juan; and Tim Love, culinary personality and chef/owner of The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro and The Love Shack in Ft. Worth, TX.
Media attending this year’s event werewriting for The Dallas Morning News, American Way and Caribbean Travel & Life, among others. Keep an eye out for stories in the upcoming winter travel issues of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Modern Luxury Bride and Ocean Home, too.
The Taste of St. Croix was started in 2001 as a modest affair at the Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort and now crowds amble up and down the beachfront for wine, music and song. Oh, did we mention there’s also a great after-party sponsored by Moet Chandon?
The Taste of St. Croix is the seminal event in what is now the five-day St. Croix Food & Wine Experience, named one of the best food festivals in the world by Forbes Traveler 2009. And, in addition to a good time, it does a good thing: all proceeds from the events benefit the St. Croix Foundation, which fosters economic, social and cultural development on the island.
FWV brought Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Week to the Triangle with a star-studded array of celebrity rockers. The first show, a free public concert in downtown Raleigh, featured Professor Louie & The Crowmatix and 94 East, with tributes to The Band, Prince and The Revolution, with a foray into alternative rock with the teen band Troubled Identity. A special closing set featured an all-star band playing under the alias the BSDs.
The second show in Cary, NC featured a lineup of rock royalty, including Cheap Trick, The Atlanta Rhythm Section, The Georgia Satellites, the Dave Mason Band, Alan White’s White Sox All-Star Band, with members of Queen, Yes and Tower of Power.
The after-party at Rally Point was amazing. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason sang "Stand By Me" on the small outdoor patio backed by the White-Sox All Star Band. Then, 94 East performed its jaw-dropping rendition of "Purple Rain." What a spectacular weekend for live music.
French/West/Vaughan (FWV), one of the nation’s largest independent public relations, public affairs and brand communications agencies, has been retained by Canvas On Demand, the industry leader for photo-on-canvas art.
Canvas On Demand has tapped FWV to provide integrated marketing and business development support. Particular emphasis will be placed on growing awareness for the Canvas on Demand brand nationally and further establishing its products and exemplary service with consumers and professional photographers alike.
“FWV’s extensive experience with building successful brands makes the relationship an ideal fit,” said Joe Schmidt, co-founder of Canvas On Demand. “We look forward to taking our business to the next level with FWV.
“Canvas On Demand has built an extraordinary business and FWV is up to the challenge to advance that success even further,” said FWV Chairman and CEO Rick French. “We are ready to match Canvas On Demand’s vision and energy and contribute and execute ideas that will change the landscape for its industry.”
To celebrate the two Raleigh-based businesses working together, COD is offering $50 off orders as a special discount to friends, family and fans of COD and FWV. Until May 31, consumers can visit www.canvasondemand.com/cod-fwv and sign up to receive a coupon, which is good for 30 days.
Going home for the holidays can be a time of great joy and comfort, but it can also be a time of concern when it comes to aging parents. Legacies & Lifelines, an expert in family caregiving dynamics and an innovative leader in optimal later life living, suggests a few questions to consider when you visit aging parents:
Does your parent have an unsteady walk or general loss of balance?
Has your parent lost a significant amount of weight?
Does the refrigerator contain expired products?
Is the home in disrepair or dirty, indicating difficulty maintaining the home?
Does your parent have trouble recalling names, recipes or other information?
Is your parent more withdrawn, perhaps hiding a loss of memory or confusion?
Can your parent explain what medications he or she is on, when they are to be taken and what the medications are for?
Has your parent’s normal personal grooming declined?
Are there signs of financial problems, such as unpaid bills?
Is one parent acting as a caregiver to the other and appearing exhausted?
If your answers to these questions leave you concerned, you should observe all that you can and take notes. When you return home you can carefully consider and seek advice on how to bring about necessary changes, while preserving your parents’ independence and dignity.
The experts at Legacies & Lifelines recommend that you do not attempt to fix problems during your family visit unless there is a situation that must be addressed immediately to prevent harm. Instead, focus on strengthening your relationship so that your offers for assistance will be well received once you have had a chance to develop a plan to propose.
Try to find out who is in your parents’ lives that can be a resource. It may be the housekeeper of many years, a family physician, members of the church or neighbors. Talk with your parents about their lives and how they are feeling to better assess whether they will be defensive or open to accepting help and making changes. Share your concerns with siblings or other family members, and ask them to participate in researching options and finding solutions. While it may be very difficult to resist taking over during your visit, you should avoid taking an aggressive approach that has not been well thought out. Your intentions could be misunderstood and the lines of communications could shut down. Legacies & Lifelines CEO Sheryl Hunter explains “Parents do not want to feel parented by their children, but if you proceed as a caring and respectful partner in a process of developing and implementing a plan with your parents to enable them to live their best life as they age, then you will have a real chance of being heard and getting them the help they need.” For additional information on this and other aging parent topics, visit here.
When we started brainstorming ideas for a press release with our client Coats and Bennett, a leading intellectual property law firm in the Southeast, the FWV team had just watched a moving YouTube video from Matt Nadeau of Rock Art Brewery in Vermont.
Nadeau faced a trademark dispute with the maker of Monster energy drinks over his “Vermonster” beer. Corporate giant Hansen Beverage Co. demanded that the small brewery stop selling, promoting and advertising their beer because of trademark issues. Specifically, Hansen Beverage claimed that the brewer’s use of “monster” as part of its trademark would confuse consumers into thinking their beer originated from or was somehow affiliated with Hansen Beverage. This situation is increasingly common as more companies aggressively protect their perceived intellectual property rights. The resulting high cost of legal battles can bankrupt a small company. Check out the YouTube video with the brewery’s side of the story:
The case provides a reminder to start thinking about the intellectual property aspects of a brand before it is introduced to market. I met with Anthony Biller, an attorney and member of Coats and Bennett who leads the firm’s litigation practice and chairs the Trademark Litigation committee of the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property law section, to get his take on the issue. He explained that the firm “often sees marketers and business owners who may not fully appreciate the intellectual property implications of the creative choices behind adopting and marketing their brand.”
“Business owners can easily find themselves fending off brand bullies who want to challenge their right to use words, images and even colors in their marketing. In other cases, business owners walk face first into legitimate trademark infringement claims because they failed to take the necessary precautions up front,” Biller continued.
The concept of “Brand Bullies” resonated with our team. We worked with the firm on a press release outlining the consequences businesses could face with this situation and some important questions to consider:
What to do at the concept stage? Who really owns the content? How strong is this brand? How can I protect myself against brand bullies?
In the end, the small Vermont brewery was able to keep its Vermonster brand by broadcasting the injustice of Hansen Beverage’s demands via YouTube, brewery blogs and news coverage. Consumers and stores then began boycotting the Monster drink and a settlement agreement was quickly reached. This case was a remarkable victory for the little guy, but the vast majority of infringement disputes are resolved through expensive litigation, not publicity. What many businesses don’t realize is the cost of avoiding those fights at the initial stage of brand formation is a fraction of what it costs to resolve a charge of infringement.
The best-kept secret in the world of horses is undoubtedly Parelli Natural Horsemanship, created in 1981 by Pat Parelli based on his keen observation of horse behavior, psychology and communication. The Parelli method is the #1 natural horsemanship program in the world and teaches expertise and success based on the way horses relate and communicate in their natural world. FWV is thrilled to work with the company as its agency of record for traditional PR, social media marketing and creative and advertising services.
When FWV began working on the account at the end of September, Parelli lacked a cohesive and official voice in the online area. Unofficial fan sites were increasingly popular, leaving the company out of the conversation and unable to share exciting news that happens daily about the company. FWV established and immediate goal: develop an official voice for Parelli and start contributing to the discussion taking place in social media outlets.
Today, FWV monitors online discussion of both Parelli and industry competitors using Radian6, a cutting-edge social media tool, allowing us to identify trends as they happen, track negative conversations that FWV can prepare our client for and tap into insights regarding competitors’ online efforts.
FWV worked with Parelli to develop a world-wide “social media inner circle” – made up of 12 members in five different countries – including students, Parelli Professionals, staff and Savvy Club members to contribute videos, pictures and descriptions of what they were doing in their area of the world. FWV also trained Linda and Pat Parelli, as well as Parelli management team members and Master Program students who are all now involved daily.
With FWV leading the initiative, in just a few months Parelli experienced the following results:
Heightened engagement as each post averages approximately 30 comments
Pat Parelli’s individual fan page has gained more than 1,500 fans
Communicating quick messages from Parelli folks around the world, the brand now has over 1,680 followers on Twitter
An established blog readership featuring insights from Linda Parelli
Next up, FWV will leverage these online outlets to generate sales of two new products Parelli will be launching at the end of November. From trivia contests on Twitter to special coupon codes for Facebook Fans, FWV is excited about the possibilities as we continue to grow Parelli’s social media presence.
French/West/Vaughan is thrilled to announce that SecurityPoint Media, the innovative company behind the airport passenger security checkpoint advertising and the SecureTray System, is executing a new ad campaign for online footwear and accessories retailer Zappos in JFK, LaGuardia and Newark International airports.
The launch of the Zappos campaign in NY follows a highly-successful advertising run during SPM’s pilot program and validates the impact of the system, which uniquely positions brands like Zappos to reach an elusive but highly coveted group of consumers: frequent flyers. According to study by market research company Arbitron,92 million adults in the U.S. are exposed to airport advertising each year. FWV is launching a powerful public relations and social media campaign to increase consumer awareness and establish added value for SecurityPoint Media’s clients.
The Zappos SecureTray campaign is part of a broader brand strategy to integrate online and offline tactics, complimenting traditionally Web-centric campaigns. The system allows advertisers to connect with hard-to-reach business travelers in a controlled and uncluttered environment. Zappos is a visionary brand, consistently pioneering thought-provoking marketing strategy fueled by the company’s CEO Tony Heish, who saw the value in complementing the brand’s powerful online presence with a real-world vehicle to reach the traveling consumer.
The SecureTray System also streamlines the check-in processes and enhances the traveler experience. The bright white color and clever advertisements in the bottom of the bins keep the mood light and cheerful, and security specific system enhancements support passenger screening objectives. The SecureTray System works in compliance with the TSA and has successfully streamlined airport check-in processes in 18 airports nationwide. So as Holiday travelers brace for the inevitable airport checkpoint hassle of taking off their shoes, emptying their pockets and trying to keep an eye on their laptop, our client is giving travelers departing from NY and NJ airports something to be thankful for this sesason.
Other major advertisers, including regional auto groups, entertainment complexes and major brands like Sony, Charles Schwab, Honda and Rolodex, have seized the opportunity to sponsor the SecureTray System as the program has expanded.
Monday, September 14, Campbell Law Schoolbecame the first institution of legal education in Raleigh, retiring the city’s reign as the largest state capital without a law school.
This bold and visionary initiative, first announced in the fall of 2007, resulted from extensive research, consideration, faculty, staff and student support and a unanimous vote by Campbell University’s Board of Trustees to approve the Raleigh relocation.
To continue the momentum of the initial move announcement, particular emphasis was focused on reputation management and building of the Campbell brand name in Raleigh through strategic public relations and marketing. The campaign resulted in over 50 million positive earned media impressions and Campbell Law’s key messages related to the Raleigh move and its commitment to serving the community were abundant throughout.
Before the doors even opened, the move had a direct impact on applicants. Through summer 2009, total applications to Campbell Law were up 25 percent over the prior year while applications to law schools nationally were up just six percent. Additionally, the Law School’s entering 2009 class, the first group of students who will spend all three years in Raleigh, boasts the strongest academic credentials in the school’s 33-year history.
The city itself will serve as an learning laboratory, as the Law School is within walking distance to state and federal courts, the General Assembly, government agencies, law firms, nonprofits and corporations.
Campbell Law is also home to the Raleigh division of the North Carolina Business Court, making it one of only a handful of the nation’s law schools to house a working court, which provides students the invaluable opportunity to observe attorneys in action. Ensuring students gain real-world courtroom experience, the Law School plans to design a course in which students will study current cases, observe oral arguments by attorneys, then critique the substance of the arguments presented. This hands-on experience will further Campbell Law’s commitment to graduating practice-ready lawyers.
Approximately 109,000 square feet, the new location affords the Law School 40 percent more space and includes 13 technologically advanced classrooms, three courtrooms, a 4,000-square-foot student commons, a state-of-the-art law library and an attorney resource room open to area legal professionals and Campbell Law alumni.
Before the oil had even hit Florida’s beaches, the negative effects on the tourism industry began washing ashore. Of all the threatened states, Florida has the most to lose. Tourism is its economic lifeblood, its largest industry, generating $60 billion in spending from more than 80 million visitors a year, bringing in 21 percent of all state sales taxes and employing nearly 1 million Floridians. Tourism is already experiencing signs of suffering even in areas as yet unaffected by oil on the beach.
All the rage in New York coffee bars and hip, happening restaurants throughout the city, coffee drinkers have discovered a new appreciation for the centuries old manual drip method of brewing coffee – pure and simple. Coffee connoisseurs have rechristened the technique as “the pour-over,” and say there is no better way to make a cup of coffee.
The pour-over may be the latest coffee obsession, but the method dates back over 100 years when a German housewife named Melitta Bentz resolved to improve the taste of coffee (at the time, a gritty, murky beverage). She devised a paper filter, set it in a brass cup in which she had punched holes, and filled it with ground coffee. She then poured water over the grounds, and coffee – clean and clear – dripped into a drinking cup below. And thus, 
The beachfront soirée, held April 15, 2010, brought 1700 guests to the property for this year’s culinary celebration. More than 50 restaurants vied for “Best Of” awards in a range of categories, including Best Local Fare, Best Presentation and Best Vegetarian dish. Vintners from around the world also participated, offering event goers a sampling of their wines.
Media attending this year’s event were writing for The Dallas Morning News, American Way and Caribbean Travel & Life, among others. Keep an eye out for stories in the upcoming winter travel issues of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Modern Luxury Bride and Ocean Home, too.
The launch of the Zappos campaign in NY follows a highly-successful advertising run during SPM’s pilot program and validates the impact of the system, which uniquely positions brands like Zappos to reach an elusive but highly coveted group of consumers: frequent flyers. According to study by market research company Arbitron, 92 million adults in the U.S. are exposed to airport advertising each year. FWV is launching a powerful public relations and social media campaign to increase consumer awareness and establish added value for SecurityPoint Media’s clients.
Monday, September 14, Campbell Law School became the first institution of legal education in Raleigh, retiring the city’s reign as the largest state capital without a law school. 
Before the doors even opened, the move had a direct impact on applicants. Through summer 2009, total applications to Campbell Law were up 25 percent over the prior year while applications to law schools nationally were up just six percent. Additionally, the Law School’s entering 2009 class, the first group of students who will spend all three years in Raleigh, boasts the strongest academic credentials in the school’s 33-year history.