Brown Miller Communications, Inc.

The Internet -- Can't Live Without It

2012-01-20T13:16:00.000-08:00

Imagine being at work, and there is no email. Horrors! Then imagine no Internet service at all. More horrors! Well, that’s what happened to us last week. We changed Internet providers from Comcast to AT&T Uverse thinking it would be as simple as having an installation tech come out to put in a new router and then push a switch – voila . . . all done. But that’s not what happened.

It took three visits from AT&T service techs to finally get our Internet up and running properly. During that time, we were without access to the Internet and, more importantly, our email for more than a day – not a good thing for those of us in the communications field. But fortunately the old “third time’s a charm” adage brought us luck, and we could once more communicate with the outside world via the Internet.

This whole experience got me to reflecting on the “good old days” before the Internet. How in the world did we ever get anything done in a timely manner when we had to rely solely on the telephone, fax and snail mail? For research, we had to contact our friendly librarian and ask for assistance or actually go to the library. And there was no scanning and emailing of documents, no webinars, no podcasts, no YouTube. Over the last 15 years, the Internet has obviously made a big difference in how we do business, and its influence keeps expanding at a rapid rate. I can’t even imagine what we have in store for us in the years to come.

Sharron

The challenge of writing recipes

2012-01-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

An article in the Washington Post food section this week about recipe testing took me back to the 70s when I was food editor at the Detroit Free Press.

Very few newspapers then had test kitchens. (Not many have them today either.) I don't know how many food editors actually cooked but I was committed to trying every recipe before printing it.

I inherited the Free Press test kitchen, an old, institutional-green painted room with an odd collection of antiquated utensils and a few beat-up pans. It was nothing like the photo of the Saveur magazine test kitchen above.

I remember the first time I actually cooked something. People came from all over. Most reporters didn't even know the Freep had a test kitchen. That's how often it had been used.

The Post article says that a story out of Chile this past December "was enough to make a publisher’s blood turn colder than a liquid nitrogen milkshake." A newspaper there, La Tercera, was convicted of printing a recipe that caused 13 people to get burned when frying churros in hot oil. They had to pay the victims more than $160,000 in damages. When handing down its decision, the Chilean Supreme Court said, according to published accounts, that La Tercera had failed to fully test the recipe, causing the rolls of dough to become, essentially, projectile objects.

I agree that it's important for reporters to check all facts and that includes recipes.But even well-tested recipes don't necessarily guarantee success. I remember one cookie recipe that generated a lot of complaints. Surprisingly, the recipe with only three ingredients -- butter, sugar and flour -- had been tested several times and always turned out perfectly. For me, that is.

What could be the problem? A cube of butter is a cube of butter after all. It had to be the way people measured the flour and sugar. To investigate the problem, I collected measuring cups from several dozen neighbors and weighed one cup of sugar to see if all of the measuring devices held the same amount. What an unpleasant surprise! Only a few of the 1-cup measuring cups actually held that amount.

But even if people weighed out their ingredients instead of using cups, there will still be problems. When I was on tour promoting my first cookbook, Five in Ten: Five Ingredients in 10 Minutes or Less, I prepared a lot of recipes with ingredients that had been assembled for me and found out that what is "finely chopped" to one person is "pulverized" to another. Recently I went to coffee at a friend's house. She served chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. When I asked for the recipe, she said it was mine. Funny thing is her cookies didn't look like any that I've ever seen.

Developing recipes is not an easy job.

~ Paula

Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions for the PR pro:

2012-01-06T17:13:00.000-08:00

Chances are you’ve said something like “Wow, where did the year go?” Stop it. It’s gone. Move on. Here’s a list of ideas to improve YOU (me) in 2012.

10. Go to bed

You’re not smart when you’re tired. Go to bed.

9. Drink less coffee

You didn’t go to bed so you’re compensating with coffee? Stop shaking, it’s hard to type!

8. Eat less cake

That’s not lunch, that’s a coma.

7. Get influential media coverage

Oprah’s show is over (for now), you should be fine.

6. Understand what an email is saying in less than 3 reads

Sometimes it’s not your fault. But it is.

5. Write more lists

People love lists.

4. Get good at writing and stuff

Well said.

3. Wait 10 minutes before checking email, Facebook and Twitter

Chances are nothing happened. And if it did, it can wait 10 minutes.

2. Read more articles

Knowledge is power.

1. Read more fiction, listen to more music and look at more art

This is where writing skills, intellect and innovative ideas truly come from, not Google analytics.

Happy New Year!

-Matt

Why So Much Fish?

2011-12-22T11:55:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of stressful things about the holiday season – wrapping up presents with your children banging on the door, making the exact number of cookies you’re required to take to the cookie swap and having your house packed to the brim with relatives can be depended on to raise your blood pressure. But, the dreaded “small talk” at holiday parties is usually near the top of everyone’s list. It’s always nice to catch up with acquaintances and coworkers’ spouses at annual gatherings, but what do you talk about once you’ve covered all the basics in 90 seconds?

One of my favorite questions to ask people is about holiday traditions that are special to their families. It’s always fun to hear what other people do to celebrate the holidays (I had no idea that getting new pajamas on Christmas morning is a regular thing in so many households!) and hear the stories behind family traditions.

My mom is originally from Poland, and she brought a number of holiday traditions with her. Christmas Eve (Wigilia) is considered more important than Christmas Day itself. We eat our big meal on Christmas Eve and open all of our presents after dinner (quite untraditional, I know).

We anxiously await the appearance of the first star (gwiazdka) to signal the start of the Wigilia feast. Before sitting down at the table, everyone breaks the traditional wafer (oplatek) and exchanges good wishes for health, wealth and happiness in the new year. The number of dinner courses is fixed at seven, nine or eleven, and is traditionally a meatless meal, the result of a long-term mandate of the Catholic Church that a strict fast and abstinence be observed the day before Christmas. The traditional Wigilia menu my mom grew up with included mushroom soup, boiled potatoes, pickled herring, fried fish, pierogi, beans and sauerkraut, and assorted pastries, nuts and candies for dessert. Every year my mom tells us about how her father would purchase the Christmas carp before all the stores would close for the holidays, meaning the live fish took up residence in the bathtub for a few days before the big meal.

Our family enjoys eating fish, but not enough to eat seven courses of it or share a bathroom with a live carp for a few days, so we’ve adapted these traditional Polish customs. We still start the meal with breaking the traditional wafer, but then sit down to feast on all of our favorite Polish dishes, including meat ones. It’s nice to celebrate our family’s heritage while enjoying the dishes we don’t have very often.

After dinner we roll ourselves into the living room to open all of our presents. We spend the rest of the evening watching our favorite Christmas movies, with A Christmas Story and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation at top of the list. I can usually make it through the first movie but always fall asleep in the middle of the second (this has become a family joke). My husband and I saw National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation recently, and it was the first time in my life that I saw the ending!

Well, this blog post ended up being a lot longer than I expected! Now you know why I pull this topic out of my pocket when party conversations start to falter. So, what are your family holiday traditions?

~ Nicole

What Role Do PR Firms Have on Wikipedia?

2011-12-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

So. . . the latest PR brouhaha is that a PR firm created, edited and changed pages on Wikipedia.

I don’t know all the details, but the article at this point has a lot of finger pointing and innuendo. Beyond the article some are even saying that a PR firm should not create or edit Wikipedia pages for a client.

I have to say, “What is wrong with a PR firm creating a page for a client or correcting errors in a page about a client?”

I briefly looked at the editorial policy for Wikipedia, and it states, "Anyone can create or edit a page…" It doesn’t say, “except for PR and marketing firms on behalf of a client.” So I have to believe that when they say “anyone,” they mean ANYONE.

The fact that anyone can create or edit pages is one of Wikipedia’s greatest strengths and, at the same time, greatest weaknesses.

Unfortunately, there are people out there, not all of them working for PR firms, who deliberately remove anything negative, place overly positive comments and editorialize like crazy, not to mention just plain lie on Wikipedia pages that they have designated themselves as the gatekeeper for all information on the subject.

If one of the main duties of a PR firm is to protect their client’s reputation and provide correct information about them, isn’t it also their responsibility to ensure any information concerning that client is up-to-date and accurate on a website like Wikipedia?

What do you think?

Ken

Getting Ready for the Holidays? Let’s Talk.

2011-12-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

It’s December and the holiday season is officially upon us. Can you smell the cookies baking in the oven and the pine scent filling the cool air?

I love the holidays because of the nostalgic feeling that comes over me. I do a little baking, decorate the house and cook up a feast because Filipino culture dictates that I must have a mountain of food enough to feed an army. All jokes aside, this is the only time throughout the year when I have my mother and my brothers under one roof to catch up. It’s when I notice how my children have gotten taller standing next to their uncles or the new wisps of gray hair peeking from my mother’s forehead.

We often laugh and reminisce about the past but recently, I realized that we need to start thinking about the future. It’s my reminder to have a conversation about expectations.

I started the conversation with my mom a couple years ago and it won’t be the last. My mother has been dealing with a heart condition and while she is fully functional and healthy otherwise, I am suddenly faced with having to understand how to deal with unexpected added expenses, role expectations for me and my brothers and what options are available. I don’t get all the answers in one sitting but I understand it’s a process and that I need to start early. It can be overwhelming at times. Fortunately, the state of California has put together a new website, www.RUReadyCa.org to walk you through the steps of planning for long-term care. In fact, here is a list of question to help guide you with your conversation.

Seizing this moment can be uncomfortable but important. So why don’t you join me and bring out the platter of cookies and talk to your loved ones.

~Muriel

@murielbmiller

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T08:58:00.000-08:00

Like many of you, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Everyone always gets along, which wasn't necessarily true with other longer holidays when I was growing up. There's always plenty of fabulous food, great friends, spirited conversation and no pressure to buy gifts.

As a former newspaper food editor, Thanksgiving always presented a challenge. It's the one day of the year when people who never cook face their fears and go into the kitchen. They would call with questions about every little thing. Some people called all day long. But the calls I hated to answer came on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Here's a typical exchange:

"I forgot to put the leftover turkey away. Can I still serve it?"

"How long was it out of refrigeration?" The answer was usually the same.

"Well...all night," generally came the sheepish reply.

"No. It's dangerous to serve perishable food that has been out of refrigeration for more than four hours."

"Well, then can I serve it to my dog?"

Each year food editors dig deep to come up with interesting new recipe and menu ideas. The problem is that no one really wants to make anything different. Thanksgiving is a traditional holiday. My favorite cover story was the time I interviewed a wide range of people, mostly chefs and sports celebrities, and pretended I was inviting them to a pot luck. "What is the must serve Thanksgiving recipe for your family?" The answers were deliciously different. Fanny Farmer Cookbook author Marion Cunningham enthusiastically said, "Watermelon pickles!" Al Attles, former coach of the Golden State Warriors, replied, "Macaroni and Cheese and I always make it myself!"

For our family, the recipe is Carrot Ring. I don't remember ever sitting down to a Thanksgiving dinner without enjoying Carrot Ring, a cross between a carrot pudding and a not-too-sweet carrot cake. This year I'm going to bake two of them.

What is the essential dish for your holiday table?

Best wishes to you and your family for a happy, healthy holiday season.

~ Paula

California Childhood Obesity Rate Falls, but Some Counties Struggling

2011-11-09T16:51:00.000-08:00

Click here to download this infographic

A new study released today offers hope that the state may finally be getting a handle on its 30-year battle with childhood obesity, but also showcases a patchwork of progress that leaves the majority of counties in the state still registering increases in obesity rates among California’s school-age children.

According to the study, A Patchwork of Progress: Changesin Overweight and Obesity Among California 5th, 7th and 9th Graders, 2005-2010, prepared by our client, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the percentage of overweight and obese children in the state dropped 1.1 percent from 2005 to 2010. However, 38 percent of children are still affected – a rate nearly three times higher than it was 30 years ago when the obesity epidemic began. Improvements are not being seen statewide, with 31 of California’s 58 counties experiencing an increase in childhood overweight over the five-year period from 2005 to 2010. Want to know how your county measures up?

The progress being made statewide is encouraging, but there is still work to be done. Implementing policy and system changes to make schools, communities and worksites healthier places for everyone is the right way to go in reversing the childhood obesity trend.

You can access information on this new at http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/research_patchworkprogress.html.

Don't Take My Candy

2011-11-04T16:51:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Halloween, Jimmy Kimmel asked parents to play a trick on their kids by telling them that they ate all their candy. As you can imagine, this did not go over very well. In all the hilarity of the video, it is a bit disconcerting to realize that most of us are still that little kid crying about our candy.

Our gut reaction when people tell us no is to kick and scream and complain (Tea Party, Oakland's Occupy Wall Street). There's nothing wrong with a good protest or a good yell every now and then, but notice the kids at the end who approach their parents with humility and reason. Those are the kids I'd want to talk to. Those are the kids who deserve their candy.

The PR world is a tricky game of navigating around those who shout and cry, those who use reason and others lost in the middle. Unfortunately, the loudest (or wealthiest) one seems to win out more often than not. While I'd much rather give the candy to those kids who can shrug it off, I'd probably throw it all at the one screaming just to get it to go away.

This started as a small rant, but now I'm finding I could probably write another 20 pages on the parallels of this video to the modern psyche of America. Instead, just enjoy this video of children crying. It really is funny.

-Matt

How to Boost Emplolyee Morale

2011-11-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

Want to boost the morale of your employees? Ask them to don their scariest, most fun Halloween outfits and see what happens. For Halloween, BMC staff came to work decked out for the holiday. We had a cowgirl, Little Red Riding Hood, Count Dracula, a pirate, a Mad Men ad man, a very quirky rabbit and one of our co-workers came as “comfortable.” Admittedly, some of the costumes were a little distracting during the Monday morning staff meeting, but the great boon to the office is that we were all able to let our hair down and have some laughs together.

Planning fun things as a group brightens the atmosphere around the office and makes working together even more enjoyable. So, if you see that your employees have that hang-dog look, think of something fun to do, like dressing up for Halloween. I think you’ll be very happy with the results you get.

Sharron

Truly a San Franicsco Treat

2011-10-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

Each year, we here at BMC take a day off from the flood of emails, ringing of phones and tapping of keyboards to spend some quality time together. Very Kumbayah I know, but all of us look forward to the adventure each Play Day brings. This year, after some intense whining from me when ziplining was initially suggested (I have an out-of-control fear of heights), it was decided that we would spend our Play Day exploring San Francisco. The catch was that everyone had to pick a location to visit (and keep it secret until the actual day), and we had to use public transportation to get around.

This is how our day unfolded . . .

1. Amtrak from Martinez to Jack London Square

2. Alameda/Oakland Ferry to the Ferry Building in San Francisco

3. Tour of Acme Bread Company

4. Streetcar to Pier 45 to visit the Musee Mecanique

5. Walk to the Buena Vista for an Irish coffee

6. Hike to the San Francisco Art Institute to view the Diego Rivera mural and one of the best views of the city I’ve ever seen

7. Hike to the Russian Hill neighborhood for lunch and some ridiculously tasty frozenyogurt

8. Walk to Fort Mason to see the community garden and the haunted Haskell House

9. Muni bus ride through Chinatown

10. Walk to Union Bank in the Financial District to check out the Museum of Moneyof the American West. Note: There's no picture for this stop because we were yelled at by security guards at the bank at least three times for trying to take pictures.

11. Happy Hour at the Omni Hotel before heading home via BART

Some of you may have noticed the wheelchair in some of the pictures. Navigating public transportation, busy sidewalks and insane hills while pushing a wheelchair gave us all a new perspective on getting around the City. Many people were very accommodating (thanks to the streetcar operator and the lady on BART who kept Paula from rolling away), while other situations were incredibly frustrating (the ladder left in the middle of a narrow walkway, and broken and raised sidewalks). I will never again take my legs for granted!

This was definitely one of my favorite Play Days. Why did I like it so much? It was so enjoyable to spend a gorgeous day being introduced to new places in one of my favorite cities and to do so for little to no cost. It was a great reminder that being a tourist in your own backyard can be just as fun as being a tourist abroad – and no jet lag!

~ Nicole

We're Not Buying It! Neither should you.

2011-10-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

Childhood obesity? It's the fault of bad parenting, blame the vituperative Nannygate crowd. In every balanced article about overweight and obese children, the accompanying online comment section is filled with nasty messages about parental responsibility.

Far too few comments talk about the environment in which our children are being raised. How can parents counter the relentless clever marketing and advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages by junk food and soda companies?

These companies claim to care about our kids, but do they?

"We're not buying it!" is the Prevention Institute's compelling new video. I bet if you watch it you won't buy the food and beverage industry's arguments either.

The same industry that bombards our children with billions of dollars of deceptive advertising each year is currently fighting against legislation that would ban fast food commercials during children's programming.

At the end of the video is a link to a petition you can sign if you want your voice to be heard.

~ Paula

Six Weeks is Long Enough

2011-10-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of it yet? Tired of what you ask? Take your pick. You have the presidential campaigns and Christmas decorations. Both have been going on too long already.

First off there is Christmas. When I was a kid the day after Thanksgiving signaled the Christmas shopping season. Now, Christmas starts in August! That’s approximately 21 weeks of stores decorated with Santas, Joy to the World and reindeer. And don’t even get me started on the ‘seasonal’ music. Plus the mix of Christmas with Halloween is just a bit eerie.

Then there is the presidential campaign. OMG! Just how long do we have to watch presidential hopefuls make fools of themselves while beating up on their fellow party members? Oh the humanity!!

So I’d like to make a proposal. For both Christmas and presidential campaigns, the good citizens of our country should set a six-week limit on both the Christmas shopping season and presidential campaigns.

For Christmas, that would mean no Christmas decorations and ‘seasonal’ music until about the second week in November. While that is before my preferred date of the day after Thanksgiving, I’m willing to make that sacrifice. For presidential campaigns that would mean no debates, mudslinging or personal attacks by the candidates until roughly Labor Day. In fact, perhaps make Labor Day the first day that a presidential hopeful could file the official paperwork to run.

So what’s the down side of all this? None that I can see. Americans have come to have a fairly short attention span, so I believe shortening the times for both would be a big plus. For Christmas it would bring some of the “it’s that special time of the year” feeling back. And for our presidential elections, it would perhaps help people to be less jaded and more focused on a process that elects the most powerful person in the world every four years.

Seems like a win-win for everyone.

Ken

A 21st century advantage

2011-10-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

The entertaining movie Moneyball shows how Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane took a cash-strapped franchise and created winning teams by looking at data differently than everyone else. He went against the prevailing recruitment philosophy and predicted what combination of players would make great teams.

To be successful in the 21st century you have a "predictive brain" to see the future just before it happens.

That's Wayne Gretzky secret of success, according to Vivek Ranadive co-author of a fascinating new book, "The Two-Second Advantage: How We Succeed by Anticipating the Future...Just Enough."

Gretzky wasn't a particularly great athlete in a physical sense. He says he did poorly on all the tests for endurance, strength, relexes and flexibility. As Ranadive writes, "Gretzy didn't get so good in spite of his unimpressive physical attributes, he became so good because of them...He truly was able to understand what was going to happen an instant or two before everyone else on the ice and skate to where the puck was going to be."

That ability to see the future a few seconds ahead is the one common denominator of consistent success in the 21st century.

It works in sports, in commerce, in sales, in education, in technology, in every field. Getting just a little bit of the right information just ahead of when it's needed is a lot more valuable than all of the information in the world a month or day later believes Ranadive.

Check out his book. I predict that you won't be able to put it down.

~ Paula

Better Informed Than Ever and Doing Nothing With the Knowledge

2011-09-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

For 17 years, the California Partnership for Long-Term Care (Partnership) has been tracking what Californians know about long-term care and what they’re doing to prepare for this reality. Ironically, the latest Field Poll survey results show a spike in knowledge but a dearth of action! Why? Not surprisingly, cost is a major issue in this economy, denial ranks up there and a pack of other reasons shown in the chart below:

*Question only asked in 2011 and 2005

This issue comes knocking on everyone’s door – be it today or 20 years from now, a parent, relative, spouse or a friend. We all will at some point know someone struggling to deal with long-term care. Statistics show that 2 out of 3 adults over the age of 65 will need long-term care that provides personal assistance, such daily needs as bathing, eating, dressing over a short or lengthy period of time. If only we had a magic crystal ball to predict the future and prepare accordingly.

But as we all know, it doesn’t work that way. So the smart action is to start planning for this eventuality today. A few simple steps can make a huge difference. The Partnership has launched a new site to walk you through the process. Take a look at http://www.rureadyca.org/.

~Muriel

Shame, Shame on Soda Research Shills

2011-09-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Link to ABC Report on Tainted Soda Research

Last night ABC News ran this piece on an independent university "researcher" arguing against any link between soda consumption and obesity. And here's the shocker... he's paid lock-stock-and-barrel by the soda industry.

Wow, you mean independent, scientific research isn't always independent or scientific?

This is the same guy who published research that menu labeling doesn't work -- surprise, the Restaurant Association was filling his Christmas stocking, too!

My favorite was the quote by the Beverage Industry Association (who ponied up a fair share of cash for the researcher): "The notion that industry money taints scientific research is baseless." Of course it is! Clearly no one has ever been swayed by industry’s offer of a pile of cash before.

Lesson for the day class: Sometimes you have to look under the hood of the researcher to find out what's really going on. Of course, I’m guessing that’s a lesson that Dr. David Allison isn’t teaching his University of Alabama students.

Bring Back the Pre-Junk-Food Era Diet

2011-08-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

Recently, I saw an article online about how a family in North Carolina broke its junk food addiction. After 100 days of eating “no refined grains or sweeteners, nothing deep fried, only local hormone-free meats, and organic fruits and veggies, and absolutely nothing out of a box, can, bag, bottle or package with more than five ingredients listed on the label,” their palates had changed to the point where artificial food actually tasted bad.

This article made me think about how fortunate I was to grow up on a farm in Minnesota in the 50s and 60s. In those days, we didn’t have any of the fast-food options that are available today. Instead, my mother worked hard to serve us fresh, homemade food. We had fresh-from-the-chicken eggs. Our milk was direct from the cow – no store-bought milk for us. We butchered our own free-range, hormone-free beef, pork and chickens. My mother had a huge garden where she grew beautiful organic vegetables. She spent hours canning produce for use throughout the year. She also purchased big boxes of fruit in season and canned those as well. And our treats were all the most delicious made-from-scratch cakes, pies and cookies.

Obviously we’ve come a long way in the food world since the 50s and 60s. We now have access to so many “convenience” foods. However, a lot of these foods just aren’t very good for us, nor do they taste as good as they should. But, as the family in North Carolina has found, with a little imagination and conscientiousness, you can break the junk-food cycle and provide your family with a good, healthy and tasty diet.

Sharron

What We Learned From Turning the Tables

2011-08-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

Mike was in Atlanta this week presenting at the National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media on a panel about Designing Evidenced-based Communication Strategies to Affect Policy Change. Putting together the presentation about our work on menu labeling, Turning the Tables: Winning Support for the Nation's First Statewide Menu Labeling Law, gave us the opportunity to reflect on the lessons we learned from the campaign.

We’d like to share some of our top tips for communication strategies to affect policy change:

1. Research can be your story: The thrust of our campaign became a “consumer’s right to know issue” after a Field Poll commissioned by our client, the CaliforniaCenter for Public Health Advocacy, showed how little people actually knew about popular fast-food menu items. Of the 523 people surveyed, 68 percent didn’t geta single question right when asked about the calorie content of popular menu items. (Do you think you could do better?) Of those polled, 84 percent supported menu labeling. You can conduct research, and get media attention, to illustrate the need and support for a specific policy change.

2. Simplify the message: People are going to have no interest in what you’re saying if they don’t find what you’re talking about very interesting. It’s your job to make them see why they should care about what you’re saying. Also, it’s easier for people to tune out your message if it’s too complicated for them to quickly understand. A solid message that resonates with the audience forms the backbone of all successful campaigns.

3. Entertain: In response to our bill to put calories on menu boards, the fast-food industry sponsored its own bill that would only require restaurants to hand out brochures. This purposefully ineffective bill offered timid legislators political cover and was quickly championed by the media and public alike. We used a humorous video to show how ridiculous using brochures at fast-food restaurants is in order to redirect public opinion and rally waning political support. Don’t be afraid of communicating in a fun, light-hearted and humorous way. The video was fun for people to watch and really took the wind out of the competition’s sails.

4. Start local: Setting out with a dramatic policy change in mind can seem pretty daunting to advocates working at the local level, but not doing anything in hopes that “someone else will do it” is a huge mistake. Policymakers look for examples of success at the local level before they will throw their support behind major policy change. California’s menu labeling law wouldn’t have come to fruition if advocates in San Francisco and Santa Clara hadn’t first shown that it could be done.

5. Establish a grassroots support system: This tip goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip. Embarking on a major policy change effort requires a lot of ground forces. Local advocates became part of the team, writing letters to the editor and opinion editorials, meeting with editorial boards and writing comments on their local newspaper’s website, to keep the issue in the news and in front of policymakers across the state.

6. Be prepared for the competition: Making major policy changes in the field of public health often means taking on huge industries, such as tobacco, restaurants and soda. No one can deny that these industries have a lot of money to support an army of lobbyists, send “experts” on media tours, and donate funds to medical associations and cash-strapped local governments. They may have more money in the coffers than you, but you have “social good” on your side. Just know that they will come at you with all guns blazing.

7. It’s about the war, not the battle: As I said above, the competition seems to have an unlimited cash flow and is determined to defeat your efforts. But just because you lose a few battles along the way doesn’t mean you will lose the war. Our menu labeling efforts became a two-year endeavor after the governor vetoed the bill the first time around. We were able to bring the governor and Legislature around the second time by creating more pressure with a strong argument (and a great YouTube video). Again, you have “social good” on your side, which ultimately will trump money in the long run. Endurance is key because the “long run” can be a really long time.

Started a Facebook Page But Now What?

2011-08-05T17:32:00.000-07:00

Facebook Tips for Business

Infographic by Joseph Klaas

While those of us who indulge in Facebook may share a little too much on the personal side, Facebook is still a good tool for your organization. If used effectively and strategically, Facebook can be a great place to build your brand, promote your organization or lead community outreach programs. If you’re considering diving into social media, some tips on the do’s and don’ts on Facebook are listed below. Remember, each social media tool has a different purpose, but I’m only focusing on Facebook and how to use it as a platform for your organization.

• Do post regularly. You want to be relevant and dynamic. With social media, you need to be seen on a regular basis to be remembered. With so many competing posts, it’s easy to get lost in your friends’ newsfeed if you post infrequently.

• But with that said, don’t spam your friends. Too many posts can overload people with too much information and turn them off. It’s best to spread the information out so that you aren’t posting more than once a day (at the most), or your friends might hit the “unlike” button.

• Genuinely interact with your friends. Being a participant and engaging your friends in the conversation is the best way to build trust on Facebook. Some comments may not require an answer, but make an effort to acknowledge them and make them feel heard.

• Don’t neglect or ignore questions on your page. I think this is a no-brainer. Doing this gives the impression that you don’t care.

• Post conversation starters or ask a question. This helps keep the dialogue moving. You might even think about what you want to know from your audience and start a poll. Create a list of questions or topics ahead of time for those down times you may not have as much to post.

• Don’t restrict your friends’ ability to post comments. This one is tricky since I understand the issues and legal concerns organizations may have about allowing people to freely post anything on their page. But to do this may alienate friends who want to engage with you. This ultimately defeats the purpose of you being on Facebook. Trust that your friends will behave and post relevant comments and concerns. Respond immediately if they do misbehave. If need be, delete the post. Your responsiveness and how you handle an inflamed comment will mean more to your friends and impress them than a wall of information that says you’re not good enough to talk to me.

• Offer something of value. People are overloaded with information. Why should they take the time to read what you write if it doesn’t have any value to them, even if it is just a joke or a different way of looking at something.

Now you have some of the basic business essentials to prepare your organization to meet new friends. Have fun (social) networking!

~Muriel

Where Is Social Media Headed?

2011-07-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

People rise up against their government because of social media, reveal their closest personal information via social media and complain about social media sites not protecting their privacy. One thing you can say for sure about social media is that it’s full of contradictions. Just like the American people.

It wasn’t that long ago people feared that government knew too much about them. And that marketing companies were tracking their every purchase while “Big Brother” was watching their every move. Well people, you don’t have to worry about the government or marketing companies keeping tabs on your every move anymore. They don’t have to because people are freely giving that information away to anyone, and I mean anyone, who cares to know.

Why, in a society that values privacy so much, are people willing to freely tell the world what they bought, where they eat, where they are going and who they are dating?

I have a theory. Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame and 'telling all' via social media is one way to get it. Do a Web search on Ashton Kutcher or Katy Perry and up pops all sorts of information on them. Do a Web search on yourself and guess what? Up pops all sorts of information on you. So I guess that makes you famous.

It will be interesting to see in the months and years to come just where social media is headed. Has it peaked yet, or is the peak still to come? Will people get bored with constantly sharing with the world their every thought, photos of last Friday’s office party and their cat playing the piano? Or will ensuring their 15 minutes of fame just be too irresistible to pass up? Only time will tell.

~Ken

Guilt Free Fourth of July

2011-07-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July weekend is upon us. It’s time to put down those pens and calculators and pick up a ~~beer~~ lemonade and a BBQ hot dog. There’s constant talk around here to stay away from candy, sugary beverages and fatty foods. But let’s be honest, this is not the weekend to do that. It’s true though, we are what we eat. When I cut soda out of my diet when I was a teen, I dropped 10 pounds in no time.

We all need to watch what we eat and drink, and stay physically active. It’s what makes us feel better, work harder and truly live a happy healthy life. But with all that hard work of passing up the candy bars and skipping those sodas, we earn the right to splurge (but not gorge). My vegetable grain salad from Trader Joe’s yesterday was delicious, but I will be the first one in line to order a cheeseburger on my way to sit by the lake and do absolutely nothing but enjoy the sunshine and company of friends.

So as someone who encourages everyone to eat healthy and stay active, I give you a free pass this weekend. You’re welcome. Happy 4^th of July!

-Matt

Support a Good Cause

2011-06-17T15:57:00.000-07:00

Want to get some fresh air and exercise while you’re at it? Why not sign up for an benefitting a cause that’s near and dear to you . That’s what I did last Saturday when I participated in the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s (PanCan) 9^th annual Walk Through the Vineyards at the historic Charles Krug Winery in Napa. Over 600 people registered to walk, and the last I heard PanCan had brought in well over $115,000 for the day.

As we all know, pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers there is. I want to offer a few of the stats from the PanCan fact sheet:

Pancreatic cancer is the 10^th most commonly diagnosed cancer but the 4^th leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.
94% of patients die within five years of diagnosis, and 75% die within one year.
In the 40 years since the passage of the National Cancer Act in 1971, the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer has only improved from 3% to 6%.
New pancreatic cancer cases and the number of deaths from it are increasing, with the number of new cases projected to grow by 55% between 2010 and 2030.

I could go on, but you get the picture. We have to do more to find a cure for pancreatic cancer.

There are many opportunities to support a cause you may care about, be it breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis or leukemia/lymphoma, to name just a few. Check their websites for an event being sponsored near you. Then get out there and participate in honor of a friend or loved one. You’ll help bring awareness to the cause and raise much-needed funding for research to find a cure. And you’ll have the added benefit of getting some fresh air and exercise while you’re at it.

Sharron

A Night in Treme came to San Francisco

2011-06-12T22:08:00.000-07:00

Music from the acclaimed HBO series Treme raised the roof of Davies Symphony Hall this past Friday night as part of SFJazz. The beloved Rebirth Brass Band, trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, clarinetist Dr. Michael White, Alto saxophone star Donald Harrison Jr. and trombonist Big Sam Williams brought the sell-out crown to their feet and kept them moving for several hours.

Everyone felt the infectious beat. Jazz-lovers were swinging their arms and dancing in the aisles. Sixty or so guests clamored on stage to shake their booties in rythym to the music. A number of fancy, sparkly umbrellas were raised and a Second Line formed. When it was over, people were wasted but happy and energized.

It was so much fun! A perfect example of pure physical activity, which got me thinking. Why do people generally associate physical activity with that dreaded word, exercise? Why do parents drive their children to school, then rush off to the gym? We walk our dogs but wheel our toddlers in strollers. And we wonder why there is a prevalence of childhood obesity.

I was talking about how to promote physical activity the other day with an educator who works with preschoolers. She said that she had asked dozens of children how they knew that their Mommys and Daddys loved them. The answer in every single case was the same. "I know my Mommy and my Daddy love me because they play with me."

We need to focus more on having fun playing with our children and worry less about running on the treadmill.
It's advice I'm going to take myself.

~ Paula

Marketing and Neuroscience - a Match Made in Heaven

2011-05-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

Imagine that you're walking through the grocery store snack aisle and you pick a bag of tortilla chips over the bag of pretzels. You chose the tortilla chips because you like the taste better than the pretzels, right?

That may have been your conscious decision, but your brain was busy making a million other subconscious observations while you were debating which product tastes better. You probably picked the chips over the pretzels for a reason you weren’t even consciously aware of, but marketers spending big bucks to analyze your brain waves, blood flow and eye movements sure are.

Our brains process 11 million bits of information every second, and only 40 bits of that information is processed consciously. Conscious deliberation really is the exception rather than the rule. With unrelenting competition in the marketplace, companies are anxious to find out exactly how to get consumers to choose their products and are teaming up with neuroscientists to get to the root of the matter.

Neuroscience is the indirect measure of a person’s response, either about things people don’t want to reveal or to factors people aren’t aware of or don’t realize have influenced them. The various tools measure attention, emotion and memory, and marketers are applying the scientific findings to branding, product development, packaging design, advertising and in-store displays.

The presenters shared some “neurological best practices” for advertising, and since I don’t have access to the funds it takes to hook up our target audiences to brain wave machines, I found the tips to be particularly helpful.

General audience:

Images on the left and text on the right are easier for our brain to process
Minimize visual clutter
Use interesting fonts and font treatments, but none that are too difficult to process
Lead with emotion
Motion, novelty, error, ambiguity and simple puzzles capture attention
Use as many senses as possible
Emphasize your product’s link to the natural world
Embed the product

Women . . .

Are attracted to images of women in groups, especially when they are shown enjoying a shared activity
Engage faster with faces that are looking directly at them
Process language more fluently then men, so text-based ads work

Men are . . .

Impulsive shoppers, so short and focused messages work well
Attracted to images of advancement and success
Attracted to spatial imagery

~ Nicole

What Drives Me Crazy About Clients in PR

2011-05-20T14:46:00.000-07:00

When someone retains a PR firm they do so because they want to get attention for themselves, a product, their organization or an issue . . . right?

Here are some real life cases that just make a PR professional want to scream.

1) I opened up a trade magazine to a section devoted to a particular sector of an industry. I looked for my client, a leader in that sector, and they were nowhere to be found. I called up the editor to ask what gives, why did he leave my client out? He tells me that we called and left several messages with my client, but that my client never returned his calls. So I get on the phone to my client and asked about the calls, thinking to myself that there must have been a breakdown in communications and he never received the messages. It turns there wasn’t a breakdown, my client had received the messages, but he was ‘busy’ (yeah right, for over a week!) and just didn’t get around to returning the call. OMG – You’ve got to be kidding!!

2) A client is holding a special event for underprivileged children and wants to get some publicity. I told them that I’ll send out the release listing them as the contact and to expect to get phone calls. The next day, I asked how many calls he had received. He says, “One.” I say, “Only one? That’s odd.” And he says, “Well, after the first call I didn’t feel like talking to anyone else so I turned off my phone.” AHHHH!!!

3) I did a little pro bono work for a charter school whose charter was up for renewal so they wanted to get some publicity before their hearing. So I send out a news release that draws the attention of National Public Radio. They contacted the principal because they wanted to come to the school and do some interviews with teachers. The principal's response, “Oh, I can’t have that! It would be too disruptive for the students.” JUST SHOOT ME NOW!

Unfortunately, these are just a few of my stories like this. For all the good work that PR pros can do for their clients, the clients can still be their own worst enemy and in just a few seconds take all your good work and flush it right down the drain. So if you’ve ever had something like one of these happen to you, you are not alone. And when it happens to you the first time, rest assured, it won’t be your last.

Ken

Who Needs PR When You Have Mom?

2011-05-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

It isn’t uncommon to see a blank stare when I respond “Public Relations” when someone asks me what I do for a living. Yes, I know. It’s an all-encompassing word and for most, they either have a negative perception of what they think it is or they simply don’t know what it is. So here’s how I’ve explained it.

Think of your mom. She is the ultimate multitasker and communicator. She’s able to do dishes, have a conversation and flip through her planner, all while soothing a crying toddler from a fall. She is your cheerleader and your biggest fan. But all too often, she’s the one backstage making things happen while you’re in the spotlight. No one blinks at the dinner she puts on the table or when she stays home to take care of you when you’re sick. And let’s talk about how she made you feel about that project you excitedly brought from school because well, of course, it’s the most amazing piece of glued pasta ever made!

Public relations is exactly like that. You have to have a whole toolbox of skills, build relationships and not to mention, do crisis communications on the fly. You’ve seen them – PR folks on TV (or moms everywhere) with their hair a little messy because their day has suddenly turned into a hectic series of events. But it takes skill to be able to take control and get everyone calm and doing what they’re supposed to do. It’s complex and filled with many deadlines. But the rewards can be great and satisfying. It’s why I love PR – and why we all love our moms and what they do.

A tribute to moms everywhere.

Happy Mother’s Day!

~Muriel

See Rome and Live... Healthier

2011-04-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Italy, and while we were there, I noticed that people, in general, are definitely thinner. Here's some of the factors I attributed this to:

Much more walking. High gas prices and very little parking mean that people walk more to get to where they want to go.
No fast food chains. Yes, they do have McDonald’s, Burger King and others, but not on every corner as seems to be the case in the U.S. In their place are cafes, hundreds of them, that serve coffee every way you can imagine, freshly made sandwiches, pastry and gelato. I didn’t see a single fried item the entire time in Italy.
Sodas? Yes, Coke and all its friends were everywhere, but not in your face as it seems in the U.S. And I didn’t see a lot of people drinking them.

While I don’t eat very much fast food and drink very little soda, it always amazes me that there are so many people who can’t seem to live without their daily fast food/soda fix. (I've read stats that say the average American eats fast food as much as six times a week and average soda consumpstion as high as a 1/2 gallon a day!) In Italy I saw an entire country of people who are apparently doing just fine without massive intakes of fast food and/or soda.

So what drives Americans to eat enormous amounts of fast food washed down with copious quantities of sugary drinks? Have we fallen prey to big business’s fast food advertising? When traveling or in a hurry, is it easier to get a burger, fries and a soda or a freshly made sandwich with some fruit and water? In Italy, it seems they have opted for the later. Why can’t we do it here as well? It seems we would all be better off if we did.

Ken

A Step in the Right Direction -- Getting Rid of High Fructose Corn Syrup

2011-04-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

In Arlo Guthrie’s old song from the late 60s, you would have heard that you can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant, but not so anymore. On a recent trip to Half Moon Bay, my husband and I stopped off for breakfast at Alice’s Restaurant in Woodside. I was pleasantly surprised to find an excerpt from the Half Moon Bay Review dated March 23, 2011, entitled “Alice’s swaps corn syrup for real sugar.”

According to the article, the owners of the restaurant have gotten rid of all the traditional sodas such as Coke and 7-Up and replaced them with natural sodas that don’t contain high fructose corn syrup. The change was prompted by their concerns about the obesity epidemic. Not only have they put an end to high fructose corn syrup in their offerings, but they have replaced unhealthy foods with organic, locally sourced products. They’ve even brought in a pastry chef who uses organic flour and less processed sugar.

Though some of their other changes have resulted in a 30-40% increase in prices, their new natural sodas produced using beet sugar cost them half the price. Wouldn’t it be nice to see more businesses opt to go in this direction? By cutting into the profits of Big Soda, maybe it would force them to produce a better product, one that consumers will consider a special treat and not their sole daily intake of liquids.

So even if you can’t get everything you want at Alice’s Restaurant anymore, you can now get a better-for-you soda.

Sharron

State Soda Tax Could Be Lifeboat for Fiscally Strapped Counties

2011-04-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

For cash-strapped counties struggling to fund vital programs, the state’s proposed soda tax (AB 669-Monning) could be a lifeboat, according to a new county-by-county analysis of how that revenue would be returned to local communities. The proposed penny an ounce tax on sugary beverages would raise an estimated $1.7 billion annually in California. The bulk of those funds – 85 percent or $1.4 billion – would be returned to counties proportional to their population to pay for education and children’s health programs.

“Local communities will be the direct beneficiaries of a soda tax,” explains Dr. Harold Goldstein of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, which conducted the study to better understand how the monies will be allocated. “A soda tax would return about $233 per student in the county to programs aimed at protecting the health and well-being of children. That’s a smart investment.”

Local schools will be the biggest winners of a soda tax, with about 60 percent of local funds going to the classroom and an additional 20 percent to help pay for improvements to physical education and provide nutritious school meals. AB 669 also carves out another 20 percent of the local funds to pay for local children’s programs like youth sports and afterschool programs.

To learn more about the study and see how much money would go to your county, visit the CCPHA website at: www.publichealthadvocacy.org/revenuestudy.html

One million servings of Coca Cola products are consumed every minute and other sobering facts about sugary drinks

2011-04-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

Public health officials, doctors, teachers, children's health advocates and parents are up against stiff competition to get Americans addicted to liquid sugar to rethink what they drink. Here is an insight into how one soda company, at least, thinks and their goals for your health.

Wendy Clark, Coca Cola's head of integrated marketing and communications, recently spoke at a Digital Conference sponsored by Ad Age. She proudly reported the following stats:

Coca Cola sells 1.7 billion servings of its products every day which computes to 1 million servings a minute
Even though it took 124 years years for the company to build to these sales figures, their goal is to double sales to 3 billion servings a day by 2020
Coke is in 200 countries around the world, more than the United Nations
Everything -- from the can to the delivery truck -- is an ad for Coke products
The company's global fleet of vehicles is double the size of FedEx and UPS combined
The world's most valuable brand knows how to use social media; there are 24 million fans on Coke's FaceBook who are networked to 585 million FaceBook fans
The world's fourth largest employer has 700,000 "system associates" charged to be ambassadors for the brand; of them 2,700 people work in marketing

Some loud factions scream about the sanctity of preserving personal choice and that everything else -- removing sodas from schools, God forbid introducing a soda tax -- is "nannygate" government.

I believe in personal choice too if the playing field were even. However, when it comes to the sugary drinks, the playing field is drastically lopsided in favor of the soda companies. I think I'll get a glass of water now.

~ Paula

The Real Final Four

2011-04-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

The Final Four is here this weekend, and the country is excited to see who will be in Monday’s national championship game. Whatever happens in the Final Four games, the championship game is going to be a traditional powerhouse (UConn or Kentucky) vs. a lesser-known underdog (VCU or Butler). Believe me, I’ll be watching the games, but there’s another annual tournament filled with traditional powerhouses that I’m even more excited to see the outcome for: The Consumerist Worst Company in America 2011.

It’s down to the Sweet 16, and all the heavy favorites like Walmart, Comcast, Ticketmaster and BP are still in the running. To try and avoid a repeat Worst Company in America title, Comcast has even gone as far as to send out an email to its employees to vote for the other companies. But this year it's anyone’s game. Between the reputation of Bank of America and the oil spills produced by BP, there are some heavy hitters in line for this title.

It will be especially exciting from a PR standpoint to watch how the winning company responds to a Worst Company in America title. Will they acknowledge their downfalls and strive to do better, will they criticize the Consumerist for such a petty ploy to disgrace a company or do they just sit back and act like nothing happened? We’ll find out soon.

So fill out those brackets and cast your votes, you decide the winner. I’ve got Walmart, Ticketmaster, BP, and AT&T in my Final Four this year, with BP squeezing out a victory over Ticketmaster in the championship. But in the end, we consumers are the losers. With little to no real competition, these companies that we gladly laugh at and call the worst are the one’s laughing all the way to the bank.

-Matt

What To Do When a Tweet Goes Rogue: Two Real-Life Examples

2011-03-11T15:13:00.000-08:00

When it comes to communicating professionally using social media, everyone claims to be an expert. But the truth is, we’re all just learning as we go along. It’s always nice to learn the best way to handle a specific social media boo-boo from others who have gone before you. Today’s lesson in social media is brought to us by Chrysler and the American Red Cross. What do you do when a personal tweet including questionable language accidentally gets published to a branded moniker?

Example # 1 – American Red Cross

A few weeks ago, a Red Cross employee mistakenly sent a personal alcohol-related tweet using the @RedCross account instead of her own. Since I know you’re curious, the original tweet stated: “Ryan found two more 4 bottle packs of Dogfish Head’s Midas touch beer . . . when we drink we do it right #gettngslizzerd.” I’m sure Dogfish Head Brewery and Nicki Minaj were excited about the attention, but the Red Cross certainly wasn’t.

The message was deleted and replaced with a new one that said, “We’ve deleted the rogue tweet but rest assured the Red Cross is sober and we’ve confiscated the keys.” The Red Cross employee who posted the initial tweet later used her personal account to explain the mistake resulted from a misuse of HootSuite. The Red Cross handled the situation quickly and with a sense of humor. The incident got some attention, but it actually reflected pretty positively on the Red Cross. I’m sure the employee was reprimanded, but the Red Cross said she won’t be fired over the incident.

As a side note, this offers up another good example of taking advantage of social media opportunities. Dogfish Head Brewery is encouraging fans to donate to the Red Cross and use the hashtag #gettngslizzerd when they do. No word if Nicki Minaj is doing anything similar.

Example # 2 – Chrysler

Just this week another employee sent out an accidental tweet. This time a tweet from a corporate Chrysler account criticized Detroit motorists’ driving skills and included a curse word. Chrysler initially responded with a tweet stating the account had been “comprised” and then followed up with a blog post apologizing for the incident and stating the employee responsible for the errant tweet at the media strategy firm that handles the Twitter account had been fired. Yesterday, Chrysler split with the social media company entirely. They have received a number of comments criticizing them for what is being seen as an overreaction.

So, what can we learn from these two examples?

1. Be very careful if you’re managing personal and professional social media accounts at the same time.

2. Own up to your mistakes honestly. Even though Chrysler didn’t know where the tweet came from, rather than saying the account was “compromised,” they could have simply said, “we don’t know where that came from, but we’re looking into it.” Reflection on crisis communications proves that being coy and dishonest never works out better than sharing as much information as you can, even if it’s not a lot.

3. If people think you’re overreacting, it can really blow a small mistake into a full-blown controversy. Granted, it can be challenging to juggle wanting people to see that you’re taking the situation seriously and still use a little bit of humor to address the issue and move on.

As always, think about the potential ramifications of how you go about handling a crisis, and hopefully these two examples will get everyone thinking about how their brand would handle a “rogue” tweet.

~ Nicole

Tips on How to Conduct a Focus Group

2011-03-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

We recently conducted two focus groups in Northern and Southern California to find out how people are looking for information about long-term care. The participants provided a wealth of information with their honest dialogue. But this wouldn’t have happened without the right tone and a good moderator. I thought I would share some quick tips on how to conduct a focus group.

Define Expectations. As the moderator, this is where you establish the rules. You must inform the participants about the purpose of the focus group, their expected time of participation, what you as the moderator will be discussing and the ground rules, such as cell phones off, talking one at a time and informing them that they are being recorded. Make sure you get permission from the participants. You can get this verbally but most prefer to have them sign off on a consent form.

Know Your Script. This seems obvious, but it is very important to come in with a plan of action and know what questions to ask, taking into consideration how long participants will have to answer them. Repeat the questions by restating them, if necessary. Pause and allow the dialogue to flow freely. Ask who, what, where and how. Dig deeper and move the conversation along. Develop a moderator’s guide (or script) to follow, and if there are more things to cover, create a separate questionnaire for participants to fill out before the interview. Rehearse for time consideration and test any presentation such as PowerPoint or Internet connection on location.

Watch for Group Dynamics. You must encourage participation from everyone. Ask questions directly to those who are not speaking up while looking out for dominating opinions. You need to set the tone for conflicting opinions and create some balance.

Method of Capturing Information. The reason why you’re conducting a focus group is to find out if a product, service or information is valuable to your audience. It is very important to capture the information you’re collecting. The best way to do so is to record (or tape) the session as well as a have another individual take notes.

The information you have gathered can now be compiled into a report for your organization or your client.

Good luck!

~Muriel

Are We Better Off With a Tax On Soda?

2011-02-18T10:50:00.000-08:00

I love soda. There is nothing like hearing the ‘pop’ of a can and then tasting that sweet nectar on your tongue as it flows down your throat. I used to drink two or three cans a day until about ten years ago. Now I drink, on average, perhaps one a week. Sometimes I go weeks without any, and then on a hot weekend I’ll have two or three (or a gallon of unsweetened ice tea).

My point is that while I love soda, I don’t NEED soda. In fact, nobody will deny the fact that there is nothing in soda that is good for you, and eating or drinking any excess sugar is not good for your health. (Soda has been linked to a long list of ailments, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis to just name a few.)

So, when someone is proposing a soda tax, I have to see it as a good thing, especially if it will encourage people to seek out cheaper, healthier alternatives. While in principle I'm against any unnecessary tax, let’s face it, the government has to raise money to provide all the things we take for granted, like roads, schools, national defense, public services, etc. And we already place high taxes on spirits, beer and wine (of which the latter does have proven health benefits), so why not soda as well?

I know, some people (the soda companies) will scream that a nanny government is taking away one of life’s little pleasures or that somehow soda is an important necessity of life that people have a right to. But nobody is proposing taking away anything - just adding a small tax on sometime nobody needs in the first place and will probably be healthier without anyway. So what’s really wrong with that? Nothing in my mind.

- Ken

SOFAS -- New Dietary Acronym

2011-02-11T15:29:00.000-08:00

When it comes to your diet, there’s a new acronym in town – SOFAS. Coined by the U.S.D.A., SOFAs stands for Solid Fats and Added Sugars. The first time I saw this term was in Mark Bittman’s op-ed in The New York Times on February 8, 2011. In his article, Bittman discusses the U.S.D.A.’s recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, in which Americans are advised to eat “less food and more fresh foods.” However, Bittman took the U.S.D.A. to task because they couched (forgive the pun) their language so as not to offend food processors, many of whom in his opinion provide food that is a far cry from the real thing.

And so, to take the more positive slant on this, we should follow the U.S.D.A’s recommendation to eat less solid fats and added sugars. However, they may need to be a little more explicit in defining SOFAS to help us find this information when we’re peering over food labels. Most of us have seen trans fats on packaging for prepared foods but not solid fats and added sugars.

In any event, there are now two ways in which SOFAs can inspire you to better health. The first is to reduce your consumption of fats and sugars, and the second is to get up off your sofas and engage in some PA – that’s physical activity for those not in the know about that little acronym.

- Sharron

One of my favorite days of the year

2011-02-03T17:59:00.000-08:00

This has been a good year for Wisconsin football fans. My alma mater went to the Rose Bowl. We don't really need to dwell on how they did. Getting there was a big win.

And, now the world-famous Green Bay Packers are playing (we hope prevailing) during Super Bowl XLV. I doubt my colleagues at BMC have any idea of how much I love Packer football. In fact, I've been a loyal fan since the days of Vince Lombardi. When I announced that I was moving to California, my father bribed me to stay in Milwaukee with a promise of my very own Packer season ticket. Those days people put their tickets in their wills.

The Green Bay Packers have won more championships -- 12 -- than any other team in National Football League history.

Here are some more stats: They won their first three by league standing (1929, 1930 and 1931), and nine since the NFL's playoff system was established in 1933 (1936, 1939, 1944, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1996).

But there have been long gaps between the wins. I wasn't deterred. I vowed to "back the Pack until the Pack came back."

There is going to be excitement in our home this Sunday. I hate to mention this, but my husband is rooting for the Steelers because he lived in Pittsburgh as a child!

~ Paula Hamilton

Comparing Social Media Tools

2011-01-19T17:03:00.000-08:00

Recently, one of our clients wanted to get our counsel on how they should join the social media ecosystem. After telling them about the new ways for them to connect with their audiences and share their messages, we created an appropriate strategy based on their resources, audiences and goals. Not every social media tool or network is right for every client, and we want to make sure that we match them up appropriately.

I have created a chart to help with determining the best social media network or tool to use for your audience with information on Facebook, LinkedIn, NING, Twitter, Four Square, YouTube and Flickr. Obviously there are tons more out there, but these sites come up most frequently in client conversations. At a quick glance, you can see what popular social networking sites are, audience demographics, how individuals use the site, how companies use the site, what the site is best for and some general comments.

I hope this helps other people out there as they explore social media tools and networking sites to include in their social media plan.

~ Nicole

Click on the image for a larger view.

I didn't win Mega Millions so I have to write this blog

2011-01-07T17:06:00.000-08:00

I was supposed to be skiing right now, not at my usual Tahoe resort, but in the Swiss Alps. Then my friends were going to fly out and meet me in Monaco on my new yacht. We'd enjoy having drinks in the sun and only go to shore to do a little gambling (because I'd need to win more money). Instead, I'm writing this blog.

Well, some lucky person in Idaho and another in Washington had to win the second biggest Mega Millions ever and spoil all of our fun. Sure, they'll have to split it, but I think I could have survived off half of that estimated $380 million.

We're all looking for that chance to make it big. Of course, some awful person will come by and try to put you down by explaining how great the odds are against you to win the lotto. Really? Thanks for the breaking news. But there's always someone who will say that to you no matter what you're trying to do.

Sometimes just buying that ticket can create a mini vacation in your head, allowing you to be a dreamer and imagine all the possibilities, something we don't take the time to do enough. Well, let's keep dreaming. Let's think of what we want. Let's just put a little more effort into a practical way of achieving such goals. When someone says "you can't," take the lotto player's mottos of "there's a chance" or "can't win it unless you're in it" and apply them towards real life. Now that's a New Year's resolution we could all use.

Also, buy a lottery ticket... just in case.

-Matt

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Eve! I have to admit Christmas kind of sneaked up on me this year, and I can’t believe the celebration is about to begin.

The two things I look forward to the most during the holidays are spending time with family and holiday traditions. It’s always fun to ask people what their holiday traditions are. I didn’t realize so many people get a new set of pajamas!

Picture credit: aidanbrooks.blogspot.com

We do the bulk of our celebrations on Christmas Eve. My mom is from Poland where they serve seven courses of fish. This always meant my grandpa would bring home a live carp to swim around the bathtub for a few days before it ended up on the dinner table. We like to celebrate our Polish roots, but we’ve adjusted this tradition to fit our preferences and lack of desire to kill fish by hand.

Instead of the traditional fish courses, my mom cooks all of our favorite Polish food, including mushroom soup, pierogi, boiled potatoes with fresh dill and butter, Greek fish, golumpki (stuffed cabbage rolls), and kugel and makowiec (poppy seed cake) for dessert. Most of these foods are considered “peasant food,” so my mom would be so embarrassed to know that I broadcast that we eat these dishes for the holidays.

Following the Polish tradition, we also open all of our presents on Christmas Eve. After opening stockings on Christmas morning, we spend the day gorging ourselves on homemade cinnamon rolls and other sweets (very American of us) while watching some of the “classic” holiday movies, including A Christmas Story, Love Actually and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

~ Nicole

What to Consider When Your Company Is Ready for Social Media

2010-12-10T14:56:00.000-08:00

So you’re thinking that it’s time to join the social networking scene, but you’re trying to wrap your mind around how updating a status on Facebook, re-tweeting a photo or joining LinkedIn can benefit your organization.

As with any communications, it is critical to understand the risks and benefits of this new technology. Regardless of which tool you use, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, a blog, YouTube or any of the other vehicles ready and waiting for your “face time,” it’s important to understand that social communities require you to be transparent and fully engaged in two-way dialogues and respond quicker than you ever did before. Sharing your message in this environment carries far greater risks to your credibility, so it’s crucial to set guidelines within your organization. Social media is becoming an integral part of communications to both promote and protect your organization’s message or brand. It can be useful in developing a deeper relationship with influencers, allowing your audience to feel more connected to you.

So, what should you consider once you’ve decided social media should be integrated into communications plan?

1. Put your ears to the groundFind out what is being said about your organization: the good, the bad or worse. The worst would be finding that someone has already created a group or page under your name. You may be shocked at how simple it is to put together a page or create a group. After scoping out the social networking universe, test it out and engage in the conversations, but be careful to make sure you understand the context of the conversation. You want to contribute, not get caught up in unnecessary chatter.

2. Understand the cost

We often hear about the excitement of putting up a Facebook page or signing up for a Twitter account because, well, it’s free. But is it really? As an organization, it’s important that you control your message by proactively responding to and creating new content. This means someone will have to invest the time to create, manage and maintain your account. You’ll have to think of costs not in dollars but in staff time, which could add up to more than what you bargained for. So you must be prepared to invest time and money in the person who will be responsible for this work.

3. Get your hands dirty

Take the time to understand what you’re getting into and test drive your platform. There’s no better teacher than experience, so get to know the technology and the people using it to get a firm grasp on your overall communications strategy that is now expanding from the traditional media.

~Muriel

Photo: photoshopdaily.com

Presenting Data in a Fresh Way

2010-11-24T14:30:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Calorie Counter

A few weeks ago, everyone in the office watched a fascinating video about the greater role infographics, or data visualizations, are playing in how the media shares information with its audiences. Presenting data in an interesting and unexpected manner, instead of with a straightforward chart or graph, can go a long way in communicating your message. I like how a good infographic really draws a viewer in and can tell a comprehensive story with words, data and images without being too overwhelming or boring.

I’ve been keeping an eye out for these lately and came across this fun one from The Washington Post.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

~ Nicole

California's dubious ranking in a new report of taking care of children

2010-11-16T17:16:00.000-08:00

Californians can not be proud of their ranking in a new study that measures caring for children with special health needs. We come in dead last or very close to it on a range of indicators, including whether children have adequate health insurance, receive basic preventive care, can get a referral without a problem, and receive medical care that is comprehensive, ongiong and family-oriented.

One in seven children in California have special health care needs. That is 1.4 million vulnerable children with chronic conditions ranging from mild, manageable asthma to complex conditions, such as heart disease and celebral palsy. Most of the children have multiple health conditions. One in four of them can't do what other healthy children can do, including going to school regularly.

Our state can -- and needs -- to do better.

Who says we don't need health care system reform?

The study, Children with Special Health Care Needs: A Profile of Key Issues in California was commissioned by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health. Here is the link for more information, http://www.lpfch.org/specialneeds/press.html

~ Paula

Team Building Important to Healthy Work Environment

2010-11-10T15:23:00.000-08:00

I’m sure it’s evident that at Brown•Miller Communications we’re all pretty health conscious. And part of our healthy outlook includes maintaining a healthy work environment. In keeping with that philosophy, every year our office sets aside a work day for team building, a day we’ve dubbed the “BMC Play Day.” This annual event gives us all an opportunity to laugh and play together while we work on a project or share an adventure. In past years, the BMC team has kayaked on the Oakland Estuary, sailed the San Francisco Bay, gone horseback riding at Bodega Bay, milked a goat, participated in a cooking class at the now-defunct COPIA, raced one another around the track in a go kart and roamed the streets of San Francisco’s Mission District following directives from our Go Game coordinator. During the Go Game, we videotaped our group performing a creative dance routine, sat on rocks by the police station posing as the Thinker, created a living sculpture in shadow and tried to set the record for stuffing marshmallows in one’s mouth. This year we traipsed around Sonoma’s town square trying to solve a murder mystery.

Sound silly? Sure, some of our outings definitely have had their silly moments, but they’ve also been very rewarding in that they have given us all an opportunity to kick back and enjoy one another’s company, thereby allowing us to strengthen our relationships. After having had this day to laugh and play together, we return to the office reinvigorated and ready to get back to the work at hand.

If possible, I highly recommend that you take some time out from your busy work schedules to get to know your workmates better. It doesn’t have to be a full day away from the office. Get creative, and just have fun. It pays huge dividends in being able to maintain a healthy work environment.

Sharron

More proof on how the fast-food chains aggressively target our children and shame on Fox

2010-11-08T15:04:00.000-08:00

I'm getting pretty tired of hearing the whining from parents who criticized San Francisco for banning toys in unhealthy happy meals.

The legislation doesn't ban toys as Fox-unNews claimed in a recent segment. It simply states that toys need to be offered for healthier meals.

A new study today underscores the need for the legislation and should encourage other cities and counties to follow San Francisco and Santa Clara County's lead.

According to Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity,children as young as two-years-old are seeing more fast-food ads than ever before, and that fast-food restaurants rarely offer parents healthy kids’ meal choices. Report findings show that fast-food marketers target children across a variety of media and in restaurants, and that restaurants provide largely unhealthy side dishes and drinks as the default options that come with kids’ meals. The new report is the most comprehensive study of fast-food nutrition and marketing ever undertaken.

The report, titled Fast Food F.A.C.T.S. (Food Advertising to Children and Teens Score), examined the marketing efforts of 12 of the nation’s largest fast-food chains, and analyzed the calories, fat, sugar and sodium in more than 3,000 kids’ meal combinations and 2,781 menu items. It also analyzed marketing practices of the 12 major chains. Some of the key findings include:

* The fast-food industry spent more than $4.2 billion dollars on marketing and advertising in 2009, focusing extensively on television, the Internet, social media sites and mobile applications.

* The average preschooler sees almost three ads per day for fast food; children ages 6-11 see three and a half; and teens ages 12-17 see almost five.

* Kids ages 6-11 see 264 child-targeted ads from McDonald’s, 125 from Burger King and 32 from Subway each year. In total, they see 368 McDonald’s ads, 185 Burger King ads and 127 Subway ads.

If fast-food companies want to be true partners with Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign they should stop promoting junk food and liquid sugar to children and offer healthy options rather than high-calorie, high-fat, cheap foods and beverages that they do now.

For example, in 2009 (compared to 2007) preschoolers saw 21 percent more ads for McDonald’s, 9 percent more for Burger King, and 56 percent more for Subway. Children ages 6-11 saw 26 percent more ads for McDonald’s, 10 percent more for Burger King, and 59 percent more for Subway. These increases are especially notable for McDonald’s and Burger King, which have pledged to reduce unhealthy marketing to children.

The bombardment of unhealthy food and beverage advertising and marketing is even worse for Hispanic and African-American children.

~ Paula

Corn Syrup or Sugar? I Choose Neither

2010-11-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

A recent study produced by Dr. Michael Goran of the USC Keck school of Medicine reveals that there may be higher levels of high fructose corn syrup in sodas than previously thought. The corn syrup industry has quickly gone into defense mode and refuted some of Goran's science. While Goran's evidence appears hard to argue with, it doesn’t change my distaste for soda, and I doubt it will change the average soda drinkers consumption. It doesn’t matter to me if soda is using corn syrup or cane sugar, it's BAD for you.

The minds that have to change are those of parents. As a kid, I certainly went through at least 3 or 4 sodas a day, because that is what was in the refrigerator. I also remember a handful of trips to the dentist’s office to get cavity’s filled. I have not had a cavity since I stopped drinking soda around 8 years ago. Coincidence? A few trips to the dentist office pales in comparison to diabetes and other health problems that can occur from such an unhealthy lifestyle. It is your job as a parent to fill the fridge with healthy beverages. Most responsible parents won’t smoke in front of their children. It’s time to not have sodas around them either.

Five Minutes vs. Five days. Can you Afford to Be Sick?

2010-10-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

Flu season is here, and it won’t be long before coughs and sneezes become the common background sound for offices, schools and workplaces. The most fool-proof and easiest way of bringing the flu to a screeching halt is for everyone to spend five minutes to get vaccinated.

Contra Costa County is making a concerted effort to make that the rule rather than the exception. The health department launched a full-scale campaign to stop the spread of the flu by working in partnership with local clinics and child care providers – two professions that have the greatest contact with traditional flu carriers: children and the sick.

The “Five Minutes vs. Five Days” campaign makes the point that it is easier to take a short break to get vaccinated than risk being sick with the flu for five or more days. You can see all the material that was developed for child and health care workers to educate themselves and the people they care for, including a lively performance of “Bad Case of Havin’ the Flu” by local doctor Alan Siegel and his band.

Why the push for flu vaccinations? There’s a host of good reasons, but for anyone worried about protecting themselves, their families, friends and coworkers, a quick flu shot is the best protection out there. Getting vaccinated reduces your chance of catching the flu by 70-90 percent.

You may think that getting the flu isn’t that big of a deal, but don’t forget how it can keep you in bed for days on end. Aches and pains aside, you also have to consider the lost time away from work – unscheduled, unplanned and always inconvenient. This can take a major bite out of your income, vacation time and the enjoyable things you had planned.

This isn’t the year to accept excuses. Get vaccinated and stop the spread of the flu before it has a chance to start.

~ Nicole

Learning How to Eat

2010-09-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

I clearly remember in junior high school eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches* practically every day for lunch, mixed in with a slice of pizza on special occasions. This was partly due to the fact that lunch meat grossed me out (and after eating deli sandwiches from on-campus eateries my freshman year of college, this is still the case) and partly because I didn’t know any better. I’d eat an apple or an orange if my mom sliced it up for me (chomping on a whole apple with braces is a highly dangerous affair), but I wasn’t one to actually ask for produce. My eating habits have turned around, but not before I spent many years eating a rather unhealthy diet and suffering the consequences of being reluctant to step on a scale, much less go swimsuit shopping.

My little sister just started her sophomore year of college and is in her very own apartment with her very own kitchen. I sat down with her before she left and talked to her about food. She’s blessed with good genes (tall and willowy, minus my gigantic sweet tooth), but I wanted to talk to her about how to cook and eat. I explained to her the reason I was having this conversation with her was because I wish someone had talked to me before I was left to my own devices in the cooking and eating department. We talked about how a balanced diet incorporating a variety of whole foods, minus highly processed foods, would give her the foundation for a healthy life.

Wouldn’t it be better if this discussion happened much earlier?

Thankfully, it’s starting to. I recently read about the success of Berkeley Unified School District’s School Lunch Initiative. According to the San Francisco Chronicle article, the five-year old experiment aims to teach “a generation raised on junk food about good nutrition, where their food comes from and the environment.” A study released last week shows that these students have significantly better eating habits than children who don’t get fed a steady curriculum of gardening, cooking and nutrition.

This integrated approach to food education is working. The students increased their fruit and vegetable consumption by 1.5 servings a day, requested more produce with their meals and preferred in-season produce. Sixty percent of the parents of these kids said the curriculum changed their child’s knowledge about healthful food choices.

Changing eating behaviors of the entire country is going to be a long battle, but with skyrocketing obesity rates we can’t afford not to. Learning about healthy food choices in school, and having those healthy choices supported at home, is a step in the right direction. Hopefully Congress agrees and will pass the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The legislation would include a six-cent increase in the federal reimbursement rate for school lunches, mandatory funding for Farm to School programs and national nutrition standards for food sold on campus.

Ideally all schools will adopt an integrated approach to food education and the next generation will start with a good foundation for healthy eating.

~ Nicole

Picture credit: http://www.amihealth.com/healthy-balanced-diet.html

*On peanut butter and jelly sandwiches: I don't think peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are "bad for you," but now I subscribe to the "everything in moderation" approach to a balanced diet.

Social Marketing Score Card – And you can hold us accountable to it!

2010-09-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

We hear the term "Social Marketing" on a daily basis but do you know what it really means? Some say it's Facebook. Or Twitter. Or blogs. Or advertising. For us, it's more than just a tool, it's our bible -- and you can put your right hand and swear by it because it's been our road map to success. Want to know more about BMC's tenets of a successful social marketing campaign? Check out our score card and find out the secret to our winning team's approach.

The Oregonian's latest change leaves a bad taste

2010-08-11T15:37:00.000-07:00

The Portland Oregonian this week canned their restaurant reviewer because DeAnn Welker, editor of the A&E section, said that the paper's restaurant reviews have tended to be more high-end and Portland-centric than the way the average newspaper reader eats.

Translation, let's cover inexpensive chain restaurants in the burbs instead of focusing on Portland's rich culinary scene. And, let's run free reviews from readers rather than continuing to pay an award-winning freelance restaurant reviewer. Let's potentially dumb down our coverage.

Anyone can rant and rave but not everyone can be a credible reviewer.

I'm glad I live in the San Francisco Bay Area where food criticism is still a high art and reviewers are experienced journalists who know how to write well and are, for the most part, impartial, objective and have good taste. Plus they write for editors who know food, understand how restaurants work and are able to ask tough questions and provide checks and balances.

What qualities do you think a food critic needs?

~ Paula

Boosting Conservation

2010-07-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

A story about a 91-year-old woman in Florida who is still cruising around town in her 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente caught my eye last week. Rachel Veitch has owned her Comet for 46 years and has put a whopping 559,000 miles on it. She bought the car for $3,300 and over the years has given it a lot of TLC to keep it going. In addition to all that TLC, she had the foresight to get lifetime warranties for the muffler, battery and shocks, so she’s been able to keep her operating costs to a minimum. And after all these years together, she still considers her car “the most gorgeous thing on earth.”

Obviously Rachel has gotten a lot of enjoyment, service and value out of a purchase made 46 years ago. In this fast-paced, throw-away society, wouldn’t it be nice to find something as economical and serviceable as Rachel’s old car? Not only would we save a lot of money over the years, we’d also save a lot of landfill space.

The American way is to replace the old with the new at an ever-increasing rate, most often without a care about what resources are being used or abused. Though it wouldn’t be beneficial to our floundering economy if all of us suddenly decided we were content with a trusty old car like Rachel, it would be refreshing if more of us placed a little more emphasis on valuing and preserving what we do have.

Sharron

Trendy Clothes and Maternity Wear: a One-Stop Shop for Whom?

2010-07-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

When I think of affordable chic trendy clothes, Forever 21 comes to mind. When I’m up for the hunt, I’ll browse the racks for cute tops but usually avoid their way-too-skinny jeans. And I definitely check out the accessories. But between the groups of teenage girls clumped at different spots in the stores, the popular crowded fitting rooms and the over-picked racks, shopping at Forever 21 can be an adventure.

My daughter just turned 10 and soon enough she will be the one shopping at Forever 21 with her friends. So I was a little shocked when I heard about their new marketing strategy to sell maternity clothes in their stores under their Love 21 Maternity label. As a teenager, I loved to experiment with clothes but not to necessarily pay designer prices. I still do, and I see the same qualities in my daughter. Forever 21 was always a good option to express your inner fashionista without going broke. But this new move makes me think twice about going to their stores with my 10-year-old.

As a mom trying to balance fashion freedom, self-expression and a focus on higher education and setting goals, I’m conflicted by the message of making maternity clothes readily available where your shopper’s average age is between 14-22 – at least that’s who I see when I shop at Forever 21. My daughter is already surrounded with Hannah Montana all grown up cuddling with her boyfriend, i-Carly kissing a boy in his room, and while she doesn’t watch The Secret Life of the American Teenager, the continual advertising for this show on the Disney Channel is a constant reminder that teenage sex and pregnancy is becoming too much of a norm for today’s generation.

I am in constant battle with the barrage of images and often conflicting messages (i.e., Bristol Palin’s abstinence ads after having her baby) that surround my children, I don’t need the added pressure of having to explain why the cute mini skirt is right next to the spandex-banded maternity jeans. However, it does open a dialogue, and we can always talk. A conversation. Imagine that.

I think for now, we’ll be doing a little less shopping at Forever 21 and a little more girl talk.

~Muriel

photo from Tinsel

Best Social Media Tips from This Week

2010-07-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

I frequently trawl the Internet for articles and blog posts on the latest and greatest social media tips, tricks and ideas – hey, it’s a low-cost way to get an education! I’d like to share a few of the articles that I found to be especially helpful this week.

10 SEO Tips to Make Your Blog Search Engine Friendly from CisionBlog
This is a great list of simple ways to optimize your blog and blog postings so search engines and interested readers can find your content more easily. For example, did you know that Google treats hyphens, not underscores, as spaces and that you can modify a posting’s permalink?

Survey: 75% of Journalists Find ‘Targeted’ Press Releases Useful from PRNewswer Of course, the key word here is “targeted,” but it’s nice to see that traditional tactics aren’t totally dying off as news gathering goes more and more digital.

10 Tips For Maximizing Your Discoverability on YouTube from Social Times
In such a visual culture, YouTube can be a great resource for getting your message out. However, it can also be very challenging to get viewers if you aren’t this week’s viral video. This is a very helpful list of ways to increase your video’s chances of being discovered. Some are pretty common sensical, but it’s a good checklist to have on hand when posting new content.

Image from: http://www.dirjournal.com/guides/social-media-marketing-enough-is-enough/

Have you heard of HR 5034?

2010-07-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

If you drink wine, beer or spirits, then if HR 5034 passes through Congress it will have a big effect on you, restricting what you can buy and increase its cost.

HR 5034 is a bill that is being pushed by a number of liquor distributors in several states. One of the things they don’t like is the idea that you can order wine from your favorite winery and have it delivered to your door.

Years ago liquor laws supported a structure that mandated liquor distributors having exclusive control of all liquor sales in their territory. It meant that nothing was sold unless they got their cut.

In recent years the distributors have been losing their hold as states changed these laws. It has led to lower prices and larger selection for consumers. Wine lovers across the country were the big winners because it has meant that they can mail order wines from anywhere in the country, wines that were not available locally because local distributors didn’t carry them.

Now the distributors want to renew their grip nationwide with a federal law, undoing the progress of the last 10+ years.

If you love wine, especially if you buy wine from out of state and have it shipped to you, contact your congressional representative and urge them to vote no on HR 5034.

Ken

What do Facebook and Google's PR have to say about PR and Social Media?

2010-06-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of attending a seminar this morning about the convergence of public relations and social media. It's a very hot topic in a lot of industries right now, especially ours. Today's panel discussion featured folks from Edelman Digital, Facebook and Google. It's always interesting hearing what other public relations folks have to say about their social media experiences, but it was particulary fascinating to hear communications people from major social media companies talk about their experiences using social media to communicate with their audiences. I thought I'd write a little bit about what I learned for those who, like me, want to learn as much as they can about how to incorporate social media into their communications toolbox.

The first speaker was Michael Brito, VP of Social Media for Edelman Digital. He's had a lot of experience building social media programs for major brands in the Silicon Valley, including HP, Yahoo! and Intel. Some interesting points he shared during his presentation:

In just the last year alone, there's been a 20 percent increase in the number of consumers who expect to engage with brands through social media (59 percent in 2008 compared to 78 percent in 2009).
That being said, companies shouldn't use social media just for the sake of using social media. It's all about engaging with consumers, not just using fancy new tools. It's important to build on good products/services, superior customer service and authentic community engagement.
There's also a strong correlation between brands that are highly engaged in social media and sales. People buy from brands that listen. And it's not just about listening but using customer feedback as a source of innovation.

The most important topic I focused on from what Michael shared was the reminder that it's about community engagement and not about the tools themselves.

The second speaker was Matt Hicks, Manager of Corporate Communications for Facebook. With a background in journalism, he is now responsible for social media and content strategy for the social media giant and manages the company's social media channels. Matt focused on the challenge of creating compelling and consistent content to "feed the social media beast."

Matt gave an overview of some of the different types of content he puts on the Facebook corporate blog. His team produces features (retelling great user stories); tips; answer common questions; topical tours; Q&As with guest speakers who visit Facebook; and a story of the week feature (most interesting news story of the week).
Another facet of telling compelling stories is to find authentic voices. While a consistent brand voice is important, so is variety in authorship. Matt utlizies employee crowdsourcing and guest bloggers to mix things up.

I really like the ideas that Matt had to share for creating compelling content. It's easy to start up a blog, but it's a whole other thing to keep things going. I personally think that's the biggest challenge with social media. Having a content development strategy and team in place ahead of time is a very smart idea.

The final speaker was Karen Wickre, Manager of Global Communications & Public Affairs for Google. Karen developed Google's global publishing framework, including overseeing a multitude of blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts around the world.

Karen talked a lot about how to balance overseeing so many different social media channel. There's no way she has the time or desire to wordsmith and approve every single piece of information coming across all the different Google social media accounts. She and her team definitely spend a lot of time up front before any Google team member starts something new and they do review so there are no surprises.
Google uses their social media channels for more informal information sharing. They don't put up press releases but they also don't stop themselves from putting things up because it's "not news." Even if it's a small tidbit, readers may just want to know. They also don't worry about making sure a piece of information will appeal to every single member of their audience. They leave it up to the readers to pick and choose what they'll be interested in.
Social media is a learning experience for everyone, even someone with as much experience as Karen. It's important to be flexible, not afraid to try to things and adjust appropriately based on audience feedback. What may be too many Twitter updates for certain brands may not be enough for other brands.

During the question and answer session, a few other illuminating points were shared:

A good social media strategy is to do training before hand. Make sure employees are on the same page and understand how the brand wants to engage in social media. Once a "culture of trust" is developed, equip employees to amplify messages. An example Michael shared is to create a product memo of sorts that includes messaging and examples of how employees might share the information on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Different channels may be appropriate for different voices. Rather than try to force the perspectives of a CEO who has a lawyer looking over his shoulder and a employee sharing their "on-the-ground" experiences, consider having separate communications channels.
There is no longer any distinction between reporters and bloggers. Some public relations professionals may be treating these as two totally different groups (the pros and then the pj clad), it can be a detriment to communications. Some bloggers may be even more hypersensitive to dealing with public relations people, as evidenced by the very public outing of bad pitching.

Overall, a very good seminar with some important bits of information to guide us all along as we navigate the social media world.

~ Nicole

40 Deadliest Fast Food Meals

2010-06-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

A co-worker sent around a link to an online article about the 40 Deadliest Fast Food Meals.

I immediately had to open the article to see how many of the deadly offerings I’ve eaten. Turns out I’ve only eaten two and both were French fries that made the list mainly due to the portion size. (So I guess if you get the small fries you are safe.)

But as I’m going through the list I had to ask myself, “What has driven Americans to want to order a sandwich that is composed mainly of 3 slabs of hamburger, with 3 layers of bacon matched with 3 slices of cheese?” Can it really taste that good? Or is it the billions of dollars in advertising that the fast food giants spend each year that entices us to order such artery clogging creations?

A couple of years back my wife and I changed our ordering habits whenever we eat at a fast food place. Yes – we do on occasion eat fast food. Anyway – I order a meal that comes with whatever burger or sandwich I want with a regular drink and fries (my drink is often unsweetened ice tea) and she gets the single item she wants. We then share the drink and fries. We eat less, spend less and feel better after the meal.

Try it sometime. You might be surprised at how little it takes to satisfy your hunger.

Ken

Prisons – punishment or rehabilitation?

2010-05-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

I read a really fascinating article over the weekend about Norway’s newest prison. The compound is spread over 75 wooded acres and features jogging trails, cooking classes, flat-screen TVs, in-room minifridges and nicely appointed shared living rooms. Brick, galvanized steel and wood instead of concrete and bars. A security wall with an aesthetically-pleasing rounded top instead of barbed wire. Prison guards (both men and women to lower levels of aggression) don’t carry guns and eat meals and play sports with their charges. The music teacher calls them her pupils.

The first thoughts that came to my mind as I read the article were, “Wow, that doesn’t sound so bad. Flat screen TVs and walking paths? I thought prison was supposed to be punishment.”

These thoughts brought to my mind the intrinsic difference between our country’s focus of imprisonment of criminals – punishment – and that of Norway’s – rehabilitation. According to the article, the guiding principles of Norway’s penal system are “repressive prisons do not work and that treating prisoners humanely boosts their chances of reintegrating into society.” It’s definitely working for them. Within two years of release from prison, 20 percent of prisoners in Norway end up back in jail. In the United States, that number is 60 percent.

If someone does something wrong, then I think they should be punished. But it’s not surprising that you hear so much about individuals who grow up and live in troubled environments often end up in an endless cycle of committing crimes and being punished by spending time in prison, just to get out and commit another crime again. There’s nothing to break the never-ending cycle of violence.

So, I wonder what would happen if our penal system switched their emphasis from punishment to rehabilitation, with the desire to break the cycle and really change prisoners’ lives so they really can reenter society. Of course this isn’t as easy as just flipping a switch. I’m sure that Norway’s low prison population (3,300, or 69 per 100,000 people, compared to our 2.3 million, or 753 per 100,000), sure helps but their success is definitely impressive.

What do you think?

~ Nicole

Get Physically Active - Rain or Shine

2010-04-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Denmark, I was expecting to find many obese people because of their food culture of meat and potatoes and plentiful Danish pastries. To my surprise, the Danes I saw were a fit and hardy lot, who were outdoors walking and bicylcing in often inclement weather with temperatures hovering around 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).

And so I think the Danes have the right idea about how to have their pastries and eat them, too, and that is: go outdoors and get some exercise in good weather or bad.

Sharron

AP Style Change Communicated Via Social Networking

2010-04-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

No other tool is more important to writers and editors than their AP Stylebook. So when I saw that AP is changing the word "Web site" to "website," I was glad to be rid of a cumbersome word style but also sad that I will now join the mass of people who didn't know otherwise and probably don't care. Interestingly, I found this out via Facebook from my old public relations professor, who I haven't seen in 10 years. It seems that social networking, such as Facebook, blogs and Twitter, is here to stay and may actually have a more useful purpose than just the typical status updates of lunch choices and kids' soccer games. So now you know.

~Muriel

Majority of California Voters Support Soda Tax According to Field Research Poll

2010-04-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

Even in the midst of what may be the most hostile tax environment in a decade, a statewide poll shows a solid majority of California voters support a soda tax to fund childhood obesity prevention programs in California.

Support for a soda tax was evenly distributed throughout the state:

Statewide: 56 percent
San Francisco Bay Area: 60 percent
Los Angeles County: 61 percent
Other Southern California counties (including San Diego and Orange): 54 percent

The Central Valley was the only region in the state where less than a majority supported a soda tax (43 percent). What did the Fresno Bee have to say?

The most surprising finding? The level of support among low income voters (those making less than $40,000 per year) at 60 percent and Latinos at 66 percent. "The soda industry often pretends they want to protect the low income and minority communities from higher soda prices, but it's exactly these communities who support soda taxes," said Harold Goldstein, executive director of CCPHA.

The public opinion poll, conducted by the Field Research Corporation and commissioned by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, surveyed 503 registered California voters by telephone. Click here for more information about the poll.

California hospitals need to follow the leader

2010-04-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

A hospital in Massachusetts recently became the first in the nation to ban sugar-sweetened soft drinks.

Fairview Hospital in Barrington, MA said they made the decision in the interest of public health after the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted to ban soda and other sugar-sweetened soft drinks in Massachusetts schools.

California was way ahead of Massachusetts on this issue. Sodas were removed from public schools years ago. So here is my question, why aren't California hospitals leaders in promoting public health too? Anyone who has been in a hospital here knows it is easy to find sugar-sweetened soft drinks and other junk food.

Incidentally Fairview Hospital is leading the way on other nutrition issues too. They eliminated trans fats, removed all deep fat fryers, instituted nutritional labeling and planted a vegetable garden. For more information, read this article.

~ Paula

Why grass-fed animals make a better burrito

2010-04-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

I haven’t eaten at Chipotle, but after reading this article I’m going to have to give them a try. The writer talked to Steve Ells, founder and CEO of Chipotle, about his better-tasting burritos and the idea that fast food doesn’t have to be junk food.

He also mentions why they use grass fed beef and why is it better.

My parents used to raise a few head of cattle and lambs each year for meat. They were all grass fed and produced some of the best beef and lamb I've even eaten. So I’ve never been able to understand where the idea that cattle had to be fed corn to be any good came from. It’s always seemed like a waste of corn to me. And if you have to keep pumping your livestock full of antibiotics, as some cattle ranchers do (and chicken and hog farmers do as well), shouldn’t that be a hint that something is very wrong with the environment you have created to raise that livestock in?

Here’s to a grass fed, free-range, antibiotic-free beef.

Ken

Time Shouldn't Stop Us From Eating Well

2010-04-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

Here at BMC we love to cook and we love to eat. I mean, we really love to eat and most of our celebrations revolve around food. One of our favorite traditions is to celebrate the winter holidays with a multi-course meal featuring fabulous ingredients paired with sumptuous wines. Eating well – and by that I mean flavorful, high-quality, healthy ingredients – is something we all enjoy, but the cooking is another story.

I personally love to cook, but it can be hard to work a full, busy day and then come home to spend an hour in the kitchen. It’s fun, but tiring too. I’m not surprised when people say they just don’t have time to cook.

That’s why I got so excited when I stumbled upon a new interactive Web tool "Dinner in 15 Minutes Flat." The application, put together by Real Simple, makes it easy to quickly find recipes for quick dinners. After selecting a main ingredient and a cooking style, you’re presented with a custom display of recipes ready in just 15 minutes.

This cool tool should help eliminate some of the excuses for getting a healthy, tasty meal on your table on any night of the week. No more excuses – let’s cook!

~ Nicole

Ronald needs to retire. Now.

2010-03-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

Early retirement is a good thing, if your name is Ronald McDonald. That's what a number of children's health advocates claimed at a press conference today.

For nearly 50 years the smiley clown has been successfully pushing fatty fast food to children. Thirty years ago no one talked about childhood obesity because it was so rare. Sadly that is no longer the case. Newspaper articles recently started categorizing children as obese and extremely obese.

Ronald gets a lot of some credit for this tragic situation. The McDonald's Corporation spends more than a billion dollars on marketing in the U.S. alone, much of it spent on advertising directly to children. The fast food giant, in fact, pioneered the concept of marketing to children and spawned a host of imitators.

Children are very susceptible to advertising and marketing messages. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "advertising directed to children in inherently deceptive and exploits children under the age of eight."

I agree with all of the children's and health advocates. It's time for Ronald to go.

~ Paula

Soda's Spin

2010-03-10T17:33:00.001-08:00

Now here's a fair represenation of the soda industry's supposedly "voluntary" efforts to control sale of their sodas on school campuses. What a bunch of hypocrites. Advocates all over the nation busted their bums to pry Coke out of schools, with their legion of lawyers, lobbyists and politicians screaming and fighting every step of the way. And now, with laws in place banning their empty calories from schools, they pretend it was their idea. Shame, shame, shame... chain of fools!

We're published - twice over!

2010-03-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

In a recent issue of PR News, our ground-breaking media advocacy work on behalf of California's menu labeling law was featured. The four-page analysis recognized our innovative approach that helped make California the first state in the nation to require restaurants to offer up basic nutrition information -- who knew that an Awesome Blossom had 3,000 calories!

Then, in what can only be payback for years of poring through tedious college textbooks, we find that we're now being taught in school. Yep, from page 199 to 212 in the 8th edition of Public Relations Cases, college PR students are learning about our successful efforts with the California Center for Public Health Advocacy to force legislators to take a role in addressing childhood obesity.

- Mike

Bad Mom Turned Food Detective

2010-03-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

I had the special opportunity to listen in on best-selling authors Michael Pollan and Dr. David Kessler in San Francisco last Wednesday. To say this influenced me is an understatement. The dialogue opened my eyes so wide that this Southern California girl has fully embraced the Bay Area Foodie World.

Upon joining Brown-Miller Communications six years ago, I was immersed in what was the beginning of the childhood obesity transformation. This week, I witnessed how the seeds have become a movement to look at food and how it affects us and, more importantly, our future generations. Thank you, first lady Michelle Obama for expanding this dialogue.

As a mother of two, it occurred to me that the guilt I often felt when it came to feeding the right things to my children wasn’t completely in my control. I constantly had to fight the marketing messages that surround all of us as we wake up. Answering my children’s questions “why can’t we have soda?” or “what’s wrong with the turkey, cheese and crackers in the cute box?” became an annoying routine while shopping. Through our work with the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, I get the issues, and I know how advertising messages can be deceiving. But my children don’t, and I am often left feeling like the “bad mom” who deprives my children of sweets or the experience of “being just a kid.”

This week, however, I felt I had gained some armor of strength from Pollan and Kessler’s discussion of how our culture of overindulgence and over-processed industry policies is eating us from the inside out. We have so much more work to do to reverse the bad policies and habits that have taken decades to establish, and the challenge has only begun.

Inspired by the conversation, it moved me to have a dialogue of my own with my family. I pulled out my signed copy of Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Young Reader’s Edition, and invited the kids to become food detectives with me. It’s time to change the dialogue of food, and it starts at home. I invite you to do the same.

~ Muriel

photo credit: wellnessgossip.com

When we say “Text Book” we really mean it!

2010-02-22T15:02:00.000-08:00

That’s right, a Brown•Miller Communications public relations campaign, “Giving Legislators a Role in Correcting California’s Childhood Obesity Crisis,” is one of the case studies in the eighth edition of Public Relations Cases by Jerry A. Hendrix and Darrell C. Hayes.

It’s not the first time a BMC campaign has been in a college text book. Several years ago it was brought to our attention that a campaign we put together for Kendall-Jackson Vineyard Estates mysteriously appeared (without our permission) in a college text book. However, in this case we worked with the writers and our client to make sure all the ‘t’s’ were crossed and ‘i’s’ were dotted.

If you’d like to get your own copy to see our campaign (and lots of others as well), you can get the book through Amazon. This also explains why we keep getting emails from college students all across the nation asking for more details on the campaign.

Ken

Florez announces penny per teaspoon soda tax

2010-02-18T16:46:00.000-08:00

In the face of a $41 billion statewide obesity epidemic, California Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez today introduced legislation to tax sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages to fund childhood obesity programs.

The Florez bill would levy a penny for every teaspoon of added sugar in commercial beverages sold. It's estimated the excise tax on beverage distributors would raise $1.5 billion a year for California cities and schools to pay for childhood obesity prevention programs.

A growing body of research highlighting the central role of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages in driving the obesity epidemic prompted the senator's bill, including a study from one of our client's last year.

"When Michelle Obama introduced her children's health initiative last week she explained that our children didn't do this to themselves," said Dr. Harold Goldstein of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy. "They didn't create an environment where high sugar sodas are the cheapest, easiest drink to find. We did that to them. We have a responsibility to fix it and this bill is the right way to start."

~ Nicole