Corporate Cause Marketing: Finding the right fit and getting involved

By Jennifer Little, Senior Vice President, Dallas


During the holiday season we were surrounded by messages to give back. Angel trees, coin collecting, toy drives and food donations – all very worthy projects and causes. Also, during the holidays many people find themselves reflecting on the year and what they have done to give back.

For corporations, there is increased pressure and expectations on giving back as evident in Edelman’s 4th annual goodpurpose study of consumers’ attitudes on social purpose. Nearly 62 percent of survey respondents feel it is no longer enough for corporations to simply give money away to good causes, but that they also need to integrate them into their day-to-day business.

Consumers are personally getting more involved in causes (56 percent of survey respondents are involved in a good cause and one-third said they are more involved than a year ago) and will put their money where their mouth is to support and recommend companies that do the same. I’d call that pressure. But what does it mean?

Carol Cone, managing director of Brand & Corporate Citizenship at Edelman explains it well, “It is no longer enough to slap a ribbon on a product. It must be authentic, long-term and participatory. Americans are seeking deeper involvement in social issues and expect brands and companies to provide various means of engagement. We call this rise of the ‘citizen consumer.’”

Carol, who joined Edelman earlier this year, is heralded as the “mother of cause marketing.” She’s developed leading cause programs for both corporations and nonprofit organizations and recently co-authored the book “Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding: Seven Principles to Power Extraordinary Results.” Carol gave recommendations on achieving cause marketing success in a recent chat with USA Today:

• Create a cross-functional team to start the process, involving folks at human resources, product development and the chief executive office
• Involve employees at every level, including early entry employees
• Analyze what you’ve done in the past
• Understand the values, mission and what’s the purpose of the company, and make sure they align with the cause
• Understand the consumer: Where are they at in their lifestage?

The challenge for companies in 2011 should be to take a hard look at their cause programs and evaluate if the right program is in place for the company and customers. For brands that don’t have a visible and engaging program, it’s time to step up and add “purpose” to the marketing mix. Consumers expect it. They expect that brands will promote good causes through advertising to raise awareness. They expect that brands will donate a portion of their profits to support a good cause. And in return, these consumers pledge loyalty to the brands that do so.

The first step is accepting that it’s good for business. We know it is. Then, it must be woven into the fabric of the organization and treated with the same importance as a product launch.

As a consumer, I’m very mindful of the ways companies are giving back or asking me for contributions. As a marketer, it’s exciting to help a brand find its way to a successful cause program that is mutually beneficial. Let’s hope that 2011 brings more attention to doing this right.

For more information on Edelman’s goodpurpose survey, visit http://www.goodpurposecommunity.com/.

Deals, Fees and Kermit the Frog: Travel predictions for 2011

 By Meredith McKee, Senior Account Executive, Dallas

I like to think ahead when it comes to travel. In fact, I’ve already started planning a few trips for 2011. I’m heading to Los Angeles in March to see my sister and newborn nephew, Europe later in the spring and a few couch-surfing trips sprinkled throughout the year to visit friends who live around the country.

As someone who works with the travel industry every day and who loves to travel, I spend a lot of time keeping up to speed on the latest travel trends.

Here are a few things that are already on our radar at Edelman Southwest:

1. Private Sales, Hidden Discounts – As it has been the last couple of years, it’s still all about finding a deal when traveling. The trend known as opaque hotel pricing, which only allows the traveler to see the name of the hotel after they have purchased, is still available from various sites, including Top Secret Hotels from our client Travelocity. This type of pricing can offer savings up to 55 percent. Also, more sites such as Jetsetter and Rue La La are offering private sales with deals on hotels. These sites are invitation only so that only members can take exclusive advantage of the savings.

Expect to see more of these sites pop up in 2011, and more people taking advantage of them as the word spreads of their offerings. The trick is keeping track of all these sites and figuring out if you are getting a good deal or not. If you need some help, HotelChatter, a blog about all things hotels, does a great job of providing lots of info on different private sales and opaque offerings.

2. Social Media and Travel – Tweets. Check-ins. Status updates. We can’t travel anymore without virtually acknowledging it. The travel industry is getting in on the act by offering deals on Twitter, sending out updates and engaging with travelers. For example, our client, Texas Tourism (@TexasTourism), keeps travelers informed of happenings and promotions available across the state.

In addition, travelers will find more travel companies are offering their followers and fans exclusive deals available only through social media platforms. So there is value in becoming a fan of, following or “checking in” at your favorite airline, hotel or travel site.

3. Going Green – Kermit had it wrong – it’s easy to be green! At least it is when it comes to travel. Whether you want to purchase a carbon offset while flying Virgin America, book a green hotel in Vegas or volunteer on vacation, there really is a way for every traveler to give back.

4. Airline Fees – The Transportation Department recently announced that the U.S. carriers combined made $4.3 billion in fees for checked bags and changing tickets. While the fees may have annoyed customers, it’s a revenue generator and clearly not a deal-breaker for travelers as they continue to fly. Just be aware that baggage fees are here to stay, so pack accordingly to carry on or check your airline’s website for the latest on current fees and how to pay as some offer discounts for pre-paying online. Airfarewatchdog also provides an updated list for many airlines all in one place.

As we head into 2011, it will be interesting to see what’s next for the airlines and the travel industry overall and how travelers will react. Either way, you can’t keep me off a plane this year!

Doing Good by Talking to Each Other

By Helen Vollmer, President, Edelman Southwest

As winter winds blew into Austin in mid- December, the Edelman Southwest crew hosted an amazing holiday breakfast of corporate and non-profit leaders, led by its own Carol Cone, the acknowledged “mother of cause marketing.” Joining Carol in a conversation at the new W Austin hotel on how both businesses and 501c3 organizations can profit from citizenship initiatives were Nona Evans, global marketing for Whole Foods, Amanda Webster, community relations managers and employee communications manager of National Instruments and Emily Steinberg, associate director of College Forward.

Panelists and audience members agreed with Edelman’s 2010 goodpurpose ^TM study findings that deeper engagement in social issues is now expected on the part of brands and corporations. Consumers are demonstrating exceedingly high expectations of businesses and nonprofits to work together to find solutions to our biggest challenges. And consumer loyalties now lay with those entities that do so.

There were several “a-ha” moments, including a collective group nod that non-profits and their for-profit allies need to do a much better job of communicating what each party needs from the other to gain the most benefit. It was pointed out that non-profits should do their homework in advance to understand what causes corporations have aligned themselves with and they should vet what the company already may be doing in that arena.

Plus, flexibility is key in developing programs that work toward common good. It’s okay for businesses, according to our experts, to pilot a program and see if the relationship is mutually beneficial before determining if a long-term commitment is in everyone’s best interest. Finally, at all costs, both corporations and non-profits need to stay focused on what’s needed to accomplish their mission. It’s easy to get distracted by the sound of a good idea, but partnerships are only successful if they get you closer to your goal.

The takeaway? Starting conversations such as this one in Austin and keeping them going is a responsibility we all have. One of Edelman’s New Year’s resolutions in the Southwest is a commitment to making sure we are all engaged in such dialogues that lead us all to a better place with purpose.

Calling All Shoppers!

By Christina Felton, Vice President, Austin

Tis the season to shop. “One for you, two for me” has always been my mantra. Over the last year, shopping has offered incredible deals, killer markdowns and special coupons mailed directly to my house, making it impossible to stay away.

Retailers have rolled out the red carpet this holiday season to entice shoppers in light of a still questionable economy. With more shoppers using multiple channels – in-store, online, mobile devices – to both research and purchase items, retailers have stayed competitive by offering free shipping, special offers towards future purchases and other incentives.

And here is more good news. As the traditional shopping season came to a close, many sales were just  warming up. This year, shopping after the holidays may be the best time of year to hit the stores.

Whether you’re a perpetual bargain hunter or a savvy shopper getting a jump start on next year’s shopping list, there are plenty of sale opportunities well into the New Year. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the week between Christmas and New Year’s accounts for more than 10 percent of total November and December sales. Retailers will continue to entice shoppers with special deals and markdowns hoping to maintain the momentum of the holidays well into the New Year.

Outlets are a traditional destination to find great deals at any time of the year, but long gone are the dismal, never-ending racks of a poorly lit outlet store. Vollmer recently helped open the latest Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th outlet store at the Houston Premium Outlets in Cypress, Texas. The new location was part of an expansion bringing 25 new luxury names to the Premium Outlets.

The Off 5th store is modeled after the new Saks Fifth Avenue ‘luxury in a loft’ environment, designed to highlight merchandise and facilitate easy shopping. And in keeping with shopping trends, the location offers increased luxury brands and expanded key merchandise categories including fine jewelry, shoes, handbags, sunglasses, contemporary sportswear and beauty items. Sounds like 28,000 square feet of sheer heaven to me.

Before shopping, however, be sure to check out the store and outlet websites for special events and offers. Many offer discount codes for significant discounts and opportunities to earn points towards future purchases. Signing up for a reward program with insider emails is also a good way to ensure you never miss a bargain from your favorite store or outlet center.

As you head out, knowing the best time to shop is just as important as knowing where to shop. Even though the holiday shopping crowds will significantly have thinned out, it’s best to arrive early and avoid weekends if possible. Many stores provide special offers on weekdays hoping to increase traffic during the off-peak shopping hours. So for those who feel that shopping knows no season, here’s to great bargains – year round!

From Online to Organized Groups: Making the most of 2011 as a non-profit

By Lindsay Stout, Account Executive, Dallas


As we wrap up the season of giving and move into 2011, non-profits and charity organizations are still feeling the pinch of the economic downturn from the past few years. With the New Year comes a fresh hope for increased economic recovery, as well as an opportunity to engage new audiences and turn them into volunteers, loyal fans and donors.

Whether you are a large, national-recognized organization or a smaller-scale local non-profit, here are a few tips for making the most of 2011.

Revamp Your Website / Look
A fresh look is a great way to catch the eye of potential supporters. If you have the resources to rebrand your logo or website, take the time to evaluate how this might benefit your organization. Many non-profits operate with an outdated look that no longer accurately represents their organizations.

Our client Camp For All , a Houston-area camp and retreat serving children and adults with challenging illnesses or special needs and their families, recently revamped its logo and website. Both designs better convey the mission and motto of the organization, and new functions of the website allow for more meaningful engagement for campers and their parents, Camp For All partners, media and supporters.

Create a Young Professionals (YP) Group
As a YP myself, I’m continually looking for new groups with which I can volunteer and network, and many people tend to become faithful fans of organizations they begin affiliating with at a young age. Now is the time to lock in the loyalty of YPs and create a group targeted toward their interests.

The Junior Friends of the Arboretum at the Dallas Arboretum is a great example of a new membership group designed for the under-40 demographic, including YPs and young parents and families. One of the many perks is that the group has access to special events and extra privileges such as complimentary concert tickets and workshop discounts.

Utilize Social Media
While social media can feel intimidating, it’s an incredible tool for reaching people in a fun, conversational manner in order to promote upcoming events, attract new supporters, grow your donor base, share entertaining videos and photos and drive more traffic to your website.

There are lots of trends you can easily utilize, such as using the #charitytuesday hashtag on Twitter to help promote great causes or creating your own Facebook contests, such as Texas Ballet Theater's Weekly Wednesday Win, which gives fans the opportunity to win tickets to performances and other prizes.

Be sure to tap into your board members, interns or members of your YP group to learn more about Facebook, Twitter, blogs and LinkedIn and to get help with engaging on these platforms. It can seem like a daunting step, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Encourage Volunteering
If your budget prohibits you from taking any of these bigger steps, don’t forget that soliciting help from board members and volunteers is always an option. These audiences are already raving fans of your organizations so let them help you take action! Both board members and volunteers are a great way to help relieve overworked staff, and those who donate their time often turn into those who donate their dollars.

Best wishes and here’s to a fabulous year!

14 Bottles of Wine and a Fire Extinguisher

  By Dan Susong, Account Supervisor, Austin

December just feels different. The days are shorter, the air finally starts to feel cooler (at least in Texas) and, of course, the holiday season is in full swing. So during this different month, what’s on everyone’s mind? A quick poll of our Edelman Southwest team revealed some interesting answers – some surprising, some not.

What’s on the top of your holiday wish list for 2010? From baby gifts to botox, folks in our offices are wishing for almost every type of gift imaginable. Some are hopeful for reunions with family and friends or spending quality time at home after many a business trip, while others are hitting the road and traveling to exotic places (winners: Napa Valley and Galapagos!). Others are hoping for more tangible things like workout gear and cooking equipment (in that order, although I might suggest using them in the reverse). And, of course, there are the common gifts like jewelry and electronics. And the slightly less common… like 14 bottles of wine and a fire extinguisher (don’t worry, separate wishes from separate people).

What is your all-time favorite holiday gift or memory? Oh, sweet nostalgia. Reading the responses to this one was a fun trip to a simpler time. When red scooters, Christmas ornaments and family-created pageants were all we needed to be happy. But it’s not just our favorite “things” we remember so fondly. Many of us count as our favorite memories the final Christmas we spent with loved ones… or the birth of a child during the holiday season… or the time we staged Christmas a week early before the Navy shipped our furniture back to the states… or the fact that a certain employee didn’t lose his job after revealing his boss’ surprise Christmas gift to her husband. (Yes, that happened.)

What else are you doing to mark the holiday season? I had thought this question would spark a ton of travel, cooking, tree and menorah lighting, and family-reunion type answers. And it did. But it also revealed that folks at Edelman Southwest are doing a lot to give back to the community, by working with organizations that aim to find cures for diseases, groups that provide support and shelter for the homeless and volunteering to distribute gifts to economically disadvantaged kids. It’s good to see that amid all this talk about what we’re hoping for this year, not forgetting the hopes of others – often much more basic than our own.

So what did this fun holiday poll reveal? Same profession, same employer, same general location – very different holiday wishes and traditions. In general, our current holiday wish lists are a far cry from the days when we could relate to Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun. But the fact that most of us still have a wish list and participate in some sort of exchange – whether of gifts, food, time, or stories – with those we care about still makes this time of year different. Different and, I think we’d all agree, special.

Go Digital During the Holidays

  By Jimmy Egeland, Creative Services Manager, Dallas

As we all know in the business world, it is customary during the holiday season to reach out to clients, contacts and prospects to deliver a holiday message. Often times a paper greeting card is the default option. It’s quick; it’s easy, but is it the best option for growing your business?

To best figure out that question, answer this one: what do you do when you get a corporate greeting card in the mail? Read it and then immediately toss it in the trash? Read it and then put it a shelf for a month…and then toss it in the trash?

The point here is that the vast majority of greeting cards—if not all of them—hit the garbage can after their one and only impression. The chances that they live on past the holiday season or that they are shown to anyone other than the original intended recipient are slim to none.

Digital greeting cards change the game. When you take your paper card and postage budget and use it to develop a digital greeting, the chances for your message (and your brand) to reach beyond your initial mailing list expands exponentially.

Creating a fun, memorable or charitable holiday greeting that is online takes advantage of all the methods of sharing—email forwarding, social networks, even distribution channels like YouTube.

A trend towards goodwill and corporate responsibility is tangible in today’s business culture. Why not create an option at the end of your digital greeting card for recipients to choose a charitable organization that your company will make a donation to?

It engages them as they make a positive connection with your brand. After all, companies not only need to provide a great product or service, but also need to be proactive in giving back to the communities they affect.

Will 2010 be the year you ditch the paper card? Take the time to develop your digital approach and be sure to let us know if you need any help along the way. We’ve created plenty of digital holiday greetings for our own company and clients, such as Skanska USA and Armstrong Ceilings, ranging from fun to philanthropic.

Your contacts just might appreciate the change of pace and their contacts just might be introduced to your business.

2011 Fashion Forecast: Work wear makes mainstream style

  By Courtney Goldberg, Senior Account Executive, Dallas

2011 Spring Style Snapshot Military influence is here to stay – think cargo, olive tones, unique detailing – but with an added feminine touch Heritage-inspired collections still key Khakis are a player in a big way – colorful, sanded, tinted Skinny-fit jeans The white out continues Distressed denim – gray, ripped or worn in Washed palette – neutral hues, such as taupe, gray, navy and olive green, with pops of color

Here in Texas we’re just dusting off our winter coats and scarves for the unpredictable winter that lies ahead. In the halls of Hearst and Rodale, fashion editors at top trendsetting publications are laying down the spring 2011 fashion styles we’ll be lusting after in the coming year.

Over the past few years, work wear has infiltrated the mainstream fashion scene as more industrial looks and heritage brands have come into the spotlight. Editors mix high-priced designer pieces and everyday labels to play up the diversity of clothing and how contrasting styles can complement each other. Also, the recession has caused an increased focus on budget-friendly apparel and work wear generally falls into this category.

While our Dickies client, a leader in the work wear industry, has always received the occasional nod in mainstream consumer outlets, we’ve seen increased interest in the brand from these fashion editors. On a recent desk side media tour in New York with Dickies, we visited 15 fashion editors at top men’s and women’s consumer and trade publications. During the meetings, we ran through the highlights and top samples from Dickies’ spring 2011 line, and learned more about what each outlet will be focusing on this coming spring.

When it comes down to it, the line between quality and price continues to weigh heavily on consumers in the purchasing process. Editors will continue the look-for-less trend because while spending is expected to increase in 2011, shoppers are projected to continue in a conservative nature.

Gobble Gobble, It's Time for Holiday Travel

By Meredith McKee, Senior Account Executive, Dallas

UPDATE: The original entry of this blog post ran on Monday, November 22 and follows below.  Following the Thanksgiving holiday, results from the annual Travelocity Thanksgiving Task Force include:

With hundreds of tweets from Travelocity and its spotters and more than 150 media interviews conducted by the Thanksgiving Task Force team, Travelocity was able to keep travelers informed of what was happening at the 12 airports where they were stationed and beyond. We hope you had good travels!


Are you boarding a plane next week? Our client, Travelocity, has a program that may help make the process a little easier.

The Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving are two of the busiest travel days of the year. The Air Transport Association is predicting that about one million more people will fly this Thanksgiving than last year. Once again Travelocity will help travelers navigate the airports with the 10th Annual Thanksgiving Task Force, stationing spotters at 12 airports across the country to update travelers via Twitter on security wait times, cancellations, delays, crowd conditions and even the occasional celebrity spotting.

Travelocity looks to you, a fellow traveler, to help provide updates as well. All you have to do is tweet your travel updates, including your location and the Twitter hashtag #TravelocityTTF on November 23 and 24, and you’ll be eligible for giveaways from the Travelocity Roaming Gnome.

To see the real-time status reports, flight tracking tools and holiday travel tips from Travelocity and other travelers from across the country, you can check in at Travelocity’s travel blog, The Window Seat or follow Travelocity airport spotters on Twitter from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on November 23 and 24 from the following airports:

• Atlanta Hartsfield (ATL) - @fly_from_ATL http://twitter.com/fly_from_ATL
• Charlotte Douglas (CLT) - @flyCLT http://www.twitter.com/flyCLT
• Chicago O’Hare (ORD) - @flyfromchicago http://www.twitter.com/flyfromchicago
• Dallas / Fort Worth International (DFW) - @flyfromdallas http://www.twitter.com/flyfromdallas
• Denver International (DEN) - @flyfromdenver http://www.twitter.com/flyfromdenver
• Las Vegas McCarran (LAS) - @flyfromvegas http://www.twitter.com/flyfromvegas
• Los Angeles International (LAX) - @flyfromla http://www.twitter.com/flyfromla
• New York La Guardia (LGA) - @flyfromnewyork http://www.twitter.com/flyfromnewyork
• Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) - @flyfromphoenix http://www.twitter.com/flyfromphoenix
• San Francisco International (SFO) - @flyfromsf http://twitter.com/flyfromsf
• Tampa International (TPA) - @flyfromtampa http://www.twitter.com/flyfromtampa
• Washington Reagan (DCA) - @flyfromdc http://www.twitter.com/flyfromdc

Have a specific question about your Thanksgiving travel plans?

Travelocity will host a Twitterview on Monday, November 22 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST, where Contributing Editor Jennifer Gaines will be on hand to answer any and all of your Thanksgiving travel-related questions. Tweeps should direct their questions to @windowseatblog http://www.twitter.com/windowseatblog and include the Twitter hashtag #TravelocityTTF.

Competing With the Elephant in the House

  By Linda Edwards Gockel, Executive Trainer, Austin

When it comes to getting the attention of Texas lawmakers, message matters. And when the competition for that attention is a whopping $24 billion budget deficit, message matters a lot. The elephant in the room, or in this case the House, represents about a quarter of the state budget in a state that already runs lean and mean compared to others.

When the 82nd session of the Texas Legislature begins on January 12, the biggest issues will be the budget, the budget, redistricting, the budget, and maybe a few other items such as immigration and voter ID. State agencies and universities that were asked to prepare a budget with 10 percent cuts last spring, today look at that decrease as a possible best-case scenario. Stark realities necessitate that they be very creative and focused in their attempts to preserve their basic mission of serving Texans.

Any company or other organization that wants to be heard by Texas lawmakers now and during the upcoming session should keep a few things in mind.

Propose cost-reducing solutions. The best ideas will be the ones that save the most money. The most poorly received ideas will be the ones that cost money. Entities that rely on State funds will either propose their own workable solutions, or have solutions, workable or not, imposed on them.

Go local. All politics are local. So, visiting the Senator’s or Rep’s local office is smart. Localizing statistics, examples, and impacts to their district will result in a message that is more likely to hit home and leave a lasting impression. It’s important to put “people” with the numbers. How will individuals be affected, specifically people in their legislative district?

Move now. Anyone who wants to influence legislators has a limited time to do so. The workload will pick up as the session moves forward. So, any communications must be early, planned, brief and to the point.

Get outside help. Many industries and organizations have already hired professionals, including Vollmer Public Relations and Edelman, to help with their messages and how to best deliver them.

Especially this session, a little bit of preparation, expertise and coaching can take you a long way with busy Texas lawmakers.

Three Tips for Keeping it Fresh… and I’m Not Talking about Food.

  By Lori Martin, Account Director, Houston

Client relationships are like a marriage, and it’s important to always keep it fresh, real and open. This is especially true if you’re looking for new twists on a 25-year-old annual event.

We’ve worked with the Uptown Houston District on its branding and public relations for many years. It’s one of those great clients where you form a true partnership – to the point that sometimes it seems like we’re practically married! Each year Uptown Houston, recognized as one of the best urban, mixed-use development corridors in the world, produces its Uptown Holiday Lighting event on Thanksgiving night. The event is spectacular, and nearly 200,000 visitors kick off the holiday season with Houston’s largest sing-a-long, millions of twinkling lights, 80 Christmas trees, the jolly man in red and one of Houston’s most spectacular fireworks extravaganzas, all for free.

But how on earth do you present a time-honored tradition as fresh, real and fun to media and the public after 25 years? Making this and other annual events special each time they come around takes following:

Keep it Fresh. Push the limits on your media approach every year. Pretend it’s a new event and client you’ve never worked on before. Easier said than done sometimes, but if you push your team to find something new, I promise, magic can happen. Uptown understands that to stay relevant to its retailers, corporations and residents they must stay actively engaged in the social media conversation. Planning and implementation of the 25th anniversary has given their social media program some new arms and legs. You’ll have to follow us on Twitter @UptownHouston to find out how!

Keep it Real. Have an honest and open relationship with your client, and set expectations and realistic goals before you get started. Not every year will you make it on MSNBC or even the Houston Chronicle front page, but every year you should give it your all. Create story ideas and pitch angles for new media beats. For example, we asked all 150,000 attendees to wear something that sparkles silver to honor the 25th anniversary. Media love it, people think the idea is fun and it’s creating new excitement around the event.

Keep it Fun. Every year, including this year, the Uptown Holiday Lighting production crew eats dinner at a nearby cafeteria on Post Oak. Besides the good food, the team is surrounded by the memories they’ve created in the past 25 years. But if you listen to the conversation, (are you listening to your client??) the words tend to vary from year to year. That’s our job: To change the words, create new conversations and make them meaningful in a new and vibrant way every year.

If you were in Houston on Thanksgiving, we hope you joined us…and wore silver. Whether you were able to attend or not, here are the little-known 25 Facts About Uptown Holiday Lighting sure to get you in the holiday spirit…

1. The Light Wall at the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans inspired the tree-lit Post Oak Boulevard.

2. Four months prior to the first event in 1986, the City Post Oak Association changed its name to the Uptown Houston Association.

3. The very first Uptown Holiday Lighting, planned in only four months, was held on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 1986.

4. Eighty live Christmas trees were hand-picked and cut from a Wisconsin tree farm, for the first two years of the event.

5. The original name of the Uptown Holiday Lighting was the Grand Lighting Ceremony.

6. The first lighting included a larger-than-life tree outline in lights on Transco Tower (now Williams Tower).

7. Houston TV weatherman, Doug Johnson, city councilmember, Christin Hartung, and a Texas Children’s Hospital patient helped Santa flip the first switch on Tuesday, November 26, 1986...25 years ago!

8. About 100 people attended the first Uptown Houston Lighting event; now 150,000+ fill Boulevard each year.

9. Houston mayors Kathy Whitmire, Bob Lanier and Lee Brown have all attended the Uptown Holiday Lighting.

10. The first four Uptown Holiday Lighting events, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989, were held on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving.

11. Pop! Bang! Pop! Fireworks choreographed to favorite holiday music arrived on the scene in year three, 1988.

12. In 1989, after months of design and production, 80 official Uptown Holiday Lighting trees and bases with over a half-million lights were installed and are still used today.

13. Through the years, the Uptown Holiday Lighting has benefitted a number of deserving charities, including Sheltering Arms Senior Services, The Children’s Art project, Texas Children’s hospital, and during the very first year’s event, the Houston Food Bank. This year, the event benefits Be An Angel.

14. The event featured a Parade for nine years: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 and 2005. In 1997, Second Baptist Church introduced the Electric Light Parade to the event.

15. Cheers! In 1990 crowds eagerly awaited the arrival of Santa on the famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales. However, rain cancelled the Clydesdales appearance but for Santa, the show must go on and he was center stage to light up the Boulevard.

16. Celebrity athletes who have participated in the event include Houston Oiler Quarterback, Warren Moon (1999), Gold Medal Olympic figure skater, Kristi Yamaguchi (1992) and Gold Medal Olympic diver, Laura Wilkinson (2000).

17. For the past 17 years, since 1993, thousands of Houstonians have run through Uptown Houston as part of the annual Turkey Trot which takes place early morning, prior to the Uptown Holiday Lighting.

18. It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s Santa. The man in red has arrived seven times via helicopter: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2002.

19. From 1999 – 2001, Disney’s own Mickey Mouse and friends helped Santa light up the night.

20. The excitement filled the air as the Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band headed down Post Oak Boulevard in 2005.

21. The charming sounds of the Salvation Army Harbor Light Choir became a tradition at the Uptown Holiday Lighting in 2005.

22. The Uptown Lighting fireworks display is choreographed and fired using four computers and GPS technology for synchronization; fired from three separate locations, the Uptown Lighting uses the most modern and cutting edge technology.

23. Santa’s sing-a-long is the biggest in town.

24. Decorating hotel balconies have long been a tradition of the event for many years; the official Hilton Houston Post Oak Balcony Decorating Contest began in 2007.

25. Luby’s cafeteria on Post Oak is the favorite pre-event spot for the Uptown Holiday Lighting production crew to celebrate Thanksgiving Day dinner together.

Talking About a REDvolution

  By Danielle Allen, Senior Vice President, Austin

The 2010 elections have come and gone, and for some, there is “election fatigue”—political exhaustion from the onslaught of the negative campaign ads, barrage of snarky interviews and clutter of candidate-promoting yard signs.

For others, there is intense fascination about what’s to come in the approaching 82nd Texas legislature, convening on January 12, 2011. A sea of red on Election Day resulting in the election of 99 Republicans in the House—an historic Republican majority in—has left many to wonder what the 140 days of session is likely to hold. The Texas Senate, for its part, maintains a Republican majority just two seats shy of securing a 2/3 majority required by law.

At the height of the intrigue is the election of the Speaker of the House. Whether current Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, will emerge victorious against conservatives Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, and Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, remains to be seen, but not without a wounding battle for the majority party. Meanwhile the Texas Senate will debate whether to overthrow its 2/3 majority rule to ensure easier passage of majority-sponsored bills.

While the politics of these issues will certainly impact the policy outcomes, two things are irrefutable: the state will take up redistricting and the budget, according to Jason Embry, the Capitol Bureau Chief of the Austin American Statesman, who dropped by our offices today to provide a legislative update. With a projected $20-$25 billion shortfall, education and health and human services most certainly have targets on their backs, and the conservative wave leaves few options besides a blood bath of budget cuts for both.

With these contentious issues at hand, many are asking whether there is room for anything else – and yet, on the opening day of legislative filings, the first pieces of legislation filed were a mixed bag of unrelated issues addressing immigration, voter ID, food safety, and oil and gas regulations, among many others. In the opening days, over 300 pieces of legislation have been filed, and if the 2009 Legislature is any indication, there could be more than 7,000 bills proposed by the time it’s all said and done.

Last session, we worked with LIVESTRONG to advocate for legislation to make Texas a smoke-free state and with the Texas Carbon Capture and Storage Association to keep the regulation of this emerging technology within the jurisdiction of the Texas Railroad Commision. This session is going to be vastly different, but one thing’s for sure: organizations with a stake in the outcome of legislation will have to be creative in getting their message across and demonstrating statewide support for their issue. Session is only 60 days away and there will be just over four months to make an impact. Otherwise, there won’t be another opportunity until 2013.

Sprechen Sie Texan?

By Kim Tillinghast, Account Director, Austin

A few weeks ago, I attended the annual Society of American Travel Writers convention in Germany, representing our client and convention sponsor Texas Tourism (http://www.traveltex.com/). It was an invaluable opportunity to promote Texas’ diverse sights, sounds, tastes and experiences to a captive audience, and for me, it offered face time with many writers with whom I’ve exchanged countless e-mails over the years, as well as PR representatives from convention and visitors bureaus and airlines. We spent five days exploring Dresden and Leipzig, in the southeastern state of Saxony, with a combination of tours – quarters, castles and zoos, oh my! – professional development sessions, round-table discussions and media appointments.

The variety of professional development sessions included a panel focusing on destination press trips. Tips included requesting a list of recent press trips taken from each journalist; being mindful of photographer needs, including adequate time to shoot and best available daylight (30 minutes pre-sunrise to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 30 minutes post-sunset); and most importantly, checking participant blogs/social media channels throughout the trip.

A round-table discussion with other PR firms yielded insight about shared challenges and solutions. A discussion of social media strategy and measurement led to an interesting debate about whether Facebook or LinkedIn is the more appropriate medium to build media relationships, and where the line between personal and professional communication is (perhaps strategically) blurred.

Our keynote speaker, John Chow (http://www.johnchow.com/), lent insight about professional blogging and his road to success. He identified the important distinction between bloggers and Internet marketers, and the fact that the low barrier of entry (e.g., free sites such as Blogspot) can cause bloggers to not treat their work as a business. The key to success lies in a strong business model that focuses on monetization of traffic as a goal, versus simply gaining traffic. According to Chow, those who blog consistently, surround themselves with success, actively pursue their brand and – most importantly – enjoy the journey, are far more likely to find success.

The entire experience was a vibrant meeting of the minds. It reminded me how much I enjoy the relationship-building side of public relations, and what valuable conversations and ideas can spawn from a change of scenery and a room full of creative brains. I plan to keep that same inspiration with me back in “reality”, knowing that whether I’m brainstorming in the picturesque German landscape or downtown Austin, amazing ideas and partnerships can bloom and take life.

Taking Calculated Risks in Digital Health

By Emily Downward, Sr. Vice President Digital, Austin

The intersection of social media and health is a tricky one. Social media allows everyone to have a voice. Patients can share their personal stories and challenges, learn from each other and find support. But is the information always accurate? Companies involved in healthcare, from hospitals to pharmaceutical companies, are regulated by the government on what and how they share information causing many companies to limit or avoid joining the online conversation.

People are flocking to the Internet for health information. The Health Engagement Barometer showed that globally, four out of five people turn to digital media to help inform their health decisions (Edelman, 2010). In the United States, three out of four consult digital sources for health information. The Internet has become—and will continue to be—a major source of health information for the general public. It’s also potentially a breeding ground for misinformation, which is why we strongly believe we need regulated players to be engaged. Conversations about health are taking place online already—and without the appropriately regulated voice of the manufacturer, consumers and health care professionals are missing valuable, accurate information.

As a communications agency with thriving digital and health practices, Edelman counsels many of the nation’s leading health companies. Edelman has long advised companies that health is a business imperative and that they must engage proactively, transparently, and in real time with all stakeholders about health and wellness. Health companies must play by the regulations, such as providing balanced information (claims and safety) and maintaining patient confidentiality, but there are ways to use social media and abide by the existing regulations and guidelines.

The risks to health companies of engaging in social media are well-known, such as FDA warning letters. What is not as frequently mentioned are the risks of NOT engaging, which include the risk of your brand being defined by others and the lack of balanced information. We are counseling our clients on how to get involved in social media, following the existing guidelines and applying them to this medium in a responsible way.

Tagging: The Next Generation of Mobile Technology

By Mauren Kunz, Sr. Account Executive, Houston

“Excuse me,” shouted a random man who ran up to me as I was leaving the exhibit hall at a recent conference in Washington, D.C. “Can I scan you?”

Now in any other situation, such a comment might be cause to grab the mace and sprint towards the nearest cop, especially in a city formerly referred to as the murder capital of the United States. But instead of running for my life, I turned around and with an inner chuckle, asked if I could do the same.

It was part of PR Newswire’s mobile tagging game at the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)’s International Conference in October, and the way people talked about it, you’d think they were playing to win millions.

What’s the buzz about?

The PRN Game was based on a combination of mobile tagging and social media apps used to boost PR Newswire’s visibility at the event and emphasize the company’s new focus on engagement.

While tagging has been around since 2003 and is highly prominent in Asia, it’s just starting to gain widespread popularity here in the U.S. The technology behind tagging allows an individual to create a 2D barcode for mobile scanning through an app, which then directs a user to a designated website for instant access to information, videos, reviews and more.

When first introduced, tagging was available in the format of a QR (Quick Response) code or data matrix, but in 2009 Microsoft announced its High Capacity Color Barcode (HCCB) in hopes of establishing the company’s unique format as the standard in the west. HCCB codes are a series of colorful triangles, whereas QR and data matrix codes look similar to the black and white scanner image you might see on a shipping package.

How it works:

For the PRN Game, the company created more than 70 different tags that were placed in various areas of the conference, including at exhibit booths, on lobby signs, in conference presentations, and even on staff name badges. Additionally, 30 of those tags were available in small stickers that conference goers could add to their own name badges, which encouraged people to interact with each other.

The back end of the program was setup so that the 70 target sites were part of a value system (worth anywhere from 2-150 points) that tracked and added points with qualifying scans. Additionally, tweets using the #prngame hashtag were worth an additional point. In order to engage attendees’ interest in the company’s product offering, PR Newswire also provided in-booth demonstrations for 4 new services, valued at 100 points per presentation.

While only 62 attendees competed in the game, PR Newswire estimates it generated over 1,000 tweets in 3 days. Pretty impressive considering the number of people participating. On top of that, more than 23 percent of tweets that used the official conference hashtag (#prsa_ic) also included the PRN Game hashtag, which doesn’t even account for the large percentage of people who instead used #prsa2010 or #pra10 as their conference hashtag.

In the end, PR Newswire took advantage of an innovative technology to increase the company’s visibility beyond the 6 x 12 foot booth space purchased for the event. The service provider did an extensive job of spreading content such that even those that participated in the game couldn’t help but be aware of it.

What does it mean for you?

With a generation constantly seeking the electronic version of information, tagging is another way to reduce the load of paper hauling and tree chopping to provide audiences with quick and directed materials in the palm of their hands. Vollmer often avoids the paper build up by offering tagging for quick and easy downloads at client conferences where it sponsors social media tutorial booths and needs to provide handouts.

Companies may soon find ways to integrate tagging codes on displays, in press releases and on other materials. Airline companies such as Continental, are already using mobile tagging for electronic boarding passes, allowing travelers to access codes on their phones for paperless flight check-ins. 

As technology improves and smart phones continue to flood the market, tagging will continue to play a role in the evolution of how we consume information. Who knows, now that we're even exchanging business cards via mobile tags the phrase “Can I scan you?” won’t be so strange after all.

Find the app that’s right for you:

QR Code Reader – http://www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software/

Sounds Like a Plan: Yes, it’s that’s time of year. Let the 2011 programming and budgeting begin!

By Teresa Henderson, Executive Vice President, GM Dallas & Co-Manager Austin

Wikipedia gallantly defines planning as “… the organizational process of creating and maintaining a plan; and the psychological process of thinking about the activities required to create a desired goal on some scale.”

Most companies approach the planning and budgeting season with a less philosophical point of view and a more pragmatic frame of mind: what does our budget look like, what do we want to accomplish and how do we align dollars and goals to achieve success? And the managers inside those companies often grapple with a smaller question that looms large: where do we start?

Wikipedia also states that “(planning) is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior,” so this year why not activate the process in a smart way by analyzing the results of current programs versus the budget allotted to them? Which ones paid off in the form of leads, sales or increased brand awareness? Are there sacred cows in your marketing pasture such as legacy trade shows, sales meetings or other events that could free up budgets?

Can you identify smarter, more economical ways to maintain the nuts-and-bolts supporting programs that have to remain? Recently, we advised a client that her company could save – and redeploy – thousands of dollars each month by revising the use of wire service categories for press release distribution.

Are you in line with your online thinking? According to the 2010 Marketing Trends Survey, 47 percent of industrial marketers reported spending at least one-third of their marketing budget online in 2010. Three of the top four sources for leads for industrial companies were online channels, including the company website, email marketing and search engine optimization. Consider increasing your online programming if you want to connect with your audience in 2011.

Again from Wikipedia: “An important, albeit often ignored aspect of planning, (sic) is the relationship it holds with forecasting. Forecasting can be described as predicting what the future will look like, whereas planning predicts what the future should look like.” As you enter the planning and budgeting process for the upcoming year, keep in mind the milestones that are forecast for 2011. These could include product launches or product updates, new partnerships or mergers, expansion into new markets or entrée into new customer segments. Be sure to factor the support – logistic as well as budgetary – necessary to deliver success.

At the end of the day, smart planning and budgeting comes down to evaluating past initiatives, focusing on new objectives and choosing the right programs to achieve your goals. The process can be straightforward and less taxing if you stay organized, intelligently evaluate and plan against what’s forecast for the future.

So get to it, get it behind you and get ready to blow out the coming year!

Write What You Mean: The ABCs of Grammar and Spelling for Social Media

 By Mary Kate Smither, Social Media Practice Leader

In our business, clients rely on us every day to help reach their business objectives by communicating messages correctly and effectively. While I love social media, and all of the opportunities it offers us to engage with each other about those messages, I also believe that in some ways it has allowed us to compromise our skills for accurate grammar and spelling.

I admit that I’ve always been somewhat of a spelling and grammar snob, and I also acknowledge that we are all moving faster than ever to generate quality content and keep up with each other. But how many times have you read a tweet with so many letters missing you need a code to decipher it, or a blog post about a brand that includes grammatical errors, such as your instead of you’re, its instead of it’s or there instead of their? My guess is that if you’ve noticed some of these errors, your attention was diverted from the true message of the post.

Despite my acknowledged neuroses and the crazy speed of life, I still firmly believe that we all owe it to our clients and to ourselves to slow down long enough to ensure that we’re actually communicating what we mean to communicate. Twitter and Facebook posts, mobile messaging and blog entries are all an extension of ourselves and our brands, and isn’t the goal always to create a great first impression by putting your best foot forward?

As a public relations professional, not only do I want to make sure that my current clients are happy with my work and fans of our agency, but I also want to use my work as way to earn new business. How can I expect a potential client to have confidence in my ability to produce great work if I don’t know the proper usage of a word or its correct spelling?

While we live in a world where social media allows for a more informal conversation tone, and -- as humans mistakes certainly happen -- avoiding spelling and grammatical mistakes can be easy enough. The point is not to stop writing or tweeting, but to do it well. Following are a few resources to help make sure you put your best foot forward.

• Spell Check – While it doesn’t catch words that are spelled correctly but are grammatically incorrect, spell check is always a good first step in proofing a post, text or tweet. Most social media sites and many smartphones offer some form of spell check application.

• Find a Friend – Sometimes we’re so close to our own work, that we miss what’s right in front of our faces. Enlist a colleague or friend to help proof your blog posts, especially if you’re writing them from a professional standpoint or on behalf of someone else.

• Dictionary – Not sure how to spell a word? No problem. It's true that the dictionary is an obvious go-to resource, but now both the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster have made it easier than ever to check the spelling and meaning of a word with their online versions (Oxford English is a paid subscription, Merriam-Webster is free) at http://www.oed.com/ and http://www.merriam-webster.com/.

• AP Stylebook – Vital to those of us in the public relations profession, the AP Stylebook offers a guide to proper writing style, including grammar, punctuation , capitalization and is used by many media outlets as a standard. While many of us still use the print version of the book, AP now offers online subscriptions beginning at $25 (http://www.apstylebook.com/).

Helping Houston Count: The Dollars and Cents of Census 2010

By Lori Martin, Vollmer Houston

Recently, Vollmer completed its contract with the City of Houston and its Houston Counts / Census 2010 campaign. It was a whirlwind adventure to parts of Houston I’ve never seen or even heard of – big thank you to our wonderful partners, Glenda Joe, Sylvia Cavazos, Erica Fowler and Jerry Wood, who know these neighborhoods like the backs of their hands.

According to studies, Houston’s 2000 census count showed a large undercount, costing the local area governments a total loss of $234 million. We know that cities and corporations depend on Census data to establish access to healthcare, jobs, education and more. Securing a complete count for 2010 was imperative for our city, or we’d risk losing even more. As a native Houstonian and fairly new mom I was ecstatic to be able to help this team make a difference for generations to come.

Throughout the campaign, we complemented the Census Bureau’s overall outreach by developing localized messaging and “trans-creating” the messages into other languages. Vollmer’s messaging was used on t-shirts, stickers, bus cards, taxi cab ads, flyers, buttons, ads, editorial coverage and pamphlets which were distributed during the census campaign.

The big win for us came in June when we helped the City of Houston surpass the 2000 Houston response rate up to 67 percent (64 percent in 2000). Three percent may not sound like a lot, but that little three percent increase represents 66,000 people and access to an additional $1 billion during the next 10 years. $1 billion!!

For those of you wondering, how did we do it? Check out this video! 

Leave Your Brand Feeling Refreshed

 By Jimmy Egeland, Creative Services Manager


What do some of the best brands have in common? At some point or another, they’ve all refreshed their identity. Even the classics like Shell, Coke and Ford—staples that are considered to be some of the most recognizable and consistent brands of the past century—all modified their looks to keep up with contemporary style. It may have been hard to notice the changes from year-to-year, but when looking at their logos from decades ago, the nuanced differences for even the champions of brand consistency are noticeable.

In honor of the brands that have been doing it right for so long, here are Vollmer’s top-five rebranding pitfalls to avoid. With these tips and a little luck, maybe your brand will be among the elite fifty years from now.

Misdiagnosing Your Branding Situation – Your logo was designed by your thirteen-year-old son…with Microsoft Paint. It looks like it should be hanging on the refrigerator, not anchoring your company’s identity. In this instance, a minor tweak here and there is not going to cut it. It’s time to embrace a branding overhaul. Put sentiment aside and compare your identity to the big dogs in the industry. Looking like a Chihuahua? Potential customers are going to think the same thing.

Rushing it – It’s December 23rd and you’re thinking “wouldn’t it be great if we started out the new year with a new logo?” Unless Santa has an elf that’s a whiz with Adobe Illustrator, you might want to adjust your timeline. Give yourself plenty of time for research, concepts, design, review and edits. Yes, that means planning! You may not have your new logo by New Year’s, but you’ll be much happier with the final product come Valentine’s day.

Copy & Paste – Brand X is the best thing since sliced bread. Their look is so hot right now. Why not just refresh your brand and do exactly what Brand X is doing and cash in on their success? Besides the whole copyright infringement thing, it’s always important to remember this: the tribute band is never as good as the original. Nobody’s buying tickets for Fred Zeppelin when Led Zeppelin is playing down the street. Understanding and embracing design trends is one thing, but xeroxing the Xerox logo is a no-no. Make your identity your own.

Mistaken Identity – Nothing says peaceful retirement village quite like grunge texture and bolded, neon pink font. Well, if it’s a retirement village for punk rockers. When choosing things like typeface, treatments and imagery, it’s important to embrace your industry and your target. First impressions are important and you don’t want your peaceful elderly community to be portrayed as a nonstop rock fest.

Moonlighting – Let’s face it—you are good at what you do. Part of being good at what you do is delegating what you aren’t good at to people who are. The logo refreshing process is no different and should be left to the pros. Does your input matter? Absolutely. Should you weigh in on important decisions? You bet. But when it comes down to the nuts and bolts, trust the creative people around you.

So now you have the inspiration and the tips on what to avoid. You’re ready to refresh your brand and embark on a new era of success. If you have a hiccup along the way or need any guidance, I’m just a call or email away. Good luck and enjoy that refreshing feeling. Jimmy@vollmerpr.com – 972-488-4790.

RediClinic Helps Fight Flu Season

by Reid Schwartz, Vollmer Austin

It’s that time of year again: we’re on the brink of flu season, a time when people across the country rush to protect themselves and their families from the potentially deadly virus. We at Vollmer are particularly aware of flu season since we represent RediClinic, high-quality, affordable healthcare clinics located in H-E-B grocery stores in Texas to spread the word about health-related issues affecting the community.

This year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) warns that the flu bug already has reared its ugly head in states across the U.S., and is strongly recommending that all men, women – including pregnant women – and children older than six months receive the seasonal flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.

Our friends at RediClinic offer the following tips as we enter the flu season:

PREVENT IT!

The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated. There are two types of vaccines this flu season.

The traditional flu shot is the most common and well known vaccine available, and involves an injection given into the muscle. The flu shot will be available soon, so check with your local clinic or doctor’s office for availability.

Have a problem with needles? The FluMist® is a needle-free, nasal-spray flu vaccine that is approved for children and adults 2-49 years of age. This vaccine is administered with a gentle, quick spray in each nostril – one of the places where the flu virus enters the body. FYI, FluMist® is now available at RediClinic, so drop on by!

Remember the 2009 H1N1 virus, better known as the swine flu? This year, the CDC expects the H1N1 virus to cause illness again along with a number of other influenza viruses. Luckily, this year’s flu vaccine (both the injectable and the flu mist) will protect against the 2009 H1N1 and two other influenza viruses as well, so you’ll only need to get one vaccine to protect yourself from all of those strains.

TREAT IT!

Sometimes, try as you might, you get bit by the flu bug. Should this happen, walk-in to your local clinic (no appointments are necessary at RediClinic!) and a clinician can perform a diagnostic test for your symptoms, then provide effective treatment options to get you better faster.

Remember, many people, including the elderly, young children and people with certain health conditions are at a higher risk for serious flu complications. The flu also can make chronic health problems worse. The best way to protect yourself, your family and the people you come into contact with from the flu virus is to get the flu vaccine each year as soon as it is available.

With all that said, if you do get the flu this year, please stay home and take care of yourself. You’ll be doing us all a huge favor!

Stay healthy!

Making the Most of a Media Tour

by Kate Sutherland, Vollmer Media Team

As a member of Vollmer’s Media Relations Team, I am regularly challenged with introducing our clients to a variety of media, from national morning show and producers to local print reporters and social media influencers. Whether the client is a travel expert for Travelocity or the CEO of Helix Energy Solutions, all clients want to know how to become the media’s “go-to source”.

While the media continues to evolve and change, there is one tried and true tactic for building strong media relationships – meet them! In a world connected by blackberries and “friending”, many people forget the basic fundamentals of getting to know someone.

Sitting down for an in-person meeting not only helps you learn more about the media, but it helps them learn more about you. Actually putting a “face to a name” is a great first step to helping the media view you as a trusted resource, and conducting a media tour over one or two days is the easiest way to meet a lot of media, in a short amount of time.

Regardless of industry, the best place to start a media tour is New York City. While it seems easy enough to plan some meetings, there are a few tricks to coordinating a successful tour, especially in the Big Apple! Here are some of Vollmer’s top tips on how we help clients prepare for media tours.

• Check the Local Calendar – While it doesn’t seem likely that New York City’s fashion week would impact a major construction group, such as Skanska, it could. Most media outlets (even the Wall Street Journal!) will be understaffed and unwilling to make time for meetings during this busy week. Always keep an eye out for major events and industry/competitor tradeshows, and avoid visits during those times.

• Avoid Mondays/Fridays – These are notoriously bad days to set up meetings for obvious reasons, so always stick to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

• Think Outside the Box – If you are having trouble securing a meeting with the editor for the New York Times, consider bloggers that cover your industry and freelancers in the area. This is a great way to build credibility with media who may be just as influential with your target audiences and often also write for more than one news outlet.

• Fit In Other Business – While the focus of these tours are typically to meet with media, consider setting up a time to meet potential partners in the city you are visiting, including vendors, potential clients or long-distance networking contacts you may have developed.

• Create Itinerary & Verify Locations – Input all locations, times, contacts and their phone/email addresses into one easy to access document. Always double check the address of the meeting with your contact, or call their receptionist. It’s helpful to ask for exact cross streets, and if there are special check-in instructions (for example, if ID is required, or to enter through a side street)

• Confirm 24 Hours in Advance - Send each person a confirmation email 24 hours in advance of your appointment, reconfirming time and location.

• Check the Weather – Seems silly, but if you are relying on public transportation to get you to and from meetings, realize that there will be delays if it rains! This is especially true in Manhattan. It will be hard to rely on cabs in bad weather so consider renting a car or booking a car service to ensure you make it to every appointment on time. If you will be driving, add in a few more minutes than usual.

• Don’t Forget the News! – And the number one tip is....Bring news! If they agree to meet with you, the media will want to know what is going on with you or your company now, how it’s related to what’s happening in the rest of the world and how it will affect your target audiences – their readers.

If you are interested in learning more about Vollmer’s media relationships and coordinating a media tour, contact a member of our team – Kate Sutherland, kate@vollmerpr.com or Mary Kate Smither (marykate@vollmerpr.com).

Car trouble now? Just wait.

by Amanda Modglin, Vollmer Houston
Here in the United States, we love our cars. We detail them. We pimp them out. We have car clubs.

How would you feel if you had to change your tire every other week, or if you spent most of your gas sitting in traffic? Well that’s where we’re headed in the U.S.

Why are our cars in danger?

Simply put, there’s less money for road construction and maintenance. A-LOT-LESS. Meaning - your car will suffer a lot more.

So what’s the answer to this conundrum? You!

While this problem is nationwide, here’s the scoop in Texas:

TxDOT’s recently released transportation funding projection for the next 25 years is worse than officials expected. For example, the Houston region in now projected to only receive a little over half of the long-range transportation plan’s budget that was approved in 2007 for the next 25 years. Instead of $156 billion, they anticipate to receive only $85 billion. (For you non-mathematicians, we’re looking at $71 billion less to play with.)

This means the highway you commute to work on won’t be widened and the streets you turn off on to go home will be riddled with potholes. Wish your patience and tires good luck.

Why the huge shortfall?

The problem is related to a few issues, but most notable are the recent recession and the ever decreasing motor fuels tax revenue.

The recession is a relatively recent part of the problem and isn’t the biggest concern, as eventually the economy will bounce back.

The key issue and something you should be aware of (and maybe concerned about too) is finding a new source of revenue for transportation project funding, because the current motor fuels tax revenue is dying off rapidly.

The motor fuels tax has not been increased since the early 1990s, so over time, as inflation rises, we lose money for roads. Throw in a new wave of developing hybrid vehicles that has evolved much faster than anyone expected – and now the bottom is falling out.

What does that mean for roads?

As populations are on the rise, this funding shortfall becomes a concern to the infrastructure of many cities, because there’s a lot less money to keep up with the booming population. So either stop having babies… or lets find a solution.

Great, there’s no money. Where do we go from here?

Well, here’s where you come in. The first thing to realize is that roads are never “free.” Many of us say “no toll roads, build free roads,” well those “free roads” used to be paid for by the revenues generated. If fewer revenues are collected, the state has to find other ways to fund transportation projects.

We must come to grip with the reality that what we’re doing right now no longer supports us. Our habits as a population are evolving (fuel-efficient cars, etc.); therefore our government must evolve in collecting revenues so that we are able to have money for things we now feel entitled to, such as nice roads.

Our Texas government will someday need to consider addressing this change, and when they do, here are a few of the options on the table:

• Inflation Indexing of Motor Fuels Tax– Each gallon of gasoline includes 38.4 cents of tax: 18.4 cents federal tax, set in 1993; and 20 cents state tax, set in 1991. (Diesel is 22.4 cents federal and 20 cents state). Because these rates have not been indexed to inflation, the purchasing power of the revenues has declined over the years. If the state gasoline tax had been indexed to inflation since 1993, then 2009 revenues would have been $800 million higher.
• Increase Motor Fuels Tax – At its peak in 2008, Texas sold 15.5 billion gallons of motor fuel (11.7 B gallons of gas and 3.8 B gallons of diesel). Fund 6 revenues for transportation totaled $2.3 billion. Each one-cent increase in motor fuels tax adds $142 million to transportation funding, a potential gain to our region of $28-32 million. However, future returns are expected to diminish as less fuel is consumed due to higher fleet fuel economy.
• Fund 6 Diversion – Beyond the 25% of motor fuel revenues devoted to fund education in the state, diversions to other state programs have grown to 13% of Fund 6 revenue. In 2009, the diversion totaled $766 million, amounting to a $150-170 million loss to our region.
• Vehicle Registration Fee – Currently, the typical vehicle registration fee is $50. A $25 increase in registration fees would generate nearly $600 million per year over the next decade.
• Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) Fee – VMT fee potentially has the greatest effect on future revenues because it will not diminish due to increased fleet fuel efficiencies. A penny per mile could generate almost $5.8 billion for the Houston region over the next decade. 

So what can you do? Get involved. Write your local state representative and tell them how you would fix the problem. Remember, there are a lot of people and more are coming, so the issue cannot continue to be ignored. Let’s bite the bullet and fix the problem.