MBS: Management By Skype

By Teresa Henderson Executive Vice President and General Manager, Dallas

One of my team members was deployed to Seoul for six months last year. While we communicated by email virtually every day and Facebook enabled me to keep up with his off-duty adventures, both of us missed the frequent in-person problem solving and dialogue we’d previously enjoyed. So I got a webcam-equipped laptop

and we began to stay in touch via Skype.

Despite my initial skepticism, it proved to be a decent and useful alternative. But warning: when it comes to one-on-one conversations, Skype on your personal computer is up close and personal.

Bryan could tell when I was tired or needed a haircut (“wow! Your hair is getting really long”). Because we found that our Skype meetings worked best across the 14-hour time difference when I went into the office early and he logged on from his apartment late at night, I noticed the frayed collar of a comfortable tee shirt pulled on after a busy day. (Best memory: Bryan circling his laptop around his tiny corporate apartment so that I could experience the damask wallpaper, chandelier, Degas prints and overall Liberace-like décor.)

As our firm begins its annual performance review process, I’ll have two team members in remote locations. Bryan has transferred to Los Angeles, and another employee will be in the middle of a two-month London assignment. We’ll be using Skype to conduct what is perhaps their most important meeting of the year. Via video, we’ll review paperwork, talk about last year’s performance, next year’s goals, strengths, areas for improvement and other sensitive career matters while looking into our computer screens and pausing for those occasional moments of Skype video freeze.

Management by Skype (I’m coining the acronym MBS) is effective, but as with any business practice it works best and feels most beneficial when certain guidelines apply.

MBS Road Rules

• As with any other meeting, put Skype sessions on the calendar so that both parties are prepared

• Print out all documents beforehand – don’t try to toggle between the Skype screen and files

• Eliminate the possibility of barking dogs or other distractions. Find a quiet place for Skype meetings regardless of whether you’re in the office, at home or on the road

• Make eye contact by looking at the camera in the computer, which is often found at the top of a laptop screen

• Although most laptops and webcams will capture only the head and top of the shoulders, take care to dress professionally – at least from the waist up!

• Conversely, avoid getting too close to the webcam. Leaning into the camera can feel like an invasion of your Skype partner’s personal space. (Consider Skyping with a friend and getting honest feedback before a Skype call with your boss)

• Be prepared for the pregnant pause and give each other time to answer. Skype isn’t perfect, and momentary delays are likely to occur

• Follow up action items with email or memo notes after each call

Later this week, I’m going farther out on a Skype limb and holding a video brainstorm with a client. While Skype doesn’t take the place of face-to-face meetings, it’s the next best thing.

My Bi-Cultural Life

By Luz Varela, Senior Account Supervisor, Multicultural

Besides celebrating birthdays and wedding anniversaries, my dad makes it a point to also commemorate the number of years my family has lived in this country. Having just observed our 23rd anniversary, I have fresh memories of the first few months of my new American life since the festivities include reminiscing about the first years that changed our lives forever.

This year’s celebration took us back to our first days of school. My siblings and I laughed and joked about the days when we were introduced to new teachers and classmates, most of whom didn’t speak Spanish. And while these days I do all of my thinking (and dreaming) in English, I will never forget what it’s like to have a million things to say but not a single word to say it. I remember being paired with one of the only Hispanic girls in class to translate for me even though she hardly spoke Spanish. I remember being asked if I wore traditional folkloric dresses to school every day. And boy do I remember the first trip we took back to Mexico City a few months after our arrival to the states when I told my mom I loved being able to communicate with everyone around me. It is precisely those memories that keep me grounded, and it is those feelings and experiences that allow me to better serve my clients today.

As a multicultural PR practitioner, I believe that being bicultural is just as important as being bilingual. My experiences have given me a firsthand look into of what millions of people seeking the American dream are going through as they often leave everything behind for a fresh new start. It also allows me to counsel my clients on the nuances associated with U.S. Hispanics as well as second and third generation Latinos.

My story is only one of the 50 million Latinos who call America their home. The 2010 U.S. Census numbers can attest that the face of America is rapidly changing but it is up to us to put those statistics to work. Below are some facts and implications we should all leverage to help clients embrace multiculturalism as a growth strategy for their business and ours.

1) Fact: Multicultural audiences, including African Americans, Asians and Hispanics, account for 85 percent of all the growth in the U.S. in the last 10 years. (U.S. Census)

Implications: a) The social, economic and cultural ramifications of the data are already reshaping how Americans see themselves and marketers should follow by redefining strategy and programming.
b) Many businesses will need to re-evaluate their core audiences segments to help ensure they are optimizing engagement with these growing populations who also have growing purchasing power (Selig Institute).

2) Fact: Currently, the fastest growing group ― Hispanics ― are on track to exceed 50 million or roughly 1 in 6 Americans; among U.S. children, Hispanics are now roughly 1 in 4. (Hispanic Business)

Implications: Consider bicultural programs moving forward to ensure a widened reach and relevance. Look at spokespeople who can serve two or more media audiences so as not to lose out on half of a market in some cases.

3) Fact: Hispanics, African Americans and Asians, accounting for 104 million today, tend to be 5 to 10 years younger, on the average, than the general population. (U.S. Census)

Implication: Client programming targeting millennial youth MUST account for multicultural dimensions. Consider including Multicultural strategists at the onset of ideation sessions to ensure program reach and resonance.

4) Fact: Over all, the African American population grew by 11 percent in large metropolitan counties, but by 15 percent in adjacent smaller counties in the metropolitan area, suggesting a strong movement of African Americans to the suburbs. The top 10 fastest-growing areas were suburbs. (NY Times)

Implication: Multicultural does not always equal urban. We can expand traditional engagement beyond top 10 DMAs and include suburban areas and hyper local programming for increased reach and impact.

Putting Your Balancing Skills to the Test

 By Elizabeth Banta, Dallas Trainee, Junior at SMU

Balance: The one thing most students hope to find in their four years at a university, but not all have the power to achieve. As a junior at Southern Methodist University, the pressure to find balance is on. Balance of work and play, balance of staying up late and too little sleep—and the hardest one of all, balance between interning and classes.

At first, I thought this would be the easiest for me to manage, but no one can prepare you for the working world until you throw yourself into it full force. I started interning in the summer after my sophomore year at Good Housekeeping magazine. Being able to work in an environment with such talented people in a city full of passionate employees working hard (while some are hardly working) inspired me to be the best I could be. The fast-paced work with strict deadlines sharpened my class skills over the summer. At summer’s end, I returned to Dallas to begin my junior year and embark on a new adventure: Edelman.

My internship at Edelman began in August; I have been loving every second of it. Interning at Edelman puts my balance skills to the test: I have hands-on experience with real-world clients every day, then go home to homework at night. Going to school only three days per week while interning the other two has made this juggle more bearable, but it is very difficult to want to go to school when you have had a taste of the working world. Edelman provides an intern experience beyond my expectations. The staff is understanding and always enhancing my work experience. Without them, interning wouldn’t be as rewarding.

In the future, I hope to go back to the east coast to continue my pursuit of happiness in the working world. The thrill of working in New York City combined with the challenges of working at an agency would be ideal. As for right now, I plan to graduate a semester early, in December 2011. I am so fortunate to have had two fantastic internship opportunities under my belt—I can only hope for more success in the future.

Avoiding Royal Wedding Chaos

By Vineetha Pathrose, Account Executive, Consumer



I’m officially sick of hearing about Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal wedding. What finally made it official? One of my favorite fashion blogs, The Cut, had a post about a jelly bean that someone found with splotches resembling Kate Middleton’s face. This has just gotten out of hand!

Royal Wedding Sick Bag by Lydia Leith

I recently returned from a wonderful two-week vacation in London, where my parents, my best friend and I visited my brother, who lives in Covent Garden. As expected, Royal Wedding-themed coffee mugs, flags with the couple’s picture and William & Kate tea bag holders were sprinkled throughout the city. We even caught a glimpse of the fake wedding procession that made headlines on April Fool’s Day.

In honor of the Royal Wedding, there’s a lot going on in London to allow locals and tourists take part in the celebrations; a few of them include The Will and Kate Royal Wedding Walk, live public screenings of the wedding, and of course the Royal Wedding Procession. Royal Wedding super fans can even explore Kate Middleton’s London to see the future princess’s favorite spots in town.

My client, Travelocity, often compiles great lists for travel, such as top spring break destinations or cheapest summer beach destinations. Whether you’re visiting before or after the wedding, I’ve put together my own list to help travelers enjoy some of the great things London has to offer outside of the Royal Wedding chaos.

1. Tower of London
This popular attraction is always crowded with tourists, but the good news is that it’s far away from Westminster, the live screenings and the wedding procession. Thanks to Showtime’s The Tudors, I’ve become fascinated by British history (particularly their scandalous royals), which is why I loved the Tower of London. It’s one of the oldest parts of London where prisoners, executions and political debauchery took place. It’s also burial ground for those who were executed, including King Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn. Be sure to join one of the Yeoman Warder’s tours to hear some of the captivating tales from The Tower. The Tower of London also houses the Crown Jewels, one of the more popular attractions at The Tower.

2. Tate Modern
Britain’s national museum of modern and contemporary art used to be a power station; so many visitors come to see the design and architecture of the building itself. The museum is home to many well-known contemporary artists like Andy Warhol, Picasso and Jackson Pollock. The Tate Modern sits on the south bank of Thames River, just off the Millennium Bridge. Another thing I like about the Tate is that admission is free and it’s located nowhere near the main Royal Wedding festivities.

3. St. Paul’s Cathedral
Just across the Millennium Bridge from the Tate Modern, you’ll find St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is one of London’s famous churches for both its design and history. Many historical events took place here, including the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, as well as the funeral of Winston Churchill. While many visitors are sure stop by and see where the last famous royal wedding took place, this beautiful cathedral is a comfortable distance away from Will and Kate’s festivities.

4. The London Eye
The London Eye is one of the world’s tallest observation wheels, and has won numerous awards for its design and engineering. It’s located a little too close for comfort to Westminster Abbey and the Royal Wedding Procession route, so I suggest you hop on the Eye in the evening just before the sun sets. That time of day boasts beautiful views of London, and what’s even better, the wedding and the procession will be over by then!

Putting the Motion in Promotion: Direct-to-Consumer destination marketing

By Kim Tillinghast, Senior Account Supervisor, Consumer

As public relations professionals, many of our tactics feed into the pursuit of the Holy Grail – otherwise known as the front-page feature story – which strategically reaches and positively influences consumers. But I’m admittedly a fan of any opportunity to reach the consumer more directly, in creative and interactive ways.

Perhaps it goes without saying that the essence of travel is experience, thus making experiential marketing a must for promoting a destination. In Edelman’s Travel & Hospitality practice, we often pursue promotional partnerships to heighten client awareness through in-store and online mediums, typically with a grand prize to sweeten the pot. With enticing visuals, we secure consumer interest in the destination before reaching out with additional details and opportunities. What’s more, the ROI of promotions stems beyond traditional media value, allowing us to measure consumer impact and numeric success via online databases, social media followings, contest submissions and opt-ins to receive more information.

For client Texas Tourism, promotional partnerships represent a significant part of our scope of work. Historically we have partnered with various events, retailers and media outlets to reinforce the message that Texas offers something for everyone. Thanks to state-wide tourism partners who make those “sweet” prizes possible, we have given away Big Bend and Rio Grande Valley adventures at 23 Patagonia stores, brought grandparents/grandbabies to the beaches of Galveston (via a Grandparents.com giveaway), helped Whole Foods Market bring 30 winners to Austin for their 30th birthday party, awarded one Lucky winner a luxurious stay at Lake Austin Spa Resort, and selected our very own “Texas Lone Star” ambassador via a Facebook-driven viral promotion. We even teamed up with OPI to capitalize on their spring/summer collection of whimsical, Texas-inspired nail colors.

In September we teamed up with Texas Roadhouse, a brand which not only shares the Texas name, but impressively boasts 310 restaurants in 44 states and a database of 2.5 million customers. Combined with the inherent loyalty of their customers, it was a partnership made in heaven. In conjunction with the launch of their Facebook page, we participated in their annual “Great Steak of Texas” photo contest, which asked fans to upload photos with their favorite cuts of steak for a chance to win one of two trips to Houston and New Braunfels.

During the contest’s three-week run, Texas Roadhouse saw 500 submissions and increased their Facebook fan base by 15,000. And the exposure for Texas Tourism was tremendous – not only via Texas Roadhouse’s website and Facebook (both corporate and individual locations), but a national e-mail blast to those 2.5 million customers encouraged click-throughs to TravelTex.com to receive a free Texas Travel Guide and more information on Texas, our bottom-line goal with promotions of this nature.

A successful promotion requires a handful of critical factors: an enthusiastic promotional partner with national reach and like-minded messages, equally enthusiastic prize-giving partners, and (of course) an overarching strategy to maximize reach and capture results. While media relations has its place, amazing impact can occur when the right pieces and partners align to reach consumers directly and personally. Our ever-present hope is to establish long-lasting relationships with partners and consumers alike, paving the road for future partnerships… and happy Texas trails.

Engaging with the New Mainstream

 Contributed by Edelman Multicultural

As the 2010 U.S. Census numbers continue to trickle in, there is a flurry of media coverage and discussion about the growth of the U.S. population. The New York Times and several other outlets have issued features discussing race in America. The numbers tell one story, but the realities behind the numbers are quite nuanced. From redefining what the South looks like to a new generation that can no longer just check one box to identify their ethnicity, one thing is for sure – times have changed.

As part of Edelman NEXT efforts to globalize, operationalize and dimensionalize our collaboration, process and client engagement efforts, there is a real opportunity to start within Edelman’s current client roster. Acknowledging our clients’ diverse audience base and delivering effective engagement strategies begins with each of us. We must revaluate our definition of core services to include expanded organic growth opportunities for our clients and Edelman as a whole.

From Starbucks to Best Buy and Merck to Johnson & Johnson, all of our clients have prior or current discussions, investments or history of commitment to multicultural engagement. The business opportunity for us to is to develop signature engagement programs for clients seeking to build deeper relationships with core multicultural communities and to enhance current programming for a TOTAL market approach. We do this be evaluating current programming assets, assessing the competitive set and delivering a mindful engagement strategy to fill the gap in a strategic and purposeful way.

With that in mind, here are some data points from the 2010 Census and implications to keep handy to help clients embrace multiculturalism as a growth strategy for their business and ours.

1) Fact: Multicultural audiences, including African Americans, Asians and Hispanics, account for 85 percent of all the growth in the U.S. in the last 10 years. (U.S. Census)

Implications: a) The social, economic and cultural ramifications of the data are already reshaping how Americans see themselves and marketers should follow by redefining strategy and programming.

b) Many businesses will need to re-evaluate their core audiences segments to help ensure they are optimizing engagement with these growing populations who also have growing purchasing power (Selig Institute).

2) Fact: Currently, the fastest growing group ― Hispanics ― are on track to exceed 50 million or roughly 1 in 6 Americans; among U.S. children, Hispanics are now roughly 1 in 4. (Hispanic Business)

Implications: Consider bicultural programs moving forward to ensure a widened reach and relevance. Look at spokespeople who can serve two or more media audiences so as not to lose out on half of a market in some cases.

3) Fact: Hispanics, African Americans and Asians, accounting for 104 million today, tend to be 5 to 10 years younger, on the average, than the general population. (U.S. Census)

Implication: Client programming targeting millennial youth MUST account for multicultural dimensions. Consider including Multicultural strategists at the onset of ideation sessions to ensure program reach and resonance.

4) Fact: Over all, the African American population grew by 11 percent in large metropolitan counties, but by 15 percent in adjacent smaller counties in the metropolitan area, suggesting a strong movement of African Americans to the suburbs. The top 10 fastest-growing areas were suburbs. (NY Times)

Implication: Multicultural does not always equal urban. We can expand traditional engagement beyond top 10 DMAs and include suburban areas and hyper local programming for increased reach and impact.