Welcome Samantha and Courtney
A warm welcome to the PR and Social Media department’s newest Account Coordinators — Samantha Stanyon and Courtney Williams.
In their new roles, these Peace College alumna will be helping with media and blogger relations, event management, tradeshow coordination, press materials and blog writing, and social media efforts.
Sam is not a newcomer to the agency; she interned with us in the Fall of 2011. While in college, Sam was a new business development intern at Nextaff and did some event planning work on campus. Bright, determined and resourceful, Sam graduated with a BA in Communications Studies and a concentration in PR.
A May 2011 graduate with a Communications degree, Courtney completed five internships while in college. She interned at Largemouth Communications, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Walt Disney World, Burning Oak Studios, and Rick Rountree Communications. Courtney comes to us with some great media relations and writing experience, and an eagerness to learn more about what the agency has to offer.
We are glad to have them on board!
Entry-Level Position Open
We’re searching for an Account Coordinator to provide public relations and social media support to multiple clients. The ideal candidate is an energetic individual, an independent worker, and a team player with strong organizational skills.
Must have the ability to multi-task. Exceptional communications skills required. Knowledge of AP style a must. Basic computer proficiency necessary.
This entry-level position involves writing, media relations, market research and event planning. The individual will work in a team environment to conduct PR and social media activities for specific clients.
Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree. At least one internship in the marketing/communications/PR field.
Send resumes to: sstyons@merrellgroup.com
Join the PR and Social Media Department!
We are searching for a Public Relations and Social Media Account Executive to provide support to national and regional accounts. The AE will be responsible for helping to manage day-to-day public relations activities and social media efforts, as well as collaborate with other departments to execute fully integrated communications campaigns.
Strong writing skills required — i.e. press releases, newsletter articles, press kit materials, bylined articles and blog posts. Experience executing social media programs for companies/organizations a must. Attention to detail and knowledge of AP style is required.
Must have previous experience in national media relations, crisis communications and corporate branding campaigns. Should be able to effectively multi-task, work in team environment, and communicate with clients, team members and vendors. Knowledge and experience with trade shows and event management is preferred. Candidate should be a creative thinker, independent worker and team player with strong organizational skills.
Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree, at least four years relevant PR/Social Media experience (post graduation)
Send resumes to: sstyons@merrellgroup.com
Bruce Fletcher Hall
On January 7, 2012, Bruce Hall, Ph.D. died at Duke University Hospital after a long, courageous battle with cancer. He was 64.
Bruce was a partner at Howard, Merrell & Partners. Since 1996, he led the market research and consumer insights practice at the agency and was respected worldwide as a thought leader in the market research industry. In recent years at the agency, he pioneered new theories of the role of emotion in decision making, particularly in regards to purchase behavior and response to advertising.
A gifted individual with an eclectic range of consumer research and psychological interests, Bruce challenged conventional thinking with new insights on how unconscious emotional responses to advertising drives purchase behavior.
He published many articles on marketing, marketing research and economics. His world-renowned expertise in the field of emotional engagement of brands went far beyond conventional understanding and into the psyche of a brand. In 2001, Bruce pioneered the theory of the true role emotion plays in consumer decisions, and the Journal of Advertising Research published a piece, “A New Approach To Measuring Advertising Effectiveness,” about it.
Around 2004, Bruce was part of a blue ribbon panel in an Advertising Research Foundation project named “Measuring Emotional Response to Advertising.” This ongoing research develops conduits and methods by which marketers worldwide can better measure consumer insights to create better advertising.
“Bruce was known among his co-workers for his laser wit and extraordinary intellectual bandwidth,” said Jim Cobb, president and CEO of Howard, Merrell & Partners and a close personal friend of Hall. “His passion for uncovering real consumer insights is a material loss to the research industry. We will miss him, and are enormously grateful that his breakthrough work is a permanent part of the DNA of our company.”
His 30-year career spanned Ivy League teaching of economics and statistics to senior positions in corporate market and consumer research. Bruce’s professional experience included a wide variety of industries, from banking and finance to packaged goods, travel and tourism. He conducted market and consumer insights research for such magnet brands as MasterCard, the U.S. Army, Fujitsu, Butterball, Cordura, Sam Adams, BASF, BB&T, MacGregor and SAS.
Prior to joining the agency, Bruce was with the Amoco Oil Company as the manager of trends and futures and spent eight years as a research executive at Quaker Oats Company. From 1983-1986, he was a Fellow of the Institute for Current World Affairs. Prior to that, he spent seven years as an assistant professor of consumer economics at Cornell University. His research interests included advertising, the application of biometric methods to marketing, and innovation and new products.
Bruce studied food and agriculture in East Europe, food retailing in New York State, farming in California and consumer behavior in every part of the United States. Hall achieved a global reputation as a student and interpreter of how consumers make decisions.
Earning a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Applied Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, Bruce received his Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Antioch College.
RPRS Honors HM&P with Five Awards
We recently came home with five awards from the Raleigh Public Relations Society’s (RPRS) annual Sir Walter Raleigh Awards banquet. The agency was recognized for its successful implementation of strategic public relations, social media and event planning on behalf of Butterball, LLC, BASF Plant Science’s NutriDense® Silage brand, and Precise® Pet Products.
What we won:
- Silver Award in the public relations writing category for the organization and distribution of Butterball’s 2010 Holiday Donations announcement. The donations announcement helped to increase the client’s visibility throughout the holiday season.
- Honorable Mention in the organizational identity and promotion category for the agency’s leadership and support of the Precise Holistic Complete product launch.
- Honorable Mention in the special events category for the coordination of Butterball’s Millionth Bird Events, celebrating the production of the millionth whole bird produced at two facilities and using that milestone to honor a local veteran.
- Honorable Mention in social media for the promotion and outreach efforts of the NutriDense Silage Web Moo.0 Contest.
- Honorable Mention in the audio/visual presentation category for the Precise Pets Products Brand “American Ingenuity” video.
Congratulations to all the folks who participated in these efforts and for continuing to provide clients with great work! Check out the release on the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards.
HM&P Speaks at NCTA Meeting
Our own Scott Piggott, Shavette Purvis and Mariana Pinner recently spoke at a North Carolina Technology Association luncheon. The audience was comprised of marketing professionals who work in the technology sector.
Scott opened up by talking about the marketing funnel – influence, engagement and transition – and how social media is apparent at every part of that funnel. Mariana provided a primer on social media, providing tips as well as real-life examples of companies using different social media techniques successfully. Shavette gave an overview of digital analytics, as well as how and when put tools in place to be able to properly measure online the activity and impact of online efforts. It is important not to forget to track the effectiveness of social media and other digital tactics.
It was a great session where everyone seemed to walk away learning something new about the ever-changing on-line world, which relies so heavily on social media and digital analytics.
Kristen Earns a Promotion!
Congratulations to Kristen Liebers who recently earned a promotion to Assistant Account Executive.
In her new role, Kristen will help guide the strategic branding and communications efforts for multiple brands under the Georgia-Pacific Professional business, including the Dixie® and enMotion® line of products. For more than a year, she been a part of the Georgia-Pacific Professional team at the agency and helped drive successful, award-winning campaign efforts.
For more information, see the announcement on Kristen.
Congratulations to Kathy Moriarty!
We are excited to announce the promotion of Kathy Moriarty to Senior Account Executive.
Since joining the Account Management team, Kathy has played an integral role in creating marketing strategies and developing corporate branding objectives for her clients. She has managed the day-to-day advertising and communications activities for the Safe Quality Food Institute and INVISTA’s CORDURA® brand. In fact, Kathy was a key part of the team that helped INVISTA’s CORDURA® brand business receive a National Silver ADDY® Award this year for its CORDURA® brand Durability Experience Module.
Kathy is full of energy and creative ideas. She is a great team player, and we love having her as a part of the Howard, Merrell & Partners family.
Please join me in congratulating Kathy on her well-deserved promotion. Read the announcement on Kathy.
Our Newest Addition – Ginny Shepherd
We are pleased to announce the addition of a new member of the Howard, Merrell & Partners family – Ginny Shepherd.
Ginny recently joined the agency as an account coordinator in the Account Management department. In this role, she will assist in the development and management of client campaigns for Georgia-Pacific Professional.
She comes to the agency with a solid education and hands-on experience in online advertising and analytics. A graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Ginny interned Blu Zeus Interactive Marketing while in college. During that internship, she helped with the execution and analysis of interactive campaigns that included web design, social media and banner display advertising.
Read more in a release about Ginny.
Be Prepared
An earthquake, a hurricane, a tornado, thunderstorms, a hailstorm – Mother Nature provided us with a challenging couple of weeks.
In most cases, we were warned about what was to come and we were able to prepare. We boarded up windows, purchased non-perishable goods, protected outdoor items from the harsh weather to come, ensured flashlights had batteries, etc…
We also talked to our clients to ensure they were prepared. What if they had to shut down a facility? What if roads were closed and important deliveries could not happen on time. What if there was power loss or water damage in their offices? What if their employees were affected?
Just like we prepare for situations to protect our families and personal belongings, organizations should prepare as well.
A natural disaster is just one of many situations that could cause a “crisis”. A crisis is any situation that threatens the integrity or reputation of an organization. These situations can be a legal dispute, theft, accident, fire, flood or manmade disaster that could be attributed to an organization. It can also be a situation where, in the eyes of the media or general public, an organization did not react to one of the above situations in the appropriate manner. But, handled correctly, the damage can be minimized.
Ideally an organization is prepared well before a crisis occurs – because they have a crisis plan. Elements of a plan include:
- Designating a crisis team
- Choosing a spokesperson(s) and ensuring he/she is prepared to speak publicly
- Creating the organization’s positioning in certain scenarios
- Developing media policies and procedures (i.e. who is allowed to speak to the media)
- Preparing statements for certain (standard) scenarios
- Defining audiences and best ways to communicate with them
- Keeping track of actions taken, next steps per audience
When there is a chance of rain, I bring an umbrella. The majority of the time, I don’t need it…but it makes me feel good to have it (just in case).
A crisis plan is no different. Be prepared.
