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
Aquatic Life, LLC Names Howard, Merrell & Partners as Agency of Record
Howard, Merrell & Partners has been enlisted to develop and implement an integrated campaign that includes traditional and non-traditional media relations and advertising for Aquatic Life, LLC, a California-based provider of premium aquarium products. The two companies previously worked together when Howard, Merrell & Partners designed Aquatic Life’s award-winning Wherever You May Be Campaign, which took home a Silver ADDY from the American Advertising Federation (AAF) in the 2009 Triangle ADDY competition.
The PR and advertising teams are excited to continue working with Aquatic Life throughout the new year – read the full announcement here and make sure to check back for a sneak peek of the upcoming advertising campaign in 2012.
Key Takeaways from my Semester Internship with HM&P
As the fall semester quickly comes to a close, I find myself one step closer to my college graduation. I frequently reminisce on my experiences as an undergraduate public relations student at UNC-Chapel Hill during my daydreams, amazed by the fact that less than six months of coursework separates me from my diploma. However, I also remember the leaps and bounds I’ve taken to prepare myself for life outside the lecture hall. Integrating academics, extra-curricular activities, and internships within my undergraduate career, I feel more and more prepared for graduate life with each opportunity I encounter and embrace.
Ag Angle – Urban Agriculture
The most recent #AgChat conversation focused on agri-tourism and what other urban agricultural opportunities are available to people who may or may not be directly involved within the ag industry.
Even just within the triangle area their are endless urban ag opportunities that anyone can take advantage of including community gardens, farm tours and city farm lots that are all open to the public. More »
Weekly Wrap Up #10
It has been another action-packed week here in Raleigh, and another Friday means another weekly wrap up. This week had a lot of great stuff floating around, so here are 5 links for you to check out!
1. Heinz builds on QR code success with new cause-marketing effort
The new 20oz Heinz Ketchup bottles now have a QR code to support the Wounded Warrior Project. With over 1 Million scans from their previous QR code campaign, the expectation for the current project is to have consumers scan the code and be able to send a “Thank You” to soldiers from as part of the Wounded Warrior project, as well as to “Like” the Heinz Facebook Page. For every “Like” or “Thank You” sent, Heinz will donate $0.57 up to a total of $200,000. If you want to read the full article you can find it at Mobile Marketer.
Weekly Wrap Up #9
1. Purchasing funnel for the ‘New Social Consumer’
Social media has infiltrated the purchasing funnel, helping consumers make informed decisions, from what to have for lunch to where to go on vacation. Depending on the decision, sometimes you turn to your social graph, and sometimes you turn to Google. What online channels should you be targeting in order to reach the perfect audience for your product? M Booth and Beyond took a look inside the “new social consumer” to find out how they research products and services online. Check out the full infographic at Mashable.
More »
Branding Is The Name of The Game
In the era of booming social playgrounds and countless communication touch-points, it’s a wonder how we, as consumers, can keep up with which companies are selling the latest and greatest products or services. We live in a time when the average person who operates a blog, updates their Facebook or tweets a tweet can be a brand’s biggest spokesman or worst nightmare. With the weight of the external environment growing minute-by-minute around us, the role of branding has become a necessity for increased awareness and overall business performance for a company.
It’s time-old, but there are five necessities all brands should strive to gain our mobile population’s attention and gain their loyalty. More »
PR News Blog Spotlight: PRBreakfastClub.com
As I perused my usual PR news outlets with my morning coffee today, I stumbled upon a fun article via PRDaily.com titled “Five Ways PR Campaigns are like Getting Married.” The whimsical nature of the post instantly caught my attention, but it was the author that convinced me to read on. As a member of the UNC-Chapel Hill student chapter of Public Relations Society of America, I was excited to find a blog post written by Keith Trivitt, the associate PR director of PRSA. More »
