By Faye Fang

EDITOR’S NOTE: The author sits on the PR committee for UNC-Chapel Hill’s First Amendment Day.

My bus buddy in fifth grade wasn’t allowed to read Harry Potter. I personally thought it was the kind of strange, especially since my mother was happy for me to read ANYTHING. But it was understandable, because her parents didn’t allow it. What is unfathomable to me is a childhood without Scout Finch, Huckleberry Finn and yes, Harriet the Spy, just because your school district, not your parents, thought they were unsuitable for children to read about. As an avid reader now, I am pretty grateful that we have a fairly well-defined and agreed upon first amendment that can guarantee some of our basic rights, especially when it comes to speech and press.

Lucky for me, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is celebrating my favorite amendment all day September 30, making First Amendment Day my new favorite holiday (after my birthday, of course). The campus-wide event organized by the UNC Center for Media Law and Policy, will engage undergraduates and graduate school students, to discuss the First Amendment’s role in the their lives as UNC-CH students. Students and campus leaders, including Chancellor Holden Thorp, will read excerpts from banned books, sing banned music and discuss the importance of the First Amendment, especially at a public university.

The event is a PR practitioner’s dream come true, because of its relevancy to all areas, organizations and studies on campus. This year, Heelprint Communications, a student-run strategic communications firm, had the honor to work with the UNC Center for Media Law and Policy to increase student recruitment, turn-out and participation through an extensive social media campaign. In addition to Facebook, and Twitter, more traditional tactics such as press releases, media pitches and fliers will also promote the First Amendment Day as a celebration of the university as a marketplace of ideas.

The event is not limited to UNC-CH students and staff. Those of the greater Raleigh-Durham area are welcome to join in for the events and the discussions! So, if you are a fan of freedom of speech, religion, press and assembly, why not?

Useful Links:

For complete schedule and updates of event.

Funding

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By Kaitlyn Barnes

After hearing about Cameron Village’s Travel the Village event three weeks ago, I have been reading more and more about start-up companies and their innovative publicity strategies.  The event took place on July 21 and featured local artists and designers—folks whose works were hanging up or enclosed in glass cases in Cameron Village shops.

With my start-up business PR research, I was particularly interested in one of the event’s focal brands, Lumina Clothing Company.  Started in 2009 by three friends at N.C. State who were frustrated with the local tie scene, the group decided to make their own polka-dotted and striped ties and bow ties, among vibrant-colored solids and other patterns.

I found Lumina’s publicity history to include a well-rounded website, work with other local entrepreneurs, utilization of @facebook, and attendance of local events like Travel the Village.  From a consumer perspective I was impressed and intrigued merely by the information provided on their website.  Is there more to love than hearing about three college kids’ success, and why they named their company after “the” Wrightsville Beach hangout back in 1905?

From a PR perspective, I was impressed but also left with questions.  Social media and the Internet are creating all kinds of new opportunities these days.  Even three college-aged entrepreneurs working with a restricted budget and limited time have found a way to make businesses out of their market frustrations.  But ultimately, I wondered, from a mass communications stand-point, what makes these companies marketable and sustainable?

That’s when I heard about Raleigh Denim.  Featured on UNC-TV just last week this small start-up has shown how local can change to national audiences within a few months.  Raleigh Denim was started by Sarah and Victor Lytvinenko with the goal of re-stimulating North Carolina’s garment industry in a period of little growth and cut-backs in almost every market sector.  They set out with major expectations.  They wanted to use local materials, from within a 200 mile radius.  They wanted local thread, local employees and local machinery.  And finally, with a brand tag reading “Handcrafted By Non Automated Jeansmiths” Raleigh Denim was born.

The couple decided in order to make Raleigh Denim the premium, yet local, brand they desired, they would have to reach out to the metropolises of America—New York, Los Angeles for example—not the Old North State.  With a little sleep, a lot of driving and strong motivation, they launched their denim line at Barney’s Coop in New York City.

It’s all about innovation and identifying accurate audiences, I guess.  I wonder now though, if you go big, can you go home??  And if you stay small how hard is it to go big?  Will Lumina be able to easily start reaching national audiences or should they have thought about that at the onset of launching the brand?  And will Raleigh Denim ever really draw that local Raleigh crowd they set out to benefit?

GOOGLE SOURCE

By Jennie Klahre

Raleigh-Durham International Airport is about to grow – in size.  But in passengers?  I’m not so sure.

The addition of Terminal 2 is one of the Triangle’s largest public works projects in years, totaling $570 million.  It will be able to sustain 11.4 million passengers annually, which is more than 2 million more than traveled through the entire airport in 2009.

US Airways and Continental Airlines will move to the new terminal that will include 36 gates, three check-in counters and abundant room for security lanes.  Terminal 2 will feature 37 shops and restaurants, including Five Guys Burgers and Fries.  Terminal 1 will still house Southwest, JetBlue and AirTran, but will probably see less foot traffic.

And that’s not all.  Plans for Terminal 1 renovations are already in the works.  The space will get new restrooms, carpet and paint.  The budget has yet to be set.

Although Charles Hayes, president of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership, believes these additions will benefit the future economy, I’m wary that the economy will not be growing anytime soon.  Airport officials expect 2010 traffic to mirror last year’s, not double or triple it.  It is simply a prediction that airport passenger numbers will grow and thrive in the years to come.  And if they don’t, the airport and its PR professionals will have to take the fall for it.

While it has been reported that economic recovery is on the way, there is no guarantee.  According to the United States Department of Labor, North Carolina is still reporting an unemployment rate of 10% and the North Carolina Employment Security Commission states that we have a long way to go before we’re back to normal.

So, if foot and air traffic fail to increase in the next few years, how will airport officials justify the $570 million?  It would have been more strategic for the airport to have waited until they were reporting an increase in the number of passengers using the terminal and an expanding profit.  After all, one of the first things hit when the economy goes south is the tourism industry.  Vacationing is put on the back burner while people focus on spending money on necessities rather than amenities.  New shops and restaurants might seem nice and create a welcoming atmosphere for passengers, but I rarely see people stopping to buy gifts at airport shops.  I usually walk past vacant magazine racks and toy stores on the way to my gate.

Studies should have been conducted to determine if the current size of the airport was hindering processes and services.  It doesn’t seem to me that overcrowding was a problem or passengers were complaining about the facility.  While expansions are always tricky during economic downtimes, I think more could have been done to justify the addition of Terminal 2.

Photo:  Wikipedia

By Jessica Lam

Raleigh got just what it needed – a new downtown amphitheater.  Opened last month, this new outdoor concert venue is becoming a major hit for Raleigh folks and visitors.

Over the weekend, the Raleigh Downtown Amphitheater (Facebook page here) hosted Paramore (@Paramore), which opened with Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara), on Friday as part of the Honda Civic Tour.  On Sunday, Shinedown (@Shinedown), Puddle of Mudd (@puddleofmudd) and Chevelle (@chevelleinc) performed.  The News and Observer (@Newsobserver) reports that  both concerts garnered over 4,000 fans, even in the scorching temperatures prone to July in North Carolina.

Not only is this new outdoor concert proving to be the new Raleigh hot spot for performers and fans, but also for the surrounding businesses.  Located at the heart of downtown Raleigh, local businesses are booming with guests.  But this amphitheater it is facing, in my opinion, a really big problem already – brand identity.

Success for a business, or practically anything, does not mean much without establishing itself with an image.  The Raleigh Downtown Amphitheater has yet to find a sponsor, meaning no official name, like the RBC Center or the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion (Facebook page here).  From a PR perspective, coming up with a name completes the whole package.  People can refer to the amphitheater with its proper name, giving it an identity (i.e. calling semi-adhesive, square-shaped sheets of paper Post-It notes).  Furthermore, a name describes personality – kind of like how we name our pets.

So, I am beginning to wonder if the Raleigh Downtown Amphitheater will be able to attract the same types of performers that other concert venues have been doing for years.  Looking at a performer’s point of view, would you want to please your fans at a nameless location or a concert that means something to locals?

Moreover, will this new amphitheater get a new name before it is simply known as “the Raleigh Downtown Amphitheater”?  I hope so, because sometimes generic just doesn’t cut it.

Photo source: Geograph

By Kaitlyn Barnes

Looking for a place to settle a business deal in the presence of Marc Basnight, Mayor Charles Meeker, and the world’s largest private collection of Wild Turkey decanters?  Entrepreneur Magazine thinks they have found just the place, deeming Angus Barn’s Wild Turkey Lounge the best bar in Raleigh to conduct business.

Along with the Angus Barn were all the major national city’s and their business biggwigg bars—including D.C.’s Proof, New York’s Gilt and Los Angeles’ The Chateau Marmont.

Proof has seen its share of political stars including White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.  Gilt is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in the Palace Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.  The Chateau Marmont mixes drinks for Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore et al while overlooking Sunset Boulevard.

While trying to imagine the amount of money spent in each of these locations, I have to ask…what makes these places the place to be?  Is it the atmosphere, the community of celebrities, drink selection or location?  What is the bar’s promotional focus, or is it all a word of mouth phenomenon?

Case in point: Wild Turkey Lounge of Angus Barn.  The restaurant opened in 1960 by Thad Eure, Jr. and is now run by his daughter.  The steak house itself is one of the most well-known in the city, if not in the state, with an annual sales volume of $10 million.  Atmosphere of the Lounge includes leather seats, dark wood-paneled walls lined with rustic ornaments including the occasional deer head and musket; drink of choice, I would guess, includes some form of bourbon.  The description is dripping with hints of southern aristocracy, while bringing you back to your good ole’ boy, hunting cabin roots.  Hot dang!

My theory for the success of these places lies in what customers reflect upon when entering—their upbringing, southern hospitality, with a shade of hoity toity deal-makin’.  If the place smells like money, you can bet your bottom dollar, there is money being made.  This holds true in Proof, Gilt and The Chateau Marmont (the last of which even sounds like money).

What really sells Wild Turkey on the up-and-coming and the already-have-arrived crowd in Raleigh is its deep-south flavor.  The question now is, how does a restaurant, bar, lounge, or any establishment create and sustain such an ambience?  And how do you then promote it?

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By Jessica Lam

Summer is here, that means school is out, fun-filled days in the sun and the season for love. Animal love that is.

With families itching for summer fun, the NC Zoo knows exactly what you should do – come by for a visit. The News and Observer (@Newsobserver) recently reported that visits to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro reached a 13 year attendance high for the month of June, despite the hot and humid weather.

Although the NC Zoo opened a new lemur exhibit, Lemur Island, that has been attracting North Carolina families, we all know public relations worked a little magic for this dramatic increase in visits. Let’s take a look at how PR can really make a difference.

It all starts with knowing your audience. The United States is currently facing tough financial waters. Many families have made cuts to their household budgets to stay afloat in these harsh conditions. And one of the top categories to save a few bucks from is vacations.  As a result, families either don’t go or find other ways to have fun without making too big of a dent in their wallets.

Gathering from this concept, the NC Zoo promotes themselves on the idea that North Carolina families don’t have to go far or spend too much for a great family activity. Driving within the state minimizes the money spent on gas compared to something out of state. Families also have no need to book hotels for a simple day trip. Further, NC Zoo admission tickets cost almost the same as the movie theater, making animal adventures extremely affordable.

Now, we look at the NC Zoo budget. North Carolina state supports the NC Zoo and with state budget cuts in just about every department, the zoo needed to find economical ways to draw visitors in. With this said, the NC Zoo turns to free and effective social media sites.

Setting up a working social networking site is a smart move for people and their businesses to increase exposure. NC Zoo’s Facebook page has around 6,000 fans and growing. Facebook fans allow the NC Zoo to track how many people like or even dislike anything they post, giving instant feedback. It also allows the zoo to gauge what their primary audience consists of in order to better market events and announcements.

But more on the networking side of social networking, Facebook enables NC Zoo fans to respond quickly and easily to comments, photos, etc. on the page. This response will then show up on the News Feed of fan friends, generating instant buzz. Similiar to this, is NC Zoo’s Twitter page ( @NCZoo ). With the help of retweeting and mentions, viral marketing reaches even more people. But most importantly, word of mouth marketing from friends and followers help promote the NC Zoo with actual results. Friends and followers listen more to people they know than strangers.

So congrats to the NC Zoo! You deserve it and keep up the good PR work!

Photo credit: flickr

By Kristi Lee Jacobsen

The North Carolina Museum of Art (@ncartmuseum) has been in the local news a lot lately because of its recently opened $73 million expansion. Architect Thomas Phifer and Partners designed the building that, according to reporter Julie Iovine from The Wall Street Journal, looks like “a nondescript storage hangar sitting across a tarmac piazza.”  The beauty lies inside though, where Phifer’s goal was to blend the building into nature while placing all attention on the art. The new building has an array of gardens and high-tech skylights that help to bring the outside in. The new structure “requires attention and time for the beholder to engage with its pleasures,” says Iovine. ”But they are plenty and easy to savor.”

Though the building itself is remarkable, public relations must be thanked for the large role it’s played in generating the museum’s positive press and successful outcomes. So far the expansion has been featured in media across the country, including The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Record, Newsweek, The Early Show on CBS, The Boston Globe and World Architecture News.  Imagine if these publications had not run stories on the museum. I doubt that the museum would have seen the more than 9,000 visitors on opening day.

Also impressive is the art museum’s website and use of social media. The museum runs a Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Vimeo and Blog. Events are even planned to incorporate the use of social media. As part of the grand opening celebration, visitors had an option of participating in the “digital guru grand opening adventure” that was geared toward those who are early adopters, tech-savvy, social media obsessed and into contemporary art and design.

The use of PR by the museum shows how important the field really is. PR makes it possible for visitors to easily stay updated with events and new exhibits through social media networks. Visitors are also encouraged to support the museum through all of the positive press it receives.  The NC Museum of Art is truly an amazing place for art lovers to visit and is a perfect example of how to use PR to constantly connect to visitors and keep them coming back for years.

photo credit: The North Carolina Museum of Art

By Kaitlyn Barnes

Picture this.  It’s a typical 100-degree, summer Monday and it’s time for work.  But this morning the words stoplights, potholes, traffic, bump-ups and road-rage will not be in your vocabulary or even creep into your mind.  Heck, you won’t even say road-kill.  This morning you’re not driving your car; you’re taking Raleigh’s new mass transit system.

Of course we’ve all thought of this situation before.  Raleigh-Durham has been working on ideas similar to Charlotte’s LYNX light rail and CATS program for the past 15 years, and have yet to make much progress.  Like all state-funded projects, creating something like a light rail would be expensive.  But aside from this obvious drawback, what’s keeping the public from (pardon the pun) getting on board?

In 2007 political consultant, Carter Wrenn, criticized the state for exciting everyone about a mass transit system before having a concrete, outlined financial plan.  Like I did in the beginning of this post—I drew an exciting picture of what the future could be like.  Although it may not even be possible, I attempted to create hype behind my idea and left out all the corresponding, negative details.

In 2009, N&O reporter Bruce Siceloff discussed Mayor Meeker’s three ten-year plans for creating 69 miles in total of mass transit in the Triangle.  And more recently, a question and answer session with Thomas Crowder helped confirm that the sales tax would increase by ½ a cent in order to appropriate the necessary funding.  These of course are more detail-oriented and concrete approaches to promoting the new infrastructure.

Which tactic produces the best results I wonder?  In the out skirts of a recession the last thing the public wants to read about is an increase in taxes and more budget cuts.  But if government officials aren’t upfront about the costs of certain projects, we might run the risk of creating support for a project that was never really feasible.  And if we publicize the costs and financial particulars too much, isn’t there a chance the state has just wasted time and money researching a project no one wants to support?

Also, what about the expiration date of projects like these?  After 15 years of trying to promote such a venture, have all the big PR guns been pulled out?  Is there a way to continue approaching the public without exhausting the subject matter?

Photo Source: Google

By Kristi Lee Jacobsen

What better time to boost your client base and take advantage of PR than during the FIFA World Cup? Around the world, companies are taking advantage of the games by promoting specials and events to attract soccer fans. Budweiser, for example, is a World Cup sponsor and is donating $500 to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund for every goal.

Triangle companies are also taking advantage of the sporting event. XL Soccer World has invited the public to viewing events of all the games. The Tobacco Road Cafe hosted a Soccer Kids of America fundraiser and viewing party. The event featured an Xbox FIFA World Cup tournament for the kids and an autograph signing session by a Carolina Railhawk. Many restaurants are also offering specials to World Cup viewers. The Carolina Ale House, for example, is offering a free soccer sundae if you wear your soccer team jersey.

Vic’s Italian Restaurant, located in downtown Raleigh, has taken advantage of the World Cup by publicizing their own soccer star. Mario Longo, manager of Vic’s, has played professional soccer all around the world. Longo’s story was featured in the Raleigh Telegram. Customers can now go to eat at Vic’s, watch a game and meet a soccer player who has played with many of the pros.

All of these businesses have fully grasped the World Cup spirit while realizing how important PR is during major sporting events. Stories like Longo’s and fundraisers, like the one Tobacco Road Sports Cafe hosted, are likely to gain more press during a time when soccer is on many people’s minds. This is a reminder that in PR timing is everything.  These companies have chosen the perfect time to capitalize on the soccer action, which will show success through increased revenues, positive press and client base.

Photo Credit: Shine 2010

By Jennie Klahre

Drumming up publicity by starving yourself?  So far, it doesn’t seem to be an effective campaign strategy.

Three women set up tents across the street from the legislative building in downtown Raleigh and haven’t eaten for a week.  Their goal is to convince U.S. Senator Kay Hagan to back a bill that would make them all legal, permanent residents.

Rosario Lopez, Viridiana Martinez and Loida Silva have now lost 23 pounds total after drinking only water, Pedialyte and Gatorade since June 14. They have been determined to speak out on the issue of immigration and convince the public and the media that they deserve to stay in the U.S.

Up for debate is the DREAM Act.  If passed, it would give children who immigrate to the U.S. illegally a chance to maintain permanent residency if they attend a college or join the military.  It might also allow them to take out federal student loans or pay in-state tuition.

But Hagan hasn’t budged and is showing no signs of co-sponsoring the bill.  U.S. Senator Richard Burr also refuses to back the legislation in question.

So, what should the trio do?  When dealing with a controversial, touchy subject like immigration, perhaps a less invasive approach should be taken.  Instead of camping out in front of Hagan’s place of work and nearing levels close to a public disturbance, the women should change up their method.  Professionalism is the key that gains respect and admiration in today’s society.

A formal letter should be drafted and sent to legislators.  But before that, extensive research should take place.  The women need to have a substantial argument and it needs to be backed by proof and other supporting opinions.  They should evaluate just how many people in the area would be affected by the passage or elimination of this bill and how.  They should outline the costs and benefits of the legislation and approach the reasons for their argument with clarity and precision.

Media outreach can definitely be beneficial and support the cause, but it should not be done by making a scene.  I fail to see how this hunger strike will lead to anything but hospitalization as temperatures near 100 degrees outside.  The protest will soon come to a close and legislators will forget it ever occurred.  But they WILL have reason to remember a proactive research campaign backed by evidence and other residents.

What other tools should the women use to gain support for the DREAM Act?

Photo Source:  Wikimedia Commons