March Business Meeting: Taking Your Brand Beyond the Logo.

Location: Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre
Date: March 01, 2011
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Click here to register today!

How to Walk the Talk: Taking Your Brand Beyond the Logo.

Branding is quite the buzzword these days. How are you managing your brand? Join the Florida Public Relations Association as Dr. Chris Wright-Isak tackles the many facets of branding in today's fluctuating marketing climates. Her presentation will include what brand managment entails, and how it's changing with regards to emerging media and ways a brand is most significantly impacted. In short, what is a brand and how do you protect it?

Chris Wright-Isak was educated at the University of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. in Sociology in 1985. In 1986 BBDO Advertising brought Chris to New York where she helped re-position the GE Corporate brand and developed the positioning strategy for the launch of the Lever 2000 brand.

In 1990 Young & Rubicam NY engaged her to be their corporate reputation specialist and the team leader for demonstrating advertising effectiveness. During that time she also served as the NY American Marketing Association’s national Advertising Effectiveness Competition Chief Judge for five years.

In 1999, the Advertising Research Foundation awarded Chris their highest award, the Gold Ogilvy Medallion, for research excellence in the positioning of the Colgate Total toothpaste brand. Total became the #1 oral care brand after 30 years of Crest market leadership. That year Chris also began her marketing consulting practice.

Florida Gulf Coast University brought Chris to the Lutgert College of Business as Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Fall of 2004. This offered her the opportunity to teach real world lessons to new generations of young Americans, and to resume her publishing activities. She continues to consult on marketing problems. In 2006-07 Hanesbrands® commissioned Chris to help them reposition the Champion athletic wear brand. In 2008 The Champion brand was the only athletic apparel brand to gain market share in a down turning economic environment. Hanesbrands encouraged Chris to share the lessons learned with her marketing and integrated brand promotions classes at FGCU.

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FPRA Local Image Awards Competition

Calling all public relations and marketing professionals in the area – now is the time to submit your finest work. The Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) has issued a Call for Entries for its 2011 Local Image Awards. Local Image Awards are held annually and recognize the best public relations, communications and marketing efforts in Southwest Florida during the past year.

Submissions for awards must be presented in a detailed and specific format, as directed by the Call for Entries. The contest is open to FPRA members and non-members as well as students. Learn more about the 2011 Call for Entries

Imagine the Possibilities! Download the entry form.

It’s not too late to pursue your APR!

Study sessions for candidates interested in pursuing their Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) begin this week – Thursday, Feb. 18 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Briggs & Rogers office, 7680 Cambridge Manor Place in Fort Myers. It’s not too late to join us as we begin 10 weeks of study sessions in preparation for the APR’s oral and written exams. Accreditation is encouraged for public relations practitioners with at least five years of PR experience. To learn more about the process, call or email us today. Or, feel free to join us on Feb. 18. We hope to see you!

Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC
239-278-3900
 
Kara Winton, APR, CPRC
239-464-4308

Member Spotlight: Michelle Nagel

Michelle Nagel joined JJ Taylor Distributing Florida, Inc. as Marketing Manager in March of 2010. She comes from a background in radio as a promotions director and on air personality.

JJ Taylor is the local MillerCoors beer distibutor. Michelle is responsible for local execution of national programs for over 40 major beer brands including Miller, Coors, Heineken USA, Diagio and Samual Adams. She also organizes local events and coordinates all point of sale material for the company among other responsiblites. If you see Miller Lite at an event, Michelle most likely had her hands in it.

Michelle came to Florida from Kansas six years ago and now lives in Cape Coral with her husband Jon. She enjoys spending time in the outdoors, learning weird new things on the Internet, cooking and eating anything with cheese in it.

Michelle is a member of the Florida Public Relation Association's Southwest Florida Chapter Leadership Team and currently serves as the Hospitality Chair.

Credentialing Corner: Free Resource at your Fingertips!

Outstanding Free Resource at your Fingertips!
Visit the E-branch of the Lee Library SystemSubmitted by Margie Byers, APR

Did you know that through the Lee County Library System you have access to hundreds of resources and research tools to help you or your client expand or change their current business? The following database tools are just a few of the resources available. Spend some time exploring the Lee E-branch. You will be richly rewarded.

General OneFile is a one-stop source for current and past news and periodical articles on a wide range of topics: business, computers, current events, economics, education, environmental issues, health care, humanities, law, social science, technology, and many general interest and professional topics. Millions of full-text articles, many with images are available and are updated daily. Some of the magazines listed include: Advertising Age, Inc., Florida Trend, Money Management, Success, Media Week, Agency Sales Magazine, Point of Purchase, Vanity Fair, Campaign, PR Newswire and PR Week to name a few.

There are two resources, BusinessDecision and Demographics Now that provide business intelligence to help create or update business and marketing plans. Some of the information you will find here will help you understand your customers or your client’s customers better. The data provides current information and projections on data such as: age by sex, income, income by age, consumer expenditures, housing profiles, etc . These can be used to target direct mail and advertising programs to the customers most likely to buy your product or service.

ProQuest gives you access to searchable, full text, current and back issue articles of the NewsPress and 1,191 other news publications across the world. Some of the publications in this database include: the New York Post, the New York Times, US Newswire, USA Today, Orlando Sentinel, Tampa Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, etc.

This is all brought to you as part of the E-branch of the Lee County Library System! If you have questions call Telephone Reference at 239-479-4636, or text your questions to 239-465-4452. Be sure to use the word "lee" (no quotation marks) as the first word of your message. Good luck researching!

Student Corner: FGCU Student Chapter hosted nonprofit panel

Florida Gulf Coast University's student chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association hosted a nonprofit panel discussion on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011, from 5-6:15 p.m. in Lutgert Hall, Room 2202, featuring Southwest Florida's nonprofit public relations professionals who shared their expertise with FGCU's PR students.

Panelists included: Sarah Owen, CEO, Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc. also known as CCMI; Chelsea Birczak, public relations director, Lee County Alliance for the Arts; Kirsten O'Donnell, director of public relations and marketing, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida; Melissa Simontis, director of development, PACE Center for Girls; Connie Ramos-Williams, CEO and president, CONRIC Holdings, LLC; and Maran Hilgendorf , communications manager, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program. Panelists shared career tips, professional experience, internship advice and Service Learning opportunities at multiple nonprofit agencies throughout Southwest Florida.

Communication and public relations students know the value of gaining professional experience, while in school, is imperative to the start a successful career. "Bringing nonprofit PR professionals to our campus for these informal panel discussions is a wonderful way to connect our public relations students to these industry leaders on the many ways in which students can benefit from being involved with these organizations and how local organizations can benefit from student involvement," said David Simmons, president, FGCU's FPRA student chapter. "It's a great opportunity for students to network for future internships and jobs; additionally, it's a great opportunity for students to see how they can become more involved with our Southwest Florida nonprofit community."

PR Education Foundation Celebrates 25 Years

The Florida Public Relations Education Foundation (FPREF) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.  The FPREF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the professional development of PR pros and future PR professionals currently enrolled in undergraduate programs.  The Foundation provides rebates for newly accredited APR members, scholarships to the annual conference and student scholarships. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, The Foundation board is asking FPRA members to consider donating $25, $250 or $2,500 to support the campaign! (A donation of any amount would be greatly appreciated.) With 1,200 FPRA members, the Foundation has set a $25,000 goal by the state conference in August. To make a donation visit the FPRA website.