In the last two years Walker Sands has more than doubled, causing us to completely rethink employee professional development. Account Executive Julie Walsh launched the program in October with a personality assessment. Since then the company has met every month to tackle a new challenge. So far our sessions have covered:
Securing a coveted spot in a major publication’s editorial and op-ed section is tough. On Wednesday, the Publicity Club of Chicago invited three influential editorial board members and opinion editors to share the ins-and-outs of pitching op-eds and editorial boards. Here are some things to remember for pitching an editorial department: Headlines Matter Tom McNamee, [...]
The internet has been abuzz since social networking giant, Facebook, launched a series of rather radical changes to its platform Wednesday. These changes are the largest overhaul to the site since 2008 and although Facebook deems these changes “improvements,” many users are in an uproar. This happens every time Facebook unveils a new series of [...]
You’re it, Mr. Cook. Reports are circulating that Apple will hold a media event to showcase the iPhone5 (or whatever the name will be) on October 4th. With Steve Jobs resigning and the Tim Cook era beginning, the launch of the highly anticipated iPhone5 will be a momentous occasion for Apple. 1. It will be the [...]
Last night, the second season of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills debuted on Bravo after some very sad and serious recent events. The estranged husband of one of the show’s stars, Taylor Armstrong, committed suicide just a few weeks ago, leaving behind Taylor and their five year old daughter.
PRSA Chicago Young Professionals Network (YPN) held its bi-monthly workshop last night on Strengthening Relationships with the Media. As a newbie to PRSA Chicago and YPN events, I was excited to attend this workshop – along with fellow Media Relations Specialist, Emily Johnson. The YPN event featured a panel of traditional and digital media experts [...]
Choosing to pursue a career in public relations wasn’t my original plan. I decided to attend Indiana University because of its outstanding journalism program; I was set to become a feature reporter. However, after taking a journalism ethics class, I knew that a newsroom wasn’t going to be the right fit for me. The idea [...]
In 2005 U2 came to Chicago for a series of four shows at the United Center. Fresh off a new album, the aging band of Irish rockers was hot again. Their hit single, “Vertigo,” came to recall Apple’s resurgence with the iPod, since the song soundtracked the company’s popular iPod commercial. Greg Kot, the Chicago [...]
Headlines are abuzz this morning with talk of Microsoft’s $8.5 billion Skype buy – their largest purchase to date. While CNET describes Microsoft as “still a laggard on the internet,” they are hoping to capitalize on Skype’s 170 million connected users to broaden their reach. But it’s already apparent that this bold business decision is [...]
So how do you know if you’re ready to work with a PR firm? How can you be a good client and get the most out of the relationship? While it certainly depends on the type of company, the current state of the industry, and other factors, there are some general best practices for what [...]