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Thursday, April 28, 2016
Tunheim Expands Consulting Team with Two New Hires
Tunheim, a Minneapolis-based communications consulting firm, recently announced the additions of Jen Gates and Erin Jones to its team of consulting professionals.
With a strong background in public policy and project management, brings extensive experience to Tunheim, most recently working in the office of Gov. Mark Dayton since 2011. Gates held multiple campaign and public policy roles in her work with the Governor, including work on multi-agency legislative initiatives to eliminate unnecessary laws and implement plain language into state government policy. She also worked alongside Lt. Gov. Tina Smith on the Destination Medical Center in Rochester, Minn. Gates graduated from the University of St. Thomas, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in political science.
is returning to Tunheim after previously working at the firm as an intern through fall 2014. While at Tunheim, Jones has worked in the areas of media relations, business-to-business communications, public affairs and digital content creation. After completing her internship at Tunheim, Jones went on to work as a marketing coordinator at Thomson Reuters where she gained experience in product marketing for the Investigations & Public Records business unit. There she launched a campaign to honor law enforcement officials who used one of Thomson’s products to track and eventually prosecute criminals. Jones is a graduate of the College of Saint Benedict – Saint John’s University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Hispanic studies.
“We are excited to welcome Erin and Jen to our consulting team,” said Kathy Tunheim, president and CEO of Tunheim. “I look forward to the unique perspectives they will each bring as we help our clients rethink their business challenges and navigate complex challenge.”
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Monday, April 25, 2016
Meet Padilla Award Winner Joel Swanson, APR, MACT
1. What role has PRSA had in your career?
has been a defining influence on my career from the beginning. My involvement in and the mentorship of Dr. R. John DeSanto led me to change majors at St. Cloud State University from business management (I was going to be a hospital administrator) to mass communications. The real-world work done through the student agency, newsletter, and case studies energized my resume with real-world experience.
My first internship (which led to my first job) came because one of my professors was in APR classes with Deborah Ely Lawrence at the Minnesota Education Association. From there, I was hired by Bethel University in the wake of a lawsuit where I created and executed the institution’s first strategic, proactive PR plan – which I knew how to do thanks to a marathon brainstorm session with David Hakensen over lunch (which he bought).
My big break into health care came about because 1) I had served on several committees with Barbara Tabor who was leaving, and she recommended me without me having applied; and 2) The hiring manager at Blue Cross, Karl Oestreich, counted my APR as an equalizer when I was the youngest finalist they brought in to interview. The move to agency came through a longtime PRSA committee partner, Rose McKinney, where I had the privilege to work with Eva Keiser, Brant Skogrand and other PRSA leaders. All but one of the progressive jobs in my career came about because of PRSA. In addition, St. Cloud State University counted APR as equivalent to a master’s degree in my field to allow me to teach as an adjunct. In short, PRSA has defined my career path and strategic growth.
2. What are some of the key lessons that you have learned in your career?
- Lifelong learning has to be a core value of a PR practitioner: The knowledge, channels, and even best practices of our industry are fluid – they change as our culture and technology changes.
- It’s a small market, so making advocates and acting professionally will determine the limits of your opportunities.
- Other people have usually already done what you need to do; benchmark and borrow inspiration often.
- Own up to mistakes before your client/employer finds them. And, you will make mistakes.
- Career paths can be unpredictable – take risks if you want to get ahead and gain a measure of control over your career.
3. You're an adjunct instructor at St. Cloud State University, University of Northwestern (St. Paul) and Inver Hills Community College. What reflections do you have on being an instructor?
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| Joel Swanson, APR, MACT |
I started teaching because I found that one of my favorite job responsibilities was mentoring and leading staff. I find I learn and am energized by the students, and they become clients or colleagues over time. Just this week I coached students in Betsy Anderson’s class at the University of Minnesota and I’m encouraged by the passion and talent I see – there is hope that we’ll continue to develop good writers and thinkers to practice our profession. At the same time, students need access to the real world and the tasks they’ll be paid to do someday, so I continually brought practice leads from my agency and real-world client work into the classroom. The most difficult thing students seem to struggle with is learning how to “market” themselves and find a personal brand position and standout resume.
4. What advice would you give to new public relations practitioners?
New public relations practitioners should continue to do informational interviews – inside their organization with other business functions AND externally with other PR practitioners. And it becomes even more important to be involved with a professional organization such as PRSA. Also, be willing to take risks: I often tell the story of how, as a young professional, a leader asked if anyone on the team could produce a video for a prominent event. I raised my hand and volunteered, even though I had never led production of a video. I leveraged my PRSA contacts and other professional friends who gave me all of the tools to put together an award-winning video that turned heads.
5. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
My teams have won a number of Minnesota PRSA Classics Awards and other regional and national honors. The Donald G. Padilla Distinguished Practitioner Award is the most significant for me specifically because it highlights commitment to using our public relations skills and professional positions to make society better and support worthy causes – in my case health care and children-focused organizations such as Ronald McDonald House Charities, ClearWay Minnesota, Children’s Hospitals and youth athletic associations.
I believe PR practitioners often undervalue the potential of PR and their careers to make a real difference in their communities and broader society – we hold a lot of power in our expertise influencing attitudes and behavior. My challenge is for each practitioner to invest time thinking through the causes that matter to you – and be bold in seeking out those opportunities that match with your interest and skill set.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Gabriel deGrood Bendt and Chuck & Don’s Pet Food and Supplies join forces
Minneapolis agency Gabriel deGrood Bendt and Chuck & Don’s Pet Food and Supplies are set to unveil an innovative, foundational marketing concept: “Pet-erinarians.” From now on, this will be the official name for Chuck & Don’s highly-trained staff members who can help dog and cat owners with even the hairiest of pet challenges. Pet-erinarians are available for consultation at every Chuck & Don’s retail location to identify the best products to meet individual animals’ needs; think Apple’s Genius Bar, but catered specifically to pet lovers.
GdB will promote Pet-erinarians in pre-roll video, banner ads and Pandora ads. When customers walk into one of Chuck & Don’s 32 Minnesota, Wisconsin and Colorado locations, the idea will truly come to life.
Here is a sample ad:
Monday, April 18, 2016
Meet Young Professional of the Year Award Winner Becca Bijoch
1. Tell us a bit about your public relations experience so far.
I started at Lola Red as an unpaid intern right out of college and am going on my seventh year at the agency. At the time I joined the agency, Lola Red had just won its first national AOR with Smashburger and I recognized there was work to be done so I raised my hand for every available opportunity. I enjoyed the hard work and fast pace that is still part of the hustle at Lola Red.
Early on I was given my own client to manage, Sweets Bakeshop, and loved the media relations hustle (even though doing PR for cupcakes is pretty easy).
Over the years, I’ve found a love of strategy, planning and creative concepting, but I still stay close to the media relations work on a few accounts.
2. What role has PRSA had in your career success?
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| Becca Bijoch |
PRSA is responsible for so many of my successes. In college gave me an insight into the PR world that I wasn’t getting in the classroom as well as connections to the local PRSA community. I attended my first Classics as a student, which is where I was first exposed to Lola Red.
While on my job search out of college, the first thing I did was join a PRSA committee. That kept me close to that world during the job search period and has introduced me to a fantastic network of other local professionals at various stages and positions in their careers. These other PRSA members have acted as mentors, support systems and friends.
PRSA programming and events have also been a source of continuing education for myself and my team. It can be easy to get stuck in the minutia of the day-to-day, and attending a PRSA event or meeting with a PRSSA student can reignite the passion for PR.
3. If you could pick one highlight from working on the award-winning BB-8 by Sphero product launch, what would it be?
The product launched on a Friday and certain Disney stores across the country were holding midnight madness events to unveil all the products.
I was with one of the Sphero founders, Adam Wilson, at the San Francisco event. This was the same day all the press coverage went live so BB-8 was the must-have toy that everyone was clamoring to get at the event.
Not only did I get to share in the excitement of the BB-8 reception with one of Sphero’s founders (and a big Star Wars fan), but I also got to see him have a total rock star moment. He spent all night signing BB-8 boxes and taking pictures with fans – something he probably never imagined he’d be doing.
It was the most perfect way to end two weeks of insanely hard work aligning all the details for launch.
4. What is your desired career path?
I feel so lucky to have landed at Lola Red and I see myself here in the future. Alexis has always said I treated this business like my own (which I do) so I’ve never felt the desire to build something else because she’s allowed me to take ownership in different parts of the business. We also have amazing clients and a fun team. I can honestly say that I enjoy going to work everyday and there’s not one day in seven years that I’ve been bored.
I would like to continue to grow and learn from the PR community as well as continue to mentor others.
5. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
While I don’t feel the need to start my own business, I did just attend an entrepreneurship conference and it did inspire me to start something.
-- / Skogrand PR Solutions, LLC
Friday, April 15, 2016
Minnesota PRSA Celebrates Breakthrough Creativity and Innovation at the Classics Awards
The (Minnesota PRSA) held its 38th Annual Classics Awards last night at the Muse Event Center in Minneapolis, celebrating breakthrough creativity and innovative thinking in the public relations industry throughout the past year. Top campaigns featured unprecedented ingenuity by driving engagement among diverse audiences through digital, content marketing, influencer outreach, experiential events and much more.
More than 50 awards were presented to agencies, corporations, nonprofit organizations and associations for exemplary work over the past year on programs in consumer products, consumer services, technology, health care, nonprofit, agriculture and more.
“The quality of work and counsel delivered by the local public relations industry is extremely high, and ranks up there with the best from the entire country,” said Jason Sprenger, APR, president of Minnesota PRSA. “The annual Classics Awards are a fantastic way to celebrate our collective success and showcase the best-in-class professional knowledge, service, standards and ethics that we strive for each and every day.”
2016 Best in Show Award
DuPont Crop Protection and Exponent PR received the Best in Show award, as well as the B2B Industry Campaign of the Year award, for “Feeding the World, One Farmer at a Time.” Food production must double to feed the nine billion people expected to populate Earth by year 2050. Food is produced one farmer at a time, and every farmer’s needs are unique. Exponent and DuPont Crop Protection set out to show how local DuPont experts are helping individual farmers preserve crop quality and yield.
Donald G. Padilla Distinguished Practitioner Award
Minnesota PRSA honored Joel Swanson, the immediate past president of Minnesota PRSA, with the Donald G. Padilla Distinguished Practitioner Award. The award is presented to an outstanding individual who has made selfless contributions to the public relations industry and demonstrated exceptional professional achievement. Swanson received the award for his dedication to public relations during his 20+ year career and his volunteer work with local organizations, such as Clearway Minnesota and Ronald McDonald House, Upper Midwest.
Young Professional of the Year Award
Receiving Minnesota PRSA’s Young Professional Award was Becca Bijoch, senior publicist at Lola Red PR. The award recognizes a Minnesota PRSA rising star who has contributed to the organization, industry and community. Bijoch demonstrates her commitment to the public relations profession through internal team building, client work and community mentorship.
Dr. Willard Thompson Scholarship
Sara Erickson from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities was honored as the winner of the coveted Dr. Willard Thompson Scholarship. She received $1,000, a free PRSA associate membership and a special lunch with Jason Sprenger, APR, president of Minnesota PRSA.
Student Awards
Minnesota PRSA also honored several Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) students for their exceptional work. Richard Palermo from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota received a Digital and Social media award for the “It’s on Us” Campaign; Karen Peterson and Miranda Goldammer from Augustana University received the Community Relations award for the SAM Ridership Program; and Alexandra Grillo from St. Cloud State University received the Public Relations Planning award for KVSC 88.1FM – Your Sound Alternative.
Classics Awards Programs Winners
Community Relations (Business/Industry)
No Child Left Behind on the Playground: The Case for Inclusive Equipment
PadillaCRT with Landscape Structures, Inc.
Community Relations (Government/Nonprofit)
GiveMN – Give To The Max Day
PadillaCRT with GiveMN
Institutional Programs (Business/Industry)
Cenex Tanks of Thanks: Fueled by Good
Exponent PR with Cenex
Institutional Programs (Government/Nonprofit)
Improving Lives Across the Globe One Week at a Time
Strother Communications Group with UMN College of Education and Human Development
Special Events/Observances (Less Than 7 Days – Business/Industry)
Cenex Goes Country with Music Festival Events
Exponent PR with Cenex
Special Events/Observances (Less Than 7 Days – Government/Nonprofit)
Inspiring Mothers to Donate Cord Blood and Give Patients Hope
PadillaCRT with Be The Match
Special Events/Observances (More Than 7 Days – Business/Industry)
Rewarding School Health and Wellness Champions
Bellmont Partners with Midwest Dairy Council
Special Events/Observances (More Than 7 Days – Government/Nonprofit)
It's On You: Inspiring the African American Community to Step Up and Save Lives
PadillaCRT with Be The Match
Public Service (Business/Industry)
H&R Block Budget Challenge Earns Major Dividends
Spong with H&R Block
Public Service (Government/Nonprofit)
It's On You: Inspiring the African American Community to Step Up and Save Lives
PadillaCRT with Be The Match
Public Affairs
Medtronic Earns Support for Acquisition of Covidien
Medtronic
Marketing Services (New – Budget Less $100,000)
Bringing a Personal Touch to Health Insurance
PadillaCRT with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Marketing Services (New – Budget More Than $100,000)
Tonight Bedtime, Tomorrow The World.
FleishmanHillard with Sleep Number
Marketing Services (Established – Budget Less Than $100,000)
Positioning VITAL WorkLife as a Thought Leader in Health Care Employee Assistance Programs
Risdall Public Relations with VITAL WorkLife
Marketing Services (Established – Budget More Than $100,000)
H&R Block Budget Challenge Earns Major Dividends
Spong with H&R Block
Marketing Products (New – Budget More Than $100,000)
Land O’Lakes Elevates the Every Day with European Butter
Exponent PR with Land O’Lakes
Marketing Products (New – Budget Less Than $100,000)
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse Welcomes Baby Quinoa as its Newest Arrival
Spong with BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
Marketing Products (Established – Budget More Than $100,000)
Tuesday Becomes “Bluesday” to Ignite Summertime Blue Cheese Sales
Spong with Castello
Marketing Products (Established – Budget Less Than $100,000)
Jennie-O Inspires Thanksgiving Perfection With The Holiday Table
Spong with Jennie-O
International Public Relations
Commanding Attention for Honeywell: Introducing the Command & Control Suite Around the World
Weber Shandwick with Honeywell
Crisis/Issues Management
Busting Misperceptions and Shattering Online Giving
PadillaCRT with GiveMN
Internal Communications
Medtronic Earns Employee Support for Acquisition of Covidien
Medtronic
Investor Relations
Here’s the Beef!
PadillaCRT with Patterson Companies
Integrated Communications (Products)
Jennie-O Inspires Thanksgiving Perfection With The Holiday Table
Spong with Jennie-O
Integrated Communications (Services)
H&R Block Budget Challenge Earns Major Dividends
Spong with H&R Block
Integrated Communications (Government/Nonprofit)
Improving Lives Across the Globe One Week at a Time
Strother Communications Group with UMN College of Education and Human Development
Multicultural Public Relations
It's On You: Inspiring the African American Community to Step Up and Save Lives
PadillaCRT with Be The Match
Industry Campaign of the Year (Consumer Products)
Genuine Thermos Brand Heats Up the Coffee World
Spong with Genuine Thermos Brand
Industry Campaign of the Year (Consumer Services)
H&R Block Budget Challenge Earns Major Dividends
Spong with H&R Block
Industry Campaign of the Year (Technology)
Introducing a Smart Bed for Smart Kids. Tonight Bedtime, Tomorrow the World.
FleishmanHillard with Sleep Number
Industry Campaign of the Year (B2B)
Feeding the World, One Farmer at a Time
Exponent PR with DuPont Crop Protection
Industry Campaign of the Year (Health Care)
Medtronic Earns Support for Acquisition of Covidien
Medtronic
Industry Campaign of the Year (Nonprofit)
Keys for Heroes: Ending Veteran Homelessness
Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
Classics Awards Elements Winners
Brochures
Preventing Fraud: BBB and Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance Put their Heads Together
Better Business Bureau of MN & ND with Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance
Special Purpose Publications
Bringing Employees into the RateLinx Brand with the RateLinx Culture Book
Strother Communications Group with RateLinx
Multimedia
Delivering the Dirt Week by Week on “The Deal With Yield”
Exponent PR with WinField
Annual Reports (Business/Industry)
Setting the Standard for Clean Operations: AmeriPride’s Inaugural Corporate Responsibility Report
FleishmanHillard with AmeriPride Services
Annual Reports (Government/Nonprofit)
Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs 2014 Annual Report & 2015 Objectives
Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
Influencer Outreach
Arla Celebrates #GooeyGoodness
Spong with Arla
Newsletters
Insights Reports Series
Exponent PR with Farm Credit Mid-America
Magazines
‘C’ the Value of Partnering With CHS
Exponent PR with CHS
Media Relations (Business/Industry Budget Less Than $100,000)
Land O’Lakes Inspires Story Sharing with European Butter
Exponent PR with Land O’Lakes
Media Relations (Business/Industry Budget More Than $100,000)
Exterminating Pop Culture
Olson Engage with Terminix
Media Relations (Government/Nonprofit)
Expanding Minnesotans’ Perspectives on Health
PadillaCRT with Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Feature Writing
For the Love of Isaac
PadillaCRT with Be The Match
Technical Writing
The Race to Defend Alfalfa
Exponent PR with W-L Alfalfas
Speech Writing
On the Verge, a Travel Industry Conference Speech that Rethinks the "Keynote"
Weber Shandwick with Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Websites (Business/Industry)
BEHR Paint Invites Fans to Color Their Memories
Olson Engage with BEHR
Websites (Government/Nonprofit)
Explore Minnesota Website
Exponent PR with Explore Minnesota Tourism
Measurement & Evaluation
Medtronic Measures Stakeholder Sentiment for Acquisition of Covidien
Medtronic
Social Media (Business/Industry)
We’re Horse People Too
Exponent PR with Purina Animal Nutrition
Social Media (Government/Nonprofit)
Inspiring Authentic #OnlyinMN Moments
Exponent PR with Explore Minnesota Tourism
Creative Tactics
Arla Celebrates #GooeyGoodness
Spong with Arla
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Bellmont Partners has promoted Hyedi Nelson
Bellmont Partners has promoted Hyedi Nelson to Account Supervisor. Nelson leads Bellmont Partners’ rapidly growing medical focus area, working with medical device, pharmaceutical, and health and wellness clients including Verde Technologies, Inspire Sleep, Starkey Hearing Technologies, Foreverence, Fuel Up to Play 60 and the agency’s newest client, Second Harvest Heartland. She also puts her expertise to work for clients in other highly regulated industries that require extremely specialized communication, including technology and law.
“Hyedi has contributed immensely to our agency over the past three years, playing a major role in Bellmont Partners’ ability to exceed our clients’ expectations,” says Brian Bellmont, Bellmont Partners president. “She continues to impress us daily with her expertise, leadership style, deep curiosity and proven ability to help our clients navigate complex challenges and opportunities. We’re thrilled she’s a part of our team.”
Nelson joined the agency in 2013, and has more than seven years of experience in content creation and marketing, social media, digital strategy and media relations. She holds a bachelors of arts degree in mass communication and a masters of arts degree in health communication, both from the University of Minnesota. Hyedi also serves on the marketing committee of the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST, is an active volunteer for Girls on the Run Twin Cities and writes a blog that chronicles her journey to living a healthy, balanced life.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
5 Essential Blog Marketing Tips
Blog marketing, if done properly, is one of the easiest methods for increasing website traffic. If you are planning to start a blog, I recommend that you follow the five essential blog marketing tips below. Doing so will help you improve the chances that your blog will rank high on the major search engines.
Keywords. Targeting keywords is crucial in order to rank on Google. Instead of making your entire article focus on one keyword, choose a few keywords that are similar to your primary keyword and sprinkle them throughout the article. For example, instead of constantly writing your primary keyword: blog marketing tips, I could have used blog promotion tips in my article title or even blog marketing plan. This way, you can add more relevant ideas and lengthen your article.
Remember that the headline is where your keyword belongs. It is easier said than done. Many amateur bloggers ignore this important step. Instead of having one long paragraph , break your text into three paragraphs of 300 words each and insert a headline that features the keyword you wish to rank for. This will benefit your search engine ranking.
Blog size. "Build your site with at least 10 pages. You can do this by writing a page or a post for each of the keywords that you have chosen and put them together," said Minnesota blogger Madeleine Winges. "Thereafter, you could link them together. For example, your post about 'blog marketing tips' could be linked to a post about 'blog promotion tips'. That could, in turn, be linked to a post about a 'blog marketing plan'. This practice not improves the link structure of your website; it connects your whole site together."
Update your blog frequently. After optimizing and diverting traffic to your blog, update it every 3-5 days. A blog is interactive and must always contain the latest, relevant information. People will stop viewing your blog if they find the same information each time they visit it.
Comment on other blogs. Find blogs that are similar to yours and post relevant comments. Avoid spamming. Post comments that are actually useful. Blog commenting is a crucial element in marketing. Make sure that you are careful.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Dustin Page hired at Gage
Gage, a Minneapolis-based engagement marketing agency, announced today the hiring of Dustin Page as a senior front end developer where he will be working on the Gage MARKET Platform.
, formerly Marketing Bridge, provides web-based channel support to streamline field marketing campaigns, empowering channel partners to become more effective partners. MARKET offers partners access to a wide range of branded, customizable marketing materials and campaigns, while allowing brands greater control of brand integrity and market development funds. Gage MARKET clients include Norwegian Cruise Lines, Ricoh USA, Fujitsu, BASF Corp.
Page joins Gage from Polaris Industries Inc. where he served as a senior web application developer since 2013. Previously he was a senior web design specialist at Medtronic.
Page earned an Associate of Arts in visual arts from Bismarck State College in Bismarck, North Dakota, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
“Dustin will provide experience in delivering work that drives results for our clients,” said Tom Belle, Gage president and CEO. “He’ll bring depth to our development team at Gage.”
Thursday, April 07, 2016
April is APR Month
April is APR Month, and there are two upcoming opportunities to explore or get started on your credential:
5 Steps to APR - Webinar with Barb Nicols, APWednesday, Apr. 20, 2016, 12 Noon - 1 p.m. (CT).
Fall APR Study Workshop - Lunchtime Webinar SeriesSix consecutive Tuesdays starting Oct. 11.
See why Joel Swanson says , and explore the national accreditation site for detailed info on the process. It's achievable! With focus and a qualifying case study, you can earn your APR in just 4-6 months.
The APR Committee of Minnesota PRSA is happy to get you started! Please contact Holly Donato with any questions at or .
Wednesday, April 06, 2016
5 PR Tips to Ensure Success at Promotional Events
Spring is one of the peak periods for corporate events such as exhibitions and conferences. Standing apart from competitors and catching the attention of potential customers can be quite a challenging task for staff members.
Despite the popularity of the online medium and social media, face to face communication remains of one of the key drivers for the growth of a business. It has an extremely favorable impact on boosting the customers’ response and conversion rates. Below are five useful tips to help you plan, promote and execute a successful business event:
#1 Make sure the event is compatible with your brand
The event must be compatible with your organization's business goals and the values and priorities of your organization. The event must be thoroughly evaluated and customized to match your organization's objectives and brand image during the initial planning stage.
#2 Extensively promote the event
Events must be thoroughly promoted online and by using traditional media to create "buzz". The speakers at the event should be promoted using various online marketing methods such as email marketing, social media marketing and blogging for maximum outreach.
Trained public relations (PR) personnel should not only give interviews and interact with the media; they should follow up with media representatives and other event participants after the event.
#3 Ensure maximum interactivity
Events must have extensive and active participation from the attendees to increase their level of engagement with the event. Purely passive activities such as long Powerpoint presentations should be kept to a minimum or completely eliminated in events.
#4 Widen the scope of the event
“You can increase the visibility, reach and impact of an event by widening the invitee list beyond purely business contacts. Inviting journalists and bloggers who cover topics related to your business will give your event good exposure and visibility. You can also give select previews of the event to select journalists and bloggers to make them feel exclusive and guarantee good coverage,” said Tony Carnahan, owner of the program EventGuard: Event Cancellation Insurance.
#5 Share event outcomes
Conducting various engaging surveys during the event will increase the interactivity of the event. The results of such surveys conducted during the event can then be shared with the participants and media after the event for maximizing the reach of the event.
Tuesday, April 05, 2016
PRSA - Finnegans' Brand Story + Meet & Mingle at Kieran's Irish Pub
March isn't the only month to think Irish! Join us at Kieran's Irish Pub to hear from Finnegans' Patty Morrissey about the Finnegans' story and strategies and tactics the business uses to share that story. How does Finnegans turn beer into food? Come find out! Enjoy appetizers from 5 - 5:30 p.m., and Patty will be introduced around 5:20 for a 25 minute talk and Q and A. Then enjoy an evening of mixing and mingling while enjoying Kieran's fabulous Titanic Lounge.
Location:
Kieran's Irish Pub
85 N 6th St,
85 N 6th St,
Registration Costs:
Minnesota PRSA Member- $20
Student- $10
General Admission- $25
Student- $10
General Admission- $25
Friday, April 01, 2016
Announcing the Original Ely Electric Paddle
A group of canoe outfitters in the small town of Ely announced today they had formed a consortium to produce and sell an exciting new product, The Original Ely Electric Paddle. Sales will begin immediately, but only through authorized outfitters and retail outlets within Ely.
This revolutionary new product will make its debut in the lobby of the Northwest Sportshow at the Minneapolis Convention Center on April 1, between 10:30 and 1:30 pm.
By mounting a small, but powerful and nearly silent battery-powered trolling motor to the blade of a canoe paddle, this group claims to have taken all the work out of canoeing, suddenly opening the popular outdoor activity to millions of people who felt that a trip to the beautiful Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was beyond their skill level or outside their comfort zone.
Now canoeing enthusiasts can let the paddles do all the work while they sit back and read a favorite book, grab a nap or gaze around at the beautiful scenery found in the BWCAW.
Not surprisingly, a number of canoeing enthusiasts and those devoted to making the world a better place to paddle are up in arms about this product and the harm they believe it will do to the paddling community and a way of life that has evolved over hundreds of years.
“This is an affront to the sport and to the worldwide community of canoeists,” said a spokesperson for the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Canoe and Kayakers (NACK). “If there’s any sort of motor, it ceases to be canoeing as we recognize it.” (Not surprisingly, the Ely outfitters dispute this characterization since the motors are mounted on the paddles, not the canoe itself.)
More importantly, the NACK points out, this violates the ban of motorized or mechanized equipment in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness, a ban that has been in effect since 1978. Again, the outfitters insist this invention circumvents that law and that the Forest Service has been approached about allowing the Electric Paddle in the affected area for a two-year period of study and review. (Unfortunately, the Forest Service has refused to comment on this issue.)
Ely Mayor Chuck Novak is clearly enthused about the new product announcement and has predicted a flood of requests for canoe permits in 2016 and beyond. “This will revolutionize the sport and bring millions of new visitors to Ely, the surrounding areas and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Now canoeing this part of the world is accessible for nearly everyone.” Developers have been sniffing around the Ely area looking to develop new hotels and retail outlets to accommodate the influx of tourists.
“This might be the best thing to happen to Ely since our failed bid to secure the 2016 Summer Olympics,” said Ginny Nelson, President of the Ely Area Tourism Bureau, adding that with all the news about the Zika virus and construction delays in Rio, Olympic officials should be having strong regrets about turning down Ely’s innovative effort to win the Summer Games. “We invite anyone who’s interested in having a virus-free vacation this summer, especially pregnant women and Olympic athletes, to make plans to come to Ely – and take up canoeing,” Nelson added.
Ely, Minn., named “Coolest Small Town in America” by Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, several years ago, is less than four hours’ drive from the Twin Cities — but a world away. The gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is known for its miles and miles of pure, unspoiled, drone-free beauty, as well as its sense of humor (especially at this time of year). For more, visit www.ely.org, find us on Twitter and Instagram at #VisitElyMN or at Facebook/VisitElyMN
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