360PR Blog

Many brands have been leveraging social media as part of their communications strategy for several years now.  But our thinking about how to use social media has evolved tremendously, especially during the past 12 months.  And it’s not just the digital natives who get it.

The most senior-level marketers, with 20, 30, or more years in the business, see social media for its true potential – as a catalyst, more than a way to keep the conversation going.  Sure it’s that too, but the idea of putting social media first, ahead of other tried-and-true PR tools and strategies, is fairly new.

That changes everything – from how we think about solving a communications challenge to how we hire and staff a campaign.  For me, 2011 will be remembered as the year that social media went from a layer that gets added to a campaign – almost like frosting to a cake – to become a driving communications strategy, the means to the end.

Today a brainstorm starts with online communities.  We understand not just the power of fans, but how to effectively tap into them and how to measure.  This was evident in many of the high-caliber PRWeek award entries I helped judge earlier this month, and reinforced by an AYTM Marker Research study (December 2011) that found more consumers prefer to receive updates from brands via social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, instead of traditional media.

Importantly, social media is not a quick in-out strategy.  Deploy a video and, as Emeril says, BAM!  But a video does not a campaign make.  It can, however, be a compelling tool in a broader, integrated campaign.  And that’s what it’s really about, isn’t it?  The broader campaign platform and strategy:  from there, all else flows.  At 360, we think of it as our “full circle” approach.

But kicking off that campaign may not be your ‘typical’ big splash, physical event. More and more, social media comes first – with a reveal, some other special access, a video that gets passed, the simultaneous take-over of multiple channels, and more.  Heinz’s introduction of its new ketchup with balsamic vinegar is a great example of a brand leading with social media, in Heinz’s case tapping into its more than 800,000 Facebook fans to start the buzz about a new product.  We did something along those lines when revealing the new Disney Baby collection available at Target stores and fans responded enthusiastically, helping us spread the word.  There are countless success stories and more on the way.

What role will social media play for your brand in 2012?

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, PR Industry, Social Marketing, Social Media by LauraTomasetti - No Comments →

In 360PR’s 10th year, we are celebrating by sharing some of the things we’ve learned along the way in a “10 minutes with…” series featuring interviews with our practice leaders! Last time we chatted with the Account Director of our Parenting practice, Caroline Pierce.  Now we’ve sat down with Mike Rush, Account Director of our @Home practice, to learn more about him and some of the trends he has spotted!

Nesting has certainly been a pervasive trend the past several years.  What other trends are you leveraging for 360 clients in the home goods space?

Many of 360’s @Home clients are focusing on energy- and cost-savings, helping homeowners build the castle of their dreams while not breaking the bank.  Savings benefits are being communicated in a variety of ways — through tools such as online savings calculators, Facebook coupons and DIY tips.  As a team, we’ve been exploring consumers’ tertiary uses for home products, too, which can help create buzz – like running a humidifier to create white noise and a quieter sleeping environment (in addition to reaping all the other benefits of using a humidifier).

How much have eco-trends affected the home space?

It’s not just about recycling, ENERGY STAR, and eco-friendly packaging anymore.  After what seemed like a green-washing epidemic, there’s been a more meaningful discussion of tangible eco-benefits that hit close to home, like low-VOC paint.  Many 360PR @Home clients are turning to qualitative research to get to the root of eco-trends in their specific industry.  A recent survey Honeywell Air Purifiers, for example, found that only 1/3 of Americans have actually considered how indoor air can be affecting their health.  A scary thought given the EPA has found that VOC levels on average are 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors.

How have media responded?

HGTV, in particular, has groomed a new generation of home experts and stars.  There’s Mike Holmes from “Holmes on Homes,” David Bromstad from “Color Splash,” and Sabrina Soto from “Get It Sold,” who recently signed as a spokesperson for both Target and Claritin.  Magazine editors at the home magazines have also become the faces of the morning shows – Sarah Humphreys at Real Simple and Elizabeth Mayhew from House Beautiful are two of my favorites who both regularly appear on TODAY.

What are some of your go-to sources for the newest home products and home design trends?

Urban Daddy is my source for off-beat home design trends and products – just last week I was tempted to buy a Merriam Webster Dictionary hollowed out with a flask for whiskey inside and I don’t even like whiskey!  I’m also an avid reader of all the home magazines.  Suzanne Kasler and Thomas Paul are two of my favorite designers.  Top designers are teaming with retailers for exclusive lines – like Suzanne’s collection of furniture and accessories available through Ballard Designs.  And I love the style that Martha Stewart brings to The Home Depot (if you haven’t checked out HD’s upscale spin-off site HomeDecorators.com, you should).

What’s your newest can’t-live-without purchase at home?

Hands down it’s my Cuisinart Griddler. Prosciutto Jarlsberg paninis are the best on it and it’s a life-saver for grilling chicken!

Filed under: 10 Minutes With Our Practice Leaders, 360 Public Relations, Design, Media and Press by Admin - 1 Comment →

In 360PR’s 10th year, we are celebrating by sharing some of the things we’ve learned along the way in a “10 minutes with…” series featuring interviews with our practice leaders! Last time we chatted with SVP of our Healthy Living  practice, Victoria Renwick. Now we’ve sat down with Caroline Pierce, Account Director of our Parenting practice, to learn more about her and some of the trends she has spotted!

What were some of the hot topics buzzed about at this fall’s M2Moms conference?

What was really shocking to me is that only 4% of families fall into the U.S. Census definition of “traditional.”  Currently, 40% of all babies are born to single moms and nearly 2 Million children are being raised by same sex couples.  We no longer live in a world of 2.5 children and white picket fences.  These statistics are key for marketers when developing a plan to reach consumers.  It is important to consider all types of families.

You’re a relatively new mom – and a working mom to boot.  How should brands communicate with busy moms-on-the-go like you?

For me it is all about my iPhone!  I am always running around.  Sometimes by the time I sit at my desk in the morning I feel as though a full day has already passed!  At the end of the day when I get home the last thing I feel like doing is booting up my computer so it is important that brands have interfaces that I can view and interact with anywhere.  I also like the flexibility of viewing information on-the-go.  Sometimes the only time I have to myself is a few minutes in line at the grocery store or on my train ride to work!

 

What’s your favorite platform to communicate with other moms – Facebook, Twitter, texting, email?

For me it is all about Facebook.  Facebook allows me to communicate with my “friends” in a convenient and easy way.  I love getting comments on pictures I post of my family!  But beyond fellow moms, Facebook is my favorite way to communicate with brands.  Facebook brand pages are the prime way I receive information – from what’s new from a designers like Missoni or Versace to special offers from brands I “like.”.  I appreciate that I am able to control my level of interaction with brands on Facebook.  I can like a brand and their updates will show up in my newsfeed, I can visit brand pages, I can comment on brand posts or use an app.  And if a brand updates too much I ignore it.

Is there a dad factor, or are moms still responsible for doing it all?

There is definitely a dad factor in my house!  As a working mom, my husband and I are equally involved in decision making for our family – everything from choosing childcare to what toilet paper to buy!  It is definitely a team effort.  According to a recent survey shared at Marketing to Moms, 41% of moms report being the sole decision maker for their family purchases, but that means that 59% are not.  The traditional family roles are constantly evolving.  Dads are also taking to the blogosphere in record numbers. Dad blogs like The Busy Dad Blog and Frugal Dad have emerged as some of the top-read parenting blogs

Can you share one of your favorite campaigns aimed at parents – at 360 or otherwise?

Our Disney Baby client recently announced a partnership with the Million Moms Challenge, a movement aimed at raising awareness and money to support mothers in the developing world around issues that directly impact pregnancy, childbirth and children’s health.  This campaign really struck a chord with me.

The Million Moms Challenge campaign has virtually every element needed to mobilize moms including high-profile supporters, partners like Disney Baby, a contest with a fantastic prize – a trip to Australia for a photo shoot with renowned photographer Anne Geddes – national media reach through ABC News, and a very active social media presence on Twitter and Facebook.

Filed under: 10 Minutes With Our Practice Leaders, 360 Public Relations by EliciaBasoli - 2 Comments →

Some of the smartest minds in social media gathered recently at the Society of New Communications Research (SNCR) Symposium at Harvard for a discussion of the group’s latest research findings. This is my third year attending the event and it has been hugely interesting to see the progression of each of SNCR’s studies. A couple of trends really POPPED for me this year…

Surprisingly, corporations are still behind the curve with social media adoption. Nora Ganim Barnes (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth) found this in the Social Media Adoption Trends Among Inc. 500, Fortune 500, Higher Education and Charities study. While many of the world’s biggest brands have a presence on social media platforms, Fortune 500 and Inc. 500 companies are still behind Charities and Higher Education in their use of social media to communicate with stakeholders. The proof is in the pudding. Check this out:

What does this tell me? While many companies “get it”, there is still more work to do in educating consumer brands (our clients) on the value of social media in helping them to connect with their customers. With changing media consumption habits, the methods in which we communicate must also continue to evolve!

While corporations still have some catching up to do, media and journalists are using social media for their story-telling and reporting in a BIG way. In a separate session, Jen McClure and Don Middleberg presented the “3^rd Annual SNCR/Middleberg Survey of Media in the Wired World”. In this study, it was found that 90% of journalists say that their reliance on social media has increased significantly in the past year. 75% of journalists are using Facebook in generating content. 70% are using blogs. 69% are using Twitter. 54% are using online video. 53% are using Wikipedia. 31% use LinkedIn and 28% use citizen photos.

So, to those Fortune 500 / Inc. 500 corporations that have not yet adopted social media as a significant portion of their communications strategy, you might want to take another look at what the cool kids (i.e. influencers and journalists) are doing!

Thanks to SNCR for organizing yet another great Symposium, as well as for honoring 360PR’s work with the Ball brand National Can-It Forward Day campaign in the Excellence in New Communications Awards.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Boston, Digital PR, Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations, Social Marketing, Social Media by EliciaBasoli - 2 Comments →

In 360PR’s 10th year, we are celebrating by sharing some of the things we’ve learned along the way in a “10 minutes with…” series featuring interviews with our practice leaders! Last time we chatted with SVP of our Entertainment & Electronics practice, Stacey Clement. Now we’ve sat down  with Victoria Renwick, SVP of our Healthy Living practice, to learn more about her and some of the trends she has spotted over the past 10!

What are some of the trends you’re seeing in the Healthy Living practice?

One of the most significant trends we’re seeing is the stepped up role consumers are playing in educating and empowering themselves before they make a purchase.  So much is happening before the consumer gets to the grocery store or other store or considers an online purchase.  Yes, price is still a consideration, but there’s a lot more that factors into what we buy these days.  This presents an opportunity for brands to act as educators, resources and connectors, instead of marketers.

How important is it for brands to “go green”?

The term ‘green’ has been thrown around pretty freely.  Brands were calling themselves and their products ‘green’ or ‘natural’ and the public, for the most part, took that at face value.  Consumers are more cognizant of green washing now and are making brands more accountable for their claims. People are more aware of how to read labels and investigate the products they are bringing into their homes  – and certainly there are a proliferation of resources at consumers’ fingertips to help. I love the Environmental Working Group site – The Skin Deep section is especially eye opening and a great place to decode confusing labels for cosmetics and health & beauty. The Organic Trade Association is also a great resource consumers can turn to for the latest news on organics and legislation as well as practical tips.

Green business practices are no longer a ‘nice to have’ but an expectation. We expect companies to be conducting business in a way that is ethically sound, better for the environment and better for us as consumers. A broad spectrum of CPG companies and food manufacturers has sustainability plans and goals in place to quantifiably demonstrate how they will be greener in the coming years. It’s all a step in the right direction.

Are there any particularly memorable 360 moments that stick out in your mind?

The way 360PR has been a leader in the social media space stands out to me.  Being part of that evolution over the last three years has been really exciting.  360 was one of the first agencies to really get the mom blogger space. We started connecting bloggers and brands in high touch settings like our Blunch™ series. That was right around the time I started here.

We’ve worked on some really fun campaigns over the years too. Just recently we were teaching the country to can as part of National Can-It-Forward Day, a campaign we created for the Ball® brand. From grassroots to top-tier media, we really struck a chord with people looking to eat more fresh and local year round.

You spent a good part of your early career in the event-planning industry.  How important do you find events to be to your client work here at 360PR and for public relations in general?

Events are part of our 360 full-circle approach.  We’re an agency that does events and does them well.  Events offer brands a high-touch, relationship-building forum with consumers and consumer-influencers, and that’s important as part of an integrated strategy to engage consumers.    At 360, we always have something exciting on tap – whether it’s cooking in the Muppets’ Kitchen or solving the Rubik’s Cube on the National Mall!  It’s also important to keep the formula fresh – virtual events via Livestream & Facebook help us extend the reach of ROI of a client’s investment in a physical event.

As the head of 360PR’s healthy living practice, have you found that your client work has had a significant impact on your personal life?

Absolutely. I’m so lucky to be exposed to the type of clients we have and the resources and knowledge that comes with them.  We’re PR practitioners but we’re also consumers.  Keeping on top trends for clients, you can’t help but take what you learn and apply it to your personal life.

For example, we conducted a speaking tour recently with food activist Robyn O’Brien on behalf of our Stonyfield Farm client. Robin’s a mom of four who compiled a staggering amount of information about our broken food system. As a new mom, I was a sponge, soaking up everything she had to offer.  I’ve bought her book, The Unhealthy Truth, for everyone of my friends who is a mother. It’s just too important not to share!

We also work with PBS KIDS.  When my son is ready to start watching TV or go online, I feel lucky to know what to look for when it comes to healthy, educational media. And as a busy mom, I really do rely on our clients’ services to make like easier. I use Peapod for grocery delivery every week (it’s a lifesaver!) and I do my family’s meal planning through Allrecipes.com.   This summer I planted a (small!) garden, started composting (it’s surprisingly easy!) and joined a CSA too – all things I probably wouldn’t have tried previous to heading the Healthy Living practice.

Filed under: 10 Minutes With Our Practice Leaders, 360 Public Relations, Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, Food Industry, Green Marketing, Marketing to Moms, PR Industry by EliciaBasoli - 5 Comments →

Check out the top trends from Natural Products Expo East courtesy of Lindsay Durr, member of the 360PR Healthy Living Practice.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Events and Conferences, Food & Beverage PR, Food Industry by EliciaBasoli - 1 Comment →

In 360PR’s 10th year, we are celebrating by sharing some of the things we’ve learned along the way in a “10 minutes with…” series featuring interviews with our practice leaders! Last time we chatted with Managing Director, Laura Tomasetti. This time around we sat down with Stacey Clement, SVP of our Entertainment & Electronics practice, to learn more about her and some of the trends she has spotted over the past 10!

Tell us a little about how you got started in PR.

I majored in PR in college and have always worked in the PR industry.  I’ve held positions both agencies and in-house.  I started my career working for two New York-area agencies (Rubenstein and LitzkyPR) before moving to MS&L/Boston and then in-house as a PR Manager at Atari before joining 360PR.

What motivated you to get into PR?

An economics class in college!  I started out as a business major and, after taking economics and accounting courses, I quickly determined that wasn’t for me.  My parents had suggested considering PR as a career path, thinking it might be a good fit for my personality, and some of their friends had said the same thing.  I took one PR course, and as they say, the rest is history!

You’ve worked at 360PR for a while.  What changes have you seen and what are some of the highlights?

I’ve been at 360 for just over six years now and the PR industry has changed significantly with the emergence of social media, and in turn, has changed the way we do business.  And not only has it changed how we do business but also the speed at which we communicate and the open, one-on-one interaction and dialogue that can now take place between brands and consumers. Highlights include the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with, big new business wins (and great clients as a result!) and our annual agency summer outings and holiday parties, of course!

What are the biggest changes you have seen over your time in the video game PR industry?  What hasn’t changed?

No more parties in Cabo San Lucas (ha!).  When I worked at Atari a number of years ago, all of the big video game publishers flew editors around the world to preview their new line-ups and those events lasted for several days.  These days, you see great parties held on a smaller scale, and they’re usually tied to industry events. But some things haven’t changed – many of the media who were covering the industry are still in the business today (though they may have moved around) and long-running relationships are crucial in this business and life, in general.

What are some of the trends you’re seeing in the broader electronics industry?

Consumers and media are looking for the latest and greatest products now more than ever. Getting product samples into the hands of key influencers as early as possible is really crucial to getting that big feature at launch. We’ve also had success working with industry associations for clients like Jabra and Oregon Scientific – getting product samples to their spokespeople early on so they have them on-hand when media approach them about trends or what’s hot.

Did you always imagine your office would include a sword or other medieval weaponry?

No, never! Especially since I was never into fantasy or science fiction growing up!  But I love it – the properties, the games and all the eclectic “artifacts” that remind me of some amazing launches over the years.  If you (dare) walk into my office, you’ll find everything from a 20-sided die to an Elvis bust which doubles as an iPhone speaker and a Rosie O’Donnell Koosh slingshot!

Filed under: 10 Minutes With Our Practice Leaders, 360 Public Relations by EliciaBasoli - 5 Comments →

Last week, the 360PR Book Club met to discuss our summer read, Onward by Howard Schultz.  Schultz is Starbucks’ CEO and Onward chronicles the coffee behemoth’s journey from 2007-2010.

As big as Starbucks has grown (and one of the challenges Schultz and his management team has had to grapple with, especially as the economy hit a wall and some consumers pulled back on that $3 cup of coffee), Starbucks’ entrepreneurial spirit comes through loud and clear in this candid, behind-the-scenes look at high-profile launches like Via, Clover and Pike’s Place, the latter two signaling a return to Starbucks’ coffee roots.

Schultz writes about Starbucks’ falters with just as much ease as he discusses its success, from the unsuccessful introduction of Sorbetto, Starbucks’ version of sorbet, to the launch of MyStarbucksIdea.com, a lively online community for Starbucks customers.

This is a book for true brand-lovers – whether you’re a loyal Starbucks customer or not.  Schultz dives in deep and discusses Starbucks’ brand essence, which centers on pouring the perfect shot of espresso and delivering a complete coffee sensory experience, from sounds to smells to, of course, taste.

But, perhaps the most important take-away is that Starbucks is not first and foremost a coffee company.  “It is a people company that serves coffee,” as Schultz writes.

To Schultz, Starbucks is more than a career or a company.  It’s family – from hand-written letters to partners (employees), meetings with executives held at his home, and his goal of “putting the customer at the center of everything” Starbucks does.

We give Onward a collective two thumbs up.  Are you a coffee drinker?  Are you loyal to a particular brew?  Let us know in the comments!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Books by SkyeMcIntyre - 1 Comment →

Time flies when you’re having fun!  It’s been 10 years since 360 launched.  So, in the spirit of celebrating the past 10 years – and with an eye to the next 10 – we’ll be sharing some of the things we’ve learned along the way.  Be sure to check our 10^th site for a look at some of our favorite campaigns, 10 trends to watch, and a “Faces of 360” employee spotlight.  Here on our blog, we’re launching our “10 Minutes with…” series, which will feature interviews with our practice leaders.  First up is 360PR Founder Laura Tomasetti!

If you had to choose one trait that a successful PR practitioner  absolutely has to employ, what would it be?

It’s hard to choose just one, because PR requires so many skills and qualities. The best PR people can do a lot of things well – create, communicate, listen, analyze.  One trait I’ve seen in the youngest and the most seasoned PR professionals is that ‘fire in the belly.’  PR is hard.  It takes a real commitment, focus, authenticity and energy every day to produce the desired results.

At what point in your career did you know you wanted to start your own business?  What were your motivations and goals?

I had always worked in larger organizations and thought of myself as a “big company” person.  But when it got down to it, what I really enjoyed was the work – the size of the organization didn’t matter, it was more about the quality of the client, the brand, the campaign.  Our very first client was Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro, and the agency grew from there.  The goal from the start was pretty simple – do great work for great brands.  Everything else came out of that singular goal – attracting and getting to work with great people, for example.  And it still does.

Do you think it’s feasible for a PR firm to exist solely virtually in 2011?  If not,  do you think “the office” will ever be obsolete?

There are several virtual agencies that have been quite successful.  However, from my perspective at 360, our most valuable thinking and best results come from the dynamic and often unpredictable interchange you get in-person.  Technology has yet to replace that, though tools like IM and Skype are pretty cool and should be part of the day-to-day.  The creative process will always be #1 in our business and we’re most creative when we’re together, collaborating and building on each other’s ideas.  Plus that’s more fun.

Is there any particular trend or innovation from the past 10 years that has fundamentally changed the field of public relations?

That’s an easy but important one – social media and, as part of that, brands’ and organizations’ ability to talk directly with their audience and receive instant feedback – and to be able to adjust and amplify just as quickly.  It’s really an amazing time to be in PR.  There are so many more places to go with your story in so many different ways – to be able to really target specific communities and, at the same time, to be able to go mass.  The audience, and what they will do with a story or a thread of a story, is paramount.  How do we tap into that?  We must constantly ask and challenge ourselves with that question.

In what ways do you think that PR has really set itself apart from other marketing functions in recent years?  What do we “get” that others may not?

It’s not so much what we get as what we do – fuel the conversation in ways that are authentic and credible.  That’s worth so much more than paid media.  Another thing we do well is to see and set the broader communications strategy.  The idea of connecting the dots between all media and all stakeholders is really what we at 360 set out to do 10 years ago and that full circle, integrated approach is even more relevant today.

What do you think will be the driving trend in PR for the next 10 years?

That’s a hard one to call.  In the past few years, authenticity and transparency have been pervasive communications themes and I believe they’ll continue to be the guiding principles of everything we do in PR.  Functionally, I think you’re going to see audiences become more channel agnostic.  They may not know if they saw something on Twitter or YouTube or Facebook, but they’ll most likely have seen and shared the news, the recommendation, the video via their mobile device – at least for the next few years.  In terms of the content that compels the audience, I think it will be less about celebrity and more about the user – hyper-local, hyper-personal, truly relevant and useful to the consumer’s day to day routine and world.  And all of that will be highly measureable.  We’re already making great strides in understanding and proving PR’s value.  Certainly the ability to benchmark and track social media campaigns – with volume, engagement and sentiment metrics – has helped, and the PR industry is focused on developing standards that will extend across media and campaigns.

Filed under: 10 Minutes With Our Practice Leaders, 360 Public Relations, Digital PR, PR Industry by EliciaBasoli - 8 Comments →

By Caitlin McNamara

The JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Series is a 12-city, six-country, five-continent road race, making it the largest road race series in the world. The Corporate Challenge provides an evening of healthy competition, camaraderie and teamwork for local companies to get to know all of their employees. This year, the Corporate Challenge continued its success with a projected number of 250,000 participants.

360PR was lucky to be involved in the race series by taking the communications lead in Chicago (May 26), Boston (June 2) and New York (June 15 and June 16). In addition to focusing on JPMorgan Chase, the bank, we also worked with companies that participated including Caterpillar and Molex (Chicago), Dassault Systemes and Fidelity (Boston), as well as Coach and Johnson & Johnson (New York). Learning about the individual runners and the companies as a whole, we were able to fine tune our pitches leading to national and regional coverage with Banker & Tradesmen, Mass High Tech, the WSJ Dealbreaker Blog and many more.

Each year, companies from all different industries participate in this 12-city road race series – ranging from Tassimo, to WebMD, to Bloomingdales. In Boston, the 360PR crew took part in the 3.5 mile race around the Boston Common. And, while we didn’t win the race, we’re proud to say that 360PR made it to the top 10 in the Boston  t-shirt contest this year!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Boston, Cause-Related, Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations by Admin - No Comments →

‘Tis the season for  awards in the public relations industry! The 360PR crew attended  The Publicity Club of New England’s Bell Ringer Awards last night. Our teams and client campaigns were nominated in multiple categories and we walked away with 2 Gold bells for Dorel Juvenile Group and Ball in the “Event Series” category, as well as a Silver and Bronze bell for the You Can Do the Rubik’s Cube program for Seven Towns in the “Marketing Communications Campaign” & “National TV Placement” categories. We also recieved a Merit for Snuggie in the “National Print Placement” category. What a great night!

Check out our Facebook page for more photos!

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After almost 7 years of being a part of the 360PR team, I can tell you first hand that 360 is a great place to work and thrive! We are honored to be a part of The Holmes Report’s list of the 30 Best Agencies to Work for in 2011!

And, we’re always on the lookout for talented and passionate PR professionals to join our team! For more info, visit www.360publicrelations.com.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, PR Industry by EliciaBasoli - No Comments →

This was a week for the books!

The 360 crew headed down to NYC for The Holmes Report’s annual SABRE Awards dinner on Tuesday night. Cipriani was buzzing with all of the industry’s biggest and longtime players. Our own Stacey Clement shared the stage with Harold Burson. And Ray Day from Ford was among those honored for individual achievement.

As the world’s largest PR awards competition, we are extremely proud to have walked away with the honor of being named “Boutique Agency of the Year.” It was truly a special moment….and we’ve all been soaking it in!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Industry Organizations, PR Industry by EliciaBasoli - No Comments →

By Kerry Murphy

Last week’s Sandbox Summit at MIT left us thinking a lot about play. The power of play. The necessity of play. And most of all how we could incorporate play more into the way we do business here at 360.

When we talk about play, it is not just about games. It’s about the way we think and the way we interact. It is about effective communications and public relations in a multimedia, fast paced world. About flexibility, being nimble, knowing your next move, and enjoying it all along the way.

That’s play, right?

We liked how in the same day, at the same conference, play was talked about as something that can improve the future of our national education system (as Diana Rhoten from Startl told us) but also help to stimulate million dollar business ideas and strategies (Brendan Boyle and Duane Bray from Ideo).

What do you think? How do you think the power of play can best be harnessed?

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We are excited to announce that 360PR has been named “Boutique Agency of the Year” by The Holmes Report! What a great way to celebrate our 10th anniversary – we’ll be out in full force at the SABRE Award ceremony to toast to 10 more great years!

“…there’s no doubt that the past few years have seen the Boston-based firm establish itself as a formidable national player in the consumer arena, with strong capabilities in parenting and home products, entertainment and electronics, publishing and social media, and healthy living.”

Filed under: 360 Public Relations by EliciaBasoli - 4 Comments →