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We had nearly 100% turn-out for last night’s J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge, which marked the event’s 25th anniversary in Boston and, most important, the third running of the event for 360.  Half the group ran and the other half (me included) walked the 5K loop between Boston Common and Back Bay.

Events like this are all about team spirit from my perspective, especially since none of us broke any records last night (unlike the race winner who ran the three-mile course in under 15 minutes).  We ran, we walked, we talked and laughed a LOT during the race and at the after-party at Clery’s.  It’s great when team-building comes naturally and doesn’t have to be “packaged” in a formal seminar or training session.  Sure, there are times when every organization needs to do that, but it’s nice when the team-building comes easy and you’re reminded how much you like the people you work with every day.

You can read the race results and highlights here.   My congrats to old pal and Agnew Carter alum Alan Tieuli for some terrific race coverage!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Boston by LauraTomasetti - No Comments →

It was 360’s turn to host the bi-monthly meeting of our Converge agency network this month.  The regular meeting of the Converge member firm partners coincided with a Converge Digital professional development session, which we also hosted.  The meetings brought partners and digital staff from the Converge member firms from across the US to Boston, including:  Carmichael Lynch Spong, Duffey Communications, M Booth, rbb Public Relations, The Rogers Group and Vollmer Public Relations.

Our new DC member firm, Harbour Group, was also represented by partner Richard Mintz, who served as press secretary for Sen. Clinton when she was in the White House during her husband’s presidency.  Harbour Group is a great addition to Converge, giving us a strong, plugged-in public affairs presence in Washington for clients who need it. [Read more →]

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Digital PR, Events and Conferences, PR Industry by LauraTomasetti - 3 Comments →

Summer starts late in Boston but one sure sign it has arrived is the opening of our local farmers’ markets. 360PR’s office is just a few steps from a small but wonderful little farmers’ market in Copley Square that just reopened for the season.

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Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Boston, Food Industry, Green Marketing by CarrieKocik - No Comments →

This past April, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported that U.S. newspaper circulations fell significantly again with the exception of the largest two big-league players, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal, which were up just half a percentage point.

Although this news isn’t all too shocking considering newspaper circulation has been on a declining trend since the 1980s, the societal implications are significant. The obvious implication is that we’re becoming an increasingly mobile, web-based culture.  But it’s not that we’re digesting news, information, and entertainment online that is earth-shattering.

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Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Internet, Media and Press, Uncategorized by MikeRush - No Comments →

I had the pleasure of joining a team of mompreneurs, editors and bloggers at last week’s Detours & OnRamps Conference, created by Meghan McCartan to help moms in career transition. It was the second such forum, following a successful launch event in New Jersey last fall. According to the US Bureau of Labor, more than 70 percent of women with children under 18 work outside of the home. That’s approximately 24 million moms trying to balance family needs with the responsibility of working part- or full-time.

HybridMom Publisher Meryl Otis Kessler moderated the “entrepreneur” panel I participated in, and I got to meet Christine Koh, founder of Boston Mamas and Posh Peacock, a gorgeous new line of stationery and invitations. Christine has more degrees than anyone I’ve met in Boston and in this university town, that’s saying something. She’s an accomplished musician and, of course, a proud mother. Amid all this, she finds time to post twice daily about resources and events for families living in and around Boston. She talked about the importance of finding a niche when starting a business - in her case focusing on Boston happenings rather than trying to be all things to all families everywhere. She said the strategy has helped her attract advertisers.

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Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Blogger Relations, Events and Conferences, Parenting by LauraTomasetti - No Comments →

We caught another case of spring fever here at 360. We had it bad in 2007. So bad, that we actually planned a special shin-dig to where those suffering from the symptoms could get some relief. What is this miracle cure you ask? Well, it is the 360PR Spring Fling, of course!

360 staff and a variety of our local clients and partners came out last night for our 2nd Annual Spring Fling at 28 Degrees in the South End - just a few blocks from our office. It was a blast to see some old friends and meet some new ones as well. Plus, we lucked out with the weather - the rain held off, so we spent the evening out on the patio.

Click here to check out a Flickr slideshow of photos!

Thanks to everyone who came.  Hope to see you next year!

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

Let’s face it. The business world needs interns.

And I’m not just saying that because I was one once (actually three times). As May and graduations approach, it brings me back to all those summers scrambling to get my resume into pristine shape, picking up my suits from the cleaners and hunting for an internship.

But enough reminiscing. Let’s get to the “here and now”. As the seasons change, so often do the faces of interns looking to gain valuable experience outside of the classroom. Here at 360, we recently bid farewell to a rock star group of spring interns, and are now gearing up for the summer talent to arrive (coping with the lack of interns in between semesters can be rough – but we persevere).

The ROI in interns for 360, and any company for that matter, is clear. Media lists get built and perfected, mailers are shipped, event details are buttoned down, all with the help of interns. But what about the interns’ experience? Was it worth giving up hours that could have been spent doing homework, enjoying the college experience with friends, or simply taking a break from papers and exams? According to a Recent Survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the answer is yes. In 2007, nearly 36 percent of new college graduates were hired by the companies where they previously interned.

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

This is my first official post on the 360 blog and I’ve decided to tackle a hot topic …industry awards! Is it just me or does anyone else feel a mini panic attack coming on when the first Call for Entries is announced? We all dream of plaques and speeches (”I’d like to thank the Academy, my mother and the tech guys who fixed that pesky spam issue…”). Then reality sets in. Wait a minute, who’s going to write these? And, perhaps most important, who the heck is going to compile the binder? Is the first aid kit stocked with Tums? It’s no secret that award submissions take a lot of work. But there’s a great sense of accomplishment when all is said and done. While it’s not my all-time favorite activity, awards are an important vehicle for raising the bar and recognizing best practices in the PR industry.

[Read more →]

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

Welcome to the 360 Days Blog! It took a trip to BlogHer Business to light a fire under our collective 360PR tails and finally get our blog up! Not that we haven’t been thinking about blogging for a while now. I personally struggled with the decision though. #1: It didn’t seem to fit our “team” style to have a traditional blog, with one (my) voice. But we solved that, with a team of contributors. #2: Does the world really need another PR blog? There are already some good ones (such as the PR Week editors’ blog).

In the end, given that our many clients and other friends of 360 are spread across the country and we’re all spending so much time online, it made a lot of sense to have a place where we can connect with you, beyond the emails, IM and conference calls. We’ll be sharing PR best (and yes, worst) practices, as well as industry and other events we hope you’ll find of interest. Speaking of which…

This week, Carrie, Elicia and I are in New York at BlogHer Business, where no doubt Johnson & Johnson’s Camp Baby, or as it’s being dubbed in blogging circles “Baby Gate,” will be a hot topic (there’s a good synopsis here about bloggers who were invited, uninvited). 360 is sponsoring the Social Media Outreach session with speakers from Method, General Motors, Graco, Microsoft and HP. It should be great – we’ll blog about key learnings on 360 Days later this week!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Blogger Relations by LauraTomasetti - No Comments →