The Next Generation

Tonight! December 14th, don’t miss the last mixer of the year!! Also new board positions are open!

PRSA LA YP — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:06:31 +0000

Hello Everybody!

This has been a great year, tonight come join us as we are holding our final mixer of 2011. Come mingle, network, meet those in the PR, marketing and communications fields and enjoy some free appetizers with the young professionals of PRSA-LA.

The cost to attend the mixer tonight is FREE for everyone!

As the 2011 year is coming to an end we will be having board positions for the 2012 LA Young Professionals Board opening up and would love to see anyone who is interested in joining and holding a position come and apply or learn more about it!

Where: Barney’s Beanery in Santa Monica (upstairs)

1351 3rd St. Promenade
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Time: 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM, Wednesday, December 14th 2011

Cost: FREE!

Surviving the PR Zombie Apocalypse

PRSA LA YP — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:59:13 +0000

As the PRSA Young Professionals group, we are committed to putting you all in touch with the best resources possible. In the spirit of Halloween, “The PR Coach” has put together 13 signs that you’re a PR zombie. Take a look.

Bad PR: 13 Signs You’re a PR Zombie

Are PR pros in danger of becoming PR zombies? We may have reached a tipping point caused by Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome. Seriously.

I’m no longer surprised by others attacking the PR zombies among us. Just look at The Economist, the Bad Pitch Blog and any recent examples of airhead public relations, Bad PR, PR Fails and social media snafus.

Here are 13 sure signs you’re a PR zombie suffering from this contagion:

Your news releases are vapid, coma-inducing, Dead Sea scrolls.
Your blog posts reek with deadly slang, buzzwords and marketing-speak.
Your spray and pray media pitches have caused reporters to run in every direction, slamming doors, screaming in fear, hanging up the phone and deleting your semi-literate e-mails faster than Lindsay Lohan’s fingers in a jewelry store. (more)

Facebook Frustration

PRSA LA YP — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:52:40 +0000

Former PRSA-LA YP Communications Chair Dale Legaspi left the LA area last year to continue his complete geekification and work in the tech practice area at a San Francisco Bay Area agency, where he assumed the role of agency grumpy blogger. Here’s his take on the new ~~and improved~~ Facebook. Give it a read and leave us a comment to let us know what you think.

Facebook’s Latest Face Plant

By Dale Legaspi

People are unhappy about some changes Facebook has rolled out. In other news, the sun rises in the east, the weather is cold in the winter and most of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.

Also, people are resistant to change. I’m usually all about ranting at big companies in my posts, but I think Facebook is only part of the problem here. “I hate the new Facebook” is not good feedback. Clearly, there is no guarantee that Facebook cares or will change anything, but at least give a specific example of something that is actionable. Here’s my attempt.

The first and most obvious issue I see is that Facebook stayed true to form by doing an absolutely abysmal job rolling these new features out and explaining them to users. A little blue triangle and a bubble popping up when I scroll over it is not helpful in telling me what is going on and why my homepage was overhauled. I didn’t know any of it was coming. At least give me some sort of heads up.

Speaking of the homepage, Facebook will now feed you the “top” stories since your last visit. Similar to when the newsfeed was announced, people are up in arms about this feature. What constitutes a top story? What if I haven’t talked to the person featured in years? Shame on me, apparently. Guess I should do some pruning on my “friends” list.

Directly to the right of that is the new ticker. The only reason I know it is called the ticker is because I asked a friend of mine who works at Facebook. It feeds me more irrelevant facts, but it does it in real time, so I can be thoroughly annoyed on a constant basis.

There are a number of other features that are either annoying or just outright invasive, but this is a blog—not a novel. However, we would love to see more of your thoughts on the worst new features of Facebook.

Apply for the 2011 Trevett Award Now!

PRSA LA YP — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:13:09 +0000

Each year, the Young Professionals (YP) section of PRSA-LA honors two outstanding Young Professionals from the greater Los Angeles area

Background
The award was established to honor the memory of Tom Trevett, APR, a tireless worker for the advancement of the profession. A co-founder of the Los Angeles Chapter’s Young Professionals Section – the first in the nation – Tom also served on PRSA’s National Young Professionals Task Force, advising PRSA on national programs to reach out to young professionals. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Chapter and chaired numerous committees during the course of his career. A graduate of Pepperdine University , Tom was accredited by the Society in 1988 at the age of 26, and was a firm believer in the value of the accreditation process.

Tom was one of the many thousands of brilliant young individuals felled at an early age by the AIDS epidemic. Before his death in 1991 at the age of 29, he asked that the cause of his death not be withheld in the hope that even after his passing he could contribute to our understanding of the impact of this disease on society.
Tom is fondly remembered by members of the public relations community. In 2006, Hill & Knowlton, Forward Communications, GolinHarris, Blaze and Ketchum, together offered a $1,000 prize to that year’s first-place recipient and $500 to the second-place recipient.

Eligibility
All young professionals in the greater Los Angeles area who are employed full-time in public relations, have no more than five years of full-time experience and are in good standing with PRSA-LA are eligible to apply for the award.

Click here for the award entry form.

Robert Tate

Trevett Award Board Liaison

E-mail: robert.tate@painepr.com

Join Our Mentorship Program!

PRSA LA YP — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:05:19 +0000

Public Relations Society of America-L.A. Young Professionals

Mentorship Program

PRSA-LA’s Young Professionals group is excited to announce the YP Mentorship Program! This free program provides a fantastic opportunity for public relations students and those who are just starting a career in public relations to seek a mentor, as well as for current professionals of all experience levels to share what they’ve learned with a mentee.

Mentors and mentees will be matched, to the best of our abilities, according to their interests and experience within the public relations industry. Professionals with five years experience or more will mentor Young Professional who have 2 years of experience or less. Young Professional will mentor current College student or recent grads with no or little experience. YP looks to connect mentees with public relations practitioners who are eager to provide professional development tips and tools by bringing tangible skills and expertise to the relationship. Mentoring allows both parties the opportunity to expand their perspectives and build a larger network of industry contacts. By completing and submitting the form, the mentor/mentee agrees to:

Mentor Requirements

Orientation Meeting and Social Event-Introductions
Communicate frequently with mentee, which may include telephone calls, emails, or face-to-face meetings.
Share experiences and give honest feedback.
Commit to being a mentor from the date of the pairing unless you leave the PR field.
Coordinate a job shadow day.
Career Development: This may include help with resume, job searching tools, etc.
Attend Mentorship Meetings: Every two months.
Final Program Meeting/Cocktail Party and Evaluation
Submit an end-of-the-year report when the formal mentor ends that will provide feedback on how the year went or any suggestions for improvement.

Mentors: If interested, please send your contact information to Dillon Bianchi at dillonbianchi@gmail.com

Mentee Requirements

Attend the orientation meeting/social event where mentors and mentees will be introduced

Be an active member of PRSA-LA YP and must attend at least four events in 2011.
Show a commitment to PRSAY-LA YP by having attended at least one event prior to being assigned a mentor.
Contact your mentor at least once a month.
Define goals for what you would like to accomplish through this mentorship.
Continue the mentorship for three months from the date of the pairing, unless you leave the public relations field.
Attend the final program meeting, which will include a cocktail party and evaluation of both the mentor and mentee.
Submit an end-of-the-year report when the formal mentorship ends that will provide feedback on how the year went or any suggestions for improvement.

Mentees: If interested, please send your contact information to Maria Rios at mrios815@yahoo.com.

IMPORTANT: You may be a mentor and mentee at the same time. Please submit an application for both a mentor and mentee.

Don’t Miss the Entertainment and Sports Panel at Dodger Stadium Wednesday the 14th!

PRSA LA YP — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:45:04 +0000

This will be a fantastic event not to be missed!

Come out this coming Wednesday to the great Dodger Stadium and join us at our Entertainment and Sports panel where you will gain valuable insight into the world of sports and entertainment public relations by our esteemed panel of speakers as well as network with Public Relations professionals and peers in the industry!

We have an amazing panel of speakers who will share their invaluable experiences and advice they’ve learned in their many years of professional entertainment and sports public relations and communications practices. Among the speakers there will be Josh Rawitch, Vice President of Communications at the Los Angeles Dodgers, Rita Tateel, President at the Celebrity Source, and Ana Martinez, Vice President of Media Relations at the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

This is an educational event that is relevant to both entry and mid-level PR and communication practitioners, anybody interested in the entertainment or sports industry and those seeking to further their knowledge in PR, communications, sports or entertainment. We want to help you further your career and knowledge! Hope to see you there!

Date:

September 14th, 2011

Time:

7:00 – 9:00 pm

Location:

Dodger Stadium,

1000 Elysian Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Cost: $10 for PRSA/PRSSA members and $20 for non-members/guests. (Please note new cost for non-members.)

Social Media Community Management Internship

PRSA LA YP — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:36:31 +0000

We’re changing the game in marketing and looking for talented people to help!

Uptown Treehouse is a cutting edge full service marketing agency that is revolutionizing the space through technology and social media. We are currently searching for Community Manager candidates who will be responsible for managing our clients’ social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere. This person should have an interest in using social media as a tool that provides value to businesses and brands. Whether you’re developing an innovative editorial calendar to evangelize a new product launch, or building strategic relationships to drive brand advocacy, you will be exposed to the key drivers and fundamental values that make Uptown Treehouse a leading agency in the communications industry.

Your key day-to-day responsibilities will include:

Listening to pertinent conversations and news relevant to the clients’ audience.
Create and maintain content calendars including writing Facebook posts, Tweets and blog posts.
Respond to comments and mentions to add value to the user’s experience while driving client goals.

This is full-time paid internship that will last for three months and lead to a more permanent position if you make the cut. If you are still in school but graduating soon, shoot us a note and we’ll try and make something work if it’s a good fit.

Here’s why you’ll like us:

We’re small enough that you’ll make a huge difference.
We’ll empower you to work directly with clients.
We’re hiring you to make a good practice even better through trying new things.
We’ll keep you challenged and constantly learning.
The best communications plan wins. We run on data, not politics.
We don’t have bureaucracy, middle managers or pointless meetings.

Here’s why we’ll like you:

You love social media and utilize technology to reveal your unique voice.
You thrive when given independence but are also a great team player.
You are calm under pressure and step up to big challenges.
No detail is worth looking past and going above and beyond is your status quo.
You don’t think in terms of 9:00 to 5:00 instead you’re constantly connected while on the go.
You’re always one step ahead and can connect the dots when thinking about a project.
Your talent is limitless and you’re brimming with creativity.

Is this you? We know you’re rare and are probably thinking about other interesting opportunities so we don’t want to waste your time and know your resume isn’t going to do your talent justice. If you’re interested in changing the world with us then tell us a bit more about yourself in an email to our Director of Social Marketing: dillon@uptowntreehouse.com and be sure to Tweet to us.

Sample Tweet: “Just applied for the #UptownTreehouse Social Media Management Internship! @DillonBianchi @aseemb”

More about Uptown Treehouse

We’re a one year old start-up based in the Los Angeles area with an incredibly smart, dedicated team of people who get things done. We love being on the cutting edge and are helping to push forward an incredible paradigm shift happening in the marketing industry. We’re small enough to be interesting but big enough to have worked with some great national brands like popular television shows and large corporations such as Microsoft. Our clients have high standards and we love beating their expectations! Take a look at our blog to learn even more: blog.uptowntreehouse.com

Don’t Miss the PRSA LA Young Professionals Technology PR Panel!

PRSA LA YP — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:04:42 +0000

Are you interested in technology and enjoy public relations? Does the idea of technology and innovation excite you? Then join us on May 18, 2011 to hear from a panel of public relations professionals in the technology space!

Speakers:

Aseem Badshah, President and Founder at Uptown Treehouse, LLC
Jenna Britton, PR Associate at SparkPR
Matt Safaii, Director of Reputation Management at Promoting Group

Topics Include:

Advice on starting and sustaining a business in Tech PR
An in-depth look at Tech PR and the everyday tasks
A detailed explanation of what it’s like working with Tech PR clients

Time:

Networking begins at 6:30 p.m.

Panel begins at 7:00 p.m.

Location:

The Roosevelt

660 S. Figueroa Street

Los Angeles, CA 90017

Food will be provided!

Cost: $10 for PRSA/PRSSA members and $20 for non-members/guests. (Please note new cost for non-members.)

To RSVP Please email prsala@aol.com

PR tips – How and how not to handle a scandal

PRSA LA YP — Wed, 11 May 2011 19:37:30 +0000

In PR, when a scandal occurs it is always beneficial as to the outcome for the company/brand/person etc. to immediately be honest, forthwright and issue a statement apologizing or making the issue clearer as to what really happened. If the press release or statement comes off as blurry, evasive or unclear it is extremely detrimental to the company/brand/person etc. Here is an example of a bad way to handle a scandal:

Dress Scandal Latest: Oscar De La Renta Sues Nadia Buari’s PR Company!

Ghanaian actress, Nadia Buari has been dropped by her US based PR firm, JMG MEDIA RELATIONS. A few weeks ago, new stories emerged online claiming that the Actress, Nadia Buari lied about the gown she wore to the Pan African Film Festival in February 2011. The Press release issued by the PR Firm credited Oscar De La Renta as the designer. It turned out that Oscar De La Renta denied ever making the Dress and contacted the management company to sue. The management company quickly issued a press statement washing their hands off nadia and her supoosed 10k USD dress..This is the press releasewhich caught the attention of the oscar group-”Febuary 18,2011 – Los Angeles, California – Ghana’s Lead Actress, Nadia Buari attended the opening night Gala for the 19th Annual Pan African Film Festival held at the Culver Plaza Theatre in Los Angeles California. The Award winning actress famous for her role in the African Blockbuster Movie, Beyonce: The Presidents Daughter adorned the PAFF Red carpet in a Black Oscar De La Renta gown”

Contact was made with Joy Onyeukwu CEO of JMG a leading Consultant for African Celebrity clients, Events and Products. She is well known for her expertise in Celebrity Public relatons, within the realm of modern African Media. We asked her the following questions and below are her responses:

Q: Investigative reports posted on a Ghanaian blog revealed that Oscar De La Renta denied ever making the Black Dress quoted in a Press Release issued by JMG MEDIA RELATIONS. A few weeks later, your company issued a letter announcing the “Withdrawal of Media representation” for Ghanaian actress, Nadia Buari. Did the fake Oscar De La Renta dress claim have anything to do with this?

A: In relation to the Oscar De La Renta Company, I am limited to the information I can divulge publicly. Our decision to part ways with Ms.Buari was based on a mutual understanding. We wish her the best in her career endeavours.

Q: Prior to this Oscar De La Renta scandal, it is rumoured that, there had been exisiting conflict between your P.R Firm and Nadia Buari’s mother who is also her manager.

A: Not to my knowledge. We dealt solely with Ms. Buari..

Q: There are reports that she blamed your firm for not ensuring her daughter, Nadia’s career profile outshined that of Omotola Jalade Ekeinde’s which was submitted to PAFF for the Roundtable discussion.

A: Not exactly. It was just a minor misunderstanding A Manager is expected to look out for their Client’s best interest. Ms.Buari had quite an impressive profile as well. On the other hand, Mrs.Ekeinde’s Bio was submitted by her Management – Bishop Entertainment Consult. JMG only assisted with the Media Distribution to the African Press and provided pictures of both Actresses to accompany the Press Release.

Q: You had a personal relationship with Nadia Buari
before she became your Client. When you realized she lied about the Dress, why couldn’t you protect her instead of dropping her like hot coal?

A: Nadia is like a sister to me and I would do anything to protect her. Nothing justifies the name-calling she’s received in the recent past. As humans,we are bound to make mistakes.

Q: You are well known for playing an instrumental role in the early days of Nollywood actress, Ini Edo. Your Company also handles Media Relations for the Ex-Miss World, Agbani Darego, Ghanaian Actor, John Dumelo, Super Eagles midfielder, Sani Kaita, the Legendary Mike Okri amongst others. Till date, there has been no public scandal with your Company involved. Do you think it was a mistake to have Nadia Buari as a client?

A: Not at all. For the record, I enjoyed a very pleasant working relationship.It saddens me that our relationship has come to this Every experience is an opportunity to learn. No matter how bad the situation may look, I don’t regret ever representing her. She has a wonderful personality and I hope that soon enough, every wrong impression of her in the Media will be corrected.

A: Can you correct the impression we have on her Romantic relationship with congo singer Fally Ipupa? there are first hand reports that there is actually an on-going sexual relationship between Nadia Buari and Fally Ipupa which is contrary to the Official Statement from JMG MEDIA RELATIONS. Was this another lie?

A: No further comments. Please feel free to contact Ms.Buari’s new Management company.

Don’t Miss the PRSA LA Young Professionals Career Development Workshop!

PRSA LA YP — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:43:48 +0000

Are you a recent college graduate or soon-to-be grad, on the hunt to start your career? Have you been considering a career change? Then this is the event for you! Join us for an evening of tips and how-to’s from recruiters, HR reps and talent seekers!

Workshop includes:

Do’s and Don’t's of the job search
Proper interview etiquette
Resume critiques

Date:

April 27, 2011

Time:

Networking begins at 6:30 p.m.

Workshop begins at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Chandler Chicco Companies

1315 Lincoln Blvd, Suite 270

Santa Monica, CA 90401
Cost: $10 for PRSA/PRSSA members and $20 for non-members/guests. (Please note new cost for non-members.)

To RSVP and pay with cash or check at the door, please reply to this email.
We hope to see you there!

Best,

Katherine Vander Ark, Katie Keilman and the Young Professionals Board of 2011