PR Exec Introduces His Client Service Manual At Leadership Conference
Promotions surrounding its Olympics-focused special section won the San Diego Union-Tribune the “Best of Show” award at a recent national newspaper marketing competition.
The contest, the Blue Ribbon Awards for Excellence in Newspaper Marketing, was sponsored by the Inland Press Foundation. Forty-two newspapers entered a total of 207 entries.
The Union-Tribune’s Olympics section, which ran Sept. 16 through Oct. 1 of last year, also won the company a first place under the category of “marketing for readership and circulation.”
Last June, the paper hired Downtown-based firm matthews/mark to develop and run its marketing campaign.
The Olympics section was promoted through street hawkers, vending machines and retailers, a promotional agreement with local McDonald’s restaurants, and advertising in TV, radio, print and outdoor.
“Great concept, attractive execution and hard-hitting marketing,” were among the judges’ comments.
The Union-Tribune’s “Mega Jobs” employment section also won a first-place award for “marketing for increased advertising.” The paper bolstered the section’s promotion with print, TV and radio ads.
The Union-Tribune is owned by La Jolla-based The Copley Press Inc., which announced a change in leadership late last month.
Chairman and U-T Publisher Helen Copley announced her retirement. Copley, 78, named her son David, 49, as her successor. Since 1997, David Copley has been the company’s president and CEO. Helen Copley will reportedly remain actively involved on the company’s board of directors, of which she is still a member. She’s also continuing as trustee of the trusts that control the Copley Press stock.
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Does A Rose By Any Name Test As Sweet?:
Carlsbad-based NTN Communications Inc. signed McCormick Distilling Co.’s cream liqueur product, Tequila Rose, for the programming it offers to sports bars and restaurants.
No financial details were released on the deal, which also has Weston, Mo.-based McCormick using NTN’s research program, OmniPoll.
The deal also includes a taste test whose results are instantly sent to McCormick. Participants submit opinions of various drinks, including Tequila Rose, on wireless keypads, and the responses are immediately tabulated.
Status Chart:
Longtime local PR exec Tom Gable introduced the newest edition of his book, “PR Client Service Manual,” earlier this month at the annual leadership conference of the Public Relations Society of America Counselors Academy in Puerto Rico. The book was first published in 1993, and was most recently revised in 1997. Locally based Schindler Marketing Group signed the US Grant Hotel. Downtown firm Bailey/Gardiner Inc. signed Long Beach-based King Seafood Co. for public relations and advertising. McQuerterGroup in Sorrento Valley signed new PR client Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc.’s network products division. MC Direct in Poway signed the National Park Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, and will handle direct marketing for the group. San Diego-based Lewis P.R. Inc. will handle PR for Invertix Corp., a Annandale, Va.-based wireless messaging company. The Grove Agency, Inc. will be handling a PR and marketing campaign for National City’s Community Development Commission.
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Sound Bites:
Locally based Oster & Associates, Inc. recently hired Peter Schmitz as art director. Before coming to Oster, Schmitz was lead graphic designer for Robert W. Baird & Co, Inc., an investment banking and money management firm in Milwaukee. San Diego-based Cooper Iverson Marketing recently hired Mireia Mangual as director of business development, a new position. Previously, Stella Zimmerman, the firm’s vice president of strategic planning, was responsible for business development. Before Cooper Iverson, Mangual handled marketing and business development at Weber Shadwick in London. Rick Amato joined the K-JAZZ Radio Network as its business editor. The station is 540 on San Diego’s AM frequency, and also on an AM station in Los Angeles.
The deadline for the next Media & Marketing column is May 24. Rodrigues can be reached at (858) 277-6359, Ext. 107, or via e-mail at trodrigues@sdbj.com.
