COVID-19: Marvin Stockwell: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital [Podcast]

COVID-19: Marvin Stockwell: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital [Podcast]

by | Mar 6, 2020 | Podcast, Public Relations

Coronavirus PR Management & Insights into Science PR

A Special Episode with Marvin Stockwell, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Only another PR person would drop what they are doing to help other PR people during what must be a very busy time. That’s why I love our community of giving, helpful PR friends around the globe. Today I got on the phone with Marvin Stockwell, Director of Media Relations at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

You might remember him from my PRSA ICON episode where I recapped a few of the sessions in a series of mini interviews. In his portion, Marvin recounted his experience participating in Pitch Tank, the PR person’s version of Shark Tank, where he pitched three PR ideas to a panel of media judges to land on St. Jude’s new nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer as the winning PR idea.  

 

Managing Covid-19 PR

But before catching up with him on how his spectrometer pitching has been going, we handled the most important order of business for many PR people: management of coronavirus communications — whether that is handling unwanted media inquiries around the topic or leveraging the illness as a proactive PR opportunity. 

After giving an update on what’s happening within his media markets with Covid-19, Marvin filled us in on how his team is approaching the epidemic and offers advice for PR professionals. For those of us who fall under the eager, maximizer category, Marvin’s advice may take you by surprise. You may have to operate out of your comfort zone and slooooow way down.

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Science PR’s Special Nuances 

We then segwayed into the general topic of science PR. Along with being a hospital helping countless children and families, St. Jude is a research institution that pushes out tons of fascinating findings and data.

Marvin discussed the challenges of positioning scientific research, seemingly only meant for the trades, to mainstream consumer press — offering key advice on how to go about it. We touched on how science can get lost behind the more compelling fundraising messaging, including how and why to get around this. We also learned how his team uncovers the wealth of information from his researchers and faculty, managing information-overload with a media relations department structured into “beats” the same way journalists are organized.

Overall, it appears that we truly are in the “long game” when it comes to science PR, with the discoveries of today possibly curing illnesses years, maybe decades, into the future. That’s why keeping our eye on news coming out of St. Jude years down the road will be facincating.

About the guest: Marvin Stockwell

As the director of media relations at St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, Marvin Stockwell is at his best when making a case for causes he believes in and collaborating with others in his beloved hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

Connect and follow Marvin on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

PRSA ICON: Adam Ritchie, Elizabeth Edwards & Marvin Stockwell [Podcast]

PRSA ICON: Adam Ritchie, Elizabeth Edwards & Marvin Stockwell [Podcast]

by | Feb 20, 2020 | Podcast, Public Relations

Three Voices from PRSA ICON 2019

Earlier this fall, PR Talk Podcast host Amy Rosenberg attended the PRSA International Conference (ICON) in San Diego, California. In addition to learning new tips and techniques her team is already putting into practice for Veracity’s clients, Amy had the opportunity to sit down with three conference presenters to hear their perspective on the PR profession. 

We’re releasing this episode now, because, on March 1st, there will be a $300 price increase for tickets to the next ICON event in Nashville, Tennessee on October 25th-27th. So, you should grab your tickets soon!

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Every Campaign is an Opportunity to Write a New Book

First up, you’ll hear Adam Ritchie, owner of Adam Ritchie Brand Direction in Boston, Massachusetts. He essentially reverse-engineers PR to create new products and services. As Adam sees it,

“PR owes it to itself to be more than just a storyteller. PR can also be a creator and an author.”

One of the examples of Adam’s approach that he’s most proud of is The Mom Squad, which he describes as the first team of all-pregnant comic book superheroes. Adam and his team created the campaign to help sell the baby gear brand Summer. 

This interview was short, but Adam’s agreed to come back on the podcast for a more extended discussion about his work — so stay tuned. You may also run into him at ICON 2020 in Nashville.

 

PRs Need to Reclaim their Slice of the Pie

The next interview you’ll hear is with Elizabeth Edwards, founder and president of both 11th Octave and Volume Public Relations in Denver, Colorado. Because clients pay her to deliver effective messaging, Elizabeth spends lots of time researching the science behind how our brains are hard-wired to respond to things. According to Elizabeth, researchers working in neuroscience, behavioral science and cognitive science are making a lot of conclusions about what keeps our attention and what doesn’t. Elizabeth’s team uses these findings

“to focus on learning as much as we can about what translates into high-conversion communication actions.”

In addition to her expertise in behavioral science, Elizabeth also uses technology to improve workflow efficiency and maximize engagement for her final products. Her Tech in PR talk during PRSA ICON was packed, which is strong evidence that most PRs need a lot of help in this area.

Elizabeth notes that in many organizations, PR’s slice of the pie is getting smaller and smaller, and we need to do everything we can to reclaim more of that work. Part of that approach comes through using tools that make PR’s work more impactful. Elizabeth used the example of wave.video, which is an online production tool she uses to turn ordinary press releases into more engaging and shareable videos. In her view, “PR people need to own these interactive engagements.”

During her presentation, Elizabeth also talked extensively about workflow shortcuts that can automate tasks that might ordinarily be done by an assistant or junior-level associate. If you didn’t make it to her talk, you can text volume to 31996 to get her complete Tech Tools eBook. We hope to have Elizabeth back on the podcast to talk more about these topics soon.

 

PR is All About a Good Narrative and the Right People

Amy ends this episode with an interview she conducted over lunch with Marvin Stockwell, director of media relations at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis Tennessee. He participated in the Pitch Tank — similar to the TV show Shark Tank — where participants pitch their media idea to a panel of judges in competition with their peers. 

During the event, Marvin pitched three ideas in ninety seconds to the panel, who then provided their feedback. His pitches included St. Jude’s use of therapy dogs to comfort patients undergoing treatment. The hospital’s international work, which includes curing cancer in Syrian refugee children living in Lebanon. And St. Jude’s recent acquisition of the world’s most powerful nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, which will give researchers the tools they need to cure the diseases of tomorrow.

The panelist agreed that while all these pitches are compelling, the new scientific tool offered a unique hook for journalists. One moderator suggested that while the whiz-bang science angle is excellent, audiences (especially in TV) want to see a human-interest element. With that feedback in hand, Marvin is now looking for ways he can tether this story with the good work St. Jude’s is doing every day. 

After participating in Pitch Tank, Marvin believes it’s a fresh take on the usual media panel that provided plenty of useful takeaways for the session’s 150 attendees. 

 

We’ll See You Next Year in Nashville

These brief interviews are just a sample of the expertise on display during these annual PRSA ICON events. If you’d like to attend next year’s conference in Nashville, purchase your tickets before March 1st and save $300. 

As always, you can keep up with the latest in PR by subscribing to the PR Talk Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify.

About the guest: Adam Ritchie

Adam Ritchie is the owner of Adam Ritchie Brand Direction in Boston, Massachusetts. An award-winning marketer and PR professional, Adam uses PR as an unstoppable source of invention and transformation. He’s also a musician, coast-to-coast walker, downhill skier and craft beer lover.

Connect and follow Adam on social media:

About the guest: Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards is President of Volume PR, a firm with an 18-year, award-winning track record, and 11th Octave, the first integrated communication agency in the U.S. to develop a modern-day communication model based on behavioral science and the psychology of the human mind.

Connect and follow Elizabeth on social media:

About the guest: Marvin Stockwell

As the director of media relations at St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, Marvin Stockwell is at his best when making a case for causes he believes in and collaborating with others in his beloved hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

Connect and follow Marvin on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

Tom Fuller & Dave Thompson: the APR [Podcast]

Tom Fuller & Dave Thompson: the APR [Podcast]

by | Feb 6, 2020 | Industry News, Podcast, Public Relations

Would You Like Fries With That Press Release?

 

An APR jumpstart transforms service-providers into C-suite advisers

 

A total geek by nature, I have always been intrigued with the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), or the “good housekeeping seal of approval” as Dave Thompson, APR, likes to call it. I sat down with Dave and his former boss Tom Fuller, APR, Communications Manager of Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to learn all about the APR. Not only did we talk about the process of getting an APR, which entails more than just filling out the bubbles on a sheet of test paper, but we explored how the addition of an APR has changed both of their lives inside and outside of work.

Dave, who listeners might remember from a previous episode where he outlined the job functions of a public information officer (PIO), recently left his post as ODOT’s public affairs program manager to serve as an independent contractor providing media training and lecturing. Yet he drew on past ODOT examples, such as the communication management of storms, to provide a clear before-and-after picture of what the APR learning meant to his job. While Tom, who spent 20 years in TV before coming over to the dark side, offers concrete examples of how the APR helped his team plan, execute and measure an effective campaign to address the new flight travel identification regulations.

Listen to the episode for insight into the working lives of both leaders and glean some insider knowledge on what it’s like to actually get an APR. To remain the ever helpful PR person, below is a quick guide to the APR facts.

 

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What is the APR?

Both Tom and Dave said that PR people love to jump right into tactics. But this can be futile without really knowing your audiences nor setting out measurable objectives at the front end of a campaign to help you understand if what you’re doing is actually working. The detailed process of getting an APR through the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) brings professionals up to this level of strategic thinking, helping them gain confidence for future leadership.

 

The APR Process

The first readiness class (Feb. 15) should cover all of this but it’s my understanding that after signing up, candidates need to study the coursebook, “Cutlip and Center’s Effective Public Relations” (11th Edition), to prepare for the presentation candidates give in front of a small panel of judges to show their knowledge of the material.

During the presentation, candidates draw on a past campaign to present a “would’a, should’a, could’a”, as Dave likes to call it, before and if-only-in-a-perfect-world after scenario to the campaign that takes into account this new knowledge and what could have been done differently if the stars had aligned perfectly (budget, approvals, etc.).

After demonstrating their readiness, candidates dig deeper into the book to pass the proctored computer test. Studying with new friends from the readiness class or with a mentor, candidates walk away with not just the skills needed to pass a test but a richer understanding of our field, ultimately altering how the job is approached. 

 

Fees & Stipulations 

The cost for the APR is $385, excluding the textbook cost which could run you $40+ to rent through Amazon to $145 new. HOWEVER, there may be some extensive rebates offered through PRSA upon completion of the computer examination. 

Any PRSA member can apply for accreditation but it’s recommended that candidates hold previous PR experience (a couple of years according to Dave and Tom but the PRSA Oregon website suggests five years) in order to properly address the presentation portion of the process. 

 

Next Steps

Still unsure? At least attend the first accreditation class on Saturday, February 15, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at The Gathering Place (12950 SW Pacific Highway, Suite 125) in Tigard. The classes will be held each Saturday through roughly April 11. The first few classes will be held at the Gathering Place but the location could change thereafter. Due to the time commitment required, candidates are not expected to attend every class but get so much out of it when they do. 

This year’s core instructors will be: Patti Atkins, APR, Dave Thompson, APR, Chuck Williams, APR, Mara Woloshin, APR, Fellow PRSA, Jean Kempe-Ware, APR, and Stacy Moe-Keen, APR — joined by guest experts Kathy Hubbelll, APR, Fellow PRSA and Doug Levin, APR and more.

 

Subscribe to PR Talk Podcast

Don’t forget to subscribe to the PR Talk Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify. There are more episodes on the way that you won’t want to miss.

About the guest: Tom Fuller

Tom is the Communications Manager at the Oregon Department of Transportaion (ODOT) and has nearly four decades of experience in media, communications and public relations management both in public and private as well as non-profit organizations. Tom is an award winning journalist, writer, producer, voice talent, and nationally known speaker.

Connect and follow Tom on social media:

About the guest: Dave Thompson

Dave Thompson is an accredited public relations professional with nearly 40 years’ experience as team leader/coach, spokesperson, public information officer, corporate communications director and awarding-winning broadcast reporter/anchor.

Connect and follow Dave on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

Featured Image courtesy of Oregon Business
Rhoda Weiss: PRSA International [Podcast]

Rhoda Weiss: PRSA International [Podcast]

by | Oct 9, 2019 | Events, Industry News, Podcast, Public Relations

Rhoda Weiss Leads the 2019 PRSA International Conference to New Heights

In this episode of the PR Talk Podcast, Amy Rosenberg chats with Dr. Rhoda Weiss, CEO of Rhoda Weiss & Associates, Inc. and this year’s chair of the PRSA International Conference in San Diego.

During their conversation, Rhoda shares some fascinating tidbits about her long history in PR and gives podcast listeners the full download on what attendees can expect from the upcoming conference. 

Use Discount Code OREGONIC19 for $100 Off

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Three Decades of PR Experience

Rhoda began her career working as a journalist, which is an origin story many PR pros will recognize. Before long, she transitioned into public relations, working primarily in the healthcare field. After 15 years in the industry, Rhoda hung out her shingle and started an L.A.-based consulting firm of her own. In the years since, Rhoda has traveled about 250,000 miles every year, speaking and consulting with mostly healthcare companies about PR, branding, communication, and marketing. Rhoda is truly a pro’s pro and the perfect person to chart a new course as industry members from around the world converge in San Diego.

 

What is New, Next, and Best? 

With experience organizing conferences for healthcare executives, Rhoda set out to shake up this year’s PRSA International Conference. As she developed programming, Rhoda wanted to help industry members achieve excellence, navigate change, assert their influence and position the importance of PR more broadly. To do this, she focused on professional development by doubling the number of learning opportunities over previous years.

Attendees can choose from 140 sessions, ten keynote presentations, and 250 different speakers. This year’s lineup includes luminaries like journalist Bob Woodward, Laura Ling, a reporter imprisoned in North Korea for more than 100 days, former President of Mexico Vicente Fox and First Lady Marta Sahagún de Fox, who was Mexico’s first female press secretary, and Academy Award-Winning actor Richard Dreyfuss.

In a nod to Rhoda’s work with U.S. Air Force, this year’s conference also includes a session featuring public relations officers from every service branch discussing strategies for effectively working with filmmakers. Other sessions focus on crisis communication with the pros who coordinated responses to the Christchurch Massacre, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the devastating wildfire that destroyed Paradise, California.

With so many different options, it would be easy for the average conference attendee to become overwhelmed. Fortunately, PRSA has you covered. Attendees can choose to follow pre-developed conference tracks, or plan a customized path using PRSA’s interactive program.

 

PR Trends to Watch

When asked about what trends she expects to see discussed at the conference, Rhoda immediately pointed to artificial intelligence. With the rise of big data, PR pros will have incredible opportunities to leverage AI tools to create new analytics roadmaps that were previously unimaginable. However, along with these opportunities come new ethical questions centered around using your brand data for good. Listen to episode 61 to hear more about PR and AI.

Fortunately, this year’s conference will help attendees wrap their heads around these huge new questions with sessions on Big Data, analytics and how PR pros can lead the fight for truth in an age of disinformation.

 

Rhoda Has More to Say

Rhoda has much more to share about the upcoming PRSA conference, so be sure to listen to the entire episode. You’ll also hear an interesting discussion about the role Rhoda believes PR and comms pros should play in corporate leadership.

As always, if you’d like to stay up-to-date with all the latest in PR, subscribe to the PR Talk Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify. In the meantime, there are still tickets available for the PRSA International Conference, October 20th – 22nd, in San Diego. So register now and join an expected crowd of 3,000 industry professionals and students for a weekend of learning, networking and fun.

If you are heading to San Diego, make plans to join your colleagues as they recognize Rhoda’s extraordinary career with the Gold Anvil — PRSA’s lifetime achievement award and top international honor. What better way to say “thank you” for everything Rhoda has done to promote our industry and take the PRSA International Conference to new heights.

About the guest: Rhoda Weiss

Rhoda Weiss, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized and versatile executive, speaker, consultant, author, educator and award-winning professional specializing in strategy, business development, branding, marketing, public relations and crisis management. During her career,  she’s traveled 6 million miles speaking and consulting to more than 700 organizations in the U.S. and abroad. 

Connect and follow Rhoda on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

Mark Mohammadpour: Chasing the Sun [Podcast]

Mark Mohammadpour: Chasing the Sun [Podcast]

by | Sep 25, 2019 | Podcast, Public Relations

“Living Our Best PR Life” is Mark Mohammadpour’s Motto as He Helps Communications Pros Thrive

In this episode of the PR Talk podcast, Amy Rosenberg sits down for an extended talk with Mark Mohammadpour of Chasing the Sun — a health coaching company for communications professionals. 

During their conversation, Mark shares the story of his weight-loss journey and how that personal transformation inspired him to help his colleagues live happier and healthier lives.

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A Personal Transformation

In 2007, Mark Mohammadpour faced a turning point. After years spent climbing the ranks at major firms like Weber Shandwick and Edelman, and working with colleagues as a board member and president of PRSA Oregon, he knew something had to give.

For years, Mark had neglected his health by eating a poor diet as he focused on advancing his career. We all know there are no 8-hour days in the PR world. Mark embodied this reality as he constantly traveled, taking care of his clients’ needs at the expense of his own. All that time spent in airports and hotel rooms in cities across the country added up, leaving him overweight and unhappy.

At his peak, Mark weighed 350 pounds. Flying coach had become almost unbearable. He suffered from sleep apnea and felt physically uncomfortable in nearly any environment. To make matters worse, his weight was negatively affecting his mental outlook, which began bubbling up at work. Instead of thinking about solving problems, Mark dwelled on them — a transformation his colleagues couldn’t help but notice.

On top of his career concerns, Mark also had a personal motivation to change. In December 2007, Mark proposed to his girlfriend, Christine. Deep down, Mark knew he couldn’t continue advancing in his current mental and physical state. To return to health and be the best version of himself for his new bride, Mark had to make some changes.

 

Focus on What You Can Control  

To get the ball rolling, Mark knew he needed to start small. He began by focusing on his diet and incorporating exercise where he could. These small, steady efforts made a difference. By the time he got married nine months later, Mark had lost 110 pounds, and his work life had transformed. Ten years later, Mark has kept the weight off and now focuses on helping other communications professionals live healthier and more balanced lives.

 

It’s a Stressful Career

Every year, CareerCast.com releases a survey of the most stressful jobs. Without fail, PR executives rank with enlisted military personnel, firefighters, air traffic controllers, and journalists as people who work under the highest amount of stress. 

Unfortunately, because PR is a service-oriented industry, many executives check their egos at the door and accept stress as an unavoidable part of the job. As a result, they don’t always take care of themselves as well as they should. This attitude is what Mark wants to change.

Mark’s new company, Chasing the Sun, is designed to help communications workers grow and thrive by incorporating health and wellness into their careers. On top of fitness and diet advice, Mark also coaches his clients on maintaining a healthy mind and body, while fostering effective working relationships.

In Mark’s view, helping executives reprioritize their health is vital for the industry. As role models, mid and upper-level managers will set the tone for more junior level workers. If executives impose their unhealthy habits on their subordinates, that cycle will perpetuate itself as those junior workers continue advancing in the industry. Mark’s working to interrupt that cycle now, so the industry will be healthier for years to come.

 

Hear More from Mark

Listen to the full podcast to hear more of Mark and Amy’s conversation — including the most common health mistakes Mark sees executives make. If you’d like to see Mark speak in person, he’ll be giving a talk at the PRSA International Conference in San Diego on Sunday, October 20th from 12:50 – 1:40 p.m. 

As always, if you’d like to stay up-to-date with all the latest in PR, subscribe to the PR Talk Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify. 

About the guest: Mark Mohammadpour

After a career spent rising through the ranks of some of the country’s most respected PR firms, Mark Mohammadpour needed a change. Overweight and unhappy, Mark chose to prioritize his health and bring new meaning to his career. After losing over 100 pounds, and keeping the weight off for more than a decade, Mark now provides health and wellness coaching to communication professionals nationwide through his company Chasing the Sun. You can also subscribe to the Chasing the Sun podcast on iTunes or Spotify.

Connect and follow Mark on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

How to Start a Podcast with PRSA [Podcast]

How to Start a Podcast with PRSA [Podcast]

by | Jun 27, 2019 | Events, How To, Podcast, Public Relations

This episode of #PRTalk is a recording from a PRSA Oregon event we did about the Ins and Outs of Podcasting. During the hourlong presentation at the University of Oregon in Portland, we spoke about why we started PR Talk, our processes and the technical requirements.

 

This PR Talk Podcast was recorded at PRSA Oregon’s:

The Ins and Outs of Podcasting

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Video:

We also recorded the session if you would like to watch it.

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.