Hey, there. I’m Ryan La Rosa, the new Convergent Media Public Relations Specialist at Park&Co, and I hate PR.

Wait, I know what you’re thinking. But yeah, I hate PR. Maybe not as deeply as I hate a certain East Coast baseball team that “proudly” — arrogantly — refer to themselves as “The Nation,” but it’s still pretty deep.

What bothers me the most about PR is its practitioners’ inherent fallback on old practices and a lack of creativity. Somewhere along the line we lost sight of the title. Public Relations means that we try to find the most effective means of reaching the public. If that’s the case, then why do we as an industry continue to rely on outdated practices that in our gut we know aren’t working? Simply put, it’s easy.

The ultimate crime is that the majority of our clients don’t know the true nature and capabilities of PR. They walk in the door asking for press releases and major headlines, and instead of educating them as to why that’s not the only or even the most effective means, we just nod our heads like mindless drones. As a PR professional I’m guilty of it, and I think if we took some time to do a little soul searching we’d all admit we’ve done the same.

That’s not to say there isn’t some amazing work being done out there. I’m also not saying media relations aren’t important. They’re very important. But media relations are simply cogs in the overall PR wheel. Newspaper readership is dwindling, the Internet has become an advertising landfill, and consumers have lost trust in “editorial” messaging. For all of these reasons, consumers are relying on each other for information, now more than ever. As audiences around us get smarter, they filter out expensive “strategic marketing messages.” It’s PR’s job to start making the messages more organic.

Let’s start conversations! Isn’t it obvious? A newspaper article about your new restaurant won’t likely be seen by a majority of your audience, and if they do see it, the endorsement doesn’t carry nearly the same weight as it might have in the past. Now, what if a trusted friend came up to you and suggested you try the same restaurant. Maybe they blogged about it, texted you about it, or better yet, forwarded you the article that ran in the paper. Now you’re talking! Literally, you’re talking. That’s a trusted source. That’s a sincere endorsement. That’s public relations.

Well that’s all well and good, but you’re probably asking yourself “How we do it?” That’s where the “convergent media” part of my title comes in. It means that I’m going to do my best to connect clients with their audiences directly. I’ll use tactics like word-of-mouth marketing, viral marketing, and social networking, in conjunction with tried and true methods. The bottom line is it’s time to stop being safe. It is my pledge to start doing justice to the title of our beloved practice — public relations. Who’s with me?

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Our Film, Video and TV department is on track to deliver two impactful pieces for Metro Light Rail this summer. A thirty second public service announcement (PSA) featuring illustrations by local artist Jason Hill and animation by local graphics gurus Studio 522 Productions hit screens in mid-May. A longer safety video will come later and will focus on the new lights, road markings, and regulations that drivers will need to mind when driving in Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Glendale in the future. The second video builds on the same theme, using the animated graphics, and will incorporate live footage being shot in Tempe. At Park&Co, we pride ourselves on maximizing our local Arizona production talent pool, and these pieces are no exception. Just to name a few, Carol Mauriello, Larry Niemi, Giselle Fox, Mark Trengrove, Leighton Agency, and Avnet studios are all working with us to bring Metro Light Rail to the masses.

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So, unless you’ve been sleeping in a cave, you’ve noticed that the internet is ablaze with social networking. All the kids are doing it, and even grown-ups have found a way to use sites like Facebook, Flickr, and others for targeted advertising. The opportunity that social networking websites provide for targeting specific customers is astounding. Those who use these sites freely surrender sensitive information that enables companies to identify their specific tastes for everything from shoes to clothing to music. Marketers and advertisers can tailor their messages specifically to the person that’s actually viewing the ad. They must make their messages subtle, though, as the users of many of these sites have noticed that they’ve become a SPAM advertising dumping ground. The more subdued and friendly the ad is, the better the response will be. Should the ad not even seem like an ad, even better.

The trend of social networking is beginning to reach into the mobile realm as well. Mobile phone manufacturers are featuring social networking sites like Facebook in their ads with hopes of landing that site’s users. The word-of-mouth aspect of social networking websites also plays a vital role in using the base of customers for advertising and other promotions. When these users share their likes and dislikes of a product, brand, TV show, or concert, those with whom they share are in turn sharing with others. The effect is like a virus, hence the term “viral marketing.” Social networking sites make viral marketing a reality. As these opinions are passed on, customer bases strengthen and quality products and brands attract more customers.

As a medium, the internet is still in its infancy. With the rapid growth of how we communicate, there are only going to be more ways to expand our reach through this relatively new technology. What better way to use a worldwide network of computers than to network?

At Park&Co, we’ve gotten into the fun ourselves. Check out our accounts at Facebook and Flickr, and subscribe to our Twitter feed to see what we’ve been up to.

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Here’s a news-worthy construction job. Valley of the Sun Habitat for Humanity, long esteemed for its humanitarian efforts in building houses for low-income familes, was sagging in donations and volunteers because of a run-down website and confusing donation form. Habitat wanted a site that could promote its message of hope to everyone in a striking and inviting way, attracting new donors with a simple, attractive design Our interactive team provided Habitat with a new place to call home.

We effectively produced an extreme makeover, with a new homepage and easily-navigable “mini-sites” for volunteers, donators, and homeowners. Visitors can access the Habitat donation page from anywhere on the site thanks to the bright orange “Donate Online” button on each page, and the three-part donation process means no more confusion for would-be contributors.

We also built interactive components into the site, including a Google map of both of Habitat’s Valley ReStore locations and a calendar of events and home dedications. The newly streamlined enewsletter is a way for Habitat to keep the community informed, and a new photo gallery documents the hard work of Habitat’s volunteers during a home build. The Habitat for Humanity website was a real fixer-upper, but in the hands of the Park&Co team, it’s turned into a place to be proud of.

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When Park&Co goes to Washington, we win awards. At last month’s Utility Communicators International competition honoring national, change-affecting communications campaigns from water, gas and electric utilities, our campaign for Global Water collected four awards, including a Best of Show. Print ads were given first place in two categories and our Water Crisis video took home a second in another. For utilities serving less than 500,000 people (Category B), our The Writing’s On the Wall print ad was awarded the prestigious Best of Show in the Newspaper/Magazine category.

The print ads, winners in both the Single Ad and Series categories, use striking visuals to contrast a sustainable future in the desert using Global’s water recycling process with the arid alternative. The Best of Show ad, The Writing’s On the Wall, uses the example of Lake Powell to illustrate the damaging effects of prolonged drought. Visit the portfolio section of our website to see this award-winning Global Water campaign.

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It’s difficult to get people who are not associated with graphic design or advertising excited about an 80-minute documentary on a font.

It’s not just any font, though. It’s the most used (some would argue overused) san-serif font in history.

Helvetica. It’s 50 years old, and as this film shows us, it ignited a communication revolution, focusing on clarity, readability, simplicity, and versatility. The proliferation of Helvetica took us from the golden age of advertising and propelled us into the modern era of graphic communication.

The movie is a series of spirited interviews with legendary graphic designers and typographers reminiscing about projects, uses, theories, and predictions of the iconic font. Among those interviewed are Massimo Vignelli, who designed the signage system for the New York Subway, and David Carson, who wrote The End of Print – a must read for any graphic designer.

From watching these interviews, you get an appreciation of the font, and how it’s taken for granted. The techniques and drawing skills used to create the typography 50 years ago, as well as incorporating it into design layouts, seem to be lost arts.

Interjected between interviews are beautiful cinematic shots of the application of Helvetica – on storefronts, street signs, public transportation, government forms, and advertisements. I recommend watching Helvetica in some sort of HD format, which makes these scenes even more picturesque.

After seeing this film and realizing just how commonly used Helvetica is, I decided to explore and take some shots of Helvetica used in our office.

Jakob Nielsen’s Designing Web Usability

The warning sticker on our combustible cafe garage door (Helvetica Condensed)

Our Epson paper stash

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The heightened interest in “green” products has exploded in the marketplace and many major companies are getting on board. There has been a strong movement in the automotive industry in the past few years toward hybrid vehicles and Ford has been joining in. Joining forces with Lear Corporation, Ford has incorporated Soy-Foam in the seats of their new vehicles. Soy-foam contains renewable material and requires less energy and produces fewer CO2 emissions than traditional auto foams, which are 100% petroleum-based. The new Mustang 2008 was the first.

The new Ford Escape is a new SUV that boasts its green-ness. If you haven’t seen the TV commercials, they are showcasing the soy-foam being used in this model, as well. And if doing good for the environment is not enough, there is even a Federal Tax Credit on the purchase of this vehicle. According to the Ford website, “If you meet the requirements, you may qualify for a federal income tax credit of $3,000 on the purchase of a new Ford Escape Hybrid FWD, and $2,200 on a hybrid 4WD. That’s a credit, not a deduction.”

Going “green” has benefits for your wallet and your world.

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You may have seen me quoted in the June 20 issue of the Phoenix Business Journal in the article Companies using technology to bury bad news. The article discusses the practice of trying to bury bad news online by pushing it down in search engine results. My quote is just a small part of the article, and it doesn’t communicate that I think this practice is a bad idea. Here’s why.

It’s important to remember that the purpose of search engines is to help people locate the information they need. Our job as online marketers is to make sure that if we or our clients have something interesting, useful, or educational to say or sell, we make it easy for search engines and people to find.

With that in mind, when you try to push websites or blogs that feature bad news lower in the search results, you’re essentially trying to “game” the system, and that verges on “black hat” or unethical practice.

What’s more, it’s a roll of the dice. Search engines spend big money developing algorithms for evaluating the content of sites so they can deliver useful, relevant results. First, you’d have to outsmart the search engines (or trick them) with your new content. Even if you could generate and post enough pages to bump the bad search results down, you’d also have to wait for the search engines to find and index your new content, which can take weeks or months.

Could it be done? Maybe, but it’s unlikely you’ll see the results you desire. Should it be done? No.

What should be done instead? First, consider any mention in the press, especially a blog, as an opportunity to engage people in conversation and possibly win over some supporters. There is ample evidence that people develop stronger and longer-lasting loyalty to a company that publicly admits a problem and fixes it than they would if there had never been a problem at all.

Have a plan in place — before you need it — for dealing with bad news and bad press. This plan should include releasing and posting the facts, and if the facts are negative, include your admission of guilt, your apology or explanation, and your steps and plans for avoiding future mistakes. If the bad news is on a blog, consider the source: If they’re credible and rational, provide your official version in the comments. If the blog is a rant, ignoring it might be okay. A good PR professional with expertise in crisis communications is indispensable here.

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Park&Co entered two video projects for Global Water in the 29th Annual Telly Awards competition. Global Water and Park&Co received two Bronze Telly Awards for the entries Water Crisis and Global Water LEED Building.

The Water Crisis video tells the compelling story of the growing worldwide water scarcity problem and the need for water recycling as seen through the eyes of children. This is not the first time the Water Crisis video has received recognition. The video recently won an award at the 2008 Utilities Communicators International annual competition,, which recognizes and rewards creative excellence in advertising for gas, electric, cable, water and telephone utilities sectors.

The Global Water LEED Building video gives a unique tour of Global Water’s LEED-certified (LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) customer service center, the first LEED-certified utility in Pinal County, Arizona. The engaging and amusing tour is hosted by two super heroes — Resource Guy and Resource Gal — who were the brainchild of Park&Co and Global Water. The goal of the video was to be both entertaining and educational to kids and their parents to inform them on the positive environmental impact Global Water has by being “green” in their operations.

Founded in 1978, the Telly Awards is the premier awards honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercial and programs, as well as the finest video and film production in the world. The annual competition receives in excess of 14,000 entries each year.

You can watch the Water Crisis video on our website. To learn more about Global Water, visit their website.

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No, it’s not a new Baltic country. Listmania is a forum on Amazon.com where anyone can post a list of their top books, CDs or DVDs. Check out Fun books about Chickens  or  The most destructive musical influences or everyone’s favorite, Useful Costume-Related Books for Dark Ages Reenactors. The lists are as many and varied as the books themselves. They’re like a literary version of a MySpace page, where listers can post their esoteric passions.

As entertaining as these lists are, the most interesting thing about them is the effect they’ve had on Amazon sales. Giving consumers the power to rate and rank goods makes them more passionate buyers and ideal promoters. They delight in turning the assessment of consumer choices into a sense of identity and an art form. And it seems to help everything sell. Who could ask for a better form of marketing?

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