admin, Author at Change Communications

ASIAN, Inc. Celebrates Diversity With Inspirational Gala

Kicking off with an incredibly powerful speech by MSNBC news anchor and journalist Richard Lui, ASIAN, Inc.’s annual Gala celebration was an exceptional night that reminded the audience of why diversity shouldn’t be a catchphrase but a way of life (and business). We were honored to support ASIAN, Inc. and be a small part of the September 18 event at the beautiful SF Design Center.

Thanks to the generosity of community-minded sponsors, ASIAN, Inc. is able to provide services for low-income individuals in housing, finance and entrepreneurship throughout Northern California. Because of its proven value to the community, the 40+ year old nonprofit was selected to operate the Minority Business Development Agency centers in the Bay Area (including Fresno, San Jose and San Francisco) to promote the growth of minority-owned small businesses.

As ASIAN, Inc. president Michael Chan put it, “Equal access means opening doors and being at the proverbial table along with everyone else at the same time.”

Titled “A Force For Good,” the superhero-themed Gala celebration proved the value of being at the proverbial table by celebrating and promoting minority-owned businesses and showcasing diversity among its 300 attendees. With local band The Delivery delighting everyone with their jazzy-y rock cover tunes, returning MC’s Fiona Ma and Ash Kalra kept the evening light on its feet.

Lui was the first recipient for the Empowering Diversity award. His work behind and in front of the camera has provided a platform for civil rights stories that deserve to be told. Lui demonstrated exactly why journalists are so important in shaping the civil rights narrative. Other recipients included trailblazing judge Harry Low and Kwon Wo Ironworks CEO Florence Kong, who spoke about being a minority female in a male-dominated industry (construction).

MSNBC anchor Richard Lui accepts his Empowering Diversity award

The deserving award winners exemplified what it means to be a “A Force For Good,” as did the sponsors and attendees who were no doubt inspired to continue to lead the change.

See you next year at ASIAN, Inc.’s 45th Gala Celebration!

Every Picture Tells a Story – The Importance of Visual Marketing Strategies

Visual marketing strategies play an integral role in just about every great PR effort these days. If you don’t know this by now, you are missing out on enormous opportunities for your brand and falling behind in the rapidly progressing world of new media. Not to worry, though, accepting the importance of well-planned visual marketing strategies is the first step in recovering your brand’s footing. Learning how to properly embrace and apply visual communications will help you become a stronger contender.

What is Visual Marketing?

Quickly, let’s review what we mean by “visual marketing.” Hardly a new concept, visual marketing and visual communications relate to using images and video content to advertise a business, event or brand. In new media terms, visual marketing strategies tend to include gifs, memes and live streaming applications as much as they do infographics, guestographics and traditional video and photographic imagery. Largely, visual marketing goes beyond simply informing your audience, but is used to also drive traffic to your web properties in order to secure regular consumers.

Social Media and Short-Form Content Rules the Day

We live in a world where every thought is a potential tweet and Facebook is as important a business tool as your client’s website or brick-and-mortar location. And even the most unlikely businesses, organizations and brands are making a splash on Pinterest. Once merely a tool for individuals to chat about common interests online, social media has grown to become a significant communication vehicle for celebrities, governments and businesses of every size. Increasingly, PR professionals are including social media campaigns in their services and clients are including this powerful medium in their advertising budgets.

One recent B2B marketing study reveals video as being one of the most frequently leveraged types of content. Among B2B buyers, most prefer short, visual and mobile content above all else. With so much to digest in this fast-moving world of news, information and advertising, a picture is now officially worth far more than 1,000 words.

Visual Marketing Strategies Increase Engagement

Used globally, creatives have to be, well, creative about obtaining a marketing edge on competitors. As anyone successful in this space will tell you, visual communication is crucial in social media marketing and both work hand-in-hand with traditional media tools. In most instances, visual marketing strategies garner the most engagement and are precisely what should be used just about every PR effort.

I once heard visual marketing in social media compared to observing a big city through the windows of a speeding train– there is much to take in and one will become overwhelmed in trying to make note of everything seen. However, strategic billboards automatically attract a passenger’s attention and will likely become the most memorable visual markers she observes during her journey. This is precisely how visual marketing works in social media. With so much content speeding by, creative visuals are what stand out the most.

What’s Your Story?

We all know that every picture tells a story. And no truer words were ever spoken as this adage applies to today’s marketing and PR. The question we all have to ask ourselves now is: if we’re not heavily employing visual marketing strategies for our clients, what stories are we really telling and are they even being heard at all?

By Laura S.

5 Reasons to Attend ASIAN, Inc.’s Gala on September 18

We are thrilled to assist Bay Area-based nonprofit ASIAN, Inc. in what is sure to be a spectacular gala on Friday, September 18. Held at the SF Design Center Galleria and appropriately named “A Force For Good,” we wholeheartedly support ASIAN Inc.’s mission of creating opportunities in housing, financial services and entrepreneurship for minorities and people living in low and moderate income communities. We are clear on our own reasons for assisting with the gala and we want to share with you the reasons why you should plan to attend, as well.

Who is ASIAN, Inc.?

First, a little background on this powerful non-profit organization and its importance to the community. Since its inception in 1971, ASIAN Inc. has worked tirelessly to ensure that women and men from low and moderate income communities know about the potentially life-changing opportunities that are available to them. Such opportunities include those within the housing sector, financial services and within the entrepreneurial landscape.

With the assistance of partners like the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency, ASIAN, Inc. offers several programs aimed at helping to improve financial literacy and break down barriers to home ownership. The agency is also deeply committed to helping women and other minorities thrive in business by offering certification programs, technical assistance and increasing access to opportunities. More information about ASIAN Inc.’s programs, services, partners and accomplishments can be reviewed at their website.

5 Reasons Why You Should Attend “A Force For Good” on September 18th:

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation table at ASIAN, Inc.'s 2014 Gala — The Silicon Valley Community Foundation table at ASIAN, Inc.’s 2014 Gala

1. ASIAN Inc. is providing a powerful opportunity to network with a number of well-respected and influential business and community partners, as well as several elected officials.

2. Become part of a movement to widen diversity pipelines for talented and qualified minorities living and working in the Bay Area.

3. Join in recognizing deserving honorees such as Richard Lui of MSNBC; Retired Presiding Judge Honorable Harry Y. Low; Noel Lee, CEO of Monster Cable; Florence Kong, CEO of Kwan Wo Ironworks, Inc. and Cheryl Timoney, Pro Bono Manager at Salesforce.

4. Show your personal and professional commitment to diversity.

5. Enjoy live entertainment courtesy of Bay Area-based band The Delivery, including an open beer/wine bar.

The Delivery performing at SFSU's Movements of Heritage show; Photo by Amy Hoang of API SFSU — The Delivery performing at SFSU’s Movements of Heritage show; Photo by Amy Hoang of API SFSU

As if you needed more reasons to support this most worthwhile fundraising gala, consider that sponsorship opportunities are also still available. If your company would like to sponsor this non-profit event or offer more prominent support to ASIAN Inc., please contact us.

Will We See You There?

Are you planning to attend the “Force For Good” gala? Would you care to share your own reasons for doing so? We look forward to hearing from you and be sure to say hello in person at the SF Design Center Galleria on September 18th!

Tickets for ASIAN, Inc.’s “A Force For Good” Gala available at www.asianinc.org/gala

Written by Laura S.

Job Hunting Tips For PR Students

With graduation beating down the doors of the class of 2015, we have some words of advice for those young guns eager to be the next big thing in PR and marketing. While job searching has mostly remained status quo, there are ways that recent communications graduates can set themselves up for success. Here are a few tips on how to get your foot in the door. Closing the deal is a whole ‘nother matter.

First Things First: Check Your Digital Footprint

Google search yourself and make sure those embarrassing photos you took at the Phi Beta Kappa party are long gone. Consider setting your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram profiles to private and clean up that LinkedIn page.

Where To Look For Jobs

Now that you’ve made sure you don’t look like a walking nightmare online, it’s time to job hunt. Besides asking all of your friends, friends of friends, friends of friends’ parents and their cousins for potential opportunities, you’ll likely look on the usual job site suspects: LinkedIn, Craigslist, Monster, Indeed. Look for PR/Marketing-centric headhunters (PRTalent, TalentZoo, AdOne, are a few usual suspects). Join one of the professional organizations (PRSA) and attend their networking events. You should also check directly on the websites of companies that you’re interested in. Another valuable job resource is Twitter. Use the right hashtags (e.g. #PRjobs) and search for the right job posting accounts and you’ll find a goldmine of job opportunities. Still, networking remains the #1 way most people find a job.

Proofread, Spellcheck, Proofread, Spellcheck, and Then Proofread More

My USF PR students can attest to this: Typos will be your undoing. I can’t tell you how many résumés I’ve received that boldly states “I have great attention to detail” and then promptly has 2-3 typos. Many hiring managers will view these errors as sloppy and irresponsible and you might not even be considered, despite your qualifications. Eric Ripert wouldn’t serve his food on paper plates and you shouldn’t present your skills in such a haphazard fashion.

Do I Need A Fancy Designed Résumé?

While the résumés of art directors and graphic designers are very nice to look at, we’d recommend focusing on the content of your résumés rather than disguising a lack of experience with pretty fonts. Don’t get it twisted – presentation is definitely important (see above about proofreading and spellchecking) but overly stylized résumés aren’t yet a requirement in PR. Knowing design skills and having a striking visual style are critical skills in today’s visual-centric PR world (Why do you think every brand wants to be on Instagram and Pinterest) but it’s more important to know what your PR experience is in plain old English.

Don’t Write Like You’re Texting Your Friend

Found a job you want? Now that you’ve got your résumé and cover letter ready and typo-free, send that baby off exactly the way the potential employer requests. If an employer requests that you fax it, then fax it. If they want you to answer 5 questions in your cover letter, answer those 5 questions. Follow the instructions TO A TEE. When we’ve posted jobs, we’re looking for those applicants who pay attention to the details. If you’re fortunate enough to get a response, don’t respond like you’re texting. You know what I mean. Writing “ur” instead of “your,” “thx” instead of “thanks,” etc. is off-putting.

Be As Flexible As Possible For Interviews

Sure, circumstances might make it difficult for you to be available at any given time for an interview, but you really should try to move heaven and earth to secure an interview. Remember that recruiters are busy and if you’re not available at a certain time, they might not be able to fit you in, or they do it a day after they’ve found the best candidate. Don’t miss that boat.

Interview’s Set! Now What?

Research! Read EVERYTHING you can about the company and the people that you’ll be meeting with. Memorize details and common interests. Show up and be able to discuss the company’s vision and how you will contribute to it. Don’t ever go into an interview cold. Dress professionally and show up ON time. Give yourself an extra hour to get to your location and get yourself mentally prepared before you walk into the doors. Smile, make eye contact, shake hands like a grown up, don’t swear, don’t burp, don’t fart and be respectful to everyone you walk by.

Follow Up

Most recruiters hate a phone call follow-up so send a very nice email or even an old-fashioned letter, if you’re so inclined. Make sure you reiterate anything interesting that you and the interviewer discussed, and emphasize how excited you are to work for them and how you will contribute to their success. Remember that there’s a fine line between being aggressive and proactive and being annoying and rude.

Be sure to thank anyone who helped you get the interview in the first place. Then, wash, rinse and repeat. Job searching is equal parts luck, timing and skill. The most important thing to remember is to stay positive on your search, be grateful and humble and always keep an open mind. Something that might not sound immediately appealing might end up being a fantastic opportunity. Lastly, there’s no such thing as a dream job. So stop searching for it. The only dream jobs are ones that you can make for yourself.

Good luck, job seekers!

By Katy

“Drawn Together” Brings 4 Bestselling Children’s Book Authors Together For Public School Libraries

Did you know that California currently has no dedicated funding for its public school libraries? Without access to books and a safe, inviting place to read them, public school children are being left behind in the Golden State. Private citizens and nonprofit organizations like Access Books are forced to pull the state’s weight and do their part to help public school children.

On June 20, 2015 at 1pm at the Disney Concert Hall, one such fundraiser has been organized by “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” author and artist Jeff Kinney. The philanthropic Kinney has gathered 3 of his equally popular children’s book author friends – Dav Pilkey (“Captain Underpants”), Lincoln Peirce (“Big Nate”) and Stephan Pastis (“Timmy Failure”) – along with host Julie Bowen (ABC’s “Modern Family”) for a benefit fundraiser for Access Books.

Not only will parents and their children get to meet their favorite authors and cartoonists, they’ll also get to hear a panel presentation from the talented scribes, as well as participate in an audience Q&A. Fans can have books and posters autographed, all for one great cause.

100% of the ticket sales will go to rebuilding and revitalizing public school libraries in the LAUSD. Just one $35 ticket enables the purchase of 5-7 new books for one student.

Purchase a ticket to support public school libraries, or donate directly to Access Books.

Read why actress Julie Bowen is supporting “Drawn Together” and Access Books in Variety

Donate to Access Books and follow them on Twitter and Facebook

The Must List: The 5 Best Articles We Read This Week

Remember when we went on and on about how writing is the most important skill in PR and then we continued to proselytize how you can get better at it by reading, and reading A LOT?

Here are the 5 best articles we read this week:

The cover story everyone's talking about — The cover story everyone’s talking about

The whole world’s talking about Caitlyn Jenner, and with good reason. There’s been so many articles about her – good, bad, annoying, provocative, thoughtful, and everything in between – so we decided to go with one that focuses on how she handled her announcement. Yes, we chose the PR angle. We’re shameless. Josef Adalian at the Vulture goes in-depth into her press strategy. h/t to Peter Himler for sharing the link.

Screen Shot 2015-06-05 at 3.09.41 PM — Mary Meeker, the OG Digital Prophet

Speaking of reading A LOT, do you have a couple of hours to spare to dig through Kleiner Perkins’ legendary Internet seer Mary Meeker’s annual Internet Trends report? It’s worth every second you’ll spend soaking up Meeker’s considerable expertise. If Meeker told us to wear white after Labor Day, we’d listen!

Lyft's search process isn't fooling Rupal Parekh — Lyft’s search process isn’t fooling Rupal Parekh

If, like us, you want to see the agency search process completely overhauled, you’ll find former AdAge editor Rupal Parekh’s criticism of Lyft’s “wildcard” agency RFP stunt of interest. Parekh brings up that underdog startup Lyft is courting tried-and-true big name advertising agencies instead of scrappy shops that might better fit their own image. This is the startup that plastered giant fuzzy pink mustaches on people’s cars and insisted on “fist bumping” as a greeting, after all. Yet their agency search process appears to be as boringly rote as everyone else’s, while under the guise of throwing a bone to the little guys. No fist bump for you, Lyft.

You'd be smiling too if you were Walt Mossberg or Kara Swisher — You’d be smiling too if you were Walt Mossberg or Kara Swisher

Last week’s news that highly respected tech media outlet re/code (founded by the two most powerful tech reporters Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher) was being acquired by Vox Media surprised many industry insiders. Business Insider’s Alyson Shontell convincingly lays out the reasons why re/code made their decision. In light of Gigaom’s shuttering, combined with the proliferation of good tech reporters leaving to become venture capitalists or start their own startup, what can tech media do to maintain eyeballs, quality reporting and their overhead?

Finally, this last link isn’t an article but very worth checking out. Apparent “Entourage” hater, Wendy Molyneaux Drake, came up with a very clever, funny way to raise money for nonprofit CureSearch. Drake didn’t dump ice cold water but instead leveraged her amusing (and some might say, completely rational) hatred for the HBO brofest to shed spotlight on a very worthy cause – children’s cancer research. She raised a whopping $30k for CureSearch – amazing. Congratulations/Sorry, Wendy! h/t/ to our pal Pamela Ribon for sharing the link.

Why Writing Is the Most Important Skill in PR

There are many skills attributed to good PR practitioners (including the ability to wear many, many hats) but the most important skill that never gets enough mention is writing.

With the evolution of PR, the skills that used to take you far (being good in a room, smooth-talking on the phone) have been de-emphasized. They’re still important, but when everyone (including and especially media) are communicating over text, your ability to quickly pitch a bored reporter over the phone becomes your least relevant skill.

The style of PR writing has also evolved.”PR writing” is no longer translated to “lame, boring, jargon-filled press release that no one cares about.” PR writing now means tweets, blog posts, Facebook updates, Instagram one-liners, Vine clips, Pinterest boards.

If you can’t communicate via the written word – whether in email pitches, 140-character tweets, or interesting Facebook status updates – you might as well be riding your dinosaur to work. The ability to compel the public, and reporters, with a few short words has become paramount.

The social media posts that tell the most succinct, brand-relevant stories are what’s setting companies apart, and what will help the next generation of PR professionals succeed. Brevity is the soul of (social media) wit.

It all comes down to storytelling, and if you can’t tell a story in an age where “Vine celebrities” are a thing (a huge, multi-million dollar thing), you’ll be left standing with a fax in your hand, wondering who to send your 3-page press release to.

Can’t write? Well, you’re not hopeless. Practice makes perfect. Read read read. Read every blog, every website, every magazine and every book you can get your hands on. Read Stephen King’s brilliant “On Writing” and savor the art of storytelling. It’s also the art of PR. Now get writing.

You can start by sending us a tweet @ChangePR or posting on our Facebook

Union Square SF hosts 2nd Food + Art June 4

The only thing that we like more than food and art is FREE food and art. Our client, Union Square SF, is hosting its second showcase of the popular neighborhood’s exciting food and art scene on Thursday, June 4 from 5-8pm. And yes, it’s free. You just have to RSVP to get a wristband.

So here’s what you have to do to take advantage of Union Square’s generosity.

– RSVP on EventBrite

– Check out the lineup here and make a note of which places you want to hit up

– Read about the event on Hoodline and listen to Union Square rep Jeani Hunt-Gibbon chat with the always entertaining Joel Riddell on Dining Around (Union Square segment comes around the 9:18 mark but listen to the whole segment because Joel’s awesome).

– Grab your best pair of eating and drinking shoes.

– Show up at 5pm at Emporio Rulli on Union Square and get your wristband and map. You’ll also get the opportunity to enter to win a Union Square gift basket.

Emporio Rulli on Union Square - Official headquarter for Food + Art 2015 — Emporio Rulli on Union Square – Official headquarter for Food + Art 2015

– Use hashtag #SFFoodArt to document your exploits

– HAVE A GREAT TIME!

We’ll see you there.

If you’re a reporter/blogger and want a media badge, shoot an email to katy(at)bethechangepr.com

The Must List: The 5 Best Articles We Read This Week

We read stuf gud and below are the 5 articles we want to share with you, our dear reader and/or spambot:

As “Mean Girls” fans, we admit that we love this article’s URL the most but we swear, it’s also a good read on why Mic Wright at The Next Web thinks that mobile livestreaming apps like Periscope and Meerkat are bound to go the way of Ello. Or, I s’pose, the way of fetch.

We really liked the TV show “Constantine,” and so did many other Twitter users, but not a whole lot of TV viewers agreed. The DC Comics-based show was canceled, despite a strong Twitter campaign. The A/V Club posits that social media campaigns alone can’t save TV shows, a theory that the makers of “Sharknado” will likely ignore.

Does this mean Twitter social media campaigns aren’t powerful and compelling? Not necessarily. It just means that NBC hates their fans and ignores their desperate pleas (just kidding! We love you, NBC. Now will you please take our pitch meeting request?).

Screen Shot 2015-05-15 at 2.57.14 PM — See you in hell, Constantine, or at least on Twitter

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: we’re reaching peak pot startups. This local FOX segment focuses on these dashing marijuana entrepreneurs in Los Angeles, including mobile delivery app Nugg, and how they’re able to skirt that pesky thing called the law. We’re pretty bullish ourselves on medicinal marijuana-based companies but now it’s time for the real compelling companies to step up and separate from the very crowded pack.

Read Fast Company’s list of the most creative people doing the most interesting things in business and feel bad about that “Judge Judy” marathon you binge-watched yesterday. These entrepreneurs, dreamers and innovators are so talented, they can likely make fetch happen.

Last but not least, this week, Verizon shelled out a couple billion to buy AOL. It’s not because they were nostalgic to hear “You’ve Got Mail” a hundred times. One of the biggest assets they’ll receive in the acquisition are several online media outlets that were owned by AOL, including the hugely popular Huffington Post, TechCrunch and Engadget.

What does it mean when a telecom company owns media outlets? Some of the precedent set by the likes of CBS (when they made their CNET cast out rival Dish Networks) is definitely cause for concern. Business Insider sheds some light on the troubling implications, especially with the Net Neutrality debate raging.