PPG eNews

Richard Edelman’s family-owned firm Edelman has been recognized many years for its crisis public relations services. In a recent blog, Mr. Edelman says the former PR services agency has adopted a broader vision as a communications marketing firm.

According to Mr. Edelman, the Edelman firm’s growth and success is attributed to a strategy in which communications is seen as an equal partner to marketing, that corporate marketing and brand marketing are inherently linked and that the roles of the CCO and CMO are overlapping.

Dan Pallotta is an activist, entrepreneur and author who invented the multi-day charitable event industry. He created the breast cancer 3-day walks and the multi-day AIDS rides which raised more than a half billion dollars in nine years and became the subject of one of the first Harvard Business School case studies on social enterprise. Both initiatives had their best years in 2002 – and then Mr. Pallotta’s nonprofit went out of business.

Since its founding in 2009, Humble Design has provided more than 700 families with clean, dignified and welcoming homes in Metro Detroit. Humble Design, a non-profit charity, helps previously homeless families transition from shelters to homes.

Business Partnerships with Humble Design

Through partnerships with businesses and organizations in the Detroit community and with U-Haul’s ongoing support, volunteers work with Humble Design’s professional interior design staff by transforming empty spaces into warm and inviting homes. Humble Design home makeovers feature furnished bedrooms, set-designed kitchen tables, desks and appliances, couches, chairs and more. Families leave their empty living quarters for the afternoon and return to a completely transformed home makeover equipped with personal touches such as artwork on the walls, pillows and throws on couches and chairs, bedspreads, curtains, rugs and books.

Social scientists spend a lot of time interpreting body language; how we stand, our facial expressions, and how we use our voice. Every time we speak, we send cues about how we perceive ourselves and others. Most of the time, we are unaware of the signals we’re sending. Our nonverbals and vocals send messages that either captivate our audience or tune them out. This is about refining how we speak, so they listen.

Jeneen McNally, President of “Speak So They Listen,” is an energetic and enthusiastic trainer and speaker. She helps individuals and organizations achieve positive outcomes by focusing how to captivate your audience. I had the opportunity to hear Jeneen’s presentation at the August LA2M Network meeting in Ann Arbor in August. It was interactive and interesting. Jeneen exudes positive energy. Using visuals, she began by showing slides of past and present U.S. presidents and presidential candidates. We reviewed their posture, stance and overall “body language” while Jeneen asked us to think about what we were seeing. Were candidates who felt more “presidential” standing erect with arms open or were they looking down, off to the side with arms folded in front of them? Were they standing tall or shrinking so as to appear to hide? Were they shaking hands with each other or acting aloof? Were they looking at their audience, looking down or engaging with one another? What do these pictures tell us, the viewer?

Bob Chunn, founder and CEO of ContentOro at the July LA2M

I recently had the opportunity to hear Bob Chunn, founder and CEO of a company called “ContentOro” speak at the LA2M network meeting in Ann Arbor. For those not familiar with LA2M, it’s a marketing education forum held once month in downtown Ann Arbor for professionals working or interested in marketing and communications. Attendees have the opportunity to leave their screens for at least 60 minutes to meet face-to-face and learn about new businesses, applications and trends in marcom. Founder Derek Mehraban started the informal and fun gathering eight years ago. The LA2M lunch meetings are popular. Attendance continues to climb as marketing professionals listen to informative & timely marcom presentations while enjoying a relaxed lunch at Conor O’Neill’s restaurant and pub, followed by networking opportunities for those who are able to stick around after the presentation.