Fulton Homes

Arizona’s largest privately owned homebuilder will air one 30-second spot during the big game, as well as a second spot later in the evening during the CBS-5 News broadcast. The spots represent a very new look and feel in regard to the brand image that the company has worked so hard to build since 1975.

“Fulton Homes considers the Super Bowl an important part of our marketing strategy and we have always come from the approach that marketing is muscle not fat,” said Fulton Homes CEO Douglas Fulton. “Fulton Homes is going into 2010 with a strong offense and we will win.”

knoodle, a Phoenix-based advertising and public relations agency, created the spots for Fulton Homes using nine actors and one professional voice talent representing a diverse cross-section of some of the Valley’s most talented individuals. Pre-production and concepting began in September of 2009 in conjunction with a local film company, along with an Emmy-nominated Hollywood effects house. The spots were filmed locally on location at McClintock High School in Tempe and at Glendale High School.

“The spots employ a lot of humor – a little tongue-in-cheek – while still retaining the brand essence of Fulton Homes that we’ve helped to build for so many years,” relates Matthew Wilson, Vice President of Creative for knoodle. “Doug Fulton is always open to exploring new ideas and innovative ways of marketing and he allows us in the creative field to present original thoughts and viewpoints – no matter how far out-of-the-box they may be.”

He’d never been the subject of a scandalous story before. It may be why this got more attention than necessary. 

As someone who counsels clients in crisis situations, not making a statement is not an option.  Get your thoughts together and get your statement out there as soon as possible. Or what could have been a one-day story turns in to much more.

Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org, says “Retailers… have created promotions and incentives to help Americans save money this holiday season… combining new initiatives with tried-and-true tactics to make their companies stand out.”

In addition to a strong focus on sales and free shipping, many online retailers have revamped their websites this holiday season to make it easier for people to shop.

And online shoppers are noticing the changes. 26.7% of online shoppers said they plan to spend a larger portion of their holiday budget online this year. Reasons behind why people will spend more online range from the ability to shop at all hours of the day to shoppers feeling it is easier to compare prices. Others said they will spend more online because it’s simply more convenient for them, they don’t want to fight crowds in stores, or because it’s easier to find items.

The eHoliday Study, now in its eighth year, provides an authoritative snapshot of the holiday activities of both large and small online retailers, many of which have been in business for at least 10 years, and also includes the sentiments of online holiday shoppers. For additional information, please visit  the National Retail Federation.

Back by popular demand was the upscale Las Vegas theme from last year’s event, which included black jack, roulette and craps tables, a tequila-tasting and fabulous raffle prizes and gift bags for all attendees with products from local companies and events. 

The event also embraced social media to help broadcast the event with a live twitter stream, using the hastag #RockyEmmy, throughout the night to give attendees as well as those who couldn’t be there a behind-the-scenes look into the event.

Among the winners were all major Phoenix and Tucson television stations as well as FSN Arizona and Phoenix Suns Broadcasting. CBS 5 took home the Governor’s Award for their “Pay It Forward” series, which is a grass-roots community service program. It’s the highest award presented by the National Academy.

Individual members of the media also garnered several honors including:

• Bob Adlhoch, Phoenix Suns Broadcasting – Live Director
• Peter Busch, CBS 5, and Lori Jane Gliha, ABC 15 – On-Camera Talent Reporters
• Megan Case, FSN Arizona, and Joe Pequeno, 12 News – Advanced Media Hosts
• Troy Hayden, FOX 10 – On-Camera Talent/Anchor
• Paul Horton, CBS 5 – On-Camera Weather
• Kaley O’Kelley, formerly of ABC 15 now with KTVK TV 3 – Best Breaking News

For a full list of winners, please click here.

The study of almost 3,800 people at 79 newspaper newsrooms shows America’s journalists want a quicker transformation from print to digital delivery of the news. Many of these journalists are heavily engaged in digital activities in their personal lives and would like to devote more effort to digital activities at work. But most of their time in the newsroom is still spent on print responsibilities.

The study created profiles of six types of journalists ranging from the “Digitals” (12% of the workforce) who spend a majority of their efforts online today to the “Turn Back the Clock” contingent (6%) who long for the day when print was king.

Online desire in the newsroom is not determined by age, years of journalism experience, or proximity to retirement. And youth is not a factor in predicting who in the newsroom wants to move into digital. Rather, the top two predictors of digital appetite are heavy Internet use outside work and having knowledge of online audiences and their preferences.

Please visit the Media Management Center here to read the more complete PDF version of the report.

The FTC’s notice, is quite lengthy, but a few items that could impact the practice of public relations:

• “Endorsers” as well as advertisers can be held liable for false or unsubstantiated claims or for failing to disclose material connections between the parties.
• The Guides no longer offer the “safe harbor” whereby testimonials can be qualified by a “results may vary” disclaimer.
• Regarding endorsements, the Guides specify that celebrities should disclose relationships with advertisers.
• Bloggers who receive cash or in-kind payment (including free products or services for review) are deemed endorsers and so must disclose material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.
• Any firm that engages bloggers by paying them outright to create or influence editorial content or by supplying goods or services to them at no cost may be liable if the blogger does not disclose the relationship.
• Advertisements or promotions that feature a consumer who conveys his or her experience with a product or service as “typical” should clearly disclose what results consumers can generally expect or specify how the results were unique to the individual circumstances.
• If research is cited in an advertisement or promotion, any sponsorship of the research by the client or the marketer should be clearly disclosed.
• Celebrities who make endorsements outside the context of traditional ads, such as on talk shows or in social media, should disclose any relationship with the advertiser or marketer.

While the guidelines are advisory in nature, failure to comply increases the risk of professionals finding themselves in violation of the law. Non-compliance can result in a communication from the FTC warning professionals against the potential offending action. If that warning is not heeded, it may be followed by a cease-and-desist order. Intentional violation of that order may result in referral to FTC enforcement, which may include civil monetary penalties.

(information provided by the Public Relations Society of America.)

Recent reports have included:

• A high-tech public relations firm allegedly engaged its interns to write favorable reviews of computer games.
• A DC lobbying firm is said to have sent letters to political constituents engaging the unauthorized use of other organizations’ letterhead, giving the impression its messages were coming from those organizations.
• The Federal Trade Commission has issued proposed rules that would subject bloggers to personal liability for false advertising if they do not disclose the source of products and services they routinely receive for free to review. (“Blogola”) (PRSA submitted comments earlier this year on the proposed FTC rules.)
• A marketing firm set up a program by which clients could engage a stable of professional “twitterati” who allegedly would post favorable tweets about clients and their messages or products.
• In the current debate on national health care reform, special interests are setting up and/or funding organizations to promote their positions without disclosing who is behind those organizations.

Below are examples of additional tactics that have been used by communicators; unfortunately, these have the potential of destroying the credibility of the profession and the professional. 

 Deceptive Online Practices

Under the PRSA Code of Ethics, the source of editorial material must be clearly identified. Any attempts to mislead or deceive an uninformed audience are considered malpractice. The PRSA Code of Ethics calls for truth and transparency and full disclosure of the causes and interests represented. The goal should be responsible advocacy on behalf of clients, sustaining credibility with all audiences, and strengthening the public’s trust in the information they receive and the profession that provides that information. Deceptive practices produce unethical advocacy.

Front Groups

One frequently used vehicle that fosters misrepresentation and unethical advocacy is a third-party organization, known as a “front group,” established specifically to deceive or mislead an audience about the position presented and its source. Withholding or deceptively concealing sources or sponsors of information or their intentions or motivations fails to satisfy the principles of truth in advancing the interest of clients and of serving the public interest as responsible advocates.

Pay for Play

Providing payment to generate or influence editorial coverage, regardless of medium, is unethical and constitutes malpractice under the PRSA Code because such exchanges of value are hidden from the reader, viewer or listener. “Pay-for-Play” also runs counter to the Code’s warning to avoid any conflict of interest that impedes the trust of clients, employers or the public. Communicators should disclose any exchange of value so the reader, viewer or listener has the opportunity to make up their own minds about the value, bias, accuracy and usefulness of information provided by others.

 As professional communicators, our job is to protect and advance the free flow of accurate and truthful information and foster informed decision-making in a democratic society.  It’s important, now more than ever.  These techniques undermine that responsibility and should never be in the professional communicator’s arsenal.

For more information regarding PRSA’s efforts, please contact Linda Gorman, lgorman@arizona.aaa.com, PRSA Phoenix’s Advocacy Officer.

My line in the sand: The collision of crisis, truth and integrity

The Phoenix Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America Presents Denise Tyrrell, Director of the Southern California Division,
California Public Utilities Commission

Denise Tyrrell was leading the public relations efforts for the Los Angeles commuter train system last September when the unthinkable happened: two trains crashed, injuring 180 people and killing 24 riders and the train engineer. The resulting crisis management experience resulted in a deep understanding for Tyrrell of what it really means to stick to one’s professional code of ethics — it changed her life.

Tyrrell’s presentation will challenge participants to ask: Where is your line in the sand? What won’t you do, even if it means losing your job?

When: Wednesday, October 28, 11:30 a.m. registration, noon lunch/program
Cost: $25 members, $40 non-members (add $5 for walk-ins)

RSVP: Please RSVP to chaptermanager@phoenixprsa.org

Public Relations Society of America Phoenix Chapter Luncheon co-sponsored by the PRSA Western District.

 Location: The Disability Empowerment Center, Nina Mason Pulliam Conference Center, 5025 E. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85034

For more information: chaptermanager@phoenixprsa.org