Hope everyone’s week is starting out right! As we’re all shifting gears to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s important to remind ourselves of the things that we have to be thankful for. So here’s our annual list from the PR/PR staff!

Russell Trahan
1. A creative, energetic and supporting staff.
2. Interesting clients who are wanting to expand their reach.
3. Colleagues with sound advice who are never too busy to mentor.
4. Professional organizations dedicated to the advancement of their members.
5. Family and friends who make everything worth working for.

Amanda Tucker
1. Family. I’ve been blessed with a large, supportive and silly family. I couldn’t imagine better people to be surrounded by.
2. My puppy, Blake. He brings a tremendous amount of joy into my life.
3. Pinterest. Where else would I find all the best cupcake recipes and inspirational quotes in one place?
4. Good friends I can always count on.
5. The quote, “Count your rainbows, not your thunderstorms.” This phrase has helped me see the positive side of many difficult situations.

Lindsay Durfee
1. The unintentionally hilarious things Russell says, i.e. Denton, FL instead of Destin, FL (I couldn’t tell you why this was so funny at the time.) And his sense of humor for letting us laugh at him!
2. Notre Dame being the #1 ranked college football team in the country (knock on wood for this weekend.) Go Irish!
3. The level of health and personal happiness I was able to achieve and retain this year.
4. Wonder in-laws, with whom I can’t wait to spend Thanksgiving, and time to visit my own parents at New Years.
5. An amazing husband who gets me, loves me just the way I am, and finds ways to make me laugh everyday (and now I am tearing up as I type.)

Carter Breazeale
1. Having a job that doesn’t feel like work, with people who feel like friends as opposed to simply coworkers.
2. My friends and family who put up with my sarcastic and cynical sense of humor.
3. Alkaline Trio’s record, “From Here to Infirmary.” Everyone should own it.
4. The Atlanta Falcons football team for being 9-1, even if their wins are ugly and frustrating.
5. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, specifically the novel, “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” My world was shaken for about a week after reading that book. 

We hope you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

This weekend I had the pleasure of reconnecting with one of my lifelong friends. We had gone over a year without being able to spend time together, and our conversations had been few and far between. The reason? He was finishing up his military contract and returning from his second tour of duty.

My Saturday was spent listening to his stories of Afghanistan; the daily drudgery that accompanies a long deployment, difficult situations that he found himself in, and I could hardly wrap my head around the reality of it all. The mental and physical dexterity that are required of our servicemen and women is more than I was able to comprehend. He spoke of his experiences during wartime with a self-assuredness that I couldn’t ever imagine myself possessing if I had seen what he had seen.  

So today, the day after Veteran’s Day, I want to extend a ‘thank you’ to all our armed forces on behalf of PR/PR for the commitment they have and the sacrifices they’ve made for the safety of all Americans. Your service will never be forgotten or taken for granted, and one annual holiday will never be enough to acknowledge what you’ve risked day in and day out.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

“Remember, remember the fifth of November.” Along with the crackling of massive bonfires, the bursting of fireworks and consumption of assorted ales and ciders on Guy Fawkes Day in Britain comes an interesting study in cultural shifts in perception and significance. Guy Fawkes, a domestic terrorist associated with the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 that was intended to blow-up the House of Lords, is traditionally viewed with vitriol across the pond; but globally, Guy Fawkes’ image has morphed into one of a romanticized anti-hero. These perceptual changes often accompany individuals who are lightning rods for criticism, and it’s a testament of how your legacy can transform over time.

The image of the Guy Fawkes mask reached meteoric popularity after 2006’s V for Vendetta was released. A symbol for protest against perceived tyranny, the mask was utilized in the Occupy movement and the Arab Spring revolutions across the Middle East, and has essentially become a brand for popular revolution. While in Great Britain his likeness is customarily burned in effigy on Guy Fawkes Day, his visage is prominent in protests across the world.

These types of historical revisions have taken place since the advent of intelligent thought. Elapsed time often dictates legacies, and one’s own place in the cultural context isn’t often determined until further down the road. For many years, Columbus Day was a source of pride in the hearts of Americans, and as the actual facts and events became clearer, many in the United States have soured on a holiday that seemed to celebrate colonialism and the eradication of the Native American population.

In the ever-evolving publicity spectrum, the lasting impact you have on your audience may not be determined until further down the road. A steady stream of attention aids in crafting your permanent niche, but one misstep or poorly-executed performance can sully even the most air-tight of publicity campaigns. Remaining mindful of the public’s shifting perception of you, as it may also indicate a shift on your legacy.

As the mortars illuminate the London skies this evening and the crowds gather to celebrate the foiled plot of 1605, many will be aware of the evolution of Guy Fawkes in the international view. A traitor, brigand, conspirator, inspiration and political symbol; all these labels all apply for many. The mark you leave on your audience will likely undergo many changes; do your best to ensure they are favorable. 

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Publicity stunts come in varying degrees of absurdity. There’s the 72 hour marriage, the classic drunken meltdown, and the awkwardly filmed and leaked ‘home movie.’ Occasionally an individual will take the ‘stunt’ literally and perform an actual feat worth the press; this weekend, it was Felix Baumgartner, who broke the record for the highest skydive in history. The man jumped out of a helium balloon from the stratosphere and became the first person to break the sound barrier without vehicular propulsion; as someone who can barely ride an escalator without fits of anxiety, the mere thought of this is nausea-inducing.

The event, Red Bull’s Stratos, built on the energy beverage company’s ever-expanding role in extreme sports. From annual events such as Flugtagto mountain-biking and surfing competitions, Red Bull has broadened their brand’s reach via sponsorship and event-promotion. Their web-hits and overall awareness (Monday pun) skyrocketed as Baumgartner took the plunge from 24 miles up (broadcasted live on YouTube), and discussion will continue about the achievement and Red Bull’s association with its completion.

 Sponsorships are just another distinct avenue for generating brand-awareness and name recognition in today’s marketplace. At first glance, many sponsorships may not appear to provide the initial ROI you desire, but the truth of the matter is they create buzz and association that accompanies an event, be it a community outreach program or national stunt like Stratos.

The gospel around the PR/PR offices is that your greatest allies in publicity are frequency and repetition. Along with a stout presence online and in print media, sponsoring an event is a fantastic medium for creating the notoriety you desire. Red Bull will be forever linked to Felix Baumgartner’s leap from Earth’s stratosphere; align yourself with local organizations and events and watch your name-recognition grow.   

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

I’m acutely aware that I’m the minority when it comes to sports preference. I’ve heard many say that watching baseball on television is as exciting as watching Bob Ross watch paint dry, so the majority of my friends were beyond excited for the first football Sunday of the season, where we flood the local watering holes for ten hours of hot wings and yelling at televisions. The National Football League is an ever-evolving entity, always searching for new ways to present their product. Let’s take a look at some early stories and storylines for the 2012 season!

NBC Brings Social Media to the Sidelines

If you caught my post about The Newsroom (or even better, watch the show) you got a taste of how intricate and pressure-packed a television broadcast can be. Producers are under rigorous time constraints and have to adhere to strict formatting guidelines to allot enough time for the game, and ridiculously expensive advertising. As a result of these restrictions, commentators can only air brief segments with their sideline reporters; and these reporters often have the inside scoop on what’s occurring down on the field. To compensate for their lack of available time, NBC is utilizing Twitter and Instagram in-game. Filming spots from the sideline and also manually updating, reporter Michelle Tafoya is updating the handle @SNFonNBC with details that would otherwise never appear during the broadcast. This brings important information such as injury updates and player comments right to the user.

Fantasy Continues to Bring Ratings

Would you sit at a bar on a Sunday afternoon to watch a matchup of the Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals if you weren’t a fan? I didn’t think so; I wouldn’t wish that kind of weekend on anyone. I’ve always compared fantasy football to a jock’s version of Dungeons and Dragons, but you cannot deny the impact that the online stat-game has on the NFL’s ratings. Instead of scoffing at yet another Carson Palmer interception and changing the channel, millions of football enthusiasts find themselves watching games that they would normally deem ‘The Stinkbowl’ just to ensure a weekly victory for their team. It really is a brilliant racket by the National Football League, and the popularity of fantasy football has brought a viewership to the game that otherwise would spend Sunday cleaning.

What Will Become of the Referees?

With the NFL referee lockout still ongoing, the league’s top brass were forced to enter the season with replacements. There has not been much in the way of negotiating progress as the group of officials is firm in their stance of better pay and not being required to quit second jobs. From all accounts, the replacements did a serviceable job in their first week, but that will not stop commentators from blaming officials if a call doesn’t go their way. What will the NFL do once the lockout is ended? Will some replacement refs be permanently added to the payroll? This will be an interesting story to follow as it continues to develop.

There you have it: just a few of the trending storylines surrounding the NFL’s 93^rdseason. So don your beverage helmet and team-gear and get ready for what will prove to be an eventful few months in the football world.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations