Below is the blog post I wrote last week to post today.  Since then, thousands of lives have been changed forever and millions more are awaiting the (hopeful) news that their lives won’t change.  I’m talking about, of course, Hurricane Dorian that stalled over The Bahamas this weekend as the largest storm in recorded history.  We at PR/PR pray for those who lost their lives and their loved ones remaining to rebuild.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog:

As we enter into the holiday season there are many myths which persist in our culture.  None of them particularly harmful, but they should be brought into the light so your actions for the next couple of months can be determined by the truth not just what ‘they’ think or ‘everyone’ believes.

1. Candy Corn was originally not a Halloween candy

Invented by George Renninger, a candy maker at the Wunderle Candy Company of Philadelphia in the 1880s, Candy Corn was originally called “butter cream candies” and “chicken feed” since back then, corn was commonly used as food for livestock (they even had a rooster on the candy boxes).

It had no association with Halloween or fall, and was sold seasonally from March to November. After World War II, advertisers began marketing it as a special Halloween treat due to its colors and ties to the fall harvest.

2. Holiday season is a slow time for publicity

Many people think that publicity during the holiday season, particularly November and December, is as less effective as other times of the year.  Yet, trade, industry, and association publications still produce issues in November and December, looking to fill those column inches with valuable content for their readers.

The most common ‘skipped’ months of publications is July or August.  However, this is not due to a lack of readership, but more due to the increased workload of the association’s annual convention making the issue for the event often the highest read of the year. 

3. The Pilgrims Landed on Plymouth Rock

According to historian George Willison the story about the rock is all malarkey, a public relations stunt pulled off by townsfolk to attract attention. The Pilgrims first made landfall at Provincetown. 

The Plymouth Rock legend rests entirely on dubious testimony told more than a century after the Mayflower landed. So, we’ve all just gone merrily along repeating the same old story as if it’s true when it’s not. Of course, the people of Plymouth stick by hoary tradition. Tour guides insist that Plymouth Rock is THE rock.

4. Santa Claus Originally Wore a Green Suit

Santa Claus comes from St. Nicholas, a Christian bishop in the fourth century AD. St. Nicholas had inherited a great deal of wealth and was known for giving it away to help the needy. St. Nick’s name became Sint-Nicolaas in Dutch, or Sinter Klaas for short. Which is only a hop, skip, and jump to Santa Claus.

Though Santa Claus has worn blue and white and green in the past, his traditional red suit came from a 1930s ad by Coca Cola.   

5. After New Year’s is the best time to start a publicity campaign

Getting publicity for your speaking and/or consulting business is one resolution that should not wait until after New Year’s!  Most trade, industry, and association publications work 60-90 days out.  This means an article pitched out in January won’t be in-print until March or April.  Why not get the jump on the competition, start your campaign in October or November and be first in front of your target market in the first issue of the year?

Of course, online placements can come much sooner than in-print one, but even when getting online placements there is always a ramp-up time at the beginning of a campaign where themes are chosen, articles drafted, call to actions honed, etc.  Starting your campaign in December will ensure online placements in early January, weeks before the competition who waiting until after the ball dropped.

We hope you enjoyed these myths and facts about the holiday season.  May the next couple of months bring you happiness and all the holidays entail.

Happy Holidays!

Russell Trahan,

President, PR/PR Public Relations

                     407-895-8800

Author, Sell Yourself Without Saying A Word