Posted by Chris Gent on June 19, 2008 at 12:32 PM
We have received the go-ahead from FPRA's Executive Committee to offer live blogging of this year's FPRA Annual Conference in Kissimmee. Last year's conference blog was a tremendous success, and we even picked up a few awards along the way for our efforts.
The conference blog will feature session recaps, photos and interviews, as well as posts that provide an insider's look at an FPRA conference.
We have a couple of bloggers who have expressed an interest, but we could use one or two more. Are you interested?
All you need is a laptop computer and the ability to write. Don't worry about the blogging part... we'll show you how the blogging software works and get you set up with a Wi-Fi account at the hotel.
If you are interested, please contact Chris Gent at cgent@kua.com or 407-933-9836.
Posted by Chris Gent on April 28, 2008 at 07:50 AM
At last week's Image Awards gala hosted by FPRA's Orlando Area Chapter, the FPRA 2007 Annual Conference Blog was honored with an Image Award and a Judges' Award.
In 2007, a volunteer blog team -- led by Chris Gent and Josh Hallett, with writing assistance from Paul Ramey, APR, Donna Foster and student Valerie Norman -- came together to offer live blogging of FPRA's 69th Annual Conference. The blog enjoyed tremendous success, boasting 85 articles, 89 visitor comments, 793 photos and seven podcasts, while drawing 2,207 unique visitors and 7,108 total page views.
Thanks to the vision of Immediate Past President Jessica Rye, APR and the FPRA Executive Committee for supporting and encouraging this endeavor!
Chris accepted the award on behalf of the team. Josh Hallett was somewhere in the deserts of Wyoming and couldn't attending the awards gala.
Posted by Chris Gent on January 14, 2008 at 10:31 PM
This month's Orlando Area Chapter luncheon will feature Dale A. Brill, Ph.D., Director of the Governor's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. The program theme is "Courage to Let the Consumer Have Control."
Dr. Brill will seek to assure us that content is still king, but the tables have turned on who controls it. Kick off your shoes with Dale as he guides us through VISIT FLORIDA's recently released web project known as Open Florida. Learn from the trials and tribulations of navigating in a world where the consumer's control has never been greater.
The luncheon will take place on Thursday, Jan. 24 at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater at Loch Haven Park, 812 E. Rollins St. in Orlando. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.; lunch and program begin at noon.
Register online at www.fpra-orlando.org.
Posted by Chris Gent on January 3, 2008 at 12:58 PM
If you've ever called the FPRA State Office in Sarasota, you've probably heard -- "FPRA, this is Amanda" -- on the other end of the line. Just who is this Amanda? Why, it's Amanda Stillings!
Amanda serves as office administrator for FPRA as well as office administrator for KSC, Inc., a Sarasota-based advertising, public relations and marketing agency.
I learned today that our beloved Amanda is leaving us next week for a new job opportunity in Sarasota. As you all know, Amanda has been the glue behind FPRA these past six years… answering the phones, processing new members, processing conference registrations, preparing and mailing out annual conference packets, processing Golden Image entries… the list goes on and on and on.
I hope you will take just a moment to thank Amanda for her many contributions to our organization. She is an important part of the FPRA family and will be greatly missed.
Amanda’s last day is January 11. Her email until then is stillings@kscadvpr.com.
Posted by Chris Gent on November 30, 2007 at 06:05 AM
The Orlando Area Chapter of FPRA scored the equivalent of a touchdown on Nov. 29 with its Backstage Pass tour of Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, home of the University of Central Florida Knights.
More than 60 public relations professionals -- including members of the Space Coast and Ocala Chapters -- gathered at the 45,301-seat stadium for a VIP tour. The tour included stops at the recruiting club, home locker room, digital production studios, press room, luxury suites and presidential suite.
At lunch, the group gathered inside the 4,200 square-foot Club Lounge where a panel of UCF employees shared the strategies, experiences and challenges of opening a new football stadium.
The panel included Cynthia Sucher, Associate VP for Community Relations; Joe Hornstein, Assoc. AD for Athletics Communications; Grant Heston, Assistant VP for News and Information; and Fred Kittinger, Associate VP & Director of State and Local Government Affairs. The panel discussion was moderated by Brian Craven, Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Bright House Networks.
Also during the lunch, Dr. Bob Davis, APR, CPRC, ABC presented six FPRA Roast & Toast scholarships to the following UCF students enrolled in the university's Nicholson School of Communications: Tabitha Bernabe, Matt Harper, Jason Holic, Melissa Patterson. Allie Schwartz and Juliann Whitebread.
Congratulations to these deserving students and thanks to everyone who participated in the Backstage Pass event!
Click here to view the complete photo set from Thursday's event.
Photos: Chris Gent
Posted by Chris Gent on November 20, 2007 at 03:58 PM
Make plans to attend the Orlando Area Chapter's backstage tour of the Bright House Networks Stadium, the new home of the University of Central Florida Knights.
Dave Hansen, UCF's Senior Associate Athletics Director, will give us a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, including the Knights' locker room, recruiting lounge, and then to Roth Tower where we'll enjoy lunch and experience the club seats, suites and operational areas. Dave will also discuss the public relations strategies used to open the stadium.
Double click the arrows to preview the event video teasers. Video 1 (2:56), Video 2 (:51)
The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 29 at Bright House Networks Stadium. Click here for directions.
Register online at www.fpra-orlando.org.
Posted by Chris Gent on September 28, 2007 at 09:51 PM
Nearly 300 bloggers and blog enthusiasts from throughout Florida and across the nation gathered at Rollins College in Winter Park today for BlogOrlando.
Sponsored by the Orlando Area Chapter of FPRA, the day kicked off with a keynote presentation by social media expert Shel Israel of Silicon Valley, Calif. The remainder of the day's sessions were divided up into four separate tracks: Public Relations/Communications, Media, Technology and Life/Local.
The day concluded with a presentaton by blogger Chris Heuer of San Francisco, Calif.
Visit the BlogOrlando account on Flickr to see images of the day.
Thanks to FPRA's own Josh Hallett who coordinated this informative and engaging event!
Posted by Chris Gent on September 17, 2007 at 11:15 AM
Over a thousand canceled flights. Hundreds of stranded passengers. Millions of dollars in lost revenue. What would you do if you were an airline in this situation?
Find out at this year’s FPRA Professional Development Workshop on Thursday, October 25 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando.
Jenny Dervin, director of corporate communications at JetBlue Airways, will share how her company dealt with the winter storms crisis and how they came out the other side as a stronger airline.
Additional breakout sessions will include: preparing your company’s crises plan, pitching to opinion editorials and alternative outlets, creating creativity in PR and more.
Make sure to mark your calendar for this half-day workshop and luncheon. Stay tuned for details!
Posted by Chris Gent on August 24, 2007 at 03:09 PM
Each year, the Orlando Area Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association presents two of its most prominent and prestigious awards, the Bob Davis Award and Member of the Year.
This year's Bob Davis Award recipient is featured in a separate post.
The Member of the Year award is intended to recognize one member of the chapter who has made a significant contribution through outstanding leadership, demonstrated enthusiasm, extraordinary involvement and loyal support.
This year's Member of the Year award recipient is Chris Gent, vice president of corporate communications at Kissimmee Utlity Authority.
Chris is a past president of the Orlando Area Chapter and has served nine years in various roles on the chapter's board of directors, including chapter management, newsletter editor, Webmaster and vice president of online communications. In addition, Chris served five years on the FPRA state board of directors, including three years on the FPRA Executive Committee.
Chris received FPRA's Doris Fleischman Award in 2001 and the Bob Davis Award in 2004.
(pictured, from left to right) FPRA Orlando Area Chapter President Susan Ennis, APR and Chris Gent.
Posted by Chris Gent on August 24, 2007 at 06:14 AM
The Orlando Area Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association on Thursday, Aug. 23 announced that Cynthia Lambert, public relations specialist for METROPLAN ORLANDO, is the recipient of the chapter’s 2007 Bob Davis Award for outstanding contributions to the public relations profession.
The award is presented annually to an individual for his or her “behind the scenes” volunteer efforts that go largely unnoticed by chapter members and are not recognized by other awards programs.
The award is named in honor of Bob Davis, Ph.D., ABC, APR, CPRC, a professor at the University of Central Florida who has given tirelessly to FPRA and the profession for the past three decades.
Since joining FPRA, Cynthia has served on several chapter committees, including newsletter, 2006 Central Florida Media Roundtable, Roast & Toast and Image Awards. Beginning Sept. 1, she will serve her first year on the board as co-vice president of professional development.
(pictured, from left to right) FPRA Orlando Area Chapter President Susan Ennis, APR, Cynthia Lambert and Dr. Bob Davis
Posted by Paul Ramey on August 7, 2007 at 02:43 PM
This session was designed for those thinking about becoming a Certified Public Relations Counselor. The interactive session had 14 attendees, and reviewed various aspects of the exam and how to prepare for it.
CPRC exists because FPRA felt there was a need for a professional certification to recognize professional growth and achievement of senior members who have already earned their APR, and who have more experience than someone who has been in the field for a shorter amount of time.
The oral component was added because that’s often what is required in a professional setting, especially in an agency setting where making presentations is something you do everyday.
Continue reading "FPRA Annual Conference: Session 4C, Demystifying CPRC - Dr. Bob Davis, APR, CPRC" »
Posted by Paul Ramey on August 6, 2007 at 03:58 PM
Lori Martini, FPRA VP for Chapter Services on the state executive committee, led a great workshop for incoming chapter leaders, despite some minor, (OK major ) technical difficulties. This workshop is valuable not only for incoming chapter presidents and president elects, but for ANY of your chapter board members.
Some tips:
DO:
-open the CD toolkit and peruse ASAP once you are back in the office
-do make copies for ALL chapter board members and expect them to refer to their areas of accountability on the CD
-refer to the CD often – put it in your calendar. Make the time. (it really will help you and make your job easier)
-send a copy of all the “great” stuff your chapter is creating to the VP of Chapter Services
-share your ideas with your co-chapter leaders from around the state
DON’T:
-put the CD on a shelf or file and forget about it once you are back in your office.
-keep the wealth of information to yourself
-be afraid to ask questions regarding items found on the CD – Your first point of contact is VP of Chapter Services, who for the 2007-08 year is Wendy Crites-Wacker, APR, wcrites@rtix.com, or (386) 418-8888.
-forget to refer to the CD often (Lori says 85 percent of the calls and e-mails she received this year was something outlined on the CD)
Posted by Chris Gent on August 5, 2007 at 10:04 PM
Conference participants gathered on the north lawn of the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota this evening for the President's Welcome Reception, hosted by FPRA State President Jessica Rye, APR.
Lots of old... ooops, I meant seasoned... and new faces in the crowd. Click here for a photo slideshow.
Posted by Chris Gent on August 5, 2007 at 07:31 AM
Let me be the first to welcome you to the 69th annual conference of the Florida Public Relations Association. This year's theme: PR: The Convergence of Art & Science.
This annual conference is FPRA's premier professional development event. Members of FPRA, as well as other PR professionals from around the region, will gather in Sarasota today for three days of professional development, networking and fun. By offering experts on a variety of industry-related topics, it is our goal to present concepts and tactics that participants can immediately apply to their own jobs.
It's going to be a great conference, and we hope you will take full advantage of this conference blog.
On behalf of the conference blog team, welcome to Sarasota!
Posted by Chris Gent on July 26, 2007 at 10:34 AM
Today is the annual Central Florida Media Roundtable, hosted by the Orlando chapters of the Florida Public Relations Association and the Public Relations Society of America.
More than 140 public relations professionals are gathered at the Orlando Marriott Downtown (see photo above).
Those representing media organizations today include:
Christi Ashby, Editor/Publisher - Orlando Leisure/Orlando CEO
Cindy Barth, Editor - Orlando Business Journal
Sarah Clarke, Business Reporter - Orlando Sentinel
John Cutter, Senior Editor, Online News - OrlandoSentinel.com
Jack DeMarco, Booking Producer - The Daily Buzz
Jose Dieppa, Producer - WVEN-TV Univision 26
Raquel Alysia Giorggio, Managing Editor - WKMG Channel 6 (CBS)
Steve Helling, Contributing Reporter - People Magazine
Peter King, Correspondent - CBS News
Sean McNamara, News Director - Central Florida News 13
Kent Morton, Managing Editor - WESH Channel 2 (NBC)
Rafael Palacio, Editor - El Sentinel
Jean Patteson, Features Reporter - Orlando Sentinel
Hernando Ramirez, Information Chief - El Nuevo Dia
Tara Russakov Menedez, Planning/Special Projects Producer - WOFL 35 (Fox)
Frank Samandari, Anchor/Reporter/Producer/Web Producer - WDBO 580 AM
Dave Seanor, Editor/Vice President - Golf Week/Turnstile Publishing
Diane Sears, Travel/Tourism Editor - Florida Trend
Judith Smelser, Radio News Director - WMFE 90.7 (PBS)
Julie Szulczewski, Sr. Executive Producer - WFTV Channel 9 (ABC)
Our luncheon speaker today will be Barbara Maushard, News Director for WESH-TV/WKCF-TV Channel 2 (NBC) and Channel 18 (The CW).
Thanks to our sponsor: BusinessWire.
Posted by Chris Gent on July 24, 2007 at 08:59 AM
I posted an article back on June 25 seeking individuals interested in being part of the blog team for FPRA’s Annual Conference in August. I am happy to report that we had some takers!
Throughout the three-day conference these individuals will post their reactions to speakers, sessions and the conference in general. The blog will also feature podcasts as well as plenty of photographs... and maybe even a few surprises!
So without further adieu, let me introduce to you this year’s annual conference blog team:
DONNA FOSTER is the communications manager for the Gainesville Technology Enterprise Center. She has been an active member of FPRA since 2006 and currently serves as the Electronic Media Director for FPRA's Gainesville Chapter. She will also serve in this role on next year’s board. As a first-timer to the FPRA Annual Conference, Donna was chosen as the recipient of her chapter's Annual Conference Scholarship.
CHRIS GENT is vice president of corporate communications for Kissimmee Utility Authority. He has been a member of FPRA since 1994 and currently serves as the Webmaster of FPRA's Orlando Area Chapter. Chris has served five years on the FPRA State Board, including three years on the Executive Committee. He is a past president of the Orlando Area Chapter and winner of both the Doris Fleischman Award and the Dick Pope Grand All Golden Image Award.
JOSH HALLETT is owner of Hyku, LLC, a social media consulting firm based in Winter Haven, Fla. Josh has been a member of FPRA since 1996, and has always been an advocate of technology's role in public relations. This included developing the first statewide Web site for FPRA in 1996 and FPRA Blog Week in 2006. Josh is currently a member of FPRA's Dick Pope/Polk County Chapter and blogs frequently about the impact of social media on public relations and traditional media.
VALERIE NORMAN currently serves as president of FPRA’s Tallahassee Student Chapter. She works as a PR assistant at CoreMessage, Inc. where she has displayed her talent in aggressive media outreach, helping her company earn a FPRA Image Award for pro bono work with the Tallahassee Network of Young Professionals. She was also awarded a conference scholarship by FPRA's Capital Chapter. Valerie will be blogging the student sessions at this year’s conference.
PAUL RAMEY, APR is assistant director in charge of marketing and public relations at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. He is a past president of FPRA's Gainesville Chapter and will be serving on the FPRA Executive Committee this coming year as Vice President of Technology. Ramey has more than 19 years of journalism, public relations and communications experience, including work in print, radio, health care and public schools before being hired on by the museum in 1999.
Posted by Chris Gent on July 17, 2007 at 04:34 PM
Have you registered for FPRA's Annual Conference? Why you ask? Because more than 200 of your fellow public relations professionals already have!
To date, we have surpassed last year's total number of conference participants and we're still adding names to the list. Will your name be one of them?
Don't miss your opportunity to join with hundreds of other PR practioners from throughout Florida for the largest annual gathering of public relations professionals in the state.
Click here to download the conference brochure and registration form. Register today!
Posted by Chris Gent on July 6, 2007 at 10:47 AM
Look how we've grown!
The Florida Public Relations Association now has 1,503 members -- the highest membership total in the 69-year history of our Association.
The following message was sent out this morning by FPRA President Jessica Rye, APR:
FPRA Members,
Yesterday, we achieved a tremendous milestone in the history of the Florida Public Relations Association. Our membership now tops more than 1,500 dedicated professionals and students in the state - the highest in our 69 years of serving Florida. This accomplishment is directly related to the consistent and tireless work you do as members to bring top-notch professional development and networking opportunities to the practitioners in our 15 professional chapters and 11 student chapters, making FPRA the Association of choice.
We have worked extremely hard this year to provide value to each and every member. As we begin to wrap up the 2006-2007 year, my hope is that you received exceptional value for your membership over the last year and will continue to take advantage of all the outstanding offerings this tremendous Association will offer next year.
Thank you to each and every member. Thank you for working to bring together 1,503 of the best and brightest practitioners this state has to offer.
I am so honored to be one of those professionals and feel privileged and humbled to have the fortune to lead the team this year.
Congratulations!
Jessica Rye, APR
Posted by Chris Gent on June 25, 2007 at 05:55 AM
We have received the go-ahead from FPRA's Executive Committee to offer blogging of this year's FPRA Annual Conference in Sarasota. Last year's first-ever conference blog was a tremendous success, and we even picked up a few awards along the way for our efforts.
The conference blog will feature recaps, photos and speakers’ presentations, as well as providing a feel for the atmosphere inside the conference.
We have a couple of bloggers already lined up, but we could use one or two more. Are you interested?
All you need is a laptop computer and the ability to write. Don't worry about the blogging part... we'll show you how the blogging software works and get you set up with a Wi-Fi account at the hotel.
If you are interested, please contact Chris Gent at cgentATkua.com or 407-933-9836.
Posted by Chris Gent on April 26, 2007 at 12:44 PM
At last week's Image Awards gala hosted by FPRA's Orlando Area and Volusia County Chapters, the FPRA 2006 Annual Conference Blog was honored with an Image Award and a Judges' Award.
In 2006, a volunteer blog team -- Chris Gent, Josh Hallett, Bob O'Malley, APR and Jennifer Wakefield -- came together to produce the first-ever blog of an FPRA Annual Conference. The blog enjoyed tremendous success, drawing 1,264 unique visitors during the 3-day conference that generated 4,775 page views. The blog also boasted 69 posted articles, 82 visitor comments, 363 photos and 11 hallway interview podcasts.
Thanks to the vision of FPRA Immediate Past President Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC and the staff of the FPRA state office for supporting and encouraging this endeavor!
Posted by Josh Hallett on April 13, 2007 at 07:39 PM
I was at the PRSA national headquarters today in New York. In one of the hallways they have the standard 'Past Presidents' photo wall. There was FPRA's (and PRSA's) own Del Galloway, APR.
Posted by Chris Gent on January 1, 2007 at 10:00 AM
"The blogosphere is not a market, it's a community." -- Josh Hallett
FPRA member Josh Hallett is quoted in an article in today's edition of the Orlando Sentinel describing a growing and controversial Web-based business: PayPerPost. The article raises ethical concerns about paying bloggers for postings that promote products or services. The practice of paid blogging without disclosure also violates FPRA's Code of Ethics.
Josh had a series of posts on his blog about this issue dating back to June 2006.
Click here to read the Sentinel article.
Thanks, Josh, for representing FPRA and its Code of Ethics so well.
Posted by Chris Gent on December 9, 2006 at 08:50 PM
Space Shuttle Discovery lit up the darkened sky at Kennedy Space Center this evening as the spacecraft blazed off the launch pad for the first nighttime liftoff in four years.
The crew of seven astronauts lifted off from Launch Pad 39B right on time at 8:47 p.m. The illumination from the shuttle's engines and booster rockets turned night into day at the press site.
After a scrubbed attempt on Thursday night, tonight's launch was cause for celebration. FPRA and its volunteers have once again contributed to the success of the nation's manned space program!
Posted by Chris Gent on December 7, 2006 at 10:18 PM
The next launch attempt for Space Shuttle Discovery will be at 8:47 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9. Friday's weather forecast is predicted to be a 90 percent chance of "no go" so NASA officials moved the next attempt to Saturday.
That's the latest news LIVE from the Kennedy Space Center. Signing off for now...
Posted by Chris Gent on December 7, 2006 at 09:36 PM
There will be no launch today. A low cloud ceiling and thick clouds over KSC did us in.
NASA could try launching again as early as 9:13 p.m. tomorrow, but weather conditions are expected to be worse on Friday.
Stay tuned...
Posted by Chris Gent on December 7, 2006 at 09:31 PM
They can only hold here for 4 minutes, 40 seconds. After that point, the launch window for today will close and a launch will no longer be possible.
Posted by Chris Gent on December 7, 2006 at 09:27 PM
The countdown clock has restarted, but the weather at KSC is a "no go" at this point. Mission managers are going to take it down to 5 minutes and make a decision at that point...
Posted by Chris Gent on December 7, 2006 at 08:41 PM
We've begun the 46-minute hold. We'll come out of this hold at 9:27 p.m.
Countdown clock: T-minus 9 minutes and holding.
(left to right) Bryan Beaty, executive assistant to the president for Indian River Community College; Cynthia Lambert, public relations specialist for METROPLAN ORLANDO and Linda Herridge, public affairs writer for InDyne, Inc.
Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at night with media satellite trucks in foreground.
(left to right) Chris Gent, manager of corporate communications for Kissimmee Utility Authority; Bill Randolph, CPSM, JCR Consulting.
Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39B. Photos by Chris Gent, KUA.
Posted by Chris Gent on December 7, 2006 at 08:30 PM
The countdown clock has resumed and will count down to the 9-minute mark. At that point the clock will stop for 46 minutes while the launch director, mission management team and NASA test director conduct final polls for "go/no go" to launch...
Posted by Chris Gent on December 7, 2006 at 08:20 PM
We've just begun a planned 10 minute hold in the countdown. Weather is looking better...
Posted by Chris Gent on December 7, 2006 at 06:44 PM
(left to right) John Harris, director of outcome management at Early Learning Coalition of Orange County; Jessica Rye, APR, public affairs officer for NASA and FPRA State President; and Bill Randolph, CPSM, JCR Consulting.
Media gathered inside the NASA News Center covering the story. Photos by Chris Gent, KUA.
FPRA is well represented here at Kennedy Space Center as STS-116 crew members begin taking their seats inside Space Shuttle Discovery as the vehicle awaits liftoff at 9:35 p.m. EST. Weather at this point appears to be the only obstacle to a successful liftoff.
A cold front moving through the Central Florida area is producing a blanket of clouds, gusting winds and isolated light rain. The NASA launch team will press on with the countdown for now, in case the weather cooperates after all. Currently, there is only a 40 percent chance of acceptable weather.
Among those FPRA members working so far this launch include Sharon Arnold, Bryan Beaty, Chrysten Burzio, Helena Finnegan, Chris Gent, John Harris, Jennifer Hobbic, Cynthia Lambert, Andrea Meyer, APR, Karen Plunkett, APR, Bill Randolph and Laurel Smith, APR.
The STS-116 mission is the 33rd for Discovery and the 117th space shuttle flight. During the 12-day mission, the crew will continue construction on the International Space Station, rewiring the orbiting laboratory and adding a segment to its integrated truss structure.
We're LIVE from the Kennedy Space Center....
Posted by Chris Gent on October 31, 2006 at 02:02 PM
What does it take to promote one of the nation's largest indoor ice displays? What kind of public relations research and planning is employed to ensure a favorable guest experience and positive return on investment?
These questions and more will be answered later this month when FPRA's Orlando Area Chapter hosts an exclusive Backstage Pass tour of Gaylord Palm Resort's ICE! attraction.
The 18,000-square-foot attraction has been carved by a team of 40 artisans from Harbin, China. The talented artisans have spent nearly an entire month in Kissimmee creating this one-of-a-kind experience. Harbin is best known for its annual International Ice and Snow Festival.
The ICE! attraction features a walk-through holiday train depot with locomotive, a Victorian holiday home with a life-sized horse-drawn carriage you can sit in, a whimsical Santa's Toyland, a breathtaking life-size nativity carved completely of crystal-clear ice and three fantastic ice slides amid a towering Christmas Castle.
The attraction is kept at a brisk 9 degrees Fahrenheit, so guests will be issued a calf-length, hooded parka to keep warm.
After the tour, we'll settle in for a warm lunch and hear the tactics used by the Gaylord Palms public relations team to promote this signature Central Florida event.
The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30 at Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee. Admission is just $25 for FPRA members, which includes the tour, lunch and self parking – a tremendous value!
Come to the “coolest” FPRA event of the season! Click here to register. Space is limited.
Posted by Chris Gent on October 26, 2006 at 02:01 PM
The Orlando Area Chapter wrapped up its annual Professional Development Workshop today in downtown Orlando. Printed surveys distributed at the end of the day confirm that the day was a resounding success!
Of the 30 evaluation surveys returned, 100 percent of the respondents rated the workshop as either 'excellent' or 'very good.'
Special thanks to Dana Johnson of Curley & Pynn and Jeff Stanford of the Orlando Science Center who chaired this year's event, and to our sponsors: Bright House Networks Public Affairs, Kissimmee Utility Authority and MindComet.
Here are some additional survey comments:
This was the BEST professional development workshop EVER and John Moore was awesome!
Very useful for personal and professional development.
The workshops were very informative and I left with lots of new knowledge.
Posted by Mike Pynn on October 26, 2006 at 01:29 PM
The presentations to this point were full of valuable information. The luncheon keynote speaker, John Moore, gave a presentation entitled "Tribal Knowledge: Lessons Learned From Working Inside Starbucks."
John says that Tribal Knowledge is the information you learn while you work for a company that is never written down, but simply becomes common knowledge among those inside. Here are some of the important points from his presentation:
Continue reading "FPRA Orlando: Conducting a Brand Autopsy" »
Posted by Mike Pynn on October 26, 2006 at 11:19 AM
Scott Allen of MindComet is presenting the considerations and specifics of viral marketing:
The hope for viral marketing is that each person who sees your message will deliver it to more people.
"Anything can be viral."
"Viral", Scott explained, refers to how the message spreads, not what sort of message you deliver. So anything can be viral, whether it's a blog, a video or anything else. As long as people spread it, it can be viral.
According to Scott, viral marketing can be used for several purposes. Internal communications, community tools, downloadable resources, promotions, brand awareness, and sales drives are all purposes that can be served with viral marketing.
Continue reading "FPRA Orlando: Meet Viral Marketing" »
Posted by Mike Pynn on October 26, 2006 at 10:30 AM
Lori Cuonze comes to us from PUSH Advertising. Lori's presentation deals with mobile marketing, and how important it is to the new media.
She suggested that mobile media, (iPod's, mobile phones, PDA's, etc.) are becoming the primary means of receiving information for many people. She calls this the "new new media." Marketing communications are no longer "transactional," she says. The new media is changing that, requiring broader thinking. Social media will bring about major shifts in communications.
Those who fall behind are going to be left behind.
Lori explained that many companies are afraid of the shift because it requires a more youthful team. It is vital, though, to utilize the new media effectively. The younger generations are the ones using these services the most.
Continue reading "FPRA Orlando: Mobile Media Messaging" »
Posted by Chris Gent on October 26, 2006 at 10:15 AM
One of the topics on today's agenda is viral marketing. UCF student and fellow blogger Mike Pynn will offer a synopsis of that presentation shortly, but I've put together a short list of some effective viral marketing campaigns:
The Subservient Chicken - a promotion of Burger King's line of chicken sandwiches and their "Have it Your Way" campaign. (see photo above)
ilovebees.com - This was a clever viral marketing for the video game Halo 2.
Hotmail - Very effective! Promoted largely by links at the bottoms of emails sent by its users. Gmail does the same thing.
Posted by Mike Pynn on October 26, 2006 at 10:00 AM
This is my first post of the day, and I'm very glad to be at the FPRA Professional Development Workshop. Many thanks to Susan Ennis for the introduction and opportunity.
Jeff Rubenstein authors the Control Freak blog for the Orlando Sentinel, and he's giving a presentation to introduce attendees to blogs and the culture of bloggers. Here are some of the more important points he's made:
He's explained that bloggers who post frequently can change search results. This, he says, can also change the information people first receive. There is, needless to say, a great deal of gatekeeping power available to bloggers who often post.
He's also mentioned the importance of portal sites (Digg, Fark) in blogs getting attention. These sites allow users to give positive or negative feedback to specific blogs. "The Internet empowers the meek," as Jeff explained. Positive feedback on some of these sites can increase a blog's visibility "more than exponentially."
"Statistically, not even one percent" of readers comment on blogs, he says. If a blog has a large volume of reader comments, it's number of readers is likely much larger. Essentially, watching the comments on a blog is a great way to measure how popular or influential a blog can be. This is true of watching comments on the portals, as well.
Continue reading "FPRA Orlando: Dial B for Blog" »
Posted by Chris Gent on October 26, 2006 at 09:30 AM
A wiki is a type of website that allows the visitors themselves to easily add, remove and otherwise edit and change some available content, sometimes without the need for registration.
I’m sitting in a session featuring Matt Thompson, a professor at the University of Central Florida.
His topic is wikis. He kicked things off by talking about the benefits and pitfalls of Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a Web-based free content encyclopedia project. The name Wikipedia is a blend of the words wiki and encyclopedia. Wikipedia is written collaboratively by volunteers, allowing most articles to be changed by almost anyone with access to the website. Little known fact: Wikipedia's main servers are located right here Florida – Tampa to be exact.
He talked about the recent rise in wiki vandalism – any addition, deletion, or change of content made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of Wikipedia. The most common type of vandalism is the replacement of existing text with obscenities, page blanking, or the insertion of bad jokes or other nonsense. Fortunately, this kind of vandalism is usually easy to spot and is quickly deleted or changed.
Continue reading "FPRA Orlando: The Wonderful World of Wikis" »
Posted by Josh Hallett on October 23, 2006 at 10:40 PM
Did that headline spark your interest? Well nothing super-exciting :-) I was at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota for the Arthur W. Page Society Annual Conference today and snapped a photo of the hotel. The Ritz in Sarasota is the home of the 2007 FPRA Annual Conference.
If you haven't been there it's the standard Ritz quality and service. Looking forward to conference next year!
Posted by Jessica Rye, APR on October 6, 2006 at 12:51 PM
Well this is my first post on FPRA’s blog, or any blog for that matter, I am sorry to say. I am still learning about all of the new technologies available to us as public relations practitioners. This is a wonderful forum for great conversations about issues and topics, as well as an opportunity to share information about various Chapter activities. The blog will only be as good as the content that we provide. So, I just wanted to take this opportunity to encourage all of our members to take the plunge and jump into the world of blogging.
Happy blogging.
Jessica
FPRA State President
Posted by Bob O'Malley, APR on October 5, 2006 at 11:37 AM
So far, FPRAblog has been a tremendous success. Both FPRA Blog Week 2006 and the blog coverage of the FPRA State Conference were successful by all measures. During those times, traffic to the blog was high and comments were frequent. Furthermore, during both events, FPRA was recognized across the globe for its innovation.
But now what?
As the VP of Communications on the FPRA State Board and Executive Committee, one of my goals is to utilize fully the power of this blog throughout the entire year. I think FPRAblog is the perfect medium to demonstrate the true benefit of the statewide network that is FPRA and to promote the numerous events and programs hosted across the state by individual FPRA chapters.
I've invited the Presidents of the individual chapters to participate as bloggers (or to designate a member from their chapter.) Each will be given a user account and password, which will enable them to post information about upcoming events and share news from their chapters. Not only will this help individual chapters communicate to their own members, but it will help raise cross-chapter awareness.
I also hope to enlist contributions from my fellow State Board members to help promote statewide programs, such as accreditation, conference and Golden Image Awards.
Stay tuned! And if you have any additional ideas about how to make FPRAblog more useful for you, please e-mail me at bomalley@ronsachs.com.
Posted by Chris Gent on August 9, 2006 at 12:10 PM
The 68th conference of the Florida Public Relations Association has wrapped up in Amelia Island, Fla.
Lots of great sessions, networking, awards, fun... and even a few surprises. It's been fun. Thanks, Suzanne Sparling, APR for all your hard work in pulling this conference off.
We've also had lots of fun with this conference blog. Thanks to those of you who visited, who commented and sent nice notes along the way. We tried our best to convey to you the look, feel and flavor of an FPRA annual conference. I hope we succeeded.
We hope that those of you who visited will make plans now to attend next year's conference in Sarasota. The investment will pay huge dividends for both your current employer and your career as a public relations professional.
In closing, we wanted to share the final Web stats for the entire three days conference. The event may be over, but the information shared these past few days will remain on this blog for you to refer back to in the future.
Total unique visitors: 1,264
Total page views: 4,775
And to borrow a line from a recent Green Day song:
"It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
hope you had the time of your life."
We hope you did.
