Archive for category: Blog

By Dan Ayer
PRSA Pittsburgh Vice President
[Originally published by Oyster Creative Co. on Medium]

I read a lot. Watch even more movies. And have a scary ability to Shazam most songs in my head faster than the app.
I was lucky. I grew up with a bookcase directly above my pillow (safe sleep be damned). I would devour books when I couldn’t sleep. My parents had an insane record collection from the late ’60s and early ’70s that would be the envy of any audiophile. And movies? Like any thirty-something white male, my brain is 72 percent movie quotes.
That love of story and art led me to become an English major. But— plot twist — one that actually found a career using that degree.
However, that’s not the point of this article.

At Oyster Creative, we’re starting a series on Medium called “Pearls,” all about creative inspiration. Where it comes from, how to come up with ideas and how they come to life. The goal is to highlight people who inspire us with art, music, writing, film, and whatever else that drives us to be creative.
I’m director of PR and Content, and I drew first straw. So, I sat down to write my list of people I wanted to highlight.
And want to guess what they all had in common?
Y-chromosomes and a skin tone that lacks a lot of melanin.

My list made #OscarsSoWhite look like a United Nations Convention.
Listen, if you look at my bookshelf you’ll find Ta-Nehisi Coates, Damon Young, RBG and B.I.G. If you look at my Netflix watched list you’ll see Chappelle, #blackaf and a shocking amount of Nora Ephron films.
It’s not that I don’t expose myself to art created by women, Black, Latino, Asian, and LGBTQIA artists, it’s that occasionally my comforts too often take me back to an Apatow movie, Bill Simmons podcast or Ben Folds album.
Are those guys not deserving of praise? Do they not inspire me to create?
Absolutely not. But as a creative, it’s my job to develop voices and messages that bring brands and stories to life.
And honestly, I can do better.

That starts with exposing myself to more work by people who don’t look, talk or think like me.
So, I’m making a goal. For every piece of content, art or music I consume created by a white dude, I’m going to make sure that I continue to make an effort to include just as much content created by people of color, women and members of the LGBTQIA community.
I don’t think it will be a problem. I’ve never turned down a good book or binge.
And as someone who’s always loved a good story, I can’t to wait to see what’s on the next page.

Oyster Creative Co. is a full-service advertising and marketing agency. The best way to shuck an oyster is to come at it from every angle. And that’s how we approach marketing. We find the right way to attack your individual challenge. Visit PRSA Pittsburgh’s jobs page to consider joining the team as a public relations and social media specialist.

By Ashley Jones
Communications Chair

Marsha P. Johnson. Gilbert Baker. Peter Tatchell. Audre Lord. Bayard Rustin.

These are only a few names among the thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies who have fought against the discrimination, belittlement, ignorance and hatred against the LGBTQ+ community. Without their contributions, Pride wouldn’t be what it is today, and the world would be a little less colorful. Less diverse. Less loving. 

For the LGBTQ+ community, June marks an incredibly important time. It’s a time to promote self-affirmation, acceptance, visibility, equality and more. It’s a time to break down constructs and stigma. It commemorates the revolutionary Stonewall Riots that led to an urgency for change, that made the following recent milestones possible: 

• June 26, 2015 – Supreme Court rules that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage.
• June 24, 2016 – Obama announces the designation of the first national monument to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) rights.
• June 30, 2019 – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signs a law banning the use of the so-called gay and trans panic legal defense strategy.
• June 15, 2020 – Supreme Court rules that federal law protects LGBTQ workers from discrimination.

Despite the curveballs 2020 tossed at the world, Pride continued to thrive this year, albeit virtually. Today, our voices are more powerful than ever. We’ve been given digital platforms with which we can take control of the narrative, share our stories and lend our support. During the month of June, some of the biggest, most notable brands in the world use their platforms to share messages of unity and support to their massive followings and loyalists. The support of brands like Disney or Skittles can’t be understated or undervalued. 

We in advertising, branding, marketing and related fields are responsible for the portrayal of what is considered the “norm” or “acceptable.” When brands step forward to promote the rainbow and donate financial aid to organizations that work to keep the LGBTQ+ community safe — not only during June, but year-round — that’s how love wins.

Here are some of the loud and proud 2020 Pride campaigns:

Calvin Klein – #PROUDINMYCALVINS

• Calvin Klein’s Pride campaign featured nine LGBTQ models, spearheaded by Jari Jones, a plus-size Black transgender model, actress and activist. In addition to a multi-color designed line for men and women, Calvin Klein’s campaign collected donations in support of the onePULSE Foundation, a non-profit organization established by the owner of the Pulse nightclub following the devastating June 12, 2016 shooting in Orlando, Florida.

Skittles – Only #OneRainbow Matters

• To celebrate Pride, Skittles removed their own rainbow to stand in solidarity and demonstrate support for the LGBTQ community. While the brand has launched this campaign previously, this marked the first year they brought the gray “Pride Pack” to the U.S. As part of the launch, Skittles partnered with LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, with $1 donated to the group for each sale of a “Pride Pack,” up to $100,000. 

BMW – Driven by Pride

• BMW USA’s 2020 Pride campaign, “Driven By Pride,” featured extremely colorful BMW 8 Series Convertibles with a Pride version of the BMW logo proudly stamped on the hoods. The brand’s campaign also included communications across their social channels, participation in a special broadcast event by NYC Pride, and support of the “Pride Everywhere” campaign by The Trevor Project, which is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth.

Kiehl’s – #HealthySkin For All

• As a go-to brand for skincare, Kiehl’s used their platform to emphasize inclusivity by celebrating the diversity among their customers, community and employees with their #HealthySkinForAll campaign. The brand also donated $100,000 in a partnership with The Trevor Project and called on the talents of Lucy Kirk, a UK-based LGBTQ illustrator to design the Pride page of their website.

Disney – Rainbow Disney Collection

• The Mickey Mouse powerhouse debuted a new Rainbow Disney Collection in recognition of Pride 2020, complete with clothing, stuffed animals, toys, keychains, bookbags and other memorabilia. In addition to the colorful ensemble, Disney also donated $100,000 to GLSEN, a leading education organization working to create safe and inclusive K-12 schools for LGBTQ students.

Bliss – Self-Care for a Cause

• This year, Bliss began an ongoing partnership with The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth. The skincare brand pledged $150,000 to the organization and, in celebration of Pride month, donated 100% of net proceeds (up to $40,000) from joint sales of Limited Edition Pride Makeup Melt™ Wipes – as well as classic Makeup Melt™ Wipes – to support The Trevor Project’s efforts. This partnership worked specifically to support suicide and mental health resources like Trevor’s Lifeline hotline, peer support community TrevorSpace, trained crisis service counselors, and more — which are all being relied on in increased amounts during COVID-19. 

Bombas – Love. Compassion. Comfort.

• Bombas celebrated Pride with the launch of a new collection celebrating the bright, diverse LGBTQ+ community. For every pair of socks sold, a pair was donated to someone in need in the LGBTQ+ community through The Ally Coalition.

The ongoing support of organizations providing resources to the LGBTQ+ community is imperative to the well-being, protection and advocacy of these individuals — who continue to be marginalized. Learn more and lend your support year-round with these local resources and national organizations.

On this 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, we commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States as of June 19, 1865. It is also a time to reflect on the work still needed to be done to address the lasting consequences of systemic racism.

By Taylor Fife
Social Media Co-Chair
[Originally published at TaylorFifeMarketing.com]

 

“That matters?”

A professor once asked me this after I pitched an op-ed on the importance of the New Pittsburgh Courier to Black journalists and communicators. 

I wasn’t surprised at all by the question because for nearly all my life I’ve been an ‘Only.’

I was given the designation in elementary school and I’ve upheld the position ever since. I’ve become very familiar with those kinds of questions, and I knew they were saved specially for people like me. 

The answer to my professor’s question simply lied in the lack of diversity in the room.

I was the only Black person, and I’d be the only Black woman to receive a broadcast reporting degree that year. 

That meant that I was the only one who truly understood (and feared) how immensely difficult it would be to become a Black communicator in a city, let alone a country, that actively works to silence voices like my own.

I’d have to work ten times harder than others ever would because of the color of my skin – and I’d have to do it alone. 

‘Onlys’ are in need of support because we aren’t finding it in our universities or workplaces.

We need to know there are organizations out there like the New Pittsburgh Courier that amplify Black voices and experiences, and have long recognized that they mattered. 

What it Means To Be An ‘Only’

According to “Women in the Workplace,” a study conducted in 2019 by McKinsey & Company, the impact of being an ‘Only’ is a phenomenon affecting 20% of all women and twice that for women of color where they feel uniquely alone in the workplace. They are more likely to experience racial discrimination and microaggressions.  These include comments or actions that dismiss or downplay their experience. 

As an ‘Only,’ you learn to navigate your workplace with hesitancy because you are outnumbered. 

We perform a daring balancing act of staying true to our own identity while prioritizing the comfort of our white counterparts — it’s called the art of being Black in white spaces. 

We become agreeable and assimilate to white expectations of appearance and conduct.

We avoid coming off as “too black.” We code-switch. We straighten our hair every day. 

Personally, I’ve learned to always keep my voice low and calm so as to avoid being labeled as the ‘Angry Black Woman.’

‘Onlys’ experience explicit but almost always covert racism — the subtle innuendos and backhanded compliments that are wrapped in pretty bows. 

Like when I receive the most shocked faces when people find out I’m the one behind my company’s blog and social media accounts as if it’s humanly impossible for a Black person to do such a thing: “Wow, you have such a way with words. You’re so articulate, too.”

I’ve been interviewed although I already had the job, facing relentless questioning from white colleagues about my new initiatives. I’ve recited my resume too many times to count to prove my competence and capability, but the same was not required for them because management “trusted” them.

Just last year, Pittsburgh was labeled the worst city in America for Black people by local writer Damon Young and the worst city for Black women to live in by the city’s Gender Equity Commission so it’s not surprising that the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey  found that Black people are rapidly leaving the city.

The Problems Of Being An ‘Only’ 

It’s not surprising why I’m an ‘Only.’ 

In the workplace, my singularity often puts me under scrutiny as a representative of the Black community. It’s actually one of the biggest tasks of being an ‘Only.’ You become the token Black person, the go-to for any and all questions pertaining to the Black experience because your employers and colleagues believe just your answers alone are enough to paint the picture.

But now is the time this changes.

Countless stories, unique perspectives and brilliant ideas are going unheard, more often ignored. 

Contrary to popular belief, no two Black people are the same. We each have different lived experiences and insights to offer and they all are valuable, and we deserve to share them. Our uniqueness unlocks innovation.

Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the killings of Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd and many other Black people by the hands of police, Black employees are suffering. 

We have concerns for our personal safety both inside and outside the workplace. We are filled with anxiety and grief. We are traumatized. And if an employer truly cares about their employees, the care shouldn’t stop at skin color.

Us ‘Onlys’ come in to work every day with a tremendous amount of pain — and on top of that we tolerate racism and discrimination and microaggressions.  No one would ever know, though, since we do it all with smiles on our faces — because there is no one around us who truly understands why we’re upset in the first place. 

It’s Time To Take Action

Employers need to become anti-racist and anti-oppressive.

It’s time to prioritize the marginalized.

We need more than just statements against racism, digital black boxes and donations. We need policy and procedural changes — because Black representation everywhere should’ve always been a requirement.

We need to create safe workplaces where every employee of color feels comfortable, supported and able to thrive and succeed.

Black storytellers are valuable, and our voices have the power to fundamentally deconstruct the way things are. 

That’s why I’m using my platform to inform and inspire other similarly situated BIPOCs of the PRSA Pittsburgh community to share their experiences as professionals. 

I hope that by elevating our stories, people in power will have to start to make the changes necessary to eradicate systemic racism. 

So, if you’re an ‘Only’ like myself, I’m excited to meet you and I’ve been looking for you. 

Now flood the comments.

Senior PR manager at Philips reflects on how ventilator demand during COVID-19 shifted the company’s strategy – and what others can take away from it

 

By Stacey Federoff
Web Content Manager

 

On Thursday, May 28, PRSA Pittsburgh hosted “Agility in the Age of COVID-19”, an informal virtual discussion with Meredith Amoroso, a senior manager of public relations in Philips Global Press Office and former PRSA Pittsburgh Chapter President. Led by Andrew Conte, director of the Point Park Center for Media Innovation, the two dove into crisis communications learnings influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amoroso saw first-hand how the demand for ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic had taken a toll on employees at Philips Sleep and Respiratory Care.

“I was emotional on a number of occasions, meeting these people who you could tell were just exhausted, but didn’t care. They wanted to be there, they wanted to do the work,” she said. “They said, ‘I’m just glad to be here, I’m glad I can do my part.’ ”

Philips’ Pittsburgh connection

Originally founded as Respironics – the first to develop a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine for the treatment of sleep apnea, Philips Sleep and Respiratory Care has since 2009 been a Murrysville-based arm of the health technology company headquartered in The Netherlands.

In January, the company, which focuses on health technology, saw the demand for ventilators begin to rise as cases of COVID-19 rose in China, and with it the company’s production rose too, Amoroso said. The communications team began an initial strategy, well before early March as coronavirus cases hit the United States.

“How can we be very transparent and communicate what we’re doing to meet the evolving needs all over the world of these pieces of medical equipment?” is what the team focused on, she said.

When coronavirus hit

First, with offices and manufacturing facilities in China, the company focused on internal communications to keep “business continuity while keeping our employees and our customers really safe.” This included emphasizing social media and media protocols, in case anyone was approached by journalists, to balance employees’ pride in their work with safety in high-risk situations like hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.

For external communications, “it’s extremely difficult to prepare for the complete unknown,” instead Amoroso said she and the team had a clear understanding of what steps the company was taking, thanks in part to access to the highest executive leadership at the company.

“Our teams worked day and night to innovate and develop an emergency-use ventilator,” she said. “Something that usually takes years and years of ideation and conceptualization and production, we were able to create something in just a matter of weeks that still met all the stringent medical standards. We wanted to tell that story, we wanted to talk about how … the  employees at Philips came together to create something that could fill an existing gap in accessibility to ventilators worldwide.”

Remain agile

This pandemic has caused a shift in thinking, so it has altered communications strategies as well – and not only how people themselves are experiencing it, but also how journalists are covering it, and how PR pros should describe their businesses to people. “We just have to remain agile and change the way we’re talking about [things].” 

Particular to her industry, Amoroso said the cancellation of trade shows meant thinking about how to build relationships differently, where otherwise she would be pitching and sending press releases to journalists. Now she’s sending “tickler” emails and making phone calls – maybe to say hello and reference something posted on LinkedIn – just to touch base with press because she doesn’t get to have those one-on-one interactions. 

Here are other takeaways that Amoroso shared during the event for communicators in a crisis:

• Find ways to create a team. Even as the only PR person at a small company, you can make a difference during a crisis by bouncing ideas off people in different departments. But be sure to assert yourself to ask the right questions and make recommendations that you feel are the right call.
• Use background for interviews, like holding statements and briefing documents, to help guide executives during a crisis. This will help them understand each journalist and their background, Amoroso said, even if it’s only LinkedIn or MuckRack profiles with past stories.
• When you don’t know an answer, be transparent and remain in communication with who’s asking it. “Communicate, let them know we’re here for them,” she said. Be aware of journalists’ deadlines.
• “Don’t always think you know what you’re doing” and “be willing to learn,” she said. Take a crisis as a learning opportunity, not an inconvenience. “You can’t prepare for the impossible, but know your product or your business very well.” So when a reporter asks, you can “respond at a high level and make them feel heard” allowing the company to be a part of the conversation.
• During a crisis, “you have to find things that make you proud of the company you represent and make you proud of the position that you’re in,” she said. Sometimes that means considering strategies that change the prevailing narrative.
• Balance telling the business side of the story with the human side of the story: “We were able to pull that together and tell some human interest stories that I think honestly have been some of the most popular pieces of content that we put out there so far.”

For more insights, such as how she and her team faced a challenge, watch a recording of the event below and on our YouTube page.

Read about our follow-up event: Navigating the Job Search During COVID-19 Times

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By Ben Butler
Website Lead

Editor’s Note: Ben Butler is an accredited public relations professional, entrepreneur, and Certified Cicerone®. A Cicerone is the beer industry’s equivalent of a Sommelier. With the designation, he’s one of 4,000 beer “experts” worldwide.

 

I get messages daily about what I’m drinking and what people should be drinking. But I’ve never gotten more than during COVID-19, especially here in Pennsylvania where the state-run liquor stores closed March 17. On April 20, select stores were re-opened to take phone orders for curbside pickup, met with mixed success by customers.

Out of stock, can’t replenish your wine and liquor supply, and don’t know what to pick up? Well, the breweries, beer distributors, and bottle shops are still open. And I can guarantee you, there’s a beer for all of us out there. 

Here’s my guide to help you stock up enjoyably for the remainder of quarantine, and maybe find a new favorite in the process.

A Fan of Red Wine?

In the beer world, there are so many varieties that can compete with red wine. 

Finding yourself craving that Argentine Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon? Search for a Belgian Dark Strong Ale, or a Flemish Sour Ale.

If the hop profile of a pale ale sends you running for the hills, these beers might surprise you. Hops are vacant from the first impression. Instead, you get a complex depth of flavor that feels more like a fine wine than what you may normally associate with a beer. 

I’d recommend Monks Cafe Flemish Sour Ale, which is available at most larger-scale distributors here in Pennsylvania and places like Whole Foods.

Looking for the Champagne of Beers?

And no, I’m not talking about Miller High Life. 

There’s a beer that doesn’t just look like champagne so much you can put it in a flute, but will give you all the feels in the process. Best of all, this rare style is available in Pittsburgh. It’s called Grizzled Canary by Cinderlands, a Grisette, which is a mysterious French-Belgian style of old.

Beyond that, I’d recommend leaning into the sour category of beers. Look to Strange Roots, and look out for Berliner Weisse, Gose, and Wild Ales.

Got a Sweet Tooth?

Beer has a solution. Beyond “pastry stouts,” there are a variety of fruited beers that can scratch that itch.

Look for Lindemans Kriek, or Framboise. Both are fruited Belgian sour styles. 

Or look to fruited interpretations to classic styles like my favorite, I.C. Light Mango.

Whiskey on your mind? 

Easy enough, just go for a beer aged in whiskey barrels. Boom, roasted. 

Try venturing beyond the “fire” into Stouts and Porters. Eastern Hemlock by Dancing Gnome is an American Stout with depth to rival most whiskeys, especially as it warms.

Tequila more your thing?

I’d point again to the funky profile of Saisons, and sours. 

Boulevard even has a Tequila Barrel Lime Gose that’s widely distributed here in Pennsylvania. 

Finally, a Light Beer or Macro Lager Drinker?

Been depleting your vast supply of macro-style lagers and looking for something fresh?

Here are some beers to help you begin venturing outwards: 

• Look to blonde ales. They maintain a light profile, but are a few steps up in flavor. 
• Kolsch-style Ales are a clean, step up. They’re surprisingly delicate, and plentiful. I’d point back to Cinderlands and their Cobra Toes Kolsch-style Ale. 
• Hofbrauhaus’ original is a crushable, but flavorful Helles-style lager.

Hang in there Pittsburgh. We’ll get through this!

I’ll look forward to seeing you at one of PRSA Pittsburgh’s Off the Clock happy hours in the near future. We can chat more about beer, communications, or whatever you’d like.

Ben Butler, APR is the founder of Top Hat — an award-winning design and marketing communications agency in Pittsburgh.

Top Hat is widely known for its nationally acclaimed work for breweries in Alaska, Seattle, Boston, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina including Iron City, Lord Hobo Brewing, and Reuben’s Brews.