EMPOWER

As an Emmy award-winning journalist, Kimberley Kennedy is one of Atlanta’s media darlings, and a wise and inspiring addition to the EOS’ team. As our media and communications coach, she leverages 25 years in the Atlanta market serving WSB, WXIA, and CNN, where she told stories that created indelible impressions for captivated audiences across the Southeast.

This experience in front of the camera and podium, coupled with Elyse Hammett’s 20 years of award-winning PR work, is just what we needed to launch EMPOWER, our unique and comprehensive, hands-on communications and media training program.

So, if you want to shine for a new business pitch, a press conference, a speech to your employee team, a media relations campaign or a YouTube video series, EMPOWER is your answer.

Media Relations in a Social Media World: The Presentation

PRSA/GA set a new record for their monthly morning seminar welcoming over 50 attendees for EOS’ presentation on Media Relations in a Social Media World. If you weren’t there, check out the presentation below.

Enjoy!

It’s Called Pour, Not Slice

To celebrate our sixth anniversary, we treated ourselves to an evening in the tasting room at Pour, a wine bar in Brookhaven. Enjoying the unique, rustic old-world feel of Pour we were ready to get straight to the point-the cake, after all it was our birthday. But we were in for a humbling surprise. Asking our server for some silverware, plates and napkins-the usual cake eating necessities, we were surprised to find that Pour, being a spankin new business, did not have any cutlery. Joking that the wine bar is called Pour and not slice, we got to thinking about all of the great lessons learned over the past six years at EOS.

As a new business you quickly learn what you are prepared for and what you are not, but ultimately making the best out of every situation.  Sharing funny stories and our favorite memories we sipped on all kinds of wine, snacked on a fine selection of meats and cheeses, enjoyed a delectable birthday cake with plastic forks and most of all enjoyed the company of one another.

Happy Birthday to us!!

The Right Perspective

I recently came across a TED video by Kathryn Schulz, the author of “Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error,” and “The Wrong Stuff.”  In this video she discusses the question of what it really means to be wrong and the feelings associated with being wrong.

From the beginning, the idea of what is “right” and what is “wrong” is instilled in us. As early as grade school we are introduced to the dreadful feeling of being wrong and the negative stigma associated with it (I sure remember the very first time I misspelled a word in front of my class). So, as a way to avoid that uncomfortable feeling, most of us decide to become perfectionists and overachievers.

Still adjusting to the fast pace of the real world and learning the ropes of a growing agency, this video hit home for me.  As a relative rookie at EOS, it is not a question if I am going to be wrong and make a mistake, but when.

“Things don’t go wrong, they simply happen”. Listening to Kathryn speak, I realize it is not about being right or wrong, but all about perspective. The big idea here is how we perceive the feeling of being wrong. Society’s obsession with being right can affect our productivity and creativity. I often lack confidence in my work and will make sure that each of the partners have reviewed it before I move on. This is the perfect example of how my efforts to avoid doing something wrong, can waste valuable time.

I know that taking chances and learning from my mistakes is a part of life and is fundamental to who I am in both my professional and social life. Embracing unexpected change and the instances in which we are wrong, can enable us to see things in a different light– allowing us to take a step back, see the big picture and put things in perspective.

This is why I find the EOS mantra “New Day, Fresh Perspective” completely inspiring.  As I continue to learn and grow with EOS in this industry, implementing creative, intuitive and innovative campaigns for our clients, I am hoping to overcome my insecurities of making a wrong decision by accepting the hiccups along the way, and remembering that tomorrow is always another opportunity to get it right.

So, check out the video yourself and let me know what you think!

Lift as You Climb

Every day, my iPhone barrages me with bad news - grim tales of recession, loss, cheating, the list goes on and on. Yet, 1692’s revered Desiderata was right “With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.  Strive to be happy.”

To that end, this week was about modern day happiness.  About making hay while the sun shines, and finding lemonade in the lemons.

Why?  Here are four reasons:

• Our client, the City of Snellville, put 28 folks on a bus at 6:30 Friday morning to come clear across town before the sun came up to hear INC Magazine’s #1 CEO under the age of 30, talk about ingenious tactics to create vibrant communities where commerce thrives. The mayor, business leaders, high school students and marketing professors engaged as a team to use their combined talents to create winning strategies for the Atlanta suburb.

• Gigi’s Playhouse, one of our pro bono accounts is a 501-(c3) nonprofit dedicated to providing free programs and therapies to families and individuals with T21, otherwise known as Downs Syndrome. The program provides more than 25 different literacy treatments, muscle toning exercises, physical, occupational, and speech therapies, family support and social events that enable them to have a normal and productive life. The first playhouse opens October 8 in Amsterdam Walk, and has rallied more than 250 Atlanta volunteers and raised thousands for this life-changing cause.

• The Community Foundation is working with four beloved Atlanta faith leaders who are dedicating their time to creating a blog to engage, challenge and uplift Atlanta’s best ideas and biggest opportunities. Named Higher Ground, this ecumenical group includes an Imam, Rabbi and two denominational Christian leaders. Never faith-biased, the organization has been formed to inspire positive change, help people think, collaborate and connect, and - most importantly, to initiate positive action in the local community. Very exciting stuff-and more on this soon.

• Last, but certainly not least, one of our Coca-Cola contemporaries, Pam Bashiani, is married to a tenacious chap who just biked 8,000 miles around the continent of Australia to raise awareness for rare diseases through Cycle for SMILE. Throngs of people lined the streets to offer water and sustenance, and more than 400 Aussies were there to greet him when he crossed the Sydney-area finish line. Yes, it took him 80 days to travel five times the distance of the Tour de France, but the ROI is that the SMILE Foundation (Supporting Medical Innovation for Life Enhancement) is a household name in Australia and we can all learn about ways to help.

So, what’s the net/net?  People do lift as they climb.  People still care.  Hope springs eternal.  And happy days are still ahead.

Cheers-

Margaret

We Will Never Forget September 11th

September 11, 2001 changed our nation forever. Express your gratitude and honor the memory of the heroes that demonstrated immense bravery a decade ago through a moment of silence and prayer. Resilient as a nation and proud to be American, September 11th is a day we will never forget.

The Power of New Space

The right pair of shoes can make or break your entire outfit—and it turns out that the same is true about office space. The right space can inspire and lift you up – through the view from a window or the colors on the walls. In the biz world — it’s a statement of your values and what you aspire to be for your clients. And, especially for our clients –its comfortable – a place to relax and think outside the box.

We moved a stone’s throw from our original location – but we transformed our work life and our view by those 50 paces. Brimming with light and embracing a massive, century-old oak tree that hugs the outside perimeter of the office’s expanse, the space has offered us a place to spread our wings, and to add some unexpected EOS’ flair.

The piece de’ resistance is at the heart of the agency. The “Collaboration Center” showcases bar-height tables made of zebrawood, surrounded by a 25-foot long magnetic, porcelain writing wall. Designed to maximize creativity and provide a casual, empowering environment for our clients, the center provides a great space to solve complex problem with lightning speed.

So, if you are in the neighborhood, drop by and experience it for yourself. The coffee’s on — and a light too!

Laboring One Less Day

On Friday, September 2, we’ll close the firm to honor our EOS’ team with an extra day off for all they do. Elyse, Margaret and Susan are available by cell if needed.

Savor your last blast of summer, and we’ll be back to the marketing magic Tuesday, September 6 at 8:30.

Meet Stacey, Our Newest Goddess

She’s sharp, she’s experienced, and she’s the newest EOS goddess…she’s Stacey Rosen, our Senior Account Manager.

A graduate of the University of Florida, Stacey comes to us with six years experience, having managed accounts like BMW North America, MINI Cooper, Publix Super Markets and The Florida Panthers. She will focus her management expertise on EOS’ work for American Tombow, Reynolds Signature Communities, The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation (RAIN) and The Coca-Cola Company.

But what is she like outside of the office? We sat down with her to find out.

How do you take your coffee?
I take a splash of coffee with my cream and Splenda.

If you could be on one reality show, what would it be?
Any cooking challenge show on Food Network. Love to cook!

Hokey Pokey or the Chicken Dance?
Hokey Pokey, I like to shake it all about.

What is your go-to Karaoke song?
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. If it’s a duet, then Meatloaf’s “I Would Do Anything For Love.”

Any hidden talents?
Music. Not many people know that I play the clarinet, flute and piano.

And last but not least, what’s your favorite thing about working at EOS?
The fabulous goddesses and the wealth of experience.

Taking our Media Relations Flair to the Fairways

We took our PR smarts to the links this year with the nation’s 16^th ranked amateur event, The 2011 Dogwood Invitational.  Held at Druid Hills Golf Club since 1941, EOS created a PR plan to increase coverage of the tournament and heighten the cache of the club.

EOS used its marketing magic to get the Dogwood name out. And it worked. Resulting in 41 television stories, 45 million media impressions equaling $240,000 in corresponding ad values and a 45% increase in Facebook fans, not to mention two, four-year college scholarships thanks to the tournament sponsors. It’s safe to say that the 2011 Dogwood was a hole-in-one.

Check out photos from the two media days and the tournament on our Facebook Page, and call us if we can make the magic work for you.