REICH COMMUNICATIONS

What We Do: Engaging Young People in Creating Safety Messaging

The National Road Safety Foundation, my client, has been creating materials to talk to young people about safe driving behavior for more than 55 years.  It began with literature and a film about drinking and driving, and it evolved into videos, supported by Powerpoints, literature and lesson plans covering topics ranging from speed and aggressive driving to drowsy driving and, more recently, distracted driving.

The programs are solid and they’ve been used in thousands of classrooms nationwide, as well as in presentations in communities by police, healthcare people and young people themselves through groups like SADD.

For many years, the programs were conceived by us, a group of adults working with our filmmaker.  Except for young people we used as actors, there was little if any youth involvement in developing programs that were aimed primarily at teens.  

That began to change several years ago when we were thinking of creating a video about distracted driving.  We knew what the message should be – don’t talk on the phone or text while driving – but we weren’t sure how to frame the message so it would connect with young people.  Should we focus on gloom & doom – the tragic results of a distracted driving crash?  Should we tell real-life stories?  What about things like music or humor? (Yes, humor, even for a serious subject.)

We pulled together a focus group and spoke with teens to see what kept them awake and interested, what motivated them hear and listen to our message, what bored them and what turned them off totally.  Our video “Generation tXt” proved popular and it’s still in use.

We then took it to the next step, to engage young people in actually creating the messaging and the videos.  We’ve been doing a series of contests where we invite teens to submit a script, storyboards or a written treatment describing a 30-second video (a TV public service announcement) on various safe driving issues and our producer works with them to film the public service message. 

Sometimes we also go directly to schools to work with students to create videos.  Earlier this year, we wanted to do another student-driven video, and I pushed to go to my alma mater, Mount Vernon High School.  We met with the TV Production teacher, Steven Galazzo, and he was excited to give his kids a chance to work with us  and our Emmy Award-winning director Alan Weiss, who produces the nationally-syndicated weekly show “Teen Kids News.”

After a couple of meetings with the class, a theme was selected and a script developed.  The idea was to talk about drinking and driving and the importance of not giving in to peer pressure.  Kids were selected to act in the piece, and other students served as extras, a student director and videographer.

I spent last Thursday at Mount Vernon High School, watching some great kids as they rehearsed and then did take after take until we got the footage we needed.  After a full day, the kids cheered when the student director, Stephan Johnson, a senior who conceived the spot with fellow seniors Jayda Pickett and Jannah Sharpe, called out “It’s a wrap!”                                                                                      

The video will be edited down to a 30-second spot that will air on 160 TV stations on “Teen Kids News” and also on other stations around the country when we distribute it for broadcast.     

When the piece is ready for air, I’ll post it here. 

I’m happy I was able to bring a this project to my old school and I hope the young people involved learned something while having fun.   

 

 

   at right, from The Journal News

Shining the Light

 

As expected, immediately after Attorney General Barr released his 4-page summary of the Mueller report, many on the right began calling up conspiracy theories about the "hoax" of collusion and Russian interference in our elections. They blamed Democrats, who they say are still sore losers over the 2016 election. And they also placed blame on the media.

It's interesting that we are now hearing reports from inside the Dept. of Justice that AG Barr's summary is not accurately reflective of the Mueller report and that it does find some questionable, even if not criminal, behavior in the president's camp.

An op-ed in Murdock's Wall Street Journal, whose hard news coverage I generally respect, rekindled the "fake news" claims, citing a few instances where the media got it wrong. It didn't bother to note the many more cases where the media got it right, often uncovering things that run counter to honesty and integrity in government.

The media play a crucial role in our democracy, keeping we, the citizens, informed by questioning our elected officials on policy and actions and, yes, tweets. The media also serve us by by finding and reporting on bad or even illegal behavior in our government.

The president and his enablers don't like this, since it hampers or prevents them from doing as they please behind the scenes. Media oversight and investigation expose actions that may not be in the public interest or in keeping with ethics and moral values most Americans hold dear.

So of course those in power will try to push back and silence the media. It's painfully clear and obvious.

That's why it's so important that the majority do our own pushing back, calling out the lie about " fake news" and standing behind the media. Buy and read newspapers. Watch the news on the networks. Write to advertisers who support papers and network news or, if you can, buy the products and services they advertise.

It's on us to support the media so they can continue shining light on the darkness.

Perks

I'm finishing up my work representing The National Road Safety Foundation at the Lifesavers Conference, where some 1,500 traffic safety professionals from throughout the U.S. have gathered to share ideas.  One of the breakout sessions I had proposed, on engaging young people in traffic safety messaging, drew an overflow crowd.

One if the perks of my work is the travel and getting to see some cool places.  Here in Louisville, the conference had a banquet tonight in the Millionaire's Club at Churchill Downs, where in a month the Kentucky Derby will be run. 

I met the head bugler for Churchill Downs, Steve.  And I walked through the paddock area where champions have walked.  Lots of tradition and history here, and it was great to see some of it.

I love my job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just sayin'

I'm not sure it's good for someone to call someone else a "thin pencil-neck" when they're so fat that they have almost no neck.  It seems like something an immature baby would say, not an adult and certainly not someone in a high public office.

Just sayin'

Aggressive Drivers

 

As a traffic safety PR consultant and advocate, I do a lot of work with issues like distracted driving, impaired and drowsy driving. But a big factor in many crashes is aggressive driving, which we see in many forms like speeding, tailgating, frequent and sudden lane-changing, and jumping traffic lights before they change to green.

Growing up and living in New York, I see a lot of aggressive driving, especially by taxi drivers. But it turns out the Big Apple is way down on the list of cities with the most aggressive drivers.

USA Today reports on a survey that measured aggressive driving in the nation's 30 largest metro areas.

Los Angeles, known for crazy traffic and crowded freeways, ranked at the top of places with the most be aggressive drivers.  Second, surprisingly, is the City of Brotherly Love -- where love doesn't seem to make it to the roads of Philly. Sacramento is third and Atlanta, where I just spent a few days working and driving, is fourth. San Francisco, San Diego, Orlando, Detroit, Austin and Las Vegas round out the top 10.

New York doesn't even make the list until #23, behind Charlotte, Boston, Chicago and D.C., among others.

The least aggressive drivers in big cities are found in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle and Portland), Cincinnati and Minneapolis.

So I guess I can stop apologizing for New York drivers, just as I don't have a to apologize for New York traffic jams, which also rank lower than in places like Los Angeles, Dallas and Chicago.

I'm glad I live and drive in New York.

What We Do: Drive Safe Atlanta

 

In Atlanta again for the Atlanta Auto Show, where The National Road Safety Foundation hosts a teen safe driving expo, with information and activities that talk to young people (and adults, too) about safe behavior behind the wheel.

We also announced the winner of our Drive Safe Atlanta contest. Thirteen year-old Caleb Cheshire won for a 30-second public service ad about seat belt safety. His ad debuted in front of media at a news conference here Wednesday morning and it will air nationwide later this spring.  Here's a link to see his video.

The contest is part of our efforts to involve young people in messaging about safe driving behavior. We hear from young people all the time that peer-to-peer messaging does work.

 

 

 

Photo:  Michelle Anderson of The National Road Safety Foundation, teacher Trina Zujoli, winner Caleb Cheshire and David Reich

Pi (or is it Pie?)

Certain dates take on a significance beyond the date itself.   9/11, unfortunately, will long be remembered as the date of the terrorist attacks on NY and D.C. 

March 14, or 3.14, is known for the numbers the date represents – 3.14, the mathematical constant known by the Greek letter pi.  To math people, it’s the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.  It’s a number that has no end.  Math geeks have calculated it out to the millionth decimal, just for the fun of it. 

But anyone who knows me understands how much I dislike math.  It’s just not my thing.  But those who know me also know that I really like another type of pi – the baked kind.  So what started as a day for math geeks, National Pi Day, has been appropriated by those who make and sell pies – the American Pie Council.

Technically, National Pie Day, which was started in the 1970s by a Colorado teacher, is celebrated on Jan. 23 – that teacher’s birthday.  In 1984, the maker of Crisco shortening claimed it under their sponsorship.  But many food retailers and restaurants use the better-known Pi Day on March 14 as an excuse to promote their wares.

America’s favorite pie in apple, of course.  The survey last year by the Harris Poll came up with a very surprising second-place choice by Americans – pizza pie.  I’m far from the only person who questions that choice.

Pie popularity seems to vary by region.  Pecan pie, for example, is at or near the top in many of the southern states.  Apple is tops in much of the north and west.  Maine likes blueberry and whoopie pie.

I like apple pie, but if I had to pick my absolute favorites, I’d probably list cherry,  blueberry and strawberry-rhubarb.  That’s not to say I wouldn’t happily chow down on Boston creme, coconut cream, pumpkin or peach pie.  And a la mode, of course.

Writing about this is getting me hungry.  I’m going out now for a slice of pie. 

Happy 3.14.

When PR and Marketing Converge ... Cause-Related Marketing

 

PR and marketing converge in a tactic known as cause-related marketing.  A marketer ties its marketing efforts to a cause -- a charity, a social cause, a cultural organization or even a social movement.

Sometimes, the logic for a tie between marketer and cause is tenuous at best.  And every so often the tie is so perfect that it borders on brilliant.

I'm fortunate that early in my career I was involved in a cause-related program that made perfect sense.  In the late 1970s when I ran PR for hosiery pioneer L'eggs, we developed a tie-in with women's running, just as it was becoming "acceptable" for women to exercise and sweat.  A series of 10K women-only races in ten cities led to the L'eggs Mini Marathon in Central Park. With several thousand women participating in what was then the largest women's sporting event anywhere, it solidified the relationship between many women and what became the best-selling hosiery brand.

Yesterday, another cause-related related marketing campaign launched, with a brilliantly logical connection.

Wyndham Hotels, the world's largest hotel company, announced #JourneySafe, a new program from its Super8 hotel brand, to educate people about something that claims as many as 5,000 lives a year in the U.S. alone -- drowsy driving.

It's so logical for this company, which has thousands of clean and safe places where a fatigued driver can stop and get some sleep.  But after talking with some Wyndham execs, it's clear that this effort is also a highly personal one, which be makes the connection even more genuine.  Like about a third of all drivers, some Wyndham execs have experienced drowsy driving to the point of actually dozing behind the wheel.  So they know first-hand how scary and sobering it can be, not to mention how dangerous.

The #JourneySafe campaign will build awareness of dangers of drowsy driving, with signs to recognize fatigue and tips on how drivers can avoid driving drowsy.  A key part of the campaign is a cute video that uses dashboard dolls to warn drivers.

It’s good business when marketing and an important cause combine.  

And the winner is... ABC

 

Big events like the Super Bowl, the Grammy’s and the Oscars traditionally were must-watch TV, pulling in giant audiences for the nationwide live broadcasts.  But for the last several years, these events have not been a guarantee for a huge audience, which has been troubling for both the network carrying the event and for the advertisers spending in the millions per 30-second spot. 

The Academy Awards last Sunday proved to be a winner – not only for Green Book, Bohemian Rhapsody and Roma, but for ABC as well.

The ratings were up by 11.5 percent over last year’s Oscars telecast, drawing in 29.6 viewers.  And the event was profitable for ABC, which sold out all its available time in the telecast.  The network earned about $120 million during the program, with 30-second spots going for more than $2.8 million.

For comparison, the Grammy’s brought in about $95 million for CBS.  Approximately 30 million tuned in for the broadcast.  Super Bowl, which was the least-watched Super Bowl in ten years, still drew a super audience of 98.2 million – dwarfing the Grammy’s and Oscars combined.  Ad revenues for CBS were down five percent from a year ago, but still came to a hefty total of more than $385 million. The typical spot cost between $4.6 and $5.2 million.  

Pfft… a bundle, gone in 30 seconds.

What We Do: New Jersey Home Show

The New Jersey Home Show opens today and runs through Sunday, featuring more than 200 exhibitors showing lots of ideas and products for home remodeling and decorating.  It's at the New Jersey Convention Center in Edison, less than an hour's drive from Manhattan.

We're doing PR for the New Jersey Home Show and in addition to lots of exposure in area papers and online sites, we had a busy morning of TV for one of the show's featured speakers, designer Laurie Smith of the popular TLC series "Trading Spaces."

Laurie did live spots on the hot streaming channel Cheddar News and then on WNBC-TV's "New York Live."

She'll be doing sessions at the Home Show Friday and Saturday, giving tips for decorating on a budget, and take questions from the audience.  Click here for more info.  And click here to see the spot from "New York Live."

                               above: interview at Cheddar

above:  NBC4 New York Live with hosts

Jacque Reid (l) and Sara Gore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

at Cheddar: David, Laurie Smith and Eric Udler, organizer of the New Jersey Home Show