The PR Blog

In the event you need inspiration

2011-10-24T19:54:00.000-07:00

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
― Maya Angelou

One night, when I was in college in the year 2005, I called my friend Danya from bed. I was under the blankets in tears, feeling completely hopeless, tired and broke. College life wasn't as easy as it was the first two years. I had another year to go, I was living on a generous stipend but it wasn't enough.

I wanted to be out of college but I was afraid of never finding a job.A mountain of doubt loomed before me.

In that moment, I needed a friend to uplift me. Danya gave me the world's best pep talk. I don't recall everything she said - but it worked. I needed her in that moment. A few days after our talk, she sent me a card with a nice note inside. I found it recently and I called her to tell her about it and to thank her for being my friend.

The truth is, I never doubted for a second that I wanted to be a PR person. But the road wasn't easy. I studied hard, I worked for free for two and a half years, my first job had me crying in the bathroom every day for three months before I quit and resigned myself to graduate school before landing what I truly consider my first job out of college.

If I can give advice, I'd second Maya Angelou's quote - do what you love. When you come from a place of abundance and love, success can't help but follow you. If money is what you want, it will come. As long as you do your work and you do your best. Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes we bite off more than we can chew because we want to prove something, or we're just learning our thresholds. That's okay.

I was sitting in a meeting today and saw my Creative Directors notebook. It said "Some people dream of success while other wake up every day and work hard at it."

Thank about that. ;) And don't ever give up.

Occupy America: How the Media can be part of the Solution

2011-10-13T00:37:00.000-07:00

American unrest is at an all-time high. The Occupy Movement has turned the heads of government, corporate America and the rest of the nation. People are somewhere between getting on with their day-to-day lives and holding up signs, occupying their local cities and parks because they have something to say about the state of the country. Some are rolling their eyes or browsing their Facebook and Twitter feeds to find out what exactly is happening right now. In short, the Occupy Movement is one that everyone across the country (and world) is watching.

While a collective voice is beginning to arise, the message isn’t crystal clear. And for good reason. Americans are confused and realizing (or trying to communicate) that there isn’t just one issue to address – there are several. The complaints range from big business bailouts, an ominous unemployment rate, the government’s ineptitude in controlling corporate America and financiers, our national debt, the Federal Reserve, our devaluated currency. The list goes on. Americans are waking up and they want a solution.

It’s interesting to me, as a professional public relations practitioner and a professor, to see the media’s response to all of this. I’ve seen anywhere between serious accounts of different Occupy movements in Manhattan’s financial district to snarky blogs about seemingly unorganized groups in smaller cities, across the states. I’m shocked to see the media almost tsk’ing their way through their news stories. In the late 1800’s during the Industrial Revolution, the media was on our side. But today, I get the sense the media want to see an organized agenda in order to take any of these people seriously. It just isn’t enough that people know something is wrong and want it fixed.

All of this reminds me of a history lesson I learned years ago and one that I teach to my students today. And it got me thinking about how we’ll look back one day at how the media behaved and responded to everything that’s happening right now. Let’s go back to the Populist era. The media played a pivotal role in helping to expose big business – proudly accepting their label as “muckrakers”. They shook up industrialism as they knew it and the robber barons lost their control. With the aid of the mass media – the government started paying closer attention to corporations and the public taught these industry leaders a huge lesson about the power of the people.

Americans are losing their trust in the mass media. As someone who has worked closely with some of the best journalists in the industry, it’s saddening to see the mainstream media get a bad rap. I strongly believe, that while many of the media consumed by Americans today are owned by a small number of big companies known as “The Big Six”, there are true journalists at the helm who would rather rot than compromise the truth in order to please a suit in an ivory tower somewhere.

Today, we look to the media to provide the public with the same in-depth journalism rooted in the same ethical code and commitment to truth that the profession was founded on. This also goes for public relations professionals who work closely with the media. We have a grave responsibility to give the public what they want – the truth. While I deeply value citizen journalism and the blog sites out there (there are 115 million and counting) – I still believe that the news media we have relied on for many years can be an answer to the problem by, first, not sweeping these issues under the rug, or blowing off what is going on in the country right now. There are some so-called “media” out there who would like to write off the protestors as hippy malcontents, but I think we’re on to something. And the media can help us change things. We don’t need a leader or a hero. We need our voices to be heard.

Yes, Americans are restless and they’re making a lot of noise that doesn’t make sense right now, but they aren’t asking for anarchy – they’re asking for a solution. They want to work. They want a government that functions. They want Corporate America to be held accountable. They want to feed themselves and raise their families and just live their lives. Pretty basic stuff when it comes to being an American. Speaking of American, the media is as American as Apple pie – maybe more so. The call to action here is for the media to be on our side – no matter who signs your paycheck at the end of the week.

Public Relations 101: Teaching at the University Level

2011-09-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

I was recently appointed to Our Lady of the Lake University as an Adjunct Professor, teaching a senior-level public relations course under the College of Arts and Sciences. It is truly an honor to finally have made it to this point in my career where I have the education and the experience to educate future professionals about the history of this industry.

I have to hand it to my students - our syllabus is ambitious. We're covering a lot of ground every week - and we only meet on Thursday evenings. My goal is to get as many experts in the classroom as possible. My first classroom guest lecture will take place on October 6 during the week that we'll cover media relations. I'm inviting a few of my friends and colleagues in the media to speak on a panel to which I'll be moderating.

Very excited and learning as much from my students as they are learning from me.

How I Paid for College: Thanks, Uncle Sam.

2010-06-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

Melissa Ludwig of the San Antonio Express-News wrote an article that I picked up today about Pell Grants and an increase in enrollment across Texas colleges and universities, thanks to year-round Pell Grants available to students.

I wanted to take this opportunity to say that I owe my college education to FAFSA (Free Application For Student Aid) a la the Federal Government. I'm not really sure when or how, but I was able to learn the process for applying for financial aid through the government. Private loans always scared me, so I stuck to Uncle Sam and was able to coast through my first two years of college through the combination of a four-year Army scholarship and the Texas Grant and few smaller scholarships from my high school.

I personally was never eligible for the Pell Grant because I was considered a dependent and my dad's income didn't qualify for me to receive Pell funds. However, I am certain with the economic downturn we've seen in the last few years that many people are more eligible to receive this grant, which is not a loan - it's a financial "gift" from the government - translation: you do not have to pay this money back.

If you or anyone you know is interested in learning how to apply for Financial Aid through the Federal Government, I would be very happy to help you should you need advice. FAFSA allows you to basically tell the government what you (or your family) earn every year, then they calculate that somehow into an algorithm and next thing you know: you're eligible for loans, grants or work studies (sometimes all three).

I have to applaud FAFSA - since day one, they have always had an easy-to-understand website that walks you through the process in 3 phases. Visit http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ and follow the three steps in that order and you'll get there!

My Rant on CorporateSpeak: or How to Avoid Getting Bludgeoned by a Teddy Bear

2010-04-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

Today I had an interesting and vastly humorous discussion with my company's Chief Strategy Officer about the necessary evil of what I call CorporateSpeak. It's the language that people speak in companies that have at least over 50 employees (I'm just guess-timating on that number, but the Math seems right).

I am not a fan of CorporateSpeak, especially when I'm on the receiving end, but I respect it.
It's a dark gift when one finally masters the art of saying what you want to say without actually having to be direct at all. Coming from an agency that is extremely creative by nature exempts me from ever having to speak cryptically to get my point across to a client or my colleagues or bosses (although my candidness has earned a few raised eyebrows over the years, but that's another story for another day).

To those of you who work for a corporation and answer to 5 layers of management and VPs - I applaud you. Chances are, you have learned the language of the corporate world, or you're at least nodding and smiling, pretending to know what's going on when you're superiors start talking to you from 30,000 feet in the air. Back in the day, a fellow coworker used to "translate" some of my clients for me. We would walk out of meetings and I would feel as if there was a lot of talk, but nothing really said - just a whole lot of beating around the bush. Luckily for me, my translator used to clear things up for me and tell me what transpired in plain English slash Layman's Terms and I would sit there wondering why they didn't just come out and say that in the first place. Sigh.

Discussing this with my CSO today, I found myself partially willing to admit that I just might not be smart enough to make it in the corporate world. But I say/write this laughingly - the truth is I want to learn CorporateSpeak the way American kids want to learn Spanish when their parents send them to summer school in Mexico (so they can communicate with the gorgeous locals).

TEACH ME. Somebody.

The best part of today's conversation deserved a blog entry: and that was my CSO's dramatic reinactment of a past conversation with a top corporate client, laced with CorporateSpeak. I learned a lot and tried to make some mental notes on how I could adopt some of the cryptic, confusing and almost passive agressive tonality his clients took on when they gave feedback on a creative concept gone wrong. CSO told me how his clients tore his work to shreds in the nicest way. "Basically, it's like being bludgeoned by... a teddy bear", he tells me.

I died laughing. And came over to my desk to write this blog for the young professional readers of mine. On one hand, I'm warning you to prepare yourself for a crash course in CorporateSpeak. On the other hand, I'm begging you to start learning this language immediately so that you can follow the conversation and give appropriate feedback. The truth is, I have a couple of corporate-type clients under my belt and it's definitely a "lost in translation" thing for me at times. We're from two different worlds: I come from a creative civilization and they come from a different world full of cubicles and lingo.

With enough years of practice and a Rosetta Stone, maybe, just maybe one day I could pass for a native of their mother tongue.

The PR Internship: 7 Things to Take with You

2010-02-24T15:43:00.000-08:00

If you are currently seeking job experience through an internship at an awesome PR firm, or reading this blog while sitting at your intern desk at said awesome PR firm (when you should really be creating media clippings or pouring coffee for the account executive whose job you want), this blog was written just for you.

Think about it, every year - in the spring, summer and fall - thousands upon thousands of people graduate with the same degree you did - and you're all (coincidentally) looking for the same job. Hopefully, you wised up - and you're ready to cut your teeth before you graduate by taking part in an internship. I recommend one to two internships before you graduate in order to be considered for an entry-level position. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Here are 7 things you need to have in your repertoire by the time you complete your PR internship:

1. Media Relations Skills
During my first internship, my PR Director put me on the phone with the media to follow up on a Request for Coverage for an event the company was hosting. I got hung up on.

A lot. By grumpy editors who were on deadline.

I think my director knew what she was doing when she asked me to make those calls. That, or she knew how hard it is and didn't want to deal with it herself. Either way, kudos to her! She gave me some awesome insight into talking to the media and saved herself the effort. If you are asked to follow up on a press release or a media advisory - get on the phone, talk fast and don't spend ten minutes introducing yourself. They don't care who you are. They want you to get to the point and if you can make their job easier, do it. If that means emailing them links to high-res photos or hand delivering B-roll to the station, do it with a happy heart. I can honestly say that the media smell fear. Now going on 5 years of working in the industry, I can say that some of the same intimidating media editors I used to dread talking to are now my friends and colleagues.
You'll get there, too. Keep reading.

2. Writing for the Mass Media:
Most universities with even the most general Communications programs will require a writing class specific for public relations writing. You should have some of your class writing samples in your portfolio as you interview for the internship, but ask your supervisor for an opportunity to write a press release, media advisory, fact sheet, etc. When it's time to distribute the press release, you should also learn how to create a media distribution list. There are a lot of public relations tools that can help you do this like Vocus and Cision which allow you to build lists using a research module (it's basically a database of every media outlet and reporter/editor in the country/world). Just a warning - these programs cost a pretty penny, so depending on the organization you work for, you may or may not have this resource available. The company might already have a media list available but may ask you to update it during the duration of the internship.

3. A Positive Outlook
I often ask students about their interest in public relations as a profession. You know what answer I get a lot? "I'm really good with people.". News flash: you'll need that skill in pretty much any profession. But I can appreciate an awesome attitude when I see one. I hope you'll approach your internship with a positive attitude and a real willingness to listen and learn. You can take that with you no matter where you go and no matter how long you're in the business. A positive outlook and a plan for your next steps is key when you have an ambition. Don't ever feel like you're being asked to do something that you deem is "below" you. A good mentor and leader will never ask you to do anything they wouldn't do themselves. Chances are, if you're supervisor is asking you to do something, they would probably do it anyway if you weren't around to help them with it. We all do "intern"-type work. Do it with a happy heart and bring your bright attitude with you every day. You never know who is watching you.

4. A Working Knowledge of Social Media:
It's a known fact that more employers are looking for savvy professionals who can navigate the world of social media. Perhaps you manage a personal Twitter or Facebook account. That's a great start.
If you feel comfortable with social media, let your supervisor know. They might give you the opportunity to manage a Twitter account or Facebook fan page for one of your clients. If you get an opportunity to do so, this is an important skill to remember as you update your resume for future employment.

5. Strategic Planning:
So far I have mentioned many tactical but important activities that take place after the Public Relations plan has been set in motion. Many young professionals will not be exposed to a Public Relations plan until your capstone courses in college. If you have the opportunity to take part in developing a public relations plan for a client, be a part of the brainstorming session, take a lot of notes and pay attention to the process that leads you there. Your supervisor might even ask you to write a PR plan and then work with you on perfecting it.

6. Evaluation and Tracking:
With companies cutting their advertising budgets left and right, now more than ever, is the time for PR to shine. Without a recap or summary of your efforts (even for something as small as a great press conference that you pulled off), it's difficult for your client to truly understand the value and power of PR. That is, until they see all the earned (non-paid) media coverage you garnered. Most internships will ask you to help the PR department track media coverage by literally clipping articles out of the newspaper or tracking links and impressions online for your client. I mentioned media clippings earlier but I couldn't be more serious about the importance of doing this because evaluation is so important to the work that we do as PR professionals.

7. Event Planning and Coordination
I'm always very relieved when I know that I have an intern to help our team coordinate a press conference or event. Your job will probably be along the lines of helping the set-up team, assisting with media registration, but generally your job is to observe and take it all in. You can learn a lot by watching what's going on.

A firm, like Creative Civilization, with a developed internship program will arm you with a public relations work schedule from the beginning of your internship and a mentor will work closely with you as you progress through it. If you feel you were hired by a company as nothing more than an extra pair of hands, I challenge you to take charge of this opportunity and create your own work calendar for the next 6 to 8 weeks (or however long you plan to work with the company). Ask your supervisor to sit down with you and sign it. It's a good addition to your portfolio, especially since most firms will ask you to sign a confidentiality agreement which prohibits you from moving clients' intellectual property out of the agency. The signed work schedule shows prospective employers that you did the work under the guidance of the professionals who hired you.

The goal of your internship shouldn't be about getting the most lauded firm on your resume (wait...who am I kidding?). Actually, the goal is to learn as much as possible and gobble up every bit of knowledge and information that you can from your very busy superiors. Imagine this: after your internship, you'll be hired as an entry-level PR person. Now, wouldn't it be wonderful to be confident in your abilities because you've already learned and done so much in your previous internship? At the end of the day, be proud of yourself. Take a good long look in the mirror before you head off to your little intern desk and dream big.

Now go. Go in peace.

Working with the Founders of Hispanic Marketing

2010-02-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

No pressure.

I work with two of the founders of Hispanic marketing.

It's true! San Antonio is home to the first Spanish-language media outlet and the birthplace of the first and largest U.S. Hispanic advertising agency, Bromley Communications, once called Sosa, Bromley & Aguilar. Aguilar being MY boss Al Aguilar, Chairman and CEO of Creative Civilization.

In 1999, Al and his business partner (and wife) Gisela Girard founded their own agency, Creative Civilization. Their first client was the San Antonio Spurs. With a catchy ad campaign some of you might remember ("Go Spurs Go") they started off on a great foot and brought the agency to what it is today. We're not a Hispanic advertising firm, we're not a General Market agency. We're a unique breed of agency qualified in all markets offering total solutions.

It was a proud day this Thursday to watch the San Antonio Chapter of the American Marketing Association, SA Vision, induct Creative Civilization President Gisela Girard to their Godfathers Hall of Fame. At a tribute luncheon titled "Las Madrinas: The Visionary Women of Hispanic Advertising", Gisela was honored alongside three other female advertising pioneers. "Madrina", by the way, means "Godmother".

When asked to give advice to young Latinas beginning their careers in marketing and advertising, all of the women had advice to give. But Gisela's advice was especially encouraging to hear. She didn't go into gender specifics. She didn't talk about the dynamics of working with men or how women have to "work twice as hard to get half the credit" as many of us have heard over the years as we eye-roll. Instead, she talked about the importance of strategic thinking and its value at all levels, no matter what you do, no matter who you are (no matter what your gender).

I liked that. It's the visionary entrepreneurs (like Gisela) who don't think about the tiny barriers in front of them. What barriers? They are invisible.

Gender, race, SES - what does it matter when you have a dream? What are the lyrics to that song? "Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand". This is anyone's world if you have the heart.

In 2006, Al Aguilar was honored as one of three original founders, a.k.a "Godfathers", of Hispanic Advertising, alongside his former business partners, Lionel Sosa and Ernest Bromley. Now he and Gisela are in the Hall of Fame together. And I was there to see both of those events happen. Cool.

It occured to me later how fortunate I really am to have been hired at this particular agency when I graduated from Texas State in 2006. Thinking about it now - I could have ended up anywhere. For the past three and a half years, I've been learning from these two industry leaders every day. I may have finally finished grad school in 2008 - but my education is far from over.

So take a good, long look at the talented and creative people around you. Learn from them, talk to them, take their advice, take their criticism if you earn it. Heck, take them to lunch and shamelessly pick their brains (I do that to our CMO all the time). The thing is - what they say to you next could change your life, the way you work, the way you see things. On the flip side, you could be doing the same thing for someone else and not even know it.

Creative Civilization President Gisela Girard is inducted into the AMA's Godfathers Hall of Fame, posed here with her husband and business partner Al Aguilar, who was honored in 2006. Photo by Missy Rodriguez

The World of LOLCats: The Perfect Place for the Nation's Strongest Brands

2010-01-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

As a lover of all of God's creatures, great and small, I'm guilty of frequenting the website dedicated to the cat lovers of the world, ICanHasCheezeBurger, best known for its LOL (Laugh Out Loud) Cats.

The website is powered by people like you and me, regular Joe's who own a furry friend or two. The pictures and captions put a smile on my face with their hilarious "kitteh" language, rife with grammatical errors. (I mean, let's face it, if kittehs could write, they wouldn't exactly do Webster proud.)

The LOLCats have become so popular, there is even an LOLCat Bible. People have actually taken the time to translate both the New and Old Testament into kitteh language. (Adorable).

Over the years, I've navigated the pages of ICHC and noticed that some our nation's strongest brands are getting some play.

See for yourself.

Burger King

Fancy Feast

CBS

McDonald's

Wendy's

A couple of things come to mind.

First, these brands are top-of-mind for consumers. Good for them! This is the kind of of awareness brands want! Some may think a kitty photo with a product caption is no big deal...but doesn't every brand strive for this?

Second, with interest mounting ever day about the world of social media, ICHC is probably one of the most untapped viral weblogs on the internet. And I'm blowing their cover.

With so many great brands and products sharing the spotlight with these kittehs, I wonder if their marketing departments take this into consideration as part of their viral efforts. Certainly the impressions earned by an LOLCat is just as worthy as a Tweet. Within moments of being uploaded to the weblog, some of these images earn thousands of "votes" and comments from members and viewers of the site. So start thinking about what you can do for your clients in 2010 as you explore social media strategy. It's time to think outside the box of Facebook and Twitter.

As for me - I love kittehs. Which is why I'm making them a part of my social media strategy in 2010.

To learn more about ICanHasCheezBurger.com, visit this link.

So you want to work at an ad agency? You just gotta do an internship.

2009-10-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

In recent weeks I've been on the hunt for Creative Civilization's next round of interns for our award-winning ad agency. In my pursuit of the best candidates around, I have utilized the traditional outreach to the universities, created buzz using our agency's social media platforms and even went to a university campus to recruit students face-to-face.

One trend I have noticed is that everyone wants to work for an ad agency, but there's an overall lack of familiarity with the dynamics of agency life. In general, I find that most students, no matter what university they come from, seem unaware of the difference between disciplines in a full service ad agency.

I usually hear a lot of versions of this: "I'm interested in account service. Or PR. Or copywriting. Media? Whatever!"

Ah, no. Not whatever.
Public relations, media, creative and account service are separate areas. Although we work together to build integrated marketing campaigns - our disciplines are different and most of the people who work at an agency have diverse backgrounds that prepared them to do their specific jobs.

This is why I encourage students to partake in internship programs before graduation. The beauty of doing an internship before you graduate is that it provides students with a hands-on experience that will help you decide if you're on the right path and if agency life is for you.

One university that does an excellent job of educating its students on the importance of job training and internships before graduation is Texas State University - San Marcos. (Twitter @txst) Our agency works closely with Charles Kaufman the Internship, Scholarship and Career Development Coordinator for Texas State's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. I wish more universities would use Texas State as a model for preparing their students for the workforce. So, hats off to you, Texas State!

For students who are interested in working for an ad agency, I encourage you to talk to professionals who are already doing the work. Don't be afraid to contact them and ask questions. Don't have time for an internship? Maybe you can job shadow for a week. The point is: get familiar with your talents and try to match them with the needs of the organization you want to work for.

Whether you are looking at an agency, a corporation or non-profit, you should know your audience and know yourself. You can always contact me at theprblog@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Creative Civilization's Internship Program In the News!

2009-10-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

I was quoted in this week’s issue of San Antonio Business Journal on page 15, talking about Creative Civilization’s internship program after an awesome visit with Texas State University’s “Speed Interviewing Extravaganza”. (Article posted below)
As many of you know, helping young professionals get a foot in the door is my passion. When Al Aguilar and Gisela Girard hired me in 2006, I had several internships under my belt, but I was still very average on paper compared to many of the students who come through Creative Civilization’s doors these days to partake in our program.
With the creative freedom and latitude the agency has granted me in the last three years, I have been able to grow as a professional, graduate with my master’s degree and oversee our agency’s internship program here at Creative Civilization. We all started out somewhere and these students need all the help they can get, especially in this economy.
If you know any students who are studying marketing, advertising, or public relations – tell them about us, so we can welcome them to our civilization.

Article written by Andi Rodriguez

Job Opening at Creative Civilization #WIN

2009-10-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

EMPTY DESK SEEKS MEDIA BUYER/PLANNER FOR LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP

Creative Civilization-An Aguilar/Girard Agency, is currently accepting applications for the position of a Media Planner / Buyer.

The Media Planner / Buyer will be joining a group of young and dynamic leaders in the communications industry.

The full-time Media Planner / Buyer at Creative Civilization will work with a strong Media Team

Responsibilities:
• Develop and implement media plans for both General and Hispanic
Markets utilizing various forms of media
• Negotiate aggressive and competitive media buys across all media
• Negotiate strong added value as part of each media buy
• Develop and establish good rapport with media vendors
• Evaluate spending and delivery information on competitors to
maintain a competitive edge
• Evaluate partnership/sponsorship opportunities based on relevance
to product/brand and cost efficiency
• Partner with principals and account executives to develop and
manage media projects and campaigns

Qualifications:
• Degree in Advertising, Marketing, Communications
• Minimum 3-5 years media planning and buying experience
• Strong negotiating skills
• Strong work ethics, self motivation, strategic thinking and a
positive attitude
• Established relationships with key local and trade media vendors
• Professional demeanor with exceptional interpersonal and project-
management skills
• Excellent organizational skills with a detailed approach to
managing priorities
• Flexible attitude and ability to work in a competitive and fast-
paced agency environment
• Bilingual skills are a plus but not a requirement
• Strong presentation skills

Contact:
Submit your resume and cover letter to:
HRDEPT@creativecivilization.com or fax to 210-227-5999.

Recruiting Interns for Creative Civilization

2009-09-23T11:58:00.001-07:00

We're headed up to my Alma Mater tonight on a search for Creative Civilization's next round of awesome interns.

Texas State University is hosting Creative Civilization, along with several other Texas companies, at their Speed Interviewing Extravaganza. It all takes place tonight from 5pm - 7pm at the LBJ Student Center Ballroom.

If you are looking for experience in the world of advertising and want to get it done at one of the coolest award-winning advertising agencies around, ask for Lisa Martin or Missy Rodriguez with Creative Civilization.

We will be there tonight to do a resume critique, talk about professional image advice, do a round of speed interviewing (2 minutes per student) and then staying for a networking mixer.

I haven't been on campus since 2006 when I graduated, so I am very excited about this event. I want to go on the record and say that some of the best interns our agency has seen come straight from Texas State's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The Communication Design program also kicks out some extraordinary talent (two of the agency's art directors actually graduated from Texas State). Eat 'em up, Cats!

We've already chosen one of Texas State's top Mass Comm students to fill our Public Relations slot for the Fall 2009 semester, but we are still looking for students who are interested in Creative, Account Service and Media Buying/Planning.

I'll be "tweeting" the event from my Blackberry tonight, so follow Creative Civilization on Twitter @CreativeCiv.

Creative Civilization advocates for Internship Programs

2009-09-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

San Antonio advertising agency, Creative Civilization, is headed up to Texas State University’s Speed Interviewing Extravaganza tonight at the LBJ Student Center Ballroom from 5pm-7pm, as part of the university’s Career Month.

Agency representatives will take part in a resume critique, professional image advice, speed interviewing (2 minutes per student) and professional networking.

The award-winning agency operates a comprehensive internship program year-round, placing top candidates in its public relations, account service, creative and media buying/planning departments, pulling young talent from around the state of Texas.

Through Creative Civilization’s internship program, students gain hands-on experience in their respective disciplines, get to work in an agency environment and leave with a serious addition to their resume. The agency is currently accepting resumes for the Fall of 2009 and but will also review candidates for the spring and summer of 2010.

The agency welcomes students from all over the state of Texas and has employed young talent from Texas State University, St. Mary’s University, University of Texas at Austin, UTSA, St. Edward’s University and Trinity University, to name a few.

“Creative Civilization is committed to growing our industry’s talent and welcomes students who are interested in advertising , marketing and communications careers,” says Gisela Girard, President and COO of Creative Civilization. “We are proud that the majority of students who completed their internships at our agency and have graduated, are currently employed in the advertising, marketing or public relations fields.”

About Creative Civilization
Founded in 1999 by advertising leaders Al Aguilar and Gisela Girard, Creative Civilization is a new breed of agency uniquely qualified in the general market, Hispanic market and business-to-business market. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, Creative Civilization offers a full range of marketing, advertising and public relations services. The agency’s mantra, Inspiration Is All Around Us, fuels creative solutions across all agency disciplines.

The Universe of Social Media in a Nutshell

2009-09-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

I reference the great Stephen Hawking, who was able to explain the mysteries of the universe in 224 pages in The Universe in a Nutshell. At first glance social media as a concept seems simple, but in reality it's a universe that is ever-expanding.

I am currently preparing a slideshow presentation that I titled The Universe of Social Media in a Nutshell. I presented my first 15 slides to the sleepy Monday status meeting at Creative Civilization this week, and it was met with consideration and in interesting dialogue following. Round two next week includes an actual tutorial and run-through of our agency's social media platforms, to include our agency Twitter (@CreativeCiv), our Blog and our Facebook Fan Page.

What I would like to do is the following:
- Define Social Media: I've researched the several hundred definitions of social media and combined what I felt was the most accurate explanations into one simple umbrella term.
- Explain how people us Social Media both personally and Professionally
- Provide an overview of what certain platforms (like Facebook and Twitter) provide users
- Explain why Social Media is important to Agencies
- Talk about how Social Media is relevant to Clients and Brands
- Provide case studies of brands who have met success with Social Media (actual, tanglible results, even ROI)

Is there anything else that I'm missing?

Social Media is in its infant stages as a concept. I say this because three years ago I couldn't Google "Blog" and get any results. Now the internet is rife with theories and concepts. Something needs to come out of this noise.
It would be my goal in the next year to not only develop and perfect my presentation but to eventually write a college text for people who use social media and kind of understand it, as well as for people who don't know how to use social media and don't know where to begin.

Trekkies, Weezer fans and Broadway musical lovers unite over Madama Butterfly in San Antonio

2009-08-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Dear San Antonio,

You need to see Madama Butterfly.

If you’ve never seen an opera, this is your chance. The San Antonio Opera is opening its 2009-2010 season with Puccini’s famous Madama Butterfly on September 11-13 at the historic Municipal Auditorium.

It doesn’t matter how little or grand your knowledge of opera is in our city – almost everyone has heard of Madama Butterfly at some point in their lives. Whether you loved the Broadway musical, Miss Saigon, or Weezer’s 1996 album “Pinkerton” (yes, both inspired by Butterfly) – you have been touched by an angel named Giacomo Puccini.

I can honestly and accurately state that I am not an opera expert. I don’t even speak or understand Italian (I’m the person reading the English supertitles above the stage) and a few months ago, knew little to nothing about the story of the Butterfly, even though my parents have owned a vinyl record of the opera my entire life.

Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly was evolved from a novel called Madame Chrysanthemum, written by French author Pierre Loti in 1887. His story of a bored naval officer who marries a "comfort wife" was spruced up by American author John Luther Long, until it finally touched Puccini, who was inspired to write his famous opera.

The story goes a little something like this: Cio-Cio-san (“Butterfly”) is a beautiful Geisha who falls in love with an American naval officer, Lieutenant Pinkerton. In the novel by Long, Pinkterton's character is like any immature American boy in a faraway land. His two goals in going to Japan are (1) Get a tattoo and (2) marry a Japanese woman (a geisha, no less). Puccini doesn't add the tattoo bit in the opera, but I thought it was funny to mention.

If you’ve ever seen or read Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha, you’ll understand immediately what a professional blunder and life-change it meant for a geisha to marry. But Cio-Cio-san is a woman in love and the wedding takes place.

As you can imagine, Pinkerton has his fun (Tattoo? Check. Marry a geisha? Double check.) and soon finds an excuse to return to the United States with the empty promise of returning to Butterfly when “the robin builds his nest”.

(Ahem! I’m raising my eyebrows to you, Weezer fans.)

Poor Butterfly waits for Pinkerton for some time, all the while raising their son and passing up the opportunity to marry a wealthy man who wants to be with her. When Pinkteron does return, he brings his (::dun dun dun::) American wife, Kate, who asks the beautiful Geisha for her son (so she and Pinkerton can raise him in the States). At this point, Cio-Cio-san has a grave decision to make. I won’t ruin the end for you. This is as far as I dare go.

The visiting stage director of this opera is none other than Mr. John de Lancie. For those of you who don’t know him, he is a well-known actor and director, best known for his recurring role as “The Q” in the hit TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation. In addition to these roles, Mr. de Lancie has appeared on several television shows, such as The West Wing, Judging Amy, Charmed, and Murder She Wrote.

He has also had a successful career in film, appearing on screen in Nicolas, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Multiplicity, Taking Care of Business, Reign Over Me, and Saving Private Ryan (to name a few).

When he came to San Antonio this spring to help the San Antonio Opera announce its new season, he said something at the press conference that stayed with me. He said “The story of the Butterfly is every woman’s story.” He talked about the way Pinkteron "defiles" the Butterfly. And it's true, for in the opera, the Butterfly withers.

If you’ve ever had a broken heart, if you’ve ever felt abandoned or loved another person with unexplainable or divine loyalty – this story will devour your heart and electrify you to your very core.

If you don’t believe me, listen to the Butterfly’s aria from Act 2, “Un bel di” (One Beautiful Day), as she waits for Pinkerton’s return. If the music doesn’t move you enough, here is a nice translation of the lyrics (Thank you, Wikipedia).

Butterfly says that, “one beautiful day”, they will see a puff of smoke on the far horizon. Then a ship will appear and enter the harbor. She will not go down to meet him but will wait on the hill for him to come. After a long time, she will see in the far distance a man beginning the walk out of the city and up the hill. When he arrives, he will call “Butterfly” from a distance, but she will not answer, partly for fun and partly not to die from the excitement of the first meeting. Then he will speak the names he used to call her: “Little one. Dear wife. Orange blossom.” Butterfly promises her friend Suzuki that this will happen.

And for those of you who are Weezer fans, don’t forget lead singer, Rivers Cuomo, wrote the song “Butterfly” from Pinkerton’s point of view.

I told you I would return when the Robin builds his nest
But I ain’t never coming back
I’m sorry
I’m sorry
I’m sorry

I would also like to add here that Rivers Cuomo is married to a Japanese woman himself and is well-known for his affinity for the Japanese culture.

And don't forget the movie that struck fear in the heart of every man who has ever seen it - Fatal Attraction. Thanks again to Wikipedia for this little recap:

"Con Onor Muore was played during a scene in the erotic thriller Fatal Attraction, in which Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) tells Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) the childhood memory of his father taking him to see the opera. Alex later tries to re-enact the act by attempting suicide when Dan leaves. The original ending of the movie featured a successful suicide by Alex, although the ending was reshot before the film reached theaters."

Maybe you’re a Trekkie, or you enjoyed Miss Saigon or movies about psycho ladies who chase after married men. Perhaps you love Weezer or you’re just looking to broaden your cultural horizons: This is a story for every person and this opera is for you.

Support the San Antonio Opera! For ticket information, please visit www.saopera.com or join the San Antonio Opera fan page on Facebook for information on how to win tickets to Madama Butterfly.

Social Media Resistance is Futile

2009-08-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't need to work for a living if I had a penny for every eyeroll I get when I mention Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. To some, these social media platforms are scary, the antithesis of privacy, even. To others, it seems silly that people update their status/tweetdecks about their personal business (like my friend Eric - who apparently made the world's best grilled cheese sandwich in the history of mankind last night).

Out of curiousity, I have looked at social media with an objective eye since day one. It finally got the best of me and so I started out slow. When I was 19, I started my personal Facebook page. When I was 21 I started a Myspace Profile. But this year I crossed the great divide between personal and business - and set up Creative Civilization's Group and Fan Pages on Facebook, our Twitter account @CreativeCiv and our agency blog.

I'm not saying you should stop readin my blog right now (no, please keep reading) to set up personal accounts on each site I mentioned and start Tweeting your daily business (what you ate, where you're going for happy hour, etc.) but I do think you need to at least know how to navigate the sites. For those who want to understand social media but don't want to Tweet about your personal biz, you should think about at least starting these things up for your company and brand.

In the same way that individuals are using social media to build communities and distribute information - companies and brands are using these sites to interact with their client, customers, etc. For a lot of PR professionals like myself - social media is simply a distribution point - just another extension of traditional public relations.

The fact is, social media is genius because there is a lot of control involved. Control over what you post, who you're talking to, who you network with, who you respond to and how you respond to others.

To those of you who pooh-pooh social media, I say to you: social media resistance is futile. Go ahead - fight it. Get that out of your system.

The truth is: This is the future, baby. And guess what? The risk isn't in trying (trial and error is the best way to learn btw), the risk is in NOT trying it out when your competitors are outperforming you in this arena.

Stay tuned for more on social media skills. It should be part of your resume/portfolio as a professional. Employers are looking for it, clients are asking for it. Get smart.

Don't Just Stand There: Be Incredible

2009-07-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

Did I mention I am very active with our agency's internship program? Creative Civilization is the apple of my eye, as you can imagine. The agency owners, Al Aguilar and Gisela Girard, showed mercy when they hired me in 2006. Over the years, I've grown in my own skin both professionally and personally and I attribute my happiness and success today to the internships I took advantage of when I was an undergraduate student.

When I was hired at Creative Civilization as an assistant account executive in the PR department, I had already tried a marketing internship in the medical industry, a PR internship at a local non-profit and then finally an eye-opening expereince as an account service intern for a downtown ad agency. That's when I knew I wanted to work at an agency, doing public relations. I just needed my big break - and Al and Gisela gave me that.

So these days, when I'm not in meetings, planning awesome events, meeting celebrities and community leaders and talking to the media - I like to help young people who are in still college and thinking of ways to break into this industry of marketing, advertising and PR.

I get to do that because Creative Civilization has an amazing internship program that attracts great talent from some of the best colleges/programs around, and also prepares students for entry-level positions upon graduation. I am proud to say that most of our past interns are currently employed in the business.

If you want to do something great, visit www.creativecivilization.com to learn more about us. We are currently accepting resumes and setting up interviews for promising candidates for the Fall 2009 Internship Program.

I know a big part of you would rather spend your afternoons hanging out with your friends after class, taking much needed naps or, like this former Texas State student, lay out in the sun by the river, but I know a bigger part of you is wondering about what lies ahead.

Don't let this economy scare you. You have a dream, don't you? There's a place for you in this world and if you've come this far, even to reading this little blog - that tells me there's something inside of you telling you this is what you were meant to do.

So don't just stand there. It's always the right time to take charge and let your light shine.

Creative Civilization Internship Program - Fall 2009

We have positions in:
- Account Service (This is great for marketing and advertising students)
- Public Relations (This is great for PR students)
- Creative (This is great for communication design, graphic design majors)
- Media Buying/Planning (UT-Austin is one of the only schools in South Texas with a program for Media Buying and Planning, but we often get students who are interested in advertising who excel in this area).

Send your resume to: theprblog@gmail.com or look me up on LinkedIn.com.

Internship and Job Leads in Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing: The Adventure

2009-07-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

For job seekers, it's a full-time gig (with overtime and no benefits) looking for employment. I've mentioned that I graduated from college unemployed: three excruciating months of sitting in front of the computer, dissecting my resume and going to interviews for jobs whose misleading descriptions were nothing near the reality of the job.

At one point I was invited to interview for an "account executive" position for a "marketing company" whose name I wouldn't mind libeling right now if I hadn't burned their name from my memory from the trauma.

I should have smelled a rat when there seemed to be revolving door of job candidates, but I pressed on (what's a hungry college graduate to do?). After putting me in a glass office that didn't have very much furniture, the recruiter I spoke to began his magical act of pulling rabbits out of his hat and showing me creative materials that I would use but never design. My suspicion started to rise. I was pretty much lead on to believe that this was a real advertising job only to find out about 20 minutes out of town, in some guy's Honda, that we were on our way to Austin for door-to-door sales. I was FURIOUS and demanded the guy to turn the car around. No way was I going to spend the entire day "job shadowing" a solicitor!

Sigh. So get smart, kids.

Back when I was getting tricked into suboptimal job opportunities, I wasn't very 'connected'. The job search engine was the only hope I had in the world, it seemed. Now there is no excuse - put yourself out there! Use whatever resources you can with Facebook, Twitter and, my very favorite, LinkedIn. (PS: There's a word for a person like me -'FaceTwinky').

So here's what you do:
- Put your resume together and have a professional help you. If you're still in college, your university should have a Career Center that will help you polish your resume - free of charge.

- Build a professional profile on LinkedIn, using your newly created resume and start getting connected!

- Join professional organizations and groups (online and otherwise) that can help you. My good friend heard about her current job through the IABC grapevine (in our industry, news travels fast - we created the concept).

- Share your LinkedIn profile on Facebook and Twitter. If you have an online portfolio, these social media websites can help you bring awareness to your talents.

The world is your oyster. It really is.
Once you start getting acquainted with people in the business (like me), they can also help you with job leads. Ask around - we always know who's hiring and who's firing.

PS: Don't be afraid to be direct if you feel that a job description isn't specific enough for comfort. If it walks like duck and sounds like a duck, well, you know.

So get to work. If you have any questions you are always welcome to contact me at theprblog@gmail.com.

Soft Skills: If you don't have them, get some.

2009-07-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

I can't begin to articulate how important it is for you to be a well-rounded job candidate.It has less to do with what you look like on paper than who you are as a person and coworker. Allow me to paint a picture for you.

You can have the best schools, the brainiest degree, hours of volunteer work and a 4.0 GPA on your lovely crisp resume. It'll get you through the doors. You'll find yourself sitting face-to-face with a potential employer as you silently congratulate yourself on your awesomeness. Ahh...the world is your oyster, is it not?

There's no better feeling in the world than to see your hard work come to fruition in that moment when you know you got it (the job, the internship, the lead role in the school play, what have you). But it all comes to a boil when you get down to the not-so-technical part of doing your job. Scholars and psychologists call it Emotional Intelligence. In the real world (a.k.a. Corporate America) - we like to call it 'Soft Skills'.

What are soft skills? I had no idea when my Management professor from Texas State educated me and 300 other Bobcats in an auditorium more than three years ago.
Soft skills draw the line between the employed and the unemployed. Statistically, a person is more likely to be fired for his lack of soft skills than for lack of knowing how to do his job. Examples: showing up to work on time every day, dressing appropriately, treating others with respect, knowing the difference between right and wrong, picking up on and practicing social cues and knowing when to filter.

Having worked with and met many young professionals, I've witnessed the miracle of watching a young college student bloom into a promising young professional. On the flip side, I've watched people hang themselves with their own rope because they lacked soft skills. Soft skills aren't really something that another person can teach you (remember the Emotional Intelligence part?).

I can teach you how to write in AP style. I can coach you on how to write a media advisory and build a PR plan. But I can't teach you to speak up, I can't dress you in the morning, and I certainly can't force you to come into work on time.

It's tricky isn't it? You can't buy soft skills. You have to be born with them. But there is hope! I often feel that soft skills are directly tied to a person's self-confidence.

I recommend this very concise entry in Wikipedia because it gives tips on improving your interpersonal skills: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_skills

My advice to those of you who are currently a part of an internship program or applying to one is to make yourself an asset and always show the best of yourself. Speak with confidence, ask appropriate questions, be positive, do your work with a happy heart and be professional in every sense. They won't forget you easily.

As Wiki states, soft skills "may be more important over the long term than technical skills". WOW. Right?

Think about that.

When Should I Begin Applying for an Internship in Advertising, Marketing or Public Relations?

2009-07-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

It's important to ask important questions. That's my nugget of advice for the day.

I received an email from a curious dad who responded to my post on LinkedIn's group for the alumni association of my Alma Mater, Texas State University. He wanted to know when his son should begin applying for a PR internship.

My advice to undergrads, who have the time and commitment to spare for an internship, is to begin applying in the early semester before you intend on beginning. So if you want to start in the Fall of 2009, you should already 1) Have a good idea of what your fall class schedule will look like 2) Have at least 15 hours a week to spare during the week and 3) Have sent your resume out to several companies or agencies early in the summer. If you want to intern in the Spring of 2010, you should apply during early Fall 2009. Easy enough, right?

Not so fast. I used to say it was never too soon to begin interning, but before you get in over your head, make sure you've at least started some intro courses to your sequence. I like my interns, for example, to already have taken Intro to Public Relations and a Writing for Public Relations class. You don't need an elaborate portfolio, either, but don't let me discourage you from one. A few writing examples always help a candidate stand out from the rest.

Stay tuned for more advice on finding the right internship for you, preparing for the interview, staying positive and making it happen.

I love hearing from parents, but also greatly encourage students to contact me directly at theprblog@gmail.com with any questions.

Welcome to The PR Blog

2009-07-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me, you're probably beginning your journey (or well on your way) trying to figure out the multi-faceted wonder and excitement that is your career: public relations.

Three years ago I was a college graduate with stars in my eyes and dreams in my head of what an amazing Rock Star of Public Relations I would become. Mm-hm. Watch out, world.

After a couple of great internships, my first paid job was with a tiny mom-and-pop agency where I spent most of my lunch breaks crying in a bathroom stall wondering what I had gotten myself into. Three months of that and one "I quit" conversation with the boss later, I walked the stage unemployed and stayed that way until the fates looked mercifully down on me and I was hired at Creative Civilization in October 2006.

Suddenly, the world changed from black and white to color.

I just recently finished my master's degree in December 2008 and have been wanting to share my experiences with young professionals, such as myself, starting from the beginning. When I first enrolled in grad school, I didn't understand what a "blog" was so I Googled it and got nothing. Then I checked on Wikipedia. Couldn't find anything. That's how fast things have changed in three years and how quickly trends have changed. I'm trying to keep up with the social media phenomenon - and if you're not doing it, you should.

My only goal with this blog is to inspire you, make you understand something like never before, give you some good advice from someone who's been there or just make you laugh.

Welcome to The PR Blog.