When I graduated from college two months ago and started my career as a young public relations professional at Hunter Public Relations, I had no idea how much fun my new job was really going to be. Between impromptu after work outings to planning high profile events all across the country, my first two months in the “real world” have been more than exciting.

Last night’s PRSA-NY Bowling Social was an event that will definitely go down in Hunter PR history. More than 30 Hunter PR staff members, all dressed in matching branded t-shirts, rolled into Bowlmor Lanes on 44^th Street and lived up to our team name Thunder from Down Hunter.  Taking up over half of the alley for the PRSA event, we arrived with fire in our eyes and ready to win the coveted Bowling Pin Trophy.

From what I heard, Hunter PR has a history of taking down the competition in sporting events, but when the bowling alley erupted with enthusiastic and positive Hunter PR staff bellowing chants and cheers to our squad of determined “athletes,” I couldn’t help but feel proud and grateful that I had the opportunity to join such a dynamic agency.

Though we did not take home the trophy last night, our team did have the highest score with a monstrous 179 from our fearless Co-Captain Trisha.  Fellow Hunter PR bowlers Sakura and Michael also won digital cameras, and the night came to a close with a fitting Hunter PR rendition of Katy Perry’s “Firework.” PRSA-NY put on a great event that brought the Hunter PR staff together not only as co-workers, but also as a team!

- Lisa

Father’s Day is this weekend, and I’m sure many of you are scrambling for last-minute gifts, trying to figure out exactly the right thing that says, “I love and appreciate you, Dad,” and not, “here’s something I picked up in the gas station on the way over for brunch.” Well, as the newest dad hire at Hunter Public Relations, I’m here to tell you…I don’t have the slightest idea what that could be. If you’ve got some ideas, please let me know, and I’ll definitely add them to my Amazon wish list.

There’s always a certain value in getting dad exactly what he wants, of course. My aforementioned wish list is full of video games I’d be perfectly happy to receive as a gift…your dad’s might not be. But at the same time, don’t you want to be the one who comes up with the perfect gift—the one that perfectly encapsulates exactly who your dad and only your dad is, and makes the shirts and ties your siblings got him look like hastily bought afterthoughts?

Of course, it’s not a competition—no matter how much more awesome your gift is than your sibling’s. In the end, sometimes the best way to say, “I love and appreciate you, Dad,” is…to say, “I love and appreciate you, Dad.” Now, my girls are five and two, so they’ll probably give me something hand-made that I can hang above my desk to remind me how much they care about me. You may be too old to make your dad a handprint painting or a macaroni-and-glitter-paint greeting card, but what’s your version of that? What can you give your dad that has the same love and thought put into it as the handprint paintings you used to give him? Figure that question out, and you’ve got the perfect Father’s Day gift.

Or, you know, maybe a gift card. Let’s face it…dads can be tough to shop for.

- Justin

Mother’s Day is upon us and here at Hunter PR, it’s a baby boom. In the last two months, we celebrated the birth of three baby boys and in the process three professional women have taken on the new role of “working mothers.”

And while we welcomed three women to ranks of working moms, the public relations industry recently lost one of its first working moms, Jean Schoonover, the former CEO of D-A-Y Public Relations, and beloved sister to the founder of Hunter Public Relations, Barbara Hunter. 

Jean passed away in early April at the age of 90.  A remarkable woman, Jean, in partnership with Barbara, became the first woman and mother to own and operate a public relations firm in the United States. This “sister act” (as they were called when they were named to BusinessWeek’s list of 100 most powerful women in business) achieved success in the early days of the public relations industry which in the 1950’s and 1960’s was an era dominated by men with wives who did not work outside the home.

At Jean’s memorial service, there were many remarks made by her business associates about her acumen, smarts and determination as a CEO of a major public relations firm. All of these comments were very accurate as I was fortunate enough to work with Jean first at D-A-Y, and again when she served as a consultant to Hunter PR in the 1990s.

But what touched me the most were the remarks given by Jean’s children and grandchildren. They spoke of Jean’s important role –that of their mother and family patriarch.  Even though Jean worked day and night in service to her clients, supervised several offices and dozens of employees and traveled the world for business, Jean was first and foremost a loving and attentive mother.  At home she was mom – a woman who displayed intelligence, contentment, confidence, resourcefulness, caring and concern.

Jean Way Schoonover with children, Katherine, Daniel and James.

As a public relations agency owner myself and mother of three children, I often experience the guilt that comes from having a career rather than being a career mom. And, around Mother’s Day, I wonder if I am really worthy of receiving the same accolades as mothers who make a career of being home to nurture and care for her children every day.

However, after being reminded of Jean’s success as a mother of three, I learned that the example you set for your children with your professional life can be as powerful as the time you spend with them.  Jean’s life and legacy shows that success for working mothers in PR can come as a result of how you lead and grow in your professional life, not in spite of it.

To all the working moms in the public relations field (and especially the three new moms here at Hunter Public Relations): Happy Mother’s Day.  Let us hope that we all achieve the same professional and personal success as one of the greatest mothers in and of the agency business, Jean Way Schoonover. 

The Interactive portion of SXSW (or as I like to call it, college all over again) brings together the world’s brightest minds in tech all onto one “campus” in downtown Austin. Its focus on emerging technologies has earned SXSW Interactive a reputation as one of the best predictors of where the industry is going, and many of today's biggest web and mobile apps were launched during SXSWi, including Twitter and Foursquare.

So what were some of the breakout stars of SXSW this year?

Group texting: Without a doubt, the talk of the town was apps like GroupMe and Beluga that allow you to have create group chats on any phone. These apps were especially useful to connect with fellow students, aka festival attendees.

Networking made easier: Another app that was a huge hit was Hashable, which allows you to ditch the business cards and exchange contact info with the new friends you make at that party. All you have to do is enter their email or Twitter handle into the app and it downloads their contact info. Also, it allows you to see who all your friends are connecting with.

Social TV: One of the most interesting ideas talked about was social TV, and how viewers are posting on social media sites while watching their favorite shows. This was especially interesting to hear about in a panel about the marketing of True Blood, a show that had really embraced the concept of social TV by reaching out to fan communities and providing them with exclusive content.

Being at SXSW completely felt like I was back in college for a week, with early morning classes (panels), meals with friends between class and parties at night. I learned so much and had a great time meeting some of the most interesting people from all over the world.

Olivia

In 1989 at age 62 I started a new business! Thinking about it now, it seems so crazy, but after leaving Ogilvy & Mather I was unsatisfied and not ready to retire.  Moreover, I wanted to prove to myself that I could realize the kind of PR agency I envisioned.  With two people willing to take the risk with me, Hunter MacKenzie Cooper was born in my apartment on East 38^th Street. 

 That first year was a scramble – euphoric when McIlhenny Company decided to move its business to us, frantic in locating decent affordable space, funny when trucking in used furniture from the United Wrecking Co., triumphant when we lured Grace (then Thompson, age 20 something) to join us.

 For our first assignment from Kraft we staged a formal Washington Dinner Party for 140 food writers at the Willard Hotel.  George and Barbara Bush look-alikes greeted everyone, satirist Mark Russell performed, and Miracle Whip appeared in every course, including dessert.  It was a blast, a total success.  That event plus our work for Tabasco sauce provided the credentials to build the business.  And the clients started coming our way - Dannon, Pillsbury, Nabisco, Planters/LifeSavers, Haagen-Dazs and several more in just the first few years. The company grew and changed, evolving into what it is today.

I’m so very proud of the success you have achieved while maintaining a culture that nurtures and fulfills.  It’s way beyond what I could possibly imagine those many years ago.  I’m truly honored that my name is still on the door.  Congratulations …and may the next 22 years be even more fantastic!

It seems that everything in New York has its own week – Fashion Week, Restaurant Week among others. So why should the ever-developing field of social media not have its own designated seven days?

 New York wasn’t the only city that jumped on the bandwagon. February 7th-11th was designated Social Media Week in more than nine cities including Rome, Hong Kong, Istanbul and more. This global event was attended by 30,000 people.

This conference is overarching, covering almost every aspect of technology and emerging trends by presenting panel discussions on a variety of social media subjects. Due to my responsibilities with the entertainment department here at Hunter Public Relations, I decided to check out a panel called “Celebrity Spokespeople in the Digital Age.”

Moderated by Kate White, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, the panel featured participants like actress Denise Richards and bloggers Rob Shuter (PopEater) and Bryanboy (Bryanboy.com, fashion). The discussion shed some insight on how to leverage celebrities, who themselves have become brands. Outlets like Twitter provide stars with a direct channel to engage with their fans to promote their projects, charitable initiatives and their own public image.

The panel gave the example of the Kardashians, specifically Kim Kardashian.  According to The Hollywood Reporter the clan brought in over $65 million dollars last year, all because of their smart branding. The family has a collective 13 million Twitter followers which Kim Kardashian took advantage of during the designing and launching of her fragrance. She gave her fans a direct say in her product by posting two options for her perfume packaging and let them decide which one would be produced. Check out the panel to learn more!

Although Social Media Week may be over, don’t fret! Thanks to LiveStream.com, you can check out many of the over 200 events and panels online. Happy browsing!

Paulina

Last week, a handful of staff members were able to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI). During this tour we were delighted to learn about GHRI’s various departments, testing processes and research staff (scientists, engineers and nutritionists, oh my!).

Below I’ve compiled a ‘Top 5’ list of a few things that blew our PR minds:

1. The GHRI was founded in 1900 (that’s before the FDA) and has been committed to informing consumers and improving the lives of readers through education and product evaluation ever since.

2. They have a super-futuristic climate control sealed room that can produce freezing temperatures (ideal for winter coat testing) or can create hot and humid weather (to test anti-frizz hair products).

3. More than 11 U.S. Presidents have dined in Good Housekeeping’s dining room, which is a complete replica of the 100 year old room that was in the first GH office.

4. Good Housekeeping guarantees the quality of each product that bears the Seal – They’ll even reimburse consumers that are unhappy with their products.

5. And the kicker: When scrambling to remove a stain, regular water works JUST as well as seltzer water (oldwives tales be damned)!

Obviously, there are about 1,000 more interesting tidbits from our trip to the storied GHRI Headquarters that I wasn’t able to include (especially for a girl who recently conducted lab-like research of her own before buying a blender). Luckily, Good Housekeeping has posted everything you should know about the GHRI on their web site (which just so happens to also have a wealth of information on every product imaginable).

Jenna

Hunter Public Relations recently commissioned our eighth annual year-end food survey to rank the most significant food-related stories of 2010.  Americans chose the BP oil spill’s impact on the seafood industry for the number one spot. It’s the first time in three years that an environmental food story has topped the list.

We also asked about food pop culture news and the limited return of McDonald’s McRib sandwich stood out most to consumers. When asked which food trend they want to be over in 2011, almost half felt that “bacon flavored everything” is past its prime. Check out the complete list of survey results here.

This year, to help bring the survey to life – literally – we took a Flip Cam to the streets of the Big Apple and asked New Yorkers what they thought the top food stories of the year were and which food trends they want to be over in 2011. We got some great responses! You can view the video here.

I think the survey provides an accurate snapshot of which food-related stories resonate most to Americans. But, I have to admit I was surprised and disappointed to hear that people are over Bacon. In my book, bacon is the perfect food and will never go out of style. Gourmet food trucks on the other hand…

Amanda

After months of hard work, I have the honor – as one of the digital designers on this project – to introduce you to, Hunter Public Relations’ new iPhone app: TWEET HUNTER!

(Trumpets) Dun, dururun, dun, dun, duuuuuuuuun!

You’re probably thinking, “Why all the fan fare?” Well, here at Hunter PR, we’re pretty big on creativity, and are always brainstorming new PR concepts and ideas for our clients. For years, we’ve wondered how can we share some of our brainstorming techniques with the rest of the world. Enter Tweet Hunter.

Tweet Hunter “hunts” tweets in order to reveal what people are saying about any word you enter into the app.  For example, if you type in “BBQ” into the Tweet Hunter app, roughly 30 words will be shown to relate to “BBQ” such as “sauce,” “Sunday,” “grill,” and “party.”  These results are ranked by frequency of use in conjunction with “BBQ” so you can easily see what people are talking about most on the topic.

Since so much of our brainstorming process centers on word association, Tweet Hunter can be a useful, on the go tool for sparking ideas and getting the conversation started.

If you want to download our app, it’s available for FREE via this link: on iTunes.  We hope you’ll find it as useful and helpful as we do.

Enjoy!

Having spent a semester abroad in Rome while I was in college, I definitely have an appreciation for a classic Italian meal. And, with last week being the San Gennaro Feast on Mulberry Street in NYC and the recent opening of Mario Batali’s Eataly, I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about Italian cuisine. However, given my high standards, these restaurants have yet to impress. So, if you are as much a lover of Italian food as I am, you MUST take a trip to my favorite Italian street in New York… Arthur Avenue.

Arthur Avenue is part of the Belmont section of the Bronx and home to many of New York’s Italian-Americans. In fact, the film “A Bronx Tale” is based on life in this community. Affectionately called “the real Little Italy,” the street is home to classic Italian bakeries, fish and meat markets, cheese shops and, of course, restaurants. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Emilia’ s Restaurant: Classic Italian dining with generous portions. Their veal saltimbocca and lobster ravioli are incredible.

Casa della Mozzarella: Hands down, the best mozzarella in NYC!

De Lillo Pastry Shop: Just like it sounds, a pastry shop that serves every kind of delectable Italian treat you can imagine!

Tino's Deli: Serves just about any hot or cold Italian dish and perfect for on-the-go. 

And, if the Bronx seems a little out of your way, here are some Bronx favorites you don’t want to miss:

Yankee Stadium (only about 3 miles from Arthur avenue)

The New York Botanical Garden

The Bronx Zoo

Or you can always visit my alma mater and cheer on our beloved Fordham Rams. ;)

Sara