http://s69481.gridserver.com/index.php en admin@cooperkatz.com Copyright 2009 2009-07-23T10:00:32+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/10_critical_steps_to_csr_success/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/10_critical_steps_to_csr_success/#When:July 23, 2009, 10:00am posted by admin Cycles of “negativism” from policymakers, the media or the general public about corporate business practices are nothing new. But when the going gets tough from a reputation standpoint, many companies begin searching with greater urgency for ways to rebuild trust with consumers and shift perceptions in an authentic, meaningful way. One way to accomplish this is through a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program.   At CooperKatz, we work closely with our clients to identify the nexus between their corporate mission, goals, key stakeholders and important social causes. Finding this intersection helps us design CSR programs that companies enthusiastically embrace and support – not just “at the top,” but throughout an organization. To guide our own strategic process, we’ve established “10 Principles for a Successful CSR Program” for developing and evaluating CSR opportunities.   Ideally, an effective CSR initiative:   Helps convey the essence of the company – The CSR program should be authentic and relevant to the client’s business. This tells consumers a program is genuine and not just a way for the company to generate publicity.   Appeals across core constituencies (i.e., shareholders, prospective and current employees, consumers, local policymakers, etc.) – Supporting a cause that is of interest across all core constituencies ensures a program will resonate with these audiences and drive greater support and buy-in.   Allows employees to get involved – Employees want to feel good about the company they work for, and this often means working for a company that contributes to an important cause.   Helps to build brand / company reputation – Effective and authentic CSR programs enable a company to have a different kind of conversation with its constituencies and community, while demonstrating the “human” side of business. All this can positively impact reputation.   Receives recognition for the program – Generating recognition for the program is not always the main goal of a CSR program (in fact, if a company is just in it for “publicity,” it may not resonate). But generating attention for a critical issue without doubt can (and should) generate a ‘halo’ of positive recognition for the company as well.   Addresses a significant issue / challenge – Addressing a significant / serious issue with a sustained commitment demonstrates a company’s willingness to extend beyond profit or pure self-interests. This in turn can resonate more powerfully with key audiences and influencers.   Makes a significant difference within that issue / challenge – It’s critical that the CSR program is powerful enough – and the corporate commitment great enough – to make a tangible difference. This impact can be measured in a variety of ways including increased awareness / education of the issue, funds donated to support the issue or the number of people it has directly helped.   Demonstrates the company’s responsible business practices – Actions speak louder than words. Implementing a CSR program demonstrates a company’s willingness to go beyond “lip service” and put people, time and resources against a critical cause.   Can be implemented on both the local and national level – Having the ability to implement a CSR program at both the local and national levels allows a company to make a greater impact by reaching more people, in addition to connecting more deeply with the communities in which it operates.   Provides measurable ROI – CSR programs, when done right, demand a significant investment of time, money and resources. So it’s important to have the ability to measure the program’s impact in terms of effectiveness and success. Having this information and supporting data points is important in securing continuing buy-in, both internal and external. CSR, Jasmine Lyons 2009-07-23T10:00:32+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/guardian_selects_cooperkatz/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/guardian_selects_cooperkatz/#When:July 15, 2009, 2:41pm posted by admin The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, one of the largest and oldest mutual life insurers and a leading provider of employee benefits for small and mid-sized companies, has retained CooperKatz & Company to create and execute an ongoing national public relations campaign positioning the company as a thought leader in understanding America’s small businesses. The campaign will be based on proprietary research Guardian has commissioned that views small businesses in an entirely new and richly intricate way. CooperKatz’ charter includes planning and executing a national media launch, vertical industry story placements, an informational Web site and field communication tools. In retaining CooperKatz, Richard C. Jones, SVP & chief communications officer, said, “We selected CooperKatz for its strategic insights, creativity and strong business-to-business experience.” Agency News & Updates, Client News, Coldwell Banker, Andy Cooper 2009-07-15T14:41:18+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/the_lingering_appeal_of_print/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/the_lingering_appeal_of_print/#When:July 13, 2009, 6:43pm posted by admin I recently took what ended up being a pretty magical excursion to one of New York City’s newest public spaces – Governor’s Island.  As my co-workers here at CooperKatz can attest, I have been so ‘proactively verbal’ and enthusiastic about this trip that I’ve had to swear I am not being paid by the New York City tourist board or Parks department.But since this is not a travel blog, let me get to the point.  And that point is about media consumption habits in our fragmented, digital, hyperactive age.I’d been hearing buzz about the renovations and general goings-on at Governor’s Island for some time now.  It’s a pretty major civic project.  And it’s not everyday that 172-acres smack in the middle of the NYC harbor becomes accessible to us average citizens. Not surprisingly, a lot of this buzz was hitting me online through a variety of news and culture sources.  Goodness knows, I do most of my media-consuming via desktop or mobile device these days – often 140 characters at a time.  But it wasn’t the digital medium that got my husband and I out of our house in Queens, and onto an 11:00am ferry across the harbor one Sunday morning.  It was – hands down – a magazine.  New York Magazine to be exact.The recession is unquestionably hammering the magazine industry.  And this, in turn, is again prompting those familiar questions about the long- (and short?) term viability of the print medium.  Several years ago, when the Web 2.0 conversation was new, pronouncements of print’s utter demise were in some ways more common than they are today.  Today, those pronouncements may actually be more relevant – given the financial pressures under which most print titles are struggling.  But I also think that many of us interested in the evolution of the media landscape see a future role for physical vehicles like magazines in consumers’ lives – a role that perhaps can’t be totally filled by digital replacements.This thought was writ large again for me, as I reflected on how (and what) turns buzz into action in my own life.  New York Magazine’s three page feature on Governor’s Island – filled with maps, behind the scenes insights and helpful tips – ended up being more relevant, more timely and more ‘actionable’ for me than any other channel.  The issue was stuck in my bag as I boarded the ferry, and was particularly useful when I found my blackberry connectivity to be less than reliable (a harbor dead zone?).I’m clearly not the only one feeling the lingering appeal of print.  As I explored the historic buildings and sunny lawns, I saw more than a few hands clutching their own copies of that same New York Magazine issue.I won’t stake a claim here on the macro future of the whole print medium.  But the relevance and analog intimacy of the right periodical for the right moment is still a media relationship that’s hard to beat. The Media Landscape, Anne Green 2009-07-13T18:43:42+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/coldwell_banker_on_location/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/coldwell_banker_on_location/#When:July 01, 2009, 7:19pm posted by admin Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC recently launched a branded “On Location” YouTube channel, which has attracted more than 200,000 visitors in its first month. Aimed at providing interactive, localized video content as a new way of looking at real estate, On Location currently hosts 1,700 videos, including home listings of houses, explorations of local communities and expert insights from real estate professionals.  CooperKatz coordinated a successful media launch for the channel, securing dozens of placements in mainstream media and targeted blogs. These included Forbes.com, Boston Real Estate Now, and CNN Money. Additionally, CooperKatz produced several corporate videos, including interviews with Coldwell Banker CEO Jim Gillespie and Noelle Knox, real estate editor of the Associated Press. Together, these videos alone have been viewed over 4,000 times, setting a precedent of success as more and more videos are uploaded every day. Client News, Coldwell Banker, Kathleen Reynolds 2009-07-01T19:19:55+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/pets_in_weddings/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/pets_in_weddings/#When:June 24, 2009, 8:06pm posted by admin Petfinder.com recently asked their community of pet parents if they included their favorite feline or puppy pal in their wedding, Pets in Weddings. The response was so great that CooperKatz identified an emerging trend and alerted the media of the great wedding moments. The June 24, USA Today article “Puppy love: More pets partake in even formal weddings” featured brides who adopted from Petfinder.com and were married with their pets by their side. Both the online and print edition of the article featured wedding photos of four-legged friends in their latest doggy formal attire. Client News, Petfinder, Katy Layton 2009-06-24T20:06:56+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/salmon_upstream_talking_luxury_in_the_recession/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/salmon_upstream_talking_luxury_in_the_recession/#When:June 24, 2009, 6:22pm posted by admin In case you’ve not heard, we’re in a bit of a down economy. Ok, clearly I jest, because this is one truism that’s been beaten to death for a good seven months now. In fact, if you haven’t either heard or personally uttered some variation on the phrase “In these challenging times…” at least once a day since the start of 2009, you’ve been living in an alternate reality. This economic context has impacted nearly every conversation with every type of media person – whether you’re speaking with a member of the ‘mainstream’ press or an individual blogger. So what happens when the conversation you’re having is about luxury? Now that’s an interesting question. And here at CooperKatz, we’ve found the answer to be surprisingly diverse. Clearly the luxury market continues, boom times or bust. The relative definition and accessibility of ‘luxury’ as both concept and reality may shift. But luxury itself remains. However, media attitudes toward talking about luxury are more changeable. Recent outreach by CooperKatz teams in this space has unearthed a host of different reactions – both across mainstream and social media ‘outlets.’ One reporter at a huge consumer daily said she felt it was ‘offensive’ (her exact word) to even broach the subject of luxury in the midst of the downturn. This hyper-sensitivity to tone and appropriateness reminded me of the significantly more somber times following 9/11. Another reporter at a top national outlet seemed eager to find a macro-level silver lining (i.e., does the fact that a company is out there with a luxury market message mean that the economy is really starting to turn around?). Still others had the reaction our teams had anticipated – which is to find the whole luxury discussion counter-intuitive to the times, and therefore intriguing. And still others simply shut it down, saying there’s no room in today’s environment for stories at the richest end of the consumer market. As human beings, we can all be pretty myopic. Whatever moment we’re in today can seem like the new forever-reality. That’s why some of the more thoughtful reactions that our teams received to the luxury dialogue were from those who recognized that this recession isn’t forever. (It isn’t, right?) Many consumers today may not be able (or simply willing) to invest at the high end. But this doesn’t mean they’re not still dreaming. And when things begin to loosen up, both financially and psychologically, that high end will (yet again) be the focus of a whole lot of attention – and wallets. (Image Source: © Joe Sachs/Corbis) The Media Landscape, Media Outreach, Anne Green 2009-06-24T18:22:11+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/cooperkatz_yelper_makes_news/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/cooperkatz_yelper_makes_news/#When:June 19, 2009, 1:51pm posted by admin Our very own Kathleen Reynolds, an account supervisor here at CK, was featured in New York’s Metro Newspaper today as a seasoned Yelp! expert reviewing a New York City hotspot.  If you want to know where to experience the best cocktails in the City, Kathleen is without a doubt the one ‘in the know!' Just for Fun, NYCity Life, Anne Green 2009-06-19T13:51:04+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/welcome_matthew/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/welcome_matthew/#When:June 16, 2009, 8:24pm posted by admin Matthew Wollin joins the CooperKatz team as a summer intern. Welcome Matt! Agency News & Updates, Dorothy Sonnenburg 2009-06-16T20:24:36+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/petfinder.com_loves_to_lol/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/petfinder.com_loves_to_lol/#When:June 15, 2009, 8:39pm posted by admin Petfinder.com Loves to LOL! To promote Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat-Month in June, CooperKatz initiated a partnership between Petfinder.com and Icanhazcheeseburger.com. The two-week program launched June 15. Petfinder.com Web site visitors were encouraged to visit any adoptable cat page on Petfinder.com, click on the cheeseburger icon below the photo, caption the photo in their best LOLCats language and then share the link with their kitteh-loving friends. The images were posted on Icanhazcheeseburger.com. Some of the captioned kittehs can be seen here, here and here. The partnership was featured on Atomictown.com, Brandfreak.com, Los Angeles Time’s LA Unleashed and The Baltimore Sun’s Unleashed. Client News, Petfinder, Katy Layton 2009-06-15T20:39:02+00:00 http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/top_five_most_pet_friendly_airlines_of_2009/ http://www.cooperkatz.com/index.php/comments/top_five_most_pet_friendly_airlines_of_2009/#When:June 03, 2009, 8:42pm posted by admin With summer travel a timely topic in the news, CooperKatz worked closely with travel and pet reporters to announce the Petfinder.com “Top Five Most Pet Friendly Airlines of 2009.” Counting down, the most pet friendly airlines include: (5) United Airlines, (4) American Airlines, (3) Airtran, (2) Jet Blue and the number one airline was Continental. The list was highlighted on MSNBC.com and in The Washington Post. The rankings were also featured in a number of blogs including Animal Crazy at OrlandoSentinal.com, Tails of the City at SFgate.com, and Creature Feature at blogs.Augusta.com. Client News, Petfinder, Katy Layton 2009-06-03T20:42:05+00:00