Archive for the ‘Branding’ Category

Erie, Meet the Beatles again

September 9th, 2009 joel

The Beatles have got Erie’s number on 9/9/09.

Today marks a massive release of Beatles music product, perhaps the most extensive single-day release in their history. Most anticipated is The Beatles Stereo Box Set and The Beatles: Rock Band.

The Stereo Box includes remasters of all 13 studio albums, plus a DVD of mini-documentaries of each album (17 discs in all). The Beatles: Rock Band comes in multiple configurations from just the software to a limited edition premium edition.

These releases will open The Beatles to a whole new generation of fans, who I’m confident won’t be lost on the musicianship, tight harmonies, and inspiring song structure of the band that defined a generation and then some.

My first album ever was Magical Mystery Tour. My older brother Peter, bought it for me the Christmas I received a Decca record player. I was seven.

Those were the days in Erie when JET 1400 ruled the roost, playing the Beatles and R&B hits that were hot sellers at the Record Bar. I heard early in my career that Frank Martin, the Morning Mayor, used to score a 60 share of audience back in the day. Playing “Can’t Buy Me Love” couldn’t hurt.

What about you? Are you in the market for this amazing new boxed set? What are your memories of the Beatles?

Posted in Branding Tags: , , 1 Comment »

Response to Erie cop YouTube reveals city’s poor message management

April 22nd, 2009 joel

Jimmy D.

The use of a pet name to refer to the leader of the internal affairs unit of the Erie Bureau of Police by the Mayor of the City of Erie was the tipping point early on in the continuing case surrounding the behavior of an Erie policeman caught on video and displayed on YouTube. The lack of professional response to the crisis set before them by the Mayor and Chief of Police Steve Franklin during that first interview by the Times-News’s Ed Palattella meant that this situation would have a much broader scope than the outrageous antics of one drunk cop “letting off steam.”

By originally putting the focus on the video author and the attempt to remove it from YouTube via court order, the city has shown that it has a deep lack of understanding of the modern media landscape and crisis management tactics. They didn’t realize that while they were responding with poor judgment when the video was first revealed, that they were already reluctant passengers on an Acela bullet train that would take this story global, complete with close to 60,000 hits on YouTube for the original video so far this morning, thousands more on the copies, CNN and Fox News calling for talking heads, and a U.S. Department of Justice investigation in play.
(more…)

Posted in Branding Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments »

It’s the time to be thankful for Erie’s media

November 26th, 2008 joel

Bells are rung. Soup cans are collected. Fundraisers are advertised. Food baskets are delivered. Special newspapers sold.

This is the time of year that when we count our blessings here in Erie, we should include the generosity of our media organizations. Over the past few weeks, and in the next weeks to come, Erie’s media comes to help the needy and hurting in our community. The list is impressive (and this is not an exhaustive one):

  • WICU food collection for Second Harvest
  • Lamar Advertising providing free space to raising funds for Grace Church’s ServErie Thanksgiving food baskets
  • Country 98’s radiothon for the Erie City Mission
  • WJET radio collecting coats for the needy with Coats of Light
  • Times Old Newsies raising money for the Erie Times Needy Fund through their special newspaper on Dec. 5th.
  • Personalities from throughout the media ringing the bell and manning the kettles for the Salvation Army.

There are many more small and large activities that go on this time of year where our media lends its support to helping the less fortunate in our community. Because of what they do, we give thanks!

Posted in Branding Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments »

Good sport: Jeff Johns leads Bayhawks media blitz

October 21st, 2008 joel

Former radio talk show host and program director Jeff Johns is one of those media guys that upon leaving day-to-day work in broadcast or print possess a set of skills, work ethic, and character that is highly desirable in the general marketplace.

Although the news was shocking when his position was eliminated at WJET-AM, Johns landed on his feet in a PR position at the Manufacturer’s Association. His latest move is in the sports marketing field, as the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Erie Bayhawks, the professional basketball team which is part of the NBA Developmental League.

The Press and Tower caught up with him during this very busy ramp up to the season tip-off in November.

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Posted in Branding Tags: , , , , , No Comments »

UP Magazine educates community with style and substance

October 14th, 2008 joel

Two Thursday mornings ago I opened up my paper and out popped a very well designed small magazine. After taking a good look at it I discovered that it wasn’t the latest Direct TV insert or coupon book, but an attractive and well-written educational piece produced by Stairways Behavioral Health entitled UP Magazine.

I was delighted to scan the “quick read” yet informative articles about mental health issues like autism, post-partum depression, college-life survival, and even a parenting article written by Erie family counselor and my brother, Jeffrey Natalie. In fact every by-lined article was written by a member of our community, which is a good indicator of the strength of our social services system locally.

UP Magazine’s release comes on the heels of the excellent TV campaign that Stairways has invested in over the past couple years. Marketing & Communications Director Mary Ellen Dahlkemper gives us a glimpse of the idea behind and the results that have come forth through the release of UP Magazine in this exclusive Press and Tower interview: (more…)

Posted in Branding Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments »

Microsoft answers Mac guy with Jerry Seinfeld

September 10th, 2008 joel

This weekend’s NFL football games featured a 90-second television ad for Microsoft featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates shopping for shoes and eating churros. What any of this has to do with moving the Vista platform off the shelf is beyond me.

The spot is quite random, with the discussion of discount shoes and showering with your clothes on. In fact the word “Microsoft” is said only once during the spot. But hiring Seinfeld for a reported $10 million and allowing him to do his “yadda, yadda, yadda” routine might help lighten up the image of the monolithic corporation and its struggling operating system. The campaign is getting mixed reviews. What do you think?


Video: Shoe Circus

Posted in Branding Tags: , , , , , , 11 Comments »

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