Communications & New Media March 2019 I Vol. 33 No. 2

March 2019 | www.odwyerpr.com

Vol. 33. No. 2 MARCH 2019

EDITORIAL TECH’S ROLE FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE BRANDS Brands need to make space for 6 15 tech developments on the menu. GENDER GAP PERSISTS IN PR INDUSTRY NUTRITION AND HEALTH 10 Report says women hold less than their share of senior exec posts. 8 GET PERSONAL Personalized wellness offers 16 brands big opportunities. DIGITAL ADS TO SURPASS TRADITIONAL IN 2019 Digital ad spend will top traditional THE IMPORTANCE OF ad buys for the first time this year. 8 A BRAND’S STORY New research reveals how NEWSPAPER CLOSURES 18 consumers make food choices. DRIVE PARTISAN IDENTITY 22 Shuttered local papers might be 9 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM one cause of political polarization. MILLENNIALS DRIVE Daily, up-to-the-minute PR news FAST-FOOD INNOVATION HAVE CONSUMER FOOD Healthier fast-food options result PRIORITIES CHANGED? 19 from Millennials’ demands. Tech has transformed shopping, but not customer expectations. 10 DETERMINING THE VALUE OF INFLUENCERS CREATING ADVOCATES How companies can pick the AMONG MILLENNIALS 19 right influencers to work with. Nutrition and diet trends suggest companies must care about health. 11 PROFILES OF FOOD & BEVERAGE PR FIRMS THRIVING IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE SECTOR 22 Four strategic initiatives to build 12 RANKINGS OF FOOD & brands that consumers run for. BEVERAGE PR FIRMS EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2019 32 January: Crisis Comms. / Buyer’s Guide THE RISE IN WASHINGTON REPORT EXPERIENTIAL DINING March: Food & Beverage The experiential trend brings in a 36 May: PR Firm Rankings new generation of diners. 13 COLUMNS July: Travel, Tourism & International FINANCIAL COMMS IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT August: Financial, I.R. & Prof Services THE RESTAURANT BIZ 34 Fraser Seitel Keeping up with investor priorities 14 October: Healthcare & Medical is key for restaurant brands. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 35 Richard Goldstein November: Technology & Social Media

ADVERTISERS Artisan Production House...... 8 Padilla/FoodMinds...... 20, 21 5W Public Relations...... 3 Peppercomm...... Back cover Fineman PR...... 5 Pollock Communications...... Inside front cover Hemsworth Communications...... 17 Publicity For Good...... 9 ICR...... 7

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EDITORIAL Michael Cohen: PR man extraordinaire

ichael Cohen, President Trump’s former fixer and muscle, is scheduled to re- EDITOR-IN-CHIEF port May 6 to begin a three-year prison sentence for campaign finance law Kevin McCauley Mviolations related to work for his former Boss, who now calls him “a rat.” [email protected] Since Cohen was disbarred in New York on Feb. 26, he’ll need a job once released from the slammer. PUBLISHER Some savvy PR firm should scoop him up. Cohen put on a PR clinic during his John O’Dwyer riveting public testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on [email protected] Feb. 27. Right off the bat, Cohen apologized to the Members of Congress for previous un- SENIOR EDITOR truthful testimony that he made “to protect Mr. Trump.” Jon Gingerich Warming the heart of every PR counselor, Cohen stressed the importance of staying [email protected] on message—and then did—in portraying Trump as a “racist, con man and cheat.” ASSOCIATE EDITOR Cohen presented his crisis manager credentials: “As many people that know me best Steve Barnes would say, I am the person they would call at 3 a.m., if they needed help. I proudly [email protected] remember being the emergency contact for many of my children’s friends when they CONTRIBUTING EDITORS were growing up because their parents knew that I would drop everything and care Fraser Seitel for them as it they were my own.” Richard Goldstein That crisis mindset came in handy after the $4 billion man, which in Trump’s mind was the value of his brand in 2013, decided to trash President Obama’s educational EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS credentials. At that point, Trump had moved beyond the “birther” nonsense. & RESEARCH Trump told the AP in 2011 that he heard Obama was a “terrible student” and won- Jane Landers dered how he got into Columbia and Harvard. “I certainly will look into it,” said the Melissa Webell real estate developer. “Let him show his record.” Once Trump launched his own presidential bid, crisis manager Cohen fired off let- Advertising Sales: ters to Trump’s high school, colleges and the College Board that threatened legal jihad John O’Dwyer [email protected] if they released his grades or SAT scores. [My hunch: Obama earned better marks than Trump.] His May 5, 2015 lawyer letter to Fordham University President Rev. Joe McShane O’Dwyer’s is published monthly for $60.00 a year ($7.00 a single issue) by the ended with a sweet PR flourish. “P.S. Mr. Trump truly enjoyed his two years at Ford- J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc. ham and has great respect for the University.” 271 Madison Ave., #600 Cohen displayed great composure during the Q&A when Republican pit bulls Jim New York, NY 10016. Jordan (OH) and Mark Meadows (NC) trashed him as nothing more than a two-bit (212) 679-2471 Fae: (212) 683-2750. convicted lying low-life scoundrel desperately trying to have some time knocked off © Copyright 2019 J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc. his upcoming sentence by casting aspersions on the Tweeter-in-Chief. In his prepared remarks, Cohen said it best: “I knew early on in my work for Mr. OTHER PUBLICATIONS: Trump that he would direct me to lie to further his business interests. I am ashamed to say, that when it was for a real estate mogul in the private sector, I considered it www.odwyerpr.com Breaking news, commentary, useful data- trivial. As the president, I consider it significant and dangerous.” bases and more. And the dagger: “But in the mix, lying for Mr. Trump was normalized, and no one O’Dwyer’s Newsletter around him questioned it. In fairness, no one around him today questions it, either.” A four-page weekly with general PR And that includes Trump lapdogs Jordan and Meadows who manage to keep their news, media appointments and placement mouths shut over the President’s 8,718 lies and misleading statements documented opportunities. by the Washington Post as of Feb. 17. O’Dwyer’s Directory of PR Firms Somebody should give Cohen a PR gig. At the very least, he deserves an industry Listings of more than 1,250 PR firms honor (O’Dwyer’s never got into the awards game) in the special events category for throughout the U.S. and abroad. his testimony. O’Dwyer’s PR Buyer’s Guide How about a Silver Anvil, PRSA?  Products and services for the PR industry in 50 categories. — Kevin McCauley jobs.odwyerpr.com O’Dwyer’s online job center has help wanted ads and hosts resume postings.

6 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

REPORT

Gender gap persists in PR industry work to address the imbalance, several key factors came up. First off, respondents Women account for more than three-fourths of the PR workforce, stressed that gender equality needs to be seen as an issue that affects all employees— but only one in five serve in senior executive positions, according not just women. to a new report. By Steve Barnes Addressing gender pay disparity was also seen as very important. Some respondents hile women now account for more That split extends to the differing percep- noted that consistently reviewing organi- than three out of four workers in tions as regards how men and women view zation-wide compensation would go a long Wthe PR industry, only about 20 the systemic barriers women face as they way toward addressing that problem. percent of the top leadership positions are move up through the ranks. Many of the But perhaps most important is the power occupied by women, according to a new re- men surveyed said that they did not think of good leadership. Respondents said that port from the Institute for Public Relations there were any such systemic barriers. Wom- having mentors and sponsors can make the and KPMG. en cited several, including work-life fit, sex- path to the C-suite far more manageable for “Minding the Gap: Women’s Leadership ism and unconscious bias. female workers. Interestingly, many said that in Public Relations” looks at some of the In addition, many women said that they informal mentorships, rather than formal reasons why the male-female leadership gap felt left out of the “boys club” that they saw mentorship programs, often had the greatest persists in the PR industry, and suggests a as a key to moving up the corporate ladder. effect. few strategies for overcoming it. Several female respondents mentioned being “Minding the Gap” was the result of ten fo- The study polled both male and female left out of client pitches and social outings. cus groups. See the complete study at www. employees in mid-level and senior-level po- When it comes to how the industry should instituteforpr.org.  sitions to find out how gender affects access to the C-suite as well as the ways in which it impacts the overall work experience. Digital ads to surpass traditional in ‘19 One of the main takeaways is that whether Digital ad spending will eclipse traditional ad buys in the U.S. for or not you even see the gap is often a matter of which side of it you’re standing on. Al- the first time this year. By Jon Gingerich most none of the male study respondents said that they’d ever experienced discrimi- igital ad spending will eclipse tradi- ad spending forecast by digital market re- nation in the workplace. Almost all female tional ad buys in the U.S. for the first search company eMarketer. respondents said that they had. Dtime this year, according to the latest Digital ad spending in the U.S. will surge by 19 percent in 2019 to total more than $129 billion, according to eMarketer’s report, ac- counting for an estimated 54.2 percent of the total U.S. advertising market. Those esti- mates include ads appearing on desktop and laptop computers, as well as mobile phones and other web-connected devices. Behind this historic milestone is contin- ued growth in the mobile ad market, which is expected to account for more than $87 billion this year, or more than two-thirds of all digital ad spending. Meanwhile, the report paints a dire pic- ture for the current state of traditional media. eMarketer expects that radio ad- vertising will dip 1.8 percent this year and estimates that TV ads will decline by 2.2 percent, though the upcoming 2020 presi- dential election is expected to temporarily cause a resurgence of growth in this market next year. Print is expected to continue its free fall, dropping an estimated 17.8 percent in 2019. eMarketer predicts that the biggest hit will affect the directory market—such as ads in the Yellow Pages—which will plum- met 19 percent. The only bright spot for the traditional media world this year comes from the out- of-home advertising market, or advertising that reaches consumers in public places. Bucking the downturn, the out-of-home market is expected to grow by an estimated one percent in 2019. 

8 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Newspaper closures drive partisan identity The shuttering of local newspapers across the country might be contributing to an increasingly polarized political climate. By Jon Gingerich The study discovered that in communities that lost a newspaper, voters were nearly ocal newspapers provide an invaluable for their digital editions. two percent more likely — 1.9 percent — to service to their communities, covering According to a recent study, Americans’ vote same-party in Presidential and Sena- Lregional and community items that of- shift in media consumption habits could be torial elections than communities where a ten go unnoticed on a national scale. And driving political polarization throughout newspaper didn’t shutter. Americans’ trust in these outlets remains the country, which, in turn, may also be A decline of local newspapers, in other unusually high: a study released last year by having an effect on how we vote. words, could be contributing to increas- journalism nonprofit Poynter Institute dis- The study, which was co-authored by ingly partisan voting habits. As Americans covered that Americans’ trust in media re- communication and political science schol- begin turning to nationalized news content main highest at the local level, with nearly ars at Louisiana State University, Texas in greater numbers, our political identities three-quarters of Americans—73 percent— A&M University and Colorado State Uni- become a greater driving force in informing citing trust in their local paper, compared versity, measured political polarization our decisions at the ballots. to 59 percent who said they trust national across the country by looking at split-ticket To account for the possibility that other newspapers. voting habits, the practice wherein voters factors—a weaker local economy, for in- However, the mass disappearance of choose candidates from different political stance—could be the cause for an uptick in news outlets around the country has re- parties in elections where multiple offic- same-party votes instead of losing a local sulted in a waning interest in local political es appear on the ballot. This practice has paper, the study also analyzed split-ticket coverage among Americans in exchange dipped markedly in recent years. voting numbers during the 2012 election for an increasingly nationalized media The study examined the number of the in places that had a local paper but lost it diet. And outlets with a national reach find daily/weekly newspapers that had shut- shortly thereafter. According to the study’s themselves thriving in a hyperpartisan po- tered or merged with other outlets between authors, no correlation was found. litical climate, with conflict in Washington 2009 and 2012 (according to the study, The study, “Newspaper Closures Polarize driving revenues and subscriptions at out- 110 closures were tallied, the majority of Voting Behavior,” appears in The Journal lets like the New York Times, Washington which involved weeklies). It then compared of Communication, a bimonthly peer-re- Post and Wall Street Journal, all of which split-ticket voting habits during the 2012 viewed academic journal published by Ox- recently surpassed earnings expectations election in areas that had lost a local paper ford University Press on behalf of the Inter- and saw increased subscribers, particularly with areas where local outlets remained. national Communication Association. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 9 FEATURE Have consumer food priorities changed since the ‘90s? Instant access may have changed how and where we shop, but quickly trace risks and ensure that products are effectively removed from the market- when it comes to what today’s consumers and customers expect, place. some things never change. Transparency watch By Lorna Bush Who’s literally watching the farm? Fresh lashback to the natural foods heyday customers back into their aisles? To en- foods producers must prioritize the integ- of the 1990s and it might seem that the courage and incentivize in-store purchases, rity of the foods they raise for consump- Fvalues of conscious food consumers ha- food producers are employing QR codes tion. This includes the land on which they ven’t changed much over the last 30 years. and scan-and-save options to give consum- grow vegetables or raise livestock. Even Trusted local, high quality ingredients. Or- ers instant access to deals that make shop- with the popularlity of farm-to-table and ganic choices. A “natural” approach to real ping more interactive. Scannable codes Slow Food movements, few U.S. consum- foods as opposed to complicated, unknown give consumers access to a mobile world ers have access to the farms where the chemicals. Plant-based protein sources for of coupons, recipes and traceable sourcing food they buy is grown. In large part, this a mix of nutritional preferences. Artis- details that increase brand engagement and limited access is vital for sound biosecuri- anal emphasis. Partnerships between local reward entry. ty practices that protect the food supply. food producers and the community. Fam- Food safety traceability Thanks to the proactive ily-friendly products brought to market by We read headlines nearly each day about marketing and com- trusted brands that understood responsible new food recalls. Two separate chicken munity engagement of food practices and production. nugget recalls right before the Super Bowl many producers who From a food producer’s perspective, the led to concerns about the category as a choose to provide real business challenges of meeting consumer whole and garnered headline news cov- time footage of farms and retailers’ stringent demands also ap- erage from CNN and the “Today Show.” and food production, pear similar: ensuring product safety and According to USDA reports, the agency consumers have more integrity, reducing the risk of food recalls, in 2005 handled 53 food recalls, with just ways to see agriculture navigating labeling concerns, procuring one related to extraneous/foreign materials in action. Also, now, Lorna Bush trusted suppliers for quality ingredients and nine related to undeclared allergens. In more than ever, ac- and meeting high standards for animal wel- 2018, the agency oversaw 125 food recalls, tivists and producers alike are employing fare and environmental sustainability. with 23 related to extraneous materials and drone and AI technology to monitor prop- These shared tenets for erty and livestock practices. In a wholesome living and re- visual duel of he-said, she-said, sponsible eating seem aw- livestreaming production and fully similar despite the time practices simultaneously protect difference. and target food brands online So, what’s changed? and with media. Instant access Luxe knows no bounds A far cry from the “conve- Lack of access for in-demand nience” foods of the past — food and beverage items used to fewer healthy options that signal luxury: the coveted cult usually sacrificed quality for whiskey, the limited-edition vin- a quick meal fix — today’s tage, the in-the-know butcher or instant access means I can the farmer’s market friend that buy organic beef bone broth, would save a bag of squash blos- fresh salmon and organic soms or ramps in peak season micro-greens for dinner to- if you knew when to go. The in- night on the same app I use Have consumer food priorities changed? Not much, according to these stant access of today’s consumer 1990s headlines from Fineman’s Brand PR newsletter. to buy replacement chargers grocery e-marketplace has in- for my iPhone and even a bulk bag of dog 26 related to undeclared allergens. Is the creased our ability to find coveted foodie food if I’m in a crunch. My groceries, likely food supply less safe? Hardly. Technical in- finds on demand, online or in app. Greater delivered by an Amazon or Walmart van or novations, like high sensitivity imaging de- access and increased competition for these even a driverless delivery vehicle, can also vices, along with increased training, shared items has also allowed us the ability to shop be accompanied by a bottle of Quintessa resources and knowledge among industry smarter and perhaps more frugally (service that years ago would’ve required a trip to a partners, have significantly increased the fee be darned). But will this instant access local wine merchant. Instant access to high ability of producers to detect potential risks replace the emotional connection we crave quality foods are changing the way con- before products ever leave the production with the brands we favor and the conscien- sumers eat and changing the way the food line. tious people behind them? and beverage industry is evolving to em- For those producers who do face recalls? Some things never change. The founda- brace the new “fast food.” It’s been estimat- The advent of blockchain technology and tion of good public relations remains rooted ed that the number of U.S. adults who order increased use of traceable sourcing systems in consciousness, transparency and brand groceries at least once a month with an app makes it far easier to track down the root trust. Voice activated or not, these are the will increase by nearly 50 percent this year cause of potential product issues and sup- basics that today’s consumers and custom- compared to 2018. ply challenges. Data-based solutions from ers expect now (and preferably Prime.) In store incentives the farm, transport provider or retailer sys- Lorna Bush is Senior Vice President at How can brick and mortar stores lure tem allow food producers and regulators to Fineman PR in San Francisco. 

10 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Gaining trust, creating advocates among Millennials

Current nutrition and diet trends all suggest that companies today brands and restaurants included. need to care about health if they want to succeed. Be the trend By Jenna A. Bell While it took time for the food industry to take Millennials seriously as consum- illennials comprise the most influ- in at number-four for the top trends; and it ers, their impact is undeniable, and their ential consumer generation since should come as no surprise that the top 10 demands are clear. From Boomers to Gen MBaby Boomers. Millennials have a superfoods are plant-based, including co- X, never has a generation had such a game passion for health and wellness, and they conut products and non-dairy milk alter- changing impact on the food industry. The demand products that deliver both with- natives at numbers mine and 10. Millennial generation has taken the reins out sacrificing flavor. As testimony to their Top 10 Superfoods for 2019: and some food manufacturers and super- impact, nutrition experts for the first time 1. Fermented foods markets have responded accordingly and predict that a “healthy” food profile will 2. Avocados aggressively, from changing their ingredi- begin to overtake cost and taste when it 3. Seeds ents to extending their product line and in- comes to consumer purchase drivers. 4. Ancient grains vesting in food incubator startups. Eating is a lifestyle choice 5. Exotic fruits, like golden berries or acai Given that the trend Millennials have decided that nutrition is 6. Blueberries towards “health” is driv- a lifestyle, and purchase decisions no lon- 7. Beets ing purchases, the food ger are dependent on the number of grams, 8. Nuts industry should contin- calories or Daily Values. This is confirmed 9. Coconut products ue to be proactive in the by the progression of health and wellness in 10. Non-dairy milks ingredients they choose the seven years of results from the Pollock Communicating with Millennials and the messages they Communications and Today’s Dietitian It’s clear that information consumption is send. Large consum- “What’s Trending in Nutrition” survey. This no longer vertical. Nutrition is not down- er goods companies one-of-a-kind survey captures the insights, stream from policy to experts to consum- should develop and predictions and expertise of frontline nu- ers. It’s now a horizontal line of commu- publicize brands that Jenna A. Bell trition experts — registered dietitians. nication through social media and friends resonate with health Since its launch, close to 10,000 RDs have and family sharing information from nu- and wellness; small companies should be reported “What’s Trending in Nutrition” trition advice to recipes to compression mindful of how to serve the health-focused for the incoming year. The results for 2019 sock recommendations. Consumers are consumer; and commodity foods need to show how the impact of the Millennial is the commercials and they are telling each share their health attributes with nutrition changing the food industry. other what to eat and buy. Unfortunately, experts and consumers alike. Superfood popularity contest: gut check there can be a downside to this. RDs con- The days of food companies deciding According to the 2019 “What’s Trend- tend that most of the nutrition misinfor- what consumers will eat is behind us. It’s a ing in Nutrition” survey, the most popular mation consumers are buying into comes consumer world and we just live in it! superfood for 2019 is the category of fer- from Facebook, blogs and Instagram. Jenna A. Bell, PhD, RD, is Senior Vice mented foods. The likes of kimchi, kom- Top “diet” trends shift to lifestyles President, Director Food & Wellness at New bucha, sauerkraut, kefir, miso and yogurt The top three diet trends among consum- York-based Pollock Communications, Inc.  are included in this #1 here, suggesting that ers are arguably lifestyles, not diets, many Media news brief Millennials are looking for whole-body of which have seen increased popularity wellness and are starting with their guts. across social platforms over the past few Regular reading habits retain This choice indicates a level of nutrition years: ketogenic (keto), intermittent fasting news subscribers savvy not seen in the past. To understand and clean eating. Keto requires dedication Providing unique, local content that creates regular and desire the benefits of fermented foods and can be a significant transition. Inter- reading habits subscribers are willing to pay for might is more complex than “eating more fruits mittent fasting requires food abstinence, be the key to making paywall-based revenue models a and vegetables” as typically recommended. something foreign to our Starbucks-on-ev- success for news publishers, according to data anal- It may also suggest that consumers are be- ery-corner and fast-food-at-every-stop ysis conducted by Northwestern University’s Medill coming savvier than we might expect when lifestyle. Finally, clean eating doesn’t dic- School of Journalism. Medill partnered with three news organizations: the it comes to their health. tate what you eat, it defines how you eat. Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle and India- Millennials are pushing plants-forward Everyone has a food diary app napolis Star. Data scientists analyzed 13 terabytes of In addition to incorporating fermented Regardless of which diet or lifestyle pa- anonymous subscriber data provided by these organi- foods into their diets, Millennials are also tients subscribe to, RDs continue to find zations and measured what news consumption habits correlated with what subscriber retention habits. taking a plant-based approach to better that consumers respond best to making The study revealed a strong correlation between health. For some time now—decades in small, reasonable changes to improve their regular habit and reader retention, that the frequency fact—nutrition experts have been pushing diet, and they recommend keeping track of of consuming local news is the single biggest indica- consumers to eat more plant-based foods, what you eat. What’s different is that RDs tor insofar as whether someone will keep paying for fiber, fruits and vegetables. Often falling on now support using technology for nutrition a subscription, regardless of how many stories those subscribers read in a single visit or how thoroughly deaf ears. Not so for this generation. Mil- self-management. Eighty-eight percent of they read them. lennials have listened and tailored these RDs recommend that consumers use apps The study also discovered that subscribers who read messages to suit their goals. RDs stated like iTrackbites, Lose It! or MyFitnessPal, more than the average amount of stories per visit and that their top recommendations are to eat to track their intake. RDs suggest looking those who spend more time reading them were no more likely to keep their subscriptions than those who more vegetables and increase fiber. It can’t for apps that allow easy tracking, reliable merely skimmed. be coincidental that plant-based diets come data and a diverse database of foods with

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 11 FEATURE How to thrive in the food and beverage industry

Four strategic initiatives to build thriving brands. ing the world a better place, but that you By Heather DeSantis also put your words to action. This is cause marketing, and it’s now critical to your PR he number one mistake we see busi- sumer awareness, and always inform your strategy. ness owners make is missing the beat sales team of recent exposure to share with To incorporate cause marketing into your Tin industry news. It’s easy to focus prospective buyers at meetings. You can business, start by asking yourself what’s im- solely on day-to-day tasks, but successful also magnify your exposure by running a portant to you and your employees. Word press comes only from staying informed. Facebook ad that links to your media fea- of warning: consumers can easily spot a PR agencies that understand this truth keep ture and leads viewers to your opt-in fun- non-genuine cause when they see one, a finger on the pulse of what’s going on in nel. Ask yourself, “Where do I need to drive so the answer can’t be superficial. It must your niche, which enables publicists to cre- people? Amazon, social media, or to sign come from the heart. ate timely pieces for your media strategy. up for my email list?” Once you’ve decided on a cause that Leverage listening, news, awareness The point here is you always have the aligns with your brand’s You can put this step into action by sim- opportunity to maximize your public re- interests, look for ways ply watching the news and jumping in on lations. Can you imagine if your company to support it with your relevant conversations. When you see an was in Rachael Ray’s print magazine and products or offerings. opportunity, reach out to a media contact you failed to leverage it? Be sure you take This could be a buy- and explain, “I’m an expert and I’d love advantage of your press by sharing your one/give-one strategy to give you my raw, honest opinion about media or publication feature whenever and where you give away this.” Reporters and journalists are always wherever your brand is showcased. a donation for every looking for fresh new perspectives, so don’t Thought leadership to build your brand product sold. It could be afraid to raise your hand. To connect with your audience, you have also mean incorporat- In addition to leveraging media features, to go beyond merely selling products or ing the cause into your Heather DeSantis your brand needs to consider Influencer offerings. You need to deeply understand packaging, volunteering Marketing as part of your awareness plan. the solution you provide and the audience at local shelters or providing free products While it may be difficult to track sales made you’re helping. Once you have a strong hold that support the mission. In addition, you from influencers, their ability to reach thou- on that message, invite your CEO—and could encourage people within your orga- sands from your target market is valuable in even the entire executive team—to jump nization to join an advocacy group, be part itself. Be sure to find the right influencer(s) into the trenches as a thought leader who of changing legislation or gain certifications for your brand: they should align with your provides valuable information. for your business, like B-Corp or EWG Ver- values, speak to your prospective audience Whether you’re participating in an inter- ified. and have experience working with a brand. view, contributing to an article or posting Whatever way you decide to incorporate By leveraging trending topics, breaking on your social media platforms, make sure cause marketing, the next step is to amplify news and social media influencers, you can your executives are offering helpful infor- your efforts in the media. Use a multi-plat- position yourself as timely and relevant to mation or actionable steps your audience form approach by broadcasting the cause your target audience. The result could be can take toward solving their problem. One you support across all social media plat- the difference between surviving and thriv- executive who nails this is Kara Goldin forms, and contribute blogs or articles to ing in your PR strategy. from Hint Water. She consistently provides publishers who align with its mission. Maximize your PR as a brand valuable content via online articles, videos By spotlighting your bigger purpose, you Once you’ve landed a media feature or and her social media channels. can make a more impactful splash in your publication, it’s critical to maximize your Building your CEO’s personal brand with public relations. This will inspire more exposure by treating it like a brand. It’s not thought leadership is a key step toward cre- meaningful attention, which means you enough to publish and wait. You need to ating a successful PR strategy. You’re going can also expect more effective results. boost your PR opportunity by sharing it at beyond the business mindset by incorpo- Your strategic PR initiatives are the num- every touch point with your tribe of fans. rating a human element: empathy. As a re- ber-one way to build brand awareness, There’s a time to brag, and there’s a time sult, your CEO or fellow executives will be increase your market space influence and to keep things understated. When it comes seen as an authority in your industry, which strengthen your brand credibility in the to amplifying your press, you need to share will help instill trust in those who follow industry. Once you’ve leveraged news and everywhere. This includes linking your me- you. Because we’d all rather do business awareness, maximized your public rela- dia opportunity on your website, posting a with people we like and trust. tions as a brand, positioned your CEO as link to your Facebook business page, Ins- When you align with the challenges your a thought leader and incorporated cause tagram story, personal LinkedIn page and target audience faces and then provide marketing into your PR strategy, the sky’s into your email signature or newsletter. thoughtful solutions for free, you can build the limit for your food or beverage brand. Whenever possible, you should tag the me- a strong foundation of loyal fans who are Heather DeSantis is Founder and CEO dia and/or media personalities who were more likely to buy from you or share your of Publicity For Good. Interested in seeing part of the story. story with others. where your brand stands? Get a free PR Brands should also use the press to sup- Incorporate cause marketing, awareness audit from the Publicity For Good team by port sales teams and keep retailers up to Being socially responsible is no longer an emailing your name, company and a quick date. Consider sending monthly updates option. Today’s consumers want to know hello to Heather DeSantis at heather@pub- to show retailers how you’re driving con- that your brand not only cares about mak- licityforgood.com 

12 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM The rise in experiential dining Why tapping into the experiential dining trend can lead to profitable et sales for events creates a clear call to ac- tion while simultaneously building a sense success among the next generation of restaurant patrons. of urgency as well as a sense of exclusivity. As with many industries, food follows By Lacey Outten cyclical trends so the takeaway should be s with many food and beverage in- experience itself. Or, maybe, the solution is this: restaurant brands who understand dustry trends predicted for 2019, ex- implementing communal seating to make their customers—current and future—and Aperiential dining remains on the rise. the establishment more approachable. invest in opportunities to reach these audi- Experiential dining is about transcending Off-premise dining opportunities are ences will enjoy increased dining frequen- beyond the traditional hallmarks of what another way for restaurants to tap into cy, satisfaction and loyalty. makes a restaurant great. Today’s restaurant the experiential dining trend. These “pop- As we know, the next-generation custom- patron expects more than just quality food, ups” can take many forms, and the format er is technologically savvy, connected and friendly service and an authentic sense of options are endless. The venue may wel- has high expectations. As a result, it’s more place. The next generation is looking for a come a featured guest chef or bartender important than ever to deliver on these truly unique experience when going out to from outside the restaurant for a complete needs in a world con- eat. restaurant “takeover.” Or perhaps the host trolled by instant pho- As you may have guessed, Millennials— restaurant will collaborate with the visiting to posting and opinion those born between 1982 and 2000—are culinary talent to produce a mash-up type sharing. And finally, the generation driving this trend. Accord- menu, available for only a limited time. while there’s no set for- ing to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Millen- During these events, there’s typically a mula for success, good nial generation is estimated to be around sense of comradery between restaurateurs business practices re- 83.1 million, or about one fourth of the U.S. and chefs, which typically spills over into main the same. Always population. A study from LexingtonLaw. the dining experience itself, further creat- stay true to your brand. com found that Millennials together spend ing an experiential community feel. We’ve While it’s crucial to re- Lacey Outten roughly $600 billion in the United States done this with several clients, and it helps main fresh and relevant, each year, and that they spend two thirds open you up to a new audience entirely it’s equally important to understand the the amount that Generation Xers and Baby while bringing something fresh to your changing industry climate. Boomers spend when it comes to entertain- regulars. Lacey Outten is Director, Food, Wine & ment. Pop-ups can also help to drive new traffic Spirits Division at Hemsworth Communica- That said, Millennials are the living gen- and boost sales on slower nights. A restau- tions.  eration with the most spending power, rant or bar may pinpoint certain nights that so they’re worth paying attention to from are slower than others. Chances are their PR news brief a business perspective. Furthermore, an nearby competitors are experiencing sim- Food news a priority for Americans Eventbrite survey found that three out of ilar sales. Instead of competing for guests four Millennials prefer to buy an experi- on these low-traffic nights, look for ways to More Americans now consider food and nutrition ence over something desirable. Their din- news to be more important than any other type of collaborate to create an attention-grabbing news, according to an annual Food News study com- ing patterns either follow something that’s dining experience which will attract new missioned by Hunter Public Relations. easy and convenient—think fast casual guests and even loyal guests on a night they Hunter’s annual study, which surveys consumers on concepts and delivery services like Door- might not usually dine out. the most memorable food-related news items each Dash and UberEats—or they’re looking to Well-crafted programming is another year and what impact or behavioral changes these stories provoke, found that the importance of food experience something new and exciting, area which can enhance the overall restau- news surged among Americans last year. something beyond just a “cool” menu. rant experience. For newer establishments, More than a third of respondents (35 percent) said As communicators in this industry, and customized programming targeted to your they consider food and nutrition stories to be very im- those in charge of creating brand percep- desired audience can also help drive traffic. portant, and nearly half (47 percent) said they think tion, our role includes helping our clients food and nutrition news is more important than any Think beyond the traditional happy hour other type of news. This sentiment was notably high define and understand their target audienc- and discounted food and drink specials. among members of the Millennial and Gen Z genera- es, and then determining how to reach their Incorporate live music, community games tions, where 83 percent said they consider food news desired guests, keeping them interested and like Bingo and trivia or a monthly fundrais- to be very important and 64 percent said they find engaged, coming back for more. Tapping ing special for a local charity. these stories to be more important than other news. Headlines involving food safety and recalls are al- into the experiential dining trend can lead Whether making small adjustments or ways popular, and 2018 proved no exception. A major- to profitable success. totally reinventing your concept, restaurant ity of respondents (44 percent) said they now consider Experiential dining doesn’t mean you brands—and partners servicing them— food safety news to be the most important food-re- must go above and beyond to entertain your must employ innovative marketing tactics. lated topic. The second most important food-related customers; it can be as simple as adjusting topic addressed in 2018 involved food nutrition/health To generate more impactful media cov- & wellness (23 percent). These items were most often the lighting, music and ambiance. Con- erage, new updates and event announce- associated with reported changes in opinion. sider making small, less costly changes to ments are both newsworthy but also oppor- The study also noted that many of 2018’s top food capitalize on the experiential dining trend tunities to reconnect with writers who have stories were uniquely sharable in design. Nearly half while staying on brand. Perhaps this means not covered you in some time. of Americans (47 percent) said they regularly share food experiences via social media. However, this be- installing an Instagram-worthy photo wall Additionally, social media helps to drive havior surges to nearly three in four (74 percent) when to be shared on social media, or imple- buzz and excitement. The next-generation respondents identify themselves as Millennials or menting a guest-generated music playlist to diner responds well to engaging Instagram Gen Z members. make customers feel that they’re part of the posts and Facebook events. Setting up tick-

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 13 FEATURE Financial communications in the restaurant industry

The restaurant industry is evolving at a rapid rate, and keeping Restaurant industry observers will cer- pace with investor priorities is critical if communications are to tainly agree that segmentation (fast-food, be effective in helping business leaders build and protect their fast casual, casual, upscale dining) largely and directly impacts the sales mix originat- brands’ value. By Raphael Gross and Alexis Tessier ing from digital channels. A brand’s demo- graphics, technological capabilities, menu or the past two decades, we’ve been fol- digitally, and what operational modifica- offerings, ambiance and the eating occasion lowing the publicly traded restaurant tions to address online and mobile ordering itself are also important contributors to its Findustry, first as sell and buy side ana- and delivery it’s making. This is followed by current digital penetration and potential for lysts, and more recently, as financial com- inquiries around the results it’s experiencing sustainable growth. Not surprisingly, this is munications professionals. Through most so far through these efforts, and whether in- why, for example, piz- of that time, understanding a restaurant’s cremental sales growth and improved prof- za chains are far ahead investment thesis was rather straightfor- itability are being generated. Even a casual of bar & grill chains in ward. Both the messaging conveyed by the reading of recent quarterly earnings call digital sales, and the c-suite and investor relations representa- transcripts from leading public restaurant reason fine dining con- tives, along with the more informal “follow companies will attest to this seismic shift. cepts have barely or not up” inquiries from analysts and investors, Initially, this new line of questioning fo- even entered the digital were centered on a fairly narrow and consis- cused on the brand’s social media strategy: realm. tent framework of topics. how many followers do you have on Face- Other factors may in- Communications typically revolved book, Twitter, Instagram, etc.? Do you have clude how the restaurant Raphael Gross around the competitive landscape and the partnerships with “influencers,” and how prototype is set-up or brand’s differentiation; menu innovation; does that work? Do you have or create con- can be retrofitted to pro- service standards; four-wall unit econom- tent that resonates with the intended audi- cess and expedite digital ics; comparable restaurant sales trends and ence, and specifically with Millennials, or orders for easy pick-up strategies, including pricing, mix and trans- for the most forward-looking among them, or delivery, minimizing action components; cost headwinds or tail- Gen Z? the “friction” in the or- winds; margin improvement opportunities Early adopters were winners, and saw dering process to posi- within the restaurants and at the corporate a clear competitive advantage both from tively affect ease of use. level; traditional marketing; real estate; and consumer loyalty and investor standpoints. Management initiatives existing penetration, along with potential Management teams were eager to tout how that address capitalizing for regional, national and international ex- their brands weren’t simply “product-driv- on all of these opportuni- Alexis Tessier pansion. en” but were, more broadly, “lifestyle-driv- ties quickly become key Other items that would come up or get en,” eager to engage with customers inside takeaways in all financial communications. proactively addressed centered on launch- and outside of their restaurants who shared Still, as time went on and more data was ing a franchising or remodeling program, their corporate values and believed in their shared regarding digital engagement, ana- testing a new prototype design, the com- mission. And it was this “stickiness” that lysts and investors began monitoring prog- pany’s capital structure and future needs would serve as a catalyst for driving guest ress in how a brand was increasing its pene- for financing and management’s depth to counts. tration of digital mix (the current range can support ongoing operations and long-term Then just as quickly as it began, simply be as low as zero to five percent, to as high development. having a social media presence no longer as 60 percent or more), and to what degree However, in the past several years, our sufficed. Investors stopped trying to draw the average check and ordering frequency conversations with analysts and investors straight-line correlations between “fol- were being enhanced through digital chan- have markedly shifted focus, a phenome- lowers” and top-line and earnings growth nels. Any loss of momentum became cause non that has reshaped the messaging that potential. Brands needed to have a robust for investor concern and warranted being we help CEOs, CFOs and even CMOs pre- digital strategy anchored by a social media addressed head-on. pare for their company’s quarterly earnings presence that also incorporated immersive Now, the meteoric rise of third party de- calls, investor conference presentations and websites, user friendly mobile apps for or- livery companies such as GrubHub, Door- fireside chat Q&A sessions. It has also made dering, loyalty programs. Last but certainly Dash, Postmates and Uber Eats has changed complementing an effective investor rela- not least, delivery capabilities were no lon- the game yet again, creating a multi-bil- tions program with equally robust public re- ger an added bonus, but a necessity. lion-dollar market with even greater poten- lations and digital branding programs more These platforms for “new” customer en- tial for disruption. Some restaurant brands important than ever. gagement became more relevant and there- readily embraced one or more of these de- Of course, the topics referenced above fore of greater interest to investors. Not sur- livery service providers immediately, eager are critical to understanding a restaurant prisingly, we advised companies to devote to convey the importance of these new part- company’s attractiveness as a potential in- more of their prepared remarks to address- nerships to the investor community. Others vestment, and therefore still routinely ad- ing their digital strategies as we worked were more reluctant, arguing against being dressed, but interestingly they’re now less with them to determine which metrics they “early adopters” and hesitant to give up 20- typically the starting point of any commu- could and should share on a quarterly or an- 30 percent in margins, accede control of the nication. nual basis — balancing the need for investor “customer experience,” and perhaps more Instead, the most commonly asked ques- transparency and disclosure with manage- importantly, their proprietary customer tions at the onset of a discussion involve ment’s desire to limit information sharing how a brand is engaging with its customers for competitive purposes. _ Continued on next page

14 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Embracing tech in the food and beverage world Technology plays a big role in today’s food and beverage landscape, today not only want to know where a brand’s product, ingredients, etc. came from, but and with an ever-growing lineup of tech items on the menu, brands how the product was made, how it got there must adopt and adapt for the sake of their consumers. and how you’re ensuring its quality. By Maggie O’Neill Technology plays a role across this entire his year’s International Consumer When incorporating technology into prod- lifecycle of a product, and communicating it Electronics Show had an unexpected uct development, customer service and in a transparent way is critical for building Twinner. The Impossible Burger 2.0 brand experience, it should be relevant and brand loyalty and word of mouth. was recognized by a show normally domi- convenient for the end consumer. Applianc- The human element nated by the latest in autonomous driving, es like the Instant Pot are delivering a rel- In a world of robotic bartenders and HD televisions and other gadgets. While evant cooking technology to today’s space- tablet-based wait staff, brands can’t and CES (this was my 20th year representing and time-starved consumer. These succeed shouldn’t forget about brands at the event) has had other unex- unlike an LG refrigerator launched almost the human element pected breakout stars since its inception 20 years ago, which was ahead of its time within the F&B indus- in 1967, Impossible Burger seemed to set a but had no reason for the in-door, waist- try. Particularly at re- new precedent, and a potential direction for high television. At the end of the day, tech- tail and in restaurants, the food and beverage industry. nology must improve the experience and interaction with the Is this a tipping point or just a blip on the end product. The same stands true for people who serve has the technology radar for F&B innovation? technology applications in the F&B indus- always been a critical in- And if it’s a tipping point, how can brands try. It’s critical to remember that Impossible gredient in the recipe for be ready to truly bring technology to their Burger may have conquered CES, but it won success. Finding a way Maggie O’Neill menu, and align this adoption with their on taste before technology. to include executives and consumer’s needs, not just the latest trend? The shifting focus of your consumer employees in the adoption of technology is Technology has been a key driver in a lot As consumer lifestyle and the lens by a key factor in making sure the excitement of change for the F&B industry over the past which we live it continues to change, brands is passed on to the consumers. few years. Consider tablet-based ordering at need to keep up. Demands on time, a need An engaged mixologist alongside the ro- airport terminals, new packaging advances for convenience and awareness (or need for botic bartender, and a fresh-focused chef in food preparation and shipping, robot- transparency) of a product lifecycle is crit- ensuring his dishes reflect food trends can ic bartenders and even AR interactions at ical. help to make the brand and its experience point of purchase. On the issue of convenience, we’re seeing stand out. And these experts can also ele- F&B brands looking to make a splash with more and more restaurants — both fast ca- vate how the brand communicates its tech- technology have a lot to think about as they sual and fine food — establish a technology nology, benefitting toothier fans and poten- work to align technological adoption with interface that educates diners and offers ac- tial future consumers. the needs and wants of their consumers. cess to the brand in new ways. In addition, Technology is here to stay, and will con- Listening to their consumers and align- delivery via apps has grown exponentially, tinue to shape the industry, and how we ing communications strategies around this even in fine food with Caviar delivery ser- communicate to and with customers and adoption can make or break a brand’s tech- vices already bringing five-star cuisine to guests. Embracing it in a way that compli- nology investment. homes in 15 markets and growing. We have ments the brand and continuing to deliver Here are three things to keep in mind as seen that the key to success in establishing technology based on the final product is tech takes greater presence on the menu. this technology-driven convenience is en- how the F&B industry can take CES next Technology with relevance suring that the brand experience continues year. See you in 2020. Technology for technology’s sake has at home. Maggie O’Neill is Chief Client Officer and never really never worked in the long run. With regard to transparency, consumers Partner at Peppercomm. 

FINANCIAL PR FOR RESTAURANTS DSP’s fees or expressing concerns around For publicly traded restaurant compa- _ Continued from page 14 product degradation during the delivery nies—and for those brands looking to raise process. capital or enter the public markets—it’s data. While individual brands may have However, while delivery sales may be critical that their financial communica- had compelling reasons to jump in imme- incremental for now, at some point we’re tions not only convey their enthusiasm for diately, more slowly, or not at all, investor bound to see cannibalization of in-store these new business practices but can also sentiment in most cases was clearly biased sales; restaurant companies will need to ac- be backed up with hard data demonstrat- towards forging these partnerships, and knowledge this to their investors if they want ing how they are positively impacting their rewarded companies, large and small, who to maintain credibility. To be sure, there’s top and bottom lines. In the “new” dynam- did so. increasing chatter about some restaurant ic restaurant world, brands often express as Initial reactions have been positive, with companies rethinking their DSP partner- much pride in their technology prowess as operators generally adamant that sales are ships and considering other options such as they do in the crave-ability of their food. incremental and check averages are higher in-house delivery. It remains to be seen how And that combination, perhaps, is the best for online and delivery orders. Investors this will all shake out, but certainly, effective recipe for success. now eagerly await hearing about a brand’s messaging and transparent communications Raphael Gross, Managing Director, and rollout schedule for new DSP partnerships to analysts and investors will be critical in Alexis Tessier, Senior VP, work in ICR’s Bet- or new geographies that will offer delivery, managing any transition from this point for- ter Living practice, advising companies on and have all but stopped asking about the ward. their investor relations programs. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 15 FEATURE Personalized wellness: what’s next in nutrition and health

The personalized wellness movement is on the rise, and represents a fundamental shift in the way consumers and health professionals approach nutrition, health and wellness. A look at today’s research and technology landscape illustrates some of the many promising opportunities on the horizon. By Ashley Desrosiers and Jean Owen Curran

here’s no denying that customization understanding of the interrelationship be- estimated $93 billion in 2015 to $127 bil- is a trend permeating today’s market- tween an individual’s unique ecosystem of lion in 2020, according to data presented Tplace. You can begin your day scroll- good and bad bacteria and his/her health at the 2018 Personalized Nutrition Innova- ing through a newsfeed based on your pre- vulnerabilities. While much remains un- tion Summit in San Francisco. ferred outlets and reading history, make known, research suggests that a person’s Looking ahead a trip to your closet for a stylist-recom- gut microbial community plays a large role How “personalized” mended outfit per your online style profile in nutrient metabolism and absorption can we really become? and then, finally, head out the door with a with potentially powerful nutrition impli- What will the science personalized playlist piping through your cations. of customization look headphones. And when it comes to health Products get personal like in five years? In and wellness, customization continues. To With consumer desire for customization 25 years? And how be sure, it’s no fleeting fad. aligning with promising research, it’s no much evidence do we Personalized wellness represents a surprise that companies in several well- need before accepting sweeping and likely lasting shift from the ness-focused sectors are trending towards various technologies traditional top-down, one-size-fits-all na- a personalized approach. From individ- to effectively address ture of Western medicine. Though the term ualized meal plans and exercise monitor- health needs? One Ashley Desrosiers can be used in different ways, for our pur- ing devices to supermarket-crafted, shop- thing is sure: oppor- poses, personalized wellness is a means of per-tailored grocery lists, the marketplace tunities abound in this providing individually informed and pre- is seeing an explosion in personalized well- new frontier. That’s why cisely tailored care. It’s a puzzle-piece ap- ness innovations. agencies like Food­ proach meant to match a person’s unique Over the past decade, the amount and Minds, a division of set of clinical data and diagnoses, lifestyle types of monitoring technologies have Padilla, are making variables and preferences, and/or person- soared, with the introduction of the iPhone personalized wellness a al health goals. These collective factors are revolutionizing the industry in 2007. Since strategic focus area. being tapped to develop a new generation that time, wearable technology has allowed While more research of diet recommendations, exercise regi- consumers to track various lifestyle met- is needed to elucidate mens, and stress management programs rics and personal progress in new and easy the connections be- Jean Owen Curran tailor-made for an audience of one. ways, and hundreds of thousands of apps tween our individual Already, the landscape is rapidly chang- have been developed that give users a win- biochemistry, lifestyle choices and ulti- ing with the widespread emergence of nu- dow into their personal health status by mate well-being, current knowledge gaps trition and wellness apps. And that’s just tracking movement, nutrient intake, sleep needn’t be a stopgap in continued progress. the proverbial tip of the iceberg. and more. Building relationships with partners in Personalized wellness is growing increas- Apple and FitBit, among others, have led medical and nutrition science and policy ingly specific on a cellular level. Since the the way to discovery of the “quantifiable can help drive future discovery and foster Human Genome Project was completed in self,” a term referring to the vast array of cross-sector collaboration. And though 2003, achieving the incredible feat of se- numerical health measurements that can many new personalized tools may not be quencing the entire human genome, we’ve be recorded and analyzed from an individ- ready as stand-alone offerings, they cer- just begun connecting the dots between ual at any given time via wearable technol- tainly may signal inroads to more com- individual genetic variations and personal ogies. According to the International Data prehensive solutions for today’s health and health risk or disease resistance. Although Corporation’s Worldwide Quarterly Wear- wellness consumer. With users continual- the genome sequence is more than 99 ables Tracker, the wearables industry has ly contributing personal data to the field, percent identical in all humans, research reached a value of $5.5 billion worldwide, researchers have a wealth of information shows that remaining fraction of a percent and the market is expected to reach nearly to mine, and technology will get smarter translates into thousands of potential ge- $19.5 billion by 2021. quickly. It’s exciting to witness the dawn of netic variations between different people. Personalized nutrition services are also this new industry, and even more exciting The possibilities for individualized ge- experiencing rapid growth. Online nutri- to consider opportunities to contribute to nome-guided health and wellness solutions tion and fitness programs, direct-to-con- its bright future. is staggering to fathom, albeit premature to sumer and direct-to-health-professional Ashley Desrosiers, MS, RD, is a Vice Pres- accurately predict. genetic testing kits, disease-focused ser- ident at FoodMinds, a division of Padilla, What’s more, the Human Microbiome vices, and microbiome analyses are all and leads the agency’s Personalized Well- Project offers still another microscopic lens relatively new to the nutrition scene, and ness team. She is based in Boston, MA. Jean through which to view personalized well- all promise technologies and experiences Owen Curran, MS, RD, is an Account Su- ness. By creating a “representative blue- driven by the client’s or user’s goals, prefer- pervisor at FoodMinds, a division of Padil- print” of the human microbiome, HMP has ences and data. The personalized nutrition la, and supports the Personalized Wellness made it possible to explore and clarify our industry alone is poised to grow from an team from the Chicago office.

16 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE Telling a brand’s story has never been more important. The food industry is grappling with seismic shifts in how consumers eat and how quickly product must move. As brands navigate this changing environment, the importance of telling their story is greater than ever. Three key insights reveal how brand-building helps meet consumer expectations and sales goals. By Edward Hoffman he food industry has gone a bit brand’s positioning and enduring, because CBD-infused flavored waters and iced teas mad. We live in an environment of consumers will see through disingenuous in 2018. Inspired by whole-plant nutrition Tunprecedented change insofar as efforts. and natural ingredients, the company seeks Numbers won’t love you back how consumers eat, with high-pressure to help customers live their busy lives to the expectations to move product volume Countless articles have been written fullest. The company recognizes there’s a lot with increased velocity. This short-term, about companies drowning in data. There’s of confusion and possi- transactional focus may be necessary to a head-spinning amount of information ble fear around CBD, so demonstrate proof of concept, but it misses available regarding consumers’ purchas- they’ve taken a bold ap- a critical opportunity to establish a brand ing habits and behaviors, and companies proach to educate con- position. Brands must tell their story from are beginning to successfully harness it. sumers about it, which the moment they enter the market or, ulti- In fact, some marketing strategists predict they must know will mately, risk failure. that data will exclusively direct marketing also help competitors. At Padilla, we study market forces and programs, risking mass product commod- But this is what leaders cultural trends, mining for insights to itization. (Marketing strategist Ana And- do when blazing a new transform client businesses through imag- jelic recently wrote an excellent article for path: they bring con- inative communications. And we’ve been Advertising Age on this topic.) sumers on their journey Edward Hoffman monitoring three emerging topics that col- There’s no question that data analytics to expand customers’ lectively reveal the urgent opportunity for play a rapidly increasing role in predicting knowledge, build their confidence and gain brand-building while driving sales. consumer behavior to drive product pur- their trust. Consumers want substance chase. But data is not an indicator of brand As I stated, the food industry has gone a The food industry has experienced a strength, crucial to sustained, long-term bit mad, but not necessarily in a bad way. tectonic shift regarding what it takes to success. It may tell brands where to find Today, we’re living in a marketplace fueled succeed with today’s consumers. New and customers, when to reach them and even with daring creativity, lightning-quick inno- emerging companies are reimagining what, what to bring them. But data can’t tell them vation, explosive growth and a near-univer- when and how consumers eat. In 2017, why consumers made a purchase. sal desire to “do good.” The key to success venture capitalists invested $1.08 billion in So, how do these disparate forces tie for brands is to have a confident, genuine food start-ups, an 88 percent increase over together? Consumers have exponential- voice that meets consumers on their terms. 2016, according to Food Tech Connect’s ly more food and beverage choices that Edward Hoffman is a Senior Vice President U.S. Branded Food Investment Report. are all, theoretically, trying to align with with Padilla and oversees the firm’s food and There’s a common thread running through their individual expectations. And more beverage sector.  all this innovation and reinvention: pro- are coming every year. Brands need to tell PR news brief ducing authentic food and beverages with their story. They need to speak their truth integrity to make consumers’ lives better. to connect with purpose to consumers. Marketers plan to boost influencer Of the 20 largest new product introduc- Otherwise, they’ll be lost in a sea of same- tions in 2017, 85 percent command a price ness and at the mercy of an algorithm to spending in 2019 premium to deliver on these attributes. reach potential customers. A SocialPubli.com report that surveyed marketing Take a stand and stick to it Who’s doing it well? pros on their challenges and successes with influenc- According to Accenture Strategy’s Global Halo Top has reinvigorated the ice cream er marketing found that virtually all (93 percent) now Consumer Pulse, 63 percent of global con- category by demonstrating that better-for- currently use influencer marketing in some capacity. An overwhelming majority of marketers (84 per- sumers gravitate toward buying products you indulgence is very much possible. The cent) said they find the practice effective, and most and services from companies that have a company uses natural and organic sweet- (60 percent) said they plan to increase their influencer purpose and share their personal values eners, adds protein to enhance the nutri- marketing budget this year, while 30 percent said they and beliefs. And the food industry is no tion profile (which today is demanded by expect to maintain the same budget. Only about three percent reported plans to decrease exception. There’s an overwhelming pro- consumers in virtually every foodstuff) and their influencer marketing spending in 2019. liferation of new products touting their offers a wide range of flavors that appeal to Among the benefits for collaborating with influenc- social responsibility commitments; “leg- their customers’ changing tastes. And they ers, an ability to reach target audiences and building acy” brands retooling their product for- proudly put the calories — for the entire trust and credibility among consumers were cited mulations to align with customers’ shifting pint — smack-dab on the front of the pack- most often. Marketers listed their main objectives for utilizing an influencer campaign as increasing brand expectations of health; and a heightened age. The company reimagined a familiar awareness (26 percent), driving brand engagement (17 awareness for the industry to reduce its treat category to meet consumer expecta- percent) and reaching new audiences (13 percent). environmental impact. Consumers want tions for quality, better-for-you food. The Nearly a third (28 percent) said measuring ROI was brands to make a demonstrative commit- brand demonstrates its authenticity and their biggest challenge for influencer campaigns, fol- lowed by verifying influencers’ authenticity as well as ment to positively contribute to society commitment to purpose by offering com- their followers (21 percent) and finding the most rele- and are open to how brands express them- plete transparency into their products. vant influencers (16 percent). selves. But it must be consistent with a Phivida Organics launched a line of

18 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM How Millennials are driving fast food innovation

If you’ve seen healthier options at your local fast food restaurant, salads to their once burger-centric menus you likely have Millennials and government to thank. to their promise to reduce the added sug- By Danielle Kent ar content in their chocolate milk, it’s clear that the power of the discerning consumer here are anywhere between 80 and 95 enforced by the FDA include mandating is a force to be reckoned with. million Millennials in the U.S., which restaurants with more than 20 locations to Food politics expert and author Marion Tmeans this demographic current- note calorie counts on their menus, though Nestle, the Paulette Goddard Professor in ly comprises approximately 30 percent of studies have shown that only a sixth of con- the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies the population. By next year, it’s expected sumers make note of those numbers. and Public Health at New York University they’ll have a collective purchasing power Spending more in the name of quality noted “The trend is clear: fresh, natural, lo- of $1.4 trillion. In a recent survey by Deloitte, 83 percent cal, organic. This is hard for fast food and Whether it’s a response to consumer of respondents said the typical fast-food processed food makers demand or new policy implementations menu didn’t offer enough healthy choices. to accomplish, but they affecting the food industry, one thing’s As the trend of fast casual restaurants main- are all trying.” certain: the age of the super-sized cheese- tains its stronghold, we see that Millennial In a competitive and burger drenched in trans-fats is over. And consumers are willing to spend a few more overly saturated indus- unlike years past, when fast food could bucks to seek food they perceive as high- try like fast food, flex- regularly be produced with cheap and un- er quality. Brands like Panera have seen ibility is necessary to healthy ingredients, it’s clear that Millen- major success in investing their funds in stay competitive. Mean- nials are driving the demand for a certain reformulations of signature menu items to while, marketers are level of care in the production of their food, meet their customer base’s interest in clean- tasked with reframing regardless of cost. er choices. Keywords like “local” and “nat- the public opinion sur- Danielle Kent Governmental interference on the menu ural” majorly sway Millennial purchasing rounding fast food. A Leading the trend in health-driven behavior, and even competition from high- question of credibility comes into play as change in the fast food industry, New York er cost food trucks and local restaurants is today’s consumers are asked to trust that City Mayor Michael Bloomberg banned more of a threat than ever. establishments once offering nothing more trans-fats across his municipality. Though Millennials asked and they received than burgers and fries have shifted their that policy was initially perceived as ex- Executives at companies like McDonald’s offerings to include salads and fruit plat- treme, three years after the ban went into have seen sales slip in recent years and have ters. Low cost and fast service is no longer effect studies showed that diners at fast been quick to tweak even its most popular the sole factor driving fast food purchases; food restaurants in the city were eating an items to regain their previous position in marketers must alter the tone of fast food average of 0.5 grams of trans-fat per meal, the marketplace. The Happy Meal’s evolu- brands to position them as nutrient-dense down from 2.4 grams of trans fats prior to tion over the past six years is indicative of quick meal options rather than junk food. the ban. Beyond that, the number of meals a major shift in America’s dining behavior; Without adjusting their core values to ad- without any trans-fat at all went up from 32 portion sizes have been reduced, sliced ap- here to the health interests of Millennials, percent before the ban to 59 percent after ples and yogurt are encouraged over fries, fast food brands will struggle to stay afloat. the fact. Several cities have since followed and bottled water has replaced sugary so- Danielle Kent is based out of Marketing suit with similar bans. Additional policies das as the default beverage. From adding Maven’s Los Angeles headquarters.  Influencers unsure how to prove marketing value to see what kinds of content and strategy issues and tightened government regula- By Jon Gingerich work best to carry their message. And a tions and reliance on third-party social plat- nfluencer marketing is expected to ac- majority of influencers reported that mar- forms with varying algorithms and rules as count for a $10 billion industry by next keters generally request only reach, unique additional challenges facing influencer mar- Iyear, but despite becoming an integral page views or monthly blog view data, even keting programs. ingredient in today’s marketing mix, a gap though many see the true value of their The report outlined three fundamental ar- exists between marketing and influencer work in authentic post comments and inter- eas both marketers and influencers should camps that often makes collaboration diffi- actions. address in bridging the divide between cult, according to a study of marketers and Finally, most influencers reported hav- these two groups. These include a “maturi- influencers conducted by Allison+Partners. ing a purely transactional relationship with ty” effort in the influencer marketing world The report, which surveyed marketers marketers virtually devoid of collaboration, that employs a set of industry standards that and influencers across five different sectors, with influencers simply carrying out the better identifies campaign influencers and found that marketers often find themselves directed task of the campaign regardless of their authenticity, and optimizes overall unable to successfully identify and choose outcome and expressing discomfort in voic- influencer engagement; improved collabo- which influencers to work with. Meanwhile, ing their opinions insofar as how that cam- ration, testing and planning that provides influencers reported being unable to ade- paign or its content might be improved. solutions and best practices for influencer quately show the impact their efforts have The study also identified increased mar- strategies and partnerships; and formulat- on campaigns, while finding themselves un- keting budget scrutiny, arbitrary pricing ing an improved measurement structure, der increased pressure to do so. standards, potential commoditization where the gathering and storing of data on Moreover, the study found that only some among a growing influencer pool that could both sides provides better metrics to report marketers conduct testing with influencers devalue price and perceived value, privacy on benchmarks and value. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 19

O’Dwyer’s guide to FOOD & BEVERAGE PR FIRMS

5W PUBLIC Artisan Production House is a diverse group of clients, from Brian Lowe, President/CEO a full-service production house pecan and produce farms to vine- John Gramuglia, Vice President RELATIONS specializing in food & lifestyle yards, all the way to the tables of Tricia Ryan, Vice President publicity. We create brand content some of the best eateries. Our re- Meredith DeSanti, Vice President 230 Park Avenue, 32nd Floor that resonates with your audience, lationships with our clients are New York, NY 10169 BML Public Relations is an keeps them engaged and brings forged with trust and integrity and award-winning, consumer-focused 212/999-5585 value to their lives. Our innate un- the desire to bring the freshest in- Fax: 646/328-1711 PR agency with experience repre- [email protected] derstanding of story relevance and gredients and finest products and senting some of the planet’s most www.5wpr.com personal relationships with TV services to the table. recognized brands within the food, producers and media influencers Results are what matter to us, beverage and franchised restaurant Ronn D. Torossian, President & throughout the country gets your so we continually try to produce categories. Simply put: WE. GET. CEO story heard. We’ll help you deliv- fresh ideas and create long-term EARNED. MEDIA. er your messages seamlessly and relationships. We offer each client We provide unparalleled creative It’s hard to open a magazine, with style utilizing our high-end the personal involvement of a cus- scroll through social media or turn strategy capturing each brand’s production capabilities (including tomized team of skilled, passionate personality and combine it with on the television without seeing film-style shooters and graphic de- professionals. information about a new food or our never-satisfied approach to me- signers). Artisan’s in-studio & on Whether your objectives are to dia relations to generate impactful beverage trend. Often, the 5W food location satellite junkets include increase sales, strengthen consum- & beverage PR team is the source traditional and social media cov- quality bookings that are actually er loyalty, build your brand or im- erage. From creating the infamous of those stories. seen, spot-on custom craft ser- prove your public image, we have With new brands, lines, products, Pumpkin Spice Pizza; to stirring vices and a fresh, modern design saved a place for you at At The the World’s Largest Hot Choco- and restaurants introduced each aesthetic ... because taste matters. Table PR. day, we understand competition late; to unveiling the nerve-striking Additional services include stun- Gender Reveal Lasagna; to revving for space (in shopping carts, on ning branded content food videos, shelves and in the media) is fierce. BLAZE PR it up at Monster Jam; and knighting original book promotional videos an entire town to Lords and Ladies; From facilitating the launch of and select matchmaking between new products to developing long- 1427 Third Street Promenade nothing is out of reach. We have celebrity talent and brands. Suite 201 a proven track record for driving term creative strategies that ensure Our clients include Food Net- Santa Monica, CA 90401 maximum traditional and social consumer traffic and increasing work, Penguin Random House, 310/395-5050 bottom-line. media coverage, sell product, in- The Wonderful Company, Le [email protected] crease distribution and win market www.blazepr.com We’re experienced newsjackers, Creuset of America and commod- daily blockers and tacklers, media share, our experience and results ity boards ranging from the Na- in the food and beverage arena are Matt Kovacs, President mavens, crisis communicators, true tional Onion Association to Grapes partners and team players. If this is unparalleled. from California. We understand the food and BLAZE PR is the trusted partner something your brand needs, give beverage space and are experts at AT THE TABLE PR of choice for lifestyle contender BMLPR a buzz. We’d love to run crafting compelling Public Re- brands hungry for a real piece of some ideas by you. lations narratives for health and the marketshare. BLAZE PR has 301 W. Platt Street, Suite 414 BOARDROOM wellness beverages, alcohol and Tampa, FL 33606 been retained by a growing num- spirits, functional beverages and 813/251-4242 ber of savvy clients who want in- COMMUNICATIONS much more. www.AtTheTablePR.com tegrated PR, influencer and social Client experience include Spar- media strategies — and flawless INC. kling ICE, ZICO Coconut Water, Cheryl A. Miller, CEO execution. BLAZE PR senior Anheuser-Busch, Evian Natural level professionals play a hands- 1776 N Pine Island Road, Suite 320 Spring Water, Santa Margheri- At The Table PR has been com- on, day-to-day role with clients. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33322 ta Wines, Whole Foods Market, mitted to food, beverage, restau- With more than two decades of 954/370-8999 GAEA, Viki’s Granola, M&Ms, rant and agriculture commodity relationships and a solid team Offices: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Welch’s Fruit Snacks and many marketing for 35+ years. We are founded in strategic approaches, WPB, Naples, Tampa a full-service boutique agency of- BLAZE PR is adroit in advancing www.boardroompr.com others. We get food and beverage [email protected]/ PR. fering overall branding, strategic client objectives and nimble to planning, social media strategy and [email protected] the quick-changing pace of media implementation, media relations, technologies. ARTISAN international marketing, blogger Julie Talenfeld, CEO Clients include: Chronic Tacos, Don Silver, COO PRODUCTION­ coordination, local store market- KOE Kombucha, Liquid IV, Pati- Laura Burns, VP ing, franchise marketing, videogra- na Restaurant Group, Perfect Hy- Michelle Griffith, VP HOUSE phy, product launches, advertising, dration, Robeks, Stonefire Grill, packaging and design, food pho- Tom’s Urban and Weihenstephan When restaurants and chefs seek 110 East 25th Street tography, grand opening PR and out the very best and brightest Neuehouse, 2nd Floor marketing and special event plan- Florida PR and marketing experts, New York, NY 10010 ning and implementation. BML PUBLIC they count on Boardroom Commu- 347/351-4804 From the farm to the table, At RELATIONS nications (DBA BoardroomPR). vimeo.com/artisanproductionhouse The Table PR is dedicated to serv- We are a full-service public re- ing our clients by promoting their 25B Vreeland Road, Suite 215 lations and integrated marketing Erin Lahey Schwitter, Producer/ brands with our team of experi- Partner Florham Park, NJ 07932 agency delivering results for some [email protected] enced professionals and creative 973/337-6395 of Florida’s top restaurant brands Kara Leibowitz, Producer/Partner partners, specializing in all areas www.BMLPR.com and dining destinations. By utiliz- [email protected] of the food industry. We represent [email protected] ing a combination of both new and

22 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION w Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms traditional media, our clients have CAROLYN IZZO an edge in rising above Florida’s highly competitive food and bever- INTEGRATED age market. COMMUNICATIONS For 30 years, clients have turned to BoardroomPR for creative (CIIC) solutions to increase visibility, es- tablish credibility and build their NY / Miami brand and their buzz. Our highly 845/358-3920 experienced team of former jour- [email protected] nalists, multimedia specialists and www.ciicnews.com senior marketers have worked Carolyn Izzo-Feldman, President with some of the state’s top chefs & Founder and highly-successful restaurant brands. Services include media re- Carolyn Izzo Integrated Com- lations, social media and influencer munications (CIIC) is a highly marketing, event planning, video respected public relations firm in production and media training. the food and beverage space. Our Whether you are a specialized, staffers bring many years of expe- new restaurant concept, or a state- rience from several of the coun- wide brand looking to expand fur- try’s top PR firms and for 22 years, ther, we can help turn up the vol- CIIC has been dedicated to servic- ume and take your business to the ing food and beverage brands with next level. BoardroomPR has the top-tier public relations campaigns experience and know-how to get and award-winning results. the job done. CIIC got its start by putting Krispy Kreme Doughnuts on the BROWNSTEIN map in the Northeast in the ’90s. Since then, CIIC has represented a GROUP number of F&B brands, including The Original Soupman, Sandella’s, 215 South Broad Street Morton’s The Steakhouse, Kona Philadelphia, PA 19107 215/735-3470 Red Beverages, New Leaf Brands iced teas and lemonades, Califor- www.brownsteingroup.com On behalf of our client Opal Apples, CIIC brought the Opal Orchard NYC [email protected] nia Pizza Kitchen, The Bohlsen Restaurant Group, Coney Island pop- up to the Big Apple to celebrate National Apple Day in October 2018. Marc Brownstein, President and Brewing Company, Opal Apples, CEO Barton & Guestier Wines, Beek- combines the intense personal in- At EVINS we know that the se- Erin Allsman, Managing Director man 1802 and more. We are ad¬ept terests and proven professional cret to building brand relevancy, Laura Emanuel, Director of Public at launches, openings and franchi- expertise to create programs and consumer engagement and organ- Relations sor relations, and we are known for attention-getting media coverage ic advocacy among consumers is our networking expertise and ex- that bring hidden stories to the At Brownstein Group, our food through exceptional storytelling, tensive contacts in the trade, media forefront. Transparent in our prac- and beverage PR practice is varied, and nowhere do stories come alive and influencer categories, which tices, relentless in our commitment results-driven and strategic. Wheth- with more passion and lasting emo- we leverage to increase the level of to results, and passionate about er you’re launching a restaurant in a tion than at the table. For over 30 reach, media coverage, and access solving the challenges facing our new locale, hosting a tasting event years, EVINS’ Food, Wine and for our clientele. clients, EVINS has become a trust- for the media or looking to better Spirits (FWS) Practice has been The CIIC team is made up of ed and indispensable partner to our communicate your story to the pub- telling the stories of the brands, enthusiastic and connected PR pro- clients. The EVINS FWS practice lic, we work with you to create a experiences and people that shape fessionals. Your CIIC service in- is nimble enough to act quickly and plan that is not just going to make the way consumers engage and en- cludes day-to-day principalled ser- produce impactful results, while headlines but meet business objec- joy. We are gratified and honored vicing from company executives, also able to provide clients with the tives. to have a number of client rela- media specialists in New York and structure, organization and atten- From creating digital and on-the- tionships for more than a quarter Miami who can build and escort tion-to-detail that are hallmarks to ground activations to orchestrating of a century, helping brands in- an A-list media tour, arrange your the EVINS approach. Learn more integrated campaigns, our expertise cluding Cakebread Cellars, Chef appearance on network television about what we can do for you by has spanned a number of clients in John Currence, Crown Maple, shows, manage product sampling, visiting us at www.evins.com. this space, including P.J. Clarke’s, Maker’s Mark, Nat Sherman Ci- and plan top-level events in your The Halal Guys, Wonder Ball, The gars, Tequila Avion, SmartWater, key markets. It is our implicit goal Palm Restaurant, La Colombe and Trinchero Napa Valley and count- FINEMAN PR to deliver the best value and the Guy Fieri’s Philly Kitchen + Bar less others convey their stories to best results. at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Brown- the audiences that matter most to 530 Bush Street, Suite 403 San Francisco, CA 94108 stein Group’s industry know-how, them. We are the driving force be- combined with our team’s passion, 415/392-1000 EVINS hind a number of the most iconic Fax 415/392-1099 gives us the ability to concept and brands, personalities and trends in www.finemanpr.com execute ideas that result in contin- 830 Third Avenue the food and beverage industry, we ued success for our clients. New York, NY 10022 pioneered the practice of “seed- For 30 years, San Francis- 212/688-8200 ed self-discovery” marketing, and co-based Fineman PR has been View & download profiles of www.evins.com we take great pride in being the consistently recognized for its hundreds of PR firms specializing in leading practitioners of seamless award-winning food and beverage a dozen industry areas at: Mathew Evins, Chairman Louise Evins, CEO “no fingerprints” public relations www.odwyerpr.com Drew Tybus, SVP Food, Wine & and influencer engagement. The _ Continued on page 24 Spirits EVINS FWS Practice skillfully

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 23 Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

drive trial and help clients exceed ourselves on becoming your PR digital, to marketing communica- FINEMAN PR their marketing and sales goals. We partner. Clients include Dunkin’, tion and The Cookery, our culinary _ Continued from page 23 deliver this by assembling teams of Denny’s, Jersey Mike’s, FOCUS studio. seasoned experts — a talented mix Brands, Captain D’s, Chicken Sal- of media relations strategists, con- ad Chick, Tropical Smoothie Café, tent developers, digital specialists, Sizzler and more. FRENCH/WEST/ programs. From coining the term designers and more —that thrive on VAUGHAN “Brand PR” in the 90s, to driving helping clients break through. FOODMINDS the natural foods boom, to servic- With almost 700 professionals 112 East Hargett St. ing prestigious wine clients—Fine- across the U.S., Europe and Asia, Raleigh, NC 27601 man PR has a tenured reputation FINN brings diverse backgrounds 328 S. Jefferson St., Suite 750 919/832-6300 Chicago, IL 60661 www.fwv-us.com that prioritizes substance over spin. and viewpoints to the table. Our 312/258-9500 The agency specializes in Brand food, beverage, wellness and life- Fax 312/258-9501 PR, crisis communications and style experts have their fingers on Rick French, Chairman & CEO foodminds.com David Gwyn, President / Principal digital marketing for a full range the pulse of the evolving media Natalie Best, Chief Operating of food and CPG categories, in- landscape and developing indus- Laura Cubillos, RD Officer / Principal cluding conventional and organic try and consumer trends. We offer [email protected] foods, nutritional supplements, clients a big picture perspective, 650/860-5010 ext.301 Office 773/988-8805 Mobile French/West/Vaughan (FWV), confections and wine and spirits. drawing on these insights to de- the Southeast’s leading public re- Fineman PR excels in building velop campaigns that will set your At FoodMinds, we put passion lations, public affairs, advertising category leadership for its clients. brand apart and inspire action into practice by harnessing science, and digital media agency, is home We demonstrate why a client’s among your target audiences—on- public affairs, food values and to one of the country’s largest brand promise merits audience trial line and offline. communication to meet our clients’ Food & Beverage practice areas. and trust. Fineman PR’s high-pro- FINN’s award-winning cam- business and public health objec- FWV is ranked among the nation’s file crisis communications work is paigns have produced measurable tives — a capability we created and 15 largest PR firms overall (2018 nationally renowned and includes results for national and interna- define as food and nutrition affairs. O’Dwyer’s Ranking of Top U.S. food safety issues and product re- tional brands ranging from wine, FoodMinds is the only agency with PR Firms) and has been in the top calls, labor negotiations, activist beer and spirits; beverages; natural, more than 20 registered dietitians, 20 for more than a decade. demonstrations, brand defamation, organic and specialty foods; food- and a Global ExpertBench™ of FWV specializes in creating high profile lawsuits and work- service concepts and retailers in- nutrition science, policy and com- maximum brand exposure through place accidents. We safeguard and cluding Applegate, Auntie Anne’s, munication professionals around earned media campaigns, pro- reinforce client reputations. Carvel, Cinnabon, International the world. Capabilities include: motional partnerships, celebrity Recent food and beverage pro- Olive Council, Jamba Juice, Lumi food and nutrition affairs; sustain- endorsements, sponsor relations, grams include full-service mar- Juice, Marine Stewardship Coun- able and nutritious food systems event management, social media, keting communications and issues cil, Olympia Provisions, Omaha engagement; personal wellness influencer marketing, experien- management for Foster Farms Steaks, Peet’s Coffee, Pernod Ri- strategy; food values insights; stra- tial activations and trade shows. poultry; regional event marketing card, Redhook, Save-A-Lot, Steaz, tegic planning; thought leadership; The firm has vast experience with and brand awareness for Dunkin’ Snake River Farms, The Wine Re- partnerships and coalitions; health product launches in B2C and B2B Donuts and media relations and in- gion of Rioja, Treasury Wine Es- professional and influencer com- channels, as well as in strategic fluencer engagement for Loch and tates, Tree Top, Trichero Family munication; influencer mapping; counsel on issues related to envi- Union Distilling, Quintessa and Estates and Whole Foods Market. strategic insights; consumer en- ronmental topics, supply chain, Materra Family Vineyards. gagement and media relations. We manufacturing and product recalls. Fineman PR specialties for food FISH CONSULTING are not just another PR agency. We This broad range of expertise, and wine clients include proactive help our clients tell a better story. including the evolving commu- media relations; leadership posi- 117 NE 2nd Street FoodMinds works with more nications and content technolo- tioning for brands and company Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 than 30 leading commodity boards, gies utilized by consumers and executives; influencer relations; 954/893-9150 food companies, brands and asso- industry, has enabled FWV to social/digital content strategy and [email protected] ciations in the U.S. and around the serve some of the most sought-af- development; media training; world, including several Fortune ter F&B brands in the world, in- cause marketing and community Lorne Fisher, CEO/Managing 500 companies. Contact us to learn cluding Melitta Coffee, Moe’s relations; and internal, trade and Partner more. Southwest Grill, BurgerFi, Certi- retailer communications. Fineman Jenna Kantrowitz, COO/SVP fied Angus Beef, The Coca-Cola Lauren Simo, VP FoodMinds is a division of Pa- PR’s lifestyle, wine and spirits di- dilla, an independently operated, Company (NESTEA, Gold Peak, visions add specialty services tai- Fish’s in-depth experience in globally resourced public relations Minute Maid, DASANI, Simply lored to each client’s needs. franchising helps us customize na- and communication company with Orange), ConAgra (Slim Jim, tional and local programs for our offices across the United States and Pemmican Beef Jerky), Nabisco FINN PARTNERS clients that drive both consumer an AVENIR GLOBAL company. Foods, the N.C. Pork Council and engagement and franchise sales. Between FoodMinds and Padilla North Carolina Sweet Potato Com- 301 East 57th St., 4th Flr. Our services range from national Food + Beverage, we are happi- mission. New York, NY 10022 and local media relations, franchi- ly consumed by food all the time. Our past and present client roster 212/715-1600 see recruitment, grand openings, Together, we’re re-imagining why, in the beer, wine and spirits cate- www.finnpartners.com influencer relations and cause mar- what and how the world eats and gory includes Proximo (Pendleton keting to crisis communications. drinks—to help build a stronger, Whisky), Brown-Forman (Jack Alicia Young, Founding Managing Our focus is to meet and exceed our flourishing future for all. We are Daniel’s), Diageo North America Partner (NY) clients’ business goals by providing building, growing and protecting (Bulleit Bourbon), Deutsch Family Missy Farren, Managing Partner Wine & Spirits (Josh Cellars, Yel- (NY) strategic counsel and marketing brands and reputations by creat- Wendy Lane, Managing Partner support that goes beyond tradition- ing purposeful connections with low Tail), BRAND Napa Valley, (Portland) al public relations. the people who matter most to our Grain and Barrel Spirits, Mother We’re proud to serve systems of clients. Together, our services span Earth Brewing and the N.C. Beer FINN Partners uses a holistic all sizes, from emerging foodser- the ecosystem of food, beverage and Wine Wholesalers Association. lifestyle approach and integrated vice brands to some of the indus- and nutrition—from research and The agency has also produced marketing strategy to build buzz, try’s leading concepts and pride insights to branding, creative and award-winning campaigns for ce-

24 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION w Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms lebrity chefs Christine Hazel, Jeff Mauro and Lorena Garcia, Brinker International (Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurants), Elevation Burg- er, House-Autry, Atlantic Natural Foods, Lidl, Whole Foods Market and Smithfield Chicken ‘N Bar- B-Q, among many others. FWV was winner of The Holmes Report 2016 Consumer Agency of the Year and the Bulldog Report- er 2017 Consumer, Midsize and North American Communications Agency of the Year. It has captured 15 National Agency of the Year honors over the past two decades. Founded in April 1997 by agency Chairman & CEO Rick French, FWV employs 113 public rela- tions, public affairs, social media, advertising and digital marketing experts between its Raleigh, N.C. headquarters and New York City, Los Angeles and Tampa offices. HEMSWORTH COMMUNICATIONS In celebration of its 150th anniversary, TABASCO® brand Pepper Sauce wanted to capture the attention of food-loving millennials around the world with one cohesive message. Knowing that wherever they call home, www.hemsworthcommunications.com the target consumer sees food as an experience through which they explore the world, Hunter executed TABAS- [email protected] CO® Global Kitchen birthday parties in 20 markets globally. Each had a food market theme, reinforcing TABASCO® Charleston / Atlanta / Fort Sauce’s role in contemporary global fare, from Korean fried chicken to ramen, tacos, and even ice cream. In addi- Lauderdale Instagram: @HemsworthPR tion to this scalable event concept, Hunter developed a unifying identity and style guide for the 150th anniversary Facebook: Hemsworth Communi- campaign, along with a library of digital content, creative assets, and influencer tools. cations Food, Wine & Spirits portfolio in- ica, Smithfield, and Pompeian. Samantha Jacobs, Founder and division of the Public Relation President clude I Heart Mac & Cheese, JWB With offices in New York and Society of America, and conducts Michael Jacobs, COO Prime Steak & Seafood; Walgreens London and a strategic footprint an annual Food News Study, now Gridiron Grill-Off Food, Wine and in markets across North Ameri- in its 16th year, to help keep our A dynamic, full-service PR Music Festival; Steelpan; Stems & ca, Hunter’s 120-person firm is clients abreast of what is making agency with several offices across Skins; Jackrabbit Filly, Gatsby’s perhaps best known for creative, news in the industry and which the United States, Hemsworth is Joint and many more. equity building campaigns that media consumers trust most. one of the fastest-growing firms drive conversation and insert within the food and beverage HUNTER PUBLIC brands firmly into the lifestyles sector. With three distinctive di- of their target consumers. From ICR visions — Food/Wine/Spirits, RELATIONS breaking through the “dusty” single malt whisky category to 685 Third Ave., 2nd flr. Travel/Tourism, and Franchising/ New York, NY 10017 Business Services — Hemsworth 41 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor make Lagavulin go viral, to cur- 646/277-1200 represents renowned global pow- New York, NY 10010-2202 ing #DairyEnvy by correcting www.icrinc.com erhouses as well as fresh, up-and- www.hunterpr.com common misconceptions about coming brands. Services include 212/679-6600 lactose-free products, and setting Established in 1998, ICR part- brand communications strate- the first-ever Guinness World Re- ners with companies to execute Partners: Grace Leong, Jonathan gy, media relations, promotions, Lyon, Mark Newman, Donetta cords™ title for the Largest Grill- strategic communications and guerrilla marketing, social media, Allen, Gigi Russo, Erin Hanson ing Lesson for Smithfield, there’s advisory programs that achieve thought leadership and event plan- Contact: [email protected] very little Hunter hasn’t tackled in business goals, build awareness ning. (Samara Farber Mormar) the food and beverage arena. and credibility, and enhance long- Unlike traditional PR agencies, In addition to our core compe- term enterprise value. The firm’s Hemsworth is dedicated to craft- Hunter is an award-winning, in- tencies, we also offer specialized highly-differentiated service mod- ing customized communications tegrated consumer marketing firm PR services for food & beverage el, which pairs capital markets programs that are infused with and the second largest food and clients including: recipe develop- veterans with senior communica- personal, passionate client service beverage agency in the U.S. Hunt- ment and photography; culinary tions professionals, brings deep and positively contribute to each er’s creative approach and cli- + nutritional trade shows; food sector knowledge and relationships client’s bottom line. The result? ent-led orientation has led to some service + industrial campaigns; to more than 650 clients in ap- Award-winning work for the agen- of the most enduring client rela- partnerships with government and proximately 20 industries. ICR’s cy and its clients. A recent and tionships in the business including non-profit agencies; third-party re- healthcare practice operates under noteworthy accolade, Hemsworth TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce, search development; relationships the Westwicke brand (www.west- was named one of the Top Agen- who was our first partner 30 years with bartenders, mixologists, chefs wicke.com). Today, ICR is one of cies to Work for in the United ago, and still a client today. Others and celebrity food influencers, as the largest and most experienced States in 2018, recognized for the include some of America’s most well as health care professional independent communications and agency’s unique, forward-thinking iconic and respected companies outreach. culture. and brands including Post Con- Hunter served as the founding Clients within Hemsworth’s sumer Foods, Diageo North Amer- member of the Food + Beverage _ Continued on page 26

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 25 Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

ICR with a desire to add incremental and serving publicly traded and relations and digital media on a lo- privately held clients in 20 states cal, regional and national basis to _ Continued from page 25 value, Konnect is a true partner that promotes client-agency trans- and six countries. Founded in a the food and beverage sector since parency, the use of technology to basement in 1998, we now rank 1987. better client relationships, and a among the top 10 largest firms in Services offered to clients in- advisory firms in North America, thoughtful approach to media and the Midwest and the 17Th largest clude media relations, social maintaining offices in New York, influencer relations. firm serving the Food & Beverage media, grand openings, product Norwalk, Boston, Baltimore, San segment. We are also a partner in launches, special events, crisis and Francisco, San Diego and Bei- LAMBERT & CO. PROI Worldwide, the largest part- issues management, internal com- jing. ICR also advises on capital nership of independent PR firms in munications, community engage- the world spanning 120 cities on ment programs, sampling events, markets transactions through ICR 450 Seventh Ave. Capital, LLC. Learn more at www. 20th Floor, Ste. 2002 five continents. blogger relations, online reputation icrinc.com. Follow us on Twitter at New York, New York 10123 Our experience is diverse, but we management, direct mail, eblasts, @ICRPR. [email protected] are grounded in a commitment to graphic design, web development Clients: B&G Foods, Black 616/258-5776 creative thinking that drives out- and design, content creation, bro- Bear Diner, Boot Barn, CV Sci- comes that matter. We approach chure and newsletter production, Jeff Lambert, Founder/CEO our work from the perspective of and expanding concepts into new ences, Chunghwa Telecom Co. Matt Jackson, Managing Director/ Ltd., Cobalt Int’l Energy, Darden our clients, putting their metrics at markets. Partner the forefront of everything we do. Industry experience includes fine Restaurants, GNC Holdings, Fleet- Don Hunt, Managing Director/ Cor Technologies, Inc., Fossil, Lambert has been named PR dining, fast casual, QSRs, super- Partner Week and PRNews Small Firm of market chains, and food and bev- Inc., Freshpet, Genuine Parts Co., Bill Nowling, Managing Director/ Gildan Activewear, Greenlane, Partner the Year and been honored as an erage manufacturers and suppliers. Harman, Herbalife Ltd., Host- Lance Knapp, Chief Financial Edward Lowe “Michigan 50 Com- We have successfully introduced ess, HubSpot, lAC, Jarden Corp., Officer panies to Watch.” concepts new to Michigan, Illinois, Arlen-Dean Gaddy, National Indiana, Florida and other markets. Lazard Freres & Co. LLC, La Director, Business Development Quinta Holdings, Inc., Legg Mason MARX LAYNE & Our creativity is boundless. For example, Marx Layne conceptu- & Co. LLC, Limoneira, lululemon Lambert is the challenger agen- COMPANY athletica, Mobileye, Michaels, Mi- alized and managed all aspects cy for challenger brands™ with 20 of a product launch for a global chael Kors, New Relic, Nomad years of experience serving CPG 31420 Northwestern Hwy., #100 Foods, Nutrisystem, Ocwen Fi- restaurant brand that featured Nik brands seeking outsized returns on Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Wallenda walking a high wire 80 nancial Corp., Paramount Group 248/855-6777 ext.105 marketing budgets that must com- feet above the City of Detroit, gen- Inc., Planet Fitness Inc., Red Hat pete with category leaders. The [email protected] Inc., Shake Shack, Starwood Prop- www.marxlayne.com erating national media coverage agency is a full-service public rela- and tremendous social media buzz. erty Trust, Texas Roadhouse, Til- tions, investors relations and brand ray, VF Corp., Williams-Sonoma, Leslie Pardo, Senior VP and Food Wallenda later went on to break communications firm employing & Beverage Lead Inc., Workiva. Guinness World Records crossing more than 65 professionals from Niagara Falls and the Grand Can- global agency, journalism, legisla- Marx Layne has been providing yon. KONNECT tive and Fortune 500 backgrounds, cost-effective marketing, public AGENCY PADILLA

888 S. Figueroa St., #1000 1101 West River Parkway Los Angeles, CA 90017 Suite 400 (Headquarters) 213/988-8344 Minneapolis, MN 55415 [email protected] 612/455-1700 www.konnectagency.com PadillaCo.com

Sabina Gault, CEO Edward Hoffman, Senior Vice Monica Guzman Escobar, CCO President Amanda Bialek, EVP Carmen Hernandez, Mng. Director Padilla’s Food + Beverage Prac- tice is one of the strongest and most Konnect Agency (www.kon- experienced in the country. Repre- nectagency.com) is a strategic pub- senting both brands and marketing lic relations and marketing partner cooperatives, the agency covers all for food & beverage brands. The audiences: consumer, foodservice, team of almost 40 professionals retail and manufacturing. provides public relations, social Consumed by food, Padilla’s media, influencer, content, and team includes food thought leaders; marketing services focused on wine and spirits experts; writers garnering measurable results that and publicists; registered dietitians; positively impact brand growth. recipe developers; and research, Konnect Agency represents both branding and digital specialists. national and international com- Unique in-house resources include panies via offices in Los Angeles, a culinary studio near national me- New York, Denver, and Austin. dia in New York City and an exten- Clients include KRAVE Jerky, sive food and beverage library. Kite Hill, ONE Brands, Chosen Together with FoodMinds, a Foods, Lenny & Larry’s, Fourth division of Padilla, the agency is & Heart, Peckish, Urban Remedy, re-imagining why, what and how and Smashmallow, to name a few. From left: Konnect CEO Sabina Gault, Managing Director Carmen Hernan- the world eats and drinks — to help Using an integrated-approach and dez, CCO Monica Guzman Escobar and Executive VP Amanda Bialek. build a stronger, flourishing fu-

26 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms ture for all. Clients in the food and beverage sectors include Almond Board of California, Bordeaux wines, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Hass Av- ocado Board, Prosciutto di Parma, U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and Welch’s. Padilla is an independently op- erated, globally resourced public relations and communication com- pany with offices across the United States. The agency builds, grows and protects brands and reputations worldwide by creating purposeful connections with the people who matter most through public rela- tions, advertising, digital and social marketing, investor relations and brand strategy. Padilla includes the brand consultancy of Joe Smith, the food and nutrition experts at Food- Minds, and the research authorities at SMS Research Advisors. Padilla is an AVENIR GLOBAL company and is a founding member of the Worldcom Public Relations Group, Tiffany McClain, Senior Director of Marketing of Mimi’s Cafe (a client of The Power Group), with Fox4 anchors a partnership of 132 independently Tim Ryan and Lauren Przybyl for National Muffin Day. owned partner offices in 115 cities on six continents. Connect with purpose at PadillaCo.com. Over the years, Peppercomm has indulgence. Most recently, Pollock clients in broadcast, print and social PEPPERCOMM worked with food and beverage engaged millennials on behalf of media. brands from retail to restaurant in- its Tea Council of the USA client We believe in pushing boundar- through a creative, award-winning 470 Park Ave. South, 5th flr. North cluding TGI Fridays, The Capital ies, breaking barriers and asking, New York, NY 10016 Grille, D’Artagnan, Ready Pac, social media campaign that inspired “what if?” We diligently do our 212/931-6100 Edible Arrangements, The Cakerie, tea lovers to share their #individu- homework to develop an execut- www.peppercomm.com the American Beverage Associa- aliTEA. The traditional and digital able, strategic plan that delivers tion, Zagat and Diageo. media campaign, which helped measurable results…every time. Steve Cody, CEO Visit www.peppercomm.com or drive awareness for National Hot Clients: American Pulse Assn., Maggie O’Neill, Partner & Chief find us @Peppercomm. Tea Month, increased awareness Bay State Milling, Cranberry In- Client Officer of tea benefits among a key target, stitute, Cranberry Marketing Com- Ann Barlow, Partner & President, and drove an increase in social fol- mittee, Fifty50 Foods, iTrackBites, West Coast POLLOCK lowers. Jacqueline Kolek, Partner & GM, Moon Cheese, National Watermel- New York COMMUNICATIONS For more than 25 years, we have on Promotion Board, Tea Council Tara Lilien, Chief Talent Officer been powering change for Fortune of the USA, Danone North Amer- 205 E. 42nd St., 20th Fl. 100 food and beverage companies ica, The Danone International In- Peppercomm is an award-win- New York, NY 10017 and global commodity foods, work- stitute, USA Rice Federation and ning strategic, integrated commu- 212/941-1414 ing to direct, shape and amplify Whey Protein Research Consor- nications and marketing agency Fax: 212/334-2131 their health and wellness stories. By tium. headquartered in New York City [email protected] strategically targeting and influenc- www.lpollockpr.com with offices in San Francisco and ing food policymakers, traditional THE POWER London. The firm combines 24 Louise Pollock, President and social media, retail profession- award-winning years of expertise als and the healthcare community, GROUP serving blue chip and breakout cli- Pollock Communications is an Pollock delivers results that change ents with forward-thinking new ser- independent PR and marketing consumer perceptions and protect 1341 Conant St. vice offerings and the freshness of a communications agency that offers and enhance a brand’s position in Dallas, TX 75207 start-up. This unique mix of expe- cutting-edge expertise in tradition- the market. 469/620-1055 rience and energy attracts and em- al and social media outreach for In addition to PR practitioners [email protected] powers teams with a creative edge, food, beverage, health, wellness, and marketers, our staff includes www.thepowergroup.com drive and a passion for promoting, and lifestyle clients. With an es- media-savvy registered dietitians Instagram.com/thepowergroup protecting and connecting clients in Facebook.com/ThePowerGroup tablished background in reaching who can address health & nutrition Dallas a fast-changing marketplace. influencers who affect change, Pol- issues that are top-of-mind for to- Linkedin.com/power-public-rela- Leveraging analytics to drive in- lock provides impactful and suc- day’s print, broadcast and online tions-llc sights, our experts create a unique cessful communications campaigns journalists. Pollock Communica- mix of thinking for today’s fast- for its clients. Pollock pioneered tions has built a broad network of Amy Power, President and CEO paced media cycle. Core capabil- communications for the functional influential spokespeople, including Kortni Robinson, Manager of ities include media relations, cre- food movement, creating some of media registered dietitians, celeb- Client Development ative design, website design, digital the major food trends of the past rity chefs, social media celebrities, The Power Group (TPG) is a marketing, crisis communications, decade, including making tea the medical doctors and scientists, who user experience, branding and posi- healthy drink of the new millenni- are available and ready to deliver tioning, and employee engagement. um and making chocolate a healthy key messages for a variety of our _ Continued on page 28

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 27 Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

release distribution, we work hard to build your brand awareness; increase influence in the market space; increase brand credibility in the industry; and support advertis- ing marketing efforts. Clients can expect superior client service with on-time, on-budget and on-point communications assis- tance from qualified and seasoned professionals who truly understand your industry and consumer. Cli- ents include: Flying Embers Hard Kombucha, Gutsii, Made Of, Good Idea Drinks, Cold Be Gone and Fizzique. Services include: Media relations and PR, social listening, content writing, influencer mar- keting, product reviews and round ups, award management, thought leadership and brand ambassador management.

QUINN

48 W. 38th St., Penthouse New York, NY 10018 Quinn’s VOGUE interview with MR CHOW founder Michael Chow included this image of Mr. Chow matchbooks 212/868-1900 with works by David Hockney and Ed Ruscha. [email protected] Photo courtesy of Mr. Chow. www.quinn.pr THE POWER GROUP 310 NW 26th St. Storefront, quated hourly billing model. It in- Wynwood _ Continued from page 27 PUBLICITY FOR Miami, FL 33127 stead focuses on delivering against 786/465-2840 agreed upon metrics with a month- GOOD [email protected] ly or project-based service fee. full-service public relations agency Client experience includes but 724 N Fountain 5792 W Jefferson, Blvd., #2109 that believes every brand deserves is not limited to: Tacos4Life, Aba- Springfield, OH 45504 Los Angeles, CA 90116 to be heard. cus-Jaspers Restaurant Group, 614/565-0996 424/273-8855 After 20 years of serving restau- Cotton Patch Cafe, Pollo Camp- www.publicityforgood.com [email protected] rant brands and launching new ero, Mimi’s Cafe, Vacation in a [email protected] CPG products, The Power Group Florence Quinn, Pres. Bottle, TEAZZERS, Dillas Quesa- Offices in San Diego, CA and Ohio Tathiana Rosado, Sr. VP has earned its bulletproof repu- dillas, Dallas Donut Fest and Van’s Heather DeSantis, President and Kristie Deptula, Sr. VP tation one client at a time. The Kitchen. CEO company is proud of its long-term The agency has been consistent- Quinn represents a select group restaurant industry relationships ly recognized for hard work and Publicity For Good (PFG) is the of Food, Wine + Spirits clients. including Golden Chick, a client meaningful results throughout its only Millennial-led, female-influ- Restaurant brands: Bagatelle, for more than 16 years. two solid decades of growth, in- enced public relations firm focused Barcelona, Bartaco, Datz Restau- This type of tenure can only be cluding the honor of PR Daily’s on supporting purpose-driven food rant Group, Del Frisco’s Grille, Del based on creating ROI which The Digital PR “Best Crisis Manage- and beverage companies. We are Frisco’s Steakhouse, Graziano’s Power Group realizes through ment” award and ranking on the more than your publicists—we Restaurants, Merriman’s Restau- media relations, influencer cam- Dallas Business Journal’s Top are activists and advocates of your rants, MR CHOW, Tartinery. paigns, pop-ups, social media 20 PR Firms in North Texas. Its brand. Wine & Spirits brands: Kend- strategy and management and founder Amy Power is a 2015 Top We believe PR is ripe for change, all-Jackson Wines, Stones Wine, event planning and execution. 25 Women in Business honoree and we are excited to be that disrup- Wheatley Vodka. TPG is also called upon for its by the Dallas Business Journal, tor. Instead of using public relations Individual restaurants: Unagi award-winning crisis management a member of the Forbes Agency to push products or brands on peo- (NYC), La Centrale (Miami), Joel expertise as well as its proprietary Council and regular contributor ple, we spotlight our clients’ bigger Robuchon (Monte Carlo), ZUMA spokesperson training and brand to Forbes online. She was recently purpose: their socially-conscious (Miami), ZUMA (NYC), ZUMA development workshops. named one of DFW’s Most Ad- activities, consumer education and (Boston), Michelin-star Plume The Power Group works with its mired CEOs by the Dallas Busi- their ability to give back. The result (Washington, DC) , Queensyard at clients to set specific, measurable ness Journal and serves on the is more impactful press and bigger Hudson Yards for D&D London goals that tie into its clients overall board of Entrepreneur’s Organiza- growth for our clients. We help our clients define their business objectives. Additionally, tion Dallas (EO). The Publicity For Good inte- visions, build brands and drive the agency’s distinctive 30-day To learn more about The Power grated solution provides strategic business. guarantee is an assurance that cli- Group’s services, clients and re- planning for PR support around ent dollars are hard at work with sults, visit www.thepowergroup. all product launches, retailer ex- tangible news or influencer place- com or contact Amy Power, found- pansions and executive leadership RF|BINDER ments in the first 30 days of out- er and CEO at amy@thepower- announcements. Focused on re- reach. Always keeping its clients group.com, or Kortni Robinson, search, media messaging, features 950 3rd Ave. Floor 7 New York, NY 10024 in mind, The Power Group does manager of client development at in national and local media, indus- not base its services on the anti- [email protected]. try-specific publications and press Amy Binder, CEO

28 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

Jacqueline Piccolo, Head of Our teams provide food and bever- Business Development age brands publicity and marketing campaigns, special event support, RF|Binder is a fully integrated sponsorship activation, celebrity/ communications and consulting influential seeding, promotional firm—powered by strategy, cre- tie-ins, brand integration and social ativity, analytics and purpose. We media strategies audits, campaign are business builders who address design, execution and measure- challenges and opportunities with a ment for our clients. communications mindset, enabling We work with clients to launch our clients to build, grow, protect new products, build awareness for and transform their brands and rep- national and international adver- utations. We are independent, en- tising campaigns, promote chari- trepreneurial, and woman-owned. table initiatives, drive viewership RF|Binder is headquartered in New for television and digital content, York City, with offices in Boston, leverage celebrity spokespeople Los Angeles, San Francisco, and a for media opportunities, integrate global presence across 50 countries products into entertainment con- in 100 cities through our PROI tent, build and manage online Worldwide network. communities, execute social media Food, drinks and nutrition is a strategies and maximize aware- cornerstone practice at RF|Binder. ness of sports and entertainment We have worked with over 60 food sponsorships and alliances, among and beverage companies, brands others. and institutions that are innovating Recent clients/projects have in- with better solutions, offering con- cluded McDonald’s, Heineken, sumers more delicious and health- Coca-Cola, Betty Crocker, Ber- ier options, or building a more tolli, Illy, Nestea, Evian, Edible For 20 years, SPM Communications has created impactful campaigns and sustainable food future. We’ve Arrangements, Wheaties, Cheeri- activations that resonate with consumers for food, beverage and restau- developed consumer and corporate os, Two Forks, Pennsy Food Hall, rant clients. campaigns for Fortune 500 com- Mayacamas Vineyards, Skinnygirl relations, social media manage- panies and start-ups, across QSR, Cocktails, Morton’s Steak House, munications programs ment, influencer marketing, crisis restaurant, CPG brands, B2B in- Sprite Refreshing Films, and • Proactively communicating communications, content market- gredients, wine, beer and distilled Dylan’s Candy Bar among its ros- with clients ing, corporate communications, spirits brands, country trade groups ter of clients, using a mix of owned, • Aggressively securing results, cause marketing, and media train- and industry associations. We spe- earned and paid media, celebrities, evaluating progress against pre-de- ing. Rosica’s social media services cialize in working with emerging digital influencers, live events and termined KPIs and strategic imper- include strategy, management, food innovators, from food tech- data-driven tactics to produce mea- atives branding, content development/ nology and plant-based companies surable results. • Repurposing and leveraging to category disrupters. We have optimization, and follower acquisi- content and PR coverage to aug- built reputations and driven sales tion. The agency’s online market- ment SEO, sales activities, online for brands located in every aisle ROSICA ing team, based in New Windsor, reputation management, tradeshow of the supermarket and handled COMMUNICATIONS NY, is a Google Certified Partner marketing, analyst relations, and a range of issues from product and specializes in SEO, online rep- direct marketing utation and reviews management, Current Clients Include: Bridor, recalls and in-store incidents to 2-14 Fair Lawn Avenue customer complaints and activists’ Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 online advertising (PPC, geofenc- Copper Chef, Power Air Fryer campaigns. 201/843-5600 ing, retargeting, and social ads), Oven, Tristar Products, and others. www.rosica.com website development, and Word- Please visit www.rosica.com for [email protected] Press security. case studies and additional infor- ROGERS & COWAN As a “thinking partner” focused mation. Rosica Communications is an in- on achieving its clients’ objec- 1840 Century Park East, 18th Floor tegrated PR and online marketing tives, Rosica creates and executes Los Angeles, CA 90067 agency that promotes and protects thought leadership programs with SPM 310/854-8161 companies, brands, and people. clearly defined KPIs/metrics. A na- COMMUNICATIONS www.rogersandcowan.com Founded in 1980, the firm serves tional agency, Rosica creates and INC. Mark Owens, CEO a diverse clientele, specializing in disseminates compelling, authen- Corey Silverman, SVP of Market- food, healthcare, nonprofit/founda- tic stories and messaging to effec- ing and Business Development tion, education, B2B, and pet prod- tively tell its client-partners’ good 2030 Main St., 3rd Fl. uct industries. news while supporting sales and Dallas, TX 75201 Rogers & Cowan is a leading The firm’s deep expertise in B2B 214/379-7000 communications. [email protected] entertainment PR and marketing and B2C food and beverage spans Rosica’s process includes: www.spmcommunications.com communications agency offering decades. Agency President Chris • Strategically identifying client consumer brands access and alli- Rosica is a culinary school gradu- business and marketing goals/ob- Suzanne Parsonage Miller, Presi- ances with the powerful influences ate (Johnson & Wales University) a jectives dent & Founder of the entertainment industry as food writer, and former hospitality • Identifying stakeholder audi- well as an insider’s point of view industry executive. Rosica is also ences, influencers, and key opinion For 20 years, SPM has worked on lifestyle and consumer trends. a graduate of Florida International leaders with food and restaurant clients, The agency has extensive expertise University’s School of Hospitality • Honing client positioning, sto- telling the story of the evolving in the food and beverage categories Management. ries and key messages, tailoring food and nutrition landscape, from working with packaged and bottled The agency’s PR and commu- them to each audience sustainability and non-GMO veri- goods companies, entertainment nications capabilities include po- • Developing measurable, in- fied to farm-to-table and organic. brands and content, restaurants, sitioning and messaging, thought tegrated, and creative PR, social and wine, beer and spirit brands. leadership development, media media, and internal/external com- _ Continued on page 30

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 29 Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

SPM COMMUNICATIONS _ Continued from page 29

An O’Dwyer’s top 20-ranked Food & Beverage firm for the past five years, we’ve worked with emerg- ing food brands to help take them national and with established na- tional brands that have important stories to tell that need to make a deeper impact. We integrate earned media re- lations, influencer partnerships, events and social media to create campaigns that target the right audiences, increase brand aware- ness and meet business objectives. Some of our work highlights in- clude: • Brought natural, gluten-free niche brand Van’s Simply Delicious into the mainstream with intensive national media and influencer rela- tions outreach that garnered multi- ple food awards and ultimately, the brand’s sale to Hillshire Farms. • Aided in the rise of industry gi- To reinforce Smirnoff vodka’s core value of inclusivity, Taylor led a marketing communications campaign fo- ant and sustainable foods pioneer cused around the brand’s decades of support for the LGBTQ community. Taylor recommended partnering with Chipotle through a 17-year partner- Jonathan Van Ness, the queen of self-love and acceptance, to amplify the re-release of the Smirnoff “Love Wins” ship and landed the first national limited-edition bottles and expanded partnership with the Human Rights Campaign which included a pledge to story about “Food With Integrity” donate $1 to the HRC for every “Love Wins” bottle made for a minimum of one million dollars over three years. mission to change the way people eat and think about fast food. The partnership with Van Ness kicked off Pride weekend on Smirnoff’s float at the NYC Pride March. Overall, the • Helped reposition Smooth- campaign generated 1.5X the earned media impressions compared to the launch in 2017. This is one example of ie King as a health and wellness Taylor’s Smirnoff work focused around diversity and inclusion, which included the “Phenomenal You” campaign lifestyle brand with the launch for 2018 International Women’s Day and the current “Welcome to the Fun%” campaign. of purpose-driven, Clean Blend smoothies such as The Prema- ma, developed in partnership with Other food and beverage brand practices are completely outmod- Sushi, Bareburger, Hotel Indigo, Premama Wellness. experience includes Del Frisco’s ed, and based around old, legacy Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers • Introduced consumers to the Restaurant Group, RW Garcia, media. and scores of other brands and first “other bean” hummus, Lan- Cicis, Bruegger’s Bagels, Stubb’s However, the proliferation of in- properties. tana, and helped to successfully Bar-B-Q, Pei Wei, P.F. Chang’s, teractive, on-demand content over TAYLOR launch the first national brand of Boulder Organic, Whataburger, the past decade has created a clut- Taco Cabana, Salata, YoCrunch, La tered cultural and media landscape fruit hummus, winning healthy 640 Fifth Avenue, 8th Floor food awards and national coverage. Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe that requires a return to bold think- New York, NY 10019 • Developed a loyal local fol- and many more. ing. The big-idea publicity associ- 212/714-1280 lowing for True Food Kitchen and ated with early-century figures like www.taylorstrategy.com its menu inspired by Dr. Andrew STUNTMAN P.T. Barnum and Edward Bernays. Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet with One-way communication, powered Tony Signore, CEO & Managing sustained media, influencer and PUBLIC RELATIONS by cutting-edge methodologies. Partner Mike Costabile, Managing Partner community relations around the 285 West Broadway, Suite 280 Our longstanding media relation- ships with bloggers, social media Carla Wilke, Chief Strategy and opening of the brand’s first Texas New York, NY 10013 Integration Officer location. 212/242-0002 influencers, magazine & newspa- Maeve Hagen, President Through our robust crisis com- [email protected] per editors, television producers munications practice, we’ve helped www.stuntmanpr.com and talent bookers, combined with Taylor partners exclusively with clients manage some 3,000 crises, a keen eye for creating targeted and category leading consumer brands from foodborne illnesses and vi- Neil Alumkal, President poignant messaging, allow for us to that utilize lifestyle, sports, and ral videos. Our media protocol is David Abrams, Senior Vice consistently secure headline news. entertainment platforms to engage President Our coverage for hospitality cli- currently deployed in more than a Elana Levin, Associate Vice consumers and drive business thousand restaurant and retail loca- President entele have frequently become the growth. tions across the nation. most highly cited. Named “Consumer Agency of Our culture-driven agency was Stuntman is a full-service, Man- We have launched national cam- the Decade” by The Holmes Report, founded on our “No Jerks” policy, hattan-based public relations paigns for the likes of the Parmi- Taylor has nearly 100 employees which fosters strong agency-client agency that is highly specialized giano Reggiano Consortium, Max with headquarters in New York and relationships with mutual trust and within food & beverage and hos- Brenner Worldwide, MealPal, Le offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, respect and leads to greater creativ- pitality-oriented media relations. Coq Rico, Valrhona, Francois Pa- and Charlotte. The agency provides ity, productivity and true partner- The core belief of the agency is that yard, Drunken Dumpling, The 21 a full array of services including: ship between agency and client. widely accepted public relations Club, Kanon Organic Vodka, YO! brand planning; creative; digital

30 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms strategy and social media; strategic TREVELINO/ ferings: Public Relations, Digital/ campaigns, trade shows, thought media relations; consumer insights; Social Marketing, Demand Gener- leadership, shopper marketing and measurement and evaluation; event KELLER ation and Creative Services. other initiatives designed to drive creative and production, multicul- With a commitment to launch- reputation and engage constituen- tural; and talent procurement and King Plow Arts Center ing new brands and re-establishing cies. training. 981 Joseph Lowery Boulevard lost leaders, Trevelino/Keller’s We pride ourselves on the length Taylor develops and executes Suite 100 disruptive approach to strategy of our client engagements, many marketing communications pro- Atlanta, GA 30318 and creative makes it one of the of which extend decades, and our 404/214-0722 grams for category leading food [email protected] more innovative agencies in the in- proven track record in creating and and beverage brands, including — [email protected] dustry. Its success cross fer- tiliz- executing programs that support for more than 30 years — Diageo, www.trevelinokeller.com ing its food and beverage practice client’s objectives to amplify their the world’s leading premium drinks with franchising, environment, brand, accelerate business mo- business. Via social campaigns Trevelino/Keller has established health, lifestyle and even tech- mentum and build reputation. and strategic media relations, Tay- its food, beverage and franchis- nology, gives it a leg up on those Clients: Nielsen-Massey Vanil- lor has successfully launched new ing practice as one of the more agencies limited by a franchise las, Coppercraft Distillery, Jos. A. products, reinvigorated iconic accomplished in the U.S., target- or food and beverage only focus. Magnus & Co. Cheese Merchants, brands and sustained momentum in ing emerging and middle-market Its balanced base of experience in Sunshine Nut Company LLC. the marketplace for Diageo’s adult companies across four channels: B2B and B2C enable companies to beverage favorites such as Crown restaurants, franchising, manufac- consolidate their agencies for an ZAPWATER Royal, Guinness, Captain Morgan, turing and associations. With its integrated approach. Smirnoff and Bulleit, among oth- progressive foodie agency culture, The firm’s growth in digital/ COMMUNICATIONS ers. from wine making to its own or- social marketing has resonated The agency also partners with ganic bee colony to seasoned salt with those brands and concepts INC. leading consumer food and QSR production, as well as programs interested in a dual national and brands for a wide range of services, hyperlocal approach with tactics 118 North Peoria, 4th Floor such as Red With Ted and Farm Chicago, IL 60601 including product introductions, to T/K, the firm is sought after for ranging from paid search, organic 312/943-0333 sponsorship activations, and digital international, national and hyper- social, remarketing and social lead www.zapwater.com strategy/social activation. local programming in four core of- gen and the launch of its integrated SEO PR program. 1460 4th Street, Suite 306 Notable work includes John- Santa Monica, CA 90401 ny Rockets, Corner Bakery Café, 310/396-7851 TCBY, Moe’s Southwest Grill, David Zapata, President & Starbucks Coffee Company, Mrs. Founder Fields, National Foundation for Jennifer Barry, Managing Director Celiac Awareness, Great South- Jenn Lake, SVP ern Craft Beer Competition and Stephanie Poquette, Vice the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. President, Social Media and The firm extends its commitment Influencer Programming to food and beverage four times a year with its original Winepre- Zapwater Communications is an neurs event series, hosted in part- integrated communications agency nership with Silicon Valley Bank, specializing in consumer and life- for entrepreneurs who love wine. style brands. Founded in 2005, the agency has grown into one of the premier creative communications WILKS firms in the United States, proud- COMMUNICATIONS ly working with a diverse range of brands in the food & beverage GROUP (WCG) industry. Our offices in Chicago and Los 550 W. Van Buren St., Ste 250 Angeles share a culture that fosters Chicago, IL 60607 creativity, quality, collaboration 312/815-5505 and enthusiasm. Long-standing wilksgrp.com relationships and the determi- nation to lead in a dynamically Gardi Wilks, President evolving industry distinguishes the [email protected] Brad Wilks, Managing Director agency’s work. [email protected] The agency integrates multidis- ciplinary services — digital en- WCG was founded more than gagement, experiential tactics and 25 years ago on a simple principle media relations — to drive bot- — to provide clients with superior tom-line results. To date, Zapwa- value as defined by high quality ter has won 125+ public relations’ service and meaningful results. industry awards, including some Today, we’re an award-winning, of the industry’s most prestigious full-service integrated marketing accolades. communications firm serving cli- Recent client experience in- ents across the consumer products, cludes a curated mix of local and food, corporate and nonprofit sec- national brands including An- tors. gel City Brewery, Burpee Home Zapwater Communications works with Burpee Plants to spread aware- Our offerings include earned me- Gardens, Deutsch Family Wine + ness on their fresh and flavorful collections for home-grown veggies and dia, digital and social engagement, Spirits, Pabst, Veggie Grill, and herb plants and how you can incorporate them into your daily lives content marketing, influencer [yellow tail] wines. 

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 31 O’DWYER’SFOOD & BEVERAGE RANKINGS PR FIRMS

Firm Net Fees (2017) Firm Net Fees (2017)

1. Edelman, New York, NY $112,839,000 26. Power Group, The, Dallas, TX $645,154

2. APCO Worldwide, Washington, DC 19,424,800 27. rbb Communications, Miami, FL 586,889

3. Padilla, Minneapolis, MN 16,344,533 28. L.C. Williams & Associates, Chicago, IL 586,395

4. Hunter PR, New York, NY 15,250,000 29. Trevelino/Keller, Atlanta, GA 425,000

5. Taylor, New York, NY 7,547,000 30. J Public Relations, New York, NY 379,200

6. RF | Binder Partners, New York, NY 5,300,000 31. Maccabee, Minneapolis, MN 329,680

7. Finn Partners, New York, NY 5,175,000 32. The Buzz Agency, Delray Beach, FL 324,897

8. Coyne PR, Parsippany, NJ 4,600,000 33. Stuntman PR, New York, NY 315,000

9. 5W Public Relations, New York, NY 4,000,000 34. LaunchSquad, San Francisco, CA 270,000

10. Jackson Spalding, Atlanta, GA 3,991,006 35. BizCom Associates, Plano, TX 264,000

11. French | West | Vaughan, Raleigh, NC 3,574,896 36. MP&F Strategic Communications, Nashville, TN 200,117

12. 360PR+, Boston, MA 3,337,476 37. North 6th Agency, Inc., New York, NY 180,537

13. Konnect Agency, Los Angeles, CA 3,040,687 38. Brownstein Group, Philadelphia, PA 178,655

14. Champion Management Group, Dallas, TX 2,654,820 39. Inkhouse, Waltham, MA 170,022

15. Fish Consulting, Hollywood, FL 1,429,000 40. Rosica Communications, Paramus, NJ 148,590

16. SPM Communications, Dallas, TX 1,378,103 41. Hemsworth Communications, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 125,411

17. Lambert, Grand Rapids, MI 1,242,000 42. Hodges Partnership, The, Richmond, VA 120,000

18. RMD Advertising, Columbus, OH 1,165,179 43. LANE, Portland, OR 103,655

19. Kohnstamm Communications, St. Paul, MN 1,067,838 44. Singer Associates, Inc., San Francisco, CA 100,044

20. Matter Communications, Newburyport, MA 1,067,026 45. CooperKatz & Co., New York, NY 66,239

21. BLAZE, Santa Monica, CA 866,708 46. BoardroomPR, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 50,000

22. Quinn, New York, NY 813,125 47. Greenough, Boston, MA 45,000

23. IW Group, Inc., West Hollywood, CA 811,000 48. Hollywood Agency, Hingham, MA 35,000

24. Peppercomm, New York, NY 774,440 49. Public Communications Inc., Chicago, IL 6,145

25. O’Malley Hansen Communications, Chicago, IL 707,000

© Copyright 2019 The J.R. O’Dwyer Co. People in PR Kuhl, who previously held Executive Vice he has served as Communications Director Mitra moves to Edelman President positions at Cohn & Wolfe and at the House Ways and Means Committee, Makovsky & Company, joined FP in 2015. and held senior com- ujata Mitra, most recently communi- As Senior Partner of its health practice, she munications roles for cations lead at Vox Media, has joined was responsible for a range of pharmaceu- now-Republican Mi- SEdelman in Washington as Senior VP tical efforts, which included biotechnology, nority Leader Kevin Media Relations. pharmaceutical and McCarthy, former Rep- On Twitter, Mitra specialty pharma. resentative Tom Price said she “couldn’t be As Managing Part- and current Energy and more thrilled” with the ner of the agency’s Commerce Committee opportunity of working health unit, she’ll now Ranking Member Greg Brendan Buck with Lisa Ross (Edel- oversee Finn Partners’ Walden.  man Washington Pres- New York and Chicago ident), Tom Cochran health groups as well as (GM-digital & integrat- B-M’s Felling joins its U.S. pharma team. Kristie Kuhl ed marketing), Dina Sujata Mitra She remains stationed Senate’s King Cappiello (Senior VP in Finn’s New York and Editorial Director) headquarters and will report to Managing and Emily Kaplan (VP-Consumer Media). atthew Felling, who was Senior Partner and global health practice Director Director at Burson-Marsteller’s At Vox for the past year, Mitra handled Gil Bashe.  media relations for its Vox, Recode, The MWashington office, has joined the Verge and SB Nation brands. office of Maine’s Inde- Earlier, she worked three-year stints at APCO’s DeAngelo pendent Senator Angus The Huffington Post (Senior Director of King as Strategic Com- Communications) and CQ Roll Call/The becomes Rep. Kim’s CD munications Director. Economist Group (Director of Marketing It marks the return Communications). PCO Worldwide’s Anthony DeAn- to Capitol Hill for Fell- Mitra has PR firm experience from jobs at gelo has signed on as Communica- ing, who did a stint as Allison+Partners and DKC.  Ations Director for Jersey Congress- Strategic Communica- man Andy Kim, who won a 49.9 percent tions Director for Lisa to 48.8 percent squeaker over Republican Murkowski (R-AK). Matthew Felling Digital/content pro Tom MacArthur in the November election. For Murkowski, Felling Kim, a Rhodes Scholar who worked for dealt with healthcare, Ramsey joins MMC the State Dept., Pentagon and National Se- military issues, sustainable fisheries and the curity Council, fended needs of the Alaska Native population. arina Maher Communications off a barrage of TV ads Prior to Murkowski, Felling was news an- has recruited digital/content pro in which MacArthur chor and lead political reporter for the CBS MGretchen Ramsey as Managing Di- criticized him as “not TV affiliate in Anchorage. rector for Brand Engagement, a new post. only far left but far out.” He also did a two-year stint at Hill+- Ramsey joins from the Senior VP, Con- In exiting APCO’s Knowlton Strategies in Washington.  tent Strategy slot at Publicis Media’s Blue Media Relations Man- 449 unit, where she ager slot after a three- Hotwire picks Paxton handled Pizza Hut, year run, DeAngelo is Anthony DeAngelo eBay, Denny’s and Nin- returning to Capitol tendo. otwire is bringing on Chris Paxton as Hill, where he served Chief Strategy Officer. At MMC, Ramsey as Communications Director for Rep. Bet- will oversee digital & H Paxton comes to Hotwire from The ty Sutton (D-OH) and Press Secretary for Leading Edge, where he was CEO, EMEA. social content, influ- Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-IL). encer and media. She Both Hotwire and The Leading Edge are Prior to joining APCO, DeAngelo was owned by Enero Group will report to CEO Ma- Gretchen Ramsey Press Secretary at the AFL-CIO.  rina Maher. Limited. At The Lead- Prior to Blue 449, ing Edge, Paxton built Ramsey worked at Oxford Communica- Buck, ex-speaker Ryan’s a team of global strate- tions (VP-Brand Strategy and Culture), gists to help evolve the Grey Group (Director of Social Media), aide, joins Blue Engine agency from an insights TenthWave Digital (VP-Strategy) and business to a global MRM/McCann (Senior VP-strategy).  rendan Buck, who was a counselor to strategy agency. former House Speaker Paul Ryan and In his new role, Pax- BPress Secretary to his predecessor, ton will work to accel- Chris Paxton Finn tabs Kuhl as John Boehner, is joining D.C.-based stra- erate ongoing collabo- tegic communications and public affairs ration between Hotwire managing partner firm Blue Engine Message & Media + JDA and The Leading Edge as well as with other Frontline as a Partner. agencies in the Enero network. He’ll assume inn Partners U.S. pharma team lead Buck led messaging and communications leadership of Hotwire’s existing Strategy and Senior Partner Kristie Kuhl has strategy for Ryan, as well as for the broader and Marketing Services Group along with Fbeen promoted to the role of Health House Republican leadership team. In ad- US-based Executive Vice President Sahana Practice Managing Partner. dition to working for Ryan and Boehner, Jayaraman. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 33 OPINION Professional Development The unspoken truth about Trump 2020 By Fraser Seitel poor, huddled masses” who wants in. That Fighting for international gay rights. may not be what Democrats want either, but he good news for the 150 candidates Trump’s Ambassador to Germany Richard it sure is the perception of the current can- promoting themselves for the Demo- Grenell is proudly gay and shaking up the didate crop. Tcratic nomination for President of the diplomatic world to lead the effort to per- Not playing the elitist game. People de- United States in 2020 is that while none can suade Islamic nations and others to be more spise politicians. They detest elitists. And possibly win, neither could Donald Trump tolerant. Grenell’s boss is wholeheartedly they deplore the McConnells, Pelosis, at this point in the last election. behind the effort, and all those liberals who Schumers, Comeys, Washington Posts and The bad news for this motley group of see shrinks to deal with their Trump trauma all the others that make up the Washington socialists and should support the effort, too. establishment. Trump is rich but he sure semi-socialists is Making NATO pay for its own defense. ain’t “elitist.” Establishment Washington that unless they Democratic candidates all agree that the hates him as much as he does them. And start to stand for way Trump has treated our allies is disgrace- that’s another plus for the incumbent. something and ful, harsh and embarrassing. Yes, yes and Supporting making money. Trump, not simply stand yes. But … isn’t it about time that Germany, thank goodness for anybody who’s got to against Trump, France, England and all the others whose support a family, is pro-business. Dem- they — and we — national protection we subsidize began pay- ocrats abhor the fat cats who make more will be doomed to ing more for their own defense? Sure, when money, and the businesses which support the unthinkable: Trump says the U.S. “pays 90 percent of NA- them. Trump’s philosophy and policies President Trump TO’s costs,” he’s lying. What the U.S. really have cut taxes, increased GNP, lowered un- 2.0. Fraser P. Seitel has pays is 72 percent, compared to England’s employment, increased wages, ignited the been a communications To be clear, six percent and Germany’s and France’s five stock market and caused the U.S. economy consultant, author and Trump, like Charles percent. Once again, neither Clinton nor to hum at increasingly-higher levels. Sure, teacher for more than Barkley, is no role Bush nor Obama had the guts to tell the the rich have gotten richer, but so have the 30 years. He is the au- model. He’s crude, thor of the Prentice-Hall Europeans to put up their fair share. Trump less rich. And that, too, wasn’t the case un- text, The Practice of rude and intellec- may be a bully, but he’s right. der Obama. A political party that’s vehe- Public Relations. tually deficient. He Bringing home the troops. For years, lib- mently “anti-business” shouldn’t be running doesn’t read. He erals have decried the fact that poor people’s this particular country. can’t speak, and children are the primary defenders of this If you’re still not convinced that Donald he’s grating in every way conceivable. He nation, putting themselves in harm’s way Trump could well be the next President lacks common decency and self-awareness to protect the rest of us. But Trump is the of the United States, consider three final and never should have been President. only recent President with the guts to re- words: Amazon New York. So, all those who yearn for the glory days call the troops from Syria, Afghanistan and The tragedy of Amazon pulling all its of Barack Obama have a point. Now there elsewhere. Predictably, the New York Times, employment, tax payments and ancillary was a moral, decent, inspiring man to ad- which sadly has let its virulent anti-Trump jobs out of Queens is the greatest warning mire. obsession destroy its reputation for fairness, yet that the prevailing Democrat wisdom But what the Trump haters aren’t right has castigated Trump’s action and led the is dangerous for the country. When a few about, and what they can’t bring themselves charge to expose the “danger” of the U.S. loudmouthed, anti-business socialists won to come to grips with, is precisely the reason precipitously abandoning these war zones. the day, the real losers were all the Long those 150 Democrat candidates better start Fortunately for publisher A.G. Sulzberger Island deli workers and livery drivers and doing more homework. and executive editor Dean Baquet, neither school teachers who would’ve made better The fact is — forgive me, haters — Don- has a child fighting in these overseas hell lives for their families. Let’s see who they ald Trump, as miserable a human being as holes. Good for Trump! vote for in 2020.  he well might be, has nonetheless accom- Denuding the dictators. Obama won plished more in his first two years than any the Nobel Peace Prize for promises. Trump PR news brief other President in our lifetime. That’s a de- won’t win a Nobel, but he neutralized North Finn Partners acquires London’s tail that few who oppose the President dare Korea and bombed ISIS back to the Stone Moorgate utter, but it’s true. Age. And if I were Vladimir Putin, I’d de- Here’s a partial list that includes not only Finn Partners has acquired Moorgate Communica- mand Trump return my collusion bribes, tions, London-based financial PR firm with 16 staffers, the well-known initiatives to “help the rich” because Russia hasn’t gotten much from this which represents clients such as Deutsche Bank, S&P but also those lesser-known achievements administration. Global and International Chamber of Commerce. that even the most ardent anti-Trumpers Bolstering the border. Obviously, Peter Finn told O’Dwyer’s that financial services should appreciate. Trump’s wall phobia is nuts, and separating communications and marketing offers “tremendous Criminal justice reform. At the top of ev- opportunities” for his independent firm in the US, Eu- migrant parents from children is awful, but rope and Asia. ery liberal’s “to do list” for the past decade … most Americans can see the wisdom in “Our global team offers deep expertise in repu- has been prison reform, particularly ad- not letting too many people into the coun- tation management, executive visibility, capital for- justing the system so that minorities aren’t try who’ll turn out to be net takers rather mation raises communications and crisis PR, among continually disadvantaged. Neither Clinton other areas,” he said. than net contributors. Should poor people The deal bolsters FP’s presence in London to about nor Bush nor Obama could move the nee- and threatened people and sick people be 70 staffers and 90 professionals across the EMEA. dle on changing the criminal justice system. allowed into the U.S.? Sure, but in an orga- Robert Kelsey, Founder of 18-year-old Moorgate, But Trump, through the offices of the Jared/ nized and limited manner. What most peo- serves as Managing Partner-Financial Services for FP Ivanka wing, got a bill passed that finally be- ple oppose is wholesale immigration, where EMEA. His shop is recast as Moorgate Communica- tions, a Finn Partners Company. gins to institutionalize reform. the U.S. imports anybody among the “tired,

34 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Financial Management New tax benefits for PR agencies?

By Richard Goldstein of such trade or business is the reputation agency and all attempts to influencing leg- or skill of one or more of its employees or islator and other similar professionals per- he Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made many which involves the performance of services forming services in their capacity as such.” changes to both individual and cor- that consist of investing and investment So, it seems to me that a PR agency could Tporate taxes. One of these new chang- management trading, or dealing in securi- have a hard time arguing that it doesn’t es is the IRC Section 199A deduction. This ties, partnership interests or commodities. provide consulting services. is a new section of the Internal Revenue A mouthful to say the least! The De Minimis exception Code that allows a 20 percent deduction So, does a PR agency lose out based on This exception provides that a trade or for “qualified busi- the above definition? Is a PR agency a business is not an SSTB if the business has ness income (QBI) consulting firm or does it fall under the gross receipts in any tax year of $25 mil- for owners of pass- “reputation or skill” as defined above? At lion or less and less than 10 percent of the through entities, first blush, one might conclude that a PR gross receipts of the business is attributable which include S agency is out of the box on this deduction to the performance of services. This will be corporations, lim- unless a threshold amount is met. a difficult argument in my view for a PR ited liability enti- The threshold amount agency to overcome. ties, partnerships Business owners whose taxable income If you read the definition of a public re- and sole propri- for 2019 is less than a threshold amount lations firm in the “Agency Name finder,” etorships.” Missing of $321,400 for those filing married filing (not provided here due to space limita- from this list is the jointly, $160,725 for married filing sepa- tions), you may be able to make an argu- Richard Goldstein is “C” corporation. rately, and $160,700 for single and head of ment that PR is not an SSTB. (Please let me a partner at Buchbind- This new deduc- household will not be subject to the SSTB know your thoughts on this.) er Tunick & Company tion can be com- rules. There is a phase-in rule for those This column isn’t intended to provide LLP, New York, Certified plicated even with taxpayers whose taxable income exceed legal, accounting or tax advice. You need Public Accountants. recent IRS guid- the above amounts. (The deduction is also to seek the advice of your own CPA and/ ance. My purpose available for 2018.) or attorney on the best course of action in authoring this Where do we stand? to take. Nevertheless, even if your agency column is not to provide guidance on how So, is a PR agency an SSTB? It may be would be considered an SSTB, you should to calculate the deduction, but to make easy to conclude that a PR agency is a SSTB be able to claim the deduction based on you, the reader, aware of the benefit that under the “consulting” or “skill” definition. the taxable income thresholds as discussed Congress has given to the business owner According to a definition I found on the In- above. If not and the deduction is claimed, and the possibility of a PR agency to claim ternet, “a PR firm is a professional service a disclosure statement attached to the tax this deduction. organization, generally hired to conceive, return could avoid certain penalties. This Who gets the deduction? produce and manage un-paid messages to may consist of a disclosure statement, The deduction is for individuals, not the public through media on behalf of a Form 8275, attached to your tax return business entities. All entities mentioned client, with the intention of changing the to avoid penalties if audited by the IRS or above are “flow-through” entities. That is, public’s actions by influencing their opin- even seeking a revenue ruling from the income and deductions pass through to the ion.” IRS. I will keep you informed on this issue individual owners of the business. Under proposed regulations involving as I see it developing.  The deduction applies to individuals with the reputation or skill as discussed above, QBI from flow-through entities as previ- the following is added… “in which the PR news brief ously stated. That means the deduction is person receives fees, compensation or oth- Job-cutting GM turns to Ballard for individuals not business entities (thus, er income for endorsing products or ser- C corporations don’t get the deduction). In vices, licenses or receives fees for the use Partners general, a taxpayer can deduct 20 percent of an individual’s image, likeness, name, General Motors has hired Ballard Partners, which of the amount of QBI allocated to them signature, voice, trademark or any other has close ties with the Trump White House, for feder- from the entity, subject to certain limita- symbols associated with the individual’s al representation on labor and fuel efficiency matters. GM is in the midst of a $2.5 billion corporate re- tions. identity or for appearing at an event or on structuring that will lead to the shutdown of plants in QBI is the net business income from a radio television or other media.” Well, this Detroit-Hamtramck, Warren (MI), Lordstown (OH) and “qualified trade or business” (more on this does not seem to fit the definition provided Baltimore and the loss of thousands of jobs. to come) conducted in the United States. above and PR seems to pass this test. (See President Trump told GM CEO Mary Barra in No- vember that he wasn’t happy about the planned job To qualify, the business must be other caveat below.) cuts, especially in light of the US bailout of the au- than a “specified service trade or business” The next problem area is “consulting.” tomaker. (SSTB). In general, an SSTB includes all Consulting is defined in the proposed Brian Ballard, who chaired the Trump Victory orga- service business other than architecture regulations as “provision of profession- nization in Florida during the 2016 presidential cam- and engineering. The tax law defines an al advice and counsel to clients to assist paign, heads his firm’s four-member GM team. Syl Lukis, Ballard’s DC managing director; Susan SSTB as any trade or business involving the clients in achieving goals and solving Wiles, senior strategist in the Trump campaign and the performance of services in the fields of problems. The proposed regulations also former campaign manager for Florida governor (now health, law, accounting, actuarial science, indicate that consulting “includes provid- Senator) Rick Scott; and Pamela Bondi, ex-attorney performing arts, consulting, athletics, fi- ing advice and counsel regarding advocacy general of the Sunshine State and a member of the nancial services, brokerage services or any with the intention of influencing decisions Trump transition team, also rep GM. trade or business where the principal asset made by a government or governmental

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | MARCH 2019 35 WASHINGTON REPORT Lobbying topped $3.4 billion in 2018

lients spent $3.42 billion on lobbyists last year, the highest levels in nearly a decade, according to a report from nonpar- Ctisan research group the Center for Responsive Politics. It’s the largest sum spent on lobbying activities since the indus- try’s record-breaking peak in 2010, when Obamacare was passed by Congress and signed into law, according to the CRP’s report. Shelling out $280 million, the pharmaceutical sector spent more on lobbying than any other industry last year, surpassing its pre- vious 2009 lobbying record of $272 million. The trade groups and companies inside this sector also broke records: the Pharmaceu- tical Research and Manufacturers of America spent $28 million in 2018, beating its 2009 record of $27 million. PhRMA mem- bers Pfizer, Amgen, Bayer, Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie were ranked as top pharmaceutical-industry spenders. Insurance followed pharmaceuticals at a distant second ($157 million) and the equipment and electronics manufacturing indus- try took third ($145 million). Business associations and oil & gas rounded out the top five spenders, at $142 million and $124 mil- lion, respectively. Moonwalker targets space junk The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was the top single spender, drop- ping nearly $95 million on lobbying expenditures last year. The Na- oonwalker Associates, the firm recently launched by for- tional Association of Realtors came in at second place with a re- mer Republican Congressman Bob Walker, wants to clean cord-setting total of nearly $73 million, spending $19 million in Q4, Mup outer space. more than any other group reported. The Open Society Policy Cen- The former Chair of the House Science, Space and Technolo- ter ($32 million), PhRMA ($28 million) and the American Hospital gy Committee and writer of the Trump cam- Assn. ($24 million) filled out the top-five single spenders for 2018. paign’s space policy, has signed Launchspace Law and lobbying giant Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld con- Technologies as a client. tinued its reign as K Street’s most profitable firm, bringing in $37.6 Walker, 75, retired from Congress in 1997. million in billings last year, even though this revealed a nearly $1.4 He co-founded Wexler and Walker Public million year-over-year decline from 2017’s $38.9 million. Brown- Policy Associates in 1981. Hill + Knowlton ac- stein Hyatt Farber Schreck took second place, at $31 million, fol- quired the shop in 1990. lowed by BGR Group ($27 million), Squire Patton Boggs and Hol- Based in Bethesda, Launchspace says it has land & Knight (both $24 million). a low-cost and technically feasible solution to Conservative groups saw their lobbying spending grow by the orbital debris problem in low Earth orbits a whopping 78 percent last year, while liberal groups’ spending and has its eye out for aerospace industry part- Bob Walker shrank by 35 percent, according to the report.  ners. Marshall Kaplan, Launchspace Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder, is a pioneer in space debris research and carried out Squire Patton Boggs hauls in the first study of space junk retrieval while a professor at Penn State. Walker opened Moonwalker after WPP shuttered Wexler|Walker Crowley lobbying firm at the end of last year.

ormer Democratic Congressman Joe Crowley, once viewed as a successor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has joined the Trump White House aide joins Fglobal public policy practice of Squire Patton Boggs. Representing the Bronx and Queens, Crowley lost a shocker pri- Federal Advocates mary challenge launched by 28-year-old new- comer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. ennifer Arangio, former Senior Director of the White House As the No. 4 ranking Democrat, Crowley National Security Council, is joining D.C. lobbying firm Fed- was senior member of the House Ways and Jeral Advocates as Vice President. Means Committee and Chair of the House Arangio first started worked for the President during the 2016 Democratic Caucus from 2017-2019. campaign, serving as its Director of Women Engagement. She then First elected in 1999, Crowley called his served on the presidential transition team and joined the adminis- Congressional service “an honor of a lifetime” tration as a Senior Director on the NSC staff. Her responsibilities and “looks forward to working on many of the included multilateral affairs, women’s economic empowerment same issues in this new role.” and entrepreneurship and strategic communications. Joe Crowley Crowley joins SPG with another former Before working for Trump, Arangio was a Principal at security Congressman, Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania. and intelligence consulting firm Command Group. She also served Ex-Senators Trent Lott (R-MS) and John Breaux (D-LA) co- as Senior Counsel for the House Committee on Homeland Securi- Chair SPG’s public policy practice.  ty from 2006 to 2014. 

36 MARCH 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM International PR News Venezuala opposition leader assistance. retains lobbying suport FARA filings name the foreign principal organization as Bolivar- enezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó has signed a pact ian Republic of Venezuela under President Juan Guaidó, and listed with international law firm Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer its representative as Carlos Vecchio, who in January was named by Vfor strategic counsel and U.S. relations work in light of that Guaidó as Venezuela’s diplomatic envoy to the U.S. South American country’s ongoing presidential crisis. A formal written agreement for the work, which currently sees Guaidó, who heads Venezuela’s National Assembly, in January the pro-Guaidó group paying the white-shoe firm on an hourly fee declared himself Interim President of the oil-rich country per the basis, has yet to be filed with the Justice Department. rules of its constitution, after a widely-contested 2018 election saw current Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro win another six-year term. That election was recognized by the international communi- Poland picks BGR to pave way ty as fraudulent, yet Maduro, a protégé of deceased former Presi- dent Hugo Chavez, refuses to abdicate and still retains the backing for more U.S. troops of Venezuela’s military. oland, which is pushing for a bigger deployment of US troops, The ensuing crisis since has seen Venezuela rocked by food has hired BGR Government Affairs for strategic counsel and shortages, rampant inflation and a lack of medical supplies, and Ptactical planning advice and services on military and de- leaves the nation on the brink of collapse. Violent protests recently fense-related issues before the U.S. Government. erupted with soldiers near Venezuela’s border with Colombia, after The central European nation has offered to pay up to $2 billion Maduro’s national guard blocked humanitarian aid shipments into for construction of a permanent U.S. base (Fort Trump) in an effort the country. to entice the White House. The international community—currently more than 60 coun- The US already has about 4,000 troops in Poland, which guard its tries—overwhelmingly recognizes Guaidó as Venezuela’s rightful border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. The country has president, as does President Trump, who recently signed legisla- also agreed to a $400 million-plus contract for US mobile rocket tion imposing sanctions against Venezuela in an attempt to oust launchers. Maduro. BGR’s $70,000 per-month consulting agreement kicked off Feb. According to Foreign Agents Registration Act documents filed in 1 and runs for a year. February, Arnold & Porter will advise Guaidó’s team on matters re- Besides lobbying U.S. Government officials, the shop will provide garding U.S. economic sanctions, corporate and banking law, U.S. PR support and digital communications savvy to Poland’s defense litigation and international arbitration, and may also initiate con- ministry. Crisis communications services are available on request. tact with U.S. government officials concerning the preservation of BGR is the firm of Haley Barbour, long-time Republican opera- Venezuela’s assets in the U.S. as well as economic and humanitarian tive and former Mississippi governor.  FARA News  NEW FOREIGN AGENTS REGISTRATION ACT FILINGS Below is a list of select companies that have registered with the U.S. Department of Justice, FARA Registration Unit, Washington, D.C., in order to comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, regarding their consulting and communications work on behalf of foreign principals, including governments, political parties, organizations, and individuals. For a complete list of filings, visit www.fara.gov.

Sonoran Policy Group, Washington, D.C., registered Feb. 11, 2019 for Mr. Saud Abdul Aziz Al Arfaj, Kuwait, regarding promotion and counsel for him and Al-Arfaj Group Holding Company, including on disputed oil region between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, San Francisco, CA, registered Jan. 30, 2019 for Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, regarding potential bilateral agree- ment on cooperation with the U.S. concerning peaceful uses of nuclear energy under Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and related legal matters concerning the development of a commercial nuclear program with Saudi Arabia.

White & Case LLP, New York, NY, registered Feb. 4, 2019 for The Republic of the Sudan, Washington, D.C., regarding legal services in connection with pending litigation in the US. Lobbying News G NEW LOBBYING DISCLOSURE ACT FILINGS Below is a list of select companies that have registered with the Secretary of the Senate, Office of Public Records, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Legislative Resource Center, Washington, D.C., in order to comply with the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. For a complete list of filings, visit www.senate.gov.

The Raben Group, Washington, D.C., registered Feb. 22, 2019 for Muslim Public Affairs Council, Los Angeles, CA, regarding Muslim ban and other issues impacting the American Muslim community.

Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc., Washington, D.C., registered Feb. 22, 2019 for National Ocean Policy Coalition, Houston, TX, regarding advancing sensible oceanic policies.

Avenue Solutions, Washington, D.C., registered Feb. 21, 2019 for Illumina, Inc., San Diego, CA, regarding issues related to the genetic sequencing industry and the use of genetic information in research and clinical settings.

United by Interest, LLC, Washington, D.C., registered Feb. 20, 2019 for The Blackstone Group, New York, NY, regarding issues related to banking and access to capital.

Holland & Knight, LLP, Washington, D.C., registered Feb. 19, 2019 for Immigration Voice, San Jose, CA, regarding the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act to create a fair and equitable system for receiving employment based green cards.

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