Watch: Financing Europe’s Energy Needs and Climate Action in the 21st Century

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Host:
Cynthia Hardie, Fleishman-Hillard Chicago executive vice president and general manager

Panel:
John Onoda, Fleishman-Hillard International Advisory Board member and CSR expert
Jennifer Kuhn, Corporate Relations Manager, The Allstate Foundation
Katherine F. Pickus, Divisional Vice President, Global Citizenship & Policy, Abbott

View:

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Joshua-Michéle Ross

In 2009, “social” seemed to become a ubiquitous prefix — from social computing, social media and social web, to social CRM and, finally, social business. This last term has been getting a lot of attention as organizations move beyond social media as solely a channel for marketing and tackle the bigger implications social technologies have on business.

Join leading thinkers Stowe Boyd, Peter Kim and Jeremiah Owyang for an online discussion with Fleishman-Hillard social media specialist Joshua-Michéle Ross on the concept of social business. We will answer these and other questions:

• What is the definition of social business?
• Who are the best exemplars?
• How does the concept of social business challenge larger institutions?

This will be a fast-paced, structured conversation that will leave plenty of time for audience questions.

Click here to attend the webinar.

Panel Members:

Joshua-Michéle Ross is Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy for Fleishman-Hillard San Francisco. He is focused on how technologies enable social transformation, innovation and opportunity within business. Ross has been a guest lecturer at Harvard University and a regular speaker at conferences related to technology and digital strategy. He is a regular columnist on Forbes.com, a blogger on O’Reilly Radar, and has appeared on NBC Nightly News and CBS Evening News as a commentator on the impact social technologies are having on business.

Stowe Boyd is known internationally as an authority on social tools and their impact on media, business, and society. He works as an analyst, advisor, futurist, and researcher. Stowe has spoken widely on the social revolution on the Web at venues such as Web 2.0. Enterprise 2.0, Next, mesh, Reboot, 140 Characters etc. He is currently developing a conference with Jeff Pulver, called Social Business Epicenter, planned for April 2010 in NYC.

Peter Kim is Managing Director, North America at Dachis Group. He is a leading thinker on social business, blogged at beingpeterkim.com and has been quoted in the press by outlets including CNN, CNBC, NPR, and The Wall Street Journal. Previously, Kim was an analyst at Forrester Research and managed global digital marketing at PUMA AG. He is a graduate of the University of Virginiaʼs Darden School and the University of Pennsylvania.

Jeremiah Owyang is an influential thought leader on Web strategy, interactive marketing and social technologies. He is experienced with emerging technologies that stem from the brand side, agency side and industry analyst perspective. An accomplished speaker, Owyang has spoken all over the U.S., as well as Asia and Europe, and keynoted at prominent industry conferences, including Internet Strategy Forum, Web 2.0 Expo, and SXSW.

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Emily Frager

Emily Collins

According to a 2009 National Retail Federation survey, nearly two-thirds of consumers say the economy will impact their holiday spending and 84 percent say they will spend less this holiday season.

Join us for a lively discussion on the latest holiday trends, hot holiday media topics, and other tips on maximizing  your retail communication. During this one-hour webinar, we’ll discuss insights into consumer shopping habits, retailer marketing efforts and get the inside scoop about what the media will be covering. Hosts Emily Frager and Emily Collins, Fleishman-Hillard Retail Practice Group Co-chairs, will be joined by special guest speakers from leading retail brands, national journalists and industry analysts.

Consumer Insights
– What is the overall mindset of consumers going into the holiday?
– What are the expectations of holiday spending?
– How is the economy going to impact holiday spending?

Retail Landscape
– Important trends and insights
– Marketing and advertising examples
– How are retailers “standing out”?
– Where are retailers scaling back?
– Critical success factors for Q4 and 2010

Media Insights
– News angles media will look for/short lead story topics
– Information the media is looking for from companies

Experience the webinar

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Andrew Barnett

Cheryl Haas

We invite you to hear more from our search experts Andy Barnett and Cheryl Haas. Join us for an interactive dialogue about search visibility, the “psychology of search” and how together they can protect your brand and reputation.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/420923489

Execution: Protecting Your Reputation

The world of search engine optimization has long been cloaked in equal parts art and science. But it doesn’t have to be befuddling. If you’re concerned about what Google says about your brand’s reputation, here are some keys to success:

• Do conduct research to understand what your customers are searching for and to gauge the relative volume of searches for each phrase
• Do integrate your search program with your communications team, providing them with content guidelines
• Do leverage partners, social media and other sites when developing a strategy to displace any negative listings
• Do develop a comprehensive linking strategy. Inbound links are critical to success of any SEO program.
• Don’t just post random content on free press release and social media sites.
• Don’t Astroturf. Be authentic and honest, avoid the pitfall of creating fake sites or profiles just for the sake of search.
• Don’t sue detractors. In most cases, this is a big mistake that only exacerbates the problem.

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These topics and more were explored during the first session of BMA Chicago’s Breakfast Roundtable Series on Social Media, hosted by Fleishman-Hillard.

Using real world examples, panelists Alex Kepnes, Fleishman-Hillard’s B2B Digital Practice Group Leader, and Allan Schoenberg, CME Group Director of Corporate Communications, discussed ways B2B companies are leveraging social media to drive business goals – from recruiting and retaining employees, to establishing and maintaining leadership to generating leads and increasing sales.

Roundtable Resources

• Download the PowerPoint presentation
• Watch the Socialnomics video
• Access the FH Digital Dictionary
• Learn more about our B2B Digital Solutions
• Listen to the presentation podcast (coming soon)

Additional Resources

• BMA Chicago
• Socialnomics Blog
• Mashable
• Groundswell Blog
• Social Media B2B
• Social Media Today
• B2B Online Marketing Pros

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With wireless handset penetration approaching 90% in the U.S., companies are looking for new and innovative ways to connect people to their devices. What will this technology look like and what will it mean for consumers and businesses in terms of devices, network capabilities and integration?

Companies tasked with the future of mobility are investigating ways to help drive innovation, integrate devices and provide consumers and businesses with the best technology and tools available so they can stay connected with others and access the content they want, when, where and how they want it.

Industry experts will discuss how innovation will become increasingly important as the wireless market hits full penetration and what type of benefits and challenges the industry faces as customers and business alike demand more content of higher quality and speed wherever they are and on any device.

Panel Discussion Participants:

• Glenn Lurie, President, Emerging Devices Organization, AT&T
• Tim Attinger, Global Head of Product Innovation and Development, Visa Inc.
• Alan Rambam, President and Chief Strategic Officer, MobileBehavior
• Arun Bhikshesvaran, Chief Technology Officer & Vice President of Strategy & Marketing, Ericsson
• Ali Diab, Vice President of Product Management, North America, AdMob
• Peter Hoddie, Co-Founder and CEO, Kinoma
• Jon Fortt, Senior Writer, Fortune – Moderator

Download a podcast of the presentation from iTunes

Download a podcast of the presentation from fleishman.com (you will be prompted to select a podcast player)

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While each organization faces different stakeholder needs and challenges in developing sustainable business practices and programs, there are principles and common understandings to help guide these ongoing efforts.  This was echoed by expert panelists who participated in Fleishman-Hillard Chicago’s “Green, Red and Black: Sustainable Business Practices in Tough Times and Beyond” on Thursday, June 25.

Panelists were Don Bartell, senior director of environmental initiatives for Motorola; Francesca DeBiase, corporate vice president of Worldwide Supply Chain Management for McDonald’s; Jamie Firth, senior vice president of communications for Exelon; and Aili Jokela, co-chair of Fleishman-Hillard’s Sustainability practice group. Jack Modzelewski, president of client relations for Fleishman-Hillard, served as moderator; and Nancy Costopolous, chief marketing officer of American Marketing Association (AMA), shared key research from AMA on sustainability initiatives.

Comments and experienced counsel included:

• Start with an audit so you understand your footprint and know what areas to address. Don’t assume you know where the issues are.
• Secure a seat at the table. Sustainability should be a key part of your business – and as involved in decision-making as finance or procurement.
• Engage your employees. Not only are they your ambassadors, but they will keep you honest about your efforts and be candid with you when they feel there is more that can be done.
• Entering into the public policy debate is important. Now is the time to position your company as a thought leader.
• Recognize the disconnect between what consumers are asking of companies and the personal decisions they make. Individual desire to see sustainability efforts implemented have not yet translated into an equal level of participation.
• Make corporate responsibility a part of your day-to-day business. Sustainability really happens when the gap between what you say and what you do is virtually non-existent.
• Measure your efforts – then measure them again. There is no endpoint to sustainability. It is an evolving journey and adapting your goals is essential for success.

A common thread among companies that are successful in this arena is that they see sustainability as an opportunity – not a cost.  They see it as a competitive advantage.  And perhaps, even as a must-have business practice at a time when consumers and their advocates seek more credible information about sustainability programs in the corporate world.

Aili Jokela concluded the panel discussion with a key takeaway for the audience.  “Be strategic and transparent in your sustainability communications,” Jokela said.  “If consumers, employees and stakeholders aren’t asking for it now – they will be asking soon.”

The Panel

Don Bartell
Senior director of environmental initiatives, Motorola
> Bio
> Motorola Environmental Fact Sheet

Francesca DeBiase
Vice president of worldwide supply chain management, McDonald’s
> Bio
> McDonald’s 2008 CSR Report

Jamie Firth
Senior vice president of corporate communications, Exelon
> Bio
> Exelon’s 2020 Sustainability Roadmap

Aili Jokela
Senior partner and chair of FH Sustainability, Fleishman-Hillard
> Bio
> Fleishman-Hillard’s Sustainability Capabilities Fact Sheet

Jack Modzelewski (moderator)
President, senior partner, client relations, Fleishman-Hillard
> Bio
> Fleishman-Hillard’s Sustainability Capabilities Fact Sheet

Our Commentator

Nancy Costopulos
Chief marketing officer, American Marketing Association
> Bio
> AMA-Fleishman-Hillard Research Study

Listen to the Event

Jack Modzelewski (Download/Play MP3)
Jack kicks off the sustainability panel discussion with an overview of sustainability during tough economic times.

Francesca DeBiase (Download/Play MP3)
Francesca addresses the importance of measuring your company’s environmental impact before setting sustainability goals and one of the tough issues McDonald’s is facing today.

Jamie Firth (Download/Play MP3)
Jaime comments on setting a realistic vision and goals for sustainability.

Don Bartell (Download/Play MP3)
Don discusses industry challenges, including educating consumers. He urges us to unplug our chargers when not in use.

Aili Jokela (Download/Play MP3)
Aili talks about the benefits of sustainable practices.

Nancy Costopulos (Download/Play MP3)
Nancy shares highlights from the AMA and FH study about marketers’ current perceptions on sustainability and the potential for adopting sustainable business practices.

Francesca DeBiase (Download/Play MP3)
Francesca discusses how to approach nongovernmental organizations and activists to work together on sustainability efforts.

Jamie Firth (Download/Play MP3)
Jaime provides insight on engaging the media on Exelon’s 2020 Sustainability Roadmap.

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