Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Jenna
Lenskold

Some “Pinterest”ing Changes!

Monday, March 25th, 2013

As social media continues to grow, marketing and communications professionals struggle to keep up with how these various platforms can benefit them. Pinterest has recently made some changes to their website that aim to make it a more useful business tool. The most significant change is that Pinterest now includes web analytics for those who have a verified business account. This addition should “help website owners understand what’s working for them and what’s not so that they can create even better pins in the future,” says Tao Tao, a software engineer for Pinterest. (more…)

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John
Seng

CTV Interviews John Seng About Armstrong Controversy

Wednesday, January 16th, 2013

Following my op-ed in Saturday’s Washington Post, CTV News contacted me to participate in a live interview this morning about the Lance Armstrong controversy. Click the image below to view the segment.

Click the image to view segment.

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Anthony
LaFauce

Growing Up Digital

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012

When I started out in public relations, I wasn’t the digital guy. In fact, I took a much more traditional route. In a way, I grew up digital. I started working with some tech clients who wanted the next big thing in digital outreach — email blasts, websites and getting clients on Digg (remember when that was important?). Then, I made the move to a social media company.

My digital skills grew alongside the developing technology. It was great to see a new medium unfold and to see talented people work to make connections online like never before. I was working in a space where we connected with journalists and companies via Twitter and Skype — not press releases and phone calls.

Lately I’ve noticed a shift. Entry level associates are expected to know digital, while many older executives tend to be well-versed in more traditional PR. There’s a gap in middle management. At universities, it’s normal for students to pick a track — traditional or digital — and become an expert in one or the other. The two aspects of media relations are no longer merged.

At Spectrum, we take a different approach. It’s true we have our traditional people and we have our digital team, but everyone is expected to know a little of both. My digital skills would fall flat without a base understanding of marketing and public relations. Those on the traditional side need to be familiar with digital strategies as well.

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Megan
Lustig

Stem Cells Break Through in 2010

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Last week, The Chart on CNN.com took a look at the most important health stories of 2010. From first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Campaign to Food Safety, The Chart featured the latest, but not necessarily the greatest, health highs and lows of the year. Dr. John McDonald, director of Kennedy Krieger Institute’s International Center for Spinal Cord Injury (a Spectrum client), authored a guest post on what many have believed to be “an impossible feat”. We can change the world with human embryonic stem cells describes why the first human embryonic stem cell trial in the world is an incredible scientific milestone, and represents true progress for patients with spinal cord injuries. While stem cells have been surrounded by controversy, Dr. McDonald’s post underscores the fact that we could be witnessing a turning point not only in science, but in the human lives that this therapy could change forever. If that’s not a health story of the year, I don’t know what is.

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Megan
Lustig

Inspiration for Rutgers’ Eric LeGrand: Because Impossible is only a Word, Not a Reality

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

nothingis1As the wife of a current collegiate football coach who played in college, I know that there are few words to express the emotions surrounding Rutgers’ defensive tackle Eric LeGrand’s horrific injury this weekend. My heart goes out to Eric’s family and the Rutgers community – I sat through so many games when if my husband (boyfriend at the time) even slightly hesitated after a hit, I panicked, and yet the worst he suffered was a broken leg. In Kieran Darcy’s ESPN article about the incident, he quotes Rutgers’ head coach Greg Schiano:

“Eric, his family and the Rutgers football family believe he will recover,” said Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. “We ask our fans and the entire Rutgers community to believe and pray for Eric as he begins the recovery process.”

For many football fans, this may bring back memories of the injuries sustained by Penn State cornerback Adam Taliaferro, or Buffalo Bills player Kevin Everett. Adam and Kevin, however, are back on their feet.

People may have varying opinions on the attributes of a successful athlete, but it is hard to deny that discipline, dedication, and a tremendous work ethic are at the core of what it takes to succeed. So when athletes face the life-altering challenge of paralysis, they depend on these attributes when faced with a completely new, unexpected training regimen. Because of Eric’s accident, I would like to offer the story of Matt Courson as a source of inspiration for Eric, the Rutgers community, and anyone else affected by paralysis. According to Matt, impossible is only a word, not a reality.

Matt Courson’s story is one of an inspirational and motivated All-State selection, 8AAA Pitcher of the Year, and collegiate pitcher who has faced the same life-altering challenge as Eric – paralysis. Yet Matt’s story is about more than his dedication and remarkable recovery. His outlook on life burns so bright that everyone he meets is taken with him, and he says that when he speaks and people tell him that they were helped by his story, “it is better than any strike-out, bigger than any baseball game you can play.” And what is phenomenal, is that when Matt graduates from college this Spring, he will get out of his wheelchair, and walk across the stage.

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Spectrum

Therapy Dogs Bring Joy to Children with Special Needs

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

GILDA RADNER ONCE SAID, “I THINK DOGS ARE THE MOST AMAZING CREATURES; THEY GIVE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. FOR ME, THEY ARE THE ROLE MODEL FOR BEING ALIVE.” THIS STATEMENT RINGS TRUE IN THE CASE OF BALTIMORE RESIDENT STEPHANIE COOPER-GREENBERG, WHO KNEW THAT HER FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS WOULD MATURE TO BE MORE THAN TYPICAL HOUSEHOLD PETS.

Two years ago Stephanie decided that her two Dalmatians were not going to lie around on the sofa all day. Therapy Dogs Bring Joy to Children with Special NeedsWhile most dogs provide unconditional love to their owners, Stephanie wanted her dogs to be different — she realized that the love her dogs provide could make a difference in the lives of so many others, especially children with special needs. (more…)