On Display

JANUARY 25, 2012
Rueckert Advertising recently assisted Albany Law School, the oldest law school in New York and the oldest independent law school in the nation, with a large permanent display marking the 100th anniversary of Justice Robert Jackson's graduation. Jackson '12 served as U.S. Supreme Court Justice from 1941 and was the chief prosecutor for the U.S. in the Nuremberg Trials, which tried the Nazi Party leaders after World War II. The new exhibit hangs proudly in the campus' 1928 building.

 

Hospitals Give New Life To Ad Budgets

DECEMBER 21, 2011
Dean Rueckert, president of Rueckert Advertising and Public Relations, recently provided comment for a 12/22 article in The Business Review regarding the increase in advertising spending by area hospitals seeking to gain market share and margins in a time of shrinking reimbursement, declining admissions and health care consumerism. Read the piece here.
 

The Answer Is Blowing in the Wind.

DECEMBER 14, 2011
Imagine an America where at least half of our electricity comes from renewable sources such as wind, solar, wave, and geothermal. It may sound impossible, but it's not. Other countries, especially in Europe, are already on track to get there. Germany has set a goal of 45 percent renewable energy by 2030 and Denmark is hoping to be completely fossil-fuel free by then.

In New York, wind energy remains an important component of the state's clean, renewable energy initiative and is helping to meet the Renewable Portfolio Standard of 25% of energy produced from renewable sources by the year 2013. As of this fall, 16 wind energy projects are operating with a rated capacity of about 1,339.2 MW in Steuben, Erie, Clinton, Franklin, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, and Wyoming counties, producing enough electricity to power 480,000 homes, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 1,500,000 tons. According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, New York's wind resource has the potential to triple in size to more than 5,000 megawatts (MW) of clean energy.

Although New York is fortunate to have many high quality wind resources, insufficient transmission is preventing lower-cost power generated in predominantly rural locations from reaching high-demand markets such as New York City and Long Island. Consequently, the fastest growing sector of New York's wind power business is now community-scale wind. These projects, which range in size from one to more than a dozen turbines, can help offset electric purchases at schools, municipalities or electric cooperatives. Community-scale wind is becoming increasingly attractive because it doesn't require new high-voltage power lines. Instead, such projects connect to the existing systems that serve the surrounding community, producing energy that is home-grown and home-consumed. Community-scale wind projects also provide substantial benefits to host communities. For instance, a 20MW wind project would provide more than $160,000 in additional revenues to the town, city and schools. Such a project would also employ approximately 100 people and purchase up to $10 million in materials and labor from the region during construction.

Rueckert Advertising recently started working with Seattle-based Ridgeline Energy to raise awareness of community-scale wind projects in New York, as well as encourage the state to continue supporting the wind industry. Our PR duties include coordinating radio and TV public affairs interviews, lining up public presentations, pitching opinion pieces in regional newspapers and crafting press releases for the company, which is developing community-scale projects in nearby Herkimer, as well as Delaware, Otsego and Steuben counties.

Below, Patrick Doyle (center), vice president and chief of development at Ridgeline Energy and Tim Ahrens (left), project manager, discuss community-scale wind with Joe Condon, host of ION Network's The Subject Matters. The show airs in Albany, Syracuse and Buffalo.  Click here to watch the segment: http://youtu.be/z6HSuyRzN3Q

 
 

"Best in Show" Honors at 2011 PRSA Empire Awards.

OCTOBER 28, 2011
The past week has been quite a buzz for those of us involved in marketing and promoting the annual Freihofer's Run for Women road race (www.freihofersrun.com).

Last Friday, PR Week, the nation's premier publication for the public relations profession, highlighted our 2011 social media strategy, which helped organizers draw 4,816 participants, the largest field ever, to this year's all-women's 5K road race in downtown Albany.  (If you haven't read the write-up you can do so below.)

Then, at last night's Public Relations Society of America (Capital Region Chapter) Empire Awards, an annual contest honoring outstanding achievement in the practice and support of public relations in the Capital Region, Rueckert Advertising and partner blue.0 won in the Online Media division, one of the most hotly contested categories. We also earned the evening's highest distinction, "Best in Show."

"The PRWeek write-up and last night's honors validate all of the hard work that we put into this event," said Event Director George Regan. "They also speak volumes about the professionalism of the PR/marketing team we have in place.

"The sport of running is experiencing tremendous growth at present and has become a social phenomenon," he continued. "At the same time, the way people are communicating is changing by the day and social media is playing an increasingly important role. Rueckert Advertising and blue.0 understand how to effectively apply these new modes of communication within our marketing mix. As a result, the Freihofer's Run for Women continues to go from strength to strength."

Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA, Associate Professor of Communication, Curry College (Milton, Mass.) and National PRSA Board Director emceed the event, which was held at The Crossings of Colonie and attended by more than 100 practitioners and their families and freinds. In addition to bestowing awards in 11 categories, the chapter recognized two local individuals for special awards: Outstanding Practitioner and Outstanding Communicator.

You can see all of the Empire Award here.

 

WINNING TEAM — Rueckert Advertising & Public Relations, Inc. and partner blue.0 won in the Online Media division, one of the most hotly contested categories, at last night's fourth annual Empire Awards, sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America (Capital Region Chapter). The team also earned the evening's highest distinction, "Best in Show." Pictured with the coveted bronzes flames are (L to R): George Regan, event director, Freihofer's Run for Women; Patrick Lynskey, operations manager, Freihofer's Run for Women; and, Edward Parham, director of public relations, Rueckert Advertising & Public Relations, Inc.

PRWeek Highlights Rueckert Advertising, blue.0's Run For Women Social Media Strategy

OCTOBER 27, 2011
Loudonville, NY (October 31, 2011) — PRWeek, the nation's leading publication for the public relations industry, recently highlighted Rueckert Advertising & Public Relations, Inc. and partner blue.0's integrated social media strategy on behalf of the 2011 Freihofer's Run for Women (www.freihofersrun.com).

The six-month campaign resulted in the all-women road race drawing 4,816 runners, up 23% from 2010. The turnout represented the largest field in the 33-year history of the event.

The case study, which ran on Friday, Oct. 21st, can be viewed here.

Rueckert Advertising and blue.0's strategy used an array of social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube videos, strategic giveaways, the event's blog, as well as traditional media relations. Another key component was the introduction of the Freihofer's Training Challenge, a 10-week program that taught new runners how to complete three miles gradually utilizing the popular Couch to 5K Training Plan. The Training Challenge featured three personalities from local media sponsors who led teams, recruited runners and shared their experiences on the Freihofer's blog.

This is the second time Rueckert Advertising work on behalf of the Run for Women has been recognized by PRWeek. In 2003 the publication focused on the agency's media relations efforts.

PRWeek Shines National Spotlight on Run for Women Social Media Strategy.

OCTOBER 21, 2011
Rueckert Advertising & Public Relations and partner blue.0 were featured in the 10/21/11 edition of PRWeek, the nation’s leading trade journal covering the public relations industry. The story profiled our multi-faceted social media campaign that helped boost race participation by 23% over 2010:

Freihofer’s Run for Women Connects Women Runners Through Social Media
Tanya Lewis, October 21 2011
Client: USATF Adirondack Association (Troy, NY) 
Agencies: Rueckert Advertising & Public Relations (Albany, NY) and blue.0 Public Relations (Ballston Spa, NY) 
Campaign: 33rd Annual Freihofer's Run for Women Social Media Campaign 
Duration: January-July 2011 
Budget: $21,000

The Charles Freihofer Baking Co. has been the title sponsor of the all-female road race in Albany, NY, since 1979. AOR Rueckert Advertising & Public Relations and blue.0, which works on an ongoing project basis, developed an integrated social media plan to drive participation in the 5K Freihofer's Run for Women on June 4.

“Numbers in the 5K have been relatively flat,” explains event director George Regan. “[We needed to add] a viable social media campaign to our traditional PR.”

Strategy
Though blue.0 founder Chris Bowcutt says social media platforms had been in place for a couple of years, efforts were integrated across Facebook, Twitter, freihofersrun.com, and media relations.

“We wanted to create a social media strategy that gives regional runners opportunity to connect with one another and to forge a better connection with the race,” notes Edward Parham, director of PR at Rueckert.

Tactics
Fifteen thousand email addresses of past participants and registrants were tapped for the first time. In January, the team announced via email and Facebook that everyone who registered on freihofersrun.com by certain dates qualified to win iPods. An iPad was awarded when registration hit 4,500. Emails were sent for six contests between January 24 and May 30. Winners were announced on Facebook.

Race news and updates were posted on Facebook and Twitter, and the team tweeted live from the race.

Three personalities from local media sponsors led teams and recruited runners for an inaugural 10-week “Training Challenge.” A trainer, nutritionist, and injury prevention specialist met weekly with teams. A recruitment video was posted on Facebook, the website and the event blog.

Additional videos included a course overview, tips from previous winners, race footage, and interviews with recreational runners. 

Professional runners, amateurs, and media personalities wrote content for the blog.

Local and regional outlets and running trades were targeted.

Results 
Race participation hit 4,816, up 23% from 2010.

Regan is “ecstatic,” noting he felt lucky to get a 1% increase in previous years.

About 700 stories ran in outlets such as RunnersWorld.com, NBC Sports, and YES Network. Parham reports earned media value increased 48% over 2010 to nearly $7.9 million (374% ROI).

From January to July, 1,033 new Facebook likes were garnered and YouTube videos got 4,004 views (up from 1,168 for the same period in 2010).

Website visits increased from 35,015 for all of 2010 to 60,500 from January to early October 2011.

Future
Regan wants 5,000 finishers next year. The team is discussing expanding the training challenge and promoting a new 3K for children.

Additional video includes a course overview. 

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New Marriage Equality Act Raises Important Tax Concerns

SEPTEMBER 16, 2011
It has been almost two months since New York became the sixth state in the nation to allow same-sex couples to head to the altar to take their wedding vows. 

The trailblazing Marriage Equality Act, which took effect on July 24, 2011, grants same sex couples the same legal rights as heterosexual couples and applies to all legally performed marriages regardless of where the ceremony took place.

With the passage of the bill, which applies to all taxes administered by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, are a host of tax-related considerations ranging from personal income tax to estate planning that need to be addressed in 2011 and 2012 by those couples entering into marriage.

Recently, as part of our ongoing public relations activities with Latham-based Marvin and Company, Rueckert Advertising has been seeking out opportunities for Marvin Managing Director Kevin McCoy to shed light on key changes brought about by this new measure. Here he chats with Mark Grimm, host of the Siena Alumni Connection, on WVCR-FM 88.3.