Cercone Brown Blog

You’d think as communications experts, we’d be right on top of it for our own site. But like the cobbler’s children with no shoes, we’ve been way too busy … until now. Today we launch a website that we feel gives you a good look into our work, philosophy, agency structure, etc. Some of the highlights are our campaigns for Quiksilver, GMAC Insurance, Nalgene, Royal Robbins, Sperry Top-Sider and Cognos. And with this new CBC blog, we can keep it fresh with lots of news, including our new New York office and staff expansions. In fact, one piece of news today is that Len has completed a new eBook “Simplinomics” available for download immediately. The intention of this eBook is to help simplify the often confusing macro-economic, environmental and social forces swirling around business and marketing professionals today, and to provide immediate, actionable insights on the communications landscape that will help business and marketing planning for 2009 and beyond. He’s been expanding on the concepts in this book at his blog www.eco-optimism.org, and plans to publish follow ups, eventually in a full-blown hardcopy. For now, take a look around and give us your thoughts. This site was created by our partner agency, Overdrive Interactive, the same folks that handle Harley Davidson, LoJack, John Hancock and many other great brands. They are without a doubt the smartest interactive guys around, and they’re a breeze to work with. In fact, we use them for many of our social media and online campaigns. As always, thanks for reading!

Experiential Media Relations Event Showcasing Top Outdoor Brands to Be Held Jan. 17 – 31, 2009, in Park City, Utah

BOSTON (December 3, 2008) – CerconeBrownCurtis (CBC) announced today that its third annual Winter House program will be held in the Penthouse of The Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah, from January 17 - 31, 2009, during the Sundance Film Festival and Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.  Although CBC’s fourth annual Winter House is still more than a month away, editors have been vying for a spot since September.

Hosted again in scenic Park City, Utah, the successful experiential marketing program has become a hot spot for editors looking for the latest in consumer and lifestyle products.  Designed to immerse editors in the culture of lifestyle brands, the Winter House program provides a uniquely true-to-life brand experience by allowing editors to test products in the environment for which they were intended.

From snowshoeing and skiing to wine tasting and fine dining, Winter House (and Summer House, its sister program on Nantucket) takes editors away from the office to an outdoor setting that provides an authentic environment to experience selected products and allows them to build a greater connection to the brands.

In the past, CBC, a full-service public relations and advertising agency based in Boston, has worked hard to build the Winter House program by recruiting editors from prestigious publications like Shape, Sports Illustrated, CNN and numerous others.  This year, however, word-of-mouth testimonials from former Winter House and Summer House guests made the recruitment process almost unnecessary; as early as September a waiting list of editors had already formed.

“The quality of editors we have secured and continue to work with are forming solid relationships with the brands represented in the Winter House,” said Noelle Guerin, program director.  “The program has provided a great opportunity to not only position product in a positive light but leave a lasting impression on editors that results in extensive media coverage. And, we are thrilled that they keep coming back for more year after year.”

While the Winter House is now closed to editors, it will remain open to companies looking to reserve a spot for their brand until January 10.  For more information or to secure a spot in the 2009 Winter House, contact Noelle Guerin at 617-248-0680, ext. 10, or via email at nguerin@cerconebrown.com.

About CerconeBrownCurtis?

CerconeBrownCurtis (CBC) is a full-service marketing agency that exists to make things happen and deliver results for its clients. Based in Boston with an office in New York, CBC provides brand consulting, public relations, online & social media, advertising, events & promotions, and social responsibility services to clients ranging from start-ups to billion dollar companies. Founded in 2001, the agency works with leading brands that include adidas, GMAC Insurance, Sperry Top-Sider, Nalgene, Hasbro, Quiksilver, Nantucket Nectars, Orvis, Cognos, K2 Sports, Royal Robbins, The Timberland Company and Vibram. For more information, visit www.cerconebrown.com.

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Boston PR Firm Expands, Announces Formation of Lifestyle, Social Media, Events, News Management and Social Responsibility Groups

BOSTON (Oct. 20, 2008) — CerconeBrownCurtis, a Boston-based public relations and marketing firm, will now call New York City home as well. The firm opened its new Seventh Avenue office to better reach the city’s lifestyle and business on behalf of its growing clients.

The expansion is coupled with the creation of its new approach to servicing its diverse PR client base, which ranges from Hasbro and Quiksilver to and GMAC Insurance and environmental technology innovators Sabertec.

“Our job is to turn the word ‘campaign’ from a noun to a verb, often deploying brand ideas in non-traditional channels,” said firm partner Len Cercone.  “In terms of PR, we blend traditional media relations with social media, blog relations, events, retail promotions and many other tactics.  This approach calls for cohesive, dedicated teams with specific skill that can work for all clients as needed.”

The new operational units are:

Social Media Task Force: Headed by former IBM Consulting executive Robin Pifer, this group takes campaigns digital, leveraging the grassroots groundswell of Facebook, blogs, YouTube, video sharing and all the other swirling elements of online communications.

Lifestyle Media: headed by Noelle Guerin, this team specializes in product publicity in high-level print and broadcast media. They also run our Winter and Summer House programs in Park City and Nantucket, respectively.

Brand Activation: Led by former Disney events pro Robin Whalen, these group get it done when the brand needs to break out in the real world.  At the moment, they’re running a Hasbro mobile tour and field marketing program, as well as an exciting inner-city grassroots program for Olivia’s Organics.

Corporate Social Responsibility: Just like it sounds, this group focuses on cause-related and green initiatives. The group is run by Caroline Budney, who holds a degree in environmental science. Capabilities include not only digital and traditional marketing, but also terrific depth in research and polling.

News Management: For business media and working newsrooms, CBC created this group headed by Anne Houseman. With two former journalists on staff, these pros know what it takes to make the news, from local broadcast to the business pages of the Wall Street Journal.

The company has also recently launched a blog designed to help businesses navigate the changing economic, environmental on social landscape, with practical how-to advice and insights.  For more information, visit www.eco-optimism.org.

About CerconeBrownCurtis

Founded in 2001, CerconeBrownCurtis provides a variety of services to companies from all walks of life. The company has worked with leading brands that include adidas, Hasbro Inc., GMAC Insurance, Nantucket Nectars, Orvis, Cognos, Sperry Top-Sider, K2, The Timberland Company, Vibram and ZOOTS. For more information, visit www.cerconebrown.com.

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BOSTON (Oct. 6, 2008) — CerconeBrownCurtis, a Boston-based advertising and public relations firm, today announced the addition of several members to its team. The new hires will provide essential support to the firms growing roster of clients, including GMAC Insurance, Hasbro, Inc., and Olivia’s Organics.

“In 2008, we’ve experienced more than 25-percent growth,” said CBC Partner Erika Brown. “Much of this comes from clients that want to add non-traditional communications and social media outreach to their marketing mix. It was imperative that we bring on people with the right skills to help.”

Recent new team members include:

• Libba Cox, assistant account executive: Growing up on an organic farm has prepared this Colby graduate well for work in CBC’s Consumer Social Responsibility group.  Libba will be working on Nalgene’s “Refill Not Landfill” campaign, as well as Sabertec’s auto emissions control technology.

• Melissa Kenyon, assistant account executive: Melissa joins as part of the Brand Activation Team, servicing Olivia’s Organics and new business development.

• Meghan Gargan, assistant account executive:  A recent graduate of Northeastern University’s School of Journalism, Meghan is a published reporter, with her work appearing in The Boston Globe, The News-Observer (Raleigh, NC), among others.

• Katie Stiffer, account executive: A former world-class ski racer, Katie brings to CBC an understanding of culture-driven marketing.  She supports campaigns for GMAC Insurance, including its annual GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test, as well as the grassroots driven Gardens of Goodness effort on behalf of Olivia’s Organics.

Boston PR firm becomes agency of record for organic produce company, Olivia’s Organics

BOSTON, MA. (Sept. 17, 2008)- After several successful collaborations, the dynamic duo of Olivia’s Organics and Cercone Brown & Co. is making their partnership official. The Boston-based public relations and advertising firm will become Olivia’s Organics’ agency of record, handling the company’s charitable outreach promotions and brand development.

“We have had great success with Cercone Brown & Co. over the years, from their promotional work on numerous Olivia’s Organics charity events to the introduction of our new Crunch Bunch line,” said Mark DeMichaelis, president, Olivia’s Organics. “We’re confident that our new partnership will only translate into more future successes.”

And Cercone Brown & Co. is not about to waste any time. This year, they will help Olivia’s Organics implement an ongoing charitable outreach project called Gardens of Goodness. The program will be launched in Roxbury, Massachusetts, where Olivia’s will work with local children to turn vacant inner-city greenhouses into flourishing, edible gardens.

About Cercone Brown & Co.
Located in Boston, Massachusetts, Cercone Brown & Co. (CBC) provides branding, advertising, public relations and promotions services to companies in a range of industries. Founded in 2001, the company has worked with leading brands that include adidas, GMAC Insurance, Hasbro, Nantucket Nectars, Orvis, Cognos, Sperry Top-Sider, K2, The Timberland Company, Vibram and ZOOTS. For more information, visit www.cerconebrown.com.

About State Garden, Inc. & Olivia’s Organicstm
Founded in 1938, State Garden is a vested member of the New England Produce Industry. Family owned and operated since its inception, State Garden has become one of the leading independent regional processors of celery hearts and tender leaf items. In 2006, the company enhanced its service offerings by expanding into the organic market with a new salad line known as OLIVIA’S ORGANICSTM. The mission of OLIVIA’S ORGANICSTM is three-fold: to encourage healthy eating by offering all-natural, organic salads; to aide the local community through the work of the OLIVIA’S ORGANICSTM CHARITABLE FOUNDATION; and to protect the environment by endorsing earth-friendly farming techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.oliviasorganics.org.

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Boston PR agency helps Hasbro Inc. roll out its newest brand, NITRO XRCTM

BOSTON, MA. (Sept. 17, 2008)- Hasbro Inc., (NYSE: HAS) the world’s second largest toy-maker, has hired Cercone Brown & Co. to launch its exciting and innovative new brand. The PR agency will provide non-traditional brand development and promotional outreach as Hasbro introduces NITRO XRCTM, its new line of nitro fueled extreme radio-controlled cars.

Starting in November, the first NITRO XRCTM(Extreme Radio Control) vehicles, the NITRO XRC RICOCHET and NITRO XRC REVOLUTION MT, will be sold exclusively in Phoenix-area WalmartTM stores and nationwide HobbyTown USATM locations.

Capable of achieving speeds up to three times faster than traditional battery-operated RC vehicles and equipped with nitro fuel-powered, internal combustion engines, NITRO XRCTM vehicles are expected to attract RC enthusiasts between ages 16 and 25, a demographic that represents a new opportunity for the company.

“Cercone Brown & Co. recognizes that when it comes to capturing the attention of the Gen Y demographic, the standard marketing techniques usually won’t fit the bill,” said Brian Goldner, COO of Hasbro.  “As a PR agency who has put a lot of time into understanding and implementing non-traditional media campaigns, Cercone Brown & Co. is excited to help Hasbro construct a promotional campaign that is as exciting and innovative as the product we’re launching.”

Currently underway is the NITRO XRCTM X Demon Tour, which will help Cercone Brown & Co. and Hasbro introduce the new line. Kicked off at this summer’s Warped Tour, this multi-level mobile campaign will help Hasbro establish the NITRO XRC as an exciting new part of the Phoenix action sports culture through interactive promotional events and social media outreach.

“With the launch of this product, we’re aiming to connect with Millenials-a demographic for whom trendiness holds more importance than any other age group,” said Goldner.
“Studies show, however, that this generation is more interested in what their friends find cool than what a traditional ad might tell them is. Thus, as a brand who is still new to the scene, NITRO XRC is leveraging already-established connections to the Gen-Y demographic by packaging our product in their unique culture trappings: action sports brands, alternative music, cool locations and identifiable figures.”

The X Demon Tour will feature interactive demos at more than 70 major events and locations throughout Phoenix. RC buffs can get a taste of the action at Arizona State University football games, the Arizona State Fair, and the ASA Action Sports Tour among other events, where Gen-Y run street teams will demonstrate the vehicles’ speed and stunt capabilities and allow spectators to try their hand.

NITRO XRC will also be partnering with Walmart to conduct storefront demos at Phoenix-area stores.

Additionally, Cercone Brown & Co. will help Hasbro reach Gen-Y’ers in the place that they are most likely to be found: social media sites.  Utilizing high-traffic sites like You Tube, Facebook, Digg.com and Flickr, the NITRO XRC website features shareable X Demon Tour dates and videos, as well as a blog lorded over by two on-the-scene street teamers.

“By raising awareness of NITRO XRC through the avenues that are most unique to this demographic-popular music, brands, social media sites, major local events-we are hoping to position our brand as a truly “can’t miss” visceral experience that leads from consumer trials to word-of-mouth brand infusion and, eventually, to sales,” said Leonard Cercone, partner, Cercone Brown & Co.

The X Demon Tour will run through the end of December.

About Cercone Brown & Co.

Located in Boston, Massachusetts, Cercone Brown & Co. (CBC) provides branding, public relations and promotions services to companies in a range of industries. Founded in 2001, the company has worked with leading brands that include adidas, GMAC Insurance, Hasbro, Nantucket Nectars, Orvis, Cognos, Sperry Top-Sider, K2, The Timberland Company, Vibram and ZOOTS. For more information, visit www.cerconebrown.com.

About Hasbro
Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) is a worldwide leader in children’s and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech.  Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.

Cercone Brown and Co. named agency of record for Austin, Texas’s Sabertec, an environmental technology company specializing in improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gases

BOSTON, MA. (Aug. 4, 2008)- Sabertec, an environmental technology company based in Austin, Texas, today names Cercone Brown & Co. as PR agency of record. The Boston-based PR firm will handle all media relations, digital communications, social media and event execution.

“Our companies are extremely likeminded In our belief that innovation will drive the environmental and economic change that will transform the United States and the world,,” said Bill O’Brien, CEO, Sabertec. “Their work on behalf of eco-driven-conscious brands like Nalgene and Olivia’s Organics gives us the confidence that this is a great fit for us.”

Sabertec is the maker of the Blade, a new technology that easily attaches to the tailpipe of a car, SUV, truck or hybrid to reduce vehicle air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while increasing fuel economy.

Cercone Brown & Co. recently helped Sabertec launch a promotional event for the Blade called “Drive the Change,” in which celebrities, musicians and environmental activists spoke out about air pollution in Los Angeles and their choice to use the Blade.

“For us, choosing a PR agency was more than hiring someone to increase awareness about our company, it’s finding a partner to evangelize the important change we represent,” said O’Brien.

The company’s co-founder echoed O’Brien’s words of the synergies between the organizations.  “We share a strong eco-optimism, despite the seismic changes rocking the USA and the world,” said Cercone Brown & Co. Partner Len Cercone.  “The vision and hard work of innovators entrepreneurial companies like Sabertec will be the fuel that ushers in a new era of vast, lasting economic, environmental and social reform.”

About Cercone Brown & Co.
Located in Boston, Massachusetts, Cercone Brown & Co. (CBC) provides branding, advertising, public relations and promotions services to companies in a range of industries. Founded in 2001, the company has worked with leading brands that include adidas, GMAC Insurance, Hasbro, Nantucket Nectars, Orvis, Cognos, Sperry Top-Sider, K2, The Timberland Company, Vibram and ZOOTS. For more information, visit www.cerconebrown.com.

About Sabertec
Sabertec is an environmental technology company based in Austin, TX, specializing in the development of affordable air pollution and global warming solutions for diesel and gasoline applications.  www.sabertec.org.

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CerconeBrownCurtis named agency of record for Austin, Texas’s Sabertec, an environmental technology company specializing in improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gases

BOSTON, MA. (July 24, 2008)— Sabertec, an environmental technology company based in Austin, Texas, today names CerconeBrownCurtis as PR agency of record. The Boston-based firm will handle all media relations, digital communications, social media and event execution.

“Our companies are extremely likeminded In our belief that innovation will drive the environmental and economic change that will transform the United States and the world,,” said Bill O’Brien, CEO, Sabertec. “Their work on behalf of eco-driven-conscious brands like Nalgene and Olivia’s Organics gives us the confidence that this is a great fit for us.”

Sabertec is the maker of the Blade, a new technology that easily attaches to the tailpipe of a car, SUV, truck or hybrid to reduce vehicle air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while increasing fuel economy. 

CerconeBrownCurtis recently helped Sabertec launch a promotional event for the Blade called “Drive the Change,” in which celebrities, musicians and environmental activists spoke out about air pollution in Los Angeles and their choice to use the Blade.

“For us, choosing a PR partner was more than hiring someone to increase awareness about our company, it’s finding a partner to evangelize the important change we represent,” said O’Brien.

The company’s co-founder echoed O’Brien’s words of the synergies between the organizations.  “We share a strong eco-optimism, despite the seismic changes rocking the USA and the world,” said CBC Partner Len Cercone.  “The vision and hard work of innovators entrepreneurial companies like Sabertec will be the fuel that ushers in a new era of vast, lasting economic, environmental and social reform.”

About CerconeBrownCurtis?

CerconeBrownCurtis (CBC) is a full-service marketing agency that exists to make things happen and deliver results for its clients. Based in Boston with an office in New York, CBC provides brand consulting, public relations, online & social media, advertising, events & promotions, and social responsibility services to clients ranging from start-ups to billion dollar companies. Founded in 2001, the agency works with leading brands that include adidas, GMAC Insurance, Sperry Top-Sider, Nalgene, Hasbro, Quiksilver, Nantucket Nectars, Orvis, Cognos, K2 Sports, Royal Robbins, The Timberland Company and Vibram. For more information, visit www.cerconebrown.com. 

About Sabertec

Sabertec is an environmental technology company based in Austin, TX, specializing in the development of affordable air pollution and global warming solutions for diesel and gasoline applications.  www.sabertec.org

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Former Timberland, SmartWool and GoLite Veteran Brings Valuable Field Marketing Experience to Boston Advertising and PR Firm

BOSTON (May 14, 2008) – Consumer products companies know that one of the most crucial links in the sales chain is the retail floor.  To help drive its PR and promotional campaigns at point of sale, CBC announces the addition of Colin True to its team.

True brings years of tech-rep and field marketing expertise that will help the firm increase the effectiveness of the programs, and its clients improve return on investment.

“All of our programs are developed with one thing in mind: to drive results,” said Len Cercone, partner, CBC.  “Having someone who has been in the retail trenches is incredible valuable to ensuring the effectiveness in the all-important ‘last mile’.”

True will also oversee the non-traditional, grassroots rollouts of brand, including blog relations, social media outreach, a full in-market mobile tour teams, brand ambassador programs and test drives and events. 

Prior to joining CBC, True held various sales and marketing posts at Boulder-based GoLite, The Timberland Company and SmartWool. True is an avid adventure racer, competitive mountain biker and trail runner.  He lives on Boston’s North Shore with his wife Carli and two-year old daughter, Lily.

About CerconeBrownCurtis?

Located in Boston, CerconeBrownCurtis provides branding, advertising, public relations and promotions services to companies in a range of industries. Founded in 2001, the company has worked with leading brands that include adidas, GMAC Insurance, Hasbro, Nantucket Nectars, Orvis, Cognos, Sperry Top-Sider, K2, The Timberland Company, and others. For more information, visit www.cerconebrown.com. 

Boston firm to handle public relations duties for first-ever Quiksilver Natural Selection: The Jackson Hole All-Mountain Invitational

BOSTON (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 — Quiksilver has chosen CerconeBrownCurtis to launch its first-ever “Quiksilver Natural Selection: Jackson Hole All-Mountain Invitational.” The event will take place from January 30 to February 5, 2008, and will showcase the top 17 snowboarders in the world on a stage unlike any other.

The Boston-based firm will handle all pubic relations duties for the event, including blog outreach and social media saturation.

Daring to be different from today’s winter sporting events that create artificial environments to ensure easy TV coverage, the Quiksilver Natural Selection separates itself by going back to the basics, focusing on simply the rider and the mountain. This event is not about the competition or the viewers at home, but instead about celebrating nature and those who are not afraid to challenge it.

“This is an effort by snowboarding’s leaders to liberate the sport from the spectacle of made-for-TV events and return to the soul and roots of natural riding,” said Joshua Katz, director of communications, Quiksilver. “It’s important to us to work with a group like CerconeBrownCurtis that truly understands the roots and spirit of the sports we represent, and then can translate that to a wider audience.”

The event is the brainchild of Quiksilver athlete and 2007 U.S. Open Champion Travis Rice, who envisioned a competition that removes the constructs of parks and pipes, and instead uses a natural terrain course to bring out the best in riders’ style and technique

“The Quiksilver Natural Selection has the opportunity to change the way the snowboarding community views competition and views itself,” said Len Cercone, partner, CerconeBrownCurtis. “This event is truly a progression that hopes to replace pre-determined course with the expressiveness and unpredictability of free riding. In the process, Quiksilver will reintroduce the power, challenge and sheer joy of the mountain to a generation of riders at risk for losing touch with the natural roots of riding.”

For more details on the event, visit: www.quiksilver.com/naturalselection.

About CerconeBrownCurtis
Located in Boston, Massachusetts, CerconeBrownCurtis(CBC) provides branding, advertising, public relations and promotions services to companies in a range of industries. Founded in 2001, the company has worked with leading brands that include adidas, GMAC Insurance, Nantucket Nectars, Orvis, Cognos, Sperry Top-Sider, K2, The Timberland Company, Vibram and ZOOTS. For more information, visit www.cerconebrown.com.

About Quiksilver, Inc.
Quiksilver, Inc. (NYSE:ZQK) is the world’s leading outdoor sports lifestyle company, which designs, produces and distributes a diversified mix of branded apparel, wintersports equipment, footwear, accessories and related products. The Company’s apparel and footwear brands represent a casual lifestyle for young-minded people that connect with its boardriding culture and heritage, while its wintersports brands symbolize a long standing commitment to technical expertise and competitive success on the mountains.

The reputation of Quiksilver Inc.’s brands is based on different outdoor sports. The Company’s Quiksilver, Roxy, DC and Hawk brands are synonymous with the heritage and culture of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding, and its beach and water oriented swimwear brands include Raisins, Radio Fiji and Leilani. The Rossignol, Dynastar, Lange, and Look brands are leaders in the alpine ski market, and the Company makes snowboarding equipment under its Rossignol, Dynastar, DC, Roxy, Lib Technologies, Gnu and Bent Metal labels.

The Company’s products are sold in over 90 countries in a wide range of distribution, including surf shops, ski shops, skateboard shops, snowboard shops, its proprietary Boardriders Club shops, other specialty stores and select department stores. Quiksilver’s corporate and Americas’ headquarters are in Huntington Beach, California, while its European headquarters are in St. Jean de Luz and St. Jean de Moirans, France, and its Asia/Pacific headquarters are in Torquay, Australia.

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