(W)right On Communications Nabs 2018 Silver Bulldog Award

AWard winning B2B product launch PR pic

SAN DIEGO; April 25, 2018–(W)right On Communications, Inc., an integrated strategic communications agency with offices in Solana Beach, Los Angeles and Vancouver, received a 2018 Silver Bulldog Award for Best B2B Product Launch. The award recognized (W)right On’s campaign to launch mobe3™, an iOS-based warehouse management software developed by EVS of Boulder, Colo.

The 2018 Bulldog Awards recognize outstanding PR and communications campaigns from the previous year. They are judged by a panel of working journalists and presented by Bulldog Reporter, a PR industry trade outlet. A record-breaking volume of entries were received this year.

The (W)right On Communications’ B2B practice team led by Chance Shay, Director of B2B and Infrastructure Development, created an integrated program for EVS designed to attract media and industry attention based on a fresh new supply chain software narrative that emphasized its iOS and artificial intelligence features. The campaign combined media and analyst research with visual storytelling supported by social media and paid strategies to drive awareness.

Within seven months of launching, the award-winning B2B product launch had secured a recurring monthly column for EVS on CIO.com, a 600% increase in website referral traffic, 1,120 social shares of the media coverage, briefings with two major WMS analysts, a Cloud Computing Security Excellence Award and being named to a Top Software Technology Providers list, among other results. It also produced a cover feature in an influential trade magazine on a state-of-the-art warehouse deployment for one of EVS’ major customers.

“I’m extremely proud of the diligence, creativity and passion of (W)right On’s B2B practice area team,” said Julie Wright, President, (W)right On Communications. “We have a great client partner in EVS who understands the need to be bold in its launch communications as well as an elegant and smart software solution. What more could we ask?”

“We appreciate the work of our PR team at (W)right On Communications and all of the recognition they’ve earned for our software product including this Bulldog Award,” said Scott Kameron, EVS COO.

About (W)right On Communications, Inc.

Founded in 1998 with client partners coast to coast, public relations and marketing communications agency (W)right On Communications provides award-winning public relations, community outreach, graphic design, social media, employee communications, video production, presentation and media training, and crisis communications services to a diverse client community in the B2B, energy, healthcare, hospitality, infrastructure development, nonprofit, professional services, technology and clean tech sectors. For more, see www.wrightoncomm.com.

About Bulldog Reporter

Bulldog Reporter has been providing news, best practices and insights to PR and communications professionals since 1980. Filled with insights on topics critical to PR pros and communicators, including media relations, crisis communications, influencer marketing and many other topics you won’t find anywhere else, the Bulldog Reporter email newsletter brings you compelling and relevant articles, plus timely updates about journalist moves and agency news so you can stay on top of your PR game. The Bulldog Awards, the only PR awards program judged exclusively by working journalists, are run by Bulldog Reporter and celebrate the best and brightest in corporate communications and public relations. Bulldog Reporter, and the Bulldog Awards, are a subsidiary of Agility PR Solutions, a provider of media database, monitoring and PR measurement solutions for PR and communications professionals.

 

(W)right On Launches “The Strategist”

The Strategist Newsletter

The first quarter of 2018 was a roller-coaster ride for communicators grappling with Facebook’s big changes and PR troubles. We’ve strapped in and are waiting to see where its twists and turns take us next. But, in the meantime, Facebook gave us a timely topic for the first issue of our new publication, The Strategist newsletter.

Get our newsletter to stay in the know

(W)right On Communications launched The Strategist newsletter as a service to clients and friends last week. It’s a bite-sized serving of what’s new, now and next in communications.

Each issue, we tackle a subject of big-time interest to brands and communicators. We share our own professional experiences, links to the best articles from our industry reading and relevant content from our own writings and presentations.

So, we invite you to subscribe to the The Strategist newsletter. You’ll also find the subscription pop-up window here on our website.

Read our inaugural issue

In case you missed it, we’ve provided a link to our first issue here.

In it, we shared a roundup of recommended reading on Facebook. These include:

WOC Strategist newsletter

Our team manages multiple Facebook pages for our clients. And it has been an interesting time. Our experience has shown that Facebook’s changes are beneficial to businesses and nonprofits who have cultivated dedicated local followings. When page managers engage their followers with “throwbacks,” heartfelt content and smart boosting and targeting, Facebook is an incredibly productive platform.

We would love to hear your feedback

Please drop us a line. Let us know what kind of content you’d like to see tackled in a future issue of The Strategist.  Send your requests to editor@wrightoncomm.com. We’d love to hear from you!

(W)right On Communications Best of 2017! #GSD

By Julie Wright —President
Twitter: @juliewright


I’m excited to see what 2018 holds for (W)right On Communications, but when I look back on 2017, I’m awed by all that our growing agency achieved! As we like to say here, we GSD–got “stuff” done! But more than that, we made stuff happen, and that’s how we measure success. Here’s a quick glimpse at the events that made a difference in 2017 from where I sit.

Epic Team Outing to Kick Off the Year

JANUARY: We started 2017 off on the right foot with a trip to Universal Studios to bring our hard-working team together for a fun outing. There was just one little challenge: the torrential rain. Talk about team building. Wearing our ponchos like super heroes, we braved the storm and had a blast. The day left us soaked with memories.

In January, we also celebrated Chance Shay’s promotion to Practice Area Director overseeing the agency’s dedicated B2B & Technology Public Relations practice and Land Development PR & Community Outreach practice. With eight years of strategic communications experience, Chance continues to make significant contributions to (W)right On Communications and 2017 was no exception.

Talking PR Measurement in Miami

FEBRUARY: PR measurement was something we continued to invest in throughout 2017. Attending the Ragan PR Measurement Conference in Miami Feb. 1-2 allowed me to hear from industry veterans, academics and PR leaders from MuckRack, Google, IBM and Spirit Airlines–to name just a few of the great speakers.

Ragan’s 2018 PR Measurement Conference is in San Diego Feb. 20 and 21. If you’re interested in staying on top of the latest in PR measurement trends, tech and best practices, it’s not too late to register here.

Launched “Thoughtful Thursdays”—WOC’s Internal Professional Development Series

MARCH: We launched our “Thoughtful Thursdays” in March. These were one-hour professional development workshops that brought our team together (in-person and via our web-conferencing tech) to learn the latest in PR measurement, media interviewing, social media advertising, integrated strategic campaigns, leading effective meetings and more. Sessions were led by Chance Shay, Kara DeMent and me. I really enjoyed these mornings and now look forward to our 2018 series.

Adding Media Integration Services

APRIL: We added media integration services to our agency public relations services. Unlike traditional publicity, media integration opportunities are paid, not earned, opportunities. They can feature your product or service as part of a national, regional or local news or lifestyle program and will often include a lead generation component. Media integration works extremely well for products that are experiential like a resort or destination, and our hospitality public relations practice and its client partners have made good use of media integration since the service launched.

Opening WOC’s Downtown L.A. Office

MAY: We took a space on the 35th floor of the Gas Tower in the Banker’s Hill area of downtown Los Angeles. Our convenient base in L.A. makes it easier for the team to meet with clients and media plus opens the door to new relationships. Personally, I love my Pacific Surfliner trips up and down the Southern California coast plus exploring all that downtown L.A. offers like the sights and flavors of Grand Central Market.

Taking the PR Measurement Conversation Global

JUNE: Grant and I traveled to Bangkok to attend the AMEC Global Summit on Measurement and annual awards dinner. The conference attracted communicators, media researchers and evaluation experts from across Europe and Southeast Asia. One of the highlights for me was meeting Professor Jim Macnamara in person. Somehow, I had the good fortune to sit next to him throughout the two-day conference. As the author of all the textbooks I studied on PR measurement, I was thrilled to meet him in person and hear about his latest projects firsthand.

A New WOC Strategist as Sweet as She is Swedish

JULY: Sandra Wellhausen joined our team this summer, and it felt like we’d found the missing bolt in an Ikea Billy bookcase box!

Nothing Eclipsed August

AUGUST: Pardon the pun, but a lot of effort went into seeing this major solar event. Being able to enjoy it with friends and family was the result of a great team supporting our (W)right On client partners and operations.

Peak Mindfulness

SEPTEMBER: It was a month of mindfulness for WOC with everyone at the agency focused on major client projects from a video for the City of San Diego’s energy efficiency programs to the grand opening of the University of Redlands’ new San Diego campus. Speaking of universities, our friends at the College of Business Administration at CSUSM had Grant and I in to speak to students during their “In the Executive’s Chair” class. But peak mindfulness (you’re expecting puns, now, I hope?) occurred as Shae Geary and I attended the Yosemite Wellness Retreat Weekend hosted by client partner Tenaya Lodge. We hiked Sentinel Dome stopping for yoga as we started off and once we summited. It was out of this world. Check out the link for their 2018 wellness weekend dates!

Are You Guys Dressing Up for Halloween? Of Course.

OCTOBER: It was another fun Halloween at (W)right On’s San Diego office.

Keeping the Creative Visual Communications Flowing

NOVEMBER: We were grateful that KeAsha Rogers joined our team bringing her graphic and digital design skills and passion to benefit our client partners. She had to hit the ground running as we were full-tilt in a sprint ourselves to launch a rebrand for one of our nonprofit client partners. (KeAsha, 16-hour days aren’t the norm—we swear!)

Making a Difference for a Major Nonprofit Client Partner

DECEMBER: December was the debut of Radiant Health Centers, a rebrand for AIDS Services Foundation Orange County which had been providing HIV testing, prevention and education services and comprehensive social services for 32 years. The nonprofit’s leadership saw the need to offer broader services to Orange County’s most vulnerable LGBT community members. Their launch event was a rousing success, and it was a proud moment for the entire (W)right On team. We have had the good fortune of helping many nonprofit clients over the years, but the courage and vision of Radiant Health Centers’ leadership and supporters have really touched and inspired us.

Not to be overlooked, we celebrated Kara DeMent’s promotion from Communications Coordinator to Communications Strategist in December.

What’s in Store for 2018?

We have so much planned for this year, but at (W)right On Communications, we like to take stock of our achievements and not gloss over the high points we hit in 2017.

2018 will mark a very significant milestone in the agency’s history. And to celebrate it, we’re working on exciting plans that will continue our growth, our ability to produce wins for our client partners and opportunities for our team members to grow and achieve. Stay tuned!

 

(W)right On Communications adds University of Redlands to its client roster

SOLANA BEACH, Calif.; April 26, 2017—(W)right On Communications, Inc. has partnered with the University of Redlands to share the stories of its remarkable alumni, students and personalized learning programs. The private, nonprofit liberal arts school based in the Inland Empire educates over 5,000 graduate and undergraduate students annually with one in 10 members of its freshmen class last fall drawn from San Diego. In addition to a scenic 160-acre campus in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, the University of Redlands operates seven regional campuses across Southern California offering degrees in business and management to working professionals. Its San Diego campus recently relocated to 2020 Camino Del Rio North in Mission Valley.

UoRSan Diego alumni making a difference include restaurateur and Chef Carl Schroeder (’91) of Market Restaurant + Bar in Del Mar; San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles magazine Publisher Mark McKinnon (‘91) and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego CEO Kathryn Kanjo (’86).

Ninety-five percent of all University of Redlands’ undergraduates receive financial aid. Its students also extend their learning beyond the classroom to complete more than 120,000 hours of community service annually, in the Inland Empire and abroad. Studying abroad is encouraged at University of Redlands, and the school has been ranked 11th nationally for its undergraduate study abroad participation rate estimated to be over 55 percent.

Business students can travel to Leeds and Dublin in the United Kingdom to perform a consulting engagement as part of a capstone class offered twice each year to qualified candidates. Through another program, they can also be paired with a successful local business leader as a mentor to support their studies and career goals.

UoR2

The main campus was founded in 1907 in Redlands. Its satellite campuses for working professionals are in Burbank, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Riverside, San Diego, South Coast Metro and Temecula. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate programs, as well as 20 graduate programs in business, communicative disorders, education, geographic information systems and music—blending liberal arts and professional programs, applied and theoretical study, traditional majors, and self-designed curricula. Its NCAA Division III athletic program contributes to the many extracurricular opportunities available, while its distinctive Johnston Center for Integrative Studies enables self-motivated undergraduates to negotiate their own interdisciplinary course of study with a faculty/peer committee. For more, see www.redlands.edu.

About (W)right On Communications, Inc.

Founded in 1998 with client partners coast to coast, public relations and marketing communications agency (W)right On Communications provides award-winning public relations, community outreach, graphic design, social media, employee communications, video production, presentation and media training, and crisis communications services. The agency supports a diverse community of client partners in the B2B, energy and clean tech, healthcare, hospitality, infrastructure development, nonprofit, professional services and technology sectors. It has offices in Los Angeles, Solana Beach and Vancouver, Canada. For more, see www.wrightoncomm.com.

What’s Next: Five Industry Trends for 2017

 

By Shae Geary- Senior Communications Strategist

Industry trends are always a great place to mine for story ideas, especially when working with travel and hospitality clients. Some trends, like Pokemon Go! getaways, are short lived. Others, such as eco-travel, tend to define a whole generation and can change the nature of the industry forever. As the year draws to a close, we can’t resist looking ahead and seeing what’s in store for 2017. While none of us claim to have a crystal ball, here are a few trends (W)right On is keeping an eye on for the new year.

People in social networking Free Vector

Smart Technology: Mobile technology will continue to play a significant role in making travel more convenient and streamlined. Smart companies are embracing the technology and enhancing the visitor experience by putting decision making in the palm of your hand. Expect activities such as checking in to your hotel, controlling the temperature of your room and booking activities all from your phone to become the new “normal.”

Digital Detox: While technology may be making travel more convenient, there’s also a backlash to the digital overload of daily life. The response? Innovative programs and services that allow travelers to get off the grid for a while. Wellness-focused offerings such as digital detox spa retreats, as well as activities like forest bathing, which encourage visitors to completely disconnect and revel in the natural world, will give travelers the peace and rejuvenation they seek.

Hipster Holidays: Thanks to the millennial generation, more travelers are choosing to explore lesser known cities and destinations. Along with the desire to go to unique places, this group also seeks authenticity and genuine, local experiences. While not a new trend for 2017, hyper-local activities and edgier, undiscovered venues will continue to appeal to this highly influential, independent traveler.

Glass pint tankards Free Vector

Beer-cations: Craft beer is having a moment. For the travel industry this has meant an increase in travelers who specifically seek out destinations with a strong craft beer vibe. Taprooms, beer events and other tasting experiences are the cornerstone of the beer-cation experience. However, look for the theme to show up in unexpected ways, too. On your next vacation, don’t be surprised if you are tempted by a beer-infused spa treatment or a “beer-tail” that features a unique blend of craft beer and traditional cocktail ingredients.

Solo Travel: At a recent media event, I was surprised when not one, but two female writers admitted that they enjoyed camping alone. It turns out that this may not be as surprising as it seems. According to Lonely Planet, a recent survey of 300 travelers indicated a majority of respondents planned to take a solo holiday in the coming year. Easy access to travel planning resources and the ability to stay connected while on the road are thought to be key influences in this current travel trend. Solo travelers like that they can set their own itinerary and feel that the experience enables them to more easily meet new people and immerse themselves in the local culture and surroundings.

What travel trends have you noticed that seem to be gaining in popularity? Drop us a note and let us know!