The Vandiver Group’s Best PR Moments of 2017: Part One By TVG Staff Since we’ve entered 2018, we thought it would be fun to list out our favorite PR moments of 2017. Some of these moments are bona fide PR crises, some of them are marketing campaigns, and some are social movements. Some had a Read More
What in the World are We Gonna Do with 280 Characters?
Are 280 Characters Too Many? By Heather Murdick and Andrew Woodcock If someone asked me what I think about when someone mentions Twitter, I know what I’d say: Trump tweets, controversy over fake accounts, and 140 characters. Well, as many of you already know, one of those things has changed in the last week. On Read More
Bridging the Gap: Understanding Cultural Differences
The Importance of Understanding Cultural Differences By Andrew Woodcock, TVG Account Executive There’s a phrase in Russian that closely corresponds to one in English: “mir tyesen.” Word for word, this phrase means “the world is tight,” but the base meaning is closer to our phrase “it’s a small world.” Modern communication technology is bringing the Read More
How to Write a Press Release
Crafting a Press Release: Six Steps to Keep in Mind By Andrew Woodcock, TVG Account Executive The backbone to being a good PR pro is being a good writer. I’ve heard it countless times: if you don’t know how to write, you won’t be hired by a PR firm. And it makes sense: writing is Read More
Viewing Tips for the Total Solar Eclipse
Viewing Tips for the Total Solar Eclipse By Andy Likes, TVG Senior Vice President Short of living under a rock, everyone should know about this Monday’s eclipse. The St. Louis region will have a front row seat for the event, if the meteorologists are right. Here’s hoping for a mostly cloud-free view of the totality, Read More
Millennials in the Digital Space
“How Do I Reach These Kids?”: Millennials in the Digital Space By Nathan Shryock, TVG Manager of Digital Strategy The Millennial generation has adopted a very unique habit of forming digital communities. These communities are made up of online social groups of people that share a common interest and are often tied to a person’s identity. Read More
Best Practices for New Interns (Besides Keeping the Coffee Pot Full)
Six Best Practices for New Interns By Andrew Woodcock, TVG Account Executive Congratulations! You just landed an internship at the PR agency of your dreams! What’s next? Besides scheduling a trip to the store for new clothes, office supplies and cubicle decorations, you’re going to want to prepare for the culture and environment of working Read More
Messaging: A New Era of Business Communications, Part 2
Best Practices for Businesses Using Facebook Messenger By Nate Shryock, TVG Manager of Digital Strategy In Part 1 of this blog series, we outlined how messaging apps can be useful business tools. Today, we’ll explore some best practices for businesses who want to use Facebook Messenger to communicate with their customers. Respond promptly Facebook publicly displays Read More
Messaging Applications: A New Era of Business Communications (Part 1)
Messaging Applications: A New Era of Business Communications (Part 1) By Nate Shryock, TVG Manager of Digital Strategy We’ve all had experiences with people who spend too much time on their phone. Family dinners, dates, Friday night outings… it is no secret that people are often preoccupied with their digital lives. As individuals, this is Read More
Think Typos Don’t Matter? Think Again.
Think Typos Don’t Matter? Think Again. By Laura Vandiver, TVG Vice President of Research and Strategic Insight I overheard a conversation the other day while working out at the gym. A woman I had seen there before—let’s call her Cindy—was telling someone about how she works in PR. Cindy was annoyed that her client called Read More
The Plague of Viral Marketing
The Red Swimsuit Phenomena: The Plague of Viral Marketing By Madeleine Smith On Wednesday, May 4, Sunny Co Clothing posted a picture on Instagram of a red swimsuit. If you posted the picture of the swimsuit on your Instagram within 24 hours, you were promised the same suit delivered free to your doorstep! While shipping and Read More
The Reality of Crisis Communications
The Reality of Crisis Communications By Andy Likes, TVG Senior Vice President In light of the recent events in the media, we wanted to share this piece written last year by our crisis communications and reputation management pro, Andy Likes. Not “If,” but “When” Throughout my 20+ years in broadcast journalism and public relations, I’ve Read More