DVL Insights

Putting Together a Press Kit

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 07:27:09 PDT

When creating publicity materials for the “Back Jack” campaign that seeks to turn Jack Daniel’s birthday into a national holiday, public-relations firm DVL, which is based in Nashville, included archival photos of the liquor’s namesake and high-quality downloadable videos talking about his...

Get the Most Bang for your RFP Buck

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:12:14 PST

Within your RFP, the best option is to define a budget and then ask agencies to pitch their best recommendations to you within the confines of that budget—even a preliminary one. Doing this puts all of the competitors on even footing—no one runs the risk of over- or under-bidding. This also...

Managing a Client Tragedy

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:22:34 PDT

More than likely, these public figures had public relations counsel. And, if so, there most likely was some sort of crisis media plan in place to respond to any unforeseen event. Most professionally prepared crisis plans include general guidelines for what to say, what not to say and how to get the...

Answering questions vs. responding to issues

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:27:59 PDT

There are two distinct and sometimes conflicting objectives in play: the reporter’s job is to “get the story;” the spokesperson’s job is to “get my organization’s message out.” So how should this dynamic work in an interview situation? You can best serve your organization’s interests as...

Your Brand Has a Celebrity Friend—Now What?

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:24:53 PDT

The second rule is just as important as the first: if your brand does have a celebrity fan, acknowledge them with no obligation to do anything other than what they have chosen to do themselves. Just open a dialogue and tell them “thank you.” If you ask for more, they’ll either expect money or feel...

No facts? Respond Accordingly.

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:57:26 PDT

Mr. Obama said words to the effect of “I really don’t have all the facts of the matter,” and then proceeded to say that the police involved acted “stupidly.” As it turns out, the officer involved is widely respected as a “good cop,” and is even an instructor to other officers on avoiding...

Social Media: Why Not?

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:15:14 PDT

Before long, Crocs started showing up in places where they didn’t necessarily belong, quickly supplanting tennis shoes and sandals in casual situations. During winter months, summer Crocs went on the shelf and you could pick up a fleece-lined pair for frolicking in the snow and slush. So why do...

Preps for Pitching National Media

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:48:05 PDT

The media strategist should ask the client several questions: Is there true news involved, like a new product or event? Does it warrant national media attention? How is this going to affect the public, and why should they care? Once a few questions are answered, a strategic national media plan can...

Job Search 101

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:25:21 PST

Because I oversee DVL's intern program, I receive many inquires per week about openings. More often than not, the e-mail contains numerous misspellings and/or the e-mail/cover letter was directed to another agency. Be certain you send the correct, proofread materials to the correct person. Once...

Practicing Proper Etiquette with your PDA

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:26:09 PST

During meetings, while having a face-to-face conversation and even during meals, no place seems safe or sacred when a PDA and its various dings and buzzes are involved. Just as there is proper etiquette for writing letters and answering phones, there are also some general rules of thumb to follow...

Government Relations: Can’t Live With It, But Can’t Live Without it Either

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:00:55 PDT

The problem is, government is such a pervasive force now, I am not sure that it is practical to think its influence is going to fade anytime soon. So, if you’re a business owner what do you do? I say get involved and remember there is strength in numbers. If there is a local, state or national...

How do you deal with crisis situations?

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:37:00 PDT

Something really, really bad has happened. What do we do? It’s a question often posed to us at DVL, and it almost always throws us back to our journalism days— those days of getting it right and getting it done fast. Our experience is that the first information received from the scene of a...

Technology and PR

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:02:00 PST

Advances in technology have forced us to focus public relations efforts. It has allowed us to identify specific audiences and customize our messages. At DVL, we take time to find out where audiences are getting and giving information and then help our clients join the conversation. With social...