News & Opinion

By Roxanne Leone, Director, Marketing & Communications  A study published by The Manifest documented that 62% percent of organizations with 5,000+ employees produce daily content. That percentage drops drastically to 39% for small businesses with employees under 500. So, how do small teams keep up with competition and maximize the lifespan of existing content?    I’m a team member at a boutique public relations agency based in Los Angeles specializing in content creation, and we help service our clients around the globe. I’m proud to tout that we’re part of the 78% of effective content marketers that use press release services in our content marketing strategy, but we don’t stop there.    Many of our clients struggle with content management and thought leadership. They either have too much or too little information to work with. Regardless of the number of assets, they don’t know how to best utilize them – so they enlist a PR or content marketing agency to help in repurposing the content to penetrate new markets.    Repurposing Worthwhile Content    To kickoff many client engagements, we start by doing an audit of content to see what’s worth leveraging. As a collaborative effort with our clients, well review content based on quality, past audience engagement and timeliness of topic. Our clients have achieved success with converting blog articles into bylines, slide decks into webinars and videos, and sharing statistics from trend reports, original research or customer polls into shareable social media posts.    For example, we’ve helped leverage case studies for a UK-based client by giving them new life when tailored for a U.S. audience. Based on prior media placements across the UK, my team already knew the content was solid, and we helped gain more exposure for their products and services.    We also make it common practice to review our clients’ sales and marketing materials which provides insight into how they are addressing customer pain points. For example, with one client, we effectively revamped a popular sales presentation for their application into a video for use on the company’s website. They had a clear mission to transform how the world accesses mobile video to ensure audiences can view all kinds of video content seamlessly when and where they want it. This video helped get that message across in a simple, easy to understand fashion.    Getting It Right from the Get-Go    One of the hurdles I’ve seen PR professionals and marketers face is lack of time. The clock is always ticking. Deadlines are always creeping up. However, if you’re a firm believer in doing things right from the get-go, it’s bound to save both time and moolah in the long term.    To develop informational, educational or inspirational content, you must return to the basics and put in the necessary time during preparation. For those seeking to do just that, here are some recommended guidelines:  Define your objectives  Understand your audience  Review analytics  Build your content calendar  Draft your outline (including SEO keywords)  Write and re-write  Promote and distribute    Repurposing content is great for both your bottom line and your content’s visibility. It’s a proven path you can take to maximize the lifespan of your content plus reap the benefits on investments you’ve already made. Charge ahead, you got this! 

By Roxanne Leone, Director, Marketing & Communications  Per CBS News article, The 10 most and least stressful jobs in America, a Public Relations executive earning a 6-figure salary ranked as the 8th most stressful job. That’s just a few spots above firefighter and police officer. Thinking more broadly, the American Institute of Stress documented that 80% of American workers feel stress on the job with almost half saying they need to learn how to manage stress.  I’m confident that just about every employee regardless of profession can relate to stress at work. However, if you’re part of an organization that favors intrapreneurship and innovation – you’re in an excellent position to combat stress physically and emotionally.  Encourage Open Dialogue  As agency PR professionals we are in the business of relationships. We are taught to dive into our work with clients as if we were part of their in-house communications team. To do that we must feel ‘safe’ with the individuals with whom we engage. Psychological safety, in a work setting is a belief that team members can share ideas, questions, apprehensions or slip-ups without punishment or humiliation from those around them.  For PR execs to successfully manage stress within our teams, we must collaborate, brainstorm and plan campaigns openly and honestly without judgement in order to develop strategies that are going to move the needle. We cannot allow stress to prohibit us from meeting our clients’ goals and expectations. In our office, we’ve embraced psychological safety and I didn’t even know it had a name!  Improve Personal Wellness  People are accustomed to managing challenge or conflict at work differently. Some rely on daily exercise, others eat healthy, and a handful practice meditation and happiness skills - yes that’s a thing.  With the introduction of Headspace, Calm, Ten Percent Happier and countless other apps over the last decade, we’ve seen meditation go mainstream. By exploring these apps, people have become more knowledgeable about meditation and understand it is less about changing the mind, and more about changing our perspective. Which is a necessary skill if you’re in the PR biz.  Other organizations such as Happier, Inc. are on a mission to help people thrive in work and life by improving their emotional health with science-backed skills and practices. Happier trademarked the “Happier Method” and offers a variety of ways to practice happiness from online courses, to its mobile app, blog, workshops, and books. Nataly Kogan, company founder and author of Happier Now, offers a realistic path to living genuinely happier and believes that it is a skill you can learn and improve through practice – just like meditation.   Select the Right Clients   Having a work culture that encourages a consistent flow of ideas internally is critical to the success of our business but its equally important to have synergy with clients we onboard.  With a background in consumer electronics, I imagined that making the transition to telecommunications would create unnecessary anxiety and stress for me. But I quickly realized that our cable clients, The Cable Center, and Corning shared similar views on innovation, professional development, diversity in the workplace, and more!   We cannot control all the stresses that life throws our way but PR execs can play a key role in ensuring that their team has the tools and support they need to flourish. 

After previously being named one of the top PR agencies in Los Angeles by Clutch, we’re back at it again with yet another leadership award — albeit, this one even more prestigious than the last. Clutch, a globally trusted B2B ratings platform, has recently released their list of Clutch 1000 companies, and we’re ranked at 204! These listed service providers represent the top 1% of nearly 160,000 companies across multiple industries.   That’s quite the feat considering how thorough the vetting process is. All of Clutch’s leading agencies are evaluated based on a number of criteria, including digital presence, market research, and technical industry experience.   One of the most important parts of Clutch’s scoring methodology is verified client reviews. To assess a company’s ability to deliver, Clutch employs a team of analysts who personally interview a service provider’s past clients over the phone. They then publish that information in the form of case study-like reviews, all with the goal of equipping prospective buyers with on-the-ground research.   As a PR firm, we know how important it is to actively cultivate a strong brand reputation through organic client feedback, which is why we’re proud to work with Clutch.   “Clutch has been a great partner for our agency — and a primary source of referrals to us.” — Bob Gold, Principal   Our clients have given us a near perfect score for our efforts. Just take a look at what some of them have had to say:   “They constantly generate new ways to increase our press appeal.” — VP of Marketing, Fathom Events “They act as an extension of our marketing department and are genuine partner.” — Chief Revenue Officer, Penthera “They are as punctual as a Swiss watch and always highly responsive.” — Communications Manager, Global Software Dev Firm   Our outstanding customer satisfaction record has also allowed us to be featured on Clutch’s sister site as the top 3 Manifest agencies in the Los Angeles.   Thank you to all of our clients for supporting us, and here’s to another year!   If you’re looking for a PR firm to help tell your business’s story, send us a message. We have the right connections to help you communicate your story with the people that matter most.

If you missed the 55th Annual Los Angeles PRism Awards hosted by PRSA-LA, you can still check out Bob's acceptance speech here! https://youtu.be/UeNgIjReJiU Mic drop! Bob Gold, President & CEO of Bob Gold & Associates has always known how to keep a crowd entertained. It's no surprise that guests at the 55th Annual Los Angeles PRism Awards rose from their seats in a standing ovation to celebrate Bob being honored by PRSA-LA as the 2019 Communications Professional of the Year!

ITVT is pleased to present an audio recording of the TVOT SF 2019 session, “How Pay-TV Operators Are Revamping Their Platforms, Services and Business Models to Respond to the New Migrant Video Subscriber.” The Migrant Video Subscriber is rapidly changing our industry. We haven’t experienced anything like this before. The entire video ecosystem is being redefined across every fabric of our business. Relationships are fragile. New technologies are needed to manage content, digital and linear channels, distribution platforms. Confusion and overload color every decision. And the costs of innovation require financing. How do you get it? This panel will explore how to successfully navigate the turbulence ahead.Listen here.

NBCUniversal, Amazon Studios, BBC Studios, Paramount and Other Industry Leaders to Participate in Global Entertainment Industry Initiative The Content Delivery & Security Association (CDSA), the international industry advocate for content security, has selected Bob Gold & Associates, a nationally recognized boutique public relations agency, as its communications agency to promote and bring awareness to the launch of Content Protection Month in collaboration with numerous major studios and production companies.   This coordinated industry-wide initiative is designed to raise awareness across all business units and service provider partners to educate and enculturate everyone who is part of content creation to personally embrace content protection and security. The campaign will emphasize the industry’s need to educate, empower and engage at all levels.   “In this new Platinum Age of Production, the entertainment industry is creating more content than ever, resulting in a huge influx of people who touch content in various forms and at various times during its creation and distribution across all formats,” said Guy Finley, Executive Director, CDSA. “Content security awareness is at the forefront of this critical transformation, whether on-set or in the office, and Bob Gold & Associates is the right agency to tell our story.”   Held in conjunction with National Cybersecurity Month individual events are being planned and hosted by CDSA Board member companies to increase synergy among their various internal departments, brands and partners. CDSA member companies, including NBCUniversal, Amazon Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Brothers and Lionsgate, will participate in their own unique “Content Protection Day” tailored to meet their specific goals, corporate culture and appetite for scale and scope of their event.   CDSA is providing the tools and template to help raise awareness and make it everyone’s job at every level to safeguard content, inspire staff to serve as ambassadors and empower evangelists to promote content protection around the world.   “We have enormous respect for CDSA. Security and content protection is everyone’s job and we hope to create a campaign that can be embraced throughout this incredible creative community,” said Bob Gold, President & CEO of Bob Gold & Associates. About Content Protection Month Content Protection Month is a coordinated industry-wide initiative to promote security awareness across all business units and service provider partners to educate and enculturate everyone who is part of content creation to personally embrace content protection and security. The campaign will emphasize our industry need to educate, empower and engage at all levels. About CDSA Founded in 1970, the Content Delivery and Security Association (CDSA) is the worldwide forum advocating the innovative and responsible delivery and storage of entertainment, software, and information content. CDSA’s global membership includes companies involved in every facet along the digital and physical media supply chain. CDSA provides community, collaboration and communications services that protect entertainment media throughout the supply chain, both pre- and post-release. Its most recent initiative is the joint-venture launch of the Trusted Partner Network (TPN) with the Motion Picture Association (MPA). CDSA member companies include Walt Disney Studios, Amazon Studios, NBCUniversal, BBC Studios, Paramount Pictures, Amblin Entertainment and more.

    At Bob Gold & Associates, clients are given personalized attention, valuable communications counsel, and streamlined strategic execution. For our clients who range from Fortune 500 firms to startups, our goal is to educate media and analysts about their agencies, establish their executives as thought leaders, ad demonstrate the effectiveness of their products or services. Our over 20 years of experience means our team has the experience, track record, and contacts to ensure our clients succeed. By providing more bang for our clients’ budgets, we have been recognized as a leading public relations firm in the media industry.   Clutch awarded Bob Gold & Associates a leading public relations agency in the media industry! Through our relationship with Clutch, we have not only garnered recognition as an industry leader but also new clientele:   By creating a Bob Gold & Associates profile and submitting frequent client reviews, we’ve been successful at highlighting our successes which has translated into securing new business.   The ratings and reviews platform based in Washington, D.C. connects business. Annually, the team awards companies ranked highly on the platform. Clutch determines rankings based on market presence, project histories, and verified reviews.   One satisfied client spoke with a Clutch analyst to provide the following review:     The Manifest expands upon the success of our client relations. The B2B buying guide lists Bob Gold & Associates as one of the top 25 boutique PR agencies. To support informed hiring decisions, the platform lists industry leaders with relevant business information including details about a notable project, company size, and location.   We look forward to expanding our relationship with Clutch by developing a presence on their second sister site, Visual Objects, which features the portfolios of industry leaders. The site connects buyers with B2B service providers with visual content to encourage effective collaboration.   The entire Bob Gold & Associates team appreciates the award and the time our clients have taken to speak with Clutch.   Ready to tell a great story? We can’t wait to hear from you.

PRSA Los Angeles’ Board Selects Bob Gold to be Honored at the 2019 PRism Awards in Los Angeles Bob Gold, President and CEO of Bob Gold & Associates, a Southern California boutique public relations and marketing agency, has been voted by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Los Angeles Board of Directors to be honored as the 2019 Communications Professional of the Year to be presented at the Los Angeles PRism Awards celebration on October 15 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.   Bob Gold was selected for the program’s most distinguished individual accolade, Communications Professional of the Year, for his outstanding leadership and management skills, innovation and creativity, and unparalleled impact and outcomes for clients, as well as his commitment to important causes, charities and mentorship of young professionals. His award will be presented by longtime friend, KTLA-TV News anchor, Glen Walker. “To be recognized by peers is the ultimate compliment for every professional,” said Gold. “This honor is entirely unexpected, and deeply appreciated.” With over 30 years of experience in public relations and marketing, Gold’s impact on the industry and results for his clients are internationally recognized. The firm has recently been on a tear, adding new clients, staff and partners around the world. In the past year, the company has been recognized as the #2 Boutique PR Firm by Clutch, #13 PR firm in Los Angeles by O'Dwyer's, #2 B2B Advertising and Marketing Firm in Los Angeles by Clutch, and one of the Most Innovative and Attractive Work Environments by Cablefax. Bob Gold founded and manages Bob Gold & Associates, one of the premier independent integrated communications public relations agencies in the country.  The agency’s specialty is being experts at the nexus where video content meets technology and distribution. He has also helped raise millions of dollars for charities, taught hundreds of students and helped further strategic business plans for numerous businesses and associations. Throughout his career, Gold has helped launch dozens of companies, re-branded many others and created countless successful campaigns for companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Gold is also the Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Hemisphere Technologies Inc., a Nevada corporation, which is dedicated to investing in publicly traded and privately held technology companies. Gold has extensive experience in small and large-scale transactions and works as a key member engaged in all aspects including sourcing, evaluating, structuring, monitoring, and, where applicable, harvesting investments. Gold is also a published author of a popular children’s picture book, The Shiny Penny. Gold holds many honors including being inducted into the Cable TV Pioneers along with Comcast’s Brian Roberts, CNN’s Ted Turner and other notables. He holds a Master’s degree in Communications Management from the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California, where he also sits on the Alumni Board of Directors. When he’s not helping others, Gold can usually be found more than 60 feet underwater on a scuba diving “mancation” with his three sons. PRSA is the world’s largest and most reputable association for public relations professionals. For 55 years, PRSA-LA has been hosting the PRism Awards — the Los Angeles region’s premier awards program recognizing excellence in public relations strategic campaigns and tactical programs. The Los Angeles Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is comprised of nearly 600 agency, in-house and independent public relations professionals representing LA-area corporations, academic institutions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

WASHINGTON, DC – September 24, 2019 – The best creative and design agencies understand the specific needs of the markets they work within. What works well in the retail industry may not succeed in the legal field. Clutch, the leading B2B ratings and reviews platform, released a new report highlighting the top-performing creative and design agencies in 14 specific industries. These industries are: automotive, business services, dental, ecommerce, education, financial services, financial technology, healthcare, hospitality, legal, media, nonprofit, real estate, and retail. The full listing may be found here.