PKPR News
Dayton Literary Peace Prize Salutes Authors
September 24, 2008
The 2008 Dayton Literary Peace Prize will be presented in Dayton, Ohio this Sunday, September 28th.
Winners include Junot Diaz for The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and Edwidge Danticat for Brother, I’m Dying. PKPR has been instrumental in raising the awards’ national profile including stories in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, National Post, St. Paul Pioneer Press, San Jose Mercury News, Publisher’s Weekly, and Library Journal.
IFP Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Independent Film Week
September 22, 2008
The nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers, the Independent Feature Project (IFP) hosted Independent Film Week in September.
The week of film screenings, panel discussions, and networking reflected the organization’s mission of discovering, showcasing, and supporting new independent film projects and talent.
Zack & Miri Make a Porno director, Kevin Smith, kicked things off with a Q&A on “Making Your First Feature” and answered questions about his next project, “Red State.”
PKPR secured preview, news and feature coverage in key film trade publications like Variety, Hollywood Reporter and indieWIRE, as well as mainstream press like am New York, the Village Voice and the New York Sun.
The Budget Fashionista Celebrates Fifth Anniversary
September 12, 2008
For the fifth anniversary of The Budget Fashionista blog, PKPR implemented a comprehensive PR campaign aimed at raising the profile of its founder, Kathryn Finney.
Leveraging Finney’s advice for “recession-proofing your wardrobe,” PKPR secured appearances for Finney on programs such as E! News Daily, Good Morning America, and WCBS-TV, as well as interviews with national outlets like MSNBC’s Jean Chatzky, People Style Watch and Smart Money
To cap it off, PKPR handled publicity for The Budget Fashionista’s Fashion Week party at Housing Works Thrift Store, which attracted more than 50 media outlets—from Reuters and Forbes to CBS Mobile and WNBC to Style.com and The Social Diva.
Series Reinvents HIV Prevention for YouTube Era
July 08, 2008
Created by NYU and Public Health Solutions, HIV Big Deal is an ongoing, web-based campaign to inspire gay men to have safer sex and to get tested for HIV.The centerpiece of HIV Big Deal is a dramatic web video series about Josh, a young gay man living in Manhattan dealing with the all the dilemmas gay men face - love, friendship, sex, health, and everything in between.
To reach gay men online, PKPR developed a comprehensive PR and marketing program targeting gay media sites, blogs, e-newsletters, and social networking groups. PKPR placed stories in outlets like TIME.com, The Advocate, Sirius Radio, and Metrosource, and leading gay blogs inlcuding Towleroad, Queerty, and Bilerico Project. PKPR also placed banner ads on sites like GayHealth.com and Poz.com and partnered with events promoters, such as Josh Wood Productions, Mark Nelson, and Spin Cycle, to run announcements in their e-newsletters. Finally, PKPR recently launched a Facebook group, where members will be updated on future activities and episodes.
Election Day Premieres on PBS
July 07, 2008
Directed by Arts Engine founder Katy Chevigny, Election Day, a powerful documentary following 11 Americans as they vote in 2004, premiered on PBS’ P.O.V. on July 1st. Leveraging the broadcast and Arts Engine’s 10th anniversary, PKPR secured a mix of profiles and interviews for Katy in outlets ranging from NPR and TruthDig.com to IndieWire and Stream.
Our New Look
June 18, 2008
Welcome to the new home of PKPR.
Props to Michael Ian Kaye for our gorgeous new logo and Gregory Maher at
Look North for our beautiful new site.
Webby Awards Take Over New York
June 16, 2008
We’re just about recovered from the 12th Annual Webby Awards celebrations, which took course over three days last week in New York City.
Some of our favorite coverage:
- The Guardian U.K’s minute-by-minute live blog coverage
- An MSNBC photographer shows and tells what it’s like to be a herded behind the velvet rope on the red carpet.
- Huffington Post’s first-hand take on the evening’s festivities
- New York Post’s Page Six gives the scoop on The Webby Awards’ famous five-word speeches
- Wall Street Journal’s brilliant Web video segment featuring highlights of all the best speeches and some great red carpet moments
We Knew Him When…
June 16, 2008
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We got a little thrill when Lin-Manuel Miranda took home the Tony last night for “In the Heights”. His hip-hop improv group, Freestyle Love Supreme, was a regular act at Ars Nova when we worked with the Hells Kitchen theater back in 2006.
Don’t miss his speech. It brought down the house.
Mayor Bloomberg Kicks off Internet Week
June 05, 2008
PKPR helped kick-off the first-ever Internet Week New York with a blast of coverage this week including a full-page Daily News story on how the Internet has changed New York, New York Post, Metro, Time Out New York, Hollywood Reporter, and CNET. In all, PKPR has credentialed more than 70 media outlets and bloggers to cover the more than 80 events happening throughout the week.
Our favorite event: the official launch at Gracie Mansion where Mayor Bloomberg welcomed the City’s digital media leaders and pondered whether his buddies on Facebook were true friends. The New York Times chimes in here. And check out this great New York 1 segment, which also features PKPR client and Internet Week event partner Arts Engine.
Media that Matters Film Festival Makes Its Mark
May 30, 2008
Arts Engine’s eighth annual Media That Matters Film Festival, one of the first and largest online film festivals, rolled out its red carpet yesterday for a premiere at The IFC Center in New York. Showcasing a collection of 12 short films aimed at inspiring audiences to think, laugh, and take action on today’s top issues, the festival hits that PKPR sweet spot where art and activism meet.
For the launch, PKPR secured an exclusive screening for one of the festival’s films, EVERY THIRD BITE, on New York Magazine’s Vulture blog, where a spirited debate ensued over the future of the world’s honey bees. Other coverage included Boston Globe, Huffington Post, The Oregonian, PC Magazine’s AppScout blog, IndieWIRE, Variety, Stream, Tilzy.TV, and Tribeca Film Institute’s Resource’s blog
Campaign Raises Melanoma Awareness
May 29, 2008
To raise awareness of Melanoma, SpaFinder created photosensitive “I Will Reflect” wristbands that change color when exposed to UVA & UVB rays.
PKPR is implementing an aggressive public relations and marketing campaign to promote the bracelets and SpaFinder’s Melanoma Intiative throughout summer 2008.
On the marketing front, PKPR developed promotion partnerships with Woman’s World, Soap Opera Digest, and Quick and Simple.
On the media front, PKPR has secured placements in dozens of major outlets including The Today Show’s Bobbie Brown, Daily Candy, Teen Vogue, Elle.com, Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, FitSugar, and MomFinds,
Finally, PKPR coordinated morning drive radio interviews for SpaFinder editor Melisse Gelula in major markets across the United States on May 14th, including Boston, Denver, Atlanta, and St. Louis.
Sheryl Oring on NPR
May 27, 2008
Crisscrossing the country just like Obama, Clinton, and McCain, artist Sheryl Oring is gathering messages for the next president the old-fashioned way: people sit down at her mobile desk, dictate their missives, and she manually types them using a vintage typewriter. The letters will be presented to 44th president of the United States in January 2009.
As Sheryl tours the country, PKPR is raising awareness of the project by securing local, national, and international coverage - from the Los Angeles Times to the New York Daily News to Yahoo! Espana and Huffington Post.
But we were most excited about NPR’s coverage.
PKPR worked closely with NPR’s Bryant Park Project to develop an entire program around Sheryl’s New York City appearance that included NPR listeners submitting their own messages to the next president. Sheryl typed several of them and NPR posted them online, as well as a wonderful video segment that really captures what this special project is all about.
Survey on Gay Consumers Makes Headlines
May 16, 2008
Prime Access and PlanetOut this week released the 2008 Gay and Lesbian Consumer Study, one of the largest and most comprehensive surveys of gay and lesbian consumer habits and brand perceptions.
The survey found that Bravo, Apple, Showtime, HBO, Absolut, and Levi’s are the gay-friendliest brands, while WalMart, Dunkin Donuts, Cracker Barrel, Exxon Mobil, and Samsung earn the lowest marks from gay and lesbian consumers.
PKPR placed stories on the survey far and wide—from Reuters and Yahoo! News to Brandweek and MediaPost to The Advocate and Logo.
Manhattan Media Scoops Up Harvard Alumni Magazine
May 15, 2008
Adding to its roster of media properties, Manhattan Media today announced that it has acquired 02138, the award-winning lifestyle magazine for Harvard alumni. PKPR secured an exclusive on the announcement in the New York Times and follow up coverage included Mediaweek, Folio, New York Observer, and Gawker.
David Byrne Gets a Webby
May 09, 2008
The Webby Awards announced this week that David Byrne will receive this year’s Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of a visionary career that has pushed the boundaries of music, art, and technology. PKPR generated coverage on Byrne’s award in outlets from E! Online and the Los Angeles Times to Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, BoingBoing.
Colbert, will.i.am Among Webby Winner
May 07, 2008
The Webby Awards announced winners and special achievement honorees yesterday. PKPR pre-pitched stories to The Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, People, and Variety among others. As of this morning, more than 300 articles and blog posts about the winners were published online.
Taylor Branch to Receive Literary Peace Prize
May 07, 2008
This week, PKPR helped announce that the premier chronicler of America�s civil rights era will receive a special Dayton Literary Peace Prize for Lifetime Achievement.
Taylor Branch, whose Pulitzer Prize-winning trilogy America in the King Years is widely considered the definitive history of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement, will accept the award at a ceremony in Dayton, Ohio on September 28, 2008. Coverage ranged from the Baltimore Sun to Publisher’s Weekly to Mediabistro’s Galley Cat blog.
LIve Out Loud Honors Student Leaders
April 30, 2008
Actor Cheyenne Jackson, star of the hit Broadway musical Xanadu, hosted LIVE OUT LOUD’s Seventh Annual Benefit Gala on Monday, April 28th. More than 400 community leaders attended the benefit, which culminated in the awarding of $2500 scholarships to four high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills.
Coverage included The Advocate, Newsday, Fashion Week Daily, Jossip, Playbill, and Broadway World.
Stunts and Video Launch Wall Street Journal Parody
April 21, 2008
To launch My Wall Street Journal, a limited-edition parody, PKPR developed a multi-tiered PR campaign that combined stunts, a viral video, and major media placements.
Prior to the newsstand launch, PKPR conceived and distributed a phony hidden-camera video of Rupert Murdoch ranting about My Wall Street Journal. The video touched off a round of pre-launch buzz online, which grew to a peak with exclusive launch-day stories in the NY Times and the Huffington Post.
We also placed the editors on Imus, CNBC, and MSNBC, and hired an Ann Coulter lookalike to promote the newspaper in front of Fox News, which earned coverage in outlets from AM New York to the Boston Globe to Mediabistro.
The numbers: the HuffPo story was one of it’s most widely-read stories for a full week; the video is near 85,000 views; and “My WSJ” got as high as #2 on Amazon.com’s humor best-seller list and #65 on its overall bestseller list.
The cherry on top: a shout out on New York Magazine’s coveted Approval Matrix (top left corner).
PKPR Featured in PR Week
March 24, 2008
PKPR’s strategy for launching the first-ever Internet Week New York was profiled in PR Week’s “Launch Pad” column. In addition to securing launch-day stories in outlets such as the New York Daily News, Variety, CNET, Crain’s New York, and Mediabistro, PKPR created Internet Week New York groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social networking sites to attract potential event partners for the weeklong festival celebrating New York’s Internet industry and community.