Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York

There is an article on my favorite Real Housewife; Ramona Singer, in a recent issue of Daily News claiming interior designer; Rona Landman executed some upgrades to her condo for free in exchange for press on the show. The episodes of her were cut from the season and she is now spewing over it.

At Pierce Mattie PR I can tell you that this is not out of the norm - we often have our clients in fashion, jewelry and home furnishings comp their services especially when taping a reality show in hopes of obtaining good press. But its’ not always a guarantee. When the press does feature the client it does give them the best ROI on their services to drive their business. But Rona need's to remember PR is never 100% especially when you are dealing with the filming of a reality show. Maybe the segment wasn’t that interesting. Here are some things to keep in perspective…

The power of the reality show:

• Real Housewives of NY has over 2 million viewers
• Real Housewives of NY is Bravo’s #1 show this Spring
• Movers and shakers like Ramona Singer have a very high power of influence, regardless of whether or not you like them.

• Call New York Magazine, Architectural Digest, Gotham, Time Out NY, Chanel 1, E! Entertainment and ask for an editorial where Ramona lets reporters into her home and Rona co-ops the dialogue with them.
• Don’t give up, the pitch isn’t over, you can still secure some good hits from your hard work.
• Have Ramona put Rona’s contact information up on her website. That is what Alex did on her site last year when they renovated their Brooklyn brownstone listing all of their contractors.

Why we continue to like Ramona:

• Smart business women
• Ramona Singer Jewelry on HSN has the most unique designs.
• Mario Singer - her uber-hot husband, the hottest husband on the entire series; Atlanta, Orange County, NJ and NY combined Mario rocks. 

Concerns for the show this year:

• We will always root in Bethenny’s corner, so having Lu Anne, Jill and Kelly gang up on her only makes them look bad.
• We are bored to tears with Jill’s storyline this year and we are only in episode two. Stop being such a victim Jill. That little comment you made last night about “gays” – honey there are many scales of being gay. Why on earth you were asked to speak at GLAAD this year is beyond.
• Please get rid of Alex already, Brooklyn bore!

You may have already heard about the recent controversy surrounding a Black History Month parade at a Los Angeles elementary school. I read all about it on a very popular e-zine. Wondering how the two are connected? Step into the spotlight: RuPaul.

When first approaching this article, I thought the issue at hand was the fact that RuPaul was being questioned as a black role model and rejected by his ethnic community. This was until I dug deeper and realized that the teachers who selected the public figures for the parade were all Caucasian. Many have commented that the pictures of OJ, Rodman and RuPaul were included the procession as a joke; as a convicted robber/kidnapper, a disruptive basketball player and celebrity drag-queen would never be considered as “role-models”. Or would they? The general consensus is that OJ and Rodman are completely unsuitable, as their rise to fame as sports superstars has since been overshadowed by their well-documented misdemeanors. In a story of black and white, RuPaul is smack bang in the middle of the grey area, which surprises me as he is a successful, well-known black personality who has never been suspected of murder, convicted of robbery/kidnapping, or charged with spousal battery.

While some acknowledge RuPaul’s achievements, are others really saying that because the entertainer chooses to perform dressed in drag, he doesn’t provide a positive image for children in the black community? Ludicrous! RuPaul is a man who became famous by refusing to color within the lines, conform to “popular” society ideals or embrace the “mundane”. Sounds pretty inspiring to me! For all the Venustraphobes (people with a fear of beautiful women) out there; it’s important to remember that not everyone has walked the road of self-discovery. For young people growing up, struggling to discover who they are and where they fit in, RuPaul shines like a beacon of hope. Sounds like a cliché I know. I mean, I’m not saying that all confused boys should run to their mothers’ closets in search of eternal happiness…just that with realistic role models they can look up to, they can dare to dare to be different.

RuPaul himself said “My hope is that my career will be a shining example to children everywhere that life is more meaningful when you are not afraid to see all colors of the rainbow."

P.S. RuPaul’s Drag Race is one of the funniest shows I’ve ever watched. If he’s not an “American Idol”, I don’t know what is. Expand your horizons.

Image courtesy of insidesocal.com

As we bring 1st quarter to a close we are simply in awe at how fast 2010 has kicked off. Are you ready for spring? More importantly, by now you should have a clear picture of what you are launching, strategizing and gearing up for fall/winter. Your PR plans should be assembled both with traditional media as well as a ramp up of your social media programs. Here is a just sneak peak of what we at Pierce Mattie have been up to and have up our sleeves!

Pierce Mattie Is Still Going Green

As members of the United Global Compact we recognize the importance of being environmentally responsible and despite the economic slumber, companies all across the country agree. April, many of our clients will be featured in the green issues of Vanity Fair, Elle, Vogue, etc. Click here to learn more about our latest green event.

Pierce Mattie's Trend Forecast for 2011 Vol. III

We spent 2009 working on Vol. III of a trend forecast for 2010 with an outlook on 2011. Some of our writers included: Cosmetic Cop, Paula Begoun, Handbag Guru, Ben Harnett and Jerry Ehrenwald from the International Gemological Institute on Jewelry. This book is exclusive to the press, so if you work in media and have not yet received your electronic copy please let us know. Click here to learn more. 

Spa Buzz Network Party Wednesday June 9th at 5pm

We had the honor of hosting Spa Buzz in October. It was so popular we were asked again to host it in June. If you work in the spa industry this is your must go-to event. For more details click here.

Our Work at Fashion Week

Men's Fashion Editors loved our latest collection of our client, Miguel Antoinne. To see the event click here.

Butter London Nail Polish continues their cult following by hosting "Nails Galore" for fashion designers Vena Cava, Jen Kao & Betsey Johnson. To learn more go click here.

What's Hot & Not

Throw out those skinny jeans! If you missed our What's Hot and What's Not list for this year click here. 

Team Announcements

Account Director, Lance Buckley and Business Development Manager, Joshua Blaylock, both celebrate their sixth year with Pierce Mattie. Kristina Katsoulas returns to Pierce Mattie after a five year hiatus. Since her departure she has worked on Olay, Vicks and Aveeno. She will be working on our lifestyle accounts. Welcome back!

Social Media

Be sure to stay updated with us at all times via our social media profiles:

You can follow us on Twitter: @PierceMattiePR

Join us on LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com/in/PierceMattie

Become a fan on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/PierceMattiePR

To learn more about Pierce Mattie PR call Joshua at 212-789-1070 or email Joshua at PierceMattie.com

Are You Still Holding on To Jenny Craig?

Is anyone buying it? Organic Liaison that is. We loved Kirstie Alley during the Jenny Craig campaign. It was funny, down to earth and very promising. Yes, I did become a member of Jenny Craig, I bought their food and dropped about 30lbs. It was and still is a great program for busy people who don’t have time to cook or know portion control. I couldn’t figure out for the longest time why she stopped doing Jenny Craig, and then a friend mentioned she was doing R&D on her own diet line. For the next two years we patiently waited for it to launch. Organic Liaison appeals to those consumers that have “been there, done that.” They don’t want prepackaged food. I have not tried the program - yet. I am however curious to see how its sales and brand development will sustain in this economy. Will it remain online only or go onto a QVC or into GNC?

Here is what our lifestyle PR team deemed as the good about the communication efforts made by Kirstie’s program so far:

• Great tie in with the upcoming reality show
• Excellent pre-buzz on TV w/ Oprah & The Today Show
• Outstanding social media efforts
• Cute packaging!
• The added claim of being the first USDA Organic Certified diet is also press worthy
• Good advisory board of health practitioners but why are they all also members of Scientology? Ref: Thomas Lovejoy, Bob Durst, Deborah A. Klein, Soram Khalsa, and Michelle Seward. Could they not appoint some non- L. Ron Hubbard fans to balance things out so it does not look so slanted? I am all for supporting your church regardless of your beliefs, but seriously, come on, enough already.

Here are some of the things that we draw concern to about the Organic Liaison program from a PR standpoint:

• The pseudoscience, can it hold up?
• The price is a little steep for this customer; the “Rescue Me Kit” is priced separately at $139. We think it should be $39.00
• The term “organic” puts the customer inline to believe that they have to only buy organic, which in 2008 was OK, but in 2009 we saw this trend drop as the economy did also. Organic is not by any means on its way out, but other trends have taken its place in this space; local farming, co-op produce, local harvest, etc. 
• A&E, the network that will air Kirstie Alley’s Big Life struggles with its own identity, is it highbrow or not, arts and entertainment or real life drama. Big Life sounds a bit like Fat Actress which was quite funny, but according to Showtime it tanked with only seven episodes.
• Lastly, and this is a big PR no-no… the models and stock images on the website are all of white people. Where are the multicultural folks, blacks, Latin’s, Asians – whoever manages the site needs to fix this! 

Final Thoughts: There is no doubt Kirstie has been working very hard the last few years to launch this project, we wish her the best and look forward to seeing a healthy slim and happy new Ms. Alley. Ps – we know what the word “liaison” means since we are a $139.00 consumer but your $39.00 may not Kirstie! ;-)

Cosmetic companies are even revamping their entrepreneurship strategies due to the recession.  The biggest change that is in the works now is to start displaying prices of all cosmetic products at their counters in all department stores.  Before the great fall, customers were use to going from counter to counter where they would inquire about the products with a brand specialist, try the product, and then go directly to the register for check out with no hesitations. To some people this could appear to be an intimidating shopping routine. Unless you are in a position to splurge on luxurious cosmetics, it can seem a tad threatening to shoppers if they just want to try something new on their skin.

Estee Lauder's CEO, Fabrizio Freda is advocating this change immediately for his brand. Cosmetic pro wants to still encourage shopping despite the conditions we are under. By having prices of products shown at the counters, people won’t have to feel embarrassed if they change their mind as to whether or not they want to purchase the item. There is no need for anyone to be embarrassed about not wanting to spend a lot of money on cosmetics. News flash, everyone is cutting back! Thinking about it now, it is a little odd that there were no prices displayed on cosmetics in department stores. Most retail items such as clothes and accessories all have a ticket attached to the garment with a price. With this new strategy ahead, sale associates at these cosmetic stands will still continue to help their customers with thorough beauty guidance. 

Vanity Fair Covers March 2010 (T) and June 1917 (B) 96 years later

The issue of race in America has been a hot topic long before Martin Luther King Jr.’s infamous speech, I Have a Dream.” Speaking to millions on the Lincoln Memorial, he profoundly spoke about the urgency for equality. With the election of Barack Obama thought to be the beginning of a post-racialism in the 21^st century, this issue is even more poignant.  

March’s  cover issue of Vanity Fair sparked a heated debate on Yahoo’s Shine Site, wondering why the cover story of “New Hollywood” only depicted white up and coming actors. As opinions on this matter vary one Yahoo user furiously explained so what! “If BET or some other entertainment related business, magazine and so on did an article or show and it was only about Blacks or Hispanics or Asians there would no uproar from anyone. So what if Vanity Fair put a bunch of white girls on their cover. . . All these PC people need to take a break from their soap boxes.”

Continue reading "Vanity Fair: Is it Really Only for White People?" »

Inspiration is a funny thing. Designers at New York Fashion Week have been inspired by everything from Chinese zodiac (Vivienne Tam) to globe trotters (Elie Tahari). Jewelry designer Emily Armenta is no different. Her inspiration is Federico Garcia Lorca, a Spanish poet, known for his dramatic and passionate works.

Her duende collection is taken from the Spanish people’s name for Lorca. Duende is interpreted as a mystical concept with no definable definition. It can be “felt in the pulse of flamenco, in the wailings of lost lovers, and in the expression of unleashed passion.” And Emily’s jewelry line Armenta, captures this sentiment perfectly.

Continue reading "Why We Love Emily Armenta Jewelry" »

Skin expert Kate Somerville, a favorite among celebrities, is rewriting the steps to perfect skin. Widely known for her medical skin care clinic, Kate Somerville Skin Health Experts, Kate’s skincare reputation, as well as her product line, is considered top notch in the beauty industry.

Her latest PR venture is her book “Complexion Perfection!: Your Ultimate Guide to Beautiful Skin by Hollywoods Leading Skin Health Expert,” which brings her skincare philosophy to a wider, more general audience. The book devolves the affects of harsh chemical treatments on skin and offers a variety of home remedies to bring your skin to perfection. She suggests an aspirin facial to revitalize skin. It seems unusual, but because it’s Kate Sommerville, we’re willing to believe it’ll work.

Continue reading "Kate Somerville's Complexion Perfection!: Your Ultimate Guide to Beautiful Skin by Hollywood's Leading Skin Health Expert" »