Vanguard Communications InSites | Blogging for Social Change

Meet us Mondays: Kathy Keller

Brittany Vanderpool — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:52:14 +0000

Kathy Keller is a Senior Graphic Designer here at Vanguard. She has been with the company for a total of nine years.

Kathy Keller with her mom and older sister.

When did you know you wanted to work in public relations? Other than a couple of classes I took in college, I didn’t know much about PR until I came to Vanguard, as my first job practicing graphic design. I was inspired by the ability of communications and design to touch the causes that I believe in, especially animal, wildlife and environmental protection.

What excites you the most about the future of public relations/design? I was initially excited to work at Vanguard because of the types of clients and causes we work for. I’m looking forward to seeing our work as communicators continue to make a positive difference in the lives of other people, of our planet and of our pets!

How would you define innovation? Seeing past the norm and what already exists, and creating something that makes even one life better or more fulfilled.

Who is a communicator that inspires you? Why? Any person that uses their skills, fame or fortune to further the causes they believe in most to make the world a better place.

If you didn’t work in public relations what would you do? Be an architect (the perfect blend of art and math/science), a vet (without practicing euthanasia) or a special effects “wizard” for movies.

Kathy helping to transport dogs from a high kill shelter in North Carolina so that Dog World Rescue could help them find new homes.

What’s the song most played on your iPod these days?I’m probably one of the only people who still doesn’t have an iPod — I decided I’ll wait until one is made that can actually fit ALL of the music I already have, times two (for the music I want). But between iTunes and Spotify, I’ve been listening mostly to STRFKR, J-Man, Donora, Ducktails and Macklemore over the past couple of weeks.

What’s your favorite food? Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Desserts in general.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? My creative side wants the beauty of Venice, Italy. But my everyday laid-back side loves any city where there is an awesome indie music scene.

What’s the one word you would choose to describe yourself? Random.

Purple Round-up: May 17, 2013

Rachael Siefert — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:02:56 +0000

Who says watching TV is a waste of time? You can learn about PR from ABC’s “Scandal” and NBC’s “The Office.”

Today is Bike to Work Day! Did you ride your bike into the office this morning?

Top brands <3 Instagram.

Measuring happiness one tweet at a time.

“Measurement is the new black,” according to this post on The PR News Blog. We agree!

How to pitch your environmentally-savvy clients to Audubon.

This week we joined American Psychological Association’s Mental Health Blog Day to help educate and raise awareness about mental health. Read our posts here, here and here.

Did you know that suicide rates among youth ages 15-24 have increased more than 300 percent since the 1950′s? Learn more about how we’re raising awareness about suicide prevention with our new staff volunteer program — Vanguardians 4 Social Change.

Emotional Storytelling Most Effective When Talking about Suicide Prevention

Crystal Borde — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:02:26 +0000

I recently read about Attitudes in Reverse (A.I.R.), a suicide prevention nonprofit in New Jersey launched to educate young adults about mental health and curtail the rising suicide rate for this population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 20 percent of deaths of 15- to 24-year-olds each year result from suicide, making it the third-leading cause of death in this age group. For every completed suicide in this population, an additional 100 to 200 suicide attempts are made.

To encourage young people to seek help when in crisis, A.I.R. staff visits middle schools, high schools and colleges and shares Kenny’s story — the son of A.I.R. founders — who suffered from depression and anxiety and completed suicide four years ago. He was 19. At these speaking engagements, they share how Kenny felt and the mental health challenges he dealt with in order to develop a connection and shared understanding with audience members who may be experiencing similar feelings or disorders, or may be contemplating harming themselves.

Society often debates whether or not conversations like the ones A.I.R. leads with youth actually reduce the number of suicide attempts, or if they unintentionally increase the number. I don’t know the answer to that question. However, as a communicator, I know that personal stories are powerful tools to find common ground with an audience and educate them about important social issues, such as suicide prevention. And I know that discussing how a person was feeling or what mental health issues they were experiencing before attempting suicide rather than the details of the action itself will be more persuasive in compelling people considering self-harm to seek support.

It’s in our shared experiences and feelings that we can really break down stigma associated with mental illness and suicide and have important, real conversations about these challenges with young adults and our communities.

As we mark the American Psychological Association’s Mental Health Month Blog Day today and talk about suicide prevention during the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Prevention Week observance on Thursday, we should continue telling our behavioral health stories, and in their re-telling, emphasize what we share instead of what could set us apart.

Beyond Stigma

Stephanie Dukes — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:02:09 +0000

Throughout history, countless individuals have made outstanding contributions to our world, all while living with various mental health challenges. From artists, writers, athletes and musicians to explorers, activists, industrialists and scientists, these individuals changed the world. They bear witness to the tremendous value of moving beyond the stigma and stereotypes that force too many people to the margins of society. Meet these famous figures who have dealt with mental illness. Some of the names may surprise you.

Michelangelo, sculptor and painter

Meriwether Lewis, soldier and explorer

Nina Simone, singer and songwriter

Ludwig van Beethoven, composer

Isaac Newton, physicist and mathematician

Frida Kahlo, painter

Earl Campbell, NFL Hall of Fame player

Angelina Jolie, actress, director and screenwriter

Alexander Graham Bell, inventor and scientist

Charles Dickens, author

Thelonious Monk, pianist and composer

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States

Aretha Franklin, singer and songwriter

J.K. Rowling, author

Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing

Agatha Christie, author

John D. Rockefeller, industrialist and philanthropist

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Slideshow Stefan Boonstra

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Embracing Wellness to Focus on Positive Mental Health

Kirana Bammarito — Wed, 15 May 2013 06:17:15 +0000

When communicating about what it means to be healthy, people often think of physical health, but not mental health. As we’ve observed in recent events, the discussion around mental health is often couched in stigma and labels. That’s why I’m glad to see a societal and communications shift toward embracing positive mental health with the overall concept of wellness.

Wellness is a combination of physical and mental health that also encompasses social determinants of health and other factors such as spiritual fulfillment, financial stability and intellectual stimulation. The concept of wellness acknowledges that mental and physical health affect one another — in good and bad ways. Just as emotional stress can negatively affect one’s cardiovascular health, so adequate sleep, good nutrition and exercise can positively affect someone’s mental ability to focus.

The discussion of wellness is a holistic way of looking at the entire picture of health. Many workplaces, communities and other societal institutions are thinking about and acting on improving wellness, whether with Employee Assistance Programs or other wellness programs, such as gym memberships and wellness half-hours. More companies are realizing that wellness isn’t just good for their employees’ health, but is also good for their company’s profits. Whole cities even have wellness initiatives.

Examining our wellness allows for honest discussions about our mental health that might not take place otherwise. As communicators, we can embrace wellness to focus on strength-based, positive mental health — whether that of a person, community, city, state or nation.

Can Red and Blue Support Green Light Bulbs?

Brenda Foster — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:57:02 +0000

How many liberals and conservatives does it take to change a light bulb? According to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, the answer depends on how you describe the bulb.

Source: Joe Colburn’s Flickr page

After identifying their political ideology, a set of 210 potential bulb buyers were armed with information on the benefits of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They were asked to choose between lower efficiency and higher efficiency options; efficient bulbs were either labeled with a “protect the environment” sticker or a blank sticker. When all bulbs were priced the same, nearly every participant selected the energy-efficient option, regardless of ideology. But when confronted with a higher upfront price tag with higher long-term savings, fewer conservatives were willing to pay the extra cash for bulbs marked environmentally friendly.

The study leaves cause communicators with a big question: Do we want to be right, or do we want to make sure that as many households as possible are adopting energy-efficient lighting? If the ultimate goal is ensuring that CFLs are ubiquitous, we need to stop worrying about whether we tell people they’re better for the environment. As the unending D.C. deadlock demonstrates, it’s nearly impossible to persuade people to adopt an opposite ideological point of view. Can’t we just tout the financial benefits of light bulbs and be done with it? The study shows that price-based messaging is strong enough to make a sale, no matter the political affiliation.

Perhaps the larger question is whether we are willing to push aside our ideal messaging for other issues, as well. Being “right” is rarely the compromise position. As communicators, we need to keep our eye on the goal — which is almost always about making change and never about being correct. If we focus on our ultimate change goals, the ideal messaging will follow — though it might be different than we’d like, depending on an individual’s political point of view. In the end, we all get what we want with way less time spent fighting about it.

Meet us Mondays: Ebonei White

Brittany Vanderpool — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:00:27 +0000

Ebonei S. White is Vanguard’s Office Coordinator. (And, we don’t know what we would do without her!) She has been with the company for almost 14 years.

Ebonei White with Elizabeth, one of her three daughters.

When did you know you wanted to work in public relations? PR wasn’t my first choice. I’ve always loved to work with people; the more diverse the better. I stumbled upon a great company and 14 years later, here I am.

What excites you the most about the future of public relations? As the social media field blossoms, I’m excited that the PR field will go hand in hand with the expansion of social media.

How would you define innovation? I would define innovation as a new idea or invention.

Who is a communicator that inspires you? Why? A communicator that inspires me the most is Robin Roberts. I’ve always been a huge fan of her work and now that inspiration has increased by seeing her battle with cancer. Her strength during such a difficult time in her life inspires me to be a better person and mother to my children.

If you didn’t work in public relations what would you do? Not sure. Whatever I chose to do, I’m determined to be the best at it.

What’s the song most played on your iPod these days? Lose to Win – Fantasia

What’s your favorite food?Salmon

Ebonei and Vanguard’s Senior Event Manager Scott LaLonde.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Anywhere close to where the majority of my family is. I grew up with a small family, so it’s very important to me to maintain very close knit family ties.

What’s the one word you would choose to describe yourself? Determined

Purple Round-up: May 10, 2013

Matt Forke — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:07:44 +0000

May is Mental Health Month and yesterday was National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. To raise awareness about mental health, @HHSgov (aka U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) shared this #HealthVine.

A career in social media isn’t all tweeting, likes and fun. PR Daily lists five challenges of working on social media. What would you add?

Has public health education taken a huge step back?

You’re probably a good press release writer if you ____________.

The Holmes Report shares the secrets of what makes an award-worthy campaign.

Health magazine shares 15 facts and myths about suicide and depression. Learn more about how we’re raising awareness about suicide prevention with our new staff volunteer program — Vanguardians 4 Social Change.

Meet us Mondays: Scott LaLonde

Brittany Vanderpool — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:44:46 +0000

Scott LaLonde is a Senior Event Manager here at Vanguard. He has been with the company for almost 13 years!

Scott LaLonde with his mom at their family’s lake house.

When did you know you wanted to work in public relations? I was inspired by the on-the-job stories and experiences that my older brother Ryan would tell me when he was working at Vanguard. It sounded like an exciting new challenge and my inner advocate wanted to give it a try because of the social causes that Vanguard works on.

What excites you the most about the future of public relations? I’m most excited and interested to see how future generations that were born and raised in a more liberal and social media-savvy society respond to and navigate a field that counts on face-to-face communication and the ability to look at issues from all perspectives.

How would you define innovation? A fresh take on something in response to a lesson learned or audience evaluation results. Something needs to be responsive or meet the needs of an intended audience to be innovative.

Scott reading to his nephew.

Who is a communicator that inspires you? Why? Ellen DeGeneres. She doesn’t have a communications or journalism degree, but she is passionate and positive and communicates from a warm space in her heart. She uses her communications platform to help people feel good.

If you didn’t work in public relations what would you do? I would definitely be doing something in the arts. I come from a family of artists — my mom and brother are amazing artists — and I feel my best when creating something, whether painting, sketching or designing a space. I also love babies. If money was important to me, I would probably be a pediatrician.

What’s your favorite food? Breakfast foods. I love breakfast for dinner, and my weakness in life is a good bagel and cream cheese.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? The risk taker in me would love to live in Las Vegas, the water lover in me would love to live in Hawaii, and the sleepyhead in me would love to live in a wooded area much like where I grew up in Michigan.

Purple Round-up: May 3, 2013

Kirana Bammarito — Fri, 03 May 2013 15:11:11 +0000

On Tuesday, Vanguard joined many others in wishing Willie Nelson a Happy Birthday with our very own farmer-inspired song.

2013 has seen much debate over employer policies, from telecommuting to wellness. Maybe taking your pet to work will help you resist the temptation of LOLCats?

Google world domination? A Google executive predicted that by 2020, everyone in the world will be connected to the Internet.

Despite social media fatigue, 83 percent of adults 18-29 still use social media – the highest of any age group.

Stuck on a writing that awesome headline? The seventh time could be the charm. Check out 7 tips to attract readers.

Suicide is a multi-determined phenomenon that occurs against a background of complex interacting biological, social, psychological and environmental risk and protective factors. Despite the complexity of this phenomenon, suicide can be prevented. Learn more about how we’re raising awareness about suicide prevention with our new staff volunteer program – Vanguardians 4 Social Change.