Our agency opened its doors on March 25^th 1985. It’s been a quarter of a century, today. It’s our day…

We are privileged to have been a witness to some of the most accelerated changes in history — moments that occurred from 1985, the year of our founding, to today — moments in time that have impacted not only history, but the PR consciousness and subsequently changed the ‘way it was’ from that ‘moment’ forward.  Recognizing this, we set out to put it all into some perspective to crystallize these impactful moments.

Our choice of 25 PR Defining Moments, over our 25 years, is capsulated in the video below.

We sought out ideas for our list from our colleagues, PR professionals and journalists, asking them to submit their ideas.  The criteria for inclusion was that the ‘moment in time’ over the last quarter of a century, had to have found its place in history or altered the way we live our lives, and also had to have impacted change within the context of public relations.  The ‘moments’ submitted could have influenced a lifestyle change, unfurled a technology that would change the way we lead our everyday lives, spotlighted a news happening through an inadvertent camera shot, or changed a political order or the societal landscape.

What we got was astounding, way more than 25…

So we chose our moments, from the many, and listed them in random order, so that we would be free to include ‘moments’ that fit our criteria, rather than be limited to the year in which they occurred.

If you wish, please let us know about ‘your moment’ that is not on our list via: Twitter @PollackPRMktg with a #25PR hashtag, comment on the blog, or email to info@ppmgcorp.com.

• Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
• The Televised Car Chase
• September 11, 2001
• The Cola Wars of the 1980s
• US Airways Flight 1549
• Fall of the Berlin Wall
• War Time Coverage
• Demi Moore’s Cover for Vanity Fair
• Real-Time Communication
• Barack Obama’s Social Media Election Campaign of 2008
• Dan Rather Exits As News Anchor
• First Dot Com Web Domain
• Debut of Roger & Me
• Gen-Y Changes the Playing Field
• Demise of Seattle News Institution
• The Rise of Pundits
• The Oprah “Effect”
• Reality Television
• Mosaic Browser Introduction
• Entertainment As News
• Product Craze
• Death of Princess Diana Media Implications
• Faux News Scandal
• First Blog Post
• You!

Compiled By The Pollack PR Marketing Group, The List Is A Collaborative Effort Of

Colleagues, Journalists And PR Professionals

LOS ANGELES (March 25, 2010) – As part of the celebration of its 25th anniversary, The Pollack PR Marketing Group (PPMG), an integrated PR and marketing agency, released today a list of 25 PR Defining Moments that occurred from 1985, the year of its founding, to today — PR moments in time that impacted not only history, but the PR consciousness and subsequently changed the ‘way it was’ from that moment forward.

Several months ago, the agency sent out a call to colleagues, PR professionals and journalists, requesting them to submit their ideas for such a list.  The criteria set for inclusion was that the ‘moment in time’ over the last quarter of a century, had to have found its place in history or altered the way we live our lives, and also had to have impacted change within the context of public relations industry.  The ‘moments’ submitted could have influenced a lifestyle change, unfurled a technology that would change the way we lead our everyday lives, spotlighted a news happening through an inadvertent camera shot, or changed a political order or the societal landscape.

According to Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Noemi Pollack, “What first prompted the making of such a list is that over our 25-years we have been witness to some of the most accelerated changes in history.  As such, we wanted to put it all into some perspective to crystallize these impactful moments in time. Clearly, we recognized that many more than 25 ‘PR moments” would qualify for the list, so this list represents our choices of the numerous ones that were submitted. We chose to present the selected 25 in random order, so that we would be free to include ‘moments’ that fit our criteria, rather than be limited to the year in which they occurred.”

The agency was founded on the 25th of March in 1985, as Pollack & Setzer by senior strategists Noemi Pollack and Paul Setzer.  Almost two years later, at the time that Setzer left the firm to pursue a focus on advertising and graphic design, the agency was renamed The Pollack PR Marketing Group.  In the ensuing years, the agency continued its early focus on consumer products and services and, in recent years, has expanded its niche to include online and offline consumer branded engagement.

Fourteen years after its founding, the agency became a partner in The WORLDCOM Public Relations Group, a consortium of 110 agencies in 94 world markets, which added the collective resources and talents of 2,200 professionals that creatively and collaboratively handle small to large scale local, national and international public relations and marketing campaigns, seamlessly.

Additional plans for the year-long celebration include: developing and posting videos on the 25th of every month of forward-thinking communication concepts and ideas that incorporate evolving communication trends, as well as concepts that can support smoother adoption of ‘change’ by corporations – globally; a community relations “roll-up-your-sleeves” plan, whereby each agency professional gets an opportunity to work an 8-hour day at a charity of their choice on the 25th of every month and, in return, the agency will offer a donation to each charity; a monthly guest blogger column on the agency’s blog on the 25th of every month; and, of course, social festivities.

To date, guest blogger contributors include: futurist and author, David Houle, sales “guru” Jeffrey Gitomer; social media strategist, Jason Baer, author and sales strategist, Tom Searcy; PR publisher, Paul Holmes; and journalist, James Flanagan.

Says Noemi Pollack, “When we think of ourselves as a quarter of a century old, the longevity in that phrase really astounds,” and adds, ”We look forward to the next 25.”

ABOUT THE POLLACK PR MARKETING GROUP

The Pollack PR Marketing Group (PPMG) based in Century City, CA, is a 25-year old mid-sized, multi-specialty agency that develops communication platforms and programs, manages corporate reputations, launches new products and services and promotes consumer brand engagement for clients ranging from innovative start-ups, to Fortune 500 companies, with a focus on consumer products, technologies and services. PPMG is a partner in The WORLDCOM Public Relations Group, a consortium of over 100 partners with offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.ppmgcorp.com, or http://www.pollackblog.com, or follow us on Twitter @PollackPRMktg.

Agency Marks Milestone Year Of Servicing Local, National And International Clients

LOS ANGELES (January 21, 2010) – The Pollack PR Marketing Group (PPMG), an integrated PR and marketing agency announced today that it is kicking off its celebratory anniversary year as it turns 25 on the 25th of March. Founded in 1985 as Pollack & Setzer by senior strategists Noemi Pollack and Paul Setzer, the firm evolved into a multi-specialty agency that develops communication platforms and programs, manages corporate reputations, launches new products and services, and promotes consumer brand engagement for clients ranging from innovative start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, with a focus on consumer products, technologies and services.

“When we think of ourselves as a quarter of a century old, the longevity in that phrase really astonishes,” said Founder & Chief Executive Officer Noemi Pollack. “Just consider that the day the agency opened its doors, there were computers, but no internet, no email, no cell phones; it was the analog age and would move to the digital age only a decade later; it would be another decade before social media would enter our consciousness: and then, at a very quickened pace, the whole communication landscape changed with the advent of digital marketing and, of course, Twitter.”

Fourteen years after its founding, the agency became a partner in The WORLDCOM Public Relations Group, a consortium of 110 agencies in 94 world markets, which added the collective resources and talents of 2,200 professionals that creatively and collaboratively handle small to large scale local, national and international public relations and marketing campaigns, seamlessly.

Jerry Swerling, public relations management consultant, commented, “I’ve been in PR for almost 40 years, 20 of them here in LA. In that time an astonishing number of agencies have disappeared from the scene, because they either couldn’t figure out who they were and what they did, or lost the entrepreneurial spirit and sold to a conglomerate, or simply lacked talent. The fact that the Pollack PR Marketing Group has thrived for 25 years, as a staunchly independent firm in the highly competitive LA market, is an enormous testimonial to the firm’s leadership, sense of self, and commitment to long term client relationships.”

The year-long celebration will include: publishing the 25 most defining PR moments in the last 25 years that brought about the most seismic changes to the communications industry; developing and posting videos on the 25th of every month of forward-thinking communication concepts and ideas that incorporate evolving communication trends, as well as concepts that can support smoother adoption of ‘change’ by corporations – globally; and a community relations “roll-up-your-sleeves” plan, whereby each agency professional will get an opportunity to work an 8-hour day at a charity of their choice on the 25th of every month and, in return, the agency will offer a donation to each charity.

Additionally, guest bloggers who wish to offer their thoughts on whatever is on their minds will be invited to do so on the 25th of every month; and suggestions as to pivotal PR moments for inclusion in the list of 25, will also be requested.

The first guest blogger, futurist David Houle and author of the “Shift Age,” will kick off the guest series with an entry on the 25th of January.

ABOUT THE POLLACK PR MARKETING GROUP
The Pollack PR Marketing Group (PPMG) based in Century City, CA, is a 25-year old mid-sized, multi-specialty agency that develops communication platforms and programs, manages corporate reputations, launches new products and services and promotes consumer brand engagement for clients ranging from innovative start-ups, to Fortune 500 companies, with a focus on consumer products, technologies and services. PPMG is a partner in The WORLDCOM Public Relations Group, a consortium of over 100 partners with offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.ppmgcorp.com, or http://www.pollackblog.com, or follow us on Twitter @PollackPRMktg.

On March 25, 1985, the agency opened its doors.  That will make us 25 years old in three months or, as we prefer, a quarter of a century old.  There is certain longevity in that phrase that astonishes…

Just consider the ride we have taken in our business over our first 25 years: when we opened our doors we had computers, but no internet, no email, no cell phones; we were in the analog age and would move to the digital age only a decade later; it would be another decade before social media would enter our consciousness: and then, at a very quickened pace, the whole communication landscape changed with the advent of digital marketing and, of course, Twitter.

We have plans to celebrate the whole year through, not with a lot of hoopla, but with reflection on how the communications world looked 25 years ago, maybe 15, 10, or 5, and then marvel at what a different world it has become through our “electronic connectedness,” which has accelerated the speed of change.

Our plans are to celebrate not just with reflection, but also to consider some forward-thinking communication means that can lead the path to smoother adoption of change, by corporations – globally.

We also see this milestone anniversary as an opportunity to give back to the community in which we do business.  But really give back — in labor and love.  As such, each agency professional will get an opportunity to work an 8-hour day at the charity of their choice and, in return, the agency will offer a donation to each charity.

It is also a time to compile lists of 25 this or that, invite 12 guest bloggers to give us their thoughts on whatever is on their minds on the 25th of every month and post videos offering concepts and ideas that incorporate evolving communication trends or needs, also on the 25th of every month.

So to kick off our celebration look for our first guest blogger, futurist David Houle and author of the “Shift Age,” with an entry on the 25th of January.

Also join us in compiling a list of the 25 most defining moments in PR/media history since 1985. So to kick off the list, here are my first two choices:

September 11, 2001

Never before in the modern era has there been such a massive, immediate, public demand for ‘real time information’.  Broadcast media could not keep up with the outpouring of information emanating from the devastation that ensued and the “ticker” on the bottom of the screen became a permanent addition to most news channels.  The demand for real-time information no doubt raised the level of public demand and consumption and  undoubtedly opened yet another door for the arrival of social media.

The Cola Wars of the 1980s and 90’s

Pepsi and Coke went head to head in a fight for consumer brand loyalty.  They were successful in staking their ground and dividing the country into two groups of cola drinkers (Pepsi drinkers and Coke drinkers).  This was significant because it set the stage for other brands to really infuse themselves into the lifestyle of consumers in a way that had not been done so effectively until then.  The wars became less about the soda and more about the image with which consumers chose to align themselves.  Simply put, it brought branding to a new level of engagement.

Now I only need 22 more to complete the list, in time to publish it on the 25^th of March.  Can you help with your ideas of what would really fit?  Readers can submit ideas: via Twitter @PollackPRMktg with a #25PR hashtag, comment on the blog, or email to info@ppmgcorp.com.

I suspect it will be hard to pick which ones matter the most, for given the choice, the list would extend way past the number 25.

But that’s not the point.  It’s about being 25, on the 25^th, and compiling, lists of 25…