#Apple #Antenna_Gate response was defensive PR. Heed the lessons of #Icarus #FanBoy is insulting http://bit.ly/9ZHb2f

Commencement speakers want to offer helpful, memorable advice to the graduates.

For NBC journo Ann Curry, her commencement address illustrated instead the importance of research and knowing your audience. On Saturday, she named the wrong alumni in her speech to Wheaton College of Massachusetts graduates.

My guess is that speech writer and/or research assistant failed in the basic duty of “double sourcing” the facts — though Curry accepted sole responsibility for the failure. Classy and responsible but a significant failure for someone in the business of accuracy.  Also, the college’s PR staff should have done a better job sharing key facts about graduates, alumni and the institution with Curry and her staff.

In her apology, Curry succeed in admitting her mistake and complimenting the Wheaton community.  If you have to experience a public humiliation, this is a graceful way to respond.

Anniversary stories often are not that exciting. In fact, I’ve had reporters emphatically tell me, “I don’t write about anniversaries.”

However, some anniversaries are significant because of the impact they have had on our culture and lifestyle . In 2010, bubble wrap turned 50. Earth Day marked 40. The Blue Ridge Parkway celebrates 75.  Spanx cheers its 10th. (While I don’t believe thee modern girdle is advancement for women, Spanx are a technical achievement in under garment fabrics.) And the birth control pill commemorates its gold jubilee.

Barrels of ink have been spilled on the FDA’s approval of the birth control pill 50 years ago on Mother’s Day. In fact, some argue the invention of the pill is the most significant scientific advancement and social empowerment of the 20th century.

Journalists did not shy away from any of these anniversary stories. So why such animosity to other celebrations of history — say an institution turning 100? The 5th annual celebration of a community partnership. Or the 25th anniversary of a product introduction.

Most frequently, the pitch lacks context. What is happening around the event that you wish to publicize?  What impact has your institution, partnership or product had outside of the company you are representing? Have habits or attitudes changed? Why is the anniversary significant? What is unique about it? Or are there similar happenings that could be packaged to show a cultural impact?

The celebration of the birth control pill’s 50th, illustrates the elements of a good anniversary pitch.

1) Context: How does the company or product anniversary fit into the larger history? Was it ground breaking? First? Did it change habits or alter attitudes? What preceded your company or product and how did its introduction alter the landscape?

2) Milestones: What hurdles were overcome since the inception of the company or product? How can you quantify?

3) Impact: What other “firsts” were made possible or at least influenced by the company or product?

4) Future: What’s next? How will the product or company continue to affect the industry or consumer behavior?

5) Community engagement: How will you involve stakeholders in the celebration? What social media channels will you employ? Be sure to include hash tags (#50success) in your promotions and encourage tweeting from events.

Finally, if your company or product isn’t celebrating an anniversary, use cultural anniversaries like Earth Day or the pill to your advantage. A good example is “50 years of the pill. Bayer’s celebration celebration of women’s empowerment.”

The key to success is to think beyond the company or product’s history and to celebrate the impact on attitudes and behavior. Add a forward-looking angle, and you’ll increase the likelihood of media coverage.

Forty years ago Earth Day was created to organize environmental teach-ins, to channel frustrations with nuclear proliferation and burning rivers and to brand a national movement. Earth Day is now a global network powered by a new generation of environmental activists.

More importantly, sustainability has become a household word and a lifestyle practice that impacts both consumer and business behavior. Today, sustainability is as important to the corporate bottom line as it is to the environment.

As such, I intended to write about best practices in green communications—from Brita to Pepsi to Seventh Generation there are numerous case studies in corporate and social responsibility demonstrating how companies are implementing sustainability initiatives and communicating with their stakeholders.

Last night, however, I had the opportunity to attend the Earth Day Eve Leadership Celebration, part of the first Creating Climate Wealth Summit hosted by the Earth Day Network and the Carbon War Room held at the Georgetown McDonough School of Business, April 20 to 22, 2010. What better way to celebrate Earth Day than to share the insights of movement leaders?

Sir Richard Branson, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Mary Robinson, Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers and Earth Day 1970 Organizer Denis Hayes spoke about the history of the movement and the need for continued action. My @tasj tweets from the dinner at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center follow (with typos for authenticity).

#DenisHayes – I thought in 1980 we were in an energy revolution. It was an information revolution instead #EarthDay

#EarthDay  #DenisHayes Transformation has been stunning. More apps for iPhone than computer in 1970.

#EarthDay  – In early 1970s helped spawn creation of EPA, clean water act, endangered species act, among others.

#EarthDay created a new vocab even though worries about nuclear war and burning rivers already existed.

#EarthDay  – 40 years ago, 20 million people, $125,000. Today #EarthDay is a global movement. Tx #DenisHayes

#GaryLocke need clarity in regulatory envionment for investment and innovation in clean energy technologies

#EarthDay future is the marriage of commerce and the environment. #GaryLocke [jokes he is] opening act for #Melissa Etheridge

# MaryRobinson 1.6 billion without eletricity deserve small solar, clean water and better living conditions

#MaryRobinson Climate Change is not just polar bears. It’s about Climate Justice – providing skills/knowledge for clean energy

#RichardBranson climate change is about creating new technology and changing way we live our lives – as his mobile rings

Photo: Chris Kormis, Deborah Hudson, Tracy Schario

Pearl of Wisdom Campaign

Who knew September was Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month? What caught my attention? A pearl. Now I can add a pearl pin to my jean jacket collection of women’s health awareness campaign pins. My favorite is the Red Dress for the “heart truth”, followed by my Pink Ribbon for breast cancer.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — complete with pink appliances.

What is cervical cancer? According to www.pearlofwisdom.us, “it is caused by “high-risk” types of the human papillomavirus (HPV),  a very common sexually transmitted infection…. HPV Infections that do not go away can cause cells on the cervix to change and become abnormal. Over time, abnormal cells can slowly develop into cervical cancer.”

Sadly, I know too many family members, friends and colleagues who have dealt with these life-threatening cancers personally. Thus when I receive contest solicitations for cancer awareness, I pause. Do we have play games and wear jewelry to have a conversation about women’s health?  The contests and pins capture attention and generate tanigble results — a primary goal of any awareness campaign.  In fact, several PR/Marketing campaigns for health issues have won awards for many public relations agencies.

While I wish behavior change could occur absent these promotional efforts, such gimmics are necessary. In the case of cervical cancer, the call to action is HPV vaccination and regular visits to your gynecologist for a PAP test.

Please share that pearl of wisdom generously with every woman.