1. What is your idea of perfect
happiness?
Enjoying all aspects of my life and
living each moment to the fullest.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is not completing
the goals I set for myself.
Which person, living or dead,
do you most admire?
My parents. No matter the situation,
they always put our needs first and
advocated for my sister and me.
What do you consider the
most overrated virtue?
Confidence.
Which words or phrases
do you most overuse?
I overuse the word “perfect”
in my personal life.
What is your greatest regret?
Not travelling once I finished school.
Which talent would you
most like to have?
I would like to read faster.
What is the trait you most
deplore in others?
The trait I most deplore in
others is pessimism.
If you could change one thing about
yourself, what would it be?
I would speak another language.
What do you consider your
greatest achievement?
I consider completing my undergrad
and post grad degrees my
greatest achievement.
What made you join IABC/Toronto?
Since my communications contract
ended in May, I wanted to stay active
in the industry.
How do you participate
in IABC/Toronto?
I volunteer as the Senior Director
of Networking Events.
What do you most value
in your colleagues?
I most value my colleagues’
experiences and career advice.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Going to California recently for a
childhood friend’s wedding.
If you were to die and come back
as another person or thing, what
would you be?
If I die and could come back as
something I would be a fish.
What do you think are the three
most common mistakes made in
business communication?
I think the three most common mistakes
made in business communication are:
1. Email etiquette errors
2. Not using plain language
when necessary
3. Not ensuring good communication
within your team
What would your dream job be?
Working for a children’s organization
or school in a communications role.
What is your motto?
My motto is “if you make a mistake,
make it a part of your design.” When I
was a child, my art teacher used to say
this to me.
IABC/TORONTO
PROUST
QUESTIONNAIRE
PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE
CAMPUS CORNER
THE INDIE SCENE
Global Content Marketing
by Pam Didner (McGraw-Hill: 2014)
BOOK REVIEW
ABOUT
ALISA
RAIZMAN
Alisa Raizman has more than sevenyears of
marketing and communication experience
with a wide range of industries including
insurance, visual arts and finan cial. She
is currently the content manager for the
travel and health insurance company
Ingle International. While new toToronto
and its IABC chapter, Alisa began her
IABC membership in Winnipeg and since
moving toToronto, became involved with
writing as well as the events committee.
If you’d like to be featured in a future
Proust questionnaire, please contact
toronto-membercomm@iabc.to
2014 by McGraw-Hill;
$21.70 paperback, $23.79 Kobo
Available at Chapters.Indigo.ca .
TOP
Executive Committee
President:
Suzanna Cohen, ABC
Immediate Past President:
Stephanie Engel, ABC
Executive Vice President:
Megan Hooper
Vice President, Association
Management & Finance:
Anna Relyea
Communications & Strategic
Partnerships Portfolio
Vice President, Communications &
Strategic Partnerships
Maliha Aqeel, PMP
Scott Fry – Senior Director, Website
Alissa Liotti – Senior Director,
Marketing and Strategic
Partnerships
Stefanie Penzes – Senior Director,
Social Media
Dave Watt – Senior Director,
Member Communications
Programs Portfolio
Vice President, Programs
Teresa Pavlin
Tara Benjamin – Senior Director,
Event Logistics
Heather Glicksman – Senior
Director, Chapter Awards
Kelsey Muir – Senior Director,
Networking
Professional Development
Portfolio
VP, Professional Development
Dawneen MacKenzie
Navneet Sahota – Senior Director,
Professional Development Events
Scott Tabachnick – Senior Director,
OVATION Award Judging
Membership Portfolio
Sharon Aschaiek – Senior Director,
Special Interest Groups
Russell Baker – Senior Director,
Volunteers
Sonia Prashar – Senior Director,
Students
Carly Wallace – Senior Director,
Member Retention
OVATION Awards Portfolio
Vice President,
OVATION Awards
Paulette Den Elzen
COMMUNICATOR
Dave Watt
Editor-in-Chief
Lisa Goller
Managing Editor
Suzanna Cohen
President’s Message
Lisa Goller
Managing Editor’s Message
Writers:
Heath Applebaum
Irene Bakaric
Brian Baker
Eric Bergman
John K. Bromley
Yvonne Catty
Jacqueline Martinz
Kelsey Muir
Alisa Raizman
Melika Ramkissoon
Advertising:
Alissa Liotti
Senior Director, Marketing and Strategic
toronto-marketing@iabc.to
Graphic Design:
Fusion Design Group Inc.
416-516-6657 www.fusiondg.ca
brent@fusiondg.ca
IABC/Toronto
21 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 802
Toronto, ON, M4T 1L9
416-968-0264 toronto.iabc.com
IABC International
601 Montgomery Street, Suite 1900
San Francisco, CA 94111
1-800-776-4222 www.iabc.com
IABC/TORONTO BOARD 2014 – 2015
Send an email to
toronto-membercomm@iabc.to
We love getting ideas for articles and
look forward to hearing from you.
Interested in
writing for
Communicator?
HEAD TO HEAD
Is the European Union’s
response to the Syrian
refugee crisis damaging
its reputation?
YOUR REPUTATION
IS YOUR Future
What do you think of when you hear “Volkswagen diesel
emissions,” “Lac-Mégantic” or “Mike Duffy”? Chances are
you think of a crisis, and then, a tarnished reputation.
Crises and reputational damage often go hand-in-hand. No matter
the cause or who is to blame, an early casualty is often a company’s
or a person’s reputation, especially if the immediate response is
weak, defensive or late. The importance of robust communications
in minimizing the impact of a crisis on one's reputation cannot
be overstated.
Your reputation is your future
Slow to build and quick to destroy, your reputation is your
primary asset. As an independent, I build on the strength and
value of the reputations my clients have forged and help put
solid crisis communications plans in place as part of overall
crisis management programs.
Crises are unpredictable, but they are not unexpected
How do you plan for the unthinkable? Crisis management and
preparedness is possible within a framework of informed assumptions.
I coach global multinational companies through a best-practices
methodology including scenario mapping, proportional response
protocol development, governance systems, competence through
simulation exercises and preparation of crisis communications
toolkits. Crisis communications plans must be fully aligned with the
long-term business strategy and integrated with the enterprise crisis
response for maximum effectiveness.
The Chinese character for crisis is made
up of the symbols for danger and opportunity
Great satisfaction comes from showing clients that preparing for a
crisis and managing one professionally may present an opportunity
to build reputational capital. In Canada, think of Maple Leaf Foods’
decision to voluntarily recall $20 million worth of product in
response to the listeriosis situation in 2008. That company is a
Canadian success story with its reputation intact, if not stronger,
since the crisis. Michael McCain became the poster child of CEO
sincerity and responsible crisis communications. Maple Leaf’s
reputation was arguably enhanced by its consistent, transparent
and non-confrontational communications—a response that has
become the gold standard in crisis communications.
Therein lies the opportunity: robust crisis communication plans
in which a company demonstrates leadership, shares information
openly, accepts responsibility as appropriate, expresses concern,
takes action and provides perspective. Helping clients create such
programs that might not only mitigate reputational damage, but
actually strengthen reputation and build trust with stakeholders,
customers and authorities is a privilege and a source of great pride.
Pam Didner’s book, Global Content Marketing, describes how to create
great content, reach more customers and build a worldwide marketing
strategy that works. As an experienced content manager, I found Didner’s
book relatable and her recommendations achievable for any company,
regardless of size. The challenges and questions Didner identifies are
relevant in today’s content-heavy digital landscape.
Didner divides the book into her model of the 4 P’s of the global content
marketing cycle: Plan, Produce, Promote, Perfect. Each chapter goes into detail
about each P, and Didner consistently sprinkles reminders of the golden global
content marketing rule: content must be created with a purpose and audience
in mind. With so many options for creating and distributing content, it’s easy
to get carried away and lose track of why you’re creating it in the first place;
to ultimately help, educate, support or entertain your customers.
First, Didner breaks down the building blocks of a complex content
marketing team—similar to the one I described in my Head to Head
article in the September/October 2015 issue of Communicator, in
which I argued content marketing should be its own department,
rather than part of marketing communications.
She also spends a great deal of attention and emphasis on one of the most
unknown and difficult aspects content marketers face: measuring results.
Directors want measured results of the effort, time and money put into
developing and distributing content. Here’s the tricky part; since content
may not have a direct tie to sales, it’s hard to measure. Didner emphasizes
that content may lead to sales down the road, but it’s difficult to see immediate
and unequivocal results because the direct measurement and database tools
have not yet caught up with this growing field.
The most eye-opening part of the book was Didner’s example of the
complexities related to the measurement of content marketing efforts.
She questions the value between content that measures over 50,000
views vs. content that receives less than 100 views but is viewed by the
CEO of a prospective client. Which is more valuable? That’s literally the
million-dollar question.
As a content marketer, I’ve experienced the same challenges in measuring
and reporting the direct relation between content and sales and acquisition.
As Didner suggests, a content marketer needs to work with almost every
department team to measure their work’s effectiveness, both quantitatively
and qualitatively. She stresses the importance directors and CEOs need to
place on embracing and understanding the role of the content team within
the organization. Without management’s support, the content team ceases
to have a purpose. Without a purpose, content can’t fulfill its objective of
helping, educating, supporting or entertaining your customers.
Since content marketing is such a hot topic in corporate
communications right now, we devoted the entire September/
October issue of Communicator to it. Now we’re extending this
relevant, timely topic to one more article: a book review on
content marketing best practices for global reach.
“By failing to prepare,
you are preparing to fail.”
- Benjamin Franklin
Most definitely. Welcoming refugees is key to Europe’s
economic renaissance.
It is not hard to see the European Union (EU) brand rapidly
eroding as more than 360,000 illegal migrants risk everything for
a better life within the Eurozone. A consensus continues to build
that the Brussels-based organization has been rendered “feckless,
impotent and cynical ” while managing this ongoing human
tragedy.
Fear once again roils the recipe for economic unity with instances
of bigotry, animosity and secularism. “Old stock” ways of managing
migration have muted a stronger argument toward short- and
long-term economic benefits. As a result, the EU is forfeiting a
premium opportunity to bolster its reputation as a prudent fiscal
officer and economic world leader.
Firstly, current EU immigration policies remain outdated and
inadequate. Antiquated asylum laws outlined in the 1990s
handle only a small amount of people at a time. Refugees don’t
necessarily have to stay in their first country of entry; they are
only fingerprinted into the EU database for easy processing and
release. This system is causing massive backlogs in countries
like Italy and Hungary when 2015 numbers can be tens of
thousands of refugees per day.
To stem the crisis, the EU briefly considered reviving a 2001
directive to by-pass the “quick method,” to allow for more
migrants—a Band-Aid solution, to be sure, but more effective
than waiting for EU bureaucrats to enact more effective
emergency measures.
Unfortunately, it was not to be and the EU blindly surrendered
to fear and a lost opportunity.
Many of the organization’s member nations foresaw that
once engaged, an emergency plan would carry with it a “pull”
factor. In their mind, the plan was a determinant that would
inevitably bring more people from the same country (Syria)
to the European homeland.
Not so, says Ian Goldin, head of the Oxford Martin School on
global challenges, “There is no evidence of a pull factor . If
you halved the risk of death, would that make more [migrants]
come? Desperate people don’t make that calculation.”
The best solution would have been—and continues to be—the
revitalization of the EU’s economically depressed nations. By
increasing the active number of workers in aging societies such
as Poland and Hungary, economic growth will follow. University
College London (paywall) upholds the fact that welcoming new
migrants into your society can bring fiscal clout.
For example, in the U.K. between 2001 and 2011, when European
migrants contributed more than £20 billion to public finances,
they were paying 64 per cent more in taxes. This saved €6.8
billion in education spending as most migrants brought needed
employment skills to the U.K.
But not all countries are mired in paranoia and prejudice.
Germany has clearly crunched the numbers and looks to grasp
this economic opportunity. Berlin predicts the draw-down on
public finances will be moderate and its budget surplus ready
to support the extra fiscal spending. This would result in a “0.3
per cent stimulus growth ” (paywall) over the next 18 months.
A steady flow of migrants means steady economic growth.
The EU brand needs to go back to its roots as a single unified
voice for global trade. Enacting a migrant strategy tied to
economic growth will help rebuild the EU brand to its
former identity, both at home and around the world.
Harry S. Truman said it best:
“In periods where there is no
leadership, society stands
still. Progress occurs when
courageous, skillful leaders
seize the opportunity to
change things for the better.”
When I was in university, I took a course on the European
Union, which was regarded as a political marvel. With its
common market and currency, and trailblazing policies, the
EU has had a glossy, impressive reputation within the region
and beyond. However, the recent influx of Syrian migrants
and the economic price of their arrival in member countries
could remove the lustre from the EU’s brand.
This much is indisputable: According to The United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 752,066 Syrian refugees
and migrants had made their way to Europe as of November 2015,
earning much of the developed world’s sympathy along the way.
It can also be argued—and has been, to the left—that migrants
entering these EU countries could boost national economies
by filling jobs in which there is a domestic shortage, thereby
becoming productive employees and taxpayers over time.
However, when viewed from another perspective, the risks
could easily outweigh the rewards. It’s not difficult to imagine
the current waves of Syrian migration adversely impacting
the national economies of EU members who accept them.
Unemployment could dramatically increase as the demand for
available jobs outstrips the supply. This, in turn, could create the
conditions for an extremely competitive labour market. Migrants,
refugees, and EU residents could be vying for the same positions,
as incoming migrants and refugees are often quite skilled .
The end result could be increased social tension and intolerance.
Moreover, while the EU has agreed to spread the resettlement
of 120,000 migrants among 23 other member countries, the
number of new arrivals continues to increase exponentially .
The economic cost for EU members to resettle constant waves
of new migrants may cause further fragmentation within the
bloc, particularly between larger EU states and smaller ones, as
the latter will find their economic resources stretched to their
limit. This could also worsen the existing political division within
the EU over the handling of migrant resettlement.
All of these factors could significantly tarnish the EU’s previously
pristine brand.
Melika Ramkissoon is an emerging professional currently looking to
enter the communications field, focusing on writing and external
communications. For the last three years she has been an active
member of IABC/Toronto, having worked in the awards portfolio
and assisting the past president in organizing a think tank.
CASE STUDY
Kane's legal woes
place Blackhawks
in sticky situation
ABOUT
JOHN K.
BROMLEY, ABC
John is senior-level public affairs professional creating new
approaches to content strategies within all communication
channels. John is currently consulting for e-Health leader
Orion Health Canada.
TOP
>> Issue
The Chicago Blackhawks were busy during the latter part of the
off season for all the wrong reasons. Patrick Kane, the 26-year-old
winger for the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup champions,
found himself in legal hot water after The Buffalo News reported
on August 6 that he was under investigation for a sexual assault.
>> Actions—Chicago Blackhawks
To keep the focus on hockey and not the allegations, the Blackhawks
supported Kane by facing the media with him in a press conference
on September 17. They kept all the messages concise and polite,
stressing the need to respect the legal process during the
press conference.
Kane also made his prepared address. He said he had "done nothing
wrong" and expected to be absolved of all wrongdoing. Kane dodged
all direct questions regarding the court case, thanking the journalists for
their questions and saying that he understood their need to get all the
answers but could not respond in kind. The team invited Kane to the
camp and invited him to play in the pre-season match September 23.
The team and Kane patiently maintained their silence even though
the high-profile investigation led to Kane’s removal from the cover
of a popular NHL video game, and hockey fans chanted “She said
no!” and “No means no!” during a couple of early road games.
>> Results
The Blackhawks’ decision to invite Kane to play in the pre-season
game initially sparked outrage on social media and with journalists.
However, with no charges laid, and the investigation ongoing, the
Blackhawks had no reason to not allow Kane to take part. Yet, once
the alleged rape was deemed a hoax, the tone of the public’s social
media comments became more forgiving.
No charges have been laid. The Blackhawks’ decision to patiently
support their star player and avoid revealing details seems to have
worked and the case against Kane has been dropped. However, Kane’s
personal brand has been tarnished by the court of public opinion.
This situation raises the question: If the rumours were worse than the
truth, should the communications department for the organization
have provided it? Unfortunately, in this case that's not possible.
ABOUT
BRIAN BAKER
Brian Baker is a Toronto journalist transitioning from print and
online media to public relations. Born in Welland, raised in
Whitby and calling Hogtown home, he has a passion for all
things sports and entertainment.
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ABOUT
YVONNE
CATTY, ABC, MSC
Yvonne Catty, ABC, MSc, is a communications professional with
more than 18 years of experience with international branded
businesses.Through her consultancy,Vitamin-3 Communications,
Inc. she has helped companies around the world overcome
challenges to their corporate reputations through proactive
issues management and enterprise crisis preparedness and
communications management. Yvonne volunteers as a judge
annually at the IABC Toronto Silver Leaf Awards.
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Engaging with the media is a business-critical
activity during a crisis
As circumstances change rapidly and the risk of reputational
damage is so high during a crisis, media interviews should
be entrusted to only the most experienced managers. One
of my core offerings is spokesperson coaching—the face
of the company during a situation can greatly influence the
reputational impact.
Hope for the best and plan for the worst…
That’s an old saying but one that sums up our philosophy.
There is no “one size fits all” approach, but there are ways
to plan and prepare and help your teams and stakeholders
be part of the solution.
JOHN K. BROMLEY, ABC MELIKA RAMKISSOON
How to Build a Content Marketing
Dream Team
For successful, cohesive content
marketing, the author recommends
establishing a separate content team
that includes the following roles:
• Copywriter
• Content Strategist
• Content Creator
• Media Manager
• Social Media Manager
• Graphic Designer
• SEO & SEM Manager
• IT Marketing Manager
>> Timeline
AUGUST 2
The alleged assault took place at
Kane’s Hamburg, New York home.
SEPTEMBER 8
The Grand Jury postponed their
review of the case after a suspected
settlement between Kane and the
alleged victim.
SEPTEMBER 23
Things took a turn for the bizarre.
The alleged victim’s mom discovered
a rape kit bag wedged between
the storm door and front door of
her home.
SEPTEMBER 25
The story was deemed a hoax by
District Attorney Frank Sedita III.
The attorney for the defence,
Thomas Eoannou, promptly
removed himself from the case.
NOVEMBER 5
A prosecutor dropped the rape
investigation against Kane, citing,
“this so-called‘case’is rife with
reasonable doubt.”
WEEK OF
AUGUST 6
Police conducted their search at
Kane's home and their investigation
remained under strict regulations.
ABOUT
MELIKA
RAMKISSOON
THINGS TO KNOW
ABOUT LIFE AS A
PR Professional
It was Thanksgiving when I got the call. There was an emergency
at work and my help was desperately needed to curtail any
misinformation about a developing issue. I didn't abandon my
family dinner but later worked into the evening preparing an
appropriate statement for distribution the following morning.
As a public relations professional, I have to be responsive to
situations that arise without warning and working at odd hours.
I found the post-grad PR program at Humber College was
invaluable in helping to prepare for scenarios such as this. The
various courses covered many facets of working in the field and
drove home that PR isn't simply about writing press releases
and managing social media; there are less visible aspects of the
job students need to accept if they want a career in the field. So
for those climbing up the ladder to a full-time job in PR, here are
a few things to consider.
PR isn't a 9-to-5 job
Social media doesn't shut down at a certain time of the day.
A crisis situation might require you to go into the office on a
Saturday or be available to take media requests throughout the
weekend. This isn't a 9-to-5 job. It's crucial for PR professionals
to learn how to manage their time and the expectations of
others so they're able to have a personal life without sacrificing
professional success. Stay organized and on top of deadlines by
making “to-do lists” or utilizing an online or phone calendar. Let
your family, friends, and partner know when you'll be extra busy
on the job.
What you do outside of work matters
Do you hope to work for a company that
handles a specific brand? Ensure you're
not closely associated with a competitor
because that could hinder your chances
of landing a job. If you're already working
for a company that includes well-known
brands on its client list, avoid engaging in
conversations about those brands on social
media or at public events. The clients will
want to feel confident that you're supportive
of them and maintaining professionalism.
Always have a back-up blazer
Life as a PR professional isn't always predictable. You never
know when the media will call and you'll have to spend the
afternoon speaking with journalists. Or when a client will
decide to drop by. If your company has a casual dress code,
keep a blazer near your desk just in case any of these situations
happen. It will help you maintain a professional image.
ABOUT
JACQUELINE MARTINZ
Jacqueline Martinz is a public relations professional and freelance
writer. Her work has been published in The Globe and Mail's Canadian
University Report Card, UniversityAffairs, TalentEgg.ca, and more.
Jacqueline enjoys traveling, playing the piano, and reading.
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ABOUT
KELSEY
MUIR
Kelsey Muir joined IABC in 2015 and serves as IABC/
Toronto’s Senior Director of Networking Events.
She graduated from the Seneca College Corporate
Communications Post-Graduate program and gained
broad communications expertise in the healthcare
sector. She has a strong interest in event planning,
social media and design. Currently, Kelsey teaches part
time at the Ryerson Early Learning Centre and seeks
her next exciting opportunity in communications.
TOP
“But not all
countries are
mired in paranoia
and prejudice.”