Archive for the ‘Promotions in Motion’ Category

Social Media Marketing – It’s Like Word of Mouth on Steroids

Friday, April 27th, 2012

By Stephanie LaDue

As a new parent, I know I’m a marketer’s dream. Getting ready for my baby meant my wallet was wide open, ready to purchase a nursery full of new goodies. I wanted – and still want – everything that will make my child’s life better. Like other new moms, overwhelmed by decisions and new responsibilities, I look to the Internet and friends for advice on the best products for my new bundle of joy.

As a marketer, I know the importance of reaching the right people at the right time and the value of trustworthy recommendations. Word of mouth from “a person like me” is still the most trusted source of information and social media…via bloggers and social communities like Facebook…is like word of mouth on steroids. Recommendations/influence is taken from one-to-one to one-to-many (thousands or even millions).

At RL&A we have an arsenal of top bloggers at our fingertips and we work closely with them to become brand advocates for our clients. Our social media PR efforts, on behalf of the brands we represent, help to continually populate the Internet with positive brand reviews that are reinforced with strategic keywords and images which also ultimately effects search engine optimization. And when dealing with the consistent churn of new parents in the market…our continual outreach and creativity in positioning brands is critical to maintaining relevance.

Brands we work with are in the right place at the right time, providing answers and populating search with recommendations from “a person like me.” So, for example, when a new parent, like me, is wading through the barrage of baby brands…they’ll find the solutions they need in pages upon pages of positive reviews from trustworthy sources…a marketer’s and a new parent’s dream.

A Grassroots Event Can Provide Content for Social Media PR

Friday, June 18th, 2010

By Brittany Oat

Sometimes a brand really lends itself to grassroots PR, so when the perfect opportunity comes along to promote it on the local level you just have to go for it. Case in point: Anti Monkey Butt Powder and the Westchester Mountain Bike Association’s 2010 Fat Tire Festival. As an avid mountain biker, I heard about the festival and my first thought was, “Wow, this is a great opportunity to get the powder in the hands of thousands of bikers and use the results for our social media outreach.” And it was!

The Anti Monkey Butt Powder “exhibitor” table was right next to the main festival tent and it was packed with people all day long. Anti Monkey Butt Powder sample packets were flying off the table and the riders were able to get all their questions answered by one of the product’s developers. The festival also gave us the opportunity to give away some custom-made Anti Monkey Butt Powder jerseys and t-shirts, and donate some product to the charity raffle. What a fun, feel-good way to get the brand out on the trails!

But grassroots PR doesn’t have to stay at the local level. To help take this event global via the Internet and social media, I brought a digital camera and a Flip camera. The still photos were uploaded to a photo album on Facebook for our 24,000-plus fans to check out and to share with new friends from the festival. Also, I took some video testimonials and made a music video of the bikers that I was able to upload to both Facebook and the Anti Monkey Butt YouTube channel. Now, we can share the links to the videos with the bikers, post it on the bike forums and the bike association Facebook page.

So, don’t discount grassroots PR…but also look for ways to take it beyond the local level.

ROHTO Hydra Launch is a Success

Monday, September 21st, 2009
Beauty editors from Allure and Glamour enjoyed cocktails and stunning New York City views while learning about new ROHTO Hydra

RL&A recently helped launch new ROHTO Hydra with an eye-opening media event/party on the stunning new Pool Deck at the Empire Hotel on June 4.

The event was well attended by top beauty and grooming editors from magazines like Glamour, Allure, Elle, InTouch Weekly, Redbook, Teen Vogue, GQ and Woman’s World, as well as beauty bloggers from AOL Stylelist, Glamour.com, SheFinds.com, TotalBeauty.com and Beauty Blogging Junkie, among others.

Guests sipped cocktails and ate passed hors d’oeuvres while mingling with celebrity makeup artist Gita Bass, the ROHTO spokesperson, throughout the evening. A cool ice sculpture of the ROHTO bottle was commissioned and on display.

In addition to meeting Gita, media were given the opportunity to have their eye makeup done by professional makeup artists Emi, Legend and Bank, and also have their face and future “read” by face reader Sherry Lane. A portrait artist also treated attendees to  Picasso- and watercolor-inspired portraits.

Guests, many of whom have covered ROHTO in the past, were wowed by the event, which has already resulted in fantastic media coverage.

To find out how to you can get your beauty or OTC products into the hands of the media, contact Robin Russo or Alyson O’Mahoney.

Promotions in Motion

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008

ARE YOUR LIPS “PICTURE PERFECT?” THREE YEARS RUNNING, SOFTLIPS® IS THE ULTIMATE JUDGE…AND OWNER OF THE CATEGORY

For the third consecutive year, Robin Leedy & Associates (RL&A) is kicking off the “Softlips® Picture Perfect Lips Search” on behalf of The Mentholatum Company, maker of the popular lip conditioning balm that comes in a “stick.”

RL&A created the nationwide “lip model” search in 2006 as an ownable PR element that could generate buzz for the brand amongst the target audience beyond the topic of general lip care, while also giving the brand a uniquely fun, feminine identity in a crowded product category. We partnered with Parts Models in New York City, the country’s only modeling agency that deals exclusively in beautiful body parts. Parts Models’ president Dani Korwin acts as a key judge in the competition, and has fielded many interviews about the contest and on the topic of parts modeling over the past two years.

To launch the contest and start the buzz, RL&A held a kick-off media cocktail party and “Open Call” event (for future lip models) in Manhattan at Duvet restaurant and club that was attended by some 100 media and their guests who witnessed model-hopefuls lining up outside to have their lips photographed and enter the contest on the spot. We also conducted a mini-college campus tour with open calls and local media blitzes, as well as other events, including the ever-popular Shecky’s “Girls Night Out” parties. The results included 4,400 contest entries, over 60,000 samples being distributed and extensive local and national publicity for the contest. The first-year success prompted TMC to make the contest an annual competition with new promotional features each year.

So, in case you’re wondering, what makes lips picture perfect? According to Korwin, the shape of the lips should include a defined “bow” on the top lip, but no sharp angles; neither the top nor bottom lip should be much larger or smaller than the other; and lips should be full, but not overly exaggerated or “bee-stung.” Lips should also have a natural color along with a smooth, healthy texture with no flaking, cracks or chapping.

The two previous grand prize winners, Mireya Ramos, 18, of El Paso, TX, and Ashton Shane, 22, of Los Angeles, CA, represented the well-cared for, beautiful lips the judges were looking for.


The Softlips® Picture Perfect Lips search is open to legal female U.S. residents, age 13 or older. The 2008 winner will receive a cash prize of $2,500, the possibility to become a professional lip model and the prestige of having the prettiest pucker in America, which will be posted online for all to see at www.softlips.com.
For a full set of rules and photo guidelines, as well as an official entry form, visit www.softlips.com.

Client News

Monday, March 31st, 2008

Patricia Raymond, M.D., noted board-certified gastroenterologist, author and assistant professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Le Bernardin was a fitting site on March 5th for RL&A and our client, French-based Biocodex, to host the “Pros of Probiotics” media roundtable and luncheon event for Florastor® probiotics supplement.

The event was well attended by editors from leading national media outlets, such as The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Redbook, Self, Woman’s World, Women’s Health, Prevention, Parade, Marie Claire, Ladies’ Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, Shape, Woman’s Day, and many more.

Editors from SHAPE, Marie Claire and Conde Nast Traveler discuss probiotics over lunch at the Le Bernardin PR media event.
Guests heard presentations from the top probiotic experts in the field and were presented with the latest clinical research on the use of Saccharomyces boulardii and other probiotics. Media reaction to the event was extremely positive, with many asking questions and offering suggestions for future coverage.

Promotions in Motion

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

For the second year in a row, RL&A and The Mentholatum Company teamed up to conduct the “Softlips Picture Perfect Lips” contest that was developed by RL&A to highlight the leading lip conditioner’s lip-perfecting qualities amongst young women.

Once again the contest proved successful in attracting attention, drawing almost 2500 entries from women ages 13 to17 who believed that their perfect pout could make them a top lips model with a contract from Parts Models, the only modeling agency devoted solely to beautiful body parts.

The campaign kicked off with a segment on New York’s CW11 and was later picked up by hundreds of media outlets, including the Chicago Tribune, St. Louis Dispatch, Tampa Tribune, Cosmogirl.com and YM.com.

The 2007 lip victor was Ashton Shane, 22, of Los Angeles, a young woman with beautifully-shaped and well-cared-for lips. As grand prize winner, Shane received a $2,500 check along with a one-year supply of Softlips® products. 

Promotions in Motion

Sunday, January 27th, 2008

The “Pros of Probiotics” Media Event Hosted by RL&A is a Success

From right: April Franzino, beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping magazine, meets with Anne Carlantone of RL&A, Joel Arivett and Tina Pardue of Microplane Personal Care, as well as spokespersons Gina Eppolito and Dr. Lee Cohen.
RL&A Media Event is "Toe"-Tal Success–Some 20-plus top tier beauty media were treated to a spa pedicure and foot-care goodies when Robin Leedy & Associates recently hosted the

Microplane® Personal Care media briefing event at the luxurious Townhouse Spa in NYC. Microplane®, which made a name for itself in the housewares industry, is looking to do the same in personal care with its unique Foot Files and Foot Buffers, which are safe and effective to remove dry skin and calluses from the feet.

The event was well attended by editors from leading women’s and men’s magazines, including Men’s Vogue, New York Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Us Weekly, Women’s Health, Self, Maxim, Ladies Home Journal, Women’s Wear Daily, Parents, Conde Nast Traveler, CosmoGirl!, All You, Family Circle, Teen Vogue, Health, Allure and Redbook, among others.

From right: Kate Schweitzer, associate editor at Prevention.com, and Monique Meneses, assistant editor at Us Weekly.
Editors had one-on-one product briefings with Philadelphia Eagles podiatrist Lee Cohen and celebrity pedicurist Gina Eppolito (most recently credited in this month’s issue of Allure magazine for doing Sarah Jessica Parker’s pedicure for her photo shoot), as well as the Microplane® team. Each editor also had a personal experience with the new Microplane® Foot Files and Buffers during their spa pedicures.

Initial feedback from the editors indicates this RL&A media event was a “toe-tal” success! Now the real work begins as we follow up to secure placements.

For more information on how to get media exposure for your OTC, beauty or women’s health products or services, Contact Robin Russo of Robin Leedy & Associates

Promotions in Motion

Friday, November 30th, 2007

The Softlips® Picture Perfect Lip Search celebrates its second year, as thousands of young women (13+) nationwide enter their photo on the brand site to vie for the title of America’s most perfect lips. Not only does this contest tie in with the brand’s messaging of soft, beautiful lips, but it provides RL&A with a “product” to reach out to media outlets that would not traditionally cover beauty and/or lip balm, and it is a vehicle to drive Web traffic. The contest has traveled to college campuses, retailers, and fun women’s night out events nationwide.

Promotions in Motion

Friday, November 30th, 2007

One of the biggest complaints of those who suffer from excessive underarm perspiration is that they can’t wear what they want. Since Certain Dri Antiperspirant can help get rid of the problem, we wanted to offer another life-changing offer….a $1,000 “sweat-free” shopping spree to buy the wardrobe you always wanted, now that the excessive perspiration is under control. Through traditional PR, online efforts and an exclusive editorial offer via Woman’s World magazine (the top read magazine by Wal-Mart shoppers), tens of thousands of entries came rolling in.