The final results of a combative campaign season are just days away and its time for many of us attend to more personal business discussions on the action steps in restoring stability and prosperity in our own businesses.

The recent economic challenges — and the open and passionate debate of many issues and challenges confronting us — have opened new doors that none of us could have anticipated.  At a time like this, I can’t help but remember that the Chinese word for “crisis” is made of the two symbols — one representing “danger” and the other representing “opportunity.” Its time to see the glass half full and seize the opportunities in front of us!

To be sure, there is a “silver lining” to this challenging period we’ve entered so abruptly:

Those of us in the field of Public Relations now have an opportunity to serve our clients in an even more powerful way.  Numerous studies have found that PR has a greater impact on public awareness during times of crisis, so clients receive a greater return on their investment than during calmer periods. Its more important than ever to create targeted public relations and publicity campaigns that keep our brand and our branded message in the public and consumers mindset. This is why successful companies turn more and more to the power of the media in economic downturns…and why we are partnering even closer with our clients to get their products, services and message in the headlines…

Boom in Latina Sweet 15 Parties

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, NEW YORK Fox 5′s Dari Alexander looks at the old Latin tradition of Sweet 15 parties. MyFoxNY.com — The economy has some people cutting back on luxuries. However, one tradition seems recession-proof. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Fox 5′s Dari Alexander looks at the Latin tradition of quinceaneras, or Sweet 15 parties. The average party costs about $30,000…

For the full story and lots of client mentions…http://www.myfoxny.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7653557&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.1.1

Celebration Day! As part of Spanish Heritage Month – we placed our clients retailers Camille La Vie and Group USA on Television today in two of the country’s leading cities – New York and Dallas. Both segments featured the 15th Birthday celebrations of two young girls and what is considered a Rite of Passage in the latino culture akin to a Wedding Day. The segments featured shopping for the perfect dress in-store, trend forecasts from our client spokesperson and a glimpse of the big gala night celebrations. Part of our regional press outreach to support brand and product publicity nationwide for our clients and to deliver targeted press coverage to drive consumers to brand point-of-purchase. All in all – a newsworthy cause for celebration for the agency and our clients as well – not to mention the icing on the Quinceanera cake for two special young women who now have national media coverage of their big day.

Finding the Right Look for Quinceaneara

Check out the videos:

http://www.the33tv.com/pages/content_landing_page/?Finding-the-Right-Look-for-Quinceaneara-=1&blockID

by Roni Proter
October 15, 2008
As 14 year old Stephany Mesa describes, “The party is really a coming of age party. Maybe in the United States it would be a Sweet 16 but I’m Latina; I’m from Puerto Rico so for us it’s really a big party. I’m not a little girl anymore; Mom, Dad I’m a woman.”
Stephany Mesa’s birthday is right around the corner; she’s turning 15 and ringing it in with a Quinceanera. The traditional Hispanic celebration is steeped in religious history and culture, centered around a young girl becoming a woman. It used to be a simple event, now it’s become a huge event in a girl’s life. The first step in making the bash a success is finding the perfect dress. Stephany originally wanted blue, to match her eyes, and with her mom by her side they went to Grapevine Mills store Group USA, which specializes in these types of dresses. The spokesperson, Christy Inman, says the traditional dresses used to be white or ivory, or even pink, and some of the girls still like that, too, but she notices that most of the people who come in are wanting the blues and purples and turquoise and reds. The bigger, the bolder the color, the better, she says.
Which is exactly what Stephany is looking for. She wanted to stick to tradition but also find something new, something different.
She tried on several sparkly, poofy, dainty dresses. One was too much for Stephany, another too plain. Until she found a beautiful, light pink ballerina style dress. When she tried it on she said, “It’s pretty, I’m gonna cry. Don’t cry cause if you cry I’ll cry!” She added a tiara, which is also symbolic of her growing up. Her mother, Lydia, explains it, “We have the change of tiara which means means we pass our culture our morals and that kind of stuff.”
And already thinking like a woman, she knows the perfect dress also needs the perfect shoes; oh yeah, and you’ve got to have accessories. She found shoes fit for dancing, and a purse to complement the dress; a shimmery silver. And she found a necklace with just enough sparkle.
Stephany said, “It’s just like the dress, it’s pretty and it’s simple.” She said it completed her look, to make this fantasy of a day finally become a reality. She said, “I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a little girl; this is really a dream come true. It’s just becoming a woman.”