Tom Shea

127 newspapers closed in the past 12 months What's the future of newspapers? A hybrid approach of physical and digital products? Considering a lot of different ideas.

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I'm happy to say we've launched our next video series. And what great interviews they are. If you want to understand private equity investment in space companies, then tune into the first episode with Kirk Konert of AE Industrial Partners, LP.

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Make it make sense. What is driving voters to support progressive-leaning ballot measures (think protecting abortion rights and raising the minimum wage) while voting for conservative candidates? My colleague Meisha Thigpen brings a behavioral lens to it. And the answer is kind of simple. As Meisha says, "few of us really understand how to “fix” the economy. Or Gaza. Or racism. I’d bet that even fewer people truly understand what their preferred political candidates will do about these issues". Whereas local issues are easier to understand and, importantly, easier to connect how the consequences will impact you and your life.

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Creatives in the finance realm, register for tomorrow’s webinar now and get your questions ready for the live Q&A! I hope to see you there!

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Beginning my week by diving into the latest episode of brand eins' "Wunderbar Together" podcast, featuring Merz b. Schwanen creative mastermind Gitta Plotnicki. The story of Merz b. Schwanen's 215 t-shirt – arguably the most most coveted and sought after white t-shirt on the planet right now – is simply incredible. A literal rags-to-riches story, the tale of how the Plotnickis brought the extinct Merz b. Schwanen business back to life by betting on a mixture of slow fashion, brand desirability and cultural impact shows how understanding the currents of entertainment and culture can unlock global success. Of course, the 215 got a real boost from its cameo in Disney's "The Bear", making Jeremy Allen White look all the part as he navigates life and the anxiety-inducing madness of a struggling restaurant kitchen. But it is the authenticity of the Merz b. Schwanen story itself that is the real catalyst behind the 215's success. The producers behind "The Bear" knew this as they scouted the market for Allen's wardrobe, and found Merz b. Schwanen. They saw a deeply authentic story behind an elusive, in-the-know product. And they brilliantly recognised that it would add layers of interest to Allen's character and the series as a whole. In an ingenious move, they understood that the many elements that have made "The Bear" into a an Emmy-winning series and the best damn thing to be put on TV for years, can live beyond the series; each detail has the potential to create its own storylines and attract its own audiences. The 215 is one such example, but ask anyone geeking out on the series' wardrobe, and you will find similar stories of watches, jackets, jeans and scarves that have long become in-demand items for the IYKYK-crowds. In other words: the 215 became part of a bigger story, and one that transcends the series' plot and even the company itself. Now, it has its own story to tell, with more than 10,000 people waiting in line to become part of it. And as for the t-shirt itself? It really is that damn good. Listen to the episode here: https://lnkd.in/dR9DPVZM ________ At STUDIO BUTIK, we work with brands to find their best stories and understand how they can connect with hard-to-reach audiences through authenticity and value-driven ideas. Tap in to find out more: studiobutik.com

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As another polarizing election cycle ramps up, brands find themselves navigating treacherous advertising waters. With the threat of negative contexts, overpowering ad spend, and divisive messaging spilling into brand perceptions, maintaining impactful marketing feels like a minefield. The key concerns... #ElectionYearAdvertising #BrandImpact #ConsumerPerception #Ipsos

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What a trip!  The LA Fall Toy Preview was an interesting experience for me.  As you know, we are not a toy company, but rather a 24 year young media agency focused on play, and the joy of living.  As such,  we approached this show from a different vantage point.  Since this multi week trip was different from the normal trade shows we are accustomed to attending, and significantly longer, we leveraged a two pronged approach:  We balanced new client and vendor meetings (through our partnership with The Toy Association) in our BPMS Meeting Room, at 2250 Imperial (also using this space as our away office) and then we bopped to scheduled meetings, hopscotching from building to building and showroom to showroom, enjoying our front row seat to the innovation for the year ahead.  Beyond our meetings in El Segundo, we had to Uber to meetings off the beaten trail.  Uber was my best friend, as the clock ticked before our next meeting began.  An occasional bop in to In-And-Out Burger was a bonus, and a treat.   It was a long stretch of time away from our NJ office, so organization in scheduling was pivotal to enhancing my productivity.  In addition to well-attended networking events (which I appreciated), and client dinners at some amazing restaurants along the Pacific Coast, I particularly enjoyed the unexpected and organic colleague bump-ins along the way (reminded me of Mody Road).  Seems El Segundo is the new Kowloon.  This trip for me was interesting, fun and productive with room for tweaking as I plan our future visits.  I’m sure it will blossom with each season.  It’s an evolution.  From the looks of it, LA will grow with each visit, with toy buildings budding and the landscape morphing into what is clearly the new Toy Town.   I look forward to revisiting LA...and bumping into you along the way.      #LAFallToyPreview #MediaAgency #Innovation #Networking #ToyTownEvolution #TheToyAssociation  

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Arts and culture fuels Florida's economy. We've seen the arts' transformational power on multiple industries in South Florida. Think of Wynwood Walls, the Arsht Center, and the Design District; there is no investment in real estate, tourism, hospitality, and so on without the arts. #CrisisCommunications #NonProfitCommunications #PublicRelations #NonProfitPublicRelations

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💥 This email will self-destruct in 48 hours. 💥 There’s nothing wrong with telling a journalist that they need to respond by a certain deadline if they’re interested in your story. We spend so much of our time trying to accommodate journalists, but you need to be respectful of your own time, too. If you don’t set a clear deadline for when a response is needed, you could sit around forever waiting for a reply that will never come. If the journalist doesn’t reply in time, move on to the next person on your list. Don’t let a lack of response from someone cause you to miss out on telling your story.

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The beauty of out-of-home does indeed lie in its proximity. Recent studies from our team at OAAA and The Harris Poll reveal that 76% of digital out-of-home (DOOH) viewers take action after seeing an ad. This includes watching a video (38%), visiting a restaurant (36%), and making in-store purchases (30%). Given that 83.7% of US retail spending occurs in physical stores, these actions are incredibly impactful. With 73% of US consumers viewing DOOH ads favorably, DOOH presents a prime investment opportunity for advertisers. Our forecast indicates that US DOOH ad spending will grow by 11.2% to $3.20 billion this year. #DOOH #Advertising #ConsumerBehavior

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The AV industry’s main lobbying group in the US says driverless cars need to earn the public’s trust. But what if it’s too late? People are afraid of self-driving cars — can the industry change that? Numerous public opinion polls have shown declining support for autonomous vehicles (AV) over the years and a rise in outright hostility toward the technology. The autonomous vehicle industry’s main lobbying group is intent on reversing this trend before it gets much worse. The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA) represents Cruise, Waymo, Zoox, Motional, and others. It recently released its “TRUST Principles,” an action plan for dealing with these negative headlines and spiraling poll numbers. Also check out article (see link in comments below 👇) on PAVE Europe, a non-profit organisation dedicated to increasing public knowledge of automated vehicle technology and its potential benefits for safety, mobility efficiency, sustainability, accessibility and equity. With a diverse membership that includes international corporations, start-ups, consumer advocates, non-profit groups and other stakeholders, PAVE Europe is uniquely positioned to lead the conversation about the future of transportation. #cav #autonomousvehicles #trustintech #AVIA #PAVEEurope Campaign Catapult, Pravo Consulting

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Inevitable. ... Sad. ... And totally unavoidable news that dropped today. I hurt for my friends and former colleagues in departments whose jobs will be affected. But as I've said a million times since leaving the business almost three years ago, there's a wonderful world of opportunities out there -- and people will be blown away by your skills. You can and will flourish. As for the future of journalism in New Jersey, know these things: 👉 NJAM will be a different organization moving forward. It has to be. But in no way is this the death of the state's most important and most influential news organization. We're not going back to the early 2000s, but don't believe the haters. It is really about growth from here moving forward, and there is a digital news business in place -- one that is bigger and healthier than most would imagine. 👉 The opportunities to do great, impactful journalism have never been greater across all the digital platforms. 👉 Never bet against the smart, determined and resourceful people still in the newsroom. They're the ones who built a digital business with about 25% of the staff resources from our peak. 👉 Never bet against the Newhouse family or Advance's leadership team and what can be done with 15 million unique visitors a month. That's a lot of eyeballs and a lot of data. Those earliest rules of digital still make sense: First, build an audience. Then, monetize it. To put a bow on things: Be the supportive friend today. It's not that hard and there are people who need that more than anything today.

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The lack of diversity on this Wisconsin committee is concerning. No community organizations, no Black or Brown representation from the private or non-profit sector, and only two women. If this committee is meant to address the impact of AI, it should better reflect our communities. Wisconsin, we can and must do better. #DiversityMatters #RepresentationMatters #Inclusion https://lnkd.in/gzYzZcEf

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I shared my thoughts about going "off the record" for Ragan Communications and PR Daily: 1) "I don't know," is quotable and has implications. 2) The idea that "nothing is off the record" is not true. Off-the-record conversations are valuable and sacred to independent journalism. Every communicator should know these basics! Read more in this great piece 👇

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It can be a tricky conversation when you need to ask a journalist for a correction to an article, but here some of my thoughts on how to go about it for PRmoment 👇

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Our panel of small businesses weighs in on the candidates, and Corey Elliott weighs on on what it means. Interesting to see how the responses in 2016 and 2020 compared.

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We’ve all seen examples of brands or influencers who in times of crises opt to “turn off” the comments. It’s something we heavily recommend against in our risk assessments for new campaigns and this new study shows exactly why. As soon as you turn off the comments, the trust from your consumers drops. https://lnkd.in/e5a5YKNA It shouldn’t be a surprise, this is a pretty predictable outcome. But in times of crises, if you haven’t pre-planned, when reputations are on the line, it feels like an easy solution to make the pain go away. The lesson: ensure reputation and crisis planning is built into every campaign. With a clear stakeholder plan and pre-agreed responses to predictable hiccups. 9/10 you won’t need it. But for the one time you do - it’ll be worth the foresight.

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