It is common thought that an internship consists of work that no one else wants to do. That has been my thought. I am happy to say that my experience at Zapwater as been anything but useless busy work. The people are great, and the experience is priceless. I actually enjoy coming to work. There is lots of work to be done, but there is help and support in every direction.
In my first week I was on the phone talking with media outlets (WBBM-TV | CBC 2 Chicago and WLS-TV | ABC 7 Chicago) . In my second week I was meeting with a client about strategy. In the third week I learned hard work does pay off when I assisted in securing an exclusive for another client. On the surface it would seem that the media lists, pitch calls and research yielded good results, and that’s true, but without the help of the Zapwater staff this experience would be just another common thought. I have learned more than I ever expected in the few weeks that I have worked here, and because of what I have learned, I am becoming a better professional. Things are great here, and it’s all because of the great company! Thanks for the experience!
As one of the newest members of the Zapwater team, I have observed first-hand what sets this PR agency apart from others: dedication to clients, teamwork and the ability to push the envelope. It is an office where hard work brings ideas to fruition and where publicity for clients is often won on a national stage.
With my background working for both small and mid-size PR agencies, the one thing I appreciate most about working at Zapwater is the staff. From our committed interns to seasoned VPs, Zapwater nurtures a collaborative atmosphere in which to work and learn. As a result, we are able to offer clients comprehensive PR solutions, no matter what the desired outcome may be.
Zapwater’s success, supported by our tagline: “We don’t make headlines, our clients do,” is dependant upon the success of our clients; an ideal that we continue to support everyday in our work. As a team, we remain up-to-date about current events, whether it involves talking politics over a Starbucks run, attending an industry seminar or skimming the hottest pop culture blog over lunch. We are always looking for creative ways to remain relevant to reporters by associating our clients with what is happening in news.
Potential clients, those who want to learn more about public relations and job seekers: give Zapwater a closer look. I think you will learn as quickly as I did what separates this agency apart from the competition!
Most people I know love the summer season and don’t want it to end–especially in Chicago–but I am ecstatic that Fall has begun. While I’ll agree that Chicago is the best place to be in the summer months, I think autumn is the most beautiful season of them all and has just as much to offer. Sleeping with the windows open as the air gets cooler at night, football season, my traditional Sunday night dinners and the leaves changing colors are some of my favorite things to look forward to. Oversized sweaters, a new season of boots and don’t even get me started on the seasonal food! I can already taste my first bite of butternut squash soup.Here is a top ten guide of things to do in Chicago in the fall from City Search, as well as a my favorite place to search for fall recipes.
Seriously? How cool are Zapwater’s client. Obviously, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that I think they are cool. But apparently, The Chicago Sun-Times also thinks they are very cool. The Sun-Times has been running an ongoing series “50 People Who Make Chicago a Better Place” and three Zapwater clients have been named to the list.
Vote RA! may be over, but the fun has just begun. With ballots collected from all three RA Sushi Illinois restaurants (Chicago, Glenview and Lombard), the Barack Attackdefeated the McCain Terrain with 174 votes to 166 votes as the best tasting maki. The new menu has arrived and it features none other than Mr. Obama proudly wrapped up in smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber and artichoke rolled in rice and seaweed and topped with crunchy blue tempura bits, finished with a sweet eel sauce and wasabi mayo. The roll created to embody the character, integrity and honor of Democratic nominee and Illinois Senator Barack Obama is available now until Oct. 3 for $10, with $3 of every order benefiting Rock the Vote, an organization that engages and builds the political power of young people in order to achieve progressive change in our country.
So even if you aren’t going to use Facebook for business, you can use it to reconnect with that girl you took to the prom. Just hope that you look better than she does.
A new potential client came to Zapwater recently and Allison and I took full advantage of the situation. We now share an office, live across the street from each other, and have gotten tattoos together…but, that’s a topic for another blog.
While we were discussing where on our bodies we should put our tattoos, friends and family inevitably voiced their opinions on the topic. The most common argument against the tattoo is that it’s hard to think of an image that one would want inked on the body permanently. That’s a valid concern. What if I choose to get a boyfriend or husband’s name and the relationship doesn’t work out? However, the most annoying argument against getting a tattoo is what it might look like when I am old and gray. And, really, who cares? When I’m 80 and my skin is wrinkled and transparent and covered in liver spots, the least of my worries will be the tattoo on my foot and whether or not it’s still legible. Predictably following the question of how it will look in 50 years, the question of how I will explain why I got the tattoo to my children and grandchildren comes. I guess I will just tell them that one day a co-worker and I got coupons for $25 off a tattoo and after work one rainy evening we walked down Division and got a tattoo. I’m a sucker for a good sale. You will notice that I have yet to tell you what our tattoos are of. Let’s be honest, you don’t really care…and either do we.
I’ve been meaning to post this link for a while. It’s an overview of the Huffington Postpanel discussion that occured at the Democratic Convention on the impact that new media has had on the ’08 Presidential race. While Howard Dean’s legacy is unquestionable when it comes to the use of the Internet in politics, many of the new social media channels (Facebook, YouTube, etc.) that have been so prevalent this election were not in existence four years ago.
With the Presidential election less than 60 days away, the advertising war is heating up. Political ads have come a long way from the catchy cartoons that once passed for hip tributes to the candidates. NPR ran a great story this week on the evolution of political ads.
For political junkies like me, I found this great resource called The Living Room Candidate. It is an online archive of political ads throughout history.
I’m still waiting for that one great political ad that comes out every election. Here are some of the all time classics.
Thanks to an amazing hook up (shout out to Kelly Lucey!!!) the two of us were able to attend the Oprah Olympic Special at Millennium Park last week. Though we began our adventure feeling like the ultimate Chicago VIPs, we ended up waiting in line with thousands of additional VIPs, which made us feel slightly more “common.” Nonetheless, at 9:00 a.m. we began to file into the Millennium Park amphitheatre to take our seats with the rest of the red-wristbanded crowd.
Despite the rehearsed, piercing screams of, “We love you Chris Paul,” from a group of overzealous teens seated directly in front of us, there was a relatively calm in the audience as we anxiously awaited the processional of Olympic medalists. In a twist of fate, I (Susie) had to use the rest room right before the medalists were introduced. As I scurried back to my seat desperate to catch every minute, I walked right past the line of Olympians who were waiting to take the stage. None other than Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin made direct eye contact with me as she mouthed, “I’m so nervous!” to a fellow Olympian. And that’s when I passed out…
Just Kidding! Take it away Allison…
Well thank GOD Susie made it back in time! Just as she was getting back to her seat (as she always has a tendency to run to the bathroom right before something exciting is about to take place) red, white and blue confetti started shooting out into the crowd and here came the Olympians! As a huge sports fan with a long history of competitive swimming and running, the Olympic season is always an amazing time for me. And to be able to cheer as these stars walked right past me was beyond belief. I had just spent the last two weeks biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my couch watching these athletes do the impossible – and now to have them all in the same place at the same time…INCREDIBLE!!!
For the next hour, Susie and I watched as Shawn Johnson, Dara Torres, Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps and many more relived their experiences in Beijing. Their stories were so inspiring that it made me want to get back on the track, back in the pool…or at least just back to the gym!
In addition to the actual athletes themselves, some of the most exciting things to see were the medals! We were all curious to see if we would be able to catch a glimpse of the hardware. As one fellow Oprah-goer asked before the show, “Will they be bringing their Olympic trophies?” Well, they forgot their trophies, but medals were definitely worn proudly. We even got up close and personal with them when many of the athletes flooded the audience after the show!
Yes, we got up much earlier than we like to, and yes we waited in the longest line ever, but it was worth every minute. Susie and I had the best time ever and were so excited help welcome home the Olympians in our very own city!!!Susan Schreiber, Publicist & Allison P. Evans, Director of Business Development
In my first week I was on the phone talking with media outlets (WBBM-TV | CBC 2 Chicago and WLS-TV | ABC 7 Chicago) . In my second week I was meeting with a client about strategy. In the third week I learned hard work does pay off when I assisted in securing an exclusive for another client. On the surface it would seem that the media lists, pitch calls and research yielded good results, and that’s true, but without the help of the Zapwater staff this experience would be just another common thought. I have learned more than I ever expected in the few weeks that I have worked here, and because of what I have learned, I am becoming a better professional. Things are great here, and it’s all because of the great company! Thanks for the experience!
