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Integration...

2010-11-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

Working at a full-service marketing agency, integration is something we hear about a lot. We're constantly improving our processes for our clients, by working to bring/keep all of our departments in the loop. So in the spirit of integration, the PR team has given up our fabulous little blog, and upgraded to a full-agency blog: R/West Blog

Hopefully you'll enjoy hearing from the rest of our agency, and maybe, just maybe we can keep this new blog a little more up to date than this one!

We hope you'll all join us and get to know everyone at the agency just a little bit better!

We've been a little busy...

2010-05-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry about our posting tardiness (at this point I don't even think you can call it tardiness) but we've been a tad busy...since Christmas! We have so much to tell you...many adventures (Molly was pretty much out of the office traveling for the past two months), events and new things to share! Hopefully you’ve been keeping an eye on our tweets in the meantime...we are just a tiny bit better at sharing there.

Let’s see, where should we start...

Early this spring we worked on the Better Living Show, the largest sustainable lifestyle show in the northwest, where we had Drew Carney and Joe V. out to visit. They were able to meet Larry the Lightblub, Clifford the Big Red Dog and even a gigantic pear. Good times had by all!

Then Kooza came to town, so it was time for the Cirque du Soleil tent to go up! What a process...here we are in our hard hats (pretty sure highlighter yellow is not our color.)We hope you got the chance to see this amazing show while it was here - we have nothing but outstanding things to say about it, and heard only great things from everyone else who went! If you ever get the opportunity to see a Cirque show, we definitely recommend it!

At the beginning of April, it was wine time! We worked with the North Willamette Vintners on their huge Wine Trail event - 21 wineries all hosted fun activities and yummy wine for a whole weekend. Be on the lookout for this next year - believe us, you don't want to miss it! Here's a pic of Chloe from KPDX enjoying a barrel tasting at Montinore Estate!

After all of the local events, we thought it might be nice to do some traveling! The Simple crew headed to the crazy city for a media tour, to show off their fancy new shoes. Molly then continued her travels with Simple's Green Bomb tour, with a stop in Austin, and yet another NYC adventure! Yes, she's a traveling lady!

Then it was time for the Sorel team to head to the Big Apple for a media tour and VIP cocktail party, to show off some sweet boots. While in NYC, Brittney and JulieAnna even got a chance to meet the cast of the Today Show (they were all incredibly sweet, by the way!)

Then it was time to celebrate. BridgePort just launched its third Stumptown Tart, and this little lady packs a punch! She's a framboise with Oregon raspberries, and of course we had pinup model Bernie at the Stumptown release party - how could it be a Stumptown beer without her?! Ali and Emily had to get a pic with her in their special Tart t's, cute!

Now that we've given you the lowdown on all we've been up to (trust us there's more, but this is the fun stuff!), we hope that you'll believe us when we say we've been busy! And because of that business, we've even added two new team members to the mix! Alison joined us from Lane PR, and is killing it in the social media world, and Emily is a student at Oregon (go ducks!), and has been our little worker bee (see photo). Here's a new pic of the bunch!

Other updates include...Heather's little Olivia is getting so big!! Can you believe she's already 9 months old?! We'll post a pic in our next update! JulieAnna is currently hanging out in Italy, sipping wine and enjoying her gelato - and she's there for a month - needless to say we aren't talking to her right now, and it's not just because of the international calling charges. And Brittney got engaged on Christmas and is planning her wedding for this August...hoping she doesn't go too crazy before then!

Wheeew...feels good to get that all out there! It's good to be back, we've missed you!

R/West Snuggies...that's right, we went there...

2009-12-18T17:06:00.000-08:00

So in keeping with the R/West tradition of being completely random and sometimes downright tacky, we have created some gems to give as gifts this year...

Yes, we did put the R/West logo on SNUGGIES, and yes we "proudly" sent them to only the clients we believe would truly appreciate our love for "fashionable" things!

And here we are, enjoying a rainy Friday afternoon in our oh-so-warm and snuggly Snuggies...

One Nation Under Griz.

2009-12-18T16:09:00.000-08:00

I live and work in a city full of Ducks and Beavers. Silly water fowl plague my life. Recently, I decided to unleash the fury upon my co-workers that is Griz Nation.

I am a Griz (ok, University of Montana - Missoula) alumni. I’m sure you’ve heard of us. We are the PBR swigging ruffians from Big Sky Country who hit hard and don't take any prisoners.

Our state has more cows in it than people. But the people that are there are amazing and we have a pretty dang good football team.

To prove my point, we are playing in the National Championship (AA mind you) tonight at 5pm on ESPN the deuce. Check us out, you might like it.

And as always- GO GRIZ.

Sorel's Great Fashion Event!

2009-12-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

If you're in Portland, and didn't go to the Sorel Apres Ski Trunk Show last night, you missed out! Here's a pic of JulieAnna, Anna (from Sorel/Columbia corporate) and I showing off our fancy Sorel boots!

The event was great, and featured cute models in hot boots! Along with free treats (the chocolate truffles were a little piece of Heaven!) and free drinks (featuring the Joan of Arctic - hot cocoa, butterscotch and peppermint schnapps and Bailey's - amazing!) There was also a DJ, shoe displays and free Portland Monthly magazines.

There was a giveaway for two $25 Columbia Sportswear gift cards, along with the grand prize - a $500 shopping spree, the catch was you had to be present to win. So there's a sad story behind this giveaway, the drawing was at 7 p.m. and many people who showed up early started taking off a little before 7, a few people from our PR department included. When the name was drawn for the $500 shopping spree, Ali's boyfriend Jeremy was the special winner, except that he had left about 15 minutes before the drawing!! I called poor Ali to let her know that her boyfriend would not be buying her $500 worth of Sorel/Columbia stuff, and you should have heard her! I'm surprised that Jeremy is still with us today...haha.

Well, after that sad little event, we continued with our munching, boot shopping and beverage sipping. The boots this season are so cute!! Here are a few of our faves, the rest are at www.Sorel.com.

If you're in the Seattle area, you should know that you have an opportunity to win yourself a $500 shopping spree tonight (just make sure you don't leave early!) Here are the details:

· Where: Columbia Seattle Store, 290 Pine Street, Seattle, WA

· When: Thurs., Dec. 3, 5:30-7:30pm

· Cost: The event is free and open to the public. Drinks and treats will also be free and unlimited.

· Why: Glam up your footwear wardrobe, mingle, shop and sip the signature drink, the Joan of Arctic (hot cocoa and butterscotch schnapps). Enter to win a $500 Columbia shopping spree and other prizes – drawing at 7pm.

· RSVP: seattlersvp@sorel.com

Happy boot shopping!! And remember, you can follow Sorel on Twitter at @sorelfoowear or on Facebook. Just a little heads up, I've heard word that there might be a boot giveaway on Twitter soon, so make sure you're following!!

Bring It ON!!!

2009-11-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

Because four of the six ladies on our lovely PR team went to Oregon, we have decided that we hold the majority, and therefore can post our love for our Ducks on our blog. We are getting our green and yellow out and ready to roll for the Civil War - only a week to go! (Sorry Jill - but your Beavs are going DOWN!)

Enjoy our new favorite video, and of course GO DUCKS!!

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-25T15:27:00.000-08:00

It's now officially the holiday season - tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we are exactly a month away from Christmas! So get in the spirit of eating tons of food and feeling incredibly full for the next few days, we thought we'd give your taste buds a preview of the joy that is Thanksgiving! (Hey, what can we say, we're a group of ladies who like our turkey and pie!)

Enjoy the long weekend and get ready for Christmas lights and pretty trees! Happy Thanksgiving!!

The Wonderful World of Disney

2009-11-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

Before the ice had set and before the skates were sharpened, Disney On Ice Presents Worlds of Fantasy was given a kings welcome at the R/West offices.

To help gear up for the opening night ahead of us, the PR squad blasted such favorites from our childhood throughout the halls including, but not limited to:

Molly and Ali took off for opening night interviews and media at the Rose Garden. We were pleasantly surprised with FANTASTIC seats and quickly learned that front row seats can also equal awkward moments of eye-contact with the skaters. I'd never been that close to a hyena or giraffe in my entire life!

The next morning was an early one. As noted on previous R/West posts - The early morning PR bird gets the worm- that's the saying, right? A cast of 4 R/Westies joined a cast of 30+ Disney On Ice performers at 4:30am to start shooting for the two top local morning shows:

Out and About with Drew Carney on KGW Channel 8 and...

On the Go With Joe featuring Joe V. from KPTV Channel 12.

Brittney and I even got to get in on the action - I mean who wouldn't want a picture with Flounder and Sebastian?

The afternoon was filled with a lovely event planned alongside the FABULOUS folk from Special Olympics Oregon. We were able to set-up a skate clinic with stars from Disney On Ice Presents Worlds of Fantasy at the Rose Garden with athletes and their friends/family. Ten Special Olympics Oregon athletes were able to make it for the clinic and they were all smiles, all afternoon. One athlete was so excited that she brought along a photo book of her Disney cruise hoping to reunite with her favorite characters.

We all agreed that the best part of this event was in seeing the faces of these girls (Yes, we couldn't persuade any boy athletes to attend) light up as they took the ice.

The athletes and skaters were then escorted to a private suite where they met the world's favorite mice - Mickey and Minnie of course!

All in all, a great year for Disney On Ice. Can't wait to put on the ol' skates this winter and see if I can try one of those triple axle things- doesn't look too hard...

The R/West crew is a bunch of...

2009-11-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

WINNERS! Ok, I'll back up and let you in on the details...

So a few months ago, our little PR team decided that we do some pretty cool stuff, and that it was time to see how we stack up in Portland's PR world. So we applied for four PRSA Spotlight awards - and good news - we stack up pretty well!

Last night we donned our best attire (had to pull out those fancy dress-up clothes that we never have to wear to work - thank goodness!), prepped ourselves for possible acceptance speeches (ok not quite, but we were excited!), and headed to the Governor's Hotel for the PRSA Spotlight awards ceremony.

It was great to mingle with Portland's PR pros and even greater to find out that we had won! (Keep in mind we have never entered awards, and we definitely flirted with the deadline!) We won three of the four awards we applied for - one for The Game Factory's Build-A-Bear Wii Celebrity Launch Event, and two awards for Taco Del Mar's Free Tacos on Tax Day! We wanted to share the good news with you - and here are our new, most prized possessions. (They have taken the place of our candy jar - that's how much we like them...)

On another very exciting note, our design department won a Rosey award last night for their amazing work on BridgePort Brewery's Raven Mad bottle labels - they were 3D and even came with 3-D glasses, very cool! Congrats R/West team!!

Disney On Ice Ticket Giveaway!

2009-10-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

That's right. Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy is coming to the Rose Garden this Thursday, Oct. 22 through Sunday, October 25th.

In our final week before the show, we have teamed up with some amazing Portland area bloggers who have taken part in our Pixie Dust Hunt ticket giveaway. Each blogger has posted pictures of Tinker Bell's Pixie Dust for the past two weeks, asking viewers to guess the location of the Pixie Dust in Portland.

For your chance to win a family 4-pack of tickets visit these participating blogs:

All shows are at the Rose Garden:
Thursday, October 22 – 7:30 PM

Friday, October 23 – 7:30 PM

Saturday, October 24 – 12:00 PM, 3:30 PM. 7:00 PM

Sunday, October 25 – 1:00 PM, 4:30 PM

Tickets for Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy are available at http://disney.go.com/disneyonice or by calling the Rose Garden box office at (877) 789-ROSE.

HairM's Portland's Hardest Working Man Contest

2009-10-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

Think you or someone you know has what it takes to be named Portland's Hardest Working Man? HairM, Portland’s premier full service salon for men located in Beaverton and downtown Portland, is searching the Rose City for “Portland’s Hardest Working Man” to recognize him for his hard work and reward him with a well-deserved day of pampering, including a cut and a 55-minute massage, and night on the town--dinner at Fenouil in the Pearl and a stay at Hotel Lucia.

Whether he works 80-hour weeks, cleans up city streets, or simply works a job you're glad you don't have, tell us why he's worthy of this title!

Submit nominations now through October 31st with a quick post on HairM’s Facebook Fan Page or by emailing pdxworkingman@gmail.com.

Le Tour des Plants Goes On the Go With Joe

2009-09-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

In the wee hours of the morning, Dennis' 7 Dees Landscaping and Garden Centers, Cedar Hills, was just coming to life with colorful fall flowers, beautiful japanese maples, and the buzzing of its expert staff. Featured as one of 36 stops during Le Tour, Dennis' 7 Dees numerous activities throughout the week are sure to inform and excite all levels of green thumbs. Pick up a Le Tour guide at any participating nurseries for a coupon for a free Japanese maple from Dennis' 7 Dees, grown by their very own Vice President.

Check out the online segment here: http://www.kptv.com/onthegowithjoe/20901465/detail.html

And remember, Le Tour des Plants continues through this Sunday, Sept. 20th. For more information please visit: http://www.letourdesplants.com/

Le Tour Des Plants Begins Tomorrow!

2009-09-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

The fourth-annual Le Tour des Plants, presented by Oregon Association of Nurseries begins tomorrow and will continue through the 20th. As one of the largest nursery tours in the nation, this year’s event features more than 30 nurseries and garden centers from Oregon and Washington. With more than 100 events and activities during Le Tour’s nine-day gardening excursion, there is something for everyone—from the best in fall gardening, to cooking with herbs and preserving the harvest, to many family-fun festivals and activities for kids.

What could be better than spending time in the garden and soaking up those last rays of sunshine? This is northwest gardening at its best!

For events and locations visit: http://www.letourdesplants.com/

Ron Tonkin Repaints Portland

2009-09-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed a change downtown? Perhaps some new colors added to the corner of SW 2nd Avenue and Washington St. by the Morrison Bridge?

Ron Tonkin Family of Dealerships has teamed up with local commercial artist, Howell Golson, to repaint a mural in downtown Portland. The previous Cherub mural, painted eight years ago, now displays a fresh and colorful depiction of “For the Love of Cars.”

The inspiration behind the mural comes from a place that lives and breathes a love of cars.

“A car is more than just a way to get from point A to point B. People love their cars, and often see them as an extension of themselves, even as a member of the family. And we love helping people find that perfect car, a car they love. We are looking forward to revealing the new mural, and hope Portlanders will appreciate this beautiful addition to our city.”—Brad Tonkin.

Commercial artist Howell Golson was chosen to create this message. “This mural obviously has to create emotion around owning a car, but I also felt the piece should elicit feelings of pride for citizens of Portland, along with Tonkin’s connection and history with the city.” Golson’s work includes projects for Cartoon Network, Newman’s Own, and Portland’s BridgePort Brewing Company.

Check out the mural's progress:

Change is a happenin'!

2009-09-02T13:49:00.001-07:00

Wow, this has been a crazy month for our little PR department! There has been a department addition, two moves, and a baby - pretty sure that could be a movie title...

If you haven't already heard - Heather has had her baby! She welcomed little Olivia into the world last week, and we couldn't be more excited for her. We are loving the baby updates, and are looking forward to meeting the new little bundle of joy. But she couldn't get out of here before we were able to throw her a fun little surprise baby shower - complete with celebrity baby name games, a diaper cake, and the cutest little clothes you've ever seen!

We have also added another member to our department - we are now up to six, can you believe it?! Six!! (Plus one, for Olivia, of course...) Jill joined us just in time to meet Heather, before the new arrival...and we are very excited to have her! I'll let her introduce herself -

"As they say, third time is a charm, and after a couple moves between the Northwest and Phoenix, I am excited to be back in Portland. My dog is happy to be back in her native state, my dermatologist is happy my skin will get a reprieve from the sun, I am pretty sure my boyfriend is happy we don’t have to do the distance thing anymore, and I am happy to have found an awesome job at R/West.

I am a loyal Oregon State Beaver, and happy to represent (along with Jen!) in an office that seems to be full of way too many Ducks. My background is in Communications, having first gone the journalism route which led to a little reporting for the Arizona Republic. But, I had been spoiled having my own column in the Oregon State Barometer to muse on whatever crossed my mind, and covering the 2A state high school softball championship just wasn’t the same. (No offense to my softball-playing friends, but there is a reason I do not play on the R/West softball team. As a competitive swimmer for 17 years, I have gills—not eye-hand coordination.)

When I am not caught up in the PR trenches, I am thrilled to be back in the Northwest for all of the great outdoor adventures this area has to offer. I am happy to have made it up here in time to enjoy the last of the beautiful Portland summer and, perhaps more importantly, the start of football season. I also still enjoy yoga, but I do prefer to take it into a studio.

Want to know more? Follow me on Twitter @jill_personius. I like to think of myself as a “cautious” social media adopter, but every once in a while you might pick up a thing or two."

In the midst of all of this, we've also had two moves - Jill has obviously moved from Phoenix to join us, and I have moved to a tiny little town about an hour south of Portland. Gotta love that morning commute!

So there you have it - that's the update on all the latest! Just in case you're wondering, H is out on maternity leave until the end of the year - but something tells me that her Blackberry will never be too far from her side...

Random Acts of Clowness Takes Over Portland

2009-09-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

It was a workday like any other for Molly and Ali. With excitement and uneasiness, they drove to the Courtyard Marriott at 4:30 a.m. and loaded up the Subaru with Tom and Lara, official Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey circus clowns, Their mission for the day: Spread Ringling Bros. cheer and unexpectedness across the city of Portland in anticipation of the circus coming to Portland Sept. 16-20. The clowns would be popping up around the city during the day in an event called Random Acts of Clowness—handing out freebies at Dutch Bros., Taco Del Mar, and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at the Jamison Square park.

The day started out with a bang. Joe V. of KPTV joined the R/West circus clan at Dutch Bros. to spread the circus love. Over the course of two hours, over 170 free coffee drinks were served and given away by the clown couple. Customers were handed Ringling Bros. ticket coupons and official clown noses. Many arrived to Dutch Bros. already fitted with their own noses and couldn’t get enough of Joe V.’s whip cream incident! Hey, you never know what will happen with clowns around!

With a moment to powder their noses and scratch their heads, the clowns were off to hand out free kids meals at Taco Del Mar. Upon arrival, a family of true Hillsboro fans greeted the clowns with excitement and hunger for a free meal.

The day ended with lots of kids, sun block, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, and sticky faces. Kids playing in the fountain at Jameson Square Park were intrigued by the clowns and even more excited to receive free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. There were little voices saying, “Mom! I want to go to the circus!” chiming throughout the park as parents watched their children with red clown noses playing in the fountain.

5:00 p.m.—Mission complete. At least until the circus train arrives in Portland, Sept. 14 with shows the 16-20!

Sorry...for leaving the toilet seat up, AGAIN!

2009-08-17T22:38:00.000-07:00

Do you need to apologize for something, like the talking in rhyme all the time? Or because people just can't accept how awesome you are?

Do you have that one friend you've been playing phone tag with for three months, a boyfriend you ditched for girls' night, or a co-worker you need to do some kissing-up to? If you are anything like Nancy from the Seattle Times, you have plenty of apologizing to do!

If that's the case, have we got the perfect way for you to say "sorry!" - what better than a free taco?!

August 27th is Global Forgiveness Day, and Taco Del Mar is celebrating by letting you send a free e-card to those you need some forgiveness from. The forgiver can then redeem the e-card for a free taco, by taking it to their local, participating Taco Del Mar on August 27.

Check out www.tacodelmar.com to look at e-card options, and start sending them off to your friends, family or even complete strangers - now through the 27th.

Free kids meals in July - that's right, I said FREE!

2009-07-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

All of you mommies and daddies out there, get ready, you're going to love July! After 5 p.m., everyday during this month, Taco Del Mar is giving away free kids meals to kids 12 and under, with a $4 adult purchase.

So basically, you can run down to your local TDM at dinner time and grab some grub - feeding a family of four for $8!! How can you beat THAT?! Well, ladies and gents, you can't!

You might be thinking "Why in the world is Taco Del Mar giving away FREE food?!?" Well, it's simple - Taco Del Mar loves kids, and July is when they're showing it. It also happens to be the same month TDM made Parents magazine's list of America's "Top 10 Best Fast-Casual Family Restaurants." Taco Del Mar ranked #9, based on a two-month study of healthy kids' menu items, family-friendly conveniences, and value. So not only is TDM's food healthy and yummy for kids, it's also FREE during July!

And did I mention, you can take the kids to TDM for a FREE dinner during July??

My new wheels!!!

2009-06-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

How do you like my new set of wheels?! Pretty awesome right...this is me sitting in my new Ferrari California, because that's how we roll here at R/West!

Ok, so by "my new set of wheels" I might mean "my new obsession/first thing on my Christmas list..." I'm pretty sure it was made for me, that leather seat fit like a glove, and getting out of the driver's seat was one of the most difficult things I've ever done... The Ferrari California is Ferrari's new addition to the family, coming out in 2010. This is the only one in Oregon, and it's currently sitting in the showroom at Ron Tonkin's Gran Turismo dealership (the oldest Ferrari dealership in the country, mind you.)

You might be asking why in the heck did I get to sit in the fastest (speedometer tops out at 220), most beautiful thing you've ever laid eyes on...and here's why: Yesterday Gran Turismo hosted it's 10th Annual Track Day at Portland International Raceway, where customers were invited to bring their own fast, fancy cars and race them at top speeds (under professional supervision/instruction of course!)

Danyel and I started out the morning bright and early with Drew Carney of KGW's LIVE at Sunrise, at the Gran Turismo store. That is where we got to drool over these amazing cars, learn about the dealership and even watch Drew drive this beauty. (Believe me, we were all holding our breath as the drove away in this $225,000 car...mic in one hand, wheel in other - after just announcing that he didn't know how to drive a stick!!) Let's just say it was an entertaining morning with Drew!

Then it was off to the races - we headed out to PIR where we spent a beautiful day in the sun watching fast, gorgeous Ferraris, Maseratis, Lotuses, Porsches, (insert anything fast, expensive and amazing here) cruise around the track at 150 mph!! Those babies could haul! All drivers had to take an instruction course with Pro Drive and then were able to drive with a professional in the passenger seat. Helmets were also required driving/riding accessories...always safety first on the track!

There were a few pros (like Steve and Art from the dealership) who could take passengers out in the California and Ed Tonkin's personal Porsche. And yes, I was lucky enough to be taken on a very fast, very exciting ride in that cute little blue Porsche (thanks Steve)!!! Yeah, I'm pretty sure I could own one of those too (Christmas list currently reads 1. Ferrari, 2. Porsche...)

Yesterday was definitely an adrenaline-packed, amazing day...and even though Danyel and I woke up at 3:30am (Drew - you know we'd do anything for you!) it was all completely worth it. And I'd probably get up that early every day if it meant I had the chance to ride in those amazing cars!

And check out the R/West Facebook page for more photos, videos and fancy car fun!!

Meet Molly & Ali - Our newest R/West PR girls!

2009-05-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

In the last few weeks the R/West PR team has experienced some major changes - some very sad (Kendall - we miss you every day...and are still trying to dry our eyes!) and some exciting (new, awesome PR minds like Molly and Ali).

Our department's founder, Kendall, decided that teaching history was her true calling and has decided to go back to school and learn how to shape young minds. (Yes, Kendall graduated college as a history major, but ended up becoming the founding member of the R/West PR team as we now know it, and a PR rockstar!) Here we are celebrating her new life/crying about her leaving...

So because of Kendall's new career path, we did many interviews, searching high and low for someone to fill her big shoes. Then we came across Molly, who we'd love to introduce you to - I'll let her take it from here:

Hi loyal PR Girls’ Followers!

I thought it was only right to make a formal introduction to our readers as the newest member of the R/West PR team. I started working at R/West on April 28th and haven’t looked back since. Here’s a little background on where I’ve been, what I’ve done and my plans for the future…

I am originally from Woodinville, WA, a small town on the eastside of Seattle where I grew up from diapers to prom dresses. After 13 years of playing soccer I decided to continue in college and moved to Montana to play for the Grizzlies in Missoula. I spent the next four years learning all about wonderful things to do in Big Sky Country- hiking, fly fishing, camping, kayaking and floating the rivers. It was in Montana that I fell in love with the outdoors.

While in college I interned one summer in Juneau, Alaska at the Alaska Brewing Company as part of the summer six-pack. Six total strangers bought in from the “lower 48” to help bring some outside insight into the launch of their new IPA. We gave our opinion on logo design, name choices and strategies for the launch. While there the six of us got to experience Juneau from a whale watching boat, helicopter and dog sled.

After college I worked at a couple of marketing firms with clients ranging anywhere from an assisted living facility at an old Masonic Temple to a beautiful day spa in downtown Seattle.

I was browsing jobs at ski hills one day thinking to myself, “I like marketing and I love skiing, maybe I can find a job that takes that into account.” It was then that I came across a communications coordinator position for Snowbird Ski Resort in the Wasatch Mountain Range in Utah. I had a phone interview and then drove down for a second interview and was hooked on my first drive up the canyon. I worked there last winter, skiing a few times a week and learning the ins-and-outs of marketing a resort.

And now? Well, I’m in Portland! I decided to move here to be closer to my family and to open the door for more opportunities in marketing and public relations. Some of my interests also include good food, good beer and good music - so what better place than PDX?

The clients I will be working on at R/West include: BridgePort Brewing Company, Franz Bakery, Marquis and Consonus Companies, The Portland Clinic and Feld Entertainment (including Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey when they're in Portland). It is great to look forward to coming into work everyday and I could not be more excited about my clients and my coworkers!
Cheers!

Molly

So there you have it - straight from the horse's mouth! :) We are looking forward to getting to know Molly a little better, and teaching her all about life at R/West!

Also, I wanted to share a post where you can learn all about our semi-new (sorry we didn't introduce you earlier!) intern Ali. She is part of the Senior Portland Experience program through the Unive rsi ty of Oregon (go ducks!), and we have really enjoyed working with her over the past few weeks! During her program, she is also working on the Portland Fair Trade blog - check it out!

Ok, and on a little more personal PR department note - did we tell you JulieAnna is engaged and getting married in Cabo this November?? And Heather is pregnant with a little girl!! She is due this fall, and we are so excited to have a little one running around the PR department (ok maybe not running for a while, but you know what I mean!)

So, I think that about covers our updates for now...I'll let you know if anything else comes to mind!

-B

Can you eat a five pound burrito??

2009-05-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

Did you do anything fun for Cinco de Mayo? Maybe you munched on nachos, listened to a miriachi band, or sipped on a yummy margarita? Well, that is all good and well, but if that's all you did - you missed out!

For one day only, Cinco de Mayo, Taco Del Mar was offering up a 5 pound burrito, called the Cinco de Mondo! If you could finish the burrito in 30 minutes or less you won gift certificates, SWAG and some major bragging rights! Many thought they were up for the challenge, but you should have seen their faces when that HUGE burrito was placed in their hands (the thing was the size of baby!)

So the day before the big event, May 4th, Joe V. from KPTV's "On the Go with Joe" came out to the Hillsboro Taco Del Mar and learned how to make the 5 pounder. Throughout the morning, Joe was hoping someone would be brave enough to come down and try and eat the burrito in 30 minutes - his biggest fear was that no one would come and that he would have to try to eat that massive thing on his own!

But luckily Sye showed up - in pants with an elastic waist - to take on the 5 pounder! Keep in mind he was eating 5 pounds of beans, rice, cheese, chicken and pico de gallo on live TV, at 8 a.m. on a Monday! When he was reminded of this, he got quite nervous, and even took a little walk around the block to get fired up. (He recently got engaged, and didn't tell his finacee he was doing this...his biggest fear was that she and his future mother and father-in-law would be watching, and see him stuffing his face with beans and rice.)

Here's a video of the morning, so you can see just exactly how Sye did against the Cinco de Mondo.

So in the end, Sye was victorious, and won catering for 10 people - we told him to have a party with his finacee and her parents, so that if they did see the show that morning, maybe yummy food would help their embarassment. :)

Then fast-forward to May 5th, Cinco de Mayo and time for all big eaters to venture out in their sweatpants and belly up to the burrito bar for 5 pounds of burrito-ey goodness. And many did! These two went head-to-head at the Taco Del Mar on MLK, but neither of them made it to the finish line...

And these two guys walked out of the restaurant groaning, with their pants unbuttoned!

All-in-all, Taco Del Mar's Cinco de Mayo celebration - Cinco de Mondo, was a HUGE success, like 5 pounds worth...

So make sure your eating pants are nice and stretchy for May 5, 2010 - now that you know what to expect, there are no excuses for not being able to take that baby down!

green is so hot right now

2009-03-24T15:34:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone!

So the Better Living Show is this weekend at the Portland Expo Center. This is the Northwest's largest sustainable lifestyle show and we're super stoked to be helping spread the word for the second year in a row!!

We specifically wanted to tell y'all about an opportunity to win a green-style makeover, courtesy of the Better Living Show, KGW and the green style gurus at Greenloop and SEMPER Fashion.

So what does a green-style makeover entail exactly? The winner gets to choose a smashing new eco-friendly outfit from the Greenloop (check out their super cute green giraffe thermal hoodie) and get their hair and makeup did the environmentally friendly way, thanks to the styling geniuses over at Sidlab Hair Couture and Aveda.

For those of you who don't win the giveaway (sorry, there can be only one winner), you can still get chic without breaking the bank. The style mavens at Greenloop are hosting a special warehouse sale throughout the show, featuring the latest looks for Spring with discounts of up to 70%!!!

Still think being an eco-beauty means donning Birkenstocks and washing your hair with gross-smelling products? Then you need to check out SEMPER Fashion's "Getting Runway Ready" hair and makeup demonstrations at the Better Living Show. And don't miss the big finale every night of the Show (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) -- SEMPER will host 20-minute fashion shows featuring the latest eco-friendly runway looks. It's haute couture without contributing to global warming...

Can't make it to the show? You suck. Just kidding. ;-) Here are some tips we've learned recently for being an eco-stylista.

Do your research. Can't pronounce most of the ingredients in your facewash, shampoo or foundation? That's one sign what's in the bottle could be harmful to the environment... Here's a great post from Best Eco Stuff on decoding what exactly P-PHENYLENEDIAMINE is (and don't worry, you don't have to put raw eggs in your hair...unless you're into that...we won't judge!)
Follow the herd. Lots of publications and blogs publish beauty awards so you don't have to test every product on the shelf (which would not be eco-conscious!) Check out Women's Health readers fave green beauty products, including cult faves from Pangea Organics, Cargo and Dr. Hauschka
Have fun with it! Being environmentally conscious doesn't mean you have to be totally serious all the time. Get the latest green gossip at Ecorazzi - from celebs still living in the stoneage wearing fur (you're busted Kanye's girlfriend -what's her name?)
Embrace the herbs (not that kind)... Eco-Chick writes about some common herbs you can grow in your window sill that will make you pretty.

We'll share more tips (and photos!) after the Better Living Show next week. But in the meantime, tell us your fave way to be stylish while taking care of the environment (without breaking the bank of course)

Get Ready to Make a U-Turn!

2009-03-04T22:15:00.000-08:00

So remember the U-Turn Challenge we mentioned a few months ago? Well, First Tech Credit Union has picked the four participating households and they are ready to save!

Meet the competitors:

Brad, Tina, Elisha and Kaylie , a young family from Seattle

Erin, a teacher from Portland

Willis and Adria, empty-nesters from Salem

Danny and Julia, an engaged couple from Eugene

Each household has specific goals pertaining to improving their current financial situation, and they will be blogging about their successes and challenges as they learn new tips for financial wellness from their First Tech coaches.

If you want to make your own financial u-turn, just follow these teams throughout the challenge, and remember to check the Resources Section of the U-Turn site often. These tools with likely provide you with some very helpful tips to help makeover your own financial situation.

Visit the U-Turn Challenge site to check out the competitors' blogs and learn how to make your own financial u-turn!

I'm giving myself an F for blogging...

2009-02-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

...but to make up for it, I'm going to share this awesome post that Heather came across today. One of our fave bloggers and PR heroes Brian Solis posted this interesting commentary on brands who really "get" social media. Some of my personal faves on the list include Disney & Nike. But where's Zappos? I think they're doing a fabulous job using social media to connect with people - not just shoppers or consumers -- but people. And isn't that what this is all about?

As we try to get our clients more and more involved in the social media universe, Brian's advice that it's not "reasonable, feasible, or strategic" for companies to participate in EVERY social media site/network/etc. is spot on and we wholeheartedly agree. Sometimes it makes sense for companies to Twitter and sometimes it doesn't (note to self, remember this next time you're in a pitch!)

We do want to give a shout out to our clients who are getting involved in social media and doing a great job. We know it's not easy - in fact, it's far too easy to get distracted, as we've learned. So here are some of our partners who really trying to use social media to listen and engage people online.

First Tech Credit Union (check out www.uturnchallenge.com in March)
Northwest Evaluation Association (our newest Twittering client)
Bridgeport Brewery (shocker - people like beer!)
The Game Factory - creator of family-friendly video games like Zenses and Build-A-Bear for the Wii

But the main point is - companies should be doing at least one thing a day that scares them. It could be as simple as allowing comments on your blog to sending out a Facebook invite for your grand opening party.

And I'll be honest, it's a little chilly when you first dip your toe into the HUGE ocean that is the "world wide web", but once you get in and find your niche, it warms up just fine.

Til next time,
JulieAnna

Meet the Sword Licker

2009-01-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

So we have a newly crowned King of Cubicles. Mr. Joel Moss Levinson.

Check out his hilarious video resume aptly titled "I Will Protect You From Dragons." Actually, that title is not really apt. But we love it!

The King of Cubicles contest kicked off this past summer and challenged slackers everywhere to put their worst foot forward to win the title of King. All of this hooplah is in celebration of the new Game Factory Nintendo Wii and DS game, Rubik's World. A super awesome game about everyone's favorite cube.

As the new King, Joel has won his very own Nintendo Wii console & games from The Game Factory (including Rubik's World, natch), new fancy business cards that read "Joel Moss Levinson - King of Cubicles" and...drum roll please... his very own Smart Car. The preferred vehicle for a ladies' man like Joel.

We had the pleasure of actually meeting Joel when he decided to drop by R/West after getting the good news. It was meant to be!

So check out Joel's blog & obviously the R/West PR Girls Central to keep up with Mr. KOC and his latest happenings... We're looking forward to seeing what he can do with his new title and fancy car!

Joel (on the right) with R/Westies Johnny B and Cassandra.

What's hot in 2009?

2009-01-06T18:56:00.000-08:00

Zenses! Jane Buckingham from the Intelligence Group, New York Times and Cosmopolitan magazine says 2009 is all about "peaceful" gaming. That's right. Put away your Halo 3 ladies 'cuz it's all about the zen this year...

Check out Jane's "trend" segment on Good Morning America, which aired on New Year's Day.

Congrats to our wonderful client, video game publisher, The Game Factory for the excellent coverage. Way to start the New Year off with a bang (your PR team is going to have to work EXTRA hard to raise that bar). ;-)

If you haven't, check out Zenses on Amazon.com. Or you could enter to win your very own copy through the Family Review Network of mommy blogs.

Until next time, keep on gaming... and tell us what you think about the game!

In need of a financial U-Turn?

2008-12-02T12:19:00.001-08:00

Then check out the U-Turn Challenge, presented by First Tech Credit Union.

Starting now through December 19, First Tech will be searching for households throughout the Pacific Northwest (Lane County, Portland Metro area, Salem and the Seattle Metro area) who are ready to turnaround their financial lives.

How does the U-Turn Challenge Work?

Selected households will compete against other households from Lane County, the Portland Metro area and the Seattle Metro area for a $10,000 grand prize. The prize goes to the household that achieves the most financial success in four pre-determined categories: debt reduction, savings increase, overall net worth increase, and overall level of participation. The First Tech-selected households will participate in the Challenge throughout 2009, documenting their financial successes and challenges via their own blogs at www.uturnchallenge.com.

The best part?

ALL participating households will be assigned a team of First Tech financial experts who will help them get on the road to a better financial life and potentially win the competition. The team will focus on every aspect of the households’ financial situation including budgeting, managing credit, home buying, paying for college, planning for retirement, insuring for the future, and much more.

Participating households must be willing to:

· Publicly discuss their financial situation

· Work closely with their First Tech financial team

· Provide monthly feedback on financial progress and results

· Have Internet access and be willing to blog regularly about their U-Turn Challenge experiences

· Be eligible for First Tech Credit Union membership. Membership qualifications can be found online at First Tech’s website

How to enter the First Tech U-Turn Challenge

Interested households can visit the U-Turn Challenge website at www.uturnchallenge.com. There, they can read the Challenge rules and regulations, fill out an online application and download the required release forms. Completed questionnaires and release forms must be addressed and mailed by

December 19, 2008 to:

U-Turn Challenge

PO Box 2100

Beaverton, OR

The public can follow the participating households’ journey in the U-Turn Challenge from February 2009 through December 2009 at www.uturnchallenge.com.

For more information about the First Tech U-Turn Challenge, visit www.uturnchallenge.com. All media inquiries should be directed to JulieAnna Little with R/West Public Relations at 503.223.5443 x114 or julieannal@r-west.com.

Check out this video for more info (and yes, that's R/West's own JulieAnna who, for the record, prefers being behind the scenes rather than in front of the camera and was forced to do this by her own team!)

Get your own celebrity-designed Build-A-Bear and signed Wii game!

2008-11-25T15:58:00.001-08:00

Hello out there in cyber land! Hope everyone is having a great week getting ready for the big T-Day '09...

We finally have an "official" URL for our Build-A-Bear Wii auction benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California!

Go to www.ebay.com/buildabearwiiauction to see bears designed by celebs like the Jonas Brothers (OMJ!), Tori Spelling, James Gandolfini (aka Tony Soprano), Bonnie Hunt, Raven-Symone, Melissa Joan Hart and our fave Disney stars: Meaghan Martin, Jason Dolley, Debby Ryan and more!

So if you're looking for holiday gift ideas - go check out our fabulous celeb bears and do some good this holiday season. 100% of the proceeds from the auction will go to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California - a very worthy organization that provides comfort and care to kids receiving medical treatment in So Cal (and their families).

Also a HUGE shout out to our client The Game Factory for their generosity and holiday spirit in donating their time, money and efforts to help make this auction possible (and successful!)

So get to shopping and let us know what you think of the bears (don't miss James Gandolfini's holiday turkey, which he designed with help from his son Michael) and the new Build-A-Bear Wii game. Gobble gobble.

You can also bid on these adorable bears designed (and autographed) by Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas today! Auction closes December 3.

Happy Turkey Day!

Build-A-Bear Wii Launch and Auction!

2008-11-24T10:49:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! So sorry it's been forever since we've been able to blog. Crazy busy around here!

One of the reasons we've been so busy is that we launched The Game Factory's new Build-A-Bear Wii game (called Build-A-Bear Workshop A Friend Fur All Seasons). How cute is that?

To celebrate the launch of this super fun party game, we had a blow out celebrity bash at the Build-A-Bear Workshop store at Hollywood Highland Center on Tuesday, November 11.

Here are just a few of the celebs who made it out to help us celebrate: Tori Spelling & Dean McDermott, Melissa Joan Hart, Disney's Camp Rock's Meaghan Jette Martin, Debby Ryan from the Suite Life of Zack and Cody on Deck, Jason Dolley from Disney's Minute Men and the upcoming Hatching Pete, singer Austin Anderson, Californication's Pamela Adlon... we could go on. But we won't.

Here are some pics of the event.

More to come about our eBay auction benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California in a few...

Enjoy!

Something Awesome Happened At BridgePort Brewery...

2008-11-13T19:43:00.001-08:00

So basically, one of our fabulous clients...BridgePort Brewery...tried something awesome a little over a year ago...most people refer to it as their 22-ounce Big Brew line...

But something about their latest and greatest...it not only has a sick name - Raven Mad - but it also has a sick label...it requires you to wear really awesome glasses and is all like hey check out these letters with those red and blue frames because I'm pretty sure they are in 3-D and oh yeah so is that bird down there...

...I'm sure most of you have seen if but if for some weird reason like you have been studying abroad and not in the country or you had a strange illness that caused you not to be able to enjoy the fabulousness that is beer and it made you so sad that you had to cut all communication off with the bridgeport beer world (...and yes that means no blog reading, no twitter following, not even kbeer listening to on the website...) and you have yet to see the label...well here it is just for you!!!

YEAH, I know right!! Awesome!!

Here are some pics from bottling day...

and also, other's think that the brew is awesome...so if I'm not convincing enough to get you to run out and grab yourself a bottle to enjoy...read these...they might help.
Oregonian - John Foyston
Beer Northwest
Portlandbeer.org
Seattlepi.com
Brewpublic
AntSaint

And if you're not following us on Twitter...you probably should...cause then you can always know what's new and happening! @bridgeportbrew

Rubik's World

2008-10-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

So technically this blog is about the PR family...and the latest and greatest happenings (for the most part...because sometimes our little team gets busy and isn't always the best at keeping this blog up...but hey we try! and that's what counts right!!?)

Anyway...our little family belongs to a bigger family...the extended family and that is the R/West family! and something about being in a family means it is important to share their awesomeness and accomplishments too! So that is what this post is going to do.

Watch this.
Basically it is hilarious and awesome...and pretty sure if you didn't know about Rubik's World before...you will now...and everyone should be buying it because first of all the game is fun...but second of all this commercial kicks ass.

ANSR: on Juli B

2008-10-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

So check it out!!...we got ANSR: into the San Diego's October juli b top 6 beauty picks! Look at the page here.

Probably everyone should subscribe to juli b because it's AWESOME! but if for some reason you don't know about this fabulous lifestyle and luxury column providing the latest and greatest for all of your restaurant, fashion, beauty, and, travel needs! Check out their site also you should sign up for their e-newsletters, because they are fabulous!!

If you want to check out more about whats new in the world of ANSR: you can read all about the news on their blog site!

Helping Teach our Teens to Drive Safe in the Portland Weather...

2008-10-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

We took on a little project with our friend Jim at BridgePort Brewery...He works with Tire Rack Street Survival, a national "hands-on" driver educational program that teaches teens the skills they need to stay alive behind the wheel.

Last Sunday, Tire Rack partnered with Sports Car Club of America, to teach a one day class for licensed drivers between the ages of 16-21. The students learned from highly skilled volunteer instructors how to manage everyday driving hazards, obstacles and challenges.

With the rain pouring, the roads slippery and the engines roaring...The day definitely turned out to be a success!

ANSR: Acne Care now available at Blush Beauty Bar

2008-10-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

So, some exciting news on the ANSR: Acne Care front...for all of those Rose City beauties out there - ANSR: Acne Care is now available at the Northwest beauty haven Blush Beauty Bar on Northwest 23rd.

So go visit the lovely ladies at Blush, get your pretty on and purchase your very own ANSR: BEAM and paraben-free, soothing topicals now! Or tonight, or this weekend... for those of us who have to work (boo).

More exciting news to come, but mark your calendars for a special soirée on Saturday, October 25 from noon to 4 p.m.. Oregon Aesthetic Technologies' very own Shannon Monihan will be making a special appearance to answer questions about photo light therapy (no, holding your face up to a light bulb does NOT qualify as "LED" phototherapy treatment) and show off some of the latest innovations in skincare (like ANSR:!)

So if you live in the beautiful city of Portland, Ore., we better see you on the 25th at Blush for your free phototherapy demo!

For those of you living in the other 49 beautiful states of our great country, get your ANSR: fix at our happenin' ANSR: PR blog, www.ansr.com, Facebook (search: ANSR: Acne Care) or even Twitter.

See you local beauties at Blush!

Hello? Are you out there??

2008-10-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago we launched the Ciao.com Electronophile contest. What is it? Ciao.com is going to give away awesome prizes (like an iPod Touch, Sony Cybershot Camera and Nintendo DS) to three lucky electronophiles who can prove their extreme love for consumer tech at Ciao.com.
It's really easy to enter - just submit a video or text review on Ciao, reviewing your favorite gadget. It can be your beloved iPod or old Nintendo Gameboy. Any gadget you simply cannot live without.

Check out this video for more details and get thee to Ciao.com NOW to enter. Winners will be selected at the end of October.

favorite stuff...

2008-09-26T14:36:00.000-07:00

in no particular order...

1. it is friday!

2. heather is home.

3. oooh OHHHH! - baby mama

4. AND THIS!!!!!!!!!

you can read about it here
but basically ANSR: was totally chatted up by Jen Adkins, the About.com skin care writer!! Pretty sure we are all floating on cloud nine about this cause its kind of awesome and also fabulous. plus Jen even blogged about it here! On her Skin Care Blog because we sent her a kit and she was loving it!!...and to make things even more awesome fantastic people are commenting on her blog!

We kind of heart Jen...so everyone should subscribe to her blog and also probably follow her on twitter to stay in the know on her ANSR: updates and the awesome fabulous products that are out there like ANSR: to make your skin gorgeous fancy!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Sorel is in print!

2008-09-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

So today is a happy day in the world of R/West PR…our family is all back together again (even though we are all jealous of Heather’s honeymoon in Hawaii!) and just in time, because in the last two days, we have finally seen our hard work paying off.

We have been pitching Sorel’s beautiful new boots for months, and magazines are finally printing their winter issues!

You should probably check out the October issue of Ski Magazine, to find the luxurious Caribou Reserve.

And the November issue of Lake Superior Magazine, to find the original, rugged Caribou.

Stay tuned, because we have a lot more great Sorel coverage coming up and can’t wait to share it with you!!

Obsessed with Tech? Prove it!

2008-09-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

Our client Ciao.com today launched a supercool contest.

We are looking for the world's biggest electronophiles (read: people totally obsessed with technology, a la Kip Dynamite). The three winners will be selected for their ability to demonstrate their extreme love of their favorite gadgets via video or text reviews on Ciao.com.

Ciao.com is an online shopping community that pays members for their honest reviews of anything from cell phones to laptops to movies, video games and everything in between.

The Electronophile contest officially kicked off today and will last through the end of October. The only rule? You have to put the word "electronophile" in your review title so we can find you.

Go here for contest details and to get started reviewing your fave gadgets - immediately! Did I mention cool prizes? You can win a Nintendo DS, Sony Cybershot Camera or Apple iPod Touch if you're selected as one of the three final "Electronophiles".

Check out this video detailing the contest (yes, that is me and Kendall in our first YouTube debut...well not counting the eROI karaoke contest last summer.) Enjoy and good luck!

Ciao!

Le Tour des Plants...on TV BABY!

2008-09-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

Soooooooo...for a few months now we have been promoting one of our clients', the Oregon Association of Nurseries, event Le Tour des Plants.

We did stuff like:
made them a twitter (follow them!)
made them a facebook
and best of all...the BLOG! which is totally cute, totally fancy...and has all the latest and greatest posted!!

Well, finally after months of prep, press releases, pitching and blogging...the event totally kicked off this past Saturday!!

and word on the street is, it's going fantastically!!

and guess what? I am totally going to blame part of that success on the fact that I got to go hang out with Drew Carney from KGW Friday morning...not going to lie, our little pr fam here at the office is kind of a huge fan of Drew...so even though waking up at 3:30 am. on a friday. in the dark. the freezing cold dark. to drive far. is basically kind of barf??...being able to play on the set of "Out and About" with Drew kind of makes it all a little more tolerable :)

At any rate, we were out at Smith Berry Barn in Hillsboro bright and early Friday morning. Like 4:30am early to talk all about Le Tour, the berry barn, apples, apple trees, carmeled apples, plants, bbqs, seminars and other cool stuff...like how there are over 50 garden centers located from Woodland, WA all the way down to Eugene, OR, involved in the tour...

here are some pics from the morning:

...and in case you missed the show, here is a clip!!

you can check out the rest on our R/West facebook page!!

Get clear skin. Like immediately.

2008-09-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

We're not joking. This stuff really works and we're not just saying that because they're our clients. If you haven't heard of it yet, you will soon (or now if you're reading this - obviously LOL).

It's called ANSR: Acne Care and it's fabulous. Here's what it is: The ANSR: BEAM is a photo light therapy (fancy term for red and blue light) device that emits low-intensity LED light (like the kind in a light bulb, not an evil tanning bed). You may have heard of this "light therapy" (and no, it does not involve any wookies or Jedis) before - especially if you read fancy magazines like W or New Beauty.

Until recently, if you had acne, you had to get light treatments from a derm or skin care clinic. Now, thanks to ANSR:, you can apply red and blue "magic" light waves directly to your skin at home...and without having to take out a personal loan! (disclaimer: the ANSR: BEAM isn't really magic so don't expect rainbows and unicorns to pop out of this thing).

But we digress... the coolest part about ANSR: is it attacks acne at multiple levels. Not sure what that means? Well, let us spell it out for you.

First, a cleanser called ANSR: PREP exfoliates the skin, but gently (not like the sandpaper-ish sea salt scrubs you can buy at Whole Foods...ouch!) Plus it smells like cucumber and melon. Yummy.

So the PREP gets rid of the dirt and oil and dead skin cells that plug pores. Gross. Then you take the BEAM and its fancy light and apply the blue light for 5 minutes...then the red light for 5 minutes. Do it while you're watching music videos or the Today Show in the morning, or the Hills or Access Hollywood at night. Science nerd alert: the blue light waves attack bacteria that causes acne blemishes... and the red light actually stimulates skin cells to heal the skin, which means smoother skin, fewer scars, less redness... basically prepare to glow.

When you're done with the BEAM - if you just woke up - use the DAY lotion - and if you're ready to go to bed - use the NIGHT lotion (thank you Captain Obvs). These spa-like-smelling lotions contain a miracle worker called Aurazin that actually thins skin oil (the thick, evil substance called sebum that gets trapped in your innocent pores and creates - gasp- zits, pimples, blackheads, cysts, you name it. Evil sebum must die!)

So basically, use ANSR: and you'll be: unclogging pores, exfoliating dead skin cells, killing bacteria, healing scars, diminishing redness, reducing inflammation... what else? Oh yeah, getting beautiful skin!

Ummm, so you should probably be ready to buy this stuff like now. Not convinced? Watch their fancy infomercial (starring Chester See from Disney 365 and lots of local P-town amazing faces. Woot!) Become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and check out our PR blog for lots of fabulous news and updates (like when we land Allure and New Beauty in a few months!)

See the light. And in the meantime, enjoy this awesome video from Chester.

Learn about First Tech Credit Union. Now.

2008-08-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

First of all, we're pleased to report that First Tech has won a national award for its incredible investment services group (these are the really smart people who can advise First Tech members about money and other grown-up stuff).

It's called th

Save Now

e Keystone Award and is awarded by CUSO Financial Services, LP (CFS). The award recognizes First Tech's dedication to CFS' Keystone concepts, which are awareness, integration and credibility.

Lots of good things are around the corner for First Tech (we can't talk about them yet) but one thing we can talk about is how R/West recently became First Tech members. Woot!

Here's a pic of our presidente Sean signing his official "papers" and becoming a First Tech member. Why are we so excited about this? Because belonging to a credit union means less money in bank shareholder's pockets and more in our piggy banks! Yay! We didn't get that at first, but First Tech is a not-for-profit organization. That means they don't charge ridiculously high fees for things like checking and over-drawing your account (not that we've ever done that...) Also, First Tech has sweet member rewards programs and really good rates on loans, CDs and all that jazz. Basically they rock.

So here's to you First Tech. We heart our new credit union. Fuzzies all around...

The Latest and Greatest in the World of BridgePort

2008-08-26T17:34:00.001-07:00

BridgePort Brewery was at it again yesterday, brewing its next limited edition 22-ounce brew. However this time it is a little more special...yesterday's brewing marked the one year anniversary of the 22-ounce Big Brew series.

Lets take a trip down memory lane quick.

Hop Harvest 07

old Knucklehead

Stumptown Tart

Hop Czar

I think it is safe to say that the launch of this new series has been a success! A success that will continue to bring fun new labels, flavors and entertainment to all those beer lovers out there.

Hop Harvest 08, an amped up version of BridgPort's Blue Heron, is a double hopped imperial style ale made from fresh cone Centennial Hops.
For those of you, like me, who know more about drinking beer than brewing it...you will relate to this lingo...for those of you beer experts, well my apologies.

Basically what happened yesterday was this...The brewers come up with this mashed up liquid...its uber hot and is put together in the morning...then they drove out to B & C Farms in Woodburn, Ore., picked 250 pounds of fresh cone Centennial hops, brought them back to the brewery and within two hours they were added to this hot liquid.

Then Karl, the brewmaster, and his team used the "hop masher stick" (yes totally a technical term) to mix in all the hops and squeeze out their fresh juices and aromas...the way Karl explained it to me "its basically like a big tea bag."

The hops steep for a while and then the brew continues along its way into whatever tubes it goes through that will cause it to end up in those awesome big bottles on September 11th and 12th.

I can't wait to taste the new Hop Harvest!

Hop Harvest Celebration will be held at Bridgeport brewpub + bakery on Friday, September 12 from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Come sample the new brew and enjoy some fantastic tunes by non other than the brewmaster himself, Karl, accompanied by his bluegrass band - BridgePort Reunion Band!

Yesterday's brewing event was also featured on Oregonlive.com's "The Beer Here"

Unwrapped

2008-07-31T13:03:00.000-07:00

What happens when your coworker who's relatively new to the working world and PR comes to work and tells you that they want to get our Franz Bakery client on the Food Network's Unwrapped show?....You get really excited and treat them to a hot pink recorder at New Seasons (and that's Brittney with the cool blue recorder...she also got one because she totally rocks too!).

This is not just about Franz and this big time show. This is about scouting out opportunities for your clients all the time...no matter what you're reading, watching, surfing, etc...most PR newbie just do what other people tell them, but when you're smart and start to get experience under your belt you start coming up with the ideas and telling your account managers what is up. Too many account coordinators are lazy and just blow through there to do lists to they can cross shit off their list. And guess what!?!...They do crappy work.

I'm SO proud of everyone on R/West's PR team because they are better than that. They think big and go big which is why this little four person PR department does big things for our clients. Stay tuned on the Unwrapped success. There is a pair of fancy new designer jeans in it for Kendall if she lands this...I should probably say WHEN she lands this because she's already got a feature in Sunset Magazine in the works...and she can play the Jaws theme song on her new recorder already...watch out for this one!

BridgePort Brewery is at it again!

2008-07-30T15:11:00.000-07:00

BridgePort Brewery has bottled and released its latest and greatest in the 22-ounce Big Brew series. This time it is an Imperial IPA...

Hop Czar!
It is a triple-hopped bottle-conditioned, Imperial-style IPA that carries a deep malt background with enthusiastic citrus and floral notes paired with high hop bitterness. This 22-ounce Big Brew is a blend of copious amounts of Nugget, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial hops.

To get a taste of BridgePort’s Hop Czar Ale take a trip to BridgePort's brewpub + bakery, the BridgePort Ale House or select bars and restaurants around Portland including Park Kitchen, Horse Brass, El Gaucho, Higgin’s, and Slowbar. With 2,350 cases produced, this limited edition brew will also be sold at retail grocery stores throughout Oregon and Washington while supplies last.

BridgePort’s Hop Czar Stats:
IBU’s: 100
ABV: 8%
Color: Deep Golden

Take a look at the pictures from bottling!

to read more about Hop Czar click on the blog sites below!
PortlandBeer.org
Oregonlive.com
Guest On Tap
Bottling Pics on flickr

So go enjoy a taste of Hop Czar and be sure to report back and let us know what you think!
Also BridgePort Brewery is now an official member of Twitter...Follow us (bridgeportbrew) to stay updated on the latest and greatest going on at the brewery!

It's late July already? WTF?

2008-07-23T17:47:00.001-07:00

Wow.

So this is JulieAnna and I definitely get a big fat F for my summer blogging efforts. So what have I been up to (since I'm sure a hundred people are awaiting my updates with bated breathe)?

Well, I embarked on a multi-city, 2 week media tour with the Game Factory, publisher of family-friendly and casual video games. We met with media in New York, LA and San Diego to promote a bunch of cool new games that are launching this fall.

The first is called Zenses and we've been describing it as a "mini spa vacay for the brain," which seems to be working. It's probably the coolest thing I've ever pitched and I'm definitely addicted to the game. Heather is actually meeting with a mommy blogger in P-town right now to give her a demo. Fingers crossed she digs it too.

LA Times' blogger and tech writer Alex Pham got a kick out of it and blogged about it in July... check it out.

The other games are Build-A-Bear-Workshop: A Friend Fur All Seasons (they love their puns over there at BABW corporate!) This is a party game for the Wii and will hopefully be appearing in some parenting and family mags come this fall... holiday gift guides here we come!

Finally, the last game coming out is called Rubik's World and it will take players inside the iconic Rubik's Cube (an 80s geek fave). Rubik's will be available for the Nintendo Wii and DS (both games will be different).

To officially kick off the game's pending launch, we are searching for the next "King of Cubicles" - a professional slacker who will get paid to literally waste company time. Check it out at www.kingofcubicles.com. Some funny vids up there already but we need more applicants! Stay tuned for some radio interviews with R/West's very own John Basso (creative genius behind this campaign) next week...

So I guess that probably doesn't even scratch the surface of what I've been up to on behalf of R/West PR for the summer so far, but it's a start (and hopefully will keep Kendall satisfied for the week!) My tummy's growling so that must mean it's time to head home...

Peace out for now. J-LIT

.colons.

2008-07-14T09:34:00.000-07:00

don't even be grossed out about that word...and if you are, we don't even feel bad at all cause learn about how kendall had spent an entire day living in colon world...

first of all she is not a doctor so this task wasn't even easy. she had to use fancy words like colonoscopy and malignant and polyps and sigmoidoscopy and barium and fecal and occult and other things. NASTY... but learn about how the entire article was published in last friday's portland business journal! that's right the entire thing!!

check it out. thank you chris hyun, gastroenterologist from the portland clinic!

anyway, we now know everything about colons and colon cancer...so if you need to learn about it...contact us. or the portland clinic.

toasty tootsies

2008-07-11T14:47:00.001-07:00

So our favorite quote of the week goes something like this:
JulieAnna: “So Brittney, do you want to call Chris Brown, or do you want me to?”

After months of planning, preparing and overall just being excited, our time has finally come. Today, Jules will call Rhianna and tell her how to become fancy. Yes, that’s right, we are telling the stars how to achieve fancy, awesomeness!

Ok, we will share our secret if we must…drum roll please…

There it is boys and girls, the beautiful Sorel boots we can’t wait to get on Rhianna’s little tootsies.

Updating the stars on the newest and most fabulous is one of our most favorite pastimes…and if she says yes, you better believe we will do a happy dance!!! Someone get the HSM soundtrack ready…

.love.

2008-07-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

this office is full of love for our favorite stuff

we love high school musical. we love rubix cubes. we love unicorns. we love hannah montana eight balls. we love omgs. we love candles. we love sour patch kids. we love bratz pony purses. we love so you think you can dance you tube videos.

but rating in the top love of all loves are our nintendos.

wiis are very fancy because you can do lots of things with them. you can party like a rockstar on guitar hero. you can become a skinny bitch with the wii fit. you can practice for so you think you can dance on the DDR. wii games even make great wedding presents cause learn about heathers new game called mario cart that has its very own steering wheel! basically wiis are awesome

magazines...magazines..and more magazines...

2008-07-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

we read. it's what we do.

we read everything.

we read about gardens and flowers. we read about wine and beer. we read about colleges and health care. we read about food and restaurants. we read about nintendos and games. we read about acne and we read about boots with the fur. oh and yes celebrity gossip is also very important work so we read about that too...

all this reading means lots and lots of magazines...and most of the time completely unorganized piles of ridiculousness.

learn about today being the day that we are caught up on organization! all the magazine holders have been bought, labeled, filled and alphabetized!
this task deserved a shout out...

and if blogs had the ability for confetti, streamers, exploding fireworks, sirens and shots of duck farts that would all be happening right now.

family birthday parties

2008-07-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

it is important for us to celebrate birthdays around here because each of these days marks the special moment that 1 of the 4 fancy pr girls was born!

and when fancy is born. celebrations are a must.

and let us tell you about how good we are at celebrations...we celebrate placements in vogue with high school musical kareoke...we celebrate 1-year anniversaries with fancy drinks and haiku poems (thank julieanna...and i so wish we had that on recording)...we celebrate other anniversaries with stunner shades and punk wigs...so when it comes to birthdays? we dominate.

a little overdue...but definitely in need of a post...

may marks the month that fifty percent of what makes up the amazing family of r/west pr fantasticness was born.

happy birthday heather and kendall!

and thank you julieanna and brittney for making us feel so special!

our delicious treats!

our awesome presents! - fancy flowers, champagne and raspberries and awesome gifts! (learn about the margarita maker!)

happy hour at mint!

and special thanks to sean -- sometimes being fancy and awesome requires sponsorship...the dollar kind.

family birthdays are the best!

tiger beat

2008-07-10T16:59:00.001-07:00

our favorite magazine to date...

hands down goes to tiger beat.

we realize that is a huge statement to make considering we are in pr and spend our lives reading magazines. i'm pretty sure we would all agree that we are suckers for the celebrity dramas in the us weekly and in touch...can't get enough of the fancy dresses and adorable accessories in the latest instyle...but here at the r/west us pr girls do the happy dance when the monthly issue of tiger beat is found sitting in kendall's mailbox.

and mostly because of the part that is called the "omgs"

let us tell you about these.

the "omgs" mean that we all sit around and listen to heather read to us.

if you don't know about the "omgs" well pick up the next issue of it and learn about them...cause they are awesome...also learn about game factory nintendo ds give-a-ways. and how heather's awesomeness got the jonas brothers to sign a pink nintendo ds and have them do a give-a-way with game factory's strawberry shortcake ds game!

keep your eyes open for selena gomez and the give-a-way coming up with game factory's build-a-bear nintendo ds game!

franz is on the go with joe!

2008-07-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

we have fallen guilty of the blogger plague. the kind that strikes those when they go on too many media tours, have to call chris brown, get married, or are busy writing about colons...basically we have fallen guilty of the "too busy to blog" crime. and it's time to get it together because dude we have a lot to say!

so first things first...to follow up our little franz tour (and last post) franz and their grilling days promotion spent a morning with joe v from kptv's channel 12 news! the morning was a huge success!!

may 15th kicked off the beginning of a summer long promotion that included franz bakery giving away 11 deluxe traeger barbecue grills to participants who entered to win their very own grill at the Franz Bakery Website.

probably you want to know franz and their buns right? learn about how franz has been around for 102 years, how they bake over 1.3 million buns each day!! they bake every fast food restaurants buns in the pacific northwest (except mcdonalds)...burgerville, burger king, wendys...basically you name it they make it! also learn about how they bake kirkland brand (costco) breads...and other retail store names.

how can we not get franz such awesome coverage when they are so cool!

the morning started off early. the kind of early where it feels like sand is scratching your eyes when you try and blink. but mostly heather was kind enough to bring loads of coffee for the crew and the morning went off with a bang!
brittney and julieanna, hard at work

and we have the lovely chef (and co-worker here at r/west) john basso waiting for his big debut with mike the camera man!

take a peak at the final segment of our morning show.

Hottness...literally

2008-05-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

So this week was a packed one for the R/West PR department.

On Monday, we had our usual client meetings and email extravaganza (seriously, does anyone keep up on their Google Alerts and Media Post newsletters over the weekend? If so, please share your secret...)

But the coolest thing about Monday was that we got to go "behind the scenes" at Franz Bakery. Check out the hotness that is JulieAnna, Kendall and Brittney in our super cute hairnets and glowing faces (more about that in a sec.)

So after learning that Franz is one of only 7 companies in Portland that are more than 100 years old (pop quiz: can anyone name the other 6?), we got to see where the magic happens. And let me tell y'all that boy does that magic happen @ Franz.

First, they have this thing called the Bun Highway. It reminded me of a really cool train set, except instead of trains there are just buns whizzing by at super high speeds (not like Speedracer fast, but more like Brittney behind the wheel fast...)

They make all kinds of buns for most fastfood restaurants in the Northwest...Wendy's and Burger King to name a few (our fave is Burgerville...shout out to former R/West client and long-lost love!) Fact: each restaurant has their own recipe and the "bun bakers" at Franz have to memorize each one. Tough stuff. They make this mixture called a "sponge" first, which is like flour, water and shortening (don't quote me on that) and then they add in the "secret ingredients." Basically, it's a lot harder than I thought to make buns. Who knew?

Of course, the best buns are the Franz label ones...they don't have high fructose corn syrup and they're just generally healthier for you. Way less gluten...

So thanks for catching up on Franz with us. We think they're super cool. And they are really nice and their bakery smells yummy. And you can get really cheap bread at their outlet stores (check it.)

Stay tuned for more "behind the scenes" action in an upcoming segment on KPTV's On the Go with Joe V. Who else likes to get up at 5 a.m. cuz we do!

Oh and last but not least, go to Franz's Web site and enter the "Grilling Days" giveaways... we wrote a super fancy press release on it. Read about it.

And get ready for some major bun action on May 28...National Hamburger Day (hollah!)

a special day

2008-05-09T14:59:00.000-07:00

today is a special day. well technically it was yesterday...but that's fine cause the celebration is today...but today's celebration marks the fact that i have officially been at r/west for over a year now...that's right people a whole year!

to commemorate this special day (and the fact that the fabulous pr department is now one year old) here is a list of 12 of my favorite best memories that have made this one fabulous special -- and for lack of better words (or for lack of keeping this blog appropriate...) -- memorable year!

(12 memories...for 12 months of gorgeousness)

1. my very first day. i was unaware we had a parking lot, unaware that if you show up before 830 you need an elevator little pass thingy, unaware that the third floor door is never unlocked from the stairwell and unaware that i was the only employee in the pr department. it was fine though i had graduated with a degree in history and a minor in theology the day before so that basically means i can run a pr department by myself. after a successful 5 hour day in the office using a login from the previous pr intern to get internet access and do important facebook messaging to my friends telling them about how i had no clue what i was even doing with anything, i went down to my car to find a $25 parking pass on my windshield...had i left work two hours sooner not only would i have avoided the parking ticket, i would have saved myself money (as what i was paid for that two hours didn't even cover my expenses) -- and i would have been able to work out.

2. my first random lunch wednesday. esparza's tex mex off of burnside. that was also the day i had my first shot of patron silver. at 12:14 in the afternoon. with my co-workers i had just met 14 days prior. at my first real job ever. weird? yeah...it was weird. also peter bought a blue eight-track cassette tape at a junk store down the street. i didn't know who peter even was at the time but that was also weird to me...mostly the only thing i knew was i wanted to make a good impression and that meant salt the lime, throw it back and secretly take short quick breaths to avoid throwing up the $18 shot sean had just bought me.

3. heather's first day...at least according to sean...it was suppose to be in june. i dressed nice everyday for 17 days straight. until i ran out of nice clothes (in hopes of making a good impression) she didn't end up starting till sometime late in july. the day she started i was wearing cut off sweats.

4. working hard riding rides

and truly one of the best days cause it was one of heather and i's first bonding days :) see? i loved her from the start!

5. my first time at bridgeport brewery...hop harvest bottling. i will admit that drinking beer at work is pretty awesome. it probably would have been inappropriate to drink beer while teaching history...so this day was also one of the days that was an indicator that i had chosen the correct career path.

6. kickball. we were basically fabulous. one time i blogged about our fabulousness that was recess time so if you want to read about our team you can go here recess time blog but basically this was us:

this picture is hard to see our faces...so here is a close up:

7: the day of franz. where i learned about the capacity of volkeswagon bugs and also that it is physically impossible to eat two slices of franz white bread in two minutes...(for all of you who take challenges seriously...then i dare you. try it...it really is impossible! r/west didn't believe it so pr team held a challenge...we had a prize package with money and beer and game factory nintendo games and bbq sauce...and even for all of those prizes not one person could do it!)

8. the day burger king came to visit.

for everyone that didn't meet him. ask to see the video of the king's trip to the local burger king. hilarious amazing and awesome filming done by non other than john gentle...r/west does halloween right.

9. the day i spent $600 at nike and all i had to do was name drop my name. that's like how famous people do it i think. probably famous people then come back to their work and place dress up too...

10. the day julieanna started. also the day i got my second parking ticket. this day was great because we were both sick--hence the parking ticket...my fever made me delirious or something and i forgot about paying the meter (?) when i took her to mothers bistro for lunch. julieanna had stomach flu. i had strep throat. we both left early. (heather was still gone in new york) and the pr department started the year off strong with no one in the office for the first week.

11. one word. < mint >

12. my favorite bestest bests! and the most fabulous party ever planned.
drinks. wigs. drinks. fancy glasses. drinks. photobooths. drinks. dj evil. drinks. cupcakes. drinks.

oh and drinks.

so many memories...so not enough time to write about them. happy one year anniversary!! my work is fabulous :) and so are the three lovely ladies i work with.
heather - who has taught me everything i know about everything! i love her to death. and i'm pretty sure if it wasn't for her i wouldn't have the amazing job that i have. (and trust me it is important to have a job you love because when you are in the same place for 8 hours a day it's important to like what you do!)
julieanna - who cracks me up, teaches me more than i could ever possibly think there was to know about social media &celebrity gossip, and she sings me "bleeding love"
brittney - i have a feeling the one who will turn me into a camper.

cheers!

a moment of silence

2008-04-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

let's take a moment of silence.
^
^
^
^
and now if i had a champagne glass a spoon and a chair i would be playing the game where you stand on the chair, ding the glass, clear your throat and say...

"excuse me i have an announcement to make...

today heather finished the world's largest amx expense report ever"

...and once again the pr department brings it home with its fabulous bitchassness in the world of organization. loves it.

"gardens for kids"

2008-04-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

prograss sponsored their first ever "gardens-for-kids" event at concord elementary school in milwaukie on tuesday and wednesday of this week.

despite the hail storms and monsoon rains that visited the area, the event seemed to be a big success! not only will the kids learn the responsibilities of keeping up their own classroom gardens, but they will get to eat their very own herb and veggie goodies that will be used in the school cafeteria for lunches!

on the drive out to the school, heather and i were discussing the exciting news of the oregonian sending a photographer out to capture the action. in this discussion we took a vote and came to the conclusion that a photo is worth a thousand words. so here are one thousand words captured in the frame of goodness posted below.
courtesy of pizza shmizza off of highway 99

fridays

2008-04-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

fridays in the office are usually really tough.

a couple of weeks ago we went to nordstrom (and i think we all remember about that day...)

week before last we played dress up with the wigs

and last friday sean toasted to the success of yet another r/west anniversary party giving props to us wonderful party coordinators over here in the pr quarters.

toasting may not seem like a hard thing...but it actually is because we had to sip this fancy stuff...

and this fancy stuff is not the easiest to sip. it's a little like sipping on nail polish remover. really really expensive nail polish remover.

julieanna put it in her passion iced tea from starbucks. innovative i tell you...she's pretty much always on top of the latest and greatest ideas for makin' it happen! don't feel like doing something {drinking the patron}...switch it up and get'er done {pour it in the tea}

or we do it heather's way. we dedicate ourselves, commit and dominate the task at hand

here we are.

we also learned where r/west keeps the awards. in a really really safe spot.

in a stack next to the safe in the middle of sean's office floor.

PR Wins Again....

2008-04-23T17:54:00.001-07:00

We celebrated our 11th agency anniversary last night at a rockin' party at Rocket. One of the many highlights was a battle dance-off between the PR department and the interactive department....we sent in our strongest - account coordinator Kendall - who danced her ass off in order to take down the interactive department director John Gentle. John held his own, but was no match for our Kendall proving she is not only a PR superstar, but a dancing machine queen! So proud I am. Now I just hope Kendall is proud of this blog post - my first EVER!

Happy Earth Day!

2008-04-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Just a shout out to all you R/West PR fans out there (I know there are millions of you hiding somewhere...)

One person we're a huge fan of is Mr. Ed Begeley Jr. What a hunk (seriously) and just the nicest man you'll ever meet. Kendall and I had the huge honor of giving Ed a ride from his appearance at AMNW to his son's house. It was the greenest 15 minutes of our lives. ;-)

In all seriousness though, let's try to do something green in honor of Mother Earth today. For example, try not to print a crapload of emails, powerpoint presentations or whatever (and if you must, go double-sided people!) Also, don't forget you're not supposed to recycle plastic bottle caps (they end up in the tummies of baby sea animals like super cute seals and turtles... boo.) And turn off your computers (and power strips) when you leave the office.

We heart you Ed Begley Jr.!

Ciao,
Jules

boys...pizza...and infomercials

2008-04-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

in keeping with the trend to raise awareness among the younger folks and find out what teens and college students are looking for to find themselves with fabulous gorgeous clear skin...we organized another focus group for OAT - our client (oregon aesthetic technology...) they are launching a new skin care line in may that goes by ANSR...and if you haven't heard about it, learn about it...we're pretty certain it's about to change the lives of everyone. especially those who suffer from ache.

task...to get a bunch of boys in the same place at the same time to watch an infomercial they knew nothing about...probably it was as hard to do as it sounds...however us r/westy pr girls, we make it happen! and what better way to get 15 college aged boys in the same place at the same time then to yell the words "free pizza"

they came! they ate...they watched...and most importantly they were interested! as well as helpful...

success...love it.

r/west turns 11 - part 1

2008-04-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

probably part 2 will come on wednesday...

the party is tomorrow.

and until now we have done really good secret keeping as to what will be going on at the party. the pr department was named the designated party planning group a few months ago...so living up to our title we have been creatively trying to coordinate one of the best birthday parties r/west has ever seen.

not to give-a-way too much of the event...one special decoration that will be beautifying the hot spot will be these...

they are fabulous and gorgeous and we had to try them on to make sure they would work...

yup. they are perfect.

the more detailed description...

2008-04-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

as promised, here is a more detailed description to why we must park on the streets.

one day the places we used to park belonged to this guy who owned a part of our building...on another day he decided to sell his part...that meant parking lot = sold. and the end results mean...get ur cars on the street out of the lot and start praying you wont get parking tickets everyday. mind you the spaces around our office are all one - two hour parking spots...and unless you have a zone parking pass your kind of outta luck.

fortunately some zone passes were scrounged up...but something else is that they are not doing much good because now where we are suppose to be parking our cars, weekend parties, bbqs and campouts are being held.

currently there are now three spots being occupied.
also something is please notice the balloons? and the small grill...

officially playing welcome

2008-04-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

this is the official post to welcome brittney on board into the family that is r-west pr girls.

so everyone meet her.

she is awesome.
also something that usually makes you official are these.

those are her fancy business cards.

one thing about the 4 of us is that we all share an office...and pretty much our office is lots of fun because it smells like fancy vanilla candles, we all have gorgeous computer screens, we listen to bumbin tunes, we buy wigs online, and most of the people in the office do secret lunches...not everyone...but most...the rest get cookies.

welcome brittney! i hope you love it as much as we do :)

important things

2008-04-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

we drive lots. we drive to clients. we drive to maryhill. we drive to meetings. we drive to the mall...we do lots of fun adventures and see lots of different things.

some of the things we see are these...(aka really fancy fashion)

some of the places we park are these...(recently we had our parking lot taken away from us...a more detailed description to come...)

sometimes they are skinny places and we can't get so close to the curbs...

and the most important thing is sometimes we wish we never knew about these things...(if it was appropriate there would be a picture of a dude in the stairwell of lloyd center parking structure being nasty...) i'm pretty sure girls shouldn't have to see gross guys being nasty in public when they go to research skin care at nordstroms for their clients. but our tolerance for weird randomness has grown...and not much surprises us these days...welcome brittney, to r-west! apparently we now have "rush" for our new employees...

how we do media lunches

2008-04-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

basically julieanna rocks. she landed this awesome client. mercato. learn about them.

their grand opening was last night and it was awesome.

wednesday she planned, organized and scheduled a media lunch.

take a looksie at her amazing awesomeness.

one thing about working is that sometimes...even if its the best kind of job ever. sometimes it gets stressful...

vino that shit, bitches! it's all about working on the "social" aspects of media right? being social is in...and the best way to be social is to wine about it...

this is me wining...

this is heather socializing...

and this is the car we saw on the way home...

welcome to our world...where faded isn't a shade of color...tigerbeats aren't found at the zoo...and "what time is it.." isn't asked when looking for lunch but rather sung when learning we get to pitch writers about lasers and moisturizers...