Month: July 2022

Los Angeles – July 27, 2022 – Bob Gold & Associates (BG&A), the internationally recognized, data-driven public relations and marketing agency, today announced its silver anniversary, having helped launch and grow nearly 250 clients ranging from hi-tech startups and associations to Fortune 500 companies over its 25 years in business.

Since its founding in 1997, Bob Gold & Associates has established itself as a premier communications agency for leading hardware and software tech companies alike, expanding far beyond its roots in cable TV to encompass industries including media and entertainment, streaming, IoT, AdTech, enterprise software, blockchain and communication service providers.

“Whether clients are on the upswing or are in trouble, we stepped up and helped shape their message and meaning to their community,” said President and Founder, Bob Gold. “For 25 years, we always put our clients’ interests first. Honesty is so rare today. We pride ourselves on pushing back, and not being ‘yes folks.’ It is the only way to ensure their company, brand and reputation meet the future head on.”

Bob Gold & Associates stays relevant to propel its clients’ businesses forward, providing creative solutions and highly tailored communications programs that deliver meaningful results. This not only includes offering new and much-needed services, but also creative services to support rebranding efforts and introduce disruptive technologies.

The firm’s experiences and clients have been extraordinary, and range from producing Charter’s first exclusive On-Demand program to hiring Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi to tape a live concert and sending every customer who watched a custom thank you card, hiring John Landis to direct a series of commercials, serving as the PR lead for the West Coast Adelphia team during their bankruptcy and reorganization, and managing publicity for Ben Watkins’ Amazon Studio series Hand of God starring Dana Delaney and Ron Perlman, among many other projects.

Current clients include next generation smart home services, NFTs for the metaverse, AI-powered energy management, lab-made cheese, social justice campaigns, streaming channels, and highly touted individual shows.

Its proprietary BG&A Insight is a unique, data-driven approach to PR and brand management that has helped the firm meet every client’s unique needs by implementing proactive and personalized PR campaigns tackling all five pillars offered in the program.

A co-founder of WIN PR Group, a global network of partner hi-tech PR firms that offers local services to international clients, Bob Gold & Associates has received numerous accolades and awards. Most recently, the firm was recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. The agency was also recognized as a top place to work by Cablefax Magazine in 2019. That same year, Bob Gold was named Communications Professional of the Year by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Gold was inducted into the Cable TV Pioneers in 2007.

Gold has also served on numerous committees and boards that include the Television Academy, Alzheimer’s Association, the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers Foundation (SCTE), Annenberg School for Communication Alumni Board, USC Board of Governors and the Volunteer Center. He currently serves on the board of Temple Beth El in San Pedro, which is celebrating its Centennial this year.

About Bob Gold & Associates

Founded in 1997 by Cable TV Pioneer and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA LA) 2019 Communications Professional of the Year, Bob Gold has created an agency that specializes in the space where technology meets entertainment and enterprise utility. Recognized for its creative and comprehensive approach for its clients, Bob Gold & Associates was named to the first annual Forbes America’s Best PR Agencies List for 2021. The company was ranked among the top 100 5-star agencies nationwide.

Since its founding, Bob Gold & Associates has launched and helped grow 20 TV sports networks, numerous streaming services and worked with nearly every major Communications Service provider and industry association in the United States. A co-founder of a leading international association of independently owned hi-tech PR agencies, WIN PR Group, BG&A provides its clients with immediate international resources for one-time projects or on-going campaigns. Gold is also a published author of a popular children’s picture book, The Shiny Penny. For more information, please visit www.bobgoldpr.com.

For more information, contact:

Kelly Makepeace

Bob Gold & Associates

310-320-2010

Kelly@bobgoldpr.com

CHICAGO (July 26, 2022) – “In the marketing world you have to be ready to embrace opportunities that might at first seem a little outside the box,” says Rikki Lee Travolta, who piloted record news coverage as the head of public relations for Empire Today and as the head of PR and marketing for Other World Computing.

One outside the box marketing opportunity to take note of is to align your brand with television cooking shows. According to an article in the Hollywood Reporter by Mikey O’Connell, culinary shows are unscripted TV’s fastest growing subgenre. According to MarketingCharts.com, 8 in 10 adults watch cooking shows.

Take The Great British Baking Show as an example – it has been marketing gold for the companies that aligned themselves with the program early on.

Just as you don’t have to be British to enjoy The Great British Baking Show. Similarly, you don’t have to be Polish to enjoy the new hit program The Polish Cooking Show.

The Great British Baking Show features talented bakers politely competing with new baking challenges each episode. Polite is the key word for these competitors. There is no yelling and plotting to undermine each other.

The likability factor of The Great British Baking Show goes a long way with viewers. So, it should come as no surprise that the next sleeper television hit looks like it could be The Polish Cooking. It has a similar quiet and entertaining ambiance.

The Polish Cooking Show brings to life a real Polish custom that upon her son’s getting married, it is his mother duty to teach his new wife the family recipes and the traditions and history that go with them.

As pointed out in the article Why Do People Like Cooking Shows? by Steven Doyle about the psychology behind the popularity of cooking shows, when cooking shows first hit the airwaves in the 1940s and 1950s, they had an educational purpose. Recipes were broken down so that viewers at home could easily follow along.

While competition shows like Hell’s Kitchen and Top Chef drew audiences in with high pressure situations, audiences are ready for a return to friendly, instructional cooking show options. All things old become new again.

The pilot episode of The Polish Cooking Show drew huge ratings on PBS affiliate WTTW thanks in part to a three-act format, a catchy theme song, and the fun and knowledgeable hosts Ala Rokita and her daughter-in-law Natalie (Czupta) Rokita.

In each episode, our Polish mother Mama Ala teaches her new daughter-in-law Natalie a traditional recipe, as well as the cultural history that goes along with each dish. The recipes are broken down for viewers at home to follow along with ease. Each show ends with a finished product and reflections on family traditions. Throughout, Natalie’s quick wit shows off her comedic skills earned at legendary improv training ground Second City.

“Viewers love Natalie and Mama Ala,” says producer Travolta of his two stars. “They genuinely have fun with each other. There’s love in this kitchen.”

“I’ve said it before,” continues Travolta. “Love is a great seasoning.”

Love is no foreign topic for Travolta. He was originally brought to Chicago to headline Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding – getting married six times a week and making the show a hit. While that acting role catered to Travolta’s Italian lineage, The Polish Cooking Show capitalizes on his business talents and his Polish bloodline. He is 25% Polish and very proud of this heritage.

In addition to being one of the creatives on the series, Travolta is also the conduit aligning companies with The Polish Cooking Show.

“If you’re running a company and you have a chance to reach 17,900,000 households over 13 episodes without overwhelming your marketing budget, that’s a package you want to at least consider,” summarizes Travolta.

And while The Polish Cooking Show draws fan mail from a wide range of ethnicities and backgrounds, it doesn’t hurt that there are over 9.1 million Polish Americans in the US.

“The Polish Cooking Show is demographic gold,” advises Travolta. “The show appeals to cooking enthusiasts, newlyweds, those who enjoy learning about other cultures, and of course people interested in the food and traditions of Central and Eastern Europe. We can put companies in touch with these brand-loyal viewers. It’s definitely worth having a conversation. We’re happy to talk and present the data.”

Companies interested in exploring the rewards of being formally associated with The Polish Cooking Show can contact the producers via the Contact page at www.ThePolishCookingShow.com or via email at Partnerships@thepolishcookingshow.com.

Over the past two years, 5 million U.S. people say they have relocated because of remote work. And they’re not alone. Some estimates indicate that 19 million more Americans plan to move due to work from home (WFH).  

Remote work has disrupted a 70-year trend toward urbanization. Forbes contributor, Jack Kelly, noted, “the greater ability to work remotely is leading to new migration patterns.” For the first time in generations, people are moving to live where they want, rather than where they are employed, creating a new geography of work that will draw remote workers away from “superstar cities” to places that offer something, well, more. 

Small Town America. 

After decades of population decline, and the recent rise of remote work, the timing has never been better for a renaissance for Small Town America. In fact, it’s already starting. A Wall Street Journal analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data found that rural counties saw a net gain in population from mid-2020 through mid-2021. Add to that, there are more small towns in the U.S. than there are big cities. The 2020 Census indicates that about 76% of the approximately 19,500 incorporated places in the U.S. have fewer than 5,000 people.  

Take West Lafayette in Indiana, North Platte, Nebraska, Ruston, Louisiana and Stillwater, Oklahoma. Each has fewer than 50,000 residents; each also wants remote workers to relocate there and are actively recruiting them.  

That’s a lot of real estate.  

The physical infrastructure—highways, byways and bridges, city services, and residential and commercial properties, to name a few—already exists. With the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, smaller communities even have even more access to resources that will spur additional development.  

But room to grow and physical infrastructure aside, Small Town America has something else to offer, a magical It Factor: emotional infrastructure.  

There’s a certain romance associated with Small Town America: the town square surrounded by charming storefronts and bustling cafes, neighborly greetings shared with a wave or a tip of the hat, and the inevitable cast of characters who lend lovable flair. It’s all part of an undeniable sense of community—the real-life Schitt’s Creek—Small Town America has in spades. It just can’t be experienced, much less replicated, anywhere else.      

That craving for community is something we hear a lot, at least anecdotally, at MakeMyMove. (We’re an online marketplace that enables remote workers to identify and explore the communities that are incentivizing WFH employees to relocate.)  We know WFH employees miss out on the mentoring, networking and community-building opportunities offered by an in-person work environment. They’re making up for the professional sense of isolation by building richer and deeper connections to the communities in which they live.  

Shahil Shrestha is one of those remote workers. After his Manhattan-based job went remote during the pandemic and his landlord put his rental house in New Jersey up for sale, he reassessed his priorities.  

He moved to West Lafayette in January as part of MakeMyMove’s Work from Purdue program, which offers financial incentives and other benefits to attract remote workers. Sure, he enjoyed the relocation stipend, access to coworking space and open tab at the university’s student union. But within six months, he had also gained a foothold in the community that he hadn’t experienced in other environs. He plays volleyball and badminton. He practices music with a neighbor. He attends events organized for fellow Work from Purdue program participants.  

In other words, he tapped into West Lafayette’s emotional infrastructure and found a community.  

He’s not alone. Our movers have told us time and again, “The money got my attention, but the community is what sold me,” proving that even the most generous relocation package will fall flat if there isn’t a sense of community—that emotional infrastructure, again—to support it.  

Only time will tell if remote worker relocations to West Lafayette, North Platte, Ruston and Stillwater—and thousands of small towns like them—are truly part of a rural renaissance. It’s your move, Small Town America. Let’s make it a movement. 

Bill Oesterle is the co-founder and former CEO of Angie’s List who now serves as Executive Chairman of MakeMyMove, an online marketplace connecting remote workers to communities across the U.S. that are incentivizing remote worker relocations.  

Survey reveals that employers know they must increase compensation but struggle to do so affordably

New York City (July 14, 2022) – According to the XpertHR Compensation Practices Survey 2022, employers believe that better employee compensation is the key to retaining and attracting talent—though making the necessary adjustments on that front presents its own financial challenges. Nearly eight in 10 (78%) of employers rated offering competitive pay as a “high” priority for attracting talent this year, but 88% said that doing so will be “somewhat” or “very” challenging.

Image caption: Keeping pay competitive, ensuring pay equity and balancing retention with affordability are the top priorities of employers in 2022 [left]—yet, at the same time, employers find these same goals are their top compensation challenges [right].

“The extremely tight labor market is forcing employers to reevaluate their pay structures,” says Natasha Wiebusch, Legal Editor at XpertHR. “Yet many companies struggle to free up the financial resources to do this.”

With the cost of living rising in the current economy, staying competitive with compensation is all the more challenging. Eighty-four percent of the survey respondents said that balancing retention with affordability is also “somewhat” or “very” challenging, while 67% cite inflation and cost-of-living factors among the top three challenges.

“Employers are scrambling to remain competitive with compensation while not breaking the bank,” Wiebusch added. “But the results are clear: employers who want to retain or grow their current workforce must be prepared to spend more on labor.”

Among the bright spots of the compensation survey, however, was the fact that 68% of participating organizations designated pay equity as a high priority this year. The growing effort to improve workforce representation and pay equity was among the top five diversity, equity and inclusion trends XpertHR identified for 2022.

The XpertHR Compensation Practices Survey 2022 was conducted from April 5, 2022, to April 29, 2022, using a self-administered online survey. The survey sample includes 314 employers that are located across the US. The total estimated number of employees of the responding organizations is 536,242. This survey report explores compensation practices, such as what types of pay structures are used, priorities and challenges of compensation structures, common benchmarking practices, and more. A complimentary press version of the report is available upon request.

About XpertHR:
XpertHR has been providing HR solutions since 2002, empowering organizations across the globe to build successful workforces and create a purposeful workplace for all. The platform delivers expert insight, trusted resources, data analysis and practical tools to help achieve greater efficiency, reduce risk, and increase employee engagement. XpertHR is developing smarter data analysis tools and cutting-edge technology to support future demands on HR in an increasingly digital world. To learn more, visit xperthr.com.

Media Contact:
Lauren Doyle
ldoyle@wordsworthweb.com
937.241.8378

Jordan Sapp Produces This Declarative Song Of Faith

Internationally recognized praise band Planetshakers globally releases its first radio single of the year, “I Know You Can,” today (July 8) from Venture3Media (V3M). Available now at all major digital and streaming outlets via https://link.brddg.co/iknowyoucan, this is a song of remembering who God is, and declaring that He can do anything.

“What great confidence we can have, knowing that God is able to do anything!” exclaims worship leader Joth Hunt, who wrote and leads the song inspired by Romans 8:28. “If we look back over history, we can see the amazing miracles and displays of His power. Even when it seemed like all hope was lost, God came through!”

Produced by GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award-winning Jordan Sapp (Jeremy Camp, Jordan Feliz, Tauren Wells), who has nine No. 1 radio singles to his credit, “I Know You Can” is a new studio recording of the lead track from both the band’s current full-production live album REVIVAL and its more intimate Planetshakers Revival, Live At Chapel project.

I know You can
Nothing is too hard
Nothing is too hard for You
I know You can
There is no other
Nobody greater than You
(“I Know You Can” chorus)

Continuing its mission to “empower generations to win generations,” Planetshakers is sharing its new music on tour, most recently in South and Central America and later this month in Europe, including events in Romania July 16 and Hungary July 23. Planetshakers Church is also seeing huge streaming numbers online with hundreds of thousands of people from all across the globe connecting to its worship services and resources remotely.

All the latest Planetshakers music and more news can be found at Planetshakers.com, YouTube (1.33 million subscribers), Instagram (595K followers), Spotify (933.5K followers), Twitter (183.6K followers) and Facebook (over 1.6 million followers).

About Planetshakers Band:

The mandate of Planetshakers – empowering generations to win generations – is outworked globally through the ministry of Planetshakers band. The heart behind each of its endeavors is to see every generation empowered by a life-transforming personal encounter with God through the experience of authentic praise and worship.

Birthed in a youth revival in Adelaide, South Australia (2000), the band serves Planetshakers Church, founded by Russell and Sam Evans, and tours the world. Known for songs such as Nothing is impossible, The Anthem, Leave Me Astounded and Endless Praise, and having produced over 30 internationally-acclaimed albums, Planetshakers band has been privileged to be used by God to release a fresh sound of praise and worship into atmospheres internationally.

About Venture3Media:

Venture3Media is a global music label and song publisher with sales, marketing, promotional, radio, television and movie expertise. V3M provides distribution platforms across all digital channels, including, but not limited to Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Deezer, Tencent, 7Digital, Google Music, Facebook, Pandora, Tidal, Sirius and Rhapsody. Physical distribution includes online retailers such as Amazon, national retail chains, sub-distributors and internationally through well-established licensee’s and distributors. V3M is excited to build a global ecosystem that serves the vision and heart of Planetshakers.

FOR MEDIA ONLY:

Planetshakers press materials are available to download from: https://app.box.com/v/Planetshakers-Revival-Press.

For additional information, music, interviews, etc.,contact:Rick Hoganson, Hoganson Media Relations, 615-459-9870, Hoganson@comcast.net.