Comic-Con: Josh Blaylock & MURS Launch PopCult

Josh Blaylock & MURS Team for PopCult

With Coke Zero as a sponsor, PopCult is debuting at a Comic-Con afterparty on Saturday:

WHO:
• PopCult, a premier creative solutions company, unifies the masterminds behind comic culture: Devil's Due Publishing president Josh Blaylock, hip-hop star Murs, author and video game writer R.H. Stavis, film producer and former comic publisher Christian Beranek and iconic toy designer Shawnimal...For major corporations seeking to penetrate the booming ComiCulture market, PopCult delivers inside track solutions as opposed to the lesser informed marketing agencies or comic publishers with little to no project management ability.

WHAT:
• A star-studded launch event for Popcult, the premier creative think-tank at the center of ComiCulture

WHERE:
• ONYX / THIN
• 852 5th Ave. San Diego
• http://www.onyxroom.com

WHEN: • Saturday, July 25, 2009
• 9:00 PM - 2:00 AM

[Sources: Various promo emails.]

Bobbito Garcia Named Chief Creative at Project 2050

Project 2050 makes a sharp move and brings on Bobbito Garcia as "Chief Creative".

Shepard Fairey joined Project 2050 as "founding Creative Director" in October 2005.

Robert Rave Spin[s] Lizzie Grubman

According to Gawker, Lizzie Grubman's former assistant Robert Rave has written a book, Spin: A Novel, that does quite a number on the controversial publicist:

"Spin is big and thick and getting a roll out from St. Martin's next month, but really the first few pages of the prologue tell it all. A blowed-out, little-black-dress-clad, ogre-handed orange menace named Jennie blowing lines at 6am while complaining about black people."

Spin: A Novel by Robert Rave is due August 18th from St. Martin's Press.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Publicists: Lizzie Grubman Meet Phyllis Pollack
Who's Lizzie Grubman?

Vice + Virtue = Media + Marketing

The NY Times recently had a very interesting piece on the combined force of Vice magazine and the associated Virtue agency:

"Vice magazine has its own antonymous agency, Virtue, which serves as an advertising firm, Web site developer and branding partner. In what may rankle media traditionalists who favor a bright line between advertising and editorial, Virtue’s approach includes using editorial staff at Vice to help develop marketing plans for clients."

Key point: they're getting coverage cause their youthful tastemaker access and marketing approaches are working. But whether this is another example of the fading advertising/editorial line or is more similar to radio stations whose DJ's do ad spots is up for discussion.

Certainly the idea of successful content creators creating marketing campaigns makes a heck of a lot of sense.

DIY Musician Podcast: Music Publicist Alex Steininger

In a half hour CD Baby DIY Musician Podcast, music publicist Alex Steininger "discusses the ins and outs of promotion in the digital age" including "how to pick a publicist, what a publicist does and at what point a musician should seek a publicist to move his or her music forward."

DCN360: Decon Records' Indie Approach to 360 Deals

Based on their artistic output, Decon Records is a really interesting label and, according to Songs For Soap, a bigger business in growth mode than I'd realized.

Now cofounders Peter Bittenbender and Jason Goldwatch are taking their skills and experience to launch DCN360.  Says Bittenbender:

"Our whole model now is to figure out how to incorporate what we've developed with our music and entertainment relationships and apply it to branded content to connect with the youth market...We want to use brands as a launching pad for our talent and vice versa."

To some extent this appears to be an extension of what they're already doing including a "full-length film feature for Netflix, video production for Sony Ericsson's fall TV campaign and soundtracks for Take Two's 2K Sports video-game franchise."

According to "Goldwatch -- who admits he shuddered when the company introduced the word 'brand' into its vocabulary":

"We want to do the projects we think would be great and try to attract a brand to them...I want to make new media weird alchemist sh*t, and whatever brand is savvy enough to be like 'That's killer,' we'll work with them."

Goldwatch also explains the basic value proposition:

"Sign to our label, we do all your videos and design work, we take out ads, put together your tour, and then put you in the middle."

To help develop DCN360 they've hired Sebastian Eldridge, who's worked with Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners and Translation, as VP-Strategy.

Ryan Ford Joins Cashmere Agency as Director of Creative Strategy

Ryan Ford, former Source mag Executive Editor, has been named Director of Creative Strategy at Cashmere Agency.

Congratulations!

Original tip via Slav Kandyba.

Cyber PR Urban Launched by Ariel Publicity

Ariel Publicity recently announced the launch of Cyber PR Urban helmed by Christina Duren.

There's also a blog that seems to have been around for awhile perhaps preparing the way.

Brooklyn Bodega Brand Management Launches

Brooklyn Bodega is officially entering the brand management arena with the launch of Brooklyn Bodega Brand Management and the signing of their first client, Fresh Daily.

What I want to know is how did Fresh Daily get to the top of the Google results for "fresh daily"?

ChatterBox Publicity: Social Media Public Relations

ChatterBox Publicity has announced a "new business mission" emphasizing the use of social media processes and tools in promoting their clients:

"CBP has repositioned itself to provide their client's with a new standard for engaging their customers or target audience. The new method will allow client's to connect with their target on a more personal and effective level."

"These tools will also provide their client's with feedback and research, which are valuable to their client's overall marketing goals. A sample of tools, applications and platforms used to evaluate a campaign's success include Facebook, Technorati, Del.icio.us, Twitter, Flickr, Digg, Reddit and StumbleUpon."

While lots of folks are using such methods for marketing and publicity, the issue of evaluation is key to serving clients effectively which includes educating clients to understand that successful campaigns just don't look like they used to!

ChatterBox Publicity's Jonnice Slaughter blogs at PRIMP: PR Is My Passion and contributes to Flack Me.

Tomorrow, that's Wednesday, July 30th, Ms. Slaughter will be on Blogtalkradio's The Kevin Ross Show live online at 10:30 PM EDT to discuss "PR's responsibility to social media and the influence of bloggers".

Official Site:
ChatterBox Publicity

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Jasmine Crowe Joins Hip Hop Press for Relaunch

Beyond Beauty's Marketing Network of Urban Beauty Salons & Barbershops

Beyond Beauty is a new Atlanta based marketing firm developing a network of urban beauty salons and barbershops:

"Beyond Beauty delivers Beauty Salons and Barbershops with high quality entertainment, from CD's of the hottest music to DVD's featuring behind the scene footage of an upcoming film.  The new company offers a variety of other services including: promotional distribution, publicity, event planning & promotions, product sampling, and give-a-ways."

They also have plans to expand to additional urban markets.

Official Site:
Beyond Beauty

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Lee Resnick's Urban Barbershop DVD Network

Jasmine Crowe Joins Hip Hop Press for Relaunch

From Hip Hop Wire 2.0 Splash Page

I'm very happy to announce that Jasmine Crowe of MystJazz PR is joining me, Clyde Smith, in revisioning and relaunching Hip Hop Press as a key component of Hip Hop Wire 2.0.

Ms. Crowe brings a publicist's understanding to the mix that will allow us to serve a variety of marketing needs as we relaunch the site, upgrade and expand free offerings and add a variety of premium services.

Jasmine's also a delightful person with whom I'm proud to be professionally associated!

There will be fancier, more official announcements to come but you can register now for a one time only email launch announcement at the current splash page for Hip Hop Wire 2.0.

Also available at hhw2.com.

[Photo courtesy Rhebecca Khan under Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic licensing.]

Buddylube Promotes: Lil Kim, Wyclef Jean & LL Cool J

With a name like Buddylube you've got to be good!

And they seem to be doing okay with a wide range of online promotions for numerous artists including Lil Kim and Wyclef Jean as well as LL Cool J.

Given the notoriously homophobic nature of the hip hop scene across the board from gangsters to conscious rappers to so many fans and bloggers, it's probably a good thing that the name Buddylube doesn't appear in this promotion for LL's Workout Challenge.

Krystle Coleman Launches Midori Star Media

Freelance publicist Krystle Coleman has launched Midori Star Media.

Interpublic Acquires Steve Stoute's Translation Consulting

AllHipHop.com is reporting that the Interpublic Group has acquired Steve Stoute's Translation Consulting and Brand Imaging.

A topic of discussion since last spring, the impending deal recently got a quick look from Advertising Age.