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Author: Cherith Andes

A Spicy Peek into the 11th Pepper Fest

A Spicy Peek into the 11th Pepper Fest

October 8, 2018January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Real Estate PRBriar Chapel, festival PR, food pr, real estate marketing, real estate PRLeave a Comment on A Spicy Peek into the 11th Pepper Fest

Spice and sweet heat. Bands and brews. Art and activities. Families and fun at every turn!

On September 23, 2018, Clairemont client Briar Chapel opened its Great Meadow park to host the 11th Annual Pepper Festival in partnership with Abundance NC. As one of the largest chef competitions in the Triangle, the Pepper Fest challenges top chefs and brewers to craft their most creative recipes using the locally bred and grown North Carolina pepper. This year’s Go Wild theme invited artisans to also showcase foraged ingredients to raise the awareness of North Carolina’s bounty.

Festivalgoers sampled a mouthwatering smorgasbord of bites and brews, from spicy mojitos to sweet pepper nut butter. The foodie roster featured culinary cornerstones ranging from Harvest 18, Saint Jacques French Cuisine and City Kitchen to Tribeca Tavern and creative food trucks. Award-winning brewers and distillers, such as Fullsteam, Mystery Brewing, TOPO, Carolina Brewing and Bull City Ciderworks, proffered a menu of zesty beverages, beers and liquor cocktails.

And this year, we crowned a new court of foodie winners!

2018 Pepper Festival Awards

  • “Feeling Spirited” – Best Spirit:  Fairgame Distillery
  • “Ale Drink to That” – Best Beer/Cider/Mea:  Honey Girl Meadery
  • “Most Loved Libation” – Best in Show Drink: HomeBucha
  • “The Savory Stunner” – Best Savory Dish: Little River Eco Farm 
  • “My Sweet Heat” – Best Sweet Dish:  Big Spoon Roasters
  • “The Double Take” – Most Creative Dish: Fusion Fish
  • “The Platinum Pepper” – Best in Show:  The Food Fairy
  • “The Staff Sweetheart” – Most Local:  Angelina’s Kitchen
  • “Best Volunteer”: Norma Yanik
  • “Best Farm”: Honey Bee Farms

Kids played the day away at Pepperpalooza, featuring bubble art, face painting and wacky storytelling. Guests jammed out to all-day bluegrass tunes from Elis Dyson and the Shambles, voted “Best Local Band,” along with ZamBamBooGee. This year’s festival welcomed a record 3,000 festivalgoers!

Best of all, the proceeds of the Pepper Fest benefit Abundance NC, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting sustainable food and fuels. We always love a good foodie festival, especially one that helps 200 local farmers who would not otherwise be in business!

Want to see some of our other fun work with Briar Chapel? Give it a gander!

Blog post originally appeared on BriarChapelNC.com. Cover image from Greg Stewart Photography.

 

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Meet Jackson, Clairemont Intern

Meet Jackson, Clairemont Intern

October 4, 2018January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Professional Development, The Clairemont Teamclairemont intern, Jackson Hughens, PR InternLeave a Comment on Meet Jackson, Clairemont Intern

MY LIFE

I have been creating as long as I can remember. When I was five years old, I directed and starred in my first short film. When I was 10, I made a music video parody that got almost 9 million views. Throughout my time in middle school and high school, I learned the Adobe Creative Suite. I soon had amassed a large portfolio, and I used it to get an internship at Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta, Georgia. After living by myself for a summer in Atlanta, I am eager to get back to the film industry there. I have many goals for myself as I start my senior year of high school, and I plan to accomplish them before next summer.

BEARFELF

Over the years of constantly creating, I have started many projects and shared them through social media. My most recently successful endeavor has been creating comics for Instagram. Drawing has always been a great form of creative expression for me. I lately have been pushing myself to draw constantly in order to develop a distinct style. In October of 2017 I drew a three-panel comic parodying Garfield, except with a bear — thus the name “Bearfelf.”

After my friends told me it was golden, I started up an Instagram account. Everyone I showed it to loved it, but I needed to show it to more people. I decided to become a business account and use the Instagram promotion tool. With the help of a $50-dollar investment from a friend, Bearfelf finally took off, and our audience grew more and more. Today we are still growing more than ever, and we recently made a deal to have Bearfelf comics printed in a popular online magazine.

BIG DREAM

It may seem as if I am a young amateur, but I strongly believe in collaboration. Back in 2015 when I was running a Lego YouTube channel with 10,000 subscribers, I met my friend from Canada, Brody. Though we live approximately 1400 miles apart, over the years we have been fueling each other’s creative ideas. We have written, shot, directed and edited a mini-series in the span of two weeks. We also both work on Bearfelf, holding brainstorm sessions on Skype on the weekends.

After months of development we are soon to release a Bearfelf video game. Recently, we have started work on our first album in an effort to be the first band that performs in two countries at once. We keep ourselves busy by constantly creating. The Big Dream is a mindset that anyone can have. It is a mindset that you can achieve anything you want if you put in the hard work right now.

Written by Jackson Hughens, Clairemont intern.

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Client Selected as Columnist for Psychology Today

Client Selected as Columnist for Psychology Today

September 10, 2018February 21, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Public Relationsauthor, PR for authors, Psychology Today, publicist, Raleigh authors

What does it take to be selected as a regular columnist for a national industry publication, such as Psychology Today?

No simple resume or listicle could entail the qualities that such a position requires.

But we know of at least one woman that does.

Oh, The Tales She Could Tell!

Clairemont client Carrie Knowles is a storyteller, creator, world traveler, arts advocate and grandmother with a passport the size of a library.

Carrie’s abodes have spanned the globe from Belgium to Provence, with brief stints in Australia and South Africa. This vivacious lady is known for knitting colorful scarves and whipping up impromptu gourmet meals for her friends.

Author and Artist, Leader and Inspirer

Professionally, Carrie is an author of 45 years whose work has secured more than 25 literary awards, including six finalist nominations in Glimmer Train competitions and an Honorable Mention in the National Literary Awards. In fact, when her book “The Last Childhood: A Family Story of Alzheimer’s” was first published, it was named one of the top 100 books on the topic of Alzheimer’s caregiving. As the esteemed 2014 Piedmont Laureate, Carrie has traveled North Carolina speaking to and teaching aspiring authors.

(Oh, to have been a fly on the wall at one of those workshops!)

From printed page to paint brush, Carrie’s community involvement has shaped the culture in the Triangle for three decades. Carrie founded and directed the Boylan Heights ArtWalk in Raleigh for 17 years, and she provided board leadership for the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild, Burning Coal Theater and the United Arts Council. In 2008, she brought the Brussels Chamber Orchestra to the US for its US debut and built the Cross Currents Chamber Music Festival around them. From 2008-2012, the Cross Currents Festival brought some of Europe’s top young talent to the Triangle and created a vital Side-by-Side training program for young Triangle musicians.

A life of accolades and wonderful accomplishments for sure. But the magic of Carrie is something more. Stories whisk you away to the countryside of France, a campfire in the Middle East, a garden in Michigan.

And Now…

It was Carrie’s rich life experience coupled with her talent for storytelling that garnered the attention of the editor of Psychology Today. Now, Carrie shares her entrancing life tales in her regular column “Shifting Forward: A Wanderer’s Musings,” from her granddaughter’s humorous-yet-meaningful antics to the import of a simple summer salad.

Take a moment and savor something meaningful. Check out Carrie’s column!

P.S. Want to get social with Carrie?

Instagram:             @CarrieKnowlesPublications
Twitter:                  @CarrieJKnowles
Facebook:              www.facebook.com/carriejaneknowles
Facebook Alzheimer’s Support Group: www.facebook.com/groups/TheLastChildhood

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Finding Inspiration

Finding Inspiration

August 30, 2018January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Professional Development, The Clairemont Teamcreative marketing, creativity, creativity in PR, inspiration, Raleigh PRLeave a Comment on Finding Inspiration
I think it’s safe to say we all are in need of a little inspiration from time to time — especially those of us who work in the public relations field. Sometimes the secret sauce needs a little shaking or a  fresh ingredient. Our fabulous Clairemont team is no exception, so we wanted to share with you some of those golden gems that spark our creativity!

Tracy Lathan

I find that my kids are my creative inspiration. At just five and seven years of age, they already know the new technology, games, apps, movies and dances that are all the rage. They keep me on my toes and on top of what is trending. I also find inspiration from various blogs I follow on topics such as food and fashion. And I always make sure to stay up to date on industry trends in PR Strategies & Tactics and other outlets to see how other public relations pros are tackling challenging subjects.

Nathan McDaniel

I find much of my inspiration in the promise of the end result. I want to work hard towards a goal or task so that when it is finished, if done correctly, the satisfaction of doing a good job provides me with motivation. I take pride in my finished products; so when I am putting in the hard work I can push myself, because it will produce a better result. Creativity is a factor that often inhibits progress due to its ability to frustrate and confuse us. If I am stuck, I go completely outside of the box. Sometimes, a brand new style or an off-the-wire idea can generate the best work. Having a brainstorming session over fresh coffee is the best way for me to come up with ideas.

Yasmine Evans

Whenever I’m feeling like I’m in a rut, I switch it up with some music. The type of music just depends on what I’m feeling that day, but music can usually get the creative juices flowing. If I’m feeling like I’ve been stuck for awhile, I’ll try a change of scenery like going for a walk or hanging out at a coffee shop or library. That usually does the trick!

Cherith Andes

Grouch0 Marx amuses me with one of his hallmark quotes: “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” I concur! The power of the written word can not only educate and entertain but also inspire and invigorate. From blogs, news stories and op-ed pieces to the back of a cereal box, creative copy reflects a different point of view that can often spark fresh ideas in my own work.

Dana Phelps

Inspiration is everywhere! Shelves of my grocery store offer innovative packaging and clever copy. Art work — whether displayed in The Prado or quickly sketched on theback of a paper placemat by a child — never fails to get my creative juices flowing. Possibly the best way to kick start my brain into idea generation is to first clear it, and nothing does the trick like nature. My favorite place to be is on a beach at sunset. When I can’t make that happen, simply pushing away from my desk and talking a walk around downtown Raleigh always puts me in the right frame of mind.

Looking for your own dose of inspiration? Check out the fun ideas in our case studies!
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Why Hire A PR Agency?

Why Hire A PR Agency?

July 17, 2018January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Hiring a PR Firm, Raleigh PR AgencyChoosing a PR agency, hiring a marketing agency, hiring a pr agency, Public Relations, Raleigh PR, raleigh public relations

Investing in public relations can feel like risky business, especially if you’re hiring an agency for the first time. When entrusting your hard-earned budget to a partner, you want to ensure that the agency will deliver a worthy ROI as well as provide a seamless cultural fit. You want some serious bang for your buck.

And we could not agree more.

When considering a public relations agency, we encourage business leaders to first clearly identify their needs. What areas do you sense are lagging that need support? Where and when are your sales dipping? If you had a magic wand, what members would you add to your team? And most importantly, what would home-run, out-of-the-park success look like to you?

Here’s where the good stuff comes. A strong agency can help with every one of those areas, and when you find a skilled, adept PR team, your investment will come back with solid, measurable results.

So what value can a strong PR agency actually offer?

Provides A Comprehensive Point of View

Business leaders are the champions, the visionaries, the hard work that spearheads the company. While they’re focused on specific goals or revenue growth (and rightly so), outside opportunities may slip by unnoticed. A PR agency proffers the critical benefit of a third-party point of view independent of the internal dynamics.

With a strategic audit, we can help pinpoint the strengths you should leverage as well as your opportunities for growth. What elements carry the ship, what needs bolstering and what is missing completely from the picture? A keen agency team can provide the critical 10,000-foot view, identifying fresh partnerships, show-stopping ideas or creative campaigns that are vital next steps.

Expands Your Team’s Capacity

Business leaders don’t think twice about hiring a lawyer for legal counsel or an accountant for taxes. Public relations professionals offer the same critical service — honed expertise that can prevent damage and skyrocket growth. Rather than serving as some sort of distant consultant that hollers esoteric advice on a conference call line, Clairemont integrates itself with your team. We meld with your dynamics, support your staff and alleviate pressure from the company by offering additional expertise. You don’t have to be an expert in every niche of marketing. We are, which allows you to breathe easy and fully invest in your role.

Champions Your Cause

We find that many individuals — and even companies — shy away from self-promotion. Perhaps it’s a sense of natural humility or a mindset that values teamwork (all good things!); so we understand the challenge of calling up a big-shot national editor to toot your own horn.

Let us champion your cause. An adept PR agency should easily identify your pitch-worthy stories, opportunities for visibility with your customers and hot media targets to raise your company into the spotlight. It’s what we do day in and day out (and we love it).

Improves the Bottom Line

No matter how you slice and dice it, public relations is a vehicle for sales support. A strategic PR campaign will grab the attention of new prospects, nurture the interest and loyalty of current customers and motivate your target audience to act — buy your service or products. By adding a thorough marketing and communications strategy to your business model, you launch a new avenue for sales that will ultimately increase your revenue.

Got questions? Ask us. We love ’em. Share where you want to grow in your business, and we’ll brainstorm your next steps together.

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clairemontcommunications

Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media pl Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media platform? It’s called Threads, and it’s being referred to as “the new Twitter.” Read everything you need to know about Threads in our latest blog post - link in bio!
SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc (client) today, and rumor has it that @blah2voila has already been hamming it up with Dell! We know you want a selfie with Dell to post on Pigstagram, too!
We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of P We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of Public Relations Consultants Group, allowing us to offer clients expertise and support across the country! Clairemont founder, Dana Phelps aka @blah2voila, recently attended the PRCG conference in Oklahoma City.
2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Comm 2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Communications! Visit our blog for the full 2022 year in review!
As communications professionals, we wear a variety As communications professionals, we wear a variety of hats to meet our clients’ needs.
 
We’re writers, social media managers, photographers, marketers, editors, content creators- the list goes on and on.
 
Check out our recent blog post to learn what @olivia.noles , account coordinator here at Clairemont, does on a weekly and monthly basis.
#communicationsagency #communicationsmajor #pragencylife #pragency #raleighpr
This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voila This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voila , will be speaking at the 2022 @nc_prsa Strategic Communication & MarCom Conference! Phelps is a repeat presenter at this annual conference, and this year she is leading a session called Growing from Communication Technician to Strategic Counselor during which she will share three of her coined concepts: knowcasting, morecasting and collabolighthing. Visit our blog for the link to register for the conference!
@clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative g @clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative go together like the bacon and eggs! And speaking of bacon and eggs, have you been to @therainbowluncheonette yet? YUM!
Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc, a master-planned community just 15 miles from downtown Raleigh, will welcome @parksideraleigh, a Raleigh-favorite restaurant known for its fresh, made-from-scratch dishes, to the community!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Parkside.
“What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we get “What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we get this question often, we have a series on our blog where we dive into our recent projects to give you a look at what a PR Agency really does.
 
For example, a statewide resource for small businesses recently hired Clairemont to devise an executive visibility campaign to help position the organization and its director as the leading small business resource in North Carolina.
 
Head to our blog to read what exactly an executive visibility campaign entails and to learn more about our services!
So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let us So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let us tell you about our new favorite @drink321coffee ! If you are in Raleigh, go see Paul, the other Paul, Emma  or whichever smiling faces are working today. We LOVE this place and the coffee! ❤️❤️❤️
Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest mas Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest master-planned communities in the Triangle, closed on its first age-eligible rental community plan, Arden at Wendell Falls, that will offer 140 open-concept units and exclusive onsite amenities!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Arden at Wendell Falls.
Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by client @vitaviteraleigh for good snacks and great wine!🍷 Both locations are open normal hours Friday-Sunday and closed on Monday.
You never know who might be hanging out at The Cla You never know who might be hanging out at The Clairemont House. Thanks to @yellowdogcreative for helping save this buddy. Notice that we speak lizard. Or skink. Or gecko or whatever he is. Or maybe it’s the extra caffeine before our client presentation.
Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh
Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting?
Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street South @raleighwineshop ! @blah2voila was there today representing Clairemont at the grand opening festivities and enjoying the @grandchamphospitality sandwich pop up. Yum! 🍷🥪
It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers are It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers are needed more than ever! Many organizations with scarce resources rely on volunteers and would not exist without them. Visit our recent blog post to read about the organizations Clairemont has supported and how you can make a difference in your community!
Authenticity is trending, and research shows that Authenticity is trending, and research shows that consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view user-generated content as authentic. Read our recent blog post to learn about UGC, how it can benefit your brand and how to use it in your marketing strategy.
From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 has left an impact on every sector of life, including marketing. Read our blog on marketing in a post-COVID world to learn how things have changed and how that should impact your business strategy.
We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned eight awards, five gold🥇and three silver🥈, at this year's Sir Walter Raleigh Awards hosted by the Raleigh Public Relations Society!🎉 We are beyond grateful to work with so many amazing partners, clients and industry friends!
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