Category: The Clairemont Team

Meet Binh, Clairemont Intern

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Who’s Binh?

When you search the name “Binh,” you’ll find, when translated from Vietnamese, that it means peaceful. Growing up, I always strived to emulate the meaning of my name. I’ve learned to live simply, so that others around me can simply live — creating a peaceful environment to work and play.

Once upon a time…

I was born in the Land of Enchantment of Albuquerque, New Mexico. I grew up with one entertaining older brother and one snazzy older sister, leaving me to be the baby of the bunch. Because my family is from Vietnam, I know three languages – English, Vietnamese and French.

In a farm far, far away…

Growing up, I participated in any and every activity that I could. I found my passion in acting, singing, gymnastics, dancing, piano and so much more! At age 10, I moved to the Beautiful State of Alabama, where my dad introduced me to the lifestyle of his dreams on a farm. Going into high school, I made many friendships that are still close to my heart.

By senior year of high school, after the process of applying to colleges, I made my final decision to attend Auburn University where I am studying Public Relations.

When they say college is the best four years of your life, they weren’t lying. Auburn has taught me so much, including the importance of hard work, determination and a kind and caring heart. College has challenged me to live outside of my comfort zone and to embrace the unknown.

Now, I have a heart that yearns for traveling. I once took a spontaneous trip to Chicago for a week with no prior plans or itinerary.

In college, I found some new passions in social media, blogging, fashion and traveling. I became a lover of big cities, all things pink, pineapples and kale. I also discovered that I am an ENFP to a T.

My work ethic throughout college has grown. I have become a mature and diligent young woman, who is determined to do her best in everything she sets out to do. However, coming to the end of college, I am expected to know exactly what I am supposed to do with my life. Somewhere along the process of figuring that out, I ended up at Clairemont Communications in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Now, why Raleigh, North Carolina? How in the world did I go from New Mexico to Alabama to North Carolina? And how was I able to land an internship with Clairemont Communications miles away from my home state? Well, the answer is simple and can be summed up with these four words: determination, persistence, connection and relationship.

It may seem like a bold move for me to come to Raleigh, a city I’ve never visited, just for a couple months; however, 18-year-old Binh was not afraid to make that first bold move.

I had the courage to introduce myself to Dana Phelps Hughens, CEO of Clairemont Communications, when I was home in Huntsville, Alabama, at a local Starbucks. Little did I know that she was the CEO, but I was adamant on keeping in contact with her throughout my college career in hopes for a future opportunity with her agency.

I was determined and persistent when it came to reaching out to her because I wanted to maintain that connection and relationship. If there is anything I learned about PR, it is to make as many connections with people as possible and then build those connections into long-lasting relationships.

With that in mind, I did my best to keep Dana updated with my schooling and experiences. Close to the end of my junior year of college, I reached back out to her regarding an internship opportunity. The rest is history.

Now, here I am in the capital of North Carolina, the City of Oaks. I’ve learned that it is good to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. Coming to Raleigh without knowing anything or what will happen will definitely be an adventure that I’ll hold close to my heart. As I continue my journey here at Clairemont Communications, I will strive to make the world a better and more peaceful place.

Written by Binh Nguyen, rising senior at Auburn University.

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When Square Dancing Pays Off

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To all of those wonderful media people who whipped out their best square dancing moves at the Wendell Falls Hoedown Showdown last May … thank you.

On May 10, the North Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (NCPRSA) hosted its 2017 InSpire Awards recognizing outstanding public relations and marketing campaigns in a variety of categories. The Clairemont team almost danced its pants off when we received 27 accolades from NCPRSA, adding to the agency’s existing 137 awards. Our most favorite, of course, was the Best in Show award for the Wendell Falls Hoedown Showdown … because who doesn’t love cuttin’ a rug for a good cause?

Clairemont’s 2017 InSpire Awards included:

  • Best in Show for “Creative Tactics: Hoedown Showdown at Wendell Falls”
  • Best in Category for “Creative Tactics: Hoedown Showdown at Wendell Falls”
  • Best in Category for “Events and Observances: Fire It Up! Briar Chapel’s 9th Annual Pepper Festival“
  • Best in Category for “Media Relations: The Media Digs Chef Teddy Diggs”
  • Best in Category for “Social Media: A Taste of Italy at Il Palio”
  • Best in Category for “Video: Our Coffee Cares at Wendell Falls”
  • Best in Category for “Feature Stories: Briar Chapel Unveils Encore”
  • Best in Category for “Brochures: Unlocking Your Child’s Future with Wendell Falls”
  • Best in Category for “Press Kits/Media Kits: Applebee’s Hand-Cut Wood-Fired Media Kit”
  • Best in Category for “Editorial/Op-Ed Columns: Piña Coladas, Creativity and #PinkBeetle“
  • Best in Category for “Advertorial: Newland Communities Advertorial for Wake Living”
  • Award of Excellence for “Creative Tactics: Hoedown Showdown at Wendell Falls”
  • Award of Excellence for “Creative Tactics: Vita Vite Creates Raleigh’s Sunday Spot”
  • Award of Excellence for “Creative Tactics: Briar Chapel Asks, ‘How Spicy is Your Personality?’”
  • Award of Excellence for “Events and Observances: Fire It Up! Briar Chapel’s 9th Annual Pepper Festival”
  • Award of Excellence for “Media Relations: The Media Digs Chef Teddy Diggs”
  • Award of Excellence for “Media Relations: DQ’s Miracle Treat Day to Benefit Duke Children’s Hospital“
  • Award of Excellence for “Social Media: A Taste of Italy at Il Palio”
  • Award of Excellence for “Video: Our Coffee Cares at Wendell Falls”
  • Award of Excellence for “Feature Stories: Briar Chapel Unveils Encore“
  • Award of Excellence for “Brochures: Unlocking Your Child’s Future with Wendell Falls”
  • Award of Excellence for “Press Kits/Media Kits: Applebee’s Hand-Cut Wood-Fired Media Kit”
  • Award of Excellence for “Editorial/Op-Ed Columns: Piña Coladas, Creativity and #PinkBeetle”
  • Award of Excellence for “Advertorial: Newland Communities Advertorial for Wake Living”
  • Award of Excellence for “Reputation/Brand Management: Il Palio Dishes Up Something New”
  • Award of Excellence for “Integrated Communications: Il Palio Dishes Up Something New”
  • Honorable Mention for “Social Media: Briar Chapel Asks, ‘How Spicy is Your Personality?‘”

We love what we do. We love our clients. We love doing what we love to do with the clients we love. (Whew! That’s a mouthful!) Thank you to our wonderful partners and clients who allow us to live out our dream and do great work for our community!

Want to know more about what we do? Check out a few of our case studies!

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How Do You Eat Your Easter Bunny?

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With Easter just a few days away, we’re whipping out sweet treat trivia in the Clairemont office. According to a study by the National Confectioners Association (NCA), 89 percent of survey respondents eat their chocolate bunnies ears first. Five percent eat the tail first, and 6 percent go for the feet.

We’re all about some solid research — especially when it comes to chocolate. (We even have a chocolate factory as a client!) So we gave these stats a test run with the Clairemont team.

Research shows that we fit the bill! Four out of the five Clairemont team members polled went for ears first (except for Cherith, who wanted to buck the trend).

The NCA study also states that 81 percent of parents steal candy from their kids’ baskets. Perhaps we have our next research project cut out for us…

Happy Easter, friends!

 

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Dana Phelps Hughens Named Counselors Academy Chair-Elect

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Clairemont’s Dana Phelps Hughens Named Chair-Elect for Board of PR Agency Owners

The members of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Counselors Academy have elected Dana Phelps Hughens, CEO of Clairemont Communications in Raleigh, NC, as its 2017 chair-elect.

Counselors Academy is a professional interest section of PRSA that focuses on the business of agency PR. Its entrepreneurial members are owners or senior managers of leading independent firms in the U.S. and Canada. Counselors Academy’s programs foster networking, mentoring and learning.

Dana was asked to join the Counselors Academy executive committee in 2012 and served as the chair of the section’s marquee event, the PRSA Counselors Academy Spring Conference, in 2013. This year’s conference will be held May 7-9, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. Known for its robust networking and learning opportunities, the Spring Conference enables collaborative peer relationships in which meaningful business counsel, operational best practices and industry trends are shared and gained.

PRSA is the largest professional organization serving the U.S. public relations community. With a mission to “advance the profession and the professional,” PRSA provides news and information, thought leadership, continuing education and networking opportunities; sets standards of professional excellence and ethical conduct; and advocates for the business value of public relations and greater diversity among public relations professionals. Based in New York, PRSA comprises 112 local Chapters; 14 Professional Interest Sections that focus on specific industries and practice areas; and the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), which is active at more than 340 colleges and universities.

 

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Tracy Lathan Receives Excellence in Mentoring Award

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The North Carolina Chapter of Public Relations Society of America (NCPRSA) has selected Tracy Lathan, APR, as the 2016 recipient of the Michael L. Herman Award for Excellence in Mentoring.

Lathan is an account strategist with Clairemont Communications, an award-winning, full-service public relations and marketing communications firm, and has been practicing public relations in the Triangle for more than fifteen years. In 2009, she received the Accreditation in Public Relations designation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the profession’s only national post-graduate certification program in the field of public relations. For the past five years, Lathan has served as accreditation chair on the NCPRSA board of directors to mentor nearly a dozen other PR professionals in the Triangle to achieve this important designation.

Additionally, Lathan mentors team members at Clairemont on day-to-day account management best practices and leads regular client service lunch-and-learn sessions for the agency. She has been directly involved in developing the strategy and executing public relations programs that have earned Clairemont numerous awards for excellence in PR by NCPRSA and Raleigh Public Relations Society (RPRS). It is because of these things, as well as her previous leadership roles with RPRS, NCSU Alumni Association and the Raleigh Chamber, that NCPRSA recognized Lathan for her mentorship.

“It is a true honor to receive this award since Mike Herman was my first employer and mentor,” said Tracy Lathan, account strategist, Clairemont Communications. “Mike had a tremendous impact on so many PR professionals during his career, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share what he taught us with the next generation of practitioners.”

The Michael L. Herman Award for Excellence in Mentoring is presented to an individual who best exemplifies the ideal image of a mentor through hands-on instruction and support. It is given in memory of the late Mike Herman, APR, whose years of work and dedication to the public relations field made a lasting impression on the profession. He was inducted into the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) College of Fellows in 1998 and received PRSA’s highest individual award, the Gold Anvil for lifetime career achievement, in 2009.

Herman was a beloved mentor to both students and professionals, having served as an adjunct professor at N.C. State University, chair of the PRSA Counselors Academy and ethics chair of NCPRSA. He influenced PR professionals on a global scale, serving on the International Public Relations Association’s (IPRA) Governing Council and as keynote lecturer at the Russian Public Relations Association in Moscow and at the International Conference of Latin American Public Relations Professionals. He was also a role model in his community as an active member of his church, a Master Mason and a member of the Amran Shrine.

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