Click here to read entire entry on the SF Chronicle’s Inside Scoop Website..

Click here to read entire entry on the SF Chronicle’s Inside Scoop Website..

PR is becoming a pretty interesting industry with all the new media channels emerging.  As a business owner, it’s vital that we stay up on these channels, even if that means completely sacrificing your privacy and letting people know where you are at almost every second of the day – I need a vacation.

So in the event that I take another week long hiatus from posting on this blog, don’t fret because now you can “Fan” us on Facebook for invites and photos to our events, “Follow” us on our Twitter page for industry insight into San Francisco’s restaurant world or check out our YouTube profile for videos of our clients.

The worst part about this Social Media era is that my Grandmother is emailing me now, which means she’s not snail-mailing me letters with those delicious stale sticks of gum in the cards anymore.  That’s the real bummer.

This year I’m throwing Mother Earth a 5-day birthday party (like all the women in my life are accustomed to getting).  Last night before going to bed, I flipped my circuit breakers to the OFF position and won’t be turning them back ON until Tuesday morning; 5-full days of being totally powerless.

Luckily my work keeps me out of the house for the majority of the day, so by the time I get home at night it’s usually lights-out for me anyway.  This morning I woke up to natural light, which was nice, but natural light does not heat up water and didn’t make the cold shower that I had to take any warmer.  The cold water did however cut my shower time down by 75%, which meant less water used and more time to grab a healthy breakfast.

That was a lie; the truth is that I tried unsuccessfully to microwave a left over burrito before remembering that I was undergoing a 5-day self-induced blackout.  How I ended up with the yogurt and fruit isn’t important, the point is that I sacrificed my potentially morning ending burrito breakfast for it and I feel a lot better at this very moment.

I feel like an Urban version of Emile Hirsch from Into the Wild, especially when I was in the shower this morning where I almost froze to death.  Wish me luck on this journey; I’ll be posting notes along the way on our Facebook page.

Either that, or this company has decided to use “Sustainable,” the marketing buzzword of the 21^st Century, to launch its new line of sex toys.

I fall in two directions on this matter; the restaurant publicist side of me is happy to see that SF menus are no longer solely being picked on.  “We strive to use sustainable produce whenever possible” is a tagline you’ll find on 90% of menus these days- despite the reality of where some of these restaurants are actually sourcing their product from.

Then there’s the other side of me that wonders how in a City with the highest population of HIV are we feeling that shifting the message from “protecting ones self” to “protecting the environment” is going to speak to the consumer?

Either way, I can’t help but remember that ever-so-awkward talk that any of us with a single X Chromosome has surely had with their father.  The timeless “father-son” talk, a talk that has side effects lasting just about until the day we have to have it with our own children.  As I inch closer to having to present that lecture, I can’t help but consider that I may need to rethink my approach; “son there comes a time in every man’s life when we begin to have stimulating thoughts for the girls in class, and I just want to make sure you are considering the environment when acting on them…”

Seems crazy, right?

If this craze catches on, and has the same effect as it did on the culinary community, expect to see sex fanatics using “Local” Lube to stimulate “Organic” Orgasms…..whenever possible.

(read more “Marketing Gurus Goobers” posts)

Many of you only get a chance to read the review, but we have the privilege to tag-along with these talented chefs and see all the hard work that goes into getting these write-ups. I secretly filmed executive chef Josh Skenes on one of our early morning trips to the fish markets – here’s a short video to give you a taste of what goes into getting that fresh fish, game and produce to your plate.

Sure, that’s a very heartwarming commercial, but this second video I just took through the window of Southwest flight 202 makes me question if they’ve really got love for my luggage.  I took the advertising script from the first video and dubbed it over what I saw through the window; as you’ll notice there’s quite a disconnect, and basically I wouldn’t mind paying a couple extra bucks for an additional staff member to ensure this didn’t happen to my baggage.

The reality is that any well funded company can spend their outreach dollars on advertising, however people (or the ‘Public’) will eventually form their own opinions and then it’s up to that company to launch a reactive “Public Relations” campaign to alter consumer perception of your brand.  Yes, be bold with your initiative, but be sure your that you’re employees are carrying out your mission — otherwise your consumers will be carrying-on their luggage.

I pulled this image off the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control’s (DLLC) website.

The DLLC is encouraging restaurant owners to print out this sign and to post it on the front of their establishments before September 29th, 2009 – that is, if the restaurant owner does not want people carrying concealed weapons to enter their venue.

See, after Sept. 29, 2009 a new law will actually go into effect that will allow people carrying concealed weapons to bring them into restaurants and bars (just as long as they don’t drink).

The reason that I put 2009 above in bold is because I just want everyone to be absolutely clear that this 2009 and not 1809 when people would park their horses out front and shoot the place up over a crazy game of poker.

Arizona has banned smoking cigarettes in restaurants, not smoking guns.

Last week we posted a about a blog about a San Francisco restaurant’s Yelp strategy that ended up getting some nice traction with the SF Chronicle, NY Times, Food and Wine Magazine, Gawker and the SF Weekly.  Will we see a new trend in online reviews after September 29, 2009?  I mean, why waste your time giving a chef a bad review when you could just waste the chef?

Bad service?  No problem, that is if you remembered to bring your (hidden) Smith and Wesson.

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