August 2012 - The Castle Group

We Love It Here! – A Labor Day Assignment

There is no denying it anymore; summer is coming to a close. While I love Labor Day, it always marks the end of my favorite season. Before you get too depressed, let me give you a little homework assignment for the weekend. Here’s the deal: our friends over at Salem Five Bank are holding the “We Love It Here!” photo contest on Facebook. They are asking fans to submit a photo that captures the essence of New England. It’s super easy. And on top of that, the prizes are great, so make sure you snap some awesome pics this weekend!

The Struggle Between Revenue and Integrity in the Newsroom

I get it – the newspaper industry is suffering. Everyday I read about layoffs and buyouts at many papers – major dailies and community papers – here and around the country due to limited budgets. Hit the hardest are many of the local independently-owned community newspapers. With the emergence of online papers, like AOL’s Patch, and large media conglomerates purchasing local papers and streamlining staff, community newspapers are struggling to stay afloat. The ones that are still independently-owned are finding it difficult to find advertising revenue to maintain the cost of a newspaper while protecting the integrity of their newsroom.

De-stressing for Success

I recently wrote a blog about the latest and greatest event technologies. I am now going to do an about-face and talk about “unplugging” from it all.

#NBCfail – The Destructive Power of Social Media

What was your most memorable experience from the summer 2012 Olympics? For many American viewers, it just may have been an #NBCfail. After spending 1.3 billion on the rights to the Olympics, NBC undeniably needed to get their money’s worth from their coverage. But, how they went about doing so brought on intense criticism that left what should have been a triumphant NBC with a bludgeoned public opinion.

What your BBQ says about you?

It’s no secret around the Castle offices that I am a huge BBQ fan. Not just for enjoying some pulled pork, but the actual act of putting together a delicious rack of St. Louis Style ribs for friends and neighbors. It takes time, patience, a good grill and a bunch of ingredients which of course I can’t share with you.

Castle’s “A Day in the Life” Summer Sweepstakes

The 2012 summer interns share what it’s like to be Public Relations and Event Management interns at The Castle Group. Take a look at their video and be one of the first 100 people to like Castle’s Facebook page for a chance to win an exciting prize!

When Is It Time for a “Celebrity Chef” to Hang Up His Symbolic Toque?

My colleagues and I looked forward to an evening out together, dinner at a local outpost of a “celebrity chef.” None of us had been to the restaurant for a while and we all looked forward to seeing what the restaurant is doing now. What we got is a meal we will never forget, for all the wrong reasons.