Sullivan & LeShane Public Relations, Inc.

Using tee shirts and stickers to capture the Capitol news cycle   Yesterday morning dawned on a quiet State Capitol, as the Connecticut General Assembly closed its 2024 session at midnight Wednesday night. Today marks the end of the colorful advocacy season that sees organizations of all sorts fill the Capitol echo chamber bearing tee shirts, stickers and signs of all colors to make their causes known and capture the attention of lawmakers through their presence and media coverage. Pulling off an event like a “Day on the Hill” is a challenge. We were proud of the great job that the CONNECTICUT ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION did getting it right this year. They had the right cause: local education; the power of the largest group of elected officials in Connecticut and the right message: “Keep the promise” of education funding. They also had the right amount of luck with weather and timing, drawing lawmakers and the media to their meeting at The Bushnell, from where they marched to the Capitol and onto the front page of the Hartford Courant the next day. This morning, the advocacy groups are tallying up their scorecards and their tee shirts will likely begin to fade as they are relegated to summer picnics and yard work. We look forward to next year’s pageantry of colors, causes and slogans.

Mingle with PRSA members and public relations pros from across Connecticut while enjoying appetizers and drinks at The Brick Room at Parkville Market. John Tintera from PRSA National will join our May Mixer to provide a brief overview of your PRSA membership, how to take advantage of the resources, programs and more available to you as a member. https://lnkd.in/eQCvS_d4 

Wanted Professional Judging – call Ashlyn!  Only kidding... but Ashlyn Lower was recently on a panel of expert judges for the Annual Marketing Communications Awards Golden Gala for SMPS Connecticut.

TODAY’S TIP – Don’t be the person with the “bad haircut.” Years ago a client spoke of the fleeting nature of bad publicity, likening it to a bad haircut. “In two weeks your hair grows back and it’s forgotten about.” “That is true,” we replied. “But if it keeps happening, you become known as the person with the bad haircut.” Today’s tip is this: everyone needs a plan to deal with the “bad haircut.” Especially when it comes to your brand. Don’t get trapped into thinking that bad publicity is fleeting. Instead, tell your story on your terms—make it strategic, and have a message. Don’t just accept it as inevitable. People DO tend to remember bad haircuts, and usually not for a good reason.

PR pros, Parkville Market and PRSA members?! You can't miss this event. Will we see you there?

Did you hear who has once again made the list, this time at #49? Happy International Women’s Day and congratulations to our very own co-founder Paddi LeShane on being named one of Hartford Business Journal's 2024 Power 50!   https://lnkd.in/er4Evw-2

Calling all Swifties, football fans and PR professionals... there is power in simplicity. Check out what our very own Dan Tapper has to say about it.

Times are changing. Are you prepared to stay ahead of the game? Organizations should proactively study the trends, observe the small ripples of activism, analyze how these socio-political issues align with your organization's values and mission and then decide when to engage.

From hallucinations to ethical dilemmas, our exclusive News & Brews kickoff spurred an enlightening and engaging conversation! In our ever-changing world, we were thrilled to bring our attendees two experts to shed light on one of the biggest topics being discussed across every industry, artificial intelligence (AI). Our elite panel of two included Professor Adam Chiara at the University of Hartford and Rick Harris, a partner at Day Pitney LLP. Thank you to our panel and everyone invited to join us in person for making this event a success!

We have a long history of building crisis communications plans for clients and testing them through tabletop simulations, in the event that someday the unthinkable happens and a crisis occurs our clients are prepared. We are looking forward to this great event!