Text Messages

Meet Kate

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:25:00 -0400

Kate Foss, Boston’s newest SAE and Digital Lead, originally hails from Maine and pre-Text did a three year stint at Fleishman-Hillard. In the office she is known for her love of eBay, Bon Me and Lil Wayne. Here are a few more fun random facts about Kate:

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

I would love to be able to fly, mostly to avoid taking the T. Oh and no more having to pay to check a bag.

What is one goal you would like to accomplish during your lifetime?

I would love to have my own vintage boutique.

If PR vanished, what would your ideal career be?

Professional Pinner on Pinterest.

Do you have any secret talents?

I can make a lot of different sound effects, including growling and dinosaur noises. But now that I work at Text, those aren’t such a secret.

What song would you choose to be your walk-up music when you enter the office? (In the style of a professional baseball player)

“Hustle Hard” by Ace Hood.

If you could pick one celebrity to join the Text100 Boston team, who would you choose?

Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. Love his attitude.

Kate, we love your attitude! Happy to have you on the team J

-Martha

#PRSABOS Social Media Summit 2013

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:15:14 -0400

Three of us from Text Boston zipped off to Waltham this Tuesday to attend the Boston PRSA Social Media Summit 2013. We laughed, we took notes and we Tweeted until our mobile devices were out of juice.

This year’s sessions were on engaging customers, driving engagement, creating content, bloggers and brands and measuring impact. Speakers including Karen Raskopf, CCO of Dunkin’ Brands, John Mataraza, director of marketing for Digital Influence Group, David Oksman, head of marketing for The Life is Good Company and Dave Armon, president of Critical Mention.

Here are some quick takeaways from the Summit:

Mind your manners!

Good conversation skills translate into good social media skills. Don’t offend, remember your audience, and be polite.

Stay True to Your Brand Online

You have to be a good brand in real life before you can be a good brand online.

Traditional Methods Don’t Always Translate

A fun statistic: you are more likely to be a navy seal than click on a banner ad. Online advertisements might not cut it, and companies have to consider all of PESO, not just the “P.”

Social Media is About the Audience

User behavior should be determining the platform strategy for brands. Some platforms perform better for certain brands, and digital strategy should be based on what the audience wants.

Be Passionate About what You Do

Dave Oksman from Life is Good gave a very passionate speech about how his company’s brand was about inspiring optimism, and everyone who spoke was a passionate brand ambassador.

It’s Okay to Play Traffic Cop

It’s easy to become inundated with content when working with the numerous business segments within an organization.

(Our favorite image from the event — the Raytheon’s CEO sporting some major cuff links).

— Michele M., Steph K. and Kate F.

Boston PRoud – working together in the aftermath

Mon, 06 May 2013 13:03:00 -0400

In the wake of the terrorist bombing in Boston, the people of this city went through the full range of human emotions.

The immediate feelings of shock, fear, anger and grief were joined by pride in the brave reaction of our citizens and first responders.

Then a wave of sadness as we saw the human impact on the victims, those we lost and those whose lives have been forever changed by horrible injuries. That sadness lingers. But alongside it has come a sense of resolve, and a desire to help.

From that desire to help – to do something – has emerged a remarkable event for the Boston public relations community. On May 29, our industry will come together at Boston PRoud – an evening to raise money for The One Fund Boston, the charity founded by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to raise money for the victims of the bombing. What started as an idea in a team meeting less than two weeks ago has gathered remarkable momentum. More than 30 public relations firms have agreed to come together to co-host this event, and in just a few days those firms have helped to sell more than 600 tickets to the event.

The news that there was going to be an event like this spread across the Boston PR community like wildfire. It went from one agency to another by word-of-mouth and every possible social network. Agencies went from hearing about the idea to making the donation required to become a co-host in a matter of minutes – then offered to help to promote the event further. PR Newswire immediately jumped on board as a sponsor, to help defray some of the costs of the event, and more sponsors are welcome as the event continues to expand.

We’re proud that the idea for the event started at Text100. But the reality is that everyone across Boston was feeling that desire to do something. The idea for Boston PRoud came along at the right time to capture that spirit, and gave people across our industry something to get behind.

What has been most rewarding about planning this event has been the opportunity to work side-by-side with agencies that we compete with every day. We have unbelievably talented people working across our industry – people who simply know how to get things done. That’s never been more true than in working toward this event. The idea for Boston PRoud would not have gotten off the ground without old friends at firms like fama PR, March Communications, PAN Communications and SHIFT Communications. Each saw the opportunity to do something and jumped on it. Within 48 hours of the first conversations between those five firms, we had 20 others lined up to participate. When we work together as an industry, we can accomplish things with breathtaking speed.

There was an interesting article in PR Week last Friday about whether the Text100/APCO Worldwide partnership for Blackberry would start a trend of agencies working together. Whether it’s a trend remains to be seen. But what is clear is that with a common sense of purpose, agencies can work together to do great things. Whether for a client or an important charity, we’re all more successful if we remember it’s not about the agency, it’s about the cause.

So on May 29, at multiple venues on Boylston Street – the site of the bombing – the Boston PR community will gather and raise a glass as one. We will renew old friendships and make new ones while supporting a great cause.

Our shared contribution – at this point more than $45,000 and growing every day – is a drop in the bucket compared to the needs of the victims. But for one night at least, competitors will share a common purpose. And we’ll all have the feeling that we’ve done something.

Note: If you would like to attend Boston PRoud, please visit the registration site at http://bit.ly/16c9b5u. If you are interested in becoming a co-host or sponsor, please contact kenp@text100.com

Blogs on the Brain

Fri, 03 May 2013 17:45:00 -0400

At Text100 Boston, we have many interests. These include cupcakes, collaborating on awesome client work and reading the very best the Internet has to offer. We read (and love) a landscape of blogs that range from silly to serious. They make us laugh, they inspire, and sometimes they even tell us what not to wear.

In a PR landscape where blogger relations and understanding the nature of online media is becoming increasingly important, it probably doesn’t hurt that we’re reading.

Below are contributions from our office on our favorite blogs.

My favorite blog is Grantland’s Hollywood Prospectus. It provides top-notch commentary on all things pop culture, particularly when it comes to TV recaps. Every Monday, I make sure to read Mark Lisanti’s weekly Mad Men power rankings where he ranks the characters for each episode with a touch of wit – it’s simply brilliant!

— Steph K.

I enjoy reading Man Repeller, a blog by Leandra Medine. It’s an interesting mix of unconventional fashion and cultural commentary, written with an irreverence that makes me smile every time I read it.

— Marina M.

My New Roots- Her approach to food and living a healthy/balanced life is spot on…and her pictures are drool worthy.

—Martha D.

Overall Favorite: NieNie Dialogues – It’s about a woman who almost died in a plane crash, was burned in over 90% of her body, and her struggles coming back to a “normal” life. I’ve been reading her blog for years, and despite all the struggles, she still finds the beauty and love in life. I can totally appreciate that.

—Michele M.

GoFugYourself – Because they’re irreverent but never insulting of anything more than a celebrity’s outfit. Also, the bloggers’ writing style is hilarious and they totally own their affinity for bad TV shows, which I love.

—Rachel R.

Image sourced from flickr user futureshape.

Meet Martha!

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:56:00 -0400

Martha De Labbey is a new addition to Text 100 Boston, so we put her on the hot seat to answer some questions. Originally from New Jersey, Martha has been living in Boston for about three years and is a graduate of Emerson’s integrated marketing communication program.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about Text100 Boston so far?

A: Beer o’clock, Café de Boston, Bagel Wednesdays (though my waistline begs to differ).

Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

A: The ability to get ANY designer/luxury product for free…now that’s power.

Q: What is one goal you would like to accomplish during your lifetime?

A: Learn how to properly fold a fitted sheet. Seriously.

Q: If PR vanished, what would your ideal career be?

A: Anything that let me travel the world.

Q: What song would you choose to be your walk-up music when you enter the office? (In the style of a professional baseball player)

A: “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys.

Q: I f you could pick one celebrity to join the Text100 Boston team, who would you choose?

A: Does Grumpy Cat count as a celebrity?

Yes, Martha, Grumpy Cat definitely counts. But we feel the opposite of grumpy about having you on board.

- Kate

Tragedy on a Uniquely Boston Day

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:19:00 -0400

There was a line in a news story about Monday’s tragic bombing in Boston that said something along the lines of this: “Patriots’ Day is an important holiday in Boston, but is not widely celebrated outside of Massachusetts.”

It’s true – Patriots’ Day is a uniquely Boston holiday – a uniquely Boston day really. To an outsider, it probably looks like an odd mish-mash of events coming together on one day.

· There’s the re-enactment of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the battles that began the American Revolution and the events that the day is designed to honor.

· There’s the running of the Boston Marathon, a historic event in its own right as the world’s oldest annually held marathon. With 27,000 runners and a world-class field, many call it Marathon Monday, forgetting the original intent of the day.

· The Boston Red Sox play a home game at the unusual time of 11 a.m., which allows the fans to leave Fenway Park in time to walk down to Kenmore Square to cheer on the runners.

· Schools and public offices are closed, and there are smaller parades and celebrations across the city and state.

All of these things came together yesterday – as they do every year in a pattern that’s familiar to all of us here. Boston is a major city, but in many ways it’s a small town. If you’ve lived here for a while, chances are you or someone you know has run the Marathon. In the Boston office of Text100, we were proud to see our own Sean Audet cross the finish line on a brutal 90 degree Patriots’ Day a few years ago. If you haven’t run, you’ve probably gone to watch it – with 500,000 spectators every year, it’s by far the most widely attended sporting event in New England every year. One way or another, it seems everyone in Boston is personally connected to Patriots’ Day.

Sadly, that’s more true than ever now. Most of us at Text100 Boston were working yesterday, our offices just over a mile from the scene of the bombing. We watched the scene from across town unfold on TV with the sound of emergency vehicles echoing through the streets outside our windows. As the grim realization that terrorism had struck our city began to set in, we faced frightening questions. Were our friends, colleagues and loved ones at the race okay? Was it safer to go home or to stay put in the office? Was the attack over, or would there be more explosions, more panic, more casualties in our city?

Twenty-four hours later, we still have more questions than answers. We don’t know who did this awful thing or why. We don’t know the names of all of the victims. We don’t know if this was the end of something, or the beginning.

But amidst the uncertainty, we do know some things. We know we’re proud of how our city has responded to terror. We know our team at Text100 Boston is safe. We know we appreciate the thoughts of friends, family and colleagues who have checked in on us from every corner of the globe.

And we know that we’ll never forget what happened yesterday. The day that our city, and our unique little holiday was marred by something that’s all too common around the world.

- Ken

#snOMG #snowmageddon #bosnow

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 17:35:05 -0400

Friday morning greeted me with 6 inches of unplowed snow, which would quickly turn into 16 inches… and this was after we had three consecutive weekend snowstorms in February. We get it, winter, you’re not going out without a fight.

I looked outside and debated whether to go to work or not – it looked bad, but my town’s schools were open, so maybe commuting was doable. I turned to Twitter and discovered that roads were unplowed throughout the city, many MBTA buses (including mine) were being diverted, and there was a double whammy on the red line: both a signal failure and disabled train. I stayed home.

When Twitter first launched in 2006, a lot of people asked, “What’s the point?” That conversation has drastically changed – before Boston got walloped by Nemo, there was a discussion about which hash tag to use. While #snowmaggedon was more entertaining, #bosnow was more localized. Even the Mayor’s office caught on, tweeting about school closings and parking bans using #bosnow.

As we’ve seen, users have transformed Twitter into an extremely useful tool – for localized news, connecting with customers (and in some cases, providing customer support), or building brand awareness. While brands and PR professionals have figured out how to successfully leverage Twitter, the verdict is still out on Vine, a new Twitter service that lets users capture 6-second videos. So far, the only interesting Vine (if that’s what they’re called) I’ve seen is of Michele’s adorable cats; it’s yet to be determined whether Vine will catch on as Twitter and Instagram have.

Then again, I was one of those early skeptics of Twitter, so who knows what Vine will bring? I guess the social media world will just have to wait and see (or, start posting themselves).

-Steph L.

Text100 Employee Appreciation Day is Here!

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 16:29:01 -0500

It’s that time of year – Text100 Employee Appreciation Day! Today is the day where Text100 says thanks to all of its employees for the hard work that we do.

Since today is considered THE holiday here for us Texties, I’d thought I’d share my top five reasons why Text100 Employee Appreciation Day is awesome:

Company swag. This year, our Fun Committee decided that it would be great to have some Text100-branded merchandize and got us some swanky water bottles. These bottles also tie into our office CSR initiatives as a way for us to save on use of plastic/paper cups. So it in a way, we now have socially-responsible swag.
Breakfast of Champions. Every Text100 Employee Appreciation Day starts off with a breakfast. Past breakfasts have included bagels, pastries, mimosas and Bloody Mary’s. This year’s included mimosas and a box of a dozen Dunkin Donuts. Pretty great way to kick-off a Friday morning.
Office lunch. I know what you’re thinking, what can be great about lunch? But lunch on employee appreciation day is totally different. This year, everyone got to pick out a customized burrito or burrito bowl from Boloco so we felt even more love while eating our lunch.
Massages. It’s been a Boston tradition offering massages at work on special days like today. Since we live and breathe at our desks, we can use some TLC on our backs and wrists.
Values. Text100 Employee Appreciation Day also included the launch of the new Text100 Values which really emphasized what today is all about – respecting the individual while celebrating our work as a team.

We welcome you to follow along with our activities today on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Just use the following hashtags: #text100employeeappreciationday and #text100values.

Our office surprise this morning - water bottles and donuts.

A close-up of our Text100 water bottles.

-Stephanie

What’s in a name…

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:25:00 -0500

We here at Text100 pride ourselves on being individuals, creators in our own right. Well, here in the Boston office we have some - shall I say - duplicates. Introducing Stephanie K., Stephanie L., Lisa S., and another Lisa S. (yes, you read that right).

(From L to R, Lisa Sorrentino, Lisa Silver, Stephanie Liu, Stephanie Kanaan)

In one of the smallest offices in the North America Text100 family, we are lacking in name diversity. In our open office environment, we have the luxury of having joint conversations about AP style, wording, reality TV, fashion and food (and most importantly, PR). When it comes to addressing one another, considering our duplicates, we have gotten pretty creative. I, Lisa Sorrentino have taken on the nickname “The Situation,” more often referred to as “Sitch,” due to my last name being the same as Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino’s from TV’s Jersey Shore, to distinguish myself from Lisa Silver.

The Stephanies, however, have yet to find a nickname to end the confusion. So until then, they will continue to look up and answer simultaneously to “Hey Steph?” Suggestions anyone?

-Sitch

Never a dull moment in PR

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:44:00 -0500

To me, one of the most exciting aspects of my job is not knowing what to expect each day. Not a day goes by that I’m not learning or doing something completely new. Embracing change and learning to roll with the new challenges is a key part consulting our clients.

For example, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about a diverse field of different and evolving technologies since I’ve started in PR. When I was working for Text100 Madrid, I became an expert on all things related to flash memory storage solutions, hands free devices and VoIP (Voice over IP). On the other hand, here at Text100 Boston, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about supply chain management, analytics, procurement management and security software. I’ve also been learning about the fascinating world of Internet standards, its history, the geniuses behind it and organizations that have had a hand in creating the Internet we all use today. It’s exciting to take all of that knowledge and translate it into compelling stories for different audiences on a daily basis.

One of the other exciting aspects of my work job is testing products before they’ve even been released. For example, I had one of the most exciting iOS/Android gadgets well before it hit the market. Part of my role was to become familiar with all the characteristics and functionalities of the product well enough to demo it to reporters. It’s a real thrill to walk a reporter through a product that they’ve never seen before. Actually, while trying to familiarize myself with this gadget, I “crashed” it flying a couple of times, but then I managed to handle it and actually became quite an expert. In fact, we organized a very successful press demo in which I was able to show my “flying skills.” Another highlight of my consumer PR experience was trying the latest in digital photo frames. My favorite was a frame with Internet connection and beautiful designer style.

With all of these memorable experiences under my belt, I started to wonder, what makes the field of PR exciting for my colleagues? I polled a few of my fellow Boston officemates at Text100, and here’s what they said:

@ilenabeth : The most exciting thing about PR is that we get to be directly involved with innovation as it’s happening. It’s so exciting to see how clients are developing and the news they are sharing. To be a part of that innovation process and helping share that news with the world is such a great experience.

@RachelEvelyn: Working with exciting companies that are considered technology innovators.

@MarinaGio: The most exciting thing about PR is generating new ideas and perspectives.

@LisaSorrentino: The most exciting thing about PR is learning what works for some brands doesn’t work for others. Also, watching our clients grow their brand, as we tell their story.

@StephKanaan: It’s getting to work on some cool accounts that you’d never associate with B2B tech.

@Michele_Moore: I love that PR brings something new every day. I have no idea what’s in store for me when I check my iPhone each morning, and that is an exciting feeling.

@_KatieBug: The most exciting thing about PR is that it’s constantly changing, constantly evolving. While there are some tasks that remain the same from day to day, overall, I’m being challenged in this field. There are new techniques to learn, new reporters to build relationships with, new campaigns to execute. One day is always different from the next.

-Virginia

Welcome back Lisa Silver!

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:39:34 -0500

We don’t care that it’s Monday…. Why? Because Lisa Silver is BACK! :-)

- Alison

A newbie tackles PR

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:02:00 -0500

This is my first week at Text100, and it’s also my first week in PR. I studied International Affairs in college, but became interested in PR after listening to my roommate talk about her internships. Yesterday, I sat in on my first client call, and with the help of Michele and Marina, got caught up on what Text100 does and what PR really is. It’s been a great learning experience and also a fun challenge to absorb as much as possible.

Another thing I’m quickly learning is that everyone here is quirky and great: from Rachel, who is firmly pro-tights and anti-pants, to Alison, who is currently sitting at her desk wrapped up in a leopard print Snuggie. From the get go, it’s been very clear that Text100 is a champion of quirkiness and definitely won’t try to hinder your personal style. (That extends to fashion, too – as someone who hates heels, I was thrilled to discover Text’s casual dress code!)

I’m looking forward to getting more integrated into accounts and gaining a better understanding of PR, and I’m excited to be doing so with such a great group of people. I’m even considering jumping onto the Snuggie bandwagon, because it really is cold in this office…

Don’t they look so warm?!

-Steph L.

P.S. If anyone has suggestions for a nickname to end the confusion between Steph K. and me, I’m all ears!

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Text100 Boston Holiday Party Edition

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:55:00 -0500

The Text100 Boston office hosted its annual holiday party this past Friday, and thanks to the Fun Committee (aka Ilena), the event was a smashing success. Here’s a rundown of the evening’s festivities:

First, we started with our favorite game of Secret Santa/Hush Hush Chanukah Harry while enjoying some pre-dinner cocktails. Earlier in the month, each of us picked a secret name and for weeks, deliberated over the perfect gifts. This year’s gift giving seemed especially personal – a testament to how much we really enjoy working with each other.

(Texties unwrapping presents)

Then we hopped onto the (ever-reliable) subway to head over to dinner…

(Marina, Sean and Virginia)

The real par-tay took place at the Back Bay Social Club (BBSC), where Texties and significant others alike gorged themselves on the restaurant’s amazing food. From spinach salad with bleu cheese to fettuccini alfredo to honey glazed salmon to molten chocolate lava cake (yes, be jealous), everything was amazing.

(The menu)

(Michele and Alison)

(The group, clockwise from left: Marina, Virginia, Michele, Kate, Sean, Ilena, Alison, Lisa and Rachel)

After eating, we somehow managed to roll ourselves over to Eastern Standard, where we continued to spread the holiday cheer until the wee hours.

We didn’t think we could top last year’s holiday party, but with a little help from Brandy over at BBSC, the 2012 shindig beat them all…until next year.

Happy holiday party to all and to all a good night!

-Kate

Holiday Traditions: Text100 Edition

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:00:53 -0500

The holidays are finally upon us! It’s that time of year when everyone comes together to celebrate the traditions in their life.

Here at Text100 Boston, we thought it would be great to share some of our favorite traditions. So grab a candy cane or your favorite holiday cookie and take a look below!

Ken:

I love to decorate our Christmas tree with my boys. Many of the ornaments we have are ones that were on my family’s tree when I was a kid, so there’s a story to be passed along to my little guys with each one.

Sean:

My favorite thing is that both my wife and I have the holiday week off while daycare is still open – which means our annual ‘holiday afternoon lunch and a movie’ tradition lives on!

Ilena:

I’ve been spending Christmas with the same group of relatives and family friends since I was a baby. Being able to do this year after year and watch everyone grow up, get married and start their own families is a wonderful thing that I look forward to every year!

Michele:

My family is all back in Texas, and we have a tradition of doing a Christmas Eve dinner with prime rib as the spotlight. Since moving to Boston, I’ve had live lobsters shipped from Maine for the meal. My family loves having the New England touch added to the meal, so it’s my new tradition of sending them, even when I’m not around to enjoy!

Lisa:

My favorite thing to do since I was a little kid was to take a ride around my neighborhood and see all of the Christmas/holiday lights. When I was little, there was a neighbor that decorated his house every year to the nines with blinking lights on the roof and everything. It was the best!

Alison:

Ever since I can remember, the stuffing that my family only made for Christmas and Thanksgiving was THE thing to look forward to. My grandmother used to make it by memory – no cookbooks or handwritten 3x5 index cards – from a family recipe that had been passed down for several generations. I always loved being in the kitchen, especially with my Grammy. So when I was old enough to help, I began to be included in this family tradition that always happened the day before the holiday. There was never a more proud moment when I earned the coveted Grampy stamp of approval (which he didn’t always give out, mind you). Over the years, I’ve inherited the special recipe that I now know by memory and taste, and even though my Grammy can’t really help that much in the kitchen anymore, I always think of her and the family members that came before her that enjoyed the same dish around their Christmas or Thanksgiving table.

Stephanie:

Baking has always been a big part of my life. However, it becomes extra special for me during the holidays. When I was little, I would help my grandma bake butter cookies for Christmas dinner. I loved watching her make the dough from scratch and the love she put into it. She would always give me some of the leftover dough to cut out and decorate to my heart’s content. Her cookies were a staple at every Christmas dinner and though she is no longer with us, my mom and I continue this tradition using her original recipe and the few remaining cookie cutters that we still have from her as way to keep her memory alive.

Rachel:

Walking through Boston Common to look at the holiday lights!

Marina:

I love migrating to a happy place closer to the equator where I can shed my coat and scarf and soak up the sun. This year it’s West Palm Beach!

Kate:

I’d say my favorite part of the holidays is Christmas morning. Of course it’s when we all open presents, but I like that my family does it really informally; there’s no set time we have to wake up, we’re all still in pajamas, and it’s a bit of a mix of taking turns/free-for-all present opening. I also like breakfast. We usually have the same thing every year: kielbasa, scrambled eggs (fried for me), toast and coffee cake. Then we all sit around and watch “The Godfather” marathon until it’s time to shower for dinner.

Virginia:

My family tradition is celebrating el “Dia de Reyes” or “Three Kings Day”/”Three Wise Men” which is on January 6 (The Epiphany). It’s a very nice holiday, especially for kids. The children write a letter to the Three Kings in December telling them they’ve behaved well during the year and include their wish list. On January 5th, every city in Spain holds a parade where kids receive candy and you can see the Three Kings. That evening, all the kids go to sleep early and leave some Christmas sweets for the Three Kings and some milk for their camels, so when the Three Kings drop the presents, they can have something to eat and drink. The next morning, everyone opens the presents that have been left by the Three Kings and, since it’s a holiday, you usually go to your grandparents’ house to have lunch and have roscon de reyes with hot chocolate. Even though I live in the U.S. now, I still try to incorporate some the elements of Three Kings Day into my holiday celebrations.

-Stephanie

Textgiving is here!

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 13:20:35 -0500

Ever since I started working at Text100, one of my favorite office gatherings has been our annual Textgiving lunch. Everyone brings in an appetizer, a side dish, an entrée or a dessert and we get a carved turkey from Faneuil Hall. It’s a great excuse to step away from our busy schedules and enjoy some great food and company.

Last Friday, we assembled together for Textgiving 2012 and it was quite the feast. We had everything from mashed potatoes, stuffing (courtesy of moi), sweet potatoes to green bean casserole. And to top it all off, Lisa (aka The Sitch) made a pumpkin pie from scratch just for us. Unfortunately, we enjoyed the food so much that we forgot to take pictures and all suffered from food comas, which is a recipe for disaster on a Friday afternoon. Luckily, Buzzfeed has a great photo recap of the best Thanksgiving moments which I think sums up Textgiving here in Boston.

After our food comas subsided, we were all treated to the grand opening of our office bar – one of the many awesome things about our recent office revamp – where Sean greeted us with a pint to close out a successful and fun week here at Text100 Boston.

Gobble, gobble!

-Steph

Happy Textoween (better late than never...)!

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:14:00 -0500

Happy Textoween (Halloween, Text100 style)! Okay, so maybe we’re a little late with this post, but you know the old adage… better late than never! Besides, it’s a good excuse to dip into that leftover candy and take a trip down memory lane… leftover Snickers, anyone?

On October 31, the Text100 Boston team finished up the day with an intense (not really) pod costume competition, way too much candy (about 10 of us consumed about $50 dollars worth in a half hour), some halloween-themed cocktails and a photo session. While we didn’t have a clear winner in this year’s competition, we did have a very special guest, Pierre, from the San Francisco office, who was celebrating his first Halloween ever (for those of you who may not know, Pierre is a Textie from our Paris office who recently relocated to the U.S.)!

Grab a Twix (my favorite) and enjoy the photos from Textoween below!

- Alison

Mitt Romney visted Text100 Boston - right before the election! ;)

PR pros by day, cat burglars by night…

The traditional Halloween costumes from pod AWESOME (please note Rachel’s moldy pumpkin).

Snackers caught in the act!

Taking a break from snacking.

The horseheads made a special appearance during the festivities. They even danced to Gangnam Style (woop, woop)!

Temperature Adventures and Office Snuggies

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:32:00 -0400

A recent Fast Company article says that cold makes people “perceive others as less generous and caring.” I beg to differ.

There are a lot of perks that come with working at Text100 Boston:

the location (any MBTA line will get you here, plus you’ll never run out of places to grab lunch)
no shortage of delicious eats (thanks in large part to @StephKanaan’s love of baking, @virginiaromero1’s Spanish treats, and @_KatieBug’sPeaPod skills)
a swanky new door (shut up we’re all psyched about it)
no cubes! #ihatecubicles
wonky heating

You might wonder why wonky heating is a plus. Well, usually the heat works fine. But on days when the temperature dips, people who run hot – ::cough:: @ilenabeth – can breathe a sigh of relief. Then there’s the Snuggie brigade, which never fails to amuse me (watching Alison lead a call in a leopard-print Snuggie is amazing):

@LisaSorrentino. @AlisonTBoston, @_KatieBug, @lucy_a_miller

And of course, our very own (anonymous) Forever Lazy enthusiast:

~Rachel

Text100 Boston is Never Tardy for the Party

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:56:46 -0400

Here at Text100 Boston, we take our celebrations very seriously. We are not a “chips and dip” crowd and when there’s an event to plan, you can rest assured that you’re getting the full experience.

I like to think that we have one of the best office fun committees ever (no offense other Text100 offices). Fun Committee members Ilena Ryan, Kate Mather and Lucy Miller always make sure that we celebrate in style no matter what the holiday or event might be. Take for instance, office birthdays. Most offices might get a cake or give you an office shout out (if you’re lucky) and be done with it, but not here. Ilena, Kate and Lucy take into consideration each of our likes and personality to deliver a really great birthday surprise. For my birthday this past July, I got a card signed by everyone in the office along with a gift certificate to Chipotle. Everyone in the office knows my love for Chipotle and how it’s my Friday lunch treat so I was touched by thoughtfulness of the gift.

Loved how the card personifies the numerous cupcakes I’ve made for the office over the years.

Another great example comes from today’s company-wide kick-off of our fiscal year for 2013. Our Fun Committee pulled out all the stops by ordering customized cupcakes with the Text100 logo and mixing up “Textinis” with an orange sugar rim to match our company colors. Of course, the ultimate cherry-on-top comes from our very own Alison Thompson for winning the Global Digital Rising Star award. One the great aspects of our fiscal year launches is how Text100 recognized the awesome work and leadership that has taken place over the year with our Excite Awards. Congrats to Alison on her win and for representing North America!

With a new year upon us, I’m definitely looking forward the next event from our Fun Committee and how they are going to top our FY13 celebration. Stay tuned!

Alison posing with her Digital Rising Star Award. Yay Alison!

Our yummy treats for our FY13 party – they were a hit!

-Stephanie

We’re Ready for Our Close-up: The Text100 Boston Office Gets a Facelift

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 09:14:36 -0400

Last month, the Text100 Boston office had the pleasure of hosting the incomparable Ms. Kelly McClay as she conducted a major overhaul on our office. She and her team spent four days (including a Saturday and Sunday!) tearing up carpeting, repainting walls, laying down flooring and, overall, working some major magic on our Milk Street home away from home. Check out a few pictures of the transformation. Still more improvements to come, so be on the lookout for additional posts.

Big thanks to Kelly, Alison and Sean for all their hard work and months of planning to get this place into tip top Text100 shape!

All of our desks squeezed to one side of office as the construction team prepares to take up the carpeting.

Look, ma! No desks!

Beautifully redone foyer/entry way, complete with new wall paint and wood floors.

Kelly was able to sneak away for a few and join us on our summer outing. Cheers! (From Left: Kelly, Ilena, Sean)

-Kate

What’s the Best Advice You’ve Received as a Professional?

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:41:00 -0400

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as a PR professional? I recently answered that question through a HARO response, and was lucky enough to have my advice posted on the Mynt PR blog, alongside some amazing PR professionals in the industry.

In the spirit of that post, I decided to ask my Boston colleagues about the best advice they’ve received in their careers. I received responses from employees of all experience levels, including our intern Lisa and our senior vice president Ken, and wanted to share them with you:

“When you walk into a meeting with a client, say one smart thing and ask one smart question.” - Michele Moore, Account Manager

“Slow down. It’s good to get work done quickly, but not too quickly. Taking the extra time to make sure your work is 100% up to your company’s standards will make the world of difference.” – Ilena Ryan, Account Executive

“Always raise your hand and volunteer to do the tasks that no one else wants to do. You’ll build your knowledge and people will know that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to better yourself and your clients.” – Alison Thompson, Senior Account Executive

“Think ahead of your client. A good PR professional isn’t just executing on his/her client’s ideas, they’re thinking and working beyond them.” – Ken Peters, Senior Vice President

“Don’t be afraid to share your ideas. Just because someone has more experience than you doesn’t mean that your opinions or creative ideas aren’t valid.” – Stephanie Kanaan, Account Executive

“Never think you’re not capable to take a stab at something above your experience level” – Lisa Sorrentino, Intern

“Don’t be afraid to get on the phone. It’s easy to get caught up in the convenience of email, but some of the best insight and ideas comes from having that type of conversation.” – Lucy Miller, Account Coordinator

“Ask yourself what you want to accomplish and set small goals to work towards achieving them.” – Virginia Romero, Account Executive

“Your career is what you make it. Your teammates and colleagues can be there to help you, but it’s up to you to make yourself grow and stand out. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself or take on something that may be difficult. You’ll gain experience and knowledge and show people that you’re interested in and dedicated to both your day to day job activities as well as your overall career development.” – Kate Mather, Account Executive

“Don’t take handwritten notes – typing them is much faster, and allows you to do a keyword search. I type up all my call notes and save them in a folder. That way, if I forget what a client said about something, I can just hit “CTRL + F” and refresh my memory. I do this when I’m staffing interviews, too – it’s helpful to reference when writing pitches, etc.” – Rachel Round, Senior Account Executive

- Michele