In directing Twitter followers to his blog post about this afternoon’s earthquake on the east coast, former Washington Post columnist Rob Pegaroro tweeted: “Being a writer means you’re compelled to post your take on any epic distraction you may experience.” Because we are PR people, we are also writers. So here’s our post about this afternoon’s epic distraction.

This afternoon seemed like a Snow Day in Baltimore. After the jolt at 1:50, most people around town (and from what we could tell from Twitter and Facebook – people everywhere) were preoccupied. We too were glued to news on our computer screens and on TV. The parking lot of our building was pretty empty by 4:30, and not a lot of emails or phone calls were coming in.

But we were working. When you represent a science museum, you have access to experts who know a thing or two about earthquakes. So we spent a good part of the afternoon making the staff at the Maryland Science Center available to the media. We arranged for live shots from the museum, and relayed images of the Science Center’s Seismic monitor. We set up coverage from Science on a Sphere, which displays live satellite images on a 6’ illuminated orb.

All in a day’s work – on a day when there is an earthquake.

This Fall at Himmelrich PR is going to be filled with big projects, cool promotions, fun events, a ton of media—and hopefully, a couple of good interns. So, we’re proposing a trade—interns can join our team for the Fall semester to help us out, and we’ll provide some great PR experience, academic credit, and a fun work environment.

Here’s the deal:

Internships at Himmelrich PR give college students valuable public relations experience and a wonderful opportunity to contribute and learn. Our interns work directly on client projects—researching, writing, brainstorming, and producing quality work. Our internships are unpaid, with flexible hours and interaction with some great people.

If you want to build your portfolio, get PR experience, and learn a lot—let us know. Send resumes to Garrett Berberich at garrett@himmelrich.com.

We just got some great new work and we are creating a new position!

Himmelrich PR is looking for an Account Associate to support our media and promotions team.

The Account Associate will:
- conduct media research and create press lists
- write press materials
- develop relationships with online and print media
- coordinate traditional, online, and social media activities
- provide administrative support to Account Executives

The ideal candidate will have at least one year of public relations experience, be a very strong (and very quick) writer, and be knowledgeable about social media.

Based in Baltimore, Himmelrich PR promotes public events, corporations, attractions, destinations, and nonprofit organizations throughout the country. We offer a creative and collaborative environment and the opportunity to work with some really nice people.

If you are interested, please send your resume to jobs@himmelrich.com. No phone calls please.

And so it begins. Again.

Sugarloaf Craft Festivals has renewed its relationship with Himmelrich PR, extending our work in the promotion of Sugarloaf’s 15 annual craft and fine art events in seven Mid-Atlantic markets. In addition to managing all media for the shows and the company, we will be producing visitor and artist communications, and assisting with theme development for the events.

Lets get these shows on the road!

This summer, the Maryland Science Center has been busy

—and so have we. We’ve promoted lasers and rock-and-roll; bubbles, bangs, and booms; cooking; and crazy experiments. It hasn’t only been food fans, laser lovers, eager experimenters, and traveling tourists who have been rushing to the Inner Harbor hot-spot

—a multitude of media have managed to meander over to see what the ballyhoo was all about.

Baltimore Sun explored the Fun with (irresponsible) Science, took shots of bubbles and the culprits behind their popping at Bubble Days, and snapped photos of a chef demo in action for the Baltimore Diner blog. WBAL-TV got the inside scoop on all things irresponsible

—like exploding ping pong balls and burning bubbles.

The Davis Planetarium’s Laser Rock shows were selected as a WBFF-TV Hometown Hotspot, with another day devoted to the blockbuster exhibit, Summer of Irresponsible Science. The Washington Post featured the Summer of Irresponsible Science in its Kid’s Post, and the Baltimore Business Journal reported on the great attendance.

Ahhh… summer. Success.

Yes, we are on Facebook and Twitter.

This past Saturday evening, the Maryland Science Center hosted its annual gala, Solstice. As always, it was a great party: fantastic décor, delicious food (this year with a “farm-to-table” focus), and a very danceable 10-piece band. And as always, because we handle the public relations for the museum, we spent our evening fielding questions: How many people are here? (650) How much money was raised? (over $300,000) Where is the band from? (DC).

But, as always, the question we were most asked was “what’s the drink?” The Solstice gala has become known for its annual signature cocktail, an original concoction developed especially for the evening. Here’s the recipe for this year’s libation, the Velvet Crush:

1.75 oz. Bulleit Bourbon

.75 oz. Amaretto Di Saronno

5 oz. Pineapple Juice

Grenadine to taste (or until drink is color of papaya juice)

Shake & serve over crushed ice

We love Joann Levy – not just because she is a client but because her energy and passion are motivating and infectious. As Executive Director of the Women’s Housing Coalition, Joann leads the successful program that provides housing, job training, and personal development initiatives to formerly homeless women and their children in Baltimore.

And we love when Joann and WHC get the attention they deserve, like the profile in this week’s Baltimore Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/print-edition/2011/06/17/25-minutes-with-joann-levy.html

What a week it was. In the past five days, we have:

Been asked to take on a new project – promoting retail events in six new markets. We are now getting to know McAllen/Brownsville (Texas), Cincinnati, Oklahoma City, Buffalo, Columbia (South Carolina), and Jacksonville (Florida).

Distributed press releases about lawyers, films, fundraising events, cooking demonstrations, and public policy.

Wrote newsletters about educational programs in middle schools, festivals in Philadelphia and Hartford, and artists who make jewelry from beach glass.

Helped clients develop media, advertising and messaging strategies for new hires, new museum exhibitions, and new lines of business.

Welcomed a new intern – a recent University of Pennsylvania honors graduate.

Said goodbye to a coworker who is eager (and now ready) to focus her PR talents on shaping national public policy.

Sorted, categorized and filed 60 inches of print clips (as in, a pile of clips 60 inches tall).

Looking forward to next week!

Despite being the off-season for many of our clients who produce public events, we have been thinking a lot about our “show business.” Last year, we promoted 45 consumer events in 32 markets around the country. This week, as the National Association of Consumer Shows meets for its annual convention (we have led presentations about traditional and social media at the last two gatherings) and we meet to plan for the upcoming season, we got to thinking…

As we plan and ponder, budget and brainstorm, make lists and airline reservations, we have been talking about why we like this type of work and why we think we’re pretty good at it.

We like to win. We are PR people. There is no better feeling than seeing your client’s event in the paper or on TV, overhearing visitors tell an exhibitor that they are there because of a story they saw on TV, or getting a Monday-morning report that attendance was up the past weekend. It’s a game… a challenge… and we like it.

We like adventure. We’re PR people. We love carrying around the cell phone numbers for Noon news producers in Milwaukee or knowing which door offers a TV truck the best access to a show-floor in Houston – at 6 am. We like developing relationships with Mommybloggers in Des Moines or writing a blog post for Ft. Lauderdale in the voice of a bunny rabbit. (True story.)

We like knowing stuff. We each have many (often unusual) interests, so we are fascinated by our clients’ industries. We want to learn about and understand them as much as possible, because we think they are cool.

We like to try new things. As “public relations” and “media” change, our show clients welcome our help in adapting. When we suggest shifting a media focus from print to online because that’s where their visitors are, they see results. When we suggest that a client create a blog, or become more active on Twitter, or spend part of the ad budget online, they do it, and they like the results.

We like our clients. And we think they like us. We have been fortunate to work with some great show producers who value our work and seek our ideas. We like that – and them.