EW Bullock Offers Advice to Affected Agencies

We received an e-mail from Ellis Bullock, chief executive at Pensacola, Fla.-based member agency EW Bullock. Ellis writes:

Our agency, EW Bullock Associates Inc., was hit hard by Hurricane Ivan last year. Many of our associates' homes were significantly damaged and in some cases destroyed, which presented a wide range of personnel challenges.

In addition our office, which overlooks Pensacola Bay, was heavily damaged and our client base was seriously disrupted, which had and continues to have a major impact on our business.

Yes, it's been over a year and we're still dealing with Ivan. A lot of lessons have been learned ... such as how handle employee matters, office space issues and business challenges. And then there are the issues with insurance providers, FEMA and the Small Business Administration.

I wish I would have had someone to turn to for council and advice a year ago. With that in mind I would like to offer our "advice and consultation" to any AAAA members who are in need.

I have already had a long phone conversation with Jennifer Magee with New Orleans member agency Keating Magee. At the time I think she was still in a state of shock and uncertain about many matters but I feel my time with her may have provided a ray of hope and a little better understanding of the challenges ahead.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Thank You,
Ellis

Thank you Ellis for your help!

Our Art Online Exhibit and Auction Online Now!

Dre Patterson, from member agency Cossette Post, e-mailed to alert us that the online exhibit and auction to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina is now online and available for bids. The Web site, Our Art Goes Out to You, is now online.

Dre tells us that he has personally contributed a painting and a drawing to the cause. Also, The One Club, under the direction of Mary Warlick, has agreed to host the offline exhibit/auction, which will take place at The One Club's Gallery, located 21 East 26th Street, 5th Floor, on November 18. More details to come.

Check out some of the artwork currently online at eBay and make a bid to support this terrific effort!

Our Art Goes Out to You - Call for Submissions

Dré Patterson, vice president, director of studio and creative services at member agency Cossette Post e-mailed to tell us about an exhibit/auction that he's organizing to benefit relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

"Given the talent within our industry, I thought it would be great to solicit participation from AAAA member agencies and their respective creatives," Dré said.

Our Art Goes Out to You - Call for Submissions

Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath caused suffering and devastation of an unprecedented magnitude. Thousands were left homeless as Katrina ripped through the Gulf states. Countless families lost everything they owned, fleeing with only the clothes on their backs. And hundreds, perhaps thousands, lost their lives.

To the victims of Hurricane Katrina: This tragedy has surely touched all of our hearts. As artists we wish we could paint away your pain, your suffering, your lost. We may not have a million dollars to give, but we do have our love, our soul, our heart, our art.

Our Art Goes Out to You (site currently under construction), is an online art exhibit of work related to or inspired by the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina. Please e-mail your submissions to Art4Katrina@menobodyknows.com.

Please include your name, the title of your work, and medium.

In addition to the online exhibit, we would like to encourage artists to auction a work of art via eBay, with ALL proceeds to benefit Habitat for Humanity (or a charity of your choice benefiting the victims of Hurricane Katrina).

Please e-mail the link to your auction if you would like it to be included as part of our fund raising efforts. Please include "Our Art Goes Out to You" somewhere in the description.

We are in the process of building the page now that will host this exhibit, and all contributions/media are welcome. You will be notified in the next few days as we begin to post the submissions.

Together we can create hope of a more promising future for those who have lost so much.

Thanks, and look forward to hearing from you.

Dré Patterson
VP/Director of Studio and Creative Services
Cossette Post Communications

EC advertising Seeks Work Opportunities

Trellis Smith, Creative and Managing Director at member agency EC advertising reports that he and his staff were safely evacuated from the hardest hit area of New Orleans, and he thanks the advertising community for its continuing support. Trellis writes:

All of our employees at EC advertising, which is based in New Orleans, safely evacuated from Hurricane Katrina and are optimistic about future of the city that we love. Residents and businesses will eventually return, and we expect New Orleans to experience renewed energy once the infrastructure is repaired and citizens move back.

EC advertising began as a small event planning and graphic design agency in 1997 and steadily added services and employees until we became a full-service ad agency. (We joined the AAAA just this past year.) The fate of our offices, set up in a historic "double-shotgun" house, is still unknown. Our client base unfortunately has been scattered by the winds of the hurricane.

We are grateful for the outpouring of general support that America has given to those displaced by the disaster and, regarding us specifically, the resources our peers in the advertising industry have offered us.

Currently, the best way that AAAA members can help is to assist us in finding work. We want to rebuild our business by using our abilities and expertise.

Thanks to the Internet and cell phones, the employees of EC advertising can continue to provide many of our services even in our displaced state. If any AAAA member agencies need to outsource work such as print design, web design, copywriting, or other creative services, we would appreciate the opportunity demonstrate our talents until our clients in Louisiana are prepared to fire up their marketing campaigns once again.

Sincerely,
Trellis Smith, Creative and Managing Director

Trellis is currently traveling, checking in on family, friends, and clients, but he can be reached via e-mail or phone.

Reaching Keating Magee Momentum Marketing

Holly McCollum, vice president, media services at New Orleans-based member agency Keating Magee Momentum Marketing (Web site currently under construction), e-mailed us to say that the agency's employees have been relocated all over the country.

If you need to reach Holly, her cell phone is 504-957-3824.

EC advertising Sets Up Temp Offices

We heard from Trellis Smith, president and creative director at New Orleans-based member agency EC advertising, which has set up temporary offices in New York and New Orleans. Trellis writes:

EC Advertising has set-up a temporary offices to service your advertising needs.

Contact Information:
In New York: 212-203-1771
In New Orleans: 504-895-0534

Together we will rebuild and start anew.

Trellis Smith, President/Creative Director

Thanks Trellis!

Bohan, Sides, Offer Temp Space

Bohan, a member agency in Nashville, and Sides & Associates, a member agency in Lafayette, La., have both offered temporary work space for displaced agency professionals in the Gulf Region.

For more information, contact Harley Griffiths at the AAAA.

Relocated Member Agencies

The following New Orleans-based member agencies have relocated:

Jeff Zehnder of New Orleans has relocated the agency to:

Zehnder Communications, Inc.
2351 Energy Drive
Suite 1200
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
225-216-4280/225-216-4273

A letter from Jeff Zehnder, Sept. 9, 2005

My AAAA Colleagues,

Last week, New Orleans was dealt a terrible blow by Hurricane Katrina. And while I do not like to compare tragedies, I am afraid that this one may take even more precious lives than 9/11/01, with victims who are just as innocent. It is truly saddening.

I am happy to report, though, that by last Thursday we were able to account for all of our team members and their families. Nearly all of us lost something, including houses and cars; but all of those items can be replaced. So, we are actually quite blessed.

Almost immediately after the storm, our families, friends, clients, vendors, and colleagues from around the country began reaching out to us with offers of any help we might need. Offers of office space, computers, placement of staffers, and room & board were just a few of the calls and e-mails I have received.

With all of the challenges with the communications grid, and the multitude of tasks we are all enduring getting our offices back up and running, I've been unable to respond to every call and e-mail. Please know that I am deeply appreciative of your offers, and I apologize for my lack of or delayed response.

We have established an office in Baton Rouge, and are in the process of setting up satellites in a few other markets where our clients operate. We're all learning quite quickly about telecommuting, instant messaging, and patience.

Phone service is still delayed due to the storm damage in Baton Rouge, but that will be established shortly. Until then, please feel free to e-mail me at jzehnder@z-comm.com.

Again, thanks to each and every one of you for reaching out to our staff. You've made us feel much better knowing we have friends around the country who care about us.

One last item. There will be some unfortunate cut-backs in staff due to the sudden loss of so many clients in New Orleans. We hope that these will be temporary. So, for those we aren't able to help place directly, we will refer them to AAAA. Any help you might provide will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Zehnder

King Logan of New Orleans has relocated his agency:

Logan Advertising
1080 Holcomb Bridge Road
Bldg. 100, Suite 175
Roswell, GA 30076
770-650-6388

McDonald's Relief Program

A member agency e-mailed to say that they are working with a client, McDonald's, to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities canister program to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Donations can be made at McDonald's restaurants nationwide and 100 percent of proceeds go to assist and aid local and national disaster relief efforts.

For more information, visit McDonald's "What We're Doing to Help" page.

Links to Relief Organizations

We've received a number of calls and e-mails asking for help in identifying charities to donate money and nonperishable items. There are links to selected organizations on the right-hand side of this blog, under the header "Helpful Links."

Also, ABC News.com and CNN.com have comprehensive listings of other charitable organizations:

ABC News.com's How to Help: Organizations Accepting Donations for Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort

CNN's Hurricane Katrina Help Center

If you are looking for a local charity in your area, many Web sites of your local news programs feature links to local relief organizations.

The Johnson Group Offers Temp Work

Pat Buckley, partner and ECD at Chattanooga-based member agency The Johnson Group, wrote us to say that his agency has a few short-term employment opportunities available immediately, and they would like to reach out to displaced New Orleans agency professionals to let them know.

The agency is looking to hire one copywriter, an art director, a traffic person, and an AE. The positions are termed for at least six months, but could lead to permanent placement at the agency.

Pat also has generously offered free housing for some of the hired temporary staff and their families.

Check out The Johnson Group's work at their Web site and at the Web site for the city of Chattanooga.

TalentZoo to Raise $250,000 for Hurricane Katrina Relief

We just received an e-mail from industry career and news portal TalentZoo alerting us about their Katrina Disaster Relief Effort. TalentZoo is looking to raise $250,000 by Sept. 30 to help advertising, marketing, and PR professionals in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

TalentZoo is seeding the fund with a donation of $10,000, and 100 percent of the money raised will go toward helping industry professionals. TalentZoo is asking that everyone in the industry donate $5 to the cause.

For more information or to donate via PayPal, visit the Katrina Disaster Relief Effort page on TalentZoo's Web site.

UPS Service Disruptions

From the UPS Web site:

Service Update (as of 9/15/05)

"Coastal and inland areas of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi were significantly impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

We recommend you contact your consignees in the gulf region before you ship, to determine if they are receiving deliveries.

UPS services, including scheduled pickup, delivery, and On-Call Pickup Services are delayed or may be suspended in the affected areas. The hurricane has also affected the scheduled hours at UPS Customer Centers."

For more details, visit the Hurricane Katrina information page of UPS.com.

Temporary Space Available

Bob Chandler, chairman and CEO of Memphis-based member agency Chandler Ehrlich & Company, has graciously offered the use of space and office phones to any professional agency or individual (including public relations) that may need to establish temporary headquarters in Memphis.

Bob tells us that he's willing to have dialogue with any interested parties.

Bob writes: "We have a very contemporary, 25,000-square-foot office in a great location. Huge broadband capabilities. Lots of meeting and conference space, work cubes and some private offices."

You can contact Bob directly if you need assistance.

Thanks Bob!

PRSA Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

The Public Relations Society of America's Web site features a link to informational resources on what the organzation is doing to support Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.

Judy Phair, APR Fellow PRSA and 2005 president and CEO of the Society, sent a letter to PRSA members alerting them to the PRSA's initiatives on behalf of Hurricane Katrina Relief.

There's also a message board (for PRSA members only) to discuss the situation, as well as links to charitable organizations. You can find out more information about PRSA's efforts by visiting the Special Report: Hurricane Katrina section of their Web site.

Relief Fund Established for Graphics Sectors

We recently received an e-mail from Susie Greenwood, president and CEO of the Association of Graphic Communications, that alerts AGC members about a special relief fund established to support the graphics sector. Greenwood writes:

Dear AGC Member:

As the long term magnitude of utter devastation sustained from Hurricane Katrina becomes increasingly apparent with each passing day, and recovery efforts continue in full swing, we are asking all of our members to contribute generously to a special relief fund specific to the graphics sector.

Many of you have undoubtedly given funds to the American Red Cross or other worthy organizations already, but may not be aware that our PIA/GATF affiliate colleague, Printing Industries of the South, has created a Disaster Relief Fund to aid impacted printing/graphic communications companies in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Over 40 PIAS member companies have been completely wiped out and upwards of another 200 firms have suffered what may ultimately be irreparable damage. Thousands of employees are affected.

AGC strongly encourages you to donate to this fund. Checks may be sent to:

PIA Disaster Relief Fund
P.O. Box 19049
Nashville, Tennessee 37229

PIA of the South has also established a temporary placement service to assist those in need of employment. If you have any administrative or production openings for temporary workers, wish to donate materials or other items, or participate in any other manner, please contact Vicki Keenan at AGC, (212) 279-2100, ext. 108. She will coordinate with PIAS and also work locally within NY/NJ/CT government agencies to find housing for people you would be willing to hire.

Every contribution, however small, will help. As we in the metro area felt personally during the experience of September 11, 2001, just knowing that our fellow Americans were there for us in our hour of need meant a great deal.

Should you need further information, feel free to contact me or Vicki at 212/279-2100, extensions 115 and 108, respectively.

Thank you for your consideration and generosity.

Industry News Recap About Hurricane Katrina

Advertising Age, Thoughts on a Hurricane Tragedy's Aftermath

Adweek, Facing the Economic Fallout of Katrina

PostKatrinaTalent.org

Baton Rouge, La.-based marketing and design firm Object 9 has launched a free job listing and resume bank Web site to assist marketing, advertising, and public relations professionals displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Located at www.postkatrinatalent.org, sponsors of the Web site include Object 9, Ad Club of New Orleans, Aparajita's World, Bitworx, Baton Rouge Ad Fed, plus many more.

Click here to read the full press release.