The Cipher Room

Media Training: Excellent spokesperson interview

Room 40 — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:17:55 +0000

When doing media training sessions, I often get questions about examples of good interviews. This one came across my desk and I thought it was terrific to share. The interview is about the controversy over Usage Based Billing (UBB) and Teksavvy’s spokesperson, George Burger, does an excellent job of not only making his case in clear terms, but he does a fantastic job in dealing with a challenging host in the CBC’s Kevin O’Leary. Burger’s interview segment starts at the 5:00 mark.

Room 40 helps Sheridan professor celebrate Beatles Degree

Room 40 — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:26:54 +0000

Sheridan College Professor, Mary-Lu Zahalan has become the first person to graduate from the world’s first master’s degree program in The Beatles. Room 40 Communications worked with Sheridan College and Mary-Lu to celebrate her achievement after her graduation on Wednesday, January 26, 2011. Using our media relations expertise with the Canadian market, Room 40 helped Mary-Lu’s story reach millions of people coast-to-coast. See Mary-Lu’s interview on Canada AM from this morning right here:

Sheridan College's Mary-Lu Zahalan on CTV's Canada AM

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/top-picks/beatles-brain/#clip408179

Room 40 Case Study: McDonald’s Canada

Room 40 — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:35:59 +0000

When McDonald’s Canada needed a new approach to its corporate social responsibility report, it turned to Room 40 Communications. Using our effective story-driven approach to corporate messaging, Room 40 created a narrative that showcases McDonald’s Canada’s dedication to customers, employees and the community.

Click here to read more about Room 40′s work with McDonald’s Canada.

Bad PR idea #24: Parasailing Donkey

Room 40 — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:51:18 +0000

From the San Francisco Chronicle: How do you get attention for your new resort in southern Russia? Strap a terrified donkey to a parasail and hit the throttle!

The donkey survived, and police are investigating.

NASA’s Apollo astronaut insurance policy

Room 40 — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:23:16 +0000

How do you insure someone who is uninsurable? If you were an Apollo astronaut the solution was to create a collectable prior to you mission. It became customary for astronauts to sign these Insurance Covers, which were held by NASA. In the case of a catastrophe, these would have been presumably auctioned off and the proceeds have gone to the families. I’m certain it wasn’t something NASA was eager to talk about at all back in the day.

Buzz Aldrin's Apollo 11 Insurance Cover, postmarked July 20th 1969 and signed by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin

See more of these Insurance Covers here.