Tuesday, January 22, 2008

WGA Strike To End Soon Predicts PR Food King



Leo Pearlstein with
George McQuade
(photo by Howard Pearlstein)


“The WGA Strike Will
Likely End Soon” Says
Food PR King at
At Summer EPPS Mixer


By George S. Mc Quade III, West Coast Bureau Chief

“I think today with the Directors Guild of America making some concessions, it’s a good move and hopefully it will motivate both sides - the striking Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to reached an agreement,” said Lee Pearlstein, author and owner of Lee & Associates, Los Angeles. Pearlman, attending the BusinessWire, Entertainment Publicists Professional Society (EPPS) Winter mixer at the Celadon Restaurant, West LA. Pearlstein has been promoting products with celebrities for more than 50 years. He knows about celebrity egos, high stakes, tense meetings and places.

Pearlstein predicts the WGA strike Will End In January

“I personally think they (AMPTP) see the writing on the wall, I believe the Oscars will be on, I predict within the next week there may be something heavy takes place, and I hope they do settle,” said Pearlman. “I’ve got two associates that are both caterers and professional food stylists, along with professional home economists and professional chefs that losing money due the strike. The home economist laid her entire staff off, because they’re not taking any food photos for the sitcoms and the caterer doesn’t have any wrap parties, so the employees don’t have any work and there are no food events due to the strike’s domino effect.” he explained.

Entertainment Publicity Needs More Gimmicks

Pearlstein also believes entertainment publicists need to get creative again and bring back the “gimmicks.” The food publicity pioneer shares 50 years of entertaining inside stories about placing products everything from turkey to vegetables to even honey on TV cooking and talk shows from John Carson days to modern day TV. His most recent book

“Celebrity Stew” (www.celebritystew.com) is still a hot item along with another book he penned called “Recipes of The Stars” featuring “A” celebrities such as Bob Hope, Mickey Rooney, Phyllis Diller, Jimmy Durante, Abbot & Costello, Wayne Newton, Steven Allen and even President Kennedy to name a few. Coining phrases and promoting potatoes –from Groucho Marx to Mickey Mouse. He created such nicknames on TV as Miss Turkey, Miss Cucumber, and Mrs. Cubbinson Stuffing.

His product placements were impressive from TV talk shows to even Mrs. Cubbinson Dressing in the movie “Oh God,” with the late Singer-Songwriter John Denver.

While Leo Pearlstein is prominently known by many in his profession as a pioneer in the world of food promotion, he did not just decide to retire one day after working more than 50 years and write a book about his colorful life with many of the elite of Hollywood royalty. Not a chance.

“Ties Are Best PR” says Leo Pearlstein

“Tie-ins are the best things for PR,” explained Pearlstein. “”We used to do a lot of product placement with the entertainment industry. I was thrilled with the product placement, and it didn’t cost us any money. One of the best PR guys at Warner Bros said to me, ‘I’ll be glad to put your stuff in my movie, but what can you do for me?’ I said, ‘I’ll help you publicize that movie in channels you don’t have. I’ll get you on the food pages, and say your actresses’ favorite recipe. And he said fine, ‘you help me plug the movie, I’ll help you plug your products.’”

Advice to prepare for the field of PR?



Karen Collins, MarketWire wins
O'Dwyer's PR Directory

“If my grandkid were going into the business I would first of all say, ‘there’s no substitute for school, for college and learning how to spell, and write and so on academically. There’s no substitute at all. The next thing is become an intern and get some practical experience. The next thing we do and a lot of people do in this business is read the paper, listen to the radio, watch TV and know what’s going on. If an opportunity comes, you don’t think about it, you jump on it instantly. That’s what makes a good publicist. You better do it in good taste, so you don’t offend the medium, the audience and you don’t offend the client. Those are the basics,” said Pearlstein. “These people should be networking tonight at this mixer, looking for tie-ins, and ways to help each other. I think tie-ins are the best PR.”

This public relations giant, known as America's unofficial "king of culinary public relations," still clocks in more than 40 hours a week, spearheading his successful Los Angeles public relations and advertising agency. It took him nearly two years just to find the time between various promotional campaigns to go through the many files of his cherished vintage celebrity photos of the likes of Bob Hope, Mickey Rooney, Groucho Marx, Abbott & Costello, Bing Crosby, Danny Thomas, Dinah Shore, Phyllis Diller and literally hundreds of others. All of them are posing with one of his many clients' food products for publicity purposes.

Whether these super celebrities were seen cooking or posing with prunes, eggs, turkeys, potatoes, chives or boysenberries, for example, every photo has a unique and entertaining story that goes with it. "Celebrity Stew" offers a fascinating peek into Pearlstein's behind-the-scenes world of product/celebrity publicity.

When he brought a rough copy of "Celebrity Stew" to his friend, Steve Allen, for advice, to his surprise and delight, Allen who had written over 50 books, offered to write the foreword. Allen played a significant part in Pearlstein's adventures in TV promotion, as illustrated in a hilarious chapter titled," Steve Allen, Man For All Seasonings."

Pearlstein started his working life in his parents' grocery store in Los Angeles. He was an award-winning student and one of the earliest marketing graduates from the University of Southern California. In the late 40s, he went to work for Jenkins & Large, a Los Angeles advertising and public relations agency owned by movie star Eddie Bracken, as well as working with Bracken Television Productions. Bracken disbanded the company in 1950, giving Pearlstein the opportunity to take his food accounts with him and open his own agency, Lee & Associates (www.leeassociates.com)

One of the Most Embarrassing Moments: A Few New Wrinkles On Prunes



Leo Pearlstein & Son Howard

Pearlstein recalled his most embarrassing moment involving the sensitive the 64-member California Advisory Prune Board. The client of more than 10 years was watching the hottest show on the air “What’s My Line?” “When Comedian Jimmy Durante and Soupy Sales had a ball asking ‘Miss Prune’ (Karen Linsay) got her title. Lines like ‘why don’t you just say you got the title by process of elimination, and that it kept you running,’ didn’t sit too well with the board. But the comedians and even Dinah Shore said great things about Prunes, including how they got rid of wrinkles and made your skin more healthy. “However, when my son Howard Pearlstein went the next meeting of the sensitive Prune board, the chairman of the board wanted to fire me.”

Scores of stars have since participated in his brand of publicity that benefits products and celebrities equally. Today, Leo's innovative agency continues to thrive, specializing in public relations, marketing and advertising. He loves his work, and it shows.


Girls in the hood of EPPS

The next EPPS event is media workshop: TV BOOKERS/TALK SHOW BOOKERS - February 21, and will be held at the ICG Local 600 Auditorium, 7755 Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, CA., 90046, 8:80 a.m. RSVPs at www.eppsonline.org.


MAYO PR - "We don't guarantee media, we just get it!"

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Some highlights of the very stormy 2007 in PR













The Best of 2007 On www.odwyerpr.com





Commentary: Twitter Chatter - Nov. 27, 2007
...Commentaries on subject matter are welcome. Personal attacks are not allowed. O'Dwyer's reserves the right to cover any story it deems newsworthy. Responses: George McQuade, MAYO Communications, Los Angeles (12/03): Greg, Good stuff. I have learned that it is now easier to produce a blog for someone...

FCC Charges 'Willful Violation' - Nov. 28, 2007
...Commentaries on subject matter are welcome. Personal attacks are not allowed. O'Dwyer's reserves the right to cover any story it deems newsworthy. Responses: George McQuade, MAYO Communications, Los Angeles (12/03): I've seen worse videos on KNBC-TV when I was a producer and writer. Even hard copy...

Discussing Past Failures O.K. in Interviews - April 27, 2007
...NY 10016; Tel: 212/679-2471; Fax: 212/683-2750 ODWYERPR.COM > Newsreturn to main page April 27, 2007 PAST FAILURES ARE O.K. DURING JOB INTERVIEW By George McQuade West Coast Correspondent Don't be afraid to talk about past professional failures during a job interview, said Madelyn Hammond, senior...

Werden: Use Caution with Blogs - Jan. 22, 2007
...#600, New York, NY 10016; Tel: 212/679-2471; Fax: 212/683-2750 ODWYERPR.COM > Newsreturn to main page Jan. 22, 2007 WERDEN: USE CAUTION WITH BLOGS By George McQuade West Coast Correspondent Publicists have to be careful when dealing with bloggers because some of them play fast and lose with the...

Sex Sells, Say EPPS Members - July 25, 2007
...always think sexy is cool, and they will also get people to visit to see how they are trying to promote themselves under the new sex appeals." * * * George McQuade is this website's West Coast bureau chief. return to main page of odwyerpr.com >> Click here to print "...

Give Us Mel Gibson, Reuters Tells Celeb PR Vets - Oct. 3, 2006
...main page Oct. 3, 2006 GIVE US MEL GIBSON, REUTERS TELLS CELEB PR VETS Bob Tourtellotte, west coast media correspondent for Reuters Story and photos: George McQuade Don't bother inviting Reuters to a red carpet event because the wire service has neither the time nor manpower to cover such a gala....

College Career Corner - Entrepreneurial Skills - Dec. 11, 2006
...& MAYO PR, LA/NY (1/04): Jack, You're right on the money. Students should have a plan B. Our firm was only a hobby on the internet 12 years ago. When George McQuade got laid off from a well-established public affairs firm, he helped launch it full time. After you leave school you begin your...

L.A. Times Pushes 'The Envelope' - Dec. 12, 2006
...#600, New York, NY 10016; Tel: 212/679-2471; Fax: 212/683-2750 ODWYERPR.COM > Newsreturn to main page Dec. 12, 2006 L.A. TIMES PUSHES 'THE ENVELOPE' By George McQuade West Coast Correspondent TheEnvelope.com, which is billed as the "ultimate awards site," has enabled the Los Angeles...

Variety Wants to Take Own Pix - April 11, 2006
...#600, New York, NY 10016; Tel: 212/679-2471; Fax: 212/683-2750 ODWYERPR.COM > News return to main page April 11, 2006 VARIETY WANTS TO TAKE OWN PIX By George McQuade West Coast Correspondent "Relationships are critical when it comes to getting a good story and photo placement in...

Freelance Writers Spill the Beans - April 24, 2006
...New York, NY 10016; Tel: 212/679-2471; Fax: 212/683-2750 ODWYERPR.COM > News return to main page April 24, 2006 FREELANCE WRITERS SPILL THE BEANS By George McQuade West Coast Correspondent "If you have any juicy gossip call me," said Debra Kaufman, a freelance journalist at an...

Perfecting a 10-Second Pitch - June 27, 2006
...pitch with a friend in the media before going national. Padnos has found that local editors usually have the same questions as people at larger outlets. George McQuade, president-elect of EPPS and western bureau chief for this website, moderated the session. " class="verdananocolor12pxbold">Tell...

Good Time to Be PR Pro in L.A. - Feb. 2, 2006
...#600, New York, NY 10016; Tel: 212/679-2471; Fax: 212/683-2750 ODWYERPR.COM > News return to main page Feb. 2, 2006 GOOD TIME TO BE PR PRO IN L.A. By George McQuade West Coast Events Correspondent Publicists were upbeat at EPPS' winter mixer. "There are more employed publicists now than I...

Narnia's Success Story Told - Feb. 21, 2006
...#600, New York, NY 10016; Tel: 212/679-2471; Fax: 212/683-2750 ODWYERPR.COM > News return to main page Feb. 21, 2006 NARNIA'S SUCCESS STORY TOLD By George McQuade West Coast Correspondent Walt Disney Co. used a Christian pitch to "hook" the media on its blockbuster film, "The...

Hollywood Bookers Seek Pitches - May 31, 2006
...#600, New York, NY 10016; Tel: 212/679-2471; Fax: 212/683-2750 ODWYERPR.COM > News return to main page May 31, 2006 HOLLYWOOD BOOKERS SEEK PITCHES By George McQuade West Coast Correspondent "If you want to do a story about grapefruit, we don't do it. If you want to do a story about Julie...

Publicity Photo - EPPS Mixes It Up - Aug. 9, 2006
...IT UP "We have a lot to celebrate, and much work ahead of us," said Entertainment Publicists Professional Society's newly installed president George McQuade, a VP of Mayo Communications. EPPS members display door prizes from the group's mid-summer event. McQuade welcomed more than 100...

Mayo's McQuade Elected EPPS Prez - July 10, 2006
...#600, New York, NY 10016; Tel: 212/679-2471; Fax: 212/683-2750 ODWYERPR.COM > News return to main page July 10, 2006 MAYO'S MCQUADE ELECTED EPPS PREZ George McQuade, VP of Mayo Communications in Los Angeles, has been elected president of the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society. George...



MAYO PR - "We don't guarantee media, we just get it!"