SS PR Public Relations

SS PR also known as S&S Public Relations, is a PR firm with offices in Chicago, California (Los Angeles and Palo Alto), New York, and Colorado. It was founded in 1978 by Steve Simon and provides PR servies for general business clients. According to SS PR's website, its focus is on the high tech, medical, financial, consumer, security, and food industries. [1] In 2006, SS had 35 employees and $9,477,000 in net fees, according to O'Dwyer's ranking of independent PR firms. [2]

PR work

• Brand positioning
• Media relations - "developing different story angles for different publications, matching the message to the medium, and shaping the pitch to sell the story", their "clients appear regularly in newspapers, trade publications, business magazines, syndicated columns, online publications, radio, television"
• Product launches - they help launch new products "From children’s software and voice-over-IP gateways to brand-name ice cream bars, fast-food restaurants and web sites of all kinds", "The key to a successful product launch is talking to the right people at the right time", they release news "to specific editors, columnists and publications, targeting key contacts"
• Trade show support - they "arrange media appointments, stage press conferences, promote coverage in trade show dailies, and submit nominations for show awards"
• Financial PR
• Writing services - "writing services that covers press releases, user stories and bylined articles", they "craft a message to maximize placement opportunities"
• Crisis management - "corporate turmoil, poor earnings, a negative product review or defective product", they "put the right spin on the situation, intervene with the press as needed, and protect your good name"

PR case study

Maui Wowi: During the California wildfire crisis in October 2007, SS PR went looking for work in the area.

The SS PR website states, "Ron Puttman, a regional director of Maui Wowi, lives in San Diego. Due to the fires and road closings, he and his family were unable to check on their home. With nothing to do but wait, he decided to gather up as much supplies as possible from his nearby Maui Wowi store (They’re famous for their coffees and smoothies) and head to the closest evacuation site, the local high school. Not knowing if his own home was still standing, Ron and his wife set up their cart and handed out free coffee and smoothies to evacuees. The fresh brewed coffee and smoothies offered a tremendous amount of comfort to the hundreds of evacuees. Maui Wowi corp soon learned of this and began donating supplies.

"SS|PR was able to offer the story to a variety of media outlets. The story was featured in several trade magazines, local TV and publications. By reacting quickly, SS|PR was able to provide a positive story during the crisis."

Clients

From the firm's website and other sources, as indicated below:[3]

• Altec Lansing Technologies
• Digital Innovations
• dtSearch Corporation
• Smart Energy Solutions, marketer of the Battery Brain automotive device [4]
• Twinhead Corporation

Personnel

From the firm's website:[5]

• Steve Simon, CEO & Founder
• Jill Schmidt, Executive Vice President
• Heather Kelly, Senior Vice President
• Rena Cohen, Vice President and Senior Writer
• Belinda Banks, Vice President

Contact information

SS|PR Chicago Office
2700 Patriot Blvd., Suite 430
Glenview, IL 60026
Tel: 1 800 287 2279
Fax: 1 847 955 7720
Web: http://www.sspr.com
Blog: http://www.sspr.com/blog

SourceWatch resources

• Crisis management
• Public relations firms