Last Wednesday was the launch of PRinks NZ!  A group originally from Sydney and run by Gemma Crowley and Roger Christie is now run by rockstar PR here in New Zealand!

Fantastic first shot, great turnout and fabulous feedback from those who attended!  Check the evidence page to see images of some of our PRinks NZ members and see you at the next round on December 9th!

Sydney Public Relations network PRinks - run by Gemma Crowley and Roger Christie - is launching in New Zealand, bridging the ditch between Australia and New Zealand for Professional PR collaboration.

Launching on Wednesday November 11th, PRinks NZ times their debut drinks with PRinks Sydney's round four event. 

PRinks Australia and New Zealand isn't precious about attendees and welcomes all walks from the Marketing / Public Relations / Communications / Journalism / Media and other umbrellas to join the group and catch up with others.

People keen to attend should join the official PRinks facebook page for further updates!

Really, I'd be the last person to say I that I was too busy to do something.  I'm the yes girl!  So for me to use a "I've been too busy" excuse for not updating the rockstar PR diary.. is more than slack.. it's completely unimaginative and dumb.

It's kind of the truth though.  So, as I've done before during "busy times"  here is  a quick update on what's been going on in RPR.

I went back to school!  True I did, not PR school but Makeup school!  While I adore PR and this will always be my core work, I have always wanted to learn how to paint faces!  So, what I thought would be a quiet winter with the recession and everything else, I decided to go and learn.  And learn I did!  I attended SRA in Parnell, Auckland and came out with a fabulous experience and a set of new skills.  Freelancing in makeup artistry will be something to add to the RPR stable.. not sure how this will fit but I'm sure I can make it!  Perhaps a makeup client might knock on our door?  Who knows!

While I was swanning off at school and right now too actually, we have all been working super hard to get our Christmas PR plans sorted!  If you have a product that needs to have an increase on sales around Christmas, get in touch with us.. it isn't too late! Plus we have a couple of new options for Publicity that we are dying to show off.. it's a very exciting time at RPR.

A new network for NZ, that is already well established in Australia - PRinks is coming to our shores and will be run by rockstar PR!  This is an industry network group meeting monthly to share ideas and strengthen our relationships.  Big news for those of us in the industry, but we are also very keen to have clients come speak about your experiences in PR.. good and bad!  So again, please get in touch if you would like the stage to help educate us!

To finish off this somewhat novel of an update.. three rockstars in the stable are having a fabulous time right now:

- Massive congratulations to Lisa Turley on her business success!  Not only did she show at Toast Festival in London but several stores at home in NZ have picked up her pieces!  She is on the road to becoming a major ROCKSTAR! www.lisasarah.com

- Also, Paul Kettel.. now if you don't know about him.. you must be living under a rock! Paul was a finalist out of 1500 entries in the ANZANG Competition!  His work is utterly amazing - best check him out right now (I don't mind you navigating away from this page) www.paulkettel.com

- China White is rocking stronger than ever.. they are developing their business and are on the look out for a fantastic area manager for Auckland.. if this sounds like you, get in touch with me and we can chat!  Failing that - check out the website and try some of this delicious tea!  www.chinawhite.co.nz

Signing off for now.. and back to regular updates in the diary!  As alway, love to hear from you, our dear readers, feel free to drop us a line or give us a call!

Lou xx

Loving twitter right now!  Who knew it could be so addictive and what's more, so beneficial.  Contacts which would have been nigh on impossible to make are done in 140 characters and from the comforts of the office and home!  No stupid small talk either.. with just the 140 characters, there really isn't room for it.  You just get on with your impact statement, question, link, information whatever, and it's done.

Anyhow, what got me thinking.. yes it does happen occasionally - is how I can use twitter for something fun and engaging with my new twitter friends.  Just to test if as well as beneficial, we can also have some fun too.

Now, backing the truck up slightly, my whole team and I spend time cruising the sites of other PR businesses, not in a "seeing what they're up to" thing, but more to understand what they are about, potentially get to know them and then use them when we need help and vice versa.  Contrary to common thinking - most agencies are not "in it for themselves" we all know where our strengths lie and the sorts of clients we prefer to look after, so usually, if we are professional at what we do, we tend to become colleagues with other agencies and work together to achieve the best outcome for the client.

Alot of my cruises have seen other PR sites give a full explanation over what PR actually is.  You'll find this isn't on my site anywhere, largely because to me, there is no one explanation over what PR is for every single person.  It changes depending on the client, the work they do, what they need to happen etc.  However, after talking with some twitter friends, apparently I should have a go at defining PR like everyone else does. 

So, back to my thought of using twitter for something fun.  I want everyone on my twitter list - and anyone who gets an RT from not being, to come up with your own definition of PR in 140 characters.  I'll put them all on a page on my site and the best one will get something cool.  Free PR if you're a business perhaps?  Bottle of wine or something else if you're not?  Whatever, we'll sort something out.  I'll have a go too!

So, what are you waiting for - use twitter to help my quest and win something.

Ready.... GO - WHAT IS PR?

Part of our job is to keep abreast with what's going on overseas as well as in our own fine country. Latest thing to give us a giggle is Effing Cards in the UK.  Colourful cards with phrases that really get the point across such as "I effing love you" and "Well done You got an effing job"  Slightly more crass cards available too, perfect for those who like a laugh and don't take things too personally.

Check Effing Cards out online - www.effingcards.com Right now they will send your cards anywhere in the world (anonymously too) for less than a dollar! 

Effing choice!

Most of our clients know this.. but, it's possible that you dear reader did not know that rockstar PR is in fact a lot bigger than all of us who work here let on.  We go on and on about our preference to support the small fish, the underdog, the independent designer / entrepreneur / nutty ideas person and leave the big fish for the corporate publicist circles.  What we don't tell you is probably something we should talk about more.  That is....

We are an international pr agency.

There I said it.  At the risk of sounding like a big bunch of jetsetting, expense account, talker-uppers, rockstar PR is just about in every country in the world.  So, our clients who are of the small-fry variety, stick with us, because, while we do work from modest spaces, use cafe's as our boardroom and the local wine bar as our celebratory win win Wednesday spot, we have the ability to send their products from little old New Zealand to Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, London and basically anywhere in the greater UK area, New York City, LA, Arizona, Seattle and a bunch of other spots in the US, a large part of Europe, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore.... the list goes on.   What's important to stipulate here is that we are NOT a multi million dollar empire.  Puzzled yet?  

This diary post is supposed to be about Lisa and her success.. so, how did she get to showcase her gorgeous works at Toast Festival in London, while bathing her two year old and entertaining her four year old from her living room in Auckland, New Zealand?

She hooked up with one of rockstar PR's many international partners who took on the project, learnt the "life of Lisa" lived and breathed her passions, understood her designs, then, organised everything across the pond, leaving Lisa to continue with her most important job - being a Mum.

And what a success.  The exposure was huge!  The team on the ground at Toast did a superb job and gave Lisa's works a great start for international stardom.  All of it was done online (very green), with a little help from NZ Post, a little challenge with LHR Customs but most importantly determination from Lisa and her family and the amazing power of true communication from one little PR agency in Auckland, New Zealand to another half way around the world.

Congratulations Lisa Turley from all of at rockstar PR here in New Zealand and our friends all over the world!

Check out Lisa's works online at www.lisasarah.com

So what do you do if you're a designer and there is a really great exhibition going on in London that you'd love to show at but realistically you can't just jet straight over there and do it?  I mean, what if you're a Mum with two children under five... what if you have a busy business to run as well as a household... what do you do?  This exhibition would be fabulous exposure!

These very questions were posed to Lisa Turley - designer for LisaSarah.com.  The Toast Festival in London is one of the biggest and busiest expos for expats in the year.  A marvellous opportunity for Lisa to show her pieces.. but how would she do it...

Check back here soon to see the tremendous tale unfold on what Lisa did next and how rockstar PR helped get her dream off the ground!

We did it!  We took the plunge! Dressed as pirates (sort of) we plunged for Heart Children New Zealand in a freezing cold icy spa pool for five minutes!

It was cold, but surprisingly not nearly as bad as I thought it would be - definitely doing it again next year!

You can still donate to Heart Children by visiting their website www.heartchildren.org.nz

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me to do this - we helped raise $25,000!

Hello friends, family, clients, colleagues and everyone else!

I've set up a web page at http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/ROCKSTARPR/

I am doing the Heart Stopper Challenge in Auckland to raise money for Heart Children New Zealand. This means that on Wednesday 27th May at 3pm(ish) I will get into a freezing cold spa pool and sit there for five minutes!

All of you who know me well, know that I am not a fan of the cold, so this challenge is going to be really hard for me. I really need your support to do this so please get your credit cards out and sponsor me to do this challenge so I can help Heart Children help the twelve babies born every week with heart defects.

Donating money to a cause can take some deciding over - I get that. So look at it this way - every time I see each and every one of you (or not.. if it's been a while!) we will normally have a couple of coffees or a glass of wine.. instead of doing this, put the$5, $10 or moreyou would normally spend on the coffee or the wine to my fundraiser page - and the next time we meet - it's on me.

It can't possibly be easier than that!

Thank you so much in advance for all the lovely dollars you are putting toward this cause!

Lou xx

PS - You can also join in my team if you would like to plunge in the pool with me! AND if you are free on 27 May at 3pm you can also come down and show your support in person.

I'd like to introduce you to the latest discovery from rockstar PR... designer Lisa Turley and her fabulous outside art!  NZ'ers love hanging outside as often as possible.  Even when it's freezing cold we get those patio heater things just so we can be outside, so what better way to decorate your outdoors space with some fabulous artworks!

Made from weather-friendly stainless steel, Lisa Turley has designed an inspiring range to give your space outside a bit of a lift!  Check her works now online at www.lisasarah.com

Come to cross street studios for an interactive night of mix media art work & interactive sillyness.

Saturday 25th April 2009, from 8pm.

Paintings, illustrations, makeup artistry,face painting........tutti fruity music & a big punch bowl!

Get your comedy portrait taken and become part of the exhibition(running 25th April - 1st May)

Dress code: Ridiculous Fabulousness

Bring: fancy dress, silly props, contribution for punch & a sense of humour

Maria Leyden (Aunty Mazarith) is a First Class Honours graduate from London College of Fashion, studying BA Costume, Technical Effects & Makeup for the Performing Arts.

Professionally she has worked as a makeup artist in theatre, television, film, opera, circus, fashion, advertising, teaching and events. Recently she has created interactive art installations / community art projects for festivals around New Zealand.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Maria is currently working and collaborating with international artists expanding her skill set further into art direction, illustration, painting, graphics and photography. She has set her sights on traveling around the world gaining further ability, expertise and experience while building her international CV.

'This is an exhibition / event to get people involved in having fun with their creativity- bright colours, comedy faces and novelty moustaches'

For more information contact rockstar PR - lou@rockstarpr.co.nz

So here's what I'd like you to do.  If you have a full time job, in a reasonably secure environment, i.e. slim to no chance of you being made redundant in the near future.. I'd like you to go and spend some money.  I don't mean go and get another credit card I mean.. go and buy your lunch, buy a coffee, pick up flowers on your way home from work, perhaps get those over the knee boots you want.

SPEND YOUR MONEY.

You are in a fortunate position to help.  Help a business from shutting its doors.  Help a retailer from making their staff redundant, helping someone who is self-employed stave off the possible inevitable.

So, what's got me raving about this?  As I write, I am looking out of my office window where I can see a number of stores with NO CUSTOMERS!  Given that I don't keep watch all the time, I might be wrong and they might be doing a roaring trade.  However, on the off-chance that I am right and these businesses are struggling - how great would it be if everyone who was in a position to, bought something that they don't normally and potentially helped save a business. 

Of course not limited to retail... trades are probably feeling it too so if it's broken - get it fixed!  

Novel really isn't it..

rockstar PR is now on twitter!  Come follow us!  http://twitter.com/roxstar_pr  and if you are a real fan, you can find us on facebook too by clicking here

Aside from the fact that lovely Joanna from www.prettyprettypretty.com has just posted an interview with me, you should all visit her site right now.  Essentially, it's all about pretty things, things that are good and how to get them and things that are bad and how to avoid them.  There is a fabulous bit about how to fix a broken eyeshadow and also a commentary on New Zealand's Next Top Model.. a show I am hopeless addicted to.

Joanna and her business partner Amy are supporters of local business (Thanks!!) and are full of completely unbiased information on all things that are pretty and lovely.  It really is a fabulous site so hurry up, get a wriggle on and head on over to www.prettyprettypretty.com now!

So it turns out that a friend has discovered this amazing thing.  He told me about it.. naturally I was completely blown away by it, and it's going to turn into a business.  But get this.. this business is a helping business!  So, if you play your cards right, it could mean that this amazing discovery will help you out in the near future... confused?  Don't be.. best thing for you to do is to watch this space as there is a good chance rockstar PR will be helping out.  And if we are, well, it'll be hard to shut us up about this magic amazing helping thing, so you could do worse than check back to this site regularly for more updates.

OR

If you were really clever, you could just sign up and then when we had the full story of the amazing magic helping thing, we could email you and let you know about it..

Over bad beer?  Want a good beer?  Then check out EPIC beer. 

Indpendently brewed by Luke Nicholas, EPIC beer actually has flavour.. largely down to the insane number of fifteen hops inside every bottle, but also down to the dose of awesome Luke chucks in the blend at the same time.

It's available everywhere cool right now.. visit EPIC beer online here then go buy EPIC beer from any of these places

People still ask me what rockstar PR does.  "What do you do again?" they ask, and I tell them, I'm a publicist for my business rockstar PR.  "Ohhh" they say.  "So what's that then?"  is usually the next question.

So in short, what I do and what other publicists do is tell the story.  You tell us about your business, your product, your fabulous news and we in turn pass the story on to the media who REALLY tell the story.  That's the short version anyway, but ultimately it's about letting people know about what products you have for sale in a compelling way so that they will be excited to try them and then make your product a regular purchase.

So, does your business have a story to share?  Get in touch with us, we can help.

We now have a "sign up" page on the site!  It's not tricky at all to do and if you do sign up not only do you get to be added to our little black book, but it means you will be amongst the first to get fabulous tickets, product samples, salacious gossip updates and much much more!

So go on... sign up... do it. 

ROCKSTAR PR WANTS YOU!

Today MAC cosmetics launched their collaboration range with Japanese icon "Hello Kitty" into stores.  My local MAC outlet is a regular haunt for me and I was looking forward to seeing the range in it's retail glory so had made a mental note to check it out.  Funnily enough (but not entirely abnormal) I had completely forgotten, so after meeting a friend for coffee today was happily reminded after seeing the commotion going on at MAC St Lukes. 

The range is just as I had imagined... very pink and glittery and gorgeous!  Not a huge fan of the kitty design exterior but as they say - it's what's on the inside that counts!  See the range online at www.maccosmetics.com or better yet, get in store and get one of the artists to show you so you can experience Hello Kitty for yourself!

After speaking to one of the artists at MAC the range has become hugely popular and selling out all over the place so if you are keen on a little kitty flavour in your make up case.. this is the range for you!

Crazily ironic.. the last day of summer and we are in the middle of a storm!  Nice work weather gods, nice work!

It's not all doom and gloom though - Auckland City Council are having another crack at changing the hearts and minds of ratepayers by running the open air movie nights again.  Course I am a bit slow to catch on having missed a couple already but we are full steam ahead with the programme going forward.  Get in touch if you want to join us!