Meet Our Team: Elizabeth Hagwood
Posted on 27. Dec, 2010 by PMGpr
Over the next few weeks, we will profile each PMGer to give you a better sense of the firm and those behind our social media channels and working on behalf of our great clients. We encourage you to start a dialogue through the comments section if you have additional questions for our do-gooders.
PMGer: Elizabeth Hagwood
On Twitter: @vt_emh
Position at PMG: account executive
Hobbies/Interests? I’m currently training for my first marathon, so I suppose running is now a hobby. This is my first full winter being settled in Vermont, so I’m really looking forward to finally exploring the mountains (skiing, hiking, attempting to ride, etc.). In the summer, you can’t beat being on the lake – preferably with a paddle of sorts or my dog’s leash in hand.
Favorite Teams/Sports? I grew up a Hokie, so my favorite team to watch is Hokie Football. Lane Stadium is consistently ranked to have the best home field advantage, so it makes for a good game. In college I also rowed, so that would have to be my favorite sport. The clicking of the oar locks, the adrenaline during races, (being able to eat whatever you’d like), and being on glassy water when the sun rises definitely trump blisters, 5am practices and a constant muscle soreness.
Favorite Foods? I love anything with bright, fresh flavors, such as Mexican or Thai, but I also love southern comfort food – the dishes where you’re not allowed to count calories, like fried chicken, BBQ (Eastern NC style, of course), biscuits and sweet tea. I love to cook too, but lately I’ve thrown recipes out the window and create my own.
Favorite Thing About Working at PMG? We’re a tight-knit bunch without the drama and politics of working in a large firm. And we have an office dog!
Best thing about living in BTV? I live three blocks from work (and the lake) and two blocks from Church Street, so the question of “Would you rather live where you work or where you play?” is something that never crosses my mind.
List a few of your favorite websites…
Hmm… In non-work-related websites, probably www.postsecret.com and www.epicurious.com.
We’re Going With Word of Mouth
Posted on 28. Oct, 2010 by Nicole Ravlin
I was out to dinner this week at a new restaurant in town with a couple of friends. We had a great time, enjoyed the atmosphere and food. The owner of the establishment came to the table and asked for feedback, which we gladly offered. The owner then went on to let us know that she would do “no advertising. At least that is not planned for the immediate future.”
The rest of the conversation went like this:
Me: Have you thought about using social media?
Restaurant Owner (RO): Um. Yeah, but we’re not going to do that. We’re going to rely on word of mouth.
Me: Oh. Do you have social media accounts built?
RO: No. Maybe sometime in the future but not now.
Me: You know, there are a few restaurant businesses in the area who opened within the past year and used social media to help build their business and increase the buzz around their openings.
RO: Yeah. We’re not going to do any advertising or social media at this time.
At this point the conversation ended.
No advertising. No social media. Basically, no marketing planned to help support the opening of the restaurant. Opening a restaurant is hard… being successful in the business is really hard. If you invest the money in a restaurant, why would you not take every opportunity to get butts in seats and feed the people?
I get that this business owner is trying to rely on people telling their friends, but in this day and age, these people are telling their friends in person, on the phone, via text and online through social sites. Why not tap into those? They are mostly free to use, except for your time.
My friends and I left and walked through the crisp evening air to our cars. We discussed how odd it was that there was no marketing – and more so, that the owner would not use Facebook at the very least to engage with the local public. We said our goodbyes and drove away.
Now 24-hours later I am still thinking about this interaction and am anxious to watch what happens to this little gem of a restaurant. I did tell at least five people about the food and recommended the restaurant. And I did not use social media to do so. I did, however, check in on Foursquare while there and tweeted a reply to a coworker about the food. So the “word of mouth” in the way that the restaurant owner wanted it to play out is happening. And, she is getting some benefit from social media – though she does not have to put in the effort to be part of the conversation. I just can’t help but wonder if the restaurant had their own presence on the mainstream social channels if they would have more customers.
It will be interesting to watch unfold.
If you are a restaurateur starting out and need some help in social media, I recommend checking out this site. You can also view this quick interview with Sarah Evans on “how to use social media in the restaurant biz”.
PMG’s Lunch Adventure
Posted on 12. Aug, 2009 by PMGpr
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kqofwGvZvw]
Hello everyone, my name is Chris Garafola and I’m honored to say I’m one of PMG’s new PR Interns. I’ve only been working here for about a month and I’m already amazed at how much I’ve learned. Having the opportunity to have a hands-on learning experience is invaluable. Currently, I’m a senior at The University of Vermont and I’m majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.
Sometimes we PMG’ers like to get together and grab a nice lunch on the town. However, since there are so many great places to eat, deciding on where to have lunch is difficult. After a few suggestions were made, my fellow Intern Joe and I decided that today would be a great day for a burger—and that’s how our lunch adventure began.
Burlington, Vermont is known to many for its rolling green mountains and Lake Champlain. Yes, it’s even reported to be the stomping grounds of Champ the iconic lake monster. Almost anyone who has heard of Burlington has also more-than- likely heard of Church Street. The cobblestoned street is the center of Burlington’s energy. Everything from nightclubs, restaurants, live music and a cone of the highly acclaimed Ben and Jerry’s can be found here. However, nestled just a couple blocks away on North Street lays a hidden treasure—and I’m not talking about gold. I’m talking about burgers! Or more notably the best burger in Vermont!
This is truly a diamond in the rough. The Shopping Bag is located in what some claim to be a “rough neighborhood”. From the outside, The Shopping Bag looked uninspiring and didn’t seem like a place worthy of “Vermont’s best Hamburger.” However, after one of my roommates ate there the day prior and described it as, “the most delicious burger I’ve ever eaten!” I felt destined to try this burger. Not to mention, Joe the intern accompanying me also happens to be one of my best friends (this is when you say “awww… how cute”).
After we mustered up enough courage to enter the store we realized it wasn’t all that bad. We found out that we needed to see the cashier after deciding what we wanted to order. After we paid, Joe and I were given a scrap piece of paper that said “Scibec Sizzler”. From there, we were informed to give this scrap paper to the grill cook. My first impression of the grill cook was that of intimidation. He was a big man who had an angry look on his face. In other words, if you were ever in a fight, you would want him on your side. However, that didn’t phase me because for some reason I saw a little twinkle in his eye which said, “I may look mean but I make a meaner burger” Once the cook grabbed our slips he disappeared in the back for a little while. At first I was confused. I didn’t know whether he was going on his break or the two swipes of Old Spice I applied in the morning didn’t do the trick. I soon learned neither was the case because he returned with two of the biggest beef patties I’ve ever seen in my life. They keep the patties in the back cooler, almost as if the burger was a brick of gold and the back was a bank vault.At this point, I arrived at the realization that I was in for the most intense burger I’ve ever eaten.
While waiting for the mammoth burger to cook I decided to wander around the store. So I’m in my own little world humming Foreigner’s Cold as Ice (I had just heard it on the radio, and you know how that goes), when I came upon an attractive poster. The poster read, “Food Network, 50 States, 50 Burgers” and on it was the best ranked burgers from each state—and guess who made the list for Vermont? If you guessed our very own Shopping Bag—you guessed right! Not only was this burger hyped up by my friends, it was given national acclaim in a praised and respected magazine. My standards were rising higher and higher as the burger sizzled on the grill. Once the half pound burger was complete (and by complete I mean grilled and topped with: dill pickles, bacon, red onion, lettuce, tomato, toasted sesame seed bun, Montreal seasoning, three slices of American cheese, mustard, ketchup and mayo) it was time to eat.
Joe and I arrived back at PMG to eat our massive burgers. The once paper bags that were holding our Sizzlers now looked like see through plastic bags from all the grease that seeped through. However, it was all worth it because this burger was A M A Z I N G! Every bite I took created a juicy mouthful of flavors that wrapped around my tongue like a kid eating his first Popsicle. I was literarily in culinary heaven. Every ingredient and topping on the burger complemented each other perfectly. The experience was great and the burger was delicious. Granted it took me 17 minutes to completely finish eating it, but it was well worth it and I plan on making an excursion back to the Shopping Bag soon for round two.
Just one more thing, if you’re planning on getting a Sizzler, plan your day ahead of time. After you eat one of these bad boys you’re not going to want to strap on the old roller blades or hit the gym. Instead, you may want to lie down and watch VH1 I love the 80s while your food coma subdues.
Gobble, Gobble… DROOL!
Posted on 22. Nov, 2008 by Nicole Ravlin
A Sample of FoodPornDaily.com
Food, glorious food! As you may know, at PMG we work with a lot of food companies, chefs, restaurants, and food lovers in general. So, in honor of the upcoming holiday where we will celebrate our nations’ history and bounty, and as you get ready to cook and indulge in one of the best feasts of the year, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite sites.
Ok, I know what you are thinking. “Nicole, porn? Really? What ARE you thinking?”
I was reminded about this site when Iza and Leah clicked over from the PMG homepage. I had forgotten that not everyone was in the know about “my little porn secret!” And then it started… they could not stop looking at the pictures. Why not spread the word?
Warning: be sure that you are not hungry before visiting this site! The pictures are amazing and you will want to head straight to the kitchen and get cooking or call-up your favorite takeout place!
From all of us at PMG Creative, Happy Thanksgiving.
Very Exciting News!
Posted on 23. Jul, 2008 by Nicole Ravlin
Chef Doug Barg
We are pleased to announce our new Consulting Executive Chef, Doug Barg!
Why would a PR firm need a chef, you ask? Well, we work with food clients. Sometimes we need some advice, insight, and expertise to draw on. We are all avid home cooks here, but none of us have been classically trained and we certainly don’t develop recipes that should be allowed outside of our own houses!
Enter Chef Barg! I have worked with him previously during my tenure at Topnotch Resort in Stowe. His resume is impressive, boasting top level chef positions at Ritz Carlton properties, The Hotel Washington, The Bay Tower Room and Serendipity. Currently you can feast on Chef Barg’s nightly creations at Edson Hill Mannor in Stowe.
He is extremely talented, and in a state that boasts a lot of great chefs (thanks in part to the lifestyle and New England Culinary Institute!), Chef Barg stands apart. His ideas are innovative and fresh, and most importantly in his role with us, Chef Barg is creative.
As our Consulting Executive Chef, Doug will assist clients with taste tests, recipe development (perhaps incorporating their products into menus), and work as a consultant at PMG on all things food.
We’re happy to be “making good” with Executive Chef Doug Barg!
Nicole
PMG is short for People Making Good. It's long for people that are making good socially, environmentally, and on the bottom line. And it describes our clients and the people we strive to work along side.
We're in our ideal habitat. Making good for responsible upstart and established clients around the country, from our home office in the northern Green Mountains. Close to some of the best skiing, hiking and natural landscapes in the northeast. Come on up.