National Capital Gala stops ringing in the New Year in Ottawa

Fans of the much anticipated annual National Capital Gala New Year’s Eve event were in for a major disappointment this year. In the past, the company has made a name for itself as the go-to New Year’s Eve event, but fans were left high and dry as the company seems to have inexplicably fallen off the map of the Ottawa social scene.

5 Common Event PR Mistakes

We all know that planning an event can be tricky. Though your event idea may be brilliant, there are some aspects that are often overlooked. Here are five common PR mistakes when planning an event:

Fashion Friday: Are we wearing original, copied or stolen designs?

Its not illegal to want to step out of your house looking like a million bucks and for the majority of us, we can’t afford to consistently shop every season to stay up with the ever changing trends without going broke. Or can we?

Scandal or crime? Where is the line?

Celebrities are constantly placed under a microscope. Regardless of their claim to fame, these individuals are in the public’s spotlight 24/7. In a time of mass use of social media, no word or action is easily slid under the rug. But, to what point do we stop holding these stars accountable for being human?

This issue can be best understood by comparing instances of indisputable mistakes and controversial situations. Celebrities should be held accountable for their words and actions, but support for a victim should not sway as a reflection of their public standing.

Crowbar and crowdfunding: analyzing a GoFundMe campaign for musician Kelly Jay

A screenshot of the GoFundMe campaign for Canadian musician Kelly Jay.

Kelly Jay Fordham is a Canadian musician who was a part of the Hamilton based band ‘Crowbar’ that was very successful in the 1970s. He co-wrote the song ‘Oh, What a Feeling,’ which was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011.

Unfortunately, Jay is now struggling financially, so a GoFundMe fundraiser has been created by his son to try and help him eliminate outstanding debt.

Kelly Jay has experienced several traumatic losses in his lifetime and started to struggle with hoarding a few years ago. In the 90s, Jay’s daughter went missing in Japan while working as an ESL teacher, and was never found. Shortly after, his former partner and mother of his three children was in a fatal car accident. In 2012, Jay’s wife of 15 years died of a heart attack.

PR Agencies Grooving to the Music – Tuesday Tunes

Among other years, 2015 has been yet another significant year for the music industry. Whether it is Taylor Swift’s noteworthy genre change from country to pop, Justin Bieber’s highly anticipated fourth album, or the newly announced Dixie Chicks comeback tour, none of these instances would have affected the music industry in 2015 as much as it did without the immaculate work of public relations.

It can easily be thought that Public relations agencies in the music industry amount to half an artist’s success when it comes to how, when, and where the music is distributed. The top three best music PR agencies of 2015 have been selected, but what makes them the best?

Exclusive: “Muffin Top” director Cathryn Michon talks in-depth about the film’s release strategy

Muffin Top writer, director, and star Cathryn Michon appears alongside Marissa Jaret Winokur in a scene from the film. (Unknown/unknown)

Yesterday, Threshold analyzed the release strategy accomplished actress, author, director, and screenwriter Cathryn Michon devised and executed for her recent release Muffin Top. Altogether, the campaign involved fan engagement, traditional media interviews, and one impressive social media presence.

Although currently working on several projects, including a major motion picture entitled A Dog’s Purpose which stars Dennis Quaid and features the voice of Bradley Cooper, Michon took time out of her chaotic schedule to answer our questions. Today, Threshold delves deeper into the strategy they employed and examines why the method worked so perfectly.

Movie Monday: “Muffin Top” director Cathryn Michon understands the importance of fan engagement

Cathryn Michon, the woman behind Muffin Top: A Love Story, perfectly executed a release strategy highlighting the importance of interacting with fans both online and offline. (Unknown/unknown)

For far too long, women have been underused, underrepresented, and underpaid. That has been, arguably, the worst kept secret in recent Hollywood history. Jennifer Lawrence has been vocal about the issue and has recently received much attention for speaking out. But the problem extends far beyond Lawrence and the wage gap.

Last year, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media released numbers that showed fewer women are currently working in front of and behind the camera than any other time since they started tracking the situation five years prior.

Further, the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University concluded that there are fewer women working behind the scenes now than there were in 1998, despite the general perception that tides have changed and numbers have improved. They have not. Actress, author, director, screenwriter, and feminist Cathryn Michon was fundamentally frustrated and wanted to change the statistics.

Joly and the NCC: controversy surrounding our new Minister of Canadian Heritage

Canadian flag at the top of the Peace Tower. Photo by Kayley Kennedy.

Mélanie Joly is a former public relations executive, lawyer, and politician who is the new Minister of Canadian Heritage, and overlooks arts funding in Canada.

Shortly after the election and her appointment as a minister, there were debates about Joly’s new responsibilities as the Minister of Canadian Heritage. I argue that this ‘controversy’ will not have a sustainable impact on her reputation because arguments against her are based on assumptions that underestimate her passion and abilities.

Tuesday Tunes: Who Runs the World? Once Again, GIRLS.

“What’s been going on in the world of music?” she asks, in all sincerity. “I feel out of the loop!” The only possible response is way too easy: Well, there’s this one album the entire industry is waiting for… (Rolling Stone/ Photo by Theo Wenner)

Hello, it’s me, who is here to inform you that Adele has yet again created another unstoppable album coincidently linked with some interesting controversial release tactics. Since the release of Adele’s new single Hello on October 23, buzz about her new album 25 skyrocketed with fans around the world. The highly anticipated comeback album was delivered on November 20. Adele had not released a new album since 2011.