Events, public relations • June 3rd, 2008

Riversplash shots blur future

by Karl Robe

This just in … man shot in downtown Milwaukee … too many drinks lead to drunken brawl.

Could be any Saturday night in our fair city of beer and brats, right? But this donnybrook has drawn extraordinary attention for its proximity to Riversplash, the unofficial kickoff to Milwaukee’s pride- and revenue-producing festival season.

Organizers of Riversplash, which takes place on the Milwaukee River, have a window of opportunity to ensure the event sees its 20th anniversary in 2009. More than anything, they must take immediate, public and ongoing action that demonstrates how things will work differently moving forward.

While every situation is different, damage control typically starts with taking steps to identify what went wrong, what will be changed and what will be done in the future to prevent Riversplash from becoming “Thugland by the Riv.”

For politicians, event organizers must give them the cover they need with their constituents to once again support Riversplash. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-WV, summarizes constituent relationships very well.

“Convince my constituents,” he says. “If they’re for you, I’m for you. If they’re against you, there isn’t a way on God’s green earth I’m going to support you.”

Part of this constituency includes media and talk show hosts. Event organizers must demonstrate why the story line and commentary should focus on organizers’ ability to hold a safe, fun, family event over the past 19 years and what is being done to ensure another 19 years of prosperity.

Sponsors of events like this also are part of the constituency. As of this posting, event sponsor Miller Beer has not yet pulled the drain plug on its support for Riversplash. But rest assured, if steps are not taken to reverse the perception of how this festival “devolved over the years into a drunken brawl,” as some have described it, activist groups and other people with an axe to grind will come out against continued sponsorship.

Mayor Tom Barrett and Ald. Bob Bauman, according to a Journal Sentinel editorial, said they will be taking a closer look at similar street festivals this year and, in particular, area bars.

If you are an event organizer within a splash of Vermouth of Milwaukee, you, too, will be wise to recheck your policies and procedures, as well as your crisis plan.

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Events, Fundraising, Global Concerns, Grass Roots Organization • May 13th, 2008

Help needed ASAP

by Chris Lato

Regular visitors to this site know we’re all about the politics, the public affairs, the public relations, the messaging…you know the score. Today I’m doing something a bit different - asking for your help for a good cause.

This Saturday, in downtown Milwaukee, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Greater Milwaukee Chapter is holding its annual NAMIWalks event. The honorary chairman is Green Bay Packer Greg Jennings and his lovely wife Nicole, who I understand will be there to walk as well.

Avicom Marketing Communications is involved as a sponsor of the event and has a team entered in the fundraiser. I will be peeling my butt off the couch and taking part. I’m asking you to do what you can to support the cause and give what you can. The program is worthy, the effort needs your help and anything you can pitch in would be welcome. NAMI is heavily involved in supporting those struggling with mental illness, along with offering support services to their families. Check out their website if you’d like to learn more.

If you can even give a few bucks, it is very easy to donate online by visiting my NAMIWalks webpage. I’m aiming low ($100 in donations) and hoping to succeed beyond my wildest goals. But I need more than donations from mom and dad to help out.

A sincere thanks for anything you can do. And now we return you to your regularly scheduled blog…

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2008 Primaries, Events, Leadership, Speeches • April 15th, 2008

Random campaign trail notes…

by Chris Lato

I see no exciting theme from today’s news feeds, but here are a few fun items of note:

• Union members picket DNC in Michigan and Florida. How low will Hillary go to sew up the nomination???? Actually, it’s just an educated guess that the Clinton team is behind it. Have fun working that little snafu out, DNC! Having said that, those states made their bed and now they have to lie in it, as my mama used to say.
• From the ‘Worst Kept Secrets’ File: McCain prefers to run against Clinton. No s**t, Sherlock, what was your first clue?…as an old buddy used to say.
• The “We’ll Pass, But Thanks for Playing” Award goes to Bob Barr, who is striving to become the Ralph Nader of 2008. Always aim higher, as my teacher used to say.
• The Idiot of the Week Award goes to this guy. Geez, racist much? Keep it up and I’ll wash your mouth out with soap, as my grandma used to say.
• Barack Obama is a liberal elitist who looks down his nose at Middle America. Paging John Kerry! He knows a thing or two about answering to this charge (belatedly). This line of attack pretty much writes itself and rest assured, you have not heard the last of it. As for Obama’s awfully misguided comments, never forget your audience, as some former bosses used to say.

Now get your butt outside and clean up the yard, as my daddy used to say.

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Events, Views on News • April 11th, 2008

Observations from Madison

by Chris Lato

I had the pleasure of attending the Wisconsin Women in Government event last night at the Monona Terrace. Packed house, saw plenty of old pals and made a couple of new connections. It was a big night at the Terrace, between this event and the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation fundraiser raging away upstairs. Those docs know how to party!

Attorney General Van Hollen was there, taking a bit of good-natured ribbing about his stance on the Sirius-XM satellite radio merger that has been pending since the dawn of man. (By the way, as an avid Sirius listener, I say the merger can’t happen fast enough.) First Lady Jessica Doyle, former First Lady Sue Ann Thompson, and Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson were among the top Wisconsin women in attendance.

The keynote speaker last night was Jenna Bush. Her transformation from First Party Girl to poised, reasonably articulate First Daughter is pretty much complete. She spoke of her experiences working with AIDS-ravaged nations as part of UNICEF. Ms. Bush received a warm welcome from a crowd that, it is safe to say, included many who vehemently disagree with her father’s administration. As I sat in the audience, I half-expected someone to leap up in protest and start screaming “No blood for oil!” It was Madison, after all. But nope, it never happened. No protestors outside, either. The cold and heavy rain must have scared them off. The crowd was respectful.

Wisconsin Women in Government does a fair job of walking the bipartisan line, basically picking Republican-leaning folks to speak one year, and Democrat speakers the next. For example, last year, Elizabeth Edwards spoke.

These observations all tied together for me as I think back on an interesting conversation I had with a Democrat lobbyist who’s been around for a while, seen his share of power changeovers in Madison and spoke a simple truth: you have to learn to work with both sides of the aisle.

You may not agree with your political counterpart, but there are ways to find common ground. Not to get all ‘Kumbaya’ on you, but that was the unspoken message of the evening. For one brief, shining moment, we all got along. Or maybe it was the wine talking.

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Events, Views on News, public relations • March 4th, 2008

A Packer Nation in mourning?

by Chris Lato

This is a bit off-topic for our blog, but FoxSports.com is reporting that Brett Favre is retiring. We’ll see if the story is confirmed, either by the Pack or Favre himself, anytime soon.

Few things in Wisconsin are as successful at holding the news media’s attention than the Packers in general, and Favre in particular. The green-and-gold really has the press wrapped around their finger.

I’m no hardcore sports fan, but even casual fans know Favre is one of the greatest to ever play pro football. His place in history is assured.

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2008 Primaries, Events, Messaging, Views on News • February 15th, 2008

Debating the (lack of) debates

by Chris Lato

The Hillary Clinton campaign is on the Wisconsin airwaves, taking Barack Obama to task for passing on an offer to debate in Milwaukee.

The proposed debate sponsors included ABC, WISN-TV and Wispolitics.com.

I’m of two minds on this one. First, a disclosure: I have worked on campaigns that tried to make hash out of the opponent’s unwillingness to debate. It’s the classic underdog pose, and the argument — that citizens have a right to hear the candidates beyond the 30-second ads and 11.6-second soundbites (PDF) — is certainly reasonable under the right circumstances. more »

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