Bawden & Lareau Public Relations

QC Gastroenterologist warns about GERD

Mike Bawden — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:30:56 +0000

(Davenport, IA)- As part of the Mississippi Valley Health Network’s on-going public information program, the Gastrointestinal Clinic of the Quad Cities took center stage in the November editions of Family Focus, 50+ Lifestyles and Healthy Cells with an extensive piece on understanding Heartburn’s Red Flags. (Click here to see the full article.)An expansion on the original story that ran on Mississippi Valley Health News, the report provided additional insights from local Gastroenterologist Dr. Sreenivas Chintalapani.

Dr. Chintalapani was also featured on the October edition of WQAD-TV’s Power to the Patient Report, which explores a variety of health and healthcare issues affecting Quad Cities residents and uses the resources of the Mississippi Valley Health Network to discuss treatments and solutions.

B&LPR produced the print and online editions of the story and coordinated resources for WQAD-TV’s report.

Women changing the world speak in Bettendorf

Mike Bawden — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:27:38 +0000

(Davenport, IA) – Two women who oversee medical and scientific relations for the American Alzheimer’s Association were recognized as women who were “changing the world” by the Women’s Connection – a 700-member Quad City-based organization. At a special luncheon held at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf, IA, over 200 members of the women’s organization attended to receive a complete briefing on the state of researching, understanding and treating Alzheimer’s-related dementia.

The event was underwritten by Senior Star at Elmore Place. Senior Star has had a long-standing relationship with the American Alzheimer’s Association and has numerous corporate officers serving in local, regional and national leadership positions with the organization.

B&LPR partner Liz Lareau serves on the marketing committee of the Women’s Connection and helped coordinate Senior Star’s involvement in the program and the approach made to Dr.’s Carrillo and Snyder.

Slurpees return to the Quad Cities

Mike Bawden — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:53:55 +0000

(Moline, IL)- After over two months’ preparation, 7-Eleven re-launched in the Illinois Quad Cities and B&LPR was there to help.

Last year, 7-Eleven purchased 16 Mother Hubbard convenience stores in the Quad Cities. Most of those stores were located in Illinois and were systematically modified to meet the national chain’s standards for equipment, cleanliness and food.

Among the additions to the newly remodeled stores in the Quad Cities: a wider variety of fresh foods, several dozen private-label products and, of course, new Slurpee machines. Yes, after a nearly twenty-year absence, the Slurpee had made its return to the Quad Cities.

B&LPR was asked to assist in the development and management of customer appreciation events at a dozen of the Illinois-side stores. Each event – which lasted two hours per store, and were all held in the same week – included product sampling, coupon distribution, toys for the kids and lower gas prices at the pump.

B&LPR enlisted the help of QC Motion, a local dance/promotion team, to help with each event and engage customers. The Slurpee Van (from Chicago) even made an appearance or two and helped build the excitement even more. Video and photography of in-store activity was taken by B&LPR at almost every event and a compilation reel will be added to this website sometime in November.

Pain clinic gets a new look

Mike Bawden — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 01:48:10 +0000

(Davenport, IA) – With the help of thousands of designers accessed through creative crowdsourcing site 99Designs, B&LPR helped the Mississippi Valley Pain Clinic develop a new logo at a fraction of the cost of a full-fledged corporate identity program.“The key to using a site like 99Designs is to make sure you’ve got a tight creative brief and to be willing to spend the time providing feedback on the design work that gets posted to your contest,” explained Mike Bawden, partner at B&LPR. “By providing regular feedback on every single submission through the first four days of the contest, you’re telling these artists that you’re serious and they respond in-kind.”

“The work can be very, very good and it’s all speculative until you pick a winner,” he continued. “Crowdsourcing sites like 99Designs are great for projects like a medical practice logo because we’re really just looking for an idea that appeals to the personality of the doctors and healthcare providers who practice there.

99Designs allows marketers to post an outline of the project and a monetary prize that will go to the “winning” design. Creative contests typically take a week to ten days.

The site, which is based in Australia, provides access to tens of thousands of graphic designers located all over the world.

“Sometimes a design or two gets posted that’s not very good,” said Bawden. “But for the most part, I’ve been overwhelmed by the results.” According to Bawden, he’ll review hundreds of logo designs in the span of a few days – all of them competing for the monetary prize he offers for a great piece of work.

In the case of the Mississippi Valley Pain Clinic, we ended up with something that was simple, elegant and very clean. For our client, those were attributes about his practice that he wanted to convey graphically and we were very successful.

Senior Star the newest “star” in senior housing.

Mike Bawden — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:42:15 +0000

Kaffee klatching reveals exciting senior programs

(from The Quad-City Times – March 13, 2011)
by Gloria Fisher

Senior Star at Elmore Place, Davenport

I’m on the road, kaffee klatching with seniors galore in their neighborhood homes and senior housing throughout the Quad-Cities.

I’m amazed at the number of activities and informational programs going on, especially in senior housing facilities.

Many are opening up these former resident-only programs to the public, allowing residents to invite friends and family.

Take, for instance, the newest “star” in senior housing, Senior Star at Elmore Place. Every day, there are entertaining and informational programs, such as Social security and health-care updates, going on in their independent, assisted living and memory-care units.

“We got it all here,” Floyd Lentz said as he stopped in the hallway to say hello.

And so it goes at the Coventry Apartments in Rock Island, where residents join management in planning programs on the home campus, including community health fairs.

Residents at Palmer Hills in Bettendorf, along with management, recently held a breakfast fundraiser for Disabled American Veterans of Scott County and are offering Arthritis Foundation exercise training for anyone who would like to lead classes for seniors or others with arthritis.

So the trend is to have seniors continue to impact the community with their efforts to serve not only the community but also fellow seniors.

I like this turnaround of having programming “where the seniors are” and am eager to continue visits to other senior housing and senior neighborhoods where this kind of programming is taking place.

“In our neighborhood gatherings,” Bertha Yomen of Moline said, “we clip items from the paper or write down things we hear on TV and try to find sources to give us information about things going on in Washington, D.C., or the state that will eventually affect us local seniors. We have to realize we have to show some responsibility on things like that. Many in our group are starting to watch programs like ‘Meet The Press’ to learn.”

Via fax, several residents, including Mike and Sandy at Homz Management Corp.’s Luther Manor, indicated they would like to give me a report when I visit on what they learned at the “For Seniors Only” Dale Carnegie class to be held at 1 p.m. March 30 at the Davenport Public Library-Fairmount Street, 3000 N. Fairmount.

OK by me! They plan to absorb all of the info they can about boosting their confidence in speaking up, to be more relaxed when helping plan residency programs, to communicate clearly and concisely, and to have fun acting out some of their suggestions.

“And it’s free,” Mike wrote to me.

It’s great news hearing from seniors themselves how they’re ready “to go,” not only in terms of helping themselves but also other aging persons!

Seniors are also ready to help their hometown be a great place to retire. You can bet their volunteer efforts will be popping up all over. Very exciting!

Gloria Fisher of Davenport is chairman of Senior Voice. To contact Senior Voice, call (563) 421-2198 or e-mail seniorvoice@ genesishealth.com.

Has brand-building changed in the 21st century?

Mike Bawden — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:19:31 +0000

I usually don’t respond to spam.

But I received an unsolicited email (which means it qualifies as spam) from some student somewhere on the other side of the world. Because I maintain (in fits and starts) a blog entitled “Brand Central Station” it seems natural to assume I must have some professional interest in branding.

Which I do.

From there, I suppose it’s not that unusual to assume I’m interested in talking to every Tom, Dick and Harry about it.

Which I do, usually. But I’ve been really busy lately. The blog has been neglected. Yada, yada, yada.

But the question I received sparked me. It asked me to give two reasons why brand-building is central to advertising. The question sounds reasonable on it’s face – and there are probably plenty of marketing gurus who will drone on endlessly about the importance of a strong brand to create great ads.

The problem is, the question (and the assumption that spawned it) is backwards. Brand-building isn’t central to advertising, advertising is central to building great brands.

And that’s what got me thinking … in the world of social media and ubiquitous consumerism, has the way we go about building, understanding and valuing brands changed? I believe the answer is “no” – but I’m sure there will be plenty of people out there who will want to argue tactics with me.

To them I say: “Keep your pants on. Of course tactics change. But that’s not the question.”

Look at what was asked form a historical point of view. A cultural point of view. An inter-personal point of view.

Brands are built by making promises to people and then finding ways to continually keep those promises. People, brands, companies, leaders who fail to follow-through on their promises experience devaluation of their “brand.” By the same token, those who manage to continually surprise and delight their customers, friends, family or legions of fans by keeping their promises and doing what they say they’re going to do – those people are the victors in whatever endeavor they choose.

I, for one, plan to keep finding creative new ways to build brands in the 21st century.

That’s a promise.

Unique recipes featured by Mrs. Wages during Lent.

Mike Bawden — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:47:39 +0000

(St. Louis, MO) – Mrs. Wages(TM), a manufacturer and marketer of seasonings and mixes for everything from salsas and dips to canning pectins and pickling mixes, kicked off Lent with the re-introduction of several unique recipes for the season. Each recipe features seafood paired with a Mrs. Wages salsa or seasoning that helps accent that food’s flavor.

“We understand cooks are on the lookout for healthy and different ways to celebrate the season without the usual deep-fried menu of fish and French Fries,” said Chef Joe Cottage, of Mrs. Wages Test Kitchens.”We’ll confess: the secret to their great taste is in the Mrs. Wages pre-mixed and pre-measured, all-natural Guacamole, Fruit & Cilantro, Jalapeno and CHipotle & Garlic seasoning mixes.”

In addition to the new recipes and additional editorial information made available on the Mrs. Wages’ Online Pressroom (managed by B&LPR), the company has initiated a Twitter Feed dedicated to new recipes.

The recipes tweeted by Mrs. Wages are bundled up and published in a weekly e-newspaper available through the newspaper.li service.

Raising awareness of colon cancer in the QC

Mike Bawden — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:04:34 +0000

A young Bettendorf mother’s colon cancer story

(from Mississippi Valley Health News Online – March 8, 2011)
Forty-four year old Gina Bubon is one to beat the odds and wants to save other lives along with her own. Diagnosed with colon cancer at the young age of 39 (a disease people often associate with the over-50 crowd) Gina is adamant that no one ignore colon cancer symptoms.

“While I was getting my annual exam at my OB/GYN’s office,” recalls Gina, “a series of tests revealed I had microscopic blood in my stool. My OB suggested I see a gastroenterologist. While I couldn’t see any blood, my former gastroenterologist suggested it was probably due to hemorrhoids as a result of bearing two children. He said a colonoscopy was certainly an option, but only if I wanted to pursue the test. I had no risk factors: no family history and I wasn’t even 50.

“As a mother of teens, though, any risk of cancer was too great for me. I decided to have the colonoscopy and in doing so, the doctor discovered a large tumor in my colon about the mass of a baseball. The thought of a misdiagnosis frightens me. I wouldn’t be here today if I hadn’t had the colonoscopy.”

Doctors removed the tumor. Luckily, the cancer had not spread beyond the confines of Gina’s colon so she did not have to undergo chemotherapy. “I feel so fortunate and blessed, but it was scary,” says Gina.

Gina’s current gastroenterologist, Dr. Lauri Harsh, Eastern Iowa Gastroenterology, now examines Gina once a year for any sign of recurrence. “Dr. Harsh is just great and incredibly thorough,” says Gina. “I am proud to say I’ve been cancer-free for almost five years. I ask that anyone with symptoms to get a colonoscopy. Take this seriously. Don’t take the risk. Life is too precious.”

Nostalgia farmers return to Mrs. Wages for a 2nd year

Mike Bawden — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:22:21 +0000

(St. Louis, MO) – Mrs. Wages(TM), a manufacturer and marketer of seasonings and mixes for everything from salsas and dips to canning pectins and pickling mixes, is pleased to announce that Joe Dennis (right) and Ed Kraklio (left) will return as bloggers for their website and 2011 newsletters. As the operators of Nostalgia Farms (based in Walcott, IA), they have a unique perspective on organic farming and cooking with natural ingredients.

“Joe’s newsletter articles are among the most popular pieces we ran in our newsletter last year,” said Laura Strickland, Product Manager for Mrs. Wages. ”Joe and Ed bring a unique perspective to food that is both entertaining and informative. We’re pleased they’ll be back again this year.”

The farmers from Nostalgia Farms are just some of the writers recruited by Mrs. Wages to provide unique content for their website and e-newsletter this year. ”We’ve got some great experts lined up to chime in with new and useful information on canning, food preservation and more,” explained Liz Lareau, parter at public relations firm Bawden & Lareau Public Relations, the agency responsible for managing the production and distribution of informational content for Mrs. Wages.

“Canning and food preservation is really picking up in popularity and we see it as a great opportunity for Mrs. Wages to get out in front and lead the way.”

Colon cancer awareness month kicks off early

Mike Bawden — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:13:21 +0000

(Davenport, IA) – March is colon cancer awareness month and the Mississippi Valley Endoscopy Center is teaming up with the Gastroenterology practices in the Mississippi Valley Health Network to promote their informational website: www.becoloncancerfree.com.

The site provides essential information about colon cancer and the risk factors that are commonly associated with the disease. anyone can log on to becoloncancerfree.com and take a 2-minute risk assessment. The results will indicate if there are enough risk factors to warrant a colonoscopy. In general, people over 50 are at risk, yet adult children and siblings of colon cancer patients need to be screened at younger ages.

The problem is that detection is difficult without a colonoscopy, according to Dr. Bettaiah Gowda of Gastrointestinal Clinic of the Quad Cities. “Often the most common symptom is no symptom, so you must know your risk and if you are over 50, get the colonoscopy.”

Read how one in three Quad Citians is at risk for colon cancer.

A Multi-Media Approach to Getting the Word Out
Bawden & Lareau Public Relations, the PR firm working with the Mississippi Valley Health Network, helped orchestrate a media blitz in late February to start raising awareness of colon cancer and how people can get tested.

“We arranged for Dr. Lauri Harsh of Eastern Iowa Gastroenterology to participate in an on-air interview with WYEC-FM in Moline,” explained Liz Lareau, a partner at B&LPR. ”The interview lasted over ten minutes and managed to cover a lot of great information.”

Stories also appeared in the March editions of Healthy Cells Magazine, Family Focus and 50+ Lifestyles. ”We were able to provide different case studies to some of the magazines depending on their respective audiences,” explained Ms. Lareau. ”While local television was interested in a story about a younger mother from Bettendorf, magazines like 50+ Lifestyle required a story about an older patient. We were happy to oblige.”

Dr. Harsh also appeared on a report on WQAD-TV along with her patient, Gina Bubon, a young mother from Bettendorf (Iowa) who was diagnosed with the disease at age 39. ”Gina’s story resonates with a lot of younger people who don’t even think about colon cancer,” explained Ms. Lareau. ”She’s smart, attractive and well-spoken – just the kind of person we need to have deliver this important message.”

You can watch the report below: