Here at Trio Media Group, we are constantly developing dynamic ways to brand and market our clients through the development of websites, digital content, marketing campaigns and videos. That hard work paid off, this time in the form of seven 2012 National Communicator Awards.

The Communicator Awards is an international award program that recognizes creative excellence for communication professionals, honoring the best in advertising, corporate communications, public relations and identity work for print, video, interactive and audio.

Our client work was recognized in the environmental awareness, health, green/eco-friendly, news, banking/bill paying, beauty and cosmetics as well as branded content – business to consumer categories, including:

2012 Gold Award of Excellence: Laura Turner Seydel
Websites – Environmental Awareness

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: HealthWatchMD
Websites – Health

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: ISSN School & Spa
Websites – Beauty and Cosmetics

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: Male Plastic Surgery
Online Video – News

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: Georgia Commerce Bank
Websites – Banking/Bill Paying

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: The Piedmont Promise
Branded Content – Business to Consumer

Digital content development is the focus of the projects that won these awards. Our goal is to create innovative, creative and effective work for our clients. Together we have accomplished this and the awards are a sign of our commitment. 

The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms. Visit www.iavisarts.org for a full member list and more information.

HealthWired.com was created for that very reason.

An interesting report that was recently published highlights how consumers are relying on social media for access to all kinds of health resources. Trio Media Group has been seeing that trend as well within our health-related client base over the last 18 months. Trio has created a new mobile and social media health news site, Healthwired.com, as a result of this trend. HealthWired.com will be used to feed consumer news into AfterCareRx, a private patient portal that provides prescribed education for lifestyle-based diseases like diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol. It will also offer topic-based opportunities for sponsorship by pharmaceutical companies, healthcare groups and consumer brands that want to reach an engaged audience.

HealthWired.com is built on a social media sharing platform and will use user-generated content as well as original written and filmed stories to educate and inspire readers to lead healthier lifestyles.

Trio also created HealthWatchMD.com to provide valuable health information to consumers in the Atlanta market.

Study highlights:

About 33 percent of U.S. consumers use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to obtain health information and to track and share symptoms, according to a new survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers, Computerworld‘s “Government IT” reports.

More than 80 percent of respondents ages 18 to 24 said they are likely to share health information through social media sites, compared with 45 percent of respondents ages 45 to 64.

The survey also found that 72 percent of respondents said they would use social media sites for scheduling doctor’s appointments and 50 percent said they would expect a response within a few hours after making the appointment.

When asked about ways in which they have used social media for health-related purposes:

• 42 percent of respondents said they have used social media to look up consumer reviews of health treatments or physicians;
• 30 percent said they have supported a health cause through social media;
• 25 percent said they have shared their own health experiences on social media websites; and
• 20 percent said they have joined a health forum or online health community.

When asked about how social media could influence their health decisions:

• 45 percent of respondents said health information obtained through social media sites would cause them to seek a second opinion;
• 41 percent said social media sites would influence their choice of a specific physician, hospital or medical facility (Mearian, “Government IT,” Computerworld, 4/17);
• More than 40 percent said health information on social media sites would affect how they manage a chronic condition or approach diet and exercise routines (Goedert, Health Data Management, 4/16); and 34% said social media websites would affect their decision to take certain medications (“Government IT,” Computerworld, 4/17).

PwC researchers polled 1,040 U.S. adults for the survey.

Would your company benefit from a new digital media focus? Contact Denise Elsbree for more information about Trio Media Group’s full video, web development and digital content creation services.

Trio Media Group’s Ron Slotin traveled to Ghana this week with Trio client Laura Turner Seydel to meet with members of the Ghana Planeteer Movement.

Laura, an eco-living expert and chairperson of the Captain Planet Foundation, along with Captain Planet Foundation founder and Captain Planet co-founder Barbara Pyle, will meet with the Planeteers, as well as the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and the Minister of the Environment to discuss environmental issues affecting the African nation.

Trio Media Group provides public relations, digital content strategy, creation and management as well as social media services to Laura and the  Captain Planet Foundation. While in Ghana, Laura will meet with the media for interviews and speak to influential groups.

The Ghana Planeteer Movement was launched in October 2010 by Laura, along with Edward Boateng, executive chairman of Global Media Alliance, and Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, Omanhene of the Akyem Abuakwa State. The group plans hands-on clean-up activities in their area as well as environmental education campaigns in schools.

Visit Laura’s blog to learn more about this exciting global movement!

Photo courtesy of the Ghana Planeteers

Atlanta-based Trio Media Group (http://triomediagroup.com/), a full-service interactive, public relations and marketing firm, has been recognized by the University of Georgia’s Alumni Association as a member of the 2012 Bulldog 100, which honors the fastest growing businesses owned and/or operated by UGA alumnus. The firm was named the 27^th fastest growing business at the Bulldog 100 award ceremony. Trio Media Group’s co-founders, Denise Evans Elsbree and Ron Slotin, are both alumni of the University of Georgia and met while working on The Red & Black newspaper staff.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized among many distinguished companies by our alma mater,” said Denise Evans Elsbree, chief executive of Trio Media Group. “The education and experience gained from my time at the Grady College of Journalism was truly a launch point for my career in building successful companies.”

“Who would have thought meeting at The Red & Black student newspaper would one day lead to winning this award?” said Ron Slotin, co-founder and principal at Trio Media Group. “UGA played an instrumental part in where our business is today.”

“Most of our business focuses on new media now. We work in the digital content arena, creating innovative websites, video platforms and interactive environments on mobile and the web. Trio Media Group is a leader in this competitive industry. Our goal is to make our clients successful. That is what propels our growth and our success,” said Evans Elsbree. “This award recognizes that we have created a formula that works. The staff at Trio is talented and ready to break more records this year.”

Companies are ranked by a three-year compounded annual growth rate of revenues and were required to meet the following criteria: companies must have been in business for at least five years; have revenues of at least $100,000 in the 2008 calendar year; a UGA alumnus must either own at least 50 percent of the company or serve as CEO, president, or managing partner; and the business must operate in a manner that is consistent with UGA’s “Pillars of the Arch” character statement. One hundred companies were selected out of 800 applicants to make up the Bulldog 100.

Trio Media Group and other Bulldog 100 recipients were honored at a special event on Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta. The event was hosted by Emmy award-winning television journalist and University of Georgia alumna, Deborah Norville. For more information about the Bulldog 100, visit http://www.alumni.uga.edu/alumni/index.php/site/bulldog100/b100_about.

Social Media Content:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TRIOmediagroup

Twitter: http://twitter.com/triomedia

About Trio Media Group:
Trio Media Group is an Atlanta-based award-winning, full-service resource for film/TV projects, interactive development, public relations and advertising. A strategic and creative partner for national and regional companies, Trio provides market strategy, branding, web design, interactive, mobile, event, social media, email marketing, print, PR, film and video production services, as well as online and on-air news content solutions. For more information, visit http://triomediagroup.com/.

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This year has flown by and many of us are wondering where the year has gone.  All of us have been busy tweeting, maintaining our LinkedIn status and connecting with others on Facebook.  We’ve spent more time discovering our favorite videos on YouTube while simultaneously checking into restaurants and venues via Foursquare.  2011 can be defined as a year of social media boom and mobile networking, keeping us connected more than ever before.  In fact, earlier this year Pew Internet released a study that shows more than 1/3 of American adults not only own a smartphone, but use it mainly as a data source.  This means many of us are interacting with businesses and social media platforms on the go.

All of this networking means we’re becoming accustomed to instant access and information.  This is great for consumers, but how does this impact businesses who want to remain cutting edge?   Here is our list of 4 important social media trends that will impact the way businesses connect with their customers:

• Social shopping or ‘f-commerce’- will begin to be an important addition to a company’s social media strategy.  Currently several companies are offering it, but in 2012 we’ll begin to see more growth of shopping via Facebook.  Burberry is one company that has begun to tap into social shopping.  This allows businesses to have a further reach when the purchase posts to a customer’s Facebook page or is instantly tweeted.
• Social TV is another big area of growth for 2012.  Consumers will be able to interact with fans in real time through a show’s Twitter #hashtag, smartphone and tablet apps, and even Facebook.   CBS show the Amazing Race used social media as a tool for communicating episode delays due to football & Fox’s the X Factor offers fans a smartphone app that allows them to engage while the showing is airing.
• Branded content will also play a bigger role in how consumers engage socially with companies.  Many businesses are already incorporating blogs and video into their online presences.  However, there will be a shift in 2012 where these are not just marketing tools but offer consumers a richer experience with your products.  Encouraging customer-created video that showcases your brand has been a success for companies like Red Bull. Small businesses can enjoy the benefits too.
• Location-based networking is another trend that is showing continued growth into 2012.  Offering a way for your customers to check into your Facebook page and receive an incentive to share their location helps a company obtain further reach.  One Atlanta company that has been successful with this concept is Yeah! Burger.  Fans who interact with their page know to check in and receive a discount or special offer.  Providing customers a way to check in with your restaurant, spa or boutique lets them share what they’re doing in real time, while also giving you the opportunity to listen to what your customers are saying about you.

Are you already incorporating any of these trends into your business?   Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Websites on budget and Denise on CNN
Advertising campaigns and new Facebook friends
Video production and stylish designs
These are a few of our favorite things

With the year rapidly coming to an end, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite things for 2011.

We kicked off the year with the launch of PATH Foundation’s website to celebrate the Foundation’s 20^th anniversary. Many people know about the Silver Comet Trail, Stone Mountain Trail and Chastain Park Trail, but did you know they were all built by the PATH Foundation? Trio developed customized Google mapping for the trails so visitors can get real-time location information on their smartphones.

Trio worked with Georgia Commerce Bank to launch their new website. The website and advertising campaign highlight real life customer testimonials that discuss the personal service the bank offers as well as how the bank has worked with them to help make their businesses more successful. The slogan of the bank is “Your Success is our Business,” and it really rings true for their customers.

Trio worked with Piedmont Healthcare and Dr. Randy Martin to launch HealthwatchMD.com, which has revolutionized the way health care consumers are getting their information. HealthWatchMD produces original content seven days per week reporting on new studies, issues in the news, and health questions seen in movies or affecting celebrities. The video and social media integration is on the cutting edge for the health industry, leading HealthWatchMD to partner with The Weather Channel as the channel’s provider of health news.

Adding to our work with health care, Trio started working with Laura Turner Seydel on her website, social media and public relations. Laura’s mission is to create a sustainable and healthy planet for our kids. She serves as chairperson for the Captain Planet Foundation and Zero Waste Zone, and is co-founder of Mothers and Others for Clean Air as well as the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. Her new website and social media platforms are the best way – and maybe the only way – to keep up with her numerous events and activities.

In the spring, Trio helped PATH Foundation with their inaugural TriPATHlon. Ron not only helped with the race, but was also a participant. He is challenging all of his friends to sign up for next year’s race. If you have ever thought about trying a triathlon, this is the best race to start.

Denise stayed busy in 2011 with many speaking appearances on social media and merging media technologies, including CNN, a Ragan Healthcare webinar, Digital Atlanta and the Wedding MBA Conference in Las Vegas.

Finally, what a great year for the movies in Georgia! Denise and Ron were part of the original team that developed the business plan and legislation that led to the current entertainment tax incentives offered by the state. This tax incentive has been a tremendous economic generator for Georgia and resulted in the creation of thousands of jobs. Denise and Ron set up a sister company, Georgia Film Credit Consultants, to work with film studios to sell their tax credits to companies and individuals in Georgia.

Just a sampling of the movies filmed in Georgia this year:

• X Man: First Class
• Wanderlust
• Footloose
• What to Expect When You’re Expecting
• Madea’s Big Happy Family
• Fast & Furious 5
• The Three Stooges

Thanks for a fantastic year – we look forward to a great 2012!

Control your message. If you don’t issue a statement or speak to the media during a scandal, someone will inevitably do it for you. While Kim Kardashian’s quick divorce might have damaged her reputation, she did control the message by posting a statement to her fans on her blog. Whether or not you agree with her actions, she did at least one thing right by issuing a statement before unnamed “sources” or media could speak on her behalf.

Lesson: When faced with a crisis PR situation, don’t ignore the media, your customers or the public. Prepare talking points, issue a statement and handle media requests. Even better, have a plan in place before a crisis actually occurs.

Take responsibility. One of the worst things Penn State’s (now former) president Graham B. Spanier could have done was issue a statement in support of the officials who did not report the cases of alleged child molestation. This statement lacked sensitivity, and made it appear that Spanier was siding with the officials rather than recognizing the suffering of the victims. The Penn State board of trustees later issued their own statement offering, first and foremost, their support to the families affected in this case.

Lesson: Focus on solutions. When crisis situations occur, it can be tempting to immediately defend yourself. However, appearing defensive will only further damage your image. By Spanier immediately defending the university officials, Penn State appeared to be indifferent to the actual victims in this situation. There is nothing wrong with elaborating on the steps you are taking to repair a situation, but don’t place blame. The public wants to know what is being done to remedy a crisis.

Tell the truth. And tell it right away. One of the first things I learned when I began my career in PR was to “tell the truth, tell it all and tell it fast.” The truth will come out, sooner or later. And if you’re not the one to tell it, you will surely damage your reputation and end up looking like a liar.

Crisis situations are never easy and there is often a lot of gray area. An effective public relations strategy can be your best friend during a catastrophe. Control your own message, accept responsibility and tell the truth right away. While you cannot control everything that is said in the media or by the public, you can significantly reduce the damage to your brand and/or reputation. Remember: the worst thing you can do in a crisis PR situation is nothing.

We are excited to announce we are recipients of a 2011 Davey Gold Websites/Online Marketing award for creative excellence. Our client, PATH Foundation’s website was chosen among thousands of entries. PATH Foundation is a nonprofit group that has developed more than 160 miles of trails throughout Georgia for recreation and commuting since 1991.

We worked with PATH to develop a strategy for brand awareness as the organization celebrated its 20^th anniversary. The site serves as a PATH media center and includes news, upcoming events, articles and Google trail maps. Trio used the Google API to accurately map PATH’s trails and to feature points of interest, parking, restrooms, bridges and picnic areas. Additionally, trail users can access GPS on their mobile devices to determine their exact location on the trail or report any problems.

Trio designed the site to dynamically highlight PATH’s achievements, with a user-friendly format and an active media center. The integrated design, smartphone technology and social media campaign gives trail users an improved experience, whether they are online or using their mobile devices, and resulted in a significant increase in traffic to PATH’s website.

The Davey Awards is an international creative award that honors outstanding creative work from the best smaller firms worldwide. The 2011 Davey Awards received more than 4,000 entries and judges selected fewer than 10 percent to receive a Gold Davey. The Davey is judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA). The IAVA is an invitation-only member-based organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media. Current membership represents a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms including: Conde Nast, Coach, Disney, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Estee Lauder, HBO, Monster.com, MTV, Polo Ralph Lauren, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Victoria’s Secret, Wired, Yahoo! and many others.

Digital Atlanta is only weeks away! This all-volunteer conference is for people who use and appreciate social media, the digital universe, and consumer technology. Trio’s own Denise Elsbree will be a speaker for the conference’s entertainment track.

If you are interested in Atlanta’s growing entertainment field or work in the entertainment industry and want to learn more about how to maximize your exposure online – then Digital Atlanta is the place to be!

On Friday, November 11th, join Digital Atlanta’s Entertainment track starting with Emma Loggins’ presentation on Attracting Fans And Engaging Your Community (10am – 11am) followed by Mickey Desai’s presentation on A Grassroots Approach To Social Gaming (11:30am – 12:30pm), next join Extras Casting Atlanta for Using Social Media To Cast Extras And Local Talent (1pm – 2pm), followed by Dan Webber’s Digitainment and the Effect of Disruptive Social Media (2:30pm – 3:30pm), and closing out our track we have Denise Elsbree’s presentation with Chris Ritger of The Weather Channel on Merging Digital and Entertainment: A Closer Look at What is Happening and What Is Possible (4pm – 5pm).

Make sure you don’t miss Denise for Merging Digital and Entertainment – A Closer Look at What is Happening and What is Possible! Description below -

Merging Digital and Entertainment – A Closer Look at What is Happening and What is Possible

Speakers:
Denise Elsbree, Chief Executive, Trio Media Group
Chris Ritger, Digital Distribution and Business Development, The Weather Channel

The Media and Entertainment industry is at a crossroads – with both opportunities and challenges as it works to meet  demand for high-quality content through multiple devices. New revenue opportunities are arising with new ways to deliver content monetizing new content capabilities and services in different segments (broadcast, film, telecom, mobile, retail), across a multitude of screens and devices). Join us as we walk through some exciting examples of this evolving industry vertical.

Denise Evans Elsbree is Chief Executive  of Trio Media Group which is a full-service advertising, PR, interactive and new media company. Trio also has a full TV/Film production division that produces HealthWatchMD  as well as other entertainment projects.  Denise advises clients on social media strategies with LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and blogging to increase brand strength and sales. Denise is an experienced technology leader, having founded and sold StayOnline.net – a company that became the largest wireless internet company in the hospitality industry. She is a fully immersed, early adopter of new media. She appears in the news media as a go-to Social Media Expert, including CNN. Because of this, she is often sought out to speak to large audiences to help them understand and successfully employ social media strategies.

Chris Ritger is part of the Digital Distribution and Business Development team at The Weather Channel, where he specializes in strategic partnerships, distribution and new revenue opportunities across all digital properties including web, mobile, video, tablets and other emerging platforms. Previously, Chris identified and evaluated new business opportunities for an early stage venture capital firm/technology incubator. Chris received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia as well as an MBA from the University of Georgia.

More information at DigitalAtlanta.org

Denise Elsbree and Ed Lovern to Host “Hospital Marketing: Why Your Hospital Must Have an Online Newsroom” on Nov. 9

Trio Chief Executive and HealthWatchMD News Director Denise Elsbree and Piedmont Healthcare Chief Executive Ed Lovern are hosting a webinar presented by the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media and Ragan Communications entitled, “Hospital marketing: Why your hospital must have an online newsroom,” Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. EST.

During the webinar, Denise and Ed will explain how HealthWatchMD increased health promotion efforts for Piedmont Hospital, created greater awareness of the hospital’s unique capabilities, reached larger audiences with critical health messages and increased regional brand recognition of Piedmont Healthcare as a premier hospital.

The webinar is open to the public; registration is $139 and $99 for Ragan Communications members.

HealthWatchMD was created to bring a multimedia response to breaking health news and make it relevant to everyday life. Dr. Randy Martin serves as the medical correspondent working with Piedmont Healthcare to provide a unique look at the latest in health news and research for consumers through web, mobile phone and social media technology.