We’ll be back and better than ever.

Proposals are due by noon on October 14, with a proposed start date of October 21. Very short turnaround for a $7 million advertising and PR proposal.

Read the entire RFP.

We know of a few Sac-area PR firms scrambling to meet this deadline. With the scope and the quick turnaround, we think the real scramble will be for whomever wins with how to staff it.

Michelle Cervantez, Raley's First CMO

Raley’s is upping their marketing chops, marketing of chops?, with the hiring of Michelle Cervantez as the company’s first Chief Marketing Officer, CMO.

As CMO, Cervantez will oversee advertising, marketing, customer relations, corporate communications and PR.  She has held marketing positions with Ford, Mercedes, Hyundai and Jacuzzi.

Raley’s employs about 15,000 in the area and is one of the largest local family-owned companies.

The CMO is a position that has grown in popularity among large corporations, although according to Spencer Stuart, the average tenure of a CMO is a little less than two years.

The scope according the RFP focuses as one would expect on advertising:

• Execute advertising campaigns to include creative development, artistic design and
advertisement placement in print, radio and television for the Sacramento County Airport
System.
• Execute advertising campaigns to include creative development, artistic design and
advertisement placement in print and radio specifically for the concessionaires at Sacramento
International Airport.
• Execute advertising campaigns to include creative development, artistic design and
advertisement placement in print, radio and television for airlines as part of the SCAS air trade
development incentive programs.
• Assist in the development and refinement of the “Gateway to Northern California” concept for
Sacramento International Airport and provide strategic planning services to enhance this brand.
• Assist the SCAS Marketing Staff with campaigns.
• Assist the SCAS Marketing Staff with Special Event production and execution as required.
• Conduct surveys and/or focus groups relative to the airport brand, analyze results and develop
reports.
• Provide graphics and design services relative to logos, Web sites, brochures, posters and
commercials as needed to support both the SCAS in general and special events.
• Other advertising and creative services consulting services as required.

The term of the proposal is for three years at $500k per year with an additional $300k per year to support concessionaires at the Airport for a possible total of $2.4m.

Selection of finalists is scheduled for November 11, 2009 with finalist presentations on December 2.

The RFP is available as a PDF download.

The contract was to be for $9 million over five years. No details have been disclosed on the terms in the next rev of the RFP. Mercury has confirmed to the Rail Authority that they plan on participating in any re-bid process.

Thank you to the California High Speed Rail Blog for details.

Christina Ragsdale

Is Sacramento the center of the universe? It can be, if you know how to work globally. In fact, with new tools like social media, virtual work platforms, and communication tools like webcasting and Skype, it’s almost impossible not to. But if you have yet to expand your network, you may be asking yourself, why bother? What can it bring to you, and how much effort will it take? These are important questions for independent practitioners when you only have so many hours to get it all done.

From my perspective, the expanded network and capabilities are even more important when the economy is challenged. Why? Because you need to cast a wider net to secure work – and if you have the capability of working with that East Coast or UK or Pacific Rim client through technology – that’s money in your pocket and work in your portfolio.

If you’re ready to try – how do you begin? As someone who is not a ‘digital native’ – I began several years ago doing ‘reverse mentoring’ with some younger professionals who wanted me to mentor them in other areas. I can say in retrospect, it was a great investment and one that has paid off for me in a larger network of contacts for work referrals, hiring and professional development that I never would have gained any other way.

One way to start is by selecting one of the business networking sites; LinkedIn, Plaxo, etc. and building a profile page there. Then search for colleagues – preferably those you don’t regularly run into and those who are in other cities, states and countries. This allows you to start a dialog that can lead to client referrals, innovative ideas and collaborations, and even more contacts.  It’s amazing to see what can happen when this reaches ‘critical mass’ and things start feeding into you. This happens at different times depending how active and vigilant you choose to be – but can begin almost immediately if you are proactive, strategic and targeted with your contacts. And you can do this all comfortably from your office – without ever leaving Sacramento.

Christina Ragsdale, MA, APR is a longtime Sacramento independent public relations practitioner with clients working in many time zones.

Guest columns are submitted by local marketing professionals. To contribute your own guest column contact norcalmarketingnews@gmail.com.

The proposed contract term will be from March 1, 2010 through February 28, 2013 (possible two year extension) with expected available funds of $1m per year.
The proposal due date is October 30, and a bidder’s conference is scheduled for September 30 from 2-4 pm at:

California Department of Public Health
1500 Capitol Avenue, Suite 72.167
Sacramento, CA 95814

Also, if you know of open jobs in PR, marketing or advertising in the area, please let us know at norcalmarketingnews@gmail.com.

Public Relations Manager - Central Valley, California

Large Food and Beverage company looking for a Public Relations Manager. The company is a leader in their market. The PR Manager is a newly created position, reporting to the VP Marketing. You will be responsible for creating and executing the PR program and everything social media. Contact us for full details.

We are looking for someone with 5-10 years PR experience and a background in consumer products, specifically food and beverage experience). Social media experience is an important part of this role.

Company provided relocation package and competitive salary range.

Contact Erin Davis or Jolie Downs.
erin@paradigmstaffing.com
jolie@paradigmstaffing.com

• Deutschman Communications;
• Edelman;
• Porter Novelli; and
• Fleishman Hillard.

All of the other finalists are multionational firms with the exception of Deutschman, which lists the California High Speed Rail Authority under it’s current clients.

Apparently the close ties of many on the proposed team from Mercury and staffers at the Rail Authority and the Governor’s office raised enough hackles with the board that they decided to put off the vote and may invite all of the finalist firms to present to them.  Word is that Mercury received a final score of 91 during evaluations and the runner-up received a 90.

We know Edelman was one of the other finalists but not the rest of the list.  Anyone have the details for us?