Contributed by Kyle Kubovchik

As Zero Fatalities grows in Nevada, more schools, local law enforcement agencies and community and business leaders have asked how they can get involved. They got the chance on May 1st in Reno and May 2nd in Las Vegas, during two Zero Fatalities Ambassador Workshops.

Attendees from law enforcement, engineering, emergency services, and education shared successful strategies, heard victim stories, and even conducted media training. The goal of the workshop was to create Zero Fatalities ambassadors who can become part of the Zero Fatalities movement, spreading these key messages in their communities and at their agencies:

• Don’t drive impaired
• Always buckle up
• Focus on the road
• Stop on red
• Be pedestrian safe

It’s all about coming together to save lives, and Zero Fatalities is a brand the entire state can rally around. Because when we ask ourselves, “What is an acceptable number of traffic fatalities for your family?” the answer is simple: zero.

Thanks and congratulations to all the new ambassadors!

Here are some photos taken at the Reno and Nevada Workshops.

Picture of Lars’ dog, Fern, when she was a puppy. 

They say that puppies and babies sell, and after our popular baby blog post, I thought it was time for the PPBH puppies and dogs to shine. Here are stories and pictures of our agency’s cutest dogs.

Mary

I am in love with French bulldogs. Everything about them. I got Rogue and Odin (Odie) a year ago on Mother’s Day after months of waiting. I held them when they were only two weeks old and it was love at first sight. Here are some fun facts about my little monsters:

• Both enjoy eating drywall and carpet. And the couch. And my shoes. And anything else they can sink their little teeth into. 
• Odie is a rock collector. If it is big, round and made of stone it will end up in his mouth. He also is a stick aficionado. 
• Rogue has super doggy powers. She’s seriously fast and thinks she can fly. You wouldn’t know it by looking at her, but that little girl can run, jump and catch a ball like nobody’s business (not normal for Frenchies).
• Mommy and daddy are training failures. We did all the classes and worked on training at home, but our little monsters still have no manners. 
• They are litter mates. And he’s the protective brother to no end. He was born first and she was born second. So I think he holds his “big brother” status over her. 

Ali G

Zipper is a Portuguese water dog puppy whose current hobbies are exuberantly licking the faces of everyone she meets, running down slides, doing tricks and looking for opportunities to steal food off counter tops. This is the face she pulls when you talk to her. It is typically accompanied by a frantically wagging tail.

Vader is a four year old miniature schnauzer. He is a professional cuddler and an expert at getting as close as possible to his favorite people while staring lovingly into their eyes. Due to the uncanny resemblance, he has posed as Mr. T for Halloween pretty much every year. This is the face he pulls when you ask him if he would like a bath. He doesn’t like baths.

Lars

Nine bowls of dog food, two times a day is a bit surreal. I’m a dog person. Urban Sheepherder. Dogs are my life and that will never change. I’ve gone from rescuing dogs to breeding my own. You could say excessive and obsessive, but I might be the best dog daddy around.

Mitch

Copper is cuter than your dog.

Brent

We had a fun little two year old Sheltie until about three weeks ago when she swallowed a penny. The vet got it out through surgery, but she was too poisoned to function. We had to put her down. My wife and I are now debating getting another dog, and if so—what kind should we get? Oh yeah, it needs to be smart enough to not eat money.

Krystal

Barney the basset hound and Stubbs the minpin. (Although Stubbs is convinced he is a basset hound too.) Two of the awesomest puppies around! Barney is our old man who enjoys long naps on the deck, while Stubbs is ever vigilant chasing the squirrels that live in the backyard; and both are trying to be babysitters for the little one.

Julene

While kids always crowd around him, he is a little too forward with the lady dogs and fat neighborhood cats. Usually they just sit and stare while he runs laps around them, sniffs and jumps up and down.

Traci

These are my babies, Cody, an Australian shepherd mix, and Skoshi, a shitzu. Cody is a big furry bundle of love that got me in some trouble with the law last year. Skoshi is a funny little curmudgeon that makes me laugh every day. I rescued both dogs from Wasatch Humane (now called Utah Animal Adoption).  They are the loves of my life and I can’t wait to see them everyday when I go home.

Wendy

Here’s my dog Hurley. Hurley is a coton du tulear, a breed that used to be bred as circus dogs (he does great tricks!). He is named for the character Hugo “Hurley” Reyes from the TV show Lost. I knew we were meant to be together when I got his papers in the mail and found out we have the same birthday!

Frank

I cannot say enough about my boys, they are my comic relief, stress relief and unconditional love. They are brothers, from the same litter and are best friends, rarely are apart and so unique. Atlas is the attention hound and gets jealous when you pay attention to Orion. Orion is very aloof but lovable…on his own terms. Atlas loves to play fetch, and will do so until Orion steals the toy and runs off with it. They love to play in the snow and have puppy play dates with their friends. Atlas is on the right, Orion on the left. I love my boys.

Britni Brozo

How about a picture with baby and puppy. Best of both worlds. I’ll claim it—Bruno is the best dog that ever lived. He’s the type that can get up and go or just sit and chill. Bruno is very well behaved, which is due to persistent training as a puppy. We walk him without a leash and he sits at every corner, so we don’t have to worry about him running into the road. We can also leave him on the porch unattended. Believe it or not, he will even let the neighbor cat walk by because he knows he will get in trouble if he chases it. Oh, and he’s very gentle with Harrison. We just can’t seem to train him to wipe up his own drool.

Eugene

Here’s a picture of my dog Benny (black and tan) and my roommate’s dog Naga. Benny tends to prance around (literally) and Naga is a rescue who is currently recovering from a broken femur!

And of course, because everyone couldn’t resist showing off their cute dogs, I got a ton of photos. Here’s a slideshow of all the pictures I got sent. Too cute.

Writing is a big part of my job and almost all PR professionals’ jobs, in fact. Keep these tips in mind to help convey your message clearly and concisely:

Nix the redundant adjectives. I think redundant adjectives are so ingrained in our vernacular that they get inserted in our writing subconsciously. Some of the most flagrant double adjectives that come to my mind include:

• Added bonus
• Past memories
• Close proximity

What do you think are the most used (or abused) redundant adjective pairs? Tell us in the comments.

Strive for brevity. We’re fighting to get our content in front of our key audiences with a limited amount of time to get our message across. Get the most out of that limited time by keeping your message short and concise.

Lose the jargon. Write to your audience. If your audience isn’t familiar with specific industry jargon, you’re not doing any favors by including it. Write so that your messages are understood. If you can do that with jargon, good. If you can’t, then lose it.

Use the appropriate word. I have seen compliment/complement used interchangeably far too many times. Know the definition and proper use of the word before you insert it in your writing. “Entitled” is also up there on my list of incorrectly used words. Hint: A book or movie is “titled,” not “entitled.”

Write what you mean. Don’t beat around the bush. Write what you mean as straightforward as possible. You don’t want to risk your message getting lost or misunderstood amidst unnecessary sentences and words.

What tips do you have for clear, concise writing? Tell us in the comments.

The problem with bathrooms, beds and the vehicle you are driving is that they aren’t convenient places to write things down. The other problem is that they are often the distraction-free spots where your mind starts to race with ideas.

Communicators need ideas on hand and I’ve learned that the best ones choose you when they feel like it, not necessarily when you need them most. They may withhold themselves at an important brainstorm meeting only to leave you fumbling for a napkin and stray crayon at a birthday party later on. So how do you keep the best ideas from slipping away and make sure you are brilliant at your next big brainstorm meeting? Here are a few thoughts.

Make idea lists. This doesn’t need to be complicated. Just choose some type of note-taking method and make idea lists with titles like blog story ideas, public event ideas, project survey question ideas, home project ideas etc. You can make your titles as broad or specific as you want. When you are ready to use your ideas, you can search the list titles. Electronic note-taking applications are the easiest to search and there are several available. Apple’s standard Notes application, Evernote and Noteshelf and Notability are a few.

Write them down when they’re fresh. Like I said before, ideas don’t always come when it’s convenient. Still, it’s important to get them down at the first possible moment. Ideas can come fast but leave just as fast when you are working on too many other things. Don’t worry about writing them perfectly. Just get them down and in the right place. You can refine them later. It’s much better to write down an idea when you’re awake and excited about it than when you feel pressured to come up with it on a tight deadline.

Keep your notebook close. Keep your notebook nearby at all times whether it is your phone, an iPad or a paper notebook. If you still find yourself in places where only napkins are available, take what you can get until you can transfer them to your notebook later.

How do you keep track of your ideas? Let us know in the comments.

When I started as an Administrative Assistant at PPBH one month ago, I had only once before seen the inside of an advertising agency. I had heard what it would be like in my classes and on several occasions had imagined Donald Draper yelling at me on my first day for messing up his coffee. But in reality, no matter how many episodes of Mad Men I watched, I had little first hand experience in the agency world.

So how did I survive the first month? I’m not sure, but here are some tips that will help you survive the beginning of your agency career.

Watch how others work. At PPBH the average employee has been here for seven or more years. They know what they are doing and they know how to get it done for their client. Taking mental notes on how others work not only helps you understand how to do the job, but gives you an idea of what others will expect from you.

Ask questions. When you start a new job, sometimes the questions you have can feel overwhelming. It is important to first work through each question to see if it is something you can answer for yourself. If you’re not sure, it is always best to ask. Someone more experienced will have an answer or will at least be able to guide you in one direction or the other. It will save you time and ensure that you do things right the first time.

Don’t expect a 9 to 5.  Most days at PPBH, I look at the clock and somehow it is already 6 p.m. The work here is fun and there is a lot of it. Everyone loves their job and they are willing to stay until the work is done. If you want to work somewhere with rigid work hours, an agency may not be the place for you.

Get to know EVERYONE. Just because the creative department is on another floor doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get to know them too. PPBH is a fully integrated agency. Every department, whether it’s public relations, media, creative, digital, public involvement or advertising, works together to bring the client the best product. The better you know everyone in the agency, the easier it is to get stuff done when it comes down to crunch time. Plus, you’ll benefit from getting to know some really great people who make work more fun.

Be athletic. Maybe it’s because spring is here or maybe it’s because the employees at PPBH are superhuman, but there are currently four different athletic activities that the staff are taking part in. And who is the first to get recruited when the team needs a couple more members? The new kid. I suggest drinking a lot of water and beginning your training as soon as you are hired.

The advertising industry is fast paced and can be overwhelming at first. Hopefully following these tips will help make your first month go smoothly.

We’ve all seen ‘em: drivers weaving in and out of their lanes, running lights and slamming on their brakes because they are distracted. It’s not a new idea that cell phones are among the top driver distractions. In fact, at any given daylight moment, about 660,000 drivers of the 210 million licensed drivers in the US are using cell phones while driving, says NHTSA. Additionally, almost half of all drivers admit to answering phone calls while driving and 1 in 4 drivers place calls while driving.

These statistics, and the 1.6 million crashes caused nationwide every year by drivers using a cell phone, remind us that though texting and driving is illegal for all ages in Utah and 38 other states, driving while using a cell phone in any way is dangerous. In fact, the National Safety Council estimated that 200,000 of the cell-phone-related crashes yearly involve texting and the other 1.4 million are related to other mobile use while driving.

But do you ever talk on a cell phone while driving? Does your spouse? Do you mind if your kids do?

Starting May 14, drivers under eighteen years old in Utah who are caught talking on a cell phone while driving can be pulled over and fined. 35 additional states have restricted all cell phone use by novice drivers and 10 states have banned any age from driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone. For state-specific cell phone laws, click here.

As a member of UDOT’s Zero Fatalities outreach team, I’m interested to know what the public thinks about restrictions for driving while using a cell phone. I can be a better educator by understanding where people stand. So please weigh in: Do you think talking on a cell phone while driving should be illegal for all drivers or just teens?

I was sad to hear of Earl Holding’s passing last week at the age of 86. I consider myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with him for 25 years. Mr. Holding was an inspiring businessman who, among other businesses, owned the Little America and Grand America Hotels, SunValley Ski Resort and Snowbasin Ski Resort. He was also one of the largest land owners in the West with over 400,000 acres of a working cattle ranch land.

Working with Mr. Holding taught me a number of valuable business lessons. He was always ready to jump in on any project and get his hands dirty. When I would arrive for a meeting with him at Sun Valley Resort, you wouldn’t find him sitting in some big office, but instead, he would be out driving around in an old pickup truck helping to plant some new trees. I was always amazed at the perfect landscaping at all of Mr. Holding’s properties. Another time, when we were scheduled to meet at the Grand America Hotel, I recall arriving at the hotel and finding him and his son Stephen unrolling a large new rug in one of the hallways. At Snowbasin Resort, the day before the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games began and worldwide media was just about to arrive, Mr. Holding was up in a scissor lift, adjusting a big chandelier in the new Day Lodge with his wife, Carol, directing him.

Mr. Holding used to say, “You do business with your friends.” If you gave him your very best effort, he was a very loyal client. For example, in the advertising business where agencies typically retain a client for three to four years, we were proud to have handled the Sun Valley Resort account for 25 years.

Mr. Holding had amazing energy and could outwork folks half his age. On one Sun Valley project, Mr. Holding took time out of his very busy schedule to look at every one of the photos we were going to use on the project. He spent hours reviewing photos to make sure they fit his idea of the Sun Valley brand. When our team got ready to leave around 8 p.m., Mr. Holding walked us out to the lobby where a team of architects where waiting to meet with him. His day was just starting.

Another valuable business lesson Mr. Holding taught me was to be loyal to your employees and they will be loyal to you. When Mr. Holding asked us to re-brand the Little America Hotels, we set up meetings with all of the hotel general managers. They had all worked for Mr. Holding for 25 to 30 years. Each spent time discussing everything they had learned from Mr. Holding. You could see they all had a lot of respect for him. In the advertising business, the average employee stays at an agency for two to three years. I’m proud of the fact that most of our department heads have been here for 15-plus years, and employees, on average, between seven to eight years.

I think Mr. Holding would be proud that many of us have learned so much about business from him, but more importantly, that we learned how to inspire people around us by getting our hands dirty. I would say, “Rest in peace Mr. Holding,” but I know he’s busy getting things done.

On the heels of our 1-5-1 (that’s one win, five losses and one tie) rec soccer season in 2012, the PPBH soccer team has reunited for a second year, and we’re bigger, and hopefully, better than ever! Our team picture last year even seemed to entice some additional PPBHers to join the team. We kicked the season off with a bye last week, and after some ferocious competition last night, we fell to our first opponent. Wish us luck, and if you happen to be in the league as well, we look forward to seeing you on the field!

An action shot from our first game of the season

Is it cool to love your job? For all of our sakes, we hope so. But when it comes to music, can you think of a song besides Heigh-ho that glorifies the work place? We couldn’t either.  Every popular song about work would fit right in on the soundtrack to the anti-workplace film classic, Office Space. No, in place of cheerleading the boss, it’s all about working for the man and letting the bitterness crescendo to a volcanic, artistic outpouring of musical genius.

So this list of PPBH’s top 20 workplace songs comes with a gigantic disclaimer.  We all love what we do and of course, we wouldn’t consider any of the agency’s partners to be the proverbial “Man”.  But we listen to these songs in those moments when we want to understand what it must feel like to work at places like Dundler Mifflin or this highly motivational workplace in Utah County.  And yeah, we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t want to get mad, rock out and complain to our non-existent Marketing Teamsters Union.  So enjoy these choice cuts (during your government-mandated 15-minute break, of course):

20. Blue Collar Man – Styx

19. Short Skirt/Long Jacket – Cake – An ode to PPBH working women who just know how to get things done.

18. Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked – Cage the Elephant

17.  Another One Bites the Dust – Queen – This one came from our managing partner after someone in the office selected “Take This Job and Shove It” as their favorite song. Watch your backs, people.

16. I Don’t Like Mondays – The Boomtown Rats

15.  This Ain’t No Picnic – The Minutemen

14.  Working Man – Rush

13. 9 to 5 – Dolly Parton

12. Takin’ Care of Business – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

11. Workers Song – Dropkick Murphys

10. The Finest Worksong – REM

9. I Go to Work – Kool Moe Dee

8. She Works Hard for Her Money – Donna Summer

7. We Gotta Get Out of This Place - The Animals

6. I Hate the Man – Madcap

5. Death of a Salesman – Low

4. Workin’ for a Livin’ – Huey Lewis & the News

3. Take This Job and Shove It – Johnny Paycheck

2. Working for the Weekend – Loverboy

1. Career Opportunities – The Clash

Do you think we missed any classics? Let us know which songs get you angry at the man.

You’ve put together a portfolio and resume that’s good enough to get you noticed. Now comes the tough part: the interview.

A job interview, especially for a creative position in an advertising agency, can be pretty harrowing. Creative directors are overworked and paid to be picky, so be prepared for all sorts of crankiness.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when interviewing for a creative job.

The most important thing? The work, the work, the work, as BBDO puts it. Make sure that you have your portfolio to show, even if they have already seen it. The people hiring you usually have forgotten your portfolio by the time the interview has rolled around. Be sure you are triple prepared. Bring a print version and a laptop. While some places won’t expect you to leave your print portfolio behind, others will. A friend of mine got sent away from a job interview because she didn’t bring a physical portfolio. Going overboard is probably just the right amount.

Be prepared to talk about your work. Eric Larson, our art director, wants to hear potential employees explain the problem and solution behind their projects. This helps him get an idea of what your concepting skills are like. And make sure you only show your best work.

Don’t expect the agency to help or provide you with anything you’ll need for the interview. Need a computer to access your portfolio? Forget about it. Wifi password to access your website? Think again. The interviewer is already taking time out of their busy schedule to sit down with you. Make it as easy as possible for them. If your portfolio is on a website, make sure you have an offline version just in case you can’t access the Internet.

Learn about the agency you’re interviewing at. If you can’t give specific answers about why you want to work there, you’re in trouble. Look through the agency’s portfolio and find projects you would love to work on. This is also important to do to make sure you’ll be a good fit at the agency.

Have any other tips? Let us know in the comments below.