Explore Trademarks, Copyrights, and
Trade Secrets at the Friday, May 2
MarCom/PRSA Breakfast Meeting

Guest panelists Gregory S. Johnson, Paine Hamblen LLP, and Dean Davis, Dean Davis Photography, will be our guides through the jungle of intellectual property at the May Breakfast Meeting.  Join the conversation, moderated by Jeff Thomas, as we explore and de-mystify the topic of intellectual property as it applies to the creative marketing and public relations professional.

We will discuss an overview of Intellectual Property including:

• Trademark vs. patent, copyright, and trade secrets
• Execution of transfers of copyright ownership
• Acquiring and registering a trademark
• Trade secrets defined and how to protect them
• Patent overview

Additionally, we will offer MarCom Members and guest’s real-life examples of applying the law to practical example by illustrating a best practices approach to purchasing photography. We will also explore how the application of intellectual property law applies to creative originators of graphic design files, web sites and web site programming and illustration.

A great overview with a strong take-away: Communication from the beginning is essential to manage the expectations of a successful communications project.

The breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. in Cataldo Hall on the Gonzaga University campus.  To register (and pre-pay if you wish), please go to RSVP Online.

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Spark Judges’ Comments

Despite what Mr. Funnyman Reed McColm said at the Spark Awards, we’re all winners after this year’s Spark Awards. As I mentioned, our judges, reigning from the Oregon Capital Chapter of PRSA (Salem, OR), provided proof with perhaps the most genuine comments I have seen. Therefore, we have captured the highlights below. Please see the Spark Award Release for the full list of winners.

“We commend the MarCom Association for doing outstanding work.  Every entry was well-done and worthy of an award. It was often hard to choose, and in some cases when all the goals were met and research properly done – it came down to the gut level: Which do we “like” the most? 

"So here’s the real prize you won: We’d all like to either move to Spokane, or at least visit.  Is it really that wonderful there??  And thanks to your Natural Resource Conservation Service, the wildlife loves it, too.

"We want to see a show at The Fox. We want to meet Logan. We feel safe on your freeways (at least one). Can we join the athletic club to get the magazine?  We’d love to attend that private school, St. George’s; but later we couldn’t decide WHICH college to attend because they all beckon us . . . unless we veer off to the wineries and think we’re in Tuscany. If we got hurt, send MedStar.  Oh, and we want all your graphic designers to move to Oregon.

"We have a confession to make: You’re missing the second copy of the Whitworth Annual Report/Calendar.  Shannon promises to send it soon  – she just wanted to make sure everyone here saw it.  We have a saying here: “Steal without Guilt” (it comes from many of us working for public institutions, since the taxpayer owns most of our work, so why be stingy?).  There, we feel better.

"When it comes to finding Dussault – the best and the Brightest Spark – we asked: What delighted, shocked, surprised, overwhelmed, touched and flabbergasted us AFTER all the plan criteria were met? What do we want to steal (the most)? Your "Light Up the Fox!” campaign hit the mark, not only because it was the textbook campaign, but because it met the “it couldn’t be done – but did” test. You came from behind, facing an alienated, even burned out community AND competed with other fund-raising efforts (like CHILDREN), then rallied, researched and targeted the proverbial audience, got creative, raised money – then more money.   It was also the heaviest entry, so we saved it for last because nobody wanted to open it.

"But the Wonders of Wildlife campaign . . . wow.  If Rocky, Hill & Knowlton and Martin Woldson Theater were here when we opened that binder, they would have started biting their nails. The NRSC, as far as we could tell, did this campaign on it’s own with whopping, exponential return for an amazing cause that will only grow.

"And Logan’s magazine, our second “Brightest Spark:” It deserved mention as perhaps your most unique, “one of a kind” project that worked on every level – from meeting a unique need to great writing, design – and success in pulling it off. You can’t help but feel good, just opening it. It became our mascot – we just had to pass it around.”

Now remember, this kind of third party endorsement could score you more budget for next year, so share it loud and proud. Thank you all for what you do for this community and our organization.
- Dave Sonntag, Spokane MarCom President

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In Their Own Words...

Unlike others, the MarCom internship program requires more than just an application and an interview. Through a highly competitive process, students have to show us not just tell us, they have what it takes to contribute in the real world of marketing communications.

This year, three outstanding students did exactly that. They showed us they have the talent, the drive, and the initiative – to be MarCom interns. We thought you’d enjoy hearing from them and learning how excited they are to be this year’s winners, in their own words…

Meara Hall, Whitworth University
Paired with Barb Chamberlain, WSU-Spokane

I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to work with Washington State University-Spokane as a MarCom intern. At WSU-Spokane, I hope to explore my own personal interests within the various facets of public relations while putting the skills I have acquired as a student at Whitworth University into application. I am also excited to meet various public relations and marketing professionals in the Spokane area and hear about their work. I know that I will gain great hands-on experience through my internship, and I cannot wait to get started! Thank you for the wonderful opportunity!

Jeremy Rainwater, Washington State University
Paired with Jill Strom, MAC

I am very honored and excited about receiving the MarCom summer internship. I look forward to gaining valuable work experience in the Public Relations field that I can take with me as I complete my final year of school and enter the workforce. This internship provides an amazing opportunity to improve my writing and networking skills, as well as meet and learn from some of the Spokane area’s finest professionals. MarCom is a well respected and established organization and I feel extremely privileged to be selected as one of their interns. I look forward to the experience and I am thankful for the opportunity. 

Jennifer Norwood, Whitworth University
Paired with Dawn Picken, Greater Spokane Incorporated

I am honored to be chosen as a MarCom intern and I am so excited to see what there is in store for me at Greater Spokane Incorporated. I love Spokane, therefore I am thrilled to be interning with an organization that has the same pride and affection for this great city. I aspire to work in the realm of public relations after I graduate, therefore I believe the experience I will gain with GSI will be invaluable. I hope that this internship will push me with my writing, and will provide excellent networking opportunities in the communications world of Spokane. I want to thank all of the members of MarCom who made this internship possible. You give students a chance to gain real world experience that will be monumental in our preparation to join the work force – so thank you.

For more information on the MarCom Internships, see the Internship Release.  Many thanks to this year’s MarCom Internship Committee:

Alyssa Ando, Sterling International
Vicki Sola Egesdal, Inland Northwest Land Trust
Jennifer Simmons, Northern Quest, A Kalispel Casino
Jennifer VanVleet, Coffman Engineers

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Spread the Fame Around!

If you won a Spark Award and would like a duplicate award for the other folks who made it possible, this is your chance.  The cost to order duplicate Spark Awards is $35 each and the deadline is April 30. Fill out the Spark Award Reorder Form and mail it with a check (made out to Spokane Regional MarCom) to:

Sharon Robertson
c/o Girl Scouts
1404 N Ash
Spokane, WA 99201

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2010 MarCom Leadership

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