Konnect Agency

The Case for Taking Lunch

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Let’s face it—our bodies aren’t built to operate like robots (yet) and everyone, whether they admit it or not, has a hard time functioning, much less being productive, for more than 8 hours each day. Sure, there’s that occasional cram session the night before a test or the day spent working around the clock before a big deadline, but those work spurts are exhausting and greatly reduce your ability to concentrate and make informed decisions.

The simple cure? The common lunch break.

According to Business Insider, most Americans spend more than seven hours a day staring at a screen, and this screen time may lead to blurred vision, eye strain, migraines and long-term vision problems including nearsightedness. Simply stepping away from your computer screen greatly decreases the likelihood of encountering these problems.

Working in an office, we often find ourselves glued to our computer screens without realizing how much time has passed by, but when the clock strikes 12 it’s important to think about how you are spending your lunch break. Are you scarfing down a salad at your desk? Quickly munching on a sandwich while scrolling through social media notifications? Or—dare I say it—are you skipping lunch altogether?

We live in a fast-paced world where it’s easy to feel like a simple blink will result in missing something major, let alone leaving your post for more than the obligatory bathroom break. During a time when Amazon’s harsh work culture is making headlines and employees at innumerable other companies feel the pressure to work harder, longer and with fewer benefits, it can be easy to think this is the case with every modern workplace.

It’s not.

At Konnect Agency, we love lunch. That delightful midday hour is a cherished time when we can step away from our desks, direct our gaze away from the countless emails, and take a moment to fuel up on the literal and figurative creative juices power us through the rest of the day.

Not convinced? Follow this quick guide to freedom a la lunch break, and you’ll convert in no time.

1. Take a nap
Eyes getting heavy after a seemingly endless morning? Forget the extra cup of coffee and make like a pre-schooler. Taking a quick power-nap instead of reaching for a caffeinated beverage can help re-energize your body and make all the difference in your performance throughout the rest of the day.  Settle into a quiet conference room, lay down in your car, or curl up on a comfy couch—just don’t forget to set an alarm.

2. Read a book
When was the last time you picked up a book instead of mindlessly thumbing through your Instagram or Twitter feed? Reading a book during your lunch break is another excellent way to break away from the digital world and spark some creativity. According to this article on Inc. reading each day leads an increased vocabulary, lower stress levels, higher confidence levels, and improved brain function.

3. Get lunch with a co-worker
Grabbing lunch can be a group activity. Getting away from your desk and spending time with your coworkers is a great way to add some excitement to your day and build relationships with the people you spend most of your waking hours alongside.

4. Exercise If your work has a gym or there is one nearby, your lunch break is a perfect opportunity to squeeze in some time to work out. Whether that means running on a treadmill for a quick cardio boost or lifting weights for leg day, exercise is important for your body. If you aren’t a fan of the gym, don’t fret—take a walk around the block to get some fresh air.

The path to a lunch well spent is ahead; it’s up to you to take it.

-Cassie Yanogacio

Why We Envy The Kardashians on Instagram

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The Kardashians Family is a household name that everyone knows. Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying their fame and their ability to get their infamous name and brand out there. The Kardashians have perfected the art of social media, whether it be Kim’s endless selfies or Kylie’s half naked mirror photos. You can’t help but find at least one of these in your feed throughout the day. Although you may not agree with all of their stunts and publicity, one must agree that they are one to watch when it comes to trends and marketing success. There’s a reason everyone knows the name Kardashian. Here are some of the reasons why we follow Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, Kylie, and the rest of the Kardashian bunch.

They Always Have Imagery for Trending Topics


No matter how embarrassing this encounter was, Kim still posted this photo of her and Prince. She used it on social media, and with over 1 million likes and almost 15k comments, this Kardashian knows how to start social conversation.

They Know How To Work Their Feed

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There’s no question that Kylie Jenner doesn’t know how to work a camera to show off exactly what she wants to show off, but she also knows how to work her Instagram feed. While most of her feed consists mostly of selfies and body shots, she sneaks in a few pictures of her product, Kylie Cosmetics. And posted in between a few shots that are sure to stir up some buzz, the placement of her product shots is timed just right to get people interested with 1 million likes and over 53k comments.

They Know the Right Way to Post Press About Themselves


In an agency where public relations plays a huge role in what we do, we know the importance of press hits. Unfortunately, there’s always a right way to handle press on social media and a wrong way. Does this press interest your followers? Does your press hit feature your company in a light you want your targeted audience to see you in? Sometimes the phrase “all press is good press” isn’t always true. In Scott Disick’s case, this image combined with his usual comedic copy increased his engagement by over 160% from his last post.

The Kardashians are definitely a family that has caused a stir in media. Although it’s not always the best outcome for their family when it comes to gossip stories, they sure know how to leverage social media in the best ways possible. There’s a reason they have millions and millions of fans throughout their social media platforms, and following them can teach you a few lessons in marketing your brand.

‘Till Next Time Social Media Lovers!

-Shelley

3 Secrets to Staying Healthy When Stressed At Work

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It’s the time of the year when things are in full swing in the public relations world! With many upcoming press opportunities and events, a publicist can easily become overwhelmed with their workload and forget to take care of themselves. Luckily, here at Konnect Public Relations, we are always giving our employees tips to stay sane and healthy that can be applicable to anyone that is stressed at work.

1. Exercise

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People tend to forget to exercise when they are stressed! Incorporating physical activity into your daily lifestyle not only reduces stress, but gives you more energy. A brisk walk during lunch or going to your favorite spin class with your coworkers after work do just the trick.

2. Eat Healthy

 

 

 

 

 

Stress can often lead to unhealthy eating habits which can end up making you feel even more stressed. Bringing your lunch to work and having a snack drawer filled with healthy options such as Krave Jerky, Dang Toasted Coconut Chips and fruits can not only give you more energy, but bust stress hormones due to their abundance in vitamins and antioxidants.

3. Sleep

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Sleeping makes people happy! By sleeping an average of 6-8 hours, you are recharging your body, giving you more energy to conquer your work day!

Follow these tips and give yourself some love!

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Meet The Newest Member Of The Konnect PR Family: Kelly Taylor

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Earlier this month, Kelly  joined the KPR family as a Manager in the Food & Beverage Division. Previously working as the Manager of Public Relations at Fuhu, Inc., Kelly’s plethora of knowledge in the industry intrigued us to interview her (again) to learn about her passions, accomplishments and a few words of advice for those entering the industry.

1. What do you love about the PR industry?

The best part about PR is helping my clients and their brands become best sellers and household names through the campaigns we put together. When all of the campaign pieces come together, it’s an awesome feeling! I also really enjoy that no day is the same – I’m doing something new and different every day, which makes it easy to want to come to work!

2. What accomplishment are most proud of?

The accomplishment I am most proud of would be a campaign I put together for a UK-based beauty brand. The product was in an incredibly small market with little to no recognition and I was tasked with putting a campaign together that would not only launch the brand in the US, but propel it to be the best selling product in its specific category. Long story short, in a little less than a year, the brand was not only the top selling product in its market, but we also generated a huge celebrity and makeup artist following and the product was used on a number of primetime TV shows and big budget blockbuster movies (credits included)! We also attracted the attention of one very big celebrity who demanded she have her own collection within the brand. The launch party was attended by over 2,000 people and we garnered over 100+ million in print and online impressions. The campaign was so successful, it was awarded an American Business Award for ‘Best Product Launch’ – we beat out Boeing, Seiko, Levi’s, and Dockers!

3. What words do you live by?

“If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything.” – Ernest Hemingway (Hard as I try, I still worry about everything!)

4. What advice would you give to those entering the PR industry?

Find an industry you really love – you will be much more successful if you are working with brands/companies that you are passionate about. Listen carefully, ask questions, work hard, develop your own style and don’t be afraid to pick up the phone!

5. What do you love to do when you have down time?

I love to explore new neighborhoods popping up around Los Angeles, discovering new restaurants, shopping in Venice, running on the beach, reading a good book and escaping to Palm Springs whenever I can.

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Tips To Finding a Contact, No Matter How Illusive!

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We’ve all been there– you find a writer who you just know would be perfect to write about your client’s latest news– but wait! Where’s this person’s contact information and why is s/he so hard to track down?!

In a profession like Public Relations, which requires you to be well connected, it’s important to both be able to find the right contacts to pitch and also know how to get in contact with that person. Here are a few tips I find helpful when in pursuit of contact information:

  1. Check Cision
  2. Google her name along with the words “contact” and “email”
  3. Check her Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin… etc.
  4. If you know her organization/ company– pick up the phone and call to inquire your contact’s info!
  5. Email the general company’s address and see if someone can connect you.
  6. If all else fails, ask your wonderful fellow publicists at Konnect if they know how to get in touch with your person of interest 🙂

Don’t give up and happy stalking!

3 Tips to Remember When You're on an Editorial Deskside Tour

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Every publicist loves this feeling … going up the stairs of the Hearst building **sigh**

Last week, my lovely public relations colleague Amanda Molina and I were on a whirlwind NYC deskside media tour. Through our experience, I would love to share some tips to have successful media meet & greets during the non-stop hustle and bustle.

  • Build a great rapport with your contacts / soon-to-be media friends. Desksides provide the opportunity finally be face-to-face with people that you’ve probably emailed a million times. It is quintessential to make complete use of the time you two are together and wow them with your enthusiasm and pitch! Once that happens, your guys’ relationship will be stronger and hopefully it will turn into something where they can turn to you as a great resource.
  • Give yourself enough time from appointment to appointment. Map out your destinations and apply plenty of buffer time to get from one place to the other. Remember to think about potential traffic or longer desksides that might hold you up. Take it from me, you don’t want to be running, sweaty and 20 minutes late your deskside!
  • Take many notes. It is imperative to jot down lots of notes when you are meeting with so many editors in a day and trying to memorize everything they said! Write down things that the media likes and doesn’t like, if they are working on any themed roundups or stories that would be a perfect fit for your client, personal tidbits about them so you can reference these details in your follow-ups, etc. This will go a long way when you’re downloading the tons of info for your desksides recap at the end of the day.

Think of any more tips? Hope you knock ’em dead on your next deskside! 😉

xx Kim

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As a brand strategy agency, we believe in a unique approach to every client we work with, and our whatever-it-takes mindset drives every challenge we face. This integrated approach ensures the right campaigns and solutions for your company. At Konnect, your brand is our brand.

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