Alabama PR Firm Launches Deep Glow Underwater Lighting System

Deep Glow is like a Virtual Aquarium

 There’s a bright side to today’s slow real estate market, and it’s coming from waterfront homes and businesses around the country.  As the U.S. crawls out of a flat homebuyer’s market, homeowners are turning to quick and simple do-it-yourself projects to add to the aesthetic appeal – and often increase property value – of existing homes.

Tampa, Florida-based Deep Glow Technologies has hired Alabama-based public relations firm b2 ideas, to assist the company in a nationwide launch of its new underwater dock lighting systems. 

“Deep Glow is poised for tremendous success during this slow economy, and the company has all the pieces in place to become a leader in the underwater lighting category.  Deep Glow lights are perfect for both residential and commercial applications.  From freshwater recreational lakes to coastal homes, Deep Glow increases outdoor living space, and provides an instant ecosystem for marine life,” says Bob Bartels of b2 ideas.

Bartels added that Alabama is blessed to have a tremendous amount of waterfront property, including lakes, rivers, bays, bayous and the Gulf Coast.  “During the next few months, I’m sure you’ll see the Deep Glow lights dotting docks and piers, from Pickwick, Wheeler and Guntersville Lakes in north Alabama, to Lakes Martin, Logan Martin and Eufaula in central Alabama, to Mobile Bay, Wolf Bay and Bayou St. John on the Alabama coast.”

Deep Glow lights are fast replacing traditional dock lights that often attract insects and create glare.  “Outdoor and waterfront space is at a premium, and homeowners are always seeking additional ways to incorporate this space into their lifestyles.  Deep Glow creates a virtual dockside aquarium, and a unique place to entertain friends and family,” says Brad Ball of Deep Glow Technologies, Inc.

b2 ideas (www.b2ideas.com) specializes in the design and implementation of integrated public/media relations campaigns for consumer goods, and works with companies regionally, nationally and internationally.  The company has provided public/media relations and marketing services for many top-name brands, including Century Boat Company, Inc., Skeeter Products, Inc., Bonnie Plant Farm, Pink Ribbon Wines, and frogg toggs, among others.

For more information about Deep Glow Technologies, its product line-up, frequently asked questions, customer testimonials or where to find Deep Glow underwater lights, visit www.deepglow.com or call 888-871-3334.

Auburn's Steve Kennedy Readies for Bassmaster Classic (Courtesy BASS)

February 19, 2008, Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana –  Auburn’s Steve Kennedy began his professional bass fishing career running an aluminum boat, and he plans to do the same during this weekend’s Bassmaster Classic on the Red River in Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana.

Kennedy, a 1992 graduate from Auburn University is one of nine anglers hailing from Alabama competing in this weekend’s championship – a group that includes former Classic champion Boyd Duckett, the Classic’s first female angler, Kim Bain-Moore, and fellow Elite Series anglers Matt Herren and Tim Horton.

Due to low water levels of the Red River, Kennedy has opted to run an 18-foot aluminum boat during the tournament, a rare sight, as he competes against 50 of the world’s best bass anglers, each running $50,000+ fiberglass bass boats powered by 225-250 hp outboard engines.

“I usually have the Auburn Fight Song playing when I come up on stage to weigh in my fish, but I’m sure I’ll hear the theme song from the television show Sanford & Son this time,” says the Auburn native.

Kennedy began his professional fishing career in a humble manner, running an aluminum boat powered by a 50-horse motor.  “I’ve won plenty of bass tournaments in the past running an aluminum boat, and the conditions we’re facing this weekend requires the ability to get to some fishing spots that are extremely shallow,” says the angler.

Other anglers may laugh at Kennedy, but all know he is a serious threat to win the Bassmaster Classic, not because of the boat he runs, but due to his skills as an angler.  In his seven years as a professional angler, Kennedy has 17 top ten finishes, and was the BASS Elite Series Rookie of the Year in 2006.

Kennedy’s father, Van Kennedy, was a mainstay in tournament bass fishing in the 1980s.  His father passed along this competitive passion and knowledge of bass fishing to his son.

“I’m excited about the Classic, and have found a few spots that hold good fish.  This is a fish-to-win tournament, and I should be able to find some fish that other anglers will not be able to get to,” says Kennedy.

Kennedy is not the first Auburn graduate to find success in professional fishing, as the sport’s founding father, BASS legend Ray Scott, is also an Auburn graduate.  “Anglers show their colors, whether its Yamaha blue, Skeeter red, or Mercury black.  I’m more of an orange and blue man.”

Black Hawk Down Survivor Shares Story

Col. Danny McKnight to Speak Locally - Survivor to Share ‘Black Hawk Down’ Experience and - Introduce Cadet Training Program

Todd Faircloth hopes to build off of his 2008 success.

Up to the Minute/Behind the Scenes Tweets from the 2009 Bassmaster Classic

Want behind the scenes and up to the minute information during the 2009 Bassmaster Classic? Join Twitter, and follow the fishing action of the world’s top professional bass anglers.  Hear from the competitors themselves.  Have a question for a competitor, tweet me.  http://twitter.com/bobbartels

Bassmaster Classic
Red River
Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana
February 20-22, 2009

Event Highlights

Mike & Mike in the Morning – Broadcasting live from the Classic, Friday, February 20, from 5-9 a.m., CST.

Daily Weigh-In – 51 competitors weigh their daily catches vying for $500,000.  Daily, 3:30 p.m., CST.

Daily Launches – Be there as the anglers take to the water.  Daily, 7:15 a.m., CST.

Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods – Get tips from professional anglers and check out the hottest fishing tackle and gear.

U.S. Airways Crash – Brace for Impact

Hearing a pilot say, "Folks, we have a problem," is very surreal.

Watching the news coverage of U.S. Airways flight 1549, reminds me of a somewhat similar incident that happened to me on a U.S. Airways flight.  There are two common elements to flight 1549 and my flight, 861, 1.) Both U.S. Airways flights had fluke mechanical problems, and 2.) Well-trained pilots safely landed each of our planes.

It was a late February flight, U.S. Airways #861 from Charlotte, North Carolina to Birmingham, Alabama.  I was returning home to Birmingham from a business trip, and what seemed to be an uneventful flight changed quickly.  When a pilot comes over the public address system and says, “Folks, we have a problem,” that’s when this flight became very surreal.

At the time, I considered myself a seasoned airline traveler, and had often thought about crash scenarios, and what my reaction would be – fight or flight.  One thing’s for certain, I never imagined my life ending due to a plane crash.

Somewhere in the skies over Chattanooga, flight 861 went through a tremendous thunderstorm.  When the lightening bolt hit our plane, I knew immediately that something was wrong.  We went into a holding pattern, and the majority of passengers continued unaware of our situation – reading books, listening to music, napping, etc.

Planes are designed to absorb lightening strikes, with the electricity being transferred around the frame of the jet’s body.  However, this particular double lightening strike knocked out the airplane’s landing gear.  I recall seeing the looks on the flight attendant’s faces as they paced the isles, and still, most of the passengers were unaware of the issue.

“Folks, we have a problem.”  The pilot just told everyone what I had been thinking to myself for the past 15 minutes.  Hearing this is one thing, but coming from a pilot, in an airplane, 25,000 feet in the air, makes your heart and mind race.

Fight or flight.  The flight attendants immediately began moving passengers from the emergency rows, including a team of female gymnasts from North Carolina State University.  While certainly not a hero by any means, I requested to sit next to the emergency door to assist passengers in a worst-case scenario.  (While a PR professional, I have always had a deep desire to be a fire fighter).

I can only imagine the passengers of flight 1549 when pilot Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger said, “Brace for impact.”  Lady luck was watching both flight 1549, and my flight, 861 (though confident and experienced pilots played a major role in both cases).

Our pilot explained that the lightening strike knocked out the plane’s hydraulics, thus preventing our landing gear from operating. The crew tried, unsuccessfully, to manually lower the landing gear.

“Brace for impact.” If you’ve ever watched a movie scene of a plane crash (ABC’s television series Lost, or the Tom Hanks hit, Cast Away), that is exactly what the experience is like.  When our plane hit the ground, not touched-down, it hit the ground at 140 miles per hour.  It was jarring.  Storage bins opened, luggage was falling, the cabin went dark, oxygen masks and panels fell from the ceiling, and the screams were deafening.

Fight or flight.  My fingers were dug into the seat in front of me, and I remember in amazement how much the seat was swaying back and forth, at least a foot in each direction.  It seemed like we slid down the runway for 20 minutes, then finally slid off the runway.  I recall looking out the mud-stained window, and seeing another movie scene, airport fire crew wearing heat resistant suits walking toward the plane.  

You could feel a collectively sigh of relief and joy come over the 92 passengers on-board.  After about an hour, we managed getting off the plane.  As I walked down the isle, a tired looking pilot was standing near the cockpit, covered in mud.  The front landing gear had actually come through the bottom of the plane, and was inside the cockpit, along with about 2-feet of mud.

As I look back, I think that it could have been so much worse. Luck? Coincidence? Fate? Our plane was a Fokker 100, with tail-mounted engines.  I imagine our landing would be much different if I was on a different type of plane – one with wing-mounted engines, sitting on tens of thousands of gallons of fuel.

Now, I’m not afraid of flying, just landing. 

Enjoy each and every day to its fullest.

Are there Brighter Days Ahead for the Marine Industry?

Marine Industry Battle Cry – ‘Batten Down the Hatches’ – Boat Manufacturers Cling to PR for a Strong Return on Investment

As the marine industry experiences one of its weakest periods in recent history, many boat manufacturers are trimming marketing budgets to reduce expenses, and clinging to proven tactics that can easily justify a strong return-on-investment, specifically, public relations.

“Public relations is a low-cost budgetary item that can generate a significant return-on-investment in both editorial coverage and its ability to help sell product,” says Bob Bartels of Alabama-based b2 ideas, a leading public relations consultant for marine industry companies.

“During a slow economy, like we are experiencing now, relying on a strong public relations program is essential in maintaining brand awareness, allowing you to keep your company and products top-of-mind with potential consumers,” says Bartels.  “PR is a useful tool in reaching core target audiences and creating a strong image for your brand.”

Bartels added that even during a slow economy, PR creates the perception that a company and/or its brand is active and on the move.

As boat manufacturers across the country deal with credit issues, temporary shutdowns, workforce reductions and high inventories, Bartels recommends that manufactures maintain some form of PR.

In fact, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) recently announced that it would redirect the efforts of its Grow Boating campaign to support immediate sales driving efforts at the manufacturer and dealer level, including increasing PR efforts.

“When the economy strengthens, the companies that have maintained a strong presence will be better poised to capture additional market share from weaker competitors.”

Skeeter Products, Inc., a leading manufacturer of bass, walleye, fish & ski and bay boats, continues to work diligently to put potential customers into boats, utilizing PR efforts to support dealer activities, promote new products, publicize owner stories, and announce professional angler successes.

“PR plays a vital role within our integrated marketing, promotions and sponsorship efforts, and as these elements work together, all are designed to increase sales and establish Skeeter as the leading boat brand in the industry,” says Trey White, Director of Marketing for Skeeter Products, Inc.

Slow Economy Sparks ‘Grow it Yourself’ Trend - Companies Look to Meet Consumer Demands for Home Gardening

'Grow it Yourself' Trend Sprouts from Slow Economy

As American families tighten their purse strings in unstable economic conditions, many folks are turning to cost-saving measures, including following a new trend called “Grow It Yourself.”

Statistics show that more than one in four of all U.S. households grow vegetable plants, one of the fastest growing pastimes, and one that is becoming more of a necessity rather than a hobby.

“This ‘Grow It Yourself’ trend is something similar to what you found fifty years ago, when families grew vegetables in their own backyards as a way to reduce household expenses,” says Bob Bartels, of Alabama-based b2 ideas, a public relations consultant who has worked with companies such as Bonnie Plant Farm, The Quikrete Companies and The Home Depot.

“Consumers are being thrifty with their dollars, but there are several other benefits to growing your own herbs and vegetables.  Gardening is a great family activity, it helps to reduce stress, it helps to maintain healthy eating habits, and it can be accomplished in small spaces,” says Bartels.

Container vegetable gardening is a $1.3 billion industry, and Bartels expects more brands to enter the category, with an emphasis on green products, gardening start-up kits and high-yield vegetable plants.  Additionally, companies understand that gardening has few socio-economic boundaries, and more urbanites and suburbanites are also entering the category, thus opening up new sales channels for opportunistic brands.

Mini-gardens are growing in popularity, as consumers develop balconies and patios into gardens utilizing containers.  “Gardening is easy, plants are readily available at home improvement retailers, new biodegradable containers make plant care simple, and vegetables can be grown year-round.”

Bartels cited some additional statistics that back a new ‘Grow it Yourself’ trend:

• More young persons 18-34 are gardening, spending more than any other group on vegetable plants.
• Seniors are still the largest group of vegetable gardeners, making up more than 25 percent of the category.
• Herb gardening continues to grow at a strong pace, with more than 15 million households planting herbs. 
• Gardening is becoming less seasonal with an increase in the popularity of cool season vegetables.

Does Wine Have an Identity Crisis?

Guinness has St. Patrick’s Day, Abita has Mardi Gras and Dom Pérignon gets to share the most special occasions such as New Year’s Eve, weddings and launching ships.

Budweiser gets top-billing for July 4th, Corona is a no-brainer when there’s sand and sun involved, Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam score when college football rolls around, while SKYY and Absolut get the celebrities.

“Does wine have an identity crisis?” asks Bob Bartels, a public relations consultant with Alabama-based b2 ideas, a company that specializes in new product introductions.  “If you ask the average consumer to provide you a list of beer brands, you’d get dozens.  Yet, if you ask the same person to provide a list of wine labels, you’d be lucky to get one or two.”

Bartels notes that beer drinkers tend to be much more brand-loyal, while wine drinkers will experiment with different labels – a trait that is common among enthusiasts.  “Word of mouth tends to drive the sales of wine labels, while beer and spirits invest heavily in promotions.  Trying new wines is often based upon the recommendations of friends, restaurant staff or a wine professional at your local retailer.”

b2 ideas took a page from the beer and spirits industry when it recently launched the Pink Ribbon Wines collection.  The collection, benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, built the label’s launch around its ‘Toast to the Cure,’ a nationwide, grassroots event where people can gather to share a toast, celebrate the lives of people who we have lost to breast cancer, and show conviction to finding a cure.

“We received tremendous response from our ‘Toast to the Cure’ event, and hope to build off of this promotion.  Our ultimate goal is to establish Pink Ribbon Wines as an everyday wine. A great wine, at a great value, supporting a great cause,” says Bartels.

Breaking through the clutter is a tactic that all beer brands attempt, Bartels says, noting that companies will continue to explore non-calendar-specific days for promotions.

The Pink Ribbon Wines collection is currently developing its distributor network, and the label can also be found online at www.pinkribbonwines.com.

Breast Cancer Survivors Gather for Think Pink Walk

b2 ideas Recognized for Breast Cancer Support

b2 ideas was recognized this Saturday for its support of the 4th Annual Think Pink breast cancer awareness walk in downtown Opelika – placing emphasis on raising awareness of the disease, but also raising funds for local prevention efforts.

b2 ideas, whose business resides in downtown Opelika, handles public and media relations activities for Pink Ribbon Wines, a collection featuring a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon that makes a donation from each bottle sold to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  

The walk, presented by East Alabama Medical Center and the American Cancer Society, was developed by breast cancer survivor, and head of Opelika Main Street, Velinda Wheeles.

Funds raised at the event go toward providing mammograms for women in Lee County and surrounding counties who are not able to afford the medical exams.

Team Skeeter and Bassmaster Classic Champion Alton Jones

Though BASS, the world’s largest fishing organization, left Montgomery in 2002, and now sits in the shadows of Walt Disney World’s® Magic Kingdom® Park, Opelika-based b2 ideas will help the organization maintain its strong roots to Alabama.  b2 ideas will lead all public relations activities for Skeeter Products, Inc., manufacturer of Skeeter brand boats, announced today as the Official Boat Sponsor of BASS.

“This will be an exciting challenge, and we look forward to showcasing our public relations capabilities nationally, and it’s always rewarding helping our clients succeed,” says Bob Bartels, President of b2 ideas.  “It’s great to know that BASS still has strong roots in Alabama,” he added.  b2 ideas will help Skeeter maintain a strong presence in the media, including supporting Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Women’s Bassmaster Tour and the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS, founded by Ray Scott in 1968, was based in Montgomery more than 30 years until it was purchased by sports giant ESPN, and moved to Celebration, Florida.  BASS, representing more than half a million bass anglers, has become an outdoor media leader and the engine that drives the multi-billion dollar fishing industry.

As a leading public/media relations firm in the marine industry, b2 ideas encourages companies to aggressively leverage sponsorships and paid advertising efforts to secure additional editorial coverage.  “Consumers understand the role of advertising as a sales tool, however, public relations is much more subtle, and carries valuable third party credibility, says Bartels.

Bartels added that while he’ll be pulling for the Team Skeeter anglers participating in this year’s Bassmaster Classic, February 22-24 on Lake Hartwell outside of Greenville, South Carolina, he plans to keep close tabs on the seven professional anglers participating in the Classic who call Alabama home, including Auburn-native Steve Kennedy.  Demopolis-native Boyd Duckett won last year’s Classic.

BASS will return to Alabama on June 5-8, as the nation’s top bass anglers head to Wheeler Lake in Decatur for the Southern Challenge.  Wheeler Lake has been the host of eight BASS events, including the 1974 Bassmaster Classic.

b2 ideas (www.b2ideas.com), based in Opelika, Alabama, specializes in integrated public/media relations plans, and has experience doing so on local, regional and national levels.  The company hosts a full-range of capabilities, including strategic counseling, public and media relations’ support, and design services.