We’re just a few hours away from the start of our PR RV journey, and as we unpack our snacks and organize our supplies, we can’t help but be amazed by how beautiful this vehicle is. It’s become apparent to our team that the PR RV isn’t just a celebration of our clients- it’s also an ode to the craftsmen who apply the finishing touches to every project. Without Jimmy DiResta, fabricator extraordinaire, the buildout would have been homespun and scary– nothing more than a temporary display– instead of the roaming home we’re all already feeling it will be. He’s given…

Take a look behind the scenes and see how our (glamorous!?!) PR road trip is shaping up as the RV is transformed into a style dynamo. We went from this – to that – in no time flat. Note the Flavor Paper Meteor Flower wallpaper in Bollywood, the closet and drawers in Benjamin Moore’s Washington Blue from the new Colonial Williamsburg Collection, and Bayview laminate in Toasted Chestnut from Mohawk Flooring.  

Why would five sane, (or at least sane-seeming) New York public relations professionals trick out an RV and go on a road trip to Des Moines, Iowa? In August? The week BEFORE Labor Day? Because, we feel strongly, that, in this digital age, the concept of connectivity has changed dramatically and we’ve lost the eye contact and face-to-face meetings that enable personal relationships to bud and blossom. As relationships with key media contacts are the lifeblood of VP+C’s PR business and one of the most valuable assets we offer our clients, we decided to mix it up a little and,…

We love a good plus sign around here at VP+C, so the +POOL is right up our alley! One of the largest kickstarted civic projects in the world, the floating swimming hole is designed to filter East River water through the walls of the pool. The layered filtration system removes bacteria and contaminants to ensure clean, swimmable water for New Yorkers to enjoy. AMAZING! The +POOL team will create a floating test lab this year and we can’t wait to see more. Stay tuned for another chance to purchase a pool tile and tack your name or message onto this mind-blowing project.

Design Trend of the Month: Meander (Greek Key Pattern) The meander is a classic motif that continues to grace stylish decor, furniture, and housewares. Despite being a timeless design, the meander is July’s Design Trend of the Month because, especially in crisp blue and white, it is reminiscent of the Greek Islands – a picturesque summertime getaway. Below, the VP+C team shares its favorite meander must-haves, but first, let’s take a trip to learn about this iconic pattern: – It symbolizes unity and infinity. – It was a common decorative element in the pottery, art, temples, vases and architectural friezes…

Hats off to our principal Mark Veeder for not only developing and patenting a new variety of Echinacea Purpurea he named ‘Green Envy’– but for also scoring a spotlight of his discovery in the new lushly illustrated book, Natural Companions, by acclaimed green thumb Ken Druse. Even if you’re not a gardening guru, chances are you’ve heard of Echinacea in the form of vitamin supplements with a number of outstanding health benefits.  Green Envy is tested to be an especially robust strain of the typically purple perennial that features a glorious jade green shade from mid-July through autumn.   With...

I don’t mean to be Debbie Downer but this week we sustained a loss that has us all reeling. Jason Sheftell, the New York Daily News real estate reporter, died. He was a young 46, in seemingly robust health. And, for those of us who had a chance to know him and work with him, he was high-octane, generous, and passionate about his work and life. I thought he looked like Adam Sandler. And, when we first met, it’s as if he had stepped out from a Hollywood film set in the role of “The Newspaper’s Beat Reporter” – wearing…

The first gestural remote device we saw go mainstream was Wii, Nintendo’s revolutionary gaming system that broke the 4th wall of at-home entertainment. Of course there are other devices that paved the way (cut to passionate gamer forum) and lots of competitors vying for the top spot. Kinect, Xbox’s magical 3 camera, motion-sensing gaming system, soon followed and ditched the hand-held controller. Now Leap Motion is creating a system that works with your computer to fill the needs of 3-d modellers and designers everywhere. The upward facing unit uses 2 cameras to create a hemisphere of vision that reads small movements in all directions. However, there is a…

A design post about facets would not be complete without mention of Buckminster Fuller, the godfather of the Geodesic Dome. He first erected his famous structure in the late 1940s, paving the way for Epcot Centers and Biospheres everywhere. However, our post-modern take on crystalline structure is not so perfect or symmetrical. Here are some of the key factors that make these chiseled forms interesting to architects and product designers today: 1. Soul: There is something strangely raw and beautiful about these forms that reminds us of ancient sculptural craft or revealed natural beauty. 2. Futurism: Creating an exterior, interior, campervan, chair, or necklace with faceted…

The most effective PR professionals today are true spin-doctors: general practitioners with an ability to take a 360-degree approach to their businesses and campaigns. This is not “The Father of Spin” Edward Bernays style spin,  but rather a strategic process that looks at all available media channels and leverages each to drive deeper conversation and awareness around our clients’ messages, products, people and ideas. Some PR practitioners continue to craft a press release and send it to everyone on their media list. However, this blanket approach rarely garners the amount of attention that thoughtfully crafted, unique proposals engender, prior to being…