It’s awards season again in the publishing world out here in the West. Nominations for the annual Maggie Awards^®, based on work in 2007 for creative excellence, were announced a couple of weeks ago by the Western Publications Association, and Beauty Store Business is a finalist for two honors: Best Trade Tabloid (our 164-page August issue at Cosmoprof North America 2007) and Best Color Editorial Layout in a Trade (the August issue’s “Halloween Essentials” feature by talented art director Michael Block).

      BSB has been nominated in the former category numerous times—under former executive editor Keith Lissak and in my first stint with BSB; we won in 2003. This year we’re up against four other finalists: Home Media Magazine, Meetings South, Meetings West and TravelAge West. If Las Vegas oddsmakers handicapped such things, I believe that they’d have us as an 8-1 shot to win.

      In the latter category, we’re up against nine other finalists so the odds could be worse there. But you never know. The year we won I didn’t go to the ceremony because I thought for sure we’d lose. That night I came back from walking the dog after 11 p.m., and my wife Barbara told me that another editor (Jodi Mills) had called: BSB won!

      In all, Creative Age Communications received 14 nominations this year, with each of our sister publications—Nailpro (nailpro.com), DAYSPA^® (dayspamagazine.com), Beauty Launchpad (beautylaunchpad.com) and MedEsthetics (medestheticsmagazine.com)—snagging at least one. Nailpro, under executive editor Stephanie Yaggy, led us all with five nominations, including Best Trade Beauty & Fashion Magazine, Most Improved Trade Publication (circulation over 50,000) and Best Overall Design for a Trade. And DAYSPA^®’s website, under Creative Age e-media director Linda Jacobson-Kossoff, was nominated for Best Web Publication Website for a Trade. For a complete list of 2008 nominations, see wpa-online.org.

      Our company has won a number of Maggies since it was founded in 1972, but last year’s presentation of the Oscars of the western publishing industry wasn’t a real fun night for us. We’d been nominated in nine categories but won in only one. We’re all hoping to fare better at the 57th Annual Maggie Awards^® Banquet on May 2 in Los Angeles when we hear the rest of the judges’ verdicts. Whatever happens, it’s an honor just to be nominated—right?

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

Because the payoffs can be so huge, PR professionals who work at or for professional beauty manufacturers expend great effort to get their products into the hands of famous people. Sometimes, their carefully crafted plans—for instance, pampering suites and swag bags—work well. Other times—and more often than you’d expect—the countless packages intended for celebrities are opened and used by their representatives.

      And still other times, you never know…such as when an industry notable such as Mickey Fenig, international sales manager at American International Industries (aiibeauty.com), gets access to an international celebrity, such as actress Scarlett Johansson, on a recent international flight. That’s right; Fenig was seated right next to the person named by Esquire magazine in 2006 as the “Sexiest Woman Alive.”

      Uh, but there was one slight problem. Fenig had no clue as to the identity of his seatmate, certainly didn’t know that she’s one of the hottest stars in Hollywood these days. Besides, he had planned to get a lot of work done on his laptop computer.

      “A friend on the flight had to let me know who she was,” Fenig relates. “After that, I spoke up and explained to her that I didn’t really watch movies or surely I would have recognized her.” Johansson suggested to Fenig movies are a high-art form and that he was really missing out. “I told her that I have five kids and not a lot of time,” he recalls.

      Immediately upon hearing of this close encounter at 37,000 feet, Anne Moratto, A.I.I.’s PR director and one of the best in the pro beauty biz, had a gift basket assembled and sent to Johansson from “the guy who didn’t know who you were but thought you might like to try some of his company’s terrific products.” Who knows? It just might work.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

Once again, Congress has declared March Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the great role American women play in transforming our culture, history and politics. And to observe it this year, Manhattanville My Soldier (mysoldier.com)—which has been highly successful in putting politics aside and letting U.S. soldiers know that someone back home cares about them—has created a special My Soldier: Her-Story program.

      “The military women I met while serving in Iraq were courageous and kind,” explains Juan Salas, co-founder of Manhattanville My Soldier as well an active duty Army sergeant and a student at Manhattanville College (mville.edu), a liberal arts college in Purchase, NY. “We’re asking civilians to pay respect to these brave women during Women’s History Month.”

      The traditional My Soldier program attempts to foster an ongoing pen-pal relationship with an individual soldier. But My Soldier: Her-Story is tailored to those who want to offer other types of support, such as handwritten letters, thank-you cards and children’s artwork, without making a continuing commitment. Participants may also choose to send care packages, which are greatly appreciated, but not expected, by the soldiers.

      Currently, women make up 15% of our active duty force and about 23% of our reserve force, huge numbers of which I wasn’t aware until recently (and I’ll bet a lot of marketers in the beauty business aren’t either). Wouldn’t you like to make some of their days brighter with a few beauty products? If so, it’s simple: Call 914/323-5172 or email mysoldier@mville.edu. (If emailing, type “Women’s History Month” in the subject line.) Within a few days of registering, you’ll receive the name and address of a platoon contact; that person will distribute the package to a female soldier.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

These days when you visit American International Industries (aiibeauty.com) in Los Angeles, there’s an eye-catching photograph you see all over: A.I.I. president Zvi Ryzman and Pope Benedict XVI. It’s framed on office desks, pinned on bulletin boards and taped to forklifts. What’s it all about?

      In a recent trip to the Vatican, Ryzman, an Orthodox rabbi who happens to love the beauty industry, met with the pope. “It was a great pleasure to shake hands with such a respected theologian,” he says. “I asked that he bless the many people who work with A.I.I. and their families …” A.I.I. has 700-plus at its L.A. facility and hundreds others worldwide associated with the company.

      When Ryzman returned, he gifted each A.I.I. employee with a copy of the photograph and a rosary blessed by the pope. An accompanying card included a message—in English and Spanish—that read: “May God bless each of you and watch over you and your family.”

      The blessing is “a beautiful gesture, and it means so much to the people here,” states Gloria Rodriguez, an A.I.I. employee with a record 35 years of service. Yamile Azze, an executive administrative assistant at the company, adds, “This rosary is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

See you next Wednesday,
Marc