Big is looking for an office manager. No, not a designer or a copywriter or a pr person. Sorry, not today. Today we want someone with an undergraduate degree with a concentration in accounting, economics, finance or management. This person will report to our CFO and get to learn all the ins and outs of the business side of the ad world. A little HR a little IT and a lot of accounting assistance. If this job sounds right for you or your friend, keep reading for all the details below. We’d love to have you at Big.

Office Manager
The Office Manger works directly with the CFO to ensure proper financial reporting for the company.  This person also handles the human resource and IT needs of the company in conjunction with the CFO.  This is a multifaceted position requiring attention to detail, multitasking and an eagerness to learn about the advertising workplace.

Reports directly to the CFO
Responsibilities:
-Inputs all vendor invoices and purchase orders
-Maintains media vendor invoices and reconciles incorrect media invoices to ensure proper client billing
-Issues vendor checks once a week
-Investigates all problem vendor inquires
-Assists with journal entries when necessary
-Receives all checks and makes bank deposits daily
-Reconciles Bank statement monthly
-Pays usage tax payments
-Maintains employee records including employee vacation requests
-Maintains benefits program and provides employees with necessary insurance information
-Directly supervises the computer support specialist, and works with this person to maintain optimum performance for agency computer systems, hardware, and software.
-Establishes and oversees agency records maintenance procedures to ensure all business operations information is correct and readily available
-Researches and finds the best price for all equipment purchases or leases, and present findings to the CFO for approval
-Negotiates service maintenance agreements with selected providers to achieve the best service at the best price in conjunction with the CFO.
-Authorizes service calls for repair and maintenance of office equipment, including computers, copiers, fax machines, printers, postage metering equipment, etc.
-Authorizes engagement of on office cleaning/maintenance service and regularly reviews delivery and quality of service.
-Communicates regularly with CFO to ensure that office needs are met
-Will be required to become a Notary Public
The Big Communications Office Manager career track will prepare an individual for the position of Business Manager for a creative firm.

Applicant requirements:
-Undergraduate degree with a concentration in accounting, economics, finance or management
-GPA no less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
-Completed Accounting 1 with at least a B, prefer for applicant to have also competed Accounting 2 with at least a B.
-Must be proficient on PCs and windows software, prefer for applicant to also be proficient with Apple products and some Apple software

Salary is negotiable and depends upon applicant’s experience in the business field

Applicants should email resumes with three references to Rachael@bigcom.com
Subject line should read: Application for Office Manager

Big Communications, Inc
www.bigcom.com

Big Communications is a full service advertising and public relations firm located in Birmingham, AL.  Big was founded in 1995 by John Montgomery and in 2007 Ford Wiles joined Big as a partner; the company currently employees 25 people.  Big’s client list includes local, state, and regional business such as Verizon Wireless, Books-a-Million, Nationwide Insurance, Jacksonville State University, Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, BJCC and Colonial Brookwood Village.

With the “goo-goos” and “ga-gas” of little ones flooding the office halls, it’s no wonder that employees at BIG still have babies on the brain. If you weren’t already aware, two of our team members welcomed newborns into their families these last couple months. Just yesterday Robin brought in “Woody”, her bundle of joy. Needless to say, the ladies in the office were mesmerized and couldn’t keep their hands off of the handsome stud.

That image crossed my mind when I ran across a new Huggies commercial this morning.

Although I found this particularly hilarious and absolutely adorable, others disagree. The ad has been the source of controversy and debate since its release on May 29th.

So what’s the issue with babies being a little chic?

The images are reminiscent of the modish adverts we typically see from designers like Calvin Klein or Levi — ones where voguish models go about their day-to-day, leaving onlookers frozen and awestruck at their impeccable style.

Some feel the ads are “creepy” and even “pedophilic” in nature. Many express concerns that the babies are being “sexualized”.

Viewers on the opposing side say “Hey, it’s not that serious.”, and praise Huggies for creating a new, fun, unique and fashionable means of keeping baby bottoms dry. “Jeans have always been a Mommy fashion must-have, but now it’s time for their little ones to steal the style,” said Stuart Schneider, senior brand director of Huggies.

The limited edition diaper will disappear from store shelves once the Summer is over, but that still gives the public plenty of time to debate the issue. What do YOU think? Is it Huggies that needs to clean it up? Or is it viewers who need to lighten up? We’ll let you be the judge ….

- Bryna Reid

When it comes to social media, almost everyone has jumped on the bandwagon. From consumer goods to banks, insurance agents to churches, politicians to fictional characters, there isn’t any category excluded.

And in the PR world, we come close to tweeting, posting, liking, forwarding and embedding everything a client does. But as this video shows, sometimes simple is the best.

Many social media “gurus” have confessed that there are certain companies that should refrain from social media. There is also a rule of being too deep in social media. At some point, the listener will turn you off and tune you out. So in short- sometimes the best communication is to keep it simple…stupid.

-Jessica V.

This Mother’s Day weekend MLB is celebrating their second annual ‘Batting Against Breast Cancer’ campaign. On Sunday, players will use specially made pink Louisville Slugger bats along with pink wristbands and other accessories in an effort to bring awareness to breast cancer.

Last fall I posted on the NFL’s ‘Crucial Catch’ campaign where they did a similar campaign. One area where the campaigns differ, is the MLB’s public relations effort recognizing ‘Honorary Bat Girls’. This PR initiative recognizes inspiring women acting as breast cancer survivors, advocates and supporters. The bat girls are voted on by an all star panel and winners ‘will take part in pregame activities, be honored during an on-field ceremony, and receive pink MLB merchandise and two tickets to her club’s Mother’s Day celebration game or another home game in May.’

As with the NFL’s campaign, the bats and other pink accessories can be sold to benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation. Can’t wait to see the boys pretty in pink this weekend.

- libby sexton.

College women are four times more likely to be victims of sexual assault.

Based on this statistic, Big designed a campaign for Verizon Wireless’ use called Know It Forward, a statewide campaign designed to build awareness about the issue of sexual assault among college-aged students. Know It Forward was a multi-tier effort that included TV, radio and online tools, all of which was developed to drive people to the Web site called www.knowitforward.com and the related Facebook page. All of this for the month of April, which was Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

College campus visits were also part of the initiative. Several college campuses got on board: the University of Alabama at Birmingham, The University of Alabama, Alabama State University and Auburn University.
Radio and TV certainly proved to be powerful elements for building awareness about this issue. Two live broadcasts at UAB and ASU by 95.7 Jamz proved to be the most attention-getting activities for the target demographic. The Buckwilde Morning Show plays to the college-age demographic and were able to provide four hours of talk about sexual assault.

During the broadcasts there were conversations about the issue in the terms that young people understand. Questions were asked in the bluntest fashion and experts were on hand to correct any misperceptions. The questions: What is sexual assault? What are the consequences of committing sexual assault? How are victims affected by sexual assault? Do you know someone who’s been sexually assaulted? Shockingly, most students new someone who has been assaulted!

Public relations supported the campaign as well. And after each appearance, primarily in Birmingham and Montgomery, visits to the Web site and Facebook pages spiked. This campaign proved to be the prime example of why traditional and social media are needed to ensure the delivery of messages.

In total, 1,000 people visited the Web site and “Like” the Facebook page. That was amazing! The intention is to continue this effort to bring awareness to other issues related to sexual assault, including domestic violence. The Big team is looking forward to implementing Know It Forward again to bring important social issues to the forefront.

- satina richardson

Most people who know of the interworkings here at Big are aware that we have had a recent influx of babies. And I’m not just talking about Robin and John’s new children. Three of us have adopted new dogs within the last few months, myself included.

Ever since bringing my pup home from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, I have found myself watching pet ads that I never paid attention to before. A whole new world of products and services has revealed itself to me. Most recently I fell for a brilliantly executed pet product push found on facebook.

The Mutt Census

There are multiple reasons as to why this product promotion is genius in my opinion.

1. It ties into something bigger than itself. I am not sure how many thousands or millions of dollars the government is spending advertising the U.S. Census, but I’m sure it’s more money than this campaign has spent. By riding on the coattails of an existing noisy campaign, this idea capitalizes on the brand equity that the US has already paid for.
2. It engages you first, and sells you second. The call to action was to register mutts across the country. You can even upload a pic of your pooch. Midway through the form, it asks what all breeds you think your mutt contains (also does a most popular breed by state breakdown – bama favors labs fyi). If you don’t know the answer, you are then redirected to the product – a DNA test called Insights that will provide you with the genealogical breakdown of your pup for under $100.
3. It can be found in many places. I stumbled on it via facebook, but apparently they also have a large twitter presence as well as youtube channel and traditional media. Plus after you register your mutt in the census, you receive follow up emails updating you on the census while quietly encouraging you to order Insights.

Big fan of this promotion. I have yet to order Insights, but when I have a few extra dollars, you bet this will be the DNA test I choose over their competitors.

-libby sexton

We were all very sad to hear of the passing of our old friend Dixie Carter this past Saturday evening. We have lost a true Southern spirit and I lost a very special friend. I first met and worked with Dixie on a UAB MedWise event in 1994 and we hit it off. Right after that I started Big and she fast became one of my first clients when she asked me to handle PR for her Southern book tour on her popular bio, Trying to get to Heaven. I also was lucky enough to work with Dixie on Southern Living’s first holiday TV show, “Holiday Memories with Dixie Carter.” We traveled the South together and it was a special and unforgettable time for me. We had a few more adventures together, like the time she invited me and my friends Will and Kim to see her cabaret act at the Cafe Carlyle in New York City. Lots of wild things happened on that trip that I won’t go into here but one of the coolest memories from that trip was when Dixie introduced me to the legendary director, John Frankenheimer and his wife who were also her guests that night.

Over the fifteen years we were friends she was always there when I needed her for one of my schemes. Like the time she agreed to appear in a TV spot for the relaunch of the local Virginia Samford Theater or most recently when she appeared as a speaker for me at a benefit for the Guntersville Chamber of Commerce on Easter weekend a few years back. That was a special weekend that anyone who was there won’t soon, if ever, forget involving whiskey and Krystal hamburgers and a canoe that fell off the wall and on to Dixie’s head. Only in Alabama. My wife and I will never forget that Easter Sunday and going to a beautiful church service at The Advent. The place was packed, we were all dressed up and the only seats left in the place were on the front pew. That seemed appropriate since we after all were with Dixie Carter. Singing traditional Easter hymns with Dixie was about as memorable of an Easter as I will ever have since my Uncle “C” ate the ears off of my chocolate Easter bunny when I was 5.

The last time I saw Dixie was when she was in Birmingham last year for a Salvation Army fundraiser. She told me then that she was having some “female” issues and it made me a bit concerned. We talked a few times after that and then in October after our son, John IV was born I sent her an email with the good news. We never spoke again. I will say that she was one of the coolest and most real women that I have ever known and she made a big impact on me and my life. I am glad that she finally got to Heaven.

So long Dixie.

John Montgomery

I like being in-the-know and being at the begining of the curve when it comes to changes. So while it may have taken me a while to catch on, I am in the begging stages of adapting FourSquare.

At first, I didn’t understand the point. It seemed to me like it was simply people bragging about where they were eating or going out. But then I learned from someone saavier than I, about the tips that FourSquare can offer.

As the person who always orders the one gross thing on the menu, I was excited to use the tips to order with confidence and to know the hottest places to eat brunch or dinner.

The application resembles a game in awarding its participants with badges certain goals such as visiting 10 places are attained and even titles you “Mayor” when you visit a certain location the most.

Sounds fun, right?

I thought so up until the point I read a friend’s article in the Augusta Chronicle and had to think twice. The article mentions the dangers of applications like FourSquare and the stance that www.PleaseRobMe.com takes on the issue.

While the site is currently contemplating their future mission, they began as a source listing the idiotic Twitter posts that blatantly say, “Please Rob Me!”

@Fun4Robots left home and checked in 7 minutes ago:
I’m at Starbucks (1398 Columbia Ave., Lancaster). http://4sq.com/c7h4o5

@ClairWyant left home and checked in 7 minutes ago:
I’m at Desert Diamond Casino (7350 South Nogales Highway, Tucson). http://4sq.com/6VQxTK

Or even…

@LanceWeber left home and checked in 6 minutes ago:
I’m at Denver airport Concouse B (Denver). http://4sq.com/c37a7m

Here is an excerpt from www.PleaseRobMe.com’s “Why” page:

The danger is publicly telling people where you are. This is because it leaves one place you’re definitely not… home. So here we are; on one end we’re leaving lights on when we’re going on a holiday, and on the other we’re telling everybody on the internet we’re not home.

…The goal of this website is to raise some awareness on this issue and have people think about how they use services like Foursquare, Brightkite, Google Buzz etc. Because all this site is, is a dressed up Twitter search page. Everybody can get this information.

Perhaps before I become an early adapter and start racking up badges on FourSquare, I think I will reassess how valuable my personal items are and how risky this business of posting your location can be.

-Jessica V.

No doubt about it, you’ve probably seen Old Navy’s commercials featuring the talking mannequins. I’m not saying they are going to win “commercial of the year” in my book, but I definitely think they are attention-grabbers and sometimes kinda funny.

As an Old Navy customer, I receive weekly emails from the company. Most often I delete them, but the one I got today really caught my attention. Old Navy is on a search to find the next “Supermodelquin” for a chance to win $100,000 and be molded into a mannequin to be cast in the company’s commercials!

Here’s what I like about the contest- to enter the contest, customers go into Old Navy stores all over the country and snap a full-legnth pic posing with one of the stores’ mannequins. Next, you upload the photo onto the website and America gets to vote on their favorite pic. The pic with the most votes wins the prize.

I think this is a great promotion for the company. It’s fun, easy and interactive- the key elements to any good promotion. I’ve learned from experience that promotions have to be simple enough for people to participate in and they need to enjoy doing it. And the online voting aspect gives everyone a chance to be involved which increases brand awareness. Those who have entered the contest will encourage their friends and family to go on the site and vote for their pics. Kudos to Old Navy for a great idea!

There’s only 6 days left to go in the store and take your best pic. Check out the contest at www.iwannabesuper.com.

-Danielle K.

Maybe it is a girl thing. Maybe it is an American pride thing. Or maybe it’s just a great ad. Either way, I almost cried watching this ad -which is a rarity for me. Enjoy – Go USA.