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Vancouver Street Soccer League Holiday Haul

Every year the Vancouver Street Soccer League — a volunteer-run organization which reaches out to individuals who have been homeless, are currently homeless, or are at risk of homelessness — holds the Holiday Haul party for players, volunteers, and supporters. The event is part of the League’s mission to reach out to individuals who are marginalized within their communities, or are recovering from drug and alcohol addictions. Tonight’s event raised […]

How to Use Periscope: Beyond the FAQ

Periscope, a new-ish social media platform recently acquired by Twitter, is really fun to use. It started making waves when people Periscoped the Mayweather-Pacquiao boxing match (bypassing the $100 pay-per-view fee), as well as scenes from the Baltimore riots. Livestreaming is nothing new, but most of us, Yulu included, are still figuring out how to use Periscope and Meerkat. Our social media team has been getting excited over Periscope the […]

Rethinking Economics

Join David Suzuki and ecological economist Peter Victor at “Rethinking Economics” for a night of intellectual discussion on how the economy and environment must and do work in tandem. See you October 1 at the Vogue Theatre. Check out the David Suzuki Foundation and CANSEE, who are both behind this great event.

Our Unsexy Story

Our founder Melissa Orozco, will be speaking at SociaLIGHT this Saturday on how Yulu found success through being a cause-based agency and a B Corporation, and a big idea she’s seen work: “Impact Relations.” To add to the celebration, we have 5 tickets to give away to SociaLIGHT. For a chance to win, tag us in a post with your story or perspective on what it means to leave this […]

White Wash: a Diner en Blanc Dressing Down

Guest blog by Dan Reitman (@thewordshow). Pictured are Dan’s custom-made shoes for Diner en Blanc. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are those of our copywriter and do not reflect the opinions of YULU PR, except for the part about his looking good in white – hot damn, does he ever look good in white.) I am a romantic at heart and, when the Netflix queue is empty and nobody wants to go […]

Networking events don’t have to exclude introverts.

Talking to strangers can be hard work. Yulu’s community cultivator Esther crowdsourced a few tips from friends and colleagues on how we could organize socials to be more accessible for introverts, or even anyone who might have limited energy to strike up a connection after a long day at work. On Wednesday we had an opportunity to see some of these practices and tips in motion when we gathered local B Corps on […]

“It matters not who you love, where you love, why you love, when you love or how you love, it matters only that you love” — John Lennon
Happy Pride Day, Vancouver!

Big Bros Barbershop | Yulu Cares

“Beyond the binary”: Jessie and his partner recreate the 1993 Vanity Fair cover with K.D Lang and Cindy Crawford for WestEnder’s Pride cover. Jessie is the owner of Big Bros Barbershop and one of our #yulucares clients. We thought Jessie was holding a smartphone, but it’s actually a mirror. Oh, 2015. We’re glad to have helped trans people be represented in the media during Pride week. We are reminded that trans women […]

We’re Hiring! Visual Storyteller

We’re hiring! Yulu PR is looking for someone creatively driven, curious and versatile to join as the company’s visual storyteller and graphics designer. Candidates will be dextrous in Adobe Creative Suite and know the difference between a pixel and a dot, leading and kerning, and possess an inclination towards clean design, with an edgy quality. An ideal candidate would be someone exiting a post-secondary graphic design program and seeking immediate […]

Why Yulu became a certified B Corporation PR Agency

Why we became a B Corp PR Firm Written some time in mid 2015… Last week, Yulu was officially certified as a B Corp PR firm, and we are the only dedicated PR agency in Canada so far in the community. We join more than a thousand companies from around the world committed to using business as a force for good. B Corporation is a third-party certification of a company’s commitment to […]

YULU PR // ASHLEY LETTS TALKING ISSUES MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

Yulu’s managing director Ashley Letts provides PR commentary on Translink’s evolving issues management strategy with the CBC.

“The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.”
― Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point

This Month in Review: April 2015

At the end of each month, Yulu highlights the milestones & global news stories that were trending over the past few weeks. Our clients will recognize these visual recaps from their monthly tracking reports! Here’s a look back at April 2015

Did you see BIV this week? Yulu ranks 7th largest PR agency

Yulu Public Relations Inc. ranks 7th largest agency in Vancouver in Business in Vancouver’s list of fastest growing PR firms! Niche focus helping upstart PR firms flourish Newer agencies finding innovative ways to thrive and grow among bigger established players Some of the newest players in Vancouver’s public relations sector have become some of its largest. A quarter of the companies on Business in Vancouver’s biggest PR companies list were […]

Yulu PR wins best Corporate Social Responsibility Agency!

Our award for @ragan_prdaily’s #AceAwards came in! @YuluPR took home the win for best Corporate Social Responsibility Agency! Huge thank you to all our clients for being socially innovative! #CSR #YuluGold

#RunYuluRun: Yulu takes on the Sun Run!

This year Yulu joined the thousands of runners for the Vancouver Sun Run. The only problem…we thought they said RUM! #RunYuluRun #SunRun2015 #VanSunRun

This month in review: March 2015

This month in review: February 2015

This month in review: January 2015

This month in review: December 2014

Yulu PR 2014 Annual Report

This month in review: November 2014

Yulu’s Melissa Orozco speaks at #VanIMPACT2014

The lovely Melissa Orozco is speaking about social impact storytelling at #VanIMPACT14 this afternoon. Learn more about Vancouver IMPACT here.

This month in review: October 2014

This month in review: September 2014

This month in review: August 2014

This month in review: July 2014

The New Yorker covers World Housing: the world’s first one-for-one real estate gifting model

FEBRUARY 13, 2014 TOMS for Houses BY BARRY NEWMAN The first thing Pete Dupuis asked his wife and daughter after he got home to Vancouver one evening in October, 2010, was: Do you know about TOMS? Dupuis, who was in a down year of a thirty-year career selling condominiums, had never heard of TOMS, the shoe brand, before his flight in from Los Angeles, but he’d gotten an […]

This month in review: June 2014

Yulu’s Fast Company Feature: THE 5 MOST CRINGEWORTHY PR MISTAKES YOUR CEO COULD MAKE

Yulu Public Relations was featured in Fast Company today talking about PR mistakes CEOs should avoid. Below are her thoughts: The 5 Most Cringeworthy PR Mistakes Your CEO Could Make Four years ago, Tony Hayward, then CEO of international oil conglomerate, British Petroleum, was deemed the most hated man in America. Following the aftermath of BP’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the British-born CEO told reporters he anticipated the overall environmental impact […]

5 Ways to Get PR for Your Startup Without Spending a Pretty Penny

Yulu offers PR expertise to Entrepreneur Magazine with “five ways startups can generate interest in their brand without spending the big bucks.” Getting exposure for a project you’ve sacrificed sleep, money and social time for may seem like the highest priority right before launch. The problem is most startup budgets won’t bank a clever publicity campaign or a high-end PR firm. Luckily there are low-cost ways to generate interest in your business […]

Yulu’s 2013 Year in Review

2013 has been an incredible year, thanks to a number of special people! We’ve put together a recap of some of our favourite experiences from the past year for your enjoyment. Presenting Yulu’s 2013 Year in Review. Happy Holidays! The Yulu Team

Yulu’s Hiring!

Calling all PR professionals! Yulu is looking for a Senior Account Manager to join our team. Yulu Public Relations Inc. is a Vancouver-based public relations agency that works with socially-innovative companies in the real estate, tech, lifestyle, social enterprise and cause-based sectors. We’re seeking an experienced contractor to join our creative, fast-paced office environment in Gastown. Here are some of the skills a Senior Account Manager should possess: Strategic communications: Provide high-level […]

Its Easy To Be Different But Difficult To Be Better

Yulu Book Club: The Tipping Point

“There is a simple way to package information that, under the right circumstances, can make it irresistible.” In our first instalment of Yulu Book Club, we dove into Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point”. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been sneaking in chapters of Gladwell’s guide on how little techniques can cause a big epidemic – during our morning commute, between meetings, and before bed! The team met over two […]

The Five Classic PR Blunders SMEs Make

Yulu shares PR tips for SMEs in PROFIT Magazine: Unlike sales and marketing, public relations is often a grey area for many small business owners. It’s often not until a respected advisor or board speaks to the merit of PR—or, worse, until a crisis hits—that they’ll make the decision to investigate a firm to help propel a product or service launch (or to do damage control). While PR can be a […]

Event Planning / Media Relations for INTERFACE 2013 Digital Health Summit

Great media response for this year’s INTERFACE 2013 Digital Health Summit. #DHS2013 #YuluGold #conferencePR NEWS RELEASE Creative minds in digital health gather for the second annual INTERFACE 2013 Summit Strong speaker line-up discuss health IT, digital health and the future of medicine VANCOUVER, BC (October 3, 2013) – Starting October 9, 2013, Sanotron will hold its second annual INTERFACE 2013 International Digital Health Summit at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The […]

Happy Birthday, Ashley!

HBD Jenna!!

Using Instagram to Tell the Big Story

There’s something to be said about the power of visual storytelling. Nothing speaks better to this than the popularity of Instagram. With its various filters and editing capabilities, anyone can create and share beautiful photos that tell a story. Images, in particular, resonate with us because of the emotional response they elicit and brands are beginning to recognize this. Using the power of images, brands can better connect with people […]

Adventures of a Yulu Intern

You’d think that spending five days a week in an office from nine-to-five wouldn’t be a student’s first choice for how to spend her summer vacation. But when I came into Yulu PR’s big, bright, dog-friendly office for my interview, I knew that if I were to be offered a three-month research coordinator position, I would say yes. At first it took some adjustment to get in the groove of […]

Yulu Takes Claris Companion Tech Startup on NYC & TO Media Tour

Claris Companion, a digital tablet designed specifically for seniors who aren’t comfortable with technology, recruited Yulu to launch its technology to the press. The new device helps busy families and caregivers keep in touch with seniors and monitor their wellbeing in a non-invasive way, regardless of the distance. Yulu planned a full PR launch strategy (case study here), which included an action packed media deskside tour. Tour highlights and photos […]

Welcome to our ‘hood

We’re getting close to hitting the sixth-month mark in our airy, exposed brick and beam office space overlooking Gastown’s most picturesque avenue, Water Street. Since we spend our work week in this lively neighbourhood, our team can vouch for the fact that Gastown is a vibrant and community-oriented pocket of Vancouver. In Gastown you can find all types of creative agencies including marketing firms, graphic design firms, photography studios, and […]

Ask the Editor: Bria Lear

Last month, the stylish Framework Magazine came to visit to ask us a few questions. This month, we thought we’d turn the tables! We asked Framework’s Founder and Editor-in-chief, Bria Lear to answer our questions on sources of inspiration, shopping in Vancouver, and how to grab an editor’s attention. Bria Lear, the Founder and Editor-in-chief of Framework Magazine, is a design chameleon and word stylist with a BA in Fashion Design & […]

Ask A Reporter: Tony Wanless

This month we had the wonderful opportunity to pick the brain of business journalist, Tony Wanless. Check out Tony’s insightful thoughts on the changing media landscape, journalism today, and how PR professionals fit in to it all. Which publications do you contribute to at the moment? Financial Post. They recently killed my BC Business and CanadaWide columns. It looks like my journalism days are nearly over. What topics or stories […]

Battling the enemy: writer’s block

When writing is a fundamental part of your job, writer’s block can be more than a little frustrating. No matter how hard you want to work on that release or pitch, sometimes your brain just isn’t with you! Here are a few ideas to try out when your mind goes blank: Ask questions – Although we’d like to think we’re decent writers, sometimes the words don’t flow on the page as […]

Ask A Reporter: Kate MacLennan

This month, we had the opportunity to chat with Kate MacLennan. Kate is Vancouver Editor of Chatelaine, Managing Editor of BCBusiness and a prolific freelancer. Catch her work at www.katemaclennan.com. Check out Kate’s awesome advice for PR professionals: Photo credit: Amanda Skuse

Yulu Launches ClearlyContacts.ca Retail Location on Robson Street

Canadian e-retailer ClearlyContacts.ca is slated to open its first Canadian retail location on Robson Street, Vancouver’s premium shopping district. The move comes in response to a shift by online retailers toward a hybrid model – continuing to maintain a strong online presence while opening brick-and-mortar locations where customers can interact with both company and product. Through traditional PR and influencer relations plan, Yulu planned the successful event and secured top-tier […]

We’re Hiring!

Calling all PR professionals! Yulu is looking for a media relations contractor to join our expanding team. Yulu Public Relations Inc. is a Vancouver-based public relations agency that works with socially-innovative companies in the real estate, tech, lifestyle, social enterprise and cause-based sectors. We’re seeking an experienced contractor to join our creative, fast-paced office environment in Gastown. Minimum of 3 years of public relations experience required. Must have experience with […]

Get Twitchin’!

Last month, a group of journalists convened for “Twitch! Communications in the Age of Social Media” to discuss their opinions on current social media strategies. We sometimes forget that a social media audience includes journalists, too. Many reporters check Twitter and Facebook every morning to find news that no one else is writing about. Here are some notable thoughts on modern day communications. They just might help you land your […]

Ask A Reporter: Amy C

We are excited to kick off our monthly blog series, Ask a Reporter. Each month, Yulu will chat with a journalist and gain insight into their industry, view point, and personality. With Cupid’s season upon us, this month we spoke to relationship columnist Amy C. Amy writes for Huffington Post, Vancouver Sun, and 24 Hours on all things love. She opened up to us about how PR professionals can impress […]

Yulu’s New Digs

Welcome to the home of The BIG Story… We’ve finally gotten settled into our new Gastown digs and we are loving it! We feel so spoiled to have such an amazing new space in one of the coolest hubs of Vancouver. The Y-Pod: where BIG ideas happen. Choose your workspace… Don’t forget the amenities! Now we really have no excuses for skipping a workout. And, of course, the view is […]

Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC) event at Red Mountain

Great media turnout at Red Mountain Resort for the Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC) event! #ShredTheLove NEWS RELEASE RED Mountain to launch B4BC Shred for Love Women’s ski and ride benefit set for February 2, 2013 Rossland, BC, November 15, 2012 – RED Mountain and Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC) are pleased to announce Shred For Love, a ski and snowboard benefit event at RED Mountain Resort in Rossland, BC. […]

Grammar Matters

If you ‘like’ us on Facebook or follow us on Pinterest, you probably know that grammar is important to us. We’ve collected tons of images of the most cringe-worthy (and hilarious) language errors. Poor grammar simply makes us squirm. We were especially inspired to discover a Twitter account created to fight this problem (to a certain extent). @YourInAmerica targets hypocrites who disobey the cardinal rules of the English language, all […]

Meet the Team: Ashley Letts

You’ve met our Social Media Manager, now it’s time to get up close and personal with Yulu’s very own “Pitching Queen”, Ashley Letts… 1. What do you love most about working on Granville Island? So many answers to choose from. I love looking out my window to see False Creek, the Burrard Bridge, and False Creek Ferries bobbing to and fro. What do I like least? A certain insufferable busker […]

Inspiring Social Media Campaigns

Inspiring Social Media Campaigns A few weeks ago, we looked at a few social media campaigns that didn’t turn out quite as successfully as their creators would have hoped. This week, we’re turning the tables. We’re examining some of the most creative, engaging, attention-grabbing campaign ideas that we’ve seen. KFC’s Scholorship Tweet-up Simple and effective. Last year, KFC decided against the traditional college scholarship essay submission for their Colonel’s Scholars […]

Pulling Back the Curtain on Effective Cause Campaigns

October is widely recognized as the rosiest month of the year. Many of the blushing campaigns created for breast cancer awareness month are lost soon after they’re launched. Effective cause-based campaigns have an innovative approach making it easy for the public to take an interest. November moustache mania is proof that people can get on board as long as there is a sound model for raising funds. The most memorable […]

Social Media Failures (…& Lessons Learned)

Social Media Failures & Lessons Learned It’s always exciting to see what creative social media campaign a company will come up with next, but there are cases when things just don’t go as planned. We’ve taken a look back at some cringe-worthy campaign failures and have provided advice on how to avoid making these mistakes in our own social media strategies. Failure 1: Toyota’s Camry Effect Campaign Toyota got a […]

Developing a Social Media Strategy

These days almost every company uses social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr. We’d like to pass on a beginner’s how-to guide which will help you set up the most effective social networking tools for your brand. Follow these four steps and you will be on the road to success! 1. You have to decide what it is you’d like to get out of social media. This […]

Meet the Team: Saschie MacLean

You may have had a conversation with her on the phone…you’ve probably chatted with her over email and if you follow @YuluPR, you’ve read her tweets…now for a close-up exclusive with the real Saschie MacLean! 1. What do you love most about working on Granville Island? The convenient access to delicious, fresh foods! All of the vendors on the island are so neighbourly which makes it fun when you step […]

Are you our next intern?

It’s that time again, Yulu PR is accepting CVs and reviewing applicants for our fall internship position slated to start on Sept 24. Yulu is a Vancouver-based public relations agency that specialized in lifestyle, hospitality and real estate PR. We’re seeking someone with a BIG personality to fill a three-month communications and social media internship position at our creative Granville Island-based PR firm. As our agency is small, we’re looking for someone […]

Yulu’s Melissa Orozco earns a spot on Marketing Magazine’s 30 under 30

Yulu is thrilled to announce, our very own Melissa Orozco is featured in this month’s Marketing Magazine for #30under30. She is featured alongside leading industry professionals and recognized for her work in New York, with Yulu and with the Urban Land Institute. This has been an exceptional one-year anniversary month for Yulu and Melissa’s recognition is the cherry on top of it all! The full article can be found below. The […]

Yulu Turns One!

This month marks the one year anniversary of Yulu Communications. Here is a recap of this year: + August 2011: Yulu opens for business with the signing of its first client + September 2011: We sign F-Cancer and launch a campaign that would later make us an award-winning agency + October 2011: Yulu takes it first FAM trip, touring a group of media around beautiful Tofino + November 2011: Team Yulu partakes in Movember […]

Yulu earns title of “Best PR Campaign of the Year” in 2012 Stevie Awards

Last week we received amazing news – our growing, nimble public relations and digital media agency was named winner of a GOLD Stevie® Award, earning the title of “Best PR Campaign of the Year.” Yulu was recognized for our media relations work with local charity F-Cancer’s international campaign titled The Cancer Talk. The news of this highly respected business industry award comes in just as our agency is celebrating its […]

Olympians venting through social media: Is it worth it?

As the 2012 Olympics are wrapping up, we thought we’d review some of the social media mishaps that lead to two Olympians demise…in the games, that is. For many athletes, the road to the Olympics is never easy. Imagine you spend eight to ten hours a day working toward the dream of a Olympic podium invitation. Now that competition has started, you receive one of the most hearth breaking losses […]

How Environmental Communication Has Failed

Face it. The terms “climate change” or “conservation” don’t usually inspire positive feelings nor do they galvanize people to action. To the contrary, communication of environmental issues can often provoke feelings of anxiety, guilt, and a sense of helplessness in their audience. Although there is a multitude of complex reasons behind this unintentional inertia, this blog will explore why communicating the truth and the facts behind climate change is not […]

Yulu Chooses CPAWS for this year’s #YuluCares Initiative

Earlier this summer, Yulu announced the launch of #YuluCares, our pro-bono PR initiative. The response to the RFP was vast and we had the pleasure of learning about dozens of Vancouver-based non-profits. After much thoughtful consideration, we have decided to represent the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. Yulu will donate $15,000 of communications services to CPAWS, to be used on media relations and social media services over the course […]

Sending out our media drops for Happy Planet this week

What are your thoughts about the new branding?

Happy birthday Yulu, it’s been a pleasure watching you grow!

Yulu turns 1 today!

Writing a News Release – Tips and Techniques (Part II)

Let’s be honest, press releases are a bit antiquated…in fact, we’ve only had to write about five in the last year and we’re a PR agency. The fact is, there will always be those clients who need them for stakeholders and such so even if your intention is not to share it with the media, you still need to know how to write one. All said, some of you may […]

How to Identify a News Story

We recently did a post on Writing a News Release. We want to expand on the first step: How do identify a news story. See below for a video we’ve created and also for some tips we’ve outlined in text! [video_vimeo video_id=”41218313″] The following are the five basic factors that determine whether or not a story is news worthy. A story should satisfy at least two. It’s important to consider […]

The Art of the Media FAM Trip

Here at Yulu PR, we understand that some stories are better understood if experienced. In this post we’d like to share a tool we use to implement the “you gotta see it to believe it” philosophy – the FAM trip….or FAM tour, press tour, etc. What is a FAM trip? A familiarization trip, often referred to as a FAM trip, is a tour offered to media on behalf of an […]

“Don’t call me a mommy blogger!”

How PR Professionals Can More Effectively Connect with Mom Bloggers – By Jessica Van – Yulu’s Aspiring Changemaker With growing influence on the web and social media, mom bloggers are increasingly targeted by marketers and PR professionals seeking an ‘in’ into the lucrative mom market. We contacted some of Canada’s most established mom bloggers for their input on how PR professionals can effectively engage them. Here’s what they said. Christine […]

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