WORKHOUSE

Within an industry traditionally slow to transform, Public Relations needs a radical rebellion and must defend — and extend — its existing business.

Austrian Economist Joseph Schumpter coined the term “creative destruction” which describes the process of young, entrepreneurial companies sweeping away large incumbent enterprises akin to old men losing vitality as they age. This process of industrial mutation has reverberated and the street is littered with the likes of Blockbuster, Tower Records, Polaroid, and Sears: Industries who did not heed innovations call.

The province of Public Relations faces similar devaluation. Have this industry’s greatest innovations over the past two decades truly been a pitch shift from fax to email? Glossy press kits to EPK? Influencer marketing? Newsjacking?

Today we stare directly into the reflective glass of a communications field attempting to keep up in a world of self-promotion.

This is its clarion call to get with the times.

A recent survey states “84% of PR Pros Say Media Relations Remains Important But Adaption to New Challenges Seems Slow”

Is it therefore surprising that many believe the ancient PR model to be a critical patient?

Over the course of my 25 year history as a public relations executive and the founder of a firm that specializes in creative communications, I believe it is mission critical to riot here at the crossroads of communication for we are in a frontline battle that demands elicit changes to both our practice and paradigm.

William Penn said, “Passion is the mob of the man, that commits a riot upon his reason.”

Over four millennia, PR has evolved and expanded its influence worldwide.

Until it didn’t.

Primitive public relations bloomed in 1800 B.C when Sumerians used a farm bulletin to explain the growth of crops. The road to modern relations extended to the propagation of faith during the Middle Ages, creation of The Federalist Papers to support formal passage of the United States during Colonial Times, the pioneering press agentry of P.T Barnum and his touring circus, Franklin Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats,” to the founding of the Public Relations Society of America in 1948. Examples that both established and esteemed the fine art of communication.

Trapped in tradition until the dawn of the digital age, our values soon became bipolar. Success was found in the combination of two different PR generations, relationship-building entwined against digital savviness.

In this era of lean newsrooms, whittling publications, and a world media hamstrung by ‘Fake News’ and ‘Alternative Facts,’ we must reclaim our relations by building innovation into our industries DNA to avoid a slow death.

Public Relations is now a hyphenate. It is a content partner of visual assets that extends well beyond the identification of media opportunities and interest segments, while constructing a strategy, system and culture that sustains growth. Experimentation and collaboration are the new arts and crafts within a blindingly innovative communications culture. The magic of our might involves both the management of our relationships and the crafting of emotional content to solve problems not easily measured. Its goal? To provide communication conceived as long and short term objectives which turns reputation into revenue.

And what is the revolutionary fix to our fragile infrastructure? A moonshot ascent into bold new realms?

No, industry leaders define the future as a premise termed PESO.

The PESO model (Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned Media) has been heralded with the potential to become the industry’s largest untapped opportunity; a data-driven mindset absolutely necessary to elicit metamorphosis.

Both agency and client-side PR pros point to the current landscape as:
• Content Creation (81%)
• Social Media (75%)
• Brand Reputation (60%)
• Media Relations (55%)

For an industry lauded for its imagination, this is nothing more than a band aid for a battlefield.
We can begin by recognizing the four forms of industry innovation:

Conventional Innovation: We must build upon our existing technological competencies in order to exploit our current business practices. PR must imminently rise, craft an agile approach to fuel a future through technical integration and media collaboration.

Disruptive Innovation: We must shift our present business model and embrace digital literacy and fluency within new and revolutionary roles as creators, makers and strategists.

Progressive Innovation: We must enable a major technological change, one that reinforces our existing business through skillset and storytelling in order to become leading lights in surpassing our audience expectations.

Engineered Innovation: We must institute radical change technology while simultaneously creating a new business model by integrating tech tools within an industry and fragmented media world rip for disruption.

Conventional, Disruptive, Progressive or Engineered, these innovations constitute a Public Relations riot.

I think of the cannon of women and men who aspire to change the world through howling headwinds and status quo — futurists with soul, sound and fury. Champions who do tomorrow’s work today. As we approach the 20th anniversary of my agency Workhouse, I aspire to aid in the ascension of aspiration, dive deep into the depths of disruption, and amplify the change we will make to the very nature of this industry’s facile foundation.

Not simply reconfigure the power percentages of possible media placement.
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To tackle the paradigm shift before us through evolutionary mechanisms, I am intensely interested in banding together industry-wide to divine a new direction forward for a business that should own its future.

#pr #publicrelations #innovation #marketing  #branding #communications #business

ilon Art Gallery is pleased to invite you to celebrate the exhibition by David Burnett in partnership with Intaglio Blockchain titled "Bob Marley: Soul Rebel" on view from Friday, 29 March through Saturday, 25 May 2019. An opening reception will which will take place this Friday, 29 March 2019 from 6pm-8:30pm at iLon Art Gallery located at 204 West 123rd Street in Harlem, New York City. RSVP info@workhousepr.com

Interested media who wish to interview the artist, obtain press packets or images please contact Workhouse, CEO Adam Nelson via email nelson@workhousepr.com or telephone +1 212. 645.8006. 
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Legendary photojournalist David Burnett, in the mid 70’s, turned his camera to a young musician named Bob Marley. Bob Marley had started an industry revolution and was bringing attention to his Jamaican homeland and the Rastafarian culture. This was a phenomenon that has had a profound influence on music since. 

“Our assignment was about reggae, and Bob Marley was the man,” writes David Burnett. “I was on assignment for Time Magazine to go to Jamaica and visually capture the roots of reggae". Burnett rejoined Marley in 1977, this trip with Rolling Stone Magazine, to photograph Bob Marley and Wailers for the Exodus tour thru Europe. Capturing the legend at an exceptional moment in time, Burnett’s work intersects with both the zenith of Marley’s career and the traumatic upheaval of Bob Marley's flight from Jamaica after an attempt on his life. 

As for any reggae lover or music history buff, David Burnett offers a matchless glimpse into the Bob Marley life at home in Jamaica. David Burnetts’s photographs take us to the soul of Bob Marley, Jamaica and its people.  

This exhibition is proud to be presented by Intaglio Blockchain. Intaglio's groundbreaking technology provides artists, museums, dealers collectors and auction houses with a trusted network of blockchains to record authenticity and provenance. Blockchain technology increases trust by its immutable, date and time stamped ledger-type technology, where records are public and information is transparent. All information placed on the Intaglio blockchain is recorded by a verified, certified entity. Blockchain technology can do what no other technology has been able to do for art and photography: provide immutable, trustworthy provenance. Objects are enriched with links to historic, cultural and academic information by sourcing data from the Getty Museum and the Library of Congress. 

All 35 works presented by David Burnett in Bob Marley: Soul Rebel are recorded on an Intaglio Blockchain. Join us Friday at the opening celebration for a the inaugural demonstration of this incredible technology. For more visit intaglioblockchain.com.

David Burnett is a legendary photojournalist, known for his work covering world leaders, international conflicts, and Olympic medalists. Traveling to more than seventy-five countries, Burnett has produced photographic essays for Time, Life, Fortune, The New Yorker, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, and many others. His awards include Magazine Photographer of the Year from the Pictures of the Year Competition, the World Press Photo of the Year, and the Robert Capa Award from the Overseas Press Club, to name but a few. David launched his photographic career as an intern at Time magazine in 1967. From 1970 to 1972, he covered the Vietnam War as a staff photographer for Life magazine. In 1975, he co-founded Contact Press Images in New York. 

ilon Art Gallery is a boutique fine art and photography gallery located in the heart of Harlem. In a historic brownstone, the gallery is an inviting venue to view art and gather. The gallery provides unique access to a vast amount of photographers and artists throughout the world. Although the gallery has days it is open to the public please, check the website www.ilonartgallery.com or Instagram @ilonartgallery, it is by appointment. Please email Loni at loni@ilon.com.

Loni Efron, gallery director, curator, archivist and software designer founded the gallery in 2014 out of a love of photography. Over two decades earlier, Loni founded ilon and Company, one of the first archival firms in the country working, with the industries top artists. Starting with two clients, Annie Leibovitz and David LaChappelle, she began her archiving empire. Archiving and monetizing the collections are the main objects however creating an optimal, post production workflow using the latest technologies is essential to the solution. Loni designed the iDatabase family- iArchive, iGallery, iCollection, iMange, iInventory; custom archive solutions that double as tools for the entire office management solution and part of her custom toolbox.

From Ghosting to Orbiting, Curving to Benching, Breadcrumbing to Bird Boxing, has true romance become an instagram ideal more than a romantic pursuit? For many, the glow of amorous bliss can only be found in the realms of nostalgia regimented to cinematic serenades, romance novels, love songs, and ABC’s The Bachelor. Determining devotion through suggestive Snapchats instead of candlelit conversation has been going strong since the birth of Tinder in 2012. In this sea of social separation, can Prince Charming truly exist? Within romantic hearts and minds is the yearning to unearth a love story of astonishing power. To find Love in the Time of Cholera. The Bachelor has gained notoriety for how quickly it can craft its contestants to fall in love. But at the heart of the matter many know true love cannot be found within the formulaic foundation of the television screen but through the projection of intention. 

With the series end of The Bachelor last week starring football player Colton Underwood, Philipp Hebestreit has elected to bring his worldwide love crusade stateside. The handsome, academic, 40 year-old “real-virgin bachelor” launched his “Free Philie” campaign ten years ago, on his 30th birthday, in an attempt to enlist the public in helping him find the "one.” He has since made international headlines due to a vast and unique, crowd-sourced approach to matrimony. 

To arouse interest in the heavenly hope of finding "Miss Right," Hebestreit brings his ultimate soulmate search to America for the very first time. In advance of arrival, Hebestreit will launch his "Free Philie" ad campaign in New York City's Times Square district this month. 
 
“My parents are my inspiration and the reason I began this campaign to find my one true love,” said Hebestreit. “They have been deeply in love for several decades and it’s the kind of everlasting love you just don’t see anymore.” 
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Interested media who wish to interview Philipp Hebestreit or obtain additional information please contact WORKHOUSE, CEO Adam Nelson via email nelson@workhousepr.com or telephone +1 212. 645.8006.  

Since 2008, “Free Philie” has been one of the largest and most elaborate partner searches in the world. This globally unique project was founded rather simply by Philipp who took to the internet to post his initial “love plea” on his personal blog – expressing the depth of his lonely heart. After receiving a groundswell of interest from women who desired to know if they were his match, he expanded the campaign onto the streets using flyers and large posters throughout several German cities in hopes of finding his one and only.
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From newspaper advertisements, recorded video messages and bulletins, Philipp began to equip automobiles with flags and laminated foils. Whether it was advertising columns, lanterns or large parking lots, nothing seemed safe from his self-created “Free Philie” handbills and posters. His travels through different cities allowed new opportunities to enlarge the campaign. In Hamburg, he wore a full body shield and stood before a billboard proclaiming his mission. In Düsseldorf, he covered an entire house in printed tarpaulin amplifying his adventure. He released thousands of handwritten “messages in bottles” off the coast of Sylt in the North Sea (some of those can still be found today). With urgent optimism, he papered cities with posters, wallpapered dilapidated houses, placed placards in public spaces, distributed leaflets, released balloons before sailing over one city in a paramotor plane to drop flyers. What began as desirous determination within a single city, “Free Philie” soon engulfed a mass of international regions. Advertisments began to take on daring and audacious new actions. In Amsterdam, sheets were attached to bridges and spray painted with the crusade's logo while electric boats sailed down town canals. In London, he erected speaking stands at the Speaker’s Corner and within Piccadilly Circus. Soon, clotheslines hung in Belgian inner cities festooned with thousands of postcards. In St Petersburg, the cultural capital of Russia, he created a sculpture of fairytale figures reinforcing attention upon his ardent quest. In Paris, the city of love, he braided the tress of the Champs-Elysee with thousands of cardboard signs. A large inflated Frog King was placed at the Eiffel Tower with a sign that simply said “Ready for Love.” Using a novel mix of action & performance art, entertainment, installations, street art, social media, video, literature and music the "Free Philie" campaign echoed with social commentary, highlighting a then unprecedented anti-neosexual revolution. Through its creation, Philipp Hebestriet conceived what he christened “love Art” whose installations could now be seen as far away as Austria, Switzerland, Norway and Italy. 

As has been widely reported, Philipp Hebestreit was one of the fist virgin man to turn to the public aid in finding his very first girlfriend. The search for this love of his life drew attention to his untouched virginal beliefs in a highly sexualized society. During the "Free Philie" campaign he protested against the ubiquitous marketing and industrialization of sexuality in Western society. At 30 years old, Philipp was amongst just 10% of European men who were still virgins. For those who chose sexual abstinence, most did not share this information with the closets of friends for fear of being socially convicted as abnormal. In Europe, Philipp was viewed as a taboo-breaker for the way he tackled the topic of his virginity, which many thought of as both unprecedented and courageous. By encouraging others to see not see virginity as a shortcoming but a life attitude, one that leaves room for the commitment of ’true love," he broke the lance for those who chose to do the same. This caused a raft of public discussion and lead to a good deal of media attention. For years, he was the only German man willing to discuss this in public and under his real name. Through the “Free Phillie” campaign he distorted the flawed media reputation of male virginity in the Western world, one whose view of virgins was considered embarrassing, and shameful. 

“Free Philie” quickly aroused interest and hit an international nerve. Letters, postcards, boxes, packages and parcels, registered and freight mail, telegrams, faxes, SMS and emails poured in from celebrities, politicians and church representatives from 104 countries. Philipp received cuddly toys, homemade videos, drawings, books, flowers, invitations with plane and railroad tickets, self-made cakes, lingerie, nude photos, cropped hair, perfume and more. Women camped outside of his doorway. A teacher sent him a “Medal of Knightliness.” The post office box he leased specifically for the project was terminated. The reason? A 1.50 meter teddy bear. 

Ten years after its inception, this 40-year-old-virgin will bring his “Free Philie” campaign and ultimate soulmate search to America. It will kick-off with an ad campaign in Times Square to arouse interest in hopes of finding "Miss Right." Philipp will then make domestic appearances and tease his whereabouts on "Free Philie" social media accounts. The odyssey of Philipp Hebestreit's incredible and unusual story will fully unfold in book form currently in production. ​

W O R K H O U S E is one of the country's leading public relations and integrated creative agencies. Celebrating 20 years of service, the agency provides forward thinking public relations, social media, brand promotion, creative consulting and modern day marketing. Clients have included Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones, Hugh Jackman, Francis Ford Coppola, David LaChapelle, CBGB, Max's Kansas City, Interview Magazine, Galleries Lafayette, Porsche, Ford Motor Company, Virgin, Jazz at Lincoln Center, International Emmy Awards, Assouline Editions, Rizzoli International Publications, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, Chase Contemporary, Versace and Avroko. Workhouse offers untraditional service across a broad spectrum of entertainment, culture, fashion and lifestyle spheres. Visit workhousepr.com

 
I don’t claim to know that much more about it than is explained here, but it just landed in my inbox with this exciting line-up and I thought I’d share. BOY SCOUT magazine. According to BS, it’s,
“Intimate conversations between the world’s most creative people featuring profiles with writers, artists, thumb nosers and creative thinkers who posses the spit and polish to get things done. Boy Scout burns with diverse, artistic expression and crackles with an authentic, off-center spirit, highlighting subjects who continue to break revolutionary new ground through a wellspring of popular, untraditional, gay, and concrete culture.”

Created by Workhouse and Marcel Mutt as a commemorative in honor of the agency’s 20th anniversary, interviews include Kate Pierson (B-52’s), Tama Janowitz (Slaves of New York), Matthew Modine (Stranger Things), Mele Mel & Scorpio (Grandmaster’s Furious5), Bebe Buell(Pop Culture Icon!), Legs McNeil (Please Kill Me), John Holmstrom (Punk Magazine), Amos Poe(Blank Generation), Anton Perich (Experimentalist!), Lady Rizo (Showstopper!), Penny Arcade(Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore!), Jonny Podell (Podell Agency), Jimmy Webb (I Need More), Jenn Hampton (Parlor Gallery) and many more.

“From the cave man to the campfire, the serenade of storytelling appears to be obscenely absent within the impatient immediate. In creating Boy Scout, I realized how very much I miss the art of listening. The bigness of biography. The siren of each soul singing. Tales of triumphs and tragedies. Of hopes and hardships. Of wants and desires. Of sound and fury.

Boy Scout illuminates the voice behind the words. The clarity of heart in the vocalization of each subject’s spirit. To hear passion and pride, nostalgia and need — this radio play return to truth — gives greater importance to the mystery of meaning, syntax, cadence and cool. Listen and learn.” – Adam Nelson, Workhouse, CEO

If you don’t want read, you can listen to the interviews here.A portion of the proceeds received through advertising will be directed to God’s Love We Deliver. Visit boyscoutmagazine.com for more.

BOY SCOUT intimate conversations between the world’s most creative people featuring profiles with writers, artists, thumb nosers and creative thinkers who posses the spit and polish to get things done. Boy Scout burns with diverse, artistic expression and crackles with an authentic, off-center spirit, highlighting subjects who continue to break revolutionary new ground through a wellspring of popular, untraditional, gay, and concrete culture. Created by Workhouse and Marcel Mutt as a commemorative in honor of the agency's 20th anniversary, inaugural interviews include Kate Pierson (B-52’s), Tama Janowitz (Slaves of New York), Matthew Modine (Stranger Things), Mele Mel & Scorpio (Grandmaster's Furious5), Bebe Buell (Pop Culture Icon!), Legs McNeil (Please Kill Me), John Holmstrom (Punk Magazine), Amos Poe (Blank Generation), Anton Perich (Experimentalist!), Lady Rizo (Showstopper!), Penny Arcade (Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore!), Jonny Podell (Podell Agency), Jimmy Webb (I Need More), Jenn Hampton(Parlor Gallery)  and many more. Visit boyscoutmagazine.com

"From the cave man to the campfire, the serenade of storytelling appears to be obscenely absent within the impatient immediate. In creating Boy Scout, I realized how very much I miss the art of listening. The bigness of biography. The siren of each soul singing. Tales of triumphs and tragedies. Of hopes and hardships. Of wants and desires. Of sound and fury. Boy Scout illuminates the voice behind the words. The clarity of heart in the vocalization of each subject’s spirit. To hear passion and pride, nostalgia and need — this radio play return to truth — gives greater importance to the mystery of meaning, syntax, cadence and cool. Listen and learn." - Adam Nelson, Workhouse, CEO
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A portion of the proceeds received through advertising will be directed to God's Love We Deliver. 
Follow Boy Scout on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr. Interested media please contact Workhouse via email info@workhousepr.com or telephone +1 212. 645.8006.  

Marcel Mutt is an anonymous French-based graffiti artist, sculptor, political activist and video director. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humor with graffiti executed stenciling and sculptural techniques. Marcel's works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls and bridges throughout the world. Mutt’s creative grew out of the Paris underground which involved collaborations between punk artists and street musicians. His first known sculptural project was planted on 28 July 1997. It appeared within the French Right Bank on a narrow cobblestone street depicting an eight foot tall Fountain made of birch-faced ply and cast jesmonite. The work took a classic museum statue and twisted it into a sarcastically grim anti-consumer commentary. This sparked a passionate debate and divided Parisian’s as to whether it was a simple case of vandalism or a piece of artistic commentary. In this work, Mutt engaged in a direct dialogue with art history through appropriation, creating a new thought for an ordinary article of life. His sardonic take on historical myth has spawned countless imitators upon the urban landscape. Since the late Nineties, these controversial works, created in secret and unvieled under pseudonyms, continue to provide cunning commentary on the world of art, consumerism and celebrity. ​

Global freelance marketplace Fiverr has switched its focus in a new campaign designed to show the relationships and connections formed by its services.
Created with newly named agency of record, Mekanism, Fiverr’s multi-million-dollar ‘Connections’ campaign dives into the types of links made between community members on the Fiverr platform. Fiverr’s diverse community brings together people from over 190 countries, which means that every day, hundreds of thousands of new relationships are forged. The creative positions Fiverr at the intersection between business needs and freelancers who provide work solutions.
In a 45-second anthem spot, a split screen shows two people, a man and a woman, getting ready for their respective days. The voice over states: “Every few seconds, two people living separate lives discover they’re looking for the same thing – each other.” While that may sound like the start of a dating app ad, the two are then shown at their various businesses, with both trying to solve business problems, the action shared on each half screen. While the ad says that the two may never meet, they share a connection “by finding exactly what they were looking for.”
“Fiverr’s mission is to change how the world works together,” said Gali Arnon, chief marketing officer at Fiverr. "That is why our new campaign focuses on the authentic connections established on our platform; showcasing real interactions on our marketplace as well as imagery of real Fiverr community members. These people are at the forefront of this change, connecting and working with others from all over the world while advocating for us every day. Just as they’re advocating for us and helping us further our mission, it is our goal to always support and celebrate them.”
The ‘Connections’ theme is a change from the company’s ‘Doers’ focus by DCX, which came under fire for portraying freelancers as working long hours and struggling to stay above water.
Said Arnon to The Drum, regarding the shift to ‘Connections’: "We will always support and celebrate our community members; whether they are a freelancer providing services or a business owner and/or decision maker at a company completing a project. However, with this campaign, we wanted to take those two profiles and highlight the magical moments that take place between two strangers connecting to get a job done. 'In Doers We Trust' captured one person with a singular goal. 'Connections' captures the collaboration that takes place to achieve that goal."

The campaign includes long-form and short-form video for TV, social and online, as well as out-of-home and digital static executions. All campaign elements showcase the plethora of services available on the Fiverr platform, as well as the emotional sense of satisfaction felt when we accomplish something. Digital elements of ‘Connections’ will go live on a variety of social mediums including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube and experiential activations including interactive events and global partnerships will also support the campaign throughout the year.
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"Fiverr was looking for a way to communicate the heart of their brand while highlighting the wide range of freelance services and benefits,” said David Horowitz, executive creative director at Mekanism. “We focused on the way in which Fiverr is changing the way the world works, bringing two people together from anywhere in the world to solve real business problems. By using a split screen technique, we could tell the story of the buyer and seller simultaneously, leading up to their inevitable connection through Fiverr. The seamless nature of their connection is what inspired the creative look, tone and language of all the campaign assets.”

Horowitz acknowledged that ‘Connections’ is not a complete departure from ‘Doers’, as it still contains Fiverr’s forward tone.

"Fiverr’s bold, disruptive attitude is reflective of its own community of buyers and sellers. Similar to the previous campaign, we focused on the human side of each transaction, not just the transaction itself. This time, however, we were able to go deeper into the ways in which the connection benefits the buyer, and how the particular skills of the seller delivers so much more than simply a 'gig'," he said.
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For the OOH pieces of the campaign, which initially will launch in NYC and Chicago, the team sourced real Fiverr community members. People like Devonta White, a digital marketing manager from Brooklyn who has purchased a range of services from graphic design to video editing, or freelancer Darrent DeFreitas, a designer and 2D animator, are featured.

PYROMANIAC is a French film where the No Wave meets the Nouvelle-Vague. Written and directed by Amos Poe (The Blank Generation, Alphabet City, Empire II, etc.) and starring Jean-Pierre Leaud (400 Blows, La Chinoise, Masculin Feminin, Day For Night, The Mother and The Whore, etc.) and Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher, Elle, The Romanoffs, etc.), the cinematographer is Sean Price Williams (Good Time), and the composer is Philip Glass (The Hours, Einstein on the Beach, etc.). Produced by Celine Danhier and Bunny Lake Films (Blank City), it will be shot in Paris, France this April, 2019. 

*Currently Seeking Distribution & Financing Partners, Interested relations please contact Amos Poe or Celine Danhier Location: Paris, France | Pre-Production: 6 Weeks | Production: 4 Weeks | Post-Production: 12 Weeks | Vist amospoe.com
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Interested media please contact Workhouse, CEO Adam Nelson via email nelson@workhousepr.com or telephone +1 212. 645. 8006 

​A very simple meditative film, almost - except for some music, sound efx, possibly an occasional voice over or dialogue - a silent subjective Bressonian film... as well as a hint of Godard, Brakhage, Ophuls, Keaton, Malick and Warhol come to mind. Pop art. Our male protagonist, Gregor, is a Kafkaesque man alone in Paris. He is enthralled by fire, by flame, a yearning for burning. He is neither happy nor unhappy, not crazy or sane. He’s experiencing strange hearing loss, a special sensitivity to sound.

Structurally, a series of 12 interconnected vignettes (each 7 to 10 minutes long) in which Gregor lights fires: matches, his stove, newspapers, a car on fire, books, clothes, a house, a tall bonfire. He stalks fire houses. He steals rolls of film and in the woods, sets them on fire. On his old television he only watches The Fire Channel. Eventually he burns his clothes, TV, books. In a word, he’s obsessed. He’s sort of the ultimate urban romantic, a man alone. A hero for our post-existentialist times. A shaman. All Gregor’s friends lie predictably residing in the cemetery. He’s lets go of all his narratives, his memories, prepares for some great tabula rasa.

Gregor is unknowingly pursued by his neighbor, a Detective from the Arson Squad. The film depicts a kind of hunt for the arsonist, an almost leisurely and melancholic hunt because while there’s fire, we never know if these fires have actually harmed anyone. The detective is as lonely a figure as the pyromaniac. As obsessed. The Detective is a mirror self. A searcher in search for connection. The Detective’s experiencing some strange visual problems of her own. She’s a character looking for an exit, a bit of a perfectionist; somewhat judgemental, a dreamer.

It is a film of personal observation, primarily a meditation on human behavior. Cinematically, it allows us to mold a unique visual and aural point of view, style. And of course, Paris. An outsider’s Paris; the postcard obvious Paris, and the more discrete. Paris as anti-Paris.

The last vignette of the film: the Detective has arrested Gregor, brings him in. On the journey, they bond in an informal way, a mutual recognition of their shared humanity. From a casual observer’s point-of-view, they’re like an old couple, comfortable with each other, not from romance but from time. Upon arrival at the precinct, the Detective’s retirement papers have come through. Forgetting about the Pyromaniac in her excitement, the Detective leaves the station to pursue another way of being, another vision of herself outside of work. Free and forgotten, Gregor walks out of the station out on the street, into life... and one last fiery act.

The poster for the film is an image from behind the Pyromaniac, on a bench watching the Eiffel Tower go up in flames. This will also be the trailer (an homage to Kubrick’s The Shining trailer).

​"In 1999 I started WORKHOUSE in a decrepit, rented kitchen of a Soho film outfit. Why did I kickstart a business? Desperation. Laid off in the middle of the economic depression of the late 1990's, jobs of any kind were scarce. I had $196 in the bank and frankly nowhere to go. My original vision was simple: I just wanted to eat everyday. I gathered a group of students, layabouts, waiters and interns to slowly build a PR agency from the ground up. The agency's namesake celebrated a history of builders who, once upon a time, went to produce honest labor. Over the years we have distinguished ourselves with successful representation of personalities like The Rolling Stone's Ronnie Wood, photographer David LaChapelle, Francis Ford Coppola and brands Virgin, CBGB, Interview Magazine, Soho House and Porsche. This year, Workhouse received the New York Small Business Excellence Award and Clutch recognized us as both a Global Leader and a member of their inaugural Clutch 1000  honoring the agency as one of New York's top marketing firms. As Workhouse celebrates its 20th anniversary, there is no greater heartbeat than recognition. We are forever grateful to our clients, staff and associates who believed small could make stardust." - Adam Nelson, Founder & CEO WORKHOUSE

The Essential Guide to the World’s Most Scrumptious Culinary Events in December​
From unique dining experiences to meals prepared by some of the nation’s best chefs, you’ll find plenty of holiday cheer in December. ​BY JOHN LYON ON NOVEMBER 30, 2018

Most of our holiday dining memories are formed around a table with loads of family. But let’s be honest: for all of the soft-glow, cheery memories, there’s always another one of a Christmas blowup. So take control of your December this year and forge some new winter culinary memories with meals from some of the best chefs in the United States.

Once Upon a Kitchen | December 5 
​Get your month of culinary adventure started off on the right foot with a multicourse meal prepared by four of the country’s top chefs. At Gotham Hall in New York, Massimo Bottura, Joan Roca, and Mauro Colagreco will create a memorable meal consisting of signature dishes from their restaurants—a pretty impressive lineup considering their restaurants are ranked No. 1, 2, and 3 on the 50 Best Restaurants List of 2018, respectively. Dessert will be prepared by chef Christina Tosi, the two-time James Beard award winner who runs Milk Bar, will create a unique sweet treat just for the event.
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Seating options come in three tiers ($1,500 to $5,000), silver, gold, and platinum—with higher ranking tiers netting you better seating positions and extras like a meet and greet with the chefs. Proceeds from the event benefit God’s Love We Deliver, which provides meals to those unable to shop or cook for themselves.

The field of public relations is expanding: domains like digital video content have now entered the sphere of PR. It makes sense. The world is an ever-changing place, and the media-drive PR field is certainly no exception. In order to stay on top of changes in attitude, culture, and messaging, you’ll need a PR firm that know what it’s doing. But how do you weed out the flops and only maintain the tops?
 
Clutch, the online ratings and review firm, specializes in exactly that area. Clutch is trusted as the best B2B reviews site because it collects client testimony, case studies, and objective quantitative information. Based in Washington, D.C., Clutch excels at what it does.
 
That’s why we were thrilled to learn that Clutch ranked Workhouse as one of the best PR firms in New York. We’d also like to thank our clients for their hard work and cooperation.
 
Steven Pranica, President of Creative Exchange Agency, raved about Workhouse. “WORKHOUSE capably navigated complex relationships between artists and brands. The team’s approach contributed to the project’s collaborative nature.”
 
Pam Sommers, Executive Director of Publicity at Rizzoli New York, loved working with Workhouse. “They’re a dream to work with. Adam always assembles a good team that’s nimble and quick-thinking. They always make the most of the assets they’re given. We derive considerable benefit from their work.”

The Manifest, Clutch’s sister site, went as far as to also rank Workhouse a toppublic relations firmin 2018. And, we’re extremely excited to announce that we’ve been included on the elite Clutch 1000 list that is the platforms’ first-ever public recognition of the top 1000 companies on their platform, regardless of industry or services offered!
 
Workhouse confidently delivers the best work to its clients, whose satisfaction tops all other priorities. Workhouse covers an enormous number of sectors across the world, and Clutch ratings and reviews expand our purview.

Established in 1999, WORKHOUSE is New York's award winning public relations agency. The firm is home to creative communicators specializing in consumer marketing, corporate and public affairs, digital engagement, luxury, celebrity, travel, hospitality, retail, real estate sports and entertainment marketing. For ten consecutive years, Workhouse has received the "Best of Manhattan Award" by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA). In 2012, Workhouse swept three of the industry's highest honors when it was bestowed with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Silver Anvil Award, the PR News' Platinum PR "Wow Award" and the Bulldog Reporter Silver Medal Award. The agency was also named as a PR Daily/ Dow Jones Finalist for "Grand Prize: PR Campaign of the Year." In 2015, Workhouse Founder & CEO Adam Nelson was inducted into the New York City "Business Hall of Fame”. Celebrating 20 years of service, Workhouse is a full-service creative agency specializing in integrated marketing positioning emerging and established brands with celebrity craftsmanship. Workhouse provides full-service public relations, social media, brand promotion, creative consulting, not to mention, modern day marketing & branding.

Key clients have included Lou Reed, The Rolling Stone's Ronnie Wood, Debbie Harry, Francis Ford Coppola, David LaChapelle, CBGB, Interview Magazine, Details Magazine, Galleries Lafayette, Ford Motor Company, Virgin, Assouline Editions, Rizzoli International Publications, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, Genesis Publications, Karmaloop, Coty, Versace, and Cynthia Rowley, offering award-winning campaigns across a broad spectrum of luxury, fashion and lifestyle brands.

Clutch is a Washington, D.C- based ratings and reviews marketplace that conducts ongoing research of the best providers in advertising, branding, PR and other creative and traditional industries. Clutch reaches out to our past clients to obtain reviews regarding our performance. They primarily do this through interview-style phone calls.
 
As one of their clients stated, “They took an overwhelming scope of work and completed everything with efficiency and good humor.” Commitment to cultivating the best public relations, marketing, and branding shows through their client’s satisfaction. Visit workhousepr.com

About Clutch
A B2B research, ratings, and reviews firm in the heart of Washington, DC, Clutch connects small and medium businesses with the best-fit agencies, software, or consultants they need to tackle business challenges with confidence. Clutch's methodology compares business service providers and software in a specific market based on verified client reviews, services offered, work quality, and market presence. #Clutchglobal
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Read the full announcement here
And see the Clutch rankings here