Command PR is a boutique agency which has office in LA and New York. They have a huge roster of clients such as Jennifer Lopez, P Diddy, Janet Jackson and Rihanna. Started by Jonathon Cheban, a seasoned pro, Command PR is one of the top PR companies in the US and reality drama, The Spin Crowd will be following their moves. Command PR's USP is that they set trends, reflect pop culture and influence the course of public consciousness. Simon Huck is Jonathon's second in command, pun most certainly intended and the two of them make a right pair. Jonathon is pretty highly strung and not afraid to speak his mind while Simon appreciates the art of subtly. Simon is the more saner of the duo and spends a lot of them calming down Jonathon when he loses it which seems to be most of the time. The banter between the two guys is hilarious and Jonathon's bitchy comments crack me up. Also Jonathon hails from New Jersey and has that NJ complex derived from the fact NJ is the dowdy cousin who NYC look down on and make fun of so he has something to prove.
As well as getting to know the rest of the Command PR team which comprises of Katie, Lauren, Erika and Summer and having an insight into their personal lives, we are shown how the Command PR wheel works. We get to see the strategy behind event and product launches and how PRs work with the media to place stories in their publications and maintain their relationships with their clients. However what I like most about The Spin Crowd is that it also shows what happens when things do not go as planned. Like a launch with actress Shannen Doherty where they forgot to bring the scissors that she needed to cut the ribbon. I find the show very inspiring. It just has that ' you can do it' vibe. Surprised to see that it is excursively produced by Kim Kardashian.
You can check out the website for The Spin Crowdhere.
The Spin Crowd is aired on E! on Sundays at 10.30pm
As you know there are lots of fashion blogs out there which I soak up regularly but when I need that extra bit of depth I check out That's Not My Age. Started in 2008 by a seasoned fashionista, the blog covers good style in fashion, interiors, design and art. It also looks at fashion trends, street style and icons in fashion. That's Not My Age is so revered that it has been mentioned in The Guardian, The Independent, Easy Living and Stella magazine. The anonymous blogger took time out to answer a few questions about her blog.
What made you start blogging?
I started That’s Not My Age over a year ago because I felt there was a gap in the blogosphere for women like me. I focus on life, culture and style but try to make sure that it's a real rather than an airbrushed or botoxed version, and that everyone I talk about is over 40.
Describe the concept behind That's Not My Age? The namestems from the idea that when you get to a certain age, denial kicks in and you start to knock a few years off (I know I did!). So to try and overcome this, I like to champion the fact that actually, people over 40 are pretty cool, they’ve established their own singular style and aren't swayed by trends. And there's nothing wrong with being middle-aged, just look at Jarvis Cocker, Tilda Swinton, Mary Portas and my current style crush Suzie Bick (saw her at a party on Friday night and she looked fantastic).
Over the last year bloggers have really made their mark in the fashion industry, how do you think they will continue to push the boundaries over the next few years?
Blogging has become a way of life and will continue to have influence – I'm a member of Handpicked Media which is a fantastic idea: an independent bloggers' collective run by Krista Madden and a team of experts. We meet up once a month to discuss financial opportunities, technical stuff and most importantly to socialize. I think blogging will continue to exist alongside mainstream media. Most websites now have a blog as another way of promoting a brand/company/product. I’d like to think that there will be greater transparency in terms of advertising and product placement (something Handpicked Media is very keen on), which is still very much a murky area.
You come up with a lot of unique stories on your blog, how do you get your inspiration?
Ah thank you, so nice of you to say – but quite a tricky question to answer! I’m inspired by lots of things; what’s in the news, people, art, music, fashion, travel, and I suppose living in London helps, there’s always so much to see and do.
What do you do when you are not working on your blog?
Eat, sleep, work.
What are your favourite glossy magazines?
Ooh now this should be easy to answer but I’m not very good at lists and I’m very fickle so my favourite ‘anything’changes on a regular basis. My mum buys me a subscription to Red, I like the Observer’s Food Monthly and most other Sunday supplements.
How do you see your blog evolving over the next two years?
Oh blimey, I would like to think that That’s Not My Age will get an update sometime soon but I’m such a Luddite, I’m not sure I’m capable of anything too complicated. I’m just not very good at all that tech-y stuff. So if there’s anyone out there who’d like to help, please make yourself known! Content-wise, I’ll continue to focus on stylish, talented people over 40 for inspiration.
I did a lot of running around during London Fashion Week attending a lot of events that were off schedule. One of the fashion shows that I went to was Fashion Maverickswhich is a collection of emerging designers. It is organised by Jacquelline Adhola and was a two day affair taking place at the Strand Palace Hotel and it featured artists such as Anya Wilkinson, Elizabeth Dunn and Sara Shimasue. Jacquelline took five minutes out to give me the lowdown on Fashion Mavericks
What made you decided to set up Fashion Maverick? Fashion Mavericks was set up after discovering there was a need for an event that provides a strong platform to support new and independent designers during Fashion Week. As much as there is a number of other great events that occur during this time there is even more great designers out there that aren't provided a chance to 'show off' their latest collections and creative skills in solo independent shows. Fashion Mavericks is a great place for new and; independent designers as it provides them with a great venue in a great location. More often than not fashion week is dominated by the big labels and the small ones don't get noticed over the noise when they are just as good or better.
How many people work on the project with you?
It depends on where I'm at in the project life cycle. I tend to do most of the strategic planning myself and then have others designated where necessary. As the event is still in its early stages I can pretty much handle most of it but as I have greater plans for the event I'm currently looking for other professionals to head certain areas. How do you select which designers to approach to show at the event? Designers apply to showcase while some are referred to me for review by stylists and others I source myself
The Strand Palace Hotel was an amazing venue, how did you get them on board?
It's a case of building relationships but I pay for the venue so in this case its a case of them giving me a service.
What is your work background?
Work background varies but its in my professional field. I have a degree in Marketing and a CIM. I've worked in events, sales and retail. My last 9-5 job was at Emap for Drapers & Retail Jeweller Magazine. I don't have vast 9-5 experience but my strong business acumen, intuition, passion, drive and natural entrepreneurial skills makes me love and enjoy my work and all that I do re Sunshine Grace.
What do you do when you are not working on Fashion Mavericks?
Fashion Mavericks is owned by Sunshine Grace which is a PR, Marketing and Events Consultancy. As well as this I'm also a personal stylist. So my main operations are with SG. Through this I have a number of private clients who I style and offer a personal shopping service to of sourcing new or certain items. I also consultant on projects with designers and businesses.
Which designers do you admire?
I admire all designers. The work they do is enormous. From the initial stages of concept and theme, sketch designs, material sourcing, production there is a lot to do. Not including the pattern cutting, sleepless nights and many lattes.Generally I like and admire hard working people especially when they create innovative products that meet public demand or meet the needs of their market. To get that right is the key to a successful business and that is admirable.
After much anticipation (well from me anyway) Takersfinally came to the UK screens. This film was made two years ago but the release date kept getting pushed back. The reasons were not fully disclosed but I think the Chris Brown and Rihanna domestic may have had a lot to do with it. Takers is a heist film in Oceans Eleven and The Italian Job style which is about a group of bank robbers who embark on one last job. The film stars Idris Elba, T.I, Chris Brown, Paul Walker, Michael Ealy, Hayden Christensen, Matt Dillon, Jay Hernandez and Zoe Saldana. Ok let me give you some back story here: the group was originally formed by Ghost played by T.I but he got put away four years before on a job that the group were doing. Following through on their pact not to spill the beans, Ghost has done his time and is now out. In his absence the group have moved on with Gordon played by Idris Elba taking over as leader. John played by Paul Walker is his second command and AJ played by Hayden Christensen and brothers Jake and Jesse Attica played by Michael Ealy and Chris Brown respectively. To add a spanner to the works, Ghost's former girlfriend, Lilly played by Zoe Saldana is now happily ensconded with Jake and they are engaged.
The film begins with the group completing yet another one of their bank heists and we get to see exactly how they operate. These are no sloppy, two a penny robbers, these guys are organised and very slick - we are talking electronic devices, top notch explosives and some serious planning. The guys also enjoy the fruits of their labour with great houses, flash cars, motorbikes and designer suits. They even donate 10% of the money they have stolen to charity. Oh the irony! Enter Ghost with an in on a very lucrative job that he wants the group to come in on. However the guys are sceptical. Is this the real deal or is it a set up? Is Ghost set on paying them back for his stint in jail? On the flip side we have cops Jack played by Matt Dillon and his partner Eddie played by Jay Hernandez who are hell bent on nailing them and it looks like they are getting closer.
I thought Takers was a great film; it was great to look at visually and the special effects were amazing. Oh and the eye candy was a real treat. The performances from all of the actors were superb and as Michael Ealy said in an interview - everyone brought their A game. T.I was really good in this film, even though he was more or less playing himself he was still very entertaining. Michael Ealy and Chris Brown really do look brothers and their scenes together were very endearing as were the ones with Michael and Zoe. It was weird seeing Hayden in this film because the last time I saw him was in Star Wars but he was awesome but to me it is Idris Elba and Paul Walker who hold this film together. First of Paul Walker really needs a lead role in a major film because that guy has presence but has never quite found the right role to capitalise on it. Idris with his Brit accent and sexy strut totally owns Takers. The great acting allows you to buy into the personalities of the group and I found myself intrigued by them and their lives. Like Gordon's relationship with his older drug addicted sister played by Marianne Baptiste and Jake and Jesse's differences on their incarcarated father. I would have loved to have known how such a bunch of vibrant, smart guys met and got into this scene. I guess we will never know well unless there is a prequel which has been rumoured. My other criticism was the ending - I hated it but I won't tell you what happens, go and see it for yourself. This film is directed by John Luessnhop and produced by Will Packer who I wrote about here.
On another note I was disappointed that Takers did not get the marketing and PR push that it deserved despite the fact that it topped the US box office in the first week. Where were the posters and adverts? I find it demoralising that in 2010 'Black' films are still fighting for the same amount of investments as mainstream ones. Major fail. Takers is out in cinemas now but I would rush and see it asap before they yank it off the screens like they did to Why Did I Get Married Too and Just Wright. Am I bitter? Yeah just a bit.
The Musings of Ondo Lady is a slice of pop culture in the form of films, magazines, books, TV, fashion and music.
My name is Ronke Adeyemi and I am a creative with a background in journalism, marketing and PR. I have a passion for fashion, travel, magazines, books and property. What's the deal with Ondo Lady? Well Ondo is a town in Nigeria where my parents are from. It is located in the south west of Nigeria and holds just over 4 million people and is nicknamed the Sunshine State.
Posts
