Police car and fire truck on scene

Police, First-Responder recruitment – It’s not a job for everyone

WHIPPANY, NJ and HADDONFIELD, NJ (March 2024) – Law enforcement agencies and departments across the country are finding it increasingly difficult to hire the officers they desperately need. It’s a significant public safety issue, one that’s attracting attention from elected officials, community advocates, and the news media.

There are varied, nuanced reasons for this shortage of prospective officers – which is also impacting fire departments and first aid squads – but the only proven solution is professional recruitment support, with specific emphasis on advertising outreach. One such company, with a documented, decades-long record of success in identifying candidates for law enforcement and other first responder positions, is New Jersey-based SCG Advertising + Public Relations.

“When you’re working to recruit local or state police, or any other emergency responders, you need to expect the landscape to change constantly,” explains Mike Gatta, SCG’s vice president of National Development, who oversees the agency’s recruitment advertising practice. “It often happens from one day to the next. Luckily, our years of experience in this specific space give us foundational awareness. We know all the challenges and we know the audience.”

SCG’s experience is both broad and deep. The agency currently is working on its ninth campaign in support of the New Jersey State Police, a client since 2016. Last year, it began to work for the Philadelphia Police Department. It undertook a three-year campaign with California-based Wildfire Defense that concluded in 2022, and has done a range of recruitment projects related to hiring security and prison guards.

When you’re engaged in such a difficult space, it’s not always easy to determine what success looks like. As with most things, it typically comes down to numbers.

“When you’re supporting a public safety recruitment effort, the focus is on generating qualified applicants,” says Gatta. “You measure that both against goals and prior results.  I’ll give you an example – with the Philadelphia police, their prior effort before bringing us in cost $1 million and generated 1,000 leads. Our budget was just a fraction of that – $206,000 – and we generated about 1,500 leads. That’s a success.”

While recruiting prospective first responders, it’s essential to realize that – unlike in many other fields — there’s no single media that’s an obvious choice for reaching candidates. In can be digital, or mobile, or social, or broadcast radio, or the local paper, or even billboards. Most often, it’s targeted messaging utilizing a combination of these media outlets.

“From police, to firefighters, to troopers, the individuals we want to reach definitely have things in common,” notes Regina Liu, SCG’s senior account manager and digital strategist. “But their media preferences are across the board – and it’s further complicated by where in the country they live. That’s why it’s essential to always be creative and flexible in connecting with your target audience.”

One of the unique challenges in recruiting for police departments is that there’s never a problem attracting people who’ve always aspired to a law enforcement career. Rather, the challenge is connecting with individuals who are well suited to being police officers, but have simply never envisioned themselves in such a role.

“There are always people considering a change in career paths, so our message needs to connect with them,” says SCG Account Executive Chris Krautheim. “Working closely with our client, we craft a message that basically suggests law enforcement as an attractive, rewarding job.”

Yet another challenge in working for emergency responders is that the requirements can be extremely specific – as well as unique – in terms of education, age, physical fitness, criminal record, and geography. Drug testing is also typically quite rigorous. Determining the effective recruitment solution almost always involves research that leads to a customized strategic approach.

“Every factor has to be analyzed, and no two campaigns are ever quite the same,” Gatta says. “As an example, the first year we worked for the New Jersey State Troopers, we thoroughly audited their past practices, and determined they’d been much too focused on outdoor advertising. That was eight years ago – now, 85% of their entire effort is digital, programmatic, and social.”

One key for SCG is having multiple professionals exclusively dedicated to recruitment advertising.

“Someone trying to do this job without our expertise won’t know how to select and utilize all the necessary tools and tactics,” Gatta says. “And, sadly, it’ll show in their results.”

To read more on our work with law enforcement, check out our other blog on police recruitment and our article on the NASCAR event for NJSP!

recruitment marketing and cats

Recruitment Marketing and Cats

recruitment marketing and cats

Monday, August 8th is International Cat Day!

I was never a cat person. We always had dogs. Then a mama cat gifted me with kittens, twice, and my journey to crazy cat lady began. Don’t worry. We found homes for many and with the support of my favorite vets, we got everyone checked out, vaccinated, and made sure there wouldn’t be more kittens.  Cat behavior is interesting and got me thinking about how it correlates to my recruitment marketing business at SCG.

#1 – Cats are like passive candidates. You can’t force your intentions on them. They have to come to you. If you dangle the right toy/treat/message and wait patiently, they will eventually acknowledge and respond.

#2 – Looks can be deceiving. Our cats are adorable but have a killer instinct, keeping birds, chipmunks, mice, etc. on notice. In recruitment marketing, you need to review resumes carefully and don’t judge too quickly. You also shouldn’t judge on appearance. Some very talented employees may come with tattoos, piercings, or non-traditional hair choices.

#3 – I often find “gifts” from the cats that aren’t necessarily on my wish list. Sometimes it’s about aligning background and experience with the appropriate open requisition and not just judging against the job applied for.

#4 – I’m a morning person. Many of the cats are night prowlers. I try to understand their behavior and adapt accordingly. When hiring for different shifts, think like your candidate. Put your message out on late night radio or tv. It’s usually less expensive than those coveted drive time radio slots or prime time tv. Host a virtual hiring event or just have a chat bot available for questions overnight.

#5 – Like people, cats need to feel welcomed as part of the team. We recently took in a new cat that needed to be rehomed. He hid under the bed for days. Super timid. Then we put a collar on him and his personality dramatically shifted. Suddenly, he engaged with humans and cats alike. It seemed he needed to feel secure in his new home. In recruitment marketing, whether it’s a branded polo shirt, computer bag, coffee mug or something else, welcome new hires with something that says they are part of the team. For those working onsite, also consider a special badge or pin that identifies new hires so that coworkers can spot them and help when they seem lost or might need assistance.

#6 – Every cat has their own language. Who knew…purring is not the official cat language. Some cats vocalize with sounds that are almost words. Our Amelia has a high-pitched trilling meow. Others are almost silent unless they feel threatened and may hiss or growl. Candidates also have different communication styles. In this market, be open to communicating via phone call, email, text…at least in the beginning. Unless it’s critical to the job function, listen to words as much as communication style. Interviewing can be a stressful situation and well qualified candidates may not perform well. When looking for bilingual candidates use bilingual messaging in ethnic media and be mindful of cultural differences/sensitivities.

Catalina is the cat who started it all and is now Queen of the clowder. From a homeless girl in trouble to a beloved family pet who never strays, she’s found her place. May your recruiting journeys be equally rewarding.

Tina Davis

Tina Davis
VP, Account Services
SCG Advertising & PR

Parsippany Agency Captures Multiple 2020 NJ Ad Club “Jersey Awards”

Contact:               Kurt Praschak / kpraschak@successcomgroup.com / 973.992-7800, x.289

 

Parsippany-based agency captures multiple 2020 NJ Ad Club “Jersey Awards”

 

SCG Advertising + Public Relations wins pair of firsts, plus a second and third, during 52nd annual event

 

PARSIPPANY, NJ (Nov. 19, 2020) – For the communication professionals at SCG Advertising + Public relations, it’s quite a haul.

 

The ongoing pandemic forced this year’s 52nd annual edition of the NJ Ad Club “Jersey Awards” to be held virtually, but there was still plenty of talent on display across a total of 138 distinct categories. SCG – which was established in 1957 – was recognized with a pair of first-place awards, along with one for second-place and another for third. Specifically, these were:

 

  • First place        “Sell Sheets, Any Number of Colors” (for Michaels of Brooklyn)
  • First place        “Logo, B2B” (for Film Hunterdon)
  • Second place   “Trade, Any Size/ Number of Colors” (for Meridian Aircraft Management)
  • Third place      “Consumer Campaign, 3 or More Elements” (for General Plumbing Supply)

 

“The level of advertising creativity in New Jersey is stunning,” says Tom Marguccio, SCG’s vice president/creative director, and a 2016 Advertising Hall of Fame of New Jersey inductee. “That our agency was recognized to this degree is an honor, and I’m so proud of my colleagues and also the clients who are our partners in these efforts. And, because just a few months ago we lost our long-time president, Glenn Gershaw … well, I think all of us at SCG see these awards as a tribute to his leadership and support.”

 

About SCG Advertising + Public Relations

Founded more than half a century ago, SCG (Success Communications Group) provides 21st-century communication services highlighted by creativity, passion, and innovation. With specific expertise in advertising, marketing, public relations, social media, digital marketing, and recruitment, SCG is headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, with regional offices in the metro areas of Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Diego, and Tampa.

 

Additional information is available at www.scgadv.com, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

 

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Contact Tracing

Contact Tracers: The New Normal for Local & State Health Departments

An unprecedented recruitment challenge

Contact Tracing

 

They’re not new. In fact, contact tracers helped defeat SARS in 2003-2004, and are used regularly by health departments to combat HIV, measles, H1N1, and even Ebola.

However, the incredible size of the contact tracing workforce will be the new normal as experts say that the Covid-19 Pandemic has created an explosive need for an army of these health detectives. Where now there are approximately 2,000 contact tracers across the nation, it is likely we will be needing a total force of 200,000 to 300,000.

 

This is an astounding number for a job that up until now has not been researched by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a major recruitment challenge for our 50 states, 16 territories and thousands of local health departments – not to mention large corporations that may want their own to ensure the safety of their employees.

 

Experts believe that contact tracers will be integral to preventing a second wave of the invisible enemy. That is why the CDC says, “The time to start building the trained workforce is now.”

 

If you are not familiar with contact tracing (and we bet you are not) here is how it works. The positive person is interviewed by an investigator who then reaches out to those contacts suggesting 14 days of isolation and collecting information on others who have been within six feet for 10 minutes or more of the contact.

 

Some of the states are getting a head start on putting together an effective contact tracing team. Massachusetts is looking at a team of 1,000, New Jersey could have as many as 7,000 while California is putting together a team of 10,000 contact tracers. This is while many states are looking at creative ways of filling these critical roles.

 

If you are a Government Health official, Healthcare Administrator or Talent Acquisition professional with an urgent need to hire high-demand individuals as contact tracers, there is one way you can stay ahead of the hiring curve.  Contact SCG.

 

As a valued client of SCG, you will have the power of an award-winning company with 60 years of experience in public relations, research, advertising and association management.

 

More importantly, we have extensive experience in Recruitment Marketing – handling millions of jobs in all industries including extensive experience in health care and government. By using the PESO model of Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned media, we have the tools to work with your marketing and HR departments to scale up quickly and deliver results.

 

The bottom line is, we have the tools and the experience that equip us ready to hit the ground running to meet your Contact Tracing recruitment challenge. Contact Mike Gatta, Vice President, National Development at mgatta@scgadv.com or call (856) 795-7391 ext. 149.

 

Related information click here.

 

 

 

SCG Trendwatch: MarCom Industry News – February 2020

Trendwatch Marketing

Welcome to your monthly round-up for busy MarCom professionals. Each month, we share the latest news, strategies, tools and trends affecting the industry landscape. Check-in for the latest updates from all over the web.  

Despite Super Bowl LIV’s marketing deja vu, several ads break out

Multibrand spots, ads supporting women, “Groundhog Day” and yes, the resurrection of Mr. Peanut, caused some of the biggest stir this year.

Super Bowl LIV made for a tense showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the victorious Kansas City Chiefs, but few marketing surprises turned up during a night that leaned heavily on humor, multibrand team-ups, and newcomers in areas like politics and women’s representation. Read more…

Google plans crackdown on ‘disruptive’ video ads

Google’s Chrome web browser on Aug. 5 will stop showing all ads on sites that repeatedly have “disruptive” video ads, as defined by new standards from the Coalition for Better Ads (CBA)  Read more…

How Coke, Reese’s turned Super Bowl ads into Amazon sales after the game

Market share for some products advertised in Super Bowl commercial spiked on Amazon during and after the game, according to a Profitero report shared with Marketing Dive. Coke Energy and its zero sugar version saw surges of 111% and 197%, respectively. Read more…

The death of the marketing campaign: Why brands should rethink the dynamics of customer relationship

The marketing sector can be a complicated place as new marketing tools and techniques are launched, almost on a weekly basis.  Ever-evolving marketing technology and the proliferation of communication channels means that ‘communicating,’ or getting your message out there, has never been easier. Read more...

Bruce Papkin

Edison Resident Appointed Sales Consultant at Morris County Communications Agency

Contacts:          Kurt Praschak / kpraschak@successcomgroup.com / 973.992-7800, x.289

                              Alexa Cangialosi / acangialosi@successcomgroup.com / 973.992-7800, x.172

 

Edison Resident Appointed Sales Consultant at Morris County Communications Agency

Bruce Papkin joins SCG Advertising + Public Relations

 

PARSIPPANY, NJ (February 3, 2020)Edison, NJ resident Bruce Papkin has been appointed Sales Consultant for SCG Advertising + Public Relations, a full-service Bruce Papkincommunications agency based in Parsippany. In his role, Papkin focuses on developing new client relationships in the recruitment, digital, and traditional advertising sectors.

 

Papkin has more than four decades of experience in the human capital and recruitment advertising industry, primarily at Posner Advertising, Rada Recruitment Communications – a Grey advertising company – and Winston Advertising, where he was the company president.

 

“Bruce joins us with a professional background encompassing all aspects of the recruitment advertising industry,” says Mike Gatta, SCG vice president of National Development. “With his unique level of expertise and experience, I’m confident he’ll play an essential role in forging multiple new business relationships.”

 

A graduate of the College of Aeronautics with a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering Design, Papkin also has extensive experience in the recruitment marketing, staffing, and behavioral healthcare fields. Prior to joining SCG Advertising + Public Relations, Papkin was the Senior Recruiter in Supportive Care’s Texas region, where he sourced and recruited behavioral health professionals. Additional experience in the behavioral healthcare field includes growing the New York region of Delta-T, which specializes in behavioral healthcare temp staffing placement for daycare and social workers in group homes, nursing homes, schools, and other specialized areas.

 

 

 

About SCG Advertising + Public Relations

Founded more than half a century ago, SCG (Success Communications Group) provides 21st century communication services highlighted by creativity, passion, and innovation. With specific expertise in advertising, marketing, public relations, social media, digital marketing, and recruitment, SCG is headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, with regional offices in the metro areas of Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Diego, and Tampa.

Additional information is available at www.successcomgroup.com, as well as on Facebook  and Twitter.

 

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SCG Trendwatch: MarCom Industry News – January 2020

Trendwatch Marketing

Welcome to your monthly round-up for busy MarCom professionals. Each month, we share the latest news, strategies, tools and trends affecting the industry landscape. Check-in for the latest updates from all over the web.  

Why Design and Marketing Should Become Strategic Partners

Brands across the marketing spectrum are reaping the rewards of joining forces with design at the start of the strategic process.  Read more…

Ben & Jerry’s CEO On Why Too Much Marketing Research Can Cause ‘Mediocrity’

Ben and Jerry’s CEO discusses embracing different ways of doing business from side-stepping research to prioritising activism.  Ben & Jerry’s CEO Matthew McCarthy has been in his role for a little more than a year but, from side-stepping research to prioritising activism, he is fully embracing the different ways the ice cream maker does business.  Read more…

What’s the Worst That Could Happen With My Phone Data? Our Journalists Answer Your Questions

The New York Times Opinion desk published an investigation last week into the location data industry, showing how companies quietly collect and profit off the precise movements of smartphone users.  Read more…

8 Digital Marketing Trends for 2020

2019 was a busy year for marketers. With dozens of new marketing tech flooding the market, hundreds of courses on marketing mastery and thousands of sales funnel videos, predicting marketing trends for 2020 became as hard as cooking a perfect macaron. We wanted to share our perspective, as a pioneer in the MarTech space, a community with hundreds of successful digital marketing agencies around the world.   Read more…

Instagram User Growth in the US Will Drop to Single Digits For the First Time

In 2019, Instagram’s US user growth rate will have dropped to single digits for the first time to 6.7%, down from 10.1% in 2018. Starting in 2020, and through the end of our forecast period in 2023, we estimate that the social media platform will grow slower than previously expected.  Read more...

The Changing Role of Webinars

Who would have thought that webinars – the bleeding edge technology innovation when they were introduced in 1996 by Microsoft’s NetMeeting and Xerox PARC’s PlaceWare – would have such staying power? In the past 20 years in marketing have taught me anything, it’s been to never doubt the good ol’, tried and true webinar. They have proven ability to boost organizations’ training, marketing, sales and customer engagements.  Read more…

Michael Cherenson

Public Relations EVP joins One To World board of directors

Contacts:             Kurt Praschak / kpraschak@successcomgroup.com / 973-992-7800 x.289

                                  Alexa Cangialosi / acangialosi@successcomgroup.com / 973-992-7800, x172

Public Relations EVP joins One To World board of directors

 

Lincoln Park resident and SCG Advertising + Public Relations exec Mike Cherenson

 

PARSIPPANY, NJ (October 28, 2019) – Lincoln Park resident and SCG Advertising + Public Relations Executive Vice President Mike Cherenson has joined the One To World board of directors, on which he will support the organization’s ongoing mission of bolstering connections between New York-area communities and international students, including Fulbright scholars.

 

One To World’s core activities include enrichment programs for international students, global education for area schools, and development and peer support for international educators. These are designed to provide a unique opportunity for U.S. residents and international students to interact and engage, in hopes of creating solid, international relationships.

 

“It’s essential to bridge societal barriers, so students can embrace diversity and create connections, regardless of their backgrounds,” Cherenson explains. “I’m honored to have been selected for this role, and I’m eager to support One To World’s mission of intercultural understanding.”

 

As executive vice president with more than three decades of industry experience, Cherenson oversees the public relations activities for SCG’s broad range of clients. The 2009 chair and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Cherenson is a graduate of Ithaca College and holds an advanced certification from the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University. He currently is a member of PRSA’s Educational Affairs Committee and serves as a site team member for the group’s CEPR Certification program. He is also a site team member for the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), sitting on the organization’s Accreditation Committee.

 

The author of multiple studies focused on reputation, Cherenson is an alumni of The Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC), the oldest and most prestigious public liaison program in the Department of Defense, and the only outreach program sponsored by the Secretary of Defense.

 

NOTE: A digital portrait of Mike Cherenson is available here.

 

About One to World 

One To World engages the almost 100,000 international students studying in the New York-area (including over 800 Fulbright grantees) through programs that create understanding and build positive relationships between area residents and these unofficial ambassadors from around the world. The programs provide a unique opportunity for U.S. residents and international students to engage on an intimate level; having dinner inside local homes, sharing culture and experiences in the classroom, and volunteering their time together through community service projects.

Additional information is available online at www.onetoworld.org or by calling 212-431-1195.

 

About SCG Advertising + Public Relations

Founded more than half a century ago, SCG (Success Communications Group) provides 21st century communication services highlighted by creativity, passion, and innovation. With specific expertise in advertising, marketing, public relations, social media, digital marketing, and recruitment, SCG is headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, with regional offices in the metro areas of Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Diego, and Tampa.

Additional information is available at www.successcomgroup.com, as well as on Facebook  and Twitter.

 

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SCG Trendwatch: MarCom Industry News – September 2019

Trendwatch Marketing

Welcome to your monthly round-up for busy MarCom professionals. Each month, we share the latest news, strategies, tools and trends affecting the industry landscape. Check-in for the latest updates from all over the web.  

YouTube masthead ads hit TV app

YouTube is rolling out masthead ads for TV screens, offering brands prominent placement within its TV app. Same as YouTube’s desktop and mobile feed masthead ads, the masthead ads for TV screens can be purchased on a cost-per-impression (CPM) basis and will be available via reserved placements.

The masthead ads will autoplay a few seconds after being served up, and brands will be able to target the ads to customized audiences.  Read more…

Facebook Publishes New Report on the Benefits of Combining Facebook and Outdoor Advertising

Outdoor ads – including bus shelter campaigns and billboards – might not be within the budget of most SMBs. But for those businesses that can afford it, there can be significant benefits to running outdoor campaigns in combination with Facebook promotions.  Read more…

Macy’s back-to-school push debuts with Snapchat shopping, TikTok challenge

Macy’s back-to-school promotion includes its first shoppable commercials on Snapchat and a video-sharing challenge on TikTok. The department store’s “All Brand New” campaign also includes digital and TV spots aimed at celebrating kids’ individuality and self-expression. Read more…

Fanta targets mobile-savvy teens with Snapchat-powered OOH campaign

Coca-Cola’s Fanta brand of fruit-flavored sodas paired its traditional out-of-home (OOH) advertising with Snap’s augmented reality (AR) technology for an immersive campaign. The “It’s a Thing” campaign lets Snapchat users point their smartphones at Fanta’s billboards and posters to unlock digital content including shareable AR filters and sticker packs, per an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer. Read more…

Engaging students in a post-email world

Too much email?

Each Texas A&M student has a dedicated email address. After years of using email as the primary way to communicate with students, we started to encounter some challenges: many students began to only monitor their personal email address, spending little to no time checking their university email address. It resulted in them not completing important administrative tasks such as signing up for direct deposit, and failing to meet important deadlines and requirements such as submitting a photograph for their identification (ID) cards or to complete financial agreements.  Read more...

Photorealistic CGI product placement ads could soon invade your favorite movies

We’re all used to personalized advertising in the age of the internet. Known as “identity marketing,” this brave new world of selling means we are shown only advertisements considered likely to appeal to us. Whether it’s Amazon recommending a new book, Netflix suggesting a particular movie, or Google selling us on a certain holiday after something we mentioned in an email, advertisers draw on information about individuals and use this to decide whether to bother targeting us with a particular ad.  Read more…

Kelsey O’Connor

NJ student-athlete receives scholarship from Parsippany communications firm

Kelsey O’Connor
NJSIAA Executive Director Larry White and Delaware Valley Regional High School student Kelsey O’Connor

Delaware Valley Regional High School student Kelsey O’Connor receives NJSIAA scholarship sponsored by SCG Advertising + Public Relations

 

PARSIPPANY, NJ (August 15, 2019) —  Delaware Valley Regional High School student Kelsey O’Connor was recently awarded an NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association) scholarship sponsored by SCG Advertising + Public Relations.

 

On an annual basis, SCG recognizes a high school senior who demonstrates excellence both on the playing field and in the classroom, with a $500 scholarship award. The award is presented at the annual NJSIAA Scholar Athlete Luncheon.

 

O’Connor, who played field hockey and lacrosse, will use her scholarship to supplement her educational costs at Duquesne University, where she will study speech pathology.

 

At the 26th annual Scholar Athlete Luncheon, which was attended by more than 1,400 people, student-athletes were designated by their respective schools to receive scholarships. More than 350 New Jersey high school students were recognized at the luncheon and nearly $200,000 in scholarships was awarded.

A digital photo of NJSIAA Executive Director Larry White (left) and Delaware Valley Regional High School student Kelsey O’Connor is available here.  

 

TAPinto covered the SCG/NJSIAA press release.

 

About the NJSIAA 

NJSIAA logo Est 1918

Established in 1918, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletics Association (NJSIAA) is a voluntary, non-profit organization comprised of 436 accredited public, private, and parochial high schools. A member of the National Federation of State High School Associations, the NJSIAA conducts tournaments and crowns champions in 32 sports. Championship competition for girls is sponsored in basketball, bowling, cross country, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, outdoor track, winter track, and volleyball. Boys’ championships are determined in baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, fencing, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, outdoor track, winter track, volleyball, and wrestling.

 

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