The Most Important PR Campaign Ever

In the course of my four+ years in travel PR, I’ve had the good fortune of working on some groundbreaking campaigns.

From Starwood Caribbean’s award-winning Procreation Vacation package (named by yours truly) to Tourism Queensland’s current global phenomenon, Best Job In The World, these initiatives have taught me the tremendous value of getting your message out to as broad an audience as possible.

Now, inspired by friend and colleague Carla, I’ve decided to apply my PR savvy to a more personal objective -- finding Mr. Right.

When it comes to PR, the best ideas are often the simplest ones and so, I’m forgoing stunts in favor of deploying good old fashioned word of mouth to achieve my goal.

Who Should I date? You tell me!

I’ve already taken a few steps in this direction, putting friends, family and business associates on notice that I’m open to matchmaking attempts. Now, I’m asking you, dear readers, to play Cupid and answer the question -- who do you think I should date? Do you know a great guy -- or know someone who might know one -- that’s single and looking?

When it comes to bachelors, I don’t necessarily have a physical type. As I once told FoxNews.com, I’ve dated everything from short and balding to tall and muscular. I do have a few prerequisites, though. Here they are:

Age range: 35-45
Zip code: Anywhere in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT)
Must Haves: Intelligence, spirituality, ambition, a well-worn passport
Dealbreakers: Cats, dogs, small kids, no sense of humor
Optional: Enjoys Scrabble, concerts and a good meal

Feel free to forward this post far and wide -- viral marketing is key to any successful PR program -- and email me your suggested Mr. Right candidates at bravermanmelissa@gmail.com.

I can’t think of a better date than February 14th to launch a plan for finding a permanent sweetheart. Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!

Blind Date Roulette

The other night, I heard from Michael, a guy that my friend and fellow travel PR maven/blogger Lyla wants to set me up with. As we chatted about our mutual appreciation for Latin dancing and NYC’s theater scene, I couldn’t help thinking about the unpredictability of blind dates – and some of the memorable setups I’ve experienced.

There’s been no shortage of blind dates that failed to ignite any sparks. Like the tête à tête with a 40-something businessman who scoffed at my decision to leave the world of TV news behind for a career in PR. Or the tardy attorney who kept me waiting for a half an hour then proceeded to talk only about himself.

For every lackluster matchmaking attempt, though, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience a few blind date successes that made those disappointing evenings worth it.

Ten years ago, a college friend’s British-born husband suggested I meet up with David, a friend of his who had just moved to the Big Apple. The chemistry between us was immediate. Over the course of a year and a half together, David would become my good guy benchmark, seeing me through the devastating loss of my mother and taking the grand gesture to a whole new level with roses by the hundred.

Parade of Roses: Five dozen of the twenty-five dozen (!) roses that my British beau David gave me for my 25th birthday, January 1999

In 2001, at the tail end of my year-long TV reporter stint in Southern Illinois, my neighbor’s daughter invited me to dinner with her stepson Steve. I ended up changing my return flight to New York three times, as Steve and I fell into one of the most passionate romances I’ve ever had. Our friendship endures to this day.

Michael and I are scheduled to meet for drinks sometime this week. Though It’s too soon to tell how this latest go round of blind date roulette will turn out, I’m just happy to be back in the game.