For Immediate Release
May 26, 2005
Contact:
Jodi Einhorn
212/645-6900 x144
jodi@jerichopr.com

FLIP-FLOPS AND SHORTS REQUIRED AT
JERICHO COMMUNICATION’S FIRST ANNUAL (INDOOR) BARBECUE

Just Another Day At The Office For Employees At Jericho Communications
Who Celebrate The Season With The First Memorial Day Barbecue In The Country

This week, like millions of Americans, employees at Jericho Communications, a mid-size public relations agency in New York City, will be enjoying their first barbecue of the summer season. The only difference here is that the party (and the food!) won’t wait until the office closes on Friday; and the celebration won’t be in any backyards . . .in fact, it won’t even be outdoors! Instead, Jericho Communications will host its first annual “At-the-Office Memorial Day Barbecue” in the confines of its office walls.

“This Summer, we want to disprove that ‘work is no picnic’ by showing our employees our appreciation, who always give us so much, by providing them with more than just the usual Summer perks like casual Fridays, Summer Fridays, etc.,” explained Eric Yaverbaum, co-founder/president of Jericho Communications for the past 21 years. “At Jericho, we not only want to disprove the ‘picnic theory’ this week or next, we want to disprove it through our actions and attitude every work day of the year! For years we have done our best to show our appreciation in unique ways to our hard-working staff and we must be doing something right as is evident by the results of the recent confidential employee survey conducted by The Holmes Report naming us the Sixth Most Fun PR Agency to Work for in the Country. And having fun and providing incredible client service are not exclusive to each other. We were also voted as one of the Top Five PR Agencies in the country for Client Service.”

The barbecue, which begins at noon sharp in Jericho’s office (304 Hudson Street, Ste, 700), will offer a spread of hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie options with a dash of coleslaw, corn on the cob and watermelon, which will all be prepared on a George Foreman cooking grill (not a Jericho client!). In attempt to maintain a relaxed and fun-loving demeanor while remaining in the office, employees will be “required” to wear flip-flops, shorts and sunglasses and NOT be checking email for at least 45 minutes.

“Realistically, how many employees wake up and say thank God it’s Monday? And yet, how many would like to?? With this goal in mind, creating a lively, engaging workplace is our way of doing our part to achieve this ideal. It’s funny -- during the Internet boom, so many companies had that exact attitude, but when the e-crash happened, so many wanted to throw that view out with their worthless stock options. To me, that was one the greatest, smartest, most important aspects of that whole experience. At Jericho, we try not to forget what we learned by that whole phenomenon. Treating employees like family works,” Yaverbaum adds.

Jericho Communications, a full-service public relations agency based in New York City whose client’s include IKEA, TCBY and Progressive Insurance among others, was recently named by the PR agency watchdog, The Holmes Report: 11th Best Agency in the Country to Work For”… One of the Top 5 PR Agencies for "Client Service"…#2 PR Agency in the country "Where Unnecessary Bureaucracy Has Been Eliminated"…#3 "Where People Feel They Can Balance Work and Life"…. # 6 "Most Fun Place to Work."