#HASHTAG: ALLISON STECKO

Winnetka’s ALLISON STECKO has always loved two things—a well-planned party with an emphasis on fun and the unexpected and pitching stories for PR clients. Before getting back into public relations, Stecko spent years in event marketing, where she discovered what it takes to create a “wow” experience and, more importantly, what elements are needed to stave off boredom. As she can personally attest, it’s easy to lose interest quickly while at an event, especially if you don’t want to be there in the first place. This is why Stecko’s goal has always been to impress a certain person: the one who has no interest in attending.

A favorite event program that Stecko worked on was “The Stoli Hotel,” an innovative pop-up experience on behalf of Stolichnaya vodka that traveled to cities across the country in the form of a month-long, luxury entertainment temporary venue. The goal of the visitor experience was to emulate the feeling of travel while also being able to enjoy all aspects of an actual hotel with some celebrity moments mixed in. To tie into the brand, each room evoked the character of a Stoli flavor, and the exterior was inspired by Hotel Moskva, the iconic building on the Stolichnaya vodka label. In addition to planning events, Stecko has always loved helping companies tell their story through placements in local and national media outlets to help further business awareness and growth. One of her favorite PR programs was the “Korbel Perfect Proposal Contest,” where men who were looking to propose would submit an idea to GQ magazine on behalf of the well-known champagne brand. Three ideas would be chosen but blown up into something that would make a splash from a media perspective—models in the former (iconic) Marshall Field’s windows in downtown Chicago, each holding up a different word to spell out “Will You Marry Me?” as the couple happened to be strolling by. Or 10 men in tuxedos skiing down a mountain to unveil a 300-ft “Marry Me” sign. The campaign caught the attention of The Today Show, which filmed each proposal and aired the segment on Valentine’s Day.

When she’s not working, Stecko is getting treatments for Lyme Disease in hopes of going into remission and spending time with her husband and kids—Mason, Brayden, and Ava.

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

Beach reads! It’s summer, and there is nothing better than Elin Hilderbrand (The Five-Star Weekend is my latest read) and Emily Giffin’s books. Summer is the perfect time to read something light-hearted and funny. On a separate note, I just ordered Body on Fire: How Inflammation Triggers Chronic Illness and the Tools We Have to Fight It by Jyothi Rao and Monica Aggarwal.

#ON MY MOBILE

As my husband can attest, I am obsessed with clothing and anything with color. I follow Jess Cathell (@j.cathell) and M.G. STYLE (@m.g._style) on Instagram for inspiration and Hapi Art (@hapiart) because I love her colorful, fun artwork. Pops of color make things better, especially in the throes of winter.

#IN MY EARBUDS

From Daisy Jones and the Six, “Look at Us Now.” I recently watched the series and highly recommend it. That and country music because, again, it’s summer, and there are so many great country artists with upbeat songs. Kenny Chesney, Cole Swindell, Tyler Hubbard, Morgan Wallen—there are so many. For podcasts, HigherDOSE Hot Seat for wellness tips. I have their infrared sauna blanket and love their products.