Jonathan Bailey and Indra Gardner have survived through a decade of potential debacles.

Ten years ago this month, Jonathan Bailey and Indra Gardiner teamed to start a public relations business. In an industry where long-term success is restaurant-like, that is, infrequent, the pair have survived and usually thrived. (Don’t ask about the periods following the tech-wreck of 2000 or post 9/11.)

Today Bailey Gardiner Inc. has 19 full-time employees and expects growth of 20 percent this year. Clients include Tiffany & Co., the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, The W Hotel, House of Blues, Centex Homes and Pala Casino Resort & Spa.

The two credit a sense of humor with riding out their industry’s ups and downs — both are talented and charming but Gardiner handles the all-business role better — and it shows in a Top 10 Marketing Tips list they’ve created. Based on real-life adventures, they advise:

1. When a semi-naked hooker starts walking through your groundbreaking ceremony, it’s best to divert the TV news crews’ attention.
   
   
2. No matter how much press you get for it, promoting Twiggy the water skiing squirrel is just never going to be a high point of your career.
   
   
3. When your client throws a party and asks you to invite everybody who is anybody in San Diego, it is helpful to know early that there will be nude dancers at the party.
   
   
4. It doesn’t matter how much you assist them, there will always be some media who write trash about publicists and you will rarely feel the love.
   
   
5. If you want people to learn your name fast, represent clients who throw great parties.
   
   
6. Opening a water park with pools that aren’t full is kind of a downer when you have 300 guests and lots of media waiting to jump in. Make sure your events always have great food and drink.
   
   
7. Dropping papier-mâché turkeys full of prizes from a helicopter loses its visual appeal when the wind forces the turkeys up, rather than down, and they get chopped up by the rotors before your very eyes.
   
   
8. When your VIP client from New York arrives for a morning news interview, only to find out he is preceded by a trained dog act, you have to keep reminding yourself that San Diego really is changing.
   
   
9. Your employees will never love you more than when you fire an abusive client.
   
   
10. A client-sponsored kiss-a-thon gains a lot more media attention when one of your semifinalists is a lesbian couple.

An anniversary party comes later this year.