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SXSWi Recaps: PR Lessons, Data Tools & More

Monday, March 12th, 2012

The Floor at SXSWi 2012

Another full day in Austin — panels and people, as well as codification of some perspectives and new viewpoints on others.

The day began with confirmation of how critical it is for the communicator to have a seat at the table in making business decisions. I attended the “More Smart, Less Stupid” PR panel which underscored that through examples of public relations missteps and successes, including Susan G. Komen, American Airlines, Zappos, and Netflix. A key takeaway was that if you’re going to be bipartisan, decide in advance and plan out the scenarios — don’t react in-market.

I also attended two panels that approached data and the roles it can play in business in different ways. The first focused on integrating data into the narrative, exploring ways to turn statistics into thought leadership TOOLS that people can use and apply rather than just read and file. Visualizing data exposes opportunity that might otherwise be missed and brings it into the discussion in a compelling and shareable manner. The idea extends beyond simple quantitative data. Visual transformation of information can imbue it with new power and expose it to new audiences.

Another session I attended explored NEW ways that data is informing the editorial process beyond the impression and the click. The exponential increase in data availability along with new channels requires us to be smarter about what data we pay attention to and offers us the opportunity to begin to more deeply segment and categorize our audiences.

Later I attended a panel on creating “Great Events.” The speakers suggested that great events challenge and intrigue their attendees, have unexpected elements, and offer something aspirational. They also pointed out that allowing people to help shape their own experience can make an event memorable and continue the conversation long after the actual event ends.

The day came to a close with a deep dive into local marketing. The focus was both tactical and technical, offering insights into working with Google Places pages, mobile optimization, and geo-location search-term management. A key takeaway underscored the value of targeted social content, and how critical it is to ensure that your Google Places pages are correct, since many mobile apps pull business information from those pages. Keeping local sites in your reputation-management strategy is also critical given the power of online reviews.

I’ll close today’s post with some great data about the value of local marketing. I’m working on visualizing this data and will post that later this weekend!

–Google Places account for 33% of visits to local business websites.

–88% of people who search for local information on a smartphone take action within one day.

–67% of consumers would NOT purchase a product/service after reading one to three negative reviews.

Laura Chavoen is a senior vice president and digital practice director at MSL Chicago, with 20 years of digital communications expertise in food and nutrition, publishing, financial services and associations. Follow her on Twitter at @chavoen.

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SxSW Saturday Takeaways: Destroy Labels, Know Yourself

Sunday, March 11th, 2012

Mark McClennan, APR; SVP, Schwartz MSL Boston

Saturday at SxSW was much more interesting than Friday. I had the pleasure of attending a very wide range of panels. The topics included strategic communications, Dad bloggers, enterprise social media, the future of mobile wallets, a comedian/activist keynote, and a look inside Joss Whedon’s head. The panels were a mix of both aspirational visions and cautionary tales.

The sessions were all great learning experiences, but they present something of a challenge. How do you blend parenting lessons from Leviticus with social analytics and loyalty programs? While many of these sessions merit their own posts (and will likely get them in the future), I wanted to focus on overarching themes that I noticed.

I would say there were two key takeaways from these sessions.

* Destroy the labels

* Know who you are

From the Mobile wallet to NFC Chips to Dad bloggers, people and companies are too often failing to reach their full potential because they are succumbing to easy labelization. Don’t get me wrong, there is immense power in the study of groups and flocking, but if you too quickly group someone, you may come to the wrong conclusion or miss opportunities. I saw that time and time again today.

This is particularly insidious when it comes to Mom bloggers. Mom bloggers are too often defined by who they are rather than who they write about. Very few “Dad” and “Mom” bloggers blog about parenting. They are parents who blog. A mom blogger who writes about beer or food, should not be lumped in the same category as one who writes about technology or parenting. I personally have seen too many companies make this mistake. The lists created by influencer tools may serve as a good start, but influencers are not Oreos. Each is unique and needs to be understood and communicated with in context.

The same lesson applies to the mobile wallet. First of all, there is a blurring between mobile wallet and P2P payments and this line needs to be clearly understood. It also applies to enterprise social media when “employees” are lumped together as one audience as companies roll out solutions. Some of the best advice from IBM today was to understand what your corporate culture is like and what tools employees use to work and to communicate, and enhance those existing tools rather than make everyone conform to new tools. If you try to force people to do something they do not want to do, you will end up with an empty wiki, upset employees and wasted budget.

The second point is to know who you are. If you have a niche, carve it out. Just don’t let others put you in that niche.

Isis in the digital wallet space seems to clearly know this. They understand that in order to convince people to move away from contactless cards and Mag Stripe they need to offer more to retailers and merchants. They are betting their success on the premise that bringing loyalty cards and coupons into an integrated whole to provide consumers savings and convenience; and providing retailers a chance to impact consumer purchasing behavior before a transaction will push them over the edge. (That and retailers being penalized by the issuers if they do not adopt NFC by 2015).

I am not sure I agree with them completely, and I know not everyone in the audience did. Consumers have shown amazing willingness to stay with what works. As one panelist pointed out, 10 years ago the cover of Card Transactions was “Mobile Commerce is Ready for Takeoff” and we are still discussing its pending rise today. Additionally, consumers have shown a willingness to have multiple loyalty cards and apps, and there are other alternatives to impact pre-shopping behavior today (such as eGiftcards – technology from a client of mine – and location based deals).

The audience definitely did not all agree about the easy path of NFC. My most popular tweet of the day was “NFC being positioned as the Borg. Do not resist. You will be assimilated.”

Knowing who you are also helped many companies in the first panel I attended of the day. The reaction to Zappos’ data breach was much less negative than most breaches of its type. That was because Zappos quickly communicated in a way that was appropriate for its customers.

This post is getting long, so I want to wrap it up with the five most quotable observations of the day:

* Before you make a critical business decision, ask yourself – what would John Stewart say about it?

* Great ideas are not always great and not always well received.

* Bloggers have more influence over purchasing decisions than traditional celebrity endorsers do

* 48% of B2B CEOs say social media helped generate qualified leads

* Voice of customer research is not for validation, it is for discovery

Mark W McClennan, APR is a Senior Vice President at Schwartz MSL Boston where he heads the consumer technology, financial services and research group.

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Day One Recap at SxSWi: Implications for PR

Saturday, March 10th, 2012

Laura Chavoen

The first day of SXSWi was cold and wet outside, but vibrant and crowded inside!

I’m live-tweeting from panels at @chavoen – ping me if you’ve a question you’d like me to ask or a panel you want me to check out. My initial plan for attending sessions is below and you can find the full schedule at sxsw.com

At SXSW, my goal for every panel is to learn (at least) one new thing, and find a concrete example that will resonate with at least one client or colleague.

Today’s panel topics included brand authenticity, higher ed and social media, and social media for real-world activation. At each full-capacity panel there was much to be learned and shared.

First panel was on brand authenticity. At MSL, and most likely throughout the PR/Marketing/Communications world, the idea of brand authenticity and consistency is already in our framework, but a few critical thoughts were shared that resonated with the audience. (Full disclosure: I shared my thoughts as an audience member during this session and was delighted by the response.)

Thinking about the full customer experience is critical — being authentic ONLY in social doesn’t work. Social is a tool and can help define, refine, and extend the experience and voice, but the voice must be authentic and consistent across all touchpoints and channels.

One of the panelists made an outstanding point as well — a campaign isn’t authentic if you can just replace the brand with a different one. Specifically referencing the Old Spice campaign that went viral and garnered so much attention, he asked if that same concept would have worked for Mennen. Or Taco Bell. And if the answer was yes, successful or not, it isn’t authentic. That is the difference between a campaign and a brand experience.

Moving to the higher ed panel, I was excited to hear several ideas of relevance to our higher education clients in Chicago. The first was about audience segmentation, making the point that an institutional voice may only be one of several voices necessary for messaging to be relevant to a wide variety of audiences. Some specific strategies were discussed for involving administrators from across the organization into the marketing effort and integrating their ideas and support. There was also a great discussion around highlighting and harnessing student voices in a way that offers dimensions and perspectives critical for longevity.

Finally, the social activation panel identified several different pathways for translating social media activity into real world actions, proving that key PR activities around influencer identification and engagement are more relevant than ever in today’s multi-channel cross-media world. PR gets relationships, has been creating stories and content for centuries, and remains the discipline that can and does conduct the orchestra of digital, marketing, communication, advertising, media, employee engagement, and sales. When all of those are working in concert? The gorgeous symphony of an authentic brand, playing the music relevant to each audience.

Looking forward to my sessions today, including panels on effective transmedia strategies, data/analytics, and PR for better business. I’m still deciding between a panel on daddybloggers or one on local…. Tweet me at @chavoen and help me decide!

Laura Chavoen is a senior vice president and digital practice director at MSL Chicago, with 20 years of digital communications expertise in food and nutrition, publishing, financial services and associations. Follow her on Twitter at @chavoen.

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Media Pitching: “The Fear of Rejection”

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

Naomi Borno is a Senior Account Executive in the Compass media group of MSL New York.

The fear of rejection…

Waiting at your desk hoping the phone will ring….

Trying to make your stories sound SUPER interesting, without looking desperate…

All of these emotions may sound like the thoughts of a teenage girl, but in fact these are some of the everyday feelings of PR practitioners all over the country. Pitching in theory is simple… make a few phone calls, send an email here or there; but in reality navigating the ever-changing media landscape can be as tricky as dating.

That coveted hit can sometimes feel like a soul mate; and most recently I thought that I had found mine with the Today Show ( I know, everyone wants to date her -_-) I pitched and I got a read receipt! And then I spoke on the phone with the producer… for like 10 minutes. We laughed and were getting along so nicely. Before we got off the line she told me that she wanted to pencil in a date. It was amazing everything was falling into place! It was a dream come true.

Then as quickly as the interest had come up, it fizzled and fell flat. A week after patiently waiting for a phone call, I get a one sentence note, declining the interview and telling me to stay in touch. Stay in Touch ?!? What had gone wrong? Why couldn’t she just be up front and tell me that “she’s just not that into me?”

After I melted down, I came to the realization that there are many obstacles to overcome before a segment actually gets booked. Like the dating world, there are factors everyone should keep in mind before hitting send or picking up the phone:

Sometimes there are just TOO many fish in the sea …

Having a stellar pitch is only half the battle. When it comes to national morning shows, keep in mind that there are many different competing brands reaching out to the same producer – at the same time – at a rapid rate. It’s important to make yourself stand out for the right reasons.

Save the creative fluffy writing for your press releases and Facebook pages. Pitches should always be short and straight-forward. This holds true for subject line as well. If you have an interview opportunity with Madonna put it out front and center. This isn’t the place to be cryptic. Messages like “A Chance to Chat With the Material Girl” will get you nowhere.

Play Hard to Get… No one likes a STALKER…

Do you want to be called five times an hour, every hour a week straight? Didn’t think so.

Reporters can smell blood in the water. If you seem too desperate or just annoying when they are on deadline – they won’t want to work with you and they won’t care about your great pitch. There’s a fine line between aggressive and obsessive, so take it easy – and keep it cool – when following up.

Executive Producers (EP) can be just like disapproving parents…

No matter what the booking producer says or feels, keep in mind that nothing happens with out the EP’s approval. Like a parent they have the power to put a stop to any budding relationship. Their job is to ensure segments flow into the larger program while following the guidelines / ethics of the show. So, if you get to this point be sure to be honest and upfront about your spokesperson and client message. Trying to hide your real motives, won’t do you any good in the long run.

Meddling Friends aren’t as bad as the Sales and Marketing Teams…

Friends have great intentions, but their opinions on your relationship can sometimes be skewed due to their own motives. This holds true for the sales department of shows too. Be clear – they don’t always care about your great story. Their job is to make money for the show, so they can become a road-block between you and the producer.

If you are lucky your story will be good enough to get past this meddling group, but when pitching national media be prepared to ante up in most cases if you expect any brand messages to be included. Limited budget? If so, just make sure you gauge client expectations. You may need to change the messages or even lower the bar when it comes to your media targets.

Pitching national broadcast can be tricky, but like the dating game you have to be in it to win it, so be confident and get our there with your best pick up lines!

Naomi Borno is a senior account executive in the Compass Media division of MSL New York. Her experience includes media relations and strategy for fashion, beauty, entertainment, food, liquor, travel, electronics, and lifestyle clientele. She currently works on brands including Pepto-Bismol, Metamucil, Crest 3D White, and My Black is Beautiful.

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Big Boundless Lessons from the Super Bowl

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012

It’s been a few weeks already since the game of all games. The excitement on New York’s lower Broadway has been replaced by the dying fervor of a few stray Occupiers. Indianapolis has gone back to being the enjoyable mid-western town many of us know so well. Brandon Jacobs has taken has taken to the mat for Spike! TV. Linsanity and a dog show have replaced the Giants on the New York sports pages. And, Connecticutites have even stopped trying to figure out on what side of Main Street the Maginot Line of Sports is drawn.

But now it’s payoff time! MSL New York has won that Big Boundless Bet over Schwartz MSL Boston after the Giant’s exhilarating and epic win over the Patriots.

That means Dave Close will be leading a delegation from his Boston-based team to New York on February 23 to host the promised Happy Hour for the NY office and perhaps a little business as well. Joining Dave will be Meghan Gross, Carol McGarry and, perhaps, a few more colleagues still chatting up their Patriot pride with the random absence of the letter R.

Dave Close is Managing Director of Schwartz MSL Boston

This “Big Boundless Bet” was inspired by our company credo to “Be Boundless” in all we do. Now that we’ve had the time to reflect on the big game, can we extract some learning and from the game and apply it to our place in the world? As a former business development guy, I know a bit about the game of winning and losing, so here’s my take.

IT TAKES A TEAM TO WIN. So obvious, right? Just ask Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen who made the point clearer than anyone could have hoped. On her mobile device immediately after the game, she called out her husband’s receivers for their dropped passes. “My husband cannot (profanity properly deleted) throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time,” she said in an elevator somewhere at the stadium. So true. No matter what team you root for, you have to agree with Gisele.

DON’T SET YOURSELF UP AS CLEOPATRA. Well, when you make a grand entrance as the queen of all queens, you need to actually be the belle of the ball. Madonna entered as the all-time regent and dramatically departed in a puff of smoke. But was the content in between as interesting? Was this coronation appropriate? Or, was Madonna just another ego-driven, royal pretender? Seems like her royal rights were superseded just days later by another more important songstress. That was fast.

Madonna as short-lived Queen of Pop?

GRIND IT OUT. The way the Giants worked hard for every yard they gained is worth noting. Success did not ever come easy to this team. Every victory was hard-fought. After beating the Falcons, the march to the Super Bowl demanded victories over the best of the best in the NFL — the Packers, the 49ers and the Patriots. The Patriots can make a similar claim about grinding out victories. Just ask the Cowboys and the Ravens. Victory goes to those who toil and labor. Work is always hard, no doubt about it.

Grinding it out. Winning is hard work.

MOMENTUM IS POWERFUL AND PAINFUL. The Giants had won five games in a row and Patriots had won 10 games in a row. As consecutive victories mount up, the excitement builds. You are invincible! You expect to win! You “will” yourself to victory! But, then, you start to worry. The mind game changes. When will it end? Will it be today? Will I be the cause? Jitters impacts performance. You don’t need to remind Patriot fans what happens next. Just mention the number 18. Better take the mind games off the field.

FROM FAILED TO HERO IN SIX WEEKS OR LESS. What’s that about Tom Coughlin? Time is a wonderful weapon. Time leads to changing circumstances, new opportunities and new pathways to success. Hanging in there with clients, in new business will pay off. Taking no for an answer never will.

HISTORY DOES REPEAT. Yes it does! To change the result, you need to change the circumstances, the players, the momentum and your unlucky socks. Otherwise, the formula seems to set, the mind games start and your old socks become concrete. (See above.)

TAKE PAUSE AND CELEBRATE. The best part of the Big Boundless Bet is it brings us closer together. We enjoyed the fun (or the pain). But, at the end of the day, the team in New York will get to meet the team in Boston and together we can build a BIG BOUNDLESS BUSINESS.

Here’s to you, Patriot Pat. Thanks for the beer and pretzels. Maybe some day we’ll return the favor (hopefully not!).

Patriot Pat

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