Archive for 2010

Tweet it. Re-Tweet it. Digg it. Fark it…What?

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Although some people haven’t quite been able to wrap their heads around the social media lingo just yet, the fact is that social media is here to stay. Not only has social media fundamentally changed the way we as individuals communicate, it has without a doubt altered the way brands must communicate with their consumers, and in turn, monitor consumers’ reactions to their brands.

With user-generated content at our fingertips, consumers have more power than ever to influence a brand and leave a lasting impact on the reputation of a brand. Gone are the days when you had to be in one place to listen to, watch or read about breaking news or search for a product to purchase. Now, the news, and the product reviews and the conversations find us… No matter where we are and regardless of whether we were actually searching.

Case in point, news just “found” me via the Mashable application on my iPhone, which told me that Facebook traffic levels have hit another record high with more than 141 million unique visitors last month. That’s up 11 million from the previous month! This means that brands not only need to break into the realm of social media with things like ads and Facebook fan pages of their own, but they also must be alert as to what consumers are saying about their brand on these social media sites. In the amount of time it takes to read one newspaper article or watch the nightly news, abundant amounts of information are passed along via social media to millions of consumers. It’s as simple as this – one person posts something to his Facebook page; another person notices it and tweets it; then someone else re-tweets that to her followers who then have the opportunity to re-tweet it again, and again, and again… get it? Okay maybe not, but the point is that within minutes, I mean seconds, one comment from one person spreads virally to thousands of people all over the country and potentially across the globe.

Erick Qualman, author of Socialnomics said it perfectly, “We don’t have a choice on whether we DO social media; the question is how well we do it.”

This couldn’t be truer. As a summer intern at MS&L Chicago, I’ve seen the importance of social media from an entirely different perspective – the consumer brand’s perspective. Before this summer, I only had the perspective of a consumer sharing my pleasant (and sometimes not so pleasant) experience with brands via my social media profiles.

Now, I see the true impact one person’s comments can make on a brand, and I understand how important it is that brands effectively listen and appropriately interact in social media.

So, what does all of this mean? It means that ready or not, brands have no choice but to get social media savvy, and pay attention to how their brands are being talked about in the world of social media.

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How to stand out in a world gone “GREEN”

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Going Green. Shallow buzzword or thoughtful platform of public stewardship?

Being more environmentally conscious is something we must all do on a personal level and something that most organizations have found to be both intrinsically rewarding and beneficial from a public perception standpoint.

But these days, nearly every company has a green message plan. It seems that today the best way to get ink in the papers is to plant a tree (oversimplified, perhaps). But when everyone is saying the same thing, does the sentiment lose legitimacy?

How can we as PR professionals help clients cut through the clutter?

The answer, in case you haven’t guessed, is that we must be authentic – have facts to back up our claims. Simply telling the public that a client is green can seem disingenuous or made-for-marketing. Outlining that a client has, for example, reduced its carbon footprint by 30 percent in the past three years and is dedicated to using only recycled materials for its 2011 packaging, makes an impressive and believable statement.

Just because we put a tree logo at the bottom of our e-mail signatures doesn’t mean we have built a global platform of environmentalism for future generations. Not to say that this e-message isn’t a valuable tactic, but we must be honest about the proportions of our environmentalism. In other words, if we are going to build a campaign on being green, we’d better make sure we really are. As PR professionals we must use statistics and researched content to legitimize our message instead of relying on eco-buzzwords. Show tactile and measurable results and the media impressions are sure to follow.

So actually being green is a first step, but as PR advisors, we must encourage our clients to think about being green in a strategic way. We must consider what matters most to our clients’ audiences (not just our clients) and understand what green initiatives will resonate and move the needle. Not all green campaigns are created equal. Although thoughtful eco-consciousness is expected from every company, over-the-top green-crazed campaigns may not help get our clients’ message across to the right audience.

If tactically aligning our clients as environmental thought leaders is a good idea then having clients that actually are environmental thought leaders (and thanks to us, know exactly how to tout their noble deeds) is a great idea. It isn’t just good message strategy – it’s a good message.

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The Direction of Print Journalism and the Chicago Reader

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Layoffs and downsizing are a general sign of the times—there aren’t many industries (if any) that haven’t felt the effects of the recession. One industry that has had its share of challenges is print media. During the last two years, we’ve seen major outlets from the Seattle Post Intelligencer to Christian Science Monitor cut off its print versions due to lower paid advertising and decreased readership. The Midwest hasn’t been immune—last year, the Detroit Free Press/Detroit News changed its distribution model to only three days a week.

The print industry is hurting, causing many outlets to reassess its content, its readers, and in some cases, its leaders. Last week, the Chicago Reader, a pioneering alternative weekly, fired Alison True, editor and staffer since 1984, in an attempt to take the paper in a new direction. Needless to say, staffers and readers alike were stunned at the sudden departure of a talented editor and mentor.

The paper has been an influential model for alternative weeklies across the country. I’ve enjoyed the Reader since high school and I can say that while the paper has gotten thinner, the high quality literary content remained.

Letting go of talented people at print publications is becoming a common trend, but to do so just to change the direction of a print outlet seems counterintuitive to providing the best content to readers. By looking at thriving online channels or mobile applications, many publications have been able to successfully transition to an audience of Web-savvy, information hungry readers. This means more than just having a Web site—it means truly engaging readers online through surveys, citizen journalists, reader tweets, viral videos, and more.

Some may argue that the participatory model isn’t true journalism, and others may say that this is a necessary direction for print media to survive. In my opinion, it seems that embracing online communities and readers are a better alternative than letting go of great editorial content and leaders.

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Brand Reinvention (or not) of the Month

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

How much does a full-page ad go for in a publication like the New York Times? So much that corporations often institute confidentiality agreements with the paper to ensure the cost will not be shared with the public.

Two full-page ads in the New York Times, countless of prime-time TV spots and other expensive marketing tactics are being implemented by BP in an effort to improve public perception and run damage control over the Gulf Coast spill. That’s millions of dollars towards their self-preservation efforts, while the world watches and wonders why that money isn’t going towards gulf-coast preservation.

Proactive communication via expensive forms of purchased media are actually hurting BP. The millions of dollars spent on ads could be going to the clean-up and to fully compensate those who have submitted claims. I’d argue that BP would be in a better place right now had they decided to stick with press conferences and effective social media engagement.

In the case studies that will be written about this PR disaster in a few years, I bet BP is dinged for one overarching communication flaw, and that’s their inability to completely disregard their self-preservation efforts in order to “make it right” like the tagline says.

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Crisis Communications in a World Run by Media

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

I am always on the prowl to get my feet wet (perhaps the correct term is dive in) when it comes to meeting other PR professionals. I believe every opportunity is a potential learning experience, when I was invited to attend a local PRSA Chicago meeting last week, I couldn’t resist.

The conference began with three distinguished guest speakers, all selected because of their strong PR background and expertise. The big topic everyone kept coming back to? You guessed it- British Petroleum. Lately, it’s been difficult to avoid coverage of the company since nearly every media outlet has run some sort of story on them. I’m sure you’ve seen how many of the major television news outlets run video of the oil gushing out two miles below the ocean! Interestingly enough, the public relations professionals at the event were all asking themselves the same question: What was BP thinking?

Our job as public relations professionals is to be both the strategist and the builder– we‘re supposed to make sure our messages are clearly communicated to our clients’ target audiences, while helping to manage their reputation through crises. In addition we protect them from controversy and negative media coverage, and ensure that they are entirely transparent with both the public and the media. British Petroleum unfortunately failed to disclose enough information and broke one of the most important rules in public relations: don’t lose the media’s trust. Unfortunately for BP, this error will likely keep the company on the defensive for the foreseeable future.

Several guest panelists at the PRSA event noted that they couldn’t understand the decisions made by the PR team at BP, especially when they allowed their CEO to go on a “yacht racing” trip. However, one panelist made an excellent point: it’s easy to criticize another company when you’re not involved in the situation. The key is to realize that being on the outside means that we don’t always know all of the variables.

Ultimately, we have to find that fine line between meeting the media’s needs, while simultaneously promoting our client’s messages. As I left the luncheon with a stomach full of ravioli and tiramisu, I came away with a deep respect for the work done by public relations professionals, and a new understanding of crisis communications.

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Every Brand’s Golden Ticket

Monday, June 21st, 2010

The UK has Prince William and on this side of the Atlantic, we elevate pop princesses and action heroes to royal status. We live in a celebrity-obsessed society and though we may not like to admit it, we are curious to know what Lindsay Lohan will tweet about next, and more importantly whether it will make any sense.

The fact that the media landscape has changed by leaps and bounds over the past five to ten years is not earth shattering news, but as PR professionals, we are tasked with finding new and relevant ways to trump our competitors and land our products and brands in the pages of top publications from Good Housekeeping to the New York Times and let’s not forget US Weekly and Star Magazine. Celebrity integration in the form of brand ambassadors still proves to be one of the best ways to stand out in the crowd. When implemented strategically, celebrities have the power to improve awareness, define brand personalities and generate consumer and media interest, which ultimately translates into increasing sales.

The question becomes, with the overwhelming amount of pop princesses, reality stars and teen heart throbs, how do you best select a celebrity to align with your brand? One of the most important qualities to look for is someone that is not overly exposed. For example, now that Brooke Shields has promoted just about everything from Colgate Toothpaste and Coppertone Sunscreen to Latisse, she has lost the credibility needed to provide mediable brand endorsements.

Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind when considering a celebrity partnership:

- Depending on the product or angle you are promoting, try and find a celebrity who is an expert in the area, has publically promoted a similar cause or written a book on the topic.

-Choose a celebrity who has a personality, reputation and the characteristics that are aligned with your brand.

- It’s not just the name that is important. A celebrity spokesperson must be knowledgeable, resourceful and can creatively weave in messages and talking points.

- The ideal relationship is collaboration. A celebrity spokesperson should be able to offer insight and expertise that can work into messaging.

- Know your brand and realize that using a celebrity spokesperson is not always necessary.

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How to Network Successfully and Painlessly

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Did you know that more than 60% of people find their jobs through networking? For many people, just hearing the word “networking” triggers a feeling of complete dread. This is probably because you immediately think you have to pick up the phone, call everyone you know and beg for a job. But in reality, networking is much less painful. It’s merely establishing professional relationships with others for the purpose of learning and sharing information, ideas and advice. Put that way, it doesn’t sound nearly so bad.

However, you will want to keep in mind that networking is a process and results, in the form of a new job, aren’t always immediate. So commitment to the process and patience are key. Most employers prefer to hire someone they know or that their employees know and recommend. So while it would be ideal to get in and meet the human resources director right off the bat, meeting and forming relationships with the company’s employees is the next best step. You can bet that when I receive a referral from a hard-working and intelligent employee, his/her referral moves to the top of the pile (assuming he/she has the right qualifications) for the next appropriate opportunity that is available.

Networking also plays to your advantage with the “hidden job market.” These are the jobs that for one reason or another are never advertised or posted by a company. Some statistics say that as much as 75% to 95% of total job vacancies are “hidden” jobs. By networking and keeping your interest and experience top of mind with employers, you have a greater shot of being considered for these opportunities.

So all that being said, how do you go about networking? Obviously there are a ton of approaches. Below are ones that I’ve found to be highly effective in the communications and agency world.

• Linkedin.com—Advertising, marketing and public relations professionals were early adopters of linkedin.com. If you are going to begin your networking and job searching, I highly recommend that you spend some time crafting your profile. The more information about your experience, skills, clients, etc., the better. As you connect with people, you can use the advanced search function to find out if any of your 1st connections have contacts that work in the industry or company that you are targeting. Once you find the persons that you want to connect with, I recommend that you get introduced to that person through your original or 1st connection. This is the linkedin.com way of not “spamming” someone and much appreciated to those on the receiving end.

• PRSA—The Public Relations Society of America, whether your local chapter or national chapter, hosts events, training seminars and the like. If you are not one to walk into those types of events solo and start introducing yourself, think about joining one of the PRSA committees where you can meet people in a more one-on-one way.

• University Alumni Network—Talk to your university and find out if they have an alumni directory that provides job titles, industry and contact information for graduates. Many times the school connection can bring about informational interviews with potential employers and word-of-mouth referrals to the alumni’s network of contacts.

• Volunteer organizations—Volunteering is a great way to meet people personally and professionally. It provides a shared interest and connection for the participants, making the relationship building process a bit more organic (i.e. not forced). And volunteer groups also widen your circle of contacts, introducing you to people that you wouldn’t normally meet. People with different backgrounds, careers and educations.

• Informational interview requests—Informational interviews are a great way to learn more about a company and its culture, and evaluate if you would want to work there. I like informational interviews because there isn’t as much pressure for either party. These interviews allow you the time to ask the in-depth questions not answered by the company website, and they allow you to demonstrate your interest and skills without having to make the hard sell. Plus, if you make a good impression, the interviewer may be willing to forward your resume to colleagues in the industry that may have job leads or suggestions.

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Nebraska and the Big Ten: Making Love, Out of Nothing At All

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

I’ll venture that I’m the only person to think of Air Supply’s signature hit song, “Making Love, Out of Nothing at All,” when I heard the news of the University of Nebraska joining the Big Ten.

We as marketers have a natural tendency to want to hype things and control the message as much as possible. “Educate” (my favorite marketing euphemism) the various stakeholders why this is great news for them. “Encourage” consumers to discover the real benefits and why these developments are not only meaningful to them, but cause for celebration.

Yet smart marketers also understand that real, sustainable relationships typically are those that are self-discovered and driven by consumers. And here is where the Big Ten and other conferences will have to tread lightly when adding schools with established traditions and rivalries that often stretch over decades. People inherently don’t like change and the caliber and steeped traditions of these schools arguably require a change management program as much as a marketing campaign.

I’ve already seen pundits predicting the “new” rivalry of Nebraska and Ohio State. That particular rivalry may very well happen, but the teams and fans will have to see what naturally develops rather than having it forced upon them by a marketing or media machine. My greatest fear – albeit hopefully far fetched – is a corporate sponsor rushing to artificially create fresh rivalries and introduce trophies upon the new match-ups even before the games are played.

It will be an interesting study in what the “new normal” becomes in these major conferences and whether love truly develops where only general familiarity at most had existed before.

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OilSpill.com

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

Like many people, I’ve been glued to the news coverage of the Oil Spill. Beyond the tragedy, it has been incredibly interesting to see this play out online. There have been a lot of angles, and tons of content, so I thought I’d share some interesting finds and observations from around the web.

* There is a huge disparity between online coverage (such as blogs) and within the mainstream press. While initially interested, blogs quickly moved on to more pressing issues like Facebook privacy and the new iPhone.

* Creative agency jess3 got a bit of press for releasing a Firefox plug-in which once installed, blacks out all instances of “British Petroleum” across the web, so that “the company which cannot be named” will never offend readers again.

* @BPGlobalPR An anonymous guerilla tweeter has taken a darkly humorous stand on the calamity by adopting BP’s voice. His snipes are incredibly popular with almost 140,000 followers as of June 8, 2010.

* Grassroots Mapping crowd sourced aerial images of the spill, filling in the blanks in the coverage of the spill. In a related note, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade has also crowd sourced the mapping of the spill. It’s interesting to see how it spread over time by adjusting the controls on the map.

* There are over 457,000 people in Facebook’s largest “Boycott BP” group and over 20 other groups with 1000 or more people in them. Many fake BP pages have cropped up with messages from the venomous to the inane.

* On the pro-BP side, well there’s BP themselves. They have deployed a robust array of digital assets, all aggregated here.

* And of course there’s the joint Deep Water Horizon Unified Response effort – which does a good job of being generally informative and helpful, with its own suite of social media tools, courtesy of the US Government.

Nothing on the social media menu was missed. BP’s Facebook page has frequent updates about their clean-up efforts and a live feed of the leak underwater. Their YouTube channel features an apology and a promise to make the situation right from Tony Hayword. Their Flickr page shows the multi-pronged approach to their effort – day by day – and their Twitter profile keeps a steady drum beat of updates and reaffirmation that “the job is far from done” and that BP will “make it right.” They have also released websites for each of the states affected.

All this content is great, but it’s getting lost in the cacophony – which is largely negative for BP. SEO requires time and that’s one resource BP doesn’t have. Rather then let the news outlets tell the story for them, they’ve taken out paid search ads for terms like “oil spill” and “oil news”. Reportedly, they’re spending upwards of $10,000 per day to make sure that their side of the story isn’t lost. Paid media was also used by Toyota during their recent recall crisis.

Not surprisingly, they’re taking a lot of flak for this type of expenditure. As an American, I understand the outrage. As a digital marketer and communications professional, I recognize that if BP is going to emerge out of this crisis and rebuild their image, it must be done. Enduring slings and arrows is something BP better get comfortable with; they won’t be going away any time soon.

Does anyone see other interesting tactics being used to get the various messages out about the oil spill – whatever the perspective or source? Be sure to list them in the comments section.

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Make Sure Your Media Pitch Breaks Through: Plan Desksides!

Monday, June 7th, 2010

Spring has officially sprung, and it is one of the busiest times of the year for companies. Especially for those looking to ramp up their media relations efforts for the year, it is the perfect time to consider coordinating a deskside media tour.

Take a peek at your inbox. Chances are you have hundreds of e-mails, many of which have not yet been read. According to Radicati, a typical business e-mail account receives approximately 110 messages on a daily basis. This number is projected to rise annually, suggesting that e-mail communication is not going anywhere anytime soon. However, this also means members of the media are inundated by electronic messages, many of which they never get to reading. While the telephone is still a valid method of communication, it is rare that an editor has sufficient time to spend chatting.

In the past few months, I have worked closely on various deskside media tours for consumer brands, ranging from packaged foods to health supplements. For companies that have not explored the option of a deskside tour, it may be worth considering, as it offers an excellent opportunity to earn face time with targeted outlets that are relevant to your brand.

• First things first: What is a “media deskside tour”? In short, desksides are one-on-one meetings with members of media. While these meetings can be scheduled with any form of media (from bloggers to television producers and newspaper reporters), it is most common to plan meetings with magazine editors.

• What can I expect during the meetings? With editors understaffed and busier than ever, a deskside meeting may last anywhere from 10-30 minutes. While this may not seem like an extensive amount of time, a few minutes is all you need to make an impact.

This time allows the brand representative(s) to share information on the latest news, products and information from their brand. It is common for this time to include brainstorming of possible story angles and how the brand can work with the editor to make something meaningful to their audience. If applicable, this also offers an opportunity to test the product.

In today’s world where we are drowning in e-mails, tweets and text messages, the face time garnered from a deskside meeting is invaluable. Not only are you able to generate instant brand awareness, it helps build long-term relationships. And, when it boils down to it, relationships are what effective public relations is all about.

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