In the Loop

Crossroads of PR, Integrated Marketing and the Midwest.

May 28th, 2010Comments (0)

ROI! TRANSFORMATIONAL GAME-CHANGERS! VALUE ADD! (And Other Clichés When it Comes to Measurement) by Matt Koppelman

I’m sure you’re familiar with slaving away to create a brilliant campaign for a client and painstakingly worked individual tactics to ladder up to the client- mandated business goal … but then what? How did you justify your allotment of the marketing budget?

Bueller?… Bueller?… Buuuuueller?

So much time and energy is placed into campaign creation and execution that we are running on fumes (and caffeine, but that’s par for the course) by measurement time and fall back to the same old, same old.

“And here, on slide 157 out of 245, we can see the share of voice increase related to frequency of media mentions within the competitive landscape…”

Now, before the lynch mob comes for me, torch in hand, this is NOT an attack on the measures of reach (impressions) or number of “hits.” No, I wouldn’t dare attack the metrics themselves – I just want you to ask yourself if those metrics are best representing your impact.

Example time.

Fact: Baseball experts love to tout batting average as the all-telling statistic of how a team is doing.

Makes sense, more players with who hit more frequently should equal a better record, right?

Let’s put it to the test: The 2010 Chicago Cubs currently have 10 players batting above .250, generally considered the Mendoza line for this stat, so they must have an overwhelming win percentage.

Not so fast – last time I checked, their record sits at 22-25, third in the NL Central.

In our example, we should be looking at something like batting average with runners in scoring position. Why, you ask – what makes this a better area to measure?

First, throw out the arbitrary word “better.” Statistics or metrics are neither good, nor bad, but there is a fundamental need to look at the completeness of the story or we run the risk of drastic misrepresentation.

Now to answer your question, while a batting average shows a great amount of activity, runs are the metric that measure of impact of the players on a game.

Don’t agree?

Then explain to me how the winning team doesn’t necessarily have more hits but ALWAYS has more runs.

No argument that activity is needed for impact to occur, after all, your campaign is comprised of individual tactics and there will always be a need for supporting details to provide context and help tell the story of your work. However, no client ever wants to stare dead on at an Excel sheet that is supposed to explain where their budget went, so impact needs to be shown a more than just the collective results of individual activity.

Social media, traditional media (or my personal favorite, the “tradigital” media), cause-initiatives, word of mouth – doesn’t matter – each campaign is designed to align against certain business goals. You already identified these goals long ago, so time to reach back into the original deck you created and ask:

What did we say we will do, what cog in the machine did we get moving, what is the measurement that represents it?

May 26th, 2010Comments (3)

Kick Start your PR Job Search by admin

Many of you out there are nearing graduation, trying to fit in those last few house parties and final exams with the  omnipresent shadow of the Real World looming over you, threatening to mar your last days as an undergrad.  I remember feeling completely overwhelmed at this point last year—I was expected to finish up my classes, study for finals, pack up my room/life, shop for a cap and gown (who knew?!), engage in appropriate celebratory traditions, write weekly TV reviews for the school paper AND find a job.  Not to mention that all of this was occurring during one of the worst economic downturns in history, and during some of the best weather in Ann Arbor, causing an inverse relationship between the stock market and my desire to drink sangria on an outdoor patio.

But I’m here to give you some advice from the other side on how to kick-start your PR job search while wrapping up your undergrad life, and remembering to breathe during the process.  Here are some tips and tricks to help you get started.

1. Balance is Key. Set aside some designated time every day to spend solely on your job search and applications. This doesn’t mean flipping back and forth between Facebook, your Comm paper and Monster.com—it means removing all external distractions and dedicating 1-2 hours to some serious searching.  As soon as you’re done, step away. You won’t find a job in a day, so after you’ve put in your time, get cracking on the rest of your to-do list.

2. Be Creative. Don’t just turn to the standard job searching sites or Google search terms. Try new avenues and techniques—I found one of my first PR internships by opening up the Chicago phone book , starting with “A,” and calling all of the local companies I thought I might be interested in working for.  I ended up at Academy Chicago Publishers, helping with research and publicity. You do the math (or, rather, the alphabet).

3. Repeat:  Networking IS Fun.  “Network” is one of those words that I remember hearing so often from college counselors, teachers and my parents that it became completely meaningless. But working your connections pays off.  Begin by making a list of every single adult that you know or have ever met.  Then, solicit them (politely, of course)—both through networking sites like  LinkedIn and in person.  I remember training my parents to ask, “Do you know anyone who’s hiring?” every time they went to dinner with friends or exited the house.  This got me plenty of contacts and only slightly destroyed their social life.

4. Keep Your Expectations Realistic. For me and many of my friends, finding a job was a nearly year-long process, with more ups and downs than a typical episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. You’ll be rejected several times, and you’ll likely have some awkward interviews, but it’s important not to lose your cool and upend a table.  Just remember that while you might not land your dream PR job right out of college, you WILL find something—whether it be an internship at a local agency, or a position in a related industry.

Good luck—and remember, you really do have to buy your cap and gown, and yes, they really do sell out.

May 21st, 2010Comments (0)

We’re All Car Salesmen at Heart by Tony Macrito

Working in public relations for the automotive industry for almost five years, I routinely field questions as to what exactly I do for a living. You would think after doing this for so long, I’d have a canned response that would clearly separate my occupation from those moving metal on dealership lots. Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy.

Person: “So, what do you do for a living?”

Me: “I work in public relations for a major domestic automaker.”

Person: “What exactly does that mean? Is that a nice way of saying you’re a car salesman?”

Me: “Not exactly, I focus on product publicity, media relations, event planning, internal communications, community involvement and a few other things that help keep my client and its products in a favorable light in the mind of the consumer.”

Person: “Oh. OK. Can you translate that?”

Me: “I sell cars.”

By that, I mean that everything I do on a daily basis is to generate positive third-party endorsements that help influence the purchasing decisions of a prospective customer – whether it be a product review in the local newspaper, an executive interview at an auto show or even a casual product walk around to a passerby while a vehicle is on display.

With that being said, we can easily convert this idea to suit our jobs as PR professionals on a macro level.

No matter what your field of expertise, or what type of client you work for, your mission should always be the same – help increase the bottom line.

It’s a fairly basic, if not a downright primitive, concept. In my case, my bottom line is to help sell cars, trucks and crossovers, because if my client doesn’t sell vehicles, my client doesn’t have a business.

While some ideas generated might be fun, cool, innovative and garner attention (for whatever reason), it might not exactly be the right fit for your client unless it’s contributing to moving the business forward.

So, the next time you and your team gather for a brainstorm or planning session, always remember that one important (metaphoric) question, “Will this help sell cars?”

May 20th, 2010Comments (0)

Digital Lunch and Learn Update by Jen Tatro

 

On May 19, MS&L Chicago hosted a Digital Lunch and Learn event for several PR, marketing and mobile professionals who were looking for more information on the evolving trends in social media and mobile marketing. Four experts sat on a panel discussion entitled Leveraging Social Media and Mobile Communications to Connect with Audiences in Real-Time. The panel included Webster Lewin, SVP and director of digital innovation and strategy; Jason Steinberg, VP and director of digital strategies; David Binkowski, SVP of Word of Mouth marketing; and Lori Laurent Smith, SVP and group director of strategy and client services.

Attendees enjoyed lunch at N9NE Steakhouse and discussed the trends and challenges they were seeing in reaching audiences through social networking sites and mobile applications across a variety of different verticals, including the education space, non-profits, hospitality, and the medical industry. After lunch, the panelists shared insights on how hyperinfluencers and early adopters of these tools are making an impact on consumers and on sales. The panelists also discussed the steps that companies can take to  develop a social media marketing plan and mobile communications strategy to engage audiences in real-time.

Guests at the Digital Lunch and Learn walked away with new ideas to integrate into their digital strategies and marketing programs, and of course, a delicious lunch.

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May 19th, 2010Comments (0)

From Friends to Fans to “Likers”: The Evolution of Facebook by Stephanie Oyer

I can still remember the first time I was introduced to Facebook. I was peering over my older sister’s shoulder in the basement of my parents’ house as she was browsing for friends to add to her new online collegiate network. I was captivated by the idea of an “exclusive” community for college students, which enabled them to reach out and meet people prior to stepping foot on campus. I also remember my slight pang of jealousy that she was able to join Facebook, but I had to wait three long years. 

 Fast forward three years later and I was on the computer browsing for incoming freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and most likely combing my future roommate’s Facebook profile for any reassurance or potential red flags. For the first few years, Facebook was a way to stay connected with friends from home, as well as gather myriad pictures that captured my time with friends in college. But, it was only a matter of time before I was “friended” by my teenage sister, aunts, older cousins and friends’ moms. Even though it makes perfect sense that a social network would expand its community over time, I couldn’t help but feel as if the flood gates had opened and Facebook would never again be the same.

Fast forward to today and my relationship with Facebook has completely evolved. Working in public relations, I spend more time researching corporate pages than I spend viewing profiles of friends or family. Companies use Facebook to offer “likers” various resources such as customer service, product insight, promotions or information about company initiatives. The changes over the years have turned Facebook into a vehicle for communication between companies and consumers.

The recent functional changes to Facebook, such as the switch from “becoming a fan” to “liking,” the addition of community pages and the increased functionality of profiles and pages, have only further expanded the online network and increased user capabilities. While some individuals might think it’s an invasion of privacy that likes and interests now automatically link to actual pages, the changes take staying connected to a whole new level. A company can host polls, videos and electronic media kits on its page to make it an ultimate resource for consumers. From a business standpoint, the continual changes provide companies with the opportunity to increase their online presence and engage consumers in a direct, personal way.

So now it’s time for a poll. Do you “like” the new changes?

May 13th, 2010Comments (0)

The Resurgence of the Telephone Game– Relying on Middle Men to Relay Messages by Christiana Schaefer

It used to be we segmented communications into categories such as B-to-C. It wasn’t just a shorthand way of summing up who was driving or receiving the communications, it was the actual model – businesses would literally contact consumers directly.

We now live and work in a much more complex communications landscape.  The B-to-C model now has evangelists, ambassadors and messengers in the middle. But are they cluttering the communication model?

The answer, of course, is a firm no.  For businesses, it may seem more cost-effective and faster to bypass the influencer all together, but that’s not the case. They would simply be engaging in a dangerous game of monkey in the middle.

Research shows us that it’s not the man who holds the credibility any more but the middle man. Sixty-four percent* of consumers say they are making smarter purchases by spending more time researching brands and products and making fewer spontaneous decisions. In our culture of constant contact and information sharing, the middle men are the experts, idols and agents who help consumers receive messages and react to them. These influencers are doing the heavy lifting on behalf of the businesses – whether they realize it or not. 

Case in point, when was the last time you received a piece of direct mail and immediately purchased the product or service it was promoting? More likely, you called a friend, or turned to Twitter, Yelp or some other social media platform where you could get real-time feedback about the brand before acting. Those on- and offline contacts are your influencers.

In our agency, we categorize these influencers into five groups – aspirationals, thought leaders, catalysts, vested and endorsers – appropriately titled for the role they play in shaping thoughts and conversations – and counsel our clients on how to identify and activate the members of these groups.

There’s a whole process behind influencer mapping that I could take you through, but I encourage you to experiment with this idea yourself from a high-level perspective. Who is influencing you? Can you identify someone in each of our five categories who plays a role in your decision making?

*2009/10 Yankelovich Monitor, Frugality among consumers is outliving the recession, AP, May 2, 1010 

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May 10th, 2010Comments (4)

Beating Writer’s Block…for Blogs by Jen Tatro

One of my favorite quotes on online marketing is from The New Rules of Marketing and PR: “On the Web, you are what you publish.” When it comes to corporate blogging, this is definitely true. Having fresh content posted on a regular basis is a great way to share your expertise online, yet I know how challenging it can be for bloggers to keep new content posted several times a week.

Even the most prolific bloggers run into writer’s block— but it doesn’t have to be so difficult to come up with new content. Since we’ve helped several clients launch corporate blogs at MS&L, I thought it would be helpful to share a quick list of ways to kick-start some ideas for posts:

Comment on current events. Blogs that reference a recent event offer fresh content to audiences. Share your thoughts on a recent event that you’ve heard about in the news, and discuss how it has impacted you.

Discuss an interesting conversation. Topics that you discuss with friends, colleagues or clients are a great starting point for blogs. Did you make a good point, or did he/she give you something to think about? A few weeks ago, our corporate branding VP, Jeff Bodzewski, shared a conversation he had with a colleague on social media in a blog post.  

Share updates on industry events. If you’ve recently attended a tradeshow, conference, or speaking engagement, you should think about giving a recap of the event in your post to readers who didn’t get a chance to go. Consider posting video and photos, like our SVP Joan Cetera did at the International Kitchen and Bath show last week.

Write a how-to post. If you’re contributing to a corporate blog, then you’re clearly sharing your expertise online. Take this a step further and write a step-by-step post to share tips and advice with readers— even a four to six-step process should be appropriate, depending on the topic.

Discuss an upcoming event. Are you headed to an industry event like a tradeshow or web seminar? Discuss why you’re attending and what you’re looking to get out of the experience.

Ask a question. Blogs are a great way to get feedback from your readers on topics that you’re interested in. Share a question with your audience to get input on your readers—this can often lead to great online conversations.

Discuss a great book or movie. Share your thoughts on a great book or movie that might be interesting to your readers. If it inspired you, it might inspire your readers as well.

Comment on another blog post. Many posts start out by referencing another blog. Discuss your thoughts on the post and write whether you agree or disagree with the topic. It’s also a good idea to comment on their post and link back to your own blog.

Share thoughts on new research. If you follow research and statistics on your industry or what your customers are doing, the corporate blog is a perfect place to post your thoughts on the findings.

Make a list. If you need some general guidelines for writing a useful list for your readers, check out some thoughts from our VP at MS&L Digital, Lori Smith, on her blog.

These are just a few ideas to use as a starting point for blog posts— what are your other tips for beating blogger’s block?

May 5th, 2010Comments (0)

Walking the (Green) Talk by admin

We’re noticing that more and more, clients want to know how they can share their environmental initiatives with the public. While many PR firms can point to their “green” expertise by sharing client work and case histories, I think it is just as important for them to consider their own ecological footprint.

There are many easy steps you can take to improve your workplace’s environmental practices.  We recently reevaluated some of our habits here at MS&L Chicago to determine how we might improve. While our location in the Merchandise Mart, a LEED Silver certified building, has given us a good start, we knew there was more we could do to promote environmental consciousness around the office.

This year, we launched a week-long initiative surrounding Earth Day to remind us how easy it is to be green. Daily trivia, contests and green tips kept the issue top-of-mind throughout the week, and we each had the chance to put our creativity to work by submitting our most innovative ideas to make the office greener. We generated a lot of good ideas, including:

Swap out some of the packaged and processed foods in our vending machines for greener options

Purchase reusable water bottles for the office

Create a used book club

Hold an office-wide cell phone recycling drive

Turn off the air conditioning and open the windows on appropriate days

Hold a used CD exchange

MS&L will be implementing a number of these ideas, and I know my colleagues are already breathing easier knowing the amount of waste from styrofoam cups and vending machine foods will soon be greatly reduced in our office.

While there are many ways to promote eco-friendly practices for a company, many good habits start on an individual level. Here are a few easy tips you might want to consider:

Flip off the power strip under your desk at the end of each day

Any charger or electronic left plugged in overnight consumes energy– even when it is turned off

Print double-sided copies

Bring in your own coffee mug, reusable containers and dinnerware

Cut up scratch paper to use in place of post-its

Bike or use public transportation to get to work if your location allows for it

Perhaps you have other easy to implement ideas to share with us? If so, we’d love to hear them!

May 3rd, 2010Comments (0)

Word of Mouth Powering the Food Truck Craze by Dawn McKenzie

DANNY MOLOSHOK / Reuters

Pop quiz: What recent phenomenon combines convenience, community, spontaneity, digital savvy and delicious cuisine? I’m talking about food trucks—gourmet, inventive, upscale, quality and often organic eats that roam the streets and require you to follow them, via social media, to find out where they’ll stop next. 

Back when I lived in L.A., I frequently tracked where Kogi BBQ, The Green Truck or Coolhaus would show up next.  Whether it was 2 a.m. or 4 p.m., buzz on the various trucks’ locations quickly grew via twitter feeds and word of mouth. It seemed like every few weeks, both the number and originality of the trucks grew exponentially.  After settling back in the Midwest, I often wondered why, when cities like San Francisco, NYC, Seattle and Portland were bringing their unique treats to the streets, Chicago wouldn’t take part in the trend.

It would seem I’m not the only one wondering. Professional chefs and eaters across the city are rallying to bring food on wheels to Chicago. Chicago All Fired Up is one truck that has managed to get through the red tape. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been so easy for others, as Chicago’s law that mobile food vendors can’t cook food on-site, along with several other issues, is causing a food revolution unrealized in the Windy City. Despite the setbacks, supportive websites, new Twitter feeds and grassroots campaigns are popping up every day. Entrepreneurs and chefs are coming up with several new concepts and ways to affect change.

Local chefs Philip Foss and Matt Maroni have been working to get our city’s mobile food vendor licenses amended and started chicagofoodtrucks.com, creating both a Twitter feed and Facebook page to provide a forum for discussion and creative solutions. Local Top Chef Master, Rick Bayless, has offered his support via his Twitter feed, and Time Out Chicago recently launched Street Food Now to “speak out on Chicago’s right to eat meals that come on wheels.”  Can you imagine being able to step outside during lunch for fresh macaroni and cheese, meatballs or even flatbread from a parked truck? These are real ideas in the works.

The good news is that you won’t have to wait long for a preview–  another business appears to have the go-ahead beginning May 10. You’ll have to follow Flirty on Twitter or Facebook to find out where you can get sugary goodness like the CBFF (chocolate w/ Nutella ganache) handed to you from a mobile cupcake shop. I assume they bypassed the restrictions because cupcakes don’t require on-site preparation. Hopefully Flirty is one of the many in a long line of Chicago vendors that can successfully join this literal bandwagon. I’m interested to see what happens next– what will supporters do differently or next to persuade lawmakers to change their mind? How big of a role will social media continue to play?

So, what do you do if you’re game for tacos on wheels? Speak up. Time Out Chicago offers a quick tutorial on who to contact and what to say. Do you want Chicago to be the next city to hop on the food truck trend?

April 29th, 2010Comments (2)

Standing Out at KBIS 2010 by Joan Cetera

Weeks and months prior to the 2010 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, various manufacturers from our clients Delta Faucet Company and Brizo Faucets to kitchen and bath designer Paul Anater to high-end appliance manufacturer Fisher & Paykel were tweeting and blogging about the upcoming KBIS Show.  The show, which is the largest international trade show dedicated to kitchen and bath design, has seen attendance slip in recent years, much like many trade shows.

For marketers, this created a need to stand out even further and be noticed by both attendees and media, not only leading up to the show using social media, but on the show floor itself.

Many manufacturers chose to focus on their “green” products, discussing how their products will help with either energy or water conservation.  For Brizo, the fashion brand for kitchen and bath faucets (and our client), this came to life in how they displayed their faucets with SmartTouch technology, which allows people to turn off the faucet with just a touch of their hand.

For other manufacturers, the show was an opportunity to announce new partnerships.  Merillat, the quality cabinet provider, announced they will be working with chef Curtis Stone and he was on hand to demonstrate some of his recipes and meet with conference attendees.

And for some, KBIS was a chance to stand out and really break through the clutter.  Duluth Trading Company, a T-shirt company, has made T-shirts three inches longer to cover “plumbing exposure.”  At the show,  they offered complimentary exposure checks, asking people to bend over and measure their risk of exposure based on when their shirt un-tucks.

But no matter how they broke through, most everyone felt KBIS was a success!