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6 lessons NYC’s Candy Cab can teach you about marketing

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:00:55 GMT

A New York City cab driver has created his own perfect blend of PR, marketing, and social media—all by offering free candy to his passengers.

Known as the Candy Cab, Mansoor Khalid wanted to give New Yorkers a little slice of happiness as a way to help him recover from the loss of his 18-month-old son to a congenital heart condition. By making a cab ride a little bit sweeter, he’s developed a following of happy passengers and created positive buzz in the streets of New York.

In addition to munching on every sort of candy imaginable while weaving through the street of Manhattan, passengers can also plug into Khalid’s sub-woofer system, enjoying their own tunes and a techno light show.

Without the resources of a national brand, the Candy Cab’s experiment in happiness has become a microcosm of successful integrated marketing.

What lessons can we take away from this sweet ride on wheels?

Know your customer: New Yorkers can be a tough crowd, but they do have one thing in common: Finding a vacant cab can be frustrating. By creating an oasis of fun in the confines of his taxi, he makes sure even the most jaded citizens of the Big Apple leave with a smile at the end of the ride.

Believe in your mission: Working in PR, social media, or marketing, we are often faced with a situation that needs to be turned around. In Khalid’s case, he felt he could derive happiness by making others happy. As professionals, if we don’t believe in the mission, we will never sell it to the end user—a customer, a client, or upper management. The Candy Cab’s passion is infectious; his success rate in creating a positive experience is probably high.

Allow for personalization: There’s no magic in transporting a passenger from Point A to Point B, but you can always make a simple product better. Witness the Candy Cabbie’s personalized sound system; simply plug in your device with your own play list, and you’re listening to the music of your choosing. The lesson? Never keep the product experience so rigid that your customer can’t make it their own. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Tumblr do this well.

Quality, not quantity: We’ve all seen Twitter and Instagram profiles with thousands of followers. But how many people can any one person personally connect with to create a meaningful experience? As he builds his brand, Khalid takes candy requests from his 3,000-plus Twitter followers and regularly posts Instagram photos to the delight of the 1,500 people who follow him. His Facebook page is filled with fans sharing their cab ride videos or heartfelt messages on his wall. Creating meaningful connections as a fan base grows is key to any brand’s ongoing success.

Invest in the product: We often counsel clients or colleagues for the need to create room in the budget to leverage the promotion of a property. In the Candy Cabbie’s case, he invested in a light and sound system, as well as $300 worth of candy each month, to enhance his passengers’ experience. Hopefully, the ROI shows up in great tips.

Experiential marketing: With any product, providing a memorable experience for the customer is one of the key goals. If the Candy Cabbie’s customers have a positive experience, you hear about it firsthand, as they create a memory on their personal handheld device and share it—the ultimate compliment. The positive buzz also results in third-party media opportunities. When a strategy fires on all pistons, it can pay off in mass acceptance of a brand.

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5 sources of workplace inspiration

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:59:32 GMT

You’re an artist.

Just because you go into an office every day, or because you sit at a desk or share a cubicle or were relegated to the back of a converted supply closet, it doesn’t detract from that reality.

So, maybe you’re not an artist in the traditional sense, but your job requires creativity. You are often innovating and generating big ideas to inspire people. It’s on you to come up with something where nothing once was. That sounds like artistry to me.

Perhaps you’re the Picasso of publicity, the Sartre of social media, the Kierkegaard of corporate copy. You’re an artist, and artists need good, old-fashioned inspiration—the kind that makes you toss the covers aside and go tearing into your day the moment that alarm goes off. Heck, once you’re really inspired, who even needs an alarm clock?

But where does inspiration come from?

Many famous painters and writers had muses; some people are inspired by places. For Ernest Hemingway, it was the sea and Paris. Georgia O’Keeffe was inspired by the New Mexico desert. Many of us peer out our windows and see other buildings. Depending on where you’re working, that may not be all that inspiring.

If you can’t rely on the landscape or a muse, you’re probably not alone. Inspiration is no less important to us corporate creatives. Though I can’t tell you exactly where to find yours, I’ll share a few of mine, and perhaps you’ll be inspired to look elsewhere for your inspiration sources.

Here are five unlikely sources of inspiration that I draw upon:

1. Rising before the rest of the world wakes up: The best mornings are those when I wake up insanely early, make it to the gym and back home, eat a good breakfast and get ready for my day before most people have even hit the snooze button. It gives me a mental edge that will last at least until right after lunch—when I start yawning and wondering why the hell I got up so early.

2. Fear: Poverty isn’t imminent in my world, and I think I owe that in large part to my healthy fear of it. It seems non-artistic to allow my fear of being penniless serve as inspiration for doing great work, but if it helps me knock out great copy or try extra hard, so be it.

3. Tesla electric vehicles: It isn’t often you find a pure, absolute, undisputable truth in your life, but someday I will own a Tesla automobile. They’re beautiful, incredible cars, and I know the harder I work, the more likely it will be that I can afford one. Simple, electric inspiration. If a material possession can serve as your driving force, set that goal.

4. Things that withstand the test of time: Most of us would like our work to leave a lasting impression. I’m always so impressed with work that holds up over time—whether it’s a centuries-old painting, classic literature, or the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Our art might never win a Pulitzer, but we can create lasting impressions and campaigns that are remembered. Especially with social media, there are so many opportunities to do something no one has ever done; it’s an exciting time to be doing what we do.

5. Working with passionate people: I’ve realized after several years in the professional world that it’s a luxury to work with passionate people. When I’m surrounded by peers who love what they’re doing and want to do great work together, I get rabidly inspired. On the opposite end of the spectrum are dispassionate, disgruntled creatures who just make things difficult for the rest of us. I’ve witnessed collaboration at its best, and that victorious feeling that comes after a great brainstorming session inspires me to keep striving for it.

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10 most valuable brands in the world

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:58:22 GMT

Tech companies are among the world’s most valuable brands again this year, as Apple, Google and IBM claim the top spots in the 2013 rankings from BrandZ, an online clearinghouse for brand data.

Apple remains on top despite a tumultuous year for the brand, which has seen its stock price plummet and Senate investigations into its tax payments in recent months.

Visa replaces Verizon in the top 10, and Microsoft dropped two spots. You can check out last year’s list here.

This year’s top 10 brands are:

1. Apple
2. Google
3. IBM
4. McDonald’s
5. Coca-Cola
6. AT&T
7. Microsoft
8. Marlboro
9. Visa
10. China Mobile

Click here to read the full, 20-entry list of BrandZ’s most valuable brands of 2013.

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5 journalism habits that brands should avoid

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:56:27 GMT

As a longtime journalist, I’m happy to see so many of my colleagues finding work at brands and agencies as content marketers, as brand journalists, and in other roles and titles.

Marrying communications and marketing with a journalistic approach can result in high-quality content that’s of value to the public, as opposed to purely promotional copy.

But there are some bad habits in newsrooms. Here are five things about journalists that a new generation of content creators should be careful not to emulate.

Circling the wagons

In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, the New York Post splashed two innocent men on its front page and painted them as possible terrorists.

So what did the Post have to say for itself after the cover went down in infamy?

“We stand by our story,” New York Post editor Col Allen said when he finally offered a statement.

Those five words have been the standard reply from newsrooms when the worst happens within journalistic ranks, such as plagiarism or fabrication.

Circling the wagons means refusing to acknowledge obvious failures or to otherwise engage in a discussion about your journalistic practices.

This destroys public trust. It’s long been a habit inside newsrooms, but it’s starting to fade.

So, if you’re working for a brand that publishes content, you need to engage your detractors and openly and publicly respond to requests for corrections. You need to be willing to engage in a conversation about your work, even if that seems like a distraction from your ultimate goal.

View this as an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to high-quality content and accountability, rather than as a nuisance.

The echo chamber

Journalists get caught in an echo chamber when they spend too much time with the same colleagues covering the same beat in the same way. Views and perspectives begin to coalesce, and they fall victim to groupthink.

The echo chamber is the enemy of fresh ideas. It also leads to blind spots that preclude identifying important developments or oncoming trouble.

How do you escape the echo chamber? Make a conscious effort to read and engage outside your role and industry. Seek out nontraditional sources.

Attend a conference that’s outside of the norm for you. What can you learn from sociology, cognitive psychology, or political science?

Skimping on training

Training budgets were one of the first things to be cut at newspapers when classifieds, display ads, and reader revenue started to crater.

The decline occurred because of fundamental shifts in media and technology. The Internet and its disruptive effects began taking hold and haven’t let go.

Media brands needed to invest in training in order to adapt and thrive in a digital world. But with budgets shrinking and the pace of technological change accelerating, many newsroom staffs found themselves with outdated skill sets, workflows, and technology.

Budgets will rise and fall, and content marketers will feel the effects.

It’s up to you to ensure that you’re always learning and to foster a culture that’s focused on keeping skills and processes up to date.

Creating silos

One media habit that seems to have been replicated in the content marketing world is the separation of writers and editors from technology, product, and business people.

Within newsrooms, this created a culture that was hostile to collaboration and prevented people from coming together to solve problems and develop innovative business models. (I’m not saying that journalists and ad sales people should break down ethical boundaries. Those are crucial to credibility.)

Tearing down walls internally helps blow up echo chambers and gives life to fresh ideas.

Want to know what’s possible when you tear down walls and put a new mix of people in a room?

Have a look at the tremendous, Pulitzer-winning New York Times Snow Fall interactive piece resulting from collaboration by a writer, sports editors, graphics editors, a multimedia producer/designer, a digital designer, a video journalist, and a photographer. All within an organization that has a lot of moving parts, people, departments, and procedures.

If the Gray Lady can break down walls, you can, too.

Ignoring the competition

Companies do a lot of competitive intelligence and tracking. Journalists read and watch their competitors, too, but historically they prefer to not acknowledge their rivals’ existence. This is a horrible, venal tradition in media that’s thankfully starting to go away. It goes like this: If your competitor gets a scoop, you do everything you can to not credit them for the work.

That’s why you’ll sometimes read a news story that refers to “a report today” or “media reports,” without naming the source. The standard operating procedure in newsrooms was to re-report the story just so you could run it without having to note that the crosstown rival got there first.

This tradition carried into the online world to the point where some large news outlets only recently began linking to competitors.

Will you link to it?

Now, imagine one of your competitors writes a great blog post—not something that promotes its product, but a piece about your industry that’s insightful and valuable to your audience. Will you link to it?

I’ll say this: If your relationship with your customers or clients is so tenuous that sending them to a useful link on a competitor’s website will damage your standing, then maybe linking out is the least of your troubles.

Craig Silverman is the director of content for Spundge, a platform that helps professionals and organizations discover, curate, and create engaging content. A version of this post first appeared on SparkSheet.

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New Ragan website offers distance-learning for communicators

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:53:59 GMT

You're sitting in your office salivating at that new conference brochure. You'd love to attend, but you're chained to your desk.

Your boss is stingy with travel expenses, and you can't imagine being gone from the office for three days.

Does this sound like you? If so, you have good company.

Most of our 1.2 million readers at Ragan.com and PR Daily NEVER get to attend our live conferences.

They are either too busy or too broke. Or they live too far away.

Nearly 600,000 readers live in Europe, Australia, Africa, India and the Middle East. Some of you are reading this story hail from London, Melbourne, Bangalore, Sydney, Toronto, and even Lagos, Nigeria.

Well, don't worry. Help is now available.

It's called RaganTraining.com, and it contains more than 200 hours of instructions that you can view from your desk, your tablet, or laptop.

This was our goal when we developed this first-of-a-kind distance-learning portal:

* Deliver conferences to our customers wherever they are;
* Make the platform accessible from home, the office, the bus, or the gym; and
* Offer an affordable and "all you can eat" membership plan for individuals or entire teams.

Once you register, here is what you get:

* 160 hours of HD-quality video presentations from our highest-rated events;
* 18 interactive, learn-on-the-go courses by Ragan trainer Shel Holtz; and
* Unlimited access to our teeming archive of popular webinars.

And, as they say in those infomercials, THERE'S MORE!

Every month you'll receive 20 more hours of content to choose from AND a newsletter telling you what's new.

So what do we cover on RaganTraining.com? Here is a partial list of topics:

* Media Relations
* Social Media
* Crisis Communications
* Public Relations & Marketing
* Intranets
* Video
* SharePoint
* Writing & Editing

There's a lot more, but you get the point. Everything you do as a communicator is covered on this site.

Here is a new video tour we produced just for you:

And here again is a link to the site.

You can order an individual membership directly from the site at the special $300 discount we’re giving only to our readers. However, if you're interested in obtaining a multi-user membership for your entire team, send an email to: shallonb@ragan.com.

Ferrero backs off bid to quash ‘World Nutella Day’

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:51:17 GMT

A little more than six years ago, Sara Rosso, an American blogger who lives in Italy, started World Nutella Day, a tribute to the chocolate and hazelnut spread. It’s turned into a popular event, with more than 40,000 “likes” on Facebook.

It seems Ferrero, the Italian company that makes Nutella, wasn’t a big booster of the event, and last week attorneys from the company sent Rosso a cease-and-desist order.

Rosso didn’t post the text of the order, but upon receiving the notice on May 16 she did post a now-deleted message stating that she would be shutting down the World Nutella Day website and all its associated social media presences by May 25.

“The cease-and-desist letter was a bit of a surprise and a disappointment, as over the years I've had contact and positive experiences with several employees of Ferrero, SpA., and with their public relations and brand strategy consultants, and I've always tried to collaborate and work together in the spirit and goodwill of a fan-run celebration of a spread I (to this day) still eat,” she wrote.

World Nutella Day fans on Facebook were less diplomatic in their statements about the company.

“They're crazy,” one commenter wrote. “Do they not know good publicity when they see it? Well — clearly not. Idiots.”

That seemed to be the end of the story until news of Ferrero’s order hit news sources such as Businessweek and Time on Tuesday. Seemingly in response to the publicity, Ferrero reached out to Rosso and released a statement, pretty clearly translated from Italian, stating that it would no longer oppose World Nutella Day.

“The case arose from a routine brand defense procedure that was activated as a result of some misuse of the Nutella brand on the fan page,” the statement said. “Ferrero is pleased to announce that today, after contacting Sara Rosso and finding together the appropriate solutions, it immediately stopped the previous action.”

Rosso quickly deleted her post about the possible end of World Nutella Day and replaced it with a post stating that the observance would continue in 2014. She even said she’s not mad at Ferrero.

“I wish it hadn’t happened in the first place, but I’m pleased at the speed of resolution and that the site and holiday will continue,” she wrote.

Facebook commenters were mostly celebratory in regards to the turnaround, though some griped that the cease-and-desist order should have never gone out in the first place, and that Ferrero should have linked the World Nutella Day website in its statement.

The big lesson from all this, according to Jonathan Bernstein of Bernstein Crisis Management, is that corporate attorneys just shouldn’t threaten private citizens without considering the PR outcomes. Robert Holland of Holland Communication Solutions adds that it’s a sign of a changing media landscape.

“Ten years ago, World Nutella Day probably wouldn't have gained such traction and this matter wouldn't be news,” he says.

Likewise, the story proves that relationships between customers and brands are changing, too, Holland says.

“The automatic legal response triggered by Rosso's use of the Nutella name and images just doesn't cut it today,” he says. “If someone at Nutella had been aware of what Rosso was doing, this embarrassing situation for the brand probably would not have happened.”

That said, Bernstein posits that Ferrero pulling back its order for the holiday to end will likely prevent the company’s reputation from being hurt too badly.

“Nutella's amends-making message and action with Rosso were quite appropriate and I don't believe there will be any long-term damage to their brand,” he says.

Matt Wilson is a staff writer for Ragan.com.

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7 challenges that marketers face

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:46:00 GMT

Marketing today remains a great challenge, in large part because of the consistently changing technology and media landscape. Information sources (conferences, blogs, etc.) consistently address these challenges, yet many issues persist.

It may be time to take a step back and look at how education and information sources are meeting these challenges.

Here are the seven difficulties for today’s communicators, each followed by an idea or three about how to address them. Please add your own thoughts in the comments section.

1. Technology adoption and automation: An ongoing challenge is balancing human intelligence, strategy, and likability with the precision of analysis gleaned from big data.

There’s much professional fear of technology. Some deals with nomenclature and the failure of tech and social media firms to make their products easily accessible. We also need information and education to get more specific, refine roles, and better define which data sets matter, as well as how people can master these evolving tools.

2. Integration: “Marketing in the Round” (co-authored with Gini Dietrich) has been out for a year, and most marketers agree that integration should occur in marketing, but it remains a huge issue. People still think in silos and are not stretching to create better results by teaming with other communicators.

Frankly, this is an issue for the C-cuite. Until CEOs and presidents demand successful integration, it’s going to be hit or miss depending on the level and training of the lead marketer in each organization. The good news is that leading educational institutions are now teaching integration.

3. Rapidly evolving media: Media evolution remains a huge issue. It used to be that you could become comfortable for a short period of time. Even the first wave of major social networks (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter) had staying power.

Today, media evolves quickly, and volatility is part of the game. What worked last year won’t this year. Look no further than the decrease Facebook has suffered in tactical viability for some types of business.

Marketers have to move away from channel-specific strategies and must adopt a truly liquid approach to communication. They must deliver a complete content and engagement effort to serve stakeholders wherever they are and however they like to receive information in that channel. Further, businesses should adopt an attitude of ongoing experimentation.

4. Transition to the Internet: The Internet is accessible everywhere—or close to it. The current responsive-design movement addresses the shift temporarily, but the market will soon discover that although making one-size-fits-all Web pages may be attractive, we need custom environments to differentiate.

There’s nothing wrong with a few mobile-specific pages. As marketing IT budgets increase, developing specific experiences for each conduit will best serve stakeholders and brands alike.

5. Video and visual skills missing: The visual revolution is here, and most small and mid-size businesses are not competing effectively. Some of that lag is a matter of financial resources, but most of it is training and skill sets.

Today’s communicators are writers, pitchers (PR), or networkers. They don’t think visually. The next generation of communicators will have a combined skill set of visual and verbal creativity. We need to get them into the workforce quickly. Seasoned executives would benefit from training as well.

6. Nurturing skills for inbound marketing: A majority of leads expected to come via online content and other forms inbound marketing. To succeed communicators have to understand customer experiences and needs and must build more intelligent conversion paths on their sites, in call centers, and in stores. Through the use of data analysis and intelligent content, nurturing customers should become more customized and targeted toward niches.

Education and experience will provide a better understanding of customer service, email marketing, the role of landing pages, and the creation of value-added content for core community members. Communicators steeped in broadcast or public social media paths will need to expand their knowledge.

7. Stuck in social media/community management: Perhaps this is a function of the social media expert/blogger, but the general conversation online seems to lag the challenges that CMOs face. Single-person or small social media consultancies with fewer than 10 people don’t deal with enterprise-level issues like this. Instead, they are often limited in conversation to their tactical area of expertise.

What do you think about these challenges facing the marketing sector?

A version of this article first appeared on the Vocus blog.

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12 job openings in the PR and marketing world

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:45:37 GMT

A person’s shoes say a lot about them, but when it comes to Converse, regular shoes say just one thing: boring.

That’s why the sneaker company’s newest brand marketing director needs to be comfortable with (1) kicking it around an office in a pair of Chucks—we could all probably cope with that—and (2) being creative enough to harness the spirit of the creators, rebels, and thinkers who lace up their Converse classics each day.

In addition to being someone who “gets people,” the person filling this role will also direct Converse's marketing efforts, developing campaigns that create demand, establish brand credibility, and accelerate growth.

Does that seem like a career you’d care to step into? Click here to apply.

Not the job for you? See what else we have in our weekly professional pickings:

Marketing communications supervisor—Caterpillar

Sr. social media manager—Groupon

Public relations coordinator—Forever 21

Public relations specialist—AirWatch

Content strategist—Column Five

Brand manager—Johnsonville

Public relations director—American Career College

Mobile marketing analyst—L.L. Bean

Manager of public relations—TheStreet

Associate search director—Razorfish

Community manager—NPR

If you have a job you would like to see highlighted on PR Daily, please email me or send me a message on Twitter @iquotesometimes.

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Emoticons for brands: The dos and don'ts

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:53:59 GMT

Are you a serial emoticon user?

I’ve been known to include a smiley face or two in my tweets and Facebook posts. It’s a sign of humor, a signal to my recipients that I may be stating something a little tongue in cheek.

Emoticons have become part of the online lexicon. Whether it’s on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, you name it, emoticons show up in some way, shape, or form. As more people have used emoticons online, the trend has spilled over into business communications.

We’ve all seen it—an email or note from a colleague with a smiley face at the end. But does that mean it’s acceptable, or should be?

That depends. Let me lay out a few scenarios and when I think it is and isn’t appropriate in business.

Appropriate uses

Scenario 1: I’m sending a private message on Facebook to a partner I work with closely on a project. I want to share a funny anecdote as part of the note and include a smiley face.

Scenario 2: I write a tweet that is lighthearted and pokes fun at a mainstream trend for a fun-loving client I work with; it includes a smiley face with a wink at the end.

Scenario 3: I’m sending a text to a business colleague I know well, asking him about a potential partner I’m considering. I add a quick joke at the tail end of the note with a smiley face.

In my view, appropriate uses fall into two big camps: When you’re emailing/texting/private-messaging someone you know very well in business, or when it makes sense for a playful brand or company you represent.

Inappropriate uses

Scenario 1: You’re sending an email to your manager discussing client work and you throw a smiley face in as you make a joke about the client.

Scenario 2: You’re writing a short article for your company’s intranet, and you decide to insert a smiley face in the post to convey some humor, even though it’s a serious topic.

Scenario 3: You’re penning a short email to your client wishing a great Memorial Day weekend, and you add a smiley face to the end simply out of habit.

In general, I would probably refrain from using the emoticons anytime you’re communicating with your manager or boss, communicating with your client (unless you know them very well), or communicating with a mass audience, internally or externally, about a serious topic. The same goes for a brand that is generally more serious in its tone.

So, what do you think? When is it appropriate or inappropriate to use emoticons in work situations?

Arik Hanson is principal of ACH Communications. A version of this article originally ran on his blog, Communications Conversations.

Poll: Has the Internet ruined in-store customer service?

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:52:48 GMT

After recently spending an enjoyable Sunday afternoon watching a marathon of “Gilmore Girls,” I was left to question more than my inevitably sad and lonely future.

In one episode, Richard and Emily’s home is equipped with Wi-Fi. While the family patriarch finds it all very rousing, the matriarch isn’t as thrilled.

Though her daughter and granddaughter suggest she’ll save time shopping online, Emily remains resilient, firing back that the hospitable service provided in a store is what makes the experience what it is.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Emily—and thus, show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino—was wise beyond her wireless years.

With brands spending seemingly so much time, effort (and money) online, has the quality of customer service offline in stores declined?

Answer in our poll on the PR Daily Facebook page here.

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Distinguishing paid, owned, earned, traded, and shared media

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:51:10 GMT

Even seasoned PR pros sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between different forms of media in the digital age. That’s because they all bleed into each other, blurring the lines.

So, what is shared media versus earned media versus owned media versus paid media? And what exactly is shared media?

The nuances can be especially challenging for junior folks cutting their teeth at PR agencies. I’ve seen more than a few otherwise bright eyes go full Cookie-Monster-googly when I discuss this topic in meetings.

An easy way to understand and remember the differences within the media landscape is an acronym Matter Communications came up with called: “POETS” (Paid, Owned, Earned, Traded, Shared). There are exceptions to all of these, and some of them can peacefully co-exist within other categories, but this will get you smart enough to be dangerous:

Paid: If you buy a banner ad or place an ad in a magazine or on the radio, that’s called paid media. You didn’t earn it; you paid for it. No matter how good or bad your product is, the audience will see/read/hear exactly what you want them to. Paid Facebook and LinkedIn ads fall into this camp, as does (in some instances) rewarding bloggers for coverage. In general, consumers are growing more distrustful of ads than ever, because it’s obvious the media was bought and paid for by a company with its own best interests in mind. That’s where native advertising comes in (in which an ad ostensibly poses as valuable content), but that’s a column for a different day.

Owned: If a company has a blog, pumps out e-books or newsletters, creates infographics or “think pieces,” these are all forms of media they “own” and can use to attract eyeballs to their respective websites or landing pages. These typically fall into the content marketing bucket, and, like Paid media, this helps companies keep control of the brand (to an extent).

Earned: This form of media is synonymous with traditional public relations. A company hires a PR agency, the agency weaves a narrative around the company’s products and/or services, and then the agency pitches that story to online and offline publications, blogs, or news outlets. The resulting editorial articles, broadcast hits, or blog posts are called “earned” media, because the company didn’t pay the outlets to write about them. The coverage, therefore, was earned.

Traded: Sometimes two companies will agree to do guest posts on one another’s blogs or will work together on a video series on the same topics. Perhaps they’ll even share booth space at trade show or team up for speaking gigs. In these cases, one company is yielding part of the discussion to another entity, betting that trading part of the stage will return bigger results from a larger network of interested parties. Here’s where it gets nuanced, but many companies are working with influencers and bloggers to garner coverage or social media love in exchange for access, information, or input on a company’s product, etc. The lines can become blurred.

Shared: This one is trickiest to explain and can take on many forms, but essentially, consumers are working in concert with a brand to create and share/promote the brand’s content. For this to happen, the brand must have fans and followers who feel passionately about the brand and want to engage, or the brand has to be giving away something of significant value. A recent example is Lay’s “Do us a Flavor” contest, in which the company asked fans to help pick the next flavor of potato chips. I participated in this form of shared media, and I happened to recommend Sriracha as a flavor. Alas, Cheesy Garlic Bread won.

Parry Headrick is vice president of marketing and communications at Matter Communications. A version of this article first appeared on the company’s blog.

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Why controversies might be good for brands—study

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:48:43 GMT

A lot of brands have taken flak over taking stands on political issues.

There was Chick-fil-A’s flap over the COO’s anti-gay marriage statements last summer. Starbucks, meanwhile, has publicly supported gay marriage. Hobby Lobby has chosen not to offer its employees contraception coverage. The list goes on.

Though PR people certainly remember those incidents, most in the public forget them soon after they happen, according to a report from marketing consulting firm WrightIMC. It found that, largely, brands that stick to their positions may face an initial dip in sales in the month or so after a controversy, but soon afterward, the increased attention the stance brought the brand is actually beneficial.

“Because a brand takes a stand, they get attention,” says Tony Wright, founder and CEO of WrightIMC. “You can’t buy that kind of press.”

As long as brands can tough out the initial pain, stay aware of who their audiences are, and don’t waffle, the outcome might be positive, he says.

Audience awareness

“In the research, one of the things that was very obvious to me was that there are a lot of people that agreed that a brand’s stand affected their purchasing decisions, but not a lot that strongly agreed,” Wright says.

What does that mean? People who aren’t really passionate about the importance of a brand stance will come back, if what you have to sell is good enough.

“Most of the ones that disagreed with you initially will drop off and forget. If your product is high-quality enough, they’ll continue to buy from you down the road,” he says.

Wright offers a caveat, though: Certain audiences care more about political stances than others. For example, consumers in the South tend to agree that stances are important, but not too strongly. In the Northeast, passions run a little higher. Age and income can make a big difference, too, he says.

The long-lasting effect of taking a political stand, Wright says, is lots of online articles about the brand. For companies that have a smart search engine optimization plan in place, that means an increased Internet presence that can supersede the controversy, if the right links make it to the top of search engines.

Making the right moves

Before stepping into the political arena, brands should make sure they have the resources to ride out the month or so of media coverage that will come from it. That includes having crisis plans in place.

“Chick-fil-A and Hobby Lobby, specifically, had more of a framework for how they were going to respond to things based on their culture and their company ethics,” Wright says.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure, which revoked its funding for Planned Parenthood, then restored it, erred in doing a complete 180 on its position. That’s the worst thing you can do, he says.

“Companies need to have a personality,” Wright says. “It’s not enough anymore just to be a fly on the wall. Not everyone is going to like you, and that’s OK.”

With more conversation between customers and brands on social media, consumers have an expectation to hear what their favorite brands stand for.

“If you like a company and like what they stand for, you’re much more likely to have a brand affinity,” Wright says. “If a company stands for nothing, they very likely do not have passionate brand advocates.”

Companies shouldn’t force things, though; public stances have to come from the company culture.

“If your company doesn’t have a strong opinion on a specific item, I would not recommend taking a stand,” Wright says. “The point of the white paper is to not be afraid to take a stand because it’s something your company strongly believes.”

More research needed

One interesting detail about WrightIMC’s survey of 3,000 consumers is that the most common answer—about 35 percent of the total—was that respondents said they “neither agree nor disagree” with the questions.

Wright says that answer likely equates to “I don’t know” or “undecided.” WrightIMC used Google Consumer Surveys to collect the data, and the questions were a gateway to premium content. Quite a few users probably chose the middle-ground answer to get through the survey as quickly as possible, Wright theorized.

Because of that, more research is needed on the topic—research that doesn’t come with the limitations of the tool WrightIMC used.

“I would hope, down the road, that someone else would take this up, maybe in academia,” Wright says.

Matt Wilson is a staff writer for Ragan.com.

(Image via, via & via)

Study: Pabst prompting spike in price of cheap beer

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:47:21 GMT

Cheap beer isn’t so cheap anymore, and everyone’s blaming the hipsters.

That bearded fellow in the flannel shirt at the end of the bar has been loading up on Pabst Blue Ribbon tallboys for the last couple of years, and the rest of us are suffering.

According to food researchers Restaurant Sciences, over the last seven months Bud, Coors Light, and Miller Lite have seen 3.5 to 6.8 percent increases in price.

The group’s leader, Chuck Ellis, told the New York Daily News: “I believe the single biggest driver in sub-premium beer price increases is indeed specifically PBR. It has become quite fashionable."

PBR has seen “double-digit” percent increases in restaurants and bars.

The beer’s popularity among the hipster crowd is nothing new. In 2009, Crains reported that PBR sales had jumped “an astounding 25 percent” that year, and labeled it “an ironic, downscale chic” choice.

Pabst has yet to respond.

RELATED: Pabst Blue Ribbon could save the Twinkie

(Image via)

5 questions brands should ask before using any social media tool

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:52:40 GMT

I’ve often heard this question from clients: Should we be on (insert shiny, new social media platform here)? My instinct is to say yes, because we want to expand our scope of work with them, and we’re always looking to be innovative. But being a good social media partner requires much more in-depth analysis.

When I was overseeing content strategy and execution for my clients, we would generally work on a POV for each new platform that would come into play. We did this for Pinterest, Instagram, and Vine (among others) over the last few years. Part of that POV was assessing which brands would be a good fit for the platform.

That doesn’t mean the client would automatically sign on for that platform, but it was incumbent upon us to make sure we at least made the recommendation (sometimes over and over and over).

Here are five key questions:

1. Are people using this platform to talk about your brand, your industry, or your competition?

This is easy enough on platforms that use hashtags. I can search #Starbucks on Instagram, for example, and see that nearly 1.9 million photos bear that hashtag. If I’m managing the brand’s social media presence, this tells me that there are 1.9 million potential conversations and pieces of user-generated content out there. This is definitely the right move for that brand to be using that platform (and Starbucks is using it—quite effectively as it turns out).

Part of your research on new platforms should be to assess not just who is talking about your brand but how they’re talking about your brand. If people are actively complaining or bringing up customer service issues on this platform, your strategy will differ from what you’ll do if people are raving about you.

When it comes to your competition, just because they jump off a cliff doesn’t mean you should follow—unless they’re jumping off a cliff into a crystal clear pool of water filled with your current and potential customers.

2. Does this platform align with your demographic?

Maybe people aren’t talking about your brand (or perhaps they’re talking about you sparingly). That certainly shouldn’t preclude you from entering into that platform—especially if it’s used by a demographic that you’re looking to target.

For instance, if you’re looking to reach influential, educated, millennial women, Pinterest is a platform you should strongly consider. Instagram might not be your best bet if that’s the only group you’re looking to target.

3. Is there an opportunity to tell your brand’s story in a new/unique way on this platform?

Brands that are using Vine in an interesting ways—Lowe’s, Smart Car USA, General Electric (sometimes)—are using the platform to tell a good brand story that goes beyond “buy this.”

When Smart Car wanted to show how easy it is to charge its new electric version, a six-second video was the perfect way to do it:

Lowe’s went beyond providing DIY tips in text to show their users how to do things like unscrewing a stripped screw:

If your team can find a way to use a new platform in an interesting fashion, that’s half the battle. So often brands will launch their presence in a new platform, and it’s just a dud.

4. Do you have the resources to maintain a robust presence on this platform?

The days of launching a social media presence to cover an event or product launch are over. Unless you’re going to commit your brand to building and maintaining a robust presence on a platform, don’t do it. It’s up to each individual brand to decide what “robust” means for them, but launching an event-specific account and then shutting it down no longer makes sense.

5. Does this platform logically fit in with your existing digital ecosystem?

Consider the rest of your digital presence, and whether this new platform logically integrates or if it would be on an island. If you can’t fit your always-on and campaign strategies into this platform, it’s probably worth waiting until you jump into it.

These questions certainly aren’t exhaustive, but they can at least get the conversation started. Remember: Any foray into a new platform will require your team to perform a risk assessment and understand any potential pitfalls. Your legal team will want to get involved (and will likely work tirelessly to quash your dreams, as they are wont to do).

(Image via)

Why marketers choose certain colors

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:51:39 GMT

It’s no secret that different colors evoke different emotions in us, and that marketers have been taking advantage of this for years.

But which colors spur which emotions?

Perhaps most notably, it is said that red stimulates the appetite. That’s why the color is so prevalent with national food chains like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, Wendy’s, Popeye’s and Chipotle.

Blue, meanwhile, is the color most preferred by men, and corporations often use it because it is thought to be productive and not invasive.

These and other color-related insights can be found in this infographic from CertaPro Painters:

(via Social Media Chimps)