Strategic Public Relations

Kraft’s Green Packaging | DMI Brand Design Conference Day One

Consumer packaged goods marketing has always interested me. So I was all ears when the DMI’s Brand Design Conference kicked off with a presentation from Scott Young, of Perception Research Services.

Young discussed packaging and the environment from the consumers’ perspective.

CPG brands have three (conflicting) challenges when it comes to packaging.

1) Doing “the right thing” environmentally. More accurately, defining what exactly the right thing is when it comes to packaging.

2) Educating the consumer on what makes packaging good or bad for the environment. Young’s research findings showed a surprising lack of awareness around environmental terms.

3) Creating packaging that addresses consumer preferences. Consumers know environmental issues are important. But they still want packages that look good, show off the product, protect the product and are easy to use. And if the package is environmentally-friendly? Consumer’s want them to cost the same (or less) than current packaging.

Defining Terms
Confusing packages and a lack of awareness around terminology has created a clear need for better package messaging and an education campaign (e.g., terms like sustainable are industry terms, not words that consumers fully understand).

Product messages are getting confused with packaging messages. Is a product good for you and/or is its packaging good for the planet? Consider how products tell us they are everything from USDA approved, free trade, organic, environmentally friendly, recycled, locally owned, recycled and several shades of green. The end result is an overwhelmed consumer.

The Impossible Dream?!
Packaging that meets environmental and consumer needs reads like a tough order to fill. But packaging can look good, be easy to use and be environmentally friendly. Kraft’s new salad dressing bottles present a powerful example.

This award-winning package design uses 19 percent less plastic. This means a lighter package, saving more than 3 million pounds of plastic annually, and increased shipping efficiencies by 18 percent as the package is smaller.

Consistency is Key
Environmental messaging is valuable and vital, but they must extend beyond the products. From product to brand, it’s best to link to a larger environmental proposition.

Aveda for example has made the environment much more than a product differentiator. It’s part of everything they do from corporate social responsibility programs and the corporate mission statement to its stores, services and products on the shelves. And they need to go from being the stand out to being the standard.

tags | marketing | brand | design | DMI

Heading to NRF, the CES of Retail

Heading to NYC this weekend to attend the National Retail Federation Show at the Javits. In addition to media briefings, we have two presentations and a booth so we’ll be plenty busy.

But I’m pumped to see this year’s ”Store of the Future” exhibit. I’ve covered pop-up retail here before as a great marketing and public relations tactic. The exhibit features technology that supports pop-up retail.

The exhibit will show what the pop-up might look like in the future – “demonstrating technologies such as rear projection film, use of retail scales, pedestrian traffic measurement methods, in-store design, electronic shelf labeling, custom store fixtures, high-definition display screens, user-interface shopping technology, mobile marketing devices, interactive communications systems, innovative anti-theft security solutions and more innovative products.

The M-Wallet, one of Motorola’s latest mobile phones which allows consumers to pay for their purchases with the handheld device, will be displayed. Additionally, IBM will feature a 3D Second Life experience to demonstrate both the consumer and retailer perspective of virtual retailing.

Looks pretty interesting. We’ll see.

If you’re in NYC next week and want to check it out, let me know. I have plenty of free passes.

tags | marketing | retail design | NRF 08

Corbis Taps Bloggers To Help Turn a Profit

Reuters details a new program from Corbis giving bloggers access to some of its photos.

Corbis and its digital rights partner, PicScout, will allow bloggers to access photos via a Web link from the site PicApp.com, now in a test phase.

The photos will either include an ad overlay on part of the image, or embedded advertising that pops up when a Web user runs a cursor over the picture.

Any program making blog content more visual is OK in my book. I’m looking forward to seeing the program unfold and the images we’ll to which we’ll gain access.

What blew me away about this news is the revelation that Corbis hasn’t turned a profit since it was founded -- nearly 20 years ago.

“Shenk was promoted to the CEO role in July and charged with turning around privately held Corbis, which has not posted a profit since Microsoft Corp Chairman Bill Gates founded the company in 1989.”

Hmmm, the phrase "viable business model" comes to mind, but I guess it’s rendered meaningless by words like "bajillionaire" and "pet project."

9 coffe favorites uploaded by visualpanic
tags | Corbis

Best Buy’s PR Smarts and ChargeCarte’s Customer Disservice

It’s been so long since I’ve done a Goofus and Gallant post that I’ll remind everyone we point to marketing and PR stories that demonstrate how to and how not to.

Best Buy’s High-Definition PR
Best Buy starts us out with some smart public relations. A few people have listened to me talk about Best Buy’s HD strategy – from creating HD awareness to ceasing analog TV sales across the chain.

Consider how many customers will call foul over the retailer that sold them an analog set a few months before the switch to HD.

Now we quickly digress from taking something away from customers (and getting high marks) to offering a new service to customers (and getting points off).

ChargeCarte’s Nickel and Dime Strategy
The concept sounds good...get your phone or iPod charged at the airport twice as fast as your own charger can do it.

But charging me for electricity seems more opportunistic than helpful – especially at $3 for 30 minutes for only a 50 percent charge.

This ChargeCarte is located in baggage claim – where all you want to do is exit the airport.

There’s also only one small bench located next to it. If more than one or two people use this at a time, you'll have to hover and make sure no one walks off with your phone/iPod.

ChargeCarte should have taken this technology upstream. How much would you pay for an adapter that allows you to charge your phone faster?

Something tells me I’m not the target customer.

Charge Carte?! uploaded by prblog
tags | public relations | PR | media relations | Best Buy | Goofus and Gallant | marketing | design

Four Links – 10.11.07 – Vote for Pedro, NIN Goes Free Agent, Brand Monitoring and Free Wi-Fi = World Domination

1) People’s Design Award -- Fast Company
The U.S. may have dropped the ball on that whole metric system thing, but democracy is still alive and well. The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum is accepting votes for your favorite design. Be sure to vote before 6:00 p.m. est on October 16, 2007. Winners will be announced at the National Design Awards. Power to the people!

2) First Radiohead, Now NIN -- Influx Insights
This trend will pick up steam as more "record" contracts start to expire. Just ask god money.

3) Brand Monitoring on Twitter -- Being Peter Kim
Forrester Analyst Peter Kim updates us on Twitter monitoring and points to a few other things you should be monitoring.

4) McDonald's Launches Free Wi-Fi in UK Restaurants -- Neville Hobson/Twitter
Super Size jokes aside, McDonald’s makes a big/smart move in the race to create The Third Place by offering free Wi-Fi in its 1,200 UK locations. This impacts the coffee wars too.

tags | public relations | PR | design | brand | free wi-fi | marketing

Nike's Impactful Approach To Media Relations

A presentation from Nike on “temporary branded environments” at the retail design conference I’m attending also serves as a case study in media relations.

Nike morphs pop-up retail into a targeted media relations tactic to reach key media and influencers. They create branded environments to attract, and completely immerse, their audience in a Nike experience according to Kurt Parker of Nike Asia Pacific.

Make Your Brand an Event
Consider the challenge of getting media attention at the Olympics or the World Cup. Creating destinations like Nike Park offer media, athletes and customers the chance to experience the brand and test out Nike products while generating word of mouth and media coverage.

Turn Your Brand into Art
Nike has also evolved into what it calls sports culture events like White Dunk. White Dunk brought together 25 artists to create art inspired by the Nike Dunk shoe. The end result is an art exhibit which was initially housed in a building transformed to resemble a giant, white shoebox. Online demand for the shoe surged as a result and pieces of the exhibit are now on loan to various art shows.

Athletes Serve Up the Nike Experience
The Flickr set above is from the Nike Plus News Conference in Taiwan. Marathoner Paula Radcliffe was a focus of this event where the audience was immersed in a themed environment created to show the impact the product could have on someone’s running routine.

Big Brands, Budgets and Buzz
Even an iconic brand like Nike needs to go big to stand out. Nike cannot afford to rely on a product media kit – not matter how clever – to get the coverage it needs. While I was pleased to learn that Nike does not use ad equivalency to justify its investment, I was surprised that there are few metrics in place to track ROI. Parker notes the president of Nike Brand understands the importance of these events and elements of these environments often trickle down to influence the retail launch.

Here is the takeaway that inspired me to write this post. When creating a giant media event, Nike is very careful to edit the message and to not say everything.

“Focus on saying less, but say it really well to generate more excitement than you might otherwise around a product.”

Think about that concept as you stuff your next press kit to its breaking point.

Nike Plus Taiwan Press Conference uploaded by wahaha_wu
tags | public relations | PR | media relations | media | Nike | advertising | marketing | branding | brand | design | retail design

Four Links – 08.21.07 – PRSA’s License to Spin, Threadless Offline, Facebook E-Mail and the Power of Visuals

1) PRSA Explores Certification of PR Professionals    Bulldog Reporter
This news is sure to create drama.

But I welcome another way for professionals to differentiate themselves from the industry minority giving us a bad name.

2) Threadless to Open Retail Space    Threadless
Threadless and its democratized manufacturing is cool on many levels.

By proxy, I also love retail. So news that Threadless is expanding into retail space in Chicago was big news. The store even doubles as a classroom. Smart.

3) Send E-Mail From Facebook    Marketingfm
You can now send email from Facebook to non-Facebook members. For users, this means that Facebook now allows you to access Twitter, IM, video (not blocked by (my) IT like others) and email from one interface.

This is one more reason to hate learn more about Facebook. OK, if not for this reason, consider the children as they head back to school.

4) Rock On! There’s Cream Cheese!    indexed
Another pointer to the indexed blog to remind everyone of the power of visuals. In this case, a dead simple visual communicates an idea effectively. Don't over think it!

Oh and if you've ever witnessed a co-worker squeal with glee upon the realization that there’s free food in the kitchen? You'll also appreciate this visual.

ole! uploaded by tervaja
tags | public relations | PR | PRSA | Threadless | Facebook | indexed | retail | retail design

Four Links – 07.15.07 – Your Boss on Facebook, PowerPoint Turns 20, InviteShare and Wagstaff on Twitter

1) OMG -- My Boss Wants to 'Friend' Me On My Online Profile   The Wall Street Journal
While several younger coworkers are on Facebook, this article makes me reticent to reach out to them or to create a network connecting all of us. Don’t wanna come off as that skeevy guy in marketing.

2) PowerPoint Turns 20   Influx Insights
Remember life before .ppt? I once schlepped a wheel of slides to a big presentation at Procter & Gamble for my boss and our CEO. And when the wheel was overturned, slides spilling everywhere, I remember being thankful I didn’t spill them and even more thankful I got to watch my CEO's reaction. Good times.

3) Get Beta Invites at InviteShare   Advertising Lab
Are you a joiner? Still pissed no one invited you to join Orkut? You’ll love InviteShare where you can share invites to closed beta tests.

4) The Rise and Fall of Blogging, Twitter and Facebook   Loose Wire Blog
WSJ’s Wagstaff makes an interesting case on where this is all going.

Twitter…push(ed) blogging away from writing and more into connecting. Most people read blogs because they wanted to feel connected to other people by reading what they were thinking. But it's time consuming, and as blogs proliferated, and as blog posts tended to get longer, readers had less and less time to read these things.

tags | Powerpoint | Facebook | InviteShare | Twitter

Friday Flickr Fix – 06.29.07 – All Hail the iPhone

My vacation kicks off today. Believe it or not I won’t be standing in line for an iPhone.

But in honor of a really, really, ridiculously good looking product launch, I have to give a mobile phone salute to Apple’s PR Team.

Perhaps they can eventually lend their talent to help non-profit organizations like the Derek Zoolander Center For Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too.

iPhone playing Zoolander uploaded by bryanchang
tags | iPhone

Social Media x Distributed Web ≠ Good Design

As a firm believer of learning by doing, I can currently be found here, at another blog, on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. And don’t forget YouTube, MyRagan and LinkedIn.

Social Media Disease
How do you serve up your online proclivities in one spot to access and promote them more easily? Adpulp points to a possible solution – add a widget or badge to your homepage.

"Badges? We Don’t Need No Stinking Badges."

This might work for one or two sites. But less really is more in online design. In fact, my old, vanilla blog design is back in style as even the savviest of social media gurus revert to a more minimal design.

Typepad Pages may be the cure for social media disease. It allows you to create dedicated pages off your blog. Rohit at Influential Marketing has already used it to create a social media bio.

As a temporary solution, this makes the most sense. But it's a bit like sweeping the dust beneath the rug from a design perspective. So widget designers aren’t off the hook. They need to make the widget designs simpler to customize and able to blend into a site. Otherwise my slow-loading sidebar will look like a stack of geek merit badges.

tags | marketing | blog | social media | design