Strategic Public Relations

Forbes' Attack on the Blogs

The much-blogged Forbes article Attack of the Blogs has caused quite a stir in the sphere. That's because the article is misleading and provides some really bad advice. But the catchy cover story is not a surprising move. We see the media build something up only to tear it down all the time. Case in point: the Atkins Diet. Usually the topic simply cannot live up to the cacophonic buzz surrounding it.

We can make long-winded passionate rebuttals to each point and give Forbes more juice than a grove of Florida's finest oranges. Or we can move on and keep doing our best work. Keep blogging smart content. Keep evangelizing. Keep applying blogs in new and interesting ways. Start a conversation on blogging and teach others how to do it. Bad examples will still pop up. But they'll be the exception to the rule. In mash-up, hyper-summary: Blog. Rule. Blogs Rule.

For more on this "inciteful" article, check out posts at/by: A Shel of my Former Self, Dan Gillmor, Naked Conversations, Jeremy Pepper.

tags: blog, Forbes, Daniel Lyons

Product Naming: Dogs, Smokes and Cars

This week’s Goofus and Gallant post is on product naming. The first Goofus goes to Beneful. Combining names to create a new brand or product name is risky. Beneficial and wonderful are great words to try and connect with Fido’s food, but pop culture had this name put to sleep. At least for me, the name “Bennifer” comes to mind every time I hear Beneful. And I’ve been hearing it a lot lately with a ton of online ads to support their recent appearance on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.

The Gallant goes to Eukanuba. There is a story to this unique name and all good brands should have a story to tell. Disclaimer: The Iams Company was a client of mine many moons ago.

Other names that get the Goofus include Leganza and Altria. For the name of a car model, Leganza sounds like an aspirational attempt at confidence. It comes up short. Altria is simply a bait and switch. Philip Morris purchased Kraft Foods and did not want a direct connection between the two brands.

Tobacco companies need to switch products, not names. Philip Morris should stop selling tobacco, buy a car manufacturer and make some changes. A Marlboro Truck will sell. Virginia Slims can compete with the Mini Cooper and whatever the Kool looks like, I’m test driving it (even though Kool is not a PM brand).

For more on product naming, visit Seth Godin and Snark Hunting.

tags: product naming, marketing, branding, brand

"Bless me Father for I have Blogged"

With 16 years of Catholic school under my belt, I HAD to post on this news of the church crossing into state and infringing on the First Amendment. The AP tells us that a N.J.-based Roman Catholic high school, Pope John XXIII Regional, has instructed students "to remove to remove their online diaries from the Internet, citing a threat from cyberpredators," or risk suspension.

That should work. Push kids into a corner and tell them not to do something extremely popular during one of the more rebellious periods of their lives.

Kurt Opsahl of the Electronic Frontier Foundation nails it: "It would be better if they taught students what they should and shouldn't do online rather than take away the primary communication tool of their generation."

I sent Father Roderick Vonhögen an email for his opinion on this poor decision/over reaction. Father Vonhögen hosts the popular "Godcast" Catholic Insider. I'll update you on his response. Until then, just ask yourself: What would Jesus blog?

tags: podcast, Godcast, blog, Catholic, Catholic Insider

Rosa Parks' Impact on the Blogosphere

When someone credited with changing who changed the world for the better passes on, their star shines even brighter. Rosa Parks is an inspiration, an icon for change and courage exemplified.

Pete Blackshaw sent me this link showing the impact Rosa Parks' passing had on the blogosphere in real-time. The short film captures how quickly the news spread.

It also raises the question as to when Pete will give us access to this turbo-charged tracking tool. Is it home grown by Intelliseek or functionality they might add to the site?

UPDATE: Pete provides details on his Consumer-Generated Media blog.

tags: Rosa Parks, blog, blogpulse

PRSA Shows How NOT to Cancel an Event

The Public Relations Society of America wisely cancelled its annual conference in light of Hurricane Wilma. Unfortunately, the financial implications are large for this national, non-profit association.

Even the International Association of Online Communicators rallies support for the organization with a call for ideas to help the PRSA maintain momentum for the year based on this decision. In an announcement on the PRSA site, it appears they may try and reschedule.

Unfortunately they also posted the following statement regarding refunds:

To request a refund, we ask that you write a letter to PRSA to include the following information:
Your name, organization, phone number and e-mail address;
The reason for your being unable to attend the Conference (please be specific -- e.g., your flight was cancelled, the seminar you were planning to attend was cancelled, etc.).

Ouch. The PRSA should make it a bit easier to get a refund. I can already see the piles of letters, printed dutifully on official company stationery. The "specific" reasons submitted for being unable to attend should be passionate if nothing else.

The PRSA may reschedule the event and get good attendance. Maybe I can even attend this one. But posting the standard refund policy in a unique situation like this is bad form. The PRSA might lose a few bucks, but bad buzz is even more expensive. Making it easy for registered attendees to get their money back is just good business. Here are some constructive ideas on how PRSA can move past this setback.

* Hold the Event. Online.  Promoted properly, they can offset some of the financial loss and still deliver valuable programming to the membership. Handouts could be hosted in an online library for download and a handful of PR bloggers/podcasters might be given media passes to promote the online event to a wider audience. Attendees registered for the cancelled event would get a partial refund and registration would be opened up to a larger, international audience. Sponsorship might also be revisited to see if any new opportunities present themselves. Webex might be interested in helping host the online event.

* Make Lemonade.  Whether it is rescheduled or not, EVERY registered attendee should receive follow up communication from the PRSA. The letter should restate the decision and outline next steps. It should also include a discount voucher for the 2006 event and ask the recipient if she would be interested in helping create next year’s program through an online focus group. The 2005 crowd would be more likely to cash in these coupons if they had buy-in to next year’s content.

These ideas won't erase the financial loss, but they could build some good buzz for the organization. Be sure to add your ideas to this list or stop by IAOC blog and join their thread on this topic.

tags: PRSA, public relations, hurricane wilma, PR, IAOC

What Defines a Blog?

CBS joins the fake/character blog fray for one of its sitcoms, How I Met Your Mother. "Barney's Blog" is named after a character played by Neil Patrick Harris.*

Barney's Blog is not the first character blog; it's not even the first TV character blog. What is unique is that Barney references his blog in one of the episodes. So now we're even seeing the promotion of a TV show embedded in the show itself. Oy.

Blog Ingredients?
But I'm not interested in revisiting the fake blog meme. Examine Barney's Blog and riddle me this: Is it a blog? There are no comments, no trackbacks and no RSS feeds. Each item is a key element that makes a blog the highly-networked tool we know and love. Content does not apply to this discussion, not to mention who actually wrote it.

What are the minimum, essential elements are that make a blog more than just a web site?

Weigh in with your opinion. And for an update on character blogs, check out Business Week, Ad Freak and Movie Marketing Madness.

*Some may recall Harris also played Doogie Howser. M.D.. Considering Doogie always ended each episode by posting to his personal, computer-based journal (not online in those days), he was an appropriate choice.

tags: fake blogs, character blogs, blogs, marketing

The Lifecycle of a Media Relations Pitch

This morning I'll be leading a panel discussion on the lifecycle of a media relations pitch at the Cincinnati Chapter of the PRSA.

All too often, public relations practitioners focus solely on the middle of the pitch. This of course involves learning as much as possible about your target audience and sending it at just the right time in the exact manner the journalist likes to receive news. Yes, journalists do like to receive sound pitches that are newsworthy.

But what if your pitch sucks in the first place? If the pitch is garbage, it doesn't matter how you send it or to whom you send it. It will, and should, wind up in the circular file.

The panel will focus on all three stages of the pitch: preparation, the pitch and what to do once/if the journo responds. The third stage is when the work really begins and was the inspiration for this panel.

If anyone is interested in receiving the PowerPoint presentation for this 101 review, drop me an email/comment and I will send it along/post it here.

No worries navel gazers! The pesky b-word WILL be a part of the day's discussions as we focus on journalists mainstream and citizen. While in the thick of pitching her own news with AOL, Intelliseek's Sue MacDonald will stop by to discuss blogs, RSS and podcasting. Former PR Week journo John Frank will be leading the afternoon luncheon on mixed media where we get folks from all forms of media together to discuss the finer points of media relations.

UPDATE: Based on popular demand, you can download the 2MB PowerPoint file here. Having presented it, I will throw out two important caveats. 1) The notes are ROUGH background vs. a strict script. 2) The verbage is biased towards print media vs. electronic or online. However, as these are the basics, they still apply to all forms of media IMHO. Any and all feedback is appreciated.

tags: public relations, media relations, blog, PR

Microsoft & Yahoo Linking IM Networks

Marketing Shift brings news that Microsoft and Yahoo! are linking their IM networks. They instantly become the #2 network with 40 percent of the market. AOL has 50 percent.

This move could have an even bigger impact then just on the instant messaging industry. If the talks about Microsoft buying AIM from AOL are still moving forward, Microsoft could potential control 90 percent of the Instant Messaging market. Add this to the 88 percent of the browser market owned by Microsoft Internet Explorer and the 85 percent of the PC operating system market controlled by Microsoft Windows, and you get a lot of potential contextual ad space and potential searches.

It's odd, yet somehow refreshing, to see a market where Google doesn't show up with seemingly Magoo-like, beta luck and walk right past these two titans. Perhaps Microsoft's "blogger to be" will help keep a friendly face on Bill Gate's dominant market share. It worked once.

UPDATE: Shel Holtz discusses the news in the latest For Immediate Release podcast (at approx 36:54 into show #76).

tags: Microsoft, instant messaging, instant message, Yahoo!, AOL

The $16,000 iPod Accessory

Nope, Apple did not unveil a diamond-studded mp3 player.*  Chevy is advertising its new HHR as the "All In One iPod Accessory."

It's a smart move for Chevy based on the amount of iPods flooding the streets. Tying your new product to a brand that's got more buzz going for it can pay off big.

But to tout an automobile as an accessory to an mp3 player is a bit much. Could it influence your purchase? Sure. Will it give Chevy an edge? Maybe. But talk about the tail wagging the dog. Read Chevy’s fine print…iPod not included.

Chevy follows Volvo, BMW and Mercedes-Benz who also tout their iPod-friendly cars. In fact, Steve Jobs recently announced that 30 percent of cars will offer iPod connectivity in the US in 2006.

Music is an excellent way to enhance your brand experience. In fact, for the last 18 months, Mercedes-Benz has been spinning more than wheels on its web site. Mixed Tape is a custom, Mercedes-Benz branded mix made available for free download.

There have been plenty of bad iPod tie-ins (via AdRants). But to be clear, this is NOT a bad tie-in, just a bad ad. Chevy, I've owned your products and I want you to win. But this ad gets the Goofus. Who gets the Gallant? BMW wins for its “seamless integration of the iPod and automobile.”

More on the iPod-friendly cars at Ubercool.

* Yes, I know that iPods do not play mp3 files. iPods play mp4 files, which are proprietary to iPods, iTunes and the Apple platform. Regardless, I’m not calling it an mp4 player.

tags: Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, Chevy HHR, advertising, marketing, brand, iPod

MTV Taps into Consumer-Generated Media

We've gone from "I want my MTV," to "I want my CGM" (you're old(er) if you get that reference, btw). The trend gurus at PSFK bring us a cool new example of CGM.

mtvU is trying to harness consumer-generated media with its new mtvU Uber. According to the buzzword-laden news release:

As part of MTV's 24-hour college network, mtvU Uber is available through non-stop streaming video and on-demand, enabling viewers to customize their experience.

mtvU's on-air programming is currently seen on over 730 campuses and will now be available to everyone via mtvU Uber. It will also showcase a powerful line-up of original programming driven by new music, short-form series, and the best student-produced short films, music videos, animation and webisodes.

”We are handing over an entire channel online to college students and everyone who wants new music," said Stephen Friedman, GM, mtvU.”

Submissions are already being accepted and could prove to become an interesting resource in the creative talent market. Tip to ad agencies, Hollywood and other creative service firms, your next co-op, intern or employee may be on mtvU Uber.

UPDATE: MTV just acquired IFILM. This is big for mtvu Uber. IFILM is a great distribution channel for CGM. It's surprising MTV hasn't done something like this already and created their version of the Sundance Channel, focusing on garage bands, unsigned acts and the like. This purchase means MTV could become the first media outlet to do more than simply play with CGM but really wrap it into its offering. Read: make money off it.

tags: marketing, blog, MTV, consumer-generated media, IFILM