Strategic Public Relations

Black Friday and the Bigger Picture

The annual melees erupting over the hot, must-have toys are not examples of effective marketing. They are a sad reflection of consumers, retailers and toy makers.

If toy makers can’t won’t aren’t going to step up and figure something out, the retailers surely can.

Even Taco Bell is capitalizing, albeit creatively, on this sad phenomena. And don’t get me started on the Fourth Meal.

As we approach Black Friday, we’re in for more long lines and short supplies amongst other things.

But no toy is worth a beat down or acting like an ass clown. Check yourself accordingly.

tags | marketing | Taco Bell | Sony Playstation 3 | TMX Elmo | Black Friday

HELP Me Fix My Blog

To my e-mail and RSS readers, you probably didn't realize that my blog is broken.

OK, more accurately, my sidebar needs to go on a diet. It's pushing over and obscuring text in my posts.

I think it's due to specs with my Feedblitz code. But I played with it and nothing happened.

Anyone with an idea of how I can fix this, or a dimension I should shoot for with the Feedblitz field, please leave a comment below. It's greatly appreciated. The more I play with my code, the more opportunity there is for me to really screw up this very simple template.

I'll even send a prize to the person with the first correct answer. Thanks!

UPDATE: Within minutes of posting, I got the hook up. Thanks to Nedra Weinreich and Feedblitz' Phil Hollows. Crisis averted. If Phil does not claim his prize, I'll send you an e-mail Nedra.

Robert Scoble's Got Intel Inside

Rohit has revealed that the Intel mystery blogger is none other than Robert Scoble.

This is a great move by Intel to get a second wave of interest in their Blogger Challenge campaign. Not to mention, Scoble’s informed perspective brings interesting content to the competition.

Congratulations to all involved.

tags | public relations | PR | social media relations | marketing | Intel | Intel mystery blogger | Robert Scoble

Bloglines Beefs Up Features With Playlists

Of the 175-plus feeds I track using Bloglines, it can be daunting to look at all of them at once. They might as well be stacks of magazines piled up on my desk.

Bloglines new feature helps with this problem, allowing you to create playlists of specific feeds.

What if you have certain feeds you view only in the morning? You don't want to re-arrange your whole "My Feeds" listing just for this time of day. Playlists lets you create short groupings of feeds to access from your main list. Create them, change them, even delete them--all without changing your original "tree" of feeds. What song playlists are to your MP3 library, Bloglines Playlists are to your Bloglines blogs & feeds.

The best part of the playlist feature, in my opinion, is how it serves up feeds and their recent posts in one page view. It’s easy to set up and is a helpful way to navigate, read and organize the long list of feeds you can accumulate over time.

I realize many of you get this feed via email or use another feed reader to access this blog. But I’m posting this positive experience with Bloglines as they take a lot of heat for not keeping up with their competitors. Playlists are a small, smart step in the right direction.

In Letters Buffet Released Publicly uploaded by Thomas Hawk

tags | Bloglines | RSS | blog

Four Links – 11.13.06

1) Launch of Pubic Hair Coloring Product Line Scores PR Coup: Advertising Age (reg. req.)
Is it me or were the editors high fiving each other for getting pubic hair and scores into the same headline? The mind races with other, much wittier, things to say, but I’ll check swing.

2) Web 3.0? Gimme a break: ZDNet
Stop the madness. Despite The New York Times’ (reg. req.) flagrant use of this phrase, I agree with McKendrick. “Maybe its time to start our plea to vendors, analysts, and even the mainstream media before this thing really grows legs.”

Kill the use of Web 3.0 before it starts.

3) The PRSA International Conference Blog: The Public Relations Society of America
PRSA’s blog is covering elements of its annual, international conference. You’ll find plenty of kool-aid for anyone needing a pep talk about our profession.

“24-7-365, events are unfolding in every corner of the world that in some way touch or influence the reputation, growth, progress and standing of nations, industries and organizations.”

Since it’s Monday, I’m taking several gulps…right after I finish my coffee.

4) Media in Second Life Not Too Different From First: Communication Overtones
Plan on pitching to media IN Second Life? You know the drill; learn their likes and dislikes as you would in the real world.

Kami Huyse links to some great discussions she’s arranged with SL-based editors. She also links to Business Communicators in Second Life, giving you even more opportunities to learn before you leap.

With all the dust we’re kicking up in SL, I should create Bad Pitch Island. At the center of the island, banned PR people will have a place to hang their head in shame.

tags | public relations | PR | media relations | Second Life | Betty Beauty | bad pitch blog | PRSA

Four Links – 11.09.06

1) Indexed
After only four months of posts, Indexed looks like the gapingvoid of index cards. Props to Canuckflack for pointing it out.

2) Broadcast News Design on Election Day: Logic+Emotion
“Cable news is an intense environment—and looking at the election coverage, the intensity seems reflected in the broadcast design. Here's a high-level breakdown of some general observations.”

3) Flickr-Related Tag Browser
Speaking of visuals, here’s more Flickr fun! This flash-based interface serves up images brilliantly.

4) Big Media Marches on TV Turf: The New York Post
Just in time for the holidays, Microsoft Xbox 360 notes their new game consoles can serve up movies and TV shows. At the same time, Verizon and YouTube may partner to deliver YouTube video content to Verizon phones. This is big news as it relates to the evolution of on-demand content. Regardless of the screen, device, place or time—consumers want content on their terms.

tags | Verizon | YouTube | Xbox 360 | third screen | gapingvoid | Flickr

SEC, Sun Looking at Blogs for Fair Disclosure

According to the AP, SEC Chief Christopher Cox has invited Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz "to talk to the agency about the idea of allowing companies to disclose significant financial information through blogs."

How did he extend the invite? Via a comment on Schwartz' blog appropriately enough. Schwartz requested that blogs be included into Regulation FD "as a way to expand investors' access to information."

Wow. Could this spell the end of the news release? Sorry Tom, not just yet. I do think it will accelerate the development of the social media news release. This is something even PR Newswire and Businesswire have been busy developing.

A growing number of major companies now publish corporate blogs or online diaries. The SEC position is that current regulations do allow for blogs to be used to disseminate companies' financial information, provided a particular blog reaches a broad audience.

This does more to revive the discussion around CEO blogs and, unfortunately, applying MSM metrics to social media's most powerful tool.

tags | public relations | PR | media relations | regulation FD | SEC | CEO blogs | blog | Jonathan Schwartz | | news release| social media

U.S. Readers: VOTE!

As the 2006 elections hurtle towards us, I want to kill my TV set.

The endless parade of mudslinging 30 second spots started in October and have more than oversaturated their targets. It doesn't matter if a media outlet leans left or right this time of year--they all take cash.

This post was going to point you to some examples of how social media has changed the elections this year.

But instead of adding my noise to the din, I'll simply remind my U.S. readers to get out and vote Tuesday.

"I'm Kevin Dugan, and I approve this message."

VOTE! uploaded by dgans

tags | election day | vote | social media | news media | political ads

Friday Flickr Fix – 11.03.06

Think Halloween is cool? For years now, I’ve wanted to experience Dia De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead.

Held right after Halloween, Flickr gives us a slice of the holiday using more than 10,000 images (vs. Halloween with more than 780K).

Painted skulls for sale uploaded by Carmyarmyofme

tags | public relations | PR | Halloween | Dia De Los Muertos | Day of the Dead | Flickr

20 Tips for Marketers Entering Second Life

Prokofy Neva of the Second Thoughts blog brings us 20 do’s and don’ts for big business entering Second Life.

It’s a great list that also shows the contrast between constructive criticism and destructive rants.

I’m working on a larger post based on the spare moments I’ve spent on the grid. This includes properly congratulating the team at crayon.

Until then, here are my favorites from Prokofy Neva’s list.

* Give avatars a take-home that isn't just lame brand swag.

* Do not put pictures of RL people into the build. It really kills the immersion. They contrast unfavourably with the avatars, who are going to be anything from robots to furries to sexy blondes with hoochie hair that can run circles around these AA coyote-ugly gals. Look at what people actually dress up like in the world.

* Talk to people who spend time living and working as avatars in the virtual world to see what they think and what they want. Don't just believe metaversal marketing companies -- do focus groups.

* If an idea doesn't work, don't be afraid of quickly deleting it and rebuilding from scratch -- this is a highly changeable, malleable, fixable world where the costs of rebuilding are still low.

Via MIT Advertising Lab

tags | public relations | PR | avatars | advertising | marketing | crayon | Prokofy Neva | Urizenus Sklar | Second Life