Strategic Public Relations

Top 10 Blog Posts and Other Content That Stands Out From The Crowd

We’ve pointed you to AideRSS before in a previous post. It provides a quick and easy to determine which content on a blog is the most popular.

Note I did not say which content is the best. Despite the fact that this qualitative measure is subjective, the best content does not always generate the most quantitative buzz.

My 10 most popular posts are below, more details on my blog content can be found here.

1.Research Shows Web 2.0's Future is in Business Collaboration

2. Lasting Impact: Storytelling Makes Messages Memorable

3. Daryl Toor is a Tool

4. CBS: The Magazine?

5. Ready to Pitch a Blog? Take This Quiz First

6. PR Opportunity in SEO is Short-Sighted

7. This Blog is Five Years Old

8. In Your Face: Ad Placements of Tomorrow

9. Top 10 Twitter Hacks

10. Branding a Destination – BrandingWire 2

Crowd jumping!! uploaded by Being LarsLars
tags | public relations | PR | advertising | marketing | blog | branding

50 People, One Question

Fifty People, One Question: Restored from Benjamin Reece on Vimeo

At nearly eight minutes in length, this video is really more of a short film. It breaks the “ADD rule” for computer videos big time. But I wanted to post it here for a couple of reasons.

It shows the power of authentic storytelling. And it shows that something simple can be profound.

Yeah, the above was filmed in HD with a sound mixer vs. the "Flip Camera, Windows Movie Maker specials" I slap together. But instead of over thinking this, you should just watch the video and answer the question they pose. Enjoy!

via Patricia Mayo

Issuu Transforms PDF Files into Online Publications

Get your own - Open publication

The best way to tell you about Issuu is to show you. So I embedded this publication I help create at work for our customers.

According to the site you can “upload any PDF file and have it instantly converted to an online publication.” The site is pretty slick -- easy to use and it serves up the files very elegantly. Issuu also makes it easy to post your publications on Facebook, MySpace and several blogging platforms.

Issuu is to PDFs what SlideShare is to PowerPoint decks -- a blessing for anyone publishing content in these formats online.

Much like SlideShare, your content will be part of a library of other publications. You can also rate the content and share it with others/republish it. It looks like folks are also using Issuu to host their portfolios. This is a great idea as the interface and user experience are perfect for the creative/design set.

via Shane Haggerty
tags | Issuu | SlideShare

Chanel Turns iPhone App Store into a Fashion Show

♫On ze catwalk I do my little turn….♫

Just in time for Fashion Week, Chanel dropped a new application into the iTunes App Store. Chanel’s Haute Couture Show F/W 08/9 puts its latest fashions into the palm of your hand.

This application is smart. It includes a quick video of the fashion show, more than 60 pics of the latest fashions, news feed and a store locater.

As marketers scramble to connect with the iPhone demographic, they should consider this approach. It's a mobile event blog, with time-based value. You could encourage the application owners to include their own content through a page with event tags and links to mobile Twitter and Flickr apps.

If I were headed to a major event like the Super Bowl or the Grammys, I wouldn't think twice to download an application supporting the event…even if it would be essentially useless post-game. The Chanel store locater is getting mixed reviews, but the news “chanel” may make users more likely to keep the app on their device.

OK, I’m more of the t-shirt set than the jet set. So I have to ask, does this app make me look fat?

On ze catwalk, I do my little turn... uploaded by prblog
tags | advertising | marketing | Chanel | Fashion Week | branding | brand

Help a Reporter Out

Peter Shankman’s Help a Reporter Out service has been getting more attention and, as a result, more members. Nearly 30,000 people get emails from Shankman filled with media requests.

Specific media requests are what sales people would consider a qualified lead. Unfortunately PR people are still not closing the sale. The problem? (Really) bad pitches.

As a co-author over at the Bad Pitch Blog, Peter asked me to join him on a teleseminar to help folks improve their pitching skills. In an hour. Hey, you have to start somewhere.

One thing we’ll cover is basic media relations rules. Some of the rules seem obvious, but they bear repeating. Like, you know, make sure you actually have NEWS to pitch in the first place. Just sayin’.

More details are here. If you have any questions you want answered during the call, drop me an email.

tags | public relations | PR | media relations | HARO | Peter Shankman

Brands Are Curating Cool

Sponsorships allow companies to associate themselves with brands deemed complementary or with a better connection to a target audience. This marketing technique is an art and a science. Association by sponsorship or other means can come off ham-fisted or make it tough to stand out and make an impact.

MINI and Urban Outfitters take a new approach to associating themselves with complimentary brands – serving as curator instead of sponsor.

MINI’s Custom Paint Shop first tapped into its customers’ creativity. This mass customization tool has helped MINI become the car of choice for the creative class and in turn fueled MINI Space.

”MINI Space is an urban initiative by MINI. It's about taking part in creative projects, competitions, events and parties - about getting involved in "Creative Use of Space". >snip< In a nutshell, this website is a hub for connecting creative people, events and projects!

Anyone see a car reference in that quote? This is not a thinly-veiled site designed to get you to buy more MINI. This is a site bringing value to an audience much broader than MINI customers. You’ll see a similar theme at the Urban Outfitters blog.

UO gets local by detailing the cultural scene in local markets. Take Chicago. You can get a quick read on local music, design and online events of note.

Curating is a different kind of investment for a brand. While a sponsorship can buy access and build awareness, brand curating earns these things while focusing on loyalty. It’s a lot of work. But brands like Urban Outfitters and MINI know this investment pays dividends when you are trying to do more than make a sale.

tags | Urban Outfitters | MINI | marketing | branding | brand