Trading your soul for a good story

There is outrage at a South Korean news channel for filming the suicide of a man without making any attempt to prevent it.  Rightly so.

What is happening to mankind?  When did it become acceptable, or even worse: the norm, to be a mere spectator to life?  Is this a negative effect of our modern age we weren't prepared for?


Advances in technology and social media have transformed us into journalists, critics, publishers and producers.  It started out as giving every body with access to technology the opportunity to voice an opinion.  And that is great!  Democracy at its best. 

We tasted power.  No longer can corporations afford to ignore our pleas or requests, no longer can our complaints be ignored.  There are few things that can hurt the reputation of a brand like an ignored, disgruntled customer on social media.

Where did it go wrong then?  In my opinion there are two factors to blame.  The first is that when we constantly place a machine between us and our fellow humans, they become dehumanized.  When you tear somebody to shreds on a discussion board, you do not think about the person or his/her feelings.  You become a key board warrior with the right to an opinion, even at the expense of somebody else. 

Secondly, competition has crept into the virtual world.  Whether you monetize your work or not, most of us are chasing hits.  It is all about exposure.  The same holds true for old media.  Viewers are swamped with content.  Journalists are constantly looking for new angles to attract attention.

There must come a time when we say enough is enough.  A time when we take a long, hard look at our values.  A time when helping a fellow human being is worth far more than ratings.

Media failing its duty as 4th estate

There is no other way to start this blog than in the traditional fairy tale manner of once upon a time. 

Once upon a time the media could be relied upon to ensure the health of democracy.

Once upon a time the media supplied unbiased information to citizens in order for them to make responsible, informed choices.

But those days are long gone.  Media has fallen under the spell of the spectacle.  If the truth no longer sells papers or lead to website hits, then a spectacle surely will.  More emphasis is placed on sensationalizing the news than on securing accuracy.

Mass media still influences the public's point of view.  Yet, even though we are aware of the manipulating ways of the media, we are quite often still fooled into thinking we know the real story, when in fact we have been deceived.

Listen to your clients!

Dear Tourism Australia,

I LOVE your advertising campaigns.  It captures everything I treasure about this beautiful country ... breathtaking scenery, relaxed lifestyle, friendly locals, sunshine, the bush, the beach ... could heaven offer more?

However, there is just one little bit of advice I would like to give you.  The marketing mix actually consists of 4P's.  It seems to me that you have the product, the place and the promotion down to a tee.  Yet, somehow you have missed out on a very important component:  PRICE!

Until you understand that price actually matters, Australians will continue to book the cheaper overseas holidays.  If you do not want to take my word for it, look at the results from a survey in The Brisbane Times.  This article was promoting the good old Australian beach holiday asking readers at the end whether they would choose an Australian holiday over a cheap overseas one.
70% of the 1794 readers responded negatively.

However, I am a positive person and seeing that the poll will run for 2 more days, I will keep an open mind.  I am also hopeful that you will realize in the near future that times are tough and that emotional pleas alone will not be enough to keep the Australian dollar in the country.

Creating news where there isn't any ...

Has there ever been a baby that received the same amount of media coverage as His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge?  Although I agree that it is a joyous occasion, I am seriously questioning whether we could still refer to the greater media as the fourth estate.

What happened to hard news stories?  I feel as if I am living in a vacuum with the royal pregnancy and birth the only news.  Half of the time allocated for news on television were taken up by reporters speculating on the birth or the name.  All I am asking for is a little bit of perspective and thank goodness one newspaper delivered just that.  Take a look at the coverage of The Private Eye:

Edgy design crossing the line

There is a lot of speculation about Urban Outfitters' latest t-shirt - did they knowingly invoke the symbol used or was it an uninformed mistake.  The design on the front of the t-shirt resembles the gang symbol for Chicago based Gangster Disciples.  According to the Daily Mail this is definitely not a gang you would want to cross swords with.

The t-shirt was designed by Australian brand Vanguard.  It would have been perfectly normal to expect Vanguard to go into overdrive in order to stem the negative publicity.  However, in typical laid back Australian style the reaction of director of Vanguard, Jono Cottee, to this whole debacle is quoted by Pedestrian tv:

“It is a pretty widely used symbol, I thought. I thought Raphael the Ninja Turtle carried one around in his shell.   I am not up to date on my 'Chicago Underbelly' series 4 I guess. For us it was more of a trident/satan reference if anything.”

At least Cottee's statement clears up the speculation.  Personally I am not impressed with this statement.  It indicates a lack of understanding of global markets.  Just because a symbol does not have a specific meaning in Australia, one cannot simply assume that it would not carry a meaning in America.  This comment also indicates that Cottee does not fully understand the impact of wearing such a t-shirt in Chicago would have.

IM FROM CHICAGO. YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE STUPID TO BE WALKING IN THE STREETS WITH THIS ON. ITS LIKE SAYING " HEY IM WITH THIS GANG COME KILL ME"

(Comment from Nina - Daily Mail)

Iconic magazine getting it wrong

 

Rolling Stone was criticized heavily on social media for choosing the Boston bomber DZhokhar Tsarnaev as their cover.  The question is whether this is marketing gone wrong or good, investigative journalism.

Ever heard the saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity?  I think those days are over thanks to social media.  Consumers are able to share their opinions and show their disapproval. Every person engaged in social media has the ability to inflict real and long lasting damage to the image of a company.  It was evident that this topic was hot with 4465 people leaving comments, 2972 tweeting about it and 4.1k sharing it on Facebook.

 The general feeling on Twitter was that this decision of Rolling Stone elevates a criminal to stardom.  "Why not feature some of the survivors or the grieving families?" was the prevailing sentiment.  Some people felt so strongly about this, that they cancelled their subscription to the magazine.

Even before reading the article, I am bothered and puzzled by Rolling Stone's reaction.  I do not think that companies should sway to please their customers in every little way.  But let's face it, this is not a little way, this is an emotionally charged issue and an approach that most people find insensitive and downright insulting.  Rolling Stone defended the article with this statement:

Our hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, and our thoughts are always with them and their families. The cover story we are publishing this week falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone’s long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day. The fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young, and in the same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue and gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this happens. –THE EDITORS

My opinion was not swayed after reading the article.  It is written from a very sympathetic point of view.  I do agree that it is important to understand how a tragedy like this occurred, but using an angelic picture of the perpetrator and trying to get readers to identify with his struggles is hardly the way to achieve it.  I think you failed in your duty as journalists.  I think your marketing department failed in understanding your target market.  The only test that still remains is how your PR department will handle this?

Can your business afford PR?

The real question is actually whether your business can afford to continue without PR.  The 2012 IBIS report on PR in Australia points out that marketing budgets are the first items to be sacrificed during an economic downturn.  However, PR is often viewed as a more specialized field and therefore delivering better value for money.  The report also elaborates on the importance of communication with all stakeholders during a downturn.  This is precisely the time you need to focus on public relations in order to calm fears and avoid crises.

So what is PR?

Public Relations (PR) is a vast field encompassing all communications of a business.  The aim of PR is to engage, collaborate and develop trust between the business and its public.  It is about sensing and responding to change as well as to provide clarity in times of confusion.

What can PR do for your business?

Increase the visibility of your business
This is achieved through appropriate exposure to the media.  However, old media alone is no longer sufficient on its own.  It needs to be complimented with online communication in the form of interactive websites, blogging and social media sites.

Manage the business's image
Modern customers expect more than a good product at a good price.  They also want to know that the business stand for, what does it represent, what does it value.  In addition to exposure through media PR aids with this by organizing meetings and collaborating with community leaders and stakeholders.  It is also vital that your business give back to the community.

 A good PR team really becomes invaluable during a crisis.  The team will have the expertise to guide you through while keeping the potential damage to a bare minimum.

Raise your profile
With ever increasing competition, it is crucial that you set your business apart from the rest.  It will take time and dedication to build your credibility.  Yet, once your PR team have established it and people trust your knowledge and experience, you will have established yourself as the go-to business.

Create a loyal customer base
Good PR will build strong relationships with customers which in turn will lead to returning customers.  A business should never forget that it is far easier and more cost effective to retain a customer than to attract a new one.
 

8 things that make a story newsworthy

Have you ever wondered what it would take for your business to be featured in media?  It is really not all that difficult.  Before you pick up the phone to call a journalist, go through my list to ensure that you can provide a newsworthy angle.

• Well timed

Stories covering current events have the greatest news value.  In our technologically connected world, it is becoming increasingly difficult for media outlets to be the first to break a story.  Just spend a couple of hours on Twitter and you'll be amazed at the vast majority of news stories being covered way before the major media outlets get hold of it. 

I would urge you to entertain the thought of publishing your story via social media.  If you are still a bit skeptical or uncertain and prefer exposure through traditional media, ask yourself : What does your business have to offer that is new and exciting?  It might be a new product, discount or a special deal.  You'll gain the greatest benefit if you could tie it in with a particular event.  For example, if you are a landscape architect, you could pitch a story to a journalist before the annual Gardening Show about the free quotations on offer when people visit your store at the show.

Clearly planning is a crucial factor.  Mark all the big events that are related to your business on the calendar well in advance.  This affords you the time to organize your special offerings and releases of new products as well as enough time to get media coverage in a timely fashion.

• Proximity

Stories that occur closer to home, have a greater impact. The same principle rings true for media publications.  Your local newspaper will certainly be more likely to publish your story than a national paper.  People simply  care first and foremost about what is happening in their own back yard.

• Prominence

Stories featuring powerful or well know people carry more weight. If a high profile person has ties with your business be sure to flaunt it!  It might be as simple as featuring your local member of parliament enjoying his regular morning coffee at your shop. 

• Unusual

Stories that deviate from the usual lean towards the dramatic.  These stories are the conversation starters and mostly pure entertainment. Any unusual or quirky angle to your business will help to make it newsworthy.

• Conflict

We all share some sort of fascination with conflict.  It stems from our embedded need for security and well-being.  Stories about war or terrorism always occupy the most prominent position in newspapers and on the evening news. 

Although no business wants to be portrayed as experiencing internal conflict or the cause of conflict, it is great if you could pitch your business as part of the solution to any conflict.

• Impact

Impact deals with how many people will be affected by your business.  Say for instance you have opened a raw food restaurant.  You already have the advantage of this being something unusual, yet well timed as many people are working towards a healthier way of living.  If you could produce statistics of the benefit of incorporating raw food into your diet on a regular basis, it will emphasize just how widespread and important this issue really is.

• Human interest

Make that human connection by telling your own story - what lead you to this particular business?  Let a customer tell about the impact your business had on his/her life.  It is important to let the humans operating and benefiting from the business be the stars of the story.  It creates warmth and allow future customers to identify with you.

• Currency

Currency is about connecting with the bigger picture.  Look for similar stories currently in the media.  See if you have something new to offer to the current debate.  
 
 
 

Key components of the communication process

I am a firm believer in creating strong foundations - whether you are building a house, a business empire or an marketing campaign.  The very basis of creating a successful marketing campaign is to understand the communication process.  Communication in any business defines the relationship with the customers.

Key elements of the communication process

The source or sender

The source or the sender is the person or organisation that distributes information.  For marketing purposes it is better to convey information via a person as consumers relate better to individuals than faceless corporations.

The source needs to be credible.  The consumer will internalise the marketing message and make it part of his/her own belief system if they perceive the source to be reliable.  The attractiveness of the source will have a bearing on the likeliness of the receiver to identify with the message.  In other words, if the consumer find the message familiar or likeable, he/she is more likely to identify with the message. 

Receiver

Where marketing is concerned the receiver is referred to as the audience.  It is crucial that the marketer identifies the target audience in great detail.  The better your understanding of the demographic, geographic and psycho-graphic aspects defining your target audience, the more effective your marketing strategies will be.

Message

The message is any information you want to convey to your target audience.  It can range from awareness about the brand or product, in depth information about product attributes to images promoting positive associations with the product.  What is important to remember is that research indicate information presented first and last are remembered better than those in the middle.

Encoding

Encoding refers to the translation process of putting ideas and messages into symbolic form.

Decoding

This process occurs when the receiver tries to interpret the message.  Marketers know that the message might be decoded differently by different people.  This is due to the fact that the sender and the receiver are likely to have different fields of experience.

Feedback

Feedback is the part of a receiver's response that is communicated back to the sender.  It occurs in the form of purchases, inquiries, complaints, questions, store visits, website hits, etc.  Feedback assists the marketer in determining why a campaign fail or succeed.

Noise

Noise is anything that distorts a message or distracts the sender.



                       Image:  www.pixmule.com