Who's really to blame?

When Woolworths launched their Aussie Animal cards, I reacted like a typical teenager - rolled my eyes and smirked.  Surely a lame old fashioned campaign like this would never work!  Haven't they done their market research?  Kids are simply not interested in anything that it is not digitized.

Boy was I wrong!  This campaign turned out to be a resounding success.  It captured the attention of Aussie kids in a big way.  For starters, the timing was perfect:  it started just before all the sporting grand finals and peaked during the holidays.

Another factor contributing to the success was the "Swap Days" organized by Woolworths.  Children were encouraged to come into the shopping centres to swap around cards with other interested children.

The third stroke of genius was the albums that could be bought to store the cards.  These albums not only housed the cards, but also provided various activities for the kids.  Unfortunately one of these activities brought the whole campaign in disarray for some parents.


A swearword was hiding in a find-a-word game and low and behold quite a few of the children found it.  Some parents were outraged that Woolworths did not pick this up during the proofreading process. 

My take on the situation is that these games are randomly generated and at most you would ensure that all the words you ask the child to find are actually present.  What bothers me more is that a seven year old child actually knows how to spell the swearword!  Should we really be blaming Woolworths or should we be pointing the finger of blame closer to home?


Alternatively we could have a quiet chuckle and know that stuff-ups happen to the best laid out plans of mice and men . . .

Because size really does matter!

It must be plainly obvious by now that I have a thing for advertising and public relations.  Some people collect stamps, others teaspoons and I collect ad campaigns!

So as I was browsing some sites earlier this morning, image my intense delight in coming across this jewel in Business Insider:

Submarine Rises Through Milan's Pavement In Ridiculous Publicity Stunt

 

Picture:  @MediasetTgcom24

Firstly let me put your minds at ease - no actual damage was done.  The campaign called "Protect your Life" is run for Europ Assistance IT, an insurance group based in Italy.  A group of people created the scene very early in the morning - fake submarine and all - and waited for the public to arrive and start spreading the news.

It is a great example of buzz marketing.  Everybody took photos and were on social media in a flash.  In this way the campaign's reach spread far beyond national borders.  It is memorable due to the shock value, but also the connection between protecting your city/country against an invasion and taking out insurance to protect your life.

What do you think - brilliant PR stunt or did they go too far?

Political campaigns

While the rest of the country is reaching saturation point with the election campaign, I am having the time of my life.  My interest is not the politics per se, but the public relations campaigns keep me spellbound.

It is simply not enough for modern politicians to speak in town halls, shake hands and kiss babies.  They are scrambling to stay in touch with voters on all the social media platforms.  What I love about the new media is that you simply cannot fool people - they detect insincerity quick smart.

My advice would be to choose only a few platforms that you really understand.  Kevin Rudd is crediting social media for gaining the youth vote and securing his '07 victory.  So it comes as no surprise that he is once again turning to social media.  He is an avid user of Twitter.

However, what he really is gaining fame for this time round is his beloved selfies.  The public seems split on this:  on the one hand there are people lining up for a selfie with Mr Rudd, on the other hand there are young people feeling quite offended by the selfies he tweets.  There is a real danger in patronizing the younger generation when you try to emulate them.  They want the Prime Minister to engage in conversation with them, to actually listen and value their input.

Yet, with Kevin Rudd I feel that what you see is what you get.  The public often complained about Julia Gillard displaying two personalities.  People found her charming and engaging when meeting her face to face; traits she did not display when addressing the nation.  A big part of Julia's downfall lies with her PR team.  It is the responsibility of a PR team to gauge public opinion and advice the politician on changes to improve relations.

Advice Mr Abbott's PR team should be dishing out in spades right about now.  It is one thing to be honest, but quite another to show lack of class.  Mike Carlton writes a very satirical article on Mr Abbott.  Just to put this in context, Carlton explains it as follows:

 Satire doesn't create anything new ; it just amplifies and enlarges what's already there.

It also seems that the race is the only thing our politicians are focusing on  at the moment.  When one announces a rather strict and backwards policy on asylum seekers, the other one pulls out a draconian policy to "outshine" it.  If one has 1 377 901 followers on Twitter, well then the other one should create the impression of people liking his policies too...

Thus, while the nation feels indecisive about choosing a leader, I too am still indecisive ... will social media once again play a vital role, will the PR teams truly engage in the development of meaningful relationships or will they simply be spin doctors focusing on catch phrases like "positive politics", "marriage equality" and "stopping the boats"?

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.