With the proliferation of social media, more and more organizations are realizing its value as a marketing and public relations tool. As such, we now have a multitude of examples that provide lessons on what to do and not to do when it comes to social media campaign planning and execution. We’ve recently seen two great examples of both.
Old Spice launched a campaign in Februrary around the Old Spice Guy with a television ad themed, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” This initial ad campaign recently climaxed this month with a flurry of 180 YouTube videos personalized for fans and celebrities alike. The original ad attracted 19 million views, with this latest “Old Spice Responses” campaign resulting in 5.9 million views and 22,500 comments, all since the middle of July.
What’s great about the campaign is how Old Spice and marketing agency Wieden + Kennedy used viewers to go viral, noting that brands don’t make viral videos, users do. To achieve viral success, they not only sent customized video responses to random individuals, but also to celebrities like Alyssa Milano and Ellen DeGeneres. The campaign also took a positive approach, offering valuable, but funny advice, as opposed to a shocking or over-the-top attitude to help the content go viral. This approach made people want to be a part of the experience.
On the other hand, in an effort to be seen as edgy and youthful, Dr. Pepper launched a Facebook campaign in the U.K. with ad agency Lean Mean Fighting Machine (LMFM) that used Chat Roulette as part of April Fool’s jokes by “punking” users, showing them a cheerleader to get their attention then switching her out for someone less desirable. Later, LMFM led a campaign that gave consumers a chance to win £1,000 if they allowed the brand to take control of their status updates on Facebook. This campaign eventually offended a 14-year-old girl (and her parents) with an inappropriate message.
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Recently, I was honored to be asked to give a lecture at the 2010 Four Star Debate program at King’s Academy near Amman, Jordan by Gen. Tommy Franks, The Academy of Leadership & Liberty at Oklahoma Christian University and the National Center for Policy Analysis.
The topic given to me was communication, one of the four pillars of leadership as defined by Gen. Franks. The audience consisted of approximately 40 high school students from the United States and the Middle East. Other speakers included Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Robert Jordan, as well as two-time Olympic Softball Gold Medalist Michele Smith. Needless to say, I felt the pressure to perform.
As I began preparing my remarks, a lot of thoughts came to mind.
First, the students I was to address are all digital natives. They were born into an age where communication technology has been a primary tool they have used to learn. Understanding how to make this technology work to their advantage is a huge benefit.
“How many of you had cell phones by age 12?” I asked.
Nearly every hand raised.
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As oil continues to flow from an accident that occurred in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the reputation of one of the world’s largest corporations, along with the reputation of an entire industry, are at stake.
Most companies and industries will never have to face a crisis of this magnitude; however, the BP incident of 2010 will no doubt serve as a case study for business and organization leaders and public relations practitioners for years to come.
This is just one reminder that it is critical for companies and organizations to prepare for crisis, not only from an operational and safety standpoint, but also from a communications perspective. I am sure there will be ongoing assessment of BP’s operational and communications responses.
A few early thoughts on their crisis communications-
- Safety: British Petroleum said they placed top priority on the safety of their workers, but comments from those aboard the rig are positive and negative. Lesson: The safety of your workers, neighbors and the general public must be top priority in everything you do. It’s not enough to just say it – it must be true. Also, remember your most important audience is your employees and their family members – don’t forget internal communications.
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I was 25 years old when I started Saxum. Looking back, it was pretty presumptuous for someone who had been out of college only a minute (my term now, not then) to think that I could add value to would-be clients. Never one to think much about the competition, I was always somewhat offended by being called the “young” firm back then.
Recently, Saxum hired a professional services firm for some consulting. Sure enough, our small account was handed to a 25-year-old to serve as our account manager. Not too far removed from the days of being told I was too young, I found myself skeptically thinking that we had a “young” account representative.
Shame on me.
Five meetings later, I sat astonished at the resourcefulness, flair and confidence from this talented individual. It served as a good reminder that account managers can be just as effective (or ineffective) at 25 as they could be at 55.
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For most people, there is a standard checklist when preparing for an interview. It goes something like this:
- Update resume, and research job hunting tips for your industry.
- Update profiles in LinkedIn, and make sure there is no inappropriate content on Twitter or Facebook.
- Search for jobs in your industry (in our industry, places like PRSA in Oklahoma City or Tulsa).
- Write terrific cover letter that is customized for the position.
- Wait for an interview.
- Practice answering the tough questions.
- Interview for the position.
- Follow up with a handwritten thank you note.
From the perspective of someone who interviews candidates frequently, there is a major item on the checklist that is often overlooked: preparing questions that you, the candidate, should ask the employer during an interview.
If you accept a position with a company, and you know you will be spending the majority of your time every day at that company, don’t you want to make sure it is a good fit for you? Most people are so concerned with getting the job, they don’t stop to ask questions that will ultimately determine their future happiness.
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I’m what most would categorize in the “early majority” when it comes to adopting new technology – not an innovator, but not a laggard either. So when I first saw that Steve Jobs’ letter about Adobe Flash was the number one trending topic on Mashable a few days ago, I didn’t think much of it. But then I considered that, since I’m one of more than 20 million users of the iPhone, I took another look.
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform popular for adding animation and interactivity to Web pages. According to Adobe, the Flash Player is the world’s most pervasive software platform, used by more than two million professionals and reaching 99 percent of Internet-enabled desktops and devices.
So, why doesn’t Mr. Jobs like Flash, and why doesn’t Apple use Flash on any of their products including the iPhone, iPod and iPad? Here’s the letter in a nutshell:
- Adobe Flash is a proprietary system and not ‘open’ like other Web standards, including HTML 5, CSS and JavaScript.
- Even though 75 percent of video on the Web is developed in Flash, most of this video is also available in a more modern format, H.264, and viewable on iPhones, iPods and iPads.
- Adobe Flash was recently rated by Symantec for having one of the worst security records in 2009. Flash is the No. 1 reason Macs crash.
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I consider myself a “social butterfly,” so networking comes naturally to me. My parents never met a stranger, and I’ve inherited that trait. Prior to joining the Saxum team, I worked for the Tulsa Metro Chamber. I mention this because chambers are seen as the “kings” of networking. They’re always bringing businesses together and providing opportunities to network. During my career, I’ve picked up some networking tips I thought may prove to be helpful for those just starting their careers.
Make a good first impression. Exude confidence, be friendly, offer a firm handshake and smile. Relax and let the conversation flow. Practice the art of “small talk.” It pays to just chat and take the time to get to know the other person better. Ask them about their business, where they are from, etc. Expressing a genuine interest in another person and their life helps makes them feel comfortable in a new environment. How else are you going to connect with that person? And isn’t that what networking is all about? Hint: people like doing business with people they like.
It’s not all about you and your business. You need to be genuine and interested in what others have to say. Ask questions, listen to their responses and find ways you can help them out. Then, deliver. When they need your service, they’ll remember your favor. The absolute worst “networkers” – and I use that term loosely – are those who seem hungry for your card and then make a dash for the door. While they may become a topic of conversation for others at the event, it’s highly unlikely they’re going to walk away with any new business.
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After reporting to a public relations office five days a week for the past six years (three of those years at Saxum PR), last year I ventured to a new office space – in my home. Making the switch from an agency account lead to a do-it-yourself freelancer is not uncommon in the PR industry, but it is an adjustment.
Here are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way
Establish a routine- As humans, we thrive on routine. Think of the fussy toddler who missed his usual daytime nap. Adults are no different – except that we may not roll around, kicking and screaming, on the floor as much.
In an April 1 interview with National Public Radio, Tina Brown said, “When my magazine Talk folded, it was very hard for me to get readjusted to not flying out the door in the morning and having my little routine: stopping at that coffee shop on the corner, picking up the paper. You think of them as chores, but actually when you’re not doing them you feel somewhat at a loss.”
For me, the biggest loss that you have to regain as soon as you start working from home is a routine.
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Twitter recently launched “Promoted Tweets,” a new service that will allow businesses to pay for tweets to receive special placement and recognition. If you were to type in “coffee” on Twitter’s search menu, instead of seeing entries about what everyone in the world drank this morning, you may see a Tweet from Starbucks at the top of the search return. You would also find similar results for other companies that are working with Twitter during this testing phase, including Bravo, Sony Pictures and Virgin America.
Although Twitter is still formulating how much they will eventually charge companies for Promoted Tweets, don’t expect the cost scale to be identical to services like Google AdWords, which can base charges on the number of clicks an ad receives.
For Twitter, the new service is a balancing act between maintaining what made the social media channel popular – its independence – and a way to make a profit. For businesses and PR folks, it presents an opportunity to touch customers who – now more than ever – expect to be reached in unique ways.
Now, before we all accuse Twitter of selling out or draft its obituary, here are some things to consider:
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As a self-proclaimed intern junkie, I know the value of a high-quality internship. Prior to graduation, I had held three internship positions, including one at Saxum. I worked in health care, corporate and finally, agency. Had it not been for these three diverse experiences, I may not have known exactly what area of public relations was right for me.
I have managed Saxum’s internship program for the past three years and take great pride in seeing it grow and succeed. Since its inception in 2005, we have had nearly 40 interns go through our program. Of our current staff of 22, four were once interns. We treat our internship like an extended job interview. Interns have three to four months to show us exactly why they should be hired. At the end of their internship, if we are looking for an entry-level candidate, nine times out of 10 we will look to our intern candidate pool for applicants. It’s a win-win for the intern and for us.
So what does all this mean?
For the intern, I offer this advice:
- From day one, make yourself indispensable. Show your employer the value you bring to the table so when the time comes, they have no choice but to make you a full-time employment offer.
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