DECEMBER 12, 2008

I think it’s safe to say that innovation doesn’t come from doing more of the same. Google and Procter & Gamble must have had a similar thought in mind this past year as the two companies paired up to exchange employees. For weeks at a time, employees from each company had the chance to get an insider’s view of how the other operates. The purpose of the swap: to learn more about each other and about targeting consumers.

Since the story surfaced last month, I’ve been thinking about this question: If I could spend a few weeks inside any company, which company would I choose? Tough decision - there are lots of great ones out there. And, while Trader Joe’s, JetBlue, Patagonia, and Threadless all made my honorable mention list, my top pick would be Toms Shoes.

• I’m fascinated by Toms Shoes because the company is centered around a simple product — and a much bigger purpose. Founder Blake Mycoskie’s one-for-one business model is very different than any approach I’ve ever seen - he built a business by selling shoes and, at the same time, giving them away. The company seeks to fulfill its philanthropic mission, while at the same time improving its products, mobilizing supporters, and building its brand into a cultural phenomenon. Oh, and did I mention it has all happened in a matter of two years? Impressive from a business and communications standpoint - but also inspiring to employees and customers alike. I think it would be amazing to stand square in the middle of what is, as Ben Mcconnell points out, a case study in consumer evangelism.

I asked a few of my colleagues for their thoughts as well - as you’ll see below, we all approached the opportunity from different angles.

• Corey: I’d pick government consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Here at TMG Strategies we know that communications challenges are also substantive challenges – that it’s hard to execute successful public relations strategies without fundamentally altering the way that organizations operate. No amount of eloquent language or slick marketing tricks will get people to buy products or services that they do not fundamentally agree with.  As PR folks like us take increasingly-large roles in management, the kind of empirical, statistics-driven analysis done at firms like Booz Allen could teach us a lot about communications versus reality and how to marry the two. Plus, its Arlington office is less than 5 minutes from my house.

• Kristen: I’d like to swap with San Francisco based Sugar Inc. The Sugar Network is comprised of 16 distinct lifestyle and entertainment sites covering topics that include celebrity, fashion, food, politics and health (my favorite: Yum Sugar). I keep coming back to these blogs for the diverse content, conversational editorial style, and user-friendly design. Others must agree because the network gets over 8 million unique visitors a month. My current work involves looking at the changes going on all around us and determining how they might affect all aspects of communications, business strategy, and innovation. The editors at Sugar also have their fingers on the pulse of emerging trends and they serve up fresh content the way their readers like to get it. It would be a great swap because it is apparent that both of our companies have a healthy obsession with culture!

Every experience would, no doubt, be full of unique takeaways. What company would be at the top of your swap list? I encourage you to add your choice and continue our list via the comment field.

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JULY 22, 2008

Nike’s Just Do It turns 20 this month. 

And I bought Nikes before they had the slogan? What was I thinking? Now the slogan has become part of everyday parlance. Why does that matter?

Nike practiced something many companies forget: message simplicity and message consistency.

For twenty years, we’ve heard mostly one thing from Nike: Just Do It. You may love it or you may hate it. Like vanilla or chocolate… everyone has an opinion, but at least they have one. In the case of Nike, it’s mostly favorable.

To me, the phrase embodies a can-do attitude. It is about the art of the possible. It is about making things happen, rather than waiting for life to happen to you. I want to believe in a product, a company, that espouses those values.  And it is, in part, because of Nike’s investment in this brand image that the negative issues the company encountered along the way could be addressed – the Nike way.

An example of Just Do It’s opposite, or “message complexity,” was Bill Clinton’s speech at the Democratic National Convention four years before he ran for President. In reflection he said, “It wasn’t my finest hour. It wasn’t even my finest hour and a half.” His was the classic case of an intelligent person who didn’t want to say the same thing in the same way twice, much less in a succinct way. It was supposed to be Clinton’s national coming out, but the only thing people remembered was that he spoke too long. There was no message, no story.  He learned this lesson before starting his campaign for the Presidency.  During his Presidency, proof of his message consistency could be heard when the traveling press corps would groan and even recite some of his repeated stump speech lines. For Clinton, who was seeking to persuade new audiences, message consistency and simplicity was the goal. Repetition of simple messages gave Clinton a chance to have his message, his story, heard. 

Paul Begala, in making the point for message simplicity, asked Clinton “Do you know what John 3:16 says?” Begala’s logic is if the Bible can explain the reason to believe in God in less than 30 words, then their White House team should be able to explain to the American public why its economic plan made sense without giving long speeches or showing mind numbing charts. It’s hard to argue against.

Whether it’s political campaigns or athletic apparel, the landscape is always changing and the competition always trying to win - a marketplace, a consumer or a vote.  Today, Under Armour is the Chihuahua (or maybe it’s a Terrapin) sneaking into Kruger Reserve and eating next to the lions, Adidas and Nike. The latter both know they must continue to fulfill and enhance their brand images. Nike is launching a new campaign called Courage. Smartly, consumers are asked to engage. Nike understand that a conversation can enhance its brand. Adidas is investing millions in global advertising that is meant to sweep the Beijing Olympics. And the Chihuahua, Under Armour, is plotting its next moves. It’s even hired a new CEO who is familiar with the lions.

As we talk about at TMG, the message is part of the mix, but innovation and leadership are also essential. Under Armour has had a surprisingly strong start. But can it keep it up and build a global brand? Can it harness the power of message simplicity and message consistency? This Chihuahua (Terrapin) fan hopes so.

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NOVEMBER 8, 2007

If communicators want to learn some lessons on reaching new audiences, they could study what modern day missionaries are up to.  Not to say I completely agree with their mission - to me, it seems disrespectful of local religions to come in and say that you’ve got the best one yet.  But I do admire their persistence and their wide use of communication tools, both old and new.

From the Washington Post article:

Using technological devices ranging from simple cassette tapes to solar-powered audio players and an iPod-like gadget called the Bible Stick, Christian groups are spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year to make one of the world’s oldest books accessible in remote corners of the planet…Complete versions of the Bible can now be downloaded onto cellphones in parts of Africa. To reach those who can’t read — nearly one-fifth of the world’s population, according to the United Nations — Christian groups are rapidly increasing production of audio and video versions.

Jill Fallon, over at Business of Life, writes about the movie that’s been seen by 5 billion people.  Star Wars?  E.T.?  Titanic?  Nope.  The Jesus Film - no, it’s not Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ - it’s the 1979 version, filmed on location in the Holy Land, starring a no-name cast.  It’s also, according to The Washington Post, been translated into more than 1,000 languages.  Where did this movie come from?  The BBC says:

"[It’s] the work of an American evangelical organisation, Campus Crusade. Funded by its supporters and well-wishers, it sends teams around the world, even where they are not particularly welcome. There they record new translations of the film, organise screenings to inquisitive crowds in improvised cinemas, and distribute copies to whoever they can."

Because of their zeal, missionaries leave no stone unturned in their effort to bring their message to everyone in the world - communicators should pay attention.

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AUGUST 21, 2007

It is very rare that a company encourages a customer to support a competitor.  However, upon reading this recent email in my inbox, I found Yahoo Photos to be doing just that.

"Dear Yahoo! Photos user,

I am a Snapfish user and had actually forgotten I had old photos in my Yahoo Photos account.   My first reaction was dread.  I assumed Yahoo would make transferring to Flickr easier since they also own them but transferring anywhere else would be a hassle, time-consuming and difficult.  I put the transfer off for a few days and then transferred them to Snapfish.  And, guess what? It was easy and really did only take a few clicks of the mouse to transfer everything.  What a novel idea- a company putting a consumer’s time and interests above their own product and bottom line.

Yahoo got it.  When they decided to shut down their Photos section, they probably knew they would lose customers but to them it was better to concentrate on one product (Flickr) and do it right, rather than be spread too thin and lessen the quality of the products.  So even though I don’t use Flickr, I still support Yahoo and their efforts.  And who knows, I may even give Flickr a try sometime.

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JUNE 29, 2007

Everyone knows that kids are easily persuaded.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this out, and people that may or may not be parents already know this.  It seems like the last people to realize this are companies which market to kids.  Actually, it makes more sense to say that companies know everything there is to know about the young consumer market.  They just use what they know in a different way than many nutritionists and parents would probably agree with. 

I think that in America we are always skeptical.  We always think that there is a catch and that we are going to be taken advantage of.  We question what we read and what we hear and what we see.  We are always wanting to do our own research and ask people we know for advice instead of trusting a salesperson with their own agenda.  Basically, we have huge trust issues.  I think this is semi-depressing– but in the end, I’m okay with this because the only person that will always be around to look out for me is…me. 

The New York Times did a great piece on companies marketing food ads to children.  The article focuses specifically on Kellogg’s because of the organization’s announcement that "it would phase out advertising to children under age 12 unless the foods meet specific nutrition guidelines for calories, sugar, fat and sodium."  Apparently, "Kellogg also announced that it would stop using licensed characters or branded toys to promote foods unless the products meet the nutrition guidelines."  These changes are going to take place over the next year and a half and will apply to approximately half of the products Kellogg markets to kids around the globe (this includes some of my personal favorites: Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, and the ever-tasty Pop-Tarts).

What are these standards? 

Well, for Kellogg’s they are food products with:

• No more than 200 calories
• No trans fat
• No more than 2 grams of saturated fat
• No more than 230 milligrams of sodium
• No more than 12 grams of sugar

This is a great thing, but lets keep in mind this was all decided AFTER "threats of a lawsuit by two advocacy groups for children."  Funny how suddenly everyone scrambles to do the right thing when the bottom line is put in jeopardy. 

One thing I’m glad to hear about is that Kellogg isn’t the only food company trying to changes its ways.  The New York Times article makes mention of Disney only allowing its characters to be used in food advertising if the products "complied with nutritional standards," as well as Kraft Foods halting advertising to products "to children under 12 that don’t meet nutrition guidelines." 

I think that this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the future of food advertising to children.  I feel that America as a nation is starting to understand the reasons behind our unhealthiness and we are beginning to realize the steps we need to take to start healthier habits.  One thing that we are really finding out is that good habits are established early– and we need to teach our children about the proper ways to take care of themselves while they are very young.  This move by food companies shows that our expectations are changing.  We want the products we buy to work with us– not against us. 

The typical consumer-company relationship that once existed is now morphing into something that many of us are more comfortable with.  I can’t wait to see what is defined as "healthy" 20 years from now, and I feel that we will look back on these small decisions and see them as big turning points for the consumer.

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MARCH 27, 2007

Note:  This column by Dan McGinn first appeared in the March 2007 issue of the DC Communicator:

American Idol is an entertainment juggernaut. In the first season the Fox show had a weekly audience of 12.7 million and a total of 111 million votes were cast.  By season five, the audience had grown to 30.6 million a week and 578 million total votes.  Taylor Hicks, last season’s winner, got more votes (63.4 million) than George Bush did in the 2004 presidential election (just over 62 million).  American Idol has generated more than six million radio plays in the U.S. and Canada.  And last week, 12 former American Idol contestants are on the charts or close to making it on.  So why should we, as communicators, care?  Because the phenomenal success of this show can teach us important lessons of effective communication:

1.  Inclusion
On American Idol, inclusion is the heart of the show.  Anyone can audition and possibly become the new idol. Once contestants are selected, anyone with a phone can vote and play a part in determining the outcome.   From start to finish, the audience is included and needed.  I am an essential ingredient in the success of this show. 

For communicators and their clients, it is important to think of their audience, their target market, their consumers – not as a separate entity, but as part of the team.  What can you do to make them feel more included in your efforts?  You can always start by asking them just that.  But often, that’s where our efforts end.  We get feedback, ponder it, and carry on as before.  What American Idol does is let its audience know your feedback is what determines what this show becomes. 

2.  Personal Stories
American Idol is only partially about talent.  It’s also about the personal stories of the contestants.  Each singer’s individual story gives me something to think about and possibly identify with.  These contestants are on a tough journey, with tough judges, and I can relate to the ups and downs they are going through.  The personal connections I make as I watch the show also lead me to follow my favorites even after they’ve been cut.  Viewed this way, it’s easy to see why so many were thrilled when American Idol loser Jennifer Hudson became an Oscar winner this year.  American Idol is really about the heartbreaks of those cut along the way. 

As much as possible, communicators need to tell the personal stories of their clients or even their customers.  It’s not about ‘messaging’ – it’s about storytelling.  We need to make personal, emotional connections with people if we’re to succeed in communicating effectively.

3.  That’s Entertainment:  Let’s be honest - it’s fun to watch.  It’s fun to love or hate the contestants and the judges.  It’s fun to fight with your friends and family members over your favorites.  It’s never boring. 

We communicators have to remember to eliminate the boring and remember the fun.  And if we can’t do fun, maybe we should at least try for interesting.

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JANUARY 19, 2007

I just read the book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath (brothers) and then I read on Rajesh Jain’s weblog, emergic , that Guy Kawasaki did an interview with the two authors.

As the Heath brothers explain in Guy’s interview:

We spent lots of time researching sticky ideas—ideas that people understand, remember, and that change the way people think or behave… We found there were six principles that link sticky ideas of all kinds. Sticky ideas won’t always have all six, but the more, the merrier. For example, JFK’s idea to “put a man on the moon in a decade” had all six of them:

1. Simple - A single, clear mission.
2. Unexpected - A man on the moon? It seemed like science fiction at the time.
3. Concrete - Success was defined so clearly—no one could quibble about man, moon, or decade.
4. Credible - This was the President of the U.S. talking.
5. Emotional - It appealed to the aspirations and pioneering instincts of an entire nation.
6. Story - An astronaut overcomes great obstacles to achieve an amazing goal.

I bought this book for work after reading this review by John Moore at Brand Autopsy.  He glowed about it.  Then I started reading it and almost wept with happiness.  Here were two guys that talked regular and explained things even the most simple-minded of us could understand.  And they give lots of examples. I bought another copy (with my own money) so I could mark it up, write all over it and keep it for myself.

You can read more on the Made to Stick Blog. 

Buy the Book.  Read the Book.  Mark-up the Book.  The book will stick with you.

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NOVEMBER 7, 2006

Brian Solis and Alison McNeil of PR 2.0 interviewed Robert Scoble at the recent From Social Media to Corporate Media conference.  They talked about:

"… how social media tools can benefit corporate media (advertising, marketing and PR) and improve overall customer, press, and influencer relations along the way."

Here’s what Scoble had to say:

Most important point -  PR professionals were trained to deal with the mainstream press.  Why?  Because they had the power to reach people.  Now there’s a need for a new style PR person who knows how stories start and spread across the Internet.  One blogger can post, and it gets amplified by others until it has spread around the world.

But it’s not simply a case of new PR vs. old PR.

There is a need for both traditional and non-traditional forms of press relations.  As a firm believer in the Social Media Press Release (I’ve used them twice now) - I also know that the traditional release will be used for some time to come.  What I like about the SMPR is that it’s quicker and more informal.  Solis quotes Todd Defren:

"It’s important to understand that the Social Media News Release is not intended as a replacement for the traditional news release. It’s an evolution. The SMNR’s core function is simply to allow creators of news to leverage the Web familiarity that is now ingrained in consumer audiences. With 50+ percent of consumers now creating and sharing content online (Pew Research), it just makes sense to democratize access to corporate news and multimedia assets to anyone (reporters, bloggers, laypeople) who might be interested, and, to create a forum for community and context that – to date – has been unavailable via old-world press releases.”

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OCTOBER 31, 2006

First off I have to tell you that Chevy and GM are clients of The McGinn Group and I sometimes work with these clients (when I’m not writing this blog or reading or thinking or otherwise trying to get out of client work).  And I will say that I was involved  in trying to get bloggers to write about this campaign. 

Chevy’s had their problems with consumer generated media - the Tahoe campaign anyone, anyone?  Though Chevy folk shudder when you bring this up, I have to say that I think they earned respect and brownie points for keeping the negative ads up on the site.  And what I like about Chevy is that they keep trying.  (I get knocked down, but I get up again…)  They’ve got their Super Bowl commercial thing going on with college students, and this week they’re running a different sort of campus challenge centered around the Chevy Aveo. 

I love this challenge - 7 teams at 7 colleges are living in their aveo for a week (I know, shades of that guy living in his Nissan Sentra - but Chevy’s been working on this for a long time so we’ll never know who had the idea first).  They can only leave the car for classes and what Chevy politely  calls "bio-breaks" - what,  no Johnny on the Spot?

I’ll give you my reasons (not in order of importance but in order they pop into my head):

• The website is cool.  It’s modern yet retro - how do graphic designers do that?
• The students are running the campaign.  The student teams have to perform tasks and challenges and try to get as many people to vote for them as possible.  Chevy’s put the campaign in their hands. 
• It’s CGM/New Media- these students are writing blogs for the website, and there are webcams in and out of the cars to catch the action 24/7.  From Boston University’s Jamie and Allison’s blog this morning:

OH MY GOD!

Everyone GO LOOK AT THE FRONT PAGE OF THE BOSTON METRO!!  There’s a HUGE picture of us on the FRONT PAGE under the headline "GIRLS GONE WILD."  :)  The picture is from the Daily Challenge yesterday when everyone put their hands on the car.  IT’S SO FUNNY, GO LOOK!!

• It’s live, It’s real, it’s entertaining - I mean the Northwestern University students got the drumline to come over and perform - most excellent.
• It has a good cause element built in -  the students on each campus are also trying to generate publicity for their favorite causes - like HIV/AIDS Awareness - and the team from USC (if they win) plans to cash in their cars and donate the  money to the Adom Partnership, for children in Africa.
• It’s Local - Chevy is working with the Public Relations Student Society of America and their campus chapters to ensure that each team tailored their efforts to their local community.  Great idea.

Fun, funny, at times moving - it’s a great campaign. Kind of blends pr, advertising and marketing.  Look in and vote for your favorites is all I can say.  I’m personally rooting for Gerald & Evita  from Howard University, since it’s in D.C. and that’s my town.

And here’s the video that Dolce and Anna from USC made to get into the contest:

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OCTOBER 23, 2006

Richard Edelman outlines what he’s doing to make sure there are no more flogs from his PR firm:

• We are undertaking a thorough audit around the world to ensure we apply best practice guidelines to every program in every market and specialty area.
• We are requiring that all employees attend an Edelman University class on ethics in social media, hosted by members of me2revolution team as well as external experts. This will take place before the end of next week.
• We are establishing a 24/7 hotline so our me2revolution team can review, provide counsel and apply best practice guidelines on social media programs before their implementation. This ensures that programs adhere to the WOMMA guidelines or best-in-class standards around the world.
• We are creating ethics materials that will be distributed to each office and all new hires.

So, they’re trying - but they might have saved themselves a lot of trouble if they had read this September post from IBM’s Irving Wladawsky-Berger:

"I think that the key difference between a blog and other kinds of web sites is their personal nature.  In your blog, you are making the implicit promise that you are personally writing the content and that you are writing about subjects you care about in your own voice and style.  Which leads to another important aspect of blogs - they should be conversational and informal enough to let your voice, style and personality come through.

In other words, the essence of blogging is authenticity. In your blog, you are essentially sharing what is in your head, your feelings and opinions, with others out there.  If you feel strongly for or against political candidates, then it makes sense to write about them in your blog.  However, if you really don’t care, or are a paid campaign worker posing as someone who cares, that is not OK.

If you like or dislike a company and its products and services, sharing your opinion with others is good.  But if you really have no opinion and are writing about the company just because you work for the company, its competitors or a marketing agency engaged by either, I would consider that bad blogging behavior."

He’s right.

(Read the roundup of the Wal-Mart/Edelman troubles here on Constantin Basturea’s PR Meets the WWW blog)

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