Archive for April, 2009

H1N1 Virus: Had Enough Yet?

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Still unsure what the media should call the virus in order to get the most hits and rankings, I’ll avoid the term “swine flu” for now.  

Sounds like the press is reaching a peak on this story and rather quickly.  Just yesterday, we were bombarded with news updates on reported cases of the virus in the U.S.  Then, the WHO Director General raised the level of awareness to 5, activating pandemic preparedness plans on a global level, which was concerning, but, thankfully, did not cause general panic.

But doesn’t it seem like the public is fed up with so much coverage on the topic already?  I know I am getting there.   Some say the story is overblown, and I tend to agree with Jack Cafferty here: http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/30/has-swine-flu-story-been-overblown/  Some agree with the previous post I wrote on the cycle of news.  Others say that the public should be aware of the issue and the more facts surrounding the topic the better.  Others are more concerned about the President’s first 100 days.  

The point is, as much as the H1N1 virus is a hot headline right now, it may have reached the climax surprisingly early in just a week.  Perhaps because of the fact that we receive news from so many outlets and resources today versus just a few years ago, might be adding to this frustration of “too much news, too fast.”  Bombardment on any topic naturally desensitizes the public so that news gets old very quickly. 

It will be interesting to see how the media will continue to keep this story alive enough to be on the front page… and for how long?  Will it be through exaggerated headlines, good and accurate reporting, or by feeding fire to the story via social media?

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Swine Flu, Another PR Nightmare?

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

We remember SARS back in 2003, then the bird flu two or three years ago, and now the swine flu outbreak has taken over the media incessantly.

We wonder sometimes how news like this make headlines for two or three months until the popularity - or panic - dissolves and the story’s importance plateaus… and then picks up again at slower rate, when it eventually dies.  That’s usually the cycle of news.

I’m not going to explore here whether the flu will turn into a pandemic, it already sounds more serious that previous outbreaks, but it is interesting to follow this story as it affects the public directly, and so immediately. 

The impact on travel is another tie in to this specific story.  We all know of people, colleagues, friends or acquaintances that took a trip to Mexico and are now back, and worried.  And how does the flu affect air travel, driving and crossing the border and simply interacting with others?  Is this headline advising us that the flu is so close to home, or should it be something to just be generally aware of?  Is this really the time to panic, or not yet?

Relating to the most recent NYTimes story on this, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/health/28docs.html?ref=health, gathering information and staying aware of our surroundings is all we can do at this time.  From a PR perspective this item is not going anywhere anytime soon.  Depending which way the facts are reported on the swine flu, the story will escalate a lot more. 

It will be interesting to follow it over the next few weeks and see how the public is influenced and how it will respond to the media’s reporting.

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PR Twinterns!

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

It’s fascinating how Twitter is taking form each week.  As I continue to monitor the people and businesses I follow, and somehow my own followers are slowly growing (and I have no idea how they find me), I’m gaining a better perspective of this social monster’s capabilities.

Apparently, so are businesses.  As my colleagues and I anticipated, Twitter seems to be working much better for businesses rather than individuals chatting about what flavor toothpaste they used that morning.  

Jobs are indeed being created as a result of social media, and are being tested through student internships.  Before long, Twinterns will become the next entry-level PR people in the market by honing a specific skill set: feeding the social media monsters and understanding how they work.

Case in point from an article in PRWeek:  http://www.prweekus.com/Pizza-Hut-Twintern-to-advance-PR-in-digital-strategy/article/131124/

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Settling the Eternal Argument: Advertising vs. PR (Part 2)

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

We talked about making communications viral in a previous post which met with much approval.  A simple, but distinct, difference between advertising and PR is the degree of viral success.  How many ads do you forward to your friends or colleagues?  Maybe two or three a year, and those have to really catch your eye because they are funny, or dumb, or applicable to something else. 

Now think how many times A WEEK you might forward articles to the same number of people.  We forward articles to share thoughts, stay in touch, and basically to start and engage in meaningful conversations with people who we respect.  We also do it to spread news to others, sometimes for the purpose of influencing opinions, thinking and developing new ideas on a topic. 

PR has been viral since the first news story was written.  Prior to the internet, we used to clip articles or make copies and mail/fax them to friends and colleagues to stay in touch, make a point, reconnect.  With the presence of the web, the viral component of PR continues to grow steadily.  Now with social media, viral messaging is growing exponentially.  Not sure how reliable the actual messaging is, but the viral component is certainly growing faster than messages are created.

Advertising will always hold the back seat on this one.  Paying for placements may grab attention and raise awareness in the long run, but unless it is an ad campaign that is exceptionally creative, it will not hold much viral value.

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Settling the Eternal Argument: Advertising vs. PR (Part 1)

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

I’ve been meaning to bring up this topic at some point and I think this is a good time to discuss some of the concrete differences between these two.   I’ve explored this subject several times in articles, panel discussions and other forums throughout my career so far.  It’s always refreshing to approach these related communications tactics that are practiced so differently, and yet are perceived as one and the same.

You know what I mean.  When I was a grad student looking for my first job I was so amused with how Monster, Hotjobs and other boards would bulk openings ”Advertising/PR/Marketing.”  And it was interesting because as I would scan a certain position that sounded a good fit by title, I would read the description and it would be anything but a PR position!  This fundamental misperception of PR and Advertising has caused so much confusion in the world of marketing communications.

Although the differences are probably too many to list, I’ll go through some of them in the next few posts.  The most important distinction between the two is third party endorsement.  When you read an article in the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, or any other news source that you follow, you trust the accuracy of the information.   Why else would you be reading it?  Would you be as convinced coming across an obvious ad placement in the same outlet?  You’ll probably notice it - or not - and would it have the same effect as the article you just read?  

Advertising = paid form of communication in a targeted media outlet (very expensive and needs multiple placements to be effective)

PR = creating actual news via relationships that have long lasting value (free and one strategic placement can do the trick!)

Something to think about.

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PR: A Possible Cure For Tough Times

Monday, April 13th, 2009

A colleague forwarded me a very interesting article in BusinessWeek, and related it to the topics explored on this blog.  It was such a refreshing read, and encouraging to know that well regarded news sources are picking up on the value of PR during the downturn, and that I am not just rambling: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/apr2009/sb20090410_482109.htm?campaign_id=rss_topStories

While I don’t completely agree with the points made in the article, especially the suggested distinction between PR and Advertising, it is true that lines remain blurred with these two unecessarily codependent professions.  In fact, I think the economic crisis in PR, and Advertising,  lies exactly in that misguided perception.  The media, companies, communities, government institutions, and in many cases, PR professionals, have always been so eager to toss both professions in a marketing box just to get whatever result quickly, rather than approach each communication solution for what it can offer, first independently, and then as part of a well-thought out IMC process.

So, essentially, and ironically, as PR people we continue to have a perception issue with our profession.  We must take this time to define our sphere, our philosophy, communicate our strengths, and support them strongly to others.  That’s one of the reasons why I started this blog.

One of endless challenges for me as a PR practitioner has been to constantly educate clients, prospective clients, and peers about the difference between PR and Advertising– and defending my argument of why the strategic, cost-effective process of managing perception with PR accurately contributes to an effective communications campaign.

It’s refreshing to see that others are agreeing with the value PR can bring to the table, by finding and communicating the truth in a story… and in a much more cost-effective way than Advertising ever will.

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Managing the Publishing Industry Crisis

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

The crisis in the PR field has clearly translated to the world of media and publishing. With dozens of magazines and local papers folding each month, and publications like Forbes, USA Today, NY Times, Cosmo, Conde Nast, and other giants announcing layoffs, it’s no wonder why PR practitioners have to change their approach to creating and sending out news. Relationships established with writers and long lasting editors are fizzling. Most reporters and editors either move onto freelancing writing positions, or early retirement. The news process is in jeopardy, with stories backlogged from previous writers that are waiting to be published for months, tons of story ideas are left of the shelf, and following up has become a nightmare. Adding social media to the mix, news is everywhere, but is it really news? How is this crisis changing the dynamic of the otherwise mutually beneficial relationship between PR people and the almighty press? Is it still almighty with the presence of Twitter and Facebook and other outlets waiting to be born?

I am concerned about news credibility, PR ethics and yellow journalism as the economy continues to affect the future of the media.

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Hotels on Twitter? Indeed!

Friday, April 3rd, 2009

So, I’m finally understanding Twitter better and feel more positive about its impact.  While in some ways similar to other social networks, Twitter is all about news and updates in real time.  Forget the fluff, the smiling faces and the photo albums.  It’s about pushing information and news to the public = your followers.  I’ve been reading threads by hotel GMs if they should invest time in social media and opinions vary.  The answer is: you have to do it right.

There’s no use being on Twitter, for instance, if you write an update once a week or once a month.  You have to keep the news flow going with information.  But, it’s so easy to become annoying by inundating your followers with useless updates just to Tweet something.  The key is to strike a balance with generous, yet real information that can be useful.  And adding tiny links are great in reinforcing the Tweet.

I’ve been fascinated with Twitter lately because what it is evolving into, and there is no end in sight.  What’s equally interesting is that it’s still one of those social networks where the majority of people have either already mastered using, or have no idea how to use yet.  Hotels appear to be in the segment of those who are undecided.  I was particularly excited that the Hotel Heritage joined Twitter today (www.twitter.com/heritagebruges).  Less than six months ago, the award winning Bruges hotel was interested in expanding its PR efforts to reflect new trends, and is now incorporating social media into its campaign.  Already, the hotel has a fan base on Facebook that keeps growing.  It takes time to build a good base on social networks.  But, it works; past guests have reconnected, and the hotel has now found additional and more immediate ways to get messages delivered to members of its audience.  And this is only the beginning.

I vote YES to Twitter when used efficiently by hotels!

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