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A good parody is an attention grabber, especially when it’s on YouTube.

That’s one of the lessons I learned first hand at the “how to make a viral video” session at SXSW, where along with 500 other people, I had the good fortune to star in a parody video that since it’s posting only four days ago, has already been viewed over 34,0000 times on YouTube.

So here’s what happened. Spoofing the highly popular  surprised kitten video - as in viewed 21 million times popular - Damian Kulash, the You Tube sensation from the OK GO band, pretended to tickle a room full of people in the SXSW audience. See  surprised SXSW audience. If you like this spoof, check out Damian’s attempt to tickle his pet dog, who doesn’t seem at all surprised. See surprised dog.

The SXSW viral video seminar was led by Jonathan Wells, the creative director at Flux,  Margaret Gould Stewart from YouTube, Jason Wishnow from TedTalks and Damian Kulash from OK GO. They were informed and articulate, and it was one of the  more meaningful and lively discussions at SXSW. I learned that many popular viral videos happen not on purpose like, Charlie bit my finger.  So the question is, how do you create a successful viral video on purpose? Here are 10 secrets I learned from this panel of pros:

1. Don’t be a Debbie Downer. Most videos that go viral spread happiness.

2. Go for a sense of wonder, inspiration and surprise, and create content around the unexpected and the great reveal.

3. Use multiple camera angles and close ups so viewers can develop an emotional connection with those on camera. Watch James Watson on TedTalks to see some awesome camera angles and inspired delivery of content, in turn creating  both an emotional and intellectual connection with the speaker.

4. Exclusivity online doesn’t work. Allowing people to embed your video is good common sense.  Science has it that the traffic that drives virality in the first 48 hours is due to embedded video on blogs, not on You Tube.

5. Viral doesn’t always mean having to create original content. You can also curate original content from others and provide a platform to help them gain a larger audience for their content.

6. Create a video people will compulsively want to watch over and over again. One way is to think of the most impossible thing to do. Then do it. That’s the approach taken by  OK GO on their latest video, which took 6 months, 65 takes and 60 engineers to create. But it averages 4-5 views per session.

7. Metadata is the SEO equivalent of making your video go viral. Make sure you tag your video properly once it’s on YouTube so people can find it. It’s also recommended that you connect your YouTube channel with your Facebook account. This way all your YouTube updates will get automatically posted on Facebook.

8. People are compulsive about sharing human experiences. Visceral emotions in video around love, food, sex, and laughter generally get passed around.

9. Viral is in the eye of the beholder. People who come to YouTube from social networks are more interested in what else their friends are watching. The idea is to understand the mindset that people bring with them and build off that in creating your video.

10. Be quirky.YouTube’s top celebs are quirky and lo-fi, but they draw audiences any cable network would envy.

Without a doubt, it’s always fascinating to see smart, unique, and occasionally crazy concepts come to life. Most interesting are those that connect with a brand and really support brand awareness.

I welcome your comments and love to hear what you see working to hook fans with video!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Boston, Social Media, Uncategorized by CindyGordon - No Comments →

Click on the two videos below for a sneak preview of the SXSW discussion called “Pass it Back! Kid Apps on Grown-Up Devices” featuring PBS Senior Director Sara DeWitt  (the actual discussion is on Monday, March 15 @ 5 PM in Ballrooom C in case you are one of the lucky ones in Austin).

Sara tells 360 that she will be revealing real-time research findings from PBS on what kids are learning by using iPhone apps. From what I’ve seen, most parents have a “do touch” instead of a “do not touch” policy when it comes to iPhones and other grown-up devices, and kids at all ages appear more than ready to embrace the technology. Apparently parents are buying apps to entertain and educate their kids in growing numbers. They also use the apps for distraction purposes, such as long rides in the car or to give their kids something to do while waiting in the doctor’s office (at least it’s their own germs and not someone else’s!)

We look forward to hearing Sara’s research reveal, and you can bank on finding the results here on the 360 blog.

Kid Apps on Grown-up Devices

Check out PBS iPhone Apps for Kids!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Mobile Industry, Parenting, Social Media, Uncategorized by CindyGordon - 1 Comment →

In case you’re unaware, the 360PR Facebook Fan page launched yesterday! To celebrate, this week’s digital news stories all focus on, you guessed it, Facebook!

The 360 digital team invites you to become a fan of 360 Public Relations and poke around on our page.  You may be surprised to see dogs outfitted in Snuggies walking the runway and 360PR staffers dressed in furry hats and boas, but we promise, it’s all there.  You can also catch up on news related to 360PR, like our most recent edition of the MomSquad Trendletter.  You can even read our blog posts right on our page!

So log on, and then read on, for the latest Facebook buzz!

All Facebook “Want To Run a Promotion For Your Company? Facebook Must Approve It First” – Many brands offer promotions via their Facebook pages.  Previously, these promos were, for the most part, freely run and seemed to greatly benefit the company behind the contest by gaining fans and building buzz.  As of last Thursday, Facebook is cracking down on the rules and regulations behind company-run Facebook promotions. Not only is there a new set of strict guidelines outlining what companies can and cannot do, Facebook must approve all promos before they go live.

Mashable “Facebook Ads Now Let You Target Friends of Your Fans” – A new feature from Facebook Ads allows you to expand your audience beyond just your friends. Now, if you’re invited to an event, are part of a group, or use a Facebook application, your friends are able to see ads targeted at you.  Marketers rejoice!

All Facebook “5 Ways to Instantly Boost Your Facebook Page Traffic” – This is one article you can bet we’ve studied up on!  It’s all in the name – gain fans by implementing the strategies in this piece.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Internet, Social Media by SkyeMcIntyre - 2 Comments →

For the past 48 years, The Hatch Awards, hosted by the Ad Club, have been New England’s premier creative awards show.  Over 1200 entries are reviewed by a dozen judges - high-ranking creative executives from outside the New England area.  Awards are presented across 32 categories including every kind of media possible.

As part of the Ad Club’s PR Committee, 360PR attended the show on Tuesday night…and was blown away (props to Boston University’s drum corps)!

Hatch Awards 2009

I serve on the Ad Club PR Committee and one of the things we try to do is to cast a light on the young, diverse creative ad biz in Boston – the industry has moved well beyond the bygone “Mad Men” era.  This year, we invited some special guests to attend — some leading bloggers from the Boston area.  As we all know, mom bloggers are the movers and shakers of the world — they can topple brands or create success stories in the blink of an eye.  In fact, U.S. moms say 80% of ads miss the mark (via M2Moms).  But experts say that we can improve those results by using social media to create online communities and brand advocates. 

We also set up a hash tag for bloggers and members of the Hatch audience to follow.  Over the course of the evening, there were over 70 Twitter status updates using #AdClub.  The following local bloggers in attendance driving the conversation were:

• Christy Matte, More than Mommy (http://morethanmommy.com/) 
• Nirasha Jaganath, Mommy Niri (http://www.mommyniri.com/) 
• Susan Getgood, Marketing Roadmaps (http://getgood.com/roadmaps/) 
• Jennifer Leal, Savor the Thyme (http://savorthethyme.blogspot.com/) 

Some of the gold bowl recipients were Arnold’s picturesque FootJoy print ads (something any golf fanatic would love) in the Consumer Magazine Spread category, Mullen’s hilarious Boston Bruins national TV spots (my personal favs), and Hill Holliday’s sobering Liberty Mutual TV spots.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Blogger Relations, Boston, Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, Marketing to Moms, Social Media by MikeRush - No Comments →

We just wrapped up the latest 360PR Book Club with a great read - Tactical Transparency by Shel Holtz and John C. Havens. It was a lively discussion (to say the least) and this book left us all contemplating…what is the balance of transparency?

In a nutshell, the book emphasizes that with the Internet and growing use of high-speed connections it is necessary for companies to be transparent. Holtz and Havens define transparency as the degree to which an organization shares its leaders, employees, values, culture, business strategy and the results of its business practices, with stakeholder publics.

There are organizations that use transparency to their benefit, and others who miss the mark. One of my favorite examples is Apple, which was transparent in their response to negative reactions online resulting from a sudden drop in the price of the iPhone. Instead of ignoring complaints from early adopters who felt cheated by the holiday price drop, Steve Jobs apologized in an open letter and offered a $100 credit.

On the other hand, an example from Wal-Mart illustrates how a lack of transparency can backfire. The WalmartingAcrossAmerica.com blog followed the adventures of a couple travelling cross-country, stopping in Wal-Mart parking lots. Customers had a strong negative reaction when it was leaked that Working Families for Wal-Mart (WFWM) funded the trip.

It’s clear that transparency is no longer just a “need-to-know” concept. As Holtz and Havens state, “The flood of social media has brought in an age of digital transparency that is putting the power to create or destroy a reputation into the hands of consumers. Every business today must speak the language and meet the expectations of a new digital population.”

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Books, Uncategorized by CaitlinMelnick - 2 Comments →

It’s September and summer vacation’s clearly over.  Most of us have it engrained from the day we start kindergarten, backpacks on and lunchboxes in hand, that September means business.  This September’s no exception - and we’re thankful for that.

In one week at 360, we’ve had three client events spanning a range of product categories:  an event to introduce Stonyfield Farm’s YoBaby Meals featuring Stonyfield CE-Yo Gary Hirshberg and Boston Mama’s Christine Koh; a car seat safety briefing by Dorel Juvenile Group at the ABC KIDS Expo (#abckids on Twitter); and, a Snuggie fashion show during Fashion Week emceed by Ross “The Intern” Mathews from The Tonight Show.

A model wears one of the new Snuggie designs on the runway during Fall Fashion Week in New York.

We have two more events and multiple tours still to come this month, and we’re just one agency.  Multiply that by hundreds of agencies and brands with launches planned in September.  Imagine being a reporter or blogger on the receiving end of it all?  In fact, we’re hearing from bloggers that they’re being inundated with invitations – increasingly, it’s gotta be something pretty special to pull them out these days.

And at ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas, editors from the leading parenting books were moving at a rapid clip, covering more ground with fewer staff.  Some were breathless.  It was interesting to see traditional media outnumbered by bloggers, and refreshing to see marketers spending after a cautious start to the year.

If September’s any indication, it’s going to be a noisy fall.  And it seems consumers are finally ready to listen – especially if the price is right!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, Media and Press, PR Industry by LauraTomasetti - No Comments →

This week, the 360PR team took on Vegas for the 7^th annual ABC Kids Expo.  This year was my first trip to the show, and I was overwhelmed with the sheer magnitude of juvenile product companies exhibiting.  Anything you think a baby or parent-to-be would need/want was there…and then some!  Stainless steel baby bottles, eco-friendly cloth diapers, and multitudes of edgy, cool baby furniture were just some of the many highlights. 

It’s always a blast to look at the latest designs and fashions for baby (everything is just too darn cute!); however, the most important feature when little ones are concerned is always safety.  

The timing for ABC Expo was perfect, as Saturday kicked off National Child Passenger Safety Week, which is a nationwide effort sponsored by NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).  To start the week, car seat check events were held throughout the nation on Saturday.  I was lucky enough to attend a local event sponsored by Safe Kids.  I met the inspiring and dedicated folks behind Safe Kids, including the Training Manager and Technical Advisor, Lorrie Walker (pictured below).  Safe Kids reports that a whopping 4 out of 5 car seats are installed incorrectly. 

The theme of child safety continued, as we held a car seat safety briefing at the Safety 1^st booth at ABC Kids Expo.  The panel discussed the danger of side impact crashes for children and new innovations in testing methods and technology to protect our kids on the road.  We had a great turn-out - including top-notch editors, bloggers and industry advocates.  This briefing also caught the attention of NBC Las Vegas, as they broadcasted live from our booth to report on the Safety 1^st Air Protect Side Impact Technology for their morning show - which meant a 3AM wake-up call for me.  In true Vegas fashion, the streets were bustling at that hour anyway!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations, Media and Press, Parenting by BrittanyWelch - 1 Comment →

Keeping a secret in an office full of hyper-communicators is never easy (is a secret ever safe with Twitter these days?!). And when it comes to keeping the activities of the annual 360PR summer outing under wraps, well, the stakes are even higher.

For the better part of the summer, our team members have tried trickery, bribery and all out guessing to try and uncover the itinerary of one of our favorite days of the year. Luckily, our planning team channeled their inner Cloak & Dagger and we kept them in the dark until the big unveiling this past Friday. Over ‘ritas and lunch at Cottonwood, each 360 team member finally received their “case briefing.”

As part of the clever game produced by Urban Interactive, our team was being sent on a mission throughout downtown Boston working for one of our most unique clients ever - The Society of the Commons. As “urban sleuths,” our mission was to uncover a Colonial relic lost somewhere in Boston.

Armed with a tricked out iTouch, a (limited) map of Boston and four envelopes marked top secret (to be opened along the course of the hunt), our six teams tooks to the streets in search of the relic. Along the way, we met up with rival spies from the SmartMax-86 organization and had to fool them into revealing their secrets to us. Since we’re in PR, we had no touble smooth talking them into that one! Some teams chased down the operatives across Boston Common much to the amusement of sane businesspeople on their lunch breaks, while others wooed them with some on-the-spot musical improv. If our blog had audio, I’d ask Skye to record her fantastic tune which is best accompanied by a ukulele!

Bad Tip: Clearly this donkey didn’t give us the clues we needed: My team came in last, but we had a great time doing it! (l-r) The donkey in front of Ruth’s Chris steakhouse, Skye, Elicia and Mike

By the time 5:00 rolled around, we’d traversed the city, met lots of helpful strangers and were ready for some celebrarory cocktails at Jury’s pub. Some of us arrived faster than others (apparently John has a competitive nature we just never really knew about), and while the relic never was actually located (we’re more Spies Like Us rather than Indiana Jones truth be told!), we had lots of laughs discovering hidden parts of Boston and our team members’ many hidden talents.  Here are some of the superlatives we awarded our colleagues:

• Best Musical Improv (for her SmartMax-86 rap) - Skye
• Best Spy Lingo - Mike
• Best Hula Dance & Cartwheel - Caitlin D.
• Sharpest Eye  - Lindsay
• Sneakiest  - India
• Best Pick-up Line to a SmartMax-86 Agent - Caitlin M.
• Most Competitive - John

The Winning Team (l-r): Stacey, Caroline, Lindsay and Caitlin

Now, if only we can keep the holiday party under wraps until December!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Boston by VictoriaBreglio - 4 Comments →

If you’re casually perusing this week’s digital news as part of your leisurely Friday afternoon, think of us - the team at 360PR. Because as you’re glued to your chair, impatiently waiting for 5 o’ clock to roll around, we’re doing anything but sitting still. Or are we? Today marks 360PR’s annual summer outing. The day’s events have been shrouded in mystery, with only an elite few in on the knowledge of what (predictably crazy) team building activities we’re slated to participate in. We were told to wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen, should we feel inclined. But exactly where we’re going and what we’re doing? Your guess is as good as mine.

So this week, I’m dedicating our digital news stories to group-togetherness. As the old saying goes, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” Check back next week for a full recap of today’s adventure - complete with photos of the 360PR staff doing, well, I have absolutely no idea what.

Mashable “Why Teens Don’t Tweet” - You might find it surprising to learn that the majority of the Twittersphere is composed of people between 45 and 54-years-old. Teens, who we typically think of as being tech-savvy and on the brink of new technology aren’t tweeting at nearly the rate their parents and even grandparents, are. Why aren’t teens tweeting? According to Nielsen, they’re too occupied with managing a frantic stream of friend requests and scoping out music on Myspace.

WebWorkerDaily “32 Ways to Use Facebook for Business” - Last week, I touched on the relationship between small businesses and Twitter. But what about the big dogs? This piece educates businesses of all sizes on Facebook best practices.

Mashable “Top 15 Social Media Resources for Foodies” - Foodies unite! Whether you enjoy cooking, party-planning, grocery shopping, or just plain chowing down, Mashable has pulled together the best online resources for foodies, all in one place. Make sure to catch part 2 of this piece here.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Internet, Social Media by SkyeMcIntyre - 1 Comment →

We are about to dive into a new book for our 360PR Book Club. There is nothing better than reading up on public relations and social media while lying on the beach! Well at least everyone in our office thinks it’s exciting…

We are considering three books this summer, ranging in focus from how social media is taking over PR to why flash mobs actually work. Here are our picks for the summer session of the 360PR Book Club:

Putting the Public Back in Public Relations: How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR  

By Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge

Putting the Public Back in Public Relations focuses on how PR professionals have the opportunity to make PR succeed more powerfully with social media and Web 2.0 It seems like we have been doing this for a while, but maybe Solis and Breakenridge will give new tips and tricks to seasoned PR professionals.

Twitter Power: How to Dominate your Market One Tweet at a Time

By Joel Comm

As PR pros we’ve been using Twitter for a long time, but we are always open to hearing how to make Twitter work harder for our clients. Twitter Power discusses through case studies and best practices, how to build a brand via Twitter.

And Then There’s This: How Stories Live and Die in Viral Culture

By Bill Wasik

And Then There’s This highlights the phenomenon of viral culture, including the creation of flash mobs, memes, and other Internet sensations such as guerilla marketing and political blogs. The theory of why certain phenomenon take off and others are left in the dirt is important for all PR people to understand. Wasik may have some new insight that will help on our current campaigns.  

Let us know what’s on your book list this summer - for business or pleasure!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Books, PR Industry by CaitlinMelnick - 2 Comments →

We’ve returned safe and soundly from Chicago and BlogHer 2009 was a big success.  Its biggest turnout to date, the five-year-old conference morphed into a true tradeshow format with major brands turning out to grab the attention of bloggers across the country.

Elaborate booths, impressive swag and even celebrity sightings (Tim Gunn, Paula Deen and Carson Kressley), are a testament to the fact that brands know how important bloggers are to their success; and are willing to put the resources and funds behind social media initiatives to get in the bloggers’ good graces.

Social media is a force to be reckoned with; and is certainly gaining lots of attention in the industry.  Issues with the FTC (see Laura’s recent post), Blog with Integrity and the recent announcement of the PR Blackout Challenge all point to an obvious truth: new media is calling and is here to stay. By the looks of BlogHer 2009, brands have taken notice.

From national brands like Pepsi Co and Walmart to non-profits such as Safe Kids to the unexpected presence of Pork (touting themselves as the Real Pork Bloggers of Chicago), the brands at this year’s conference ran the gamut.  Also, our Safety 1^st client was in attendance to introduce its new Complete Air car seat with Air Protect Side Impact Technology.  Stay tuned to view our Flickr page with all of our booth visitors in front of the Chicago skyline!

See you all next year in NYC for BlogHer 2010!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Blogger Relations, Digital PR, Events and Conferences, Social Media by BrittanyWelch - 3 Comments →

Yesterday, we all tied up our sneakers and threw on our running shorts for the annual J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge, a 5K race supporting Camp Harbor View. For each Corporate Challenge entry, J.P. Morgan made a donation to the camp, which serves over 600 inner-city youth ages 11-14.

360PR was able to support the community, exercise, and have fun…all while looking great!  Among a crowd of 12,000 runners Team 360 made a fashionable showing with our Twitter-blue tees. Anyone who was live-tweeting could follow us physically and electronically during the race.

The rain held off long enough for us to have a dry evening to run, walk, and stroll. Although we didn’t win the Corporate Challenge, we still had a post-race celebration at the nearby Globe bar for the stellar PR running team!

Stephanie Shih and Caitlin Melnick model the 2009 Corporate Challenge Tees

Filed under: 360 Public Relations by EliciaBasoli - 2 Comments →

If you thought your High School graduation signified the end of the rat race for popularity, you were mistaken. This week, the focus was on maintaining a “cream of the crop” social media status, whether you’re a blogger, avid Facebook user, or intern relegated to delivering the daily dose of java for the office. Check out some of the following articles for some pointers on excelling in the digital space.

Copyblogger “The Real Secret to Becoming a Popular Blogger” - These days, who doesn’t have a blog? Many infants do. So do some canines. But how many people are actually reading your blog on a regular basis is what really matters. How do you become part of the blogosphere’s inner circle? According to Johnny Truant at Copyblogger, your need to be interesting, smart and relatable. Sound similar to the dating scene to anyone else? C’est la vie.

Mashable “Dunkin Run Automates your Coffee Breaks on the Web and iPhone” - “America Runs on Dunkin.” At least the Northeast does, that is. But when everyone in the office is working on deadline, in a meeting, or on a call, it’s tough to facilitate that mid-afternoon caffeine pick-me-up. With an ingenious new application from Dunkin’ Donuts however, you can collect a list of orders before you head out the door. Coffee’s never tasted so sweet.

AllFacebook “How To Get Your Facebook User Name Back From a Squatter” - After reading our post about Facebook Vanity URLs, and CNET’s article on the same topic, you might’ve scrambled to secure your personalized URL. But if you waited to make your claim, you might be out of luck. Check out this article from AllFacebook before you fret. Note however, that if you can’t prove your URL is your livelihood, it might be time to consider a legal name change.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Blogger Relations, Internet, Social Media by SkyeMcIntyre - No Comments →

What would Chuck Norris do?  Or, as many of us at 360PR asked on Friday, how would MC Hammer reinvent something, or Donald Trump improve efficiency?

Our agency participated in a hands-on professional development session on Friday (courtesy of The Loeb Group) that focused on “Tools to Boost Our Individual & Collaborative Creativity” — and there were plenty of tactile toys and doohickeys supplied to prime the pump.

PR practitioners are generally quick, creative thinkers. But foosball tables and yoga balance balls aside, creativity is not simply a byproduct of an office’s environment.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Consumer Marketing, PR Industry by MikeRush - 2 Comments →

The third annual BlogHer Business conference is taking place on July 23 in Chicago. This year, 360PR is proud to sponsor the event, which brings together brand marketers, pr and communications pros, social media consultants and, of course, bloggers. The day-long conference serves as a course in the most effective ways to reach women online - a rapidly growing and extremely influential demographic.

360 has attended in the past and found the sessions to be very valuable and the overall event to be fantastic for networking. The event brings bloggers from across the country together to meet in-person and engage with brands and each other - can’t get much better than that!

We’d love to see you there! To register, visit the BlogHer Business website here.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Blogger Relations, Events and Conferences by SkyeMcIntyre - 1 Comment →