360PR Blog

I’m heading to the West Coast next month to the Society of New Communications Research‘s annual NewComm Forum.  Besides being excited about tagging on a weekend in wine country, I can’t wait to sit in on the conference sessions. 

I’m joining Susan Getgood on her panel covering Blogger Relations, along with other SNCR award honorees from the blogger relations category.  NewComm Forum 2009 will feature sessions on the culture of Facebook, a social media measurement “master class” with Katie Paine, a “Twitterville” session with Laura Fitton (a.k.a. Twitter/Pistachio), a social media crisis communications session, and roundtables on social media management best practices and other hot topics.

Check out the full agenda.  SNCR is on the cutting-edge of all things social media - I learned a ton going to their fall conference in Boston.  If you’re budgeting time out of the office and travel this year, NewComm Forum is one of the best tickets to keep on your short list.

You can also participate in SNCR’s annual Tribalization of Business Study on the use of communities and social media in business.  All who participate get an early, free copy of the results.

Filed under: Blogger Relations, Digital PR, Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations, Internet, Measurement, Social Media by LauraTomasetti - 3 Comments →

Last weekend 47,000 people showed up in Anaheim, CA for Expo West , the world’s largest natural products show. Amid current economic instability and questions regarding the value of organics, the industry seemed to answer any skepticism with a resoundingly impressive show that included 10% attendance growth over last year’s event.

Going into Expo West, this turnout certainly wasn’t a guarantee. With consumers watching their grocery dollars more than ever and food safety scares resulting from the salmonella outbreak that has sickened hundreds and may be involved in nine deaths, organic and natural food products seemed especially vulnerable.

On March 3 The New York Times published It’s Organic, but Does That Mean It’s Safer? , reporting that the organics space is not immune to food insecurities since several organic products were part of the massive food recalls.

In response to concerns and to reaffirm the value of organics, The Organic Agriculture and Products Education Institute (Organic Institute) launched “Organic. It’s worth it.” – the non-profit’s first national consumer education and marketing campaign.

[Read more →]

Filed under: Food Industry, Industry Organizations by Admin - No Comments →

Today, I think most clients in most industries would agree the trade show is about PR – selling happens elsewhere.  We’ve seen clients pull out of a variety of shows in recent years and for good reason.  But the right approach around the right show can still prove valuable.  It takes a different approach, one that’s less and less about what happens on the show floor.

The big outlets typically have their stories researched and written – and often out – before the curtain goes up, like The Associated Press’ coverage of Toy Fair earlier this month.  Helping press and bloggers build their story remotely, weeks in advance of the show, is key to being part of feature coverage and the show buzz.

At CES, which is an extremely tough show for media and bloggers to traverse, you can’t count on everyone making it to your booth.  The preview events held the days leading up to CES are a hit with media and add minimal cost (and some let you participate without being an official exhibitor).  Mini-events within the main event, such as the “Silvers Summit” at CES, are another way to break through, putting the product story in context of a larger trend.  Check out USA Today’s CES story that ran on Day 1 and featured some Silvers Summit exhibitors.

Other shows, like Housewares (next month in Chicago), have seen media attendance steadily dwindle.  If media are going, there are fewer of them having to cover more ground.  That can make freelance relationships very valuable, as well as in-persons with press not traveling to the show.

Another trade show challenge?  Timing.  Take Toy Fair, for example.  Manufacturers debut the “hot holiday toys” for the coming season just six weeks after last holiday season and, in most cases, months before the new toys are on shelf.  How useful is February-timed coverage of a product that’s not releasing until August?  Sure, it can help to prime the pump.  But you’ll need an encore.  If budget allows, do more than mine the leads coming out of the show.  Time your biggest PR activity away from the show clutter and closer to your product’s release – when the resulting coverage will be truly meaningful for sales.

It’s easy to get swept up in the hype around trade shows.  But a trade show should be seen for what it is and not more – part of a comprehensive PR strategy, not THE strategy.

Filed under: Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations, PR Industry by LauraTomasetti - No Comments →

A quick note:  The following article was published in The Publicity Club of New England‘s January Newsletter.  If you’re local and not a member, the Pub Club is a great resource.

Just before the holidays, I had the pleasure of hearing Talbot’s CEO Trudy Sullivan speak about the company’s reinvention. Rather than more talk of belt-tightening and cutbacks, Sullivan remarked that marketing continued to be “priority spending” for Talbot’s.

Sullivan and many other executives recognize they need to continue to tell their brand story in a down economy. Budgets are tighter all over, but consumers, investors and others are still listening. A brand or organization that goes dark or curtails communication while competitors forge ahead can easily be forgotten, or at least set back.

Without knowing, the PR industry has been preparing for many years for what lies ahead in 2009. We are faster, smarter and more precise as an industry in pinpointing audiences and creating actionable awareness. Now, more than ever, PR has an opportunity to add value. Here are just a few thoughts on how:

Asking questions to leverage and amplify other marketing. CMOs know their budgets have to work harder, and PR should not operate independently. Is there a SEO campaign that PR can contribute to? Are there promotions PR can help fuel? Rather than creating a free-standing PR event, is there something already funded that PR can get behind? Thinking about PR more broadly can extend its value.

Redefining and repositioning to be relevant in a down economy. One could argue in this economy there is a need to step up communications, in order to ensure relevancy. How is your brand or organization relevant in a down economy? PR people are masters at positioning and storytelling and can help.

Creating a deeper connection. Consumers are still spending, though spending more thoughtfully. What value-added content can your brand or organization provide that will deepen the connection with your target audience? PR is accustomed to going beyond the tagline to tell a fuller story and create more context and that can result in a more meaningful connection.

Leveraging social media. PR firms are playing a lead role in helping clients navigate the social media waters, where there are seemingly endless opportunities for brands to reach and activate their targets. Social media is fundamentally about relationships. The “R” in PR has never been so important.

Being a resource to leaner editorial staffs. From The New York Times to Mashable, editorial staffs are significantly leaner heading into the new year, making a good PR person more valuable than ever.

Preparing for the worst. There is no time like the present to dust off that crisis plan or talk with your PR team about developing a plan if you do not already have one to communicate with stakeholders around financial or other issues.

Measuring – even when they are not asking. Of course, no one will know PR’s value if it goes unmeasured. Even if clients and internal teams are not asking, stay out in front with dogged measurement of results. Monitor Web traffic, downloads, key word searches, sales, reach, share of voice and more at key points throughout a campaign.

While 2009 may not be a banner year for the PR industry, there is plenty potential for a silver lining.

Filed under: Industry Organizations, PR Industry by LauraTomasetti - No Comments →

As many non-profits operate with limited budgets in such a tough economy, to take advantage of social media is a no-brainer.  Many of these tools (Twitter, FaceBook, etc.) are absolutely FREE to use and can be a huge help to non-profits looking to spread the word, interact and gather feedback from various audiences.

This point was made crystal clear during “Thriving and Surviving in Uncertain Times: Digital Marketing Techniques for Non-profits” (#NGOSM09), an event that was hosted by the Council of PR Firms and held at the (awesome) Boston Museum of Science yesterday. A few of us at 360 attended and the speaker line-up included agency execs like 360′s own Laura Tomasetti, Carol Cone of Cone, David Almacy of Waggener Edstrom and local non-profits including The Museum of Science, The Boston Center for Adult Education, and Everybody Wins! USA.

I pulled together a handful of key tid-bits from the session that I thought were worth calling out:

[Read more →]

Filed under: Cause-Related, Digital PR, Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations, Social Media by EliciaBasoli - 3 Comments →

So says Kel Kelly of Kel & Partners, who moderated a PubClub of New England panel on the topic last evening a couple doors down from 360 HQ.  Kel, who is absolutely hilarious, made arguments against the notion that Web 2.0 is a passing fad.

Here are a couple of quick examples from the panel of marketing/PR success stories in the Web 2.0 world that we live in:

1) Timberland’s online campaign that helped to plant more than 585,000 trees since kickoff.

2) The winning entry to an online video contest held by Kronos, an expert in workforce and employee management.

3) Finally, have you ever had this talk with your DENTIST??!!

As social media continue to grow, let’s see what marketers will do next.  While I wait, I will be planning which 10 of my friends will fall victim to the Whopper Sacrifice.

Filed under: Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations by Admin - 2 Comments →

“This could possibly be the Christmas that the Grinch stole,” said Talbot’s President & CEO Trudy Sullivan at the Boston Chamber’s Women’s Network Breakfast December 10.  The Grinch is also apparently stealing our time too – I’ve been trying to get this post up since the morning I heard Ms. Sullivan speak.

Ms. Sullivan, a fashion industry vet (she headed Liz Claiborne and J. Crew before recently taking the top post at Talbot’s), likened today’s economic conditions to the Blizzard of ’78, which for New Englanders immediately conjures an image of seemingly impassable four-foot drifts of snow.  “You know you’re going to have to dig out when the storm is over, you’re not looking forward to it, but you’ll do it, one snow shovelful at a time,” she said.

Amid forecasts of a double-digit downturn in specialty retail, Ms. Sullivan and her team are investing in marketing, not cutting back. “The highest priority spending for us is anything that touches the consumer – marketing, how our stores look, merchandising.”  Talbot’s smartly recognizes that no matter how dark the economy appears, it has to take steps to keep existing customers and attract new ones.

One of the things sure to emerge from this economic snow storm is a savvier consumer.  That creates an opportunity for brands to step up and assume a leadership role in helping consumers make more educated purchasing decisions.  Marketing can help, by telling a fuller brand story and going beyond the tagline to offer tangible tools and tips on brand web sites, via direct mail, through editorial and spokespersons, and more. [Read more →]

Filed under: Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations, PR Industry, Uncategorized by LauraTomasetti - No Comments →

The Council of PR Firms is hosting a series of workshops to help non-profits leverage digital media.  Perhaps more than any sector, non-profits have been hit hardest by the economy.  Donations to candidates’ campaigns in this year’s Presidential election also have taken away precious dollars from non-profit organizations.

At the same time, non-profits operating in the social services sector, such as The Women’s Lunch Place here in Boston, have had to balance inceased needs and the higher cost of providing services (for example, food and health care costs have skyrocketed) with tighter support.

Digital and social media could be a big boon to non-profits looking to extend their donor base, especially those trying to tap into younger philanthropists and volunteers whose first interaction with a non-profit may be online.  In addition, social media provides a more interactive environment to engage existing supporters, and can also save thousands of dollars in printed materials.

The Council’s digital workshops for non-profits will be held beginning this month and into early next year in Los Angeles (Dec. 11), Boston (Jan. 14), San Francisco (Jan. 27), Raleigh (Feb. 19), Dallas (date TBD) and Washington, DC (date TBD).

Filed under: Blogger Relations, Boston, Cause-Related, Digital PR, Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations, Internet by LauraTomasetti - 2 Comments →

Gone are the days of traditional marketing to teens. If you are truly trying to break into the hearts and minds of these young people with buying power, you had better be Tweeting, Facebooking, YouTubing, Video-Gaming, MMS’ing, texting, and many more made-up verb words that are sure to make it into the next edition of Webster’s dictionary.

These Millennials, or members of Generation Y, are presenting fun and exciting opportunities and challenges to marketers, PR professionals and advertising executives all over the world. This past week I attended the Ypulse Marketing Mashup East here in Boston. Top brand executives and representatives from the likes of Virgin Mobile USA, MTV, Kaboodle, myYearbook and many more gave insights on what their respective companies are doing to reach this on-the-go and plugged-in demographic.

Each presented a wide-range of initiatives, events and research that in the past few years has presented a better look at who Millennials, like me, are. Even I was caught off guard by some of the stats and ideas presented over the two day conference. [Read more →]

Filed under: Industry Organizations, Social Media by Admin - 3 Comments →

360 hosted a professional development session of digital media leaders last week for our Converge agency network. The two-day summit kicked off with three phenomenal speakers on what’s hot (and what’s not) online. Here are a few key nuggets from each speaker:

[Read more →]

Filed under: Blogger Relations, Digital PR, Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations by EliciaBasoli - No Comments →

Last weekend, I spoke to a great group of students about blogs and blogger relations at the PRSSA 2.0 conference. It was held at the Boston University Photonics Center – a beautiful building – and was organized by members of various local college chapters of PRSSA including a couple of our own super-star interns here at 360! I was in great company – some of the other speakers were Rick Murray, David Meerman Scott, Dusty Rhodes, Greg Peverill-Conti, and Jason Glashow, among others.

[Read more →]

Filed under: Blogger Relations, Digital PR, Industry Organizations by EliciaBasoli - 1 Comment →