A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

Photos from Instagram; New York Times Blog

The old adage says, “A picture paints a thousand words” – but the question is, does this mean more to us now than before?

Pinterest and Instagram joined the social media domain in 2011 and they both have taken off faster than any other social media platform in the past. Research shows iPhone users upload nearly 4.5 million photos to Instagram each day and Pinterest has more than 12 million users and already outperforms LinkedIn, Google + and Twitter in driving referral traffic to retailers.

It seems visual content is more prevalent than ever – and as a marketing professional, I wonder – are we losing the power of words?

With this trend of image content, rarely do we stop and read an article. If the photo grabs our attention we may read a few lines underneath, but most of us just keep scrolling on to the next visually appealing article.

To engage readers and give the audience what they want, PR and marketing folks need to use this trend to their advantage and integrate photos and videos into press releases, blog posts and other marketing efforts and strategically curate the images to maximize readership.

That’s why in a recent campaign launch for our client MillBridge, EOS featured actual photos and videos of residents in the community’s website. We focused on using less copy and more visual content to really reach our audience and have them stop and spend time on the website.

Images make for a useful tool in supporting our content and really grabbing our reader’s attention – but there is no denying it’s in the actual wording where the argument and the core of what we are saying lives.

Pictures may mean more than ever now and Pinterest and Instagram may have changed the way we view and engage with online content, but in my opinion, it’s our words that will always be the most critical element in creating useful and relevant content.

Now I encourage you to weigh in– words or pictures? Where do you think the future lies for sharing content and spreading messages?

Take Your PR Game to the Next Level

At PRSA, April is Accreditation month. Throughout the nation, public relations practitioners celebrate the voluntary certification process many publicists pursue. Do I recommend it? Yes. Did it bolster my career? Yes. Was it hard as heck? Yes. Would I do it again? Yes, and in fact have (another blog post for another day).

In today’s instant information age, where niche knowledge is a leverage point, certification in public relations is a differentiator. Just as accounting issues are better managed by a CPA, or heart issues by a cardiologist in lieu of a general practitioner, an accredited professional has the proven knowledge, skills and abilities to provide candid and vital reputation management consulting.

But, just like losing weight and working out, preparation for Accreditation requires time and discipline. If you are considering the APR program, contact my dear colleagues, Ray Crockett and Karlie Lahm via PRSA Georgia’s website.

Get the Right Idea and the Idea Right

Social networks have changed the way that people work, think and live. Accessible by smart phones and other devices, networks like Facebook and Twitter have greatly contributed to the social media phenomenon of today. Businesses big and small alike are realizing the importance of real time interaction and plan to jump into social media with both feet.

Using social media marketing, brands can connect to a larger network of people, in a way that is cost and time effective. The overlap between professional and personal networks results in increased exposure and also establishes a platform where the consumer’s voice can be heard. Consumers are talking about products and services online and by focusing on social networks; businesses can actively participate in the conversation and directly communicate with fans and followers.

As the communication channels continue to evolve, traditional practices and ideals will be challenged and businesses will be forced to regroup, rethink and re-strategize. Too often companies become intrigued by social media and disregard traditional media—ultimately losing sight of the big picture. Know your target audience and where to reach them. As marketers, it’s imperative that we get the right idea and the idea right.

Some people believe that in this technology age traditional media outlets like television, radio and print are DEAD. Last time I checked, Robin Roberts hasn’t quit her day job, Bert Weiss and members of Q100’s Bert Show still wake up every morning at 3 a.m. to entertain us on our way to work and I am still smiling and dialing reporters at the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Traditional media outlets are still very much alive and with millions of loyal viewers, listeners and readers, marketing and PR efforts will not go unnoticed. Integrating a balance between both social and traditional media practices is the key to implementing a successful marketing and PR plan.

Stay active, stay engaged and stay relevant.

A Goddess Insight: Vision, Value and Valor

Five years ago, Susan and I sat in my sunroom and formed a company on the foundation of a vision to create uncompromised marketing.  As visionaries, thinkers, doers, and hard-workers, we’ve cut through the challenges of new communication channels, market changes and the Great Recession to provide vision and value to our clients. 

Sarah Shaw, executive editor of The Entreprenette, recently interviewed me on the characteristics EOS’ looks for in sourcing great employee partners.  Check out an excerpt from this article here.

Ride the social media bandwagon

With the new year rapidly approaching, marketing agencies are budget planning for 2011 with clients. Both clients and agencies understand that social media is here to stay and needs to be integrated into their marketing campaigns for success. Clients are becoming more confident in using social media to create buzz because of the success they are seeing. Social media is a great tool for agencies to use to generate publicity and gain media coverage at a low cost; however social media may not produce astonishing results for every client if it is not used correctly.

At EOS, we focus on creating integrated campaigns for our clients that reach their target audiences. We thought out blog readers might enjoy Philippe Guegan’s article about how to get the most out of social media and he notes the “5 Tenets of Social Media That Every Agency Should Embrace.”

1. Fragmentation is Key. Forget one-size-fits-all messages targeting “lowest common denominator” audience. Recognize that fragmentation is here to stay, and embrace it at every step.
2. Frequency and freshness of content matters more than production values. Increase your execution capability and move to rapid-fire, low-cost production cycles.
3. Quality content is a valuable and reusable asset. Build your library for the long term and ensure that you will be able to do “re-runs.”
4. Stop thinking and budgeting around push marketing. Start thinking about ongoing engagement. Audiences can no longer be turned on and off on demand.
5. Production vs. Distribution. In a genuine two-way, real-time conversation, it is hard to separate the production arm from the distribution arm. Your brain is connected to your mouth for a reason.

What does chugging a malt beverage have to do with the future of Viral Marketing?

There is a new phenomenon sweeping the nation among males from 18 to 35, icing. And while at first glance it seemed like a game some college student made up one afternoon while bored, the more I see it, the more I think this was one well-executed marketing plan by the makers of Smirnoff Ice. But I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s first start with a quick explanation of what “icing” is. If you already know, by all means, skip to paragraph 3.

The premise of the game is simple: hide a Smirnoff Ice malt beverage for a friend to stumble upon, once the unknowing friend finds this sugary surprise, he has to immediately take a knee and chug it all at once. Unless of course, he is carrying a bottle himself in which case the attacker must then drink both bottles (known as an “ice block”).

As a woman, I found icing marginally amusing the first few times I saw it. Now it bores me (note I’m not their target market). But as a marketer, I find icing absolutely brilliant.

Take a product that most men wouldn’t be caught dead drinking ­- and create a game where they can use said product to embarrass their friends. Add to that social media & electronics as advanced as they are today, and they can document their stunt and share it with the world in a matter of seconds.

Smirnoff says they have had no involvement with this viral phenomenon, but as someone who spends every day of their life in the marketing business, I beg to differ.

From blogs to websites to YouTube to Facebook to Twitter to who knows what, photos and videos of people getting iced are everywhere. That is the beauty of viral marketing in social media. It’s free and anyone with internet access can do it. So we don’t necessarily know where the buzz is coming from- whether it be the local college student who’s bored in class or the Chief Marketing Officer of a famous alcoholic beverage conglomerate.

I’m not going to come out and say Smirnoff Ice started this, but if they did, huge kudos to them. They are certainly reaping the benefits now. Stores are actually reporting running out of Smirnoff Ice- the first time this has ever happened. And celebrities have started to get in on the fun. Ashton Kutcher even has started his own site IceAshton.com where the first person to ice him and take photos will win a prize.

So what can we, as marketers, get out of a game where grown men take a knee and chug a malt beverage? Social media is a very powerful marketing tool. And it’s going to continue to influence consumers in the future. If you ask me, this is just the beginning in viral marketing.

 For more information on icing, getting iced or if you’re just bored, their official website is: www.Brosicingbros.com. Or you could just google it. I’m telling you, it’s everywhere right now.

Whose job is it anyway?

Yesterday, I read an article in AdWeek entitled Digital Dips Toes in PR Water: A need for earned media spurs big change. Now personally, I don’t mind if the digital folks want to dip their toes in my water - I dove head first into theirs - so to that I say, “Come on in, the water is just fine.”

The Adweek article discusses how social media coupled with increased competition to be noticed on the Web has led digital firms to create internal PR teams to develop creative ways to drive traffic to clients’ projects. These types of articles add fuel to the fire of an argument that is as old as the marketing profession itself - whose job is it anyway? Does PR get to call dibs on social media? Can the digital realm get in on the advertising action? Can brand managers master PR principles?

As these thoughts swarmed around in my mind, I had an epiphany…”Isn’t all of this stuff just a part of marketing? And doesn’t the client need all of it in order to sustain the longevity of a brand?”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for specialization - which is why I identify myself as a PR professional. But look at the evolution of agencies. Nowadays you’d be hard pressed to find a public relations agency that doesn’t have a digital or brand expert on staff or vice-versa. I think that’s what makes EOS a unique agency; our agency has a media neutral approach. We focus on the idea, and once it is established, we devise the best way to use our agency’s capabilities to convey that idea to its intended audiences. EOS has a range of expertise from branding and advertising to interactive marketing to graphic design to PR and more. This means that we’re a one-stop shop that produces integrated, long-term marketing solutions, which is what clients are looking for.

So what are your thoughts on this new integrated agency trend? Is it  the new normal in the marketing world?

Hold the onions on my left-handed Whopper, please.

For years, major corporations have used April Fool’s Day as an opportunity to launch large-scale pranks on unsuspecting consumers. While it’s all fun and games, many are unaware that these “jokes” are merely viral marketing campaigns packaged an April Fool’s shenanigan.

It’s a brilliant concept. Whether it’s Google changing its website name to “Topeka” or Starbucks adding a 128 oz cup of coffee its menu, these “pranks” result in loads of consumer interest and free publicity. Consider the following “gotchas” pulled by a few very well-know corporations:

·          Taco Bell sparked an uproar when the company announced it had purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the “Taco Liberty Bell.”  When asked about the sale at a White House press briefing, then-secretary Mike McCurry reportedly announced that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold and renamed the “Ford Lincoln Memorial.”

·         Burger King announced the new left-handed Whopper. The company took out a full page ad in “USA Today” highlighting the first ever burger designed for 32-million left-handed Americans. The company issued a release detailing the hoax after thousands of customers either ordered a left-handed burger or made it a point to mention they wanted to stick with the classic, right-handed version.

·         Kodak has launched Aromatography, “a breakthrough in digital imaging processing” that uses Neuro-optic nasal sense imaging technology, known as NonSense, to bring pictures to life with scratch-and-sniff aromas.

These gags are great examples of how companies have managed to turn tomfoolery into an opportunity to expand their brand presence. Click here to check out a list April Fool’s Day 2010 pranks by some of our favourite brands. 

Is advertising dead?

Ah, yes. Is advertising dead…the most frequently asked question in this ad-soaked world we live in.

The truth is, it’s not dead. And I’m not just saying that because if it were, I would be out of a job. A few days ago I saw a commercial that proved this very point to me. It was one of the new Amazon Kindle commercials.

The light-hearted tone, cheery music and unusual film technique spoke to me. I actually walked away from viewing this commercial not wanting the last 30 seconds of my life back. And it got me thinking…why do I like this commercial so much?

I liked it because it spoke to me emotionally. It didn’t tell me how great the Kindle was or how much my life would benefit from it. No. In half a minute, they managed to do nothing more than create a world I want to be in. A world where things are whimsical and fun. It was a break from reality for me. And sometimes that’s all that advertising needs to be to be effective. An emotional break.

So to those who think advertising is dead, I ask you this: What is your definition of advertising? Because if it is spouting off the benefits of your product or service with no regard to your target audience or watching an inanimate object crack dumb jokes and use bad puns, then yes, advertising is dead.

But if your definition is connecting to the consumer on an emotional level, then advertising not only isn’t dead, but never will be. Because in pulling an emotion from someone, advertisers must continue to challenge themselves to speak to the consumer in a way that hasn’t been done before.

Click here to view the Kindle commercials.

Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation

A few weeks ago, my former mentor and I had a friendly debate about one of her new employees. This “young kid” - as she put it - fresh off an internship thinks he can run the entire office. He’s only been an employee for 3 weeks (her exact words were “a whole 15 days”) and he’s ready to advance to the next level. I explained that he is just an ambitious young man who is excited about his new position, and if given the opportunity and guidance, he could accomplish great things. 

She rolled her eyes and smugly retorted, “I knew you’d say that. You Millennials are all cut from the same naïve cloth. Come talk to me in 20 years when a kid with next-to-no experience strolls into your office and demands to be promoted.”

Even though I was mildly offended, I knew I wouldn’t win the argument, so I humbly bowed out. Two days later, just to drive her point home, she sent me an article entitled “Managing the ‘Me First’ Generation”, which discusses the workplace power struggle between Boomers and Millennials. For those of you who aren’t up on your demographic lingo, a Boomer - or Baby boomer - is anyone born between 1946 and 1964. Millennials - or Generation Y - are those born after 1982.

Being a proud Millennial, I found some parts of the article validating. It points out that most of my generation was raised on a healthy dose of self-esteem from our über supportive parents who incessantly told us that we could do anything. Imagine being conditioned to think that way for more than 20 years. When we enter the workforce, we naturally think that no task is beyond our skill set - regardless of how limited that skill set may be. Now imagine the sheer terror and frustration we feel when our bubble is burst.

I understand this mindset can lead to some rather difficult challenges for our Boomer managers - who coincidently are from the same demographic as the parents who helped foster this attitude. Pretty funny, huh? 

Much like the author of the article, I am here to offer advice to all Boomers who are going bald from the stress of wrangling in Millenials. Are you ready? Take a chill pill. It’s that easy.

We may bring a hint of informality to stuffy - I mean traditional - work environments. And occasionally, we may have a misplaced sense of entitlement when it comes to leadership positions. However, we are fearless risk takers who are eager to tackle any project put in front of us. We crave training and opportunities to learn from you because we want to grow professionally. We just need you to be a little patient with us as we experience our growing pains. And, it couldn’t hurt for you to acknowledge that you were once in our shoes.

I hope this insight into the mind of a Millennial has given you Boomers some comfort. And if it doesn’t, know that in about 20 years, we Millennials will be going through the same thing.