Do you remember?

Thomas Whitehead

Let’s play a quick game. Feel free to grab a pen and paper, open a word doc or just use your head, but take a few minutes and write down or try to recall the biggest news stories of 2013. Yes, 2013, not 2014. Go ahead; I will give you some time. And no cheating!

So, how do you think you did? Did you even come up with 10? Are you sure everything you wrote down was from 2013?

If you want to compare your list to one such list, try this one: http://tinyurl.com/mkyu3xe.

I will admit, when I looked at this list, I forgot most of these events happened just a year – or a little more than a year – ago. Some of them seemed longer than just a year and others seem like yesterday.

This exercise reminded me of a valuable element for communications today: past events are going to mean different things to different audiences now more than ever before.

When I was looking at this list of top news events, I was amazed at the ones that I forgot about completely or ones that didn’t even interest me at the time that they were occurring. Yet, others, I was enthralled with when they were happening.

The biggest takeaway from this for communication professionals is to be very careful when referencing historical events as examples for your messaging. It is critical to make sure that the example is relevant or something that the audience can identify with easily.

This is also true when you consider demographics including age, sex and religion. Different events might have more resonating effects on some people more than others.

As news and information continues to come to us at a lightning-fast pace, it is important to keep up with the significant events of the recent past to determine how people shape messages that they receive by marketers.

What’s Next?

Thomas Whitehead

So this is my last blog post for 2014. As you read this, you are probably planning what you want to accomplish in 2015 and are wondering what the year will hold in store for you, your family, your business and your profession.

And you are not alone.

But first, I want to share with you my favorite story from 2014. I may have referenced it earlier this year, but these two related articles that ran in July in the Wall Street Journal were by far my favorite reads:

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/07/29/howmanyistoomany-tallying-up-one-days-worth-of-hashtags/

http://online.wsj.com/articles/blinded-by-the-blizzard-of-hashtags-1406676440

I highly encourage you to take the time to read these if you are in marketing and communication. There are several takeaways that are still applicable:

• Twitter and the rest of social media has become very noisy with many companies, large and small, trying to break through to the same audiences on a 24/7 basis. 
• Hashtags were a great initial way to try to measure the impact of campaigns, but now, they might be adding to more clutter. 
• If you want to try a hashtag for a campaign, make sure that it is common sense so that people will actually use it. 
• If your company wants to measure the effectiveness of a hashtag campaign, make sure that you have two categories: overall mentions and organic. I have noticed several local campaigns where upwards of 95 percent of mentions were from either the organization or employees of the organization. You just want to make sure that it is used by your audience. 
• And this is the biggest takeaway for me: Don’t lose track of your overall goal. It’s not to come up with the most creative and viral hashtag but to help indirectly impact your bottom line, whether it is sales, donations or whatever. 

So what does this have to do with 2015 and beyond?

I’m glad you asked. My biggest takeaway with this is that something else will replace the hashtag in terms of marketing tools. Don’t get me wrong – I think the novelty of a hashtag will remain in western linguistics for some time. However, I am not certain that it will sustain its marketing power for too long, as these articles suggest.

So, in 2015, keep your eyes out for what is next. Don’t stay too focused on creating ideas that are based just on what is trendy and popular now. Just like digital media itself, marketing is always evolving.

And with that, cheers to a New Year, and may you all have a wonderful holiday season.

Project Checklist Time

Thomas Whitehead

Ask anyone who knows me, and you’ll hear that I am a very analytical person who asks a lot of questions. I have always believed in the value of questions. It is the only way you can have your thoughts and plans challenged. You should be able to defend your position, and if you can’t, then it is worth exploring how to improve it. 

There are many tried and true devices out there for ensuring you are on the right path – SWAT analysis, pro/con lists, plus/minuses, focus groups, etc. All of these have their own place in assessing the direction of a project, campaign or decision. 

Regardless of the tool your organization uses, I wanted to offer several universal questions that can be used at any time of a project. Sometimes, it is good to push pause and get a temperature check. A few questions that I use with my work team include:

• Are we on track with our goals? Sometimes, in the middle of a project, variables can change and the expected results of an operation may change as a result of unforeseen events. It is good to answer this question throughout because if it is recognized that you are, indeed, off track, then you still have time to realign and reach your goals. 
• What about this project has you most worried? This question allows you to pinpoint specifically what area you feel needs to have the most attention. If it is recognized immediately, you can be aware of this area and give it the special attention it may need. Verbalizing that area of concern in a group setting also generates a team awareness about it that can be communicated as a team. 
• Is there anyone else who needs to be aware of what we are doing? Internally and externally, are all those people who will have a vested interest in what you are doing aware? Or will they be caught off-guard. 
• Are we on track with our budget? Again, this is another one to ask periodically and not wait until it is too late. If you are able to see what financial challenges you may have, you can address them proactively. 
• Do we still feel good about this? Sometimes, it helps to have an honest assessment. If there are any concerns, speak now or forever hold your peace. 
• Is there anything we aren’t thinking about? Similar to the above, but this isn’t about doubt; this is about making sure you have covered all the ground that needs to be covered. 
• Is our expectation the same as when we first started? This is similar to what variables have changed, but it speaks more to the execution of the actual plan. 
• What measurements are we using to determine if this is a success? This question should absolutely be answered at the beginning of a project. However, it wouldn’t hurt to continue raising this question up to make sure you aren’t missing anything. 

This is not an exhaustive list. If you have your own, please feel free to share in the comments. But, the great thing about this variety is that it does address strengths, weaknesses, goals, challenges and expectations. These are all essential in any execution.

Time Left on the Clock

Thomas Whitehead

It seems as if in this past decade there have been more stories written about time management, clock management, work-life balance and anything else in the business and personal world that pertains to how we are spending our time.

Every year, there are stories of new ways and volumes in which workers are “wasting” their time at work with NCAA Tournament talk, fantasy football or online shopping. There have been tons of articles about tips that famously successful people do on a daily basis. Heck, there was even a book about the four-hour work week.

The bottom line, to me, is that all this talk can be exhausting. Yet, it is a strong reminder that time is precious and we are now, more than ever, aware of how much and little time we do have.

And of all the devices we have that remind us of the clock, there is one that gets me every single time – the countdown clock on the microwave.

If you have ever been in a workplace that has a microwave, then you may be able to relate to what I am about to describe. How many times have you gone to heat something up and you look at the clock and it says 0:04 to indicate that the previous food still had four seconds remaining on the clock. Yet, the person decided that it was enough time and went with it.

I have to be honest, when I am waiting what seems like forever on the microwave timer, there is a temptation to just stop it a few seconds earlier. But, at the same time, I am also asking myself what is the rush. Is it possible for me to just be a little more patient and let the clock take care of itself?

Sometimes, I think about how that pertains to my work life. Am I patient enough to give relationships, needed answers, responses and approvals a few more seconds before I go into anxiety mode? Or, am I always pushing ahead with a “Now! Now! Now!” attitude

Honestly, it is a middle ground for me with it. And when I do feel myself getting anxious, I think of the extra four seconds on the microwave to remind myself to let things cook, and they will still get done on time.

Saying ‘Strategic’ May Be a Cliché, but Thinking Strategically Isn’t.

Thomas Whitehead

During this past holiday season, I received an email from LinkedIn with a headline saying something along the lines of, “Thomas, you have the word ‘strategic’ in your bio. More than 35,000 other people use this word. Stand out now by upgrading your account.” 

So, this got my attention. Without providing a full chart of my strengths and weaknesses as a professional, I have always prided myself on strategic thinking being a vital strength of mine. But, it made me think. If everyone considers strategy to be a strength, is it really an important trait today, or is it something that everybody has and is almost expected to know?

Then, two public incidents happened almost simultaneously that made me reconsider how common or often strategic thinking is a part of our day-to-day decision making. 

• First, Bridget Anne Kelly, the deputy chief of staff for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, was fired from her job for her direct involvement in closing traffic lanes as part of political revenge on a local politician. The closing of the lanes shut down the George Washington Bridge, causing complete gridlock and even prevented medical authorities from reaching a 91-year-old woman who had a heart attack and died. 
• Secondly, at right about the same time, Justine Sacco, the PR director for New York media conglomerate InterActiveCorp was fired after she posted a tweet right before she took off for a transcontinental flight to South Africa saying, “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Oh, wait I’m white.“ This was not the first controversial tweet she had posted. 

It really caught my attention that, within the span of a week, two highly successful communication professionals were in the middle of controversies that could have been prevented if they had utilized strategic thinking about how their actions may affect their careers. 

I am not going to stand here and proclaim that I have never made any mistakes. Both professionally and personally, there have been decisions in my life that I regretted making. The good thing about the mistakes that I have made in my life is that I took those moments to learn from them and make sure that I become a better person from them. 

And, I have to give both of these professionals the benefit of the doubt that they will learn from these highly publicized incidents and return with a sense of self-awareness as they continue their careers. 

But, in light of these incidents, I think LinkedIn may want to reconsider trying to alarm me about how many people describe themselves as strategic. Thinking in terms of long-term, big-picture focus helps us in the small decisions of our lives. Trying to decide if our actions will lead us closer to or further away from these plans is vital to being strategic, whether it is for you, your company, your family or your clients. 

Frame of Reference

Thomas Whitehead

The other day at my gym, there was this dude who was working out with heavy weights on every machine. He was throwing down on every piece of equipment they have -- and with proper form and discipline. He was definitely one of the strongest guys that I’ve seen in there. Then, he started doing some push-ups, and I noticed that he could barely do them. His form was completely off, and he didn’t have any balance. 

The other day at my gym, there was this dude who started doing some push-ups, and I noticed that he could barely do them. His form was completely off, and he didn’t have any balance. Then, he started working out with heavy weights on every machine. He was throwing down on every piece of equipment they have -- and with proper form and discipline. He was definitely one of the strongest guys that I’ve seen in there.

Spoiler Alert – this is the same guy! However, go back and read those two paragraphs again. What is your impression of the guy in the first paragraph compared to the guy in the second?

If you are like me, the ending of the first paragraph’s story was surprising in that you would assume that someone who can work out with that much weight appropriately would be able to do push-ups with considerable ease. And, the second paragraph’s end provides the feelings of being surprised in that you assume this weakling can’t do any large amounts of weight, but then he outperforms expectations. 

I honestly was reflecting about this the other day because I was imagining how I would tell this story to someone who wasn’t there and how depending on the way I told it, the listener would have a much different reaction, as well as perception of the story I was setting up.

It is also a good reminder that companies, brands and organizations need to be very aware of HOW they are telling their stories. As the above example showed, there will always be several ways to share the same story. The challenge is to make sure that the way you choose to share your story is the RIGHT way for you, your company and its overall goals. 

Speaking with clients, we always stress consistency of message when different spokespeople communicate about an organization. This is more challenging than it appears. Each person who is designated to speak about a brand should be well-versed in some type of ambassador training in order to have extensive practice and awareness of the do’s and don’ts of speaking as it pertains to the specific company you are representing. 

Stories are the way that we share everything. Therefore, it is important that the beginning, middle and end of the story is well-planned and thought-out for the audience to which it is intended. 

Back To the Future

Thomas Whitehead

If you were a child of the ‘80s, I have a television show recommendation that has grown on me since it debuted last fall – ABC’s The Goldbergs. It is a show that pays homage to growing up in the 1980s with all the pop culture references that would make the recent AutoZone Super Bowl spot jealous. 

The interesting element of the show is that it takes place in “1980-something…” In other words, it is not a linear storyline, which includes the chronological order of pop culture events. I mean, Ghostbusters and Batman were five years apart, not out at the same time. Once you can accept this, it makes the viewing experience more enjoyable. 

One recent episode that brought back a ton of memories from my childhood centered on the local video store experience. It is hard to believe that there was an era where you had to drive to the video store, hope they had the movie you wanted, and if they didn’t, you had to accept it and find something else based on what was available in the store at that time. AND, you had to return it within 48 hours. If you didn’t, then you had to pay late fees. 

This episode really got me thinking how everything we do, professionally and personally, has changed. Everything is quicker - so much so that you always hear people saying, “What did we do before (insert modern technology here)?” 

It does make you pause. There is so much discussion about how much more we work today compared to 15 or 20 years ago and how much quicker communication and productivity is now. The discussion is that we are working in a 24/7 world. 

I agree that we now are producing and creating faster than ever, thanks to the technology we now have. But, I would like to think that even before the era of digital communication work was being done around the clock. I don’t think the notion of working 24/7 just started in the last decade. 

Rather the way we used to work has changed. This doesn’t suggest that we didn’t work as hard back then. Instead, that extra time working was spent on researching, reading industry information, studying media information, and yes, even stuffing and addressing envelopes for news releases and event invitations to be mailed. On top of this, discussions about future plans, trends, professional observations and other topics were always done around the clock, even if they were limited to the phone, the pub or the office. 

And that is the rub – Are we now doing more and more without the luxury of pausing for preparation, strategy and big-picture development? Is our business world utilizing the extra time that comes from instant and digital communication simply to spend more time on short-term tasks and communication? Or, are we still putting time aside to read, examine and discuss what is happening in the long term for our companies, brands, industries and world in general? 

We can spend 23 hours a day filled with responding to emails, texts and even the next thing down the road very easily. But, it is just as important to devote regular time to planning for the future. 

No Punctuation Marks Were Harmed In Writing This Blog

Thomas Whitehead

During the holidays, I used some of my spare time to catch up on reading anything I could get my hands on – articles, periodicals, books, etc. Of everything I read, an article in the New Republic was probably the most interesting, telling and, possibly the most, alarming story I have read that could greatly impact interpersonal communication for years to come. 

The New Republic published an article discussing how, perhaps, the simplest punctuation mark, the period, has been transformed into a subtext that can indicate anger or disappointment when used in electronic conversations, especially texting. Yes, you read that correctly. A punctuation mark used to finish a declarative sentence (which in itself is merely a “declaration” of a statement) has now entered a place in culture where it, if used, can imply anger or frustration. 

The article indicated that the extra effort (and Twitter real estate) needed in adding a period to a sentence in written electronic communication was intended to imply aggression about the discussion, whereas a punctuation-free sentence (and I hear English teachers asking if this is even possible as I type this) is a casual, care-free zone.

Even further, the stats provided were telling. According to the article, a study by American University found that less than 50 percent of college students use periods at the end of both text messages and online chat conversations. 

Personally, I find this quite disappointing.  Without using punctuation to indicate the end of a thought or statement in written communication, especially when it segues into another statement, I feel that my absorption and understanding of the message becomes difficult to comprehend. It creates a distraction to the flow of how I read what is given to me. I could go on and on about how this is a further destruction of the English language, but instead, I am going to go a different direction. 

The reality is, if this is entering our culture, we have to at least be mindful of it, as well as the messages that periods or no periods can imply when we communicate. 

As communicators, especially those of us who still insist on using periods, we have to be aware, especially with younger audiences, that the period could mean to them that there is anger behind the statement, even if that is not our intent. 

We may not be able to always have people communicate in the ways we want them to, traditional or not.  However, if we are aware of different interpretations that exist in our society, we can strengthen our communication skills for the generations to come See what I mean 

White Noises

Thomas Whitehead

When we do media and ambassador training for clients and organizations, there is one area that I discuss with them as more important than all others when trying to communicate a message to a listener – noise. 

And, there are two types of noise to be mindful of when speaking (or listening) to someone. The first is physical noise. We are all familiar with this. If you are speaking in a public space, you can have street noises, other conversations, store buzzers, store cashiers and tons of other noises that could impact how well someone can really hear your message. 

However, there is also a second type of noise that no one else can hear, but can be twice as loud and distracting as physical noise. And that is mental noise. 

Think about the last time you were at a speaking engagement listening to a presenter. It could be a sermon, a speech, whatever. Now, raise your hand if, for the full length of the speech, you did nothing but think ONLY about what the presenter was discussing. You didn’t think about what you would have for dinner that night, what time your kid’s soccer game is, if your mom is going to need to move into a nursing facility, what you did that day, what you have to do the rest of the day or any other thoughts. 

Courtesy of Flickr

Well, come on, we all do it. It is human nature. We tend to tune in and out when we are listening. And there is nothing wrong with this. However, when you are communicating to someone, you need to be mindful of this possibility, especially in very tense environments. Hospitals and their staff serve as an immediate example, as staff speaks with people who might have a lot of fears, worries, anxieties, sleeplessness and other barriers to hearing your message. 

So what can you do about this? The first step is to be mindful of it. Be aware when someone may not be fully attentive, either by physical or mental noise. 

Secondly, repeat yourself several times, if need be, for important key messages to ensure that they were delivered. 

And thirdly, if you really want to ensure message delivery, don’t feel bad asking the listener to relay back what you said to them. The accuracy of the message delivered is more important than the possible embarrassment of suggesting the person wasn’t listening. 

The silent noises are not quite visible, but know that they are there, ready to hinder your ability to deliver your message. 

Tag, You’re It.

Thomas Whitehead

Hashtags. We get it. To some, they are all the rage. To others, they are just a fad. And to even others, well, they just don’t get their purpose. Even Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake had another video go viral showing just how extreme and ridiculous they can be. 

And let’s be honest, brands have jumped all over using hashtags. You cannot see a print or TV execution without a plethora of clever and timely hashtags associated with different campaigns and products. 

So, with that in mind, here is a quick pop quiz for you. I am going to list some recent hashtags associated with brands, and I want you to see if you know the company responsible:

• • #PretzelLoveSongs
• • #FirstDayLooks
• • #GetYourOwn
• • #UnwrapWhatsFresh

Well, how did you do? It was pretty hard, wasn’t it? Well, let’s see if you do better with this quiz. Now, I am going to give you taglines that have been associated with these brands. Let’s see if you do better this time around:

• • Now That’s Better/You Know When It’s Real
• • Every Day Matters
• • Eat Fresh
• • I’m Loving It

Okay, the answers are Wendy’s, JC Penney, Subway and McDonald’s. Did you do better? 

Let me be clear, in this day and age, a brand needs both a strong tagline as well as solid hashtags when appropriate. I don’t think there is any coincidence that they both share the word “tag” in them. The word symbolizes a label, a culture and an experience. It works. However, there are two important factors to bear in mind when trying to create both of them in this day and age. 

1. Regardless of how creative or unique they are, both have to represent the brand’s culture and mission. They have to be recognized by the consumer as an association with that company. We all know the great ones – Coke, Nike, McDonald’s, but what about all the other forgotten ones that we cannot recall? They failed to create that connection. Hashtags don’t have the intended mileage of a tagline, but they should be easily identifiable with the brand. Too many hashtags created by brands often cannot be traced back to that company. In a later column, I will address this in further detail as I gain more examples, but remember this down the road. 
2. Taglines and hashtags also have to be consistent with each other. Yes, most brands will have one overarching tagline and then several hashtags depending on the campaigns at any given time. But, the hashtags should be driven behind the brand essence that was determined to spark the creation of the tagline. If the tagline is chosen to represent what a brand’s promise, mission and intent are to the customer, then a hashtag should be chosen carefully as well to represent how the brand wants to engage with customers online. In essence, that is the brand’s suggested calling card for sparking a conversation. 

With all the hype now around hashtags and every communication/marketing professional pushing companies to fully engage in digital media, they are here to stay and to be executed in a smart way to help gauge feedback. However, it is important to not forget the tagline. After all, this is the overarching quick statement a brand wants its audiences to know. Everything else will flow from that. If it weren’t important, it would never be changed. That might sound counterintuitive, but as brands emerge, change focus, change missions and direction, then the tagline is the first thing amended to signify how important it is. Many times, that cannot be captured in a quick hashtag. 

Taglines and hashtags will continue to be a force in your marketing arsenal. The question is, are they being created with the brand’s longevity in mind? 

Extra! Extra! Read All About It

Thomas Whitehead

A while back, I was having a chat with a reporter buddy of mine, and he started a conversation about the public relations industry and PR professionals he works with on a regular basis. He said it is frustrating the number of times he receives pitches about stories he has already covered and how they were unaware of what he has written.
 
I just looked at him and said I was not surprised. If you are a PR professional and you have read this far into this blog entry, let’s have a quick show of hands. How many of you honestly read the print version of your daily newspapers and regional publications including free weeklies and business journals? And be honest – don’t just include the times you read a story where your client has been mentioned.
 

www.flickr.com/photos/drb62/2054107736

I understand the convenience of getting your news, even from a newspaper, online and tablet. But, quite honestly, there is a strong value and responsibility to our clients to be fully aware of EVERYTHING that a paper has to offer. A large percentage of the populace, especially older readers and those with disposable income, still read the print edition.
 
To me, it is a PR professional’s best friend for several reasons:

• Placement. You have an awareness of where various stories are placed, getting an idea of their importance and value to both the editorial team of the publication, as well as the community it serves.
• Awareness of all reporters. In addition to being up-to-date with what various reporters are writing about, you can also get an idea of new reporters, changes in beat coverage, as well as awareness of whose stories happen to make the front page in a given week.
• Conversation fodder. If there is a story you thoroughly enjoyed, AND it didn’t include your client, it lets reporters know you read their stories and can give them true appreciation for their craft. Too often, we only see praise of reporters when they write about clients. How many times have you seen an agency or PR professional tweet out something like this, “GREAT article by Blah Blah about The Great Thing My Client Is Doing!” Where is the sincerity in that? What makes the article great? That it was about your client?
• Awareness of industries and competitors. By reading everything a paper has to offer, you are putting yourself in a position to obtain more knowledge about various industries and companies that you might one day work with in the future. That keen awareness of their news can sometimes make or break their impression of you if you know your facts about them.
• Connections. You become aware of movers and shakers in a community and can recognize their name more often.
• Advertising. You also have an idea of which companies have aggressive advertising budgets for print. They could be looking to complement those efforts with PR campaigns, as well.

I understand what many people might be thinking about -- how this is possible online. But it is more difficult to see the entire placement, as well as the flow that only a print edition so uniquely offers.
 
I am surprised more PR professionals don’t read the paper more. My love of telling stories was my inspiration for a PR career in the first place.
 
Now, when I speak to college students studying communications, I am shocked when I ask about who reads the paper. Virtually, no one does. I feel as PR professionals, we have an obligation to be aware of our media – print, online, television, radio and other outlets.

Spring cleaning is for your house, summer cleaning is for your digital life

Thomas Whitehead

I actually took a real vacation this summer for the first time in a really long time. It was a good refresh. However, my first two days of vacation, I didn’t go anywhere. Instead, I took those two days to rest up and get settled on things I have been putting off, but also used that time to update and clean out my digital footprint.
 
Like many of you, I use spring to clean out my closets and power wash my patio. However, there isn’t really a set period to update your digital footprint. So, I am declaring the dog days of summer as the perfect time to go through and update your digital footprint. Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Update all of your passwords for every account you have. This tip applies for everything you have an online account for - email, social media, bank, credit card, utility, Netflix, mortgage, etc. It is just a good rule of thumb to try and do each year. My favorite part of this is trying to see how many passwords I had forgotten in the last year.
2. Review your Facebook news feed at least once a year. I do this with my friends list. And there is no real way to do it, just what feels right to you. For me, I look at my friends list and decide that there are some people that I don’t really know that well or know well anymore. Nothing against them, but I am someone who likes to keep my friend list fairly tight. So if any of you are reading this and are still Facebook friends, congrats!
3. I also do this with organizations and places I follow. Sometimes, I don’t go to places as much as I used to or my interests have changed. Other times, I realize that I don’t want to see so much from an organization so I change it.
4. Review your email lists. OK, be honest. Are you on an organization’s email list and you automatically delete 95 percent of the emails you receive from them without even opening to see the content? Me too. Trust me, you will thank me for taking the time to unsubscribe to those lists that you no longer have time or interest in hearing from anymore. It will save you time in the long run and is one less distraction. And the good news is you can always subscribe again later.
5. Backing up your files. Do you have an external hard drive to back up your important photos and documents stored on your computer? When is the last time you updated it? Have you checked to see how much space you have on it now? This is the time to do it.

These five tips, when done, will help alleviate some of the clutter and distraction we spend part of our life complaining about. By taking care of it now, you can relax (a little bit) later.

A Brand-New Game: Why Companies Need to Set Some Boundaries with Digital Media Activities

Thomas Whitehead

Now, as in decades past, companies have hosted contests or encouraged feedback/testimonials from customers and fans using the communication tools of the day - first messages sent by mail and wire, followed by phone voting and now, voting through digital media platforms.

And there have been some fantastic digital media campaigns by brands in the last decade. It is obvious that many brands have taken the challenge over the last decade to fine-tune and present stellar ways in which to interact and engage with their targeted audiences.

However, there is still one area where brands are leaving themselves susceptible to having good campaigns become abused by the misgivings of, and I hate using the word but, trolls. And that is through open voting and suggested campaign discussions.

Just yesterday, a Boston radio station, KISS FM, had to cancel its online Taylor Swift’s Biggest Fan contest after a 39-year-old man won the contest by actively soliciting votes to “crush the dreams of these girls.” The radio station had to release a statement acknowledging the contest was compromised and apologized to their loyal listeners. But, was the contest really compromised or did the station and its marketing team not thoroughly prepare for the possibility that literally any person could receive the votes regardless of the motive? If the station had planned in advance, they could have established various ways to have some control on who could win the contest. They could have selected finalists themselves and then had those finalists voted on by their listeners even. Instead, they relinquished control by saying whoever has the most votes will win this contest without thinking someone would try to pull a stunt like this.

Three other quick examples just from the last year:

• Taco Bell had a campaign allowing people to nominate, vote and decide where they would like to see the company drop off a taco truck filled with their Doritos Locos Tacos. The Facebook campaign became hijacked when many people basically launched their own campaign to have Taco Bell (along with Pitbull) drop down in the remotest part of Alaska. The end result is probably not what the company had in mind when they started the campaign. Perhaps they were hoping for a bigger metropolis than Bethel, Alaska.
• Durex had a similar Facebook campaign allowing fans to vote where to test their new SOS contraception app for those unprepared amorous situations.  The winner of this campaign was none other than the exotic European destination of Batman, Turkey, another remote outpost destination, besting London and Paris. The company had to cease the promotion of the campaign after it was evident that Batman was the winner.
• Even McDonald’s is guilty of a well-intended social media campaign that didn’t have the expected result with their infamous #McDStories hash tag campaign. The idea was to promote the Twitter campaign and have people share their positive experiences with McDonalds. Well, the exact opposite happened as trolls took it as an opportunity to badmouth the company and create negative connotations with the company. Within TWO HOURS of launching it, McDonald’s social media management had to pull the campaign because of the joke it had become.  

What can be learned from all of this? Well, several things.  

First, when brands are envisioning a campaign, digital or otherwise, there has to be a discussion about what the worst possible situations could be, leaving nothing on the table. And this must be creative, even if it enters into the realm of vulgarity, simply because attackers will go there if need be and your company has to be prepared for that. SIDE NOTE – it is now recommended when creating a new name, division, product, etc. to check Urban Dictionary to make sure your new name is not connected with vulgar slang. Trust me on this.

Secondly, especially in contests or polls where you are allowing for customer feedback to determine a result, accept that it is OK to have final say on the options that they are given. It is your brand; you do have that permission and responsibility. Perhaps in the Taco Bell and Durex examples, they could have selected 10 to15 destinations that were big markets already for them or targeted geographical locations where they wanted to boost business.

And finally, in the midst of a viral promotion, diligent monitoring is needed to ensure that a campaign is not sabotaged or hijacked. The fact that McDonald’s pulled their promoted hashtag campaign in less than two hours after launching it is very impressive. In that time, they recognized the situation, assessed the damage and fallout, determined various next steps and concluded that this was the time to pull it.

My question to you is this – would your brand have been ready to stop a campaign that quickly if it had gone awry?

Again, with the challenge of people wanting to be more and more creative on the Web and in this day of anything is a fair target to be the next meme, it is imperative that companies keep this in mind when they are developing their next digital campaign.

You Can See My But(t) They are Handling It

Thomas Whitehead

So, here is a confession I have to make – in the last year or so, I have become more active with yoga as part of my exercise regime. It has been awesome. I am definitely stronger, more balanced and flexible. Heck, I even did a handstand not too long ago. No photographical evidence available, but just take my word for it.

As part of my yoga immersion, there has been a new word introduced into my vocabulary over the past year – Lululemon, the athletic apparel company that has become really popular with yogis and other exercise enthusiasts.
By now, many of you are probably familiar with Lululemon’s controversial recall last month after it was announced that almost 20 percent of their athletic pants were made of material that was “too” see-through.

My first thought was wondering if this was some type of publicity stunt. I would assume that a company of this size would have some of the best product testing procedures in place before they distributed to retail to be sold. The story dominated morning shows and late-night television, introducing the brand to new audiences. Unfortunately, it turned out to be an actual oversight.

Five paragraphs into this entry, and here is what I want to celebrate – Lululemon’s response was a PERFECT example of how a company should respond during a crisis situation.

They immediately took responsibility for the mishap and offered a plan to reconcile the situation through a recall. This was followed up with a public media tour where they used levity to defuse the situation. While they did apologize, they did so with some “cheeky” humor because they knew that if they didn’t make jokes, others would. And, they wanted to get to the “bottom” of this. Okay, I will stop now…

Throughout this, they were committed to keeping their key audiences informed throughout – media, brand ambassadors, investors and other shareholders in Lululemon. They offered full refunds to anyone who wanted them and even discussed what their new material and design will be in the future.

Yes, they had a temporary black-eye from this situation, but I predict they will fully recover from this crisis situation and eventually we will totally forget they were once the “butt” of our jokes. #ugh

Don't let them have the milk for free

Thomas Whitehead

Last week, the following photo was posted on my newsfeed by an artist friend of mine: 

 





Now, I am sure there are plenty of public relations and advertising professionals, graphic designers, musicians, carpenters, roofers and many others who can relate to this sentiment. How many times has a “friend” asked for professional help, feedback or actual deliverables for free? Do you happily and easily oblige?
 
My question is this: Why? I am not suggesting that we bogart our gifts; we all are experts at something and many times, especially in close circles, we do share and contribute. But when it comes to the value that we and others have related to our professional livelihoods, we need to do a better job of explaining the value in our process and why our fees associated with it are important. This also means not offering it to everyone who reaches out to you all the time. There needs to be discretion.
 
For some reason, it is always the creative segment that is asked to provide their talents for free. Rarely do you see doctors, lawyers or accountants just giving away their talents for nothing.
 
And, we shouldn’t either. The reality is that if there are people in our profession who are doing “favors” for free or at a really reduced cost, then it devalues the services we can provide paying clients to help sustain a living for ourselves.
 
Most professionals offer competitive rates. However, I would be cautious of those offering rock-bottom prices all the time. This can reflect inexperience, desperation or lack of value in their work. I also often think of exactly how many projects someone would have to work on to even reach the median household income rate. In that case, it would suggest that their time and focus are spread out in so many directions that the quality of their work and communication can potentially take a hit.
 
So, creative types, let us unite! We have to accept that there is strong value in our work, and we all should have a track record to prove it. We don’t have to cower or be embarrassed when we offer average prices for our work. We should ask for it with confidence knowing we have delivered (and over-delivered many times) in the past and will do so again.

How much is too much?

Thomas Whitehead

As seen in The Memphis Daily News...

Show of hands – how many of us have those friends on Facebook who are over-sharers? Whether they are talking about that last taco they regret eating, their string of continuous bad dates, that very last beer they indulged in or other information that maaaybe we don’t really know them well enough to absorb. I think we all have those people in our newsfeed.

This might surprise you but I have begun to see examples of organizations that are becoming over-sharers as well, and this could be at the cost of their main reason to interact with their customers: sales.

A few years ago, there were so many blog posts written to encourage business leaders to blog, share more information and discuss business interactions to some degree. As a consumer, I personally loved to see this. I could now have more understanding as to what decisions were made about the brands and products that I liked.

However, recently, I have noticed two different trends that I hope are not going to continue in terms of sharing company information. I will preface this by saying that these two trends have been exclusively with private and small companies, not large or public corporations.

The first trend is sharing with customers on social media that your sales figures are down. I have noticed this with several retail stores and restaurants. Although I can appreciate hearing the perils of a small business owner, I feel that the bigger issue is the risk of customers perceiving that your business is in financial trouble.

The second trend is similar, but I have begun to see retail outlets and restaurants/bars practically beg people to come to their places. And, I don’t mean a simple, “Come to our store today!” requests. Rather, I have seen some comments similar to “we really need your business” or “we have had a slow month, please help us out” pleas.

Just like no relationship is perfect, we also know no company is perfect and each comes with their own struggles. However, just because I like to eat your burritos does not mean I am entitled to see your profit margins or quarterly forecasts. And, you shouldn’t want me to know that information.

Instead, your interaction with me should be focused on how my experience with your company will be one-of-a-kind and special through customer service, incredible products and attention to detail. If your messages are positive, then I will be more inclined to consider supporting your business.

There is a huge difference between shareholder and stockholder. As a customer, I have an interest in your success, but it won’t impact me financially if your business fails. As a stockholder, it definitely impacts my financial viability.

However, it is very important to identify which audiences you are speaking with through different channels. But, I can explore that topic later. Until then, I am going to go grab another burrito.