Carnival, the parent company of the tragically half-sunken cruise ship off Italy, might be doing more to sink its brand than Captain Francesco Schettino.
I have 5 rules in Crisis PR and here is why Carnival needs to stop breaking all of them:
1. Control the face and voice of your brand. You can't manage a crisis from 5,000 miles away. That's why the only face and voice we have heard on the news is that of Schettino. It's inexcusable. Carnival's CEO needs to be on site immediately and ready to do interview after interview.
2. Alter the optics on the ground. All I see on the Today Show is a reporter with an eerily grounded ship in the background. Insert Carnival's CEO and half the screen is already filled. Carnival can also alter the optics with company executives comforting victims and company rescue and recovery workers in the water. For all the grief we gave BP after the oil spill, they at least tried to alter the optics by drilling a new well.
3. Establish order. No one currently knows how many crew officers stayed or fled the ship when things went south. As a result, consumers will not be booking Carnival cruises if they don't know who will stay and help them if there's a problem. It's obvious that the captain is a grease fire, so Carnival needs to release accurate statements from the rest of the crew - regardless of how embarrassing they might be. It's the first step toward restoring "order".
4. Be decisive. I've heard that Carnival hasn't fired Captain Schettino because Italian employment law makes it almost impossible to fire anyone - regardless of competency. That is probably true, but are you kidding me? Fire him! If the Italian government protests. it would be a game-changing PR gift to Carnival. When in a crisis, looking like you're afraid to make a decisive move can be a death sentence for your brand.
5. Accept partial defeat. No one gets out of a crisis unscathed, so Carnival needs to decide if last weekend's tragic grounding will compromise its brand in Italian ports or worldwide. The Italian government already looks ridiculous by allowing Captain Schettino to return home. I think Carnival needs to accept a regional hit because ultimately, travelers worldwide will distrust a nearly bankrupt, clueless Italian government already mired in multiple corruption scandals more than a successful cruise company that operates safely throughout the globe.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Why the Best of Intentions Can Compromise Your Brand
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently proposed razing the 25-year-old Javits Center for a more modern and expansive convention facility by Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens.
Besides the money, politics, endless environmental studies and major transportation issues (you know what I mean if you have taken the A subway through Brooklyn), the Governor's proposal implies that New York simply cannot compete for business travelers and conventions.
Ironically, the opposite is true.
The Javits Center, while outdated, is in the middle of a $463 million renovation and is booked solid throughout the next few years. Yeah, it's somewhat small, but who cares? The McCormick Center in Chicago - considered the "model" of convention facilities with more raw square feet than Javits - is regularly half-empty.
I learned in politics that it's better to hold an event in a room that is packed versus too roomy. Uncomfortable and "hot" looks better as a brand then empty and "lame".
The governor also missed the point when he proposed hotels and condos at the Javits Center site as "economic development". The New York hotel industry is booming, doesn't need government to boost it, and with new exciting properties opening monthly, the business traveler will not find more options with better amenities anywhere else in the world.
Before you blow up your brand with a grandiose idea that is well-intentioned, remember the demand you already have - even if it's not perfect.
Besides the money, politics, endless environmental studies and major transportation issues (you know what I mean if you have taken the A subway through Brooklyn), the Governor's proposal implies that New York simply cannot compete for business travelers and conventions.
Ironically, the opposite is true.
The Javits Center, while outdated, is in the middle of a $463 million renovation and is booked solid throughout the next few years. Yeah, it's somewhat small, but who cares? The McCormick Center in Chicago - considered the "model" of convention facilities with more raw square feet than Javits - is regularly half-empty.
I learned in politics that it's better to hold an event in a room that is packed versus too roomy. Uncomfortable and "hot" looks better as a brand then empty and "lame".
The governor also missed the point when he proposed hotels and condos at the Javits Center site as "economic development". The New York hotel industry is booming, doesn't need government to boost it, and with new exciting properties opening monthly, the business traveler will not find more options with better amenities anywhere else in the world.
Before you blow up your brand with a grandiose idea that is well-intentioned, remember the demand you already have - even if it's not perfect.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
5 Principles to Land Great Product Reviews
I have a PR man-crush on Product Reviews. More important than ever with the rise of web-based media, influential blogs and Social Influencer Marketing (SIM), Product Reviews are the great equalizer between the Davids and Goliaths in brand development.
While landing home-run product reviews is a speciality of ours at Triumphant Communications, it isn't rocket science.
Here are 5 principles to use toward acquiring meaningful, high-ROI product reviews:
1. Seek and Analyze "PR-Friendly". It's the quickest way to identify a blog that conducts product reviews. But before professing undying love for "PR Friendly", consider why and how the blog advertises it. I'll typically test a few advertised PR-friendly blogs for ROI but I never bank my clients' entire campaigns on them. Advertised PR-friendly can quickly become a free-for-all. I prefer blogs that insert review policies deeper in the site, especially ones that include an email address. Sometimes the blog won't even mention product reviews - you'll then need to research the blogger to find out if he/she writes a column on new products for sites like The Examiner or other larger, commercialized blogs. It's like dating - the blogger who plays hard-to-get may have the most social influence.
2. Expertise before Hawking. Media outlets, both traditional and web-based, aren't going to offer your product free marketing unless they already use it regularly or professionally respect you. If you are a start-up, chances are they are probably not using the product, so try the latter. I suggest winning over a freelance writer, editor or blogger by offering free expertise that enhances their own relevance to readers. Again, this requires researching the writer and studying patterns in past columns, which is exactly how I recently acquired a parenting blog product review with high-growth-potential-ROI. My client is a college admissions coaching company and I first offered up the Program Director for a guest article. In this instance, I timed the feature to coincide with the arrival of those overwhelming college packets. My expert, a Top-50 school application reviewer, offered insider-tips on how parents can quickly identify the most important pros and cons of each packet without losing sanity.
3. Don't waste their time with fluff. If you can't describe your product in 1 or 2 sentences, how do you expect the blogger to write about it in 1 or 2 paragraphs? And DON'T EVER use superlatives. Bloggers don't want to hear how "great" you think your product is - they and they alone will determine its worthiness. For example, I obtained 35 product reviews in 60 days for a health bar company by simply stating the facts and purpose - "the product has zero this, zero that, lots of something important, comes in 10 flavors and is designed for the following consumers: 1) women looking to lose weight after a baby, 2) athletes training for marathons, 3) busy people needing quick protein because they skipped lunch; and 4)people with Diabetes and Celiac disease." That's all I needed to say.
4. Get on Yelp when applicable. Encourage and incentivize your customers or beta testers to write their own reviews. This is especially important if your product or business is local or regional in nature. Newspaper reviewers and local bloggers aren't going to drive up and down streets looking for topics. They go on Yelp because they read specific words and phrases that pique their interest. When developing a Yelp campaign, please ask your reviewers to be as detailed as possible. What was their favorite part of the product experience? Again, words like "great" and "loved" do nothing for a professional reviewer - their eyes will glaze over quickly without specifics.
5. Product Reviews are exponentially more important Testimonials. You would be amazed how many companies abandon product review campaigns within 90 days and demand that their PR firms focus on writing testimonials that are secretly assigned to the CEO's Uncle George or golfing buddy. You won't fool savvy bloggers and more importantly, skeptical consumers. People don't want to hear how "Sarah H" thought your product was the greatest thing since sliced bread. High-ROI product reviews can take time to develop and even longer to go live. Remember me mentioning those 35 reviews in 60 days? It took 6 months for all of them to go live. It was worth the wait.
While landing home-run product reviews is a speciality of ours at Triumphant Communications, it isn't rocket science.
Here are 5 principles to use toward acquiring meaningful, high-ROI product reviews:
1. Seek and Analyze "PR-Friendly". It's the quickest way to identify a blog that conducts product reviews. But before professing undying love for "PR Friendly", consider why and how the blog advertises it. I'll typically test a few advertised PR-friendly blogs for ROI but I never bank my clients' entire campaigns on them. Advertised PR-friendly can quickly become a free-for-all. I prefer blogs that insert review policies deeper in the site, especially ones that include an email address. Sometimes the blog won't even mention product reviews - you'll then need to research the blogger to find out if he/she writes a column on new products for sites like The Examiner or other larger, commercialized blogs. It's like dating - the blogger who plays hard-to-get may have the most social influence.
2. Expertise before Hawking. Media outlets, both traditional and web-based, aren't going to offer your product free marketing unless they already use it regularly or professionally respect you. If you are a start-up, chances are they are probably not using the product, so try the latter. I suggest winning over a freelance writer, editor or blogger by offering free expertise that enhances their own relevance to readers. Again, this requires researching the writer and studying patterns in past columns, which is exactly how I recently acquired a parenting blog product review with high-growth-potential-ROI. My client is a college admissions coaching company and I first offered up the Program Director for a guest article. In this instance, I timed the feature to coincide with the arrival of those overwhelming college packets. My expert, a Top-50 school application reviewer, offered insider-tips on how parents can quickly identify the most important pros and cons of each packet without losing sanity.
3. Don't waste their time with fluff. If you can't describe your product in 1 or 2 sentences, how do you expect the blogger to write about it in 1 or 2 paragraphs? And DON'T EVER use superlatives. Bloggers don't want to hear how "great" you think your product is - they and they alone will determine its worthiness. For example, I obtained 35 product reviews in 60 days for a health bar company by simply stating the facts and purpose - "the product has zero this, zero that, lots of something important, comes in 10 flavors and is designed for the following consumers: 1) women looking to lose weight after a baby, 2) athletes training for marathons, 3) busy people needing quick protein because they skipped lunch; and 4)people with Diabetes and Celiac disease." That's all I needed to say.
4. Get on Yelp when applicable. Encourage and incentivize your customers or beta testers to write their own reviews. This is especially important if your product or business is local or regional in nature. Newspaper reviewers and local bloggers aren't going to drive up and down streets looking for topics. They go on Yelp because they read specific words and phrases that pique their interest. When developing a Yelp campaign, please ask your reviewers to be as detailed as possible. What was their favorite part of the product experience? Again, words like "great" and "loved" do nothing for a professional reviewer - their eyes will glaze over quickly without specifics.
5. Product Reviews are exponentially more important Testimonials. You would be amazed how many companies abandon product review campaigns within 90 days and demand that their PR firms focus on writing testimonials that are secretly assigned to the CEO's Uncle George or golfing buddy. You won't fool savvy bloggers and more importantly, skeptical consumers. People don't want to hear how "Sarah H" thought your product was the greatest thing since sliced bread. High-ROI product reviews can take time to develop and even longer to go live. Remember me mentioning those 35 reviews in 60 days? It took 6 months for all of them to go live. It was worth the wait.
Friday, December 31, 2010
TCU’s Great PR Timing Comes up Roses
To paraphrase the Rolling Stones, “You can’t always get what you want, but with great timing, you usually get what you need.”
Just ask TCU (Texas Christian University). They might not be playing for college football’s National Championship, but those unfamiliar purple uniforms you'll see in Pasadena tomorrow are no accident.
“Small” schools like TCU, Boise State and Utah have been under full frontal PR assault by athletic directors from “BCS” conferences, especially the Big 10, Big 12 and SEC. Talk radio hosts have been ridiculing them too, telling any and all listeners that a team not facing NFL talent week after week doesn’t deserve to play in such a revered game as the Rose Bowl. TCU had to further endure relentless arguments that heavyweights Stanford, Ohio State or Alabama - all from big conferences and facing hostile crowds of 90,000 people every week - should supplant them. Conversely, the critics argue, TCU plays in a weak conference and faces smaller opposing crowds than a typical Friday Night Texas High School football game.
So the week before #1 Auburn and #2 Oregon played their final regular season game of the year, #3 TCU turned the tables on everyone:
“We’re joining the Big East in 2012.” (A BCS conference)
What brilliant timing, and for several reasons:
1. If either Auburn or Oregon had lost its final game, TCU’s announcement would have been very hard for Big East coaches who vote in the USA Today Poll – a massive factor in selecting teams for the National Championship game – to ignore.
2. Unlike Boise State who remains content to play in a weaker conference, TCU was sending a message that its current contractual conference obligation won’t dictate intent.
3. The Big East, coming off a down year, was desperate for a football team with TCU’s accomplishments. In return, TCU’s basketball program will join the NCAA’s premier conference in that sport.
4. Big East football teams play regularly on National TV, which is the golden ticket for top recruits.
Although Auburn and Oregon won their final games, TCU still played a limited hand flawlessly and at the very least, prevented an all-out disaster from occurring. TCU will have an opportunity to prove it belongs on a huge stage when they a play Wisconsin in tomorrow’s Rose Bowl – a team that regularly travels 60,000 fans to bowl games.
TCU will have many more opportunities come 2012.
Just ask TCU (Texas Christian University). They might not be playing for college football’s National Championship, but those unfamiliar purple uniforms you'll see in Pasadena tomorrow are no accident.
“Small” schools like TCU, Boise State and Utah have been under full frontal PR assault by athletic directors from “BCS” conferences, especially the Big 10, Big 12 and SEC. Talk radio hosts have been ridiculing them too, telling any and all listeners that a team not facing NFL talent week after week doesn’t deserve to play in such a revered game as the Rose Bowl. TCU had to further endure relentless arguments that heavyweights Stanford, Ohio State or Alabama - all from big conferences and facing hostile crowds of 90,000 people every week - should supplant them. Conversely, the critics argue, TCU plays in a weak conference and faces smaller opposing crowds than a typical Friday Night Texas High School football game.
So the week before #1 Auburn and #2 Oregon played their final regular season game of the year, #3 TCU turned the tables on everyone:
“We’re joining the Big East in 2012.” (A BCS conference)
What brilliant timing, and for several reasons:
1. If either Auburn or Oregon had lost its final game, TCU’s announcement would have been very hard for Big East coaches who vote in the USA Today Poll – a massive factor in selecting teams for the National Championship game – to ignore.
2. Unlike Boise State who remains content to play in a weaker conference, TCU was sending a message that its current contractual conference obligation won’t dictate intent.
3. The Big East, coming off a down year, was desperate for a football team with TCU’s accomplishments. In return, TCU’s basketball program will join the NCAA’s premier conference in that sport.
4. Big East football teams play regularly on National TV, which is the golden ticket for top recruits.
Although Auburn and Oregon won their final games, TCU still played a limited hand flawlessly and at the very least, prevented an all-out disaster from occurring. TCU will have an opportunity to prove it belongs on a huge stage when they a play Wisconsin in tomorrow’s Rose Bowl – a team that regularly travels 60,000 fans to bowl games.
TCU will have many more opportunities come 2012.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Building Your Challenger Brand Against Goliath
Most people believe the principal "Challenger" to the McDonalds brand is Burger King.
And they are dead wrong. Burger King has tinkered with McDonald's formula, but are they really that different? The true challenger is Carl's Jr., who pushed the envelope in branding, "freshened the product" and mocked its competition without forgetting how to make a great burger fast.
Unfortunately, entrepreneurs launching products that challenge market leaders today simply don't have the kind of open market space and time to incrementally grow that Carl's Jr did in the 1940s through 70's, when the company finally opened its official headquarters in Anaheim, CA.
However, Challenger Brands are succeeding everywhere because their business strategy was based on two crucial principles:
1. Question a statement as fact.
2. Take a different approach to the market leader without breaking the market rules.
My two favorite challenger brands of all time are both airlines - JetBlue and Virgin America/Virgin Atlantic.
JetBlue and Virgin developed their business models by challenging a "given" in their market: "Who says all airline cabins must have the exact same limited functionality as planes in the 1970's?"
So they took a different approach, starting with equipping each seat with leather and personal TV's without forgetting how to fly the plane safely.
However, a novel idea is not enough to create long-term success because all Challenger Brands need a grounded branding strategy.
At Triumphant Communications, we think Challenger Branding requires 5 components and here is how JetBlue and Virgin mastered them:
1. Make a powerful statement about who you are - I can't think of more powerful contrasts in branding than these ads by Virgin:
2. Showcase the revolutionary attitude and behavior - If you have ever been on a JetBlue flight, you are constantly reminded of the "experience", which really means "difference". Having the captain coming out to the cabin in person to chat about the flight details, that's a revolution in behavior. When the flight attendants soothingly describe the details your upcoming JetBlue "Shut Eye" special, that's revolution in attitude. You won't hear that sort of sweet talk on Delta.
3. Create new aesthetics and define a new language - JetBlue officially refers to flying as "Jetting". Virgin's cabins have those cool soft neon lights complimented with the type of music you would hear at a posh Manhattan sushi bar. The idea is to make you feel like a rock star and not just another passenger.
4. Don't just evolve with society, embrace it! - You would be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful, modern airline hub than JetBlue's T5 at JFK - the only of any at the airport to have offered free wi-fi from Day One. Both airlines have eagerly harnessed social media to build customer loyalty and make major announcements. Other than travel deals and tailored engagement initiatives, Virgin America believes that Twitter and the Promoted Tweets program could potentially replace existing traditional marketing and advertising initiatives.
5. Set a standard for others to follow - The easy-to-use kiosks you now see at every airport check-in, including quick bag check lines, evolved from JetBlue and Virgin. And when leaving Houston-Bush last week, I noticed that select flights on Continental were, for the first time, offering DirectTV at every seat.
I worked with several Challenger Brands on the ground-floor level and I equate the emotions involved to golf. The process can be exhilarating and maddening at the same time, so the key is mental fortitude. A launch based on disputing the status quo will require extensive research. Relevance in the market will require a clear, coherent mission statement. Prosperity will require you to stay ahead of "Goliath" through a commitment to the principles that made you different in the first place.
And they are dead wrong. Burger King has tinkered with McDonald's formula, but are they really that different? The true challenger is Carl's Jr., who pushed the envelope in branding, "freshened the product" and mocked its competition without forgetting how to make a great burger fast.
Unfortunately, entrepreneurs launching products that challenge market leaders today simply don't have the kind of open market space and time to incrementally grow that Carl's Jr did in the 1940s through 70's, when the company finally opened its official headquarters in Anaheim, CA.
However, Challenger Brands are succeeding everywhere because their business strategy was based on two crucial principles:
1. Question a statement as fact.
2. Take a different approach to the market leader without breaking the market rules.
My two favorite challenger brands of all time are both airlines - JetBlue and Virgin America/Virgin Atlantic.
JetBlue and Virgin developed their business models by challenging a "given" in their market: "Who says all airline cabins must have the exact same limited functionality as planes in the 1970's?"
So they took a different approach, starting with equipping each seat with leather and personal TV's without forgetting how to fly the plane safely.
However, a novel idea is not enough to create long-term success because all Challenger Brands need a grounded branding strategy.
At Triumphant Communications, we think Challenger Branding requires 5 components and here is how JetBlue and Virgin mastered them:
1. Make a powerful statement about who you are - I can't think of more powerful contrasts in branding than these ads by Virgin:
2. Showcase the revolutionary attitude and behavior - If you have ever been on a JetBlue flight, you are constantly reminded of the "experience", which really means "difference". Having the captain coming out to the cabin in person to chat about the flight details, that's a revolution in behavior. When the flight attendants soothingly describe the details your upcoming JetBlue "Shut Eye" special, that's revolution in attitude. You won't hear that sort of sweet talk on Delta.
3. Create new aesthetics and define a new language - JetBlue officially refers to flying as "Jetting". Virgin's cabins have those cool soft neon lights complimented with the type of music you would hear at a posh Manhattan sushi bar. The idea is to make you feel like a rock star and not just another passenger.
4. Don't just evolve with society, embrace it! - You would be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful, modern airline hub than JetBlue's T5 at JFK - the only of any at the airport to have offered free wi-fi from Day One. Both airlines have eagerly harnessed social media to build customer loyalty and make major announcements. Other than travel deals and tailored engagement initiatives, Virgin America believes that Twitter and the Promoted Tweets program could potentially replace existing traditional marketing and advertising initiatives.
5. Set a standard for others to follow - The easy-to-use kiosks you now see at every airport check-in, including quick bag check lines, evolved from JetBlue and Virgin. And when leaving Houston-Bush last week, I noticed that select flights on Continental were, for the first time, offering DirectTV at every seat.
I worked with several Challenger Brands on the ground-floor level and I equate the emotions involved to golf. The process can be exhilarating and maddening at the same time, so the key is mental fortitude. A launch based on disputing the status quo will require extensive research. Relevance in the market will require a clear, coherent mission statement. Prosperity will require you to stay ahead of "Goliath" through a commitment to the principles that made you different in the first place.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Gap Logo Debacle: Why it's Like the Guy Who Can't Get a Date
No one will ever confuse me with a shopaholic, but it doesn’t mean I’m so oblivious not to quickly recognize what makes the Gap...well, the Gap. When you go into a Gap, you know what you're getting.
So while the pundits are dissecting the minutia of Gap’s ill-fated attempt to change its logo, I’m more focused on what the last week’s events mean in the bigger picture – namely, that the era of “Poof” PR is officially over.
Remember “back in the day” when a company could keep a secret and unveil something new and fresh with lots of fanfare and hype? With all the instant-information tools available to virtually anyone, those days are just nostalgia. And THAT is where the Gap screwed it up.
I equate death of “Poof” PR to the plight of a good friend of mine – we’ll call him “Kyle”. Kyle is a solid guy with good intentions and a great heart but has trouble getting dates. Recently, Kyle decided he was going “all in” with some changes...in clothing and cars. He went out and bought about $500 worth of new shirts, designer jeans and shoes. “Dress well”, he thought, “and the girls will love me.” In Kyle's mind, he was re-launching himself with a big coming out party that was all about “Poof!; Shazam!; and TaDa!”.
Problem is that Kyle’s grand unveiling was sort of a one-shot deal. There he stood in a corner looking great but talking with no one. And because his “Poof” didn’t go quite as well as he hoped, he was left wearing the same “new” clothes to the same “old” beach clubs time after time where they don’t fit in at all.
Granted, Kyle’s new look didn’t get slammed on Facebook like Gap, but there is one similarity between the two that is directly oppositional to social media – a failure to communicate.
In Gap’s case, they went "poof" then started conversing after-the-fact. Attempts to be cool by “crowdsourcing” logo ideas was nothing short of desperate. In Kyle’s case, he changed the look but didn’t bother becoming more conversational with the opposite sex.
And that’s what Social Media is all about...conversation.
It’s not about broadcasting or bragging, but instead a process of forming a dialogue that involves listening, answering questions, and ultimately building relationships. Yes, it’s lots of work, but your business has access to a 24/7 networking party that can actually take some of the fear out of yesterday’s anxiety over “Poof” moments.
Gap came to the party late yet finally listened, learned, changed it's mind about the logo, and in the long-run, will be well-positioned to enhance its brand over social media. My friend Kyle? He's saving thousands to buy a sports car for cruising.
What choice will your business make?
So while the pundits are dissecting the minutia of Gap’s ill-fated attempt to change its logo, I’m more focused on what the last week’s events mean in the bigger picture – namely, that the era of “Poof” PR is officially over.
Remember “back in the day” when a company could keep a secret and unveil something new and fresh with lots of fanfare and hype? With all the instant-information tools available to virtually anyone, those days are just nostalgia. And THAT is where the Gap screwed it up.
I equate death of “Poof” PR to the plight of a good friend of mine – we’ll call him “Kyle”. Kyle is a solid guy with good intentions and a great heart but has trouble getting dates. Recently, Kyle decided he was going “all in” with some changes...in clothing and cars. He went out and bought about $500 worth of new shirts, designer jeans and shoes. “Dress well”, he thought, “and the girls will love me.” In Kyle's mind, he was re-launching himself with a big coming out party that was all about “Poof!; Shazam!; and TaDa!”.
Problem is that Kyle’s grand unveiling was sort of a one-shot deal. There he stood in a corner looking great but talking with no one. And because his “Poof” didn’t go quite as well as he hoped, he was left wearing the same “new” clothes to the same “old” beach clubs time after time where they don’t fit in at all.
Granted, Kyle’s new look didn’t get slammed on Facebook like Gap, but there is one similarity between the two that is directly oppositional to social media – a failure to communicate.
In Gap’s case, they went "poof" then started conversing after-the-fact. Attempts to be cool by “crowdsourcing” logo ideas was nothing short of desperate. In Kyle’s case, he changed the look but didn’t bother becoming more conversational with the opposite sex.
And that’s what Social Media is all about...conversation.
It’s not about broadcasting or bragging, but instead a process of forming a dialogue that involves listening, answering questions, and ultimately building relationships. Yes, it’s lots of work, but your business has access to a 24/7 networking party that can actually take some of the fear out of yesterday’s anxiety over “Poof” moments.
Gap came to the party late yet finally listened, learned, changed it's mind about the logo, and in the long-run, will be well-positioned to enhance its brand over social media. My friend Kyle? He's saving thousands to buy a sports car for cruising.
What choice will your business make?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Prop Fouls, Shark Jumping, Hoaxes, and Man-Crushes: You’re Better than That!
Except for retired NFL players (who usually win), I would never advise any celebrity client of mine to appear on Dancing with the Stars. The whole show just wreaks of desperation and sends a weird message about who these “stars” really “are”.
Last week’s loser, David Hasselhoff sure qualifies as desperate (actually, he looked washed up) and clearly has no idea who he is. Then I saw this hilarious video:
He’s lucky it found its way primarily to Europe. But Hasselhoff’s other video, “Get Into My Car”, is offensive no matter where you live. In short, The Hoff pulls up in a “Kit” car look-alike (from Knight Rider), lures a young bombshell along for a ride, soon discovers he’s not going to score, hits the seat ejection button and out goes flying the poor girl into a pile of trash cans. While wrong on so many levels, The Hoff should be especially ashamed of himself for pulling a classic 80’s TV legend like “Kit” down with him. But that’s what desperate people searching for an identity do.
Then again, even people who aren’t desperate intentionally try strange things that end up as PR disasters and sometimes define entire careers. Just ask Casey Affleck. As Joaquin Phoenix’s producer in “I’m Still Here”, Affleck took a huge gamble on a movie both men knew was a hoax. Problem is that Joaquin Phoenix is an immensely talented actor who many say borderlines on genius. Short PR hit aside, Joaquin will be just fine in the end. Affleck, on the other hand, is not recognized in the same category, took a bath on the movie, looked ridiculous and is now flat broke.
While dumb ideas may be easy to recognize, it’s far more difficult to know if riding the “racehorse” that got you out of the gate is deteriorating into something that isn’t pretty. I think Geico’s formula in this regard is perhaps the most brilliant by incorporating several colorful “racehorses” - The Caveman, The Gecko, and Mike McGlone from The Brothers McMullen. These “pitch men” appear intermittently (yet predictably) have their own angles to keep Geico’s commercials fresh, but always stay on-message.
On the opposite end of this universe is John McCain circa 2008, who rode Joe the Plumber to the point where it got really old, looked really sad, and ended up flushing his entire campaign down the toilet. Man-crushes on a guy from a picnic in Ohio and Presidents don't mix.
“Mr. McCain, what’s your plan to reduce the national debt”?
“Joe the Plumber.”
“What’s your position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?”
“Joe the Plumber.”
Your business can avoid these types of problems, maintain relevancy and still be funny by remembering one of the Five Rules of Triumphant Communications – Just Be Good at Who You Are.
This type of balancing act has been mastered at the local level by Philadelphia jeweler Bernie Robbins, who has been wearing the same diamond in his beard for 30 years. Still looks great in commercials and Bernie didn’t “Jump the Shark” by adding an assortment of pieces to the shtick, or tattooing himself, or switching beard stones to hot pink.
He’s just darn good at being who he is.
Last week’s loser, David Hasselhoff sure qualifies as desperate (actually, he looked washed up) and clearly has no idea who he is. Then I saw this hilarious video:
He’s lucky it found its way primarily to Europe. But Hasselhoff’s other video, “Get Into My Car”, is offensive no matter where you live. In short, The Hoff pulls up in a “Kit” car look-alike (from Knight Rider), lures a young bombshell along for a ride, soon discovers he’s not going to score, hits the seat ejection button and out goes flying the poor girl into a pile of trash cans. While wrong on so many levels, The Hoff should be especially ashamed of himself for pulling a classic 80’s TV legend like “Kit” down with him. But that’s what desperate people searching for an identity do.
Then again, even people who aren’t desperate intentionally try strange things that end up as PR disasters and sometimes define entire careers. Just ask Casey Affleck. As Joaquin Phoenix’s producer in “I’m Still Here”, Affleck took a huge gamble on a movie both men knew was a hoax. Problem is that Joaquin Phoenix is an immensely talented actor who many say borderlines on genius. Short PR hit aside, Joaquin will be just fine in the end. Affleck, on the other hand, is not recognized in the same category, took a bath on the movie, looked ridiculous and is now flat broke.
While dumb ideas may be easy to recognize, it’s far more difficult to know if riding the “racehorse” that got you out of the gate is deteriorating into something that isn’t pretty. I think Geico’s formula in this regard is perhaps the most brilliant by incorporating several colorful “racehorses” - The Caveman, The Gecko, and Mike McGlone from The Brothers McMullen. These “pitch men” appear intermittently (yet predictably) have their own angles to keep Geico’s commercials fresh, but always stay on-message.
On the opposite end of this universe is John McCain circa 2008, who rode Joe the Plumber to the point where it got really old, looked really sad, and ended up flushing his entire campaign down the toilet. Man-crushes on a guy from a picnic in Ohio and Presidents don't mix.
“Mr. McCain, what’s your plan to reduce the national debt”?
“Joe the Plumber.”
“What’s your position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?”
“Joe the Plumber.”
Your business can avoid these types of problems, maintain relevancy and still be funny by remembering one of the Five Rules of Triumphant Communications – Just Be Good at Who You Are.
This type of balancing act has been mastered at the local level by Philadelphia jeweler Bernie Robbins, who has been wearing the same diamond in his beard for 30 years. Still looks great in commercials and Bernie didn’t “Jump the Shark” by adding an assortment of pieces to the shtick, or tattooing himself, or switching beard stones to hot pink.
He’s just darn good at being who he is.
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