PR More Powerful than SuperHero

Okay, so you all know I love movies more than just about anything, and the movies I love the most spotlight spin. With that in mind, PR pros will get a big kick out of Hancock. The film is about a reluctant superhero played by the always great Will Smith and the PR pro who helps him, played by the former Silver Spoons "bad boy" who stole my adolescent heart from Ricky Schroder, the great Jason Bateman. As Ray Embrey, Bateman revives Hancock's image with some sharp media training and a little creative story-telling. A perfect example is after Hancock publicly saves the day, Bateman asks, "Is that it? Make it look hard!" Pure PR.

Seriously, this film is not only great entertainment but it does shine a light on the value of good PR strategy. So, while we all wait for those Dark Knight tickets to become available, check out Hancock for a good PR laugh.



-- my two cents

PR Pros Should Read This Book

I have a book recommendation for all you PR pros out there. However, please allow me to preface this by answering a common question. With all the PR & marketing surrounding the upcoming U.S. election, I'm often asked why I don't comment on it. The simple fact is, I don't want this to become yet another political blog and it can be very difficult to separate commentary from political agenda. So, I have chosen to avoid discussing campaign strategies here. That said, the book, Alpha Dogs: The Americans Who Turned Political Spin into a Global Business by James Harding, editor of the Times of London, is a must-read for everyone in our industry.

The book outlines the rise of U.S. political strategists from the PR consultancy, Sawyer Miller Group, who have led the campaigns for every U.S. presidential candidate from Nixon to George W. Bush. Not only does Harding cover the campaigns these men created here in the states, but, even more fascinating is how their strategies have influenced PR strategies abroad. A great example is from UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. As Harding tells it, Tony Blair was widely criticized for having "too much spin" in his campaign. So, positioning himself as the anti-spin candidate, Gordon's tag was, "Not flash, just Gordon." His entire campaign is a great example of spinning a no-spin image.

Harding goes on to outline how these U.S. PR strategists influenced political campaigns around the world, including Peru, the Philippines, Chile, Israel, throughout South America and Western Europe. There are some very interesting speech-writing episodes as well - particularly with ideas that work in one part of the world not necessarily translating to different cultures.

I hope you'll pick it up; it's a great read that's funny, insightful and really rather inspiring in an odd way.

-- my two cents

A Rebuttal to Cohen's Attack on PR

As many of you know, our profession came under attack earlier this month in the form of a commentary from CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen. I wasn't originally going to respond to Cohen's ridiculous denunciation, but your emails have changed my mind.

If you don't know the general allegations, Cohen begins by addressing Scott McClellan's new book and that McClellan, a PR pro, lied to the American people about activities within the Bush administration. Cohen goes on to say that all PR professionals are liars.

Show me a PR person who is "accurate" and "truthful," and I'll show you a PR person who is unemployed.

My first reaction is that Cohen is engaging in the very behavior he condemns when he unscrupulously applies the actions of one to all. I saw on the news a few years ago where a dentist was groping his patients while they were under anesthesia. But, I would never accuse every dental professional in the world of such abhorrent behavior.

As much as Cohen likes to mock PRSA's code of ethics, his is a blind and unsubstantiated attack. The myth that PR pros are "flacks" whose job it is to lie is merely that, a myth. Reporters rely on PR pros to deliver accurate information and should that information prove to be false, you can bet that PR pro will be blacklisted. I have seen it happen. And, not just to us. I once took on client who didn't know he had been blacklisted because of misinformation to media. I had to work hard to rebuild reporters' trust in that client. Trust that is necessary to do my job. So, the truth is that Cohen's statement should be the reverse: show me a PR person who lies and I'll show you a PR person who is unemployed.

Cohen also claims that PR is an industry the very essence of which is to try to convince people that a turkey is really an eagle.

This hits on a common misunderstanding of PR that I would like to set straight right now. Spin. For a long time now, "spin" has been linked to lying. It is not. Spin is merely "having or conveying a particular viewpoint" (as defined by the Encylopedia Britannica and dictionary.com).

The word spin as it relates to PR comes from its original definition: "to produce yarn by spinning." When women used to spin yarn on spinning wheels, they frequently did this in groups and, to pass the time, they told each other stories. In time, the phrase to "spin a yarn" came to mean to tell a story. PR - or spin - is is simply the art of story-telling.

To tell a good story through the press, one must have accurate facts to support it. A young entrepreneur who started his company in his dorm room...that's a good story that would be best told with photos, early clients, and anecdotes from former classmates and professors. An industrial designer who became frustrated with the diminished capacity of his vacuum cleaner decides to create a new one...a former football player who simply could not find a pair of blue jeans that fit him, so he created his own line of jeans...this is spin. This is story-telling. This is PR.

For another rebuttal to Cohen's scathing attack, I give you author Bill Schwartz (pen name Stanly Bing) and EVP of Communications for CBS News. In this rather hilarious video, Schwartz addresses Cohen's accusations - even stating that people who call us "flacks" are in fact "hacks."

Now, there is one point Cohen makes which I will concede: Public Relations professionals should do a better job of positioning what we do. The challenge there is that the best PR pros are invisible. The best PR pros (in my view) are never quoted. We are behind the scenes. The more people know what we do, the harder it will be to do it. Although my close friends have all come to love and admire good PR through their relationship with me, they are also more savvy at spotting the "PR" behind a company or product and that makes it less effective. Plus, to disclose more about our role, takes some of the spotlight from our clients, which is just all kinds of wrong.

With that in mind, I leave you with advice from the great Shel Holtz: There’s been a fair amount of discussion lately about whether PR people should shine a light on their own efforts, since it has traditionally been viewed as inappropriate. But the world has changed and social media have made it more acceptable to write about the work you’ve done on a client’s behalf—with that client’s permission, of course. It would also be great if someone started a clearinghouse site or blog that aggregated cases of PR conducted in a way that would make Cohen and his ilk rethink their assumptions.

-- my two cents

A Comic Answer to a PR Problem in Japan

Concerned about safety and the impact on the local fishing industry, residents of Yokosuka, Japan have been protesting the U.S. Navy's stationing of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in nearby waters. 48,000 residents called for a public referendum on the deployment of the USS George Washington causing PR problems for the Navy and local Japanese officials who support the carrier's presence. (Although nuclear-powered US ships have made hundreds of visits to Japan over the past 25 years, the ship will be the first piece of nuclear military hardware to be permanently stationed there.)

In a unique PR move, the U.S. Navy hopes to spin public sentiment their way with a comic book.

The plan is to distribute 26,000 copies of a comic book titled Manga CVN73, which is the George Washington's hull number. The Navy hopes the 200-page book, with its super-positive take on military life will turn Yokosuka residents around on the carrier's presence.

The comic, drawn by Japanese cartoonists hired by the U.S. Navy, follows Jack Ohara, a third-class petty officer, as he overcomes seasickness and prepares for his first overseas mission -- to (wait for it) Japan. In one scene he quickly puts out a fire that has broken out on board the ship. An odd choice considering that just last month, the real George Washington had a fire on board that left "two crew members with minor burns and another 23 needing treatment." U.S. Real Admiral James Kelly said of the incident, "This is not something for the citizens of Yokosuka to worry about."

According to Stars & Stripes News, the comic book tactic is working. After word got out that sailors were giving away advance copies, lines quickly circled the docks in just three hours.

"The format appears to be perfect for tackling points of contention," said Navy Commander, David Waterman. "The response has been phenomenal. People told me if we passed out a brochure or tri-fold, they wouldn't read it. But, with Manga CVN73, we're speaking their language."

Yokosuka resident Marie Matsuka, 29, said the comic book triggered her interest in the issue. "I decided to learn about the USS George Washington because of this."

While one blogger called the Navy comic "propamanga," Matsuka and others said whether or not they agree with the carrier's deployment, reading the comic gives them a better understanding of the Navy's mindset.

"It's good since I can learn about the U.S. military's perspective," said Yoksuka resident Shintaro Yoshida. He went on to say he wanted to show his father the comic book because his dad likes military ships.

As unusual as the tactic is, it does seem to be working so far. I came across Japan Blog, which "covers all things Japanese." The author, identified only as Maki, described the use of the comic as "a marvelous idea" with one blog comment from "BambooForrest" adding that the strategy is "very interesting and clever." Likewise, a site called Let's Japan seems impressed with the comic and the campaign behind it.

Now, I am not an expert in connecting with that market; so I'll let the campaign's success or failure speak for itself. In the meantime, it is certainly the most unique strategy I've heard in a long time and it will be interesting to see how this plays out - especially with older Japanese residents.

-- my two cents

photos courtesy of Stars & Stripes

Marketing Daily Asked Me About YouTube's New Metrics Tool

Hey folks, Marketing Daily recently interviewed me about YouTube's new metrics measurement tool. Article is reprinted below.

As New Media Grow As Marketing Tools, So Do Metrics
by Kelly Shermach

This spring, YouTube broke through the social marketing soil with a free metrics program for marketers that place ads on the site.

YouTube Insight's initial metrics provide details on how often videos are viewed, where in the world they achieve the greatest popularity and how they compare to their competitors' shorts. The program, which updates statistics daily, answers a desire that marketers have across media--the ability to test and measure messages and creative toward calculating their impact on brand awareness and consideration, and eventual purchase decisions.

Inch by inch, marketing measurement is expanding. "However, I think YouTube needs to step up Insight a bit more," says Jennifer A. Jones, VP/public relations and social media strategy for Fletcher Martin. "Right now, it offers the same sort of metrics most traffic-monitoring sites deliver--visitor numbers and map locators. I'd like to see more click-from and click-to information to truly measure the reach of a campaign."

Video posting by marketers is "certainly a growing practice," she says. The Atlanta-based Fletcher Martin recently completed a new spot for Arby's and immediately posted it to YouTube in addition to buying media time in select broadcast markets.

"What I love about all new media is the immediate ROI these tactics deliver," Jones says. "Traditional marketing campaigns don't generally yield such instant and exact measurement."

From Fertile Ground To Friendly SkiesDelta Air Lines currently has 28 videos posted to YouTube and linked to Delta Blog (http://blog.delta.com) to supplement content about its services, destinations and staff. The carrier began posting to YouTube in November to engage customers in the travel experience in a new way, as well as to "advertise and build our brand to a global audience, drive viral activity, inform customers of new benefits and reach new demographics in the changing media environment," says Kristen Manion, Delta's general manager of direct marketing. With so many objectives, Insight was a welcome addition to YouTube's direct relationship with Delta. Manion will leverage the tool to understand viewer preferences and trends within each target market.

The ability to track the popularity of videos in comparison with other videos during the same time period across different locations could help tailoring and testing of messages," she says. "It may also be possible to use these metrics to plan promotional campaigns and take advantage of the best time to release new offerings and to target users in specific locations at certain times during the life cycle of the campaign."

The current Insight offering pleases Manion because it enables Delta to analyze the origins of video viewership, track the arc of a video's popularity, enrich internal customer analytics with external data and measure seasonal trends.

Delta is also looking into the potential to use trends, spikes and clusters of geographic viewership from Insight to guide search decisions such as when to bid or optimize more aggressively in search campaigns," she says.

As does Jones, Manion hopes Insight will expand its metrics set, adding the ability to match day/time watched to audience to give a more direct comparison to traditional media.

The more information you have, the better it is," says David Berkowitz, director of emerging media and client strategy at 360i, New York. "It would be even better if you could compare multiple videos side by side, and also view more benchmarks on industry averages--'your video gets 50% of its viewers from YouTube search compared to 30% for all YouTube videos'--and better yet, get benchmarks by the category of the video."

"It's great that YouTube is stepping up with some measurement capabilities," Jones adds. "Insight will definitely help marketers in tracking user-generated content relating to their brand as well as their own content."

But measurement-pressed marketers "don't just want to know who viewed a video and where they live. We also want to know when they clicked out; what they viewed prior to and next; if they sent the videos to others and how many of those people viewed, etc.," she continues. "The whole point of viral campaign measurement is to see how the video is moving online--the total life cycle of a video."

More Journalists Ban PR Pros: How to Avoid the Blacklist

Okay, I know what I'm about to say is blasphemy in our world, but I agree with the recent reports of journalists blacklisting PR professionals. (Go ahead, grab your pitchforks and light your torches.) I agree because I've had enough reporter-pals share these SPAM-pitches with me to know how frustrating it is. Pitches with all caps shouting ad messages; misspelled names; identical emails sent to 5 people at the same publication; a technology story sent to someone on a real estate beat...it goes on and on.

For those who might be unaware of the uproar, there has been a flurry of reporters to officially blacklist individual PR pros and, in some cases, entire agencies because of this kind of activity. The most recent complaints have come from Gina Trapani, editor of Lifehacker, who published a PR blacklist of domain names from firms that had sent her SPAM-like pitches. Blogger Matt Haughey also joined the fray, complaining about an endless stream of PR SPAM and Wired magazine's editor-in-chief, Chris Anderson, shared similar frustrations last year. Todd Defren of PR Squared, one of the blacklisted firms, published an open letter of apology to Gina and other offended journalists hoping to get back in their good graces.

So, here's my inevitable two cents on the subject. Media pitching has always been a delicate art, made even more so by the explosive number of targets and tactics available to us. It's so easy to forget that for every one reporter, there are thousands of us vying for their attention. Seriously, think about how often you pitch reporters, now multiply each one of those emails and phone calls by oh, I dunno, 50,000 and maybe you get an idea of the numbers we're talking about.

So, here's my advice to avoid the SPAM-pitch.

Think like a writer. So often we forget that reporters & bloggers are writers. And, what does every writer need? Characters. Conflict. Resolution. Emotion. Every story has these. How did the company leaders meet? What problem does the product solve? What challenges were overcome to get where they are now? There is a story in there, I promise. Find it and pitch that instead of the company or product.

Think like a reader. So, you've got your characters and story-line. Now ask yourself, is this something I would read? Would this capture my interest? If not, go back to the beginning and find out why; what's missing? Where is the heart? What was the ah-ha moment that started it all?

Tailor to your target. Know what your target media writes about and tailor your story to them. Blasting out a bunch of press releases or the same pitch to hundreds of reporters will never get you a real story. Maybe, at best, you'll get a couple of minor hits. But, if you want a real narrative, you need to make it personal.

Be Brief! This is especially important when considering the volume of pitches media get. The goal of a pitch is to get a reporter's attention not to provide an epic thesis on every possible angle or idea relating to the product. You want to simply demonstrate the potential for good ink. Journalists & bloggers know their craft and they can read between the lines of your pitch to see the bigger picture.

It's not always about you and your needs. Our job is to make reporters' jobs easier and sometimes that excludes our clients. When I hear about a story that I know Joe Journalist will love, I tell him about it. It doesn't matter that it has no relation to any clients on my roster. I am building a relationship with Joe that will pay off in the long run. These guys get enough self-serving emails/calls every day. Toss them something that serves only them and they will remember you for it.

So, let's redeem ourselves here folks. Get creative. Get writing. And remember sell the story, not the product.

-- my two cents

PR Legend Warren Cowan Dead at 87

Sad news today, folks. Warren Cowan, gentleman publicist who launched and some say "made" the careers of Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor, Danny Kaye, Kirk Douglas, Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Shirley MacLaine, Roberto Benigni and Elton John, died late last night of heart failure and cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Known for his unwavering respect of journalists, Cowan held the moniker of the "father of Hollywood press agents." His PR company, Rogers & Cowan became the biggest publicity firm in the world. It was sold to the British conglomerate Shandwick in 1988 and Cowan set up his new company Warren Cowan & Associates six years later.

Cowan was one of my PR heroes. Whenever he was asked, "who is your favorite client?" He'd answer, "the next one." He truly loved story-telling and image-making.

Cowan is survived by Barbara Gilbert-Cowan, the mother of actresses Melissa Gilbert, Sara Gilbert and actor Jonathan Gilbert; two daughters from previous marriages, Fox News Channel reporter Claudia Cowan (his daughter with actress Barbara Rush) and Bonnie Fleming; and four grandchildren.

You will be forever remembered, Mr. Cowan.

Big Oil's PR Campaign to Win Us Over

The Washington Post just ran a story that is straight out of a Christopher Buckley novel.

"Big Oil" has launched an aggressive new PR campaign aimed at reminding consumers the oil companies are on our side. According to the article, the American Petroleum Institute, which is the industry's main lobby, “has embarked on a multi-year, multi-media, multi-million-dollar campaign, which includes advertising in the nation’s largest newspapers, news conferences in many state capitals and trips for bloggers out to drilling platforms at sea.”

The current talking points emphasize the idea that rising energy prices are not the producers' fault and that government efforts to punish the industry, especially with higher taxes, would only make pricing problems worse. "We decided that if we didn't do something to help people understand the basics of our industry, we'd be on the losing end as far as the eye could see," said Nick Naylor, er, I mean, Red Cavaney, the American Petroleum Institute's spokesman.

The campaign is well-timed with Democratic congressional leaders proposing an energy plan this week that would eliminate billions of dollars of tax breaks for oil companies and impose a tax on windfall profits.

What's intriguing about this campaign is how the oil lobby is connecting with local media who, let's face it, don't get courted very much anymore. According to the article, state capitals are the backdrop for photo opps and local television stations are being granted one-on-one access normally reserved for nationals. The result: prominently placed, upbeat 30-second local news segments after each visit.

Likewise, a lot of the oil lobby's outreach has been online. The institute said it invited bloggers to Shell's facilities in New Orleans and then took them to visit the offshore platform Brutus. The same month, the institute also brought bloggers to Chevron's offices in Houston and its Blind Faith platform under construction in Corpus Christi, Tex. (These names really are Buckley-esque: Blind Faith?! Wow.) There are more tours in the works.

It will be interesting to see how the bloggers -- typically known for being impervious to spin -- report on the Institute's findings. So far, Cavaney has said his group's efforts have produced "a very different conversation" about energy, but that the job is not nearly finished.

-- my two cents

P.S. If you read my blog and you don't know Buckley, you are doing yourself a great disservice. Scroll down to the Favorite Novels section on the left and check him out. He and Max Barry are two authors you should know!

Microsoft Vies for Hipper Image with PR Stunt

Consumers tend to associate “creative” with Mac and “corporate” with Microsoft, a brand position which Apple has brilliantly and consistently fostered since the infamous 1984 commercial. Now, with a new social media PR campaign, Microsoft aims to change that perception.

Here’s the break down:

It’s an online movie-making contest called Ultimate Video Relay aiming to improve Windows Vista’s reputation, particularly for the higher-end version of Vista Ultimate.

Director, Kyle Newman began the story with a six minute clip called "The Cube" that some are calling a cross between The Matrix and The Office.

The clip has an abrupt and incomplete ending. Contestants are supposed to finish the story by creating a second and third act using Vista Ultimate and site visitors will judge the best submissions.

To execute the campaign, Microsoft partnered with TriggerStreet, the online production company owned by Kevin Spacey. TriggerStreet and Microsoft were brought together by Omelet, a Los Angeles advertising company that focuses on entertainment-based campaigns.

Of course, it’s always risky to invite consumers to create content around your brand. Remember Chevy’s 2006 call for consumers to create a new online spot for the Tahoe? Most of the ads people created highlighted the Tahoe's fuel in-efficiency and subsequent damage to the environment.

Clearly Microsoft is hoping by starting the story, consumers will pick up where they left off. I assume they are also counting on the association with Spacey to lend credibility and spark interest from genuine aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers who want their talents noticed. Of course, talents can get noticed in a well-done negative piece too.

“One of the things that makes me feel O.K. about this,” said Barry Goffe, director for Windows client product management at Microsoft, “is that we’re not asking people to write a script that says ‘Windows Vista Ultimate is great’ or romances technology.” Rather, he added, the idea is to create content that in its tone would mirror the lighthearted approach of Act I of "The Cube."

Given the number of complaints and reports about Vista glitches, it’s definitely a risky move. But, at least Microsoft is transparent in their goals and it is a clever way to tell consumers that Windows has movie-making apps too -- something I certainly don't associate with the brand. So, we'll see how it shakes out. I will keep you posted, and if you hear of anything new, please let me know!

-- my two cents

Brilliant Beer Blogging From Miller

Can you imagine dedicating staff to do nothing but blog about your competitors? To report on their news? Run their press releases and re-run their articles? Well, in a stunning blogging strategy, Miller Brewing Company has done just that.

Brew Blog is not your typical stealth blog in that it is clearly labeled as being “brought to you by the Miller Brewing Company.” What it is, is the most ingenious corporate blog I’ve seen in quite some time. Miller hired former a Advertising Age reporter, James Arndorfer, to cover their industry, including the competition. They instructed him to write just like a beat reporter would.

The brilliance is that they’ve created a legitimate source for industry news (product launches, Nielsen sales stats, etc.) across all beer makers. By offering information that is genuinely useful to media, the blog becomes a go-to source for the press. They cover all companies to get the draw, and then toss in their own news to a waiting audience.

But, the best part is it’s written with just the slightest nuance of commentary. Take the post: More Bud/Bud Light Extensions on Tap?

In this post, they say: Back in January, Anheuser-Busch told Brandweek that it planned to tone down its new product push and focus on its core brands…Since then, of course, A-B has announced plans to introduce Bud Light Lime…

That “of course” is brilliant strategy. It is so subtle, but implies so much. (i.e. “back in Jan, they said they’d do this…then – of course – they did that”) It subliminally positions the competition as less-than-credible.

According to David Kesmodle’s WSJ article, Brew Blog is the brainchild of Paul Pendergrass and Pete Marino, communications consultants for Miller who wanted Miller to have more influence over what's covered in the industry. The site reaches mostly beer-industry professionals and received about 24,000 visits in the month ending April 10 -- representing more than 12,000 individual visitors.

Kesmodle uncovered another great example of the slyness behind this strategy in his article: In February, Mr. Arndorfer's industry sources were telling him that Anheuser was planning a lime-flavored version of Bud Light, the world's best-selling beer. He posted an article saying Anheuser appeared poised to roll out a knockoff of Miller Chill, a lime-and-salt-flavored brew launched by Miller last year. The scoop, chased by this and other publications, allowed Miller to paint Bud Light Lime as a "follower," says Nehl Horton, Miller's senior vice president for communications.

Just brilliant.

So, kudos to Miller for a truly unique, super-stealth, and - by all accounts - successful blogging strategy! You’ve definitely raised the bar for us.

--my two cents

The Trouble with Agencies Is...

This is an interesting bylined article from Andy Fletcher on the three things wrong with being an agency today.

-- my two cents

Movie Is a Great Study of PR and Damage Control

I saw a documentary film this weekend that is, among other things, a terrific study of publicity/journalism, damage control and the natural life-cycle of a story.

The movie is called My Kid Could Paint That and it follows the story behind a 4 year old and her artwork.

Not only is it a great film and one which will undoubtedly leave you debating and discussing its conclusion, it also should be watched by everyone in our field.

The issues of media access and strategic planning in terms of owning the angle, damage control, and the natural arc of a story (i.e. where will the story go after initial coverage) are wonderfully illustrated.

I don't want to give away spoilers, so I will leave it at that. But, take a look! (I saw it On Demand but it's also available on NetFlix and in most DVD rental spots). Once you've seen it, drop me a line because I'd love to discuss the PR aspects in detail.

WATCH TRAILER.

-- my two cents

Green Marketing: Hype or Hope?

This weekend, a pal asked me if I thought “green” was going to fall off soon from too much hype. Interestingly, today, a reporter-friend asked me the same question. So, here’s my usual two cents on the subject.

Greenwashing is definitely in overdrive right now and without a doubt, “green” will soon be a throw-away word about as meaningful as “innovative” and “cutting-edge.”

That said the reality behind the hype is not going anywhere. Fact is, study after study shows consumers will happily pay more for green products – particularly in the under 30 market. And, it’s no secret that many consumers see large companies as “evil empires,” so demonstrating genuine concern for and care of the environment could soften a big bad corporation’s image.

But, as is true with any campaign, success lies in the details.

At its core, Green really isn’t anything new: it’s corporate social responsibility; instead of adopting underprivileged kids, corporations are adopting the environment. Companies can launch a green campaign highlighting their recycling policies (paper, cans, hardware, etc.) or by spotlighting telecommuting employees. There is some hay to be made around these kinds of activities. Wal*Mart and Target received some favorable press when they introduced reusable shopping bags, for instance. And, Wal*Mart took it a step further with solar-powered stores, LED-lit product displays, and hybrid shipping fleets - which has done well to offset some negative PR created from labor and health care issues.

The real power of green, however, lies in potential profits. Creating products that favorably impact the environment or encourage environmentally-friendly action can attract new customers and generate new revenue. According to a 2007 ImagePower Green Brands study conducted by three WPP companies, consumers expect to double their spending on Green products and services in the next year, totaling $500 billion annually or $43 billion per month.

And, for start-ups, Green could be the difference between funded or not. According to a study from Allianz, 71% of VCs saw Green as a “buy” option. And, IDC’s Green Study found that half the respondents said they look at Green IT credentials when choosing a supplier and 80% of executives said Green IT is a growing importance for their organization.

But, before you draft that press release announcing client recycling, do the proper research. Know the science behind the Green efforts and know the regulatory atmosphere. Know how your target customers view Green and make sure you communicate your efforts on their level. And, above all, be truthful. Fake Greenwashing can be deadly to a brand when exposed. I refer to the excellent essay from TerraChoice on the “The Six Sins of Greenwashing” (sins outlined below.)

Hidden Trade Off, in which companies highlight one eco-friendly attribute, and ignore their product's other (potentially more significant) environmental concerns.

No Proof, which, just like it sounds, involves claims that can't be verified (the report found 26% of environmental claims fall into this category).

Vagueness -- terms like "chemical-free," or "non-toxic," which are both universally true, and universally false depending on your interpretation.

Irrelevance, when companies make claims that -- while true -- are unhelpful (like "CFC-free," when CFCs have been banned for almost 30 years).

Lesser of Two Evils -- like "green" herbicides, which ignores the fact that herbicides in any form aren't good for the environment.

Fibbing. The most obvious, in which companies flat out lie (less than 1% of companies make this mistake, but does happen).

So, good luck in earning some green for your clients with a creative Green campaign.

-- my two cents

When Marketing Becomes PR

I’ve been asked a lot lately about the blurring lines between marketing and PR. It’s certainly true what was once a clear and distinct difference is now more of a hazy smudge and (of course) I have a theory as to why.

In traditional marketing, you speak directly to the customer.

In traditional PR, you speak to the customer through the media.

But, today, the customer IS the media.

Today, the customer is out there reporting on his experiences with your brand. Perhaps, he's writing a blog about a new laptop. Maybe, she's scrawling on a Facebook wall about a PDA; or making a video for YouTube documenting the purchase of a first car. Maybe your customer is posting on boards about walking out of a home improvement store because she couldn’t find a single person on the floor to help her despite pressing that useless call button for assistance! (I’m just saying it could happen.)

Bottom line, customers are online telling the story behind their brand experience. And, isn’t that what PR is all about? Getting others to tell the story you want.

Look at viral campaigns. Mainstream media, bloggers, and the average customer make viral marketing work because they report on it. They're not just talking about the product; they're talking about how they learned about the product and the marketing concept behind it (including the pitching style of publicists.) The campaign itself becomes the story.

Because of this, it has never been more important for marketers and PR pros to converge strategies and allow one tactic to feed the other, to blend into each other, creating news that stands on its own; news that spawns more news as the campaign grows.

We need to embrace this convergence and speak to the customer the way we would a reporter -- give them a story to tell. We need to engage the customer in the brand and make the journey of the purchase as much the story as the purchase itself. Because like it or not, it already is.

-- my two cents

AngryJournalist.com Lets Reporters Blow Off Steam Anonymously

In the 1976 classic Network, journalist Howard Beale shouted the now famous, line "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" Well, it seems the sentiment still rings true today.

I’ve spent a lot of time here talking about blogger credibility, traditional media jobs changing or disappearing altogether, and the art of PR/MARCOM strategy stepping up with the web, but I haven’t really lent a voice to the genuine frustrations of today’s traditional journalist. Well, never fear, according to the worldwide news agency AFP, there is a new web site, which allows disgruntled, frustrated, and even enraged reporters to blow off a little steam anonymously. (Warning, some of the posts contain profanity.)

The site, which is really just a giant message board, is a terrific glimpse into the real annoyances, resentments and disappointments of traditional journalists today.

Some examples:

"I hate the fact that print and online can't work together! Come on, online is the future, so please have some respect for the webeditors!" says Angry Journalist #700.

"I’m angry I got plagiarized by a blogger, and that other bloggers picked up 'his' story … Why do readers think that some guy in his boxers sitting on his mom’s couch can give them better news? It must come back to the fact that news organizations have done such a poor job, due to layoffs, mismanagement, and outsourcing customer service, that the average reader really can’t tell the difference anymore," says Angry Journalist #2927.

Angry Journalist #2914 reflects a different perspective: "As a blogger who became a professional journalist, I’m still angry at publications using blogs for research and never giving credit where it’s due."

"I’m not angry, I refuse to be angry," said # 2900. "I am however disappointed that our noble profession has become a joke and real journalists are pushed aside. Why didn’t we catch Hillary’s Bosnia lie the moment it was spoken? Why didn’t we find Obama’s racist mentor first? Why didn’t we question the campaign finances of McCain? Why not challenge Al Gore’s hypocrisy? Or give equal time to legit scientists who challenge him? Why not look into who gave CBS a forged a memo? Why not challenge George Bush on his pre-war claims? I’m disappointed that the media has become lazy and nobody investigates anymore. The internet and bloggers are better at uncovering information than media. We’ve lost the respect of the people, and will have to regain it."

AFP scored an interview with AngryJournalist.com's creator, Kiyoshi Martinez, 23, who worked as web editor for Chicago area community newspapers. He told them he was disappointed about the direction of the industry and launched his website after reading a study on burnout among newspaper journalists.

Steve Outing, a columnist for the trade publication Editor and Publisher, said news executives should pay attention to angryjournalist.com. "Things get said on this website that otherwise would not get said -- other than perhaps at the neighborhood bar to co-workers or at home with a spouse," he wrote in his column last month. "I can't help but think that this is a good thing for the news industry."

I think PR pros should also pay attention. So often we forget, it's our job to make journalists' jobs easier. Reading about the things that most frustrate them will only help us to do that.

Meanwhile, in keeping with my previous post about journalists moving to the “dark side” of marketing/communications, Martinez now works as a communications specialist for the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus, and is reportedly happy to have left journalism, earning more money and more vacation in a better working environment.

“I'm having a blast," he said.

Credit to: AFP, worldwide news agency and Brietbart.com

April Fool Pranks Backfire Into PR Nightmares

So, it’s April Fool’s Day. Those who know me know I love playing pranks on people. I once changed the name on my former CEO’s door to a competitor’s name. (He got me back by having a reporter call claiming to have dirt on the company’s president which she planned to run the next day. I fell for it completely and when I told the CEO, he said, “fix it! This is what we pay you for!” I ended up quoting libel law at the reporter until she finally confessed to the prank. But, man oh man, was I sweating!)

I’m sure more than a few of you were goosed by your favorite radio station, web site or blog this morning. I’m not going to play a joke on you today - mainly because I didn’t plan ahead enough to do so. Instead, I’ve compiled a list of some April Fool’s Jokes that backfired. So, if your client is insisting you issue that phony press release, you may want to refer to the below. (List courtesy of www.museumofhoaxes.com and Wikipedia.org).

Bank Teller Fees: In 1999 the Savings Bank of Rockville placed an ad in the Connecticut Journal-Inquirer announcing it would begin charging a $5 fee to visit a live teller. More than 1,000 customers closed their accounts. The bank ran a second ad revealing it was a joke and asking customers to return. Most of them did not.

Death of a mayor: In 1998, WAAF DJs, Opie and Anthony reported that Boston mayor Thomas Menino had been killed in a car accident. Menino happened to be on a flight at the time, lending credence to the prank as he could not be reached. The tasteless rumor spread quickly and spawned news alerts. The DJs were fired shortly thereafter and the radio station issued a nationwide apology.

Free concert: Radio station 98.1 KISS in Chattanooga, TN falsely announced in 2003 that Eminem would give free show in a discount store parking lot. Police faced traffic gridlock and enraged listeners who threatened to harm the DJs responsible. Both DJs were later jailed for creating a public nuisance.

Webnodes: In 1999, a press release hit Business Wire announcing a new company called Webnode, which had been granted a government contract to regulate ownership of routes of data called 'nodes' on the 'Next Generation Internet.' 50 million nodes were available for $100 each. Offers poured in for the fictional nodes. Business Wire didn't enjoy being used for a prank and sued the perpetrators, the now-defunct ISP First World Communications, for fraud, breach of contract, defamation, and conspiracy.

Free Trip: 1972 was the 100-year anniversary of Thomas Cook's first round the world travel tour. The London Times ran a full article about Cook's 1872 tour, which mentioned the travel agency Thomas Cook was offering a similar package deal at 1872 prices to the first 1000 people to apply. Crowds formed outside the Thomas Cook offices, which nearly became a riot. Thomas Cook issued an apology for the hoax and, interestingly, the reporter who wrote the article, John Carter, was fired.

Mt. Milton Erupts: In 1980 the Channel 7 news announced a 635-foot hill in Milton, Massachusetts had erupted, and that lava and ash were raining down on nearby homes. Footage was shown of lava pouring down a hillside. At the end of the segment, the reporter held up a sign that read "April Fool." But by that time frantic residents were fleeing the area. One man, believing that his house would soon be engulfed by lava, had carried his sick wife outside to escape. Channel 7 was so embarrassed thath they apologized for the confusion, and the executive producer responsible for the prank was fired.

So, Happy April Fool’s Day folks and be careful out there!

-- my two cents

Blogger Gets Book Deal Through Viral-PR Success

If you've ever doubted the legitimacy of the blog itself, the power of viral marketing as a PR tactic, or the value of bloggers as media contacts, you’ll want to read today’s post.

First week of January 08: Chris Lander, an internet copy writer, launched a tongue-in-cheek site called Stuff White People Like which pokes fun at Caucasian stereotypes. (A favorite entry of mine is “The No. 1 reason white people like not having a TV, is so they can tell you that they don’t have a TV.” Priceless.

Mid-January: The blog moved virally as friends passed the link to each other online and Stuff White People Like saw about 200 hits a day.

End of January: Bloggers picked it up and the publicity buzz began with site visitors jumping to 4,000/day in just 1 week.

Early February: Quoting bloggers, morning drive-time radio and online media talked about Lander's site, delivering 100,000 unique visitors a day.

Mid-February: Wired Magazine, The LA Times and various others reported on the blog’s content and, six weeks from launch, daily visitors hit 300,000.

End of February: The hosts of NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” debated whether the site is racist or satire, spawning more media coverage, and Stuff White People Like sees 1.5 million hits.

March 20: Random House announced a book deal for Lander with a paperback scheduled for release in August. Reports put the deal at around $300,000, an unheard of sum for a book spawned from a blog, written by a previously unpublished author.

Now, I’ve always said, the beauty of the web is it allows business to move at the speed of information. This book deal is living proof. In what other medium can one become a global success and a published author in three short months? It’s phenomenal.

And, apparently, it’s the new trend.

The site I Can Has Cheezburger, which features lolcats, (photos of animals with humorous, ungrammatical captions) debuted in January 2007. Three months later, the site had 1.6 million page views and literary agents were calling. After a bidding war, Gotham Books won the deal and the first book hits shelves this November.

The creator of the Skull-A-Day blog, a blog which features images of skulls made from candy, sparklers and other stuff, has a book deal for an October release.

And, the best seller “Julie and Julia,” about a woman who cooked one Julia Child recipe a day, started out as a blog. Likewise, “The Hipster Handbook,” spawned from freewilliamsburg.com in 2003, has sold 39,000 paperbacks, according to Nielsen BookScan.

So, the blogger legitimacy question has taken a new twist as literary agents are now scouring blogs for their next big deal. And, to that I’d like to say, I can be reached through the "Contact Me" links above.

-- my two cents

The Press Release Is Not Dead, It Has Evolved

I saw today that someone on Linked In asked if press releases are dead. As usual, it sparked quite a debate just as it has among PR pros for years. (Google "news release is dead" to see one such debate, which includes the notion that Facebook Walls have replaced the release.) With that in mind, I figured I’d toss out my usual two cents on the subject.

Allow me to state unequivocally: the press release is not dead, quite the opposite, in fact. A solid release can be one of the most useful tools you have if you think strategically and write efficiently.

The value of a good release:

They can deliver significant SEO in driving traffic to your site.

They have a long shelf life within search engines and aggregate sites.

They are still widely used by vertical trades.

They are sometimes reprinted in their entirety, ensuring your message gets out (particularly online).

If your news is of national or international significance, you will get the word out fast.

Consider that a web search can return sites featuring customer complaints. The more you can stock engines with positive news via releases, the better first impression you can make.

A steady stream of releases ensures spider-friendly content that will enhance your page rank.

Online releases can include rich media (videos, podcasts, etc.) which will only further optimize your place among engines and get your message out.

It’s not just for media anymore. Through search engines, consumers now have access to press releases, especially if your headline is “findable.”

Price is no longer a factor. The days of BW and PRN owning all release distribution are gone. Free distribution sites like PRWeb, PR.com and 24/7 are just as effective.

It's in the way that you use it.

We've all heard the adage that people don't read stories, they read headlines. Well, the same is true for a search engine. A good release has a "findable" headline, using only the words that give you a postive ranking. Tools like Google AdWords Key Word and WordTracker are very useful in ensuring you are optimizing every phrase.

Keeping it brief is more critical than ever as some search engines will not accept a release containing more than 500 words (and reporters will appreciate it too!)

The same is true for links. Too many links in a release could be considered spam and will subsequently be denied by search engines. A good rule of thumb is one link for every one hundred words.

Of course, it’s important to remember that a press release is merely a tool and it will never replace one-on-one pitching. Media want a scoop; they don’t want the same news that everyone else is getting. Oftentimes careful, targeted media pitching can be more effective than a mass distributed release. It all depends on the news, the target audience, timing and your end goal.

But for now, I say long live the optimized release!

-- my two cents

Study Shows Thinking Apple Makes You Think Differently

The power of branding has reached a new level, ladies and gentlemen. As some of you know, my favorite example of brand identity is Apple because they are so incredibly consistent with it. Well, a new study shows the forbidden-fruit-folks may be even better than I had imagined. According to Duke University and the University of Waterloo merely thinking about Apple can make you more creative.

Here’s the skinny:

341 university students were told they were taking a "visual acuity test," where they were asked to track a multicolored box on a screen while keeping a tally of numbers that appeared in the center, reports CNET.

Unbeknownst to them, the students were sometimes exposed to either an Apple logo or an IBM logo for 30 milliseconds before the box appeared.

After the test, they were asked to list all the uses for a brick they could think of.

The subjects exposed to the Apple logo averaged 30 percent more brick ideas than their IBM counterparts, according to researchers. An independent set of reviewers also deemed these ideas to be more creative.

Meanwhile, the IBM subjects all had "strikingly similar answers."

While one of the Duke professors involved in the study hesitates to directly link creativity to the use of Apple products, he does conclude that powerful brands can and do affect people's unconscious behavior.

If you read my blog, you probably already believe that brand loyalty impacts our decisions. (If not, you may want to consider a new line of work!) But, this really is pretty cool. To think creative is to be creative.

The study will be published in the April issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

--my two cents

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" Viral Campaign Hits a Homerun

There’s nothing like blurring the lines between reality and fiction when creating a viral campaign. Add a little bit of mystery forcing your audience to seek out the story and you’ve got a homerun in my book. Take Universal’s new campaign for the movie, Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

It began with vague billboards and banner ads citing random phrases like “My mom always hated you Sarah Marshall” and “You DO look fat in those jeans, Sarah Marshall.” A simple url on the banners was the only clue for the curious.

The url, www.IHateSarahMarshall.com brings you to Peter Bretter’s blog. Peter (played by Jason Segel in the film) explains in his blog entries that he was dumped by Sarah and vows to blog about her every day. The posts are spot-on in their ingenuity and authenticity, right down to Peter insisting he’s not the one calling Sarah at night and hanging up, so she should stop spreading those lies. Beautiful. Pure high school. (Granted, the movie's characters are in their mid-20s, but the sentiment and target audience is not.)

In the film, Sarah (played by Kristen Bell) stars in a crime show on TV. I was thrilled to see on that Universal has launched a