Posted in advertising, Marketing, media, public relations, tagged advertising, marketing, pr, Trevor Campbell on April 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This well-conceived and persuasive spot by online content specialists, PurpleFeather, reminds me that some ads are great.
Posted in communications, Digital, Marketing, media, public relations, social media, Trevor Campbell, tagged communications, marketing, MeteoMedia, pr, The Weather Network, Trevor Campbell on April 5, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
It’s hard to blog when you’ve started a new job. Actually, consistent blogging is challenging, period. But enough excuses.
The Weather Network (MétéoMédia in Québec), where I started last month, has done something smart with its marketing communications department. It has linked PR, marketing, research and social together to engage and inform the millions of people who connect with this popular brand.
Canadians like talking about the rain, snow and temperatures, as you’ll see in our very active Facebook communities here and here. People also like our:
And then there`s our regional and national television broadcasts, examples of mainstream media`s continued dominance over digital. Social media is increasingly important but TV still attracts much of our attention and delivers big impressions, unique users, referrals, activation and growth. The metrics are clear and the opportunity is great to do interesting work at this media company.
As my learning curve levels out, I plan to post here more frequently.
Posted in blogging, communications, Digital, public relations, social media, tagged blogging, communications, Digital, pr, social media, Trevor Campbell on February 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Does text colour matter? Specifically, online, is black print on a white page easier to read than white print on a black page? Yes it is because it’s easier on your eyes. We’re also accustomed to this colour scheme based on all the newspapers and books we’ve read.
I’ve always believed black-on-white is better and a quick search found general agreement. Apparently the white-on-black colour scheme, or inverted text, decreases readership by 50%.
So if you think your website or blog should have a black or dark background because it will be cool and stand out; think again. And if your site currently uses an inverted text colour scheme, ask your community what they think.
Posted in authenticity/credibility, communications, public relations, tagged Edelman, marketing, pr, Trevor Campbell on January 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
After reading the survey results in this year’s Edelman Trust Barometer, in addition to media coverage, I wonder if the survey confirms that mixed messages dilute trust. In the US, where trust is down across the board according to the survey, the well-coordinated messages from the Republicans, Tea Party and conservative pundits contradict everything stated by the Obama administration and his supporters in the media.
For instance, the arguments for creating an affordable healthcare system for all were rejected by people who don’t want their tax dollars to pay for someone else’s well-being. Canada’s public healthcare system was also falsely presented as irreparably broken and used as a negative example of exactly what Americans want to avoid.
So did this contentious debate in addition to other partisan messages make it harder for Americans to trust anyone? Maybe.
And what about China? Trust in government increased from 74% to 88%. As far as I know, this emerging world leader’s state-controlled media helps the government deliver consistent messages. There aren’t as many mixed political statements, I imagine.
So why is trust in Russia so low at 39% this year versus 38% in 2010? After all, the Russian government also controls the media for the most part. Perhaps it has to do with Vladimir Putin’s self-appointed role as Prime Minister which dilutes President Dmitry Medvedev’s authority. Maybe Russians aren’t sure who’s in charge or maybe they don’t trust a political system that allows self-appointments.
As any communications pro will tell you, message consistency is key. Keep it simple and ensure you understand the needs of your clients, customers, etc. before you say and do anything.
Honest transparency and credibility also help. But apparently even consistent messaging can overcome the lack of these two things, at least when it comes to governments.
Posted in communications, public relations, Trevor Campbell, tagged Branding, communications, public relations, Trevor Campbell on December 2, 2010 | 3 Comments »
Recently, I had the privilege of sitting on the other side of the pitch table and evaluating University of Toronto Rotman Commerce students who were presenting marketing ideas for a fictional product. The product this time was an allegedly carcinogenic, 1989 cell phone.
Brand Blitz is an annual marketing exercise for these young business students to learn about advertising and communications. It’s also an opportunity for them to learn about giving presentations.
This is my third time judging their work and the ability of these students to take limited information and experience and turn it into good ideas continues to impress me. After viewing the creative and well-delivered presentations, I liked, for the most part, that they defined stakeholders and used a decent mix of marketing to solve the fictional problem of the cancer-causing cell phone.
However, I was surprised that none of the three teams included public relations, which is critical for managing issues. So I asked, “Do they teach you PR in your marketing programs?” Unfortunately the answer was “no.”
Which means it’s time to augment the undergrad curriculum at Rotman. After all, the company that tries to manage its way out of an issue or crisis without PR is a company that’s failing. As most everyone knows, a brand without third-party support is a brand is in trouble.
Posted in authenticity/credibility, Business, communications, public relations, Trevor Campbell, Uncategorized on January 18, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
What’s the PR lesson from Conan O’Brien’s battle with NBC?
O’Brien’s emotionally charged jokes and attacks on the network bosses have been poignant and hilarious at times. Last Friday’s Tonight Show was no exception as O’Brien didn’t pull any punches: ”In the press this week, NBC has been calling me every name in the book. In fact, they think I’m such an idiot they now want me to run the network,” O’Brien said.
The Hollywood publicity game is certainly different from corporate PR. For starters, publicists tend to trade on softer news. That said, handling issues such as the O’Brien vs NBC fight provides some good lessons.
Boardroom battles can be influenced by headlines and often repeated sound bites. O’Brien has mastered this truism via monologues delivered to a growing, captive audience.
It’s easier to identify with someone we know and understand. The NBC execs are basically faceless while O’Brien has repeatedly told his side of the story. Even if you didn’t watch the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien before and just started tuning in, it wouldn’t take long to decide if you bought his message or not.
Of course it helps that O’Brien is at the top of his game; a talented, funny pitchman can make people buy just about anything.
The third lesson, which is a good reminder for big businesses, is Main Street and mainstream media are wary of corporations. If your company’s credibility is suspect in light of an employee or customer complaint then be prepared for an issue that may blow up.
No matter what the NBC leadership says and even if their decision to juggle their late evening talent was the best solution for a ratings problem, the big corporation is looking bad and we get to watch.
Lastly, working with big personalities requires a strong communications lead who can bring smart ideas to emotionally charged situations. O’Brien looks to be making the most of his decisions on his way to victory. However, not every client or lead spokesperson can as effectively operate in the eye of a storm. Communications teams need to be prepared to offer wise guidance.
Of course the network is also reaping the benefit if big ratings while its dirty laundry gets aired and NBC and its shareholders may get the last laugh. However, if O’Brien starts another show on another network and NBC’s Tonight Show with Jay Leno returns to mediocrity, then the O’Brien fiasco may be another example of how bad communications and issues management are bad for business.
Posted in authenticity/credibility, communications, Corporate, public relations, Trevor Campbell on January 14, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
It’s always good news when a well-respected publication such as the Economist writes something positive about your industry. Much has been said and written by many marketing communications insiders about the challenges and opportunities faced by our industry. This navel-gazing is necessary and a lot of smart points have been made.
However, the tips, tricks and top-10 lists offered by so many thought-leaders don’t resonate as widely as the always coveted third-party, on-message endorsement. It’s golden when someone else sings your praise, especially when that third-party is influential.
Additionally, I think the big companies alluded to in the Economist article could have avoided or limited negative publicity and the associated costs by choosing to include PR as part of the organizing principle for their business strategy and decisions.
I’m glad that the Economist is once again reminding us of the power of PR.
