Inspiring trends...

The trendwatching.com website is a great resource for PR, highlighting ongoing trends and new ideas. This week they announce their top 10 consumer trends for 2013. These encompass a new focus on emerging markets by emerging markets, and domestic pride in brands that previously lost out ot western names. Also the excitement around 3D printing and on-demand manufacturing - an exciting opportunity for PR professionals. Meanwhile 'eco' issues have new power, whether consuming or disposing of brands. But perhaps most interesting is the focus on transparency and full disclosure by brands - hitherto the last thing that brands would consider. Delver into each of the 10 trends to find out more and be inspired for PR ideas for 2013...

Top 10 TED talks on creativity

Check out these top 10 TED talks on creativity: I love TED, it inspires every time.

Corporate social crap?

It's generally taken as read that corporate social responsibility (CSR) improves the reputation of your company...right? But it turns out that if you are a 'socially stigmatised' firm it may in fact do the opposite. So, if you're a tobacco firm, an alcohol firm, or a firm with an otherwise less than sparkling reputation it may be that your CSR efforts are perceived as insincere and may not help your brand at all. Sometimes known by sceptics as 'whitewashing', such CSR can be seen as merely painting over the cracks in the rest of the organisation. This is also called  'greenwashing' if regarding environmental issues - such as this ad for Shell.

A paper by Steltenpool & Verhoeven in this month's Public Relations Review isn't the strongest piece of research ever but it's an interesting view on a topic that is generally accepted as indispensable in modern day corporate comms.

Shut that laptop...and get creative

Yep. Stop reading this blog. Go on. And no more checking your emails. Or texting. Turn off, tune out and switch off if you're trying to be creative. Or hire a hideously expensive hotel room in a really boring place.

These are just two of Belinda Lank's ideas for sparking creativity  - a vital skill if you're working in the modern marketing world. As Seth Godin points out, if you want to stand out in today's cluttered world you need to be either very bad or very bizarre. And 'bizarre' means so novel it's weird.

For PR, we're not talking creative images and words as much as creative strategies: it may be a weird and wonderful photo op ('Bruno' landing in Eminem's face to promote new movie), or a freaky new product (breast milk ice cream anyone?) - but it has to be DIFFERENT.

Belinda's ideas are useful strategies for that creative step, after the hard work and background analysis is done and you have to take a leap of the imagination to create something exciting...try it next time you're in the shower.

Sponsorship reaches for the skies

As Felix Baumgartner teetered in the doorway of a balloon capsule 24 miles above the earth, a planet of people peered back up, hearts in mouths - and many with fingers on keyboards.

The footage segued between Felix in his Red Bull branded suit, and 'mission control' with Red Bull branded background, all watched through around 8 million concurrent streams on YouTube. As he landed, Red Bull published a photo of 'Fearless Felix' on his knees via Facebook, which was shared 29,000 times within 40 minutes, with 216,000 'likes' and over 10,000 comments. Meanwhile Red Bull solicited questions via both Facebook and Twitter, promising to ask three from followers in Felix's first press conference after landing.

Every 'like', comment, and shared link, every moment of news coverage and every photo in every magazine sears Red Bull into our minds, but remember they have spent millions of dollars sponsoring this jump. So, in terms of ROI...who knows? Forbes estimates that for every dollar spent Red Bull have received perhaps $20 worth of coverage, but in terms of credibility and brand image the impact is immeasurable.

In the popular psyche 'Fearless Felix' stands for bravery, pushing the boundaries and not a little bit of madness - qualities Red Bull happily associate with their brand, while Red Bull increasingly stand for extreme sport, drive and, much like Felix, a touch of madness. A match made in heaven - or at least the edge of space...

The colour purple...

...belongs to Cadbury's apparently, well at least if it's Pantone 2685C that is. Freakily, I mentioned this purple in todays' PR tutorial and pointed to its use in Cadbury's comms (whether a drumming gorilla or an eyebrow dancing duo, and ads and packaging since 1914) as shorthand for the brand.

So it was a great bit of PR for Cadbury this week as they and Nestle fought it out in court - Cadbury's succeeding in stopping Nestle piggy-backing the brand by using the exact shade on their Wonka products.

Read about it in the Telegraph, Guardian and Marketing. However remember that the first brand to trademark their shade of purple was Silk Cut, the cigarette brand, who perhaps were the most successful brand ever to use a colour. In the run up to the 1990s ban on branded cigarette advertising in the UK they ran a slick campaign of ads featuring silk, in their distinctive purple, slashed with a simple cut. After the ban the ads continued to run without branding yet proved indelibly recognisable. Great marketing, whatever you think of the product.

The art of the photo op

This is the first in a line of blogs for this year's new PR students to cover some basic PR approaches.

Ahhh, look at the cute penguin! He's on some scales! Bless! It's at London Zoo! They're doing their annual audit! Haven't been there for ages...looks much cleaner and nicer than I remember...may pop in next time I'm in London...

This is the art of the photo op (opportunity): an image that a journalist or blogger wants to use in a newspaper, mag, blog, Facebook stream, twitter feed...any medium, because it makes their readers happy. It makes the reader happy because it makes them smile, gasp, wince, cry, gawp, lust, grimace, laugh or have some similarly emotional rush in an otherwise dull day and, ideally, share. That makes the journalist or blogger happy because happy readers want more and will continue to come back and maybe even pay for the privilege. And it makes the brand, in this case London Zoo, happy because they just got pages of coverage in largely credible media for the cost of a digital photo.

Here's another good one. Ordinary guy on the left, yep? Wait there, is he wiping his face on or off on the right there? That's weird. Oh!! He's the guy out of that Lady Gaga video, Zombie Boy (aka Rick Genest) who has all the skeleton tattoos and the concealer make-up is actually the stuff that make him look 'normal'. Dermablend you say? Wow, that stuff must really work... And there it is in the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, on fashion blogs,  and across the internet...

And how to make the most of your photo op? The beauty of this Dermabland one is that it is clearly about the BRAND - and it shows how well the brand does its job.

Some brands - those already loved by the public - can simply get away with light hearted and prominent use of their imagery (see Homer Simpson nestling up to the Cerne Abbas giant down in Dorset for one great example timed to launch the Simpson's movie). Others need to use celebrities, famous places such as the Thames in London, the latest fad or fashion, or an image that provokes a strong emotional response - because they're trying to be newsworthy and get space in a competitive media environment. More on that at a later date...

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words - and as long as those words include your brand name in a favourable light, you should be very happy.

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Proof that spoofs aren't all goofs...

Last week Nick Clegg took to YouTube to apologise to students, parents and voters over the LibDems backtracking on an election pledge to oppose university tuition fees. His heartfelt apology used a medium associated with youth, and accessible to more than if it were buried in a newspaper article: a calculated move to connect with those disillusioned with the LibDems' role in the coalition.

However, as with anything released on social media, releasing the video is like releasing a small monkey into a supermarket: unpredictable but sometimes amusing and something that people will talk about for a long time after... While some spoofed the speech to vent their anger at Clegg and his party, others) helped to soften the reputational damage around the party's decisions with videos that reached many more people than the original apology would have ever done alone. The Poke satirical website were quick to release an autotune spoof of the speech, with Clegg's approval, as a charity single and YouTube hit:

Spoofs can be the ultimate form of accolade and perpetuate a campaign long beyond its otherwise serious shelf life. This spoof took debate around Clegg's message beyind the usual traditional press and across social media. See this PRWeek article for more discussion on the value of spoofs in this instance and if you'd like to see the original, click here - however the most interesting aspect of this will be seeing how many more spoofs are spoofing the spoof...

Is any publicity good publicity?

Waitrose's bright idea to embrace Twitter and encourage customers to tweet 'I shop at Waitrose because...' with the #WaitroseReasons hashtag sparked way more publicity than the brand anticipated - not all of it good... Twitter was awash with tweets lampooning the brand for its upper middle class credentials, products and customers, such as “I also shop at Waitrose because I was once in the Holloway Road brand and heard a dad say ‘Put the papaya down Orlando!”.

As PR watchers such as Marketing Week and Marketing magazine debate the old adage 'is any publicity good publicity?' the question is probably more about social media and lack of control. If you unleash a social media PR strategy it WILL, at some point, backfire. Non-users, or even active opponents, of the brand have as much access to a medium such as Twitter as loyal customers. In which case, you need a crisis plan, you need to monitor activity and you need to be actively and imaginatively engaged in the debate.

Waitrose attempted to tackle the tweets with their own tweet, however it fell short - "Thanks for all the genuine and funny #WaitroseReasons tweets. We always like to hear what you think and enjoyed reading most of them." Perhaps talking the consumers' own language, with humour and tongue in cheek, may have been more appropriate...and a one off tweet just won't cut it. 

Brand + trend = creative ideas

Great PR unites your brand with the most exciting new trends to create something  innovative and original that will generate buzz - so you need to keep your ear to the ground for what's happening out there. This website, trendwatching.com is a great resource, feeding through trends in the consumer world. For instance, these 12 minitrends spark all kinds of ideas and show how some brands are a step ahead. Check out Uniqlo's app that wakes users up with a gentle update on the weather and music to suit in line with the 'tech domestics' trend. Or the 'one touch' trend exemplified by Red Tomato's fridge magnet that allows you to order your favourite pizza at the touch of a button. Many of these trends could lead to your own ideas for your own brands - for instance how could you mimic 'artificial scarcity' with special editions or limited daily runs of low involvement products, like the Doughnut Vault, or could you develop a super-eco version of your brand? Or how can you unite virtual and real worlds in 'real world liking' like C&A in Brazil? Take these trends - put them together with your brand - and see what happens...

Christmas has come early - very early

Designed to hit at the end of the summer's 'silly season' (a time of year when the UK parliament is in recession and there is very little 'actual' news) Asda have stolen the march on other superstores by starting their Christmas promotion early...4 months early. They have opened 17 grottos, complete with Santas, across their 540 stores, just as we head into a predicted heatwave. Reported in newspapers as diverse as the Guardian, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Star, and in many local papers, the news is designed to encourage shoppers to use the Asda Christmas savings card.

The articles also show another PR tactic, of using 'research' to promote coverage, as they declare more mums are worried about the costs of Christmas this year than in 2011.

Complex media habits = complex PR campaigns

As we warm up for the new term and I start prepping lectures, it's a good time to see how the world of media is changing. Ericsson's ConsumerLab survey confirms that 'old media' is still the backbone of media activity, with an overall increase of consumer spend on television viewing BUT there are emerging trends in how we watch TV. More of us, across the age groups, are sitting with a tablet, laptop or phone - or maybe a selection of these - while watching television. Anecdotally, the Olympics was a fine example as people Facebooked and texted their emotions with friends, perhaps also watching two sports simultaneously or using the red button on the TV, and while googling obscure sports on their tablets (how does the 'kierin' cycling work anyway? Why is there an old guy seemingly pedalling very slowly and holding them all up?). These complex media consumption habits require complex PR campaigns, designed to provoke dialogue across media, in real time. This presents new challenges in how to engage consumers, monitor ongoing discussions, handle discussions that get out of control and evaluate the impact of PR across so many media.

When a local council banned 9 year old Martha Payne from photographing her school meals, scoring them on a 'Food-o-meter' scale for healthiness, and posting to her blog they thought they were averting a PR scandal. Instead, as New Statesman put it, in "swerving to avoid a PR disaster molehill, have just crashed full speed into a PR disaster mountain".  
The resulting publicity about the banned blog did more to raise awareness of the inadequacies of school meals in Argyll and Bute than any single blog could have done. Once again, power to the citizen journalist, even the 9 year olds.

Public relations-hips...on Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is always a PR bonanza and this little blog by Umpf keeps us up to date with 2012's offerings here in the UK.

Sometimes it's creating a new product - from this 'recession proof' card from Asda with a humourous angle ('My love for you is priceless!') for just 7p (an extra 7p for the envelope) to the $10,010 Pizza Hut proposal pack: including ruby ring, limousine servicem flowers, fireworks and...a $10 pizza and breadstick meal.

Or there are the surveys: according to a Travelodge survey British men spend twice as much as women on Valentine's and as a country we spend £880m on the day...and in the Lovehearts factory there are 61 couples amongst the 500 staff, that's a quarter of all staff in the loved up factory.

And there are the stunts: Agent Provocateur with live models in their New York window, Britain's oldest couple tweeting on behalf of wedding video company 'Shoot it Yourself', and Dove inviting people to tweet what they love most about their Valentine at London's Victoria Station, while handing out white tulips.

Well, we did say PR is all about relationships...

Do Olympic sponsors conflict with the spirit of the games?

The organisers of the Olympics are under fire for their sponsorship deal with BP today, as debate grows around sponsorship from forms such as McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Rio Tinto.

A letter on behalf of 34 signatories accuses the International Olympics Committee (IOC) of failing to consider the broader ethical and environmental impacts of their sponsors. Signatories include Greenpeace UK, a London mayoral candidate, the director of the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management, the World Development Movement and Climate Rush.

It seems that the IOC have neglected to note that sponsorship is a two way deal: while BP, McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Rio Tinto (amongst others) bask in the positive publicity of peace, fairness, competitive spirit, health and solidarity, the reputations of these firms are often very different. Brands which stand for unhealthy lifestyles reliant on fatty foods, sugary drinks and reliance upon the car, and which represent exploitation of natural resources particularly at the expense of developing nations, are hardly compatible with the Olympic spirit.

Toying with the Russian authorities?

Russian authorities have ruled that a protest by around 100 Kinder Surprise figurines, 100 Lego people, 20 model soldiers, 15 soft toys and 10 toy cars is unlawful. In the latest in a series of absurdly humourous protests, the toys carried banners complaining about corruption and electoral malpractice, on behalf of their human owners.

A spokesman for the Siberian city of Barnaul justified the ruling, saying "As you understand, toys, especially imported toys, are not only not citizens of Russia but they are not even people". However the authorities' over reaction has sparked national and international media stories and inspired many more to add their toys to the protest.

Protestors are considering an alternative - the solitary picket which is allowable under Russian law. "We will stand up one [toy] and the rest will sit on a bench not far away," said one protestor. See more in the Guardian .

Lobbying in the spotlight again

Labour MPs are highlighting a series of low profile meetings of high profile ministers and company execs, in networking meetings previously banned by the Cabinet Office. Reported in the Guardian today, the Chemistry Club arrange networking events where executives from companies such as Shell, BP and Russian oil giant Gazprom pay £1,800 a head to meet ministers from the Treasury, Home office, Ministry of Defence, and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Ministers include Ben Moxham, ex-employee of BP and now David Cameron's special advisor for energy and the environment. Execs from Apple, Google and Citigroup have also attended.

Labour MP Lisa Nandy says "It's been exceptionally difficult to get clear answers about who attends these meetings, and why. It's hard to avoid the impression that ministers are just paying lip service to the principle of open government. It cannot be right that lobbyists can provide access for cash... Ministers have serious questions to answer about whether lobbyists can buy influence with their government. The question remains, why would you pay thousands of pounds to network with civil servants if not to change policy or win a contract?" Tamasin Cave, of the transparency group Spinwatch, said the Chemistry Club characterised "a lobbying industry out of control".

McDonald's shows PR is child's play

McDonald's, long criticised for enticing children to unhealthy meals with small plastic toys, are upping their game by replacing the toys with good old fashioned books. Reported on the front page of the Guardian website today, McDonald's have achieved great positive PR by giving away 9 million of Michael Morpurgo's MudPuddle Farm books. A clever move...

Twelve 2012 trends

PR professionals must have an ear to the ground: PR tactics that cut through are innovative, up to date and riding the wave of the latest trend or fashion. The website http://www.trendwatching.com/ provides great free updates, including these 12 trends for 2012. See how you can weave some of these into your assignments...