Tag: Raleigh PR

Is Negative Publicity All Bad?

Cherith AndesBlog, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, , , ,

Intern McKenzie Muckerman explores the ramifications of “negative PR.”

Miley Cyrus. Urban Outfitters. Uzbekistan. Kanye West.

What do all of these have in common? It’s simple; these entities have all found a way to thrive on negative publicity. Each of them has spun adverse PR in such a way that has allowed them to stay relevant in the public’s mind.

Shock = Value?

Kanye West and Miley Cyrus make their fortune and gain their fame by cultivating and leveraging media attention. For these two celebrities, it’s all about shock value.

Miley did a complete 180-degree turn when she transformed from a wholesome, Disney Channel star to a twerking, scantily clad performer. Meanwhile, Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift mid-speech on stage and instantly skyrocketed his fame factor. Both of these stars have had VMA performances that garnered more tweets per minute than Super Bowl XLVII, aptly named the “Blackout Bowl.”

For these two stars, infamy and fame are synonymous.

It appears that the media thinks that Urban Outfitters adhered to the same marketing formula: controversy = customers. Recently, Urban Outfitters sold a “vintage-inspired” Kent State University sweatshirt sporting what seemed to be fake blood spatter. As expected, a media firestorm ensued.

Media outlets claimed that the sweatshirt was related to the shooting that occurred at the University during the 80s. Urban claimed that the red dye was part of the vintage look and was not intended to resemble blood. Following Urban Outfitters’ scandalous history in the press, the media didn’t hesitate to implicate that this product was just another ploy for the retailer to broaden its exposure. Note, however, that despite the negative claims, Urban Outfitters still garnered significant airtime and news coverage.

Uzbekistan, a small country in the Middle East, was pretty much off the travel radar until the edgy comedy, Borat, hit theaters in November 2006. The entire film portrays an exaggerated interpretation of ethnic stereotypes and casts Uzbekistan in a less-than-favorable light. However, following the film’s release, travel inquiries to Uzbekistan increased by a staggering 300 percent, and the once unnoticed country is now a viable vacation destination.

The Exception or the Rule?

In all of these instances, negative publicity, without a doubt, amplified their spotlight.

However, there are other instances where negative press has ruined a celebrity, country or company. Tiger Woods and BP are great examples of the anguish that bad publicity can bring. Tiger lost millions of dollars in sponsorships and countless fans. BP lost billions of dollars and the trust of investors and consumers alike.

So, this poses the question: Are Kanye, Miley, Uzbekistan and Urban the exception or the rule?

In the grand scheme of things, Miley and Kanye’s actions pale in comparison to the scandalous nature of Tiger’s exploits and the trillions of dollars of unforeseen damage BP caused the environment and the people of the Gulf Coast.

These were “accidents” that were never supposed to happen. Tiger certainly never intended for his affair to come out, and BP certainly never expected to leak 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf.

Miley and Kanye’s actions, on the other hand, created a conversation and likely achieved what they aimed to accomplish.

Changing the Conversation

Regardless if a response is intentionally sought, non-response to negative publicity marks a missed opportunity. Lack of chatter about a brand is the same as getting a three-star rating; you don’t know where the brand stands. When a brand receives negative PR, it’s not hard to identify what went wrong and opportunities for the brand to improve.

Feedback, whether positive or negative provides a platform to identify opportunities for growth, join the conversation and influence the audience’s experience. It is an opportunity to turn the naysayers into brand ambassadors. Anyone that cares enough about a brand to spur bad publicity cares enough to share positive messages as well, and hence, these individuals warrant careful, heart-felt attention.

As you and your company plan for similar contingencies, take the time now to build your crisis communication team and public relations council. Develop definitive strategy and clear, actionable tactics that address possible situations should they arise. In crisis communication, a swift, strong response can transform negative publicity into positive advocacy.

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Visual Fatigue? Laughter to the Rescue!

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Public Relations, , ,

Intern Stephanie Zirker shares the marketing prescription to combat society’s visual fatigue.

As a society, we’re flooded, and it’s tiring us out. Our culture is awash with visual imagery: infographics that appeal to our inner statistician, artistic logos plastered across every gadget and live snapchats and Instagram feeds that vie for our short attention spans. The very act of filtering rampant  stimulation exhausts the human brain, leading to a condition known as “visual fatigue.”

Mayer’s Five Keys

Richard Mayer, American educational psychologist at the University of California Santa Barbara, published an extensive study on how the human brain processes visual traffic. He narrowed the essential principles for effective visual communication to five core precepts: continuity, coherence, signaling and segmenting.

Aesthetically engaging objects incorporate both words and images, a quality known as continuity. Effective imagery also streamlines information and demonstrates coherency, ensuring that the text coincides with the graphics. Signaling relates to the importance of connecting all the crucial points to form one comprehensive argument. Lastly, visual division of the content helps to narrow the viewer’s focus.

Mayer’s findings are calculated and constructive. However, there is one component not mentioned that warrants greater attention: the human component.

The Sixth Key

Last semester while studying in Florence, Italy, I was struck by (wait for it!) the city’s street signs. Yes! I said street signs! Some clever individual or company would replace the otherwise mundane traffic indicators with humorous – and sometimes edgy – cartoon versions. Following the discovery of these little gems, every stroll morphed into a scavenger hunt to document all of the creative signs I could find.

Fish Street Sign from Italy Stephanie Sign 2 Stephanie Sign 3

Never have I been more intrigued by road signs in my life. The signs sparked frequent conversation among students and even earned their own Facebook photo album. Why so much attention? Because they made me laugh.

Go on. Laugh a Little.

People’s strongest memories recall moments that made them laugh, cry or even blush. While visual communication in the professional world should never aim embarrass or sadden to win favor of viewers, emotions leave impressions. Videos that go viral or photos that attract thousands of Facebook likes more often than not incite some chuckles.

Remember Psy’s “Gangnam Style” (2,055,146,326 views) or “Charlie Bit My Finger” (749,153,849 views)? And of course, who can forget Saturday Night Live’s Blue Oyster Cult parody, “More Cowbell”? As Christopher Walken so famously said in that skit, “I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!” America collectively memorialized that performance and still incorporates it into our daily culture.

Humor isn’t the magic bullet, but effective communication requires careful balance of Mayer’s four principles…and a little tickling of the funny bone.

 

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Reply Already!

Cherith AndesBlog, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , ,

Kaitlyn Goforth, Clairemont’s wonderful intern, explores the importance of responding to your customers and maintaining a dialogue on social media.

As a PR agency, we manage social media strategies for a variety of clients.  Effective social media demands careful attention, especially for restaurants where repeat business relies on word-of-mouth reviews. When an organization posts something on social media, it bares itself to criticism, praise and everything in between. In many cases, customers can reply to posts unrestricted, making social media a proverbial minefield to navigate.

In general, restaurants can respond to a social media comment in five ways: by ignoring it, deleting it, defending themselves, issuing an apology or apologizing and offering a solution. Obviously, the last option is often the strongest strategy, but that doesn’t always happen in the restaurant business. Large chains receive thousands of tweets a day, and small companies often don’t have the manpower to consistently manage social media accounts. However, restaurants cannot afford to ignore social media’s burgeoning clout anymore, especially with trends such as the  “eat and tweet” movement.

So what does creative conversation with a restaurant look like? To answer that question objectively, we took a look at three brands that are not Clairemont clients.

1. Chipotle – This popular “fast-casual” chain has a three-person social media team that responds to almost all social media comments individually. Joe, Rusty and Myra sign their names after they have responded to “humanize” and personalize conversation. In addition, Chipotle uses social media as a way to communicate internally and regularly congratulates employees on promotions and jobs well done. It’s not just a burrito store; it’s a supportive family.

Chipotle Tweet

2. Morton’s Steakhouse – Before researching for this blog post, I had never heard of Morton’s Steakhouse, despite the fact that there are locations all over the world. After reading about this great use of social media, Morton’s is definitely on my radar to try. This upscale, trendy steakhouse listens to customers and fans on Twitter – and responds. Businessman Peter Shankman was boarding a plane home to New York City when he tweeted:

Peter Shankman Tweet 1

To Shankman’s surprise, a Morton’s employee was waiting for him at Newark Airport with a to-go bag full of steak, shrimp and all the fixings. Shankman immediately tweeted a photo to announce the yummy surprise.

Shankman 2 Shankman 3

With more than 150K followers on Twitter, this was great publicity for the Morton’s since the story went viral! But more importantly, this “act of kindness” exhibited how listening and responding to customers can go a long way in the restaurant industry. Read Shankman’s entire story, which he titled “The Greatest Customer Service Story Ever Told, Staring Morton’s Steakhouse.”

3. Starbucks – Brad Nelson, a former Starbucks barista, runs the company’s twitter account, and he’s knocking it out of the park. He personally responds to the majority of DMs and mentions that Starbucks receives. In October, Starbucks announced the launch of “Tweet a Coffee,” a way for followers to send a five-dollar digital eGift to another Twitter user. This not only boosted social media engagement with the company, the program also encouraged customers to spread the Starbucks love while increasing sales. The coffee chain also uses humor to give their followers a giggle for the day (nothing bonds us together like a good laugh!), as seen in this recent haiku:

Starbucks

Chipotle, Morton’s and Starbucks are all setting a great example about how restaurants and other similar companies can turn tepid tweeters into life-long fans.

How does your favorite restaurant use social media to engage with customers?

 

 

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Creative Challenge: Sarah’s Story

Dana PhelpsBlog, Professional Development, Raleigh PR Agency, , , , , 42 Comments on Creative Challenge: Sarah’s Story

Taking a Closer Look

Sarah Hattman

Don’t judge a book by its cover. It’s a phrase we have all heard at one time or another as a way of being told we shouldn’t base our opinions solely on what we see on the surface. Quite often, after we take a closer look, we find the person or object to be very different than we expected.

The above photo is a great example of why you should not “judge a book by its cover.” At first glance you might look at the photograph and assume the ladies are sisters and that it was taken at the turn of the 20th century. None of them look particularly happy, which might lead you to believe it’s because they were growing up and living in a time period much different than today.

Yes, you might draw any number of conclusions based on what you see in the photograph, but none of them are likely close to the truth. The picture was taken just last summer, and the ladies in it had not met until minutes before the image was captured. This picture exists because a mother, named Erin, was looking to pass along a bit of family history.

It all began when Erin’s young daughter, Charlotte, came home one day talking about how much fun she had looking at old family pictures and videos at her friend’s house. It might sound odd, but Erin was heartbroken. From the moment she found out she was pregnant with Charlotte, she knew that one day she would have to tell her child that she did not know anything about her family history. That’s because when Erin was only a couple of days old, she was found on the doorstep of an elderly couple’s home. She arrived with nothing more than a blanket, a bottle and a mystery.

Thirty-two years later, as Erin sat at the foot of Charlotte’s bed and listened to the excitement in her voice about her friend’s family, Erin knew that the time had come to start the conversation about her mysterious past with her four-year-old daughter.

Charlotte asked, “What did my great-grandmother look like?”

Instead of answering, Erin asked Charlotte, “What do you think she looked like?”

Charlotte immediately responded with “‘Grammy’ had brown hair like me. She was smart and funny. Oh, and she was very pretty!” From there, Charlotte’s imagination ran wild. “She had a large family and was the youngest of five girls. They all lived on a farm and Grammy’s best friend was a pig named Huckleberry!”

Charlotte’s story continued on this way for 20 solid minutes. When she finished, Erin told her that was the way she imagined “Grammy” too. She went on to explain that she never had the chance to meet her mother and therefore did not know anything about her great-grandmother.

Charlotte asked, “What about Nana and Papa?”

Erin explained that the Nana and Papa Charlotte had heard stories about was a kind couple who had taken her Erin into their home and loved her like their own. Charlotte listened and seemed to understand what Erin was telling her, but it did not seem to upset her.

Later that day, Erin found herself thinking about Charlotte’s “Grammy” tale and smiling; so she decided to create a photograph to go along with the story. Erin turned to her friends, colleagues and social media, and in a matter of a few hours had found a woman and four girls to play the roles of Grammy and her four sisters. The following weekend Erin met the ladies at Flashback, a store that specializes in creating photographs that look antique. She was thrilled with how it turned out and could not wait to give it to Charlotte.

Charlotte unwrapped the box, and as soon as she saw the photograph, she squealed with delight and pointed to the young girl at the bottom of the picture. She said, “Ah, it’s Grammy.” Charlotte placed the photograph on her bedside table where it remained for many years. It then went to college with Charlotte and on to her first apartment and eventually her first home. Not only does it now hang in her hallway alongside a large collection of family photos, but it also is the photo she most often points out to people saying, “Have I ever told you the story of my Grammy?”

So the next time you look at someone and find yourself making assumptions, remember the photograph of the five ladies. Let it serve as a reminder to you that things are not what they seem at first glance, and you should never judge a book by its cover.

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To Intern…Or Not To Intern? (Part 1)

Cherith AndesBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, , , 3 Comments on To Intern…Or Not To Intern? (Part 1)

With the growth of client assignments in the classroom, are internships outdated?
Part one of a two-part blog on internships from Clairemont’s own fantastic intern, Carly Griffin.

Imagine sitting at the dinner table over Christmas break during your sophomore year of college, and your dad asks you, “So, do you have an internship lined up for the summer yet?” 

Internship…? INTERNSHIP? You JUST decided on a major. Two months ago. And only after flirting with every other major your school offers. Does he really expect you to have an internship lined up already?

So, you mumble a response, such as, “I’ve been looking into it.”

Then, the panic sets in. How do you find an internship? Hello, Google! What kind of internship should you apply to? Oh yeah, my major. Where can you apply? I guess living at home would be cool. Are you even qualified for an internship? Probably, not. Are internships even necessary? Hmm…

In every intern interview I’ve done, one question always seems to come up: why do you want this internship? And my response is the same each time: the classroom is a great place to learn theories, but it’s vital to gain the real world experience a college setting cannot provide.

But in a day when college courses now assign you to work for a client, did my answer still ring true?

In my PR Writing class, we were given a semester-long assignment with a non-profit, Theater Delta, where we applied classroom learning to an actual company. And while this was a great opportunity, it lacked the real-life professionalism of an internship that I had to secure on my own.

In addition, the assignment ended after a semester with no opportunity to continue working for the company.  And that, my friends, is key. The relationship that you develop during a traditional internship paves the way for career mobility, forward momentum and—simply put—job offers.

The work I did for Theater Delta, while instructive and educational, did not have the same future opportunities as a “real” internship. For this reason, I’m thankful for that night at the dinner table. It made me examine my options and inspired me to start working towards a professional internship that would be pack the most punch as I built my career.

Weigh in: do you think a classroom internship provides the same benefits as a opportunity outside the college setting?

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