On the Republican side, only Tim Pawlenty has officially declared his intention to run as a presidential candidate in 2012 and he has an active online presence.  It is no surprise that Pawlenty’s site closely mirrors that of David Plouffe’s design for the Obama campaign of 2008, right down to the choice of Helvetica font.

I expect that all candidates, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, will aim to mimic the Obama 2008 website.  After all, David Plouffe, the architect of Obama’s 2008 online presence, is the Steve Jobs/Bill Gates/Thomas Edison social media strategy for political campaigns.

Potential candidate Sarah Palin has used social media to connect with her fans and has been savvy in expressing sometimes controversial views via Twitter and Facebook.  These communiques have been picked up by traditional media and as a result, she has received a lot of free press.  But thus far, she has not used social media as an official campaign tool for whatever she may be doing in 2012!

Around the same time I received the missives from the Obama folks, I also received my Ragan’s Daily Report, which included a great conversation between Diane Schwartz, SR VP and Group Publisher of Media/PR Group at Access Intelligence, and Mark Ragan of Ragan Communications.  Ragan asked Schwartz if social media was just a part of the toolkit or was it becoming the entire toolkit for PR professionals.  Schwartz made a great point: if a client and the client’s audience are not at all involved with social media, then setting up a Twitter feed for them is fruitless.  She noted that although PR professionals these days are having fun with social media and using it effectively and cheaply, listening to where the client is and what is relevant to their milieu is very important.

Although the Obama campaign revolutionized the way politicians running for office reach out, they will not be abandoning the tried and true methods of direct mail, phone banking and door-to-door solicitations.  Just as Diane Schwartz indicated, the campaign is taking into account that some of their most valuable constituents, people 65 and over, are not regular Tweeters and incessant updaters of Facebook their status.  This is a lesson from which all of us can learn. Listening to the client and learning about how that client relates to its customers and audience is key.  It is wonderful to be adept in the newest, latest social media trends. And when representing a client whose market consists of consistent social media users,  those social media skills are relevant and will work to get you the attention you seek for your client.  But if your client has a market that is made up of those same social media users, and people who are intimidated by e-mail, then you’d better be able to hear that and craft your PR strategy accordingly.

In fact, when I opened the link I received from the Obama folks yesterday, I had the option to sign up (via e-mail. of course) and let the campaign know if I was interested in being a real flesh and blood volunteer.  I could indicate if I was interested in attending an actual event, or volunteering in myriad ways.  Today the site is dominated by tweets from supporters.  It is serving to gin up the excitement and get the online base ready for action.  Veteran campaigners on both sides of the political aisle know that by the time the summer of 2012 rolls around, they will have to harness and mobilize all of the spirit they’ve built up “in the cloud” and transform it into an army of envelope sealers, door knockers, and phone bankers, not to mention donors.  I don’t see that changing any time soon, but it will be fascinating to see what effect this revolution in social media has on how politicians campaign, and what lessons this union of the old and the new has for us in the PR profession.

One of the most successful network reality show franchises is Mark Burnett’s “Apprentice” series, featuring the follicly-challenged real estate mogul Donald Trump (“The Donald”).  This season, the show features low C-list, D-list and/or formerly A-list celebrities, each of whom is competing to win money for his/her designated charities.   I won’t go into the horror that has been Miss Dionne Warwick, or the freak-show that is and will continue to be the interaction between Meatloaf and Gary Busey, because what I really want to talk to you about is last week’s challenge and how it relates to branding and inspiring your sales force through viral video.

This season on Celebrity Apprentice, The Donald divided the contestants up into teams based on gender.  The last challenge tasked each team with developing a commercial for ACN’s new Video Phone, with the caveat that the commercial had to have content that demonstrated an overseas call using the video phone.  The winner of the challenge would be determined by ACN’s 2 top executives and by a vote of 450 account executives, who would watch the video en masse at their annual conference and vote right then and there on their favorite.

The women’s team took the traditional route and created a commercial that involved a daughter on her year abroad speaking to her parents, one of whom was played by Celebrity Apprentice Marlee Matlin, a deaf actress who used sign language to communicate with her daughter via the video phone,  It pulled at the heartstrings and was well executed.  The men’s team aimed at getting the commercial to “go viral” and created a piece that involved a wacky grandfather communicating with his grandson in South America.  The grandson introduces his grandparents to his fiancee via videophone.  The catch is that the fiancee is a character played by disgraced baseball pro Jose Canseco, another Celebrity Apprentice contestant.

When each commercial was presented to the crowd of mostly young account execs, the reaction was palpable.  The traditional commercial that the women produced received a strong and emotional reaction.  But the commercial that was made with the intent to “go viral” received a rousing set of cheers and applause, and eventually won the votes of a (slim) majority of the audience.

The point that the contest made, and that most of us in the 21st century pr and marketing business have come to terms with is that viral video is a viable tool to sell almost anything, and not only because of its comic or outrageous appeal.  Watching those account executives react to the humorous, tongue-in-cheek approach to selling their product was a revelation.  You could see that this ACN sales force will be so excited to start using this tool to sell the hell out of this phone.  This is a commercial that they are not only proud to be a part of, but in our culture, it is a signifier of brand authority and “coolness” to be an Internet sensation, if only for a few days. Anyone who looks at the Evian babies viral campaign knows that this type of marketing can brand you in a whole new way.

A video phone is not a new technology, and it is up against stiff competition from Skype and G-chatting, etc.  So one of the factors in selling this product is to appeal to a younger demographic, while still enabling its traditional consumer base (the grandparents and parents in the commercial) to see that it is a telecommunications technology with which they can still relate.  But to get ACN’s sales force focused and excited about battling giants like Skype and Google, the commercial-turned-viral video had the unintended benefit of motivating their sales force to be creative with their pitching.  It empowered them to feel like the product they are selling is of-the-moment, in the zeitgeist, and a hip, new way to network with colleagues, potential clients, and a younger demographic.

Wow. I learned all of this from watching reality TV, and reality TV featuring Donald Trump, no less.  Maybe in my next post I should come out of the closet with my predilection for horrifying celebrity gossip blogs, if only to see what revelations might come to light!

In the days that have followed the horrible disasters in Japan, comedians, celebrities, and business execs have met their maker of social humiliation, all at the hands of a little blue bird, Twitter. Consider these insane comments: “u just never knw! They did Pearl Harbor so u can’t expect anything less,” (former WNBA star, Cappie Pondexter) or “They don’t go to the beach. The beach comes to them,” (comic Gilbert Gottfried, who was fired from his role as the voice of the Aflac duck). They have got to be some of the worst utterings people have actually said out loud since, “Those pants are so awesome” to MC Hammer in the early 90s. Now, looking back, I’m sure most of these public figures are saying to themselves, “What was I thinking?”

Whether you may think something is funny, intelligent, witty, or just plain cute, nothing goes unnoticed in this global web of social media. Whether you tweet, blog, post, delete, re-post, accidentally sneeze and pocket-post, your thoughts and comments are there for the world to see, criticize, make fun of, praise, or even get you fired.

So when is too much information just TOO MUCH INFORMATION to be sharing with our socially tapped community? . When did social media outlets become a public to-do list? Well, some examples include letting the world know your every move. There’s the person who is always letting us know that they’re studying, making a sandwich, eating a sandwich, going to the mall, then watching Gossip Girl, American Idol, then sleeping Then, there are those posts with a beating heart on their sleeve, “You said that I was the one, well why did you leave me?” Blah blah blah. It’s a Facebook status, not a therapist’s couch. Spewing constant remarks about your love life will only help guarantee that you don’t have one. No one wants to be dating the “Taylor Swift of Twitter”.

The great thing about social media is it helps you connect with millions of people instantly. You can be introduced to new trends, find common interests with people from all walks of life, show people the funny video of your co-worker walking around with toilet paper stuck to their shoe, or, like a lot of people, try to “be funny” and lose your job as a talking duck because you mindlessly offended the whole world with your loud mouth.

Don’t be scared, fellow tweeters and posters. I do want to know when you’ve had “the best cupcake of your life” or are “so mad because no one in this town knows how to drive.” I am interested in the, “weird but awesome site that puts Barry Manilow’s face on cats bodies.” Don’t loose your identity amidst the mass crowds that make up the social interactive sites, just make sure you don’t MC Hammer-ize yourself and find yourself saying, “Shoot. Why did I do that?”

Happy Tweets,

LC

According to The New York Times, “This is cracking the code — finding a way to integrate products organically in the storytelling and actually having it be of value to the reader,” said William J. Wackermann, senior vice president and publishing director for Condé Nast Publications.

I guess the question is — what is going to happen to the retail experience, customer service, point of purchase and in-store events? Are we looking at a future where these are a thing of the past?

And does this app also point to the fact that Americans prefer to live their lives via the click of a mouse from their favorite couch instead of going outside, shopping or even having a live conversation with another human being? (What’s next, a McDonalds’ app that delivers? That’s probably already in the works.)

Although there is immediate gratification of an immediate purchase with the touch of a button for the consumer, the retailer is left with an online matchmaking of sorts. Maybe, sadly, that is just where we are headed.

Having worked at Abercrombie & Fitch when I was still in high school, I understand the hard work and long hours that go into making a store appealing to the customer. So, what happens to us in sales when no one is in the store anymore?

To me, I love the connection that I feel when I walk into Ralph Lauren/Polo on Madison Avenue or Eastern Mountain Sports or my local bakery. You can’t replace that feeling.

Today, there is all this talk of staying connected — more so than ever before, but to me, this trend is exactly the opposite and minimizing interaction with human beings.

Not my cup of tea at all.

Jeremy Brocko

CGPR Intern

March 18, 2011

We decided to go to 7News when my “Media Relations and Publicity” professor asked us to take a poll of which news outlets we wanted to visit. Of course 7NEWS was on the list. So on February 28th, we took the journey to 7 Bulfinch Place.

Objects in mirror may appear close than they seem. Well, in a figurative sense anyways. The newsroom is actually smaller than what you thought it would be in real life. With crammed quarters and a broken mirror to do your own hair and make-up, we get our initial sense of 7NEWS. Greeted by a cheerful yet sleep deprived Dylan Dreyer, meteorologist of 7NEWS, we get the weather first hand, even though it was obvious by the amount of water dripping off us.

We continued our tour with a view of 7NEWS at the core of the operation. It’s heart. This particular vascular muscle of the operation consists of 15 desks, four in each group, stuffed with people, folders and lots of coffee. Constantly typing away and screaming across the room, the heart is pumping feverishly. We are like kids in a candy store. We cannot stop touching everything, and looking around in bewilderment like it’s Christmas morning.

And we’re walking. We’re looking. We’re touching. Stop. There is a single man who seems to take control of the entire functionality of 7 Bulfinch Place. Computers, televisions and monitors galore, he surrounds himself with every type of equipment that makes 7News, well, 7News. He is the man behind the curtain. Not quite the Chief of Staff, but definitely not a Colonel, you begin to understand the tactics of a mastermind. When something goes wrong, he’s the man to fix it. There are more computers in this tiny room, than there are in the whole entire station house.

As our tour guide continued to bring us around the small yet fully packed newsroom, I was surprised at the abundance of friendly smiles and gentle nods the class got. It was like they have done this before (for a much younger demographic, I’m sure) and although everyone was rather busy, it didn’t stop them from saying “Hello,” and “How are you?” It wasn’t long before TV news anchor Adam Williamson came over and introduced himself. He was curious as to if anyone had any questions, and like a 4th grader who had just been stung by a bee, I raised my hand. “What’s your favorite part about being a news anchor?” He replied, “To understand new trends, people and the world.” A valid answer, I must agree. It goes to show how public relations and the news media go hand in hand. Public relations professionals are constantly looking for new trends to follow and update their clients with, and to connect with how other people can accomplish tasks in their own brand.

The bee stung again. “Are you ever nervous that the teleprompter will go too fast, or you’ll forget what you’re talking about? His response, “All the time. It’s my biggest fear, minus the fact that maybe one day the camera will catch me doing something I’m not supposed to be doing.”  I didn’t quite understand how he’d get caught doing something he shouldn’t be till we watched the live taping of him and his co-anchor Anne Allred, perform the 7News at noon.

Once they were rolling, you could clearly see what Adam was talking about. Camera angles. They are in a constant circular motion. You only know when the camera is on you when the cue girl gives you the signal. Now I know how Batman felt. You would also only ever know that it’s not on someone, unless you were actually in the studio. There was a brief moment, after Anne delivered her part of the news, fifty seconds to be exact, that she whipped out her handheld mirror and lip gloss and fixed herself up a bit. Who would have known that she had the downtime to be able to “touch-up.” It’s behind the scenes where you get the most coverage.

It’s interesting to be able to go behind the scenes, to understand the correlation between news media and public relations. Without the news, and a constant update of what is happening around us, public relations wouldn’t have a place in the world. We, as public relations professionals are constantly trying to build up someone’s reputation by different media outlets, and the news plays a very big part in that. Without coverage, who would notify the public about recent updates and changes in different companies and their prospective?  We rely on the news as much as it relies on us. Two peas in a pod.

The newsroom is a whole other world, and until you walk through the very short corridor, you cannot possibly understand what type of deadline they have. Wake up at 3 am, to be in the station by 4, to deliver the news at 12. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

– JB, CGPR intern

“I got magic and I got poetry in my fingertips, most of the time, and this includes naps – i’m an F-18, bro” – Charlie Sheen, 02.25.11

Over the past few months, Charlie Sheen has elected to let his freak flag fly high.  He’s everywhere right now, sparring with Alcoholics Anonymous, challenging his former boss to fight in an octagon, and defying anyone to stand in his way.  After all, he has a tiger’s blood.  He’s an F-18, bro.  At first, some thought it was Charlie just being Charlie, but in the past few days, this routine has become very old and incredibly sad. Clearly, we are watching someone with an illness unravel for ratings with network after network competing for the “first” or “longest” interview. They are feeding the beast. Will the public wake up to this? Could this be construed as unethical journalism?  Does Charlie Sheen have to be all news all the time. I don’t think so and honestly, even though I love the show, I think enough is enough.

Charlie Sheen’s obsession with speaking with the press continues to snowball and escalate daily.  You almost have to ask if he’s given up drugs and alcohol for attention and spectacle.  If that’s the case, and I’m not saying it necessarily is or isn’t, shouldn’t the media avoid enabling him?  Instead they exploit him exploiting himself.   It’s only questions we are left with.  Is Charlie Sheen bipolar and if not, as he puts it, “bi-winning?”  Where does it go from here?

The best case scenario would be for the networks to shut him off and for Charlie to go away and get help.  But what will we do without him?  I’m sure the media will go back to putting a magnifying glass on any of the other great train wrecks of Hollywood (Mel, Lindsey, Joaquin) without blinking an eye.  Lessons won’t be learned.  We’ll continue to feed the beast.

On Sunday night when you fire up the 83^rd edition of Academy Awards, odds are you won’t be watching it alone – even if you are by yourself.

Anyone who signed in to Facebook or Twitter during The Grammy’s last week will gladly testify on how flooded their feeds were in regard to the evening’s ceremony.  Viewers can now sit alone on their couch, without pants, feeling connected to millions.  They can voice their opinions in real time, and be heard around the planet.  It’s actually quite nice, though slightly annoying at times.   I found myself hiding a number of friends whose opinions and statuses were upsetting to me.  Don’t be mad.

According to an article in today’s Wall Street Journal, The Academy is specifically interested in appealing to a younger demographic this year.  Naturally, they’re relying on social media to play a role in this, but they’ve also employed younger hosts (Anne Hathaway is 28, James Franco is 32) than in previous years.  They’re hoping to go even further with the addition of interactive apps to coincide with the program.

-The Oscar Backstage Pass ($1 for iPhone and iPad) offers viewers 8 different camera angles during the show itself.  It will also offer Red Carpet and backstage access, along with coverage after the ceremony has concluded.

-E!’s Live From The Red Carpet (free for Android and Apple products) is the most interactive of the products, allowing customers to vote on their choice for Oscar winner, and see poll results.  The product, however, does not remain covering the event once the curtain is drawn.  It’s coverage begins once the show has concluded.

-Another attempt to engage viewers is the Obsessed With Hollywood APP ($1.99 for iPhone and iPad).  This allows users to test their movie knowledge.

The big question is, will people use these apps, and how well will they work?  Will they engage younger audiences?  Sunday’s Oscars will certainly serve as a great opportunity to better understand the future of the app for live events.  In many ways, we might consider this a test run.   Nonetheless, we will all tune in, connect, and share our thoughts.  A far cry from the Oscars of years past.

-JRG 2.24.11

I’m always a bit nervous when I start something new.  My first day as an intern at CGPR was no exception. When Eleanor, the executive vice president, said good morning and asked how I was doing, I responded with, “I’m fine. How are you tomorrow?” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I felt very small.

My day began by searching for articles of interest in the major (print) news publications. I opened a Wall Street Journal for the first time in my life.  I sought articles pertaining to communication and social media fields, along with topics that center around CGPR’s clientele.  With clients like adidas Outdoor, Eastern Mountain Sports, 180s, and Yakima, I specifically looked for stories surrounding fashion, fitness and adventuring.

After completing this assignment, Shelley gave me a tutorial on Cisionpoint.com.  This media tool and database serves as an enormous resource to the PR and IR industries.  I spent some time acclimating myself with the program by finding the ad rates for a number of news periodicals. This task was requested by Lauren, the office manager.

We ran for lunch at a nearby shop called Shubie’s.  My sandwich tasted like heaven.

An hour later I got to sit in on my first team meeting.  Chris gave a presentation on the ISPO convention she’d just attended in Munich.  I took notes and previewed a number of press releases in order to complete a report on trends spotted at the trade show.

It was an exciting first day.  As I drove away I couldn’t help but feel silly for having felt nervous that morning.  Everyone had been so nice and friendly.  I was looking forward to going back in a few days.

-JRG 2.12.11

We all remember Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” during the Super Bowl Half-Time Show in 2004.  It was a controversy that is still talked about seven years later. And that was before social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter became a dominating effect on how news circulated.

Well it has happened again, and this time news hit the stands within seconds. Christina Aguilera performed the National Anthem, a song that I’m sure she has sung a million times over, and botched it. She reworded it like a sixth grader alters a fairy tale to have a happier ending.

On Twitter and Facebook, people were “updating” statuses and tweeting within moments of her debauchery of our beloved anthem, and wondering why and how she could do something so stupid.

Looking at it from a PR prospective, we speculate that she may have done it for the limelight.  It has been rumored that she is jealous of her pop starlet counterparts i.e. Gaga, Britney, Taylor etc.  She is no longer top of mind in her field as she once was. Britney smashed a window in with an umbrella. Janet exposed herself, and Kanye West stole the spotlight from an innocent 17 year old. Everyone has done it. And now Christina can be on that list of attention seeking pop stars as well.

With tools like Facebook and Twitter, her name is certainly going to pop up everywhere, but not for a gratuitous high five.  Social media takes a toll on all of us, especially if you are (were) an A-list celebrity.

Sources have commented that although Aguilera has been singing our national hymn since she was seven years old, she was caught up in the moment of the meaning behind the ballad, thus losing track of where she was. Kind of like when I was in the play Pride and Prejudice as Mr. Collins, and I forgot my words to thy beloved Elizabeth because I was so caught up in the moment. Wait a minute, still my fault right? Which inevitably is still Aguilera’s downfall, whether she was feeling moved or forgetful. Her attempt was futile and unfortunately unmemorable, and in the end, pernicious to her credibility as a pop culture icon.

I have definitely sent out my tweets and updated my status about this moment, so Aguilera’s mission was not successful, but definitely accomplished. She wanted people to talk about her and so we are. Social media once again has prevailed.

– Jeremy