Corporate Sponsorship & Academia: Drawing the Line?

Is a corporate-sponsored marketing course an academic service, or a self-serving one? asks Rob Walker in his well-written New York Times Sunday Magazine piece that profiles a controversy ignited by of all groups, a non-profit trade association that sponsored an academic course at New York's Hunter College and several other universities across the country..

If you don't get the Sunday NY Times Magazine--here's the upshot..I.A.C.C., the IntL. Anti-counterfeiting Coalition, whose members include leading brand manufacturers, underwrote a course at Hunter (and 7 other campuses) that was intended to enlist the resources (and peer relationships) of those participating in the class, to instill the doctrine of Knocking Off is Bad.

The course work, which includes teams of students creating an assortment of very innovative digital and print ads, and compelling experiential marketing campaigns that are now being leveraged by I.A.C.C., has evoked post traumatic stress with some academics, specifically those that believe a line in the sand needs to be drawn prohibiting corporates, trade groups, non-profits, and anyone else that has an agenda from imposing their mantras when sponsoring educational curriculum.

Yes, some are all-consumed by the notion Big Brand Brother is getting his hooks into the crannies of our young, and oh-so-easily influenced college students and exploiting their intellect.

For those that agree that corporate sponsorship of colleges should have strict black and white rules and 14 ft Chinese walls that separate church from state and college students from their prospective corporate hiring managers, you're invited to submit a comment and share your thoughts!

Marketing To Moms : Can You Spell Blog?

For those in the marketing/communications profession, most are familiar with MarketingSherpa, but if you're not, its worth your time to get on the newsletter subscription list (its free), as odds are high that you'll encounter an article that makes good sense, and very possibly, a fistful of dollars.

The link in title to this posting is the first in a series of articles from MarketingSherpa i.e. "how to market to the mommy market" is very solid, and includes links to a variety of high traffic blogs that have become frequent destinations for the new generation of gals with kids in tow.

Using Comic Book Format To Introduce Innovative Ideas: Google Case Study

For those that might have seen a posting made here almost a year ago, you'll appreciate that we presciently pontificated on the increasing use of comic book-style strategies within corporate publications, main-stream marketing and advertising collateral, and as Google has done courtesy of famed comic book king Scott McCloud, within new product launch announcements.

As observed by leadership guru Mark Murphy, founder of LeadershipIQ, "...the need to address the needs and tastes of Gen Y, a group that is dominating the new work force and represents the most sought after consumer demographic cannot be underestimated.." What Murphy is saying is that we need to speak the language of what is becoming our largest audience, and to deliver messages in a way that inspires, influences and win their votes.

Comic book format messaging became widespread in Japan several years ago, and the 'style' has been successively and successfully embraced by Fortune brands in the course of executing a wide spectrum of marketing and awareness initiatives.

Whether Google's Chrome browser supercedes Microsoft IE, or Firefox (a browser that we have aggressively recommended to corporate and educational industry clients soon after it was introduced)is only something that time can determine. Switching browsers is relatively easy and painless, switching mindsets is something else. Especially when many are hyper-sensitive when it comes to privacy; Chrome will undoubtedly come equipped with imbedded tracking applications that can be used to further enhance Google's Adwords platform and deliver ever-more focused demographic zoning features.

The New Investor Relations Buzz Word: Swirl

Hats off to Yahoo!'s Susan Decker for introducing a new phrase to the investor relations world...
In the first sentence of prepared remarks made on a recent investor conference call, Ms. Decker said "...Notwithstanding a more difficult economic environment, and substantial external swirl related to Microsoft.."

Ah...in this context, Swirl means "distracting jibber jabber"... and presumably, her speech writer can be credited with introducing a new synonym for "spin". Although 'swirl' also conjures up the image of a cyclone...and I don't know that Susan intended to suggest that Microsoft has created a powerful storm

My local Carvel has a great swirl, comprised of fat-free coffee and raspberry...its great with low-cal cookie crunchies and a perfect soother when encountering head winds.

But when it comes to investor relations phrases, I'm going to stick with "jibber jabber"..although this phrase might not be easily translated from English to other languages.

Marcomm 301: Loose Lips Sink Ships

Great insight on the new age of marketing communications courtesy of MarketingProfs.com:

If you're working on a deal that hadn't been made public, the last thing you'll do is announce it to your friends on Twitter. And yet, warns Rohit Bhargava in a post at the Influential Marketing Blog, savvy online observers could use a variety of tidbits to gather information you never meant to share. Here's his hypothetical scenario:

* You tweet about a business trip to the West Coast with a friend who is known to be a lawyer.
* She updates her Facebook profile, mentioning a client meeting in Redmond, Washington.
* Media outlets quote a Microsoft executive about being in discussions with companies in your field.
* A Microsoft engineer blogs about a new company in your town.

"In four small updates from unrelated people," says Bhargava, "a smart social media surfer could get a very direct sense of a deal about to happen and some inside information [you didn't intend to share]." To combat online "spying," he recommends the following:

* Educate employees on the potential ramifications of sharing information online.
* Teach selective friending.
* Monitor comments made from within your company to head off inadvertent "leaks" before they become major problems.

Says Bhargava, "It is only a matter of time before Social Media Espionage becomes a concern that some businesses will need to have a preemptive strategy to fight against." Your Marketing Inspiration is to be prepared.

Protecting The Corporate Brand: What To Do About Online Attacks

A bit dated, but this WSJ article can prove to be timeless in an age where aggravated customers can vent their frustrations to the world by simply pressing "submit comment"

Internet has drastically increased the potential damage to a brand or a company's reputation. Frustrations with a company's practices, products and service that once were confined to relatively small circles now reach complete strangers around the world. With a very low cost of entry, disgruntled customers, workers and former workers are free to post messages, create Web sites and blog about grievances. Advocacy and special-interest groups use their Web sites to stage attacks on companies and rally support for their positions. And all of it is often archived, searchable and printable.

The potential harm from such attacks should not be underestimated. They can damage a company's reputation, hurt sales and scare off potential -- and current -- employees. Investors may flee, and partnerships may be put at risk.

1.Companies need to monitor the Web for criticism and be able to move quickly on matters that could hurt their reputation or brands. Such monitoring should cover not only corporate, professional and industry Web sites, but also grass-roots sites, such as blogs and bulletin boards.

2.Companies should examine their current practices in dealing with grievances, gripes and concerns. Researchers have consistently found that the manner in which a company attempts to remedy a complaint and how the company interacts with dissatisfied stakeholders can either temper or exacerbate the conflict -- even when the company can't provide the outcome the stakeholder desires.

As a result, companies should limit heavy-handed responses such as threats of legal action to areas in which protective measures are more justifiable -- such as preventing financial disclosures, or discussions about strategic and proprietary information. They should also develop clear employee guidelines for when -- and when not -- to blog, post messages or generate other Web content.
3. At the most successful companies, dedication to fair processes percolated through all levels of the organization. Companies should train managers to understand the risks that attacks can pose to the brand -- and to appreciate the dangers that unfair treatment can pose.
4.Once a brand-damaging attack appears, companies should try to address it directly, and quickly, going directly to the site where the criticism originated. They should also drive the discussion in a way that displays the company's dedication to fairness and tries to restore a sense of justice for those involved.

Branding in Bad Times..and the Best of Times

With the nations consumers facing this generation's most challenging economic hurdles (although one or two of hedge fund friends believe this is a great buying opportunity) this is a good time to reflect on the importance of brand.

Brand isn't just a logo or a tagline. Duh. But way too many companies of all sizes neglect to appreciate that the brand image is what keeps the blood flowing. Brand value in the corporate financial sense is defined as a combination confidence, integrity, reliability, and satisfaction.

Confidence in doing business with you. This includes members of the senior management, vendors, distributors, employees, (for many, this also includes regulators), and of course customers, consumers and clients.

Integrity in the manner by which you conduct your business, including the manner by which you manufacture goods.

Reliability in good times and bad. You can be counted on to share the burden, and the wealth.

Satisfaction provided by the receiver in the delivery of your product/service.

Keeping the brand intact, regardless of which way the wind blows, comes from within.
Courtesy of Jay Berkman at The JLC Group

Corporate Sponsors Singing a New Tune

Courtesy of the NY Times reporter Robert Levine:

It’s American Brandstand: Marketers Underwrite Performers
By ROBERT LEVINE

The hip-hop and R&B producer Jermaine Dupri has discovered best-selling acts like Kris Kross and Da Brat, has produced hits for Mariah Carey and Jay-Z, and now runs the urban music division of the Island Def Jam Music Group. He’s also looking for fresh talent for a new label financed by a company new to the music industry.

The new player? Procter & Gamble.

The consumer goods giant is part of a wave of companies getting into the music business to promote their own products, essentially becoming record labels themselves.
At a time when online file-sharing is rampant, record stores are closing and consumers are buying singles instead of albums, getting into the music business might seem like running into a burning building. But as record labels struggle to adjust to a harsh new digital reality, other companies are stepping up their involvement in music, going far beyond standard endorsement contracts and the use of songs in commercials.

These companies — like Procter & Gamble, Red Bull and Nike — are stepping outside of their core businesses to promote, finance and even distribute music themselves.

A few months ago, Bacardi announced that it would help the English electronic music duo Groove Armada pay for and promote its next release. Caress, the body-care line owned by Unilever, commissioned the Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger to record a version of Duran Duran’s “Rio” that it gave away on its Web site to promote its “Brazilian body wash” product. The energy drink company Red Bull is starting a label that is expected to release music before the end of the year.

It’s not about money,” said Sarah Tinsley, a global marketing manager at Bacardi. “It’s a branding exercise.”
Although consumer brands are taking on roles once reserved for labels, they are investing so much money in music because the same digital technology that whipsawed the music business is also making it harder to reach consumers.

Press Release Writing 101: Sex, Green, Secret

Refreshing article courtesy of NY Times reporter Joanne Kaufman...Here's an excerpt, with tips that might bring a press release into the press:


The original pitch landed in the inbox with a whiff of medical authenticity overlaid with a snicker-inducing headline: “Toxic Ties to ‘New Shower Curtain Smell’ Evident, According to Latest Laboratory Testing.”

There was a news conference, this release said, at New York University Medical Center. It was led by a doctor representing an obscure if official-sounding group that few people have heard of, the Center for Health, Environment and Justice. There were revelations about how shower curtains that are “routinely sold at multiple retail outlets” and can “release as many as 108 volatile chemicals into the air.”

Thus, the Toxic Shower Curtain Story was born.

ABCNews.com picked up on it, only to debunk it. With varying amounts of credulousness, other outlets ran with it as well, including U.S. News & World Report, The Daily News in New York, MSNBC.com and The Los Angeles Times. The gist of some of the coverage was that it was all a tempest in a bathtub, though other reports took the information at face value.

How do stories of this ilk get such bounce from major news organizations?

Those who make their living composing news releases say there is an art to this easily dismissed craft. Strategic word selection can catapult an announcement about a study, a product or a “breakthrough” onto the evening news instead of to its usual destination — the spam folder or circular file.

“P.R. people want to invest time in things that are going to get picked up, so they try to put something to the ‘who cares?’ and ‘so what?’ test,” said Kate Robins, a longtime public relations consultant. “If you say something is first, most, fastest, tallest — that’s likely to get attention. If you can use the words like ‘money,’ ‘fat,’ ‘cancer’ or ‘sex,’ you’re likely to get some ink in the general audience media.”

David Seaman, a P.R. stunt planner and the author of a book to be published in October, “Dirty Little Secrets of Buzz,” is a proponent of “safe,” “easy” “secret,” “trick” and “breaking” because they suggest that something is new and fresh, he said.



“Anytime you have ‘toxic’ next to an item everyone has in their house and has always been assumed to be the last thing that would harm them, you can be sure it will get picked up on the news, and the Web will spread it like wildfire,” said Allen P. Adamson, managing director of Landor, a corporate branding firm, and the author of “BrandSimple.”

The words that attract media attention change with the times. “Anything that speaks to long-term health risks is good these days, because there is a belief that there’s a lot of stuff out there harming us, from the cellphone on down,” Mr. Adamson said.

David B. Armon, the president of PR Newswire, a distribution service for public relations professionals, likens writing a news release to writing a headline for the front page of a newspaper: every word has to do heavy lifting.

“It’s a lot more scientific than it used to be,” Mr. Armon said, “because you’re not just trying to get media pickup, but to get search engine attention.”


“Green” and “environment” are huge right now, he said, as is “foreclosure.” “We’ve done 412 press releases that incorporate that word so far in ’08, up from 261 last year.” For the record, Mr. Armon added, the use of the word “toxic” in news releases is up 5 percent.

The words that may help get a news release picked up vary from region to region. Brenda Baumgartner, the news director and anchor at KPVI, the NBC affiliate in Pocatello, Idaho, for example, looks for words like “fishing,” “hunting,” “Mormon” and “polygamy,” she said, “because they fit the culture we live around.”

Words that help elevate a news release also vary from industry to industry. For instance, Tom Gable, the head of a San Diego public relations firm, said a news release about video games could benefit from a phrase like “faster graphics.” When talking about technology, he said, it would be “ ‘cost breakthrough,’ like the $200 computer.”

In the entertainment industry, on the other hand, the most basic of nouns will do — baby, breakup, marriage, divorce — according to Cindi Berger, co-chief executive of the public relations firm PMK/HBH. “Now attach names like Madonna or Jessica Simpson,” Ms. Berger said, “and of course the assignment editor is going to pay attention.”

Perhaps because many people in public relations are former journalists, they know what grates on the Fourth Estate. Mr. Gable, who was once the business editor of The San Diego Union, has compiled a list of words that will do a news release no good whatsoever, like “solutions,” “leading edge,” “cutting edge,” “state of the art,” “mission critical,” and “turnkey.”

Mr. Gable said that his company once did a weeklong survey of the releases that came out of PR Newswire and Business Wire, a commercial news distribution service, “and most of the releases identified their company as ‘a leader’ and described their research as ‘cutting edge.’”

“They were empty, unsubstantiated and had no news value,” he said.

Ken Sunshine, the head of a P.R. firm in Manhattan, said he thought the media had an institutional bias against “hype-y terms” like “world renowned” and “once in a lifetime,” which he studiously avoids putting in his news releases. “But ‘unique’ is fine,” he said, “if something really is unique.”

Ultimately, perhaps, the whole thing is less about terms than timing.

“Was it really the issue of toxic shower curtains that fired up assignment editors?” asked Mr. Armon of PR Newswire. “Or was it just a slow news day?”

Viral Marketing Hall of Fame 2008: Top 10 Campaigns & Results Data

Great summary of top strategies executed by big and small brands, courtesy of MarketingSherpa.

The overriding theme:
-> Rise of social media
Most of this year’s candidates sent videos to YouTube, created Facebook pages or organized communities on MySpace -- or all of the above. These sites are free to use and add seemingly unlimited viral potential to any campaign. That means free additional exposure from powerful peer-to-peer networks. Marketers are hearing the social media message loud and clear.

-> Peer-to-peer sharing is critical
There were two distinct groups in this year’s entries: fantastically thought-out campaigns and wacky content. Either way, success hinged on peer-to-peer sharing. As our winners illustrate, both strategies can work if enough effort is put into the right places.

Clever marketers created funny videos or text documents, posted them to a few social media sites and people shared like mad -- ka-boom! Other marketers left less at risk. They created contests, microsites, full-assault ad campaigns and got on every Web 2.0 medium reachable.

-> All hail mighty content
You’ve heard the adage -- we’re not even going to say it -- but all it took for some campaigns to go wildly viral was great content. Not every content-based entry made it to Sherpa’s winners’ circle, but there were enough to denote a trend. Most of the content being passed around was funny or sarcastic -- even if it was a bit risky for PR. But being truly funny requires risks. Some of these marketers went out on a limb to grab the ripest fruit.