The New Realities of PR

Presented by: Mike Spataro

Remember 1994?

You waited for the newspaper to check the box scores

You hoped you didn’t miss the

weather forecast on TV or radio

You guessed what the manufacturer’s price was for a new car

You licked a stamp to send a piece of mail

You bought music CDs

You booked a vacation at a travel

agent’s office

You had to visit a bank to check your balance

Technology, lifestyles and whatconstitutes “news” have all

changed dramatically

Changing Landscape

Changing Media Landscape

Guess Who Said…

“Newspapers in the traditional sense are dead. PR people have an opportunity to create content that will be delivered directly to consumers and embraced by the media.”

Len Apcar, one of the chief editors, NY Times

“Publishers no longer own the news. What’s happening now is a fundamental realignment of the relationship between large media organizations and the public.”

Richard Sambrook, head of the BBC’s global news division

Changing Marketing Model

Consumer are now participating in the

journalistic process and fueling electronic

word-of-mouth evangelism

News was filtered through the media before

reaching audiences

The Age of Networked Conversations

Technology increases speed of social change through global collaboration

Technology Cheap hardware and software reach the masses

Stronger computers empower consumers

Social Change Aging consumers look to technology to support families and communities

Younger generations pioneer the use of personal networks and viral communications

NETWORKEDCONVERSATIONS

Changing Role of Communicators

Now, we need to speak clearly and openly to

encourage our audiences to talk with us so we can listen

We used to focus most on the way our organizations

talk to audiences

“Word of Mouse”

is Getting Louder

Blog

PR Implications – Blogs on every topic imaginable, by consumers, news media, corporate executives; media use blogs for story ideas; clients publish blogs for delivering messages directly to the marketplace

"If you want to be a leader, I can't see

surviving without a blog."

What is it? – An online diary of thoughts and opinions posted by one person; 27mm and counting

Blog: MoBlog (Mobile Blogging)

Text

WirelessPictures

“… you cannot afford to close your eyes … they're simply the most explosive outbreak in the information world since the Internet itself. And they're going to shake up just about every business -- including yours.”

Blog: Word of Mouth

Blog: Word of Mouth and Trust

Peer-to-peer word of mouth recommendations carry more weight than ever

Consumer trust word of mouth dramatically more than any type of paid or unpaid media

Television 21%

Newspaper/Magazine 26%

Info Services (e.g. Consumer Reports) 35%

Another Consumer Who Owns Product

67%

Best Source For Advice On A New Product:

-- Yankelovich

Which Factors Would Make You Most Comfortable

Purchasing A Product?

-- Mediaedge:cia

The Web site 8%

Advertisement 15%

Newspaper / Magazine Recommended 22%

A Friend Recommendation 76%

Blogs and Instant Communications

Real time “reporting” and consumer reaction BEFORE a press conference has concluded

Blog: Bloggers Can Attack a Brand

Blog: Bloggers Can Attack a Brand

October 31, 2005:

Security blogger Mark Russinovich posts an entry to his blog exposing details on Sony BMG’s DRM software flaws.

It’s immediately picked up by other bloggers, linked to and syndicated throughout the blogosphere via RSS.

Sony BMG’s Costs: $10MM+

Blog: Corporate Response

Since launching Life Without Wires, Alereon CEO Eric

Broockman and his opinions are being absorbed by

industry leaders and the media at a rapid pace

Citizen Journalism

PR Implications – The definition of “journalism” is changing and consumer opinion is now a part of the editorial message chain process

What is it? – Average people who serve as “journalists” and provide eyewitness accounts and content to mainstream news channels on the Web

Wiki

PR Implications – Wiki online newspaper written by citizens are starting to emerge as competition to traditional papers; companies can use a wiki for collaborative PR campaigns

What is it? – Collaborative Web site maintained by a group of people to compile ideas and content. Each person adds everything they know about the topic and can edit other people’s content and posts

Really Simple Syndication

PR Implications – Savvy communicators are distributing client news via RSS; all Web content will eventually be made available this way

RSS

XML

What is it? – Really Simple Syndication allows anyone to set-up personal news feeds to receive information directly from anyone who publishes information on the Web; RSS has increased the influence of blogs; 6 million consumers accept RSS today; 4,000 new feeds created every day

On-Demand Web TV

PR Implications – Produce special client news in new digital formats; develop relationships with “digital only” journalists and editors

What is it? – Exclusive interactive, multi-media news and information provided by biggest names in publishing and news industries

"We're talking about having the A-team

produce for the Web,"

On-Demand Web TV and News

PR Implications – Distribute news in new digital formats; develop relationships with “digital only” journalists and editors

What is it? – Exclusive interactive, multi-media news and information provided by biggest names in publishing and news industries

CNN’s “Pipeline” offers four Web-based

24-hour news channels

Web Video Magazines

PR Implications – Tremendous new opportunities to create interactive stories to reach audiences the way they want to consumer “news”

What is it? – An entirely new channel of content provided only on the Web targeting audiences with specific lifestyle information

Podcasting

PR Implications – Podcasts are a new “on demand” messaging channel that corporate marketers love for delivering unfiltered messages to consumers and a way to reach a younger demographic

What is it? – A podcast is an audio recording made available on the Web that consumers can download and listen to on their MP3 players; RSS allows for easy distribution to a worldwide audience

Podcasts

Add Your Brand Name

Here

Saturn iPod Press Kit

“The beautifully designed packaging … beautifully delivers the Saturn Sky message.” Elle Magazine

Generate national media attention for the new Saturn Sky and its elegant design and styling

Created the first iPod Press Kit featuring product messages embedded in a series of fashion and design videos

Brandcasting

PR Implications – Every imaginable type of company, brand and product message can be distributed in digital format

What is it? – Specific content from a company, organization, or academic institution made available to a global audience via Apple’s iTunes technology

Word-of-Mouth Marketing

What is it? – Branded, structured communities of consumers with similar interests in a company or product

Implications – Opportunity to create a dialogue with brand-friendly consumers and spread evangelism to others

Social Networking

PR Implications – Social networking spaces are communities fueled by word of mouth; Opportunities for creating and identifying brand evangelists to deliver messages about products and services

What is it? – Ad-hoc groups of like-minded consumers socialize on Web sites like MySpace and Xanga to meet and share ideas

Wireless – The 3rd Screen

PR Implications – A new, always-on, always-available delivery channel for clients’ messages; interactive medium to establish dialogue; nearly 3 billion mobile text messages are sent in the U.S. each month

Hey QT –

Running L8,

call me when

U get home

What is it? – Literally “brand in hand” marketing, wireless devices now allow communicators to reach consumers wherever they are via their mobile devices. Already ubiquitous in Europe and Asia, wireless marketing is exploding in the U.S.

Cellevision

PR Implications – Brand messages will have to be made available in mobile channels and applications to reach consumers in the future

What is it? – Interactive television-like programming available on your cell phone; shows are called “mobisodes”; 3 million people will watch a TV show on their phone by end of 2006

Contagious Media

PR Implications – Contagious / Viral Media is an electronic form of word of mouth that creates instant buzz for a company. It should be a part of any good PR strategy, particularly for consumer product launches

What is it? – “You gotta see this.” When consumers find something on the Web they just have to forward to a friend; quirky campaigns based on humor, pranks, free, and cool content; hard to create but amazing results when it works

Instant Messaging

PR Implications – IM allows consumers to share their opinions faster than ever; new opportunities to deliver product messages via IM channels such as branded skins, branded “buddies” and customer service bots

What is it? – A technology allowing real-time chatting via text, voice and now video; quickly replacing e-mail as the preferred communications channel in some demographics

Games

PR Implications – Popular way to connect with younger generations who now expect to be entertained when interacting with a brand

What is it? – Interactive brand experiences where marketing messages are wrapped within a gaming environment

Geocaching

PR Implications – Becoming popular for product launches; consumers plug satellite coordinates into a handheld device in search of valuable prizes

What is it? – A growing outdoor activity or “sport” that utilizes global positioning satellite technology

Digital Activism

PR Implications – PR professionals need to understand the tools activists are using and develop strategies to respond and proactively communicate to survive

What is it? – Activists are deploying every new technology to assault a brand or champion an issue; their tools include attack blogs, negative Web sites, contagious media and even protest ringtones

RFID and Quick Response (QR) Codes

PR Implications – Permits creative one-to-one marketing like we’ve never seen before

What is it? – Embedded technology on objects, like billboards and packaging, that allows consumers to download marketing messages by simply walking by and pushing a button on their cell phone

Hi-Tech Enables Companies to Create High-Touch with Audiences

It’s Not About Hi-Tech, but…