Pinterest and Internet Trends

If we were to personify the collective Internet, it would be comprised of a toddler’s attention span and a teenager’s keen awareness of revolving trends; essentially a virtual hyperactivity disorder with a dash of rebellious competition as to what’s ‘hot’ and what’s ‘not.’ If MySpace is an acid-washed t-shirt, then Pinterest is low-rise skinny jeans.  As a twenty-something male (not denoting my actual age, but rest assured it’s at a number that I’m no longer comfortable listing publicly; think wrong-side of twenty-five) who is an outlier in terms of Pinterest’s target demographic, my knowledge of the burgeoning social media giant is cursory at best, but it’s been impossible to ignore the website’s meteoric ascent. In the rapidly shifting online arena, it’s essential to keep your finger to the wind to maintain a working understanding of the latest trends, whether they immediately apply to you or not.

Five years ago no-one would’ve predicted the world-altering effect Facebook would have on interpersonal interaction. I like to joke that it’s even made high school reunions obsolete (you didn’t want to go anyway, regardless of the open bar). Zuckerberg and Co. have created the up to the second news cycle, and ushered in an unprecedented level of connectedness, forging the way for other social media outlets to follow suit.

Working with Amanda and Lindsay, two dedicated Pinterest disciples (I colloquially refer to the pair as ‘pinheads,’) I’ve gleaned a great amount of knowledge as to the website’s purpose and potential by simply listening to their conversations. This social media incarnation takes a different avenue for connecting others: visual branding. I like to think of it as an online dorm-room corkboard, outfitted with your favorite personality-encompassing Internet graphics; be it memes, recipes or sarcastic quips about waking up on Monday mornings. With its user-base multiplying daily, businesses are clamoring for opportunities to utilize Pinterest much in the way that they use Facebook and Twitter.

In our office we’ve been exploring the benefits and possibilities of adding Pinterest to our own social media cache, although the existing interface and format seem a little outside of our realm of business. Pinterest has carved a unique niche as a visual and graphically-driven outlet which is not immediately applicable to what we provide, but as other social sites have shown, this can change at the drop of a hat. So while we are not adding the Pinterest rung to our ever-increasing social media ladder at the moment, we are keeping our ears to the ground for ways this burgeoning website can benefit PR/PR and our clients.

Staying ahead of the e-growth curve is synonymous with maintaining a stout online footprint, which at times can feel a bit daunting. The whirlwind nature of social media trends can at first seem confusing and make your head spin, like when your teenage son calls you a square for still wearing pleated jeans or colors out of season. When did all of this go out of style? The ‘when’ is unimportant and irrelevant, and in the age of ‘now’ it has never been more imperative to attune yourself to the ever-changing online world and keep ahead of the game.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Konyism: The Power and Peril of Pathos

Emotional appeals are the redheaded stepchild of crafting and supporting an argument. Pathos, the black sheep of Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion (which also include ethos and logos, ethical and logical rhetorical devices), has long been regarded as a slippery slope on which to base a claim, albeit a powerful one. This is not intended to be an intro course in communications; I’ll spare you that brand of drudgery on a spring-ahead-induced sluggish Monday. Still, there is much to be said about the important role emotions play in framing a point, and how they can make or break your audience connection.

By now you’re well aware of the Invisible Children charity and the Kony 2012 video that went viral last week, prompting a social media conversation about the documentary’s effectiveness, the charity’s agenda and the deliberate plucking of the viewer’s heartstrings. An interesting dialogue developed in our office about the pathos devices utilized in the video, with admittedly split opinions as to their worth. Concerns over perceived emotional manipulation via scenes of the documentarian’s young son learning about kidnappings in Africa, and segments blatantly designed to elicit sympathy provided a thought-provoking discourse that dominated our discussion topics on Friday.

Regardless as to what side of the fence you reside concerning Invisible Children, there is no denying that emotional appeals are powerful rhetorical tools. When employed in the correct manner alongside established credibility and logic, they provide a tangible ‘human’ element to any argument. Over-utilized, however, and you run the risk of denigrating your entire point and invalidating yourself.

Many of our clients secure our services for the placement of op-eds, and these often contain personal accounts that have contributed to a concrete opinion. While stories comprised of supportive evidence of the emotional variety have their place, we caution our clientele from overusing them. Unabashed emotive appeals undermine your argument and can potentially alienate your audience. As seen from the rapid (and rabid) responses to the Kony documentary, these types of claims are not always well-received, and can be interpreted as ‘cheap shots’ with purely manipulative intentions.

Providing a layer of humanity to formulate an argument is Communications 101, and is an essential component of supporting a claim. Tread lightly when emphasizing the emotional, however, as you risk the possibility of creating a disconnect with your readers. Invisible Children accomplished their goal of making Joseph Kony famous overnight, but by relying heavily on the emotional spectrum they may suffer a loss of support for their cause.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

The Marlins, Branding and Going Local

As the temperature and humidity begin their annual ascent into pressure-cooker territory, in Jupiter, Florida, the Miami Marlins are donning eye-black and dusting off their gloves in preparation for the upcoming season. Hope springs eternal every March, when spring training begins and fans everywhere can rejoice in baseball’s true tabula rasa; where last year’s errors are forgotten, the sting of missed opportunities have long-since softened and excitement surrounds a summer brimming with possibilities. For the Marlins, this involves a monolithic PR and rebranding campaign that began with the shedding of their former ‘Florida’ moniker to assimilate with the local community, and invigorate a lukewarm fan base with historically lethargic leanings regarding the hometown team.

The main focus for the Marlins: get fans in the stands. Sparkling new Marlins Park, the Bentley of ballparks (compared to its ill-equipped predecessor Sun Life Stadium), highlights Miami’s rebranding efforts. Complete with a tropical fish-tank behind home plate and a very ‘Miami’ homerun feature that embodies the art-deco, retro-feel of South Beach, the Marlins are making no bones about their locational roots and culture. Factor in the stadium’s new location in the Miami-Dade area and the ball club has made a long-overdue statement as to their identity: they are not Florida’s team, they are Miami’s team. With 15,000 advance season tickets already sold, the most since 2002, it appears to be working.

Throw into the mix the overhauled uniforms and this past weekend’s FanFest event (which 40,000 attended) and you’ve got extremely overworked public relations and marketing departments. An undertaking this massive requires hardline dedication and leadership, but for Miami, the efforts are already paying off in spades. There is a palpable excitement in the ocean air. Enthusiastic fans are x’ing the days on their calendars until Opening Day. Establishing an identity and motivating the local population has created a feeling of excitement in Miami, and as many fans hope, will translate into marks in the win-column come April.

Local involvement is important in any public relations arena, and speakers, authors and experts will benefit by taking a page out of (pun alert) the Marlins playbook. Engaging with your immediate neighbors and counterparts is one of many steps in generating a backyard-buzz that will create national attention. Immersion in the city’s culture and lifestyle has finally given the South Florida faithful something intrinsically ‘Miami’ to rally behind, and the Marlins’ PR folks have shown the power of utilizing the local identity to their advantage.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Oscars and All-Stars: Twitter Takes Over

Between All-Star Weekend in our city of Orlando, Florida, and the 82^nd Annual Academy Awards Sunday evening, it was a hectic 48 hours in the social media stratosphere. On-site updates were rolling in at breakneck speed; so much so that my thumb is sore from repeatedly tapping the ‘refresh’ button in a feeble attempt to keep up. In this week’s blog, we attempt to roundup the top Twitter trends and highlights from an electrifying weekend.

Jolie’s Leg Blows up the Internet

Award shows always dominate the Internet, and last night’s Oscars were no different. The main trend, however, was regarding the awkward pose Angelina Jolie struck while presenting the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Showing off her right leg via the extremely high slit in her dress proved online-gold, as #angiesleg immediately topped the trends on Twitter, going as far as spawning the spoof-account @AngiesRightLeg (which garnered nearly 13,000 followers overnight.) Tweets about the starlet’s stance came in at the staggering speed of nearly 3,500 a minute.

All-Star Weekend Invades Orlando; Dunk Contest Social Media Savvy

Orlando was the focus of the sports nation over the weekend, playing host to the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. Reports of celebrities mingling with common folk and grabbing drinks at local watering holes were rampant; the town was truly abuzz with basketball fever and enjoying national exposure.

For the first time ever, the NBA dunk contest utilized Twitter to tally the votes for the evening’s winner. By tweeting ‘#SpriteSlam’ with the name of who they felt won, the fans decided the winner in the judgeless competition. Incorporating social media allowed for an unprecedented level of fan-interaction and boosted ratings for the annual contest.

Norm Macdonald’s Real-Time Twitter Commentary

Norm Macdonald has normally been regarded as the anti-Hollywood. His deadpan, oft confused and mumbling delivery are not always well received, but his snarky real-time narration and mockery of the Oscars was terrific. His Twitter handle, @NormMacdonald, provided up to the second one-liners regarding the awards show, gracing the Internet with gems like, “I think it would be cool if an actor changed his name to Oscar Buzzworthy,” and “I was hoping another movie I’ve never heard of would win.”

Twitter gives creative minds like Norm an outlet and arena to deliver an entertaining take on events such as the Oscars, often making the actual affair appear mundane in comparison.

It was a watershed weekend for Twitter interaction, from the Academy Awards to All-Stars, alley-oops to acceptance speeches. Social media made Angelina Jolie’s extremities famous, gave fans an online voice and made Norm Macdonald relevant. We are just beginning to see the benefits of using this medium, and every new national event is another possibility to break new ground.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Always Expect The Unexpected

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Robert Burns’ famous words are a timeless testament to how even letter-perfect preparation can unravel at the drop of a hat. The world learned the tragic news of Whitney Houston’s death Saturday night, the eve of the Grammys, and the immediate effects of the loss rippled through the music and entertainment business. The Grammys featured tremendous and well-executed tributes to Ms. Houston, all of which were pieced together at zero-hour upon news of her passing; showing that anything can happen at any time, and expecting the unexpected is crucial in any trade or industry.

As an expert on your topic or in your field, it is imperative to monitor the news and current events for any applicable angles for your message. Be ready for anything. Here at PR/PR, much of our time is spent scouring mainstream media and contacting editors about stories that parallel our clients’ area of expertise, and pitching them as the go-to source of information on a story. This process involves PR/PR retaining a vast variety of knowledge about current happenings, even if on the surface they do not seem to directly apply to a client’s topic. There’s always an angle, and only you as the expert can provide your unique perspective which will get you in front of reporters and editors faster.

When breaking news hits the wire, it takes mere seconds for editors to begin thumbing through their established list of experts to give their take and insight on a story. Make yourself available for that phone call that leads to an interview. Life doesn’t stop on your lunch break, and a missed call may mean a missed opportunity. Your words and voice perpetuate your career, not your voicemail.

Flexibility is vital in any corporate domain, but especially so when you’re leveraging yourself as THE person to comment on a variety of subjects. Producers scrambled in the late hours Saturday evening to incorporate Whitney Houston into their Grammy programming; trimming segments and adding others (particularly Jennifer Hudson’s stirring rendition of, ‘I Will Always Love You'), and it appeared organic and seamless. Keep your ear to the ground, maintain a working bank of knowledge, and prepare for anything.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

How The Midwest Was Won: Indy's PR Prowess

Indianapolis has long been regarded as a lethargic, low-key Midwestern city with not much more to offer than ‘a 500-mile speedway race and 364 days of mini-golf,’ as Kurt Vonnegut famously penned. Indiana’s capital was staked with the dubious task of discarding its sleepy image and reputation and broadcasting a town worthy of hosting the largest sporting event in the United States. With a citywide makeover and social media-focused approach, they succeeded in spades, and proved that proper PR works for cities, too.

In preparation for 150,000 visitors descending upon Indianapolis to watch the Patriots and Giants compete in Super Bowl XLVI, the city undertook a massive rebranding and renovation effort, transforming the downtown area into a football fanatic’s Shangri-La. A three-block Olympian-style village was constructed on previously downtrodden streets, complete with interactive zones and zip-lines crisscrossing above Indy’s urban landscape.  

Where Indianapolis really nailed it was employing staffers with the sole purpose of monitoring social media outlets for Super Bowl related trends. Personnel observed the likes of Facebook and Twitter for any mishaps such as traffic-jams or ticket calamities and dispatched the appropriate authorities to immediately rectify any potential problems. The utilization of these online mediums provided for seamless customer care and a minimal-stress environment for the throngs of sports enthusiasts invading the city.

The revitalization of downtown Indy made for a fantastic Super Bowl setting, and will prove an excellent choice for this year’s annual NSA convention (which PR/PR will be attending.) It was a precarious decision by the NFL to bring the Super Bowl to such a small media-market, but the immediate benefit and positive impact on Indianapolis is proof that a well-planned public relations strategy can ensure success. This modest town was converted into football mecca, and PR/PR cannot wait to see the enhancements in person this summer. We’ll see you in Indianapolis!

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Politics, Primaries and PR

On the Eve of the Florida Primary, Republican candidates have ramped up their ads and marketing throughout the sunshine state, spreading their messages and slinging mud from the Panhandle to Palm Beach. The anatomy and inner-workings of political campaigns can be as complex as inferential statistics, but dissected and analyzed they are essentially glorified, smoke and mirrors-clad PR operations. In this week’s edition of our blog, let’s examine a few of the popular public relations stratagems utilized by the Karl Roves and David Axelrods of the political world.

The Friday Afternoon Sneak

Tax returns. Shadowy business dealings. Swiss bank accounts in the Bahamas. This type of incriminating information about a candidate is always demanded by the public, and often released at an optimum time to limit damage and decrease the chances of the story gaining legs. That time? Friday afternoon, as late as possible, to ensure the negative press does not fester in the weekly news-cycle. The hope is by Monday morning all is forgotten and forgiven, and the candidate in question can continue what they do best: kissing babies and glad-handing the locals.

The ‘Hands-Off-Hands On’ Super PAC Attack

2012 is the first election incorporating Super PACs, or super political action committees that allow for exorbitant campaign financing donations. While candidates are limited to a certain dollar amount donated by one party or individual, these organizations are free from monetary restraints. Although not openly endorsing a candidate in particular, their television and radio advertisements frequently denigrate another, doing the dirty work that allows a candidate to keep their hands clean (and pockets full!) Prime example: Restore Our Future, a conservative-minded Super PAC, has already raised north of 12 million dollars in 2012, mostly going towards attack ads.

The Debate Deflect and Engage

When questioned by a moderator during a debate on an issue that will only serve to sully your image: don’t answer it! Classic deflection is a PR maintenance strategy employed by political strategists, and we’ve all seen it occur. Most recently, Newt Gingrich was grilled about his ex-wives, to which he proceeded to attack the moderator for not focusing on ‘the real issues.’ While the line of questioning was valid and certainly pertinent to any conversation about a presidential candidate, the strategy served Gingrich well: he enjoyed a standing ovation from the debate crowd and now enjoys a staggering 14-point lead in Florida.

The underlying theme: what can’t help you will only hurt you. Politicians and their cohorts are masters in the art of damage-control public relations, and by employing the strategies above (and many others) they keep a tight-seal on any negative leaks which may impact their campaigns. What are some of your favorite methods in political PR?

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations