Saluting our Veterans

This weekend I had the pleasure of reconnecting with one of my lifelong friends. We had gone over a year without being able to spend time together, and our conversations had been few and far between. The reason? He was finishing up his military contract and returning from his second tour of duty.

My Saturday was spent listening to his stories of Afghanistan; the daily drudgery that accompanies a long deployment, difficult situations that he found himself in, and I could hardly wrap my head around the reality of it all. The mental and physical dexterity that are required of our servicemen and women is more than I was able to comprehend. He spoke of his experiences during wartime with a self-assuredness that I couldn’t ever imagine myself possessing if I had seen what he had seen.  

So today, the day after Veteran’s Day, I want to extend a ‘thank you’ to all our armed forces on behalf of PR/PR for the commitment they have and the sacrifices they’ve made for the safety of all Americans. Your service will never be forgotten or taken for granted, and one annual holiday will never be enough to acknowledge what you’ve risked day in and day out.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Guy Fawkes Day and Cultural Identity Shifts

“Remember, remember the fifth of November.” Along with the crackling of massive bonfires, the bursting of fireworks and consumption of assorted ales and ciders on Guy Fawkes Day in Britain comes an interesting study in cultural shifts in perception and significance. Guy Fawkes, a domestic terrorist associated with the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 that was intended to blow-up the House of Lords, is traditionally viewed with vitriol across the pond; but globally, Guy Fawkes’ image has morphed into one of a romanticized anti-hero. These perceptual changes often accompany individuals who are lightning rods for criticism, and it’s a testament of how your legacy can transform over time.

The image of the Guy Fawkes mask reached meteoric popularity after 2006’s V for Vendetta was released. A symbol for protest against perceived tyranny, the mask was utilized in the Occupy movement and the Arab Spring revolutions across the Middle East, and has essentially become a brand for popular revolution. While in Great Britain his likeness is customarily burned in effigy on Guy Fawkes Day, his visage is prominent in protests across the world.

These types of historical revisions have taken place since the advent of intelligent thought. Elapsed time often dictates legacies, and one’s own place in the cultural context isn’t often determined until further down the road. For many years, Columbus Day was a source of pride in the hearts of Americans, and as the actual facts and events became clearer, many in the United States have soured on a holiday that seemed to celebrate colonialism and the eradication of the Native American population.

In the ever-evolving publicity spectrum, the lasting impact you have on your audience may not be determined until further down the road. A steady stream of attention aids in crafting your permanent niche, but one misstep or poorly-executed performance can sully even the most air-tight of publicity campaigns. Remaining mindful of the public’s shifting perception of you, as it may also indicate a shift on your legacy.

As the mortars illuminate the London skies this evening and the crowds gather to celebrate the foiled plot of 1605, many will be aware of the evolution of Guy Fawkes in the international view. A traitor, brigand, conspirator, inspiration and political symbol; all these labels all apply for many. The mark you leave on your audience will likely undergo many changes; do your best to ensure they are favorable. 

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Keep Your Customers Close and Your Competition Closer

You know that old axiom about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer? Well it’s cliché, but like most platitudes, it’s because it traditionally rings true. One avenue and strikingly underexplored method of social media marketing is the practice of keeping tabs on the competition; what they’re offering, where they’re excelling and – most importantly – where they’re failing. An example of online-publicity brilliance was executed by the travel agency lowcostholidays.com, and it involved a shared-name, a competitor’s reluctance to honor a lofty request and a free trip to Paris.

Thomas Cook posted this comment on Thomas Cook Travel’s Facebook last year:

“Seeing as I share the exact same name as your huge company, and because of this I have been ridiculed for as long as I can remember. I think it’s only fair that you help compensate for this by giving me one of your lovely holidays.”

Thomas Cook Travel declined, initially chalking up the request as just e-snark. That’s where the PR people at lowcostholidays jumped in with the following reply to Thomas Cook (the person; this is understandably confusing):

“Here at lowcostholidays.com we completely sympathize with your suffering and if your name was “lowcostholidays.com” we would certainly have accepted your request to be sent away on a weekend in Paris. So in Thomas Cook’s time of crisis we thought it was about time we stepped in to offer a helping hand to customers like yourself who have found themselves, as we like to say, ‘Thomas Crooked.’ So how about we send you on that weekend in Paris, in fact – why not make it a week for you and a friend?”

And with one message to one stranger sharing a name with a competitor, lowcostholidays.com mastered the art of social media marketing. The story went viral throughout the online world, was a hit on Reddit and brought scores of positive remarks from all angles. The company earned themselves a customer for life and potentially countless others who appreciated the offer they extended to Mr. Cook.

Keeping up with your competitors in the social media world is just as important as maintaining your own online presence. Monitoring those you battle for business allows you to keep your finger to the wind of trends and ensure you’re doing everything you can to sustain your client base.

Lowcostholidays.com shelled out the expense for a weeklong trip for two to Paris, but earned themselves loads more in free publicity. By watching their competitor’s actions online they have become a household name; keep your customers close and the competition closer.

Stratosphere Skydiving and Sponsorships

Publicity stunts come in varying degrees of absurdity. There’s the 72 hour marriage, the classic drunken meltdown, and the awkwardly filmed and leaked ‘home movie.’ Occasionally an individual will take the ‘stunt’ literally and perform an actual feat worth the press; this weekend, it was Felix Baumgartner, who broke the record for the highest skydive in history. The man jumped out of a helium balloon from the stratosphere and became the first person to break the sound barrier without vehicular propulsion; as someone who can barely ride an escalator without fits of anxiety, the mere thought of this is nausea-inducing.

The event, Red Bull’s Stratos, built on the energy beverage company’s ever-expanding role in extreme sports. From annual events such as Flugtag to mountain-biking and surfing competitions, Red Bull has broadened their brand’s reach via sponsorship and event-promotion. Their web-hits and overall awareness (Monday pun) skyrocketed as Baumgartner took the plunge from 24 miles up (broadcasted live on YouTube), and discussion will continue about the achievement and Red Bull’s association with its completion.

 Sponsorships are just another distinct avenue for generating brand-awareness and name recognition in today’s marketplace. At first glance, many sponsorships may not appear to provide the initial ROI you desire, but the truth of the matter is they create buzz and association that accompanies an event, be it a community outreach program or national stunt like Stratos.

The gospel around the PR/PR offices is that your greatest allies in publicity are frequency and repetition. Along with a stout presence online and in print media, sponsoring an event is a fantastic medium for creating the notoriety you desire. Red Bull will be forever linked to Felix Baumgartner’s leap from Earth’s stratosphere; align yourself with local organizations and events and watch your name-recognition grow.   

Op-Ed Tips!

There’s a little less than one-month until Election Day. We’ve been inundated with talking points and political rhetoric from both sides, and I feel it’s a fair assumption that many Americans are ready to cast their ballot and be done with it. Politics can wreck a dinner or make for awkward water cooler conversation, as we all have strong opinions which may not mesh with the ideals of our families or coworkers. Political discussion is best reserved for an opposite-editorial, and you’re in luck, because today we will outline the three paramount points to crafting an exceptional Op-Ed.

Make a firm point and provide supportive evidence

There’s nothing more frustrating than a fence-walker. When drafting your opposite-editorial, ensure that you make strong assertions; and stick by them. Op-Eds serve to separate you and your opinions from those of your contemporaries, and also aid in establishing you as an expert on your topic. Make sure you provide distinct evidence that supports your argument or claim, as an opinion without corresponding facts will not connect with or sway your audience.

Controversy Sells

Pundits like Keith Olbermann and Anne Coulter have made millions by stirring the proverbial pot. Do not be afraid of backlash to your views; your aim with your Op-Ed is to generate a conversation, not necessarily convert the opposition. Contentious viewpoints provide for intelligent debate, either for or against, and your name will be connected with them. Do not shy away from controversy; make an intelligent argument, complete with support, that may ruffle some feathers.

Connect to a timely topic

Any number of newsworthy issues may provide a platform for you to apply your opinion. Just because you’re not an expert on the Middle East does not mean you do not have an informed take on the situation that is based in your political beliefs. You will rarely find an issue that directly correlates to your area of expertise. Seek out notable stories and provide your two-cents; you never know if your perspective will resonate with an editor who wants your opposite-editorial in their publication.

These three tips have helped our clients when writing an Op-Ed, and provide a steady guideline for drafting one with a high probability of being published. The next time you want to discuss politics, take it to paper and let your voice be heard.

 

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Kara Alongi: Hoax?

On Sunday, Kara Alongi was kidnapped from her home; or was she? The sixteen year old posted this portentous message on her Twitter feed at 6:25 p.m. last night: ‘There is someone in my hour ecall 911’ (There is someone in my house, call 911.) She has been missing since the ominous tweet that set off a social media firestorm as the online-world began spreading the message of her abduction. #HelpFindKara started trending across a breadth of Internet outlets, but the issue also brought its skeptics as to its validity, as well. Was Kara Alongi kidnapped, or was her post a not-so-elaborately-crafted hoax?

On the surface, the social media world’s response to Alongi’s tweet is a gallant one. We’ve all seen how quickly the body-Internet can rally behind a cause, from the Kony 2012 campaign to the SOPA/PIPA organized blackouts. From the moment she updated her Twitter, #HelpFindKara had been re-tweeted over 32,000 times and the local police department flooded with phone calls.

The interesting wrinkle here is with the police department’s response. They have issued press statements citing that there appeared to be no forced entry into Alongi’s residence and that they do not believe she was in ‘any immediate physical danger.’ A local taxi company confirms that a call was received from her address around the time of the tweet and a female matching Alongi’s description was dropped off at a nearby train station. Weighing all the facts, it appears we have a very disturbed young girl with an unfulfilled desire for attention.

It appears Alongi has stepped in the e-hornet’s nest, incensing the hive mind who first supported determining her whereabouts, and now would rather find her personally to give her a piece of their minds. While she garnered over 95,000 new followers overnight, the majority of them are now furious with what appears to be an online stunt.

As long as social media users continue taking the bait in situations such as Alongi’s without properly evaluating the facts first, these stories will persist. It’s an unfortunate side-effect of the ability of news to go viral, and only lends to the ‘boy who cried wolf’ mindset that will be established online when someone is really in need.  

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Basket Case: Billie Joe Comes Unglued

Green Day’s Dookie was the first album I ever bought. Even 18 years later, I still remember walking out of Blockbuster Music in Atlanta with the CD in hand and immediately turning over the booklet to my Dad so he could read the lyrics and highlight the songs I couldn’t listen to (which was the majority of the record – I listened anyway.) Dad would’ve needed to break out the highlighter this weekend for vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong’s profanity-laden tirade at the iHeartRadio Music Festival (NSFW.)While the band had a valid gripe (their set was cut short by 20 minutes), Armstrong’s drunken outburst smacks of an orchestrated PR stunt – and considering it’s dominated the news cycle since, it appears to have worked.

The key with picking out publicity stunts is timing. On the surface, Billie Joe’s meltdown appeared sincere and borne of frustration with Clear Channel Communications’ mismanagement of the music festival. Add in free PBR and a microphone and you’ve got yourself a punk rock powder keg and front-page news. The undercurrent in this scenario is that Green Day released their new album ¡Uno! today, a mere 72 hours after they stormed offstage in Las Vegas. See the correlation here?

Unless someone spills the beans on whether or not the ordeal was legitimate, we are left only to speculate; but stunt or not, Billie Joe’s behavior is reverberating throughout the pop-culture arena, and I’m willing to bet they’ll see a bit of a spike in initial album sales as an outcome.

Coordinated publicity moves are viewed by many as tacky and a direct insult on intelligence, but it does not mean that they don’t yield results. Effective PR involves having your name on the tops of peoples’ minds; becoming a topic of conversation. While all publicity stunts don’t necessarily need to be as messy and profane, Green Day is Monday water cooler fodder because of the events at the iHeartRadio Music Festival. It always boils down to frequency and repetition: as your name circulates, the more your odds for success increase.

So, a smashed singer and a smashed Gibson guitar later, and the happenings over the weekend are now woven into the pop-culture tapestry forever. Whether an inebriated tantrum or stroke of genius, pundits, bloggers and radio hosts will continue to discuss Billie Joe’s actions, and when the numbers come back on album sales, he just may be whistling Basket Case all the way to the bank.

 

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations