28
Jun , 2016

By Mark Firmani

All that Glitters Is Not Gold: The Tough Side of PR

Working alongside our many successful clients, we get great satisfaction in seeing the contribution of our work. Being part of a productive, vibrant client/agency relationship is truly one of the reasons I enjoy our work so much.

But often we are called upon to help companies – and to a much lesser extent individuals – weather tough situations. We’ve worked on a lot of difficult issues in our 22 years: kids sickened by contaminated beef; companies brought down by the illegal or improper actions of its leadership; businesses caught in economic sea changes that force them to make difficult choices in their attempts to keep operations afloat.

In each of these instances, we’ve always told our clients that the fastest, safest and most direct way out of a crisis is to be abundantly transparent and completely honest. Generally speaking, as a culture we are willing to forgive (and forget) as long as people are straight up and honest. Conversely, organizations that try to gild the lily, attempt to slide by with half-truths or point fingers in other directions are in for rough sledding.

What I am saying is the work we do as professional communicators isn’t all upbeat and fun. In fact, some of the work we have to do is downright crappy.

Recently we helped a client through a tough situation, culminating in a horrible day; having to break the news to their staff that the company was closing their operations after being a vibrant part of the community for many years.

Through a set of unimportant circumstances, colleague Annie Alley and I were tapped to help hand out WARN notices to understandably shaken and often tearful employees. The company did everything they could to do right by their team members, with extended job placement assistance and generous severance, but it was a dark day for all involved. It was a humbling experience for us, but not nearly as impactful a day as it was for those on the other side of the table.

For those who are considering a career in communications, just remember what the Bard said: “All that glisters (cq) is not gold.” PR and communication work is not all happy stuff.

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17
Jun , 2016

By Jed Bush

‘Crisis’ in Chinese: A Dangerous Opportunity for Jelly Doughnuts

When John F. Kennedy famously declared, “In the Chinese language, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters, one representing danger and the other, opportunity,” a crisis communication credo was born. Kennedy, whose love of foreign expressions would later earn him an undeserved reputation of having an insatiable appetite for pastries and a more deserved one for habitually practicing translational malpractice, wasn’t the first to invoke the connection, but he did introduce the tidily packaged aphorism to the masses.

There’s just one problem: it’s not true.

The Chinese phrase for “crisis” is “Wēijī:” 危机. Wēi, 危, does in fact mean danger. However, Victor Mair, Professor of Chinese Language and Literature at the University of Pennsylvania, writes that, in this context, Ji (机), represents an “’incipient moment; [a] crucial point (when something begins or changes).’ Thus, a Wēijī is indeed a genuine crisis, a dangerous moment, a time when things start to go awry.”

Ben Zimmer, language columnist for the Wall Street Journal, wrote that President Obama cannily dropped the Chinese character framing when linking crisis to opportunity in a weekly address; in doing so, he eschewed the august, bipartisan tradition continued by luminaries like Richard Nixon, Condoleezza Rice and Al Gore (who notoriously dropped the line in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize). Maybe he discarded it because his speechwriters felt the rhetorical device had drifted into cliché. Perhaps his fact-checkers stumbled upon a copy of a Chinese dictionary the night before. We may never know.

Still, the expression’s durability echoes our own philosophies at Firmani + Associates, beliefs drawn from a deep well of experience helping clients navigate crises. Stepping into a crisis with a clear plan will equip you with tools to steady your hand and, when appropriate, strike prudently and decisively as you steer through the storm. You might pick up a scar or two along the way, but, properly managed, a crisis will also bring the opportunity to reassure, to renew trust, to reinvent.

That said, resolving a crisis probably shouldn’t require butchering foreign languages along the way. Why not follow the lead of Homer Simpson instead?

“Lisa: Look on the bright side, Dad. Did you know that the Chinese use the same word for “crisis” as they do for “opportunity”?

“Homer: Yes! Crisitunity!”

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02
Jun , 2016

By Carley Fredrickson

Lessons from the NBA playoffs for your next marketing campaign

It’s the time of year when heroes are born while others’ dreams are shattered – the NBA finals are here! If you really think about it, the road to winning an NBA championship has surprising similarities to the process of creating and executing a successful marketing campaign:

  • Professional colleagues are like teammates. Good ones are there during the high times and low, offering a helping hand or words of encouragement when needed because “teamwork makes the dream work.”
  • Both tend to require a liquid refreshment for an extra boost to power you through the long days or long games… I’m talking about coffee and Gatorade, of course!
  • Both include setting strategies to achieve a goal.

As you watch the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers battle, keep a look out for other on-court lessons that translate to the marketing arena as well:

1. Set smaller milestones in order to reach your end goal –

NBA: Whether you’re the Warriors or the Cavs, your end goal is winning the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy. It’s a long road to get there, so teams take the season one game at a time, setting game-by-game goals.

Marketing: Setting daily or weekly goals will indicate if your campaign is on the right track or if you should adjust your tactics. For example, if you’re running a sweepstakes but are not hitting your weekly milestones for entries received, including alternative methods of entry and finding new ways to communicate your message to your audience may help drive entries before the campaign ends and it’s too late to boost participation.

2. Know your opponent (or audience, as it were) –

NBA: It’s critical to understand who you’re playing and what their tendencies, strengths and weaknesses are, which will shape your game strategy. Don’t leave Steph Curry open beyond the three-point line.

 Marketing: Once you understand your intended audience, you can craft messages that resonate and choose the best channels to reach them. Always, the feminine hygiene brand, has accomplished this with its #LikeAGirl campaign – in deference to its growing millennial audience, Always successfully appealed to a new generation of young women through messages of empowerment and the use of social media.

3. Engage your fans –

NBA: Teams often hand out free swag to fans, instantly putting their brand in the hands of thousands of loyal fans. People love rally towels and free t-shirts.

Marketing: If your audience won’t come to you, go to them by deploying a team of brand ambassadors to put your brand or product directly in front of consumers. Take Red Bull for example – most of us have seen the Wings Team roll up to community events or college campuses distributing their infamous energy drink. They have successfully placed their product in the hands of both new and current consumers for years, always finding new ways to distribute their product through fun campaigns like #WingsAtWork, delivering cans of Red Bull to Vancouverites who need a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

4. Play to your strengths and rise above your limitations –

NBA: Who should take the final shot, Kevin Durant or Russel Westbrook? Both are pretty good options, but it’s important to recognize who has the “hot hand” or defensive mismatch and adjust accordingly.

Marketing: Knowing if there are any barriers to reaching your audience is important, as is figuring out if there are ways around them.  If you’re showcasing your brand at an event, it may seem as if you’re limited by scope and geography, but look for ways that you can reach non-event goers. Can you include this group by sharing your event experience in real-time on social media, or can you create an experience at the event that’s too good not to share?

Bud Light took this concept full court with its Up For Whatever campaign, giving 1,000 winners with large social networks a shared experience that money couldn’t buy. The brand didn’t necessarily need to curate content to share because it leveraged the social following of the winners who, without a doubt, shared their experience on various social media platforms. As a result, millions who didn’t attend the much-anticipated, exclusive event could still get a glimpse inside.

If you’re creating your own content to post, remember to make it shareable so that your followers are compelled to share it with their audience.

5. Execution is key –

NBA: Ever heard of the saying, “million dollar move, 10 cent finish?” Well, if you make a Dwayne Wade-style move to the basketball but miss the bucket, or your coach draws up a game-winning play but you can’t execute it properly, then it’s ineffective.

Marketing: Executing your strategy determines the success of the campaign, so it’s important that each person on your team knows their role. You can’t just go through the motions of writing a news release and sending it to the media. Instead, actively engage reporters if they’re not biting at the news by making follow-up calls, or sharing compelling visuals in your pitch. Earning actual coverage — not just going through the motions — is the real game-winner.

Just like different opponents require different game plans, different campaigns require different approaches and strategies. Keeping these basic tips in mind will help you lay the groundwork for any marketing campaign (or basketball game).

Here’s to hoping your next marketing campaign is a slam dunk!

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20
May , 2016

By Caroline Emde

A Firmani + Associates internship is #MoreThanMakingCoffee

They say that when one door closes, another opens. Well, as I close my internship at F+A and prepare to walk through the garage door of opportunity that has opened in my professional life, I’d like to take a moment and reflect on my time here at Fairview Avenue North.

This has been my third communications industry internship – the first in an agency setting – and I can honestly say that I’ve learned more from my time at F+A than the two others combined.

The learning is magnified and the experience is unique.  Yes, you are an ‘intern,’ but one who gets real, hands on, account coordinator-level experience.  From the first week, I was editing press releases, sitting in on meetings, collaborating on strategy and drafting content – all efforts essential to the collective team and agency’s operations.

After four months, I’ve fine-tuned my communication skills, gained valuable industry knowledge and am proud to be walking away with:

  • Strong writing samples – From press releases, media alerts and corresponding coverage reports to comprehensive research whitepapers, I am now armed with an arsenal of proud writing samples that involve notable clients from across the Puget Sound region.
  • Experience pitching and communicating with journalists – Building relationships with influencers and enticing journalists to read and run with the material is half the battle. Whether communicating via email or over the phone, I feel more confident in my ability to pitch a story, garner feedback and see it through to print.
  • Familiarity with media and outreach monitoring – Optimizing platforms like Metro Monitor, Sysomos and Hootsuite put you on the pulse of information. I’ve learned that monitoring coverage not only provides valuable earned media metrics, but attentively listening to industry trends and avidly monitoring news paves the way for timely and creative content.
  • Exposure to crisis situations and strategy – F+A has a wide range of clients, from tech to healthcare, to organizations weathering a communications crisis. The agency is home to crisis experts; they know how to successfully navigate, advise and guide organizations through what may seem like a disaster. I’ll venture to say it’s been fascinating and enlightening to watch strategies unfold and see clients back on their feet and back in business once again.
  • A newfound appreciation for Google – Google is your friend; use it, abuse it, peruse it, choose it, schmooze it, news it and DON’T lose it (how do you think I found all these great words that rhyme?) But in all seriousness, research is the foundation to any successful strategy and when used strategically, Google can be an optimal research tool resting at your fingertips.

And yes – let’s not forget, a talent for brewing a very strong pot of coffee. Every morning the interns may be responsible for making a fresh pot of coffee and every evening we might clean out the grounds – but in between, nothing resembles your typical intern “grunt work.” Simply put, the F+A internship experience is way #MoreThanMakingCoffee.

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25
Jun , 2015

By F+A Staff

Mattel: Too Many Missteps?

It seems the last few months have been rife with crises, so we certainly had plenty to choose from this month.

One misstep that stands out is a recent kerfuffle with toy maker Mattel over a book called “Barbie: I Can Be a Computer Engineer.”

As part of Mattel’s strategy to position Barbie as a role model for young girls everywhere, they’ve given Barbie various professions, but this one that started with so much potential falls a bit short.

The story starts off promisingly when Barbie sets out to design a computer game. But things quickly go south when Barbie runs into trouble – and a computer virus – and has to run off to the IT guys to fix it for her.

Couldn’t Barbie, as a computer programmer, navigate this issue herself?

The Internet agreed and quickly took it upon itself to rewrite the story, which was originally published in 2010.

And while the Internet maelstrom took over, Mattel quietly pulled the book from Amazon and issued an apology over Facebook:

“The Barbie I Can Be A Computer Engineer book was published in 2010. Since that time we have reworked our Barbie books. The portrayal of Barbie in this specific story doesn’t reflect the Brand’s vision for what Barbie stands for. We believe girls should be empowered to understand that anything is possible and believe they live in a world without limits. We apologize that this book didn’t reflect that belief. All Barbie titles moving forward will be written to inspire girl’s imaginations and portray an empowered Barbie character.”

But does blaming the misstep on the year the book was published – 2010 – make up for the lapse in judgment? The idea of female computer engineers wasn’t too far-fetched even four years ago, making this story seem as an unfortunate slip in Mattel’s brand.

This case study reinforces the importance of monitoring blogs and other websites outside of the traditional news sphere. What started as a call-to-action by a disheartened blogger quickly spiraled into an online movement.

According to NPR, the blog that called for the re-writes has gotten more than 2,000 submissions.

We can only hope that Mattel had a robust online monitoring strategy to get wind of the problem before it spread too far. Blogs, Tweets and even online reviews have the power to mobilize an entire population.

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Category

All that Glitters Is Not Gold: The Tough Side of PR
‘Crisis’ in Chinese: A Dangerous Opportunity for Jelly Doughnuts
Lessons from the NBA playoffs for your next marketing campaign
A Firmani + Associates internship is #MoreThanMakingCoffee
Mattel: Too Many Missteps?