Articles by CarryOn

Laughter frequently spills into the hallways of CarryOn. Sometimes it’s the natural response to a shared joke between colleagues at lunch or the result of a funny staff photo that emerges on the company intranet. Whatever may be its cause, laughter is more than just comic relief in the demanding world of public relations, it is the serum fueling creativity!

 Upon a recent visit to our Los Angeles office, a client noted CarryOn’s strong camaraderie. To his surprise, not only did we produce excellent results working together, we actually seemed to genuinely enjoy each others company. Truth be told, this shouldn’t come as a surprise! Although agency life is notorious for its stress-inducing environment of deadlines and crises, there exist anomalies that manage to escape the cattiness and hostility rampant among certain agencies. 

So the next time you’re shopping for the right agency to represent your business, make sure you get a feel for the agency’s internal culture. Happy employees who get along and have fun with one another will be better at managing job stress and in turn support one another to be more productive. Don’t take my word for it? Here’s an excerpt from a recent NYT’s article on the value of work friendships: “Because work friendships lower job stress and risk for major depression, employees who get along and support each other are likely to be more productive.” When you catch us laughing, know that you’ve stumbled upon one secret to our success. 

We’ll beat any price or your mattress is freeeeee!  Or so says the man with the high-pitched voice in the bad commercials that pepper Southern California TV and radio.  Suddenly the idea of free is not such a bad thing and it’s catching on across media.

In a move that would surely make steam spout out of Scrooge McDuck’s ears, Rupert Murdoch announced that his newly-acquired baby and venerable symbol of corporate penny watching, The Wall Street Journal, would “make access to The Wall Street Journal’s Web site free, dropping subscription fees in exchange for anticipated ad revenue.”  This comes on the heels of the New York Times making a similar announcement and the announcement by Paste Magazine that it would allow new subscribers to pay as much as they wanted for their subscription.  And of course THIS happened.  And THIS.  And THAT.  And just to be safe, this will probably be free one day too.

So, as always, we must ask ourselves what does all this free media mean for P.R.?  Well, these announcements by WSJ, NYT and Paste should serve as the last of many wake-up calls that ring the death knell for the printed word.  Conde Nast’s Portfolio suggests that WSJ’s print circulation could drop by as much as 50% now that all content will be available online. 

P.R. professionals must now re-evaluate what qualifies as homerun coverage.  Sure the front page of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal is a great hit.  But it’s a hit that only a printer could love. Do these hits really grab as many viewers as an online hit would have?  Increasingly, the answer has to be no.  Especially once one factors in viral traction through email, book marking services, and outside links from websites or blogs like this one.  So, just to be on the safe side, be sure to include those Web editors on your media lists.

Why would anyone pay for something that they could get for free online (especially now that the guilt/shadiness of illegal downloading or re-using member passwords has been lifted)?  Thankfully, consumers of digital media can finally breathe knowing that there’s a good chance many of the things they love will one day be freeeeee! 

Every band, TV show, disease and industry has a message board.  Most likely there is a message board about message boards.  They are typically basic in design, but are a key component to driving buzz about a brand and communicating to the masses.  That’s because they rely on the power of word of mouth and message board readers essentially follow the rule that people are inherently good (whether or not this is actually true).  Most people assume that when tigerpeanut809 responds to Cowbell1999 about a product she believes to be the best or worst for his concern she has tried it and really believes in what she is writing.  We all know consumers are more likely to respond positively to a word of mouth recommendation than an ad; and if your client really is top notch, message boards are a great place to generate buzz. However, as a PR practitioner there are few things to be aware of:

• Be ethical – don’t post on message boards posing as Joe Shmoe from Kentucky.  You’ll get caught by the board moderators and have your name and your client’s name smeared.  Not all press is good press.
• It’s not free advertising– be honest and know that message boards are not the place to pitch or advertise a product.  It’s a place to be open and honest about why a product or brand is amazing written by someone who has first hand experience with it.
• Use it your advantage– consumers are smart and many early adopters pop up on message boards.  Use them to see which trends are emerging and what people are talking about.
• You can’t hide – remember that the entire world can see what you post and any posting can be traced back to you and your clients.  Be responsible and represent yourself in the best light possible.
• Handle the criticism – there is bound to be someone who will write a negative post and you can only hope that these are few and far between.  Be prepared to do damage control.  Take advantage of negative hits by offering counsel to your clients based on consumer feedback.  They’ll appreciate your grassroots research.

 Links:

Board Tracker– http://boardtracker.com

Board Reader – http://boardreader.com

Once a company chooses the appropriate channel to reach their desired audience, the challenge lies in creating a compelling and effective campaign.  After observing current flyers, groups, polls, events and applications it becomes clear that certain tactics work and some simply don’t.  The following is a list of effective marketing strategies on Facebook:

1. Offer something for free - It doesn’t matter what it is, Facebook users love free gifts.  This could be anything from a free download, to a free “Facebook gift” to a discount coupon.  A shining example is the Apple group which offers periodic downloads of pre-selected music or TV samples.
2. Support a charity or social cause - Facebook users want to make a difference, and if they can do it quickly and easily through Facebook they will.  Some examples are the “Causes” application that helps charities raise money, the badges or ribbons that people can post on their pages to show support for a cause and the groups that raise awareness about a cause and sometimes even donate money per number of group members.
3. Allow for a new ways to interact with friends - Facebook users want to build relationships with their friends.  Some of the post popular applications are the “Super Poke” and the “X me” applications which allow users to send messages to their friends that says they’ve been punched, drop-kicked, hugged, stepped on and a range of other actions.  Facebook users like the “Free Gift” application where users send graphics of presents they’d like to give, the “Happy Hour” application where users can send a virtual drink or the “Vampires” application where people can bite their friends and turn them into virtual vampires.
4. Provide entertainment value - Applications that allow users to play games, listen to music, share photos or watch videos are always popular.
5. Be edgy, current and funny - Facebook users want to be associated with what is hip, fun, funny and cool. 
6. Allow for self-promotion and narcissism - Facebook users love to share information about themselves, their personalities and their lifestyles.  Most Facebook users view their profiles as a direct reflection of themselves.  Users will install/join applications and groups that fit their own personal brand or garner compliments or ego boosts.  Some examples are the “Compare me application,” “The Honesty Box,” “Horoscopes” and the “Are you interested? Application”
7. Balance eye-catching yet simple - There are two schools of thought among Facebook users: those who want flashy pages that stand out, and those who cling to the nostalgic uniformity of Facebook before applications.  An effective application will be colorful and valuable yet not too distracting or take up too much space.  The choice to create a flashy application or a simple application might also depend on the target demographic.  Older Facebook users gravitate toward the simplicity and professionalism of “old-skool” Facebook, while younger users are drawn to the busy, flashy “MySpace-like” applications.

While the persona of a Facebook user is evolving, it’s important to remember what Facebook users were drawn to in the first place.  Facebook created a feeling of privacy and focus on friends.  Users could customize their privacy settings and show information to only their close friends.  Facebook was simple, uniform and uncluttered.  It was also exclusive and separated users by network.  While Facebook has expanded and lost some of its original draw, many of the most loyal Facebookers still appreciate these qualities about the site and look for those attributes when choosing groups, applications, and activities on Facebook.

Niche online blog groups are popping up daily. Alternative Dads, Working Moms, Adoptive Families, Mothers of Autistic Children, Food Allergic Moms—the list is endless. These communities can be vital to a client’s “buzz” factor and it can be tough to weed through the millions of mini-communities online, but it is completely worth it when the results roll in.

Working with special interest online communities can be very different from a traditional print/broadcast/online (PBO) journalist. They are often very close to the topic they write about and can be an even tougher critic than a traditional PBO journalist. Before fighting the good fight with every mom and pop blog out there, it’s important to really identify true key opinion leaders (KOL), or those with the most weight in that particular blogsphere.

A recent media trend is for producers and writers to work with these bloggers as lifestyle experts. Many bloggers, like the editor of www.allergymoms.com, have become spokepeople for their causes. AllergyMom, Gina Clowes has a child with a food allergy and has made it her mission to get the word out about severe allergies, becoming a mini self-promotion machine. She, like other bloggers, realizes the value of her experiences and presents herself, as an expert available for comment. Many bloggers are actually using traditional public relations tactics to self-promote, such as press releases and media alerts, while others are aligning with a non-profit in the field they cover.

Another great example of special interest blogger is SavvyMommy, Victoria Pericon. Her Web site(www.SavvyMommy.com) is a highly visited site featuring product review and savvy shopping tips for moms. Based out New York, this blogger has done a great deal of PR for herself. She has been featured on numerous national broadcast programs and interviewed for several national magazines and newspapers. Because of her efforts, we automatically targeted her as a parenting KOL because of her increased visibility. This blogger fully welcomed our pitches and offers for projects as it benefitted both our clients and her Web site.

Overall, the passion of parent and special interest bloggers is a benefit to any PR campaign, as long as relationships are targeted at KOL’s. Spending a ton of time on Joe’s Blog about cat food won’t get you the visibility or results you’re seeking.

It’s no secret that Facebook has quickly become one of the most popular marketing platforms online.  With an extremely attentive audience, a naturally viral setting and a low cost for entry,  public relations professionals should take note of a few Facebook channels that can elevate a campaign:

1. Facebook Flyer – The original way people could post advertisements on Facebook.  These are the small sidebars on the left of the page that can include graphics, text and links.  Anyone can post these ads, from a student running for Student Body president, to a large company trying to gain customers to a clinic seeking egg donors.  Flyers are very inexpensive ($15 for 7,500 flyers over three days).
2. Facebook Poll – A valuable market research tool.  A company can create multiple choice question and target specific demographics, with the questions appearing on users’ landing pages.  Facebook polls allow people/brands to get answers to a question in a very short amount of time for $26.
3. Facebook Group – Free to create and a simple way to unite users with a common interest.  When members join a group they can post pictures, make comments and join discussions on the group page.  Group membership is usually posted on a person’s profile page. Group moderators can post and send messages to group members.
4. Facebook Event – An invitation where guests can RSVP and also post comments.  Moderators can send messages, and members get reminders of upcoming events.  Creating an event is free.
5. Facebook Applications – When Facebook opened its platform to 3^rd party developers, many companies took advantage of the Facebook applications.  Applications are widgets that users can download and display on their profile page.  Some applications are very simple and just display a graphic while others are complex and may integrate information from other Web pages or even other social networking sites.  There are a number of regulations for Facebook applications.  For example, Flash animation and music cannot run automatically on a page, it must have a play button.  Facebook applications also can’t have automatic pop ups.  All Facebook applications must be installed and can be uninstalled at any time.

In our next post, we’ll share some strategies to keep in mind when activating a campaign on Facebook.

10) Do: Join Digg, read Digg, get a profile and start interacting with those that Digg in order to get familiar with the subject matter being discussed. There’s eight topics to choose from (thousands of stories submitted per day) so you might want to use Digg Spy to see real-time story updates or Digg Swarm to feel like you are part of a news culture! Also, be aware of who is on Digg — it could be your paperboy, the cable guy, it could even be your Grandma hooked on People’s Court!

9) Don’t: Join Digg and title your profile “John Smith, CTO Insert Fortune 500 Company Name Here.” Assuming a corporate identity can lump you in with a not so complementary title of the one that keeps bringing us all down, “The Man.”

8) Do: Loosen up, be casual, take off that restricting necktie and let your hair down. When posting, interacting and communicating in general with fellow Diggers, be yourself, but realize that you are on a very hip, Web 2.0-meets-social-everything media site, it’s ok to talk casually, fun, sarcastic and ironic at times (think Seinfeld meets CES).

7) Don’t: Take everything personal and bring your list of agenda’s to the party. When you submit, comment and interact, taking on a “my way or the high way” attitude alienates you from the crowd and lessens your following.

6) Do: Think before you submit or Digg someone’s submission. Find articles, podcasts and videos that matter to you and that truly stand out, then take a step back and ask, “Who cares?” If the answer is

a) Lots of people

b) This is hilarious

c) Holy smokes I didn’t know that!

Then by all means, submit or Digg a submission.

5) Don’t: Submit press releases of “me too” information. That’s a sure fire way to get you buried on Digg. Buried = Bad, fyi.

4) Do: Find out which print, broadcast and blog media are submitting to Digg or getting Dugg the most. Is your favorite gadget reviewer from Crunch Gear always on the front page? Is the “2 On Your Side” investigative reporter from Poughkeepsie always getting her show in the top ten on Digg? If that’s the case, find out if your product, story, service or paradigm shifting widget is a good story or trend for s/he to cover and go pitch the good pitch.

3) Don’t: Tell the top five bloggers in your area of interest that the reason you want them to give you coverage is to get on Digg.

2) Do: Be passionate about what you like and don’t like. Digg is a reflection of society as a whole, if you are animated and excited about a topic you will come across as genuine, a quality that people tend to follow.

1) Don’t: Think that Digg is the only social media site there, it’s more of a barometer of how your communication strategy is working overall. Keep your eyes peeled, new sites and trends pop up every day, might even find out about them on Digg.

I’ve pitched bloggers, media blasted podcasters and hunted down reporters like big game. Now Justin.tv comes along. What’s a PR pro to do?

First a little background. Last week Justin.tv opened its platform to the public. What began as one guy with a camera attached to the side of his baseball cap has turned into a media darling and Web 2.0 sensation that gives each of us the opportunity to start our own “lifecast.”

According to the site “[Co-founders] Justin and Emmett were driving around late at night in Boston trying to figure out what to do about their previous startup (Kiko Calendar) after Google Calendar dried up the early adopter market. Justin realized that their conversation might be interesting for other young entrepreneurs, then thought that perhaps you can create really compelling content by just live broadcasting the lives of ordinary people, then thought… why don’t I wear a camera on my head 24/7.”

The concept of using the Internet to create an instant audience for one’s personal life is nothing new. Blogs, YouTube, MySpace, Facebook and the rest are each examples of tools that offered mass audiences the opportunity to personalize and popularize their lives. But the concept of Justin.tv took this basic premise to another level. Justin Kan voluntary offered to broadcast his every day activities and was savvy enough to realize that advertisers are only too eager to A) reach new and innovative audiences and B) grab consumers on a personal level. Justin.tv accomplished both of those things. No lie, but Justin.tv actually gained sponsors like Bawls energy drink and ZipCar. Every time Justin stepped into a mall or offered his opinion on his favorite food, it became commercialized whether intended or not. Fast Company has some interesting thoughts on this as well.

Kan, however, has more idealistic hopes for the company, telling the San Francisco Chronicle:

“Broadcasting something live from a remote site has always been the sole domain of large media corporations with access to satellite trucks,” says Kan. “What we want to do is put it in the hands of the people. Imagine what you could do if you had the ability to broadcast live video from anywhere, anytime. It changes the way news is gathered. It makes a whole new kind of travel show possible. It allows the broadcast of sports that aren’t large enough for ESPN. And I don’t think we’ve even predicted 10 percent of the possible uses yet.”

Enter the PR crowd. What are the possibilities that Kan mentions? Can we really turn ourselves into walking, talking media placements? The ability to broadcast a single event from unlimited points of view certainly presents options and benefits that a traditional media hit never could. With Justin.tv, we can eliminate the need to secure broadcast crews and instead choose to broadcast whatever we want, whenever we want, getting our clients messages out to a tech-savvy, highly influential audience.

Now, these are obviously the gold rush thoughts that cycle through every PR professional’s mind when a new technology is introduced. As always, the PR practitioners who take the time to understand the nuances behind each platform will be the ones who maximize its potential. And certainly there will be a glut of competition as marketers from all fields race to get their clients to the front of the line. But the clock is certainly ticking for Justin.tv’s first viral sensation to emerge. Just remember to smile for the camera.

Welcome to Fresh - a glimpse into the creative (and sometimes wacky) minds that make up the dynamic culture of CarryOn Communication and its family of services (CarryOn Interactive). As communicators, we’re keenly aware of the millions of blogs offering as many opinions about as many matters. And as contemporary communicators, we are equally understanding of the need for the majority of them to go away. That said, and never willing to simply bypass the fray, we submit here our own colored and most likely partisan approach to the purview of public relations, communication, branding and social media.

The CarryOn system offers a team of consumer-focused communicators and branding experts who dive deeply into the world of media, and who work incessantly to understand those who influence it. Daily we write, comment, pitch and in every other way entertain the various notions that allow us to reach these media who perhaps make up our clients’ most important publics. We share our unsolicited thoughts on these virtual pages and encourage you to feed the fire.