Last month, I had the opportunity to have a real-life conversation with an advertising expert at Facebook. Yes, the same Facebook that doesn’t seem to have a phone number or email address listed anywhere on its website and the “help” section is a collection of FAQs from other Facebook users like myself looking for answers.…
In the movie “City Slickers,” Jack Palance’s character Curly reveals the secret of life. He holds up his index finger and tells Mitch (played by Billy Crystal) that it’s “one thing.” Confused and intrigued, Mitch asks what is the one important thing in order to find his life’s purpose? Curly’s succinct answer: That’s for you…
A recent PR Daily Post recaps the results of a new study by Customer Thermometer that speaks to the power of emotional consumer connections. Put simply, creating these connections can lead to big pay offs for brands. This includes a willingness for consumers to pay substantially more for products from companies that foster feelings of…
Everyone in public relations ultimately is in the persuasion business. Our role is to influence stakeholders to take action in ways that benefit the organizations we serve, and hopefully benefit society, too. That’s true whether the action is reaching for a consumer product on the shelf, engaging as an employee to support a new corporate…
The public relations field is in a state of flux, thanks to the continuously evolving digital landscape. Babbler and the PR Council recently hosted a PR Genome webinar, titled “SOS: Reporters just don’t respond like they used to,” to discuss how PR professionals can best navigate the digital revolution and effectively engage with media in…
Facebook Live allows users to have an engaging conversation with their followers, reach new audiences in new ways, connect with people instantly, and tell their stories the way they want them to be heard. When Facebook Live first rolled out early last year, it was only available to verified celebrities and paid partners, like BuzzFeed.…
A key to effective presentations is nailing the content. You want to engage your audience with compelling, logical and concise messages that capture your main point or any action step. However, while the messages really matter, your content is also reinforced by what you don’t say. Your body language – everything from your hand gestures…
It’s the data daze. The all-consuming focus on consumer data will continue to shift the way businesses operate and will drive user experience innovation. Your trip to Sephora will play out in a number of different ways, long after you’ve left the store. – Kelly Nash Millennial managers get help. Generation Z (born between 1994…
Pitch customization is the cornerstone of any solid media relations strategy. It’s an art form and requires practice for PR professionals to truly master. In the age of the 24-hour news cycle, however, simply tailoring a pitch to an individual reporter doesn’t always do the trick. We must continually remind ourselves that reporters are bombarded…
With more than 500 million users and over 95 million posts per day, Instagram is emerging as an important platform for marketers. While all social platforms allow brands to promote products and services, Instagram can showcase your culture and the more human side of your business, helping to build brand loyalty. Like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest…
Many companies find themselves swimming in a sea of sameness when it comes to describing or positioning their brand in the marketplace. They may say similar or generic things to tout their top-notch service, expertise, quality work or products, and results. Of course, these types of attributes are often expected by most clients, customers and…
Often I romanticize about what media relations looked like before the digital age. I imagine myself calling up the local business editor. He answers the phone, cigarette hanging from his mouth, the sound of typewriters clinking and clacking, reporters pacing around the newsroom, and says, “Hiya Jake, whaddaya have for me today?” I pitch my…
Like most specialized professions, design comes with its own language. Visual communications specialists like myself speak this language so much that we tend to forget that design jargon is often lost on colleagues, clients and friends. I have no doubt that this is unhelpful for a non-designer. However, if the designer and non-designer can tighten…
Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill recently engaged long-time regional PR partner, Linhart PR, for a new expanded national role: supporting Chipotle’s field marketing team and regional brand strategists in all restaurant markets nationwide. Chipotle previously worked with four regional firms. Chipotle’s decision to consolidate its field marketing PR work from four firms to one was made…
Even seemingly perfect go-to-market strategies don’t always produce successful products. Data and focus groups are essential, but they aren’t everything. And today, when more and more people are becoming increasingly discerning about their food and considering all factors from nutrition to authenticity, it’s even more challenging to add value. Given today’s landscape, how can food…
Last week the Denver Ad Club hosted Colorado Ad Day, which was attended by industry leaders at various firms in Denver and Boulder. One speaker, Ethan Decker, VP of Insight and Strategy at Integer Group, uses scientific data analysis to understand branding and marketing. According to Decker, industry theories – such as “unique selling proposition”…
I was recently assigned the project of a lifetime: designing the backdrop and stage visuals for the United State Air Force Academy’s 2016 graduation ceremony. President Obama spoke to the class of 812 graduating cadets and as a result, the backdrop has appeared in countless event photos, videos, social posts, news articles and TV segments.…
How do you help people grasp the benefits, scale or scope of new products, huge projects or innovative services? One way is through the art of storytelling, including putting concepts, trends, facts and figures into meaningful terms for your audience. We work with organizations to develop messages that matter and resonate with media, consumers, employees…