Saints Announcement an Example of Effective Communication
As some in sports media have begun to talk about baseball and hockey coming back this year, there are others who are openly wondering if football will start on time. At present, most teams have not made any kind of announcement for or against the idea. Some have opted to cancel offseason workouts, however, and the New Orleans Saints are one of the latest. The Saints made the announcement that their offseason program would not be happening, and that players would be expected to workout at home and come to camp ready, whenever camp might be. Both GM Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton told the players to expect their coaching staff to maintain “regular communication” with players through…
Read MoreRed Sox Deal With Consequences of Sign Stealing Scandal
Last week the world of sports rejoiced at the news that, someday soon, Major League Baseball might re-start. But it didn’t take much time for the other side of the argument to surface. From a sports PR perspective, the weeks and months prior to the announcement that MLB Spring Training was canceled, and that the season would be postponed, were dominated by news of the sign stealing scandal. The Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox were called out, and several players and coaches were specifically named as willing participants, in what some commentators in the sports media called one of the worst professional sports scandals in decades. Now, just as fans were getting accustomed to the idea of baseball making…
Read MoreHow is HBO Promoting Max?
Even without a marquee live program like Game of Thrones to bank on, HBO is gambling that customers are ready to officially cut the cord and pay them directly to stream their content. The premium cable network recently announced a release date for its HBO Max streaming service on May 27. Given that, at $14.99 a month, the price tag is more expensive than competitors like Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix, it’s clear the brand believes it still has enough to entice viewers. So, what can streamers expect from HBO’s new service? Early press reports offer a varied lineup of WarnerMedia brands including Friends, Looney Tunes, Sesame Street, as well as new “Max Original” series for both adults and kids. Some…
Read MoreAnother Four-Letter Word
According to American author and academic Alexis De Veaux, “Survival is a four-letter word.” But to Dan Seavers, content marketing manager at TeleWalker, “data” is another. Seavers and others like him believe data will delineate marketing’s future. How CMOs analyze and blend data with their ideas and creativeness will define their brand’s future success. Data and Dating In some ways, gathering data is somewhat like the initial stages of dating. Where one or both parties seek out more information to determine if the other is a potential love interest. Getting to know more about him or her is essential. This same kind of courtship is true in gathering data to successfully move a consumer relationship with the brand forward. Evaluation…
Read MoreCoors Makes Good on an Opportunity
The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced us to an unlikely media sensation. Olive Veronesi, a 93-year-old Pennsylvania resident charmed social media when she ran out of beer and took matters into her own hands. Stuck in her home due to social distancing, and hoping to offer a bit of a smile to friends online, Veronesi posted a photo of herself in the window of her home, looking bereft and holding a Coors Light can as well as a sign that read: “I need more beer!” Shared countless times, the image – and Olive – became a social media viral hit. Thousands identified with what it feels like to be stuck inside, running out of things that we love. Social media users…
Read MoreLand O’Lakes Quietly Revises Branding
All company brands and logos evolve over time. There are many reasons for this. Sometimes brands just want a fresh look, something more in tune with current aesthetic tastes. Other times, the company is interested in rebranding or shifting a product focus, such as the recent changes to Dunkin’ Donuts. Other times, though, a company changes a brand to make a socio-political statement, or to send a very clear message… even if they do so with relatively little fanfare. Take, for instance, the recent change to Land O’Lakes dairy products. The brand markets butter, cheese, and other familiar dairy products and has been on many grocery store shelves since the 1920s. Their logo, featuring the Native American woman known as…
Read MoreMarketing with Impact
COVID-19 not only disrupted our daily lives but also those of thousands of businesses and industries. While the pandemic has caused chaos for marketers, it also presents an opportunity for those who can quickly adapt to the suddenly changed landscape. Before the pandemic, consumers were exposed to 5,000 messages daily according to data analytics company Talkwalker. There are four areas of a brand’s marketing campaign that CFOs need to pay attention to today. Area 1 – Content Meaningful engagement is even more important today since there’s an avalanche of consumers going online to search for and purchase merchandise. Content must reverberate with them from the start and then engage them throughout their visit. Inspect the data about the product, not…
Read MoreUK Media and Government Clash over Coronavirus Coverage
Media outlets across the world are working out how to cover the COVID-19 outbreak, and they’re learning on the job. Where is the line between accuracy and hype, between reporting the current facts on the ground and waiting for further details or testing? And where is the line between factually reporting government decisions and taking the risk of deteriorating the confidence of citizens looking to their government for action and answers? These questions are playing out in real time in London, UK, as even media outlets who are typically sympathetic to the ruling government have been strongly criticizing leaders’ decisions in recent days. Headlines have criticized a perceived “confusion” and “lack of clarity” from government messaging, while others are screaming…
Read MoreWinning PR in the Digital Age
Public relations is shifting. While, in many ways, the fundamentals are the same as they always were, PR is experiencing a Renaissance in the digital age. As traditional media outlets are tightening their belts, because of falling advertising revenue, other forms of media communication are offering brands a direct link to their customer base, creating relationship dynamics and communication opportunities that have never been possible before. To win in the PR business today, brands and PR pros must be more proactive, they need to update their approach to PR and take advantage of new opportunities for brand placement and expanded venues for stories and customer connection points. And, along with these new options and opportunities, there are a host of…
Read More3M and GE Step Into Gap to Help Stretched-Thin Medical Industry
The global calamity that is the COVID-19 pandemic has ground some businesses and industries to a halt. However, there are some brands that are in a key position to step in and act heroically to help in this time of crisis. If they take the opportunity, and they manage the messaging correctly, this could be a major positive PR move in a sea of bad news. Early on in the news reports about the spread of the novel coronavirus, one specific piece of medical equipment became a kind of shorthand for the resources available to fight the pandemic: the N95 respirator. Headline after headline urged consumers not to purchase the masks, to save them for medical professionals, even as others…
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