Sweden’s Airline Industry has a PR Problem
In recent months, climate activists across Europe have stepped up their efforts to convince travelers to skip air travel, with infamous Swedish schoolgirl and campaigner Greta Thunberg spearheading the trains-over-planes movement. At the same time, “flygskam”, or flight shame, has become a new buzzword in the Scandinavian country, and the airline industry has responded by saying it is “hellbent” on reducing emissions.
Read MoreHow to Create Community with Marketing
Even as the consumer world moves closer to home, with services and commodities available at the push of a button, we all still crave a bit of human interaction. As more customer service models are going towards outsourcing or automation, industries such as fitness and food are providing options that don’t require customers to leave the house, and more people rely on their mobile devices for communication, it’s no wonder that we all get a bit lonely sometimes.
Read MoreThese Free or Low-Cost Marketing Tools Will Boost Any Business
Marketing can be an expenditure that some businesses have trouble justifying. However, a strategic approach to marketing is necessary in order to reach as many potential customers as possible. So what is there to be done in the case of a little-to-no budget, no marketing experts on staff, and precious little time? Luckily, there are plenty of free or low-cost marketing tools designed to help even the smallest or newest businesses boost their strategy.
Read MoreMarketing and Millennials
Love them or hate them, Millennials are major news in marketing. Not only are they the largest generation since the Baby Boom, but they are also about to launch into their prime purchasing years. By next year, Millennials are expected to spend a jaw-dropping $1.4 trillion annually- that’s one-third of all retail sales in the US alone. Savvy business owners better start thinking like Millennials – or hire marketing teams who can. In this article, we’ll be looking at the most significant trends shaping Millennial spending behavior, and some effective strategies you can use to build smarter and faster marketing campaigns.
Read MoreHow to Wrangle Customer Testimonials
There are some common traps that small business owners fall into. Relegating testimonials to mere “nice to have” status is one of them. As a form of social proof, testimonials are empirically persuasive. Econsultancy data shows that the showcasing of testimonials leads to an 18% increase in sales and an increase in the likelihood of purchase for 63% of site visitors. Brightlocal research found that 88% of people trust online reviews as much as they trust recommendations from personal contacts.
Read MoreBoeing: A Case Study in How Not to Manage Your PR
As one of corporate America’s most recognizable brands, you would think Boeing would be well-poised to deal with public relations crises of all shapes and sizes. Indeed, as a major exporter and military contractor, Boeing has deep pockets when it comes to lobbying in Washington; you would think this kind of spending would carry through to the firm’s PR department.
Read MoreEntrepreneur of the Month: Michael Cammarata
Michael Cammarata has been an entrepreneur with a unique business sense for longer than many people even know what they want to do with their lives. Earning his first million dollars at the young age of 13, he invested that capital into industries such as biotechnology, entertainment, advertising, and electronics.
Read MoreApple v. Qualcomm: A PR win
The scene is this: The opening arguments for Apple vs Qualcomm are well underway in the Southern District of San Diego, with the US District Court Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel first disallowing, then reversing his decision and allowing live tweeting. Included in the passionate arguments are allegations of double-dipping, talk of KFC and its secret recipe, debates over chicken and potatoes. Who says the world of corporate law is a dull one?
Read MoreLeveraging Momentum from a Successful Marketing Campaign
The marketing team is celebrating. Months ago, in a meeting, a concept for a campaign was floated around the conference table. The idea had all the right ingredients: it was daring, edgy, attention-grabbing, and emotive. After a few more strategy meetings, the campaign really began to take shape, and the Chief of Marketing was excited to launch it. And it went off without a hitch. The campaign, starring a prominent basketball star, went viral. Thanks to the clever integration of a community impact story, together with just the right music, graphics, and hashtags, the campaign seemed to grow legs of its own. Soon, everyone was talking about the brand.
Read MoreUtilizing Current Events for Marketing Purposes
The Red Cross recently had a brilliant marketing scheme. In an effort to drive up blood donor numbers, the nonprofit organization leveraged the upcoming season premiere of the hit HBO series, Game of Thrones, for its marketing campaign. “Bleed for the throne.” The slogan was paired with a red-tinged artist’s rendering from a Game of Thrones scene and the font associated with the show’s title letters. At the very least, the campaign accomplished one goal: to start a conversation. Game of Thrones, with its millions of loyal fans, has a marketing power that other brands are attempting to harness. But this is a smart strategy! Leveraging current events can often be the fresh air that a brand needs to spin…
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