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Remember when we actually had to watch the Super Bowl to see all the creative quirky new ads…like the Budweiser Frogs, the McDonald’s “Showdown” spot between Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, the cowboys herding cats, and going way back in the day — the Mean Joe Green Coke spot with the kid. Great stuff, and the surprises were a lot of fun to watch with a big group of friends. Back then, ads lived primarily on TV and radio. Much has changed. There’s still an insatiable desire among consumers to see how far advertisers will go to push the boundaries each year, but you no longer have to wait until 6 p.m. on Sunday to see what they’ve come up with. At $2.7 million for a 30-second spot, advertisers simply had to find new ways to extend the reach and impact of their ads. Their answer: leverage PR opportunities created by expanded distribution options on the web and mobile media. Super Bowl advertising has morphed into an aggressive PR push that starts long before the game. Advertisers are engaging media with more previews, posting spots on YouTube, leaking concepts and video to bloggers and distributing through cell phones…anything to stretch their ROI. Leveraging the internet isn’t new. Stuart Elliott of The New York Times recently wrote that Budweiser estimates their Super Bowl commercials were viewed online more than 30 million times last year, most in the week following the game. What’s different is the increased use of the web and PR before the game. Five days before kick-off, a Pepsi spot featuring sign language and no sound has already been seen by 250,000 people on YouTube, and it has been picked up on dozens of sites like CBS News and U.S. News and World Report…oh, and of course right here on our blog…Pepsi’s strategy must be working.
Sometimes the most revealing insight into a candidate comes not from their banter on health care or taxes, but how they handle the more spontaneous moments.
See the Democrats this week. Does anyone remember anything substantive that Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama said during the South Carolina debate this week amid the repeated finger wagging and Terminator-like staredowns?
I do like a passionate candidate. But their intensity came across as petty, not productive. They tried too hard to seem real and knowledgeable, and in the process they let the theatrics steal the substance.
Then there’s John Edwards who, in 8 minutes on the Late Show with David Letterman last night, uttered not one word from his stump speech but captured the audience smack in the palm of his hand. He didn’t say anything about his stance on Iraq, education, poverty, etc. He simply seized the moment.
Edwards was likeable, funny, self-depricating and confident — the refreshing option to the Springer-esque feud the night before. He had a sharp answer for everything, yet didn’t come across as canned. He took at shot at President Bush, took a shot at his competitors, took a shot at Bill O’Reilly, and even gave Letterman a few jabs. He also laughed, a lot.
Mind you, the candidates on both sides are all seasoned politicos who know how to posture. They’re smart and polished. They’re also human, with emotions and egos that sometimes get in the way.
A presidential race is about, if nothing else, perception — do I want this guy or gal with their finger on the button for the next four years. Edwards may not even finish second in his party this year, but for one night he gave his challengers a lesson in schmoozing they might want to take to heart down the road.
Crain’s Detroit Business creates and maintains valuable business information lists throughout the year and publishes an annual Book of Lists.
Check out www.crainsdetroit.com for details. We all know information is power. If YOU are not on the lists, you should definitely know who is. Who is on the list of largest Accounting Firms, the top paid CEO, the largest Livingston County employers and over 50 other significant categories?
In celebration of this important and monumental work by Crain’s, Brogan & Partners has created our own page of lists as an advertisment in the upcoming Book of Lists (unsanctioned, of course, by Crain’s).
In it we have listed all sorts of great business categories including Signs Your SUV May Be Too Big, Best Excuses for Not Coming to Work and our personal favorite, 15 Cutest CEOs.
And in the spirit of underpromising and overdelivering, we actually listed 18 very cute CEOs. The follow is the list:
o Frank Stella,
o Edsel Ford II,
o Beth Chappell,
o Tarik Daoud,
o Gail Torreano,
o Dan Leopp,
o Leslie Murphy,
o David Brandon,
o Fred Hoffman,
o Sam Logan,
o Ron Hall,
o Rick Snyder,
o John Rakolta,
o Chris Illich,
o Peter Karmanos,
o Rod Gillum,
o Yousif Ghafari,
o Raj Vattikuti.
Who would YOU add to this list? Tell us in the comments field.
This isn’t a blog about some cutesy PR gimmick or case study. But there is a deep lesson here that could apply in our professional and personal lives. I read a story this week that just took my breath away, for several reasons. The recovery of Kevin Everett is remarkable. But it’s the story behind the story, one key moment to be exact, that needs reflection. Everett is the Buffalo Bills football player who was paralyzed while making a tackle during the first game of the season. Everett’s spinal cord was not severed, but was severely damaged, leaving little hope of recovery. He lay on the field that day a quadriplegic. Yet three months later he’s walking, and slowly regaining motor skills throughout his body. His inner strength and courage is inspiring. As is that of a doctor who treated Everett, Dr. Andrew Cappuccino.
After giving Everett a battery of tests and going through all the usual treatments associated with this type of injury, Cappuccino made one controversial decision that may have changed Everett’s prognosis forever. We may never know if Cappuccino’s decision was the turning point. There’s a huge debate raging in the medical community about the doc’s decision and the actual impact on Everett. We do know he went against the opinion of many, and that of conventional wisdom, because he felt strongly that this was Everett’s only hope.
Dr. Cappuccino made the decision to induce hypothermia, believing it would provide “neuroprotection” and reduce swelling, thus relieving pressure on the severely damaged spinal cord. Cold therapy is used for other ailments, but not for spinal cord injuries. Cappuccino sought counsel in his wife, who is also a doctor. From the Sports Illustrated article, “At one point during the debate over inducing hypothermia, Cappuccino called his wife, whose medical judgment he trusts. She encouraged him to go with his instincts. “I’m human,” says Cappuccino. “Things passed through my mind. If I do this and it blows up in my face, I’m exposing myself to a lot of scrutiny. We could lose the house, lose the cars, the kids don’t go to college. But I had to be able to put my head on the pillow that night and believe that I did the best job I could do.”
The article continues, “Everett was placed on the CoolGard in the predawn hours of Monday, Sept. 10, and within two hours his body had cooled to a temperature of 91.5°. That morning Everett was able to squeeze his thighs against Cappuccino’s hands. “Everybody was stunned,” says Cappuccino, “including me.”
It doesn’t so much matter whether or not this one decision actually made the difference. It’s the fact that he made the choice, and stood by it. That’s how diseases are cured. That’s why we can wake up in Raleigh and go to sleep in Tokyo. That’s why there’s an American Flag stuck on the moon. And why patients who otherwise would spend the rest of their lives in a coma, or in bed, can now lead productive lives…because someone like Dr. Cappuccino had the guts to do something no one else had tried.
Turn on any of the so-called investigative shows like Dateline or 20/20 almost every night and you can still see the classic PR drama unfold. Some slimeball suspected of bilking old ladies out of their nest egg is hustling toward his car as a sweaty cameraman and frothing reporter chase close behind. “No comment. No comment” he says, hiding his face with one hand and searching for his keys with the other.
Guilty or not, this guy’s fate is sealed. Who in their right mind would hire him after seeing that PR nightmare unfold? Sure, there are plenty of times when it’s in the client’s best interest to refrain from comment, or at least say very little. But the fact is, the days of mumbling ‘no comment’ as your best PR strategy are over.
Good PR today is about transparency. Let’s look at a few celebrity examples on both sides. Meet your PR team of Bonds, Craig, Grant and Rose. (That’s Barry, Senator Larry, Hugh, and Pete). These guys have a powerful PR message to deliver, so sit up straight, sharpen your pencil and pay attention.
I know, I know…believe me it’s not an easy thing for a guy to make a serious Hugh Grant reference. That’s why I’m throwing in a Pete Rose blast later. So what in the world can the dramedy player Grant teach us about PR? Truthfully I felt no need to make the connection either, until it was forced on me. It’s not like I spend free time thinking up new Hugh Grant angles. But the Mrs. and I cozied up recently to watch the latest installment in his cookie cutter collection, and then it hit me. This guy is rich. The ladies love him. He’s A-list Hollywood and a box-office cinch. And as I said to my wife “Isn’t he the schmuck who got busted having sex with a prostitute in a parked car back in the day, while he was dating one of the most elegant women in the world?” Why wasn’t he relegated to the Surreal Life like all the other degenerate d-listers?
Because he did what so many fail to do…he owned his mistake and he saved his reputation. People are more likely to forgive the loveable screw-up than the bitter liar. He took his lumps and didn’t try to talk his way out of it (see Senator Larry Craig and his “wide-stance” story). Grant protected his marketability.
He knows perception is truth in the marketplace. Look no further than Barry Bonds and Pete Rose, arguably the best two hitters in baseball history. Bonds just broke the most hallowed record in all of sports, and few people care, because he’s allowed himself to be branded a liar and a cheat. Some say he’s the greatest player ever. So why no funny commercials like Peyton Manning and LeBron James? Because no one likes him. His own team let him go, adios to one of the top five players in history just a couple of months after he became the new Home Run King. He’s not marketable outside of San Francisco, not because people think he took steroids, but because they think he hasn’t been honest about it. Same with Rose, one of the most liked and respected guys in the game now just a trade show autograph hawk. Why? Because it took him 20 years to admit what everyone already knew, and in the process he lost any shred of respectability. When he finally admitted that he bet on baseball, even then people were suspicious of his motives and the truth. Rose would be in the Hall of Fame today, and probably in a broadcast booth calling games, had he owned the mistake from day one. He didn’t lose his chance because he bet, he lost his chance because he lied.
Good PR no longers means thinking up 101 different ways to say the dog ate my homework. Good PR means using basic communication skills, a dose of common sense and technology to help bring positive attention to your story…be it launching a company or saving your reputation.
When I watched the video of Ellen DeGeneresshedding crocodile tears over her doggy disaster, honestly my first thought was “This must be sweeps week” or was she possibly trying out for the lead in Rent? So much drama. But as I learned the details of the story, I soon understood her strategy. I’m not saying the emotion wasn’t real. She was clearly upset. The decision to take those emotions public on her show was calculated, and smart. Let’s talk about why. There are so many PR lessons here…taking control of a crisis; staying in touch with the big picture, and not being afraid to use a little common sense.
First a quick summary: DeGeneres adopted Iggy from Mutts and Moms, and after two weeks realized the dog wasn’t meshing well with her other pets. (Why not test the waters before adopting?) She then gave the dog to her friend and hairstylist who has two girls, ages 11 and 12. Iggy bonded and everyone was happy, until the adoption agency called to see how Iggy and Ellen were getting along. They promptly took Iggy (physically took him) from the family and put him back in jail, because DeGeneres violated a term of the contract that says she can’t give the dog away. This issue came to light early this week when DeGeneres took it public on her show, making an emotional appeal for the agency to return Iggy to the girls.
Here’s a quote from Marina Batkis, owner of the agency.
“If Ellen wants to place dogs and decide what’s a good home, then she should start her own rescue group. But I’m the one doing this and I know what I’m doing.”
Keith A. Fink, a lawyer for Mutts and Moms, told FOXNews.com that the dog will not be returned.“It’s never gonna happen. There is more of a chance that the Yankees are going to win the World Series this year.They are not going to be bullied by the Ellen DeGeneres camp. It’s the Hollywood culture — she thinks she’s above the contract and the law.”
Woa cowboy…someone needs a hug. We are still talking about finding a good home for a dog, right? Here’s our first PR lesson: never lose sight of the end game. Isn’t it the mission of a doggy adoption agency to place pets in loving homes, thus preventing them from being euthanized? Didn’t Iggy end up in a loving, responsible home? This is supposed to be a positive, feel good effort — but the tone and language coming from the adoption agency has a nasty edge. The agency lost control of the message, and generated enormous negative press by letting their emotions cloud their judgement and vision. I realize rules are in place throughout society to help ensure a better quality of life for all, and in this case for Iggy. But come on people, let’s use a little brain power before sticking your paw in your mouth. Rules are only effective if they result in their intended purpose.
Which leads us to lesson number two: use some common sense. Why why why do so many companies fail to mix a little street smarts into their daily decision making, especially with PR opportunities in play? This agency is in the business of giving wayward pups a second chance, or in Iggy’s case third and fourth chances. He’s now in a new home, his fourth environment in less than a month. The owners of the agency look like heels, the family and girls are upset and without their beloved pet, DeGeneres blew a week of shows on this topic and police are investigating death threats. The agency had to close temporarily because of the backlash. Whew, talk about losing focus.
Mutts and Moms could have, and should have, come out of this with more business than Santa. DeGeneres gave them the opportunity to turn around a bad situation, at the same time saving her own reputation. She owned her mistake — our final PR lesson for the day. She grabbed control of the story before anyone else could, and she steered the “crisis” in her favor. She knew before she went on the air how the adoption agency would react. They had already taken Iggy, and certainly there had been tense conversations between both camps. DeGeneres used her platform, and the agency’s missteps, to her advantage.
The agency could have made their stance about the rules clear and expressed concern, thus saving face with their community, yet taken the obvious step of evaluating Iggy’s new family and undoubtably giving their blessing. They would have earned immediate monster PR, and DeGeneres could have taped a fun show with Iggy, the new family and the director of the agency…a home run for everyone.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service had the best of intentions when they sent out an e-mail to 67,000 employees with the purpose of sharing information about energy conservation. Unfortunately, the communication touted a list of fuel-efficient cars to purchase, all foreign… not one American car. Needless to say, this got the attention (in a bad way) of the American auto industry, American auto workers and a delegation of Michigan elected representatives.
On Friday Joe Ellis, assistant secretary for administration for the HHS issued an apology. “I deeply regret that our newsletter offended anyone, especially those Americans working in the automobile industry and the millions of people who make American automobile manufacturers successful,” said Ellis. Well put. And praised as the right response. “They did the right thing and I applaud them for it,” said Chrysler spokesman Jason Vines. “When you are in a hole, stop digging.” Very well said.
Mass communication is a powerful thing. And when it goes wrong it can go really wrong. In this case, the smart way to respond was clear… stop, drop and apologize.
So, what is the lesson in this for businesses and other entities? Well, obviously, be careful in your communications, have a instinct for diverse opinions, beware of “unintended results”, have professionally trained folks managing mass communication and most importantly, when something goes wrong be prepared to respond to it.
The fact that the HHS responded so quickly and so honestly and so openly, makes me sure that they had excellent, professional public relations advice. Their crisis communications response was perfect. They were in a hole. And they stopped digging.
